Monkey business City of Derby branch is rather short of collectors, so was glad to welcome this new recruit at Grangecroft Garden Centre - where he helped to raise £360.

Any supporters who can help in the Derby area, will be warmly welcomed.

For further information contact Betty Mitchell on (01332) 559682 - and perhaps then, this poor primate can go off for a banana break! Going swimmingly Pottering for cash Jessica Wright of Great Dunmow in Essex, visited Hunstanton lifeboat station on 1 June 1996 and presented the crew with a cheque for £220. She and her friend Joanne Tickner, both aged nine had raised the money by doing a sponsored swim in a local pool - they had each swum 50 lengths.

Life-float parade The theme for this year's carnival parade in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire was 'sports' so the ladies lifeboat guild sailed up the High Street to the sound of Rod Stewart's 'Sailing'.

Classed as a walking entry, the boat consisted of a wheel chair which held the wooden superstructure - the sails were fully rigged and with the wind behind it, the lifeboat actually took off by itself! The entry won first prize in the walking section and, in spite of competition from local firms, overall first prize with a silver cup to prove it.

Members spent the afternoon selling Volvo lottery tickets on the festival site after the parade.

The Potteries Marathon, the second largest marathon in Great Britain, is attended by entrants from all over the British Isles and abroad. Mr Adrian Lucyk, a regular runner dedicated his run on 1 June 1996 to the RNLI.

Adrian finished in 3 hours, 24 minutes and 13 seconds - a very fine time considering the day was the hottest this Summer and Adrian battled on with determination.

The start and finish of the race was at Trentham Gardens in Stoke on Trent, the former home of the Duke of Sutherland and for many years a beauty spot opened to the public. As well as the sale of souvenirs and flag day collectors, the sum of £586 was raised from a competition ran by the City of Stoke-on-Trent branch - prizes for which were donated by both local and national businesses.

Eeor-nly wanted to help. . .

The donkeys at Mablethorpe beach were so taken with the work of the local lifeboat guild, they wanted to join! The ladies explained that special permission would be needed to do any donkey-work, however, the mules settled for helping to raise money for a sponsored swim that day- and possibly a few carrots.

Mablethorpe guild raised over £20,000 last year, and are having a successful 1996 so far.

Krypton-ites Over 160 people tackled the famous assault course of television's The Krypton Factor on 1 June 1996 to raise funds for the RNLI. The course, situated at Holcombe Moor Training Centre near Bury, is not open to the public but is made available to a limited number of charities each year. The winning team from Atherton, Greater Manchester, completed the course in a staggering 3 minutes 24 seconds! The event which also featured a clay pigeon shoot and all the usual RNLI activities such as souvenirs and raffles, raised almost £5,000 from sponsorship - each entrant of the physical challenge was required to raise a minimum of £25.

Dinner Money Lifeboat crew member and Insurance Institute of Swansea President 95-96, Jon Harding presented a cheque for £800 to RNLI area organiser Bev Siddard and Morton and Port Eynon station honorary secretary Peter Muxworthy. The money is the proceeds from a raffle held during the Institute's annual dinner in November 1995, the prizes for which were donated by McLarens Loss Adjusters and The Comet Group.The band played, the champagne flowed and the view across the Downs was magnificent. The occasion was the first ever Seahorse Ball held at the Queens Building, Epsom Racecourse on 22 June 1996.

The event, organised by representatives and friends of Surrey fundraising branches, was set up to raise funds for a new D class lifeboat for Sheerness.

As the organisation progressed, enthusiasm and response saw that funding for more than one D class was a possibility and the final result of 18 months hard work was a total of £40,000.

RNLI director, Lt Cdr Brian Miles CBE, who attended the ball, paid tribute to the organisers for such a splendid effort for a first time event. The new Sheerness D class, to be named Seahorse I, is to be followed by two further boats Seahorse II and Seahorse III.Salcombe's eight Together with lifeboat stations around the UK, Salcombe held an open day during May Bank Holiday for the public to look over the station's 47 ft Tyne class lifeboat, The Baltic Exchange II.

A special event took place during the day when Salcombe lifeboat branch was presented with an original watercolour by artist Mick Ewins. The painting depicts all eight Salcombe lifeboats from Rescue in 1869 to the present Baltic Exchange II, with Salcombe harbour in the background. Prints from the painting are available from the lifeboat shop in Salcombe.Cash Haul A final spurt in helping The Lord Kitchener public house in Welling, Kent, to raise £12,000 for a D class inflatable lifeboat was aided by staff of Securicor Custodial Services, Charlton, who hauled a nine and a half ton prison van over a distance of four miles through Bexleyheath town centre raising in excess of £800.

