In June we posted about the missionary/hospital steamer, the Chauncy Maples.   Launched in 1901, she is the oldest ship in Africa.   She is being restored to return to duty as a traveling clinic on the 560 kilometer long Lake Malawi.   The Chauncy Maples Malawi Trust has been attempting to raise £2 million to fund the project.  Last Friday, Thomas Miller, a London-based specialist insurance company, which has been spearheading the drive, announced that they are half way to their goal, having raised over £1m pounds.

Chauncy Maples makes a million

Thomas Miller is the sponsor of the Chauncy Maples Malawi Trust, a UK charity which is renovating the 19th century ship as a clinic to provide essential medical services to the lakeside people of Malawi. The Malawi Ministry of Health, the owner of Chauncy Maples, has committed more than £250,000 to the project, actively planning the renovation work in conjunction with the contractor.

Hugo Wynn-Williams, chairman of Thomas Miller, commented:

“Reaching the halfway stage in only three months since the project launched in June is a truly magnificent effort by our community. I have been genuinely surprised by the very positive response not just to fundraising but also the desire to participate in all sorts of ways.

“Since the outset we have wanted to celebrate our anniversary with something better than a party – this has exceeded our wildest dreams.”

Mark Holford of Thomas Miller explained how the funds raised thus far were already being put to good use:

“In the past two weeks, work has commenced in Malawi in stripping out the ship in preparation for major hull work in a dry dock in October. Our next step is to persuade the world’s maritime manufacturers to donate the £800,000 worth of parts necessary for the renovation work.”

Eighty-five per cent of the £1 million raised so far has come from Thomas Miller, which donated £250,000, and its business community.