Inverness Courier's happier highlights of 2023: April
Some media may focus on doom and gloom but we like to share positive stories about people in our communities.
Here's a selection from April:
A new community-run shop specialising in local produce and crafts has opened for business in Invermoriston.
Local volunteers have set up the Invermoriston Community Shop, which will be run by two paid managers who live in the local area and a team of volunteers who will help out daily.
A gruelling challenge to row 71 miles 'non-stop' has been successfully completed by a Nairn man after he battled through the pain barrier over 13 draining hours.
Darren Munro (42) began his Herculean charity effort on an rowing machine at Pure Gym in Inverness at 4.45am on Friday in a bid to raise vital funds to help a paralysed friend return home after a horror accident on holiday.
And just after 6pm he finally hit his 71-mile target – the equivalent distance of a lap of each of the world’s Formula 1 tracks on the 2022 calendar.
Amid the clatter of keys of his favourite typewriter, James Henderson reveals an unusual ambition for a teenager growing up in the digital age.
The 16-year-old of Beauly is on a mission to keep typewriters alive.
"It is a bit of an addiction," he admitted. "I would love to have typewriter salesman on my CV!"
Researchers at a new centre in Inverness have spoken about their ground-breaking work in life sciences to Princess Anne.
The Princess Royal was given a tour of the £9.5 million Life Sciences Innovation Centre at Inverness Campus during a visit to officially open the building.
Celebrations to mark the 10th anniversary of a Highland charity to champion young people with learning disabilities have raised £12,000.
The Elsie Normington Foundation marked the milestone with a dinner and dancing at the Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness.
- WATCH: Inverness mum turns to singing to fight mental health struggles after filming of new BBC show
AN INVERNESS mum hit the right note after taking part to a new BBC show in a bid to fight back her mental health struggles.
Stephanie Hirst (27), who is originally from Invergordon, said she found the confidence to sing after filming for the new two-part show Scotland Sings.
A single mum, Ms Hirst has been suffering from agoraphobia and severe anxiety for years but she decided to face her fears and applied to be part of the TV programme.
