Lough Derg RNLI marks International Women’s Day

For generations, women have saved lives, launched lifeboats, and raised millions for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). At Lough Derg RNLI Station, several women on both the lifeboat and in fundraising are continuing this lifesaving legacy.

Ania Skrzypczynska, a busy mother of one, joined Lough Derg RNLI as a volunteer crew member in 2020.

Ania, a Polish native, says she joined the RNLI because she wanted to "become part of the community after moving to Dromineer. After the first few training sessions at the lifeboat station I had got to meet really nice, friendly people and found it to be a great experience".

She adds: "Then after passing my assessments and going out on the lifeboat, it was like the beginning of an adventure for me. Being a mum of a small and very active boy, for the moment I am restricted with the amount of time I have to spare between my full-time job and family life. However, I know that in the future I will be able to get more involved in the life of the station. I am looking forward to becoming a fully qualified crew member. I like new challenges and I want to channel it towards learning how to help others. And by living so close to Lough Derg, I want to learn more about the lake, its beauty and, its dangers."

It is 54 years since the first woman qualified as an RNLI crew member, women make up around 12.3% of the RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew, a figure which is steadily growing.

Eleanor Hooker, volunteer helm at Lough Derg RNLI said: ‘International Women's Day celebrates women’s achievements and the empowerment of all women'.

"Irrespective of what role volunteers perform for the wider Lough Derg RNLI team, we are one crew and everyone is equal, it doesn’t matter if you are female or male, we are all working together to save lives and keep people safe."

Ciara Lynch, volunteer crew at Lough Derg RNLI adds: "If we can inspire other women and girls to think that this is something they can do too, it makes what we do even more rewarding."

Doireann Kennedy, a sailor and volunteer crew at Lough Derg RNLI would encourage "anyone thinking about joining the RNLI, just give it a go. Even if you haven’t got any background on the water or don’t know your way around a boat, there are roles for everyone and the training and support is comprehensive".

Sue Kingswood, RNLI Inclusion and Diversity Manager, comments: "Creating an inclusive culture which supports diversity is key to our long-term sustainability. So, we’re working hard to make sure that a wide range of people see the RNLI as a charity where they’re welcome as volunteers, supporters or staff. As we approach our 200th anniversary, women are now more evident in operational search and rescue (SAR ) roles throughout the RNLI than they have ever been before. They are also better represented across operational management and in SAR training roles, which is great to see. However, we still have a long way to go to achieve the representation we would like, not only where women are concerned, but across a much broader spectrum of diversity too."