DATE: WEDNESDAY 11 MARCH 2026
TIME: 18:45hrs
VENUE: The Cornerstone Academy, Blandford Close, Hamworthy, Poole BH15 4BQ

Agenda Items
• Chair to welcome members to the meeting
• Apologies
• Approval of minutes – AGM (5 March 2025)
• Presentation and approval of the 2025 Annual Trustee Report
• Presentation and approval of the 2025 Annual Accounts
• Appointment of Auditors/Independent Examiners
• Appointment of Trustees
• Ratification of appointment of President and Hon Treasurer
• Election of Executive Committee Officers in accordance with the Club’s Constitution

Nomination Forms
The Executive Committee will accept nominations through the clubs website by the due date, providing the proposer submits this form by 00:01hrs on the day of the AGM, confirming the nomination.
The Club cannot operate successfully without the roles being filled as this puts too much work on the few who do offer themselves to assist. We welcome and encourage anyone who can offer even just a little time; a little is better than nothing.

Thank you
Tom
Chair
RLSS Poole Lifeguard

Links:

Executive Committee Member Nomination forms
https://www.rlss-poole.org.uk/club-officer-nomination-form/

Constitution
https://www.rlss-poole.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/PLG-Constitution-2019-v.1.pdf

Executive Roles
https://www.rlss-poole.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ExecutiveRoles.pdf

Our Purpose

As a volunteer lifeguard club, our primary mission is to provide waterborne safety cover at a wide range of open water events each year—including swimming races, canoe competitions, triathlons, rowing regattas, and safety patrols along our foreshores. To achieve this, it is vital that our members are trained and qualified to operate our safety boats safely and professionally.

Instructor Development

Earlier this year, two of our experienced coxswains, David Perch and Tom McMahon, completed a four‑day RYA course to qualify as full RYA Powerboat Handling Instructors. Alongside Christopher Grant from RLSS Boscombe Lifeguards, they form part of our RYA Centre Trainer team, ensuring we can continue the long‑standing tradition of delivering high‑quality training.

Training Achievements

Between August and November, the team delivered six two‑day courses, enabling 12 members (8 from RLSS Poole Lifeguard and 4 from RLSS Boscombe Lifeguard) to achieve the coveted RYA Level 2 Powerboat Handling Certificate.

Despite some challenging weather conditions, every candidate rose to the occasion—making their success even more impressive. While official RYA certificates were awarded at the end of each course, the Training Centre also presented each graduate with a commemorative A4 certificate poolside to mark their achievement.

Gratitude

A huge thank you goes to David Perch, Tom McMahon, and Christopher Grant for generously giving up their weekends to run these courses. Their dedication ensures our club remains strong, skilled, and ready to serve the community.

Also a massive thanks also goes to Mike Darkin who has been the custodian of the Club’s RYA Training Centre on behalf of the club, acting as our RYA Centre Principle for a good number of years keeping everything in tip top shape, ensuring we pass our annual RYA inspections, which in turn enables us to maintain our our RYC Training Centre status. Mike has decided to step aside to concentrate on other activities and family but will still be involved with the training centre. Thank you Mike for all that you have done for us.

Congratulations to Our Graduates

What an incredible day at the RLSS Southern Regional Lifesaving Competition on 27th September in Salisbury! 13 amazing members proudly represented RLSS Poole Lifeguard Club, taking on four challenging events:

• Unknown Life Support Initiative Test
• Unknown Aquatic Initiative Test
• Line Throw
• Swim & Tow
  For many, it was their first time competing—and they smashed it! You all did the club proud!

A huge thank you to our fantastic volunteers: Tim Harris, Mark Shakles, Ali Morton, Angela Edwards, Nicky Marchant, Nick Palmer, and Amanda Wise-Hall. We couldn’t do it without you!

Our incredible competitors:

• Girls 12–14:
  Sadie Morton, Emily Staples – result -3rd Overall
  
• Open 12–14:
  Alex Palmer, Fletcher Pickering – result -3rd Overall
  
• Girls 15–17:
  Pippa Marchant, Megan Sinden – result -3rd Overall
  Ellen Shakles, Lola-Mae Pilley, – result -4th Overall
  Lola Edwards, Betsy O’Brien, – result – 5th Overall
  
• Open 15–17:
  Felix Morton, Daniel Buckland – result -5th Overall
  
• Open Individual 16+:
  Riley Hayes – result -1st Overall

Despite the weather forecast predicting worsening conditions in the afternoon, the race organisers, after carefully considering all factors, made the decision to proceed with the event.

The morning kicked off with ideal conditions—sunshine, calm waters, and excellent visibility, allowing the paddlers to make great progress. However, as anticipated, the weather took a dramatic turn in the afternoon. Visibility decreased, the rain intensified to a horizontal downpour, and the wind picked up, making conditions tough and painful for participants and the safety team. Yet, despite these challenging circumstances, all kayakers, outrigger canoers, and SUP paddlers persevered and completed their respective courses.

A huge congratulations to everyone who took part in the race! Special thanks to Poole Harbour Canoe Club for hosting the event and providing fantastic refreshments. And of course, a big shout-out to the entire safety team whose efforts ensured everyone’s safety throughout the day.

