Vulcan to the Sky Trust Launches Urgent Appeal to Safeguard Iconic Aircraft

The Vulcan to the Sky Trust (VTST) has today (Wednesday 8 October 2025) launched a critical fundraising appeal to protect and preserve the legendary Avro Vulcan XH558, currently based in Doncaster. Since being asked to vacate Hangar 3 in 2017, the Trust has navigated a series of operational and financial challenges, including uncertainty around Doncaster Sheffield Airport’s future and the halt of XH558’s popular engine ground runs, placing enormous strain on the charity’s finances. In addition, losing the roof over XH558 and the business model that sustained her meant the loss of key revenue streams – such as evening events, shop sales, and public tours. This, combined with the effects of the pandemic, has placed added pressure on the charity. Despite this, the Trust has worked tirelessly to keep XH558 maintained by a dedicated team of volunteers, to keep her in the public eye, and to continue its education programme, which has reached thousands of students across Yorkshire and Humber.

Marc Walters, Chief Executive of Vulcan to the Sky Trust, said: “This is not the message we wanted to be putting out in 2025, but the reality is that Vulcan XH558 needs urgent support. Thanks to our incredible community of supporters, we’ve been able to welcome thousands of visitors to see XH558 over the years. But the journey has not been easy. Since 2017, the complete loss of evening events and shop revenue, the pause in tours, and the devastating impact of the pandemic have tested our resilience. The uncertainty around Doncaster Sheffield Airport’s future and the halt of XH558’s popular engine ground runs have compounded the issues we have faced and placed enormous strain on the charity’s finances. We face an immediate need for funding, which, if we can secure it, will present us with an opportunity to enter a new and exciting chapter. The recent unanimous decision by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to grant City of Doncaster Council its gainshare funding, up to £160m, will enable the council to press ahead with its work to fully reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport and FlyDoncaster Ltd, the company set up to manage the reopening and operation of Doncaster Sheffield Airport, has identified a potential plot of land for The Vulcan Experience.”

Walters continues, “The Vulcan Experience will be a place to tell the story of the RAF, the Cold War, and the iconic V-Force. With XH558, the centre piece, it will also be home to a Green Technology Hub, where we will explore aviation’s role in climate change and showcase future innovations. Most importantly, it will allow us to expand our education programme and inspire the next generation of engineers and aviators,” added Marc. “But before we even get close to building The Vulcan Experience, we need to ensure that the charity has the funds to continue our work, maintaining and looking after Vulcan XH558. We need your help to get there. We now need interim funding to continue our day-to-day work to enable us to explore sources of investment to move XH558 to her new home.”

Air Commodore Edward Jarron, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, said: “Every donation, no matter the size, brings us closer to securing the future of Vulcan XH558. Please consider supporting us today. Together, we can ensure that she remains an iconic symbol of British innovation and resilience and a critical source of inspiration for generations to come.” For more information, visit www.vulcantothesky.org