For eleven days the RNLI stand, on a splendid site, was thronged with old and new friendsAFTER THE TREMENDOUS SUCCESS of the RNLI stand at last year's Boat Show, when there were two lifeboats and two inshore lifeboats on display and the central theme at Earls Court was a lifeboat village, it seemed that this year would be a little less exciting. But once again the organisers provided a splendid site and with a brief visit from HRH The Duke of Edinburgh on the opening day the show was under way. The 'open plan', triangular stand attracted the public who thronged to see the Atlantic 21 and ILB equipment on display, to buy souvenirs and to join Shoreline.

Welcome boosts to sales were provided when well-known personalities— Kenneth Wolstenholme, Harry Carpenter, Sir Alec Rose, Lord Oaksey, Miss Great Britain (Sue Cuff) and Edward Heath—autographed copies of the RNLI's fourth Cook Book until they got writer's cramp; all but Sue Cuff had contributed recipes to the book. Their appearances and kind words also boosted the morale of all working on the stand.

Cheques were presented on twooccasions: £1,202 from the Cambridge Sub Aqua Club and £12,419 from the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes.

Our stalwart collector Sergeant Frank Elverson joined us once again and raised over £300 in his collecting box.

The RNLI's 1975 public relations statuettes were presented early in the show to Norman Cavell, honorary secretary Walmer lifeboat station, Leslie Crowther, actor and television personality, and Len Tipper, manager of special events for the Daily Express. Gerald Mair, editor of the Orkney newspaper, The Orcadian, could not come to London for his award but will receive it in Scotland.

The results of the show speak for themselves. Shoreline recruitment, helped by an extra stand provided by our Boat Show friends, Midland Bank, raised just about the same amount as last year (£4,228) with over 500 new members; and thanks to the hard work of the branches and guilds, who sold souvenirs (£3,101.53) and competition tickets (£663.35), and to all those other exhibitors who displayed RNLI boxes on their stands (£847.72), a healthy profit was made.

The 1976 Boat Show was a colourful, happy occasion and it is always sad when, after two weeks of excitement, the time comes to dismantle the stand and leave Earls Court; but the show was again a success for the RNLI—so roll on, 1977!—R.K.LAUNCH A SHIP IN THE WHITBY ROUND TABLE 'gUCSS the ship's weight' competition, the right to perform the naming ceremony of Flowergate, one of Turnbull Scott's new ships built in a Dutch yard, was won by Mr and Mrs D. J. B. Taylor of Southport. The correct weight was: 1,031.22 tons; they estimated 1,031.25 tons.

Other prizes included five double tickets to a Shell naming ceremony; trips in a helicopter to a North Sea gas platform (by Shell UK Oil); trips in a lifeboat and copies of a Shell publication.

Tickets were sold by branches and guilds in the North Region (£1,071); by the Round Table (£766) and at the Boat Show (£663). For the last there were three special prizes of weekends for two at a Morecambe hotel, won by Mr R. Goode, Miss Nicola Reed and Mr Sexton..