Royal Lifesaving Society Commonwealth 125th Anniversary Record of Celebration Book

125th Anniversary RECORD OF CELEBRATION 2016

125th Anniversary RECORD OF CELEBRATION 2016

125th Anniversary RECORD OF CELEBRATION 2016 06 A message from our Deputy Commonwealth President 07 Recognition from our Patron and President 08 About the Royal Life Saving Society 09 Our Shared Legacy 10 125th Anniversary branding and Special Awards 11 Prince Michael of Kent 125th Anniversary Certificate of Merit recipients 12 125th Anniversary landmark initiative: Survival Swimming 13

A YEAR OF CELEBRATION

13 Welcome Reception and Commonwealth Council Meeting Anniversary Conference History Tour of London 14 Cavalry and Guards Club reception Anniversary Dinner 15 The Patron’s Lunch 16 Honouring two men who shaped our Society 17 Presentation of Prince Michael of Kent 125th Anniversary Certificates of Merit 18 Official reception at Buckingham Palace 20 How our branches marked the anniversary 22 125 in words and pictures 24 Media coverage

Remembering ouR 125th Anniversary

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2016 was a year of celebration for the Royal Life Saving Society as we celebrated the 125th anniversary of our foundation in 1891.

We’re especially proud, in response to the World Health Organisation’s Global Report on Drowning, to have developed and launched our Survival Swimming Guide, which we hope to see implemented in every Commonwealth member country.

hroughout the Commonwealth, the anniversary T was celebrated with special events, initiatives, competitions and awards, all of which showcased the enthusiasm, determination and character of our diverse membership in 27 countries.

It was wonderful to be able to gather together in London on several occasions as a Commonwealth family: at our 125th Anniversary Commonwealth Conference in February, at The Patron’s Lunch in June and again in November for a glittering reception at Buckingham Palace where our Patron presented three of our most prestigious awards.

Our motto: ‘Whomsoever you see in distress, recognise in them a fellow human being’ sums up why we do what we do, and it is this simple belief that has driven our activities, achievements and successes over the last 125 years.

As well as celebrating our history, our members and volunteers, the 125th anniversary year was a time for bringing our Commonwealth family together, getting to know each other better and learning from each other, as well as laying plans for the future.

People at all levels of the Society were involved – from our Patron, HM The Queen and our Commonwealth President, HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO, to young lifesavers in developing nations.

This document outlines some of the achievements, memories and special moments of our anniversary year. I’d like to thank everyone who played a part in making the year such a success, and hope you enjoy reading all about it!

Clive Holland Deputy Commonwealth President, Royal Life Saving Society

Recognition from our Patron and President

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A letter to Member Branches from our Commonwealth President, HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO, at the start of the anniversary year.

A letter from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, our Patron, issued on the official date of our 125h Anniversary - February 7th 2016.

OUR Member branches Australia Royal Life Saving Society – Australia Bangladesh Centre for Injury Prevention and Research Bangladesh

ABOUT The Royal Life Saving Society 8

The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) is a charity registered in the UK and is governed

by Royal Charter. e take a leadership role in the 27 Commonwealth countries in W which we have a presence. Our accreditation as a Civil Society with the Commonwealth Secretariat gives us access to Commonwealth networks, and helps us as we work together with various other organisations across different sectors to support communities in developing lifesaving education initiatives and drowning prevention programmes.

Our motto is ‘Quemcunque miserum videris hominem scias’ which means ‘Whomsoever you see in distress, recognise in them a fellow human being‘.

Our Patron is HM The Queen and our Commonwealth President is HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO. The Society is managed by the Commonwealth Management Committee (CMC), which acts as our trustee board and is headed by the Deputy Commonwealth President. The CMC is made up of elected Branch Presidents representing the three geographical regions of Asia Pacific, the Americas/Caribbean, and Africa/Europe.

The Deputy Commonwealth President is supported by a team of volunteer Executive Directors, each with their own portfolio. Day to day operations are delegated to Commonwealth Headquarters, and supported by a number of sub-committees and working groups.

The Society has a Memorandum of Understanding with, and Observer status to the Board of Directors of the International Lifesaving Federation (ILS). The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes ILS as the world authority on the global effort to prevent drowning.

