Several aspects of the Chairman's address at the Annual General Meeting - reported elsewhere in this issue - are more closely linked than might appear at first sight.

The Chairman referred both to the ever-increasing numberof lifeboat launches - and 1992 was another record year - and later to the planned appointment of a Sea Safety Officer, to liaise yet more closely with other sea-safety organisations.

The Institution's charter charges it with preserving life from disaster at sea, and it has traditionally done this by providing a first-rate rescue service. However Drevention may be better than cure and the wealth of experience gathered by the RNLI over many years can, and indeed should, be used to help prepare those who may find themselves in difficulty.

There is in fact a precedent for this. Many years ago the Institution provided barometers at lifeboat stations in order that fishermen could make informed !udgement on the weather n pre-weather forecast days and also carried advice in early issues of THE JFEBOAT.

Now, with such vastly ncreased use of the water, s a good time to renew that safety message.

An experienced ex-lifeboat inspector will be takng up the post of Sea Safety Officer at the beginning of next year and he RNLI will work even more closely with the coastguard, the Royal Yachting Association, the Royal Life Saving Society, ishermen's organisations and many others to reinorce the preventative message.Continuing their lifesaving workIn Estonia...

A former RNLI lifeboat, previously stationed at Port Erin on the Isle of Man, is continuing her lifesaving work in the former Soviet state of Estonia.

The Rother class Osman Gabriel left the Institution's Poole depot by road on 11 March 1993 for Felixstowe where she was loaded aboard a ship bound for Estonia.

The Estonian Lifeboat Service, Eesti Vetelpaasteuhingu, already operates five rescue cruisers and was anxious to add to the fleet. Funding was, inevitably, very difficult and so the Estonian service approached the British Embassy in Tallin for assistance.

As a result the Foreign Office agreed to the ambassador's recommendations and funds were made available to buy the former lifeboat from the RNLI.

Osman Gabriel arrived safely and on 18 March was officially handed over in a ceremony at Tallin. Ambassador Brian Low presented the lifeboat to Estonian officials. His wife, Mrs Anita Low broke the traditional bottle of champagne to re-name the 37ftRother Anita, which is now stationed at Haapsalu, a small town on the western coast of Estonia. The location was chosen to allow her to cover a large area of the west coast and because there is a VHP radio station nearby, donated by the USA.

• Osman Gabriel is one of 37ft Rother class lifeboats built between 1972 and 1982. She took up station duties at Port Erin in 1973 and was withdrawn from service in June 1992.

...in New Zealand Peter Puddiphatt took the opportunity of visiting the ex- Sennen Cove lifeboat Diana White, on which he served as a crew member, during a recent visit to New Zealand. The lifeboat, now named Joseph Day, is based at Sumner and went to New Zealand in June 1992.

Peter presented her new coxswain Walter Baguley, with a signed photograph of the lifeboat launching from Sennen Cove's slipway.

...in Dundee An ex-RNLI inflatable Y boat (as carried aboard Arun class lifeboats) has been bought for use at Dundee's Discovery Quay, which houses Captain Scott's Discovery, as a safety and maintenance boat. The Master of Discovery, Hugh Scott, was second coxswain on Broughty Ferry lifeboat for some 25 years said that the lift inflatable 'would be a valuable asset.' More stations The RNLI's executive committee has recommended that further consideration be given to the establishment of two additional lifeboat stations.

The first, at Kilrush in Co. Clare is to be considered for an Atlantic 21 or 75 and the second at Fenit in Co. Kerry for the reestablishment of an allweather lifeboat.

Preliminary work on the establishment of the stations is already in hand.Beach safety consultation One example of the safety-orientated co-operation in which the RNLI is becoming more involved - see Newspoint this page - is a booklet recently published by the RLSS and RoSPA. Entitled 'Safety on British Beaches' the booklet is intended as a guide for those responsible for beach operations and covers a wide variety of subjects from legal considerations to risk assessment.

The RNLI was consulted and given the opportunity to comment on the booklet before publication, and endorses both concept and content.Don't forget! Open Days The RNLI headquarters Open Days are on Friday and Saturday, 23 and 24 July 1993, from 1000 to 1800 each day.

There will be capsize and helicopter winching displays, a prototype 25- knot fast afloat boat on view, guided tours, a visit by the stars of the Salcombe ITV documentary and much, much more.

Entry is free - although donations are always welcome - and limited free parking is available. Contact the Public Relations department at Poole headquarters for more details.Operational and Fundraising Changes...

Operational Divisions A phased reorganisation of the Institution's Operational and Technical Divisions was completed on 1 June 1993, with the intention of having, as far as possible, one team of Operational and Technical staff for each of the new divisions. Previously the boundaries differed, so that one Operational Division may have had more than one Technical Division within its boundaries.

The new Operational Divisions are: Scotland Division - all stations on the mainland and islands from Portpatrick northwards on the west coast and from Eyemouth northwards on the east coast.

North Division - all stations from Berwick-upon-Tweed southwards to Cleethorpes on the east coast and from Kircudbright southward to Lytham St Annes on the west coast.

East Division - all stations southward from Mablethorpe and eastwards along the channel coast to Littlehampton.

South Division - All stations eastward from Selsey and up the Bristol Channel to Ilfracombe (including the Channel Islands and Scilly Islands).

West Division - all stations on the Bristol Channel and west coast from Minehead to New Brighton.

Ireland Division- all stations in Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and the Isle of Man.

Fundraising Regions With effect from 1 September 1993 the number of the Institution's separate Fundraising Regions will be reduced from 12 to 10 with the closure of the Central and Southern regional offices.

Branches and guilds in these regions will be transferred to adjacent regions, although all Area Organisers will be moving with 'their' branches to ensure continuity.

A list of the branches and guilds affected will be published in the Autumn issue of THE LIFEBOAT.

On the same day the former Welsh region will be re-named Wales and West Mercia Region to reflect its expanded area, which extends beyond the Principality.President catches up with latest eventsThe Institution's President, His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent, visited the RNLI's headquarters on 20 April, fulfilling a promise made in July 1992 when his visit was drastically shortened by mechanical problems with his helicopter.

With more time at his disposal this time His Royal Highness was able to spend some time afloat in both the Trent and Severn class prototype lifeboats and to see the first Atlantic 75 rigid inflatable put through its paces alongside the all-weather lifeboats.

During the time afloat the lifeboats entered Swanage Bay and the Duke was also able to take an unscheduled look at the recent alterations made to the boathouse there to house the station's Mersey class lifeboat.

Returning ashore he toured the fundraising, accounts and data processing departments in the recent extension to the headquarters building.

His Royal Highness took a keen interest in all aspects of the Institution's progress and spent some time talking with staff about new developments and current operations.

• Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent toured seven RNLI lifeboat stations on 7 and 8 April. She visited Newhaven, Brighton, Shoreham, Littlehampton, Selsey, Portsmouth and Hayling Island lifeboat stations in the two-day period, meeting station officials, crew, launchers, shorehelpers and families.A world of difference! Richard Tudor, a crew member of Pwllheli lifeboat, took a rather different view of life at sea - as skipper of Steel Challenge during her eight-month race around the world in the British Steel Challenge.

Although dismasted near Cape Horn Steel Challenge completed the race, and took third place on the final leg.First FAB on station The prototype Trent class lifeboat, to be named Earl and Countess Mountbatten, is to take up temporary station duty at Alderney, Channel Islands later this year.

She will be the first of the new, 25-knot fast afloat lifeboats to take up active service and will be replaced by a new Trent during 1994..