The organisers of a north-east maritime event have gained funding to train visitors in historic shipbuilding techniques.
The Scottish Traditional Boat Festival takes place in Portsoy and attracts thousands of people to the area every year.
The event team, led by Roger Goodyear, has received £50,000 funding to realise their vision of creating a premises in the village where visitors and residents can learn how to build their own vessels.
Social Investment Scotland (SIS), a national charity which provides business loans to community groups across Scotland, announced last night that Mr Goodyear’s team had won £50,000.
The money will be used to support both the festival’s harbour boat shed and a 25-bed bunkhouse, named ‘The Sail Loft’, which is due to open later this year.
It will allow volunteers to offer residential courses in both music and boat-building techniques and tuition.
Mr Goodyear said: “The demand for our traditional boat building is outstripping supply. So it’s of great importance for us to complete the boat shed, making this investment invaluable.
“Funding for the third sector can be difficult, but SIS understands the challenges that running a voluntary operation can bring.
“They have continued to offer advice and assistance and, while working with SIS to get the investment was a demanding exercise, they have been extremely good to work with.
“They are the lynchpin that made completing this work possible.”
The investment has arrived as organisers gear up for the start of this year’s festival, which runs this weekend.
Mr Goodyear added: “Quite remarkably, the whole organisation is primarily run by volunteers.
“I’ve worked and travelled all around the world, but I’ve never come across a community like Portsoy and the festival operation is a testament to that.”
