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Paper launches £1m appeal for children’s ward

A twice-weekly paper has launched an ambitious £1m fundraising appeal as it bids to provide a new children’s ward at a hospital.

The Inverness Courier has started its largest ever fundraising campaign in partnership with the charitable ARCHIE Foundation to transform facilities for children at Raigmore Hospital in the city.

Improvements planned at the hospital include bedside accommodation to enable parents to sleep next to their child, improved play areas, a new assessment area and high dependency unit, and the provision of specialist equipment.

The paper aims to raise the money over two years and the campaign was launched at an event for 150 guests, where Courier editor Robert Taylor spoke about the need for better facilities.

He said: “The care currently provided is second to none but it is a ward with children on it, not a children’s ward.

“Our aim is to make the department a centre of excellence with facilities on a par with or better than any in Scotland.

“As well as the best equipment, we intend to make it easier for parents to stay with their children and provide an environment in which youngsters feel comfortable, which in turn can help their recovery.”

A number of leading business figures in the Highlands have already pledged their support and a series of major fundraising events are planned, including a charity football match between local rivals Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Ross County.