Since the last Annual Presentation of Awards Meeting, the Committee of Management has awarded 3 Honorary Life Governorships, 10 Bar to Gold Badges and 55 Gold Badges. Each of the following entries states the dates of the first and latest positions held at a branch by the awardee. Awardees not attending the APA are shown with an asterisk.

Honorary Life Governor Mrs Louisa Rigby* Sillolh and District Branch: Vice President 1952 - 1959. Chairman 1959 to date- Mr Shcrwin Chase Thurrock Branch: President/Chairman 1953 to date Mrs Anne Miles Wife of retired Director Brian Miles and dedicated supporter ot the RNLI for over 30 years Bar to Gold Badge ( I I I Mrs Dot Walton jp Eckinglon Branch: Chairman 1966 to date Mrs Merle Christian New Mills and Hayfield Branch: Honorary Secretary 1966 to date Mrs Joy Morris Whitehaven Branch: Honorary Treasurer 1966 to dale Mrs Brenda Martin* Cowhridge Branch: Honorary Secretary 1971 to dale Mr Howard Bell MBK Harwich Station Branch: Committee Member 196S - 1970. Honorary Liaison Officer 1987 to dale: Cromer Branch: Committee Member 1994 to date Mrs Eli/abeth Chase Thurrock Branch: Chairman of Guild 1968 - 1980. Honorary Secretary and Flag Day Organiser 1980 to date Mrs Penny Eldridge Margate Fundraising Branch: Vice Chairman 1980- 1982. Assistant Souvenir Secretary 1996 to dale; Eltham Branch: Committee Member 1963- 1975. Honorary Secretary 1975-1979 Mrs P Slater* Margate Ladies Lifeboat Guild: Assistant Souvenir Secretary 1956- 1990.

Chairman 1996 to date Mr R Kimington I.I.B* Port Erin Station Branch: Station Honorary Secretary 1969- 1986, Station Honorary Treasurer 1987- 1998 Mr George Ralston Bangor Station Branch: Station Honorary Secretary 1973 to date. Chairman 1984 to dale (Crew member prior to 1973) Gold Badge Mrs I ui-iia Patterson* Anstruther Guild: Honorary Treasurer 1961 - 1966. Committee Member 1996 to dale Mrs Mela Murray Buckie Guild: Souvenir Secretary I960 to date Mrs Christine Smart Montrose Guild: Committee Member 1968 - 1973. Box Convener 1973 to date Mrs Barbara Dutton* Bebington Branch: Committee Member 1968 - 1973. Honorary Secretary 1973 to dale Mrs Kitty Scopes Ilkeston Branch: Founder Chairman 1966- 1972, Chairman 1998 to date- Mrs Audrey Stephenson Port St Mary Ladies Lifeboat Guild: Honorary Secretary 1973 - 1984, Honorary Treasurer 1985 to date Mrs Jocelyn Reed Runcorn Ladies Lifeboat Guild: Committee Member 1950 - 1953 and 1996 to date Mr Alan Frost Sale Branch: Committee Member 1963-1971.

Chairman 1971 to dale Mrs Muriel Jealous St Annes on Sea Ladies Lifeboat Guild: ( ommittee Member 1966 - 1972, President 1992 to date Miss Nora Gardner* Upton Ladies Lifeboat Guild: Committee Member 1970- 1971. President 1985 to date- Mrs Doreen Smith Bcverley Guild: Treasurer 1973 to date.

Souvenir Secretary 1994 to date Mrs Isobcl Whitaker Bingley Guild: Secretary 1970 to date Mrs Hilda Jones Collingham Guild: Treasurer 1971 - 1973.

