Loch Ness RNLI among Highland crews celebrating volunteers on International Women’s Day
Lifeboat crews in the Highlands have been celebrating their female volunteers to mark International Women’s Day.
The RNLI is directly supported by thousands of women across the UK - in every role from lifeboat rescuer to fundraisers, and from water safety to engineering.
Fifteen per cent of RNLI operational crew are women, with this figure rising noticeably among some of the crews in the north - including the Kessock lifeboat where all-women launches are possible owing to the number of female volunteers there.
Loch Ness’s crew, meanwhile, also has a large proportion of women among its many volunteers, including numerous long-serving members.
Joanna Stebbings and Linda Izquierdo Ross were two of the first women on the Loch Ness RNLI crew when the Loch Ness lifeboat station was first established in 2008.
Joanna joined as Box Secretary before becoming Deputy Launch Authority and Plant Operator in 2012. In 2017, Joanna became Scotland’s first female Lifeboat Operations Manager in modern history. She said: “Linda and I were two of the first female crew members and we’re proud to still be part of the team 17 years later.
“With every new intake we welcome more women to the crew who now account for 30 per cent of our operational team of volunteers.”
Linda initially joined as shore crew and treasurer before becoming boat crew then latterly a launch authority and plant operator. Linda said: “I remember my shouts vividly during my time as boat crew, in particular the day I took part in three call outs and the day we saved the lives of two kayakers. I now also support the RNLI Scottish Safety group by providing educational talks to children and adults and I am part of the RNLI Scottish Volunteer Council and RNLI Disability network.”
Anne Clarke is boat crew and plant operator and joined the crew at a particularly challenging time. She said: “I was living opposite the station when I joined in 2020 and I wanted to do something to contribute to the community.
“Training during the Covid pandemic was quite something and I was the only woman on the boat until Diane joined us in 2023. Myself and my two sons have also been part of the fundraising crew since 2022 and it was in 2023 that I convinced Morag and Rachel to join us! It’s always exciting when more women join the crew.”
Sisters Georgia Archer and Madison Archer-Rayner joined as Tier 1 crew in 2023 after relocating to the Highlands from Essex. Madison said: ‘After moving to the Highlands, my husband and I thought it would be great to volunteer for the RNLI together.
“Joining the crew was a bit of a personal challenge for me as I was never hugely confident in the water, but I’ve pushed myself out of my comfort zone thanks to the help of a great team that I’m super proud to be part of.”
Georgia added: “I’ve always been the type of person who likes to help and support others so joining Loch Ness RNLI after relocating felt like a great opportunity to do just that. I feel really privileged to be part of such a worthwhile cause and to have the opportunity to work alongside such a great bunch of people is a real honour.”
Like Georgia, Tier 2 crew and Plant Operator Diane Gow chose to volunteer with Loch Ness RNLI as a way of helping people in need. She said: “I joined the crew in 2023 after serving as a police officer for 30 years. I really missed helping people in distress so volunteering as boat crew was a perfect opportunity for me and was also a great way to meet lots of people in the village.”
Integrating into the community was also a key motivation for Rachel Nixseaman who started volunteering on the crew in 2023 and is now Tier 2 crew and Plant Operator. Rachel said: “I decided to volunteer with Loch Ness RNLI after moving to the area and looking for ways to be more involved in the community. Being on the crew has been a great way of meeting new people and pushing myself to learn something new.”
Fellow Tier 2 crew and Navigator, Kathryn Elliott was originally part of the RNLI Queensferry crew in 2019 but joined the Loch Ness team earlier this year after relocating with her family.
Kathryn said: “After taking a break to have a baby, I was keen to join another RNLI crew after moving to the Highlands with my partner and son. I wanted to help people and be part of a community, but, of course, I had to join this crew specifically to find the Loch Ness Monster!”
But it’s not just the boat and shore crew who keep Loch Ness RNLI afloat, the branch crew also support operations at the lifeboat station with fundraising, administration and awareness raising for the crew and the charity.
Morag Fraser was inspired to join the fundraising team after taking on a personal challenge on Loch Ness. She said: “I'm the Branch Secretary and part of the fundraising crew alongside our fundraisers, Bronwen, Caroline and Lynn.
“I joined in 2023 after setting myself a challenge to paddleboard the perimeter of Loch Ness and raise money for RNLI Loch Ness. After completing the challenge, I was asked if I'd like to get involved in fundraising and to take on the secretary role which was a great opportunity to continue supporting the RNLI and be part of a really friendly station.”
Lifeboat press officer, Lynsey Morgan joined the crew in 2024 after moving to the area. She said: “I decided to volunteer with the team as a way of meeting new people and giving something back to the community. I’ve always loved to write so being able to tell the stories of the fantastic things happening at the station is really exciting.
“From rescues to fundraising events, it’s my job to make sure the media and our supporters know all about it. The crew have been really welcoming and I’m grateful to be volunteering alongside so many brilliant women at Loch Ness.”
Earlier this week, Joanna Stebbings took part in the #WomenInSAR Training Week at the RNLI College in Poole, Dorset. Eighty women came together from across the RNLI to connect and share their experiences while learning new skills.
Joanna said: “I was delighted to represent Loch Ness at this event and learn more about the women in the SAR community. It was a great opportunity to share knowledge, learn new lifesaving skills and connect with other women in similar roles throughout the UK.'“
