Christchurch RC members recognised for life-saving actions

Royal Humane Society Awards (RHS) were presented to three coaches at Christchurch RC who saved the life of a woman they found clinging to a mooring buoy in the river Stour

John Dodsworth was presented with an RHS Honorary Testimonial of the Society inscribed on Parchment. Stephen Aldridge and James Erwin were presented with RHS Certificates of Commendation.

The Testimonial on Parchment is awarded where someone “has put themselves in danger to save, or attempt to save, someone else”. The Certificate of Commendation is awarded where someone “has made a significant contribution to the saving or attempted saving of a life, though their own life was not necessarily at risk”.

This awards followed their actions during an incident in March 2024. Two club coaches, each in separate launches, had been supervising a training session for a group of experienced junior scullers. They became aware of an adult, not connected with the club, in deep flowing water holding on to a mooring buoy and in distress. The first coach, John Dodsworth, approached with the casualty to starboard and cut the engine. The second coach, Stephen Aldridge, remained close-by monitoring the attempted rescue and the sculling group. He made contact via radio with a third coach, James Erwin, who was some distance away in the club’s safety launch.

The woman in the water was very cold, almost submerged, quite passive, and her breathing was erratic. John Dodsworth tried to lift her onto the launch, but were unable to do so as she was weighed down by saturated clothing. John Dodsworth almost managed to lift her onboard but slipped and fell overboard to port. He then swam around the stern and supported the casualty whilst keeping hold of the launch for flotation.

The riverbank at this point is steep and it is not possible to land there. The tide was ebbing, so John Dodsworth decided to remain in the water as the launch was drifting towards shallow water and a beach at Sandpit Marsh (about 250 metres). Stephen Aldridge stayed close and guided the drifting launch. James Erwin in the club safety launch arrived and assisted by helping to recover the casualty to the beach, put a thermal cloak on her and kept her talking.

Stephen Aldridge had also contacted the emergency services.  The beach where they had landed was not accessible to vehicles, so they decided to take the casualty upstream to a public slipway (about 1 km) in the safety launch.  The ambulance was at the slipway and paramedics took care of the casualty. She was conscious and communicating when taken to the ambulance.

The sculling group returned to the club under supervision.

John Dodsworth was quite cold after falling in and had a few minor aches and pains, but has fully recovered.

After the incident the woman who was rescued visited the club and left a letter of thanks for saving her life, adding, “I am glad to see that you have been awarded and thank you so much for your bravery.”