01 Identity
Scottish charity record
- OSCR charity number
- SC002771
- Status
- Active
- Regulatory type
- Standard
- Designated religious body
- No
- Geographical spread
- Scotland and other parts of the UK
- Volunteers
- 1-50 volunteers
- Staff
- 8
- Postcode
- EH17 8TP
02 Purpose and work
What the charity exists to do
1. maintaining and managing a sustainable future supporting or delivering the conservation and preservation of the Ship. 2. establishing, maintaining and promoting a Museum devoted to maritime and similar subjects, called the Unicorn Museum in and around the precincts of the Ship. 3. bringing together, holding, adequately housing conserving and documenting all forms of media pertaining to the Ship and its history. 4. bringing together, holding, adequately housing, conserving and documenting artefacts of historical, artistic or scientific importance (Specimens) with regard to the Ship and its history, the Collection. 5. facilitating access to research workers and school children, always providing that the safety and security of the Collection are not thereby endangered. 6. stimulating public interest in the Museum as a focal point of education and of historic, artistic or scientific interest, thereby improving the facilities available for general public amenity and education.
Charitable purposes
- the advancement of education
- the advancement of citizenship or community development
- the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science
- the provision of recreational facilities, or the organisation of recreational activities, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the persons for whom the facilities or activities are primarily intended
Beneficiaries
- No specific group, or for the benefit of the community
Activities
- It carries out activities or services itself
Constitutional objectives
The objects for which the Company is established are to— (1) the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science: (a) Having taken over from the Ministry of Defence the ownership of HMS Unicorn, the Ship, and thereafter to repair, reconstruct, maintain, conserve and preserve the Ship in perpetuity and for this purpose to arrange for her either to be moored in a floating berth or to be placed in a dry berth at Dundee or at such other place as may from time to time be considered appropriate, and to sail or otherwise move her from place to place as may be considered appropriate. (b) Procuring, maintaining and managing a sustainable future supporting or delivering the conservation and preservation of the Ship. (c) establishing, maintaining and promoting a Museum devoted to maritime and similar subjects, called the Unicorn Museum in and around the precincts of the Ship. (d) bringing together, holding, adequately housing conserving and documenting all forms of media pertaining to the Ship and its history. (e) bringing together, holding, adequately housing, conserving and documenting artefacts of historical, artistic or scientific importance (Specimens) with regard to the Ship and its history, the Collection. (f) there will be a strong presumption against the disposal of any Specimen owned by the Company. (g) facilitating the loan of any Specimen for exhibition or research always providing that the safety and security of the Specimen is not thereby endangered. (h) displaying and publicising the Collection for the public benefit. (2) the advancement of education: (a) facilitating access to research workers and school children, always providing that the safety and security of the Collection are not thereby endangered. (b) stimulating public interest in the Museum as a focal point of education and of historic, artistic or scientific interest, thereby improving the facilities available for general public amenity and education. (c) making available through the Museum libraries, media and exhibitions of an educational or cultural nature. (3) the advancement of citizenship or community development: (a) providing facilities for and encouragement of the education and training in nautical and other useful pursuits of young persons, including those belonging to service or voluntary organisations. maximum text reached, further full information can be obtained directly from the Charity
03 Annual returns
Income and expenditure history
| Year end | Income | Expenditure | Staff | Return received |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 December 2024 | £810,292 | £512,869 | 8 | 6 March 2026 |
| 31 December 2023 | £458,469 | £469,277 | 8 | 29 September 2024 |
| 31 December 2022 | £420,913 | £456,379 | 8 | 27 September 2023 |
| 31 December 2021 | £349,321 | £304,935 | 8 | 27 September 2022 |
| 31 December 2020 | £305,105 | £247,950 | 8 | 29 September 2021 |
Figures are those reported by the charity and supplied in the OSCR bulk download. Blank facts remain distinct from zero.
04 Contact record
Principal office or trustees address
- Address supplied to OSCR
- CGPM Consulting LLP , 40 Gilmerton Place, Edinburgh
- Website supplied to OSCR
- www.hmsunicorn.org.uk
- Parent charity
- Not supplied
No direct external links on this profile. The official OSCR record and source documentation are available through BritDB’s dedicated source page.
05 Provenance
Source for this profile
© Crown Copyright and database right 2026. Contains information from the Scottish Charity Register supplied by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. BritDB is an independent service and does not claim to be the Scottish Charity Register.