Thirsty work, at the end of a hot and sticky day, was suitably rewarded when Barbara Hopkins, licensee of The Lord Kitchener, provided free liquid refreshments - an opportunity too good to be missed by the weary and dehydrated crew!Gary Whiting from Mirfield in West Yorkshire, turned heads earlier this year with a hair-brained scheme to raise money for charity - he had half of his beard and moustache shaved off! Gary, went about his daily routine for ten days before removing the other half, raising a total of £340 sponsorship money from the shave and the following guess-the-weight-of-the-beard competition. The cash was divided equally between the RNLI and the Holly Bank School Rooftops appeal, a local school for handicapped children.

On Sunday 12 May 1996 17,000 people took to the new Second Severn Crossing to raise funds for their chosen charities.

The 150 RNLI volunteers taking part put on their walking boots and collectively raised over £17,500 - equivalent to funding a D class lifeboat and clothing for 18 crew members! The Second Severn Crossing is the biggest European construction project after the Channel Tunnel and spans a three mile stretch of water linking England and Wales. On this historic day, which is the only opportunity pedestrians will have to walk across this bridge, RNLI representatives from the two countries met in the middle and were joined by Barry Dock lifeboat, making it a memorable day for all those who took part.

The walkers wearing RNLI yellow jackets certainly stood out from the crowd and were easily spotted by the HTV crew who interviewed the group live and commented on how smart they all looked.Happy birthday! In brief DESPITE appalling weather, Brighton branch held an open air extravaganza which included an air sea rescue. Although forced to take cover from the rain, the branch still managed to raise £2,079. Brighton lifeboat crew and fundraisers thank everyone who took part, including the sponsors.

SHORELINE members from Kings Lynn have re-Launched the Downham Market branch. A cheese and wine party held earlier in the year raised £100 and Bank Holiday Monday saw a raffle and the sale of souvenirs.

WHEN Bryan Hayes of Northampton passed away on the 6 April, his wife asked for donations to be made to the RNLI in lieu of flowers. The Institution received two cheques, one from the funeral directors and an additional cheque of £70 from Mrs Hayes making a total of £267.

ABBEY Caravan Owners Club raised cash for the RNLI during 5-6 May-the cheque for £816.07 was presented to the Atherstone and District branch.

BRYAN Martyn of llminster branch was presented with a cheque at the branch's AGM in April. The cheque for a massive £22,370 was raised by the Thrift shop in llminster, along with donations and various fundraising events.

ANOTHER successful fundraising year was had by Kensington branch - the total for which was £17,226. Flag week brought in £7,720 and the annual Summer fair, featuring local fire-fighter (also Dover lifeboat crew member) with fire engine, raised £2,485.

FOR the past ten years, Archway Insurance Services have sponsored drinks and gifts to the members and guests tournament, held each June at the St Pierre Golf and Country Club near Chepstow. The sponsors donated a gas barbecue as this year's RNLI raffle prize - the profit was £326, bringing the total raised over the years to £2,750.

RETRO rock-and-rollers, Showaddywaddy, performed outside the local lifeboat station during Newbiggin town fair on 4 August.

The total raised for Institution funds was £1600 with members of Newbiggin ladies guild selling some 2000 hamburgers and hot dogs! CREW members from Barry Dock lifeboat helped swell the Barry ladies lifeboat guild flag day and house to house by £820.

Many pubs were visited during the week and doors knocked by the gallant crews.

VISITORS to a midsummer ball held at Raglan Castle, were greeted by a piper on the ramparts. The evening, organised by Monmouth and Abergavenny branches was held on 21 June and raised £12,000 for the Penarth appeal.

The West Wight guild celebrated its 25th anniversary on 9 May 1996 with a successful buffet supper at the Royal Solent Yacht Club in Yarmouth.

At the event, which was attended by almost 100 people including the president, Mrs Dorothy Lovatt, and many former chairmen, it was announced that since inception the guild has raised £277,000 for the RNLI.

Awards were presented by Anthony Oliver, deputy head of fundraising and marketing, to Mrs Pauline Harwood, souvenir secretary; and Mrs Shirley Roberts, the present chairman.Concerts and 'copters On the 2 May at the West County Hotel, County Clare, some 1,000 people rose to their feet in applause at the end of an RNLI concert organised by Joe Queally and Oliver O'Connell. A huge array acts, including international stars Ralph McTell and Phil Coulter provided a night to remember which included a high standard of music, spoken arts, dance and comedy.

