John Casson

Charity event with Sir Michael Parkinson raises over £25,000

On Thursday 10th November John Casson organised a lunch in aid of The Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund at Gidleigh Park.  Nearly 70 guests enjoyed a highly entertaining talk from Sir Michael Parkinson and a memorable lunch created by double Michelin Star Chef, Michael Caines MBE.

Special guest Major General Gordon Messenger spoke of the incredible bravery, optimism and good nature exhibited by the Royal Marines, his powerful words struck a chord with the audience who gave generously during the auction. This was a  lively event with some amazing lots including a limited edition copy of John Casson’s book Afghan Faces signed by HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh which sold for £650 and contributed to an incredible total of just over £25,000 being raised on the day.

Prior to the lunch John Casson accompanied Sir Michael and Lady Mary on a visit to Hasler Company in Plymouth where Royal Marines are cared for after injury as a result of conflict and accidents. Sir Michael and Lady Mary found the visit deeply moving and inspiring.

Sponsored school seriously damaged by large earthquake

On the 19th September the Himalayan town of Darjeeling and its surrounding area was hit by a 6.8 magnitude earthquake, the epicentre in the nearby Indian state of Sikkim. Several people were killed.

An hour's drive along a road badly damaged by the recent annual monsoons is St Mary's School, deep amongst the tea estates. John Casson has been sponsoring the school through his company Securewest International for the past ten years.

The school's new primary section building which was opened only just eighteen months ago for 150 children has been badly damaged. However no one was injured and the building has just been declared safe to reuse though major repairs are needed.

"Almost ten years ago to the day since we started supporting the school and this happened, an earthquake to mark the anniversary" said John Casson. "Thankfully no one was killed. I have just received the estimate for the repairs and that will be about £18,000. A large amount in this area of India where there is 75% unemployment and poverty".

John Casson is launching an appeal to help raise the money. If you can help in any way, please contact him.

Securewest International has a record year

John Casson’s organisation Securewest International has reported its busiest year since specialisation into maritime security in 2000.

The demand from shipping companies for reliable and professional security services has seen Securewest International expand rapidly into one of the world’s leading and largest provider of all aspects of maritime security from providing armed security teams on ships, to consultancy, training, ship tracking and monitoring to the provision of intelligence gathering.

‘Shipping has never been at such risk since the end of World War Two’ said John Casson, Securewest International’s Founder and Chairman.  ‘Governments are largely leaving the private sector to provide protection to shipping, particularly against the menace of pirates for which Securewest International is well placed to provide this service’ he concluded.

Securewest International’s clients include most of the biggest names in shipping including the US Navy’s Military Sealift Command.

Helping the Oscar winning actress Hayley Mills

How could he say ‘no’?

When friend and Oscar winning actress Hayley Mills asked John Casson for help in organising a charity event how could he say ‘no’.

Hayley, daughter of the famous film actor Sir John Mills is the Patron of the Integrative Health Trust a charity aiming to improve people’s health, wellbeing and personal potential via integrative medicine.

Hayley was the guest speaker at a lunch that John Casson organised for her and the charity at The Bath Priory on Thursday 7th July 2011, raising just under £12,000.

During the lunch an auction and raffle took place, one very lucky winner received a chauffeured trip with Hayley in her Father’s 1978 Rolls Royce. This infamous Rolls Royce is available for hire with all profits going to charity.

Brigadier Simon Hill accepts a £10,000 donation

At the end of January 2011 Brigadier Simon Hill, Chairman of the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund, was presented with a cheque for £10,000 by John Casson.

The donation was made possible because all the profits from sales of John Casson's book Afghan Faces are going to charities supporting those injured in Afghanistan, which includes The Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund.

The trust supports serving and retired Royal Marines who have been injured in conflict together with their dependants. They are currently aiming to raise £6 million by the 350th anniversary of the Royal Marines in 2014.

John Casson joins Sandy Gall’s Afghanistan Appeal committee

On Wednesday 19th January 2011 John Casson was delighted to be appointed a trustee of Sandy Gall’s Afghanistan Appeal (SGAA).

SGAA is run by a voluntary committee and consultants in the UK, which besides John Casson also includes a former diplomat, a professional orthotist, a senior physiotherapist, a midwife and two orthopaedic surgeons. Eleanor Gall is the UK Director and Sandy Gall is Chairman.

Sandy Galls Afghanistan Appeal supports its own clinics in Afghanistan, the largest is in Jalalabad near the Pakistan border. Apart from providing prosthetics and rehabilitation to those Afghans injured in the many years of conflict it also provides treatment to those suffering with polio, club foot and spina bifida which is prevalent in this region of the country.

Sandy Gall’s Afghanistan Appeal receives a £10,000 donation

In early January 2011 John Casson proudly presented Sandy Gall, former ITN reporter and presenter of News at Ten, with a cheque for £10,000.

The donation was made possible because all profits from sales of John Casson's book Afghan Faces are going to charities supporting those injured in Afghanistan, which includes Sandy Gall’s Afghanistan Appeal.

There are still hundreds of thousands of landmine's in Afghanistan, the result of 25 years of virtually uninterrupted warfare, in consequence an enormous number of Afghans have been disabled. Since 1986 Sandy Gall's Afghanistan Appeal has provided artificial limbs and walking aids for more than 20,000 patients and physiotherapy treatment for nearly 50,000 patients.

Families for Children Fundraising Lunch

On Thursday 18th November 2010 John Casson hosted a charity lunch at Gidleigh Park Hotel. Guests enjoyed an inspirational talk from Falklands war survivor Simon Weston and double Michelin Star Chef Michael Caines MBE prepared a memorable lunch.

A lively auction took place during the lunch and guests were able to bid for items including lunch with actress Hayley Mills and a Gibson ‘Les Paul Junior’ guitar (the same model Keith Richards plays). The auction was hugely successful and contributed to an incredible total of £10,683.99 being raised on the day for South West adoption agency Families for Children.

Afghan Faces is now on sale

John Casson's first book, Afghan Faces is available to buy online now and is available for purchase through major booksellers. The book makes an ideal present.

The Foreword is written by the highly accredited authority on Afghanistan, Sandy Gall, former ITN reporter and presenter of News at Ten.

All the profits after print costs will be donated to UK charities supporting our armed forces personnel injured in Afghanistan including Help For Heroes, The Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund and Sandy Gall's Afghanistan Appeal. Priced at £35 per copy this high quality book is full of fascinating and interesting photographs, many endearing, many tragic, all of Afghan people.