Heritage Lottery Fund statement –
Cutty Sark awarded £10 million exceptional grant increase
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has approved, under exceptional circumstances, a £10 million grant increase application from the Cutty Sark Trust to cover additional costs following the fire and subsequent suspension of conservation work to Cutty Sark last May.
In a highly competitive round of funding for major projects over £5 million – nearly five times over-subscribed – it was decided, after much debate, that HLF should step in and assist the Cutty Sark Trust. This exceptional and time-critical decision means that restoration work on Cutty Sark can now re-start next month.
The HLF grant increase is in addition to an HLF grant of £11.75 million which was awarded to the Cutty Sark Trust in September 2006 to secure the 138-year-old ship's future through an urgent and highly innovative conservation project. This involves the vessel being lifted three-metres above her current position allowing visitors to walk right under the uniquely-shaped hull.
Carole Souter, Director of the Heritage Lottery Fund, said:
The Cutty Sark is an amazing testament to our maritime heritage and one that we felt passionately must be protected for another century's worth of enjoyment. This was an extremely difficult decision for the Heritage Lottery Fund to take due to huge pressures on our budget. However, we decided that in this particular instance we would make an exceptional decision to award additional funds to the Cutty Sark Trust so that they can go ahead and realise their vision for this magnificent ship.
Richard Doughty, Chief Executive and Project Director of the Cutty Sark Trust, added:
Once again, we must all be grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund for the unflagging support they've shown to the Cutty Sark. We asked them to save the ship from corrosion – now we've had to ask them to save her from fire. Like the public who have also stepped forward with £1.2million, they realise as much as the Trust how important this ship is, not just to the maritime heritage of this country, but of the world.
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Notes to Editors
- The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) enables communities to celebrate, look after and learn more about our diverse heritage. From our great museums and historic buildings to local parks and beauty spots or recording and celebrating traditions, customs and history, HLF grants open up our nation's heritage for everyone to enjoy. HLF has supported more than 26,000 projects, allocating over £4 billion across the UK. Website: www.hlf.org.uk.
- The Cutty Sark was commissioned by John Willis and designed and built in by Messrs Scott and Linton of Dumbarton. Launched in 1869, she operated as a tea clipper until 1877. She has 11 miles of rigging, three masts and 32,000 square feet of canvas and was the first preserved ship open to the public worldwide since the Golden Hinde was exhibited in Deptford in 1580.
- HLF has awarded 82 grants in the Greenwich area (a World Heritage Site) – recipients include The Royal Observatory, The National Maritime Museum and The Royal Naval College.
- HLF has invested £63million into the UK's historic ships, large and small. These include: HMS Cavalier in Chatham; HMS Warrior in Portsmouth; the Medway Queen (one of the Dunkirk 'Little Ships') in Kent; the Swan, a small fishing boat in Fife Scotland; HMS Gannet in Chatham; and HMS Trincomalee in Hartlepool. The SS Great Britain in Bristol won the 2006 Gulbenkian Prize for excellence and innovation in museums and galleries. Its restoration work was made possible thanks to an £8.6million HLF grant.
- The Cutty Sark Trust has received six HLF grants to date, totalling £13.45 million (this includes an HLF development grant of £1.25million which was awarded in January 2005). This grant increase takes the total amount for the Cutty Sark to £23.45million.
Further information
- For the Heritage Lottery Fund, please contact Katie Owen or Alex Gaskell, HLF Press Office, on tel: 020 7591 6036/6032 mobile: 07973 613820.
- For the Cutty Sark Trust, please call Kathryn Hughes on tel: 0203 2491072 mobile: 07801 823839
Links
- View record for Cutty Sark in the National Register of Historic Vessels
- See previous press releases: Cutty Sark fire (22 May 2007), Cutty Sark update (14 June 2007)