Turning turf into money If your branch has a small racecourse in its territory it can be a money spinner.

I say small because our branch also has a large course within its boundaries, but as a fund raising area it is dead loss. Big courses all have national charity days, and do not seem to want to know their local charities.

On the other hand small racecourses such as our Fontwell, and there are many other similar courses throughout the country, are supported by the locals who enjoy their racing and are only too pleased to help their local charities.

This is how it works. First approach a local firm - preferably one whose chairman or at least one of the directors, owns a boat or a horse! Persuade him that instead of just giving the RNLI, say, £500, he increases the prize money of a race at the local meeting by asimilaramount. Explain that the race will be called 'Joe Blogg Engineering RNLI Handicap Chase' and that his name will be in all the national newspapers and betting offices.

It will also be 'plugged 'at the race meeting and probably in the local papers. All for £500 set against his advertising budget. He will also receive complimentary tickets for the race meeting.

What does the RNLI get out of it, you may ask? The answer is that the RNLI is given all the 'forfeits' of the race. Do not ask me to explain this but contact your local racing fanatic who will blind you with science on the subject.

Suffice to say that for the last three years this has amounted to between £600 and £750 for our branch. In addition we have been allowed tocollect in the car park and entrances.

A word of warning, do not collect on the course itself, as this is strictly forbidden. Also, being private property, raffles or whatever can be held with the Clerk of the Course's permission.

Our experience is that selling Christmas cards and souvenirs is not good news as racegoers are only interested in making money! This year we raffled a bottle of champagne and whisky (named brands) for which only 25 tickets were sold for each bottle - in racing terms a 25 to 1 chance for a £1 ticket. The draw for each bottle is made as soon as 25 tickets are sold.

Luckily the first bottle was won by the leading local bookmaker and the word soon got round with the result that we raffled 17 bottles, with a net profit of £ 15 per bottle.

This most enjoyable afternoon resulted in over £1,700 being added to our funds. Not bad for an initial outlay of £500 from our sponsor .

Major P. M. Longmore . Chichester Branch From November 1988 the method of 'forfeit' was changed by the Jockey Club, and further negotiations may be necessary.A new meaning to 'collecting' It all started in a very small way, in fact it almost didn't start at all.

In the summer of 1987 I wrote to a well known TV personality, who has connections with Peel, asking him if he would be willing to donate one of his books to the Peel Ladies' Guild as a raffle prize. I waited and waited - and I am still waiting! Needless to say I do not watch that 'well known' personality anymore.

Later that year 'Poldark' was enjoying a re-run on the television and its star, Robin Ellis, was interviewed on several programmes.

Robin had written a book called 'The Making of Poldark' and I wondered what would happen if I wrote to him asking for an autographed copy, would he reply or would he ignore my plea? I wrote to Robin care of the BBC and couldn't even be sure if he would get my letter. But after about six weeks I received a very nice letter and book from Robin, who was only too happy to help 'the cause' as he put it.

Catherine Cookson has long been a favourite authoress of mine and so early this year I wrote to ask her if she would be willing to donate an autographed copy of her autobiography 'Our Kate'.

Catherine wrote back to say that she had no copies at that time, but as soon as she had some she would send a copy. In the meantime she enclosed a cheque for the Guild funds.

Sir Ranulph Fennes came next. I received a letter from him just before he left for the North Pole and I watched his progress, or lackof it, with much interest - and must confess that when he returned to base I knew I would get the book sooner than I thought.

So by late spring I had received three autographed books, but little thought that by the end of the summer I would be almost a compulsive letter writer for the lifeboat! I also wrote to several china makers - Doulton and Aynsley to name but two - and they were only too happy to help. Both Lilliput Lane and Christopher Holt sent me model houses.

Not everyone replied to my letters, so as we get many Irish boats calling into Peel I wrote to several companies in Ireland.

Auctioned I received only one donation, from Owen Craft, who sent me one of his beautiful handmade Irish dolls, who else but Molly Malone! Amongst the more unusual items donated were a crystal growing kit and a sand picture. St A/den's Winery sent me two bottles of Lindisfarne Mead, while my own favourite item was a handmade and hand-painted model Bradford Flat Cart.

As all the Peel Guild knew that I wanted this, they all refused to bid against me when everything was finally auctioned or raffled. There was a big cheer as my husband made the final bid! By late autumn, when the night of the Wine and Savoury came round and the auction was held, I had been sent 37 items, which by that time included a copy of the Jackie Collins book 'Rock Star' from Hollywood, three records donated by Rick Wakeman, who now lives in the Isle of Man, and a cassette by the Spinners.

The auctioned raised £367, and the whole evening raised over £ ) , ) 00 for the lifeboat.

A crystal bowl given by Edinburgh Crystal came too late to be included - but I already have a hit list ready for this year and have three new donations so far.

Through the pages of THE LIFEBOAT I would like to thank everyone who answered my pleas for donations. Thank you all for your support.

Verity Gorry Peel Ladies Guild.