This milestone event brought together generations of lifesavers, from the club’s founding members to the newest recruits, creating a heartwarming atmosphere of shared memories and future aspirations. RLSS Poole Lifeguard has long been more than just a training ground—it’s a family. For many, it has been a cornerstone of personal growth, community service, and lifelong friendships.

The evening was filled with joy and nostalgia. A stunning display of photographs showcased the club’s journey through the years, capturing everything from early training sessions to heroic rescues and community events. Special guests, including Jill Shepherd, one of the club’s founding members, and the Mayor of Poole, added a touch of prestige and heartfelt appreciation to the occasion.

Guests enjoyed a lively programme of beach games, a raffle with generous donations from local businesses, and a delicious hog roast that brought everyone together around the table. The highlight of the evening was the awards ceremony, where outstanding contributions were recognised, and the next generation of lifesavers were celebrated.

A huge thank you goes out to all the companies who donated raffle prizes, the volunteers who made the event possible, and the families and children who continue to support and grow with the club. Your presence and passion ensure that the RLSS Poole Lifeguard Club legacy will continue to thrive for another 50 years and beyond.

Here’s to the lifesavers of the past, the heroes of today, and the future guardians of our shores. 

Over the years, you’ve been part of that story. Whether it was early mornings on the beach, cold training nights at the pool, competitions, rescues, or simply laughing with friends, your time with the club has helped shape who we are today.

Now, as we celebrate 50 years, we’d love to bring everyone back together to remember the moments, reconnect with old faces, and make a few new memories.

Date: Thursday 28 August 2025
Time: 6.00pm til late
Venue: Sandbanks beach, Shore Road

We hope you can join us — because this celebration wouldn’t be the same without the people who made our first 50 years so special

What started as a last-minute change turned into one of the most memorable days we’ve had on the water. With the weather showing off in true British summer style, we made the spontaneous decision to move our meet-up from 10 am to a bright and early 8 am—and thank goodness we did! By 9 am the car park was packed, and the roads were gridlocked thanks to Sand Polo and Sand Fest bringing waves of visitors to the area.

Butties Before Buoys: Breakfast at Base Camp

Before the paddles even touched the water, our morning was off to a sizzling start thanks to Tim Travers, who stepped up as our impromptu breakfast chef. His bacon and egg butties were the perfect fuel for a big day ahead—thank you, Tim, for keeping the crew happy and well-fed!

Launch & Learn: Training Begins

With kayaks launched from the North Haven Yacht Club, we were greeted by calm, sheltered waters that made for ideal training conditions. Under the watchful eye of John Wheeler from RLSS Boscombe Lifeguards, participants practiced:

• Kayaking techniques and control
• Team-based rescue drills
• Solo self-rescue strategies
• Efficient paddling in varied conditions

It wasn’t just about skills—it was about confidence on the water, and everyone gave it their all.

Family Matters: Building a Community

We had 12 participants, including 4 parents who joined in wholeheartedly. Seeing families involved together made this event even more special. The laughter, encouragement, and teamwork reminded us why we do these sessions—not just to learn, but to build connections.

Thank You, Team!

Big gratitude to:

• John Wheeler for leading the training with skill and care
• Tom McMahon and Sam Travers for being right there on the water, supporting the group
• Everyone who showed up with energy, enthusiasm, and smiles

Sessions Covered:

The sessions shown below gives an indication of what was taught and practiced today

Session 1  Practical skills;

• Refresher on forward and reverse paddling
• steering strokes – sweeps, rudders,
• turning strokes – to include static and on the move
• support strokes
• moving sideways – draws

Session 2 Theory

• weather / tide effects
• positioning
• launching and landing considerations.
• what equip to consider carrying when providing safety cover

Session 3   Rescue Skills

• self rescues
• assisting another craft in a rescue
• towing
• swimmer rescues
• unconscious casualties

Overall a great day out, with lost of laughter and merriment, but above all everyone learning new skills and thoroughly enjoying them selves

#staysafe #keeppaddling #rlsspoole

This year, our Club received a generous £2,500 donation from EDOWSC and we are proud to share this with our incredible partners: Southbourne Surf Lifesaving Club; Bournemouth Lifeguard Corps and RLSS Boscombe Lifeguards all of whom provided essential support from volunteers on safety boats to paddlers and shore walkers, ensuring the event runs smoothly and safely.

We also extend heartfelt thanks to members of EDOWSC and Poole Harbour Canoe Club, who joined the safety team and helped make the event possible.

Altogether, 43 dedicated individuals formed the safety team, led by RLSS Poole Lifeguard. Without the combined efforts of all these clubs, the event simply couldn’t happen.

A massive thank you to every single volunteer for your commitment, teamwork, and professionalism!

