AS EILEEN KENNEDY SAID "THIS CHAP IS NOT ORDINARY LIKE U OR ME, IF HE WAS HE WOULD NOT HAVE SURVIVED THIS HORRENDOUS ORDEAL. TONY BULLIMORE AWOKE THE IMGAINATION OF THE WORLD BY SURVIVING IN AN UPTURNED BOAT CALLED EXIDE CHALLENGER ON CHOCOLATE AND WATER FROM LATE 4TH JAN TO MIDDAY 9TH JAN.
TONY WROTE A BOOK CALLED SAVED' ON WHICH I BASED MY SPEECH ON TODAY. IM SURE MOST OF U REMEMBER THE SIGHT OF A MAN IN A YELLOW SUIT POP UP INFRONT OF WOT LOOKED LIKE A VERY SMALL BOAT COMPARED TO THE GREAT HMAS ADELAIDE & GIVING HIS RESCUERS A BIG HUG. TONY ENTERED A RACE CALLED THE VENDEE GLOBE, WHICH .
IS THE LONGEST MOST CHALLENGING YACHT RACE EVERY CONCEIVED, IT STARTS ON THE WEST COAST OF FRANCE, GOES AROUND ANTARTICA AND BACK TO FRANCE. 25,000MILES OF WATER TRAVELLED BY ONE PERSON. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SAIL NON-STOP AROUND THE WORLD WITHOUT BREAKING SOME EQUIPMENT & SUFFERING A BIT OF BAD LUCK. TONY .
DID NOT JUST ARRIVE ON THIS BOAT AND DECIDE TO GO SAILING. HE HAS .
150 TROPHIES, TRANS-ATLANTIC SAILING RECORDS & VICTORIES IN COUNTLESS OCEAN AND OFFSHORE RACES. HE WAS AWARDED THE UK YACHTMANS OF THE YEAR. HIS EXPERIENCE IN SAILING WAS I FEEL ONE OF THE FIRST FACTORS WHICH LEAD TO HIS SURVIVAL. TONY PLAYED .
A MAJOR PART IN THE BUILDING OF HIS BOAT, THEREFORE HE KNEW EVERY CENTIMETER, EVERY PIECE OF EQUIPMENT AND WHEN NEED WHAT HIS BOAT WAS CAPABLE OF.TONYS FIRST MEMORIES AS A CHILD GO BACK TO WORLD WAR II AND SURVIVING THE BOMBING OF THE EAST END. HIS MOTHER WORKED IN A FACTORY AND HIS FATHER WENT AWAY TO WAR. DURING THE WAR HIS FATHER WAS AN ENTERTAINER AND VISITED THE TROOPS IN SINGAPOR AND INDIA. AFTER THE WAS HIS PARENTS SETTLED DOWN AND BROUGHT A CAFÉ IN SOUTHEND CALLED B&KS. HE LEFT SKOOL AT 15 & SET UP A PHOTOGRAPY BUSINESS, WHICH FAILED. HE THEN SET UP A DOOR TO DOOR SELLING BUSINESS SELLING BLANKETS& SHEETS, QUILTS& EITHERDOWNS. WITHIN A MONTH HE HAD 5 PPL WORKING 4 HIM. MAKING MONEY BECAME A PASSION, & HE USED TO LIE AWAKE AT NITE WORKING OUT BUSINESS PLANS.