19 June 2001

photo opportunity 12 noon, Wednesday 20 June, Room 8007, level 8, Matthew Building, Duncan of Jordanstone, University of Dundee, Perth Road, Dundee.

The Guildry Incorporation of Dundee will visit the School of Town and Regional Planning at the University of Dundee tomorrow to present travel scholarships courtesy of the Matthew Trust to five post graduate students.

Post graduate MSc students in European urban conservation will each be given £200 to fund their field trip in preparation for their final dissertation. Victoria Fowlis is going to Bilbao to study major art centres in historic towns, Gragan Masic, a Yugoslavian student is returning to Belgrade to look at war damaged historic areas, Paul Kesslar-Lyne will look at funding for conservation areas in the Netherlands, Nigel Hoskins is crossing the Irish Channel to Eire to monitor the great gardens of Ireland restoration scheme and Craig Frew is travelling to Wales to observe how their Building Preservation Trust functions.

Lord Dean of the Guild Sinclair Aitkin and ex-Lord Dean David Goodfellow will present the cheques to the students in the University tomorrow. David Goodfellow said: "We are looking forward to meeting the students. Until 1947, the Lord Dean of the Guild acted as the planning authority in the city granting permission for new build. The School of Town and Regional Planning is therefore a very appropriate place for us to visit as the city planners of the future are studying there."

A direct descendant of Dundee's Merchant Guild, the Guildry is over 800 years old. Its charter was granted to the merchants of Dundee by King John, giving the merchants the right to free trade of all dues with any port in England except London - and - is the first document to refer to the City of Dundee.

Contact Dr Ralph Skea 01382 345245