Sir.-A collection was made at the Wyevale Garden Centre, Sherfield-on-Loddon, on Sunday, May 3 and the very satisfactory total of £146.98 was raised for the RNLI.

This amount would be enough to buy waterproof jackets for two lifeboat crew members (the total cost of kit for one crew member is nearly £500) or else go towards the £110million annual running costs of the service.

Our thanks to everyone who contributed towards the collection.

We are hoping to have a display of posters and lifeboat crew equipment at Old Basing Carnival on Saturday, June 19. See you all there.

-Martin Boddy, Treasurer, Basingstoke and District Branch of the RNLI