YEAR IN, YEAR OUT, the RNLI receives from a number of companies free supplies of goods for use in lifeboats; gifts which are greatly appreciated both for their intrinsic value and for the underlying continuity of support which they exemplify.

All the Institution's marine engines, for instance, are lubricated with oil supplied by Alexander Duckham and Co. (who also thoughtfully include tubes of a hand cleanser); stern tube lubricants come from B. R. Vickers and Son; sparking plugs from Champion; oil coolers and the spares to go with them from E. J. Bowman. There is steel, too, hexagon and round bar from Plainer Halesowen.

Emergency stores for lifeboat crews on service and for survivors are not forgotten. Martell brandy comes in quart bottles from Matthew Clark, to be decanted into the smaller bottles shown in the accompanying picture. In the Republic of Ireland Edward Dillon and Co. make gifts of rum. Cigarettes: for UK stations, two packets of 20 are sealed in foil by Gallaghers (on right of picture), while in the Republic of Ireland supplies come from P. J. Carroll and Co. Cadburys, Rowntrees and Cadbury Fry (Ireland) send chocolate for the lifeboats. Cadburys also give individual packets of Marvel dried milk, and all perishable goods are packed into tins at Depot, ready to go on board. In the Republic of Ireland biscuits are given by Irish Biscuits and W. J. Jacob and Co.; for many years Associated Biscuits and United Biscuits did the same for UK lifeboats, but because of the high cost of distribution biscuits are now obtained locally by each station.

These are just some examples of the gifts in kind on which the lifeboat service can rely, and for which it is most grateful..