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Sarah Newton raised £7,911 from 199 supporters

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Closed 15/12/2019

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£7,911
raised of £3,500 target by 199 supporters

    Iʼve raised £7,911 to help fund the funeral expenses of Chris James, the Brown Dirt Cowboy.

    Funded on Sunday, 15th December 2019

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    Story

    Dear friends, I'd like to ask for your help.

    As you may know, when Chris's illness hit us in March this year, it smashed our world to pieces. Not only have we both been unable to work, a problem with our national insurance payments in France has also meant that Chris hasn't been eligible for income support. For the past 5 months, we haven't been paid.

    Our finances are a disaster. My focus has been on getting Chris through this ordeal; stage IV cancer was enough for him to deal with. At the same time, I have left Mindjammer Press untouched, reasoning that at some point life would begin again, and MJP funds were earmarked for producing committed Kickstarter pledges for Mindjammer, Capharnaum, and The Chronicles of Future Earth. I'll be picking up those pieces and getting back to work on the 1st October.

    Yesterday I found that Chris's funeral expenses will come to just shy of 3800 euros. I don't have that money, so am preparing to take a bank loan, in addition to whatever bank loans will be needed to get me through to the end of this year before Mindjammer Press can start paying me again. Somehow I'll get back on my feet from losing the love of my life in this disaster, even if at this moment I don't feel I can face that mountain; it does feel like the odds have been stacked terribly high, and I'm emotionally wrecked.

    Several friends have suggested I reach out to all of you on social media for help. This doesn't come easy to me; I've always been someone to beaver away and sort things out myself. But even I'm realizing I can't get through this alone. Since Chris has gone, it is the love and support of friends that's keeping me going. They tell me the sun will shine again, though I suspect its light will never seem quite as bright

    If you'd like to help out and contribute to Chris's funeral expenses, you can do so via the attached JustGiving link. Please don't feel obliged, but know that you'll be helping me shed tears of great gratitude as well as sorrow.

    Thank you for reading.

    Updates

    4

    • Sarah Newton5 years ago
      Sarah Newton

      Sarah Newton

      5 years ago

      And here's page two of the eulogy. During the service, Ian Gallacher and Benoit Lucas also gave very moving speeches. Before the service, we raised a glass with many other visitors and friends in front of Chris's open coffin before the dozen-car cortege made the 30 minute journey through the beautiful Normandy countryside to the crematorium at Villedieu-les-Poêles. Chris wore his Made In England t-shirt, with a Hotel California plectrum between his fingers - "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave".

      Update from the Page owner

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    • Sarah Newton5 years ago
      Sarah Newton

      Sarah Newton

      5 years ago

      Dear friends, I wanted to share with you the eulogy for Chris I read at his cremation service last Tuesday 20 August, 4.30pm. JustGiving won't let me post 2 jpegs in the same update, so I'll post page 2 in a subsequent update. The service was packed - we expected 10-20 people, and more than 50 of you turned up, for which I thank you, Chris would have been very proud, and especially of the heartbreaking version of Hey Jude you all sang for him at the end of the ceremony. Much love and thanks to you all, Sarah

      Update from the Page owner

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    • Sarah Newton5 years ago
      Sarah Newton

      Sarah Newton

      5 years ago

      I wanted to explain what any money above Chris's funeral expenses will be used for. The week after next, I'll take Chris's ashes to the UK by car and ferry, appx £400. I'll return to work in France by 1 October. Mindjammer Press has been mothballed since February. It'll take me the rest of the year to start delivery, meaning I need to cover the period financially. With your blessing, it would be useful to use your gifts to reduce any loan I'll eventually need. My outgoings are low - appx 1000 euros a month. Please let me know your thoughts.

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    5 years ago

    Sarah Newton started crowdfunding

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    Page last updated on: 9/13/2019 16.23

    Supporters

    199

    • Jan Pospíšil

      Jan Pospíšil

      Sep 13, 2019

    • Anonymous

      Anonymous

      Aug 29, 2019

      For whatever you need. Don't forget to look after yourself. Anne-Marie, Ian and Scarlett xxx

    • Tim J

      Tim J

      Aug 27, 2019

      £40.00

    • Anonymous

      Anonymous

      Aug 24, 2019

      Condolences from California.

      £40.00

    • Steven D Warble

      Steven D Warble

      Aug 23, 2019

      My sympathies for your loss.

      £20.00

    • Anonymous

      Anonymous

      Aug 23, 2019

    • Paul Mitchener

      Paul Mitchener

      Aug 23, 2019

      Very sorry for your loss, and everything you're still going through.

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