Princess Royal in double Argyll engagement

anne gives her approval to Tobermory marine centre and meets carers in oban

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THE Princess Royal performed two important engagements in Argyll yesterday.

On the isle of Mull she gave the royal seal of approval to a new marine centre and pontoon berthing at Tobermory.

And, at Oban’s Argyllshire Gathering Hall, she met more than 80 local carers to help them celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Princess Royal Trust North Argyll Carers’ Centre. Taigh Solais, Tobermory Harbour Association’s £1.3million harbour facility provides a visitor centre, offices, toilets and showers.

The entire community came out to welcome Princess Anne as she joined project workers, funders and members of the local community to officially open the facility. The centre houses an interactive visitor centre for local marine wildlife operators, managed by Sea Life Surveys.

Tobermory Harbour Association’s new head office will be based there, and six further offices will be available for local businesses to let. The building also boasts a stunning boardroom at the top of a tower with 360° panoramic views across the bay.

Project manager Morag Brown said: “The children were waving flags, the rain stayed off and the sun shone. It was amazing, the best climax we could have had to the project.

“The princess was impressed by the facilities and she had time to speak to everybody, and went down to the pontoon to meet the lifeboat crew.”

In Oban, after meeting carers who attend Argyll Carers’ Centre, she spoke about the work of the centre and signed an illustrated book about the development of the work of the centre in the past 10 years.

The royal visitor met Jeanette Morris, of Oban, who cared for her late husband John, who had bone cancer.

She said: “It was excellent. Immediately she put everybody at ease.

“She didn’t push her status, she just sat down and started talking very naturally to everybody.

“She was friendly and very knowledgeable about the subject.

“She had a lot of intimate knowledge about the way the centre is run.”