New Severn class lifeboat for Stornoway station It has recently been agreed by the executive committee of the RNLI that Stornoway will be allocated a new Severn class lifeboat.

In 1995, Stornoway was allocated the first production model Severn class lifeboat, The Will, which was due to go on station at Stornoway in 1996. However, during passage to station she fell of a 7m wave sustaining damage which led to modifications in her and the other six Severn class lifeboats then under construction. Consequently, Stornoway lifeboat station asked not to have that particular lifeboat. However, following modifications, The Will has been operating very successfully at Falmouth, Cornwall, and there are now 13 other Severn class lifeboats in the RNLI fleet.

The 17m (55ft 9in) Severn class lifeboats have proved themselves to be capable of operating in the very worst conditions, with Lerwick's Severn taking part in a Gold Medal rescue. This is the first award carried out in a Severn class lifeboat.

N WSPO N This issue of The Lifeboat well illustrates some features of the RNLI which may not be well known to the less committed supporter.

In both the reports of lifeboat services and in the account of the annual Presentation of Awards, a service at Ballyglass makes prominent news.

This service brings home the RNLI's active role in sea safety in the Republic of Ireland, where it has functioned in exactly the same way as it has in the North and on the mainland of the UK since well before partition.

It also underlines the way in which the Institution works hand in glove with other emergency services - in this case the Irish Marine Emergency Service (I MES), the equivalent of the UK's Coastguard and with the Garda Siochana, the Irish police force.

In this particular service members of a local amateur diving club also played their part, with one of them sacrificing his life in the attempt.

The complexity of the incident and the way in which everyone pulled together can only be appreciated by reading the full account. RNLI crew played a substantial part in the rescue, but the RNLI was pleased to award its Bronze Medal for gallantry to a diver from the Garda Siochana, as such awards are not reserved entirely for lifeboat crews but are considered when anyone shows such bravery in a maritime rescue.

The RNLI may be fiercely proud of its independence, but to use modern parlance, it is very much a 'team player', working hand-in-glove with both government and voluntary organisations.

First RNLI safety seminars for fishermen The RNLI aims to reduce the number of incidents that lifeboats are required to respond to by education, rather than legislation. As part of that initiative, Peter Bradley, the RNLI's Sea Safety Liaison Officer, accompanied by a representative from the Marine and Coastguard Agency, talked to fishermen at a number of venues throughout the South West last January.

This was the first time the RNLI had addressed fishermen, who are most at risk from adverse weather or machinery failure, face-to-face.

The RNLI's Sea Safety Liaison Working Group has produced 11 booklets giving safety advice of which three are specifically aimed at fishermen.

Speaking of the need to address fisherman, Peter Bradley says 'Factual evidence from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch shows that in 1996, there were 516 incidents involving fishing vessels, of which 161 were because of flooding, grounding and collision. A further 326 involved machinery failure of one son or another. Many of these incidents could be avoided if some basic safety guidelines were followed. By going round the country and talking with fishermen we hope to have an exchange of ideas which will ultimately identify and reduce the areas of risk in a potentially dangerous environment'.

John Parker With deep regret we report that Mr John Parker CBE FRCS FRCP, a member of the Medical and Survival Committee, has died.

As an undergraduate in medicine at the University of St Andrews from 1956-1962, Mr Parker undertook general surgical training in Scotland prior to training in cardiac surgery in London and the United States. Since 1975 he was a consultant cardiac surgeon to St.

George's hospital in London.

Mr Parker first joined the Medical and Survival Committee in 1985 and had served for ten years before taking a year's sabbatical.

He rejoined the committee in 1996.

Offshore receives industry endorsement The RNLI's Offshore membership drive has received a major boost with newly launched mail order chandlery company, Compass Watersports, agreeing to a long-term endorsement of the sea users membership grade.

The joint marketing initiative will see the Offshore message reaching thousands of sea-users via Compass Watersports' own marketing materials and activities.

Compass Watersports launched into the UK marine market in the Spring and plans to insert catalogue request forms into major marine titles. The catalogues will include editorial information on Offshore membership, reminding customers to consider supporting the RNLI in a regular fashion.

Customers will also receive Offshore recruitment forms with their completed orders.

