BOOK OF THE MONTH

One Crew: The RNLI’S Official 200-Year History

By Helen Doe, Amberley Publishing, hardback, £22.99

A fondly remembered childhood tradition when visiting the seaside was to donate some coins to the RNLI. There was a distinctive collecting box that consisted of a model lifeboat station into which coins could be dropped into a slot in the roof which released a miniature boat that was propelled down the ramp by gravity.

These days, when visiting seaside towns such as Lowestoft and Sheringham, my support is continued by visiting the RNLI shops to stock up on “Lifesaver” tea bags and other items.

Some people still find it hard to grasp that public donations and sponsorship continue to provide vital funding for this charity where skilful volunteers daily risk their lives to save those in peril on the sea.

There were individual lifeboats established before the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck was established in March 1824, which subsequently became the Royal National Lifeboat Institution 30 years later.

Helen Doe’s introduction to the amazing work of the RNLI does a fine job across

288 packed pages and provides an inspirational look at not only the incredible 200-year history, but also the many challenges facing it now and in the future.

Inspired by its content, you may want to read more about the amazing characters and craft used by the RNLI with a study of the bibliography. You may also like to take a trip on one of the former lifeboats to be found at some seaside towns. Certainly, you will want to help keep this great institution afloat.