Duckham's visit: for many years now Alexander Duckham & Co Ltd (Duckhams Oils) has helped the RNLI in a variety of ways. It was appropriate, therefore, that during a visit to RNLI headquarters in Poole, in July, the company's managing director Charles Hogbin and its manager advertising and sales promotion, Frank Johns were able to take a trip aboard a lifeboat.

They embarked at Poole Quay on the 33ft Brede class boat Amateur Swimming Associations, under the command of local Coxswain/ Mechanic Frank Ide. The lifeboat was relieving Inner Wheel, Poole's station lifeboat, which was undergoing a routine survey.

Just before the lifeboat sailed Mr Hogbin presented Rear Admiral W. J. Graham, the RNLI's director, with an engraved ship's decanter, to mark the director's retirement at the end of 1987.

Mr Hogbin is pictured (above left) making the presentation to Rear Admiral Graham, with Frank Ide looking on..