Newspoint Ten years after the capsize of the Salcombe lifeboat the double capsize of Hartlepool's Waveney class lifeboat in February 1993 brings home once again that the sea is a harsh mistress, and that those who venture out-particularly in conditions which have driven almost every other boat to shelter - face risks which are very real indeed.

The very fact that The Scout righted herself not once, but twice after being capsized by giant breaking seas proves beyond doubt that the vast effort expended by the Institution in providing the very best of equipment for the volunteer crews is effort well spent.

The RNLI has recently announced two new classes of lifeboat - described elsewhere in this issue-which will cost more than £1m each. Can anyone question the cost of a lifeboat when they can face, and survive, the conditions experienced at Hartlepool? Lifeboatmen's equipment is as good as modern technology can provide, and to hear comments by crew member Robbie Maiden on the effectiveness of his clothing and training after spending 35 minutes in an icy North Sea in darkness and snow squalls is also proof enough that no corners can ever be cut in the lifeboat service.

However, it is the men and women themselves who make the RNLI what it is, no matter how good their equipment. Volunteers willing to face any weather at any time. Men who will put to sea in a 44ft boat in weather whose fury has driven a 97,000 ton tanker ashore, men who can take two capsizes in their stride and who can then joke after being snatched by helicopter from icy waters.

They all deserve our admiration - and total, unequivocal support.Top Award for RNLI crewThe rescue of six survivors from a yacht in atrocious weather conditions last August won St Peter Port lifeboat coxswain Peter Bisson the RNLI's Silver Medal and resulted in the eight crew members of the Arun class lifeboat receiving the Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum.

Their achievements were also recognised outside the Institution when the entire crew were awarded the 1992 National Rescue Award at the Silk Cut National Awards on 24 November 1992.

Coxswain Bisson and three crew members represented the entire crew at a presentation lunch at the Dorchester Hotel, London. Before being pre-sented with the prestigeous award by General Sir Peter de la Billiere, the British Gulf War Commander, they heard the nomination summed up withthe words'.. .the coolness, skill and bravery shown by everybody on the lifeboat that night was extremely impressive.' The Silk Cut Nautical Awards were judged by a distinguished panel headed by round-the-world yachtsman Chay Blyth and including an RNLI representative, Alan Tate, superintendent of the Institution's Inshore Lifeboat Centre at Cowes.

The service leading to the award and to the Silver Medal and Vellums was reported in detail in the Winter 1992/93 issue of THE LIFEBOAT.Name for first TrentName for first The prototype of the new Trent class fast afloat lifeboat is to be named RNLB Earl and Countess Mountbatten oj"Burma at a ceremony to be held later this year. The lifeboat will form part of the relief fleet, although it is likely that her first duty will be as a temporary station lifeboat.

The name has been chosen to fulfil an obligation to name a lifeboat in honour of Earl and Countesss Mountbatten following an appeal launched in 1979 which was originally intended to fund a new, large class of rigid inflatable.

The 1979 appeal to fund the first of the Medina class - a 40ft rigid inflatable - had been launched only a few days before Lord Louis Mountbatten's murder and succeeded in raising almost £240,000, enough for two boats.

It was proposed that the first and second boats be named Mountbatten of Burma and Countess Mountbatten of Burma but, after eight years of development it was decided that the design would not meet the rigorous requirements of the RNLI and that work should cease on the project.It was decided however that the money from the appeal should be linked with the name Mountbatten.

The first of a new generation of fast lifeboat - the original concept of the Medina - has provided an ideal opportunity to honour the Mountbatten name.Open days 1993 The bi-annual Open Days at the RNLI's Poole headquarters and depot are scheduled for Friday and Saturday 23 and 24 July 1993. The Open Days begin at 1000 and run until 1800 on both Friday and Saturday and will feature many events and demonstrations for young and old.

Among the attractions planned for this year is one of the prototype Severn or Trent class lifeboats, described elsewhere in this issue, and members of the Salcombe lifeboat crew fresh from their appearance on the television series 'Lifeboat' on the ITV network.

Capsize drills for Atlantic and D class lifeboats, helicopter transfers and the chance to tour depot and headquarters sites are all part of what is always a wellattended and interesting day out.

There will be more details in the Summer issue of THE LIFEBOAT, but make sure to note the dates in your diary now! Please note that the Open Days area week earlier than usual due to tidal considerations off the depot quay.Jolly Good Show! For the first time the RNLI was able to display a modern all-weather lifeboat at the London Boat Show in January complete with slipway and boathouse.

The slipway and boathouse were, of course, wooden replicas in the best boat show tradition, but the Tyne class herself was real enough, and benefited from being shown in a more realistic setting.

The design of the stand enabled visitors to go aboard the lifeboat, resulting in considerable interest and enthusiasm - plus an endless stream of questions for the tireless lifeboat crews from Selsey, Lowestoft Cromer and Shoreham who manned her in rotation.

Although attendance at the show was down by around 11% the RNLI's receipts were only 6% down at some £52,000. The Chelsea pensioners bucked the trend by increasing their contribution - with visitors dropping more than £9,820 into their collecting boxes.

National Boat Shows contributed the stand space - the largest the RNLI has ever had - and Volvo once again made generous contributions to the cost of building the stand. Volvo also bought a day's use of the central pool area - a new facility this year - which provided the Institution with a splendid platform to stage a special and very successful 'in-show flag day'. With the unstinting help of members from several London branches the flag day added some £3,500 to the Institution's total takings.

As usual the show provided a high profile opportunity to accept several large cheques from corporate donors, among them more than £95,000 from the Royal Bank of Scotland - the proceeds of the affinity credit card for the year.

The RNLI's annual Public Relations Awards were also made on the central display to recognise invaluable support in publicising the work of the Institution.

This year's awards went to BBC South Today and artist Tim Thompson.

South Today broadcast a nightly, weeklong series of films in their news programme following the progress of the new Swanage Mersey class through construction, trials, training and arrival on station. The series concluded with a live broadcast from Swanage when the lifeboat was launched to begin her official term of service.

Tim Thompson, a marine artist of international repute, painted 30 gold medal rescue scenes to illustrate the book 'RNLI Gold Medal Rescues'. He spent two years researching and producing the paintings for the book which has so far produced £4,000 in advance royalties.Lifeboats on television A major six-part series on the Salcombe lifeboat is due to be broadcast on the ITV network starting on Wednesday 28 April 1993.

The 30-minute programmes, filmed by Central TV, will be shown at 7pm each Wednesday - a 'slot' which should guarantee massive public exposure for the RNLI and its work.

VAT SOS The RNLI launched an appeal to the Chancellor of the Exchequer just before Christmas 1992 to free it of an annual £750,000 VAT bill in this year's budget.

The Institution asked all its lifeboat stations, fundraising branches and members to write to their MPs and the Chancellor asking for their support in promoting a scheme under which VAT paid by charities is refunded by the government.

The argument put forward by the Institution is that vital services funded by local and central government already receive a full VAT rebate, and that charities, such as the RNLI, which provide other equally vital services should not have to pay a tax to the government in order to carry out their work.

The appeal resulted in a large number of letters to MPs and the Chancellor in addition to wide coverage in the media. Many newspapers and local television stations extended the appeal to a broader audience, although as this issue goes to press before the 1993 budget there is no news as to the final success of the campaign..