Harry Styles debut movie role will happen in July of 2017 with the film Dunkirk, produced by Christopher Nolan, and the buzz surrounding the film is growing by the moment. Dunkirk will focus on Operation Dynamo or The Miracle of Dunkirk and that mission was made possible by the strategy of soldiers and the presence of ships, both large and small. One of these little ships goes by the name of Skylark, and it needs help.
Skylark was part of the fleet that saved the lives of thousands of soldiers and made it out unscathed, but time has taken its toll on the little ship. For years, there’s been an initiative to restore Skylark in an effort to not only preserve a piece of history but to allow it to sail on the anniversary of the battle.
When One Direction fans caught wind of this mission, they got involved in a big way.
The #SaveSkylark campaign began on July 21st and was started by two Harry Styles fans Sasha and Maartje. The pair aimed for a goal of £5000 to put towards the Skylark IX Recovery Trust so that repairs on Dunkirk could start while the trust applies for a lottery bid for the rest of the necessary funds.
What happened next was incredible.
Other fans caught wind of this drive and word spread like wildfire! Donations came pouring in and those who couldn’t donate spread the word on social media to let others know how important this initiative was and how it also showed support to Harry. As the days went on, it was proven that undoubtedly, there is no fan base more generous, supportive, and loving than that of One Direction.
In addition to the fans, Harry’s mom Anne also posted about the campaign on her Twitter on multiple occasions and she agreed to be a judge in the art competition that the Skylark IX Recovery Trust set up. Over 250 people entered their artwork in the competition and the winners will be announced on Monday. In addition to her spreading the word and assisting with the competition, she gave the final donation to the initiative; she’s a wonderful woman.
At the campaign’s end, £6000 was raised to save Skylark and in addition to saving the little ship, the campaign will also touch the lives of those who have suffered from addiction. The trust works closely with Alternatives, a group that works with addicts on their way to recovery and they’ve already begun restructuring Skylark.
So what happens next for Skylark? Restoration continues until the lottery bid is worked out and hopefully by the 80th anniversary of Operation Dynamo, the Miracle of Dunkirk, Skylark will be able to sail with the other Dunkirk Little Ships.
Thank you to everyone who donated to the campaign, you not only supported Harry, you helped preserve a piece of history and you should be proud.