Some ways of filling the coffers… Society pledge In 1990, the Bristol and West Building Society ran a vendor guarantee scheme whereby £100 was pledged to charity for every case proved where the society failed to meet certain standards. For giving their seal of approval, the RNLI was one of three charities to receive £5,000.

Last September, John Stalker, who had agreed to adjudicate in any particular dispute, presented the second instalment of £2,500 to Andrew Young, regional organiser for the south west.

Cheers! In the five days leading up to August bank holiday weekend, members of Peterborough branch visited the Campaign for Real Ale Festival and collected £1,208.

Not only was this a record for the branch but a record 12,500 people consumed 28,800 pints of real ale over the five days.

The Peterborough branch of CAMRA has adopted the RNLI as its only charity, raising £2,408 over the last three years. Malcolm Smith, chairman of the branch, says, 'I can't think of a much better way of spending my free time than enjoying a good pint of real ale in very pleasant company, at the same time raising money for the lifeboats!' Walk this way Pensioner Norman Coates of Harrogate celebrated his 79th birthday last September by walking the 55-mile Nidderdale Way in three days to raise over £2,500 in sponsorship.

Proceeds from the walk have gone to the Jason Logg Memorial Fund, which has been set up in Harrogate to fund a lifeboat in memory of 19-year-old Jason Logg who was lost at sea off Flamborough Head in February 1991.

A boxful of dollars Box collections are an excellent form of collecting and Wokingham branch has extended its reach with the latest placement.

John Linneman, chairman of John Linneman Associates of San Francisco, has been a governor of Shoreline for many years and was recently persuaded to have a collecting box in his office. After only a few months, just over $82 had been collected and a second box has now been requested for the company office in Hertford, Connecticut.

Does any other branch or guild claim San Francisco or Hertford as theirs? Save those stamps! Although the Green Shield stamps company has ceased trading, the RNLI still has a means of redeeming your saved stamps.

The Institution will be grateful to receive any sent to Central Fund Raising, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1HZ.

Filthy lucre! One day last summer, a large van belonging to the police diving team drew up at the garden gate of a small house in Leybourne, Kent and unloaded a large quantity of dirty, wet coins. What was going on? In the early 1980s, the local Chimneys Steak House had been converted from an old rectory. Its ancient well, fed by a local stream, was incorporated into one of the bars.

Money thrown into the well by patrons is donated to the East Mailing and District branch, but because of its depth the coins can only be recovered by divers.

Fortunately, the branch can call on the services of the police diving team, who last emptied the well in 1986.

On this latest occasion, the restaurant was closed for business as the diving team arrived with all their equipment to clear the well.

The operation complete, the money was delivered to branch secretary Miss Gladys Haynes, her house being the nearest! All the money was tipped into a wheelbarrow, but as the coins soon piled up, the barrow became much too heavy to be moved.

Twocommittee members arrived with their buckets, which were soon filled with the filthy lucre! Then started the long job of sieving the coins to remove grit and broken glass and washing them. The money was then bagged up for the bank, the final sum being £734.28. Coins are also thrown into a man-made waterfall in the restaurant, and since 1986. Chimneys Steak House has donated over £1,290 to the East Mailing and District branch.

Children's club Christ Church Cockfosters held a week-long holiday club in August for children aged 5- 11 and the RNLI was adopted as its charity.

Sue Clifton, area organiser for North London, provided films and videos for the children and families to watch, as well as a model lifeboatman and an inshore lifeboat.

About 130 children attended the club and sampled activities like dance, drama, cooking and artwork. Great fun was had by all and £200 was collected for lifeboat funds.

Feline funds Thirty-nine ears alter his first visit to ()u I harrow when he helped crew the lifeboat on a rescue mission. Orlando - a marmalade cat - has returned to raise funds for the local ladies' guild.

'Owlharrow' is actually Aldeburgh in Suffolk and is used by Kathleen Hale, creator of the Orlando books, as the fictional seaside town in 'Orlando, a Seaside Holiday'.

Last year, publishers Frederick Warne and the Aldeburgh Bookshop re-launched the book with the help of (he Aldeburgh lifeboat crew and a local volunteer whodressed up in a large Orlando cat skin.

Afterwards, the bookshop suggested that posters advertising the book be sold in aid of the Aldeburgh lifeboat. Deborah Hooper, publ icily officer for Frederick Warne, agreed.

