ONE lesson which has emerged from the large deficit incurred last year is that the R.N.L.I. not only needs more money; it needs money from new sources. The work of the voluntary branches will always be the mainstay of the Institution's fund-raising efforts, and it is a truly remarkable fact that there are more than 1,500 branches scattered throughout Britain and Ireland formed by men and women who are prepared to give up much time to raising funds for the service.

Nevertheless, steps have had to be taken, and will continue to be taken, to obtain money from people who are not directly associated with the Institution's branches.

The Institution has, for instance, decided to introduce a new sticker for placing on car windows. It is quite distinct from the sticker which is available to committee and crew members, and is intended for sale to the general public, in order both to raise funds and to provide publicity. The sticker is produced in four colours. It contains the R.N.L.I. flag and the words 'support the life-boats'.

It measures approximately 1 inches by 2 inches, is self-adhesive and will be on sale at 2s. 6d. per sticker.A major appeal is about to be launched in the City of London, and for the first time the Institution is carrying out an experiment in making use of the services of a professional fund-raising firm. The firm's activities will be confined to the City of London and will not conflict in any way with the activities of the volun- tary branches.

Another special appeal is being planned to obtain greater support from boat owners and others who put to sea for their own pleasure. Discussions have already taken place with commodores of yacht clubs and other interested persons, As we closed for press we learnt with deep regret of the death of Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, President of the R.N.L.I. An obituary notice wiU appear in the December issue of THE LIFE-BOAT.

and it is likely that some form of association or supporters' club will be formed.

Those who become members of this through an annual contribution will be entitled to purchase a pennant or plaque for their boats indicating their support of the life-boat service.

Details of the scheme will be announced later.SPOT-THE-BALL An arrangement has been reached with a Manchester firm which is promoting the popular 'spot-the-ball' competition through the pages of The People, The Sunday Mirror and Reveille. The entire financial risk is being borne by the firm which is devoting a proportion of the proceeds to the Institution. The first of these competitions were published on 20th and 23rd June.

This is the first of a number of ideas being formulated to raise the additional funds which the life-boat service is certain to need in the years to come.

'BLUE PETER' Some eighteen months ago an appeal was launched to viewers of the popular 'Blue Peter' programme on B.B.C. television to collect paper-backed books which could be sold to provide a new inshore rescue boat. In fact, about a quarter-of-a-million books were collected and enough money was raised to meet the cost of the IRBs now stationed at Beaumaris, Littlehampton, North Berwick and St. Agnes.

Another life-boat exercise was staged through the 'Blue Peter' programme in July of this year. This was a competition for the best design for a life-boat dayposter. Prizes were awarded for the best design in three different age groups and the winning designs will be used for life-boat day posters in 1969.

No fewer than 80,000 entries were received by the B.B.C., an indication not only of the immense popularity of the 'Blue Peter' programme but also of the widespread interest among the young in the life-boat service.

Illustrations of some of the prize-winning designs will appear in the December number of THE LIFE-BOAT.

FAMOUS WHITBY FIGURE Henry Richardson of Whitby, known to everyone as 'Lai' Richardson, died in May 1968 at the age of 87. With his passing has gone a figure who was familiar to thousands of visitors to Whitby and who had a remarkable record in the life- boat service, both operationally and as a fund-raiser. 'Lai' Richardson was coxswain of the Whitby No. II life-boat for 6| years and had been connected with the Whitby station nearly all his life. In recent years he had been the boat- house attendant at the Whitby museum, and his devotion to duty in a variety of capacities was an embodiment of all that is best in the life-boat service.

NEW CIVIL SERVICE LIFE-BOAT FUND SECRETARY A new secretary has been appointed to the Civil Service Life-boat Fund. He is Mr. J. S. Chapman of the Public Trustee Office. His predecessor, Mr. F. B.

Savage, has retired after a distinguished career in the Post Office and after serving as secretary of the Civil Service Life-boat Fund for 10 years. Mr. Savage will be living in Salcombe in his retirement, where he will continue to work for the life- boat service through the local branch.

The Civil Service Life-boat Fund has a truly extraordinary record since its foundation in 1866. During that time voluntary contributions from civil servants through the Civil Service Life-boat Fund have produced no fewer than 35 life-boats. The latest of these is now stationed at Clovelly.

