Reasons to celebrate The opening of Ramsey's new hoathouse in a ceremony on 6 April was much welcomed by all.

The new boathouse. situated at the north end of the south promenade, has been specially designed to house the new 12m Mersey class lifeboat Ann and .liiiiics Ritchie.

After addresses by Dr Ewan Corlett. chairman of the RanixcA branch. Rear Admiral W.J.

McQune, deputy chairman of the RNLI's boat committee and member of the committee of management, and Mr George Rawlinson. deputy inspector of lifeboats for the western division, Ramsey's new boathouse was declared officially open by Mrs Helen Vlasto. wife of the former western divisional inspector Mr Michael Vlasto.

Ramsey's last boathotise was constructed in 1889 at a cost of £ 1.731. which also included the Newspoint The RNLI has but one aim - the saving of life at sea. However, in achieving this aim it becomes involved in fields as diverse as hull design and building works ashore.

It is in this last field that problems will sometimes arise when opposing local views are aired about the aesthetic suitability of new station buildings.

The RNLI is always very much a part of a local community, providing a service to it and receiving help from it in equal measure.

Great care is taken with the design of new boathouses to ensure they blend with existing buildings as best they are able, and the Institution is willing to liaise with everyone concerned. It is also worth remembering that the RNLI's only motivation is to provide the best possible lifesaving service - it is not a commercial concern seeking profit.

There is much to do to improve the Institution's shoreside facilities, and the number of major projects is set to increase as the RNLI brings shore facilities in line with the standard of its lifeboats and provides volunteer crews with suitable accommodation.

Supporters can be of great help to the RNLI at local level by making known the Institution's desire to work with a local community and to provide mutually acceptable and aesthetically pleasing facilities.

price of a house for the coxswain.

The latest boathouse cost £2(H),(KK) and has been funded by a special appeal launched last year which raised £150.(XX). The finanee for a new crew recreation room was provided by Mr Harney from Manchester, who was also a guest at the opening ceremony.

In Teignmouth on 22 June 1991.

the Director Brian Miles officially re-opened the town's lifeboat station. The station was first established in 1851. hut it was not until 1854 that the station became the responsibility of the RNLI.

However, in 1940 the station was closed, and its lifeboat remained in the boathouse until it was sold for £200 in 1945.

The station re-opened for business last year, and at the official opening ceremony in June, the Director presented a plaque to the contractors for their help in restoring the lifeboat house.

New deputy chairman Mr Clayton Love Jnr has been appointed one of the two deputy chairmen of the RNLI. joining Mr Raymond Cory CBE and succeeding Captain Sir Charles McGrigor BT DL.

Mr Love's association with the RNLI stretches back more than 30 years. He has been a member of the Institution's committee of management since 1969 and currently serves on the executive and search and rescue committees.

Mr Love is chairman of Beamish & Crawford pic and lives in Cork.

He has represented Ireland in the Admiral's Cup yacht racing series and was also captain of the Irish team in the 1960 Olympics.

Winter work The D class inshore lifeboats currently on summer duty at Torbay, B e m b r i d g e . P o r t s m o u t h (Langstone Harbour) and Southend- on-Sea are to remain permanently at their stations w i t h immediate effect to complement the stations'existing year-round lifeboats.

Torbay and Bembridge also have all-weather lifeboats while Portsmouth and Southend have Atlantic 21 inshore lifeboats.

Southend has an additional D class inflatable which was already on year-round service.

The 16ft inflatables were first placed on summer duty (from March to October) at Torbay and Southend-on-Sea in 1987. Portsmouth in 1965 and at Bembridge in 1964.

The decision to extend the inshore lifeboat cover at the three stations results from increases in winter casualties.

Keeping busy The Director of the RNLI. Brian Miles, was certainly kept husy during his recent isii to Harwich lifebout station.

In ihe I S horns ol his visit he was guest of honour at the station's Annual Banquet and Ball, the last public function for coxswain/mechanic Peter Burwood who was retiring after 24 ears ser ice w ith the RNLI.

