Daredevils scaled the walls of a hospital building in Aberdeen yesterday to support the healing powers of art.
More than 60 people took part in the 60ft abseil down Ashgrove House at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in aid of Grampian Hospital Art Trust (GHAT).
The charity has been responsible for brightening up the hospital and making it more welcoming for patients, visitors and staff for more than 30 years.
Sally Thomson, GHAT director, said the event had been a huge success raising around £10,000 for the charity.
She added: “We wanted to do something visible and fun to raise awareness and the profile of the charity.
“It is something everybody loves to have but people don’t always recognise we need to fund it.
“We have had over 60 people. The youngest was eight and he thought it was great fun.
“We’ve also had a few people in fancy dress and lots of onlookers and patients coming out to see what was going on.”
Julie-Ann Simpson, GHAT collection assistant, said: “Some people were nervous beforehand but then they wanted to do it again straight after.
“People have really enjoyed themselves.”
Artists Ruby Pester and Nadia Rossi also designed special “Hang on to your Hat” T-shirts, medals and banners for the event.
Taking part was Marion Slater, 40, who had not abseiled since her school days.
She said: “The top bit was the worst but it was great to see the views from up there.
“It was exciting and nerve-racking at the same time.
Mrs Slater, a consultant in geriatrics at ARI, added: “GHAT has done fantastically well in transforming the hospital and it is great to see the space being used.
“The Suttie Art Space is a real haven for people to go to – just to be able to pop in between wards is lovely.
“It makes a huge difference to patients and staff.”
Mark Pether, 23, a medical physicist based at ARI, who took part dressed as a pigeon, added: “The charity don’t just hang paintings, they do all kinds of other work.
“Research also shows that having art up on the walls reduces stress.”
The charity will share the funds between restoring its collection of art; funding its Artroom projects, which work directly with patients and their families; and The Suttie Art Space which is the first purpose built art gallery in an acute hospital in the UK.