LATEST LIFE-BOAT FILM A new film about the life-boat service is being sponsored by Messrs. W. D. & H. O. Wills of Bristol. Much of the action will take place at Sennen Cove, and the film is in effect the story of a village built around its life-boat station. The film is being made by Gerard Holdsworth Films Ltd., who recently produced an excellent film on the work of the Sail Training Association. The producer is Mr. Philip Oliver, himself a keen yachtsman. It is a |-hour film in 35 mnVcolour, and is expected to be completed in February or March, 1969.

NOTICE All contributions for the Institution should be sent either to the honorary secretary of the local branch or guild, or to Stirling Whorlow, O.B.E., Secretary, Royal National Life-boat Institution, 42 Grosvenor Gardens, London, S.W.I.

All enquiries about the work of the Institution or about this journal should be addressed to the Secretary.

The next number of THE LIFE-BOAT will be published in December, 1968.CALENDARS-A PRICE REDUCTION Following a purchase tax adjustment it has been possible to reduce the price of the 1969 calendar from 7s. 6d., post free, as announced in the June issue of 'The Life-boat' (page 59), to 6s. 6d., complete with a special cardboard envelope. A very striking colour reproduction of the Scarborough life-boat at sea is featured on the cover. The months are spread over both sides of six pages and each is headed by an attractive colour photograph of a seascape, several of them having direct life-boat associations.

NEW DEPUTY CHAIRMAN Lieutenant-Commander the Hon. Greville Howard, V.R.D., R.N.R. succeeds Air Vice-Marshal Sir Geoffrey Bromet, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O., D.L., as one of the two deputy chairmen of the Royal National Life-boat Institution. The other deputy chairman is Commander F. R. H. Swann, O.B.E., R.N.V.R.

Lieut.-Comd. Greville Howard was on active service with the Royal Navy throughout the last war. He became Mayor of Westminster in 1946 and from 1950 to 1966 was Member of Parliament for St. Ives. He joined the Committee of Management of the R.N.L.I. in 1953 and is chairman of its Operations Committee.

After a distinguished career in the Royal Navy, in the Royal Naval Air Service in the First World War, and in the Royal Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal Sir Geoffrey Bromet was Lieutenant-Governor of the Isle of Man from 1945 to 1952. He joined the Committee of Management of the R.N.L.I. in 1952 and was Deputy Chairman from 1964 until he resigned in 1968. He remains a member of the Committee of Management.

Two new members have been co-opted to the Committee. They are Mr. P. V.

MacKinnon, O.B.E., whose home is at Bembridge, Isle of Wight, and Lieutenant- Commander P. E. C. Pickles, M.B.E., J.P., R.N.V.R., who lives near Scarborough.

Mr. MacKinnon is chairman of the Royal Yachting Association. He was bursar at Eton College from 1946 to 1953.

Lieut.-Comd. Pickles, who now farms in Yorkshire, was formerly managing director of W. Rowntree and Sons of York and Scarborough. He is chairman of the Scarborough branch of the R.N.L.I.

AWARDS FOR SAVING LIFE AT SEA The President of the Board of Trade, Mr. Anthony Crosland, M.P., has awarded pieces of plate to the following men for saving life at sea: Mr, D. P. Reid, Auxiliary Coastguard in charge of the Isle of Eday, and two other Auxiliary Coastguards, Mr. A. Reid, his son, and Mr. A. E. Scott, in recognition of the services rendered in rescuing two survivors from the fishing boat Pansy which was driven on to Lashy Skerry, Orkney, on 6th August, 1967.

Mr. B. K. Turrell, skipper of the trawler Wilton Queen, of Lowestoft, in recognition of the outstanding seamanship and skill displayed in rescuing the crew of the trawler Barton Queen which sprung a leak in the engine room while fishing 150 miles from Lowestoft on 6th March, 1968.

Mr. J. Stout, skipper of the fishing vessel Ocean Gift and coxswain of the Stronsay life-boat, in recognition of the skill and seamanship he displayed when the disabled fishing vessel Flourish was in danger of stranding on Bria Skerry on llth January, 1968..