# Grants awarded to historic ship S.S.Freshspring



## LucyKnight (Mar 27, 2013)

This article was in the Western Morning News 20 Nov 2017

Historic ship restoration bid wins £61k lottery grant BY ROGER MALONE WMN


The project to restore North Devon-based SS Freshspring, a rare historic steamship, has taken another major step forward with a £61,000 National Lottery grant. Built in 1946, SS Freshspring was the last of 14 Fresh Class water carriers –and is recognised as being of national historical significance on the National Register of Historic vessels. Thel latest grant,awardedby the Heritage Lottery Fund, comes less than 18 months after a £155,000 grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund. That enabled the ship to be transported from Newnham on Severn and be berthed in Bideford. The vessel wasrescued from an uncertain fate and purchased for £1byJohnPuddy in 2013 on behalf of The Steamship Freshspring Society. This latest award will fund a two-year programme. This includes works required to open the ship to the public as a heritage attraction. The grant also includes funding to employ an Education and Project Officer. JohnPuddy, trust chairsaid: “This is a huge step forward for the trust. “The National Lottery grant was substantially matched in Devon by Torridge District Council, Bideford Bridge Trust and The Balsdon Trust, demonstrating very considerable local support. “In addition match funds have been awarded by The Headley Trust along with individual Trust Membership support.” In the meantime, proposals to present her afloat in Bideford as a static heritage ex SS Freshspring alongside at Bideford quay. More money has been awarded for her restoration. This means she will be the only vessel of her type and age accessible to the general public. John says SS Freshspring’s hull and superstructureare substantially intact, while her steam engines are in outstanding condition due to the care given to them over time. “With her pre-Second World War configuration, her form reflects the type of general cargo vessel that was the workhorse of the British and the world’s mercantile fleets from the1920s to the1950s,”he says. Bringing Freshspring back to operational condition for asustainable future involves retaining her external form. Her internal water tank spaces will be sympathetically converted making her the only operational vessel of this type. Work is due to start on the restoration of the ship’s bridge, boat deck and access shortly to ensure the ship can be fully open for April 2018. ■


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