More than £1(X) has been collected so far and Michael Catierick. joint owner of the bookshop, presented Clare Foss. chairman of Aldeburgh and District ladies' guild, with a cheque at the annual street fair held in aid of the RNLI last August. The street fair raised over £2,000.

Young fund raisers Master Alan Clark, aged 7, from Stockport in Cheshire, w as so thrilled to attend the naming ceremony of the Storm Force train in Poole last April and the Storm Force Rally in Liverpool, that he decided to raise funds for the Institution.

A chocolate morning w as held at his home - lots of yummy chocolate cakes, biscuits and bars were sold, a chocolate bring-and-buy, a chocolate raffle and a 'guess which lifeboat holds the treasure' competition. According to Alan, everyone enjoyed themselves, 'even Mummy who had fun baking lots of cakes and licking the bowl afterwards!' £52.30 was realised and presented to Bredbury branch.

Seven other young RNLI supporters organised a sale of their old toys and raised a grand total of £21 for Whitburn ladies' guild. The youngsters were Angela and Faye Stephenson.

aged 6 and 4. Philip and Stuart Lincoln, ageil 6 and 4. and Ben. Sam and Claire Middleton.

aged 9. 7 and 3.

Bank holiday fun Five years ago the residents' committee at Burton Constable Caravan Park. Sproatley.

decided to devote the proceeds of a fund raising August bank holiday tocharity. As the park is near the coast, the RNLI was the natural choice.

The amount raised from what has become an annual event of raffles, games, stalls and competitions has increased each year, from £90 in 1987 to £1.(XX) in 1991.

The results of the hard-earned efforts were donated to the lifeboat station at Spurn Head, a popular visiting area for residents and tourers alike from the camp site.

A minor miracle! A 1956 Morris Minor, driven by its owner Harry Sharp from South Molton. north Devon, travelled nearly 3.000 miles visiting 115 lifeboat stations in eleven days.

The sponsored drive raised a total of £ 1.2(X).

which Mr Sharp handed over to Mr Tony Bellamy, area organiser for the south west, in a short presentation that took place in front of the Ilfracombe lifeboat.

Terror firma The Moat House Hotel. Plymouth was the scene of much excitement on 22 June as 16 special constables from Solihull. Birmingham prepared for a 160ft daredevil leap by death slide to terra firma.

Hotel staff were also 'persuaded' to join in the fun and. happily, all those participating survived the jump.

However, John Adams, a member of the hotel's staff, summed it up for many w hen he declared, 'Never again, that's all 1 can say. At least I now know what 'adrenalin' means!' In brief...In brief...In brief...In brief...In brief...In brief...In brief.

FOR THE second year running. Backw ell and District branch held its ( ,M in Cherbourg and raised over £360. Some members sailed across in the branch chairman's boat and those that travelled on a P&O ferry sold Volvo draw tickets to passengers and crew. Captain Clarke, master of the ferrv, kindlv described the work of the lifeboat service to passengers.

CLAPHAM. Battersea & Wandsworth branch celebrated its tenth birthday last September.

Ann Wilkins. regional organiser for Greater London, showed two films on the lifeboat service, and the 70 Shoreline members present greatly enjoyed a slice of a magnificent cake in the shape of the RNLI flag.

Over £ ISO-worth of souvenirs was sold and over £60 collected in donations. Since 1981 the branch annual income has increased from £2.000 to over £11.(XX).

BARKING & Dagenham branch report they have received over £500 in just over12 months from the permanent collecting box in the local British Legion Fishing Club.

AT A MEETING of the executive committee of the City of London branch, Richard Clarke handed over cheques to the value of £1.847.88, representing the proceeds of his sponsored London marathon. Branch chairman Richard Charvet accepted the donations in a short presentation outside London's Guildhall.

Making a meal of it One of the tasks set for Rotaract members in their annual 'Rotaractin Action Week' (RAW) was to stage a meal in an unusual location, but with a nautical theme. The aim of RAW is to promote club activities, at the same time raising money for charity, this year the RNLI.

The Tonbridge branch racked their brains and came up with the idea of contacting the Imperial War Museum at Duxford Airfield, Cambridge to ask for their help. Frank Cosby at Duxford wrote back immediately, offering dinner for two aboard the Jesse Lumb, former lifeboat of Bembridge and the relief fleet.

