AGM (/row page 15) At this point four Scouts, representing Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England, walked down the centre aisle and up on to the platform to present the Duke with a very large cheque— large in every way, for it measured about 4' x 3'for a start! It was for £91,363.72, the greater part of the result of 'Operation Lifeboat', described on page 17; the money was, however, still coming in in a remarkable way, and the total has now topped £93,000. It represented the Scout Association's contribution to 'The Year of the Lifeboat'—almost 50p per Scout, and is to be used for the payment for a new offshore lifeboat. A wonderful effort.

To conclude the proceedings of the afternoon, Mr Alan Burn, a member of the Committee of Management, proposed a vote of thanks. In doing so, he pointed out that in 'The Year of the Lifeboat' the Lifeboat service had rendered services to no less than 29 other countries and, in place of a more formal speech, he ended with a poem written by his brother, Michael Burn: You without enemies, remember the sea's enmity.

You who have minds, remember the end/ess mindless Dawn convulsion of waves. You who want causes, Remember the lee-shore, remember coxswain and crew.

Close to your fires, remember the flares in the fog; In bed, the backwash, and under roofs the rocks; Safe in your homes, the shout the frozen Held up to hail the last, the life-boat hope.

Remember the keels a hundred and fifty years Shire horse and tractor have drawn down sand, down shingle To haul from gales a hundred thousand souls.

You who live safe, remember the ones who saved them..