Boat Show '88 The organisers of this year's London Boat Show at Earls Court in January generously provided a stand next to the RNLI, for a display paying their own tribute to Grace Darling in the 150th anniversary year of the rescue from The Forfarshire. The show proved to be one of the most successful yet from the Institution's point of view, with more than 1700 new members recruited, bumper sales of souvenirs by branch and guild members from the London area and brimful collecting boxes thanks to the efforts of our stalwart supporters, the Chelsea Pensioners.

One highlight was the handover by Mr Charles Hunter-Pease, Volvo Concessionaires' sales and marketing director, of a cheque for £250,000, the result of the company's highly successful collaboration with the RNLI in organising nine regional car lotteries last year. The money will be used towards the funding of a new 47ft Tyne class relief lifeboat, to be named Voluntary Worker, as announced in the Winter 1987/88 edition of TIIF LIFEBOAT. The link with Volvo continues this year when it is hoped to raise another £300,000. The main stand featured St Abbs' Atlantic 21 rigid inflatable lifeboat (this edition's front cover) and traced the history and development of inflatable lifeboats since their introduction.

Lifeboat crews from St Abbs, St Ives and Minehead helped to man the stand and were joined for the first time by members of the RNLI's staff at its East Cowes, Isle of Wight base.Open Days The RNLI headquarters and depot at Poole throws open its doors to the public once more in July when those with an interest in lifeboats will have a golden opportunity to see the workings of the organisation which supplies the back-up to the Institution's 200-plus lifeboat stations and more than 2,000 fund raising branches. As well as static displays and guided tours, there will be lifeboats to look over, demonstrations and activities aimed at the youngsters.

Open Days at Poole are from 10am to 6pm on Friday 29 and Saturday 30 July 1988. A week earlier, on Saturday July 23, the RNLI's base at East Cowes, Isle of Wight, will be open for the first time, enabling the public to see where the fleet of inflatable and rigid inflatable lifeboats is produced and maintained.

Further details of both events can be obtained from the Public Relations Department, RNLI, West Quay Road. Poole, Dorset, BH15 1HZ. tel Poole (0202) 671133.Lottery The 4()th lottery draw took place on Sunday, January 31 at RNLI headquarters, raising a record amount of over £65,000, helped enormously by the thousands of tickets sold at the London Boat Show in January. The total amount raised by the national lotteries is now over £1.5 million.

Victor Marsh, coxswain/mechanic of Swanage lifeboat drew the lucky winners, making one person present very happy. Mr R A Greville Marples attends nearly every draw and one of the £100 winners was his sister-in-law.

Anthony Oliver, head of fund raising, supervised the draw and the prizewinners were: £2,000: Mr Saunders, Chandlers Ford, Hants.

£1,000: Captain P J Haslett, Guildford, Surrey.

£500: Mrs Sowter, Harrow, Middx.

£250: S Fairman, Hemel Hempstead, Herts.

£100: M J Wallbank, Sutton Coldfield.

West Midlands; G C Wood, Doune, Perthshire; E F Day, Hythe, Southampton; Mrs S Bushell, Huntingdon, Cambs; Mrs J O Dawson, Pinner, Middx; J Davey, Esher, Surrey; E R Perry, Stroud, Glos; Mrs P Marples, Poole, Dorset.

£50: J R Medlicott, Shrewbury, Salop; G Lusty, Osterley, Middx; L B Johnson, Weymouth, Dorset; P Jennings, Walsall, West Midlands; Mrs B Jordan, Preston, Lanes; F Holloway, Watford, Herts; Miss C Smith, Chester, Cheshire; Mr and Mrs A Rendall, Alton, Hants.On Station The following lifeboats have taken up station and relief fleet duties: Lowestoft: 47ft Tyne class lifeboat ON 1132 (47-020), Spirit of Lowestoft, November 16, 1987.

Fowey: 44ft Waveney class lifeboat ON 1028 (44-010), Thomas Forehead and Marv Rowse II, December 16, 1987.

Peterhead: 47ft Tyne class lifeboat ON 1127 (47-019), Babs and Agnes Robertson, January 14, 1988.

Moelfre: 47ft Tyne class lifeboat ON 1116 (47-013), Robert and Violet, January 22, 1988.

Plymouth: 52ft Arun class lifeboat ON 1136 (52-40), City of Plymouth, January 26, 1988.

Baltimore: 47ft Tyne class lifeboat ON 1137 (47-024), Hilda Jarrett, March 3, 1988.

Fifty years' service Jurat Guy Blampied, QBE has been appointed patron of Guernsey lifeboat station branch in recognition of his 50 years' service, including 30 as chairman.New Year Honours The following have been honoured in the New Year Honours list for their services to the RNLI: QBE Commander D B Cairns, QBE, RD, RNR, chief of operations from 1974 until his retirement in 1986. He joined the lifeboat service as a district inspector of lifeboats in 1961 and served in the Irish, South East and Southern districts.

MBE Mr Terence Downing, MBE, has been honorary secretary of Barrow lifeboat station since 1949. In 1975 he was awarded a gold badge and a bar to the gold badge in 1981.

BEM Charles Hatcher, BEM, who was coxswain of Blyth lifeboat from 1981 to 1987. He first joined the lifeboat crew in 1958 and was assistant mechanic from 1970 to 1975. In 1975 he was appointed second coxswain until 1981 when he became coxswain until his retirement.

Coxswain Hatcher was awarded a bronze medal in 1982 and the long service badge in 1987.

Horace Murt, BEM, mechanic of Padstow lifeboat. Mr Murt joined the lifeboat crew in 1946 and was appointed assistant mechanic in 1962, becoming mechanic in 1971. He was awarded the long service badge in 1982.

Other awards of interest given for individual achievements not connected with the Institution's work have gone to: GCVO Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir John Grandy, GCB, GCVO, KBE, DSO, a vice president of the RNLI.

QBE Mr A Gerrard, QBE, deputy launching authority at Arbroath lifeboat station, master boatbuilder, Arbroath.

MBE Mr T H Jones, MBE, deputy launching authority at West Kirby lifeboat station and former coxswain of Hoylake lifeboat, for services to the fishing industry.

Captain J H Petit, MBE, former station honorary secretary and coxswain of St Peter Port lifeboat and lately harbour master, Guernsey.

Lieut Commander J Stewart, MBE, deputy launching authority at West Mersea lifeboat station, lately area marketing manager, STC Submarine Systems Ltd, for services to export.

BEM Mr J D Griffiths, BEM, honorary treasurer of Borth lifeboat station.

Change of address Mr Dennis Bunyan, treasurer of the American based Association for Rescue at Sea Inc., an organisation through which us taxpayers can channel donations to the RNLI, has changed his address. Donations and/or correspondence should now be sent to Mr Bunyan at 10113 E Topaz Drive, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258, USA..