North East A Tyneside lifeboat appeal has been launched in the North East under the patronage of Their Graces the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland to contribute towards the cost of the 52ft Arun lifeboat which has recently gone on station at Tynemouth. Of the total capital cost of more than £300.000.

£115,000 has been provided for this boat by legacies originating in County Durham, the Isle of Sark and Northumberland, and the aim of the Tyneside appeal is to reduce the balance.

Any Northern of Geordie 'exiles' who would like to be associated with this appeal and give it their support are warmly invited to write to the RNLI North East office, or to the treasurer of the appeal, Mr T. G. Kirton, Lloyds Bank Ltd., Quayside Branch, Newcastle-upon-Tyne 1.

An exciting draw in aid of the appeal is already under way. The prizes are two Getaway American Package Holidays of about £500 each kindly donated by Trans World Airlines, and the draw will be made on Independence Day, July 4, 1980. Tickets are available from the North East office (5()p per book of five). The Mill, Glasshouses, Harrogate.

North Yorkshire HG3 5QH.

North West The Lord Mayor of Manchester's lifeboat appeal has now topped £30,000 and its most ambitious event so far was a carol concert given by the Halle Orchestra and Choir on the Sunday before Christmas. What proved to be an extremely successful evening was generously sponsored by Manchester Building Society which is giving great support to the lifeboat service.

To help the appeal, a 12in stereo LP 'Sea of Songs' (see below), featuring the Bollington (Cheshire) Festival Choir and St Winifred's Primary School Choir, Stockport, is now available.

St Winifred's Choir provided the backing for the record 'Matchstalk Men' and has appeared on television with Burl Ives, in concert with ABBA and in ITV's 'Stars on Sunday'. The record costs £3.50 plus 40p postage and packing, or there is a cassette price £3.75 plus 15p postage and packing.Also still available are some of the decorated plates produced in a limited edition to commemorate the Lord Mayor's appeal, price £15 each.

The records, cassettes and plates can all be obtained from the RNLI North West office. Prince's Chambers, 26 Pall Mall. Manchester M2 1JR. Cheques should be made payable to RNLI 'Lord Mayor's Appeal'.

South The Mountbtitten of Burma appeal, which is continuing until September, has reached £120,000. Almost £13.000 was raised for the appeal by a competition for a Saab car, which was won by Mrs I. Scott of Melksham. Wiltshire. It is the third year running that Saab (Great Britain) Ltd. has donated a car to the RNLI's Southern District for such a competition..