A day to remember The RNLI's Annual Presentation of Awards ceremony is an uplifting experience More than 1,000 supporters, volunteers, staff and, most importantly, awardees attended this year's event on Thursday 18 May at the Barbican in London. They were there to celebrate the RNLI year that was 2005 and the contribution made to the charity by so many very different people and organisations.

Octogenarian Chelsea Pensioners jostled shoulders with junior school children and suited managers from the corporate world mixed with grass-roots volunteers.

The guest of honour was HRH Princess Alexandra, The Hon. Lady Ogilvy KCCCVO and she was generous with her time as she met each awardee on stage and then afterwards with their families backstage. Several were nearly overcome by the excitement and honour of the occasion but well-deserved pride won the day.

Participants and audience alike went home with a spring in their step reminded once more why they support the RNLI.Ronnie and Henry On 12 April 2006 a little man came to Cromer in Norfolk to honour a very big man indeed. Ronnie Corbett returned to his comedy roots by the pier and opened the RNLI's new museum dedicated to the most decorated lifeboatman of all time, Henry Blogg.

Read more on page 12.Right royal reception The RNLI's Patron, HM The Queen, celebrated her 80th birthday in April with special dinners, walkabouts, a service in St George's Chapel and thousands of well-wishers' cards.

In February, she and The Duke of Edinburgh hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace to recognise the work of those who respond to emergencies and disasters in the UK and overseas. Amongst the guest list were ten people from the RNLI. Nominated from across the organisation they represented the mix of volunteer and paid roles in this diverse lifesaving organisation, including officials, fundraisers and crew from across the UK and Rol.

In May,The Queen's cousin and RNLI President, HRH the Duke of Kent, had a two-day whistle-stop tour of eight lifeboat stations in the RNLI's north division: Skegness (where he also met representatives from neighbouring Mablethorpe), Cleethorpes, Humber (the only full-time coastal lifeboat station in the UK and Rol),Withernsea, Bridlington, Flamborough, Filey and Scarborough. A frequent guest of honour at the RNLI's Annual Presentation of Awards, this role was taken by HRH The Princess Alexandra this year (see opposite).Get so me Sea SenseListeners to BBC Radio Cornwall have been treated to a feast of exciting features about the RNLI - and learnt how to keep safe in the process.

Whether or not you're in range of BBC Radio Cornwall, you can still follow their Sea Sense campaign throughout 2006 as regular broadcasts are paired with a comprehensive website. Partly funded by a grant from the BBC Radio Cornwall Appeal run by the Cornwall Community Foundation, the radio station is working with the RNLI to promote all aspects of beach and sea safety.

Amateur Swimming Association statistics show up to 40% of the adult population of the UK can swim either only very slightly or not at all.

Listeners are encouraged to get back into swimming or to learn the skill for the first time, whatever their age.

BBC presenter James Churchfield and RNLI Media Relations Manager for the south west Tamsin Thomas have accepted theultimate test of their swimming abilities: they have until October to show they can swim 16 lengths of a 25m pool in nine minutes or under-just like an RNLI lifeguard. You can check on their progress, and that of five 'real' RNLI volunteers, at bbc.co.uk/cornwall/sea_sense.The bustling seaside town of Hoylake, Merseyside, draws many a visitor but, for an amazing 30,000 people, Hoylake lifeboat station's annual open day is the main attractionCome visit us For 15 years Hoylake's Mersey class LadyofHilbre has kept watch over the Wirral Peninsula, enjoying dramatic views of the Liverpool skyline to one side and north Wales to the other. As attractive as the scene surrounding the lifeboat station is, the famous Sands of Dee are notoriously treacherous. The three Hilbre Islands in the mouth of the Dee estuary are cut off from the mainland for up to five hours out of every 12 and, invariably, many of Hoylake's shouts are to those who find themselves caught out by the speed of the incoming tide.