Souvenir Secretary 1994 to date Mrs Barbara Walker Dewsbury Guild: Chairman 1972- 1974, Chairman 1997 to date Mrs Doreen Blakcborough Fulford Guild: Secretary 1971 to date- Mrs Janet Robinson Redhall Branch: Souvenir Secretary 1972 - 1983 Treasurer 1983 to date Mrs Desne Collinson Rotherham Guild: Secretary 1967 - 1979, Committee Member 1994 to date Mrs Charlotte Stewart Sunderland Guild: Committee Member 1952- 1981. President 1981 to date Mrs Jean Cass Walton Guild: Chairman 1971 - 1997. President 1997 to date Mrs Barbara Wildridge Walton Guild: Treasurer 1971 to date Mrs Barbara Jones Cardiff 1.atlies Guild: Secretary 1975 - 1998. Committee Member 1998 to date Mrs Muriel Taylor Church Stretton Branch: Chairman 1989 to date: Much Wenlock Branch: FDO 1968 - 1970 Chairman 1970 - 1980 Mrs Mabel Self Holyhead Ladies Lifeboat Guild: Chairman 1972 to date. Souvenir secretary 1972 to date Mrs Peggy Atkinson Llandudno Ladies Lifeboat Guild: Secretary 1975 to date Mrs Peggy Morgan Mumbles Ladies Lifeboat Guild: President 1969 to date Mr Peter Dean Rhyl Fundraisers Branch: Vice Chairman (Rhyl Youth Guild) 1971 - 1976.

Chairman and Souvenir Secretary 1978 to date Mrs Mary Ryan Wem Branch: Founder Committee Member 1984 - 1986. President 1986 to date Mrs Margaret Griffiths Worcester Branch: Chairman 1981 to date. Committee Member 1965- 1981 Mrs Helen Daniels Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Ladies Guild: Area Secretary and Flag Week Organiser. Hemsby 1962 to date Mrs Laura Lillcy Harlow and District Branch: Committee Member 1957 - 1967. President 1994 to date Dr Betsy Lovely Harwich and Dovercourt Ladies Guild: Committee Member 1970 - 1972, President 1975 to date Mrs Lil Clarke Mersea and District Ladies Lifeboat Guild: Helper 1962 - 1973, President 1986 to date Mrs Diana Kennedy* Northampton Ladies Guild: Committee Member 1971 - 1975. President/ Souvenir Secretary 1988 to date Mr Chris Sweeting Bristol Central/Pill Branch: Honorary Secretary 1975. Committee Member 1996 to date Mrs Joan Good Brixham Guild: Committee Member 1973 - 1980, Chairman 1994 to date Mr Brian Davey Frampton Cotterell Branch: Box Secretary 1979 to date. Vice Chairman and Souvenir Secretary 1993 to date: Fishponds Branch: Committee Member 1970, Box Secretary 1973 Lady Enid Thompstnne Jersey Guild: Committee Member 1965 - 1976. Vice President 1986 to date Mrs Marie Trevithick Redrulh Guild: Committee Member 1971 - 1977. Chairman 1977 to date Mr Bill Hampshire i in Bexhill on Sea Branch: Honorary Secretary 1962-1971. Chairman 1972 - 1983 Mrs Stella Hastings: Caterham and District Branch: Box Secretary/Assistant Secretary 1972 - 1989. Honorary Secretary 1989 to date Mrs Nell Post Dover Lifeboat Guild: Souvenir Secretary 1977- 1995. Chairman 1981 to date Mrs Edna Barnard Hartley Wintney Branch: Lifeboat Week Organiser 1955 to date Mrs Joyce Mephant Hastings and St Leonards Lifeboat Society: Committee Member 1968 - 1980.

Vice Chairman 1997 to date Mrs Pamela Bowers Lingfield and Dormansland Branch: Honorary Treasurer 1962 to date Mr John Caspell Sandwich and District Branch: Chairman 1973 to date Mrs Nita Stannard Sandwich and District Branch: Vice Chairman 1973 - 1976, Honorary Secretary/Souvenir Secretary/ Lifeboat Week Organiser 1976 to date Mrs Jean Warwick Selsey Lifeboat Association: Honorary Secretary 1974 to date Mrs Kathleen Smith Elstree and Borehamwood Branch: Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer 1973 to date Mrs Rita Hughes Shankill Branch: Chairman 1972 to date Mr Marc Trimmer* South Mayo Branch: Honorary Secretary 1971 to date Mr Jack Provan Fraserburgh Station Branch: Committee Member 1959 - 1973. Chairman 1973 to date Mr Alfred Browning Shoreham Harbour Station Branch: Assistant Station Honorary Secretary and Treasurer 1942 to date Dr Elwyn Tudor-Jones Criccieth Station Branch: Honorary Medical Adviser 1970- 1993.

