He then introduced Barbara Cargill, president of the Arbroath Ladies' Lifeboat Guild, who spoke of another year's successful fund-raising which saw the people of Arbroath and district contribute £19,500 to the RNLI.

She thanked the Guild members and all of the other volunteers for their support and the great efforts they put in to keep the RNLI in the public eye.

Stewart Fergusson, operations manager, outlined the continuing crew training and the links being developed with the other emergency services in the area. So far this year Arbroath's lifeboats have been called out 44 times.

In his final report Mr Goodfellow said: "I would like to express my grateful thanks to all those members of the 'Lifeboat Family', particularly the members of the management group, who have made my job so very easy over the past seven years.

"I don't intend recalling all of the changes and events in the life of the station and its personnel in that period, but some stand out as particularly memorable. The setting up of this management group which drew together all the people involved in supporting lifeboat work in Arbroath was probably the major change.

"The introduction of competence based training for our lifeboat crew has affirmed the RNLI's commitment to maintaining high standards in all of its lifeboat stations. Equally memorable has been the ever increasing funds raised year on year by the Ladies' Guild and the changes they have made to achieve this.

"Three events at the lifeboat station particularly stand out – the bicentennial celebration of the founding of the lifeboat service in Arbroath, the service held to commemorate the Arbroath lifeboat disaster of 1953 and the naming ceremony for our inshore lifeboat 'Duncan Ferguson'.

"It is particularly difficult to pick out specific individuals for mention on an occasion such as this.

"I would, however, like to pass on my thanks to Barbara Cargill who, as president of the Ladies' Guild, has carried on the great tradition of fund-raising for the RNLI in the Arbroath area.

"I would also like to thank Stewart Fergusson who has served first as a crewman, then branch secretary and now as operations manager."
Mr Goodfellow then presented a RNLI Certificate of Thanks to Mrs Margaret Cargill in recognition of her contribution to fund raising in the local area.

He said: "Mrs Cargill has for many years organised very successful collections in the Friockheim area during flag week, and on behalf of the RNLI I would ask her to accept this token of our thanks."

Mr Goodfellow introduced his successor, Lieutenant-Colonel Ian Ballantyne, saying: "I have known Ian since he came to live in Arbroath as a member of 45 Commando Group at Condor. I am certain he will bring all of the energy and enthusiasm he has shown in both his professional career and his voluntary work to serve Arbroath Lifeboat Station well in the future."

Mr Ballantyne is currently director of Scottish Veterans' Residences in Edinburgh and is closely involved in other voluntary work including the Merchant Navy Welfare Board.

He commented: "I am delighted to have been asked to take on the chairmanship and I look forward to contributing any help I can to the work of RNLI Arbroath.

"My family and I have been settled in Arbroath since 1980 and I see this as a great opportunity to give something back to the local community."