Campaign to rescue HMS Plymouth stalls as trust 'falls apart'
THE trust set up to try to save the warship HMS Plymouth appeared to be falling apart this week.
Chris Swift, head of the HMS Plymouth Trust media operation, quit earlier this year.
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HMS Plymouth
And Penelope Brudenell-Pryke, a trust director, told The Herald she too was on the verge of leaving.
But HMS Plymouth – the last surviving warship to be involved in the Falklands War 30 years ago – remains at her Birkenhead berth, in spite of moves to send her to the breaker's yard.
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Attempts by The Herald to contact Capt Richard Tyrell, the trust's founder, and Laurence Sharpe-Stevens, another director, failed. Neither man returned our emails.
Ms Brudenell-Pryke told The Herald she was on the verge of leaving the trust last week.
She said she was very disappointed with the poor communication with organisations outside the trust.
"There was a lot of negativity from people who refused to be involved with the trust and it has just hampered progress," she said, refusing to elaborate.
Last October veterans dealt a blow to the campaign when the HMS Plymouth Association pulled out of the trust.
The association said it reluctantly concluded that "the end is in sight for our old ship", and its representative, Martin Slater, resigned from the trust.
The trust was set up to raise £400,000 to buy the ship from its owners, Peel Ports, and turn her into a floating museum and training ship.
It was believed that HMS Plymouth had been sold to a Turkish ship breaker and would leave for the Mediterranean at the end of September last year.
The deadline came and went with no sign of movement.
Last week a dock spokesman from Birkenhead told The Herald that HMS Plymouth was still at her berth at Vittoria Dock. He had no information about any likely new developments.
The frigate was built in Devonport in 1959. When she was first decommissioned in 1988 Lord Owen, the former Devonport MP, and a group of volunteers fought to keep her in Plymouth.
She finally ended up in Birkenhead where, in a joint partnership between the Warship Preservation Trust and Wirral Borough Council she was opened to the public in May 1992. The trust went into voluntary liquidation and the ships were closed to visitors in 2006. HMS Plymouth was closed up and left to deteriorate at Vittoria Dock.
Comment – Page 11
Comments
by Laurence_ss
Monday, February 11 2013, 10:59PM
“The Trust is still alive people............... and still fighting
NOT YET (Within the Law)
On 06/02/2013, the environment agency confirmed again that whilst there are draft proposals to scrap the vessel, NOTHING concrete exists.
They first must inspect the proposed sight to ensure it meets all the legal requirements to dismantle HMS Plymouth safely.
They then must have a transport of hazardous waste framework in place including cover for it.
If all is well then HMS Plymouth as a ship will have to meet all MCA requirements including International load line exemption, surveys and various other things.
Then, and only then, can the application be submitted by Peel to send her for scrap.
THIS WILL TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS.
Not convinced? Why not ring them and ask for yourself…. 01925542541”
by fiest1406
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 8:51PM
“Its a shame with the millions poured into regeneration that no one has thought outside the box and commissioned a heritage centre in Devonport, somewhere we could be proud to show off our maritime history and to where HMS Plymouth could sit proudly. Tudor was once asked about this in the Chamber to which he clearly showed a disinterest. Other cities proudly showcase themselves and it really is time Plymouth did the same.”
by Laid_Back
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 4:02PM
“The Americans seem to be able to do this very easily with loads of battleships, carriers, other surface warships and submarines preserved all around the country. In the good old UK it seems to be "too difficult".”
by unbalanced
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 3:30PM
“One day, some one will check facts. Whilst HMS Plymouth did serve in the Falkland conflict she is NOT the last surviving ship of the conflict. HMS Bristol, Flagship in the Falklands, is very much still with us.
Designed to defend a class of aircraft carriers which were never built, HMS Bristol was the only Type 82 destroyer ever built for the Royal Navy. She served her nation for 20 years – and saw action in the Falklands in 1982 – in an air defence/command ship role before she was decommissioned in 1991.Two years later she was converted into a training and accommodation ship to replace HMS Kent.
Today, recently refitted, she is moored at the tip of Whale Island in Portsmouth Harbour. Hosting up to 17,000 visitors, including Sea Cadets, annually for 50 weeks a year, she provides the closest thing to a sea-going experience without leaving port.
HMS Plymouth should be saved but sloppy reporting does not help her cause!”
by Dazplym
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 3:29PM
“Can't contact 2 of the founders. This all sounds very dodgy. Where is all the donated money.”
by Molochius
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 12:56PM
“of course there is steve but improving peoples lives should come before buildings or indeed boats....do you not agree?”
by stevestrange
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 12:19PM
“Would have made a great attraction in Plymouth,of course there is far more to life than just 'humanitarian causes.'”
by Molochius
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 11:21AM
“I doubt anyone will get any money back, these people should be taken to court for fraud. it was a foolish campaign anyway, are you really telling me restoring an old warship is a better use of peoples money then humanitarian causes?”
by Waltersmith
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 9:52AM
“What is going to happen to the donations?”
by lweston
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 8:20AM
“Do we get our danations back ??”