The RRS Discovery has met its £40,000 crowdfunding total, with less than 24 hours to go before its deadline.
A £1,195 donation from Tickety Boo’s helped secure the much needed funding for the ship’s renovation, pushing the campaign over the finishing line.
As part of the restoration work, the mast, rigging and spas – which have dominated the waterfront skyline since the Discovery was returned to the city more than 30 years ago – have been taken down and transported to Gloucester for inspection and repair.
While the work to remove the masts was taking place, the ship had been shut off from the public, but a spokesperson from Discovery Point said the boat was now fully reopened and available to visit during opening hours.
Various organisations and individuals donated to the fund. If the target had not been reached by 12.30pm on Wednesday, there was a strong possibility none of the money pledged online will go to the restoration project.
On Monday, representatives of the Nine Incorporated Trades handed over a cheque worth £5,000 toward the upkeep of the ship.
The Heritage Lottery Fund were the first group to donate to the campaign, handing over £10,000 at the start of October.
Phoenix Design Display Print, a Dundee printing business, said they backed the campaign to save the “fantastic” ship because Discovery Point is one of the “best tourist attractions” on offer in the city.
Hundreds of other individual backers gave their reasons for pledging money to the campaign also.
One person who donated said the attraction was an “astonishing piece of history” and was “too valuable” to not preserve.
