Schoolgirls deal charity a £3k boost

A charity helping people with mental health issues in Lochalsh has a trio of schoolgirls to thank for a £3000 funding boost.

Plockton High School pupils Zoe Gordon, Grace Hammond and Freya Fowler were the winning team in this year’s YPI (Youth and Philanthropy Initiative) competition run through the secondary.

After what was described by school rector Susan Galloway as "a high-quality final which gave the judges a very difficult task", the girls were deemed to be the worthy winners of the cheque for £3000.

It goes to their designated charity, Skye and Lochalsh Mental Health Association.

The group runs a drop-in centre, Am Fasgadh, which aims to provide a sociable home-from-home with a family atmosphere.

Also represented in the final were Riding for the Disabled Association (Eilidh Brown, Anya Adams, Lucy Small, Christina MacInnes and Emily Brown); the Howard Doris Centre (Anna MacRae, Craig Doherty); the Special Care Baby Unit (Elle Bennon, Trina MacColl, Lily Dougherty) and Pink Panther Playgroup (Eubha MacLean, Cara Slaughter, Tori Harvey, Martha MacRae, Eilidh MacInnes).

Ms Gallowway said: "Well done to all S3 pupils who engaged so well in this activity this year. I hope they all feel proud of how well they raised awareness of their charity and see the final, not so much as the end, but a starting point for a longer engagement with the issue that they represented so well."