Sales and marketing director of Compass Watersports, David Lewin commented, 'I am delighted to be able to spread the word about Offshore As a regular sailor myself I may one day need to call out a lifeboat and would be proud to tell the crew I'm an Offshore member. I believe that marine companies have a responsibility to do whatever they can to encourage people to consider regular commitment to the RNLI and Offshore is a perfect marketing opportunity that should work well for both the charity and the company.' David Brann, marketing manager of the RNLI welcomed this new corporate partnership. 'We are delighted when marine companies such as Compass Watersports lend their marketing support to us. This will allow us to speak to new audiences as well as remind those who have already heard about Offshore to pick up a pen, fill in the form and join. We already have good corporate relationships with other marine companies such as International Paint and Pains Wessex and we look forward to a fruitful relationship with Compass Watersports.' As well as encouraging their own customers to join Offshore, Compass plans to offer existing Offshore members a range of discounts and exclusively priced products from their catalogue.

Director visits volunteer rescue service The Caister Volunteer Rescue Service, which operates the country's only independent all-weather lifeboat, played host to the Director Brian Miles and his wife Anne, and Richard Perks, deputy divisional inspector of lifeboats least division).

They were introduced to crew and members of Caister Volunteer Rescue Service and spent considerable time examining the lifeboat Bernard Matthews. The Director was then presented with a limited edition print of the lifeboat and the last available Caister lifeboat 150 year anniversary mug. Mrs Miles was presented with flowers by the coxswain's daughter.

Return of old favourite Plymouth Gin is making a return to off license shelves ail over Britain and was recently voted 'top gin' by the BBC's Food & Drink programme which helped boost sales by 500%.

What's more, for each bottle sold, Plymouth Gin will donate Sptothe RNLI.

Plymouth Gin is currently available from most Tesco, Asda, Threshers, Unwins and Bottoms up outlets.

New D class for North Sunderland North Sunderland took possession of its new D class inshore lifeboat at a ceremony on Sunday, 26 April 1998, when it was officially named Martin, John & Ann.

The new lifeboat, a result of a generous gift from Mr Gerry Lynch of Edinburgh, was officially named by his daughter, Mrs Ann Chandler, after a service of dedication.

Mr John Hanvey, chairman of North Sunderland lifeboat station, opened the proceedings and the lifeboat was then handed to the RNLI by Gerry Lynch. Captain George Alston, station honorary secretary of North Sunderland lifeboat station, accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the RNLI.

Following the service of dedication, led by the Reverend David Rogerson, a vote of thanks was given by Mrs Shirley Porteous, chairman of North Sunderland ladies lifeboat guild. Angharad Porteous, aged 9, presented a bouquet of flowers to Mrs Chandler.

Onlookers then had the chance to see the lifeboat put through its paces at the conclusion of a very happy and memorable occasion for North Sunderland lifeboat station.

Royal visit to RNLI museum Their Royal Highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester visited the Grace Darling Museum in Bamburgh earlier this year.

The Duke was presented with an old edition of Eva Hope's book on Grace Darling, and the Duchess with a picture illustrating aspects of Grace's life by a local resident.

The museum was recently given, on loan, the Silver Medal presented to Grace Darling by the Royal Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (now the RNLI).

Grace's bible, presented by the citizens of Kirkaldy in recognition of her bravery, has also been offered to the museum by a clergyman in Canada, where it was bought in a garage sale.

APPEAL The Crew Training Appeal has progressed well during 1998 and we hope to have reached the £2m mark by the time this goes to print. Forty eight lifeboat stations are now fully funded at £4,000 each per annum, and many more are underway. There is, however, a further £3m to go and our many patrons are kindly working very hard to keep the momentum going. We published our first newsletter in April and the second will be available in July.

For further information please contact Julian Barrell, Crew Training Appeal Officer, RNLI.

20 Buckingham Street, London WC2N 6EF.

Tel: 0171-839 3369.

Joan Clements drives away with first prize! Mrs Joan Clements remarkably won both first and third prize in the January drawn lifeboat lottery - the first time during the lottery's 20 year history that anyone has won more than one prize in a single draw.

Delighted with her win, Joan is seen here at her local Peugeot dealership, Coopers of Buckingham, receiving first prize. 'The handing over of the car was a very pleasant occasion. I have never had to smile so many times as I did for the photographs and everyone was so kind. Thank you RNLI and Peugeot for my lovely prizes'.

