George Ferguson: The Matthew has become a very special icon

This week the Matthew is high and dry at the historic Underfall Boat Yard having its bottom scraped by skipper Rob Salvidge of BBC Bristol and Ferry Boat fame, together with a valiant team of volunteers, without whom it would simply not survive.

It is an extraordinary sight looking up at the beautifully built oak hull, which has worn well but needs continuing love and appreciation.

I strongly recommend a trip down to the Underfall Boat Yard this week, best approached in one of Rob's yellow ferryboats, for a free view of the hive of activity. The Underfall Restoration Trust is run by engineer Alf Perry, who quietly enthuses about the beautiful timber boats being built there.

The yard is probably as busy as it has ever been. John Raymond Barker is on his third Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter and Bristol boat builder Tim Loftus is finishing a fine traditional fishing vessel for a Scottish client. But the star turn is the Matthew which has become a very special Bristol icon, and which has a remarkable recent history even if it is a conjectural reproduction of John Cabot's ship that discovered Newfoundland in 1497.

There are many heroes who should take a bow, of which the first I shall name are Martyn Heighton, then Bristol's director of leisure services and John Savage, chief executive of the Bristol Initiative who were determined that it should be built to mark the 500th anniversary of Cabot's voyage.

Their master stroke was to ask my late friend, the buccaneering StJohn Hartnoll, to form a committee to raise the money and to mount the 1996 International Festival of the Sea, which proved to be one of Bristol's finest moments.

StJohn (conveniently named after the capital of Newfoundland) asked me, amongst others, to join him but it was his bounding energy and enthusiasm that ensured the whole show came together.

The money man was Michael Slade, chief executive of property development company Helical Bar who, at StJohn's behest generously invested the millions required to build the ship and launch the Festival.

I am not sure that Bristol has ever given him the full credit he deserves. Thank you Mike.

The ship now belongs to the ss Great Britain Trust and is leased to Ship Shape and Bristol Fashion Ltd which is run by two other Bristol heroes, the infamous Rob Salvidge and ex-Lord Mayor Royston Griffey. They have both, along with its volunteers, kept it working for its keep and have devoted thousands of hours and thousands of their own pounds into keeping it going.

You only have until Friday to see the Matthew high and dry. Don't miss it – they will be encouraged to see you.