From
the top floors of Purbeck View it is possible to see the lifeboat
station and, if you are lucky, the dramatic launch of the boat
as it hurtles down a steep ramp and into the sea with a splash.
Perhaps
this is one of the reasons why the topic of the Royal National
Lifeboat Institution has been so successful with a group of nine
boys in the post-16 unit. For the past year the students have
been learning about the role of the RNLI within their local community
and this has helped their skills and confidence in the areas of
socialisation, communication and dealing with change.
Sue
Goulding, head at Purbeck View School, said, “The school
is very much community-based and the lifeboat is an important
part of that community. We are one of the largest employers in
the town and there are a number of family links between staff
and the lifeboat.”
The
project involved visiting lifeboat stations in Weymouth and Poole
as well as the local station at Swanage to learn about the different
sorts of lifeboat and their role in rescues. The group learned
about safety at sea and had a visit by the coxswain of the local
lifeboat who brought along equipment and clothing for them to
try on.
Belinda
Chadwick, a tutor at the school, said, “One of the boys,
James Scott, even took part in the RNLI flag day and collected
money from the public in the town. It was quite a big thing for
him, outside his familiar environment, to stand there with a collecting
box for people’s donations.”
The
whole project was of such interest to the boys that they were
prepared to try that little bit harder to participate with the
activities on offer. Graeme Reid was keen to try on the waterproofs,
even though they were very different in texture to the clothes
he is used to, and a very bright yellow in colour.
All
the boys were presented with medals for their involvement with
the charity and a medal was also sent to Matthew Haynes, who was
included in the project initially but has now moved on to Hesley
Village.
Even
now that the project has ended the students still like seeing
the lifeboat station and the people associated with it when they
go into town.
Photographs:
1.
James Scott (wearing RNLI sash) with members of the Swanage lifeboat
crew
2. Graeme Reid in waterproofs
