Paying Her Way
Stalker will, once restored to ‘full working order’, be expected to a point to earn her own keep. This however does not mean that she will not need some grant funding, only that she will become less reliant upon it!

Another point that must be made is, as some of you will already know, it costs ‘nothing’ to join Maritime Steam Restoration Trust as a volunteer and further more volunteers, are not restricted to just ex forces personnel either. But should you wish to make a ‘Donation’ then there is a ‘Donations Form’ available upon request as is the ‘Volunteer Form’. There is no ‘Membership Fee’ and there is no ‘Association Fee’. Although these fees would be a good source of income, it was felt by the Trustees, that these fees would restrict volunteer numbers to only those who could afford to pay the fee. As can be seen from the Trusts objectives we are duty bound to help the unemployed who, if fees where charged, would not be able to afford them. This could therefore leave the Trust open not only to criticism for seemingly being ‘elitist’, but could also leave the Trust open to prosecution under ‘Charitable Law’ for failing to carry out its ‘Charitable Objects’. Oh hum!!

Ways must therefore be found as to how we are going to fund Stalker, once she has been restored back to ‘Full Working Order’. But we must not forget that, as a Registered Charity, we are a ‘None Profit Making’ organization!

After all, Stalker was designed basically as a ‘Transport Ferry’ and as this implies, this is one of many tasks that she can do. We could make a list of every task that Stalker is capable of carrying out, but that would take up too much time here. Needless to say, if we can get a load in the Tank Deck or on the Upper Deck, then we can move it from one place to another. Obviously there will be a cost involved, but this cost will only be big enough to cover the operational costs involved in taking Stalker from either one port to another, or one country to another. Also within this cost will be a proportion, which will be set aside for repairs etc. We should not forget that ships like Stalker, are among the most complicated, expensive and durable objects ever produced by man!

Stalker can also be used to carry Disaster Relief Equipment, such as food, blankets etc and deliver them to isolated coastal areas that do not have suitable port facilities, that large deep draught vessels need. She could also provide limited fresh drinking water, along with some electrical power, should the situation in these areas require this sort of help, yet again there will be a charge as we will still have running costs to cover.

These are only possibilities and areas where Stalker could be used, but we must explore every avenue. We must also approach businesses and relief agency’s to try and get them to see the benefits that Stalker has to offer them. Stalker will never, on her own, take enough work away from other marine commercial businesses, to become a threat to their operations, but we would hope that these businesses might use Stalker as a way of promoting their businesses and in so doing, help the Trust preserve this historic vessel and possibly other steam powered historic vessels under threat of destruction or terminal decay! After all it only takes ‘one’ of the big multi-nationals to take the lead and others will follow.



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