Mike Smith, a Tunbridge Wells teacher and a member of the Long Distance Walkers Association, 'pushed out the boat' for the RNLI when the Mayor set him off on a 170-mile sponsored walk from Tunbridge Wells to Weymouth. Mike was pushing a pram disguised as a boat. He was born and educated in Weymouth and it had long been his ambition to walk home—it was a walk which raised £1,460 in sponsorship for Tunbridge Wells branch. Fund raisers in Dublin raised £59,000 for the lifeboats in 1981. Of that amount, £24,814 was taken in the lifeboat shop and nearly £10,000 at the Dublin spring sale in the Royal Dublin Society.

Last March, Harrogate ladies' guild organised a Marks and Spencer Fashion Spectacular at the New Conference Centre, Harrogate. So great was the response, with other lifeboat guilds in the area also helping to sell tickets, that the 1,850 seats were sold out within three weeks. Marks and Spencer very kindly offered to put on an extra matinee performance—and that was almost another sell out. Lady Norton, a member of the Committee of Management, present at both performances, expressed in her short address the thanks of the Institution. After all expenses had been paid, the event realised a wonderful £11,027, of which £2,898 came from a raffle. In addition, souvenirs to the value of £331 were sold.

This year, Fowey School chose the RNLI to benefit from its annual Lent appeal for charity. Every one of the 960 pupils as well as staff members contributed in one way or another to the fund raising, which was all done in 30 days. A cycle marathon, sponsored shoe-shines and a day when, if payment was made for the privilege, the children were allowed to come to school in any clothes they wished instead of school uniform— these were just some of the ideas pursued with such enthusiasm that a wonderful £3,000 and more was raised.

It was an all time record. Central London Committee arranged an Antique Roadshow, with buffet and wine, at Fishmongers Hall in April by courtesy of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers. The evening included demonstrations of embroidery by the Royal School of Needlework, of clock restoring and of glass engraving, and displays of apothecaries jars and instruments by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries, of antique dolls and of antique fans by the Fan Circle International.

More than £2,000 was raised for the RNLI.

Last year, Broadstairs branch and guild raised £7,409 by their flag day and other fund-raising efforts; these included two successful coffee mornings, a hat show and a fortnight's 'stand' in a vacant shop kindly lent to the guild and put to excellent use for the sale of goods by enthusiastic helpers. Three Harwich lifeboat crew members, Dave Gilders, John Tetheridge and Peter Brand, all completed the Harwich half marathon fun run on Sunday April 4, by which means Dave Gilders raised £72.73 for RNLI funds.

Four members of Leeds Athletic Institute Sub Aqua Club, John, Tim (a Shoreline member), Andy and Paul, ran in a mini marathon on April 30 to raise £67.50 for the Sub Aqua appeal for the lifeboats..