I hold a BSc Hons Degree in Environmental Protection and a Diploma in Sustainable Business Practice from the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA.)
I love growing things organically in a wildlife friendly way in my garden, and for the last 14 years at my allotment too. I am a soft release site for Iford Meadows Hedgehog Rescue and have fed & watered my local HH population every night for the last 5 years or so. I have around 20 bird feeders, so get through kilos of bird food regularly! Sourcing, preparing and eating great local/seasonal produce is one of the other main joys in my life.
I joined the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) as Sustainability Manager in April 2013, after spending around 12 years as a Sustainability Advisor for Business Link, working with many different small and medium sized businesses across Dorset, Hampshire, and the IOW.
For nearly 200 years the RNLI has been “saving lives at “sea by working together with partners and communities, to educate, influence, supervise and rescue those at risk from drowning. We provide a publicly funded 24/7 search and rescue capability across the UK & ROI via 238 Lifeboat Stations, crewed by around 5,000 operational volunteers. We employ 2,000 seasonal Lifeguards operating on 240 beaches. We also employ around 1,200 staff and have a further 30,000 volunteers and supporters providing fundraising, engagement, and educational activities. The RNLI design, build and maintain our fleet of 400 Lifeboats in house. We have a small International Team who share our knowledge and experience with countries around the world and, advocate drowning prevention with organisations such as the UN.
My key role is to support the RNLI to develop, deliver and embed a robust sustainability approach within all RNLI strategies, plans and subsequent actions/outputs and impacts. The overarching aim is to ensure the RNLI’s on-going ability to sustain the prevention of loss of life from drowning and the pursuit of the RNLI vision “to save every one”.
