Around and about the RNLI Youngest crew member? Jonathan Foster achieved a long-held ambition when he joined the crew of Staithes lifeboat - the Atlantic 21 Ellis Sinclair-on his 17th birthday .

Clem James, station honorary secretary, is quite sure that he has the ability, dedication and physical strength to make a good lifeboatman. 'Jonathan came to every practice and crew night for many months and has worked hard to acquire the skills needed to be a crewman of an Atlantic 21,' he said Jonathan is bekieved to be the youngest crew member aboard a lifeboat and is the first in his family to be a lifeboatman. He is a student at St Mary's Sixth Form College in Middlesbrough studying sport, and hopes to become a physical training instructor in the RAF when he completes his education. Obituaries With deep regret we record the following deaths: MARCH 1989: Mrs 'Flossie' Argent, vice-chairman of Dover Ladies' guild from 1976 until her death. She was awarded a statuette in 1985.

SEPTEMBER 1989: Mrs Christine Campbell, founder member and president of the Ardrossan Ladies' guild from 1955 to 1970. She was a committee member of the guild until her death and was awarded a silver badge in 1971.

William Bulpitt, chairman of Birmingham branch since 1988 and vice-president from 1974 to 1988. He and his wife were awarded a joint statuette in 1983.

Mrs W.M. Gibson, president of Moffat and Beattock Ladies' guild from 1976 to 1989. She was vice-president from 1966 to 1976 and was awarded a statuette in 1981.

Mrs Marie Wood, honorary secretary of Caterham branch since 1957. She was awarded a silver badge in 1968 and a gold badge in 1981.

OCTOBER 1989: Robert Snowie, chairman of Mortimer and District branch from 1981 to 1985. He was president from 1976 to 1979, president and chairman for a year in 1979, and chairman from 1979 to 1980 when he was elected honorary secretary. Mr Snowie was awarded a statuette in 1985.

NOVEMBER 1989: Mrs Jane McCaull, a member of Troon Ladies' guild for over 25 years. Her late husband, John McCaull, had joined the Troon lifeboat crew in 1916 and was second coxswain from 1942 until his death in 1949. Long Service Awards The Long Service Badge for crew members and shore helpers who have given active service for 20 years or more has been awarded to: Skegness - Second Coxswain Mechanic P.O. Martin Torbay - Crew Member S. Bower Tenby - Crew Member R. Crockford Whitstable - Shore Helper D. Holmes All-year cover Two Under 10m lifeboat stations, Macduff, Banffshire and Little and Broad Haven. Dyfed. have been redesignated as all-year-round stations.

A D class lifeboat was first stationed at Little and Broad Haven in 1967 and previously operated only during the summer months, from March to October.

Macduff, which received a new Atlantic 21 lifeboat in August, funded by the Rotary Club of Glasgow to commemorate its 75th anniversary in 1987, also operated only during the summer months.

With the increase in overall casualties, including leisure activities, throughout the winter months the Institution has decided that these under 1 Om lifeboats should remain on station permanently. The decision has met with the full co-operation of lifeboat crew members and station officials. Just the ticket...

Following the naming of the Tyne class lifeboat Lifetime Care at a ceremony held at the RNLI depot in Poole on 31 October 1989, Mr Charles Hunter-Pease, sales and marketing director of Volvo Concessionaires Limited, drew the winning tickets for the 47th national lottery.

The Lord Stanley of Alderley, chairman of the fund raising committee, and Anthony Oliver, head of fund raising, supervised the draw, which raised nearly £63,000. The prize winners were: £2,000 - Mrs M. Kirkman, Steyning, West Sussex.

£1,000 - F. Wilson. Egremont, Cumbria.

£500 - M.J. Moore, Coventry.

£250 - Mrs M.F. Monckton, Troon, Scotland.

£100 - Mrs H. Child, Oswestry, Shropshire; Mrs D. Howells, Penn, Wolverhampton; DrH.C. Miller, Edinburgh, Scotland; Mr B.S. Johal, Coventry; MrR.

Jewell, Lymington, Hants; Mrs M. Rowe, Bristol; Mrs B.A. Cooper, Roydon, Essex; Miss E. Pettersson, Newcastle- upon- Tyne.

£50 - Mr & Mrs E. Mottershead, Didcot, Oxon; Miss Ashley, Margate, Kent; Mrs A.P. Noble Wood, Harrogate, North Yorkshire; Mrs E. How, Lymington, Hants; Miss E.M. Tyler, Halstead, Essex; Major J. Perrins, Weymouth, Dorset; Mr & Mrs Spilsbury, Brocton, Stafford; Mr R.C. Thomas, Handsworth, Birmingham.

On Station The following lifeboats have taken up station and relief fleet duties: OVER 10 METRES Wicklow -Tyne 47-035 (ON 1153) Annie Blaker on 8 October 1989.

Fleetwood - Tyne 47-038 (ON 1156) William Street on 15 October 1989.

Ballyglass - Arun 54-07 (ON 1053) City of Bradford IV en 17 October 1989.

UNDER 10 METRES Porthcawl - D390 on 16 August 1989.

Relief-D391 on 14 September 1989.

Broughty Ferry - D389 on 20 September 1989.

Aberdeen - D386 on 26 September 1989.

Clacton - B579 on 4 October 1989.

Hastings - D392 on 12 October 1989. Beyond the call of duty...

Bridegroom Bryn Jones and his new bride Karen were in the middle of their wedding reception at Llandudno, with the champagne on ice waiting to be poured for the toasts, when Bryn suddenly leapt from his chair and ran from the room.

