HMS Bronington receives a timely Christmas Charity Boost
After much work by the Trustees, the historic Royal Navy Mine Counter Measure Vessel (MCMV) HMS Bronington (AKA the ‘Kings Warship’) is now a charity.
By the Charity Commission (13 December 2022):
• We are satisfied that HMS BRONINGTON PRESERVATION TRUST LTD is a charity and it has been entered onto the Register of Charities with the Registered Charity Number 1201325.
• The decision to register was based on our assessment of the information supplied during the application process and the declarations given in the trustee declaration form and we are satisfied that HMS BRONINGTON PRESERVATION TRUST LTD is established for charitable purposes only for the public benefit.
‘Now that we’ve received Charitable Status, we’re a major step closer to obtaining the necessary funds to refloat, land and commence restoration of the historic Royal Navy MCMV HMS Bronington’.
A world renowned major UK Ship Builder has given us the free services of a Naval Architect, to conduct a ‘slipway landing’ feasibility study and design a suitable steel cradle to support the ship during restoration The Naval Architect has confirmed the viability of the project and the gratis work has saved the Trust thousands of pounds. The plans for 2023 and beyond (pending funding):
• Phase 1 – Vessel salvage and recovery.
• Phase 2 – Vessel delivery to a nearby shipyard at Birkenhead.
• Phase 3 – Vessel landing at a nearby shipyard slipway at Birkenhead on a bespoke steel cradle.
• Phase 4 – Stabilisation of the vessels condition and removal of toxic/polluting materials.
• Phase 5 – Restoration to a defined state(static museum ship or fully seaworthy?). This will be determined by the vessel condition and availability of funds. This phase will be competitively tendered to satisfy the requirement of our Charity.
‘The Trusts mission – HMS Bronington, launched in 1953 the year of Queen Elizabeth’s II Coronation, and with a ‘fair wind and following seas’ re-floated and on the slipway in 2023 the year of King Charles III Coronation’ The project to salvage and restore HMS Bronington has been deemed feasible by a dive survey conducted by the salvage specialists Briggs Marine (24 Jun 22). During the salvage process, temporary minor repairs are necessary to restore the watertight integrity of the hull and silt/debris/encrustation removal from within the vessel and hull is required.
The Trust are in discussion with a world renowned major UK Defence conglomerate and have been steered towards their Community Investment spend. Pending the cost estimates for Salvage/Delivery (Phases 1/2) and cradled slipway landing (Phase 3) the Trust will be applying for a sum of money from this source. It is hoped that a donation (if allocated to us) will assist with the costs needed to get HMS Bronington cradled and on the slipway in 2023, in readiness to commence the restoration stage at a later date (Phases 4 and 5).
ABL Group, a leading independent global energy and marine consultancy is preparing an updated salvage estimate that reflects the free use of a 350t capacity ‘heavy lift’ crane and salvage equipment supplied by Ambipar Response Limited/Maritime Coastguard Agency. The Ambipar Response/Maritime Coastguard Agency partnership has agreed to supply pumping equipment, fenders and ancillary salvage kit and a team to operate the equipment during the salvage operation.
Similar trajectory – The historic steamship the Daniel Adamson is also a registered charity and similar to HMS Bronington is a vessel of the National Historic Fleet registered with National Historic Ships UK. She received grants of £50K and £3.8M from the Heritage Lottery Fund for restoration, the Trust are hopeful that HMS Bronington can follow a similar trajectory.
Could a restored HMS Bronington return to her 2nd Mine Counter Measures Squadron home at HMS Vernon (now Gunwharf Quays) and compliment the already installed Vernon Mine warfare and Diving Monument?
The Trust have also been in discussion with a potential home for a restored HMS Bronington in the North of England.
Crowd funding over a 12 month period and the kindness of the Liverpool RNA has helped us accrue over £11K. The generosity of our supporters has enabled us to pay for the dive survey by Briggs Marine and achieve the financial requirement to gain Charitable Status.
It will take time to apply and obtain grants from charitable sources, therefore it is requested that supporters of this project continue to donate through our crowd funding appeal.