Deputy PM takes to the lifeboats! Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott took to the water in the Dover lifeboat recently when he presented the RNLI with a Millennium Product plaque for the Severn class all-weather boat.

The coxswain and crew of the City of London II received the plaque from Mr Prescott aboard the boat which was moored at St Katharine's Pier on the River Thames for the special ceremony on 5 August.

Mr Prescott was 'running the country' at the time in the absence of the Prime Minister who was on holiday and the media flocked to take pictures of the DPM in his lifejacket ! Mr Prescott was met at the pier by the Chairman of the RNLI, Mr David Acland, who asked the Dover coxswain Dave Pascall to receive the plaque. He was then invited to take a short trip afloat by Tower Bridge.

The RNLI received the prestigious plaque in recognition of the design of the Severn class lifeboat which is the largest, most modern and technologically advanced lifeboat in the fleet with a top speed of 25 knots.

On the big screen The RNLI celebrated 175 years of saving lives at sea with a hard-hitting cinema commercial in September. Working Conditions, was shot on location on a roller coaster at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, in front of an aircraft at RAF Lyneham, and in an meat freezer to demonstrate the tough life of RNLI crews at sea.

The 60-second commercial, which went on release in cinemas across the UK and Ireland for two weeks, was shown in cinemas whose advertising is sold through Pearl and Dean and it is estimated that it was seen by one and a half million cinema goers. The commercial is intended to appeal particularly to the 18-30 age group which the RNLI sees as an important audience in its anniversary year.

New RNLI Treasurer lain Bryce, former chairman of the Humber Lifeboat Appeal, has been appointed Treasurer to the RNLI. Mr Bryce, who joined the RNLI Committee of Management in 1995, succeeds Sir John James, who has been appointed Deputy Chairman.

Bridlington born Mr Bryce is a former chairman of the Bridlington Branch and was chairman of the Humber appeal from 1992-96. The appeal raised the funds for new Severn class lifeboat named Pride of Humber tor the only full time lifeboat station in the RNLI at Spurn Point on the Humber.

A chartered accountant since 1959, Mr Bryce was a partner with Ernst & Young, and former firms, between 1966 and 1994, and still holds a number of business directorships.

After completing his National Service with the Royal Engineers, between 1959-61, Mr Bryce became involved with the Territorial Army, where he reached the rank of Colonel as Deputy Commander of the 29 Engineer Brigade, retiring in 1981.

In 1977 Mr Bryce was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of East Riding of Yorkshire.

Advertising in The Lifeboat From the next issue, Madison Bell will handle all the advertising sales for The Lifeboat Magazine.

Madison Bell is the same company that have successfully handled the advertising for the National Trust Magazine for several years and come highly recommended.

We are sure you would agree that the magazine, which is in effect our 'mouth piece' to RNLI members and supporters, should be subsidised as much as possible to ensure that the majority of our resources are channelled into running the lifeboat service. However, we also wish to strike a careful balance between advertising subsidy and editorial content. Rest assured that the current balance will remain the same with Madison Bell.

Why do we need Madison Bell? Effective media sales are a specialist skill and require a professional approach. Therefore to ensure that we can improve both the quality and the profitability of advertising within the magazine we need help from a company like Madison Bell.

If you are a reader, expect to see some new advertisers over the coming year-we hope you will find the information relevant and useful.

However, if you are a display or classified advertiser as well as a reader, Vicky Davies or one of her colleagues from Madison Bell will shortly be in touch to introduce themselves. (Alternatively you can contact her on (0171) 389 0808 or email:[email protected] The Lifeboat is published four times a year and is sent free to RNLI Members and Governors.

The next issue will be Winter 1999 and will appear January 2000.

News items should be received by 31 October, but earlier if possible. All material submitted for possible publication should be addressed to the Editor, The Lifeboat, Royal National Lifeboat Institution, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1HZ.

Photographs intended for return should be accompanied by a stamped, addressed envelope.

Contributions may be held for subsequent issues and to reduce costs receipt will not usually be acknowledged unless requested.

For further information on how to join the Institution as a Member or Governor contact the Membership section at RNLI Headquarters, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1HZ.

Any products or services advertised in The Lifeboat by third parties are not in any way endorsed by the RNLI and the RNLI shall not be responsible for the accuracy of any information contained in such advertisements nor has it investigated or verified any of the information.

The Lifeboat is published by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and printed by The Friary Press, Bridport Road. Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1JL A grand finale RNLI crew members from Brighton, Littlehampton and Poole took part in two displays at the last ever Royal Tournament at Earls Court on 22 July. The arena was filled to capacity for the evening performance, and was almost full for the afternoon show.

A total live audience of more than twenty thousand people saw the two displays, which featured a dramatised reconstruction of the triple medal Brighton Palace Pier rescue. Silver medallist, Richard Pearce, and Bronze medallist, Martin Ebdell, were among the crew taking part.

