When Kirsty Glithero moved from land-locked Gloucester in England to the Capricorn Coast eight years ago, she couldn't swim.
Now, she has a Queensland Lifesaver of the Year award under her belt and is a finalist in another two categories at this year's Surf Life Saving Queensland's awards.
"I never expected it at all," Ms Glithero said of winning her first award last year.
"When it happened, I could barely walk to the stage to pick it up because I was so shocked."
Normally, children follow in their parents' footsteps, but for Ms Glithero it was the other way around.
On arriving in Australia, she enrolled her then nine-year-old daughter, Emily, into the nippers program at their local Yeppoon Surf Life Saving Club.
"I spent the first two years just watching her," she said.
Then she decided it was time to dip her toe into the water, and with the encouragement of others from the club, Ms Glithero began to train for her bronze medallion.
"It took me a year to get my bronze initially because I had to get my swimming up to standard."
After achieving this, Ms Glithero then moved on to gaining her water safety certificate, and her lifesaving colleagues encouraged her to do a bit more.
"I gradually took on more and got involved in the training side and did the vice-captain role, chief training officer role, and last year I was club captain as well," she said.
It was a long journey.
"So to then go on and win a state award for lifesaving was amazing, but it goes to show what anyone can do when they get involved."
This weekend, she'll be up for the Assessor of the Year and the Clive Hammond OAM Silver Award, which recognises an individual's outstanding contribution for their clubs.
Lifesaving a family affair
Emily, now 17, will also be at the awards night and is one of six finalists from around the state vying for the Queensland Junior Life Saver of the Year.
This season, she clocked up more than 100 volunteer patrol hours and became an age manager for the first time.
"I was ecstatic. I never thought I would get here from joining as a nipper in 2009," she said of the nomination.
As for Ms Glithero, she's extremely proud of her daughter.
"It's a nomination she really deserves. She put a lot in," Ms Glithero said.
"Obviously having myself and my husband involved as well means it's a family thing, and that's a big thing about lifesaving.
"It's a family atmosphere, and the lifesaving community in Australia is our family here because we really don't have any other family."
The awards are being held on the Gold Coast on Saturday, August 26.
