Efforts to preserve the iconic HMS Unicorn ship in Dundee have been boosted by a cash award of £30,000.
The grant from the city council – through the Scottish Government’s Regional Recovery Fund – will support work taking place on the near-200-year-old vessel.
It will also help with the development of Dundee Maritime Heritage Centre.
HMS Unicorn will form the centrepiece exhibit of the new attraction.
The grant has already been used to carry out shipwright surveys to determine the condition of the Unicorn.
There are plans to eventually move the ship 100m along the quayside into East Graving Dock.
Eric Fraser, chair of the programme board at HMS Unicorn, said: “Undoubtedly this is the most significant development for the ship since she was built in 1824.
“We are delighted to have this valuable support from the Scottish Government to help us progress our plans.”
‘Remarkable’ transformation of Waterfront
Ivan McKee, the Scottish Government’s tourism and enterprise minister, said: “The transformation of Dundee waterfront in recent years has been remarkable, and I trust that the important but challenging work of the Unicorn Preservation Trust will only increase its attractiveness to locals and visitors alike.”
Lady Catherine Erskine, chair of the Unicorn Preservation Society, said: “As ‘The Old Lady of Dundee’ prepares to celebrate her 200th birthday in 2024, this funding support is surely the best present she could have wished for.”