Oxford is about as far away from the sea that you can get in Britain.

But that didn’t stop these children learning about the work of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

In fact, it was one of the pupils at Cumnor Primary School, Paul Muirhead, who was instrumental in setting up the talk on the institution in 1976.

His uncle, Frank Muirhead, had strong connections with the RNLI and with Cumnor.

He was secretary of the Cromer RNLI Research Group, in Norfolk, and his wife Shirley had been brought up in Cumnor village.

So when he was visiting his in-laws, he took the opportunity to pass on some advice about the charity’s work – and the dangers of the sea.

When the idea was mooted, it was young Paul who stepped forward and suggested he should speak to him and his fellow pupils at the village primary school.

Mr Muirhead came fully equipped – the children were able to dress up in the oilskins used by the crewmen on board the lifeboats.

In the picture above, watched by many of the pupils, he is seen fitting 11-year-old Jonathan Williams in the protective clothing lifeboatmen wore during a rescue.

In fact, Mr Muirhead’s visit to Oxfordshire proved to be busier than he expected.

He arrived from Norfolk to find that another nephew, 11-year-old Philip Carter, had arranged for him to give a similar talk and demonstration at Barth-olomew School, Eynsham, where he was a pupil.

As we have recalled, Oxford had a good reputation for supporting the RNLI, providing lifeboats and much-needed funds to keep the craft and their personnel afloat – and still does to this day.

Do you recognise yourself or anyone else in the picture?

Let me know.