Guests of honour: several lifeboatmen were among the guests at a special Variety Club of Great Britain lunch at London's Hilton Hotel in December, to honour HRH The Duke of Kent, the heroes of the lifeboat service and leading members of the Grand Order of Water Rats. Here, the president of the RNLl, who is also a gold card life member of the Variety Club, welcomes Keith Willacy, New Brighton helmsman, watched by Coxswain Robert Maiden of Hartlepool (centre).

Ron Carbines, station administration officer at Selsey is in the foreground. The Mother Christmasses were representing the Variety Club. During the event, the club presented the Duke of Kent with a cheque for £10,000 as part of its continuing support for the lifeboat service. For many years now the Variety Club has donated money towards the pensions paid by the RNLI to the children of the lifeboatmen who have lost their lives while on service..