Fundraising
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Help fund the through-life cost of the Vernon Mine Warfare & Diving Monument in the former HMS Vernon at Portsmouth, Hampshire honouring those involved in mine warfare, diving and bomb & mine disposal - past, present and future.
Prince Harry (Then Commodore-in-Chief Small Ships & Diving) with serving and veteran minewarfare & diving personnel at the Project Vernon ‘Falklands 35’ fundraising dinner at Trinity House in July 2017.
The grand unveiling and dedication of the monument that was planned for Wednesday 25th March 2020 at Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth, the former site of HMS VERNON, had to be cancelled owing to the dramatically increased risk to health of the Coronavirus. However, a lower key installation and unveiling of the monument in Pool B occurred on Tuesday 17 March since when it has been seen by an annual footfall of 8 million. The monument was eventually dedicated in the presence of over 800 official guests on 15 July 2022. Read about the ceremonies and see more images of these occasions in our News section here.
Purchase your own faithful reproduction of the Vernon Mine Warfare & Diving Monument here:
Vernon Monument Pewter Statuette with the real article
Unveiling of Vernon Monument on 17 March 2020
The design created by sculptor Mark Richards FRSS comprises a moored mine with two attendant Clearance Divers. The British Mk 17 contact mine honours all those - past, present and future - involved in mine design, minelaying and mine disposal or serving in mine countermeasures vessels. The two divers in Clearance Diving Breathing Apparatus honour all those - past, present and future - involved in naval and military diving as well as bomb and mine disposal.
Vernon Monument with Old Customs House pub in background
Furthermore, the monument pays tribute to all those who worked, trained and were based at HMS VERNON over the years of its existence; fundamentally the people, civilian and uniformed, who passed through its impressive gates in the course of their duties. It will stand as a mark of respect to the heritage of this famous and unique site.
First of the Vernon Monument’s two accompanying boards
Second of the Vernon Monument’s two accompanying boards
Vernon Monument relative to Canal-side crane and Spinnaker Tower
See photos of visitors to our monument in our Facebook group by clicking here:
Visitors to the Vernon Monument
The Project had raised more than a quarter of a million pounds (UKP) since 2008 and almost reached its objectives. The Minewarfare & Diving Monument has been installed in its rightful place and the project team has since installed a full lighting suite to show it off at its best during the evenings but fundraising is still required to ensure through-life costs and contingencies are covered. Please continue to give generously.
Undoubtedly the biggest challenge for the project was actually raising the funds to cover the costs of designing, procuring, constructing and installing the monument itself. This has now been achieved. In 2018 and 2019 the new design was approved, the new location agreed, revised planning approval obtained and casting begun. Following the cancellation of a long-planned formal unveiling ceremony with 800 guests on 25th March owing to the dramatically increased risk to health from Coronavirus, the monument was installed and unveiled in a low-key ceremony at Gunwharf Quays on Tuesday 17th March 2020. However, funds are still required to cover the cost of the yet to be re-programmed dedication ceremony, maintenance, insurance, lighting, signage and the provision of facilities telling the story of mine warfare and clearance diving by the men and women themselves.
Vernon Monument - Direct Donations
As a registered charity the Vernon Monument Project can benefit from Gift Aid. UK taxpayers who wish to donate and who qualify are encouraged to complete the form provided.that will automatically add 25% to every direct donation. We recovered over £2,500 for the fiscal year ending April 2020, our best annual figure to date.
Portsmouth Lottery - The Vernon Monument
The fund can also be supported for as little as £1 per week by purchasing tickets in the Portsmouth Lottery. The campaign receives at least 50% of the proceeds and ticket holders have an opportunity to win cash prizes. We could do with more support for this so would our supporters please purchase more tickets?
Since project inception, the managing team has commissioned a number of items of merchandise including paintings, prints, miniatures and clothing, all available at the 'Shop'. It has also held a series of major, medium and minor events to raise funds through voluntary donation and commercial sponsorship.
Fundraising events to date have included 'outreach' promotions at Gunwharf Quays, public events in Portsmouth Naval Base, the British Military Tournament at Earls Court and families’ days at HMS Excellent and HMS Collingwood, often in conjunction with displays by the Fleet Diving Squadron, 22 Regt Royal Engineer divers and the Historical Diving Society's Working Equipment Group.
Sponsored individual and team events have included a cyclothon by mine warfare volunteers ending at Gunwharf Quays, swims around Portsea Island and the length of Windermere, the River Dart and Blackpool Sands in Devon plus a 24-hour kayak marathon in Horsea Lake and Devizes to London Canoe Races, circumnavigations of England, southern Scotland and the Isle of Wight in a yacht and an abseil down the Spinnaker Tower.
Formal fundraising events have included gala dinners held on board HMS Victory in Portsmouth Naval Base, at the Royal Navy & Royal Albert Yacht Club in Portsmouth and at Trinity House in London. Committee members have also given illustrated talks to RNA groups, yacht clubs, Round Table, Rotary and U3A (University of the Third Age.)
The fundraising dinner and auction on board HMS Victory was chaired by Admiral Sir Jonathon Band GCB DL (former First Sea Lord) with Admiral of the Fleet Lord Boyce KG GCB OBE DL (former First Sea Lord and Chief of the Defence Staff) as Guest of Honour. The main after-dinner speaker was Sir John Scarlett KCMG OBE (former Head of MI6).
The 'Falklands 35' fundraising dinner and auction at Trinity House in London was honoured with the presence of Prince Harry, Commodore-in-Chief Small Ships & Diving. It was attended by Captain Roger Readwin RN (then Captain Minewarfare and Fishery Protection) plus many decorated veterans of the Falklands and descendants of Second World War veterans as well as more recent members of the Royal Navy minewarfare & diving community. Adventurer, naturalist, author and TV personality Monty Halls (a former Royal Marine) was present and popular entertainer Shep Woolley provided a witty after dinner speech.
A dinner and raffle at the Royal Naval Club & Royal Albert Yacht Club in Portsmouth raised funds. As with the dinner at Trinity House, entertainment was provided by well-known ex-navy and Portsmouth resident and personality Mr Shep Woolley.
The project has also benefited from the fundraising activities of the AORNFCD (Association of Royal Navy First Class Divers), the MWA (Minewarfare Association), the MCDOA (Minewarfare & Clearance Diving Officers' Association), the TCA (Ton Class Association), the RANCDA (Royal Australian Navy Clearance Divers' Association) and, most recently, the RNCDA (Royal Navy Clearance Divers’ Association).
Illustrated talks have been given to such bodies as the Historical Diving Society, RNA groups, yacht clubs & sailing clubs, Round Table, Rotary and U3A (University of the Third Age). Many of these have resulted in donations towards the project's fundraising goal.
If you would like to organise a fundraising event to support the campaign, please use the Contact Us form at the bottom of the Home page so that others can be informed via the project’s Facebook Group and X ex Twitter account.
Donations will continue to be sought and all will go towards the upkeep and improvement of the monument and its associated displays.. The small project team are volunteers, however, the project does incur expenditure on such items as the cost of merchandise for sale, maintaining this website and the auditing requirements as required by the Charities Commission.
Please visit the website’s Shop to purchase signed copies of books plus statuettes and polo/tee shirts featuring the final design along with prints of commissioned and donated original paintings; check out the print of 'Roughers off Port Stanley - 1982'. The original painting has been generously donated by the marine artist Adrian Thompson and will be offered for sale at auction.
