Charity fundraiser John Capon, who usually spends most weekends throughout the spring, summer and autumn providing his famous mobile sound system free of charge to support good causes all over Devon, is gearing up ready for action when lockdown restrictions are eased.

The big-hearted double glazing salesman – who has supported scores of charity groups and community projects in East Devon in recent years – says his diary is beginning to fill up with requests for him to take his mobile sound system to charity events all over the area in the coming months.

One of Honiton’s many unsung community champions, John has been booked for the Tamerton Foliot Spring Fair, near Plymouth, in May, the Force Cancer Charity’s Nello bike ride from Topsham in June and he is all set to preside again over the Exmouth Hospice Care ladies’ Twilight Walk in July.

“My diary will soon be filling up again, Covid permitting, if the last few years are anything to go by so anyone running a charity event is most welcome to contact John@otterwindows.co.uk,” he said.

John’s support for community events all began a decade ago when the self-confessed ‘music nut’ installed a ‘super-duper’ sound system in his company van to ensure that the Honiton Majorettes would not be drowned out during the town’s annual carnival parade.

Since then he’s toured the county in his specially adapted Otter Windows vehicle, providing music and laser light shows for carnivals, fetes and other fun community events – and has raised tens of thousands of pounds for charity. He plays down his contribution but his community spirit and willingness to help others has become clear over the years. He has been a big supporter of Devon Freewheelers, Honiton Lions and the town’s Admiral Nurse fundraising campaign.

And he has enjoyed good news on the work front recently. Otter Windows, the business he launched in Durham Way, Honiton, back in 2008, and which quickly went from strength to strength to serve the whole of East Devon, has just reached its 30,000th installation.

John said: “These days a growing number of customers are choosing to upgrade their conservatories to make them useable all the year around with the installation of solid roofs plastered on the underside to make them more like an additional room.”