Target reached to pay for a new Screen Machine mobile cinema

A campaign to raise £1.49m for a new mobile cinema for the Highlands, islands and Argyll and Bute has reached its target.

The Screen Machine has been running for more than 25 years allowing people in small communities to experience going to the cinema.

There had been doubt about the future of the service after the previous vehicle had to be retired.

But Regional Screen Scotland has successfully raised enough money for a replacement which is expected to be delivered next June.

More than half the money for the new vehicle came from the Scottish government and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

The rest came from SSEN Transmission’s Community Fund and public donations, including £150,000 from the Anne Duchess of Winchester Fund.

Simon Drysdale, interim chief executive of Regional Screen Scotland, said the “colossal effort” from their supporters had been humbling.

He added: “Our next challenges are to ensure successful completion of the build and to set up a resilience fund for upgrades, maintenance and repairs to the new cinema.”

The fundraising campaign won some high-profile support.

In January last year it emerged Oscar-winner Dame Judi Dench had written to the then First Minister Humza Yousaf to highlight children’s concerns about the future of the service.

Pupils at Castlebay Community School in Barra asked for her help in raising awareness about the situation, and she passed on their worries to the first minister.

The Scottish government said at the time that Yousaf had received Dame Judi’s letter and would reply in due course.

Over the years, Screen Machine destinations have included Kinlochbervie in the north-west Highlands, Tobermory in Mull and Brodick in Arran.