PICTURES: Burns Night event raises £30k for Highland mental health charity Mikeysline
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Homage was paid to the life of renowned poet Robert Burns at an event which raised £30,000 for a Highland mental health charity.
Mikeysline celebrated Burns Night with a traditional supper and entertainment at the Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness.
The charity, which marked its eighth anniversary last month, works to prevent suicide and reduce the stigma of mental health in the north of Scotland.
The Burns Night event included speakers Kenny Smith, Willie Cameron, Yvonne Crook, Liam Christie, Linda Birnie, Graham Hutcheon and Siobhan Mackenzie.
Mikeysline chief executive Emily Stokes thanked everyone who had helped to make the evening an success.
"It was a wonderful night with fantastic, food drink, speeches and entertainment, both from our key presenters, our wonderful band, Rythm N Reel, who kept people on their toes to the end and also from our younger supporters at Cheryl Heggie School of Dancing and the Gaelic Choir - Còisir na h-Òige from Inverness Royal Academy, who had written their own song and also sang some well known tunes," she said.
"However, the success of the evening came down to everyone who supported us in any way they could leading up to and on the evening.
"The function suite at the Kingsmills Hotel was full with all tickets sold and we were so lucky to have the fabulous support of so many who donated and helped us with prizes to raise funds.
"We are so grateful to everyone who helped to make this evening and fundraiser such a wonderful success with over £30,000 raised after expenses and have received some fabulous feedback already from guests attending on the night."
Mikeysline was founded in 2015 following the tragic deaths of good friends Martin Shaw and Michael Williamson within 48 hours of each other.
Since then, it has offered confidential, non-judgemental support to people of all ages dealing with mental health issues, emotional distress or thoughts of suicide in the Highlands and Moray.
It does this via a text line service at 07786 207755; WhatsApp at 01463 729000 and via Mikeysline; and live chat, Twitter and Messenger via its website.
