RNLI recognises women volunteers for International Day for Women in Maritime
On this day, the RNLI is recognising all the women who have been saving lives at sea, launching and building lifeboats, and playing an integral part in maintaining the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) as a world-class lifesaving service.
The International Day for Women in Maritime (18 May) was officially established by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to recognise and amplify the contributions of women working within the maritime industry. It is intended to promote recruitment, retention and sustained employment of women within the maritime sector while raising the profile of women already in the industry.
For over 200 years, women have helped shape the charity into the mighty lifesaving service it is today. By learning and developing new skills, meeting new people within their communities and sharing their experiences, women in a huge variety of roles across the RNLI are helping the charity in its lifesaving mission.
Across the UK and Ireland, these roles include lifeboat crew, tractor drivers, lifeguards, shore crew and Lifeboat Operation Managers, as well as our fundraisers, water safety and shop volunteers plus many others who make the RNLI’s prevention and rescue work possible.
In celebration of the day, we are highlighting a recent achievement for Swanage lifeboat crew member, Alice Haw, who recently passed out as a helm on the station’s inshore lifeboat. Alice has volunteered with the station for eight years, after growing up watching her dad, retired Swanage coxswain Christopher Haw, out on the lifeboat.
Alice Haw, Swanage RNLI Lifeboat Station volunteer said:
‘This has been the result of months of hard work, and I’m proud that it’s all paid off and that I’m going to be able to use this opportunity to give back to the local community.’
Returning to town following a move away, Alice joined the RNLI crew in Swanage eight years ago, where she serves as a volunteer crew member, and navigator on both the all- weather lifeboat (ALB), George Thomas Lacy, and the Inshore lifeboat, Roy Norgrove.
Find out more information on our range of volunteering opportunities within the RNLI here.
Notes to editor:- Read more about Alice's pass out on the RNLI's News Centre: Swanage RNLI celebrate as volunteer crew member passes out as Helm | RNLI
- Hi-res version of photo can be downloaded here.
For any further information or image requests, please contact Charlotte Cranny-Evans on [email protected].
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.