SPONSORED WALK OVER £35,000 has been raised so far by the National Sponsored Walk organised by the Central Appeals Committee which took place on Sunday, 18th April, 1971. By the time all the money has been received—40 branches have still to send in money—it is expected that the final amount will exceed £40,000.

At a recent meeting the Committee ofManageexpressed regret at the accidents that have taken place during sponsored walks in aid of certain charities.

Under the circumstances they have decided that they do not wish any further sponsored walks on public highways to be arranged in aid of funds for the R.N.L.I.—at least until the whole matter has been considered at government level.

NATIONAL BALLOON RACE The winners' names of the national balloon race have now been published and the cheques presented as follows: 1st Prize £100—Mrs. H. Carter, 7 Grayshott Road, Gosport.

2nd Prize £50—Mr. R. M. Howie, 2 The Green, Plymstock.

3rd Prize £25—Mrs. Prim Wagstaff, No. 1 Miskin Manor, Pontyclun.4th Prize £15—Mr. G. Slade, Meadow Cottage, Rainhill.

5th Prize £10—Mr. I. A. Cotter, Endwood Drive, Sutton Coldfield.

The winning label reached Piaccnza, in Italy, a distance of 675 miles.

At the time of going to press the calculations as to which balloons sold by individual branches travelled the longest distances have not been completed as this has proved a complicated business, but these details should be available soon. The net amount raised for the Institute was £3,000.

APPOINTMENTS At a recent meeting of the CAC it was unanimously decided to elect two new vice chairmen.

They are Mrs. G. F. Chapman, of the Wembley branch and North London CAC representative; and Mrs. G. M. Keen, chairman of the Kidderminster ladies' life-boat guild and Midlands representative of the CAC.STAMPS TO BUY EQUIPMENT For five months during the latter part of this year Tesco Supermarkets have agreed to allow the R.N.L.I, to collect Green Shield stamps throughout 240 Tesco supermarkets in their southern region. This includes the whole area south of a line drawn from Bristol to Norwich.All the stamps collected will go towards buying various kinds of life-boat equipment. It is planned to repeat this operation in Tesco's northern area at a later date.

SPONSORED SWIM A sponsored swim has been arranged for the latter part of this year between the R.N.L.I, and the Amateur Swimming Association, and it will now include the clubs affiliated to the Welsh Amateur Swimming Association, the English Schools Swimming Association, and also will have the active support of the Institute of Baths Management. This will significantly expand the scope and effect of the project.

Your fund-raising suggestions are welcome and some are being used. Write to me, Mr.

R. N. Crumbie, chairman, at 28 Chislehurst Road, Orpington, Kent, if you feel you have a fund-raising suggestion to put forward.

CROSSWORD At the time of going to press the exact shape of the forthcoming crossword puzzle in the Journal had not been finalised..