Beth's snowy night painting to raise funds for John O'Groats mill project

A Caithness teenager is using her artistic talents to help ambitious plans to transform the historic mill at John O'Groats into a community hub and visitor attraction.

Beth Nicolson, a sixth-year pupil at Wick High School, created an atmospheric painting of the mill complex on a snowy night and it is being raffled in aid of the John O'Groats Mill Trust.

Around £300 has been raised so far and the draw will be made on Sunday – which happens to be Beth's 18th birthday.

The chairman of the mill trust, Rognvald Brown, described her support as "humbling" and said it was a great boost to the efforts to bring the complex back into public use.

Beth, who lives at Staxigoe with parents Ian and Linda, began painting local landscapes during lockdown and has already sold some of her art. She works mostly in acrylics.

The mill painting is A3 size and comes already framed.

"I did it in the October holidays and it took about eight hours over two separate sessions," Beth explained. "The raffle is around the £300 mark just now.

"I do quite a bit and I sell them. I started in lockdown and I've probably made about £600 since then.

"I've done a few pets but my main thing is landscapes in Caithness."

Beth is studying Advanced Higher Art and Advanced Higher Maths as well as doing a National 5 in Environmental Science and she hopes to become a maths teacher.

There is still time to take part in the raffle, at £2 per entry, by messaging Beth on Facebook at @BethNicolsonArt or emailing beth.nicolson@wickhigh.org.uk

Mr Brown said he was delighted with Beth's generosity.

"It's a beautiful picture," he said. "Beth deserves full credit for her artistic flair – but more than that, she has taken the initiative and organised this entirely on her own.

"She is a young person who obviously values her home environment, using her talents to record some of the county's landmarks. Her ambition to actively support her Caithness heritage is humbling and the mill trust is indebted to her.

"With young folk like this in our county the future is surely bright."

The aim is to turn the B-listed building into a social, educational and cultural centre that will be a "must see" attraction for visitors. The project is expected to cost between £1.5 million and £2m.

"The whole Caithness community has been affected by the restrictions placed on all our lives," Mr Brown said. "John O'Groats Mill Trust is just one of many organisations having to cope.

"We have worked steadily at preparations for what we hope eventually will be a major asset for all. Zoom has been a real boon but it has been very frustrating not to meet as a group and not being able to welcome folk for open days.

"Nevertheless we are managing to make a little progress and we hope within the next few weeks to have professional development support. This, we think, will be a major help in spurring progress, particularly at this stage when the community hopes that the glimmer they see is definitely some light and freedom at the end of a long and dark Covid tunnel."

He added: "Especially in these times, the public-spirited deeds of a talented younger member of our community have come as a real boost.

"Beth has organised this entirely herself and deserves a lot of credit for the meticulous way she has done everything."

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