John Green
John Green of Calamansac passed away on 4 May 2014. John was a remarkable larger-than-life character who was, among many other things, a great supporter of village life here in Port Navas.
John was born in London into a family of architects and moved to Burnham Overy, north Norfolk, in 1939. He left school early, and after working on a farm in Shropshire and undertaking a Nuffield farming scholarship in 1949, he moved to a farming company in Lincolnshire. In 1964 he married Margaret and gained two much-loved stepsons. Two years later, the family moved to Ely, where John and his brother Andrew formed a farming partnership. The business still flourishes and now includes substantial operations in central Europe.
In 1995, he and Margaret moved to the Helford River and the woods and gardens of Calamansac. He had visited Calamansac as a child and then, after marrying Margaret, every summer was spent holidaying on the river.
Inspired by his own experiences as a child and their unique location on the shores of the Helford, he established the Helford River Children’s Sailing Trust, a charitable trust for local schoolchildren to learn to sail single-handedly and enjoy the resulting freedom and confidence. For this he was made MBE and his extraordinary enthusiasm and energy continue to be an inspiration.
