Daniel Adamson PS. HLF Applicaton - Media Release.

LIVERPOOL WED 5TH OCTOBER 2011

THE Daniel Adamson Preservation Society (DAPS) regrets to announce that its bid for £2.8m was not approved by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) trustees at their meeting in London on 27th September. This was in spite of a two year development process supported by means of development grants totalling £77,000. The main areas supported focused on technical specifications, conservation best-practice, future financial sustainability and education/outreach programmes.
It has always been (and remains) the Society's intention to return the 1903 Birkenhead-built, steam-powered tug tender to fully operational working order for public use. Therefore many links have been established with educational bodies, museums, health and social organisations to promote access to Daniel Adamson and these will be developed in greater detail once we have a firm time-frame for the completion of restoration of the vessel.
While this HLF decision is seen as a setback to the progress of the restoration programme which started in 2004, the Society has resolved to continue its aims to return Daniel Adamson to service as planned.
To highlight this momentum and demonstrate the support for the project, the crucial match-funding Full Steam Ahead campaign to raise £100,000 has today reached £85,000. This includes a £15,000 donation by Peel Ports Mersey and a£20,000 donation from The Garfield Weston Foundation. All donations towards the match-funding campaign will be ring-fenced until such time as a favourable HLF decision is made for the project. Meanwhile the fund-raising campaign will continue and the Society will work tirelessly to generate financial support for the project to reduce the dependence on future HLF funding.
Dan Cross, DAPS chairman, said: "While we are deeply disappointed with the current outcome, we fully intend to achieve our goals. This is no more than a temporary set-back. We will shortly restart discussions with HLF in early November to address its concerns and we remain confident that its support will eventually be forthcoming. Our loyal group of volunteers who have already worked over 70,000 hours on the project and who have already restored all nine steam engines and associated machinery have said its business as usual for them and I couldn’t agree more”.
Carole Souter, HLF chief executive, said: “Whilst we recognised Daniel Adamson as an important part of this country’s maritime history, we had real concerns around the increased costs relating to the restoration work. This project, run by a number of highly-motivated volunteers, has great potential but as it currently stands we are not able to commit such a significant amount of lottery money to plans that have not been fully developed. We will be holding discussions with the Society in the coming weeks in order to discuss the way forward.”

Rt Hon MP for Halton, Derek Twigg, one of five MP’s who formally support the project said: “I am very disappointed with the decision. This is a very important project and would benefit Halton. It is essential that a way forward is found”.
Rachel Mulhearn, Director of the Merseyside Maritime Museum and who DAPS had been working with to develop a learning programme for when the vessel will be available in Liverpool commented: “"Daniel Adamson, built in 1903, is a significant asset to the maritime heritage of the Liverpool area, and of great national importance. As part of our National Historic Fleet, it is the only surviving vessel of three steam tug-tenders acquired by the Manchester Ship Canal Company in 1921. Thankfully salvaged in 2004, Daniel Adamson is an exquisite example of high quality construction, engineering and craftsmanship."
DAPS Patron and BBC Antiques Roadshow expert, Paul Atterbury added: “While the HLF's decision is disappointing, and to me very surprising, it does not in any way diminish my enthusiasm for the Daniel Adamson project. This is an exceptional vessel with a remarkable history and the completion of the restoration project, which I am certain will take place, will give Liverpool, and the nation, an asset of immense historical value and contemporary social benefit.”

 

Hi Dan,

I have already offered my commiserations to you on another forum, but it would be remiss of me not to also post my disappointment on this site.

Keep up all the good work and I am sure you will win through in the end.

Regards,

Robert.

 

Having been aware of this for some days I can now echo the disappointment, but also confirm that enthusiasm to see this project go forward remains undimmed.

I am sure that an amended submission will go forward in due course, which the lottery will approve, having regard to the representations made to them by high profile correspondents, once their decision became known last week.