The weather forecast promised heavy rain and strong winds - and how accurate it was! The guests assembled at the naming ceremony of the Trent class lifeboat Esme Anderson at Ramsgate on 25 October 1994 braced themselves for all that the storm could muster.

However, at 12.25pm the helicopter carrying the RNLI' s President, HRH The Duke of Kent, circled overhead... and the skies cleared, the rain ceased and the strong winds abated.

The Kent Police Band which had played on throughout smiled a sigh of relief as they struck up the national anthem.

After a few words of welcome from Captain Geoffrey Tully, honorary secretary of Ramsgate lifeboat station, Christopher Oldham, son of the late Esme Anderson, the donor, handed over the boat to the Institution. During a moving speech he said how delighted he was to have a second boat on the south coast bearing the name Anderson.

His stepfather Keith Anderson, after whom the Newhaven Arun is named, and his mother Esme are reunited again through the RNLI which they loved.

His Royal Highness then gave an interesting address on the history and services of the Ramsgate crews and paid tribute to the excellent service given during a recent incident when fire caused concern on a Sally Line cross channel ferry.The chairman, Michael Vernon, accepted the boat on behalf of the Institution and handed her into the care of the station. After breaking the bottle of champagne, HRH The Duke of Kent named the lifeboat Esme Anderson.

The Duke and invited guests were then taken on a short trip by Coxswain Ron Cannon to see the new boat in action.

He was then introduced to the crew. The proceedings concluded with a buffet lunch nearby.

As soon as the Royal party started lunch the ram and wind returned...Criccieth - Atlantic 75 Mercurius Criccieth' s new lifeboat, provided by the investment banking firm S.G.

Warburg and its staff, was named officially at a ceremony at the lifeboat station on 20 August 1994.

Dr E. Tudor Jones, station branch chairman, opened proceedings and Peter Stormonth Darling handed over the lifeboat to the RNLI on behalf of S.G.

Warburg. Lord Stanley of Alderley, a vice president of the Institution, accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the RNLI and following the service of dedication led by the Right Reverend Dr Barry Morgan, Bishop of Bangor, Tysilio Jones, president of Criccieth lifeboat station proposed a vote of thanks and invited Mrs Shirley Valentine to name the lifeboat Mercurius.

LOOC - D class Spirit ofRAOC The Royal Army Ordinance Corps originally raised the £11,000 for Looe's new lifeboat (with a sponsored cycle ride in 1992) but since then the RAOC - together with four other corps - has been disbanded and merged into the Royal Logistics Corps, which decided to raise enough money to buy four more D class lifeboats, to be named after other disbanded corps.

Five members of the RLC cycled into Looe on 20 August 1994 at the end of a gruelling fundraising triathalon - members of the team had run 275 miles from their base in Germany to Cap Gris Nez, swum the Channel, then cycled from Dover to Looe.

The team's arrival had been timed to coincide with the naming ceremony for Looe's D class lifeboat and the cyclists were escorted to the sea front by crew members.

Before the start of the ceremony a cheque for £33,000 (the proceeds of the triathalon) was presented to Hugh Fogarty, divisional inspector of lifeboats south.

Visitors were welcomed to the ceremony by the Mayor of Looe, Sid Gardner and Lieutenant Colonel M.S.

Southworth, RLC, commanding officer of 12 Supply Regiment, handed the lifeboat to the RNLI.

The service of dedication was led by Reverend J.K. Robertshaw, vicar of Talland and Lansallos and following a vote of thanks by John Shearsmith, chairman of Looe branch, Mrs Theresa Southworth named the lifeboat Spirit of RAOC.The handing over ceremony for North Kessock's D class lifeboat took place on 17 September 1994 in front of an enthusiastic crowd of lifeboat supporters, locals and visitors. North Kessock is Scotland's newest lifeboat station and the most northerly D class station in Britain.

A warm welcome was extended to Mr and Mrs Ian Cowie who had travelled from their home in Fife to take part in the ceremony. Mr Cowie, a nephew of the donor, the late Ronald W.J. Wood, handed the lifeboat over to the RNLI and His Grace the Duke of Atholl, convener of the Scottish Lifeboat Council and committee of management mem- ber, accepted Margaret and Fiona Wood, handing her over to Captain J. Fairgrieve, station honorary secretary.

A short service of dedication was then conducted by Reverend F. Renwick and Reverend Dr. W.C. Campbell-Jack.

