The half-pence scheme My grandad and nan have been saving half-pennies for the lifeboat service for 28 years. Of course they receive a receipt for what they hand in but my brother Paul and I feel sure they would love to see a few words of thanks in the Journal which they take every quarter.

Mumbles lifeboat received the coins amounting to 1,000 every year for 25 years, Hastings for a year, and Margate for the last two years.

They do not go collecting but save them out of their own pocket. A friend sometimes adds two or three every week.

I think if other people saved their halfpence pieces instead of grumbling so much about them the lifeboat service would benefit considerably.

Grandad has altogether given 30,000 for the RNLI. By the way, they are both pensioners.—SALLY-ANNE SMITH, Banks Close, Marston, Moretyne, Bedford..