Join the Living Custodian Network

Our Purpose

The Wartime Maritime Memorial Association C.I.C. is a Community Interest Company limited by guarantee and it honours, preserves, and shares the legacy of Britain’s wartime maritime service—not only through the vessels and archives we protect, but through the people who continue that story today. The objectives highlighted on our homepage come to life here: restoring small craft through the Small Craft Plank Grant Scheme, sharing oral histories, and celebrating remembrance together. In plain terms, that means every ounce of effort and every spare pound goes back into the vessels (by way of our grant schemes), archives, and people who tell Britain’s wartime maritime story.

With this, the aim is to build a community that honours, preserves, and shares the legacy of Britain’s wartime maritime service in living, practical ways.

Membership is how people plug into that mission.

Every application is checked to be sure the community benefit lock stays safe, our not-for-profit promise holds, and the new member is ready to share skills or stories for the common good. There is no fee—just a shared commitment.

Who Can Join

If the objectives on our homepage resonate with you—remembrance, restoration, and recording stories—membership is open to anyone who:

• Backs the Association’s objects and wants wartime maritime heritage to stay in public hands.
• Looks after, studies, served on, or simply loves wartime vessels, communities, or archives.
• Is happy to uphold our code of conduct, safeguarding promises, and not-for-profit ethos.

We especially welcome vessel custodians, veterans and their families, maritime historians and researchers, and volunteers or enthusiasts keen to pitch in.

What Membership Means

Joining the Association means being part of a shared effort to keep history afloat. Members are invited to:

• Share vessel notes or family memories for the Association’s digital registry and archive.
• Receive news, event invitations, and chances to lend a hand on heritage projects.
• Submit stories, photographs, or oral histories for preservation on our website.
• Attend Association events, lend support to heritage projects, and cheer on fellow custodians.

With consent, members who actively steward vessels, archives, or community projects can be recognised as part of the Living Custodian Network—a record of those keeping the story of wartime maritime heritage alive.

Membership Types

Our Articles set the following categories. Only Director Members carry voting rights at general meetings; all other classes are non-voting but fully recognised within the Association.

Small Craft Plank Grant Scheme

The Plank Grant Scheme is our flagship programme. Grant rounds are stewarded in line with our Articles, while Heritage, Custodian, and Friend Members contribute evidence, case studies, and volunteer hours that guide decisions.

Applications are weighed against our charitable objects and the need to prioritise community benefit. Results are logged in the Association’s minutes and shared so custodians can learn from successful projects.

Successful applicants share updates and photographs once their plank is replaced, helping the Association celebrate the volunteers behind every repair and keep records tidy.

Membership Status

• Only Director Members have voting rights at Association general meetings or in written resolutions. All other classes take part through consultation, forums, and programme feedback.
• Membership is not transferable and may be ended by resignation or, in exceptional cases, by a resolution made under our Articles.
• As a company limited by guarantee, each member’s liability is capped at £1 if the Association is ever wound up.
• Membership is free, reviewed periodically, and renewed automatically unless withdrawn by the member or Association leadership.

This structure keeps governance steady while welcoming everyone who supports our charitable aims and respects the community benefit lock safeguarding community benefit.

Key Protections in Our Articles

• Community Interest: Article 2 confirms we are a CIC and must always act for community benefit.
• Community Benefit Lock: Surpluses are reinvested into our objects; reserves cannot be distributed for private gain.
• Delegation and Committees: Articles 7–12 allow the Board to delegate tasks while retaining accountability.
• Transparent Decision-Making: Articles 13–21 set out how Directors call meetings, manage conflicts of interest, and record decisions.
• Records & Reporting: Articles 49–52 commit us to keeping accurate registers, minutes, accounts, and regulatory returns.

Every member agrees to operate within these safeguards so the wartime maritime community can rely on the Association’s integrity.

How to Join

1. Complete the online membership form or request a printed copy.
2. Confirm your agreement with the Association’s aims, Articles of Association, and code of conduct.
3. Optionally upload photographs or details of your vessel or connection to wartime service.
4. Receive your welcome pack and digital membership certificate once the Association confirms your application.

There are no fees, obligations, or renewals—only your goodwill and participation.

Recognition

With permission, members may be featured in the Custodian Stories section of the Association’s website—celebrating the people who care for the vessels, memories, and values of Britain’s wartime maritime heritage.