The Windsor Diary
2005

This area is intended to feature selected stories and editorials during the year. We are keen to include genuine stories, especially local campaigns, that you send us. Contact the Editor.

The Windsor Diary Index

January 2005

The Asian Tsunami Tragedy
curtails the New Year festivities

The Royal Windsor Website featured a panel expressing its profound sadness at the news of the Asian Tsunami disaster as soon as it became apparent that significant loss of life had occurred throughout the region. The panel below was placed on our front page on the morning of 26th December 2004. Sadly the figure of 100,000 deaths was to triple to 300,000 by the time a clear picture of the extent of the disaster had emerged. Four weeks after the disaster bodies were still being found in some areas of Acer province in Indonesia. The total here alone was reported to be in excess of 220,000.

Windsorians rallied to help those affected in as many ways as they could, but the news was full of requests to make money available as it would be virtually impossible, and far too expensive, to ship out clothes, bottled water and food from the UK. The aid agencies needed cash to ship in supplies from much closer to the disaster areas.

Many felt that the New Year Festivities should be muted this year while the death toll continued to rise.

Wednesday 12th January was declared a National Day of Mourning and flags on public buildings including Windsor Castle were flown at half mast. Local pubs and clubs raised substantial sums for the relief charities which were fund-raising under the DEC banner, the Disaster Emergencies Committee. Within a very short time over £100 million had been raised nationally by the public. After four weeks £250 million had been raised.

August 2005

Charity Swim

Andy Nation from Knebworth, Hertfordshire, started an attempt at a record breaking swim on Monday 1st August in support of The Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust. Starting at the first swimmable part of the river Thames, near Lechlade, Gloucestershire, he planned to swim the entire length of the non-tidal river as far as Teddington.
   Andy's record attempt was not trouble free; he had a particularly bad day on Saturday, 6th August, swallowing more than a mouthful of water after being over-run by wash from a speeding cruiser. He suffered severe sickness and on top of the extreme fatigue of six days non-stop swimming, he was forced to take a rest on Sunday. On Monday, although not on top form, Andy pressed on from Sonning in Berkshire, not wanting his two years of training and preparation to end with just 39 miles left to swim.
   On Wednesday 10th August, Andy left Marlow Lock, now fully fit, and on Thursday 11th August Andy passed through Windsor stopping at Romney Lock for lunch.
   Andy Nation planned the final leg of his 147 mile swim from Hampton Court on Sunday 14th August at 07:00am, looking to finish Sunday's leg at approx 2:00pm. Thamesweb has a short video of Andy swimming under Windsor Bridge and arriving at Romney Lock. For details please email the Editor.

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