In 1965 the life-boat service had by far its busiest year since the Institution was founded in 1824. There were 1,038 launches by life-boats on service and 462 by inshore rescue boats. Life-boats saved the lives of 562 people and IRBs 265.

An all-time record for launches had been set up in 1964, yet there was an increase of something like 28 -3 per cent on this figure last year. Some impression of how the work of the life-boat service has grown in the last few years can be gained from the following table: Launches by RNLI Lives saved by rescue craft these craft 1962 833 422 1963 863 364 1964 1,168 525 1965 1,500 777 NEW IRB STATIONS The value of the Institution's inshore boats as a means of saving life has been proved beyond question by the achievements of last year when the lives of no fewer than 215 people were saved. In 1966 another 26 IRB stations are to be established. Of the sites provisionally chosen 18 are in England, 5 are in Wales, one is in Scotland, one is in Ireland, and one is in the Isle of Man.

The English sites selected are: Amble, Bridlington, Burnham-on-Crouch, Bude, Clacton-on-Sea, Exmouth, Filey, Fleetwood, Littlehampton, Littlestone-on-Sea, Margate, Morecambe, Rye Harbour, Scarborough, Sunderland, Weston-super-Mare, Whitby, and West Kirby.

The Welsh sites are: Aberavon Beach (Port Talbot), Borth, Conway, New Quay (Cardiganshire), and Flint.

The Scottish station will be at Kippford, the Irish station at Dun LaDghaireandthe Isle of Man station at Port St. Mary.

ROUND TABLE SUPPORT The inshore rescue boat seems to have made a particular appeal to members of Round Tables in different parts of the country, and the RNLI is deeply indebted to them for the provision of a number of new IRBs. The Barrow-in-Furness IRB was provided by the Barrow Round Table. Norwich Round Table provided the Happisburgh IRB and Hemel Hempstead the Eastney IRB. The new IRB to be stationed at Rye Harbour is the gift of the Beaconsfield Round Table. In addition, the boat shelter at Mudeford was provided by a special gift from members of the Christchurch Round Table.

The RNLI has decided to build a new life-boat station at Trevose Head in Cornwall at an approximate cost of £114,600. The work is expected to be completed in about two years.

When the new station becomes operational it will replace the existing Padstow station, where conditions on the bar now seriously interfere with the operational efficiency of the life-boat.

The new station will consist of a boathouse and slipway built on the foreshore at the foot of the cliffs, which at that point are about 100 feet high. The life-boat will be launched down a 240-foot slipway. A new road, a quarter of-a-mile long, will be constructed from the Coastguard station to the top of the cliff.

Wave records have been taken over a period of two years on the site. These show that it ought to be possible to launch the life-boat in any conditions, although in certain circumstances re-housing may not always be possible immediately.

It is known that there was a life-boat station at Padstow before 1825. Since the RNLI look over the station in 1856 Padstow life-boats have had a magnificent record, having been launched on service 361 times and having saved 478 lives. From 1899 to 1962 the Padstow station regularly had two life-boats.

INSHORE RESCUE SCHEME EXTENSION The inshore rescue scheme, which is operated jointly by the RNLI and H.M. Coastguard, is to be extended in 1966 from the Scottish border to the River Clyde on the west and the Firth of Forth on the east. This scheme was begun experimentally in 1962 on the south coast of England between Selsey Bill and Swanage, including the Isle of Wight. All coastguard stations concerned keep a list of private boat owners who have agreed to co-operate in the scheme and whose boats are considered suitable and generally available. The list includes the telephone numbers of the owners and particulars of the type of boat they own. The coastguard can, therefore, contact such people without delay. The RNLI undertakes to pay monetary awards for rescues, or attempted rescues, to those participating in the scheme. The scale is that applying to members of life-boat crews on service. The Institution will also reimburse the cost of fuel and pay for the replacement of any gear lost or damaged.

IRISH STATION RENAMED The Cloughey life-boat station in County Down has been re-named Cloughey/ Portavogie. The reason for this is that with the development of the harbour at Portavogie it has become possible to keep a life-boat at permanent moorings in the harbour, and in consequence the 35-foot 6-inch Liverpool boat has been replaced by a 4i-foot boat. The Cloughey station has a fine record. It was established in 1885, and since then life-boats from the station have launched on service 152 times and saved 311 lives..