Highland Hospice sells 19% stake in Inverness Caley Jags
A charity that offers care to people dying from incurable disease has sold its stake in Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC.
The Highland Hospice was given half a million shares - a 19% holding worth hundreds of thousands of pounds - by an anonymous donor as a gift last year.
The hospice did not want to be involved in the running of the team, but welcomed the chance to raise funds.
Three local businessmen have bought the shares.
Alan Savage, Iain McGilvray and Dougie McGilvray have each purchased one third of the hospice's shareholding in the Scottish Championship club.
Dougie McGilvray said: "We are delighted to have assisted Highland Hospice in converting the shares into funds to support the wonderful care they offer the local community.
"It is our belief that ICTFC has to move forward both on and off the pitch and play a major part in the community.
"We wish to see good governance, transparency and leadership within the board and to make sure that all the fans and all the shareholders have a say in the way forward."
Mr McGilvray added: "At the next AGM it is our intention to propose to the shareholders two candidates for election to the board.
"We would like to thank all board members past and present for their contributions in taking the club forward and hope that the residents and businesses of the city of Inverness will continue to get behind the club and assist it in moving forward."
The 19% shareholding in the club was given as a gift to the Highland Hospice by an anonymous donor in January 2016 as part of the charity's appeal to fund the building of a new Hospice Inpatient Unit.
Forbes Duthie, chairman of the hospice's board of trustees, said: "We would like to thank the donor of these shares for their generosity in supporting our appeal and also the three buyers for their ongoing support of Highland Hospice.
"With the facilities in Inverness fully upgraded we intend to use these funds to underpin the continued growth of services to support all those in need of palliative care across the whole of the Highlands."