30 years, 250 rescues later Tom Robertson, the honorary secretary of the Queensferry lifeboat station, received a presentation of binoculars and a certificate at the annual general meeting of the RNLI in Scotland, for 30 years' continuous service at the station.

Tom, a sales manager for an Edinburgh print company, started his lifeboat career as a crewman on a wooden hulled Atlantic lifeboat, and soon graduated to helmsman, a post he held for 13 years. He was appointed to his present position as honorary secretary in 1993.

Tom has been involved in over 250 rescues in the Firth of Forth, including one of the Queensferry lifeboat's most hazardous missions. In 1980 Tom and his crew ran into trouble during an attempt to rescue the fishery protection vessel, the Switha, in a Force 9 gale. They reached safety only by using their experience and ingenuity. The crew of the Switha were rescued by helicopter and the lifeboat crew received letters of commendation for their bravery.

At the annual general meeting this year, the .honorary secretary of the Kinghorn lifeboat station, Charlie Tulloch also received the presentation of the certificate and binoculars for 30 years' service.

A naming ceremony with a difference Barrow lifeboat Crew Member Dave Kell, a roofer, and his wife Samantha were delighted to christen their baby son, Jake, born 20 March 2002 at a private ceremony on the deck of the James Bibbyal Barrow lifeboat station.

TheFather and son unite Clacton lifeboat crew were sorry to say goodbye to crewman and mechanic Dave Carvey as he reached the inshore lifeboat retirement age of 45.

However, there was some comfort for them in the arrival of another of the Carvey clan on the very same day of Dave's retirement.

Ryan Carvey, aged 18, completed his initial training course at the RNLI's inshore lifeboat headquarters at Cowes and joined the Clacton crew. He will start on the D class lifeboat and hopefully progress to the Atlantic 75 lifeboat. Dave is not going far, as he is taking on the job of deputy launching authority.

It is the first time in 20 years at Clacton that a father and son have been on the station together.

Birthday Honours The following crew members and RNLI supporters have been honoured by Her Majesty The Queen in the recent Birthday Honours.

FOR SERVICE TO THE RNLI Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE) Norman Macleod Former station honorary secretary, Oban lifeboat Stephen Shaw Former coxswain, Alderney lifeboat Thomas 'Walker' Simpson Deputy second coxswain/mechanic, Donaghadee lifeboat Filey winners Two crew members from Filey lifeboat are joint winners of the Emergency Services award at the Servicemark Yorkshire and Humber Customer Service Awards. Neil Cammish and Malcom Johnson received the prestigious award that honours those in the emergency services, including the police, fire, lifeboats, ambulance and security services.

The two volunteers were chosen after their rescue of a man on a yacht, Araxian, that had suffered engine failure in gale force winds.

The Mersey class lifeboat Keep Fit Association was launched under Malcolm Johnson's command and Neil Cammish leapt aboard Araxian to help the lone yachtsman. Despite being swept overboard by a large wave, Neil managed to pull himself back on the yacht.

The crew successfully completed the rescue..