Next morning, the Director presented the Silver Award to Mrs K.

Cornell in recognition of the outstanding work h her late husband, the s t a t i o n ' s HMA. Dr James ('orhett. A Certificate of Service was also presented to Mr Charles Moll, who was standing down alter I (i ears on both I larwieh lil'ehoais.

Ite Director also officiall) opened the station's new souvenir shop, funded b donations in memory of two local men. Allan Stanley and Tibor /.ahoranskv and. f i n a l l s . hetore depart ing to continue (heir hectic schedule, the Director and his w i f e had morning coffee with the branch committee and I .adies' guild.

Welcome to the femme-ily! North Berwick has just enrolled the first female crew member in the sial ion's history. She is Fiona Cesari. a mother of two and the fiancee of crew member Douglas Scrimgeour.

Fiona is keen, enthusiastic for the job and seeks no favours. She has been made to feel very welcome by the crew and sa s of her new role: 'Being a woman is no great disadvantage because strength is not as important as common sense and technique.' Over the moon Barry Dock lifeboat crew are 'walking on air' over their brand new crew building.

25ft wide and weighing nearly ten tons, the building was donated by Associated British Ports and transported to its new site by Denholm Terminals.

In all. it took over six hours to take the building two miles to its new location.

A crane was needed at obstacles to lift the building off one lorry, over the obstacle (here, a shed) and onto a second lorry.

The Barry lifeboat crew escorted the building to its destination and are reported to be very pleased w ith their new 'home'.

Further rewards Assistant mechanic James Dougal of Eyemouth lifeboat has been awarded the Maud Smith Award for 'the most outstanding ad of lifcsaving by a lifeboatman' for 1990.

When a telephonefailurecaused by adverse weather conditions prevented contact with Eyemoulh's coxswain and second coxswain. James Dougal took command for the rescue of two divers in a hurricane off the Scottish coast on 6 October 1990.

His courage for this service was recognised with the presentation of the RNLI's Silver medal by HRH The Duke of Kent at the Institution's annual meet ing at the Royal Festival Hall last May.

A full account of the service appeared in THE LIFEBOAT, Summer 1991 issue.

The crews of the AberystwythC class lifeboat and the fishing boat Seren-y-Mor have been madejoint recipients of the 1990 Ralph Glister Award for the most meritorious service conducted by the crew of an inshore lifeboat.

In September 1990. the crews rescued a lone yachtsman whose 18ft boat Otter got into difficulties in worsening weather. With great skill, the boat was towed across the bar to safety in very dangerous conditions.

Those honoured are helmsman Peter Heading and crew members David Davies. Martin Porter and Michael Harris of the Aberystwyth lifeboat, skipper Robbie Gorman and crew members Alan Blair. Brian Pugh-Jones. Brian Slack and Sandro James of the Seren-y-Mor.

Peter Heading and Robbie Gorman were presented with the Bron/e medal forthis service from The Duke of Kent at the Royal Festival Hall in May. The crews received framed Letters ofThanks signed by the RNLI Chairman.

A full account of this service appeared in THF LIFEBOAT. Spring 1991 issue.

Access's affinity with the RNLI The RNLI mid the Royal Hank of Scotland have been running a verysuccessful 'affinii ' credit card scheme since !9K8.which has raised more than £350.000 for the Institution's funds. A large proportion of this has come from the hank's payment as a result of each transaction with the card.

Although the Royal Hank of Scotland will shortly befalling in line with most other hanks and introducing an annual -liar ge for its Access card we hope that supporters will continue to make use of this most valuable way of boosting the RN Li's funds.

Any queries concerning the new charge should he taken up directly with the Royal Bunk of Scotland Credit Card Centre on Southcnd-on- Sea (0702) 351303.

Trans-Atlantic training Seafarers in difficulties around the Kritish 'irgin Islands an feel thai much more assured of safe rescue following i training visit lo the islands hy two RNLI officers, which was financed by Lloyds.

John Caldwell. deput training officer of the RNLI and Michael Brinton. depul superintendent if ic Inshore Lifeboat Centre, Cowes. made the trip to Tortola.

