IN THE PAST tWO JSSUCS of THE LIFEBOAT I have asked members of my staff to give you an insight into their work within the department and I think you will agree that this has caused a fair amount of interest. So in this issue I would like to give you more details of what is happening within Shoreline itself.

On Wednesday November 1 there was a very successful gathering of over 200 Shoreline members at Portsmouth.

At a cheese and wine reception followed by discussion everyone seemed to enjoy an opportunity of meeting others all with a similar interest in lifeboats. A further meeting has been arranged with a talk by Sir Alec Rose and it is hoped that these social exchanges will be run on a regular basis.

If this idea is successful then possibly such a scheme will be of interest in other parts of the country.

* * # The Shoreline Lifeboat Appeal to fund a Rother class lifeboat has finally come to a close. The total amount received from all your efforts was just over £101,000 and I would like to take this opportunity of thanking all of you for your loyal support of this venture.

As you will see from the previous pages, building is progressing well.

Now the time has come when we must consider what to do next, so again if any of you have any good ideas please drop me a line.

* * * When fitting out of RNLB Shoreline is complete, her Pye Westminster radio telephone, with its whip aerial, will be a lasting memorial to the late Donald Bridgman, who died last August. Mr Bridgman was senior navigation inspector of the Thames Water Authority and a founder member of Molesey branch and more than £740 has been given in his memory by his friends and colleagues.

* * * The membership is growing steadily and we are now over 51,000. The magic figure of 50,000 has been well and truly passed, and I hope that by the end of the year our target of 53,000 will have been achieved. If you have not already done so, how about asking your friends or work colleagues to support us? The Earls Court Boat Show in January will be a landmark in the history of the RNLI membership because it was in January 1969 that Sir Alec Rose founded the YLA, forerunner to our present membership scheme. The RNLI stand this year will feature the ten years of Shoreline and what has happened within the Institution during that time, and I sincerely hope that any member coming to the show, which runs from January 4 to 14, will make a point of visiting us in the Pembroke Hall.

* * * We are happy to show you here a picture of our friend and Shoreline member Mrs Nora Neill of whose scheme we have made mention in previous issues and who has, by her dedicated and untiring efforts, now raised the staggering sum of around £1,300 for lifeboat funds by collecting and trading in unwanted Green Shield stamps. She is still hard at it and will be until not a stamp remains. So, come along all you members and your friends; rally round; dig out all those stamps that you always meant to use but didn't and help Mrs Neill to beat the almost unbelievable total that she has already reached. Her address is 95 Fitzroy Avenue, Harborne, Birmingham B17 8RG.

* * * You may remember that I asked you to send me little snippets you think would interest other members and I am pleased to report that the following has been received from K. H. Moss, secretary of Dudley branch. The Inland Waterways Association held its National Rally at Titford Pools, Oldbury, over the three days of last August Bank Holiday. Dudley branch was in attendance with a souvenir stand and the former Rhyl D class ILB which is now used as a promotional boat in the West Midlands. Because of holiday commitments only three members of the Dudley committee were available to man the stand during the 12 hours each day that the rally was open. During this period, however, they managed to sell £122 worth of lottery tickets and £265 in souvenirs, receiving £30 in donations; but by far the most successful part of their efforts was the fact that more than £500 worth of Shoreline membership subscriptions were covenanted during the weekend. Many more of the narrow boat fraternity took away with them Shoreline application forms which we hope will eventually find their way to our office in Poole.

Well done the three of you and many congratulations.

* * * Southampton Boat Show celebrated its tenth anniversary year and is undoubtedly going from strength to strength. The RNLI was well represented with a very busy souvenir stand manned by members of the local branches and guilds and a Thames class lifeboat exhibited afloat. At our end of the stand we enrolled 211 new Shoreline members and sold £785 worth of insignia, while the branches and guilds raised a splendid £6,099 selling souvenirs and tickets for the Southern District competition the prize for which was a Saab car.

* * * Many of our members in their letters ask for details of their nearest branch or guild so that they can take part in its activities. This information is readily available from the various RNLI district offices, the addresses of which are given below. Our district organising secretaries will be happy to help and local support from Shoreline members is very welcome.

Scotland: 45 Queen Street. Edinburgh.

Tel.: 031-225 4014.

North East: The Mill. Glasshouses. Nr Harrogate. North Yorkshire.

Tel: 0423 711667 West Midlands: Royal Mail House. 2 Calthorne Road.

Birmingham 15.

Tel: 021-454 300V Midland Shires: Royal Mail House. 2 Calthorpe Road.

Birmingham 15.

Tel: 021-455 96X1 East: Aldham Road. Hadleigh. Suffolk.

Tel: 047-3IX 2837 North London: 553A High Road. Wembley. Middlesex.

Tel: 01-903 3230 South London: 6 Bell Parade. Glebe Way West Wickham Kent.

Tel: 01-777 1776 City of London: RNI.I. 40 St Mary Axe. London t'CI Tel: 01-283 4680 K i 497 South East: 9 Union Square. The Pantiles. Tnnhiidgc Wells.

Tel: 0812 35000 Southern: West Quay Road. Poole. Dorset.

Tel: 02013 71133 SouthWest: Carlton Chambers. 25 Baldwin Street. Bristol.

Tel: 0272 291939 Wales: The Exehange. Mount Stuart Square. Cardiff Tel: 0222 31831 North West: Princes Chambers. 26 Pall Mall. Manchester 2.

Tel: 061-834 6978 Ireland: 10 Merrion Square. Dublin.

Tel: Dublin 762217 33 Sainttleld Road. Belfast.

Tel: 0232 645645 Once again, ladies and gentlemen, the year has come to an end and I would like to take this opportunity of wishing you a prosperous and happy 1979 with success in anything that you undertake. In closing may I take this opportunity of thanking you for your support over the past year and from all the staff at Poole good luck for the future.—PETER HOLNESS, membership secretary, RNLI, West Qua Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1HZ (Tel. Poole 71133)..