Have you got what it takes to save lives at sea? Kippford RNLI are looking for new operational volunteers to join the lifeboat and shore crew. An open recruitment event is taking place on Sunday 9th February.
As the charity that saves lives at sea the RNLI is operated almost entirely by volunteers and the team at Kippford lifeboat station are no exception. Housing a D Class inshore lifeboat, the station has been in existence since 1966 and is run by a team of volunteers.
There are a wide range of operational roles in the RNLI including lifeboat crew, shore crew and launch authority positions. Maritime experience is not required as there is a comprehensive training structure in place for all volunteers.
Gareth Jones, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Kippford RNLI, says: ‘volunteering with the RNLI requires commitment and a desire to help others. We have a small, dedicated crew here in Kippford and we now have the opportunity to welcome some new people to the team. I’d encourage anyone who may be interested to come along to our recruitment event on the 9th of February to find out more.’
Anyone interested in joining the Kippford crew should be over 18 years of age and for lifeboat crew must be under 55 years of age. You should be physically fit, live or work close to the lifeboat station and be able to commit to the training requirements as well as respond to the pager when the call for help comes.
Laura Wilson, volunteer crew member at Kippford, says: ‘I’ve been volunteering with the RNLI for 6 years and in that time I’ve made great friends and learned lots of new skills. Being on the lifeboat can be challenging but it’s also extremely rewarding when you are able to put your training into practice to help someone in difficulty. I’ve loved my time volunteering so far and I’m looking forward to helping the next generation of Kippford lifesavers on their journey.’
The Kippford RNLI volunteer recruitment day takes place at the lifeboat station from 10-12 on Sunday 9th October. Potential volunteers will be able to look around the station and lifeboat and spend some time chatting with current crew to find out more about the role and next steps. More details of the event can be found on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/kippfordRNLI or by emailing [email protected]
