Naming ceremonies Henry Alston Hewatai Mallaig Mallaig's new all-weather Severn class lifeboat was named after the father of Catherine Hewat of Glasgow, who funded the majority of the £1,8m lifeboat with a bequest in excess of £1 m. The remainder of the funding came from the Mallaig Lifeboat Appeal, to which local theatre impresario Sir Cameron Mackintosh donated £50,000.

Mallaig lifeboats have launched over 690 times and saved more than 245 lives. 16/06/01John Wesley Hiliard II at Scarborough Scarborough's new D class lifeboat was was named after John Wesley Hillard, who founded a grocery company in Cleckheaton in 1885. John's grandson and his wife founded a charitable trust in his memory which, in 1992, donated a D class for Scarborough named John Wesley Hillard. When it was known the lifeboat was to be withdrawn from service, the Trust immediately offered their continuing support in funding a second lifeboat. 07/07/01 Eric and Susan Hiscock (Wanderer) at Yarmouth Yarmouth's new £1.8m all-weather Severn class lifeboat was named after Eric and Susan Hiscock, whose generous legacy provided the funding.

The naming ceremony was performed by HRH The Duke of Kent, the RNLI's President. 29/05/01Millennium Forester tor the relief fleet This Atlantic 75 lifeboat, funded by members of The Independent Order of Foresters, will relieve similar lifeboats when they need repair or maintenance. 05/07/01 Eric Rowse at St Catherine's This Atlantic 75 lifeboat was donated by Mrs Denise Rowse in memory of her husband Eric. A lieutenant in the Royal Navy during WWII, he loved the sea and took up sailing when he left the Navy. Both he and his wife have always been supporters of the RNLI and were both Governors. 01/07/01 Rotary District 7120 at Filey Members of the Rotary District 1120 travelled from Kent to witness the new D class lifeboat's naming ceremony.

There was great excitement following the ceremony, as everyone present was able to witness Filey's Mersey class lifeboat Keep Fit Association launch to the aid of a yacht in difficulties off Filey Brig, within sight of the station. 02/06/01 Sraemarforthe relief fleet The Atlantic 75 lifeboat, funded by the crew and passengers aboard Fred Olsen Cruise Lines ships, is the third lifeboat to be funded by Fred Olsen Cruise Lines from the cruise ships Black Prince and Black Watch.

The company has been supporting the RNLI since the mid 1960s. 12/06/01On station INSHORE Enniskillen B-549 Blenwatch on 24 May 2001 Cromer D-5G8 Seahorse III on 20 June 2001 Dun Laoghaire D-565 Tony Heard on 2 July 2001 Kippford D-553 David Whitehead on 6 July 2001 South Broads D-438 Arthur and Georgina Stanley Taylor on 12 July 2001 Trearddur Bay D-441 Irish Diver on 16 July 2001 Blackpool D-566 Nora/i Cadman on 17 July 2001 Mablethorpe B-754 Pride of Sherwood on 27 July 2001 Barrow-in-Furness D-567 Spirit of Tamworth on 14 August 2001Retirements Mervyn Thomas New Quay mechanic Albert Sutherland Fraserburgh coxswain Frank Smith Salcombe coxswain/ assistant mechanic Charles Crockford Tenby mechanic Eric Quillin Port St Mary mechanicSouth celebrations Warm sunshine greeted guests, VIPs and local media to the opening of the new divisional base south at Long Acre in Saltash, Cornwall on 1 June.

The new base boasts excellent facilities including workshop, stores, offices, and meeting/training rooms and is home to the division's coastal operational staff. The team, which includes the inspectors, the divisional general manager, surveyors, engineers, technicians, and beach rescue project staff, provides a 'one stop shop' for the lifeboat stations in the division.New boathouses for Dunmore East...

The new boathouse at Dunmore East was opened with a housewarming party attended by crew and branch members. Presentations were also made to Frances Glody, the first female crew member to reach 20 years of service; Paddy Kavanagh, retired station honorary secretary, and Joefy Murphy, the station's coxswain, who received a certificate of thanks for rescuing a lone yachtswoman in September last year.

From left: Joefy Murphy, Frances Glody. Paddy Kavanagh ... and Dover...

Dover's new boathouse, opened on 7 August, was funded by a bequest from William Montague Rogers, a retired chartered accountant, who spent the last part of his life in Dover and admired the work of the lifeboat crews. The previous crew accommodation was very basic so the new boathouse will be very welcome. It includes improved crew and training facilities, showers, toilets, a gift shop, drying room and a mechanic's workshop.

... and a crew room for Brighton Brighton's new crew room was opened on 28 April by the city's mayor, Councillor Andy Durr.

The new two-floor building contains an operations room, workroom, changing room and showers on the ground floor, with a large crew/training room upstairs. The crew had been using a two-roomed portacabin for some years, so they are delighted with their new facility.

Appointments Andrew Harris Salcombe mechanic, from 2 July.

Richard Wood New Quay mechanic, from 2 July.

Alan Smith Fraserburgh coxswain (designate), from 25 June.

Robert Wight Dunbar coxswain, from 16 July.

Michael Curry Dunbar mechanic, from 16 July..