Peel and Port St Mary RNLI recruiting for lifeboat press officer roles
Exciting volunteer opportunities have opened at two RNLI lifeboat stations in the Isle of Man, birthplace of the lifesaving charity.
Peel RNLI are looking for a new Lifeboat Press Officer (LPO) and Port St Mary RNLI are looking for a new Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer (DLPO) to join their volunteer crews. The LPO and DLPO roles help the RNLI save lives at sea by raising awareness of the charity, through promoting the activity of the lifeboat station, highlighting the lifesaving work of our volunteers and sharing important safety and fundraising messages via local, digital and social media.
Peel Lifeboat Station operates a Shannon class all-weather lifeboat, whilst Port St Mary Lifeboat Station operates both a Trent class all-weather lifeboat and a D class inshore lifeboat.
Chris Gaskin, RNLI Area Operations Manager for the Isle of Man, says:
‘Volunteering with us gives people the opportunity to make a real difference in their local community, to save lives at sea and become part of our one crew family.
‘We can’t keep people safe without the support of our wonderful volunteers, who truly make a difference every day – no matter which role they are fulfilling. Becoming a part of the press officer team at Peel and Port St Mary is a great chance to play a crucial part in helping to save lives and making a positive impact in your community.’
Carol Hunter, current LPO at Peel who will be stepping down at the end of summer after more than six years in the role, says:
‘Being part of the Peel Lifeboat community has been fulfilling, heartwarming and fun. It has been a great honour to support, through my efforts, the work of our dedicated volunteers, whether they are afloat, ashore or fundraising.
‘It’s a vital role with structured training and support and your actions as LPO can make a real difference in enhancing the public’s engagement with the RNLI.
‘We’re looking for enthusiastic people with an interest in writing, communications, media, and storytelling. Although no formal training or experience in these areas is required to apply, just a willingness to engage, learn and contribute something special.
‘I would encourage anyone with an interest to apply; there is so much to gain from the role and joining the RNLI’s one crew.’
The lifeboat press officer (LPO) role is varied, with the opportunity to learn new skills, be creative, and make a difference in your local community. Duties of a lifeboat press officer include:
- Keeping local media informed of lifesaving activity, promoting newsworthy rescues, lifeboat station events and RNLI campaigns via a variety of channels
- Producing and distributing regular news releases with photos and/or video, to a standard RNLI format by email, uploading to the RNLI News Centre and posting to social media
- Being available to answer media enquiries
- Supporting or arranging media opportunities
- Acquiring and maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of your lifeboat station and the RNLI.
No previous experience is necessary to become a lifeboat press officer. Volunteers are trained by a dedicated team of media trainers and support provided by a dedicated volunteer manager throughout your time volunteering in the role.
Chris continues:
'Recruiting a new LPO for Peel and DLPO for Port St Mary to join David, the station’s long-standing LPO, will really help us share the fantastic work of our RNLI crews here in the Isle of Man – birthplace of our lifesaving charity.’
For further details, click on the links below to find out more and how to apply:
RNLI Media Contacts
For more information, please contact RNLI Regional Communications Manager, Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith, on [email protected] / 07977 728 315. For out of hours enquiries please contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336 789
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. 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 146,700 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.