The UK's most up-to-date social housing and public sector news website
Ken Willoughby receives a Community Grant worth £700 from WDH presented by Tenant Involvement Officer Rebecca Lane
More from Wakefield and District Housing
- Housing association begins search for apprentices
- Wakefield residents say 'no' to cold callers
- Pet rescue: housing group helps new business
- Tenant praises WDH for life-changing employment help
- Young film makers try to combat anti-social behaviour
Advertisement
Three years after Neil Armstrong first walked on the moon the world held its breath as it watched the Apollo 13 mission almost perish in space.
And nearly four decades on from the capsule’s heroic return to earth, plans are now afoot to bring the commander from that infamous operation to West Yorkshire later this year.
Vice President of the West Yorkshire Astronomical Society (WYAS) Ken Willoughby is raising money to bring Jim Lovell, who was played by Tom Hanks in the Hollywood blockbuster film, across to the UK for a special evening event at St. Wilfrid’s Catholic High School in Featherstone in October.
Ken’s mission has been supported by Wakefield and District Housing (WDH), whose Local Management Committee donated a £700 Community Grant towards the cause.
WDH Tenant Involvement Officer Rebecca Lane said: “The committee was impressed at the efforts to bring such a high profile name as Jim Lovell to the Pontefract and Castleford area. Families and friends would be able to hear all about the Apollo 13 mission from the commander himself. It’s a really exciting prospect.”
Ken said: “I’m delighted with the grant from WDH. It’s a massive effort to get Jim across to the area to give a talk specifically to the local people and I’m thrilled to receive such support from a local organisation.”
Lovell, 81, would not be the first high profile astronaut to visit the area. Ken added: “In March last year we had Buzz Aldrin in Pontefract. Fred Haise, who was the lunar module pilot on Apollo 13, also visited in October 2008.
“Alan Bean of Apollo 12 was here in October 2007 and the first Apollo astronaut to come to Pontefract was Charlie Duke from Apollo 16 in November 2005. I hope to arrange future visits for Ed Mitchell of Apollo 14 and Eugene Cernan of Apollo 17 - the last man to walk on the moon.”
Lovell is also due to visit Carleton Community High School and Halfpenny Lane Junior School in Pontefract, where pupils will be able to meet the former NASA astronaut and ask questions.
If you would like to support Ken’s mission, please contact him on 01977 795535.