Chairman 1984 to date The Right Honorable The Lord Mostyn* Llandudno Station Branch: President 1966 to date Mr Buddy Miller* Rosslare Station Branch: Deputy Launching Authority 1971 - 1982, Chairman and Station Honorary Secretary 1983 to date Director's first draw New RNLI Director, Andrew Freemantle drew the lifeboat lottery for the first time on 30 April. The draw proved to be the most successful Spring draw in the lottery's 23 year history, raising over £200,000.

Mr R J Perry of Legbourne in Lincolnshire won first prize - a visual equipment package, consisting of a camcorder, an SLR camera, binoculars, plus waterproof and APS cameras all kindly donated by Canon.

The runner up prize winners were: £1,000 • Mr G Lindsell, Meopham £500 • Mrs J Moir, Hastings £250 • Mrs J Raven, Sheffield Sure Shot 60 Zoom Camera Kit • Mr K Ashton, Reddich Sure Shot Sleek Camera • Mr C Graham, Lanes Snappy LX11 Camera Kit • Mrs J Elliott, Hassocks; Mrs J Bennett, South Bucks; Mrs Y Manning, Fremington; Mr Tait, Yeovil; Mr R Pullman, Merthyr Tydfil; Mr E Hill, Pymstock; Mrs G Kent, St Austell; Mr M Tandy, Solihull; Mrs R Smith, Market Harborough; Mr J P H Spiller, Dorking.

Parting shot John Swan, Deputy Launching Authority and former Mechanic and Crew Member of Berwick-upon-Tweed lifeboat, retired on 4 March , after giving 31 years of service to the station.

As John's final day coincided with the RNLI's 175th anniversary he was asked to fire the station's '175' maroon to mark both occasions.

A family affair In the previous issue of The Lifeboat we featured a photograph of Malcolm Gray, Coxswain of St Davids lifeboat, along his daughter who is also a crew member.

Billy Lennon, retired Donaghadee coxswain, sent in this picture of him and his daughter, Ruth, who is also a crew member. She joined the Donaghadee crew in 1985 when Billy was Coxswain, Now Billy is retired but after a marriage and two children Ruth is still a crew member along with her brother in law who is Coxswain, her husband who is 2nd Coxswain, her uncle who is Mechanic and her cousin who is also a Crew Member! A hero's beginning Someone who remains nameless sent this photograph in to the offices of The Lifeboat We've been looking for an excuse to use the picture as it shows Humber lifeboat crew over 30 years ago - including a one Brian Bevan (circled) who looks barely old enough to be out of shorts! Of course these days Brian is one of the country's better known and highly decorated lifeboat coxswains with a Gold, Silver and two Bronze medals under his belt. Back then he had not long started out as a Crew Member under Coxswain John King who must have been one of the best teachers… On Station The following lifeboats have taken up duty: All-weather Stornoway - Severn 17-18 (ON 1238) Tom Sanderson on 1 February 1999 Relief - Severn 17-17 (ON1237) Fraser Flyer on 4 February 1999.

Fenit-Trent 14-27 (ON 1239) Robert Hywell Jones Williams on 28 February 1999 Achill -Trent 14-28 (ON 1240) Sam and Ada Moody on 28 April 1999 Inshore Craster - D542 (no name at time of going to press) on 3 February 1999 Cardigan - B752 Tanni Grey on 24 February 1999 Sligo Bay- B525 Spix's Macaw on 12 March 1999.