He was followed by two other men in wedding finery and, as the other guests stared open-mouthed, all three of them sprinted towards the promenade - leaving the bride to be comforted by friends. But it wasn't a dire case of wedding day nerves. Bryn, a member of the crew of Llandudno's Oakley class lifeboat Lily Wainwright for several years, had just acted instinctively when he heard the maroons! 'It was an instant reaction on Bryn's part,' said Coxswain Meurig Davies, 'I don't think he really realised what he had done until he was at the boat...' Meurig, who was one of the other guests to leave the wedding so suddenly, then ordered Bryn off the boat.

'We had a full crew and I thought it better that he went back to make peace with his wife,' remarked Meurig.

So a somewhat crest-fallen Bryn was sent back to the reception where his bride was waiting.

The moral of the story? Perhaps it could be: 'if you're a lifeboatman don't hold your wedding reception 100 yards from the station!' Lucky for some...

John Chadwick, the district surveyor of lifeboats in the South West Division for 26 years retired on 30 September 1989 through ill health.

His colleagues and friends in the division organised a retirement party for him and, as John is superstitious, they decided that Friday 13 October was an auspicious day for the gathering.

Also appropriate was the decision to include a magician in the entertainment at the party, held at the Royal Plymouth Corinthian Yacht Club, as John is a keen amateur magician. Among the gifts for John and his wife Audrey were a tidal clock and traditional barometer mounted on a timber section from one of the old St Ives' lifeboats, and another special treat....

John and Audrey have always been on holiday to Tenerife, but in view of John's retirement they had thought they would not be able to afford it this year. Their friends and colleagues thought otherwise - and at the gathering they were presented with two tickets for their usual holiday! Many people were involved in organising the gathering, including the coxswains of Salcombe, Padstow and Plymouth lifeboats - all of whom would like to thank those who contributed to the success of the party. Jim Hunter Principal Staff Coxswain James Hunter died on 2 September 1989 after taking early retirement due to ill health. He became a Staff Coxswain on 1 June 1966, Senior Staff Coxswain on 12 April 1973 and then Superintendent/Principle Staff Coxswain from 7 October 1978 until his retirement on 9 June 1989.

Shortly after his retirement a number of colleagues provided him with a windvane in the shape of a detailed model of his first lifeboat, the 70ft Clyde class, 70-001.

The windvane was made by two of the crew of the Wells lifeboat and was erected by them and the ex-coxswain of Sheringham lifeboat, Brian Pegg, who were all involved in the development of the Mersey class.

A card, with a photograph of the Mersey pre-production prototype and the names of some 40 of his colleagues involved in the windvane project was also delivered.

A few weeks before the vane was erected, and while still in hospital, Jim had been presented with a cheque by the Director of the RNLI, Lt Cdr Brian Miles, which was the Institution's countrywide response to the news that he had been forced to retire some two years early. Firemen say thank you An August night when Yarmouth's Arun class lifeboat John and Joy Wade battled with a burning coaster was remembered during October, when firemen from Hampshire Fire Brigade visited the Island town to present a special plaque to the coxswain and crew.

The firemen, from Fawley and Southampton called to say 'thank you' to the crew, who had first towed the coaster then stood by while the firefighters were put aboard from a tug. The ten-hour service is covered in more detail on page 193 of this issue.

Presenting the plaque to Dave Kennet, coxswain of the lifeboat, the deputy commander of Southampton's divisional headquarters, Terry Pattison, said: 'We are very grateful to the lifeboat crew,' and, referring to an incident off Fort Victoria when the lifeboat had to reestablish the tow, added 'when I saw we were being driven towards the shore it frightened the life out of me. We all stopped to put lifejackets on.' David Kennett later presented Terry Pattison with an RNLI plaque. Regional Fund Raising Offices The RNLI's fund raising activities are divided into 13 geographical areas, each with a regional office. The offices can help with any fund raising queries, provide advice and support and put people in touch with their local branch or guild.

The Regional Officers and their office addresses are: Scotland: Kenneth Thirlwell, RNLI, Bellevue House, Hopetoun Street, Edinburgh EH7 4ND.

Telephone 031-229 2206.

North West: David Jones, RNLI, 131 Royal Exchange, Manchester M2 7BY.

Telephone 061-834 6978.

North East: Brian Stevenson, RNLI, The Mill, Glasshouses, Nr Harrogate, N. Yorkshire HG3 5QH.

Telephone (0423) 711667.

Wales: Miss Anne Williams, RNLI, Caerwys House, Windsor Lane, Cardiff, S. Glamorgan CF1 3DE.

Telephone (0222) 394546.

Central England: Richard Mann, RNLI, 102 Birmingham Road, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire B61 ODF.

Telephone (0527) 575017 Eastern: George Price, RNLI, Spooners Lane, Hadleigh, Suffolk IP7 5EZ.

Telephone (0473) 822837.

South West: Andrew Young, RNLI, Princes Wharf, Wapping Road, Bristol BS1 1RN. Telephone (0272) 291939.

Southern: Mrs Wendy Nelson, RNLI, 25 East Street, Wimborne Minster, Dorset BH21 1DU.

Telephone (0202) 888835.

South East: Michael Ashley, RNLI, River House, Bell Lane, Uckfield, Sussex TN22 1AE.

Telephone (0825) 61466.

North London: Miss Susan Steer, RNLI, 202 Lambeth Road, London SE1 7JW. Telephone 01-928 5742.

South London: Miss Ann Wilkins, RNLI, 202 Lambeth Road, London SE1 7JW. Telephone 01-928 5742.

Northern Ireland: Mrs Beth Duffin, RNLI, 33 Saintfield Road, Belfast BT8 4AF. Telephone (0232) 645645.

Irish Republic: Jimmy Kavanagh, RNLI, 3 Clare Street, Dublin.

Telephone (0001)762217..