Charity calls for volunteers to help safeguard the future of iconic Bristol ship
The Matthew of Bristol Trust, the charity which owns and maintains The Matthew of Bristol Ship, has launched a recruitment drive to find two new Volunteer Trustees to help find new ways to raise funds to secure the ship’s future.
The recruitment campaign has been launched following the news that the Plimsoll Swing Bridge will not be allowed to open on days when temperatures reach 30C. The Matthew depends on the opening and closing of the bridge and nearby lock to operate and sailing trips along the Avon Gorge are the charity’s biggest revenue earner.
The charity is looking to recruit two Volunteer Trustees to help shape the ship’s strategic development, in anticipation of future potential revenue loss. The Volunteer Trustee Treasurer will ensure finances are managed as efficiently as possible and the Volunteer Trustee Fundraiser will work to find alternative income.
Richard Sandwell, Chair and Treasurer of The Matthew of Bristol Trust, said: “We depend on the harbourside infrastructure working to operate the ship and earn the money to keep the ship “afloat”, as we do not get any other funding.
“This year there were 40 days of heat over 30C – if we experience the same thing next summer it’ll mean a huge level of disruption to our services, and we risk losing £2,000 per trip. Last year, lock gate failures meant we lost £25,000 of revenue.
“We haven’t had any updates from the Council about the plan to fix the bridge. Fixing it will require money and time and could mean the lock gates are out of action for a while, and this would seriously impact what the ship can do.
“As a charity, we don’t have massive reserves to help us out if we can’t operate our sailing trips. If we can’t raise money through our normal operating processes to keep the charity and ship going, we are going to have to find alternative ways of raising money. This is why we need two Volunteer Trustees to help us.
“What The Matthew needs, in addition to volunteers, is for people to visit the ship and make a donation or visit our website to donate. It will help keep a Bristol icon alive.”
The Matthew of Bristol is a replica of the ship that sailed to North America in 1497 and began the documented European voyages of exploration. The current Matthew was built to recreate this voyage and was welcomed on arrival in Canada by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
The Matthew of Bristol Trust was created to preserve the modern Matthew as a sea-going vessel and promote the advancement of education in local and national history and heritage associated with the ship – celebrating the explorer John Cabot and the exploration and settlement of the New World, including Newfoundland and Labrador. As a major attraction, the Matthew of Bristol brings significant economic benefit to the Harbourside and the wider Bristol tourist economy.
For more information about the roles visit: https://matthew.co.uk/volunteer-trustee-positions
To donate to The Matthew of Bristol Trust visit: https://matthew.co.uk/donate
