Dawn Sailing Barge Trust Limited
Lottery saves the Dawn
A project to restore a 108-year-old wooden barge to its former glory has avoided disaster after a lottery grant was increased by more than £100,000.
The Dawn Sailing Barge Trust feared higher-than-expected costs would be catastrophic – sending the last 18 months of hard work down the drain.
But the Heritage Lottery Fund, which had already pledged £500,500, came up trumps after a desperate plea by the group and pumped the grant up to £675,500.
On top of this the trust has raised more than £150,000 through events and donations.
Robert Simper, chairman of the trust said: “We were in a real quandary about how to fund the rest of the work, so it is fantastic to hear that we have been given this extra money.
“The reason the costs have been higher than expected is that we have been doing a much better job than we thought we would be able to do.
“We were planning to use a lot of second-hand materials but have been able to use newer stuff.”
The price of timber and labour has also risen since first estimated in 2001.
The Dawn was built by Maldon boat builders Cooks in 1897 but, after being discovered in a poor state in the river Medway seven years ago, it was returned to Heybridge to be restored.
Three shipwrights have been virtually rebuilding the vessel and have replaced the frames and the bottom of the boat.
Now, the team is beginning the long process of replanking the sides.
It is hoped to relaunch her into the water around October 31, 2006, but it will take another year to finish kitting out the inside for use by charters and school parties.