The Medway Queen Preservation Society (MPQS) in Kent is set to restore the Medway Queen -– one of the few remaining paddle steamers in the UK thanks to a £1.8m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The first stage will comprise the restoration and rebuilding of the hull, steelworks and decks.

The second stage will refurbish the main and ancillary engines, rebuild the paddle wheels, renew the boiler and refit the ship for service.

HLF manager for the south east, Sheena Vick, said: “Saving this vessel in memory of lost generations and for future generations to appreciate is something that the HLF feels passionate about.

“We have worked closely with the society to conserve the vessel and are delighted to be able to give them a financial boost to carry out the work.”

The MPQS secretary, Noreen Chambers, added: “Now that funding is in place, we are ready to go ahead with the restoration rebuild of this famous, heroic and well-loved ship.”

The Medway Queen was built at the Ailsa shipyard on the Glasgow Clyde in 1923 as a pleasure craft. During World War II, she worked a minesweeper and was one of the first ships on the scene at the Dunkirk evacuation, saving 7,000 soldiers and earning the title ‘The Heroine of Dunkirk’. Details: www.medwayqueen.co.uk