Joining company MD, Pip Woods more than 50% of the full-time Rockley team are women! Among the team we have mothers, an emergency responder, marathon runners, charity volunteers, environment champions, triathletes, keen golfers and much more.
In this special feature we talk to four of our fantastic team members:
Kate Wyatt is a big tennis fan, a lover of being outdoors and spoils the team with her baking skills.
I started working for Rockley in 2004 on a temporary basis by putting together information packs for the school residential trips. However, I never left as further jobs kept arising that needed to be done! I have been extremely lucky to have a found a job that I could fit around my family commitments and to be working with a wonderful team of people.
The aspects of my job that I enjoy most are face to face interaction with our customers at boatshows as well as seeing many people returning to us year on year from starting sailing through to achieving instructor qualifications.
I am not really a water person but the team I work with at Rockley are amazing and we really do feel like one big family supporting each other and sharing both work and socialising together.
AJ Windsor a passionate team player – Girl Guide leader, hockey captain, volunteer and keen powerboater.
I have recently changed my job role and am now the UK Operations Manager, I oversee Poole Park, The Beach Club and Harbours Edge Café. I am also responsible for Rockley events e.g Can Do and Dorset School Games Regatta and the events we attend.
In the nine years I have been at Rockley I have learnt so much. From budgeting and accounts to teaching children and managing a team.
The best bit of my job is going to shows, they are hard work, but you meet so many people and we always have good fun. A close 2nd to this has to be the Can Do Festival, being able to give over 300 children the opportunity to engage in watersports, which often changes their lives, is amazing.
Kate Murphy loves a gig, enjoys music and is fabulous at throwing dancefloor shapes.
This year I’m going back to Le Lac as centre manage, but I will also be mentor to our two new centre managers Kim and Lizzy. I’ll be helping with their training before the season starts and be their onsite support to help them through the course of the season.
After seven seasons I feel like I’ve learnt a lot, about myself, about the job role, about other people and (be proud of me Mini) about boats! I’m not an activity instructor but I’ve sat in enough end-of-day meetings now to learn the difference between a main sheet and a main halliard, just don’t ask me to sail anything and it’s OK!
I do feel like I’ve learned a lot about how to work with other people, how to motivate and encourage, how to manage different personalities and how to get the best out of my team. It’s always a challenge and each year brings something different, but I learn something new each season which is why I enjoy this job so much.
Along with learning I have gained several qualifications with Rockley, including my Level 3 Teaching and Training qualification and I’m currently working towards a Level 2 certificate in understanding children and young people’s mental health.
Cath Hough a knowledgeable and skilled sailor who loves being by the sea so much that she lives onboard her yacht in Poole Harbour.
I enjoy that my job role is quite varied. My favourite aspect of the job is getting out on the road, meeting new and existing teachers and informing students more about how exciting a Rockley adventure is!
Having worked in the marine industry for many years I am used to being in the minority as a female and have worked in several teams where I was one of very few females. So, it is encouraging to have more of a gender balance at Rockley.
My job also allows for me to explore my passions. A growing excitement of mine is the environment and it is fantastic that Rockley have given me the opportunity to head up the environmental committee as an extra to my role on the schools team.
I am really looking forward to this Summer! Poole is a great place to live and work and I love enjoying being outdoors in the Harbour when the weather is nice! I am also looking forward to promoting Rockley’s trips to new schools and seeing how much fun our existing schools have on their trips!