Dear Editor Further to your recent rescue account from Appledore, I thought your readers might be interested in the attached.

We acquired Boarding Boat 132 in 1994 after nearly 30 years' service at Appledore lifeboat station. After a season or two, she was converted to the sailing rig you see in the photograph and sails remarkably well for a boat weighing a ton, Scwt of which being a Lister engine, still going strong and managing 7 knots when needed.

We named her Saving Grace, not least because of her history of service in the area so graphically described in the autumn 2005 issue of the Lifeboat. I spoke some time ago to the secretary at Appledore and he gave me some pretty hairy accounts of launching our boat in difficult weather. I visited the station and was mightily impressed by the modern building, equipment and daunting nature of the estuary.

Saving Grace is now enjoying a well-earned retirement on the River Aide, Suffolk, ferrying picnic parties of friends or carrying out an unofficial rescue to keep her hand in! She is a good boat, has ridden out some fierce storms and is still as tight as a drum (non alcoholic). She would never win any races but adds colour and tradition to this wonderful river and has given us much happiness.

Thank you for your excellent magazine and best wishes Alastair Macfarlane Halesworth, SuffolkDear Editor I am writing to thank your organisation for saving my dog's life.

My husband and I, and Ellie our dog, were in Falmouth for the day. Ellie went over the edge while we were walking along what we thought was a safe fenced path at the top of the cliff.

Unfortunately a piece of fencing had gone and Ellie jumped up, expecting grass on the other side and there was nothing.

We were frantic. I ran back and went along to the bottom of the cliff and climbed up, hoping to reach Ellie and take her down but I wasn't able to get up high enough. Passers-by contacted the RNLI lifeguard and the Coastguard.

The lifeguard was a young woman called Sandy. She and a coastguard named Ken kept Ellie and me calm so we didn't try to move until a cliff team arrived. They lowered themselves down to Ellie, put her in a harness and lifted her up. What a relief it was to see her safely back on solid ground.

I cannot express how grateful we were, and are, to these fantastic, brave, skilled, kind people. I hope they can continue to do the fantastic necessary work they do.

Yours with deepest gratitude Myra Boyle Bellshill, Lanarkshire Don't dive-jump In the summer 2005 issue of the Lifeboat an article about swiftwater training showed a crew member diving into a river.

Reader David Craggs wrote in to question the practice. Hugh Fogarty, Staff Officer Operations (Fleet) replied:'As Mr Craggs rightly points out, one should never dive into unknown waters - whether flood, pond or sea. On this occasion we had been using this particular stretch of river throughout the course and we knew it was safe. My apologies for giving out the wrong message by using this photo.'Dear Editor Following the various articles in the autumn 2005 issue highlighting the dangers of the sea for children, here is my cautionary tale.

I've never been a strong swimmer but on a holiday at Cromer just after the Second World War I was caught in a current and began to drift out to sea. My sister was hopping up and down uncertain whether to call the lifeboat [and there was no lifeguard].

When I got tired of trying to swim out of the current I lay back and floated then tried again. About the third time I put my foot down, my toes gripped a lone bit of stone and I was able to struggle out of the current.

Later we found the warning notice face down on the beach.

If my father hadn't insisted we learnt at least to float, the outcome could have been very different.

MrsGina MacKenzie Leatherhead SurreyDear Editor Upon reading a back issue of the Lifeboat I was interested to read on the Books page your precis of The lighthouses of Trinity House. I doubt the authors learnt of a unique experience that occurred on the Longships lighthouse in the 1930s.

My father, Dr RH Hadfield, was the GP at St Just, Cape Cornwall, and he had to travel by lifeboat on many occasions. On a particular day the lighthouse keeper was taken ill with appendicitis but there was a storm and he could not be moved the mainland.

In those days there was no easy access to the lighthouse; you had to climb a steel ladder. My father was taken by Sennen Cove lifeboat in the storm and he managed to reach the lighthouse interior safely. He then removed the keeper's appendix and stayed for a few hours to make sure all would be well. The lifeboat returned and took my father back to Sennen.

All in a day's work for the lifeboat and the GP! I laugh whenever I hear the Met Office warning us to 'batten down the hatches' as the wind might reach 50-60mph. Living at Cape Cornwall we experienced gales of 100mph once a year, 90mph twice a year and anything under SOmph was just a high wind. Perhaps those weather conditions helped to strengthen my character and physique! Yours sincerely MissAdrienne Hadfield Exeter, DevonEssential information for readers lifeboat When the classroom meets the sea The Lifeboat is the members' magazine of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and is published in January, April, July and October. The Lifeboat celebrates the core work of the RNLI - saving lives at sea - reporting a selection of rescues and a wide variety of background stories, including how the service is funded. The magazine is mailed to more than 275,000 people and at least twice this number read it. Blind and partially sighted members can choose to receive an audio tape version as well as, or instead of, the magazine (this is a free service). Members can also opt out of receiving the magazine altogether if they wish.

Offshore members, and those Governors who choose to, receive Offshore News as well, in April, July and October. Again, recipients can opt out of this publication but as yet there is no audio version available. Offshore News is aimed particularly at those members who actively use the sea and is mailed to more than 55,000 people. It reports on more specialised topics or expands on some of those covered in the Lifeboat, as part of the RNLI's Sea Safety work. There are often reader offers and competitions too, with prizes from leading manufacturers.

The Lifeboat and Offshore News both include letters and books columns, chosen as appropriate to reflect the different focus of the two publications. Production costs are largely offset by the accompanying advertising.

Children can join the RNLI's Storm Force club and receive Storm Force News four times a year.

If you: • are not sure what membership level you hold • are not sure what publications you receive • would like to make any changes to your membership and/or the publications you receive please contact the RNLI supporter care department on 0845 121 4999, email them at [email protected] or write to them at the headquarters address below. For any other queries contact headquarters on 0845 122 6999.

If you would like to write to the Lifeboat magazine or Offshore News, whether or not for publication, you can email [email protected] or send a letter to the Editor at: Publications, RNLI HQ, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1HZ.

Fundraising and publicity material If you are holding an RNLI-related event or presentation and would like fundraising and publicity materials, please see page 37 for details of your regional office.

Safety for young people If you would like beach safety materials or to arrange a school visit to or from the RNLI, see page 37 for details of your regional office.

Sea Safety for water users For free publications, advice, or if you would like to book a SEA Check or arrange a safety demonstration or talk, contact 0800 328 0600, email [email protected] or visit mli.org.uk/seasafety.

Press office If you are a member of the media and would like to arrange interviews or other media events, please contact the press office on 01202 663510/3184/3127/2218 or email [email protected] for details of local media relations managers.

The Lifeboat College To book a conference or function room for your organisation in The Lifeboat College, or if you are a member, volunteer, member of staff or RNLI Family association and would like to book an overnight stay at The Lifeboat College, see the advertisement on page 12.

Disposal sales If you would like to purchase an ex-lifeboat, engine or equipment, contact Eileen Taber on 01202 663442 or email [email protected].

Advertising If you would like to advertise in the pages of the Lifeboat, then contact Steve Hulbert at Madison Bell Ltd on 01225 465060, or email him at [email protected].

If you would like to advertise in Offshore News, contact Matthew Styrka at Mongoose Media on 020 7306 0300, or email [email protected].

Membership minimum rates Shoreline single Shoreline joint Governor single Governor joint Life Governor (One-off payment) Storm Force children's club UK £24.00 £42.00 £72.00 £120.00 £1,750.00 Rol €34.00 €60.00 €103.00 €172.00 €2,512.00 €10.50 the Lifeboat Winter 2005/06.