NEWSPOINT What would Sir William Hillary have thought about the day when Rye Harbour lifeboat rescued 29 children and adults from inflatable toys on a hot summer's day earlier this year (see Lifeboat Services)? When he founded the RNLI in 1824 his chief concern was the fate of weather-worn sailors in winter gales, not that of muddle-headed, lobsterpink holidaymakers off south coast beaches.

Global warming was not the burning issue of his day and it might well have astonished the old campaigner that the driest, calmest summer on record also produced the two busiest months on record for lifeboat crews.

Having overcome the culture shock, let us hope, though, that he would be proud of these achievements. The lifeboat service of 1995 has an enormous range of potential risks to cover.

It is remarkable that we have the equipment and the volunteers ready to cope in winter gales and in summer heat. True, there are times, especially in the holiday season, when forethought and prudence would prevent the need for a lifeboat.

We are doing all we can now to encourage sale practice by the sea-going public.

But the RNLI is more a people's service today than at any time in its history. If the pursuits of the people it saves appear sometimes trivial, the death of a child at the seaside leaves at least as great a scar on a lifeboat crew as the loss of any other life.Special resources for young The RNLI is involved in a concerted effort to make young people more aware of its work and has introduced two special packs aimed at teachers. The first pack, called 'Launch!' and aimed at 7 to 11 year-olds, was introduced last year. Designed to fit and complement the school curriculum it has been highly successful, even receiving praise from the Schools Curriculum and Assessment Authority, the body which actually sets the curriculum and which now intends to use parts of it in its own literature! To extend the age range a new pack has just been released, this time aimed at the 5 to 7 year-old age group. Called 'Lifeboat!'Lifeboat!' it has been specially designed and developed to provide information and resources closely allied to the curriculum, using all new material.

Although aimed primarily at teachers the pack will also be useful to leaders of any other groups in the age range.

The pack consists of a new Al format colour poster, an eight-panel A4 colour frieze (depicting a rescue right from the beginning of the incident to taking the survivors back to shore), with associated activities and storyline, six A4 photocards in full colour with accompanying worksheets and a comprehensive teachers' book with explanations, ideas and extension activities.

Projects are diverse, ranging from safety at sea, teamwork, through to historical investigation, drama and design.

Together the items address the broad spectrum of the curricular areas in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland while also providing experiences for discrete subject areas.

The new 'Lifeboat!' pack (and Launch! for 7-11 years) cost £5 each from Anne Millman, Youth Promotion Co-ordinator, RNLI, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1HZ. Cheques should be made payable to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

Cover The photograph on the cover of this issue appears in the Rick Tomlinson 1996 Lifeboat Calendar which is available for overprinting for company promotions. It can be obtained from Rick Tomlinson Associates, PO Box 3, St Georges House, Port St Mary, Isle of Man IM99 7RT.Children always welcome Young people are becoming increasingly involved in the RNLI; as the naming ceremony reports relate, the funding of the Fishguard Trent class was entirely in their hands, through the good offices of the 'Blue Peter' appeal.

Meanwhile, the name of Great Yarmouth and Gorleston's new Trent was chosen by 13-year-old Jonathan Griffiths in a competition run for children by the RNLI and Volvo Car UK. The lifeboat, funded from the proceeds of draws for Volvo cars, is to be named Samarbeta which means 'Working Together' in Swedish. The winning name which reflects the theme used by Volvo and the RNLI over an eight-year partnership, was selected out of 2,000 entries by the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston lifeboat crew.

Jonathan will be guest of honour at the naming ceremony, receive a year's free Storm Force membership and a £100 WH Smith voucher.

Elsewhere it has been the season for Storm Force rallies where junior members of the RNLI have the opportunity to encounter the lifeboat service at first hand with games, demonstrations and instruction.

Venues this year have been South Shields, Milton Keynes, Selsey, Fleetwood, Carsington Water in Derbyshire and Bangor in Northern Ireland.NEWS Stop Press As we went to press we hearH that the RNLI had bet., succesful in its bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund to develop the collection of life- The Institution could not use its own funds for the work but has been succesful in obtaining a grant for £355.000 which, together with £250.000 alrea available should enable to display to open by Easter 1996.

More details in the next issue of THE LIFEBOAT.

The hidden lifeboats The National Maritime Museum in London has organised a 'Hidden Collection' seminar on lifeboats and lighthouses for 7 March 1996. The 'Hidden Collections' are the parts of the museum's collection that are normally hidden away in stores, vaults or archives due to lack of space.

The seminar runs from 10am to 4.30pm and looks at the RNLI and at the development of the lifeboat and of the lighthouse. Discussion will trace the history of these aids to life and survival at sea and include use of the plans, photographs and models housed in the museum.

The seminar costs £27 including refreshments and free entry for the National Maritime Museum, The Queen's House and the Old Royal Observatory.

