A NEW volunteer crew member at Angle RNLI lifeboat station has had a vital part of her crew training funded by Lloyd's Register Foundation.

Rhiannon Tebbutt, 29, a Police Community Support Officer at Pembroke Dock, recently travelled to the RNLI College in Poole, Dorset, to complete the charity's Trainee Crew Course.

A key part of the course is the sea survival element, which enables new volunteer crew to be trained in a variety of crucial subjects including how to 'abandon ship' with a 4m jump into water; team survival swimming and coping in a liferaft in simulated darkness; how to deal with fires aboard lifeboats; how to right a capsized inshore lifeboat; and the importance of lifejackets.

Training took place in the Sea Survival Centre at the charity's college, which includes a 25m wave-generating survival tank, allowing trainees to experience first-hand some of the scenarios they may encounter at sea should they ever need to abandon their lifeboat.

The training was funded by Lloyd's Register Foundation (LR Foundation), a UK registered charity that invests in engineering-related education, public engagement and the application of research, for public benefit, worldwide. The Trust is funding the Sea Survival element of RNLI's Trainee Crew Courses for a five-year period from January 2011 to December 2015.This additional funding of nearly £1M will bring their total support for the RNLI to just over £1.5M.

Talking about the training, Rhiannon, who volunteers as a crew member in the Tamar class all-weather lifeboat, Mark Mason, said: "The course was amazing and covered everything from sea survival, fire fighting and towing to anchoring, the capsize drill and helming the lifeboat.

"The course gives you confidence in yourself, in serving in the lifeboat and in working together as a team. The trainers were brilliant and gave great help and support."

RNLI Angle lifeboat operations manager John Allen-Mirehouse said: "The support given by LR Foundation is hugely important to the RNLI. We are extremely grateful that it has chosen to fund sea survival training, which teaches vital core skills to our volunteer crew.

"This training is central to allowing the RNLI and its volunteers to stay safe while on rescue missions. It equips volunteers with essential sea survival skills; providing them with the courage, poise and self-confidence to save lives even in the most perilous seas."

This donation is just the latest in LR Foundation's relationship with the RNLI, which was recognised in 2010 when it received the Group Supporter Award from HRH Prince Michael of Kent in recognition of its valuable support of the charity.