B I last ,/ii/v to provide crew training support for 'ISAR. the irgin Islands Search And Rescue Organisation.

IS R is a non-profit making organisation, set up in /9 S9.

which operates a fast 6.4m rigid inflatable lifeboat, similar to the RNLI's own Atlantic 21.

For this reason. RNLI training for r/rvr.v of Atlantic 21 lifeboats was specially adapted for 'ISAR In include information on navigation, searching an area, helicopter e.xercises and general boat and engine maintenance.

Keen-eyed readers countrywide have put us in the picture as to the location ot the photograph on page 56ofTHL LIFEBOAT. Spring 1991.

It was taken in Portsmouth in the earlier years of the Twentieth Century. The Royal Standard still Mauds on the comer ol Spring Street and Edinburgh Road and the Spirit Store is now the Park Tavern.

Medex success Lifeboats from Poole. Swanage.

Mudeford and Yarmouth, as well as HM Coastguard and helicopters from RNAS Portland, joined forces on Tuesday 9 July to take part in tfie annual 'MEDEX' medical exercise, designed to test participants to the limit.

The exercise, simulating a medical emergency, was staged in Poole Bay to test the reactions of local lifeboat crews in handling casualties in a complex scenario.

To make the exercise as realistic as possible, those involved in the operation were not told of the nature of the emergency, only that they would involve casualties and injuries.

During the exercise, the scenario was revealed. Crews rescued 'injured' survivors from four yachts and one spectator boat which were all experiencing serious difficulties in close proximity to one another.

Within minutes of the lifeboats reaching the scene, the exercise was complicated by a message that three climbers had 'fallen from cliffs' at Ballard Down near Swanage and needed urgent assistance.

Progress was closely monitored by members of the RNLI's medical and survival committee, made up of eminent doctors, surgeons and survival experts.

After the exercise, all involved declared themselves impressed with the way in which crews.

Coastguard and helicopters managed the situation.

Cross returned to "rightful owners' The St John's Cross of lona has been welcomed back to the Tobermory lifeboat after an absence of some 44 years.

At one time, the St John's Cross, presented to the Tobermory Watson class lifeboat Sir Arthur Rose in 1940 by the Reverend George MacLeod, later Lord MacLeod of Fuinary. was carried on all service launches.

But when the station closed in 1947 and Sir Arthur Rose was transferred to Mallaig. the cross went with her to be carried on board subsequent Mallaig lifeboats.

Now that the station at Tobermory has re-opened, the Mallaigcrew under the leadership of coxswain Tommy Ralston felt it would be a fitting tribute to return the cross to its 'rightful owners'.

Interrupting her recent passage from the Clyde to her home port, the Mallaig lifeboat Davina and Charles Mali/lews Hunter called on Tobermory station. In a ceremony that look place on 26 May 1991. Mr Ralston handed over a replica of the cross to Tobermory coxswain David McKie. so that the St John's Cross of lona will once more be carried aboard Tobennory lifeboats.

Lord MacLeod sadly passed away recently at the age of 94.

Cover reviewed Following the recent allocation of new all-weather fast lifeboats toMoelfre(an 18-knotTyne class) and Llandudno (a 17-knot Mersey class) offshore cover for the Beaumaris area is now amply provided by these flank stations.

As a result a review of lifeboat cover on the north Wales coast concluded that the station should continue to operate a 29-knot Atlantic 21 rigid inflatable but that the Watson class all-weather lifeboat should be withdrawn.

The lifeboat, which had answered an average of 2.6 calls a year since 1986, left Beaumaris in July and the all-weather lifeboat house and slipway will now be demolished in compliance with the lease held by the RNLI.

Due on station A new 12m Mersey class lifeboat has been allocated to Aldeburgh, Suffolk. She is due on station in 1993.

The new carriage-launched lifeboat will have a speed of just over 16 knots, double the speed of James Cable, the 37ft Rother class lifeboat which she will replace and which is named after Aldeburgh's most famous coxswain who served for 30 years from 1888-1917.