Joan went on to tell us that her daughter and eldest grandson took her to France for a week in the Peugeot and commented 'It was such a comfortable drive'. It appears that Joan, who is certainly making the most of her, went on to say 'Thank you for my amazing prizes in a January draw, the beautiful Peugeot 306, and the third prize of £250. I really hit the jackpot!' If you would also like the chance to 'hit the jackpot', then please remember to complete and return your tickets to us. The most recent draw features prizes ranging from £100 to £2,000- If you would like to receive or require more tickets, please ring Rebekah Rose on the 'lottery hotline', (01202) 663219.

Wick lifeboat station receives award The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum for the completion of 150 years service is to be awarded to Wick lifeboat station.

The British Fishery Society had a lifeboat built and placed it into the care of the Wick and Pulteneytown Harbour Trust in 1848, which was taken over by the RNLI in 1895.

The lifeboat station has a distinguished history. Six RNLI Silver Medals for bravery have been awarded in total, two of which were awarded to one man, Captain Tudor RN, in 1857 and 1860. RNLI Bronze Medals were awarded to Coxswain Neil Stewart in 1942 and to Coxswain/Mechanic Donald McKay in 1984. Most recently, Coxswain Walter McPhee and Acting Second Coxswain Ian Cormack received the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum, for the rescue of two crew from a fishing boat in 1992. New shore facilities for the crew were completed in August 1997.

Appledore's new Atlantic 75 The sun shone on Appledore when the station's new Atlantic 75 was named by the donor, Mrs Evelyn Paley, in memory of her husband. Air Commodore Douglas Paley.

Douglas Paley has taken over from the Atlantic 21 Manchester and District XXXII which had been at the station since 1986. The new ILB will be better able to cope with the often treacherous seas encountered when crossing the notorious Bideford Bar.

Chairman of the Appledore station branch, Joe Ball, opened the proceedings and introduced Mrs Paley, who handed over the ILB to the Institution. The Director, Lieutenant Commander Brian Miles, accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the RNLI before delivering her into the care of Appledore's station honorary secretary David Maxwell.

Divisional inspector (South) George Rawlinson spoke about the design of the Atlantic 75, after which a service of dedication was conducted by the Rev John Ewington. A demonstration launch then took place.

A Devon cream tea was served to the guests, crew and families before Mrs Paley and her family joined the crew for an informal party, in the course of which the Director presented a well-earned Silver Statuette to the station's hard-working president/chairman, Joe Ball, in recognition of his efforts on behalf of the service over many years.

Good cheer! No birthday celebration would be complete without a drink and a toast, and the RNLI's 175th birthday next year will be no exception - thanks to the generosity of Ipswich brewer Tolly Cobbold.

For they have brewed a special Lifeboat Celebration Ale for 1999, which will be launched at the Ipswich Beer Festival this year on Tuesday 22 September at the Ipswich Corn Exchange.

A lifeboat will bring the beer up the River Orwell to the festival where it will be taken off by motorised dray to be sampled by local celebrities and visitors to the festival.

The beer will be available in pubs and supermarkets throughout the country and Tolly Cobbold will be donating £1,02p per case to RNLI funds for every case sold and 8.5p from the sale of each bottle sold.

Brian Cowie, Director of Tolly Cobbold said of the beer - 'a classic premium quality ale with a rich ruby colour, full-bodied and satisfying with plenty of hop fruit character' and he should know, for Tolly Cobbold have been brewing since 1723! Each bottle will feature the RNLI's eye-catching 175th logo, together with a collectable series of six back labels each highlighting an historic RNLI event from 1824 to the current day.

The lifeboat beer was the brainchild of Stella Dubbin, Area Organiser in the RNLI's Eastern Region. Both Stella and Tolly Cobbold are sure this will be a big seller! For further information about the 175th anniversary celebrations please contact the Anniversary Project Manager, Frances Aldridge, on (01202) 663323.

Rescue 50 miles inland! At 0815 on Good Friday. 10 April 1998, Westonsuper- Mare and Penaith lifeboat stations received information from RNLI headquarters that urgent assistance was requested due to the severe flooding in the South Midlands. Crew members from both stations were rapidly assembled and prepared to travel to Worcester to assist the local emergency services. Meanwhile at headquarters in Poole, three D class inflatables were being loaded, complete with engines and equipment, onto fleet transport for immediate delivery to the stricken area.

