Gala brings history alive Two stars of the popular television series Heartbeat, helped draw the crowds at Whitby's lifeboat gala, over the weekend of the 29 and 30 July, when they performed a champagne launch on the town's restored pulling and sailing lifeboat, Robert & Ellen Robson.

In a packed two days, which also included the annual Flag Day, auctions, dances and other events in the run up to the Gala weekend, more than £12,000 was raised, with Sheffield's man of steel Jim Hague kicking off activities with a 125ft lorry pull. Lifeboat demonstrations, evening entertainment with local band Juggler, stalls, a fun fair and lots of other attractions, made it a real weekend of fun for all the family. Fireworks on the Sunday evening, paid for by a private sponsor, provided a spectacular end to the two days.Fred. Olsen fund third lifeboat Crew and passengers of the two Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines ships, Black Prince and Black Watch, have done it again, raising a whopping £76,250 - enough to fund their third Atlantic 75 lifeboat.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines adopted the RNLI as its charity in the 1960s when its ships were sailing from Harwich, Tilbury and London Docks. With so much time spent in UK waters, the RNLI was an obvious charity for the company to support, with passengers and crew quick to show their support as well.

On every cruise, fundraising activities are a normal part of the on board entertainment. A white elephant stall, proceeds from bingo and other games, raffles, RNLI souvenir sales and collecting boxes are just some.of the ways the company is able to raise the cash. In addition to all this, the company donates a two-week cruise every year for the RNLI to use in its own fundraising efforts.

Pilgrims' progress Remember the story of Martyn King and Alison Shaw from the Summer 2000 issue? The pair had started their two year, 7,000 mile journey along the coast of Britain, stopping at 185 lifeboat stations along the way. On 11 May 2000, they were spotted by Trevor Holland from Skegness lifeboat station. At this stage, the pair had travelled 1.200 miles and were nearing Ardnamurchan point. So if you see them on your travels, stop and say hello! Anyone wishing to make a donation to Alison and Martyn's fundraising effort can do so at any post office. The account details are: RNLI Round Britain Walk, account number 46 067 3289.A severe shock was imposed upon the Yorkshire south west district of Young Farmers clubs on 2 July as they started the annual Honley and Brockholes branch lifeboat pull.

The grey skies began to darken and the not too distant hills became engulfed in heavy mist as they set off to pull a D class lifeboat for 20 miles along the highways and byways of West Yorkshire. Within 30 minutes of the start, the wind got up, the sky turned black and the rain came down in torrents.

While the supporters waterproof coats were welcome, full lifeboat wet weather gear would have been truly appropriate! But with absolute determination and disregard of their own comforts, the young farmers battled on for the next seven hours - collecting a remarkable £1,110 along the way.

COBO Rainbow Guides, pictured here with former lifeboatman John Webster, have been busy collecting thousands of stamps to raise money for the RNLI. The rainbows, aged between five and seven, have been collecting the stamps as part of their Year of the Sea Badge and community service.

The stamps are handed over to the Guernsey lifeboat guild, who separate the stamps from their envelopes and sell them to tourists for 50p per pack. This method of raising money has proved to be a great success - raising £500 so far this year.

Third Walsall Sea Scouts and Beavers have been fundraising for Abersoch lifeboats since 1994 - raising over £400 in that time. A collection tin is kept at their HQ and the beavers are encouraged to pop in their one and two pence pieces and the scouts go Carol singing at Christmas to boost collections.

The whole Third Walsal! are lifeboat orientated and each year part of their programme includes a visit or a talk about rescues and training.

For the past seven years motorbike enthusiasts from far and wide have taken part in the Annual Classic Motorcycle Ride to raise funds for the RNLI. This year's event, which saw around 180 bikes arriving at Poole harbour on 11 June, raised £2,265 for lifeboat coffers.

This year was especially significant for biker Ted Tandy as it was has last run as event organiser. Ted is pictured above with his fellow riders during the cheque presentation to Douglas Kingsbury of Poole lifeboat guild.Ducking and diving - L-icSr- * • Earlier this year, the people of Portstewart, Northern Ireland, celebrated St Patrick's day with their annual sponsored Duck Dive. Participants jumped or dived into a nearby intertidal basin, many of them wearing fancy dress. The event, held on 17 March, attracted no less than 25 divers, all of who leapt into the water, which this year had a temperature of around 8°C.

In total, the event raised a record £3,800 through sponsorship, which was presented to John Scott, secretary of the Portrush lifeboat, over Irish stew and traditional music. The proceeds are due to be contributed towards their new Severn Class lifeboat.

Fundraising five Brighton fundraisers organised a sponsored walk in July and, despite only five participants, raised £700.

The photograph shows the intrepid walkers with the Mayor of Brighton and Hove who has nominated the RNLI as the charity that will benefit from fundraising during his year in office.

Just having a ball.

The Martin Jones jazz band played on board the lifeboat Robert and Dorothy Hardcastte to greet guests arriving at the Mayday Ball organised by Hull ladies lifeboat guild.

Over 250 guests enjoyed an excellent three-course dinner - proceedings were compered by Steve Massam of BBC Radio Humberside, and lain Bryce. RNLI Treasurer, gave an introduction to the evening. Guests danced to the band and the Steve Massam disco and were able to go aboard the lifeboat after dinner. A stand-up bingo, grand raffle, sponsorship and donations helped swell the event's profits to £4,500.Sailing club cash Maldon Little Ship Club's annual sponsored row, held on Boxing Day, produced a magnificent £9,760 in aid of the lifeboats - bringing the total raised by the sailing club in the last six years to £48,000.

