SSE Renewables has supported the upkeep of Lerwick's replica Viking longship, with a donation of £2,500 to a local committee.

Over forty years ago the replica Viking longship was built by a local boat builder in Shetland and launched in 1980. The longship is 40ft long excluding the head and tail and is a focal point along Lerwick’s waterfront.

A competition with local schools to name the boat was run by the committee, and the name Dim-Riv was chosen, which means the dawning of a new day, the strip of light when the sun rises over the horizon.

The Dim-Riv is looked after by a group of volunteers and is stored away during the winter months where repairs can be undertaken.

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Julie Graham, Community Engagement Manager for Viking Energy Wind Farm, said: "We are always looking to support a range of organisations and community ventures here at Viking and the upkeep of the Dim Riv is the latest of these. We were approached by the committee that runs and maintains the vessel for support to help keep her in the water.

"Hopefully the money we have donated will help keep this iconic vessel in the water and bring enjoyment to countless visitors in 2024."

Graham Nicolson, Chairman of the Longship Committee, said: "Without the financial donation we have received from Viking Energy Wind Farm, there was a real chance that the Dim-Riv might not have been able go in the water next year, given how much our costs had risen in the past year.

"We would just like to thank the team at SSE Renewables for their assistance, on behalf of not only the Longship Committee, but the wider Shetland Community, who look forward to seeing the Dim-Riv in the water every year, unofficially marking the start of the Shetland summer."