This year, we were fortunate to have some new parents volunteer and come along to assist with the safety team for their first time. The text below sums up their experiences. We will leave you to gauge whether the enjoyed it or not

“This weekend, I volunteered as a shore walker marshal at the Seahorse Swim – my first time supporting a swimming event, and what an experience it was!
The highlights from the event were 236 swimmers took to the sea at 10:30am, swimmers wore different coloured swim caps – Yellow = 2km (1 loop) | Orange = 3.8km (2 loops) and the huge cheer for the final swimmers after 2 hours of effort! It was beautifully organised, and I loved being part of something so unique. Next time, I’ll bring binoculars and be ready to answer all the curious questions from beachgoers! Would I do it again? Absolutely – as a marshal, not a swimmer!”

“Volunteering as part of the safety cover team at this year’s Seahorse Swim was an incredibly rewarding and exciting experience. I had the unique role of “shore walking” — patrolling the shoreline and keeping a watchful eye on the swimmers from land. With over 235 swimmers taking part, the energy and enthusiasm were infectious from the very start. The event was beautifully organised, with clear communication and a strong sense of community among volunteers and participants alike. As safety cover, our job was to ensure that everyone in the water was accounted for and supported, and it was inspiring to see how smoothly everything ran thanks to the teamwork and preparation behind the scenes.
Watching such a large group of swimmers take to the open water was both exhilarating and humbling. The conditions were favourable, and the swimmers’ determination and joy were evident throughout. It was a privilege to play a part in helping keep everyone safe while they challenged themselves and enjoyed the event.
Overall, the Seahorse Swim was a fantastic experience — not just for the swimmers, but for those of us supporting from the side-lines. I’d highly recommend volunteering to anyone who wants to be part of a vibrant, uplifting community event that celebrates open water swimming and the spirit of togetherness.”

The Wonderful Safety Team…

Only a selection of awards are given out each year to deserved members BUT… every single member of RLSS Poole Lifeguard is a winner!! you are all learning invaluable life skills by being a member of our club, So don’t ever forget that!

The reason you are all winners:

You have chosen to be part of this club and as such demonstrate a want to learn a life long, valuable skill of saving lives and knowing what to do when others are in trouble in and around water!. Not many people in the world even want to be able to help others or would know how to, unlike each of you do – so well done everyone. #staysafe

Continue doing what you do – you make RLSS Poole Lifeguard proud to have you in our club – well done!

Our Annual Award Winners for 2024 are as follows:

Click on the images below to view larger versions of them

LIFEGUARD OF THE YEAR

PIPPA MARCAHNT

Pippa has shown true dedication and commitment to the Club by providing safety cover at the weekly East Dorset Open Water Swimming Club, volunteering to help younger members during weekly sessions, through to promoting water safety at a local fete. She always gives 100% at competitions and maintains a positive outlook in all things lifesaving, as well as providing
encouragement to team members when they face challenges.

ASSISTANT LIFEGUARD OF THE YEAR

OLIVER HECKFORD

Oliver has been a long standing member of the club who has given us his unwavering support right from a young rookie.. He is the most consistent with his training and attends week after week. He has now progressed to working alongside as a lifeguard putting all his years of training in to use. Oliver is a pleasure to teach always works hard, and is a great asset to the club.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

CHLOE TRIBOUILLOY

Chloe has done amazingly since joining the club, initially shy and reserved, she has grown in confidence to become a hard-working Rookie, which undoubtedly will lead her to be a fantastic future lifeguard.

MOST IMPROVED FEMALE LIFESAVER OF THE YEAR

DAISY McMAHON

Daisy always attends and gives 100%, even when she does not feel confident in what she is doing. She works hard on overcoming any challenges she face, even
with a smile on her face! She also attends safety cover regularly and is a joy to be around.

MOST IMPROVED MALE LIFESAVER OF THE YEAR

ALEX PALMER

Alex has never missed a training session, and his willingness to learn, shines through.

Alex is a pleasure to teach and he also inspires others
within the group to learn.

TRAINING SHIELD

ELLEN SHAKLES

Ellen became a young trainer during 2024 and it’s been a pleasure to watch her confidence grow week on week, she is always on time and comes up with a great training plans.

Ellen will no doubt continue to grow and become a
brilliant trainer!

BOAT PERSON OF THE YEAR

SAM TRAVERS

Sam continues to be an enthusiastic boat helm, and his skills are really starting to improve. He gains more knowledge every time he goes out, and will progress to become a fine helm of our safety boats

SERVICES TO LIFE SAVING

DAVID PERCH

Dave’s passion for teaching shines through as he supports our younger members in their initial forays into lifesaving and onto the water as helm or crew, but he is also an unsung hero in the background.

Dave uses his engineering skills and ingenuity to solve equipment problems and keep our fleet maintained. – he is encouraging and wise but his sense of humour keeps it light, interesting and funny for the young life savers!

ASSOCIATE MEMBER OF THE YEAR

EMMA TRAVERS

Emma is a dedicated member of the club. Always volunteers to help with safety cover, competitions and fundraising events.

Best of all, she does everything with a smile..

CERTIFICATE OF THANKS

For dedication to the club with involvement of safety cover throughout 2024

HONOURY LIFE MEMBERHSHIP

LARA MOORE and TIM HARRIS

For extraordinary dedication and commitment to the aims and objectives of RLSS Poole Lifeguard Club for many years.

Below are the results of the 2025 Annual Internal Club Competitions