Visitors to an Inverness youth hostel will soon be welcomed by a new mural designed by a local school girl.
Reanne MacRae’s Nessie-inspired design was selected from several entries created by pupils at Milburn Academy, which neighbours the Inverness Youth Hostel.
The 15-year-old’s mural will run from the car park to the hostel’s reception, and will be seen by thousands of visitors from around the world.
Gavin Maclean, rector at the school, said: “This session, Millburn Academy has welcomed the opportunity to further develop the excellent relationship we have enjoyed with Inverness Youth Hostel.
“The live process of designing and formally presenting their ideas has provided pupils with an excellent opportunity not only to develop their creative skills, but also their communication and presentation skills.
“Our pupils have enjoyed and benefited tremendously from the opportunity to work with one of our community partners on a live project, to work to a creative design brief, and present and ultimately complete the project at Inverness Youth Hostel.
“The chosen design clearly reflected a multicultural approach to welcoming tourism to the Highlands.”
The pupils have now commenced the initial sketching and blocking out of the winning mural and will make a start on the painting in the coming weeks.
As a reward for her efforts, Reanne has won a stay at any Scottish Youth Hostel Association hostel for her family.
John Jones, Inverness Youth Hostel manager, said: “The standard of the designs was very high and showed considerable artistic ability in the young people of the area, as well as a great deal of pride and a strong sense of identity.
“Inverness Youth Hostel staff were tasked with passing a shortlist of six on to SYHA’s chief executive, Keith Legge, and deputy chief executive, Margo Paterson, for the final decision.
“However, the designs were so good we sent nine shortlisted entries.
“We were particularly impressed with Reanne MacRae’s fantastic design, as it incorporated ‘Welcome’ into the design in many different languages.
“That reflected the draw of the city to many different nationalities together with the youth hostel’s diverse customer base, as well as [highlighting] the local and national legend that is ‘Nessie’.”