Along with Joe and Oliver, the others involved in the organisation of the show were delighted with the results. Sponsorship for the show came from local radio and press, as well as national radio, carrying full details. Tom McSweeney, RTE Television correspondent in Cork, prepared a video for all to learn about the work of the Institution.

Phil Coulter and Ralph McTell, also appeared at an RNLI function in Kenmare on the 4 May, and were flown to the Park Hotel by Shannon-based rescue helicopter, Rescue 115. In the midst of publicity, the VHP radio brought news of a vessel in trouble, so the visitors were transferred to the Fenit lifeboat and Rescue 115 assisted the lifeboat in saving the vessel. Coxswain Seanie Murphy treated the guests to a tour of Cathedral Cave before Rescue 115 took them and their entourage to Kenmare where they provided further entertainment for dinner guests.Thanks to Mr Blogg The work of the RNLI was put into perspective on 14 June at a film and presentation evening organised by the Sutton, Cheam and Worcester Park branch.

Presentations of Silver badges were made by Sue Clifton, area organiser for Greater London, to Edward and Heather Trevor, branch president and vice-president, for the years of hard work they have put in.

An impromptu rescue account by a member of the audience, Mr Clive Sinton, told of how in 1943 he was forced to ditch his bomber in the North Sea after returning from a bombing raid on an ammunitions factory. He and his crew had lost their liferafts and were forced to swim for two and a half hours before hearing the sound of an approaching boat, which turned out to be the Cromer lifeboat with Coxswain Henry Blogg at the wheel. Mr Sinton described being hauled aboard by a 'hand like a shovel' - belonging to the great man himself and thanked the RNLI for allowing him to still be alive to tell the tale.

Due to space restrictions, not all submissions received for the Autumn issue fundraisers pages are featured and may appear in the Winter issue.

The closing date for fundraising items for the Winter 1996/97 issue is 1 November 1996 Rice Krispie cash! Pupils of Mrs Blair's class at Ballykeel primary school in County Antrim have been working overtime to raise funds for the RNLI. The children made Rice Krispie buns in class and sold them for 10p each - some of the children even went into school early and left late to bake more supplies.

On 21 May 1996 the class visited Portrush lifeboat station and spoke to station honorary secretary, John Scott who took them on a tour. After seeing both of the station's lifeboats the children agreed it had been an interesting day and presented a cheque for £44.10, the money raised from the bun sales, to Mr Scott who gratefully received it on behalf of the Institution.

Lifeboat gala The sun shone on the crowd of approximately 8,000 visitors to the Anstruther lifeboat gala on 13 July 1996. The day started with a parade of floats and fancy dress around the harbour headed by the Kirkcaldy and district pipe band. Visitors had a choice of stands and static displays to see including those represented by HM Coastguard, Army, Navy, Air Force, Royal Marine Careers and the Fire Service - plus all the usual stalls such as burgers, tea and coffee and home baking.

The first display was a mock attack by the 45 commando group of HM Condon, followed by the annual raft race, in which entrants had to assemble their rafts only using planks of wood, beer barrels and rope.

Kinghorn inshore lifeboat paid a visit during the day but unfortunately, adverse weather in the West of Scotland prevented the Sea King helicopter from HMS Gannet attending - but the lifeboat, The Kingdom of Fife and HM Coastguard gave a rescue display.

In brief A BUSY Summer weekend for Chelmsford branch started with a barbecue on 12 July, raising £101. The following day, members manned a souvenir stand at Writtle village fete, raising a further £219. A thanksgiving service was enjoyed on 'Sea Sunday' at All Saints Church in Springfield, and at the branch's committee meeting on 17 July, members heard that their runner in the London marathon, Chris Turner, had raised the sum of £456 for RNLI funds.

MEMBERS of Appledore guild recently celebrated the guild's 65th anniversary with an evening of New Orleans flavoured food and jazz, raising £530. Earlier events during the year, including the annual supper which raised £1205, indicate that the guild is set to have a record year of raising funds.Central fundraising update Global Challenge Round The World Race - Start date was the 29th September, and Jack Goldie from Largs is the first RNLI crew member in Toshiba Wave Warrior.

Sponsorship forms are coming in already and further copies are provided with this issue. Don't wait until the end of the race, please send them in now with your donations, so that we can make sure we can reach the aim of the programme and fund the lifeboat.

Further details are in the News section.

