A Highland community group is working to keep people safe from Covid-19 by installing hand sanitiser stations along the A82.
Thousands of pounds have been spent on the endeavour by the Fort Augustus and Glenmoriston Community Group, with support from local businesses.
Nine sanitiser stations have been installed across the three glens area, including at Invermoriston, Fort Augustus and Invergarry.
Caroline Gregory, owner of The Lovat Loch Ness Hotel in Fort Augustus, said it has instilled collaboration and solidarity across the three glens area, which she hopes will help “rebuild the local community.”
She said: “It’s great they are finally up and running.
“The driver was to have joined up thinking, to project a positive message to the local community and visitors to say we are open for business and these are the things we have put in place for your safety and comfort and reassurance that we are taking this seriously.
“Also, that we are doing it in a way that is projecting collaborative connectivity in the area so that we are not saying ‘well we are doing this and I have no idea what the next door community is doing’.
“What we wanted to do was to be able to project an image of solidarity, project an image of consistency so that if people go from one village to the next it’s all joined up. We didn’t want to have mixed messages.”
She added: “Irrespective of the negative aspects of the Covid situation there is a huge amount of positivity that has come out of it and collaboration. I think that, that solidarity will help rebuild the local community and the local business community because we are all looking out for each other.”
Sanitiser stations have now been placed at Victoria Gardens, near the A82 swing bridge and the village hall, as well as in the main car park and outside the public toilets.
Dispensers have also been installed at Invergarry Bus Station, Glengarry community hall and at the entrance to Invergarry School as well as the Invermoriston car park.
Each unit is filled with 80% sanitiser liquid supplied by Kinrara Distillery, based in Aviemore.
The initiative was made possible following a grant from FERN’s Beinneun Community Fund.
The Highland Council also lent their support to the cause, enabling the company to bulk buy sanitiser to aid struggling local businesses.
Angela Williams is chief officer of the group said she hopes their actions will encourage everyone to “try and work together to stay safe.”
She said: “We wanted to get a message out there to reinforce to visitors and the community the importance of staying safe.
“The community cares about you, but please care about the community in return.
“It’s quite a difficult balancing act because you want visitors to enjoy themselves and you want them to relax but we also want them to remember that the community is important.
“We hope providing the sanitiser stations will be one small step to really enforce that.”
