1970

Debbie Midwinter has been a lifesaver at North Bondi SLSC for nearly 20 years. During this time, she has taken on many roles from training and assessing new lifesavers, to sitting on the Club’s Board of Management as Head of Education and then Head of Administration. In 2018 she was recognised with the National Medal for 15 years community service to patrols, the first female at NBSLSC to receive the medal.

Debbie’s formative years were spent in Kenya and the middle east and then time living in the UK, including attending one of the oldest schools in the world, St Peters School in York (founded 627 AD). Debbie originally came to Australia, via South-East Asia and NZ, as a backpacker in 1999. With beach, sunshine, a new job, and an Olympics to boot, she never quite made it “home”. Once she joined the surf club, there was no going back and now she calls Bondi her home.

In 2021 Debbie was awarded Life Membership of NBSLSC, as recognition of years of sustained and conspicuous service across all areas of surf lifesaving. She was recognised in 2018 with the National Medal for 15 years community service to patrols. She continues to patrol and train and assess new lifesavers and is actively involved in many aspects of the club including supporting the WHS team and launching the club’s pilot Female Mentoring program in 2022.

Debbie sees her key achievements at the club as keeping the Education team running when the Club didn’t have a club house, contributing to winning the 2016 NSW Club of the Year, kick-starting Work Health and Safety (WHS) audits, rolling out the Safeguarding Children and Young People Program. On a personal level, Debbie remarks on her achievements through mentoring and training some of the outstanding lifesavers at North Bondi. In 2022, Debbie was selected by the Hon. Gabrielle Upton, Member for Vaucluse, as the 2022 Vaucluse Local Woman of the Year.

Courtesy North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club.