Level 2 Uniformed Services students spent an action-packed morning with RNLI Teddington where they had the opportunity to find out all about their local RNLI lifeboat station and the vital role its volunteers play in saving lives on the River Thames.
The students were able to take a closer look at the lifeboat station’s lifeboats, tour the boathouse and crew room, meet the crew, and learn about the different lifeboats including the D class lifeboat which is highly manoeuvrable lifeboat used in shallow water, confined locations and riverside beaches – ideal to help those in need on the River Thames.
The students were shown how to use the equipment used in a rescue mission, tried on full RNLI crew kit and enacted a real-life rescue operation.
The students thoroughly enjoyed the experience, saying:
“It was a great experience and I learned real life skills.” Vaggelis
“It was a great introduction to the work volunteers do.” Sam
“It was fun and active.” Logan
“It was interesting. I learned about things I didn’t know before.” Raz
“I loved it there. It was fun.” Tamia
“It was interesting. The people who ran the activities were very nice and friendly and treated us like adults.” Talliya
Did you know?
The RNLI is a charity run by volunteers who provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts and waterways. 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 142,700 lives.
