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National Lottery Heritage Fund grant secures future of HMS Wellington

HMS Wellington
23 January 2025
The future of the last surviving dedicated Battle of the Atlantic convoy escort ship has been secured thanks to a grant of £225k from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The ship is considered of local, national and international importance as a reminder of the longest-fought battle in World War 2, involving both Royal and Merchant navies working to ensure vital supplies reached the UK.

HMS Wellington, currently moored at Temple Stairs, Victoria Embankment, London, was bought by the Honourable Company of Master Mariners in 1947. Since April 2023, the Wellington Trust has been working on a revitalisation project and new business model to secure her physical and financial future as she was at serious risk of being lost. 

The grant will help the trust with a number of aims:

  • Access to the public:  The ship will be opened to the public this year so many can learn of the unique story of HMS Wellington. During her service, she has been home to mascots such as a monkey and a cat.  She also saved hundreds of lives during the Battle of Atlantic rescuing torpedo victims, including Indian mariners, and the entire crew and passengers from the Royal Mail Liner Highland Patriot.
  • Community Engagement: The trust will extend engagement with a wide cross-section of communities that reflect Wellington’s local, national and international importance – from local community groups to national and international communities in Wales, Scotland. Ireland, the South Pacific and New Zealand – all of whom are part of the Wellington Story.
  • Business development:  The trust will continue to develop its venue hire, workspace and film location business offer launched on 1 October.

Chairman of the Wellington Trust, Dominic Tweddle said: “We are so pleased to receive this grant from the National Heritage Lottery Fund. It means a great deal to us.

“The award of this grant enables us to continue implementing the HMS Wellington Revitalisation Project.  Expanding access to wider communities and developing a broad range of activities onboard will ultimately lead to the trust becoming financially self-sustaining, so we can conserve this important vessel for all to enjoy. And learn from.

There is a lot to the Wellington story, and we look forward to welcoming many more people onboard in the future, thanks to the National Lottery players

Chairman of the Wellington Trust, Dominic Tweddle

HMS Wellington was built in Devonport as a 1,200-ton Grimsby-class sloop in 1934 for service in New Zealand and the South Pacific. She was recalled to the UK in September 1939 at the outbreak of World War 2.

She spent most of the war on convoy duties – she’s credited with completing 103, saving more than 400 lives in the process. Wellington also participated in Operation Torch (the invasion of North Africa) and Operation Cycle (the evacuation of troops from Le Havre after Dunkirk in 1940).

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