More offers flood in for Cap'n Skint (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

More offers flood in for Cap'n Skint

12:16pm Thursday 9th July 2009

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A SHIPWRECKED sailor living on handouts at West Bay has been flooded with offers of help after the News revealed how he lost all his money and possessions.

Jon Orme-Dawson, 61, was left penniless when his 24ft boat sank off Golden Cap last month – the lone round-Britain yachtsman watching in horror as his £6,000 life savings floated away in a watertight tin.

Now he is having to sleep on board the recently salvaged boat – which has been hoisted onto the quayside - and is relying on the generosity of local people for food and drink.

After reading about his plight last week more big-hearted residents have pledged support for his £8,000 ‘SOS’ appeal to rebuild the badly damaged vessel and moor her permanently at West Bay for community use.

This week special T-shirts and leaflets were being produced for the appeal by Print-n-Press Ltd at St Michael’s Trading Estate which is owned by brother and sister Miranda Woodgate and Mike Walden.

They offered their services free because they were so determined to help the sailor – dubbed ‘Shipwreck Jon’ – to rebuild his shattered life.

The pair have also designed and printed money boxes for his SOS fund to place in various outlets including the George Hotel at Bridport and the Snack Shack, the Quarterdeck guest house bar and the Beach Café at West Bay.

Said Miranda: “We just thought Jon was such a worthy cause and we wanted to help him.”

Mr Orme-Dawson said this week that he continued to be overwhelmed by the generosity of the people of Bridport and West Bay and said he was committed to building a new life in the town.

In the meantime he is inviting people to help him give his yacht a new name – a maritime tradition when a boat is relaunched after it has sunk.

The name chosen will win its contributor a bottle of champagne – which they can either break over the bow of the refurbished yacht… or take home and drink!

Suggestions for the name can be sent to the Bridport News on a postcard addressed to: Yacht Name, Bridport News, 67 East Street, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3LB along with your name, address and daytime telephone number.

You can contribute to the Shipwreck Jon SOS appeal by donating cash in the SOS collecting tins now in shops, pubs and restaurants around the town.

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