There are available from the RNLI Dublin office (10 Merrion Square, Dublin 2) First Day Covers of the following Irish Post Office stamps: Official RNLI cover RNLI commemorative 5p stamp: 50p.

Special cover, with RNLI commemorative 5p stamp, signed by William Sliney, the sole survivor in Ireland of the rescue depicted on the stamp: £3.

Irish Rugby Football Union Centenary 3|p and 12p stamps, cover signed by Willie John McBride, captain of the unbeaten 1974 Lions: £2.

Contemporary Irish Art 15p stamp signed by Oisin Kelly, the sculptor of the eagle depicted: £2.

Royal Cork Yacht Club 250th Anniversary 4p stamp: 25p.

* * * Seven new branches have recently been formed in the Eastern District, and their honorary secretaries would welcome more members: Buckingham: Mrs A. E. Exelby, 8 Bradfield Avenue, Buckingham (Tel.

2895).

Brackley: Mrs Mabs Wild, 26 Charterhouse Close, Brackley, Buckinghamshire (Tel. 2482).

Hinkley: B. A. Fell, 53 Dupont Road, Burbage, Hinkley, Leicestershire (Tel.

32745).

Rushden: R. Hogg, Skew Bridge Ski Club, Northampton Road, Rushden, Northamptonshire (or telephone G.

Owen, Wellingborough 78910).

St Neots: Mrs G. Fogden, 81 LongsandsLongsands Road, St Neots, Huntingdonshire (Tel. Huntingdon 73823).

Towcester: C. Baldry, 8 Marlow Road, Towcester, Northamptonshire.

Wisbech: J. D. Bromley, 43 Clarence Road, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire (Tel.

61026).

* * * The North West Division has already collected the equivalent of £2,000 in Green Shield stamps towards its target of £100,000 for a lifeboat. Green Shield Trading Co. has generously offered 60p per book, instead of the usual 42Jp.

Stamps, preferably complete books, will be welcomed by the Divisional Organiser, RNLI, Prince's Chambers, 26 Pall Mall, Manchester M2 1JR.

* * * Post card to Mrs C. A. Daniels, Hockley, from her brother Rod, overland camping from the UK to Nepal: 'The lifeboat pen you gave me is now in a road toll house half-way between Herat and Kandahar, Afghanistan. The toll collector asked me to swap the pen with his one. I hope you don't mind. It made the man very happy.'.