Christmas card

The 2008 Christmas card from Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond, will celebrate the forthcoming Year of Homecoming and will raise funds for SCIAF and three other charities.

The colourful image on the card was provided by one of Scotland's leading painters, John Bellany. It shows a fishing boat returning to Macduff harbour which is situated in the First Minister's constituency of Banff and Buchan.

The First Minister said, "The Bellany image of fishing boats returning to Macduff harbour is ideal for taking us into the Homecoming year."

The painting itself will go on display in a number of places before being auctioned off next year. The money raised by the auction will be donated to SCIAF as well as the Aberdeen Cyrenians, Islamic Relief and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

Photo: Val Morgan and Percy Patrick from SCIAF meet Alex Salmond at the launch of the new Christmas card. 13th February 2009