Beth has a long history with lifeguarding and volunteering for the RNLI. She first got involved in a local surf lifesaving club at age seven. After years of participating in surf lifesaving competitions and volunteering in beach patrols, she became an official beach lifeguard in 2022. For her, lifeguarding is more than just a summer job: by 2023, she had volunteered for the RNLI for five summers and had spent one summer as a beach lifeguard in Australia.
While working on the beach one day in 2025, Beth was approached by her RNLI Regional Lead. During their conversation, Beth shared the details of her degree at Loughborough University and her passion for both lifeguarding and architectural design. Beth was invited to join the team redesigning the lifeguarding units, using her degree expertise and her voice as a lifeguard to influence the design and of the new base units.
Some of the units were rolled out across beaches this summer, including one at Trecco Bay, situated in Beth's local area in Wales. She commented:
"It was great to see the Base Lifeguard Units in action and hear people's positive response, as well as any possible improvements that we may not have thought of in the first mock-up. I enjoy a project that involves the iterative design process, going back and forth, testing and retrying."
Beth says her degree at Loughborough helped her during the RNLI project, enabling her to understand materials, load combinations, and sustainable design – all topics that came up in the discussion phase of the process.
Reflecting on her success, Beth has shared her advice to others, saying:
"Have the confidence to speak to everyone. Sometimes, one conversation with someone who values what you have to offer is all it takes to open the door to opportunities that can make a real difference."