Barbados Royal Life Saving Society Barbados Cameroon Royal Life Saving Society Cameroon Canada Lifesaving Society (Canada) Cyprus Cyprus Lifesaving Federation Gibraltar Royal Life Saving Society Gibraltar Ghana Ghana Diving and Lifesaving Association Hong Kong Hong Kong Life Saving Society India Rashtriya Life Saving Society (India) Jamaica Royal Life Saving Society Jamaica Kenya Kenya Lifesaving Federation Lesotho Royal Lesotho Lifesaving Association Malaysia Life Saving Society of Malaysia Mauritius Royal Life Saving Society Ile de Maurice (Mauritius) New Zealand Royal Life Saving Society New Zealand Nigeria Royal Life Saving Society Nigeria Malta Royal Life Saving Society Malta Pakistan Pakistan Life Saving Singapore Singapore Life Saving Society South Africa Lifesaving South Africa St Lucia St Lucia Life Saving Association Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Life Saving Tanzania Tanzania Life Saving Society Trinidad & Tobago Trinidad & Tobago Lifesaving Society Uganda Royal Life Saving Society Uganda United Kingdom Royal Life Saving Society UK

Our SHARED LEGACY In our 125 year history, we have been associated with some remarkable people and celebrated milestone achievements.

The founding of the Royal Life Saving Society The first meeting of what would become the RLSS was held on January 3, 1891 and, on February 7 that year, a committee was appointed and a general meeting held.

From Swimming Magazine in 2012, by Archibald Sinclair and William Henry: “The neglect of diving, floating, plunging and scientific swimming by ordinary clubs led, in 1891, to the calling of a meeting by seven gentlemen interested in swimming, for the purpose of founding a special club to encourage the arts named, and, in addition, to vigorously carry out by instruction, &c., the recommendations of the Amateur Swimming Association as to the saving of life from drowning.”

William Henry Without William Henry, the Royal Life Saving Society as we know it would not exist. Very few figures in history have done more to advance the cause of drowning prevention.

He was instrumental in establishing the Society in 1891 and toured the UK and Commonwealth countries to promote awareness and membership of the Society.

William Henry died aged 68, having “unstintingly devoted the whole of his life to further the humanitarian work of saving life from drowning”.

Earl Mountbatten of Burma

Milestone achievements

The contribution made by Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, (Earl Mountbatten) to the Royal Life Saving Society across the Commonwealth is without parallel.

The RLSS has many achievements of which it can be justifiably proud. The following are perhaps most notable:

Invited by RLSS Patron, King George VI to become Society President in 1945, Lord Mountbatten led the RLSS for twenty-seven years with distinction, oversaw changes and growth of which there is no equal and left the Society well-positioned to face the challenges of a modern world.

• The ‘aims and objects’ of the Society • Our motto: ‘Whomsoever you see in distress, recognise in him a fellow man’ • The Bronze Medallion • RLSS Proficiency and leadership awards • The development and teaching of artificial respiration • Lifeguarding • Rescue Awards and Commonwealth Honours • Expansion across the Commonwealth • The establishment of standards and systematic organisation of RLSS • Affiliations with lifesaving and humanitarian organisations.

The Royal Family HM Queen Elizabeth II has been our Patron since 1952 and HRH Prince Michael of Kent our Commonwealth President since 1978. This exceptional service to the RLSS and its ideals dates back generations, but it is only part of the story as members of the Royal Family have played a principal role in the Society since its founding in 1891.

King Edward VII was the first monarch to agree to become Patron of the Society, followed

by King George V, King George VI and our current patron, Queen Elizabeth II. HRH Princess Alexandra followed Lord Mountbatten as Society President from 1972 to 1978.

As well as serving as Patrons and Presidents, the Royal Family has benefited from RLSS teaching: Princess Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, Prince Michael of Kent and Prince Richard of Gloucester have all earned RLSS proficiency awards.

Full details can be found on the ‘Our Shared Legacy’ section of our website www.rlsscommonwealth.org/125th-anniversary/our-shared-legacy

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Branding the anniversary To mark our 125th anniversary, special versions of the RLSS visual identity were created for use on certificates, letterheads, banners, websites and so on.

