SOUTH Tweed Sports Club staff member Julie Shuttleworth has been selected to travel to Thailand with an Australian team to train lifeguards on Phuket Island.

The Rainbow Bay Surf Life Saving Club member patrols as a lifeguard and was selected for Phuket because she holds advanced lifesaving awards including Rescue Water Craft operator and the SLSA Gold Medallion.

Phuket had a terrible loss of life each year, through drowning, but since 2010, when the Australian-trained Phuket Lifeguard Services guards took over, deaths and serious incidents have fallen.

Julie is going as a volunteer and will pay all her own expenses, but feels the experience gained and the assistance she can provide will make it worthwhile.

"The team leader is very happy I am going because there is only one woman working as an Australian qualified lifeguard in Thailand," Miss Shuttleworth said.

"It's a great opportunity to work with the Thai lifeguards and help them with beach management.

"If I can be a role model to local Thai women and encourage them to become lifeguards that would be tremendous."

The South Tweed Sports Club is looking at ways to assist Julie with her trip and chief executive Gordon Rhodes is an unabashed admirer.

"Our staff have shown over the years their community spirit with club events, their own staff benevolent fund and out-of-work community service," Mr Rhodes said.

"Julie's pending trip is another example to make us all proud."