I hope this post finds you all well, it’s taken us a little while to get here!… Today 20/03/2022 see’s the launch of our new website! But first, whilst you’re here I’d like to update you on how things are going.
2020 and 2021 have been a tough time for all, with many factors impacting our lives, this has been no different for us as a trust, and for us as volunteers. Sadly our progress with the vessel and our fundraising efforts have been seriously hampered through the last two years.
Unfortunately both the physical and mental health of our volunteers has meant we have seen our volunteer numbers decline, and even I’ve been less available to the trust since October 2021 following the birth of our first daughter Beatrix. I sincerely hope our supporters will forgive me!
As such 2022, see’s us campaigning once again for additional volunteers in various roles for more information see here. If you can help, get involved, get in touch…
Everyone’s plans for the future are evolve and change and at present ours are too, the end goal will always remain the same, to use “Rotary Service” as a youth training vessel, based in Lowestoft. However the route that we take to achieve this may have to change, we are currently investigating the possibility of having the refurbishment of the vessel completed by commercial interests and early indications suggest if we were to go down this route we would need to raise approximately £300,000 to carry out this work.
We still need help if we are to achieve this, either in volunteers to help us with the grants we may need to raise these funds, or in donations towards the work as we carry it out in more bitesized chunks. If you can help please do get in touch.
In the meantime, work is still carrying along, at an albeit slower pace. The engine room is being prepared for the fitting of the Scania engines, the engines themselves are receiving some attention and our gearboxes have been returned ready for fitting to the engines. Elsewhere, our propellers and shafts have been sent off and the replacements will be arriving later this year.
until my next, hopefully more regular update, take care. To take a more detailed look at the website head on back to www.50001.org.uk
Scott Snowling
Chairman