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125th anniversary awards Our society relies on the outstanding contribution of its volunteers.

To mark our 125th anniversary, a special 125th Anniversary Service Certificate was created for member branches to honour individuals whose past performance or future promise contributed to the drowning prevention mission of RLSS.

In addition, we were delighted that our Commonwealth President, HRH Prince Michael of Kent, approved the special edition of his Certificate of Merit, the HRH Prince Michael of Kent 125th Anniversary Certificate of Merit, to honour individuals who had given distinguished service to the Society.

This certificate was awarded to 125 nominated individuals (see opposite) whose voluntary contribution and achievements were deemed to have significantly impacted on the Society and its work, and included those representing the Society in an exemplary way. The certificates were presented by His Royal Highness at a ceremony held at the Royal Over-Seas League in London. Please see page 17 for a report and pictures.

HRH Prince Michael of Kent 125th Anniversary Certificate of Merit recipients AUSTRALIA

CANADA

INDIA

UNITED KINGDOM

Dr Shayne Baker OAM

Craig Amundsen

Rtd Rear Admiral Purushottam Sharma

Stuart Bailey

Paul Barry

Ron Aubrey

Jeanette May Baxter-­­Reid

John Bankes

Suzanne Baxter-­­Winch

Heather Barnhouse

Kerry Bell

Dr Stephen Beerman

Randall Cook

Rob Campbell

Carol Crofts

Robert Clark

Sarah Dowd

Barbara Costache

Norman Farmer ESM

Patrick D’Almada

Dr Richard Franklin

Doreen Drysdale

Anne-­­Maree Gardiner

Joan Duncan

Paul James

Graham Esplen

Gary Wayne Kearney

Yanick Graveline

Greg McLennan

Richard Huint

MALAYSIA

Dr Anthony Handley

Lesley McGurgan

Patricia Kitchen

Lim Chien Ch’eng

Val Hardy

Dianne Montalto ESM

Nicole Liddell

Geh Thuan Tek

Christopher Harper

Barbara Morgan OAM

W Edward Montgomery

James Morgan

Jocelyn Palm

Ross Peters

Lawrence Patterson

David Porter

Lisa Pittet

Daphne Read AO

Rick Stilling

Robert Reid

Tony Toriglia

Fritz Risler

Doug Trentowsky

Olive Bowes

KENYA Paul Agwenge Angar Job Kania Joesph Mutune Pauline Raburu Miduda Moses Sila Owaga

LESOTHO Colin MacDonald

Alan Swinton OAM QPM John Winch

Justin Bakinga

Cavell Burchell Lorraine Buttery Steve Carter Janet Castro Keith Cottell Ken Crass Terry Draycott Brian Finlay

Sheena Harper

MALTA Alfred Cauchi

NEW ZEALAND Judi Jessop

Deborah Hunt Ian Hutchings Maurice Kilmister Gary Lee Elaine Lewis John Long Elizabeth Mapstone

COMMONWEALTH HQ Clive Holland

SINGAPORE

Jim McCurry

Richard Ming Kirk Tan

Edward McCutcheon Paul Moore

Dr Clive Patrickson

SOUTH AFRICA CAMEROON

David Browne

Daniel Graham

Joan Scott Pene Snashall

Peter Brown

GIBRALTAR Norbert Sene

HONG KONG Wai Lun Anthony Chan, MH, JP Dr Chi Kau Johnnie Casire Chan, BBS, JP Tak Chung Eric Cheung, MH Fuk Keung David Ho Hon Wah Steve Lau, SBS, BBS, CStJ, JP Chi Fai Keith Leung Chak Wah Stephen Ma, OStJ, CPM Yat Yiu Mui Yat Cheong Abby Tsoi Kam Chiu Wai Dr Che To Patrick Yeung

David Walton Bamber Allen John Pembroke Dylan Melvyn Tommy

ST LUCIA Jacqueline Atkinson Urban Augustine Carol Devaux Jerimiah Louis-­­Fernand

Peter Moyes Teresa Myatt Vivien Reeves Keith Sach Brian Sims Paul Skipp John Stainer Alan Sutherland Ian Symmons Michelle Weedy Louise Wells Kenneth White MBE Christopher Williamson Janet Wilson

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Robert Clark, 125th Anniversary Steering Committee Chair, presents the Survival Swimming Guide to HRH Prince Michael of Kent.

