RNLI confirms appointment of Whitby's first female Skipper
26-year-old Leah Hunter joined the crew as a volunteer eight years ago
Whitby RNLI has its first ever female Skipper.
After months of training, Leah Hunter has qualified as a Helm and will skipper the town's D-Class inshore lifeboat, the first woman to do so in its 220-year history.
The aspiring paramedic says she feels ecstatic with her new role.
“It feels amazing my colleagues have been really supportive and they are proud of me for becoming the first female Helm at Whitby,” she said.
“We are all one crew, and we are all united at the desire to help others and save lives at sea.
“All the hard work has paid off.”
Ms Hunter said she was inspired to join the crew when she saw a capsized boat be rescued by the crew.
Watch Leah's first shout here:
Back then she was the only female crew member, but now she is joined by another girl and two more joining soon.
The hard work hasn’t stopped there for Leah, as she has gained a place at Teeside University in the hopes of becoming a paramedic.
She said: “Due to the training, I've been able to secure a place at university to become a paramedic.
“A few years ago, I was on a call out to go help a woman that had a fractured ankle, working together with the Coast Guard and the paramedic from Coast Guard helicopter we managed to get her off hospital.
Opening in 1802, the Whitby station is one of the oldest in the UK and has two lifeboats, including the D-Class Warter Priory.
According to the RNLI, the craft is designed to operate close to shore in shallower water accessing areas larger lifeboats cannot reach, such as close to cliffs, rocks and inside caves.
It has a crew of up to four and carries night-vision equipment and has a top speed of 25 knots.
In the future Leah wants to set sail around the globe with her skills: “Once I’ve trained to be a paramedic, I really want to be an offshore medic working on cruise ships or offshore wind farms.”
Leah is set to switch on the Christmas lights in Whitby this year.