Target Hit - The Vulcan Lives On!

There was great news for all fans of the Vulcan bomber last night as it was confirmed that the October appeal to keep the project going was a complete success and the target was met!

That now means that all employees who had previously been on a month’s notice can now continue in their role, and work on the Vulcan in preparation for the 2011 season, in which we hope to see another successful season. I’m sure that the work will be ongoing throughout those chilly winter months, as we look towards next Spring and the start of the Airshow season.

It’s certainly a time to celebrate though, as £400,000 was a massive amount of money to be raised in such a short space of time, and okay, maybe not as much as the £1m that had to be raised earlier on in a public campaign, but this was a real test, as this time there was no miracle donation from one person, this was a culmination of donations from all over the world from Vulcan fans everywhere, who just wanted to ensure that the aircraft was not lost to someone overseas, or permanently grounded.

So, it’s time to get those withdrawal symptoms treated by viewing endless clips of the wonder that is XH558, on You Tube, and wherever else the videos are stored, and listen to the famous howl, and look forward to the next time we can all point up to the sky in the distance, and say “there she is” as the delta shaped “Spirit of Great Britain” gets ever closer to the display circuit.

Well done to everyone who has helped keep the spirit alive!

Here's a case of timing for you as the latest statement was uploaded to the Vulcan site:

------------------

£400,000 October Appeal success heralds new funding initiatives.


First, I’m delighted to confirm to all XH558’s supporters that the target of £400,000 for our October Appeal was reached just in time over the weekend.

What is most significant is the sheer numbers of people who donated – many thousands – the welcome result of active promotion by our core team of supporters and valuable coverage of the Appeal by the media. The fact that the Appeal has been such a success despite the current economic conditions once again proves without doubt the magnitude of the public’s affection and support for XH558.

Earlier this year, the Trust embarked on a series of new fund-raising initiatives. With XH558’s Winter Service planned to start in January, the team now has the time to convert these initiatives into sustainable revenue streams. You can learn more about some of our initiatives here: http://www.vulcantothesky.org/news/126/82/2012-and-beyond.html

I’m pleased to be able to report that one of the initiatives, Merchandising, is already bringing in over £10,000 per month. Soon, we will be distributing the catalogue of new merchandise for Christmas, along with the details on new ways that people can help XH558.

In another initiative, we aim to bring those who have loyally supported XH558 in the past into more regular contact with the Trust and its plans for XH558, encouraging small but regular contributions.

Our objective is of course, to guarantee that XH558 flies on next year and through the Diamond Jubilee year. This will continue to drive our efforts over the next three months to ensure that we meet our future funding needs.

In the meantime, I hope that you will join with me in thanking everyone who has made the October Appeal such an outstanding success and I very much hope that you will see your Vulcan flying next year!


With kind regards,


John Sharman

Chairman of Trustees, Vulcan to the Sky Trust

-----------------

Once again...hurrah!