00:00Standing on Aerith Pier is as close as I'm going to be able to get to the HMS President
00:04which you can see right behind me there and I can't get any closer because all the way across
00:09the side is a metal scrapyard. Foreshadowing the fate of the boat if campaigners are unable to find
00:15somewhere else in one week. Tony and Daniel are some of those campaigners trying to save the boat
00:21and keep it in Medway. What are your guys kind of thoughts and feelings seeing the scrapyard behind
00:26you knowing that this is what could happen to the ship in a couple weeks time? In a way it
00:30does
00:30make you feel like you've failed the community. The possibility of the fact that she could be gone
00:36in a few few weeks or a month it's heartbreaking and disheartening. The couples say they feel betrayed
00:42and Medway Council's response to their plea to keep the ship on the river Medway. We just got
00:46blanked all the time and just keep giving the same run around. It does seem to be like although we're
00:52residents of Medway and they say the Labour Council are for the people it does seem like Medway Council
00:57just want to build on everything destroy the heritage of Medway and being that it's a very big
01:04naval background in Medway you would think they'd want to save save maritime history. Medway Council
01:11told me they were unable to comment and that the matter was outside of their control but in a letter
01:17to Tony and Daniel they said that there were significant ownership, legal, operational and
01:22financial considerations and that previous discussions have not identified a viable solution
01:28and that there was no further action the Medway Council was able to take. I felt disgusted, let down,
01:35betrayed. I was that angry that I felt like I'd let the people of Medway down as well. The couple
01:41also
01:41reached out to the historic dockyard in Chatham for somewhere to dock the boat but were also disappointed
01:46in their response. They keep coming back with financial figures saying that they don't own
01:52the vessels that are already there. It's all to do with different trusts but we've said it would
01:57be under our ownership. The only thing that they would have to do is go yes that's fine you can
02:01have
02:02a gangway onto your ship from Anchor Wharf but they just don't seem to want to know. This is our
02:07life
02:07currently. Everything's been on hold since. Everything that we want to do has been on hold
02:15and I'd never regret making the decision to try and save the ship. In a statement Peel Port said
02:20we understand how much this ship means to the community and we explored every option to keep
02:25her on the Medway however it was not safe due to her deteriorating condition. So with time running out
02:31to find her somewhere to stay. For Tony and Daniel that ship has not yet sailed.
02:36Naylin Mahamud for KMTV in Eryth
Comments