EACH NEW YEAR, during the Boat Show at Earls Court, the boating industry gives most generous recognition and support to the lifeboat service. Among the eminent people who have been invited to open the show in past years— who include Prince Philip, Princess Margaret, Earl Mountbatten and four future or present prime ministers (three British and one Maltese)—there have been two lifeboat coxswains, Michael Berry of St Helier, Jersey, and Brian Bevan of Humber. This year Jimmy Savile opened the show, but he did so on condition that he be assisted by the lifeboat crew from Beaumaris, a station where he has for some years been an honorary crew member.

This year, not for the first time either, the RNLI was able to run two stands thanks to the generosity of the Boat Show organisers who provided both sites free of charge. What is more, the two stands became a Mecca for many of the visitors, especially the younger ones, because on consecutive programmes BBC TV's 'Blue Peter" previewedfirst the 'Ennal's Point' exhibit and then the rigging demonstration on the main stand. For the 'Ennal's Point' display the BBC transported to Earls Court its uncannily convincing mock-up of the stern cabin interior of a 47ft Watson lifeboat, the one used in the filming of the TV series the first episode of which went out on the opening day of the Boat Show.

Joe Salmon and Ron Parris's display of rigging crafts must have been one of the most attractive and absorbing exhibits of the show. People crowded round the stand to see them weaving together the bow pudding which, through perfect timing, they completed on the last day. Patiently they would explain the best knot to use in whatever situation was described to them and then, more patiently still, how to tie it.

At one point an inspired school mistress made her whole class of eight-year-olds sit down and draw the scene of Joe and Ron at work in their rigging loft.

From the rigging and ropes at one end of the stand visitors moved on to the lines of souvenirs at the other: voluntary workers ended the show with an impressive turnover of £13.626 insales, lottery tickets and donations, while Shoreline's team of volunteers excelled themselves by recruiting 1,177 new members. Both these totals are all time records which is remarkable considering the 40 per cent drop in attendance at the 1982 Boat Show.

The show organisers were also kind enough to let the RNLI make presentations on the stage at the central pool.

Raymond Baxter, chairman of the Public Relations Committee, was delighted to present the RNLFs PR award to David Trotter for his photographic work, to Joe Martin, coxswain of Hastings lifeboat, for his work with school parties and other visitors to his boathouse and many speaking engagements over the years, to Hamlyns who published Patrick Howarth's Lifeboat— ; Danger's Hour and the Booksellers Association Service House (BASH) who promoted the book to the extent that it topped the best seller's list for several weeks. Two presentations made to the RNLI included a cheque for £10.000 from Golden Wonder Crisps and two porcelain figures of lifeboatmen from the History in Porcelain Company.—E.W-W..