The Maud Smith Award for the most outstanding act of lifesaving during 1981 has been made to Coxswain Michael Scales of St Peter Port for the rescue on December 13 of 29 of the crew of the motor vessel Bonita, listing to 45 degrees in the English Channel.

The winds were gusting to hurricane force, the seas were very high and visibility was poor due to driving snow and sea spray. In darkness and in extremely cold and hazardous conditions, 50 approaches were made to take off the survivors. For this service Coxswain Scales was awarded the gold medal for gallantry.

The Ralph Glister Award for the most meritorious service carried out in 1981 by the crew of a lifeboat under 10 metres in length has been made to Helmsman Frank Dunster (for the second consecutive year) and Crew Members Roderick James and Graham Raines of Hayling Island. On September 19, in a strong south-easterly gale, seven people were rescued from two sailboards, a cabin cruiser, a yacht and a catamaran; the Atlantic 21 lifeboat was also called to the help of a boy clinging to a post 20 yards out on a groyne. It proved impossible to bring the lifeboat close enough to grab the boy aboard, so Crew Member James swam to him and brought him safely ashore. For this service Helmsman Dunster was awarded a bar to his bronze medal and Crew Member James the silver medal; the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Crew Member Raines.

The James Michael Bower Fund awards for 1981 have been made to the late Coxswain Trevelyan Richards of Penlee (to be received by his mother, Mrs Mary Richards) and Coxswain Michael Scales of St Peter Port, who each received the gold medal; and to Coxswain/ Mechanic Alexander Gilchrist of Campbeltown, Coxswain/Mechanic Maurice Hutchens of Sennen Cove and Crew Member Roderick James of Hayling Island who each received the silver medal..