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125th Anniversary landmark initiative Survival Swimming Our Survival Swimming initiative is one of the most important projects launched during our 125th anniversary year.

I n 2014 the World Health Organisation (WHO) published its landmark Global Report on Drowning which revealed that more than 90% of the 372,000 people who drown every year are from Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs), and over half of them are young people under 25.

These shocking statistics show the scale of the problem throughout the world – especially in poorer countries where people are in daily contact with water for work, transport and agriculture.

Prevention is essential, as when someone starts to drown the outcome is often fatal. Survival usually depends on the speed of removal from the water and how quickly proper resuscitation can take place. So embedding basic swimming and lifesaving education, skills and leadership can make a real difference to communities around the world.

As a landmark initiative for our 125th year, we developed

the Survival Swimming Guide -- Survival Swimming in Every Commonwealth Nation as a resource for use in lifesaving organisations.

Mastering three basic skills gives people a much improved chance of surviving an unexpected fall into deep water: • Roll into deep water and surface with head above water • Any action to keep head above water for a period of time, including treading water, for 30 to 90 seconds • Swimming in a controlled manner for 10-50 metres.

The Guide does not set a standard for survival swimming, but helps all Member Branches to work towards our goal: that one day, every person in the Commonwealth will have access to survival swimming.

The Guide was presented to our President, HRH Prince Michael of Kent, and can be downloaded from www.rlsscommonwealth.org.

Making Survival Swimming training available to every person in the Commonwealth may sound ambitious - but what better legacy for the Royal Life Saving Society and our 125th Anniversary!

A YEAR OF CELEBRATION

Our 125th Anniversary saw several opportunities for members of our Commonwealth family to join together in special anniversary events, beginning with our anniversary conference and celebration in February, which included delegates from 11 nations.

Further pictures from the events can be seen on our Flickr page: www.flickr.com/photos/rlss_cw/albums/ and click on ‘125th Anniversary London events’.

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All aboard the history bus

Members of the RLSS Commonwealth Council with HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO

One of the conference presentations

Outside William Henry’s Home, 8 Bayley Street

WELCOME RECEPTION AND COMMONWEALTH COUNCIL MEETING

125th Anniversary Conference

History Tour OF LONDON

The two-day 125th Anniversary conference saw presentations as varied as: how RLSS New Zealand revitalised itself after the devastating earthquake in 2011 that destroyed the branch’s headquarters in Christchurch; how RLSS UK managed to get drowning prevention on the political agenda; what happens to your body when it enters cold water; aligning drowning prevention with the UN’s sustainable development goals; and the history of beach lifeguarding in Gibraltar, along with several other interesting talks.

A tour on a historic London Routemaster bus, taking in key landmarks in the Society’s history, including the home of founder William Henry in Bayley Street – which was also the Society’s first headquarters – and ending at Highgate Ponds on Hampstead Heath where many of the lifeguarding techniques used today were first developed.

The week of celebrations commenced with a Reception at the New Zealand High Commission generously hosted by His Excellency Sir Lockwood Smith, New Zealand High Commissioner. In addition our President, HRH Prince Michael of Kent, chaired a meeting of the Commonwealth Council at Marlborough House – the home of the Commonwealth – which approved a new governance structure for the Society.

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Celebrating at the end of a busy week

Evening reception at the Cavalry and Guards Club

125th Anniversary Celebratory dinner

Lord Norrie, Patron of RLSS UK, kindly hosted an evening reception at the Cavalry and Guards Club in Mayfair. The event was attended by HRH Prince Michael of Kent, who was presented with his copy of the RLSS Survival Swimming Guide. His Royal Highness chatted to many of the guests from organisations that the Society works with and Member Branches around the Commonwealth.

