House of Commons hosts Sunderland Trust exhibition

Friday, 19 March 2010

Secretary of State for Wales Peter Hain MP (left), Nick Ainger MP (right) and William McNamara, Chairman of the Pembroke Dock Sunderland Trust, are pictured against the backdrop of exhibition panels in the Upper Waiting Hall of the House of Commons.

Exciting plans to recover a wartime Sunderland flying boat and display it in a Welsh heritage centre have been attracting special attention from MPs at the House of Commons.
All this week a striking exhibition has been on view in the impressive setting of the Upper Waiting Hall of the House.
Pembroke Dock Sunderland Trust has staged the exhibition which is hosted by Nick Ainger, MP for West Carmarthen and South Pembrokeshire.
MPs from all parties attended the official opening ceremony on Tuesday, March 9. Among them were the Secretary of State for Wales, Peter Hain, and Wales Office Minister Wayne David.
Peter Hain welcomed the ‘tremendously exciting project’ and wished the Trust every success in its efforts not only to recover the unique Mark I version of the Sunderland, but in establishing a Welsh Military Heritage Centre at Pembroke Dock.
The Heritage Centre plans - led by the Trust - were praised by Nick Ainger, who said that the long and special links Pembroke Dock has had with all three Armed Services offered a remarkable opportunity to create a unique visitor attraction which would have national and international appeal.
William McNamara, chairman of the Sunderland Trust, welcomed MPs and guests. He said the Trust believed that the whole project had potential to become a major visitor and educational attraction centred on important and iconic buildings in one of the foremost military heritage towns in the UK.
The Centre and display of the Sunderland would help stimulate the regeneration of the community which had, over the years, lost its military roles.
Guests included the Mayor of Pembroke Dock, Clr. Pam George; Group Captain John Platt, of the Maritime Air Trust, which has made substantial donations to the Trust, and Mr. Ted Sangster, retiring chief executive of the Milford Haven Port Authority. The Port Authority has been a key supporter of the Trust from the beginning.
MPs present included Mr. Stephen Crabb, the Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire; Adam Ingram, whose father served with Sunderland flying boats in wartime, and Sir Nicholas Winterton. The exhibition brought back special memories for Sir Nicholas, who flew in a Sunderland from Pembroke Dock when undergoing military training at Castlemartin in the 1950s.
The eight panels created for the House of Commons exhibition will be used for other displays staged by the Sunderland Trust as it continues to promote its high profile heritage proposals.

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