May I please, through your well read paper, thank everyone who made our Help for Heroes fund-raising night such a success, helping us raise more than �4,000.

May I please, through your well read paper, thank everyone who made our Help for Heroes fund-raising night such a success, helping us raise more than �4,000.

I would also like to thank Mark Tyler, radio and television personality, for spending more than six hours with us as compere for the event at the Pavilion. He asked for nothing in return and really did hold the whole evening together to ensure it was the success it was.

To the five groups of musicians, thanks a million for such a great performance. Without you we would not have had a show at all and you truly did put on your very best for everyone present.

Thanks also goes to Corporal Jill Ford from the Band of HM Royal Marines, the Commanding Officer of the CTC RM, Chris from Pro Sound and Light, David Matthews, of Electro Computers, and Daniel Smith, of Vibrant Pulse.

The relay of the night to the internet meant we had 285 hits worldwide.

Thanks also goes to John Trigger, Keith Heaton, my son Paul and all the staff at the Pavilion, thank you for being the best committee we could have had to be certain of putting on such a great night.

I would also like to thank Daniel from Sue's Pantry, for all our poster and flyers, Seymours, CTC RM, Homemaker, Tesco, Budgens, Halfords, Exmouth Indoor Market, Iceland, Garners Hardware, Somerfield, Thorntons, H.Carter & Son, Pets at Home, Bed & Pine Centre, Beach Hotel, The Harbour Gallery and all the many individuals who supplied us with draw prizes.

I should also thank our anonymous benefactor who was so generous with his donation and Dave and Pauline, from Divine Ices, for their tremendous help with fundraising prior to the actual event.

We were very proud to have service personnel present who had either just returned from or were about to go to Afghanistan. These men and women were not only welcome but were what the whole event was about... one of them remarked to me that, although he wasn't wounded, he felt he wanted to be there to honour those who had been.

We should be able to forward about �3,700 to Help for Heroes, perhaps even a little more, after deductions.

If I have forgotten anyone or anything then I do most humbly apologise.

As this is my swansong, I would like to thank everybody who has helped so much over the past 13 years and allowed the 531st Tribute Fund to do so very well

Lionel Howell,

Cheshire Road,

Exmouth.