Hoylake is one of the oldest lifeboat stations in the UK and Republic of Ireland, established in 1803 with its first lifeboat built by Henry Creathead. Today, the all weather lifeboat station has nearly 30 volunteer lifeboat crew, shore helpers and other station personnel and has received nine awards for Gallantry.

Land, sea and air Carole Jackson has been an RNLI volunteer fundraiser at Hoylake for over 30 years. For the last 15, she's concentrated on the station open day, using expertise gained in her 'day job', organising and promoting events in the Wirral. Hoylake open day involves action on land and sea and in the air.

Stretching two miles along the promenade, hundreds of stalls and stands pay to attend, with local bands, streettheatre, classic cars and a small funfair.

On the beach and in the water, the Hoylake crew are joined by volunteers from neighbouring West Kirby and New Brighton lifeboat stations, demonstrating and giving guided tours of their various craft: two inshore lifeboats and a hovercraft to add to the Hoylake all weather lifeboat, plus launch vehicles and associated paraphernalia.

And to top it all, in the air, the worldfamous Red Arrows bring their heartstopping aerobatics display to the town.Making it happen Carole is keen to point out that the open day doesn't happen by itself. The crew, their spouses and partners and many others they 'rope in', join forces.

Over the years, they've forged strong and productive relationships with, amongst others, the MoD, to ensure they are able to book the Red Arrows; the local authority Wirral MBC, who help with the publicity, road closures and clean up operation after the event; and the local police, who maintain order on the day with a supportive, light touch. BBC radio presenter Roger Summerskill also helps out, commentating on the day's events from a vintage double-decker bus.

This all comes with a substantial price tag, however, so Carole is working on sponsorship all year round in the form of money or gifts in kind. At the end of the open day, more than 12 hours since it opened and 12 months since the planning began, the fundraisers and crew crowd into the sailing club next door for a celebratory barbeque and drink. And who can blame them, as the day's net income amounted to a massive £27,000 in 2005, almost equivalent to the entire annual training bill for the Hoylake lifeboat crew.

Visit us in 2006 This year's Hoylake open day is on Bank Holiday Monday 28 August, with the Red Arrows display at 12 noon. If you want to visit, make sure you set off early, as many people didn't make it in time last year because of heavy traffic.

Hoylake is of course just one of many RNLI open days, and even open weeks, taking place each year. Not all can emulate Hoylake's extravaganza but they will certainly bring the RNLI's volunteers and their lifesaving work closer to both existing and new supporters - and be fun! So check your local press and media or call your RNLI regional office for details of your nearest such event (see details right).

This year RNLI open days have the 'Beachwise' theme (see page 2).Want to fundraise? What's happening near you? Scotland RNLI, Unit 3, Ruthvenfield Grove Inveralmond Industrial Estate Perth, PHI 3CL Tel: 01738 642999 Email: [email protected] Eastern RNLI, Magdalen Road, Hadleigh, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP7 SAD Tel: 01473 822837 Email: [email protected] Greater London RNLI, 20 Buckingham Street, London, WC2N6EF Tel: 020 7839 3369 Email: [email protected] South East RNLI, Kennet House, River Way, Uckfield, Sussex, TN22 1SL Tel: 01825 761466 Email: [email protected] South West RNLI, Unit A, Longacre, Saltash, Cornwall, PL 12 6LZ Tel: 01752 850680 Email: [email protected] Wales and West Mercia RNLI, 9 Drake Walk, Brigantine Place Cardiff, CF10 4AN Tel: 029 2045 6999 Email: [email protected] North RNLI, 18 Half Edge Lane, Eccles, Manchester, M30 9CJ Tel: 0161 7878779 Email: [email protected] Republic of Ireland RNLI, Airside, Swords, Co Dublin Tel: 01 8951 800 Email: [email protected] Northern Ireland RNLI, Unit 1, Lesley Office Park, 393 Holywood Road, Belfast, BT4 2LS Tel: 028 9047 3665 Email: [email protected].