Volvo - The third lifeboat funded by the Volvo car lotteries was named at Great Yarmouth and Gorleston by Princess Alexandra in July. Volunteers, and Volvo dealers, will be pleased to hear that their efforts over the years in raising over £4m, were recognised at the National Fundraiser's Convention in Birmingham by the Gold award in the Corporate and Trusts section of the Professional Fundraising Awards.

Southampton Boat Show - For the first time this year we had our own Corporate stand, together with the Royal Bank of Scotland and Cardforce, who were promoting the credit card.

We were selling balloons, postcards and model yachts in aid of the Toshiba sponsorship programme, together with model Tyne lifeboats for the Scout promotion. All our other current offers were also on display, which we would welcome you joining, and which all raise funds. These include motoring, buildings and contents, and marine insurance, the Travel Club, photographic service and hospital and health care. Finally the Small Share scheme continues to bring in a continuing and valuable stream of certificates, and a number of new commemorative stamp covers have recently been produced by Stamp searchers to mark naming ceremonies and other events. If you need further details on any of these offers please ring.Clubbing together One of the highlights of the year for Copt Heath Golf Club at Solihull, West Midlands is the Am-Am tournament - an occasion for keenly competitive golf and the raising of funds for charities.

The funds raised are divided between two charities - one selected by the sponsor, Patrick Solihull Ltd., and the other by the club captain.

The sponsor nominated Muscular Dystrophy for this year's tournament which was played on 19 May, and the captain, John Graham, chose the RNLI.

With the RNLI flag flying and the Atlantic 21 lifeboat, Wildernrath Wizzer moored at the 18th green, some exciting golf was played by 140 members and the competition was won with a score of 90 points by Eric Fyfe, Alan Hepburn, Stuart Hepburn and David Wilson.

After the game members and guests sat down to supper in the club house.

A tombola and a 'promises auction' made further additions to the day's fundraising, and at the end of the meal, John Graham presented cheques each for £3,750 to Robert Woodridge, chairman of RNLI Knowle and Dorridge branch and to John Murray of Patrick Solihull Ltd.

Ferndown thanks The Ferndown and district branch met at St. Mary's mews retirement flats in Ferndown in the presence of RNLI director, Lt Cdr Brian Miles who presented silver badges to Betty and Ronnie Spurr and bronze statuette to Ken Vivian for their service to the RNLI.

The proceedings also celebrated the help and generosity of the residents of the flats who have helped the RNLI to raise over £4000.

Middlesex show In June eight branches from Greater London and Eastern region joined forces to raise funds at the Middlesex show.

Martin Baker Aircraft Company Limited kindly sponsored the cost of bringing an Atlantic 75 to the show where the RNLI had a large marquee donated by the show organisers.

Visitors were able to see demonstrations, buy souvenirs and Volvo tickets or join in a number of games - bringing in over £3,000 for lifeboat funds.

Lord launch I Lord Lichf ield cracks the champagne bottle to launch a week of RNLI fundraising events at the Red Lion public house in Great Haywood near Stafford.

Each night saw a different event, ranging from a quiz night to music by a Bavarian style 'Oompah' band giving local residents and pub regulars ample opportunity to spend their money in a good cause.

With the souvenir stall and a display D class lifeboat outside the pub that had been decorated as a sailing boat, members of the Stafford with Rugeley branch raised in excess of £400 toward branch funds.

In memoriam RNLI Eastern regional headquarters have recently received cheques for the Beaconsfield fundraising branch as 'in memoriam' donations for two branch members.

Mrs Jean Marsden had been chairman of the branch for several years until the branch was reformed five years ago - she was tragically killed in a car accident and a donation of £588 has been received.

Another of donation of £1,300 has been received from the family and friends of Mr T. C. Orford, also a longstanding supporter of the Beaconsfield Branch, an uncle of Richard Orford, the present branch chairman.

Garden safari The people of Acol Village in Kent, the area covered by RNLI Birchington and district branch, hosted a 'Garden Safari' on 22 and 23 June 1996 raising a magnificent sum of over £2,000 for the Institution.

Each of the 12 gardens had a focal point - a flower festival entitled 'The Sea' was staged in the little village church of St Mildreds where branch members served ploughman's lunches in the village hall. The occasion was blessed with good weather and all who attended enjoyed the friendly and happy atmosphere.

Guild golf day Hoylake ladies lifeboat guild organised a 'four ball better ball stableford' golfing competition at Caldy Golf Club on 9 May. Prizes on the day were donated by generous supporters and £1,670 was raised for lifeboat coffers.

The winners were Mr and Mrs Coburn and Mr and Mrs Ryan..