All units arrived on scene at 1330 and commenced operations in conjunction with the fire, ambulance and police services. Houses in the Blanket Estate area were flooded to a depth of six feet on the ground floors and there were many submerged obstacles such as cars and vans which hampered the rescue operations. During the next 20 hours the lifeboats succeeded in evacuating some 30 people and a further six were 'medivaced' with the assistance of local paramedics who were transported to the casualties by the lifeboat crews.

As the floods began to subside on the Saturday morning, the crews were released to return home. This certainly was a rescue operation with a difference but does illustrate the flexibility of the RNLI and its crews to operate wherever and whenever they are needed, even if it is some 50 miles inland from the coast! It must be remembered that while these teams were away, their colleagues left at Weston-super- Mare and Penarth provided the normal cover for the local area.

Stormy Stan having fun at the Birmingham Boat Show, which took place between the 14-22 February 1998.

Opening ceremony for new lifeboat house at Tynemouth The new lifeboat house at Tynemouth was officially dedicated and opened at a ceremony held on Sunday, 10 May 1998.

The building has been funded by Mrs Mary Beatrice Holland of Darlington, Co. Durham, who left the whole of her residuary estate.

£100,000. to the RNLI in memory of her brother, the late James Rolland, because she had always been interested in the work of the lifeboat service.

Tynemouth lifeboat station was established by the RNLI in 1862, although there had been a lifeboat stationed there by the Tyne Lifeboat Society since 1790. The lifeboat, 'the Original", was the first specialised lifeboat in the world to be built.

Arctic Cycle Challenge Fifty cyclists are being sought to undertake a once-in-a-lifetime ride to the most northerly lifeboat station at Honningsvag, Northern Norway, during the Arctic Cycle Challenge, taking place between 18-26 July 1998, in aid of the RNLI. This is the first time that the RNLI has become involved in such a fundraising event and hopes to generate at least £90,000.

Speaking of the event, Brendan Eley, the RNLI's fundraising development manager, says 'Deep within the Arctic Circle there is 24-hour sunlight, silent fjords, open tundra and jagged, snow capped peaks. The riders will be given mountain bikes and follow the 450km of the Arctic Highway, from Tromsa in Northern Norway to Nordkapp. Europe's most northerly point. . . The RNLI is very grateful to Land Hover who are donating a jeep. Color Line who are assisting with the travelling expenses and the Norwegian lifeboat service (NSSR) who are supplying support during the nine days. This is a cycle ride with a difference and we already have five lifeboat crew from Porthcawt and two from Cullercoats taking part'.

Presidential duties On Thursday Hand Friday 15 May 1998, HRHThe Duke of Kent KG. President of the RNLI, visited lifeboat stations at Conwy, Llandudno, Rhyl, Flint, New Brighton, Hoylake and West Kirby. During the tour he met RNLI staff and volunteers who crew the lifeboats, administer the lifeboat stations and fundraise for the charity.

His Royal Highness takes an active interest in all aspects of the lifeboat service. He makes a tour of a different area of the country every year. This is his first visit to the lifeboat stations listed. He was accompanied by Mr David Acland DL, Chairman of the RNLI and Lt Cdr Brian Miles, Director.

Following on from The Duke's visit to North Wales and the Wirrall. he officially named Dover's new Severn class lifeboat City of London II at the Port of Dover on Thursday 28 May. The £1.3m lifeboat was funded from an appeal to mark the centenary of the RNLI City of London branch. The generous support of many companies, institutions and individuals within the square mile, together with the generous bequests of Mrs Edna Horsfield. a resident of Dover and Mrs Gertrude Koss, a life long supporter of the RNLI, successfully achieved the appeal target.

Official opening of the New Calshot Lifeboat Station The crew of Calshot lifeboat are celebrating following the official opening of their much longed for lifeboat station on the edge of the Solent.

The £300,000 complex has been built on stilts at the end of Calshot Spit to prevent it flooding during stormy weather or high seas.

The new station was opened by Captain Michael Boyle, chairman of Hampshire County Council. Hundreds of guests attended the official opening which was followed by tours of the lifeboat itself and a buffet. Most of the present crew were in attendance and were happy to chat to friends, fundraisers and supporters of the RNLI, Integral to the building is a souvenir shop and other facilities include shower, TV/video for training, kit drying room, galley and engineering workshop..