The Brighton crew and a crew from Littlehampton, with Anne Millman (Poole lifeboat crew and RNLI Youth Promotion Manager) making a guest appearance. The two crews battled it out, with vocal support from the audience, to see who could be first to reach their 'station' after being paged, get into their drysuits, lifejackets and helmets and board their lifeboat.

The dramatic highlight was a filmed reconstruction of the rescue, taken from the RNLI video 'Lifeboats 2000', which was projected on to a giant screen. At the end of the reconstruction the Brighton Atlantic lifeboat emerged from the darkness into the spotlight, and the crews acknowledged the cheers and applause from the crowd as they were towed out of the arena.

Also participating was one of the women rescued from under the pier by the Brighton lifeboat, Vicky Stone. The other survivor was too traumatised by her ordeal to take part, but another friend of Vicky's, Claire Parkhouse, stood in for her.

Once again, the RNLI was fortunate to have the services of BBC sports commentator, Barry Davies, who also provided the commentary for the flotilla at Poole Quay on 23 June.

Photos: © Sampson-Lloyd photography Flotilla video in production - last chance to buy 175th Anniversary Special The RNLI public relations team has been inundated with requests for a video of the 175th anniversary flotilla which took place in Poole Harbour on 23 June.

The event was filmed and a video will be released at a future date. The RNLI's Video Production Manager, Edward Mallinson, is a one-man department and has other projects which must be completed before he can get to work on editing the video. But rest assured that a video will be made available in the near future. Watch this space for further details.

In the meantime, there are just a few copies left of the special 175™ ANNIVERSARY COMPILATION video. This features the first film made for the RNLI to celebrate its centenary in 1924, SAVED BY A MOTOR LIFEBOAT; the 30- minute LIFEBOATS 2000 - the RNLI's latest video offering - plus material specially produced for showing at the London International Boat Show earlier this year. This video, packaged with a cover bearing the 175'" anniversary logo, would make an ideal stocking filler for a lifeboat supporter and costs just £5.00.

To order the compilation video, please send a cheque for £5.00, made payable to RNLI Enterprises Ltd, to PPIMA/IDEO, RNLI Headquarters, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1HZ Steam away with first prize With the help of Venice Simplon-Orient-Express we have a journey of a lifetime for the winner of the Winter lifeboat lottery - a trip for two on the glamorous Orient- Express, plus £400 spending money.

The winners will depart from London aboard the British Pullman and travel to the coast. Once they have crossed the channel they board the famous blue and gold wagons of the Orient- Express. From luxurious aprartments, the lucky winners can savour the panoramic views of France, Switzerland and Austira until they finally reach their ultimate destination -Venice. Here they will stay for two nights, free to relax and explore this wonderful city. In addition, the spending money will allow winners to fully enjoy all that Venice has to offer.

If you would like the opportunity to win this great prize, remember to return your tickets to RNLI HO before 14 January 2000. If you would like to recieve tickets or if you would like more tickets, please ring Rebekah Rose who will pleased to help. Contact her on (01202) 663219, 8.30am-5pm weekdays.

Changes to lottery mailing Recently lifeboat lottery tickets have been sent to our supporters in the month prior to the mailing of The Lifeboat magazine. In the future, however, lottery books will be sent out over a longer, eight-week period.

This should help to reduce administration costs and ensure that we handle the returned tickets in a more prompt manner. So, if you haven't received your Winter lifeboat lottery tickets, please don't worry, they should be with you by the end of October.

Should you have any queries regarding the above, please do not hesitate to contact Rebekah Rose at the RNLI headquarters on (01202) 663219. She will be happy to help you.

Summer visitors Among the tens of thousands of visitors welcomed this summer by stations throughout the RNLI, there have been at least two who have caused heads to turn. Cheri Blair, wife of the Prime Minister was in Lyme Regis, Dorset, on 11 June to name a traditionally- built boat at the Lyme Regis Marine Centre and also made time to call in at the lifeboat station where she was welcomed by the honorary secretary, Tim Zair. One of the crew who is taking part in the South African Cycle Challenge found her to be a very generous sponsor.

Meanwhile, two days earlier, HRH the Prince of Wales also had time to pay a visit to the lifeboat station when he opened the new deep water basin at Eyemouth on the east coast of Scotland. He is seen here aboard the station's Trent class, talking to Coxswain Jim Dougal and his crew.

End of a class act The very last Waveney class lifeboat in the RNLI fleet, Margaret Graham, sailed from her mooring at Amble lifeboat station on 24 July under the helm of her retiring coxswain, Rodney Surge MBE, to take up a new role as pilot boat for Whitby Harbour Board. She left in her wake a proud history of lifesaving by a 22-strong fleet of 16-knot Waveneys which first saw service in 1964.

