Chronic pain sufferers from across Moray have celebrated the year of their support group being up and running.
Members of Affa Sair first came together on the internet a year ago, and bonded while sharing the details of their individual plights.
Earlier this year, they gathered in person for the first time when they launched what have become regular meeting sessions at Moray College, sharing advice and comforting each other.
More than 20 members recently attended a shindig at the college and toasted the anniversary of Affa Sair.
Founding member Chris Bridgeford reflected on the strides the group had made in securing better care for the Moray residents whose conditions cause them to suffer daily bouts of agony.
Mr Bridgeford said the group’s greatest achievement was securing the return of a pain clinic to Elgin’s Dr Gray’s Hospital – which spares sufferers from making excruciating trips to Aberdeen for treatment.
He added: “We now have 263 members of our group on Facebook, from all over Moray, which shows how badly we needed that pain clinic at Dr Gray’s.
“It has made a big difference, people are so relieved they no longer have the pain of that journey to Aberdeen.
“But we haven’t finished campaigning, and our next effort is to ensure that follow-up appointments are tracked by the Scottish Government and arranged as quickly as possible.”
During the bash, members passed around healing bath salts and chatted about different ways of soothing their discomfort.
Every time Affa Sair meet at Moray College they are joined by a specialist speaker who offers tips into treating and living with their problems.
Patients campaigned throughout last year for a specialist treatment centre at Dr Gray’s Hospital, after the service was withdrawn in 2011.
They were delighted in February when NHS Grampian opened the new clinic in Elgin.