Underfall Yard raises over £20,000 in first 10 hours of Big Give campaign
Over £10,000 was donated by 150 people within the first 10 hours, meaning the full match-funding pot will be released. But the work is not yet complete…
By 10pm on 2 December, just 10 hours after the Big Give campaign opened, Underfall Yard Trust had received over £10,000 worth of donations from over 150 people. This will release the full match-funding pot from pledgees Seetru and Wring Group Limited; and funds from champion Reed Foundation. However, the work is not yet done: Underfall Yard still needs to raise another £80,000 to implement improvements to meet modern boatbuilding needs and to relaunch its education work and community programmes, which will focus on traditional maritime skills for future generations. Donations can continue being made through Big Give until midday 9 December to support the Yard’s recovery.
This comes in the same week that local construction company Stone BCI started the final phase of works to rebuild the yard. The 12-month building works will see the boatyard’s flagship building, the Big Shed, and its three adjoining workshops rebuilt to their original look and with materials appropriate to their historic origin. All funds raised will be used to improve buildings to fit modern boatbuilding needs – for example through electrical services and the addition of doors – as well as converting one of the sheds into a space fit for education programmes focussed on boatbuilding and traditional maritime skills such as rope-making.
Sarah Murray, Director of Underfall Yard Trust says:
“Never in our wildest dreams did we think we’d reach our target in the first day, let alone the first 10 hours. The whole team was messaging each other last night, refreshing the Big Give page, watching the donations go up – it felt surreal and magical. We will never be able to thank everyone enough for the support they have shown and for donating to this gorgeous and wonderful boatyard in the heart of Bristol.”
To find out more and support Underfall Yard in its recovery, visit the campaign page. The campaign will close at 12pm on 9th December.