Local fundraising efforts have stepped up in a bid to re-open the swimming pool and leisure centre in Kyle.
Lochalsh Leisure Centre has set a fundraising target of £40,000 to avert the threat of permanent closure.
The community-owned facility has been shut since the start of the year after an electrical fire caused substantial damage to the Douglas Park building.
Earlier this month the P5-P7 pupils from Kyle Primary School hosted an afternoon tea, with bric-a-brac stalls and musical entertainment, with all proceeds going to the leisure centre fund.
Their efforts helped to raise a fantastic sum of £1,327.
Speaking to the Free Press before their event, the pupils said they were all missing the local centre.
P7 pupil Bobby said: “It’s important that we keep the leisure centre because it helps to keep people healthy and helps them learn how to swim.
“We all go to swimming lessons there from school and we have been really missing it since it closed.”
Chrissie, another P7 pupil, added: “A lot of people who live here work on boats. If you fall off a boat, you need to be able to know how to swim.”
Emma, P6 – who along with friends entertained the audience with some tunes on their fiddles – said: “We want to help and support as best we can. We all hope the swimming pool will reopen soon.”
Other recent events to raise funds for the pool included three ‘non uniform Fridays’ at Kyleakin school which brought in £271, and ‘Pilates by the pool’ classes, run by local instructor Kate Hathway, which contributed £450.
Opened in 1992 to ensure children in Kyle and district could learn to swim at an early age, the pool is much-valued in the community.
A crowdfunding campaign – Let’s Pool Together – was recently launched to support the facility and so far it has raised just over £13,000 of the £40,000 target. The fundraiser can be accessed at www.justgiving.com/campaign/pooltogetherforlochalshleisure
The centre volunteer trustees are also asking former users to renew membership with highlifehighland.com