Saturday September 29, 1984 ON A BRIGHT, early autumn day, one of the RNLI's newest lifeboats lay afloat, bedecked and sparkling, awaiting her naming ceremony. An ordinary enough scene for those familiar with such occasions but this ceremony was different in many ways. The 52ft Arun class lifeboat, orange and blue, stood out against the immense backdrop of Tower Bridge, in the very heart of London.

The unusual and beautiful setting of St Katherine Dock was crowded with enthusiastic onlookers and over 150 newsboys and girls from all over the country, who had been chosen to attend the ceremony as a reward for their part in raising money for the Local Newspaper Week lifeboat appeal. Not only were they to witness the lifeboat being named Newsbuoy, but they were also to be photographed with silver medallist Joe Martin, coxswain of the Hastings lifeboat, and to meet transatlantic yachtsman Peter Phillips who had brought two West Country newspaper deliverers to the ceremony aboard his trimaran Travacrest Seaway. Tim Batstone, the first man to windsurf around Britain was there and before the proceedings began, the children were royally entertained by comedian Russ Abbot and the Lancashire Evening Post Band.

Since the Newspaper Society director, Dugal Nisbet-Smith, launched the appeal in May by handing a cheque for £100 to Rear Admiral W. J. Graham, director of the Institution, aboard Weymouth lifeboat, publishers of local and regional newspapers throughout Britain, newspapers' staff, newsagents, advertisers and newsboys and girls combined their efforts to raise a substantial part of the cost of the new lifeboat.

With this background of enthusiasm and keen interest, the ceremony was a warm-hearted occasion. Mr T. D.

Morris, president of The Newspaper Society, handed over the lifeboat to Vice-Admiral Sir Peter Compston, a deputy chairman of the RNLI, who thanked all those who had worked so hard to make the appeal a success. He then accepted the new lifeboat into the Institution's relief fleet. Mr Dugal Nis-bet-Smith thanked the National Federation of Retail Newsagents and the Confectioner Tobacconist Newsagent Multiple Group for their valuable support.

The service of dedication which followed was conducted by Prebendary Dewi Morgan, Rector of St Bride's Church, Fleet Street and Monsignor George Leonard, Co-ordinator of Media Services for the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales.

The Duke of Atholl, chairman of the RNLI Committee of Management (and chairman of the Westminster Press newspaper group) named the lifeboat Newsbuoy, pressed the magic button and the champagne bottle broke over the bow of the lifeboat. Newsbuoy cast off for a short move back to her mooring, accompanied by loud cheers from the assembled company.—G.P..