Volunteers’ Week – Molly McMaster, volunteer at the RNLI
This week is Volunteers’ Week, a time to celebrate and recognise the contributions of volunteers across the UK. At VolkerStevin we understand the importance of engaging proactively with charities and community partners in the areas where we work.
To mark the occasion, we’re showcasing Molly McMaster, Section Engineer based on our Southsea Coastal Scheme. Molly volunteers with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in Portsmouth, a charity dedicated to saving lives at sea. We spoke to Molly about what inspired her to get involved and how VolkerStevin is supporting her volunteering journey.
What inspired you to begin volunteering at the RNLI?
“My mum has been a volunteer at the RNLI Portsmouth for the past seven years, so I have been exposed to the work they do including watching her and the crew save lives at sea. She and other station members inspired me to join, and I have been a part of the crew, alongside my mum, for the past six months.”
What is your role as a volunteer?
“I recently passed out as shore crew, where I have been helping with the launch and recovery of the lifeboats on exercise and service. I am undergoing the RNLI training pathway to progress to boat crew, where once qualified I can be responsible for various tasks on the lifeboat during training and rescues.”
What are the time commitments like?
“There are two training sessions a week during the evenings and/or weekend where we learn topics including pyrotechnics, mooring and berthing, VHF radio and a crew emergency procedures course in Poole. I can be on call 24 hours a day and have been paged at 12AM before!”
How is VolkerStevin supporting your volunteering commitments?
“The business has been incredibly supportive of me and has allowed me to be on call during the workday, this means that if I get paged whilst at work, I am able to attend the emergency. So far this year I have had three call outs during work hours, all of which I have been able to attend. As the RNLI Portsmouth is completely volunteer based and one of the busiest ILB stations in the country, this has been really helpful to the whole team.
I will also be able to attend a two-day training course, where I will be practicing emergency procedures in order to become a qualified member of the boat crew.”
Why do you think it is important for organisations to support employee volunteering?
“It’s important for employees to be involved in and give back to their local communities, and organisational support makes this more achievable.
In my case, it feels especially meaningful. Working on the Southsea Coastal Scheme, right on the coastline and busy harbour, I see firsthand the difference the RNLI makes.”
Is there a particular moment or experience from your time with the RNLI that stands out to you?
“Being able to work alongside my mum and friends at the station, the crew is like a second family. Seeing how the crew comes together to support each other in whatever capacity they can.
Women represent 30% of the volunteers at the Portsmouth Station, including helms, management, shore and boat crew. I’m proud to be part of this team.”
