A ROYAL SEAL of approval was placed on a new sports centre in Moray on Monday when the Duke of Kent formally opened the £500,000 Cullen Sea School.
Created by the Three Harbours Association, the school has been created from an abandoned group of boat stores on the waterfront of the Moray town.
The association – which represents the harbours at Cullen, Portknockie and Findochty – has transformed the site into a new water sports centre where coastal rowing, canoeing and kayaking can be based alongside classes for people wishing to learn how to build their own boats.
On opening the centre in front of dozens of flag-waving local schoolchildren, the Queen’s cousin said: “I’d like to congratulate everyone who has worked so hard to make this project come to fruition and I wish it the greatest success.”
The Duke was conducted on a tour of the building by the chairman of the association, Ashley Mowat, and the Lord Lieutenant of Banffshire, Clare Russell.
Attending was the convener of Moray Council, Allan Wright, who said: “Everything at the sea school is top class and I am delighted that the council has been able to help in seeing it come to pass.”
Funding for the new school was obtained from the European Fisheries Fund and the Coastal Communities Fund. Ashley Mowat said: “We are grateful to Moray Council for gifting us the building, and to Seafield Estates for their support during our renovations.
“The next stage is to start getting our courses and projects up and running, and this will kick off with our first volunteer meeting on the November 7 at 11am.”