Two partners, who fell in love 8 years ago, have both joined Barry Dock RNLI and are training to become lifeboat crew.
37-year-old Jennifer Thomas and 43-year-old Nick Tanner both met through work, had long been admirers of the lifesaving charity, deciding to take the plunge and join the crew themselves last July.
Jen said: ‘We live just three minutes away from the station and always admired the volunteers. We’d often say how incredible it must be to be part of something like that.
‘One day we finally thought, “Why not us?” We both love a challenge, care deeply about others, and wanted to make a real difference. Joining together as a couple just felt right.’
Nick said: ‘We had both been thinking about it for a while, we love the sea and were encouraged by our friends who are also volunteers at the station.’
Jen added: ‘The RNLI stood out to us because it’s all about people helping people. Saving lives, supporting the community, building new skills and having a fantastic experience whilst doing it.’
Now the pair have swapped date night for drysuits, they are both working towards their Tier 1 Lifeboat Crew Assessment.
Jen said: ‘It’s been amazing since we joined the crew. From day one, everyone at Barry Dock has been so welcoming, supportive and encouraging.
‘It truly feels like being part of a family and we’re incredibly proud to be part of such a brilliant team.’
Nick said: ‘The amount of effort, support and encouragement from everyone has been amazing. People give up time away from their jobs, family and personal lives to come down to the station and teach us, guide us and support our learning.
‘That’s on top of being on call for any taskings that might get them out of bed at 3am for instance. The level of professionalism, knowledge and skills amongst the crew is inspiring.’
For Valentine’s Day this weekend the couple are planning to have some quality time with Daphne the dog. Jen said: ‘We’re going to do a long walk and a cosy evening with a film and snacks. But we’re also both on call this Valentine’s Day, so we’ll be ready to respond to the pager if the call for help comes in.’
With their RNLI journeys well under way, the couple have some words of encouragement for any other couples or individuals thinking of volunteering for the charity.
Nick said: ‘If you’ve always thought about joining just go for it! Call into the station or shop. Have a chat with a crew member. There are also loads of different roles within the RNLI and so many ways to get involved. It’s been such a fun experience as a couple to go through starting something new with each other.’
Jen added: ‘Don’t hold back, just do it. You won’t regret it for a second. It’s incredibly rewarding, an amazing opportunity, and so far it’s been a truly unforgettable experience.
‘If you’re thinking about it, let this be your sign. And you know what they say… “Couples that train together, remain together.”’
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