In this issue
• A Message from the President
• The Year in Numbers from the Treasurer
• Future Fundraising
• Annual Flag Day and Market Stall
• The Mayday Mile
• Appeal for cameras and binoculars
• Newsletter Format and the Costs of Mailing
• Newsletter Sponsors

A Message from the President
I count it a privilege to be Honorary President of our branch of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. For a branch that is some distance from the sea, we have an enviable record in fundraising. And whilst we give direct support to the Cromer lifeboat, we also support Tower Station on the River Thames in the heart of London, the busiest lifeboat station in the country.
We raise funds through street and supermarket collections, collection boxes and the sale of souvenirs at our market stall and at various outside events throughout the year. For this I  hould like thank our Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and the Committee for all their hard work and time to make it all happen. But none of this would be possible without the active support of you, our supporters, who carry collection buckets and man our stalls, For this I thank you all.
However, we are a small committee and really need some additional members to add to our fundraising capacity. We meet formally just six times a year and I would appeal to anyone who would like to make a difference in preserving and saving lives, both on inland waters and at  ea, to please make yourselves known to our Secretary, Phil Underhill at phillipj_underhill@yahoo.co.uk or call him on 07787 646011.
Richard Cox, Honorary President
Hitchin and District Branch, Royal National Lifeboat Institution

The Year in Numbers from the Treasurer
2022 saw the Branch bounce back from the disappointment of the mediocre fundraising years  of 2020 & 2021 due to Covid restrictions in place at the time.
Income for the year rose from £8,442 in 2021 to £13,058 & with expenses of only £243 we contributed £12,815 to national funds.
This is how the income was achieved.
The support from local branches of Asda, Morrisons & Tesco, who so kindly allowed us to  hold bucket collections in their stores raised, £3,023.
The Captain’s Charity at a local golf club raised, throughout his year of captaincy, the  magnificent sum of £2,984.
Hitchin Flag Day raised £1,028
Donations from various organisations added £1,528.
The remaining income of £4,495 came from shop sales, donations, collecting boxes, Gift Aid,  RNLI Branch Just Giving page and other small fundraising events.
Shop Sales, in the capable hands of Committee member Dorothy Sudweeks, amounted to £1,494 of which 43% were Christmas cards, diaries & calendars.
The year saw the introduction of two pieces of modern technology, a contactless payment terminal for Shop Sales and a contactless donation terminal. Both have made a huge difference to the success of branch fundraising and sales.
Finally, I would like to thank all our volunteers for the support they have given us during the year.
Mike Frisby, Honorary Treasurer Hitchin and District Branch, Royal National Lifeboat Institution

Future Fundraising
Now that we are entering the period of longer and hopefully, warmer days, the Branch will shortly be announcing it’s fundraising programme for 2023. This will include bucket collections both in the street and supermarkets plus market stalls.
By the time you see this Newsletter we shall have collected on two dates at Morrisons in Letchworth (24th and 25th March). Proceeds from these days is £704.27. Thanks to  everyone for making this excellent result possible. We are exploring other venues, including Tesco Supermarkets for the rest of the year, for which we shall need a number of willing hands to carry buckets for an hour or two on those days. Please keep a look out for announcements.

The Mayday Mile
This Spring the RNLI is launching its Mayday Mile challenge. This means completing a sponsored mile a day during the month of May. Walk it, run it, skate it or even do it in yellow wellies, you can choose the time and place – on the beach, in the park, in the kitchen or your local swimming pool.
For more information and to take part visit the RNLI Mayday Mile page at https://rnli.org/mayday/mayday-mile.

Annual Flag Day and Market Stall
For our Annual Flag Day on 16th September we shall have a stall in Hitchin Market Place selling RNLI souvenirs and street collectors carrying buckets at various points around Hitchin Town Centre.
We very much hope you will be able to help and we especially need volunteers to help with the bucket collections. So, if you can spare and hour or two on 16th September, please let Phil Underhill know. Phil can be contacted on 01462 436973 or at phillipj_underhill@yahoo.co.uk.or our Annual Flag Day on 16th September we shall have a stall in Hitchin Mark

Appeal for cameras and binoculars.
If you have any old or new cameras – film or digital – or binoculars that are no-longer required, please consider donating them to the RNLI. Sales of similar items over the past two years have raised over £2,000 towards branch funds. If you are in a position to make a donation of either cameras or binoculars, please contact John Pearce on 07545 003792 or by email to pearcej53@virginmedia.com.

Newsletter Format and the Costs of Mailing
We are conscious at all times of running the branch with the minimal overheads possible so that we maximise the money we raise for the RNLI. A cost that has increased considerably lately has been postage, especially the cost of printing and mailing out the regular newsletters to those members who have requested printed copies. Could we please ask that, if you receive the newsletter through the post but are able to receive it and updates by email that you let Phil Underhill know and we will update our records accordingly. Phil can be contacted at  phillipj_underhill@yahoo.co.uk. Thank you for your help.