Michael Guy RIP - Leigh Times Editor Backed Restoration of Endeavour

When Mike King and Peter Wexham and John Porter discussed finding and restoring one of the Leigh Dunkirk boats they were considering Resolute which had been traced to Rochester, Kent. The group asked Michael Guy, editor of the Leigh Times to join them.
Resolute was a sad sight, her back broken and the group knew she was beyond economic repair. Then Peter Wexham spotted Endeavour in the same yard and the rest is history.

The Leigh Times backed the project from the beginning as the old boat was moved by lorry to Leigh and then Great Totham to be re-built. Ever since the newspaper has given news about Endeavour's adventures and voyages keeping the people of Leigh up to date as our little ship became an iconic part of the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships fleet.

Mike joined the Trust from the outset, attending functions and events including sending his son Michael across the Channel on her first trip to Dunkirk.

Mike died in March following a long illness aged 85. Right until the end he was still contributing copy for the newspaper. Born in Sunderland he started in newspapers on the Banbury Guardian before National Service in the Royal Navy.

He worked on a series of provincial papers before being appointed editor of a magazine covering the Port of London. His success there led to Rupert Murdoch asking him to edit an in-house newspaper for his 45,000 employees world-wide.

But Mike had always wanted to launch his own newspaper and in 1983 the Leigh Times was born with his family all involved in everything from advertising, editorial and accounts. So successful did the business become that in 2008 it was sold to Tindle Newspapers but Mike was still editor.

Mike King, chairman of the Trustees of Endeavour paid tribute to Mike saying, "The Leigh Times has been a great friend to us. They have backed and supported us and Mike made that happen".