The Roaring Return of the Vulcan
Thanks to the substantial sponsorship of Adrian Gunner of Merley House and the generous contributions from Lord Stephen Young and the brilliant fundraising efforts of Maggie Keet of the Bournemouth Aviation Museum, we are thrilled to say that the Bournemouth Air Festival will welcome the Vulcan on Sunday 1st September.
There had been fears that Vulcan XH558 – the world’s last flying example – would not be visiting due the cost of a display, which is over £10,000. That triggered a fundraising effort from the Bournemouth members of Vulcan to the Sky, who set up a Just Giving page and collected donations via members of Bournemouth Aviation Museum.
Wimborne’s Merley House got on board and, alongside Lord Young’s contribution; they have secured enough to let the Vulcan fly at Bournemouth.
Maggie Keet, from Vulcan to the Sky, said: “It’s excellent news, in two weeks we hit the target. We’re looking forward to seeing her.”
Adrian Gunner, MD of Merley House, added: “When we learned that Maggie had undertaken some fundraising to have the Vulcan fly at the Bournemouth Air Festival, we just couldn’t resist the opportunity to help out to make sure that the beautiful plane graced the skies of Bournemouth once more.”
“The Vulcan is such an iconic aircraft with an enormous following and I knew from parents at a very early age what a special aeroplane it really is.
Lord Young said he had grown up near RAF Benson in Buckinghamshire and saw Vulcans regularly as a child.
“I’ve been passionate about aircraft from about 14 years of age. I’m just in awesome of the Vulcan,” he said.
Colston Nichols, who lives in Poole and flew on XH558, added: “It tugs at the old heart strings seeing it.”
Jon Weaver, Air Festival Director, stated “It’s fantastic that through generous fundraising efforts the Vulcan will now be making an appearance. The Bournemouth Air Festival is built of the generous support of people like Adrian Gunner, Lord Stephen Young, Maggie Keet and David Bailey – Patrons Ambassador. The Patrons scheme has demonstrated the positive effect that such contributions can achieve with £15,000 being raised, funding this year’s Night Air displays in addition to over £20,000 raised for the Air Festival charities by both the public and the Patrons Scheme – thank you all so much’
The Bournemouth Air Festival will be taking place from Thursday 29th August to Sunday 1st September. For more information visit www.bournemouthair.co.uk
Tags: 2013, August, Bournemouth Air Festival, News