FOR THE FIRST TIME ever the RNLI had two different stands at Earls Court and for many of the thousands of visitors there was no doubt that the lifeboats were stars of the show. The spotlight fell on us time and again allowing us to give a vivid impression of our work both in operations and in appeals.

Thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Midland Bank we were able to occupy a position beside the central pool and play a leading role in the theme for the show: 'Safety at Sea'.

Brian Bevan, the Humber lifeboat coxswain, who won the gold, silver and bronze gallantry medals all within a year, was asked to open the show; in his speech he mentioned two of his medal-winning rescues but likenedthem to a Sunday school outing compared with the experience of addressing the crowds at Earls Court.

Three times a day different Atlantic 21 inshore lifeboat crews from the south and east of England thrilled the public with a righting display and then took part in a joint exercise with HM Coastguard and the Royal Navy, using a D class inflatable lifeboat to transfer a casualty rescued from a cliff to a helicopter suspended above the pool.

The prototype of the new RNLI Medina 35 class lifeboat, Mountbatten of Burma, was on display at our second stand and a constant stream of visitors confirmed the huge interest this craft engenders as probably the largest rigidinflatable boat ever to be built. Branch workers from the Southern district manned the stand and by selling raffle tickets and share certificates for the Mountbatten appeal they raised £5,272.

Ernie Wise kindly made the draw for the Bursledon Bug sailing dinghy whichwas first prize in the raffle.

Meanwhile, many presentations took place; with the Fastnet Race storms still ringing in many yachtsman's ears, the Boat Show joint organisers, the Ship and Boatbuilders National Federation, invited Denis Thatcher to present their newly instituted Golden Anchor Award to the RNLI and other organisations involved in the rescue operations carried out during the illfated race; HM Coastguard, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. Our public relations awards were presented this year by Raymond Baxter, chairman of the Public Relations Committee, to Derek Scott, coxswain of The Mumbles lifeboat, for his successful broadcasts on behalf of the RNLI and to Dr William Guild who has spent many years as an honorary film maker for the Institution and has recently completed the film 'Storm Force Ten'.

Dr Severne Mackenna and William Hawthorne, who were unable to bepresent, will also receive PR awards.

Other presentations took place during the show; a cheque representing the cost of a new Zodiac 16ft inflatable lifeboat and engine was handed over by Robert Glen of E. P. Barrus to Major- General Ralph Farrant, a vicepresident of the RNLI; £50,000 was given by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; the radar set fitted to Mountbatten of Burma was donated by Decca Radar Ltd; a cheque for £2,000 was presented by Kriter Sparkling Wine; a cheque for the Wavy Line Grocers appeal for a new Rother class lifeboat was handed over; and a portrait of Earl Mountbatten was donated by artist, Mr E. B. Dredge.

Shoreline recruited even more new members than last year, a total of 1,153 and the souvenir stall on the poolside stand brought in £11,663 in sales and donations; both of these record figures were achieved thanks to the untiring efforts of voluntary workers.—E.W.-W..