New lifeboats named and dedicated Mudeford -Atlantic 21 Ken DerhamSaturday, 2 February will long be remembered in Mudeford as the day when the station's new Atlantic 21 lifeboat was named Ken Derham. by her namesake. The day was cold and crisp, but sunny as the audience gathered outside the Avonmouth Hotel, where the lifeboat was to be named, and were entertained by the Homefield School Swing Band.

At the beginning of the ceremony Victor Derham, station honorary secretary welcomed the invited guests and recounted how the crew, being determined to be allocated an Atlantic 21 despite concerns about launching the boat at low tide, were to be seen the night before trials were to begin digging a channel through the bar so that they could easily cross it - thus taking away the fears of the visiting RNLI staff officers.

Mr Derham then introduced Colin Williams, deputy divisional inspector of lifeboats (south east) who described the lifeboat.

He in turn asked Mr John Batchelor, driving force behind the appeal to fund the lifeboat to hand it into the care of the RNLI.

Lt Cdr Brian Miles, director, accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the Institution and paid tribute to Ken Derham, founder of the lifeboat station after whom the lifeboat was to be named.

From 1936 Mr Derham operated a singlehanded rescue service from Avon Beach with an 11 ft clinker-built rowing dinghy and was awarded the RNLI's silver medal for a shoreboat service in March 1959.

When the RNLI took over the running of the station in 1963 he became its first honorary secretary, a post he held until 1976, when he became branch chairman.

Having formally accepted the lifeboat, Cdr Miles then placed it into the care of Mudeford station, and after receiving the lifeboat on behalf of the station Mr Victor Derham (son of Ken Derham) asked the Reverend Canon Basil D. T. Trevor-Morgan, vicar of Christchurch and the Reverend Michael Clayton, priest in charge of All Saints Church, Mudeford, to conduct the service of dedication.

Mr Ken Derham was then invited to name the lifeboat, which he did with great enthusiasm, dousing the crew with champagne in the process. SW Y class inflatables Four Y class inflatables - which are carried aboard Arun and Thames class lifeboats - were handed over at ceremonies in the RNLI's depot at Poole.

On 16 January three of the inflatables were handed over by Mr Nigel Bishop, Area Sales Manager for BP Oil which had provided the funds to purchase them, and on 31 January another Y class was handed over by Mr David Jackson of the Belsize Charitable Trust No. 1.

Mr Anthony Oliver, deputy head of fund raising and marketing for the RNLI presided over both of the ceremonies. Relief Fleet D class Taipan David Corben, the Chairman and Chief Executive of Jardine Reinsurance (Holdings), handed over a new D class inflatable lifeboat at a ceremony held at the RNLI's Poole Depot on 30 No vemer 1990.

The Jardine Insurance Brokers Group had held a series of 'video horse-race evenings' for the insurance community in London, raising £18,000. With a D class now costing £9,500 the balance will be used for future maintenance and upkeep of the lifeboat.

Mr Anthony Oliver, deputy head of fundraising and marketing at the RNLI had opened the proceedings before handing over to Mr Corben who presented the boat to the Institution, represented by the deputy director Ray Kipling.

RNLI staff officer Richard Perks described the lifeboat and its role and the Reverend Stanley Holbrooke-Jones, Rector of Poole, conducted a service of dedication before Mr Martin Wakeley the Chief executive of Jardine Insurance brokers, officially named the lifeboat Taipan.

City of Derby Councillor Mrs Nancy Wawman, a previous mayor of Derby, handed over a new D class inflatable for use in the relief fleet at a similar ceremony held at the RNLI's Poole Depot on 3 December 1990.

Mr Anthony Oliver again opened the proceedings before introducing Mrs Wawman, and the RNLI was represented by the director, Cdr Brian Miles. RNLI staff officer Richard Perks described the lifeboat and its role.

The service of dedication was conducted by the Reverend Stanley Holbrooke- Jones, before His Worship the Mayor of Derby. Cllr B. Chadwick, officially named the lifeboat City of Derby. Southend-on-Sea New boathouse There may have been few casual visitors to the seafront and the world's longest pier at Southend on Thursday 24 January, but a mile from shore at the end of the pier there was intense activity as preparations were made for the visit of the Princess Royal to open the new lifeboat house.

After a short trip along the pier on an electric train, the Princess alighted to be greeted by Raymond Baxter, representing the RNLI's Committee of Management, Commodore George Cooper, RNLI chief of operations, and C. J. Morehouse (chairman) and Colin Sedgwick (honorary secretary) of the Southend station branch. Her Royal Highness was escorted to the new lifeboat house on the pier's Prince George extension and was 'piped aboard' by members of the 3rd Chalkwell Bay Sea Scout Group, flanked by station launchers.

The new boathouse has been built as a replacement for the one badly damaged when the coaster Kingsabbey ploughed into the pier in June 1986, a matter of weeks after Princess Anne had named Southend's new lifeboat Percy Garon II.

The cost of the new boathouse and launching facilities, some £115,000, has been met from RNLI funds and will provide greater protection from the elements for the lifeboat and essential equipment, improved facilities for the crew, a viewing platform and a shop for the sale of souvenirs.

Inside the boathouse the Princess was presented with a posy of flowers by Julia and Joanna Gilson, aged 8 and 11, daughters of the senior helmsman. Princess Anne was conducted round the boathouse, meeting crew and branch and station officials. She particularly took her time discussing the davit launch and recovery procedure with duty crew members John Foster, David Goodbourn and Paul Hanshaw.

The Princess Royal signed the station visitors' book and then pulled aside an RNLI flag to reveal a plaque commemorating the occasion. In response, Raymond Baxter made a short and amusing speech to thank the Princes Royal for her time and support, before presenting her with a special photograph album recording her visit to the old lifeboat house in 1986.

As the royal party walked back to the pierhead station to board the train, the Atlantic 21 was launched and put through her paces, while the Sheerness lifeboat and crew stood by. Overhead, a Sea King helicopter from 202 Squadron, RAF Mansion paid its own tribute, flying the RNLI flag.

On a chilly, crisp January afternoon, the Princess had brought warmth to a special day for the Southend-on-Sea station. RNS.