247: What it Took to Preserve The Waverley, the World’s Last Seagoing Paddle Steamer

Paul Semple is General Manager of Waverley Excursions Ltd which operates Waverley – the last seagoing paddle steamer in the World. Paul is also Vice Chairman for the charity which owns and preserves Waverley but has an associated with the iconic vessel since the 1990s when he first worked on her as a student while at University.After a seventeen year career as a Chemistry and Physics teacher Paul took up his current post in early 2019. Following the discovered of structural defects in the ship’s boilers in May 2019 a fundraising appeal was launched to raise £2.3 million to Save The Waverley. Paul lead the campaign which successfully raised the funds in just 6 months.Waverley will return to service this summer on the Clyde and help celebrate Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters. The famous steamship will visit over sixty ports and piers around the UK and carry over 100,000 passengers. Paul will discuss the recent appeal and give an insight into what it takes to operate and preserve Waverley.