Update - 3rd September 2010
Sep 3, 2010 by Ian Homer. Posted to category: General
Dear Supporters,
Thank you for keeping your fingers crossed for good flying weather last weekend, because in contrast to the previous one, the summery conditions allowed XH558 to fly the whole of her planned programme on both Saturday and Sunday, with acclaimed appearances at Dunsfold – Wings and Wheels being the highlight of both days.
With the exception of the Sunday at Farnborough, XH558’s technical serviceability this year has been excellent – touch wood – and a huge tribute to the engineering team and the care they take looking after her.
We now look forward to the last few sorties of XH558’s flying season, with public displays planned at Jersey and RAF Leuchars, and participation in the “Help for Heroes” fly-in at Coventry Airport on 26th September.
In the next update, I will be providing details on how the Vulcan to the Sky Trust has performed financially up until 31st July, the end of its 3rd financial quarter, but in the meantime, I would like to share with you some of the results of the Winter 50th Birthday Appeal, which ended on 30th June.
The total donation income raised in this Appeal was £401,000 from approximately 4,600 donations - an average of £87 per donation – against the target of £800,000. (This excludes one-off gifts and bequests amounting to £609,000, and also Standing Order donations, Vulcan to the Sky Club donations, the 558 Flying Fund perpetual lottery and Gift Aid.)
For comparison, the Appeal over the same period in 2009 raised £795,000 from about 10,000 donations, over twice as many donations as this year.
One of the two major goals of our funding campaign this year has been to increase the number of people donating, reversing the trend we have seen of reducing numbers of donations. Our Annual Appeal, which started on 1st July, has the goal of reaching £1million in the year, from both one-off and Standing Order donations.
Last month, I mentioned the advertising, marketing and PR activities undertaken over the last few months to attract new supporters to the project. For reasons that we can currently only speculate about, the hoped-for increase in numbers donating has not yet materialised.
We are seeking ways of urgently gaining the attention of the national media before we get to the edge of the cash precipice, for it seems clear that “crying wolf” will now more than likely receive the response “not again”!
With the economic gloom currently pervading so many aspects of life, I believe it’s very important to raise our eyes to what the future can hold: there is no doubt in my mind that ensuring that XH558 flies in 2012 is an important national goal for the United Kingdom.
The Vulcan, personified by XH558, marches exactly to the drum beat of Her Majesty the Queen’s illustrious reign. We must make sure that she is available to participate in the celebrations of the shared Diamond Anniversaries. The London Olympics, the London Paralympics, the 30th Anniversary of the South Atlantic Conflict and other national milestones will all be celebrated in 2012. Flying XH558 in 2012 should now be the focus of all our efforts.
Without taking our attention off the vital role that donations from our supporters have in ensuring that XH558 keeps flying, the other major goal we have set ourselves over the last few months is to achieve a significant contribution to our funding from commercial and philanthropic sources – this now looks more likely than before.
A number of the discussions held with several influential people during RIAT and Farnborough Week are being pursued with all possible vigour with XH558’s proven ability to inspire the young being seen as an important public benefit.
Whilst it is not yet the time to make any announcement on who is involved with these discussions, there are more than 30 independent conversations being followed up, and Michael Trotter and I, continue to believe that eventually, some of these will result in more-or-less significant financial contributions towards the goal of flying in 2012.
In the meantime, please join the Vulcan to the Sky team in sharing the vision of XH558 participating in a historic 2012. We all just have to make it happen.
As ever, many thanks for your continuing ideas, financial and moral support, and unbounded enthusiasm.
Robert Pleming
Vulcan to the Sky Trust
