"Ambassadors for independence" will go from house to house across Scotland in a bid to persuade people to vote yes in the SNP's long-awaited referendum.

Every SNP party member from grassroots level upwards is being asked to go "door by door, street by street" in an "unprecedented" campaign in the history of Scottish politics.

Armed with wristbands and leaflets emblazoned with the slogans "Scotland - It's starting" and  "Your Scotland Your Future", they will try to convince everyone to vote for independence.

Campaign chief Angus Robertson set out his road map for independence at a special session on the final day of the SNP conference in Inverness.

He also used his speech to confirm rumours of a near £1m donation from the late national poet, Edwin Morgan, to support the party's referendum campaign - though a date has still not been set for the controversial vote.

Addressing the party faithful on Sunday afternoon, Mr Robertson acknowledged that consultations had made it clear that SNP members were "raring to get on with the campaign".

He said: "All of us joined the Scottish National Party to help deliver independence for Scotland.

"Current circumstances mean that we are the best placed generation in the 80 year history of the SNP...to deliver this historic, exciting and transformative change for our country."

The SNP Westminster leader and Moray MP went on: "Our local elected representatives and all members will reach out within our communities, door by door, street by street in the most unprecedented campaign of mobilisation and communication by the SNP and in the history of Scottish politics."

Referring to recent polls showing that people who previously opposed independence now support it or are undecided, he claimed: "This shows that many voters are in listening mode. All feedback that we have from around the country indicates that the mood of the public is interested in independence.

"This is why I firmly believe that the majority of people in Scotland want to be persuaded to vote for independence.

"Our independence campaign starts now. It’s starting.....We will leave nothing to chance."

He described the referendum as both the "biggest ever challenge" and also the "biggest opportunity" for modern Scotland.

Mr Robertson confirmed that former makar, Mr Morgan, has left the SNP £918,000, which the party is ring-fencing for its referendum campaign.

The donation was earlier described by First Minister Alex Salmond as "transformational".

Meanwhile Finance Secretary John Swinney used his closing speech at the conference to claim that Scotland would be the sixth-wealthiest country in the world if it stopped "subsidising the rest of the UK".

He said: "As the global economy recovers from recession all countries run a deficit, but the UK deficit is higher than that in Scotland.

"In four out of the last five years Scotland has run a budget surplus. The UK was in deficit in each of these years. Scotland contributes more to the UK in tax revenue than we get back in the UK public spending.

"Scotland is subsidising the rest of the UK. Our country pays her way."

He added: "The figures show that with a geographical share of our offshore resources Scotland would be the sixth-wealthiest country in the world - ten places ahead of the UK at 16th."