Mr Rumbold serves up the winners Nicholas Smith, alias Mr Rumbold in the BBC television comedy programme 'Are You Being Served?', picked the winning tickets in the RNLI's 77th lottery on 30 April 1997.

Nicholas was appearing in The Return of Sherlock Holmes at the nearby Poole Arts Centre and was able to take time out of his busy schedule to draw the winners.

First prize was £2,000 with 13 runner-up prizes ranging from £1,000 to £50. This lottery raised over £148,000 and the winners were:- £2,000 Mr and Mrs S Richards, Kincardineshire £1,000 Mr Jones, Cheshire £500 Mr P Ferryman, Bath £250 Mrs J Dawson, Derbyshire £100 Mrs M Fletcher, Cheshire; Mr E M Ladmore, Torquay; Mr R F Hale, East Sussex; Mr C E Bowman, Maidenhead; Mr C Hancock, Hemel Hempstead £50 Mr S Sanderson, East Sussex; Mrs 0 B Cheney, Bridport; Mr A Woodhead, Gwent; Mrs Talton, Lines; Mrs B West, West Sussex Reunited with rescuer! ' Bill Elcoat, left, with Ronald William Dixon on board Sir James Knott at Kirkleatham Old Hall Museum in February 1997 Bill Elcoat's research for a magazine article led him to the Kirkleatham Museum in Redcar, causing him to bump into Ronald William Dixon, retired coxswain/mechanic of Redcar lifeboat - the very same man who rescued Bill from a fishing vessel in May 1973.

Bill was aboard the Chrysolite along with 14 other people on a fishing party when the boat developed engine failure.

Redcar lifeboat, with R W Dixon as coxswain, was alerted and took the vessel under tow to Hartlepool.

Bill, who was writing about his rescue for a magazine, also got to see the lifeboat he was rescued by, Sir James Knott, which is now an exhibit at the museum.

On Station The following lifeboats have taken up duty: ALL-WEATHER Barry Dock - Arun class 52-23 (ON1082) Margaret Frances Love on 11 May 1997 (temporary station duty) See opposite page INSHORE Queensferry - B735 Donald & Ethel Macrae on 8 May 1997 St Ives - D515 Spirit of the FtCT on 8 May 1997 Burnham-on-Crouch - D519 Emesf & Rose Chapman on 12 May 1997 One hundred years at Hartlepool Five Hartlepool men, who between them have served the RNLI for more than 100 years, were presented with awards for long service by Guy Flatten (former deputy divisional inspector for the North) on 30 January.

The awardees, shown above (left to right) with Guy Flatten in the centre, are Dave Foster, Captain Alex Kirk, Robert Williams, Captain Illingworth and Eddie Porritt.

Lifesaver overseas John Harris, assistant mechanic of The Lizard lifeboat recently visited Egmond-Aan-Zee, North Holland for the retirement party of Schipper (coxswain) Kees Zwart.

Kees, who started as a crew member in 1965 and became Schipper in 1977, came to The Lizard to visit the lifeboat station in 1993 -John then made a return visit to Egmond in 1994.

At the presentation ceremony John presented Kees with a framed photograph of the Lizard lifeboat. There were representatives of all 37 Dutch lifeboat stations present and John was a little surprised to find himself the only UK.

representative, given that Kees is so well known on both sides of the sea. However, John enjoyed some real Dutch hospitality and the party went on for many hours! Doctor do-a-lot As Doctor George Middleton MBE retires as deputy honorary medical adviser (HMA) of St Davids lifeboat, he reflects back on his first service with the station shortly after his appointment as HMA in 1956.

The lifeboat launched to a sick lighthouse keeper but because of the horrendous weather conditions it was impossible to take the man off. The next day Doctor George (as he is affectionately known) was picked up by helicopter and lowered onto the lighthouse, the keeper received medical attention and was airlifted to hospital - quite an experience for a new HMA! Even though Doctor George has retired from official HMA duties at a very young 76, he still continues his support as editor of the HMA journal, a member of the RNLI medical board, a medical referee and president of St Davids branch - best wishes and good luck for your busy retirement! Philip Colville MBE With regret we report the death of Philip Colville MBE, a Life Vice President of the RNLI. Mr Colville joined the Committee of Management in 1956 and was appointed a Vice President in 1974 and a Life Vice President in 1985.

Margaret and Matthew Barry Dock's temporary Arun class lifeboat, Margaret Frances Love (above left), visits Bristol during sea trials to accompany the replica ship, Matthew, on the start of her journey out of the Bristol Channel.

Nos amis de la SNSM At the end of March, eight crew members of the llfracombe lifeboat visited their counterparts of the SNSM (Societe Nationale de Sauvetage en Mer) in St Malo, France.

A common interest in lifesaving, coloured with long forgotten smatterings of English and French, soon helped the crews overcome the language barrier. The RNLI visitors enjoyed excellent hospitality and a fascinating day aboard Pourquoi Pas II, an 18.5m 20 knot lifeboat. The crews compared operational notes and watched a navigation exercise among the granite islands of St Malo Bay - we are told that the French lifeboat had all the capabilities of an RNLI vessel but some of the crew comforts were limited...

A speech of thanks and tribute was given in immaculate 'Francais' (although this was only his opinion!) by Bob Thompson of llfracombe lifeboat before an exchange of gifts which included photographs, an unmarked bottle of a clear highly-volatile liquid, and an RNLI plaque which now takes pride of place in the wheelhouse of the St Malo lifeboat.

llfracombe lifeboat crew were most grateful for their long weekend and now look forward to their new friends from St Malo conning to England on a return visit..