All our club members are volunteers who give their time to our club. They are all trained to RLSS standards and hold the appropriate qualifications.
Please read on to find out more about us.
Peter Moyes
Chairperson, Head Coach and Trustee of RLSS. pete@retfordlifesavers.com
Pete’s journey into lifesaving began at the young age of 12 when he earned his bronze medallion and a series of personal safety awards. By 16, his passion for teaching others was evident as he became a qualified lifesaving teacher. This early start laid the foundation for a lifelong commitment to helping others stay safe in and around water.
When Pete joined the Police Cadets, he discovered lifesaving as a sport, which combined his skills with a new sense of camaraderie and competition. Participating in Police championships, he honed his abilities, all while gaining a deeper appreciation for the importance of lifesaving skills in his career as a constable. Working in Newark, with the River Trent as a constant presence, he often relied on his training during emergencies—whether rescuing someone from the water, assisting at road traffic collisions, or supporting individuals in medical distress until paramedics arrived.
Seeking balance from the demands of his career, Pete joined Retford Lifesavers in the mid-1980s. What started as a hobby soon became a mission to teach and inspire others. He began training small groups of members, encouraging them to compete in local and national events. This effort not only developed talented teams but also strengthened the community within the club.
Pete’s dedication to lifesaving extended far beyond his local club. Over the years, he played a pivotal role in shaping national water safety policies for the Police service and influencing the lifesaving community on a global scale. In 2010, he was elected President of the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS), where he spent six years leading the organisation with a focus on drowning prevention and water safety education. He also served as Director for Sport for RLSS Commonwealth and as a Director of the International Life Saving Federation for Europe, fostering relationships with lifesaving organisations across the world.
Despite these significant achievements, Pete’s most fulfilling moments have come from teaching and mentoring others. He has continued to teach the full range of RLSS awards and was among the first pool lifeguard Trainer Assessors in 1992. His efforts as a coach have led his club to compete on the world stage, starting with the 2008 World Inter-Club Lifesaving Championships in Berlin. Since then, his teams have earned gold medals and built a reputation for excellence in events like Line Throw and SERC.
Pete has also had the honour of holding two world records: one in the master’s line throw and another as part of a mixed relay team that swam the English Channel. While proud of these achievements, he views them as part of a larger journey of teamwork and shared purpose.
Above all, Pete values the strong friendships and partnerships he has formed along the way, particularly with Dave Morton and the many dedicated volunteers who continue to make the club thrive. Their collective efforts have turned the club into a supportive and inspiring environment where people of all ages can learn, grow, and make a difference.
For Pete, lifesaving is more than a skill—it’s a way to bring people together and build a safer, stronger community. He remains a Trustee of RLSS UK, continuing to support its mission and the dedicated individuals who make it all possible.
David Morton
Treasurer, Secretary, Club Instructor. dave@retfordlifesavers.com
Theresa Tomlinson
Welfare Officer, Designated Safeguarding Lead and Club Instructor.
Georgina Tomlinson
Youth Advisor to the RLSS UK Trustee Board and Club Instructor.
Hi, I’m Georgina (George and Georgie are both okay too) and I am one of the Rookie Instructors. I have been a part of the club since I was 11 years old when I joined as a Rookie myself. In this group, I found my love for the club and lifesaving as a whole. I loved learning first aid and rescues but it was so great to keep me swimming after lessons and building my strength.
I then progressed into the survive and save awards where I collected the Medallion for completing all of the awards including sport, open water and beach awards. I also completed my young leaders award during that time. After completing these awards, I moved onto vocational awards and got my NPLQ, I was then a lifeguard at Retford Leisure Centre for 5 years. I now use my NPLQ as a volunteer lifeguard at big events like the Great North Swim, Wilderness Festival and Henley Royal Regatta.
As well as awards and instructing, I have been competing. I have competed at regional and national level, with my best events being line throw and SERC. I have also been to three World Championships, where in 2016, I became the Youth Line Throw World Champion. I still love to compete and at competition weekend, you will often see me either competing myself or helping coach the team with clipboard and stopwatch in hand.