For further details, telephone 0181-312 6710.

Carl Giles With great regret we announce the death of cartoonist Carl Giles on 27 August 1995.

Carl Giles was appointed a Life Governor of the RNLI in 1984 in recognition of his support over many years - he had supplied a cartoon specially for the Institution's greeting card each Christmas for many years and had been awarded a Public Relations Award for his work as far back as 1973.Thanks a Million One of the most famous cruising yachtswomen, Susan Hiscock MBE, has left an estimated Elm in her will to provide the RNLI with a Severn or Trent class lifeboat to be named Wanderer, the name carried by all of the yachts in which she and her husband had cruised extensively. Susan Hiscock and husband Eric sailed round the world three times and wrote a number of books drawn from their experiences.

Fittingly the first of the yachts built specifically for the couple, Wanderer II was constructed in Poole, very close to where the RNLI's headquarters now stands. However it was in Wanderer III in which they made their first circumnavigation, returning to the UK in 1955, at which time she was only the fourth British yacht to complete the trip.

Eric had died some years previously and at the time of her death Susan Hiscock lived in Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight, where she had come to know the crew and officials of the lifeboat station well.

Another famous name from a very different arena who showed in his will that he had never forgotten the lifeboat service was Larry Grayson. His recent death brought to light the fond memories which he held for Redcar lifeboat, and it was announced that he had left £10,000 to the station.

He began his career at Redcar, playing many summer seasons at the New Pavilion, and had always kept in touch with Joyce Dowding, a keen fundraiser for the RNLI, and the bequest was made in recognition of their friendship.

It is a possibility that some of Larry's money will be used to fund new doors at the boathouse.

In the words of Red car's honorary secretary, Ian Readman, 'we really will be able to 'shut that door' on the career and life of a great entertainer'.The Lifeboat on audio tape This issue of THE LIFEBOAT is the second to be made available on audio tape in a pilot scheme in conjunction with Talking Newspapers. Members can receive the audio tape version free of charge, although as there is a small charge to the RNLI some recipients may wish to make a small donation to cover the additional costs.

If you, or anyone you know, would like to receive The Lifeboat on a C90 audio tape please write to the Editor, The Lifeboat, RNLI West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1HZ quoting the recipient's membership number.

It is most important that members return their cassettes to Talking Newspapers after use to avoid a charge to the Institution.Record Summer August 1995 was the busiest month ever for the lifeboat service, first indications being that there were 1,557 launches, an average of 50 a day, almost three times the general average of 17 a day.

August Bank Holiday saw no fewer than 303 launches from Friday to Monday, with 111 on Sunday. Full figures will not be available until Service Reports are received from the lifeboat stations.

Michael Vlasto, the RNLI's sea safety liaison officer, commented: 'Hot summers always seem to mean more work for the lifeboat crews. When the weather is fine for so long, people take to the water who wouldn't have normally done so. It is these people, particularly that we need to reach with messages about how to take care of themselves.'Sea Safety Progress The Sea Safety Initiative, in which the RNLI is working with other sea-safety organisations, took several steps forward during 1995.

The first booklet, 'Safety Guidelines for Recreational Boat Users', was launched at the London Boat Show in January, and three further booklets providing 'Guidelines to Reduce Machinery Failure' were introduced in March.

These were aimed at pleasure craft, diving support craft and fishing vessels and were in response to statistics showing that machinery failure is one of the main causes of call-outs.

The 'Diving Support Craft' booklet was launched at the Dive 95 exhibition at Olympia, and 53,000 copies were also distributed with the June issue of 'Diver' magazine. The 'Fishing Vessel' booklet was launched at Fishing 95 exhibition and also distributed with 'Fishing News' and 'Scottish Fishing Monthly'. 170,000 copies of the'Pleasure Craft' booklet were distributed in the May issue of four of the main yachting magazines which were published in time for Easter, when most recreational sailors were preparing their boats for the season.

Videos covering other safety related subjects are being produced and the first, 'First Aid Afloat' made in conjunction with the RYA, was launched at the Southampton International Boat Show in September. The next video covering 'The use of EPIRBs/ SARTs in the GMDSS' (all of which are modern electronic distress and position indicating systems) was due to follow soon after.On the Cards The RNLI's mail order catalogue, 'Watermark', was enclosed with the Summer issue of The Lifeboat, with the usual excellent response. However, although many people like to plan their Christmas purchases early it seems that an equal number of people feel that summer is far too early to even think about Christmas shopping and keep their copy for use later! The 'Watermark' catalogue contains a wide range of Christmas cards and gifts - all of which raise money for the Institution - and anyone who has mislaid their catalogue, or who would like to obtain one for a friend, should contact Customer Services on (01202) 677766 so that another copy can be despatched..