The Trust launched our formal fundraising Appeal to raise £250,000 in November 2025. These funds will be used to complete the Monument project and provide working capital to allow us to pursue our educational objectives, in particular bringing schoolchildren and Cadet Forces to the Night Hunters Exhibition and offering opportunities for them to go to sea with the working vessels of the British Military Powerboat Collection and HMS Medusa.
Fundraising work so far has focused on raising public awareness through social media, the national news networks, yachting magazines and engagement with the sailing community through yacht clubs and marinas. To date, we have received funds and pledges worth £120,000 – so we’re nearly halfway there!
We are planning a major ‘Appeal Week’ in May 2026 and are confident that we can raise the money we seek. The highlight will be a Gala Dinner at Trinity House on 12 May.
In the meantime…
Construction is under way. We are delighted to be working with a remarkable team at the Elephant Boatyard on the River Hamble. Nelson’s flagship at the Battle of Copenhagen was built here, and the Richardson family who run the yard today are the direct descendants of Mike, who was an apprentice at the British Powerboat Company at Hythe (the boat in the sculpture is an exact copy of one of their craft) and went on to work as a draughtsman building the Fairmile boats. Their inputs have been exceptional and the plug for the hull in now complete. The mould will be finished in the next week or so.
The mould, getting ready to be removed from the plug at the Elephant Boatyard in Bursledon
Robert Hichens and Seymour Pike taking shape in Amy’s Andover workshop
The framework for the clay moulding of the waves is made from intersecting chunks of polystyrene foam
Amy Goodman has started work on the bronze sculpturing of the main figures at her Andover workshop. The framework for the waves is coming together in a barn near Marwell Zoo.
We have a timetable to get the groundworks in the Historic Dockyard completed this side of Christmas 2026. This month we will be pursuing the necessary certification and getting started on the supporting steel structure that will support 400kg of bronze figures six feet off the ground for the next 100-odd years.