The RNLI's Annual General Meeting and Presentation of Awards, held on 18 May 2000, once again took place at the Barbican Centre in the City of London. The morning AGM allowed Chairman David Acland, who retires at the end of July, to present his review of the year to Govenernors for the last time and, in the afternoon, awards were presented, gallant lifeboat heroes and fundraising stalwarts.The 20th century ended on a high note for the RNLI. with exceptionally good results in fundraising and finance and further advances in the capability of lifeboats.

Chairman David Acland, speaking at the Institution's AGM at the Barbican Centre, delivered an annual report that was packed with news of great progress.

Fourteen new lifeboats had been delivered, electronic paging for crews had been introduced, 400 volunteers advisers had been recruited for the SEA Check safety awareness scheme and more than a thousand lives had been saved by RNLI crews.

In the Mozambique floods volunteer crews helped around 10.000 people who had been cut off from aid.

On the financial side, £56m was given through wills and this, combined with a highly successful year of fundraising and a booming stock market, had boosted reserves at the end of the year to £317m.

'Last year's 175th anniversary was the perfect opportunity to celebrate the RNLI's achievements', said the Chairman.

'We were able to involve people of all ages, reminding them of the importance of the RNLI as a modern lifesaving organisation and of the need for their continuing support.

'Such support is crucial if we are to realise our vision for the future, which we all helped to articulate last year.

This is lo be recognised universally as he most effective, innovative and dependable lifeboat service.' 'We shall always strive for high standards- He said there was consensus from supporters, volunteers and staff alike that the values that had shaped the organisation 'must be upheld if our plans to realise that vision are to succeed'.

"Most importantly, we will continue to recognise tr courage, commitment and humanity of our crews and u maintain our volunteer ethos.

"We will also harness staff professionalism and expertise in support of our volunteers: we shall always strive for high standards and work to preserve our independence and the trust of the public. Finally, we must encourage open and effective communication-It's the end of an era in July when David • Acland completes 34 years as a member of the Committee of Management and steps down as RNLI chairman.

When he started in 1966 the RNLTs entire spending bill was roughly equivalent to the £1.8 million cost of the new Severn class lifeboat recently launched in Newhaven and named after the chairman and his wife.

' I n those days our most expensive lifeboat was the nine-knot. 48ft 6in Oakley at £60.000; he recalled.

Even at that price in the inflationary 60s and early 7(N. the RNLI was spending more than it could raise.

"Its reserves had dwindled to such a point that we were forced to cut back on building new boats, struggling to find enough for the running costs alone..

The picture is markedly different today. I am happy to say. Throughout the past three decades the RNLI has gradually made its financial position very secure, thanks to the dedication of its fundraisers and the excellent reputation of its crews.

'At the same time we have been able to develop a lifeboat service as well equipped as any in the world to cope with the vagaries of the coastline, and we have done so independent of government and with volunteers as our principal workforce.' He told a large audience at the annual awards ceremony: The most gratifying part of this job must be knowing that together as an organisation we have saved more than a thousand lives a year for the past three decades.' He thanked staff and volunteers for their support. 'You have made it a hugely enjoyable task.' he added.Highlights from the Chairman's report New lifeboats iaunched Seven more 25-knot lifeboats were added lo the fleet in 1999 - live Severns and two Trenls.

Our aim lo reach virtually any poini out lo 50 miles within two and a naif hours is now a reality.

Seven Atlantic 75s were placed on station as part of the programme to re-equip rigid inflatable lifeboat stations.

Technology improvement Electronic paging for alerting lifeboat crews being introduced throughout the RNLI.

The new system, successfully tested last year, instantly transmits information aboul the casualty Lifeboats for the future Ultimate aim: an entire lifeboat fleet capable of at least 25 knots.

Experimental prototype for 25-knot slipway-launching boat due to be ready for first trials in August 2000.

First production boat is planned (o enter service in 2004.

Design being sought for all-weather fast-response boat to succeed the Mersey class by 2005.

5 knot replacement for the D elass inshore boat to appear in 200! Faster version of the Atlantic 75 to enter service in 2002.

jf hovercraft as supplement to lifeboat cover in shallows and mudflats is beina investigated _ _ _ Number of lifeboat launches: 6.521.

Lives saved: 1.028.

Otheis assisted: 5.565.

(- -•• reached within 30 minutes of launching: 91% The number of calls to lifeboats appeal's to have stabilised at 6.500 a year after an "alarmingly rapid rise" to a peak afnearh 7.500 in 1995.

Qthj idVjsJbr the future ch and inland water safety and rescue cover is being rook d into in case RNLI can be of assistance.

to otter more systematic help in civil emergencies such as Hoods will be developed.

Training -I college is to be built in Poole within two years.

-'(.-come an acknowledged centre of excellence.

te i, ce- based training for RNLI volunteers and staff.

with capacity for limited number of overseas trainees.

SEA Check' 400 volunteer advisers recruited 2.300 recreational boat owners have requested free checks on their safety equipment.

To spread awareness of the scheme there will be campaigns aimed at children and fishermen Fundraising An exceptional year, thanks especially to 175th anniversary celebrations and to excellent branch and guild fundraising success.

This success has led to the funding of a Severn class lifeboat for the relief fleet to be called Volunteer Spirit.

£56.7m was bequeathed lo RNLI in legacies.

The RNLI's sales company's profits exceeded £2m for the first time.

Finances Free reserves reached £317m at the end of this year, although stock market falls in 2000 reduced this.

The RNLI spent £78m in 1999. of which £ 17m was on new lifeboats, stations and shoreworks.

