There ain't nothing like a ... cheque!Gemma Craven, starring in the West End musical 'South Pacific' at the Bournemouth Pavilion during the summer, drew the winning tickets for the RNLI's 46th national lottery, which took place on 31 July.

The first prize of £2,000 was won by Mike Hartley of Northampton and on receiving the news, Mike (a lorry driver) rang Poole to say that as he and his wife Shirley-Ann would be in the area could they collect the cheque! Anthony Oliver, head of fund raising, was delighted they could come - to the best of his knowledge this was the first occasion a lottery winner had come to Poole to receive his cheque.

Mike and Shirley-Ann were given a tour of the depot and HQ building and were then escorted to the Pavilion Theatre where Gemma Craven presented the delighted couple with their cheque. She also invited them to a performance of 'South Pacific' and to meet the cast following the show.

The 46th lottery raised £69,414 and the prize winners were: £2,000 - M.H. Hartley, Abington, Northampton.

£1,000 - C. Kitson, Keighley, West Yorkshire.

£500 - Mrs S.N. Small, Adel, Leeds.

£250 - J. Corkett, Reading, Berkshire £100 - M. Longley, Huddersfield; Captain D.R.H. Ferguson, Argyll,knowledge Scotland; Mrs K.V. Deane, East Molesey, Surrey; Mrs H. Rendell, Cardiff, South Glamorgan; D. Ambler, Reading, Berkshire; Mrs M. Goulden, Leeds; Mrs E.E. Love, Totnes, Devon; P.J. Dunn, Stevenage, Herts.

£50 - Mrs C. Stovell, Helensburgh, Scotland; Miss S.A. Kelly, Leeds; Mrs R.I.

Walker, Sudbury, Suffolk; Mrs J. Cleever, Reading, Berkshire; Miss A.J. Fisher, North Barnsley, Yorkshire; J. Ashton, Boston, Lines; D.S. Brown, Harrow Weald, Middx; Mrs G. Sharpies, Preston, Lanes.On Station The following lifeboats have taken up station and relief fleet duties: OVER 10 METRES: Lochinver-Arun 52-42 (ON 1144) Murray Lornie on 20 July 1989.

UNDER 10 METRES: Selsey - D382 on 16 May 1989.

Staithes - B576 on 18 May 1989.

Relief - D383 on 23 June 1989.

Penarth - D384 on 2 July 1989.

Weston-super-Mare - D387 on 11 July 1989.

Tynemouth - D385 on 19 July 1989.

Brighton Marina - B577 on 21 July 1989.

Stranraer - D388 on 26 July 1989.

Macduff- B578 on 14 August 1989.

Clifden - C522 on 19 August 1989.Coxswain's London ExhibitionThe new coxswain of St Ives lifeboat, Eric Ward, was given an exhibition of his oil paintings by a London art gallery inMay.

Eric, who took up his post as St Ives coxswain in May, had 22 of his paintings on display at the Hallam Gallery, East Sheen where the opening of the exhibition was marked by a private reception.

Although he has only been painting in oils seriously for a little over two years the high standard which Eric has already achieved led the Gallery owner, John Adams, to mount the special exhibition.

Eric has been a lifeboatman at St Ives since 1964 when he joined the crew of what was then a totally new concept - a 16ft inflatable lifeboat. In 1973 he became a crew member of the larger offshore lifeboat, currently the relief Oakley class RNLB Maiy Joicey , and was appointed second coxswain in 1988.

He was awarded a bronze medal in April 1982 and a bar to his bronze medal in July 1982. Eric is also harbour master at St Ives.

Birthday Honours Two of the RNLI's lifeboat coxswains were awarded the British Empire Medal for their services to the Institution in Her Majesty The Queen's Birthday Honours list: Brian Pegg, BEM, was Coxswain/ Mechanic of Sheringham lifeboat from 1986 until his retirement in May 1989. He joined the crew in 1950 and was Mechanic from 1965 to 1984, becoming Second Coxswain/Mechanic until his appointment as Coxswain/Mechanic in 1986. Coxswain Pegg received a long service badge in 1982.

Tony Jordan, BEM, was Coxswain of Wells lifeboat from 1986 until his retirement in February 1989. He joined the crew in 1946, becoming Second Coxswain in 1971 until his appointment as Coxswain in 1986. Coxswain Jordan received a long service badge in 1982.Garden Party Crew members and station personnel from several lifeboat stations around the country attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen on Thursday 13 July 1989.

The 20-strong contingent, which included some RNLI staff, were chosen to attend the party in recognition of their long and devoted service to the Institution. Miss Heather Allen, donor of the Tyne class lifeboat James Burrough, stationed at Padstow, was also among those invited.The Director, Lt Cdr Brian Miles, led the group which also had the opportunity to meet the President of the Institution, the Duke of Kent, accompanied by the Duchess.

In attendance were: Jim Berry (Mechanic, Walton and Frinton), Jim Clarke (Crew Member, West Mersea), Ronald Davies (Helmsman, Borth), John Darbyshire (Deputy Regional Organiser for the South East), Trevor England (Coxswain, Padstow), Norman Ford (Station Personnel Manager), Alan Jones (Coxswain, Mumbles), John Landale (Second Coxswain, Shoreham), Kenneth Middlemiss (Honorary Secretary, Tynemouth), Lt Cdr H.E. Over (recently retired Chief Technical Officer), Vivian Pentecost (Coxswain, Falmouth), Tony Ralph (Crew Member, Aldeburgh), Thomas Roberts (Machinery Examiner for the North West), David Shiel (Second Coxswain, North Sunderland), Mervyn Thomas (Mechanic, New Quay), Geoffrey Warminger (Crew Member, Littlehampton), Eric Wartnaby (Crew Member, Appledore), Robert White (Mechanic, Humber)..