Held aboard the ‘Sunborn’ yacht hotel in Greenwich, near the location of the gala held by the Society to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, the dinner was the perfect way to round off a very enjoyable week of events in London.

Our Patron and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

Rain does not stop play

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Meeting Prince Harry

Happy RLSS volunteers

The Duke of Cambridge addresses the crowds

The Patron’s Lunch In June, as part of Her Majesty The Queen’s 90th Birthday celebrations, a picnic lunch was held in The Mall, outside Buckingham Palace. All organisations to which she is Patron were invited.

This was another landmark celebratory event in our 125th Anniversary. Despite the typical British summer weather, a great time was had by all with members and supporters of the Society making up the RLSS delegation.

More photographs from the event can be seen on our Flickr page: www.flickr.com/photos/rlss_cw/albums/ and click on ‘Patron’s Lunch’.

Honouring two men who shaped our Society

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William Henry, our Founder

Lord Mountbatten, our past President

Our founder is buried at Highgate Cemetery in North London, and we took some time out during the week of our 125th Anniversary conference in February to visit his grave and lay a wreath, in the presence of two of his descendants, David and Katherine Lilley.

In June we placed a wreath on the statue of Earl Mountbatten of Burma near Horse Guards Parade, London, in a ceremony attended by HRH Prince Michael of Kent; Lord Ivar Mountbatten, Earl Mountbatten’s great nephew; Clive Holland, RLSS Deputy Commonwealth President; Ian Hutchings, RLSS UK Deputy

President; John Long and Stuart Bailey, both Commonwealth Vice Presidents.

The ceremony was conducted by Rev Nick Todd, Chaplain to the 1st Battalion Irish Guards.

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Presentation of HRH Prince Michael of Kent Anniversary Certificate of Merit November 2016 saw the culmination of the Commonwealthwide anniversary celebrations with a number of prestigious events held in London.

The recipients of the HRH Prince Michael of Kent 125th Anniversary Certificate of Merit were presented with their certificates at a ceremony held at the Royal Over-Seas League.

For a full set of pictures from the event, please visit our Flickr page: www.flickr.com/photos/rlss_cw/albums/.

Click on ‘125th Anniversary Certificate presentation’

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Official reception at Buckingham Palace Her Majesty the Queen, Patron of the Royal Life Saving Society, held a reception for RLSS volunteers, supporters and staff at Buckingham Palace in November which was undoubtedly the highlight of our Anniversary Year.

The reception was hosted by Her Majesty the Queen and HRH the Duke of Edinburgh. Also present were our Commonwealth President, HRH Prince Michael of Kent, accompanied by his wife, HRH Princess Michael of Kent; and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

The event was attended by the recipients of the HRH Prince Michael of Kent 125th Anniversary Certificate of Merit who had travelled to London to receive their awards, staff from Commonwealth Headquarters and National Branches, volunteers and partner organisations who support the work of the Society.

Her Majesty graciously presented the Royal Life Saving Society’s most important awards to three recipients from around the Commonwealth, each of whom has demonstrated exemplary bravery and service and represents the true ideals of the Society.

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The Russell Medal

The Mountbatten Medal

The King Edward VII Cup

The Russell Medal is awarded in memory of Pat Russell to an RLSS-trained person aged 18 years or younger who has carried out the most outstanding resuscitation or attempted resuscitation of a person. Her Majesty presented the medal to Tyler Bailer from Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada.

The Mountbatten Medal is awarded in recognition of the most gallant rescue or attempted rescue by an RLSS-trained person from the Commonwealth. It was presented by her Majesty to Zac Dominique from St Lucia.

The King Edward VII Cup, presented in recognition of an outstanding contribution to lifesaving, was awarded to Professor John Pearn AO, RFD, who has given 40 years of sterling service to the Royal Life Saving Society in Australia and around the Commonwealth. A highly regarded paediatrician, he has made a lifelong contribution to researching the science of drowning prevention. Professor Pearn was appointed as RLSSA National Medical Advisor in 2002, and still holds this role today. He has been the RLSSA representative to the Australian Resuscitation Council since 2003, and also serves as the RLSSA representative to the ILS Medical Committee.