Following this, Mrs Joyce Cowie was invited to name the D class Margaret and Fiona Wood and the lifeboat was christened, using a silver quaich. Mr and Mrs Cowie were later presented with the quaich which had been specially inscribed to commemorate the occasion.

Refreshments were provided by the ladies of North Kessock branch and the day was rounded off by a lif eboat launch.Port St Mary - D class Frances The service of dedication for the new D class lifeboat Frances took place at Port St Mary lifeboat station on 11 September 1994. Funding for the new boat was met by the generous donation of Miss Rose Dixon.

Mr Ronnie Corrin, chairman of Port St Mary station branch opened proceedings and welcomed everyone to the station.

Andrew Clift, deputy divisional inspector for Ireland division described the lifeboat and its role at the station.

The boat was handed over by Robert Atack, nephew of the donor, who took the opportunity to tell guests a little about his aunt and to explain that the boat is named after her mother. Norman Quillin BEM deputy launching authority and former coxswain accepted the boat on behalf of the station.

The service of dedication was then led by Reverend V. Dawes and was followed by the naming of the lifeboat by Miss Charlotte Atack, grand niece of the donor. Mr Corrin presented photographs of the boat and crew to the Atack family. Both Port St Mary lifeboats, Frances and The Gough Ritchie were then launched for a short demonstration.

Skegness - D class Leicester Fox The naming ceremony for the D class lifeboat Leicester Fox took place on a dry, but very breezy, afternoon on 30 October 1994 at the Skegness lifeboat station.

Leicester Fox was funded by the Leicester branch, which had held almost every fundraising event imaginable to raise the funds for the D class.

The lifeboat was handed over to the RNLI by Derrick Young, chairman of Leicester branch, into the care of Commandant Vonla McBride, a vice president of the committee of management.

Joel Grunnill, station honorary secretary, accepted the lifeboat on behalf of Skegness station and the service of dedication was conducted by the Reverend Simon Moore, assisted by the Reverend John Graham.

Mrs Margaret Smith, chairman of Skegness ladies' guild, proposed a vote of thanks and Basil Major, chairman of Skegness station, invited Mrs Chris Young to name the lifeboat Leicester Fox.

Holidaymakers and guests all gave three rousing cheers as the D class lifeboat was launched and put through her paces.Newquay - dedication of new lifeboat house Newquay's new lifeboat station was dedicated and opened officially on 22 October 1994. Funded by a bequest from Mrs Mary Triniman, the new boathouse is unique in that it is the only one in the country to have a mission church as an annex.

It replaces the old timber building which had housed the Newquay Shelter for Fishermen and Seamen. Before resorting to demolition the RNLI had considered lifting the historic building to an adjacent site but it proved too unstable.

To compensate for the building the Institution agreed to provide a small mission church as an annex to the boathouse.

The old floorboards and furnishings have been reinstated, so part of the history of the former building has been preserved.

Guest of honour at the ceremony was Mrs Barbara Kennedy, the late Mrs Triniman' s niece, and following the service of dedication by branch chaplain, Reverend John Slee, rural dean of Py dar, Mrs Kennedy cut the ribbon and opened the new boathouse.

Port Erin - Atlantic 21 Herbert and Edith Port Erin's new Atlantic 21 lifeboat Herbert and Edith was named on 10 September 1994. Guests were welcomed by John Kewley, president of Port Erin station branch and Andrew Clift, deputy divisional inspector of lifeboats Ireland described the lifeboat, emphasising its superior speed and capability.

The boat was handed over to Clayton Love Jnr, deputy chairman of the RNLI, by Arthur Grimwade, a relative of the late Herbert and Edith Grimwade after whom the boat is named.

Henry Crellin, station honorary secretary accepted the lifeboat on behalf of Port Erin branch and drew the attention of the guests to the excellence of the Port Erin crew. After Mrs Doris Maddrell, president of the ladies' guild had proposed a vote of thanks, a service of dedication was conducted by clergy representing the churches of Port Erin, led by the Reverend G.B. Clayton BA Rural Dean of Castletown Deanery, assisted by The Reverend Father G. Hurst and The Reverend Jennifer Henshall.

Mr Grimwade named the lifeboat Herbert and Edith which then launched for a demonstration.

Later all members of the station and their guests enjoyed tea and refreshments at a local hotel - a happy ending to a special day which had remained sunny and remarkably dry throughout.Relief Fleet - D class Kathleen Scadden A new D class lifeboat was christened at the Poole Depot on 13 September 1994.

