Deeds of Covenant Thanks to the members who signed the deed of covenant in the Autumn 1993 issue of THE LIFEBOAT a total of 998 new covenants were received, resulting in an extra income of £5,600pa. If you missed the opportunity to complete a deed of covenant and believe you are eligible (by paying income tax on salary, pension or the interest from savings), please contact the Membership Services office on Poole (0202) 671133 for further details.

You can increase the amount of money received by the RNLI from your subscription by a third at no cost to yourself.

Recruitment As reported in the Spring issue of the journal, a new gift membership pack has been produced and this is being issued in a pilot scheme through selected branches and guilds selling the packs to new members who join through face-to-face recruitment.

It is hoped that this will develop into a successful way of both recruiting new members and raising funds.

Late February saw an RNLI 'door-drop' take place to recruit new members and donors in selected areas in the south and south west. This is a way of distributing a large scale mailing through the Royal Mail without paying the full cost of postage.

Door-drops are delivered without carrying personalised addresses, thus reducing costs. This is proving to be a very costeffective way of recruiting new supporters, but will occasionally result in an existing member receiving one, as addresses cannot be excluded under this scheme. If you have had one delivered please accept our apologies, but we hope that you will pass it on to a friend who may want to become a supporter.

In this issue you will find a leaflet promoting membership - again, through experience we have found this a cost effective way to recruit, so please... pass it on! Subscription Rates A small subscription increase is planned from 1 September 1994 to allow us to maintain the value of members' and governors' subscriptions and keep pace with inflation.

The new rates allow for THE LIFEBOAT to continue as a 'standard benefit' of the membership scheme. Please accept the RNLI's thanks for your continued and valued membership.

The new minimum membership rates, which will be reflected in membership renewals due from September 1994, are: Shoreline Joint Shoreline Annual Governor Life Governor Storm Force Group Storm Force (minimum 10 members) to 31/8/94 from 1/9/94 £9 pa £10 pa £15 pa £17 pa £30 pa £33 pa £500 no change (once only payment) £3 pa no change £1 pa no change (£1 per group member)Help build a 'payroll-giving' scheme in your workplace The RNLI is asking for your help in building a 'payroll-giving' scheme in your workplace. Payroll-giving is an easy and efficient way to help the RNLI, getting your colleagues involved in fundraising and providing the Institution with a regular source of income.

If you are in full-time employment you may already know of, and take part in, payroll-giving or 'Give As You Earn' as it is sometimes called. It is likely, however, that many of your friends and colleagues do not.

This could be for a number of reasons.

Perhaps it is something they have just never got round to doing, or the tax concession part seemed too complicated, or they did not know that the amount could be as little as 50p a week. Perhaps noone has ever asked them! Why do we need your help ? Supporters of the RNLI know and understand the cause of lifeboatmen and women who ask for nothing yet risk everything, so who better to ask to encourage others to share in this appeal? Isn't payroll giving complicated ? It couldn't be simpler, and the RNLI will make it even easier by providing all the support material needed: information packs for your employer and leaflets and posters for your colleagues. Even if your company does not currently run a scheme, we will supply enough information to help them set one up.

What are the tax advantages? When you give money to the RNLI in the normal way it is from money that has already been taxed. If you give through the Give As You Earn scheme, the money is taken from your pay by your employer before it is taxed. So it's worth more.

Your employer can deduct your donation - between 50p per week and £75 a month - from your gross salary. So for every pound donated, you pay 75p and the taxman effectively pays the other 25p, assuming basic rate tax.

It is one of the most efficient ways of giving, allowing donors to give month by month without involving the Institution in any additional expenditure.

What difference can a monthly donation make ? Every month, our voluntary crews are called upon over 400 times. In one year, a regular monthly donation of: • £5 would enable us to buy one pair of protective trousers for a crew member or five pairs of boots.

• £10 a month would provide enough throwing lines and seat-belts to equip one all-weather lifeboat • £15 a month would equip a crew member with a vital lifejacket.

• £30 a month would provide full protective clothing for a crew member.

Five reasons to give as you earn 1. Your RNLI donations are deducted from your pay before tax is calculated.

For every £1 you give to the RNLI, there is a tax saving of at least 25p.

2. The difference in your pay may be small, but your donation will make an enormous difference to the RNLI.

Regular contributions are exactly what we need. Itcostssome£4.6mamontf7, to build, maintain and run our boats and equipment.

3. Payroll giving is a very easy way to help the RNLI on a regular basis. The only form-filling is the application form.

4. Even the most modest regular donations help. Because they are regular, we can budget more confidently and plan more efficiently 5. Above all, it gives you and your company the chance to play an active part in a worthwhile cause, which saves lives at sea.

If your company is not already registered to offer payroll-giving or if you want to take part, the RNLI can send you everything you need.

Contact Audrey MacKenzie, Fundraising Department, RNLI, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1 HZ.

206 • Please note that payroll donations cannot be used to pay membership subscriptions.