The Steady Hands Behind North Star's Safety Culture

👥 Meet Brenda and Catherine: The Steady Hands Behind North Star’s Safety Culture ⚓️

In our latest meet the team spotlight, we had the pleasure of speaking with Brenda Russell and Catherine Carr, our two experienced and passionate QHSSE Administrators. With over 29 years combined service, their unwavering commitment to safety, teamwork, and crew welfare shines through in every aspect of their work.

Brenda based in Aberdeen, and Catherine based in Lowestoft, have formed a tight knit partnership that underscores the values of mutual respect, dedication, and a shared sense of purpose. Their insights offer a powerful reminder of the crucial work being done behind the scenes to keep our offshore operations safe and supported.

Decades of Experience and a Shared Passion for Safety

Brenda has been part of the North Star team for an incredible 22 years and Catherine joined 7 years ago, bringing with them rich histories of dedication and adaptability. Brenda’s career path started at BT and eventually led her through various roles in emergency response and oil and gas sector. “I worked with someone in HR who brought me with him to North Star,” Brenda recalls. “He left and I stayed!” After joining Crewing Services dealing with travel and training, she moved to QHSSE, where she has now been for 11 years.

Catherine’s offshore journey began even earlier, starting at Shell in 1986 “I’ve always strived to work hard and improve my knowledge,” she shares. “That drive eventually led me to the Safety Department, and I’ve had a strong interest in safety and the offshore sector ever since.”

The Heart of QHSSE: Organisation, Support and Communication

When asked about what it takes to be successful in their roles, both women emphasised the importance of being organised, having strong communication skills and most importantly, a passion for safety. “Cathy and I work well together and pull from each other’s strengths,” says Brenda. “I understand the deep history and values of the company and Cathy is a whizz with formulae”.

They described their role as a “foundation of support” for their colleagues, both on and offshore.

Seeing the Bigger Picture

Brenda and Catherine are both deeply respectful of the crew they support offshore whilst Catherine admitted that she would love to spend a day on the bridge to experience things from the other side, Brenda has done just that! Brenda has experienced being onboard during validation trials, “It gave a better understanding of the recovery exercises that are conducted, when retrieving the dummies on an unusually warm and calm day, I can’t image what it would be like in adverse weather conditions that they have to face in the North Sea”, Brenda noted respectfully. They admit that whilst they couldn’t commit to a full day in their shoes in extreme weather, they would like to experience an hour to know what the crew experience. “The easiest of tasks like showering or preparing a hot meal, become a challenge yet they keep going, I have the utmost respect for what they do”, Brenda notes with admiration.

Vessels and Future Vision

When asked for their favourite vessel, Brenda smiles and admits she does have one but won’t share in case she upsets the others but does admit it is an ERRV! And Cathy names the Putford Jaguar as it was the first vessel that she ever stepped aboard.

As for the future of the industry, both are excited by the evolution of North Star, “we started with fishing vessels, then oil and gas and now we have SOV’s in Offshore Wind, it’s amazing to see how the company has evolved,” they agree.

Wisdom for the Next Generation:

Reflecting on their careers, Catherine offers the advice, “to go with the flow, always do your best and remember when one door closes another door opens.” Brenda adds that she would, “consider a life at sea, it was never suggested to me, but now our new vessels are like floating hotels and a career at sea can take you around the world.”

Beyond the Job: Friendship, Family and Fun

Outside of work, Brenda enjoys hiking with her dog and Catherine cherishes her Friday’s with her Grandson. “It’s all about family and friends for us, in and out of work,” they say with a smile.

Brenda and Catherine’s story is one of resilience, growth and adaptability to change – the supporting anchor for our offshore team and an integral part of our QHSSE team. Separated by distance but connected by a common goal, and North Star is all the better for having them aboard.

Would you like to share your journey? Get in touch with events@north-star.co.uk to be featured in our next Meet the Team profile.