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The inaugural Women in Search and Rescue (SAR) Scotland event has continued to generate momentum months after it took place, with participants reporting lasting professional and personal benefits that extend well beyond the training delivered on the day.
Hosted by Jane Hier of Kessock RNLI and held on 25 October 2025 at HM Coastguard Highland’s facilities, supported by Inverness Marina, the event brought together more than 35 operational women from lifeboat stations across Scotland — representing nearly one-fifth of all women currently volunteering in operational RNLI roles in the region.
While the programme focused on afloat exercises and skills development, feedback from attendees suggests the greatest impact came from the sense of connection, shared experience and peer support created by bringing women from different stations together for the first time at this scale.
Participants described the atmosphere as inspiring and energising, with many leaving with renewed confidence and a stronger sense of belonging within the wider search and rescue community.
Dr Janet Iqbal from Largs Lifeboat Station said the experience created an immediate sense of unity. “The coming together for the Women in SAR Scotland felt like coming home. It was an incredible team building time with a quiet immediate shared respect and gratitude for the space we were learning in,” she said, adding that the support she experienced has continued to influence other areas of her life and work.
Michelle McCaig of Kessock Lifeboat Station highlighted the value of learning directly from women who have progressed into senior operational roles. “Hearing real experiences from women who have progressed into Nav and Helm roles made those pathways feel far more achievable, and it’s definitely encouraged me to think more seriously about my own progression and next steps within SAR,” she said.
The event also enabled operational leaders to exchange knowledge across stations. Linda Izquierdo Ross from Loch Ness Lifeboat Station said the breakout sessions created valuable peer learning opportunities. “The support and learning that we found was invaluable, and we have kept in touch. As part of the management teams of our respective stations, it was splendid to talk to these incredible experienced women and learn as well as impart our knowledge,” she said.
According to organiser Jane Hier, the ongoing connections formed between attendees have been the most significant outcome. She said the event has created a network of women who now actively support each other’s development, celebrate progress and collaborate across stations.
“It’s not just about what happened on the day, but about the confidence, ambition and sense of belonging that women have taken back to their stations and continue to build on together,” Hier said. “That’s the true success of Women in SAR.”
Inspired by a national Women in SAR event held in Poole earlier in 2025, the Scotland initiative has already begun to generate tangible operational impact. Several participants have since progressed onto Navigation, Mechanical and Helm training pathways, demonstrating increased confidence and ambition following the event.
Organisers say there is strong appetite for future events to continue supporting professional development, inclusivity and cross-station collaboration within the RNLI and wider search and rescue community.
As one participant summarised: “It showed me that we’re part of something bigger — a community that supports each other, on and off the water.”
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