The South Bank Meetings 1989 The Annual General Meeting Presentation of Awards for 1988Once again the RNLI's annual meetings - held at the South Bank in London on 16 May - were able to reflect on a very successful 12 months for the Institution - indeed a year of records in many respects.

His Grace the Duke of AthoII, Chairman of the RNLI, was able to report a record income at £38.5m on one side of the account, which had financed a record number of lifeboat launches, topping the 4,000 mark for the first time at 4,224, built 45 new lifeboats and also enabled the Institution to reach its target of a reserve equivalent to 12 months operational expenditure.

In presenting the Institution's Annual Report to the morning meeting of the Governors of the RNLI for the tenth time The Duke of Atholl was making his last appearance as Chairman of the Institution, and was able to look back on not just 12 months of success, but a decade which had seen dramatic advances in the lifeboat service.

7 do not think anyone would disagree that it has been a volatile economic period for the country as a whole which has seen its difficult moments.

'What is remarkable is that the RNLI has weathered every economic storm, andthere has not been a single year of the decade when I have not been able to report that we have moved from strength to strength.

'Maybe our imperviousness to outside forces is not so remarkable when you consider the nature of this organisation.

We breed crewmen and we build boats that have proved time and again that they can withstand the very worst the elements can create, and in my ten years as Chairman I have learned that such fortitude rubs off in all other areas of our work as well.' The Duke added that advances in the RNLI's fleet were reflected in the awards for bravery to be presented at the afternoon meeting.

'Each one is to the coxswain, helmsman or crew member of a modern,fast lifeboat and in every rescue the speed and manoeuvrability of their craft played an essential part in the successful outcome of the mission.

I note that ten years ago, of the five medal services one was by an Atlantic 21 and the other four were carried out by conventional hulled nine knot lifeboats.' Commercial vessels Although the number of lifeboat services to pleasure craft were increasing the Chairman pointed out that the RNLI's 'traditional' role in rendering assistance to commercial and fishing vessels was still an important aspect of its work.

'Another conclusion I would draw from this year's medals is that commercial craft in distress are often the cause of our most difficult and dangerous missions. Seven out of the ten medals go this year for services to merchant or fishing vessels.

'Moreover, although pleasure craft account for a reasonably large proportion of all launches and lives saved, lifeboats still spend 40 per cent of their total time at sea on calls to commercial craft.' Reflecting on the increasing call on the lifeboat service the Chairman said: 'It would appear from the 1988 results that our lifeboats are needed more than ever. For the first time in our history the number of services rose above 4,000 - 4,224 to be precise.

'It shows a 60 per cent increase in the workload of lifeboats since 1979, which to me is a remarkable fact. It also means that on average a lifeboat is launched every other hour throughout the year and with 1,343 lives saved, well over three people every day have the ultimate reason to be thankful to our crews.' The past decade had also seen a massivedevelopment programme aimed at introducing a new generation of fast lifeboat at every station around the coast, the Duke went on.

In 1985 he announced the intention to complete this programme by 1993, and although it was a massive task he was able to report that he had every confidence in meeting the target.

'The source of that confidence is to a large extent the proving of the Mersey class lifeboat and its entry into our service.

'We already have two aluminium-hulled versions on station at Hastings and Bridlington and I know both crews are delighted with their new boat. Eight more are under construction and will be on the coast next year.

'Meanwhile the first fibre reinforced composite-hulled version of the class is undergoing the final stages of a highly successful trials programme, and we are almost certain to be building further Merseys out of this strong new material.' Quest for speed Elaborating on the quest for speed the Chairman posed a question, and went on to provide the answer, and to outline plans for the decades to come.

'How fast is fast? Well, we are not going to cease development just because we have achieved 18 knots in our all-weather boats.

TheArun building programme is reaching its end, the 46th and last of the class being due for completion in 1990. The astonishing rate of building also means that the last Tyne we require will have been built by the end of 1990. The first one only went on station atSelsey in 1982 which means that by the end of last year we had completed 30 of the class in sixyears. Quite an outstanding achievement.