Soon afterwards, in candlelight and full evening dress, the eleven Rotaract members took it in turns to eat their three-course meal - in twos and threes because of the limited space! Amanda Mark, community services committee chairman for the Tonbridge club, says, 'Apart from feeling numb with cold, we all enjoyed ourselves tremendously.' The club expects to raise nearly £210 for the RNLI from the meal challenge and are wondering just what is in store for them next year! Christmas cheer Christmas morning in 1990, when all good children were tucked up in bed dreaming of Santa, the lifeboat crew at Angle were on their way to the aid of a stranded tanker in a fierce south westerly gale.

The crew battled to save Thuntank throughout the early hours of Christmas morning, eventually managing to attach a towline aboard the grounded tanker and refloat her on that tide.

Their hard work was rewarded recently with the presentation of a cheque for £25,000. Mr Stephen Dennison, UK director and general manager of Cory Towage, handed over the donation to coxswain Gerald Edwards at the Merchant Navy Club, Milford Haven.

It came with the firm order that the crew should use a little of the money to enjoy themselves and make up for the Christmas they and their families had missed! Bookings taken This year, the Southern Model Lifeboat Society has staged many displays at fund raising events around the south, amongst them Brentford Dock fun day, Brighton lifeboat open day, Swanage gala and a number of model exhibitions. At all these events, the public has shown a great deal of interest in the models, especially when the boats are shown afloat under radio control.

Since the formation of the society in June 1990, the society has supported the appeal for a new Tyne class lifeboat at Shoreham and has already donated kitchen equipment for the crew rooms of the Newhaven and Shoreham boathouses.

The society is now taking bookings for 1992.

If you would like them to attend your event or if you would like to join yourself, then contact Tony Olliff at 2 Elderfield Close, Emsworth, Hants PO10 7QW.

Chelmsford reformed Sarah Halls, area organiser for the east, reports that she has recently reformed the Chelmsford branch after the area has been more than four years without a proper branch.

This new branch held their flag day on 11 October, raising £ 1,207, together with £269 from the sale of souvenirs.

House-to-house collections amounted to £2,575, making a grand total of over £4,000.

Not a bad start! In brief...In brief...In brief.

DURING the last seven years no less than £4,407.98 has been donated to Bognor Regis branch by members of the Pagham Club.

A LIFEBOAT day and barbecue organised by Kelsall branch raised over £500. Held in the gardens of a committee member's house, the event's attractions included two marquees of stalls, a barbecue and a static display of boats which included a fire-fighting inflatable, a steam launch, dinghies and sailboards, all lent by their owners for the occasion. Since its formation in 1989 the branch has raised over £4,300.

THE WEATHER was perfect, people came by the hundreds and over £2,800 was raised at Cullercoats Harbour Day organised by the crew of the lifeboat station and the committee of the Cullercoats & Whitley Bay ladies' guild. Simon Willis from the BBC programme 'Look North' opened proceedings and took part in the boat race.

THE ERITH AND CRAYFORD branch have good reason to be very grateful to the licensees and patrons of The Victoria public house in Upper Belvedere, Kent. Licensees Del and Joyce Morgan organised a fun day in May codenamed 'nonathlon', a series of nine individual sporting events undertaken by their patrons, which raised a splendid £2,085.

During the day, Mr Eamon Kelly volunteered to have his head shaved, and in a separate event, Mr Martin Botley ran the London Marathon, raising £300.

A CHARITY band concert evening was held by Mr and Mrs Norman Jesty, owners of The Old Vicarage Hotel in Highcliffe, Dorset. A buffet followed the concert, which was given by the Regimental Band of the Royal Hampshire Regiment, and the enjoyable evening realised £423 for the Highcliffe branch.

A LIFEBOAT dance organised by the crew of Whitby lifeboat raised £4,049 for Whitby branch. The Glenn Miller Orchestra was booked for the occasion, over 700 tickets were sold and the evening was a huge success.

RAME PENINSULA branch has enjoyed another excellent year, passing some £2,000 to Headquarters in the last quarter. A fine concert given by the Torpoint Lady Singers raised £88, and a raffle on the Tamar boat cruise to Weir Head in August resulted in another £80. In addition, the Raleigh Sea Angling Club's 'Fish-in" raised the further magnificent sum of £800.