The lifeboat, which will serve in the relief fleet, is the second to be funded by a bequest of Miss Jeanne Gibson.

Ray Kipling, deputy director, accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the Institution from Miss Gibson's cousin, Mrs Ann Powell, and following a service of dedication another cousin, Mrs Jennifer Barritt named the lifeboat Kathleen Scadden.- D class Landlubber The RNLI Northern Depot at Thirsk was the venue for the naming ceremony and service of dedication of the D class lifeboat Landlubber on 3 September 1994.

A bright and sunny day greeted the many visitors to this most unusual naming ceremony. The money for the D class had been raised through the Landlubber Appeal, organised by staff at the depot and the Thirsk and district branch, whose tremendous fundraising events during the course of a twelve month period raised the full amount of £11,000 to fund the lifeboat, which will go into service at Sunderland.

Anne Clough, chairman of Thirsk and district branch, welcomed everyone to the Northern Depot and Wing Commander John Middleton, RAF Leeming, handed the lifeboat into the care of the RNLI. Gilbert Gray QC, a member of the Institution's committee of management, accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the RNLI and handed her over to Jerry Finn, station honorary secretary of Sunderland lifeboat.

The service of dedication was conducted by the Reverend David Biles, vicar of the White Horse parishes and rural dean of Mobray. Carol Archer of the Station Hotel, Hurworth, named the lifeboat Landlubber. As the lifeboat was over 70 miles from the sea it was not possible to see her launch and put through her paces, but everyone present gave three rousing cheers as Carol Archer christened the lifeboat with champagne.ceremonies St AgneS - D class Blue Peter IV Umbrellas, wellies and macs were the order of the day for the St Agnes naming ceremony on 24 September 1994. The bunting sagged sadly and St Agnes Silver Band had to be accommodated inside the lifeboat house - being heard but not seen! In true lifeboat tradition however, the spirits of all present overcame the gloom and precisely ten minutes before noon and the start of the ceremony the rain stopped, the clouds lifted and the bunting now blew jauntily in a gentle breeze.The band started the ceremony with the national anthem and then John Sawle, chairman of St Agnes station branch welcomed the huge turnout of people.

For Stuart Miles, new Blue Peter presenter of just a few weeks, it was his first outside broadcast for the programme and his first lifeboat assignment.

Not only did Stuart hand over and name the lifeboat, but he also went for a ride in her after the ceremony.

The RNLI's deputy head of public relations, Heather Deane, has been closely involved with three 'Blue Peter' appeals over the years and, as she retires at the end of the year, it was appropriate that she should accept the lifeboat from Stuart on behalf of the Institution.

Ray Thomas, station honorary secretary, accepted the new lifeboat on behalf of the station and James Tyrwhitt-Drake, deputy inspector of lifeboats south spoke of the design and development of the D class.

The service of dedication was conducted by the Reverend Michael Adams and the hymns were led by the stirring voices of the Trelawny Singers.

Andrew Young, regional manager south west gave a vote of thanks and then Stuart named the lifeboat Blue Peter IV, dousing her with champagne.

Everyone moved down to the beach to watch the launching of the lifeboat. A helicopter from RNAS Culdrose flew over the lifeboat with perfect timing, streaming the RNLI flag and providing another picture opportunity for the public as well as the 'Blue Peter' film crew.

A little later the Driftwood Spa hotel was the venue for a buffet lunch and a further opportunity to enjoy the singing of the Trelawny Singers.Portaferry - Atlantic 75 Blue Peter VA gala reception was given to Portaferry's second 'Blue Peter' lifeboat on Saturday 17 September 1994.

The fastest class of lifeboat in the RNLI's fleet, it is the third inshore boat to be stationed at Portaferry since the beginning of its activities there fifteen years ago.

The naming of Blue Peter V by Christopher Hawkings and the service of dedication attracted large crowds to the decorated waterfront and its specially erected tiered seating.

Handing the lifeboat into the care of the local station was Tim Vincent, presenter of the BBC children's programme 'Blue Peter'.

Attending this special event were honorary secretaries, coxswains and crew members of lifeboat stations throughout Ireland, as well as RNLI officials, sponsors and dignitaries from local councils.

The Royal Ulster Constabulary Band, together with a combined choir from St Columba's High School and two primary schools added to the sense of occasion.

After the naming ceremony the lifeboat launched on demonstration and the singing of Phil Coulter's 'Home from the Sea' ended the formalities.Afternoon tea was served in the community centre where a celebration dance took place later in the evening..