The class, which was based on a 44ft US Coast Guard design, was effectively the first of the 'fast' all-weather lifeboats to be adopted by the RNLI. Along with the Arun class, the Waveney became the highly reliable workhorse of the lifeboat sevice in the last three decades, answering 7,000 calls and saving 2,800 lives.

Although lacking the comfort of the enclosed wheelhouse of the modern all-weather boat, and with a lively tendency at sea which could sometimes test the sturdiest of sea-legs, she was a boat much loved by her crews who regarded the Waveney as a very fine sea boat.

The faith they placed in this design has been plain to see from the accounts of bravery medals won in the pages of The Lifeboat over the years. The overall tally for Waveney coxswains and crew stands at six Silver medals and 14 Bronze. One example is depicted here by the distinguished marine artist, David Cobb, When Coxswain/Mechanic Ian Johnson of Troon was awarded the Silver medal for rescuing five men from the stricken dredger, Holland I, in a gale and 20ft seas on 12 September 1980.

A piece of D action r- RNLI Director, Andrew Freemantle, is always keen to get in the thick of it and get his hands dirty - and recently he got thrown about and drenched when he tried his hand at shearwater rafting.

Andrew (pictured front row second right) successfully negotiated the wild white waters of the mighty Zambezi River in July in nothing more than a rubber raft and still lived to tell the tale.

Who knows, perhaps he will trying for the local lifeboat crew next? Visiter rescue re-enacted at Whitby On August Bank Holiday Sunday thousands of supporters gathered all along the route from the Whitby Lifeboat Museum to Robin Hood's Bay to witness the re-enactment of the area's most famous rescue.

In 1881, the area was blanketed in snow, the bitter cold winds were howling and the only sources of power were men and horses, when the lifeboat had to be pulled overland in order to rescue the crew of the brig Visiter.

In 1881, the effort was helped by teams of farm horses, used in shifts along the route. But working horses are rare in 1999, so just four shire horses, loaned by Bass breweries, were enlisted to help the 100+ human volunteers - both men and women - all sponsored to take part in a day of hard work and high drama.

The re-enactment took over nine hours from start to finish. At least three thousand pounds was raised from street collections en route. The final result will not be known until all the sponsorship money comes in.

More details in the next issue.

New eras 22 May 1999 - More than 400 people braved force 7 winds to take part in a double celebration at Blackpool when RNLI Chairman, David Acland, using 175th Anniversary Ale, christened the station's new Atlantic 75, Bickerstaffe, in memory of the first coxswain at Blackpool, Robert Bickerstaffe.

A short time afterwards. The Mayor of Blackpool, Councillor Bill Burgess, unveiled a plaque to mark the official opening of the new boathouse and visitor centre (featured in the Winter 1998/9 issue of The Lifeboat) 12 June 1999 - Crowds around Newbiggin lifeboat station in Northumberland witness the opening of the refurbished and extended boathouse when former station honorary secretary.

Jack Smith, unveiled a plaque to mark the occasion. The original boathouse built in 1851 is still part of the station but a new twostorey extension provides crew changing and training facilities.

23 May 1999 - Sharon Parke anoints the new Hunstanton Atlantic 75 with Champagne as she names the €71,000 lifeboat, DJS Haverhill, in memory of her late uncle, David James Sisson. He had been a volunteer fundraiser in Haverhill, Suffolk, in his lifetime and left money in his will for a new lifeboat.

An anonymous National Lottery winner provided a similar amount towards the cost of the boat and local fundraising made up the difference.

20 May 1999 - A major engineering feat, the completion of the new pierhead lifeboat station and slipway at Cromer, was celebrated inside the boathouse with the help of the Bishop of Norwich, the Very Reverend Peter Nott, RNLI Deputy Chairman, Roly Franks, Beeston Hall school choir and 200 guests including donors and their representatives who had helped to fund the £2.8 million project.

Photo : Eastern County Newspapers Ltd Outstanding rescue Helmsman Thomas Freeman of Mablethorpe has been awarded this year's Maud Smith award for the outstanding act of lifesaving during the previous year. Maud Smith made a bequest in 1943 to provide a small sum of money and a certificate for the chosen lifeboat crewmember. The certificate comes in addition to the Bronze Medal already won by Tom Freeman after he and his crew rescued two people and their fishing vessel, close inshore in heavy surf and freezing conditions Model makers Maureen La Frenais, RNLI Display & Visits Co-ordinator is revising the current list of lifeboat model-makers. If you wish to have your details included, write to Maureen at the RNLI headquarters in Poole. Please include any current or past projects that you have done, and donations of photos - or models will be gratefully received! Top design award The new North Berwick lifeboat station building has won a commendation in the 1999 Civic Trust Awards, presented for the best environmental designs in the UK. The RNLI has a growing reputation for award-winning designs and this latest commendation was given for 'the care and attention to detail contained in the small two-story building and the design, which blends in well with the existing streetscape.'.