Dockyard Steam Society Gets 'Hot & Sooty' To Raise Funds For Demelza Children's Hospice

The Chatham Historic Dockyard Steam Society Secretary, Dean Sears, presented a cheque for £700 to Donna Wells, Area Fundraising Manager from Demelza Children's Hospice on Friday 14th March at The Historic Dockyard Chatham.

The monies have been raised by the Steam Society since Christmas 2006 at club social events and rallies attended by members with their steam rollers and traction engines including last year's Medway Festival of Steam & Transport at The Historic Dockyard.

On receiving the cheque Donna Wells said "We are absolutely delighted at this wonderful donation as we rely almost entirely on support by the community to provide vital services at Demelza. Our grateful thanks go to all those who have contributed to the Steam Society's fundraising efforts."

Some of the Steam Society members had their rollers and engines "in steam" for the occasion as a practice run for this year's Medway Festival of Steam & Transport at The Historic Dockyard on Easter Sunday and Monday. The Steam Society always supports the event with many of its members exhibiting their own vehicles.

Engines being test-run at the cheque presentation, which will also be at this year's event, included a 10 ton Aveling & Porter Roller owned by Mark Harris of Gillingham; a 12 ton Fowler steam roller owned by John Galvin of London and a 10 ton Aveling & Porter roller named "Moby Dick" owned by the Stanbrook Family of Strood. Donna Wells was shown how to 'drive' Moby Dick after the presentation.

Aveling & Porter Ltd was based in Strood on the site now occupied by Medway Council's Civic Centre. In their heyday Aveling & Porter was the country's biggest manufacturer of steam rollers and their products were exported across the world.

Previously the Chatham Historic Dockyard Steam Society supported the British Heart Foundation to whom a cheque for £500 was presented.