In July 2015 Tyler used his lifesaving skills to perform CPR on his stepfather, David, who had stopped breathing, continuing for six minutes until the ambulance arrived. Thankfully, hospital staff managed to stabilise David and commented that Tyler’s expert attempts at CPR had undoubtedly helped save his stepfather’s life.

Speaking after the ceremony, Tyler commented that, “I just did what I had to do,” but encouraged others to take up CPR training as, “you’ll never know when you might need it.”.

An RLSS award holder and lifeguard at the La Toc Sandals Beach Resort, Zac carried out a brave attempt to save the life of three people who, despite warnings that the sea was dangerous for bathing, had entered the water and were being dragged out to sea by a strong current. With no thought for his own safety, Zac raised the alarm and swam into the water to save the men. Unfortunately, conditions were such that two of them drowned, but Zac managed to save the life of the third man before swimming back to shore.

In honour of his achievements, Zac’s employers covered his expenses for the trip to London.

Professor Pearn is the holder of a number of lifesaving honours. He was awarded RLSSA’s Meritorious Service Medal in 2001, and the Life Member Award in 2005.

In 2009, he received the Commonwealth Service Cross. He has presented at numerous domestic and international conferences including, most recently, the World Conference 2013 and the National Drowning Prevention Summit 2014. He serves as a mentor and inspiration to the Research and Leadership team in the Australia National Office.

Marking the Anniversary around the Commonwealth In addition to the official Commonwealth events held in London, branches throughout the Society’s 27 member countries held events and initiatives to celebrate our 125th Anniversary.

This represents just some of the activities taking place.

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AustraliaN celebrations

CANADA celebration GALA DINNER

UK William Henry Reward Programme

Royal Life Saving Australia hosted a special Celebration in Canberra in October, bringing together members, volunteers and supporters from across Australia.

As part of the Lifesaving Society Canada national meetings held in Edmonton, the Alberta/Northwest Territories Branch hosted a gala dinner to celebrate the RLSS 125th Anniversary. Representing the Queen was the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, the Honourable Lois Mitchell who congratulated Lifesaving Society Canada on their contribution to drowning prevention.

RLSS UK launched the William Henry Reward programme in 2016, recognising the huge volume of events and activities undertaken by the UK member branches.

In addition to the Royal Life Saving Conference, a formal reception was held at Government House, hosted by The Patron of Royal Life Saving Australia, His Excellency Governor General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd). This was followed by a dinner celebrating the 125th Anniversary of the foundation of the RLSS and honouring the Australian recipients of the H.R.H. Prince Michael of Kent 125th Anniversary Certificate of Merit.

Pictures from the events can be seen on our Flickr page, www.flickr.com/photos/rlss_cw/albums/ - click on ‘RLSS Australia Anniversary Celebrations’.

Representatives at the Gala celebrated 125 years of Commonwealth drowning prevention and committed to continued support of Swim to Survive training.

Over 5000 lifesavers, representing every branch, were involved in the programme during 2016. 13,000 volunteer lifesaving activities were registered, which equates to 35 activities per day. The winning branches were awarded in September 2017 and the programme ran for a second year in 2017.

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India Pool Safety Workshop and Swim ‘n’ Survive Camps.

Rashtriya Life Saving Society India declared 2016 the ‘Year of Drowning Prevention’ in India in recognition of the Society’s 125th Anniversary and, early on in the year, held a Pool Safety Workshop in Pune. Certificates and posters for the event carried the 125th Anniversary branding.

The Society in India wholeheartedly embraced the Survival Swimming Initiative and ran three 21-day ‘Swim ‘n’ Survive’ camps for children, reaching over 1200 children over a two month period.

Cameroon The Avoid Drowning Concept

Australia Ithaca Caloundra City Life Saving Club

With many people making their living on or near water in Cameroon, water safety is a big concern. Royal Life Saving Society Cameroon used the Anniversary year to launch its ‘Avoid Drowning’ concept, which identified the main causes of drowning in the country and set about educating people in drowning-prone areas, encouraging the use of lifejackets and flotation aids, training survival swimming teachers and using the media and social media to spread drowning prevention messages.

