FIRST OF ALL, may I say how happy I am to have become associated with Shoreline as membership secretary. It has been a great pleasure to receive your welcoming letters and already, after only a few weeks, I feel that I am among old friends.

* * * The wonderful response of our oldestablished supporters to the Shoreline appeal, by which it is hoped to fund a new 37' 6" Rother class lifeboat to be named RNLB Shoreline, is keeping up its momentum in a most encouraging way, and many new members are being enrolled daily. New members soon become staunch campaigners in their own right, adding their weight to the effort being made. Already, since the appeal was launched in the summer, more than 1,500 new members over and above the normal intake have been enrolled and £18,456 has been received in subscriptions and donations towards the boat building project.

In the faith that what our members have begun they will see through to the end, the future RNLB Shoreline has been ordered. She will be built at William Osbornes of Littlehampton, a yard from which many lifeboats have been launched, and on the page opposite you can read of the progress made so far.

As in the building, so in the fund raising, there is still a long way to go, but we are confident that we can rely on Shoreline members. Enrol one new member and you will have done your share; enrol two and you will be helping to make the success of our venture doubly sure. There is no limit and we shall be happy to send extra forms and give any other help needed.

One new member ? Or two ? So many of you splendid people do not stop at that. 'To help the building of Shoreline' Louisa and Alfred Parsons of London have enrolled as life members three of their family's young folk: a keen angler of 13; a 12-year-old footballer who plays for Southampton's under fifteens; and a four-year-old who likes to hear stories of lifeboatmen and the sea. The two older boys are already 'proud to be members' and Mr and Mrs Parsons look forward to strong growth from the seeds that they have planted.

Good seeds are being planted in industry, too. J. M. Newson, of The General Shipping and Forwarding Company, Rainham, has enrolled 21 members of his staff, while M. Hatzfeld has written to tell us that British Gas HQ has a Shoreline membership of 17; a similar group is being formed at the North Thames Gas Board by K. G.

Peters, whose aim is to build up Shoreline membership throughout the entire gas industry.

Support on a massive scale has come from the South England, Scotland and Wales Division of The Independent Order of Foresters. Each of its 73 courts (lodges), with a total membership of 25,000, is becoming a group member of Shoreline for the next four years. That is tremendous news.

* * * We are always pleased to think of our members enjoying safe pleasure boating and taking a responsible attitude to safety at sea. An organisation with the special needs of yachtsmen in mind is the RYA Seamanship Foundation. The foundation is a charity which supports various projects such as training aids (books, slides, posters), supports existing sail training organisations and arranges special courses for handicapped people, like Sailing for the Blind. They have been involved in the production of two posters recently, one on the use of flares produced in conjunction with Schermuly Ltd and one on the new International Association of Lighthouse Authorities maritime buoyage system A, produced in conjunction with Trinity House.

The foundation has kindly offered Shoreline a number of these posters for its members. They are available free but the offer is limited to one of each poster per member. All applications, which should be sent to the Shoreline office, should be accompanied by a large (6|" x 9") self-addressed envelope, with an 8-Jp stamp to cover postage.

* * * We have just heard of a shore boat service on Thursday, July, 29, by Wilma, a motor yacht owned by Shoreline member Ray Michulitis of Scarborough.

Wilma, flying an RNLI flag, was lying alongside in Holy Island Harbour when Mr Michulitis and his crew David Conlon were asked by the auxiliary coastguard if they would take him and two local fishermen out to the help of a speedboat seen drifting towards a lee shore in very heavy weather; there is no longer a lifeboat on Holy Island.

Wilma set out immediately and found the speedboat blown ashore, her two crew overside trying to prevent her from broaching in the surf. As Wilma approached there was a lull, just long enough to enable the speedboat crew to push their boat into deeper water, scramble aboard, lower the outboard and claw off the shore and into the lee of Wilma, which escorted her safely back to harbour. Well done!—PETER HOLNESS, membership secretary, RNLI, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1HZ (Tel. Poole 71133).To: SHORELINE, RNLI, WEST QUAY ROAD, POOLE, DORSET, BH15 1HZ.

I should like to be a part of such a worthwhile voluntary cause by becoming a SHORELINE member of the lifeboat service and joining the Institution as: A Life Member and Life Governor: minimum donation £60, including journal A Member and Governor: minimum annual subscription £10, including journal An Offshore Member: minimum annual subscription £3, including journal SHORELINE LIFEBOAT Total subscription Below are the various items you are entitled to wear or fly as a member of SHORELINE: Members' tie (Terylene) £1.50 Lady's brooch £0.50 Metal car badge £1.55 Pair of cuff-links £1.75 8 "hoist flag £1.25 12" hoist flag £2.00 Dinghy burgee £1.25 Insignia payment NAME ..

ADDRESS Shoreline Giro number is 294 7056 I enclose P.OI cheque! cash for £• • • Date Signature.