For the past two years, Mrs Patricia Duncan has held hunter trials in her garden in aid of the RNLI. Her daughter and gardener made the jumps—last year they even achieved a water jump, as well as different shapes and styles through the woods, across the lawn and through the paddocks. The local riding club provided the jump judges, starters and time-keepers, and local and surrounding riding members turned out in strength. Well-known firms were asked to sponsor jumps; the tyre jump, for instance, was sponsored by the motor garage, and the water jump by Tarbert Boatyard. The garage was turned into a snack bar serving hot soup, rolls and coffee; there were side shows on the house lawn; and a saddler set up his tent. RNLI souvenirs weresold on the verandah, with ice-cream stall placed in a vulnerable position close by. There were 147 entries for the competitions and a cup donated by Mr Duncan for the open entry was presented by the chairman of Troon lifeboat committee. The amount raised for the RNLI: £450.

One of the most successful fundraising events held each year in Wales is the Sunday luncheon organised by the Cardiff ladies' guild. For the last three years it has taken place at Atlantic College, St Donat's Castle, overlooking the Bristol Channel, on a Sunday at the end of July or in August. Over the past six years it has become one of the principal events in the Cardiff calendar and, generally, there is a waiting list for any of the 500 tickets that might be returned at the last moment. Last year £650 was raised for lifeboat funds. This active guild is also to be congratulated on their 1973 street and house collection, which proved to be the first in Wales to exceed £1,000.Who would have thought that the Battle of Waterloo would provide funds for the RNLI? Given two imaginative schoolboys and a sympathetic aunt, anything is possible. Nigel Lutt, 12, had collected and painted enough model soldiers to reconstruct part of the battle scene, making his own scenery; his 10-year-old brother, Martin, contributed 30 model vintage aircraft he had made; their aunt allowed herself to be persuaded into opening her flat to the public for three days; and the result was an exhibition that raised £33 for the Leighton branch. The boys decorated the walls of the flat with posters, leaflets and books about the historic battle and prepared their own publicity literature, while their aunt provided refreshments for the visitors. No entry fee was charged, visitors were just asked to give what they liked, and extra money was raised from the sale of RNLI souvenirs.

Seahouses lifeboat mechanic recently received a donation of £19 through the post from as far afield as South Korea.

Captain Storey, whose ship sails in those waters, was approached by his crew to accept this contribution before they were paid off and flown home.

Captain Storey's home is in the North East of England, and it is reckoned that altogether he has sent Seahouses about £100.

The City Varieties Theatre, Leeds, famous as the home of the BBC's programme 'The Good Old Days', was full to capacity one Monday night last spring when the Wetherby Round Table took over the entire theatre and the cast appearing there that week for a special evening performance. Lucky souvenir programmes were sold as well, and at the end of the evening a cheque for £500 was presented to the RNLI; a handsome contribution to Yorkshirebased lifeboats in celebration of the 150th anniversary.A sponsored 'toddle' round the school by the infants' class of Danehill Church of England School, Danehill, near Haywards Heath, raised the splendid sum of £6. The children were aged between four and six years.

During its lifetime of 20 years, the Stanmore branch ladies' guild must have raised a hidden 'bonus' of something like £1,000. The guild meets once a fortnight for an afternoon's sewing and knitting, preparing for its annual bazaar. At each meeting a charge is made for tea, and the hostess for the afternoon provides a small prize for a raffle; and so funds mount up while goods are produced for sale. There are four silver badge-holders in the branch— Mrs Q. H. Boutwood, Mrs G. H. Brewer, Mrs J. Church and Mrs D. Haynes—as well as four members who have received letters of thanks. When, a few years ago, sub-standard RNLI tea towels were offered for sale, the Stanmore ladies snapped them up and made them into aprons, with large pockets, which are now worn by the 'crew' at all lifeboat functions.

A most generous cheque for £22.78 has been received from the Shropshire Voluntary Association for the Blind. It represents donations from the blind people and their friends who attend the association's socials and classes.