'Hot on the heels of these two magnificent designs will come two, new 25 knot lifeboats. They are designed to replace the Waveney and eventually theArun. We plan to have the prototypes of each class built by 1991: Modernising shoreworks The meeting was also given an outline of another major task to be faced in the near future when the Chairman turned his attention to other aspects of the lifeboat service.

'The focus of our attention and the highest proportion of our expenditure always has, and always will, concentrate on the upkeep and provision of lifeboats. But boathouses and slipways are as vital a pan of getting a lifeboat to sea as a tractor or launching carriage. And yet we are still using structures to house our modern lifeboats which were designed for the pulling lifeboats of the last century. The time is now long overdue for us to bring our boathouses out of the 19th century and prepare them for the 21st.

'A study is in progress to decide on a list of building priorities but undoubtedly expenditure will rise under the accounts heading 'Lifeboat Stations and Slipways' over the next few years.'Buildings were also the theme for the next part of the Chairman's address, when he turned his attention to the Poole headquarters, and the need for an additional building.

'When the RNLI moved from London to Dorset in the early 1970s the financial climate limited the size of the building. We always suspected our work and head office activitieswouldexpand and boughtenough land to allow for further accommodation.

The need is now acute for a new threestorey building and we are busy looking for a sponsor to meet the construction cost.' Fundraising record Turning his attention to the accounts the Chairman pointed out the record £38.5m available income for 1988 which reflected the regard in which the Institution is held by the public, the tireless efforts of voluntary fund raisers and great support from legacies.

The RNLI' s free reserves have now reached a level equivalent to a year's expenditure - a base upon which to plan and confidently to progress projects such as the two new, fast boat designs and boathouse modernisation.

The Duke of Atholl was able to report success for other ways of providing the RNLI's income, reflecting both on changes and the continuing nature of fund raising efforts.

'/ think it is fair to say that over the past ten years the profile of charities in the media has risen dramatically. Band Aid and many other responses to world disaster have introduced the idea of charitable giving and fund raising to many more people than before.

'Also new methods are being used for fund raising, and the RNLI is not shy to experiment in this respect.

'Our membership scheme is flourishing.

We recruited 15,380 newcomers to the scheme last year and brought in £1.6m in subscriptions alone. I am convinced that the more we broaden the base of our support in this way, the healthier we become.

'That is why our 1,959 voluntary branches and guilds are so vital. They raise money, spread the word and are, more often than not, the reason for the large bequests, gifts and outside fund raising efforts and promotions which produce whole lifeboats.Before closing the meeting His Grace paid tribute to two prominent figures in the Institution who had died during the year.

'The RNLI suffered a great loss last year with the death of our Treasurer, His Grace the Duke of Northumberland, whose family has played such a major part in the history of the lifeboat service. We also mourn the death of Rear Admiral Desmond Hoare, late of the committee of management and of course the man whose inspiration brought into being the Atlantic 21 rigid inflatable lifeboat.' As usual the afternoon presentation of awards was held in the Festival Hall, and those who had travelled to the meeting, some from long distances, were able to join the Countess Mountbatten in her congratulations for the lifeboatmen who had been awarded medals for gallantry and voluntary workers receiving their long service awards.

Introducing the meeting the Duke of Atholl repeated his morning message that this was to be his last meeting as Chairman of the RNLI, having agreed to hold the position for a maximum of ten years, and thanked all who had helped him during that time.

Wo chairman could wish for a more dedicated, supportive or united workforce.

After my first year as Chairman I described the RNLI at this meeting as the finest club in the countiy with members in every community. I am sure that we all still stand by that description. I do not believe, however, that any of us would have predicted how that club would have grown in ten years, nor the extent of its achievements.' Greater dedication Outlining the achievements of the year, as reported at the morning Governors' meeting, the Chairman went on to pay tribute to the bravery and skill of the lifeboat crews about to receive their awards, and to the dedication of the voluntary workers.

'The lifeboat crews of 1989 not only cany on the proud traditions of seamanship, dedication and courage which have always been part of a lifeboatman' s makeup.

