I've raised £550 to help fund a blue plaque for Roger Conant, founder of Salem, Massachusetts, born in East Budleigh around 400 years ago
Organised by Michael Downes
We want to honour Roger Conant, one of Devon's unsung heroes, with a blue plaque in the village of East Budleigh, where he was born. He crossed the Atlantic and founded the city of Salem in Massachusetts in 1626. Previously he acted as a peacemaker and helped to prevent bloodshed and a possible civil war between settlers in New England as seen in this painting. It shows Roger Conant in a famous episode of 1625, was created specially by Budleigh artist John Washington and is entitled 'Blessed are the Peacemakers'.