A CYCLE trip from John O'Groats to Lands End, covering over 1,000 miles in eleven days, raised £707. The man with the sore derriere is Mike Edwards of Highcliffe, who completed the journey without back-up and who was welcomed at his destination by the coxswain of the Sennen Cove lifeboat.

Swimsafe More than £500 was raised for Swimsafe UK when RNLI personnel from New Brighton lifeboat station, members of Wirral Beach Patrol Service and the local lifesaving club took part in a sponsored swim.

Mike Jones, one of New Brighton's helmsmen, swam seven miles in the River Mersey, the equivalent distance of a swim from Hoylake's to New Brighton's lifeboat station.

Safety cover was provided by the beach patrol service and, of course, HM Coastguard.

A further £120 was raised by Year 9 pupils at Sprowston High School, Norwich who participated in a sponsored swim. Keith Home, treasurer of the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston branch gave a short talk prior to receiving a cheque from 13-year-old Tim Clarke.

Cruising club raises £350 The Sailing Section of the Middle Nene Cruising Club, based at the former gravel pits at Thrapston, Kettering, has raised £350 for the lifeboat service. The money was raised by club members who took part in a two-day sailing regatta earlier this year.

A cheque for the sum was presented to Mel Smith of Oundle branch on 3 August aboard a traditional gaff-rigged Broads sailing yacht.

Shopped! Before setting out on their gruelling three-week circumnavigation of the United Kingdom's mainland lifeboat stations, the MoD police team from Copenacre Royal Naval Depot in Wiltshire put their Ford Escort car, provided by local main dealer Hewitt's and news of their exploits on show for the day to the public.

The venue was Chippenham's Emery Gate shopping centre and the police team sold raffle tickets throughout in support of the police appeal to fund a Mersey class lifeboat.

Supporting their efforts was a souvenir and gift stall run by Mrs Pam Ellis, Chippenham branch souvenir secretary and Mrs Angela Virr, together with an exhibition of model lifeboats provided by Mr Vic Cole of Faringdon, who regularly supports Chippenham flag day.

1991 Volvo winners A grand total of £325,193.64 has been raised so far from the 1991 promotion in conjunction with Volvo Concessionaires Ltd.

Five Volvo 460DL cars were offered as prizes in raffles throughout various fund raising regions.

The prizewinners and amounts raised in the regions are as follows: South West and Greater London combined to raise £85,814.75 and £7,990.50 respectively (total £93,805.25). The winner was Mrs C. Keith of Plympton, Plymouth.

North East and East together raised a total of £50,927; the winner was Mr G. Potter of Wygate in Lincolnshire.

Wales and Central England regions raised£35,053 and £11,567 respectively (total £46,620). Winner: Mr J. Paterson of Norwich.

South and South East regions raised £63,068 and £12,403 respectively (total £75,471), and the winner was Mr J. Young, of west Sussex.

Scotland and North West raised £48,851.45 and £9,518.94 respectively (total £58,370.39). The winner was Mrs Smith of Troon.

Pictured below are Mr Andrew Cubie ws, member of the Institution's fund raising committee, and Mr Hugh Reid, Scottish dealer development manager, Volvo Concessionaires Ltd, with the winning ticket for the Scotland/North West draw which took place on 27 September at the Edinburgh Sheraton Hotel.

A voyage in our time The tragic story of the ill-fated liner RMS Titanic was re-examined in a special presentation entitled 'RMS Titanic - A Voyage In Our Time' by George Connor at the Royal Geographical Society, London SW7 on 19 September. Mr Connor is a Fellow of the Institute of Marine Engineers, served an apprenticeship at Harland and Wolff in Belfast where the Titanic was built and is acknowledged as an expert in his field.

Following an official reception in the Society's Map Room, the 100 guests, including Mr Michael Vernon, chairman of the RNLI, proceeded to the lecture theatre for the highly visual presentation.

Using slides and film, Mr Connor sifted fact from fiction, examining the tales of premonition, coincidence and psychic phenomena which reputedly foretold the vessel's demise.

The event was organised by the American branch of the RNLI, which was formed during bicentennial celebrations of American Independence in 1976 when US citizens in the UK set about raising funds for the RNLI.

Approximately £500 was raised.

The Fund Raisers The final date for copy to appear in this section of the Spring 1992 issue of The Lifeboat is 2 March 1992.