Today they need to show an ability to master complex machinery and electronic equipment as well. This means greater dedication still, as training plays a more important part and makes hefty demands on their time.

7 would never have imagined ten years ago that I would be congratulating this meeting on bringing in £38m. Had we known then how much we would need now, I wonder if just a few might have doubted that it could all be raised voluntarily? If such doubts existed I am delighted that we have proved them to be so convincingly without foundation.

'One of this Institution's strengths is its ability to balance tried and tested methods of fund raising with new ideas. That applies particularly well to our branches and guilds who know when to experiment but who also know that a lifeboat collecting box is as great a draw to the giving public as ever it was.

'Many of you will have seen that in meeting the Institution's requirements for funds in 1987, the RNLI appeared at the top of the Charity Aid Foundation's list of voluntary income earners. This only went to show something that I have always known: that our reputation with the public, our methods of fund raising and, above all, the people who employ these methods are second to none. Congratulations to all and may you continue to be inspired to meet the needs of this great Institution.' Awards The awards were presented by The Countess Mountbatten of Burma, and in welcoming her to the meeting the Chairman remarked on her family's close connection with the Institution: 7 know that those to be recognised for their bravery and service to the Institution today will deem it a great honour to re-reive their award from such a distinguished guest, whose family has always had such a close association with the RNLI.' Before presenting the awards (listed on the following pages) Countess Mountbatten expressed her pride at being invited to share the day with the members in the hall, and added her praise for the crews and voluntary workers.

'We have the most extraordinary tradition in this country of voluntary service and it is good to know that over 40 years of an excellent welfare state has not in anyway dimmed either the enthusiasm or the volume of work that is undertaken voluntarily.

'But of all that work nothing exceeds in importance, and I think in the minds and view of the public, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

'We have an enormous admiration for the heroic men who man our lifeboats. Our chairman has just told us that last year over 1JOO people were saved whose lives would be lost otherwise. I always find it very difficult to imagine figures as facts but I live in a village in Kent which is a medium sized village and has 1 $00 people. So that if I think that almost all that village might not exist but for the Institution, that certainly puts it in a context that I can fully understand.

'It would not be possible to carry on this work at all but for the extraordinary band of voluntary helpers who go out and raise the most extraordinary sums of money.' Family connection The Countess also remarked on the development of the new, faster lifeboats, and on her family's connection with their development.

'Many of you will remember the appeal which was run in my father's name to help finance the Medina project. Naturally it is disappointing that the concept could not eventually be made to work for the RNLI's requirements in its originalform, but these things do happen, and one has to be prepared for that.

'However, the project was by no meansin vain. We will see many important lessons carriedforward into exciting new designs.

Moreover, I really do know it would have pleased my father that you have shared your findings with other countries and in- 'deed that the Medina has found a useful lifesaving role in both Holland and Canada.

That would have pleased him very much indeed.

The Presentations Following the presentation by the Countess of ten bronze medals or bars to the Bronze medal, one Bar to the Gold Badge and 21 Gold Badges Raymond Cory, Deputy Chairman of the RNLI, proposed a vote of thanks to Countess Mountbatten for attending what he called the RNLI's 'family party' and for presenting the awards. Referring to the Countess's family connections with the Institution to which she had already mentioned he added: 'These awards represent three aspects of the lifeboat service, namely courage, dedication and hard work, and I suggest that they also represent the characteristics of you madam, and your noble family.

'Shortly before your father's tragic death an appeal was launched in his name to raise money to help the RNLI in its quest for greater speed for the offshore lifeboats.

This quest continues today in the Fast Afloat Boat projects three and four, as it does in the memory of a great man.

'At the moment Ma' am you see us at our most formal selves but shortly over tea you will meet some of the crew and the voluntary workers in more relaxed surroundings and if ever you are near a lifeboat station there is a standing invitation to you, as there is to all our supporters, to call in and see them, see a modern lifeboat on its station, talk to the men and women who make this great service possible.'.