A farmer and two of his friends, a farm contractor and a farm worker, who walked from John o' Groats to Land's End, raised nearly £900 which they presented to John King, coxswain of the Bridlington lifeboat. They are Christopher Marshall, Robert Dolphin and Colin Robinson, known as 'The Black Swan Walkers'. The Black Swan is their 'local' at Beeford, near Bridlington, where the idea for the walk started.

From Bridlington they took a bottle of Yorkshire liqueur to the lifeboat station at Wick, where it was handed over in exchange for a bottle of malt whisky.

This they carried to Sennen Cove where it was exchanged for a bottle of Cornish mead, which they finally gave to the Bridlington crew: full circle.

For the past two years the organisers of the Hawarden, Flintshire, harvest festival have given a donation to the local branch of the RNLI: the totalfile.

Friday the 13th—unlucky? Not for the Portchester branch, Hampshire, because on Friday, July 13, Wicormarine Ball, organised by Christopher Waddington, raised £700. Chay Blyth and his crew of Great Britain H were guests of honour. During 1972-1973 the branch fund totalled £1,600; a cheese and wine party in aid of the Hampshire Rose appeal held ijj Port-Chester Sailing Club made a profit of £100, and races for pennants organised by the Sailing Club itself raised £16.

The grand sum of £109 was raised by the newly formed ladies' section of the Moreton-in-Marsh and District branch at a coifee morning organised by Miss S. M. Brackenbury and held at the Manor House Hotel by kind permission of J. R. Blanchard, vice-president.

The Westminster Chamber of Commerce invited the RNLI to run a tombola in aid of its funds at their annual dinner and dance held at The Inn on the Park, Park Lane. As the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce lives in Bracknell, Berkshire, Bracknell were invited to 'have a go'. The Chamber of Commerce indicated that they hoped to see a stall of about 500 prizes, to which a number of their own members generously contributed. Her MajestyQueen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, as a Westminster resident, sent a handbag; and Mr Edward Heath sent a record, signed, of a recent concert that he had conducted. The tombola made a grand total of £850.

As a result of the efforts of staff and pupils of Torrells School, a grand total of £210 was raised for the RNLI during 1973 in Grays, Essex.

Shrewsbury branch broke all its previous records during 1972-1973, both for its flag day, taking £600, and its overall collection for the RNLI, £1,500.

There are four serving members of the committee who have received 'lifeboat men' awards: the chairman, Mrs J.

Tombling, Mrs Barnwell (secretary for over 20 years and still serving on the committee), Mrs Saint and Miss Williams.

Having already raised the money for a new inshore lifeboat at Tenby, Pembrokeshire, the Rag Committee at Harper Adams Agricultural College, Newport, Shropshire, has now given another £600 to help towards her running costs.SURPLUS CASH WHENEVER the Institution has any cash surplus to immediate requirements, it is put on deposit with the London money market. The best possible rates of interest are obtained by 'shopping around' to get the 'best buy' from a selected list of reputable City banks and finance houses.

Recently interest rates on call and short-term deposits have been high.

Usually these rates are considerably higher than those obtainable on bank deposit, but this is only possible when dealing in relatively large amounts.

Therefore, any honorary treasurers who have cash in the branch bank accounts surplus to their immediate needs are requested to remit this to Head Office as soon as possible. This will enable the Institution to make the best use (and most money) from any surplus cash.

The Institution is very grateful to those honorary treasurers who have already arranged to remit surplus cash to Head Office regularly.

Coming Events Safe Anchorage: Festival of Flowers to celebrate RNLI 150th Anniversary, Hyde Chapel, Gee Cross, Hyde, Cheshire, July 12-14. Details from Mrs E. B. Higginbotham, 104Dowson Road, Hyde. (061 368 3318).

Caithness Sea Angling Association Annual Festival, September 19 - 21, organised with Thurso ladies' guild. All proceeds for local lifeboat. Details from Jim Mackay (CSAA), 50 Castlegreen Road, Thurso, Caithness..