Naming ceremoniesGeorgina Stanley Taylor at Tenby This D class lifeboat is the second to be funded by the generosity of Mrs Georgina Stanley Taylor.

It replaces the Stanley Taylor, which she funded in memory of her late husband.

Tenby lifeboat station was established in 1852 and since that time its volunteer crews have launched over 2,000 times and rescued more than 1,700 people. Over the years, the volunteer crew members at the station have been awarded 15 RNLI medals for bravery and long service, the last being awarded in 1990- 22/09/01Moray Dolphin at Kessock The official opening of the new lifeboat house took place at the same time. The octagonal boathouse is designed by Campbell Ross, who is also chairman of the Kessock station branch. It is larger than the previous boathouse, to cope with the station's upgrade from an .

Atlantic 21 to an Atlantic 75 lifeboat.

The Moray Dolphin was funded by an anonymous Inverness donor and was named by Penny Stirling, president of Dingwall branch. 07/06/02William Gordon Burr at Poole The £1,8m Severn class lifeboat was made possible by the legacy of Mrs Norah Burr. The lifeboat is named after her son, who was killed in a motorbike accident aged just 21. Mrs Burr's executor, Mr Steele, handed over the lifeboat to the RNLI. Mrs Margaret Kerrod, a close family friend, named the lifeboat after a service of dedication. 10/04/02Spirit of Tamworth at Barrow Members and friends of Tamworth branch travelled to Barrow to witness the D class naming ceremony. Their efforts in raising more than £20,000 from a community appeal funded the lifeboat, with the remainder going towards the Barrow lifeboat station appeal. Tamworth, in Staffordshire, in the centre of the country, is as far away from the coast as it is possible to get. The support of the community in taking this appeal to their hearts has been remarkable and strong friendships have been formed between the two communities. 20/04/02 Public Servant (Civil Service No 44) at Tower This was the first of the Thames E class lifeboats to be named.

The money for the boat was raised by The Lifeboat Fund, which has been raising money for the RNLI for 140 years (see article on page 34).

The lifeboat is one of several E class boats operating on the River Thames. 11/06/02Anthony Heard at Dun Laoghaire The D class lifeboat was named in honour of the generous donor who provided the funds in his legacy. This is the third D class to serve at Dun Laoghaire since the RNLI first allocated an inshore boat to the station in 1986. It is ideally suited to the shallow, rocky waters in the area and the inshore boat accounts for almost two thirds of rescues at the station. 27/04/02 On station ALL-WEATHER Howth ON-1258 (14-33) Roy Barker HI on 16 March ON-? J 13 152-35) withdrawn to relief fleet Calshot ON-1108 (52-34) Margaret Russell Fraser on 4 April ON-11Q4 (33-11} withdrawn from service Fraserburgh ON-1259 114-34) Willie and May Gallon 8 May ON-1109147-007) withdrawn to relief fleet INSHORE Port St Mary D-575 Hounslowon 10 April D-462 withdrawn to relief fleetNew northern base Lesley-Jane Nicholson officially opened the RNLI's new divisional base for the north on 5 April. Mrs Nicholson was accompanied by her husband, RNLI Chairman Peter Nicholson. The Stockton-on-Tees base provides support and 24- hour emergency cover for the 34 stations in the north division.Hovercraft to Morecambe The first RNLI rescue hovercraft will be at Morecambe lifeboat station. Following successful trials at five stations, including Morecambe. the RNLI has made the decision to include hovercraft in its rescue fleet. Morecambe will be getting the first craft early in 2003.

The trials showed that hovercraft can withstand damage, are easy to launch and work well over sand and mud. Crew training is similar to that already given to inshore lifeboat crews and volunteers found it easy to fly the craft.

Morecambe is an ideal location for a hovercraft.

It has extensive mud and sand flats that are uncovered at low tide, plus areas of quicksands, which can quickly trap the unwary.

Barry Dock lifeboat trio hang up their boots Barry Dock lifeboat station, together with 101 guests, took the opportunity to recognise the retirement of three very special crew members at the station's annual fundraising dinner in late April. All three had reached 55 years of age, the retirement age for all-weather crew.

The retiring crew are Ray Brown, coxswain with 28 years service; Phill Cummins, crew member and past second coxswain with 27 years service; and Barry Chick, mechanic with 21 years of service, giving a grand total of 76 years' service.

Chris Price, staff officer operations (services), presented each with their certificate of service and Stuart McMillan, station branch chairman presented the trio with individually etched cut crystal tankards. A truly memorable evening was had by all and £1,800 was raised for the RNLI.Appointments The following new appointments have been made William O'Driscoll Castletownbere coxswain Thomas 'Brian' Thomson Holynead coxswain Richard Tutton Barry Dock mechanic Retirements The following crew have retired from duty Raymond Brown Barry Dock coxswain Barry Chick Barry Dock mechanic Phillip Cummins Barry Dock crew member Pat Kemp Whitstable deputy launching authority Larry Lamberton Whitstable station honorary secretary Tom McLeod (right) Ballycotton coxswain Steve Shaw Alderney coxswain Alderney coxswain retires after 18 years at the helm o Steve Shaw fright) is interviewed by Channel Television with the assistance of station chairman Craig Osborne (centre).

A major chapter in the history of the RNLI in Alderney ended at midnight on 29 March when coxswain Steve Shaw retired after 18 years at the helm.

Steve was instrumental in getting Alderney lifeboat station reopened in 1984 after it closed 100 years earlier.

Since then, Alderney's three all-weather lifeboats - all skippered by Steve - have launched 469 times, rescuing 325 people.

During Steve's 18 years of dedicated service he has received three Thanks of the Institution on Velium and two Bronze Medals.

Steve handed the helm over to his friend, and colleague at the Alderney Harbour Office, Declan Gaudion..