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The boat built to help boost positive mental health

Strathnaver Museum Three people sit in a white and blue rowing boat and are helped out into an inlet by three others. Waves crash on a beach behind them.Strathnaver Museum
The boat called Grace is a replica of a small 150-year-old fishing craft

A Highland community has built a replica of a small 150-year-old boat as part of a project to promote positive mental health and celebrate the area's fishing heritage.

Strathnaver Museum and North Sutherland Community Forest Trust (NWSFT) held a launch for the craft at Bettyhill on Sutherland's north coast last weekend.

Its name - Grace - was chosen from suggestions made by pupils at Farr and Tongue primary schools.

Funding is now being secured to have the boat fitted with a mast and sail, and there are plans to make it available for rowing, sailing and fishing.

Strathnaver Museum A boy runs down a track towards Bettyhill pier for the launch of the new boat. There is a crowd of people - and the beach - ahead of him.Strathnaver Museum
Local people gathered at Bettyhill pier on the north Sutherland coast for the launch
Strathnaver Museum A boy dressed in blue looks down on Bettyhill pier Strathnaver Museum

Volunteers and an Orkney-based boat-builder were involved in the boat's construction.

It is a replica of a fishing boat called Iris which is at Strathnaver Museum in Bettyhill.

Local people, led by a piper, gathered at Bettyhill pier for the launch.

Strathnaver Museum People push the white and blue boat down a ladder and wooden plank on a rocky beach.Strathnaver Museum
Strathnaver Museum People stand around the boat with glasses raised, toasting its launch.Strathnaver Museum
A toast is held in honour of the boat and the people involved in its construction

Fiona Mackenzie, of Strathnaver Museum, said: "The community support and enthusiasm for the Fishing Around project has been phenomenal and it was wonderful to see the culmination of over 2,000 hours of volunteer labour witnessed by almost 80 folk.

"The team are busy working on plans for Stage II to incorporate a mast and sail, boat maintenance, and sail training activities."

Strathnaver Museum The boat, which is painted blue and white, on a rocky beach near the sea.Strathnaver Museum

Fishing Around is one of a number of initiatives in the local community involving artists.

It was set up to promote positive mental health, reduce feelings of isolation and improve wellbeing.

Traditional boat-building skills were a feature of the project.

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