ANOTHER YEAR has come to an end, and what a good year it has been for Shoreline. In the 12 months of 1980, 12,000 new members were enrolled— the largest number so far in any one year. That such a fine result was achieved is due to the great support we receive from our existing members, and all our efforts were given a great boost by the special BMW car lottery that was held in the early part of the year.

* * * One Shoreline member whose continued work on the RNLI's behalf has borne great fruit is Jim Mead, honorary secretary of Molesey branch, Surrey.

When the branch was formed in October 1975, Jim set himself the additional task of enrolling 20 new Shoreline members each year. That would mean 100 members in five years and, almost to the day, he signed on his hundredth member, Kathryn Watson, last October. Kathryn, 18 years old, had just completed her secretarial training and she paid her first Shoreline subscription out of her first pay packet.

Over and above his work in his own area, Jim Mead is a regular member of the Shoreline team on RNLI stands at boat shows and at the Ideal Home Exhibition.

For a number of years, Fred Olsen Lines have been very good friends to the RNLI, collecting money for the lifeboat service from passengers cruising to Portugal and the Canary Isles in the two Norwegian luxury liners MS Blenheim and MS Black Watch. As a result, in 1977 Fred Olsen provided £3,000 for the 16ft D class inflatable lifeboat which is stationed at Redcar, and last October Fred Olsen's passenger director, Peter Robinson, visited Poole HQ to present a cheque for £18,500 to Vice-Admiral Sir Peter Compston, a deputy chairman of the Institution, to pay for an Atlantic 21 lifeboat; she is to be called Blenwatch, combining the names of Blenheim and Black Watch, and she will be stationed at New Brighton.

Now in 1981, Fred Olsen are making an offer from which both the RNLI and Shoreline members can benefit. For Shoreline members there is the chance, next March, of getting away from the British climate to a little bit of sun on a 13-day cruise to the Canary Islands in Black Watch at a 15 per cent reduction; for the RNLI there will be a 5 per centdonation from each fare paid by a Shoreline member.

Fred Olsen's hospitality is second to none, the ships are superb and they are crewed by British and Norwegian officers. More details can be found on pages 140 and 141, and a booking form comes to you with this journal.

Accommodation is limited so, if you are interested, it would be wise to get in early.

* * * Shoreline clubs are going from strength to strength and we now have three with the possibility of two more getting under way in 1981. The latest addition is RNLI Shoreline Club No. 3 at Southend-on-Sea. The honorary secretary is Mick Holland of 83 Walsingham Road, Southend-on-Sea, and Mick will be delighted to hear from any Shoreline member in the area who would like to join the club.

* * * Shoreline member J. P. G. Mummery, a retired Merchant Navy officer, is making a collection of maritime cap badges and associated 'shore-based' cap badges such as those of port andpilotage authorities. For every badge, old or new, sent to him by a Shoreline member, Mr Mummery will make a donation to the RNLI. His address is Mowbray, 54 Hawkewood Road, Sunbury-on-Thames, Middlesex.

* * * On two evenings last autumn a number of the boating people of Gorey, in Jersey, got together at The Castle Green Hotel for a darts competition. It has to be admitted that on the final evening, when the ladies played the men, the outcome became rather confused.

For a start all the ladies dressed as men and . . . yes, you are right, the men dressed as ladies. Then, no one really knew who won, because the scorer apparently kept getting his fathoms and his metres mixed.

Nevertheless there was no doubt that everyone had a very good time and at the end Mr J. McDougal presented a £150 cheque to Mr R. J. Jesson for Shoreline. Darts players, whoever you were, we are most grateful to you.

* * * Don't forget that, if you have any Green Shield stamps to spare they can be put to very good use if sent to Nora Neill, who is a member of Edgbaston and Harborne ladies' guild and who has already raised more than £3,600 for Shoreline by collecting Green Shield stamps. Mrs Neill is still appealing for stamps to be sent either to her at 95 Fitzroy Avenue, Harborne, Birmingham B17 8RG, or to RNLI West Midlands District, 16 Harborne Road, Birmingham B15 3AA.

* * * A happy and prosperous 1981 to you all from all of us in Shoreline office.—PETER HOLNESS, membership secretary, RNLI, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 I HZ.To: The Director, RNLI, West Quay Road 1 enclose subscription to join Shoreline as a: Member Family Membership Member and Governor Life member and Governor Poole, Dorset BH15 1HZ.

£3.00 (minimum) D £5.00 (minimum) D £15.00 (minimum) D £150.00 (minimum) D Send me details of how I can help with a Legacy. D Name _ Address Over 106,000 people would have been lost without the lifeboat service..