A Topping idea...

It is not often that one sees the director of the RNLI wearing a hard-hat, laying concrete, sporting a sprig of yew tree and then supping a glass of ale - especially when perched on the top of a part-complete building...

However it was all part of Brian Miles' official duties and marked the completion of an important stage in the construction of the new building at the Poole Headquarters.

Traditionally the completion of the highest part of the structure of a building is accompanied by a suitable ceremony dating back to pagan times, which is where the yew branch to ward off evil spirits comes in.

The ceremony was held on 25 April 1990 and attended by representatives of all those concerned in the construction of the building.

LtCdr Miles presented a commemorative plaque to Laing's managing director Trevor Berry who in turn presented the director with a ceremonial towel to mark the occasion. Air Vice Marshal makes flying visit to Scottish lifeboats Aftera recent visit to the RAFPitreavie Rescue co-ordination centre near Dunfermlin by a number of Scottish coxswains and coast staff coxswain John Christie invited Air Vice Marshal Jim Morris to sea on the Aberdeen lifeboat, to see the operation from the other end as it were.

The visit became possible a few weeks later when the Air Marshal called on various local rescue agencies, helicopter operators and oil companies and was then able to go on exercise aboard the relief Arun class Newsbuoy.

Montrose's Tyne class lifeboat Moonbeam, an RAF Sea King from Lossiemouth and a Bristow Tiger helicopter also took part on the two-hour exercise, during which A VM Morris was transferred between the lifeboats by the Sea King. On his return ashore the A VM spent some time talking to the two crews, the inspector of lifeboats for the division and the chairman and honorary secretary at Aberdeen.

Aid for first aid Marks and Spencer pic has donated the cost of a new mobile training unit to the RNLI.

The unit will be used for first aid training at lifeboat stations around the coast and has already been in use at several south and east coast locations manned by staff instructor Mike Arnell.

A cheque for £20,000 to cover the cost of the MTU was presented to the Institution at a quayside ceremony in Poole on 6 April 1990 Signing on to help A firm of Chartered Auctioneers in Nottingham is helping the RNLI raise money in an unusual way.

The company, T. Vennett-Smith, will be able to turn old postcards, photos, letters or in fact almost anything bearing the signature of a well-known or collectable person into cash.

Suitable autographed items can be sent to the fund raising department at the Institution's headquarters at West Quay Road. Poole. Dorset BH15 1HZ. Symbol of success The RNLI's well-known flag 'logo' has now been registered as a trade mark to prevent its unauthorised use.

The logo was devised in late 1981, to replace a considerable variety of devices in use at the time, and has since become a well-established symbol of the RNLI and its work.

The Institution felt that it was important to protect the logo, as many commercial concerns in particular would like to associate themselves with the Institution's image of dependability built up over more than 160 years. It was considered that the RNLI should be able to retain full control of its logo and image, and to prevent their impact becoming impaired in any way.

The complete logo, and the flag design on its own, have been registered, and anyone planning to manufacture or print items bearing them must obtain written authority from the Institution.

The intention is not to prevent the use of the logo, but to ensure that it is used only on suitable items, and that the RNLI does in fact benefit from its use. Newspoint Charity reforms Charities have always been subject to public scrutiny and several recent reports have sharpened the focus on good management and accountability of charities.

In particular, a government White Paper 'Charities: A framework for the future' was published earlier this year and should be presented as a Bill within this parliament.

The White Paper recommends better regulation and monitoring of charities.

There have also been separate studies by the Home Office and the National Council of Voluntary Organisations into the efficiency of charities and, most recently, the Annual Report of the Charity Commissioners. In their report the Commissioners say, 'Charity is precious in the life of a nation. The role of the Charity Commission is to ensure that what people give and do in the name of charity is directed to the purpose and the beneficiaries for whom they were intended. The Commission is playing its part in the wider mission of society so that we can say to one and all 'You can trust charity1.' The RNLI warmly welcomes all the steps being taken to protect and enhance the good name of charity. It is a regrettable fact that we live in a world where a very small number of people will abuse the trust of others, even of charities.

More powers and a greater public awareness are needed to ensure that charities such as the RNLI, which have workedfor many years to establish and encourage high standards throughout the charity world, can maintain them in the future. Fond farewell at Walmer Walmer's Rother class lifeboat The Hampshire Rose launched from the station for the last time on 6 May 1990 in an emotional occasion attended by Sir Alec Rose (branch president), the Mayor of Deal and other invited guests.

Watched by a crowd of several thousands the boat put to sea escorted by flank station lifeboats and the Atlantic 21 which is undertaking feasibility trials at the station.

Changing operational needs and the allo-.

cation of an 18-knot Tyne class to nearby Ramsgate means that a large lifeboat is no longer required at the station and The Hampshire Rose has been temporarily transferred to the relief fleet. (photo Jeff Morris) 1989 another record year for lifeboat launches Once again 1989 saw RNLI records broken in both the number of times lifeboats were launched and in the amount of money raised to fund those launches.

The graphs opposite are taken from the Annual Report and show clearly the distribution between types of casualty and the yearly distribution of the calls. Also evident is the amount of work done by the Institution's fleet of Under 10m lifeboats - the inflatable and rigid inflatable C, D and Atlantic 21 classes.

Lifeboats were launched a total of 4,523 times (the discrepancy between the final total and the 4,422 launches shown in the graphs is the result of additional returns received between the Annual Report and this journal going to press), and 1,515 lives saved.

By far the largest number of casualties were pleasure craft (2,444 services, 54 per cent of the total) and almost 70 per cent of the total lives saved were from this category of casualty. More than half the call-outs for power driven pleasure craft were categorised as 'machinery failure' and for yachts the most common categories were 'stranding', 'machinery failure' and 'meeting adverse conditions'. Services in darkness accounted for 22 per cent of the calls and some 5 per cent took place in winds of Force 7 and above.

Interestingly the number of launches to sailboards fell slightly from 417 in 1988 to 397 in 1989, a reduction of just under 5 per cent. Under 10m lifeboats carried out 91 per cent of services to sailboards.

However, the figures also show an increase in the number of services to fishing vessels, up almost 4 per cent and with 276 lives saved compared with 157 in 1988, and also in the number of launches to merchant vessels from 124 to 135, with 27 lives saved and 67 people landed. 'Machinery failure' accounted for the largest proportion of launches to fishing vessels while almost a quarter of the calls to merchant vessels were to take off sick or injured crewmembers.

Fishing vessels accounted for the largest number of hours spent at sea by lifeboats, followed by sailing pleasure craft and pow-ered pleasure craft. There were also 721 calls to people not aboard any type of vessel resulting in 138 lives being saved. These figures include people who had fallen from cliffs, bathers, waterskiers, skin divers and even vehicles cut off by the tide. New appointments at RNLI headquarters The RNLI has made two new appointments at the Poole headquarters.

Ian Ventham has joined the Institution as head of Fund Raising and Marketing from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) where he held a senior fund raising management position.

He is married with three children.

Mr Anthony Oliver has been appointed National Fund Raising Co-ordinator in changes resulting from the appointment.

Ewan Davidson, a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, has been appointed Head of Finance. Previously Group Treasurer and Secretary to the main board of J.

Sainsbury he is also a member of the management committee of the Charities Aid Foundation.

Mr Roger Priestley, the former chief accountant, retired in June 1990. 1989 lifeboat launches - type of casualty Sail pleasure craft Power pleasure craft Fishing vessels Miscellaneous Manual pleasure craft Unidentified/distress Cut off by tide Swimmers Commercial and MoD Aircraft 1000 1500 1989 lifeboat launches - by month 200 400 600 800.