FRIENDS of Exmouth trawlerman Geoff Ingram, who tragically died when his boat sank this autumn, gathered to present his family and crewmen with funds raised by the community in his memory.
The loss of the 51-year-old father of two was felt throughout the community of Exmouth, with people donating a staggering £16,512 in the two months since Geoff's boat the Sarah Jayne went down off the coast of Brixham in September.
The heartfelt fundraising effort was driven by Geoff's friends Phil and Louise Higgins and Viv Ewings.
At an intimate gathering at the Point Bar and Grill at Exmouth docks, the amount was presented to Geoff's wife Sarah and their two children Vicky, 20, and Tom, 17, and his two crewmen, Scott Chamberlain and Matt Bull.
The men said Geoff, a former Exmouth RNLI crewman, saved their lives because the skipper had gone back into the wheel room to make the Mayday call which led to their rescue, when the boat flipped.
Also at the event was Geoff's best friend Burt Thomas, and some of his friends who co-ordinated an extraordinary effort to recover Geoff's body 170ft down from the wreck, including fellow fisherman Dave Kerley, 46, and George Bartlett, 29, the diver who retrieved the skipper's body.
"We've all been amazed by people's generosity," said Viv, who owns the Dock Side Café where Geoff frequented.
"It's still very raw. We still feel his loss and miss him very much.
"We just wanted to do something to help his family and crew who lost Geoff and their jobs that day."
Geoff's wife Sarah was too overwhelmed to attend the get-together, but wrote a letter expressing her sincere gratitude for the community's support and generosity.
In the letter, which was read out on the evening, she said Exmouth had "come together in an incredible way", adding: "I'm grateful to each and every one of you who has helped raise money for the fund.
"People have dug deep and this has been so humbling and a massive tribute to Geoff.
"No one will really understand what this has meant to us, and it's hard to put into words."
John Anderson, superintendent of the Fishermen's Mission, who is supporting Geoff's family, said: "It's difficult to find words to describe a tragedy like this.
"It's unbelievable, and very hard to take, that this should have happened to an experienced skipper and former RNLI crewman, who was renowned for his views on safety."
Mr Anderson said fundraising events are also continuing in Brixham where Geoff was well known, with fishermen as far away as Scotland pledging donations in Geoff's memory.
"The family have drawn a lot of comfort from the support of the community," he added.
"If you're a fisherman you've got salt in your blood, so you feel the loss tremendously."
Speaking on the night, Exmouth's Deputy Mayor Cllr Bill Nash said: "This enormous amount has been raised through the generosity of the people of Exmouth, with much of it raised on an incredible fun day in the Manor Gardens in September.
"Everyone came together that day, with many local businesses donating items for the raffle.
"Exmouth is a community based on our seafaring men catching fish, and the loss of Geoff made everyone realise what our fishermen do."
