They're some of the RNLI's most devoted supporters. They love the lifeboats.

They're hungry for knowledge about lifeboats. Some of them give all the money they own to the RNLI. They often write to Stormy Stan and Eric.

Who are they? Members of Storm Force, the RNLI's club for childrenThere are many ways our supporters help the RNLI - they volunteer, they become members, they buy Lottery tickets, they sign up for Gift Aid, give to appeals, buy from the Sales company and include the RNLI in their Wills. They are loyal to the RNLI and committed to the purpose of saving lives at sea. But there's one group of supporters that we don't hear about very often: Storm Force, the RNLI club for children.

Without them the RNLI family would be incomplete.

On joining Storm Force, the young supporters receive a bumper membership pack with all sorts of information and fun things to do. The RNLI is keen to develop a relationship with the children and encourages them to interact with the Institution, through Stormy Stan (pictured above and right) and Eric the seagull (left).

The children need little encouragement.

Stormy Stan, the lifeboatman mascot, receives wads of post with letters, photos, drawings, jokes, poems and postcards. Every child gets a personal reply from Stormy Stan. Some youngsters generously send donations from their pocket money or from fundraising. For example,Theodore, aged six, donated £20 of his birthday money.

Elizabeth, aged seven, sent Stormy Stan a picture with a letter after collecting small change with her sister (see opposite).

Karen Wills is one of the RNLI Supporter Care Assistants who help Stormy Stan reply to all the children. She knows how enthusiastic the children are and sees them as vital for the RNLI in years to come: 'The kids of today are our future.'The children receive four issues of Storm Force News, the membership magazine, per year, which is packed with lifeboat news, puzzles and competitions. Stormy Stan's rescue mission, a comic strip of real-life rescue stories, is particularly popular with children and adults alike.

There are nearly 20,000 individual members of Storm Force and another 4,000 children who are members as part of agroup, cub, brownie, rainbow or beaver pack.

Some entire school classes belong to Storm Force. There's no official age limit, but members are usually between seven and 12 years old. The club is particularly popular with station personnel and branch members, who often pay the subscription for their own children and grandchildren.

Some keen parents send a subscription to Storm Force for their children as soon as they are born! Pictured below are Nicola Pearson, Sea Safety Coordinator, and her partner, Hugh Davies (Spud), Coxswain at Barry Dock, with baby Emily and proud grandparents. By the time they christened Emily on board the all weather lifeboat Mickie Salveson on 17 October 2004, they had already made her a Storm Force member. Her Mum describes Emily as: 'A keen supporter and a true RNLI baby.' This year Storm Force celebrates its 20th birthday. Since 1985, the club has attracted many young devotees who have grown up to be committed to the RNLI as adults. In the last issue of the Lifeboat there was a thrilling rescue account from Cleethorpes.

The Silver Medallist, Gary Barlow, had been a Storm Force member. He remembers being inspired by the rescue stories in Storm Force News. Gary was even featured himself in the magazine when, at the tender age of 13, he won a different medal for passing the chartwork course when the RNLI mobile training unit was in town. His Dad, Jack, was then Coxswain at Cleethorpes and the Storm Force News Editor, with foresight, warned: 'Watch out Dad, he's after your job!' Children are encouraged to be members for years as they receive a new and different badge for every year they renew. It is hoped that their childhood devotion to Stormy Stan will translate into an adult commitment and so ensure the RNLI continues to save lives at sea. (See overleaf for news of the RNLI's work in schools.) To find out more about Storm Force, please call 0845 121 4999.

Individual membership for a year costs £7.50 and if a group of 10 or more joins, there are special group rates..