Princess Anne Visits Golspie

PRINCESS Anne visited The Gatehouse Centre and the Cambusavie Unit at Golspie on Wednesday 9th September 2009, unveiling an ambitious glass artwork created by service users of The Gatehouse – a facility for Sutherland people recovering from mental illness run by the National Schizophrenia Fellowship (Scotland).

Clinical nurse manager Lorraine Coe introduces Princess Anne to Jenny Lindsay, Jean Murray and Kay Gordon.

On arriving at the hospital by helicopter, the Princess was greeted by the Lord Lieutenant for Sutherland, Dr Monica Main. She was also introduced to Jennifer Fraser, manager of the Gatehouse Centre, and senior representatives from the NSF (Scotland) National Office in Edinburgh, together with the artists and service users' who completed the glass project.

The Sutherland Schools Pipe Band led Princess Anne to the Cambusavie Unit, where she was introduced to members of staff and the local management team.

She was taken to the occupational therapy and physiotherapy department where she talked to the intermediate care team about the new outreach project, which involves taking some of the services they provide in the hospital out into the community.

The Princess returned to the day room at the Cambusavie Unit, where she was introduced to staff from the unit, local councillors and Highland Council staff.

The glass project was laid out in the day room, covered with a saltire, which the Princess removed to reveal the work of art. She was presented with a posy by Nicki Hughes, who was one of the artists.

Princess Anne signed the unit's visitors' book before meeting members of the pipe band, who gave her a rugby shirt and played her a selection of tunes.

Dr Main said: "It was a great honour to welcome the Princess Royal to Sutherland to highlight the work of The Gatehouse, the new outreach facility from the Cambusavie Unit and to celebrate with the pipe band their 25th anniversary."