Aldeburgh has been the home to 12 all-weather lifeboats, and since 1977 a D class inshore lifeboat has also been operated from the station. The lifeboats have launched a total of 494 times and saved 580 lives. In 1974. the station was awarded the RNLI's 15()th Anniversary Vellum.

Designs on the future The RNLI's technical department is looking to the future with a sixmonth trial of a sophisticated Computer Aided Design (CAD) system.

A decision whethertocontinue with CAD will be taken in November, but in the meantime two of the technical staff - from hull and machinery specialisations - have been trained to operate the equipment and are evaluating its usefulness to the RNLI.

The CAD system is being used for two-dimensional drafting and three-dimensional solid modelling and is capable of outputting the results to a large plotter.

If the trials are considered successful CAD could eventually be used for all drawings, including lines plans, hull fit-out, electrical and machinery installations.

A right royal treat Some 40 lifeboatmen, station personnel and RNLI staff attended a royal garden party held on Thursday 11 July 1991 at Buckingham Palace in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen.

The honoured guests, accompanied by their wives and daughters, were chosen to attend the garden party in recognition ot'their long and devoted service to the lifeboats.

During the course of the afternoon, the RNLI contingent was introduced to HRH The Duke of Kent, who has been president of the Institution since 1969.

Amongst those in attendance at the royal party were: DerekPegden (secondcoxswain and assistant mechanic.

Ramsgate). Denis Brophy (former coxswain, Walmer), Martin Helmer (crew member, Southwold). Brian Green (coxswain mechanic, Pwllheli), John Frost (crew member, West Mersea). Donald Archer-Jones (second coxswain, Rhyl), Robert McMullan (coxswain, Portrush), Martin Woodward (deputy coxswain, Bembridge), William Richardson (coxswain.

Dungeness) and Robin Sunley (assistant mechanic, Flamborough).

Double take Guernsey's lifeboat the Sir William Arnold has a double - except that it's just one eighth the size of the real thing.

After 1.500 hours and 18 months of patient and painstaking work in his spare time, modeller Neil Cohu proudly launched his scaled down version of the lifeboat alongside the real thing.

The miniature Sir Wi/Iiani Arnold is 6ft long, has a beam of 26in and is powered by two starter motors. She cost Mr Cohu more than £500 to construct, working from original measurements and photographs.

Throughout his project, however, he says he was given ample advice from the crew of the fullsize boat, who naturally followed the project with keen interest.

Caister tragedy It is with great regret that we report the death ot'Roland (' Bennie') Read of the Caister Volunteer Rescue Service, who died as a result of a tragic accident while alerting the crew of Caister's independent lifeboat on 1 September 1991.

He had joined the lifeboat crew in 195? and was awarded the RNLI's Bronze medal for gallantry in 1963.

When the Institution withdrew its lifeboat from Caister in 1969 Mr Read was prominent in establishing the Caister Volunteer Rescue Service and was appointed its coxswain in 1981. He later received the RNLI's Thanks on Vellum for his part in a service in 1986.

The RNLI and its Director were represented at the funeral on 10 September by staff officer Harry Teare. with Tim Harrison, the deputy divisional inspector of lifeboats for the region and members of all local lifeboat stations also attendina.

Lobbying Pays Off At the 24 June meeting of the EC Council of Finance Ministers (whose UK member is The Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Mr Lamont), it was agreed that member states' existing arrangements for zero rating, including those currently applied for the benefit of charities, may be retained for a transitional period to December 1996.

Thus the RNLI's £3.5 million of zero rating benefit each year is safe for the time being. Nevertheless, it will be essential for the RNLI to keep a close watch on developments, since there may be pressure from some EC countries for charity zero rating arrangements to be abolished after 1996.

There is no doubt that vigorous lobbying by UK charities helped stiffen the Government's resolve in the Brussels negotiations. The RNLI was at the forefront of the lobbying; Customs and Excise headquarters in London told Ewan Davidson, head of finance, that they had to draft over 1,000 replies for Ministers and MPs to send to RNLI supporters!.