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07
Apr
Tributes to 'exceptional' Ripon charity volunteer who died in car crash
Organisations in Ripon have expressed deep sadness at the news of Vincent (Vin) Kane's tragic death following an accident on the A61 just outside the city on Saturday evening.
Mr Kane, a retired Major who served in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), was a leading member of the Ripon Rowels Rotary Club and supported numerous charitable organisations in the city and beyond.
In a statement issued this afternoon, with permission of the Kane family, close friend and Ripon Rowels Rotary Club president John McGrath said:
Vin was born in 1939 in Black Rock Ireland, son of a postman and one of eight children.
He decided to further himself and came across to England to work, eventually becoming a British citizen, which eventually led up to him being called up for National Service.
He then spent most of his working life in the forces travelling around the world with various sections of the armed forces both with the Army and for a short spell as liaison officer with the Airforce, where his character and organisational skills enabled him to work up through the ranks leaving the service as a Major in the REME.
Prior to his retirement the family purchased a house in Ripon and Cath his wife, with Sean and Brian his two sons, settled down to a life in North Yorkshire.
On retirement Vin had to find organisations to fill in his time. He joined the Ripon Golf Club and soon became captain and eventually captain of the golfing district.
For years he ran the junior section of the club.
He loved children and for several years was a governor of St Wilfrid’s, the local Catholic primary school, where for a time he volunteered to help children to improve their reading skills.
He also joined Ripon Rowels Rotary club to help both local and international charitable organisations and was the prime mover of the club selecting and sending young adults to Rotary Youth Leadership Award courses which are run every year.
He was the treasurer for the Middle of the Road Club in Ripon and the local representative for Macmillan nurses, all duties he carried out with a smile and a friendly chat.
Vin would talk to anyone and pass the time of the day with them, always had a friendly banter and was able to make strangers feel at ease.
He will be sorely missed.
A founder member of Ripon's Middle of the Road Club, Mr Kane served as the charity's treasurer. He is pictured here at a recent meeting with fellow founder Joan Easey (Right) and Liz Leinhardt, who organise the club's weekly activities.
The Middle of the Road Club
Mr Kane was one of the founder members, along with Joan Easey, of the Middle of the Road Club, which was established in 1998.
The charity, provides activities, help and guidance for people who have disabilities or suffer from social isolation
Ms Easey said:
Vin was with us from the outset as the club’s treasurer and he regularly attended our Thursday meetings at Ripon Bowling Club.
He was very caring, very kind, and always had time to listen to us and offer advice.
He was a mine of information and we are very grateful for what Vin did for us. Vin was a lovely man.
'An exceptional man'
Fellow Rotarian and past president of Ripon Golf Club, John Richmond said:
Vin was an exceptional man, always working behind the scenes for the benefit of others.
From developing the relationship that the club had with Ripon's Royal Engineers, to being involved in organising the city's annual charity bonfire at Ripon Racecourse, he gave so much back to the community in many different ways and was a fantastic person to know,
A North Yorkshire Police statement said the incident happened about 1.5 miles south of Ripon, at the end of the section of road known as daffodil bends, at 5.10pm on Saturday.
The statement added:
A local man aged in his mid-80s was driving a black BMW 318 car that was travelling north when the collision occurred with a black Peugeot 3008 SUV heading south driven by a man in his late 20s from Warwickshire.
They were both taken to hospital by ambulance for treatment. Sadly, the driver of the BMW passed away just after midnight.
Officers urged witnesses and motorists with dashcam footage to email Drew.Crossley@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Drew Crossley. Quote reference number 12250060401.
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