OXFORD Mail readers have vowed to “move heaven and earth” to help two friends left homeless after their house boat on the Thames burnt down.

Cathy Johnson and Lee Sims narrowly escaped with their lives after the boat by Osney Bridge was destroyed in an accidental fire on Saturday, November 1.

The friends, who have been sleeping in a tent and on friends’ floors since the fire, may now be able to move into a flat in Blackbird Leys within weeks, after readers contacted us to help.

They have also been bought clothes, blankets and food.

News
Our top stories

 

Miss Johnson, 34, said: “I’m overwhelmed. I’m just so thankful for everyone being so kind and concerned.

“We are both really surprised.”

Yesterday, the friends came to a meeting at the Oxford Mail with just five of the many people who contacted us.

Diana Clews, representing North Oxford Action Against Homelessness (NOAAH), said she found an agent who will rent them a flat while they are on benefits.

And Beth Brown-Reid, who works for Oxfordshire Mind, said the charity will help fast-track the friends’ claim for housing benefit.

She even promised that she and colleague Honey Lucas will act as personal guarantors for them and pay their rent if necessary.

Ms Brown-Reid said: “We just knew there had to be a way back from that tragedy.”

She and Ms Lucas got to know Miss Johnson buying the Big Issue from her over the summer.

Miss Johnson and Mr Sims came to Oxford from Cornwall nine months ago.

Last year, she was working as an insurance broker but lost her job and home after her firm went into administration.

They moved to Oxford in the hope of better prospects and because she lived here as a teenager.

They stayed in a tent and sold the Big Issue to save up for a deposit on a house, then a friend offered them the use of his boat over the winter.

Ms Lucas, 44, from Kennington, said: “When she was living in a tent it just wasn’t ideal.

“They found the boat and then the unbelievable happened.

“Cathy is just such an inspiring person, her courage and good humour are amazing.

“What happened was so awful, we wanted to move heaven and earth to help.”

Christopher Gowers, of Cutteslowe Wolvercote Wytham Co-operative Trust, said his group would be happy to make a donation to help the friends pay their rent.

Oxford Mail reader Maria Humphris, of Oxford,who came along to find out how she could help, said: “I read the story and just thought ‘we can’t leave it to other people to help’.”

Fellow reader Melica Talbot-Best, who could not make the meeting, left two bags of warm winter clothes for the couple.

The 69-year-old from Abingdon said: “I looked at Cathy’s picture in the paper and I thought, she’s not so different from me.

“You have to think, what if it was you in that sort of situation.”

Miss Johnson said their first priority is a mobile phone with internet access and warm winter clothes.

Once they move into their new flat, they will be trying to get hold of household appliances and bedding.

  • If you would like to help, call reporter Pete Hughes on 01865 425431.


Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone’s contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.