Porthcawl On Saturday September 3, 1983, Porthcawl lifeboat station held the handing over ceremony and service of dedication for its new D class inflatable lifeboat, provided by Mrs Joan Middleton in memory of her husband, Donald Rigley Middleton. Mr Raymond Cory, a vice-president of the RNLI, accepted the lifeboat from Mrs Middleton on behalf of the Institution and placed it in the care of the station honorary secretary, Councillor David Howell-Jones, for use at Porthcawl lifeboat station.

The service of dedication which followed was conducted by the Bishop of Llanduff, the Right Reverend John Poole-Hughes, assisted by local clergy, the Reverend Hector Evans, the Reverend Father Thomas Nulty and the Reverend Colin Richards.

Dunbar Six representatives of the Castle House Sports and Social Club, Haling, visited Dunbar lifeboat station on Friday October 28, 1983, to take part in an informal handing over of the D class inflatable lifeboat provided from funds raised by their club.

Arriving in Dunbar off the London sleeper, the visitors were entertained during the morning and to lunch by the branch before being welcomed to the boathouse by Lt-Cdr Robertson, Dunbar station branch chairman. The boat was handed over by Mr Hidelmasi, Castle House Club's chairman. The D class lifeboat was then launched and the visitors taken afloat in the station's 47ft Watson lifeboat Margaret to watch a short combined exercise.

Interdenominational Service An interdenominational Service was held in Buckfast Abbey on Sunday October 16, 1983, by kind permission of the Lord Abbot. The service was conducted by the Reverend Alex M.

Roberts, Minister of the Methodist Church at Exmouth, while the address was given by the Right Reverend Kenneth Newing, the Bishop of Plymouth, and the benediction was given by the Lord Abbot. Readings were by Admiral Sir James Eberle, president of Buckfastleigh branch, and Andrew Young, regional organiser (South West).

Among the 200 representatives from local branches and guilds who attended were Rear-Admiral W. J. Graham, director of the Institution, and Mrs Graham, with Mr R. Couch, Town Mayor, and Mrs Couch. Also present were members of Torbay lifeboat crew and their wives. The collection, for the RNLI, amounted to £126.27.

After the service all those taking part were entertained to tea at the Abbey Farm Tea Rooms by the honorary secretary and committee of Buckfastleigh branch. Triple Christening, Swanage Three grandsons of Victor Marsh, coxswain/mechanic of Swanage 37ft 6in Rother lifeboat J. Reginald Corah were christened on board the lifeboat on Sunday August 28, 1983. The babies were Gary Marsh, whose three-year-old brother Alan was also christened on board the lifeboat and whose father is a member of Swanage crew; Matthew Steeden, whose father is another member of the crew; and James Chadwick, whose parents were home on two weeks holiday from Germany. Belinda, James's mother, was no doubt remembering her wedding in October 1980 when the lifeboat was called out twice, once during the ceremony and again during the reception.

Hundredth birthday When Mrs Doris Longley of Saltburn- on-Sea celebrated her hundredth birthday on November 2, 1983, she not only received telegrams from HM The Queen and the Secretary of State, but also greetings and congratulations from Humber, Bridlington, Filey, Scarborough, Whitby, Staithes and Runswick, Redcar, Teesmouth and Hartlepool lifeboat stations, from many ladies' guilds along the north-east coast and from the RNLI regional office.

Mrs Longley was founder member of Saltburn ladies' guild and before that supported Saltburn lifeboat. She has helped seafaring charities for 80 years— and still gives them her support. She was awarded the RNLI statuette in 1952 and an inscribed clock/barometer from the Shipwrecked Mariners Society in 1980.

In lieu of flowers The ashes of the late Lionel St Clare Byrne of Lymington, a well-known yachtsman and lifelong supporter of the RNLI, were scattered in Alum Bay from Yarmouth lifeboat one glorious Sunday morning last October. Donations to the RNLI in his memory amounted to £120..