Steam Tug-Tender "Daniel Adamson" update. Application to HLF formerley submitted.

It gives me great pleasure and a certain amount of relief to be able to announce that at 12:30 on Friday 10th June, our Stage 2 Application to the Heritage lottery Fund was formally submitted and signed papers handed over.
As reported in the local press last week, the application is for just over £2.8million which as well as shipyard restoration costs, also includes furnishing of the saloons and other ship’s equipment, financial support from HLF towards the employment for up to three years of an Education and Outreach Officer, financial support for social inclusion and educational cruises, a contribution towards maintenance for up to five years and various other start-up costs such as training of volunteer crew, surveyors fees, the appointment of a Naval Architect to superintend the project while at the shipyard and other start-up, fitting out and support costs.
The application submitted yesterday has taken some eighteen months to finalise and complete and has been very complex in nature. Developing the shipyard specifications which, while intended to bring the Daniel Adamson back to full, Class V passenger carrying condition and was produced in agreement with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, had to also take into account conservation best practice. For this we regularly spoke to and consulted with The National Historic Ships unit in London. This can only be likened to bringing a Grade 1 listed building back to use as a public space such as a hotel or conference centre. The looks and fabric must be maintained while meeting modern safety standards.

The main application document runs to approximately 180 pages including the fifteen page application form. The document includes:

1. Application form submitted to HLF
2. Project Management Structure
3. Project Timetable
4. Project costs & funding
5. Project cash flow – HLF Funding
6. Management & maintenance plan
7. Management & maintenance cost schedule
8. Operational budget Years 2 – 7
9. Income & spending forecast
10. Financial and market appraisal
11. Activity plan
12. Activity table – education & outreach
13. Activity table – Public
14. Activity table – Volunteers
15. Design Specification

In addition to the above, over the last few years, technical specifications for naval architecture and marine engineering, saloon restoration, electrical and boiler specs have been produced “in house” and approved externally. This main “shipyard Spec” runs to over 400 pages.

Also, our earlier produced Conservation Management Plan, Audience Development Plan and Access Appraisal along with other documents form part of the overall “project package”.

Put together, this all equates to over 1100 pages of information!

The application has as you can see, been a culmination of many years work and a large part of our plans to restore the Daniel Adamson back to her “former Glory” is obviously centred around a successful application. Of course we must remember that we are by no means guaranteed a positive response but we must remain optimistic and confident in the society’s ability to deliver a project that will be more than worthy of the financial cost, not forgetting the HUGE efforts of volunteers who, over the last seven and half years, have expended nearly 70,000 hours on the project. Without the efforts of volunteers right back to February 2004, the Daniel Adamson would already be but a distant memory.
Amongst the application, we have also included excellent letters of support from the following:

Rt Hon Louise Ellman MP for Liverpool Riverside and Chair of the House of Commons Transport select committee
Rt Hon Maria Eagle MP for Garston and Halewood and shadow Transport Secretary.
Rt Hon Derek Twigg MP for Halton
Rt Hon Graham Evans MP for Weaver Vale
Cllr Joe Anderson, Leader, Liverpool City Council
Dr David Fleming, Director – National Museums Liverpool
Also expression of support from Rt Hon Frank Field MP for Birkenhead.

Match funding remains vital and is now our No 1 priority. The decision from HLF (North West) in Manchester is due on 12 September and if passed to national level in London is due on Tuesday 27th September and I am also doing my utmost to raise the society’s profile nationally which is vital in the bid to raise awareness.

PLEASE remember that if we are indeed successful in September, we would not be able to begin work on the HLF project until the necessary “match funding” is in place.
All donations will be treated as donations towards the “Full Ahead” campaign and as such, will form part of the match funds. All money donated will be placed into our bank account and only used to match fund a potential grant from HLF. In effect the donations will be securely “ring fenced”. Donations should be sent to George Robinson, Treasurer, Daniel Adamson Preservation Society, Southwood Cottage, 79 Southwood Road, Cottingham, HU16 5AJ with cheques made payable to ‘Daniel Adamson Preservation Society’

Alternatively you can donate on line at our website with credit/ debit cards, just click on the “donate” button.

Finally a big thank you to all the volunteers both aboard the vessel, helping promote the project at shows and the many involved in getting the application ready and to a standard we are very content and pleased with.

To coin an age old phrase……..fingers crossed!


Dan Cross. Chairman

 

Having recently gone through an application for a research and development grant myself, and being successful I can only wish you all the best as I can appreciate the work that has to be put in............good look with your application.

 

Hi Dan,

Wishing you the very best of luck in this most deserving application. The challenges facing ship preservation at the present time make the successful outcome even more important for all lovers of ships and the sea.

Kind regards,

Robert.

 

Thanks everyone for your kind words.
We have re-vamped the front page of our website and the "DONATE" button is a little more prominent.
Thanks again.
Dan