Island Visit Vice-Admiral Sir Peter Compston, a deputy chairman of the RNLI, was a guest of Brigadier S. P. Robertson of the Committee of Management, at his home on the island of Orkney for four days in August. He arrived aboard Kirkwall's 70ft Clyde class lifeboat, Grace Paterson Ritchie, and during his stay was entertained to lunch by the ladies' guild of North Ronaldsay. He also met Colonel R. A. A. S. Macrae, Lord Lieutenant, and his wife, was introduced to Ian Scott, the sculptor of the Longhope lifeboat memorial, and toured the lifeboat stations on the island, taking in a visit to North Ronaldsay lighthouse. He even had time to record an interview with Radio Orkney before returning to the Scottish mainland.

Christenings Crew Member Ron Jones of Port Talbot lifeboat and his wife Julie asked if their daughter Joanne Louise could be christened at the lifeboat station.

Their request was granted when the Reverend John Morgan performed the ceremony, using water he had brought home from the River Jordan; the bell from a local pilot cutter served as a font.

Meanwhile, during Southend lifeboat station's service of thanksgiving at St John's Church, the baby son of bronze medallist Bob Fossett, senior helmsman of the lifeboat, was christened Matthew James. The Reverend Bob White, chaplain to the station, officiated and the Mayor of Southend and station president, Councillor Mrs Joan Carlile was in attendance.HOME TOWN HONOURS At a special ceremony on Sunday September 2, 1984, the freedom of the borough of Great Yarmouth was accorded to the past and present crew members of both Great Yarmouth and Gorleston lifeboat and the independently run Caister lifeboat. More than 100 crew members received the honour.Jakarta Seminar Mr John Atterton, the retired deputy director of the RNLI, was recently lecturing in Jakarta, Indonesia, at an International Maritime Organisation seminar whose object was to improve search and rescue in Asia and the Pacific. Forty-two countries attended the seminar from Iran to Russia, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the many small islands in that part of the world. Mr Atterton used part of his lecture to describe the work of the RNLI. Great interest was taken in the volunteer crews, the organisation and especially voluntary fund-raising. It is probable that voluntary lifeboat services will now be set up in the Far East.Namesakes Villagers of Longhope, Gloucestershire, have for a long time supported Longhope lifeboat station, Orkney.

When the lifeboat was lost with all her crew in 1969 the Gloucestershire village decided to send birthday presents to the children of every crew member until their 18th birthday. The youngest will be 18 early this year but the link between the two villages remains and Mrs Joan Penfold, widow of the former Rector of Longhope, Glos., hopes to visit Orkney this year.

Unaccustomed Tourists The city of Voroshilovgrad in the land-locked Ukraine is twinned to Cardiff by the non-political GB-USSR Friendship Association. On a recent visit to Wales, three of the Ukrainian townsmen specially asked to see a lifeboat station and were accordingly shown round The Mumbles station by Coxswain Derek Scott..