This fundraiser has been set up as a memorial fundraiser for Jamie Barrow by myself, Fay Lloyd-Howell, as Jamie’s cousin and in collaboration and on behalf of Jamie’s mum, Valerie Nelson.

We were aiming to raise £1000 as a Memorial Fundraiser towards Search & Rescue Dog Association IOM (SARDA), Ramsey Lifeboat crew (Norbury Boathouse Fund), Civil Defence IOM, IOM Fire & Rescue Service, and also Isle stand up to Suicide. As you can see, we have already smashed this target thanks to the generosity of you all!

Jamie Barrow, a 39 year old man from Ramsey, Isle of man went missing from home on 17th September, 2023. Over the course of 2 weeks, the Isle of Man Constabulary, Ramsey Lifeboat & coastguards, the Search & Rescue Dogs Association (SARDA), the Civil Defence IOM and other agencies were extremely concerned for his welfare and worked tirelessly day & night in inclement weather in the search for Jamie. The organisations employed all available resources, manpower and search and rescue techniques in the hope of finding Jamie alive.

Tragically, Jamie‘s body was found out to sea off the Ramsey coastline shortly before midday on Saturday 30th September by a Fishing vessel. The Ramsey lifeboat was sent to recover Jamies body with full dignity, in conjunction with the IOM Constabulary.

The IOM Constabulary also supported his family with great care and empathy throughout this heart breaking ordeal and assigned a personal Family Liaison Officer to keep the family informed at all levels whenever he was needed day or night. We cannot thank all the agencies enough for the time effort and care on this investigation.

On a personal note, Jamie had struggled with his mental health on and off over many years. He spent several weeks in a Mental Health Institution, but found that he helped his own condition by helping other patients recovery. He was well loved by all. He had a tremendous sense of humour, a love of music, chess, quantum mathematics, art and inventing, but he always said his own personal goal in life was to love everybody regardless of their lifestyle and to save the World. He realised this he could not do alone :so would reach out to friends and strangers every day and help in some way, either by donating money, food or his time to try and improve their lives, also doing this sometimes to the detriment of his own self care. A more loving and generous person there could not have been. He was a volunteer for the Manx Disabled workshop for many years and learnt new woodworking skills and was a dab hand at engraving, making the IOM T.T. Winners plaques eg. He also set up a chess club in Ramsey which was well attended but during Covid, Jamie had a very hard time being stuck in his flat without his support team around him so he got a cat for company. His cat became his focus and the volunteering stopped and Jamie found it more and more difficult to deal with his condition, but continued to help others.

The people in his local community soon got used to seeing him about and his jolly demeanour around the town, they were also very helpful when they recognised that Jamie at times needed help and rang family or Crisis teams in order to get him the support he needed. We would also like to thank the many people who took time out to do this and to befriend him. He loved people, but at heart was a lonely soul who could never really get to grips with his illness. It tormented him to the end and it has been heartbreaking to see him end his life at such a young age.

About the fundraiser Fay Lloyd-Howell

I, as Jamies cousin, have set up this fund up on behalf of Jamies mother Valerie Nelson who wishes to repay the kindness and effort of the various agencies and charities on the Island and we hope that you will consider this a worthwhile cause and donate accordingly. The funds will be split equally amongst them all.

We thanks you in advance.:)