Ithaca - Caloundra City Life Saving Club in Queensland held a BBQ lunch for the life members of its Australian Beach Patrolling Royal Life Saving Club and celebrated the 125th Anniversary at the same time with this stunning cake featuring the special RLSS 125th Anniversary branding.

125 IN WORDS AND PICTURES Our members rose to the challenge of portraying ‘125’ in imaginative ways in response to our call for entries to three challenges: the Human Banner, 125 Pictures and 125 Lifesaving Stories.

Human banners Several member branches responded to a request for human banner photographs, showing as many people as possible in a ‘125’ formation.

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Australia: South Melbourne Lifesaving Club

UK: Competitors in the National Police Lifesaving Championships

RLSS UK Youth Ambassadors Programme participants

RLSS Canada, at the Canadian Lifesaving Championships

UK: RLSS UK’s 2016 National Conference

Canada: Alberta and NW Territories Branch

Waterfront National Lifeguards from Winnipeg Beach, Manitoba, Canada

Picture Challenge

125 LIFESAVING STORIES

Member branches sent in pictures featuring ‘125’ in any format.

Members submitted personal stories in 125 words or less about their experience of life saving.

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Canada: Manitoba branch

Craig Spears, UK

NormAN Farmer ESM, Australia

Craig Spears is from Nottinghamshire, UK and has been involved with RLSS UK for 15 years. He is a Lifesaving TA and a Lifesaving Instructor Tutor with open water endorsement and Life Support 3.

Here’s his story:

It’s not every family that can boast three Bronze Medallions from successive generations – but the Farmer family can!

Norm Farmer, Executive Director of the Royal Life Saving Society, outlined the Farmer family’s connection to the Society’s flagship award.

“Thanks to skills learned through many years of the heritage awards program and as an RLSS instructor I was able, with the assistance of 2 trained (not RLSS) owners at an activity centre in rural France, where I was working at the time, to resuscitate someone whose heart had just stopped whilst out for a run with his son.

I noticed that the casualty was taking agonal gasps, thanks to a video shown on my last course, and started administering CPR to the casualty. We continually provided CPR for 15 minutes until the French Ambulance service arrived and took over care of the casualty. After being shocked once by an AED the casualty’s heart restarted. He is now recovering well with an internal defibrillator fitted.”

Canada: Manitoba branch

“In November 1907 Francis Farmer gained the Bronze Medallion of the Royal Life Saving Society in Derby, England.

In November 1939, and at the age of 14 years, Jack Farmer, son of Francis and Alice Farmer, also gained the Bronze Medallion at the Mentone Pier in Melbourne, Australia.

Jack spent a further 53 years involved with the RLSS, receiving Commonwealth Life Membership in 1990.

Carrying on the family tradition, Norman, second born of Jack and Shirley Farmer and grandson of Francis, gained the Bronze Medallion at the Middle Brighton Baths, Melbourne, in November 1977. Norman has also continued his lifesaving involvement in Victoria, for Australia and more recently as Executive Director of the RLSS (Commonwealth). Norman also received the RLSS Commonwealth Life Membership in 1994.”

MEDIA coverage 24

Our 125th Anniversary events and activities – especially when they involved our Patron, Her Majesty the Queen – received media attention around the Commonwealth.

Here are snapshots of just a few items of coverage.

“Thank you for allowing us to be involved in this process, it has highlighted Royal Lifesaving to many members who have historically not considered it in their lifesaving careers.”

Lifesaving South Africa “[Our Shared Legacy]… were great tributes that increased education and awareness of the rich history that is the Commonwealth.”

Lifesaving Society Canada “A lot of work has been done and the people involved need to be thanked for their contributions.”

Singapore Life Saving Society

125th Anniversary RECORD OF CELEBRATION 2016

Patron Her Majesty the Queen Commonwealth President HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO Deputy Commonwealth President Mr Clive Holland

Royal Life Saving Society, Red Hill House,

T: +44(0)1789 774 229

227 London Road, Worcester, WR5 2JG,

commonwealth@rlss.org.uk

United Kingdom

www.rlsscommonwealth.org

Incorporated by Royal Charter

Registered Charity No. 306094