In June the cheque was presented to Ken Harrison, Maldon branch chairman, seen above (second left) with crew members from Burnham on Crouch lifeboat, Anne Tomlinson, Commodore of the MLSC, and Mike McCarthy, event organiser.

Another row is planned for Boxing Day 2000 and everyone is hoping to raise even more cash for lifeboat coffers.

Millennium quilt In order to assist with their fundraising efforts, a special millennium lifeboat quilt was presented to the St Davids ladies lifeboat guild. The quilt was made by Pat Wilson of Gloucester, a group from the Nailsworth Quilters and members of the St Davids guild.

The brightly coloured quilt has been made up of various patches depicting different pictures. With its main colours being red white and blue, it features sailing ships, fish and starfish, as well as representation of the Smalls lighthouse. The quilt is due to be raffled in order to raise funds for the RNLI.Busy month Thurso branch had a very busy month in July - raising a grand total of £14,000! David Glynn, who attends the branch's quiz nights, decided to have his head shaved and managed to raise £1,178 in sponsorship - the branch also made £3,369 from its annual door to door collection, plus a further £3,499 from a summer fair and dance.

The highlight of the month had to be when bank managers Stuart Leask and Gordon Mackay raised £6,000 from visiting all the Scottish mainland branches of the Roya! Bank of Scotland.

The boys left Thurso on 2 July - travelling all day and, sometimes, all night visiting 246 branches - and arrived back on 8 July, just in time for the summer fair where Stormy Stan received their cheque.

Rooky's challenge In July, chartered surveyor Paul Rocky successfully completed the Avon challenge - a 50 mile row upstream along the Avon from Tewkesbury to Stratford - to raise cash for the lifeboats.

• Paul's time (excluding stops) was 19 hours and 16 minutes, giving an average speed of just over 2.5mph against a current of 2mph. Both BBC Midlands and ITN Central News covered the event from start to finish, turning Paul into something of a celebrity for a few days. Well-wishers stood on the river bank cheering him on and threw money into his collection box as he rowed past. P B Paul hopes that with the support of friends 1 •"' 1 I colleagues, pubs, ttw rotary club of Sdihull and the BBBP S jH I local RNLI branch, he will manage to raise at least -•-' * ~" /a " £2,500.This year's Lifeboat harbour tele, organised by Sliiitlu-s un l Kimswick station and ;.:mM proved to be a resounding success - raising in excess of £10.000. Visitors to the feie. held on 21J July, were ireaied lo lifeboat demonstrations along with a whole hosl of other attractions including raft and t'errclf!) racing, barbecue, disco, fireworks and excellent live music.

Mil; hiii mi (I District branch excelled itself during the RNLI's 175th anniversary year by raising nearly £15.000 - a fantastic achievement for a small county branch many miles from the sea.

St Agnes ladies guild organised a 'Pimms on the palio' parly complete with jazz band in July, raising over £500.

Staff at Liltlehamplon Book Services held a charity sale in May to raise funds for Ihc managing director's favourite good causes. Books were sold ai knock down prices.

generating £2.000 which was shared between RNLI l.iltlfliiiiiiptiin branch and Macrnillan Nurses.

Bob Walerfield.

Wisbi'i-h and district branch secretary, together with friend Alan Culley.

undertook a sponsored cycle ride over the Spring bank holiday, visiting each of the 15 Mfeboal stations tn the Eastern region.

Beginning ai Southend, the route followed the coasi northwards through Essex, Suffolk. Norfolk and finished up at Hunstanion.

Then.1 is siill sponsorship money coming in but so lar more than £2.000 has been raised from the event.

i ,iu i ii-i ladies guild has smashed its annual fundraising record by almost £10.000. The guild raised a total of £44,346 this year, easily surpassing lasi ear total of £35.000.

Chairman Celia Allen singled out Sark for special praise as the 651 residents there raised £3.266 - translating to over £5 a person, not including collection boxes! Stanton by Dale, a small Derbyshire village, opened its gardens to the public on 24 June to raise cash for RNLI I Ikes ton branch.

Guests saw a number of picturesque gardens.

enjmed afternoon tea in the village hall and supported the lifeboats. They did so in splendid style - raising over£1.600.

For many years. KumstM and district branch has enjoyed an excellent relationship with P&O Cruises, who have generously allowed the branch lo maintain collecting boxes on board the liners Oriana. Arcadia.

Victoria and Auntra. This welcome source of income not only includes sterling but foreign notes and coins which are convened into sterling - raising i er £8.000 last year- Jill Follei. a keen RNLI supporter from Birmingham, was given a warm welcome at Llandudno on 9 July ai ihe end of a courageous 1.000 mile coastal walk in aid of the lifeboats. Jill set off from Poole on 1 April and completed the walk in just over three months, passing some 50 lifeboat stations on route. Jill appreciated the welcome and assistance she received from fhe stations and regional staff along ihe way and hopes lo raise over £5,000 for lifeboat coffers.

Nearly £1.920 was raised for ihe R.NL1 from a raffle during a gala dinner at the International Tug and Salvage Convention and Exhibition, held in Jersey in May 2000. The convention was attended by over 300 delegates from 45 countries as far afield as Australia. South Africa, and North and South America. In addition to this, lifeboat collection boxes raised over £63 in "lines' from delegates whose mobile phones rang during the conference! '0© We are always pleased to receive any material intended for publication. However, due TO space restrictions and the huge uikiniit} of Mibim-Mon- ri-LuiM.'.!, n K imixissibk110 publish every article rocfiu'il.

In order to keep administration costs dim n. contributions will iioi usuaH be acknowledged. Every eontrihuiion i- considered and we do ir; lo be as lair as jxissibli;. Sn keep those articles aiming in ours could be featured ncM time..