Record draw The RNLI's 80th lifeboat lottery drawn on 31 January raised a incredible £212,000 from tickets sales - the previous highest total was last year's Summer lottery raising £182,000.

Andrew Hartwell, managing director of George Hartwell's Peugeot dealership, drew the winning tickets at RNLI Poole depot. First prize, a Peugeot 306 kindly donated by Peugeot Motor Company, went to Mrs J D Clements of Buckingham.

The cash prize winners were: £1,000 - Mr J Piercy, Cleethorpes £500 - Mr A P Jeffcock, Beaconsfield £250 - Mrs J D Clements, Buckingham £100 - Mr F K F Goodman, Twickenham; Lady Tuite, Surrey; Mr B Coombes, Dorset; Mrs J Hill, Merseyside; Mr A W Paddock, Devon.On Station The following lifeboats have taken up duty: ALL-WEATHER StMary's-Severn 17-11 (ON 1229) The Whiteheads on 1 December Achill-Arun 52-10 ION 1057) Soldian on 26 January 1998 INSHORE Skerries - Atlantic 21 B543 Round Table on 10 November 1997 (temporary station lifeboat) Appledore- Atlantic 75 B742 Douglas Paleyon 11 December 1997 Arran (Lamlash) - Atlantic 21 B527 Percy Garon tdvil Service) on 11 January 1998 (temporary station lifeboat) Step by step St. Davids coxswain, Malcolm Gray, is shown here using his courage and determination to a slightly different end! The lifeboat station recently received a D class lifeboat for evaluation trials which was delivered by launching at a nearby local harbour and getting to the station by sea. Unfortunately there was no easy way to deliver the launch tractor by sea so it was left at the top of the long flight of stairs that lead to the boathouse.

The crew had to get the tractor down somehow so Malcolm eagerly accepted the challenge but seemed to have real trouble keeping his tongue in his mouth as he bumped his way down! A day in Dunkirk On the 21 June 1997, seven crew members took Ramsgate lifeboat, Esme Anderson, to Dunkirk in France for the naming of a new 15m lifeboat.

Leaving Ramsgate at 0800 in a SW Near Gale Force 7 they made their way to Dunkirk, encountering some rough sea conditions. On arrival they met up with lifeboats from France and Belgium - Ostend, Nieuport, Gravelines, Calais and both Dunkirk's old and new lifeboats. Also present was the chartered salvage tug Abelle Langueboc and Dunkirk's new 48ft pilot boat.

During their stay, the crews looked over each others lifeboats and they were all very impressed with Ramsgate's Trent class. After a pleasant lunch with the other lifeboat crews, the RNLI crew took part in a church service followed by a procession through the streets back to the quayside where Dunkirk's new 20 knot lifeboat was named and blessed. By the time more refreshments were enjoyed it was well into the afternoon and time for them to return to their vessel.

They set sail from Dunkirk at 1805, still in the SW Near Gale Force 7, and returned to station at 2100 - the end to a very enjoyable day which further enhanced relationships with our French and Belgium counterparts.

Spot the difference! The above photograph shows Skerries Hfeboat crew member. Mart,n O'Toole wfth Storm Force hero, Stormy Stan at have been a bit of a role model for Stan, has been on the crew since the D class was stat,oned in Skerries in the early 1980s.

Special Voyage Deb Graham, daughter of Exmouth coxswain Keith Graham, helped mark a special occasion when she went aboard Exmouth's Trent class lifeboat during the traditional Christmas Day swim off Exmouth beach last year.

Deb, sadly confined to a wheelchair after a diving accident cruelly paralysed her from the neck down, was thrilled at the opportunity to be wheeled aboard the lifeboat to watch the hundreds of revellers hurl themselves into the sea.

Crew member Geoff Ingham devised a warm shelter for Deb by zipping two crew jackets together which completely enveloped her and the chair while crew members stood guard around her when Keith demonstrated the Trent's power and manoeuvrability to the crowds.

Keith, recently honoured as citizen of the year by Exmouth Rotary club retired as Exmouth coxswain in September after 18 years service and this was his last time taking out the lifeboat on Christmas Day. Until now everyone in the Graham household waited patiently for Dad to come ashore before opening presents - this Christmas will be different!.