FOLLOWING THE RESCUE OH August 12 of a student who had fallen over cliffs at Petit Tor, Torbay ambulance divisional commander, John Bourne, told Torbay honorary secretary, Captain Barry Anderson, how impressed he was with the way the ILB crew, John Dew, Brian Gaunter and Tony Smith, had handled the casualty. Handling had been correct in every way, bearing in mind that the student, later in a fair condition in hospital, had a fractured neck, broken ribs, punctured lung, ruptured spleen and broken leg.

Instead of floral tributes at their death many people ask that a donation should be made to the lifeboat service.

In April Gateshead ladies' guild received £10 in memory of Leslie S.

Sims, a former Lloyds surveyor, and his wife, Mollie. Mrs Janet Hampson, honorary treasurer of St David's ladies' guild from 1970 until her death in September 1977, asked for donations to lifeboat funds in lieu of flowers; that they amounted to over £600 is a meas- ure of the affection in which she was held. The coffin of S. A. Maslin, a Shoreline member of Barry who died in January, bore only one wreath, in the shape of an anchor, while £90 was given to the RNLI. Mrs Carol Macfarlane was instrumental in starting lifeboat day collections in Rayners Lane in 1963 and at her wish and that of her husband, Ronald Macfarlane, donations in her memory were given to lifeboats through the branch; they amounted to £171.50.

A very good friend to Tynemouth station branch, Billy Burlison, the vice-chairman, died in March; as well as involving himself in the crew's welfare and in fund raising, he found that, being an undertaker, he was able to suggest to bereaved people seeking guidance because they wanted to make a more permanent tribute than flowers, that gifts should be made to the lifeboat service..