AS THE CLIMAX of 'The Year of the Lifeboat', the RNLI will be playing a prominent part in the 1975 International Boat Show at Earls Court from January 1 to 11. The very first thing visitors approaching the exhibition from Warwick Road will see is one of the Institution's modern fast steel lifeboats, for there will be a 44' Waveney on display in the forecourt.

Once inside, most people make their way to see the central feature round the pool. This year it will be a fishing village, with boatyards and, of course, a lifeboat station. The lifeboat house, made possible by the generous sponsorship of the Midland Bank, is similar in design to the one at Walmer, and on a jetty projecting out into the pool will be displayed the ex-Whitby pulling lifeboat, Robert and Ellen Robson. Nearby, afloat on the pool, there will be an Atlantic 21 ILB, and William Osborne will be showing a second Atlantic 21 on their own stand.

Inside the boathouse there will be an RNLI exhibition, and also counters for souvenirs and competition cards, manned, as usual, by supporters from local branches. Shoreline will, of course, be there to welcome old and new members, and other representatives of the RNLI staff, including a coxswain and a mechanic, will be in attendance.

The RNLI will be taking an active part in the programme of demonstrations staged on the pool several times each day. ILB crews manning a D class inshore lifeboat will co-operate with the RAF in a combined rescue display during which 'casualties' will be picked up from the pool and winched to the safety of a helicopter 'hovering' over the village.

Some of the demonstration periods will be of special significance to the RNLI because they will end with the presentation of cheques for amounts to cover the cost of inshore lifeboats. The first presentation will be on Press Day, December 31, when Duckhams will hand over the Atlantic 21 which will be on show in the pool. J. H. Minet, International Lloyds insurance brokers, will make their presentation to the coxswain of Hastings, the station for which theirILB is destined. King George's Fund for Sailors will be presenting a cheque for an ILB which is already on station at Borth, and there will be a £10,000 cheque from Seagrams as well as cheques from Bacofoil, Woolworths and from RAF Wildenrath—a very much appreciated gesture from men of the Services.

The RNLI will be making its own presentations, too: a memento of the occasion to Midland Bank, and also a presentation to the 20,000th Shoreline member, 12-year-old Linda Catlin.

And good news: Sergeant Elverson of the Royal Chelsea Hospital will be with us once again for the whole of the show —so all will be well.

The boats will be there, and the people, to welcome in a new year in one of the happiest possible ways..