Plea for help to repair memorial seat
A memorial seat to two young fishermen has been vandalised for the second time, says a grieving father, who is asking for help to repair it.
John Arries is asking for help to fix the broken memorial seat along the Coquet estuary
The seat was one of two placed in Amble, after the tragic deaths of two local fishermen, Mark Arries and Edward Ide. The two young fishermen died from carbon monoxide poisoning in a poorly maintained vessel moored in Whitby harbour in January 2014. The owner of the boat was subsequently jailed for 15 months.
In 2014, the seats were placed by the two families, in memory of their sons. One is on the harbour near the Little Shore, the other along the estuary next to the Shorebase Trust. But sadly the seat at the estuary has needed to be repaired, not once, but twice.
John Arries, father of Mark Arries told The Ambler: I came round here last week and it’s like this again. It’s pure vandalism. It’s a mess. I feel awful.”
“The Shorebase Trust let us put the seat here; they organised the concrete base and then they fixed it after it was broken the first time,” said John. “I’ve had to take the plaque off now, because I’m worried vandals will come back and destroy it some more. It’s terrible.”
The plaque read “In loving memory of Mark Arries and Eddie Ide 15-1-14”
John had a request to the public for help to repair the seat: “I don’t know if anyone can put it back together again. I just don’t know where to start. I couldn’t afford to pay them though.
“It’s not an ordinary seat, it’s a memorial seat. It’s terrible what people have done to it.”
Anna Williams
UPDATE: a justgiving page has been set up by a member of one of the families:
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/jane-stilling-1?utm_term=6qzK57WGr
If the money can be found to replace the seat,could someone please ask the Harbour Master,Mr Alan Puntin,where he purchased the seat that he has just made up,that will take a lot of destroying
A just giving page has been set up and the total so far is £525 and another £200 handed in so in total £720 in the space of 20 hrs both families are overwhelmed with the kind donations we will be taking to the Harbour Master to get a more robust seat
Hi Jane – could you post a link to the just giving page? Thanks Anna
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/jane-stilling-1?utm_id=1&utm_term=w5zb2Zpyd
Would this be something HMP Northumberland could possibly make? Our engineering shop have made numerous benches, and this would be more sturdy. Contact me and I will get a price – may even get a custom design?? Lorna xx
CO-Gas Safety is an independent, registered charity committed to preventing deaths and injuries from unintentional carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from all fuels and to helping victims and their families. However, prevention is our top priority. We also collect, collate and publish deaths and injuries from unintentional CO and we did notice these tragic deaths. These tragic young fishermen Mark Arries and Eddie Ide are listed see http://www.co-gassafety.co.uk/data-menu/deaths/
We are very sorry that these young men died and send our condolences to their families and friends. We would very much like to make a small contribution and to suggest that perhaps our website or another website about preventing carbon monoxide be put on the plaque on the new sturdier bench. Please do contact me, Stephanie. My email is office@co-gassafety.co.uk