Over £3,000 for the families and children affected by the MFV Louisa tragedy has been raised so far by the Stornoway Sea Angling Club.
The club says it is receiving an “overwhelming response” for a series of fundraisers being held after three fishermen were lost when the crab boat sank off the Western Isles on April 9 in what is the worst fishing boat tragedy to hit the area for 50 years.
Martin Johnstone, 29, from Thurso, and father-
The vessel’s skipper, Paul Alliston, of Lewis, is still missing.
Lachlan Armstrong, of Stornoway, who survived after swimming to rocks, hailed the
lost crew members as “heroes” for their calm, collective response in working together
when their only liferaft failed to inflate when the 15-
Local bands, The Links, Pandejo and the Stuart Taylor Ceilidh Band, donated their time for the musical event attended by over 200 people on Saturday night.
More cash is coming in from darts and pool competitions, organised by Lewis and Harris Darts Association, in the club earlier.
Plans to hold a bingo session had to be postponed to this coming Friday because the event grew much larger than initially anticipated around 40 prizes gifted by islanders and local businesses.
Sea angling club committee member, Nicola Nikpavlovich, said: “If we had to draw all the prizes that have been donated so far we wouldn't have had time for any of the bands who donated their time to play."
Ms Nikpavlovich said the tragedy has been felt very deeply in the local island community and within the club.
She said: “We are one of just two sea angling clubs in Scotland with our own fishing boat. The tragedy is very much close to home when it could happen to any one of us who have relatives working on boats.”
Bingo prizes include a £100 Tesco hamper, £300 voucher from Norman Afrin Flooring, man and a van service for a day, an array of seafood from Stornoway fishing boat, MFV Onward, a signed Celtic strip, and a marine wildlife boat trip. Many individuals have also donated prizes.
Island club rallies round for fishing tragedy families
24 April 2016