As well as being involved at club level, I am now a part of the RLSS Commonwealth Youth Advisory Group, where I meet with people from around the world to discuss drowning prevention. I am also the UK Youth Advisor for the RLSS.
Outside of the club, I love to enjoy water safety by paddle boarding, surfing and open water swimming or any other water sport I can find.
I love being an instructor at the club because every week I get to have fun and teach an amazing group of Rookies and I get to see the members develop as lifesavers but also as people, who can take some of the skills we teach them into the world.
Hayley Turner
Safeguarding Lead Support, Club Instructor and Photographer.
Hi, I am Hayley. I have been a qualified swimming instructor since 2016 and have a lifelong love for swimming. I have taught swimming for Notts County Council Schools Swimming Service, and as a volunteer teacher with a local Primary School. I was a member of Retford Swimming Club and Bassetlaw Swim Squad and NOVA Development Squad during my teens.
I have shared my love for swimming with my children, and my daughter has been a member of Retford Lifesavers since November 2018 and this eventually led to me being asked if Id like to take the instructor course. I was of course honoured and I love being a part of the club. Since completing my instructors course, in February 2022 I have become one of the Rookie Instructors, and each week get to have lots of fun with our Rookies learning about water safety, and Lifesaving Sport events.
During my time at Retford & District Lifesavers I have completed The Queens Platinum Jubilee Award in June 2022. I was also persuaded to take part in a SERC team in the National competition in Leeds 2022.
I can often be found poolside taking photos for the club too at competitions.
Ben Tomlinson
Club Instructor.
Hello, I am Ben Tomlinson yes, another Tomlinson. As can be assumed I first joined RADL as my sister was taking part in the club and I joined once old enough to be a Rookie. Prior to lifesaving I had completed all my swimming awards and swam in Retford Swimming Club and NOVA development squad.
At 12 I decided to stick with lifesaving as it was the most enjoyable and worked best around my other sporting commitments. Following this I moved up through the club collecting all the awards possible to eventually get my distinction.
Throughout my time at RADL I have also competed in many events from open water and beach events to National Championships and World Championships in Australia. Due to my competitive nature and relative success in competitions I was selected to take part in the RLSS Development Program prior to the world championships. I am 2-time world champion in 15-18yrs team SERC and line throw. I now compete in most national lifesaving events and coach at RADL when home from university.
Mercedes Franey- Gardiner
Club Instructor.
Hi. I’m Mercedes. I joined Retford lifesavers in May 2021 when the club reopened after the covid pandemic and my youngest child returned to the Rookie Lifeguard section. I was inspired to join after she swam off across Mousehole Harbour and I realised I could no longer keep up with her.
I’ve had an unconventional swimming background. I was taught to swim by my parents in the sea with the famous “head up breaststroke” and some form of sidestroke. I could swim long distances, slowly, with these two strokes, and frequently did, normally off the back of sailing boats. My family took water safety incredibly seriously: we were taught to have a lot of respect for the water and be aware of flags, tide times, offshore winds and hidden hazards. In addition, I have held first aid qualifications since age 10.
My motivation for joining RADL was to keep up the shore side skills of first aid and incident management, and if anything could be done to improve my in-water ability that was a bonus.
I am delighted and proud that I was requested to train as an instructor for the club. I may not have a conventional swimming background – no ASA stages, or club swimming – but I feel that shows how lifesaving is different to other swimming groups. Anyone can learn the skills to save lives in and around water and RADL will help everyone achieve that. Since joining, my swimming skills are improving and I have become an all-season open water swimmer, which I greatly enjoy. I have also competed at some of the National Lifesaving events, which were amazing experiences, and I would encourage any club member to have a go.
Liz Remmer
Membership Support Officer.
Club Captains
Girls Club Captain- Abi Corrance Boys Club Captain- Zak Lewis