Cost increases included the recruitment of divisional training inspectors. SEA Check co-ordinators and the move from a 26-hour to a 37-hour week for full-time lifeboat crew members, made necessary by increasing complexity of modern boats and the need for planned maintenance programmes.

Mozambique Floods 'Although the RNLI can respond to natural disasters overseas only in exceptional circumstances", said the chairman David Acland. "it was heartening to receive so many messages on support of the mission to Mozambique." A survey of supporters and the general public found that 70per cent were wholeheartedly in favour of the exercise.

Following a request for help from the Department of International Development, eight men were chosen from a large number of crew members who volunteered.

Using seven ex-operational D class inflaiables. they delivered medical supplies and assistance to communities cut off by the flooding and inaccessible by helicopter. About 10.000 people were assisted.

Almost the entire cost of the exercise was covered by unsolicited donations.Risk taking is important in life, the Princess Royal said at the RNU's annual avvauK ceremony, and the one ihing ilial encourages people to go 10 sea more conlidemlv than anything eKe is "the assumption that the RN1J and its boats and crews w i l l turn up and rescue them if they get it horribly wrong".

'What I suspect is that it probably happens more than it should do.' she added. ' but it underlines the aluc of the sen ice itself, of the work thai you as volunteers do and the i|uile extraordinary s k i l l anil devotion to duty that is shown b those volunteers who man the lifeboats.

So much risk taking had been removed horn l i l c . p a r l i c u l a r l v tor voting people, and there was less and less opportunity "to do things which are jusi a l i t t l e hit risky".

'It's actualh important that we give them the opportunity to do things like this, to go to sea. to learn how 10 do it properly to enjoy it. hut there is alwavs thai level of risk.

As a yachtswoman and a member of the RNLI's Offshore scheme ('nobodv twisted mv arm.' she insisted) she had learned how quickly things can go wrong at sea.

She spoke of "people like me who might take a boat out one da in unsuitable conditions, not having paid sinci enough attention to the weather forecast' and who might then become an RNLl statistic.

'But in some ways 1 am only grateful ihai people still go to sea. and do enjoy the sea. who are prepared to lake a few risks - [ just wish that the) would learn that mere are some risks which yon can prevent and avoid." She praised the SKA Cheek scheme to advise boat owners on safet) equipment but warned that people were being fooled bv technology into t h i n k i n g they could do more than the were ready for.

'II it hadn't been loi (iPS or .1 be.icon or perhaps other satelv equipment ihev would ha e bought a day bout and never gone out of sight of land because they wouldn't have dared to. And the) would ha e been right - they don't know enough.' The BBC's Songs of Praise presenter Pam Rhodes offered her explanation of why lifeboat crews go io sea w hen she spoke ai the RNLI's annual presentation of awards.

'Whenever you talk to a lifeboatman about why he aciuallv does this v e r v challenging. verv d i f f i c u l t . verv dangerous thing, very often lhe are matter of fact and very practical about it.' she said.

' I 'm sure that is because lhe are simplv l i v i n g out the principle of the sea that is as old as the sea itself, and thai is t h a t one seafarer w i l l never see another seafarer .

at peril on the sea and nol do all the nossihlv can to save him.

Thai was why they put their lives on the line for total strangers, she said. 'And r e a l l v there cannot he an human endeavour that is more noble man that.' Pam. who has recentl) joined the RNLl's Committee of Management, added that e v e r y t h i n g the RNLl provided for the crews - state of the art technologx.

vessels in which lhe had total confidence, the training and Ihe spirit of teamwork - helped them nol jusi to overcome Ihe limitations, hut to get way beyond them 'and actual!) go so far as bringing about miracles' Pam. who comes from a naval f a m i l v and whose godfather was among the fundraisers receiving the Gold award, recalled a day she spent acting as Man Over Hoard on exercise with the C'romer lifeboat 'I was bobbing ahoul in ihe North Sea waiting lobe scooped out for probably the sixth lime, t h i n k i n g lhat if actuatK I had been exhausted and terrilied for my life, and perhaps grief stricken, in terrible weather conditions just how wonderful ii would have been to have seen lhat lifeboat.

'As il was I can tell you I was immense!) grateful at the sight of lhat brown strong hand that gripped me and pulled me out for the last time.

'And thai very nice hunch of gentlemen in C'romer decided 1 didn't look wel enough and threw a bucket of water over me.'( .i si ;itn Kim I ;in Received ihe Silver Medal tor his "...enormous .'OUMi!o. determination and seamanship...' during a service to .1 disabled yacht in I uro: ~ si-iles .ind rough sets See Ihe Spring 2IMM hsue for ihe full rescue ai'ouuir.

Coxswain/Asst. Mechanic Brian PatU-n.

Achill Island Received the Silver Medal (or u service to a fishing vessel in atrocious weather conditions, "...he pushed the lifeboat lo her limit m ihe hea y sea.' See the Winter IWV/2000 issue far the full re cue account.

Coxswain William Farqhar. Thurso Received the Bronze Medal l"t In- •...outstanding skill .mil seamanship...' during a sen ice to a hiirmnj; chemical lanker. which helped to prevent u major I'Lulnyical disaster.

Set Ihe Autumn I9W issue for the full r,' tin-arctiunl.

i-i. s,,,i[|hml Ki'teiU'd the Hriiii/L1 Modal lor his ' ..course, yre.il prevenci' nt" mind.

claniv »l ihouiihi. s k i l l u l seamanship...' during the rescue of three people from an .iii liiii; hoai in some it ihc worst ue.itlici i- ci e pciu-iiivd -ii Snuihend.

See the Spring 2UOH iutuefar ihe full.