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Yesterday :: Business
 
Critical Report By Audit Scotland - Moray Council Failing To Make Sufficient Progress

Moray Council must accelerate plans to transform how it works and delivers services, demonstrating it can sustain the pace and momentum to change. In a new report, the Accounts Commission says the council has been told in repeated reviews over the past 18 years that while it has made improvements, these have not been fast enough.

Yesterday :: Business
Slipping Into Recession - GDP Quarterly National Accounts, UK October To December 2023

UK gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated to have fallen by an unrevised 0.3% in Quarter 4 (Oct to Dec) 2023, following an unrevised fall of 0.1% in the previous quarter. The economy decreased for two consecutive quarters, while GDP for 2023 as a whole is estimated to have increased by an unrevised 0.1% compared with 2022.

Yesterday :: Business
New Housing Bill Published - Long Term Rent Controls For Private Tenancies

New legislation which aims to keep people in their homes and help prevent homelessness has been published. The Housing (Scotland) Bill will introduce an ‘ask and act' duty on social landlords and bodies, such as health boards and the police, to ask about a person's housing situation and act to avoid them becoming homeless wherever possible.

Yesterday :: Business
 
National Chef Backs Food Payment Push

Superchef Gary Maclean has urged people to check whether they may be newly-qualified for a benefit which helps with the cost of buying healthy food, milk and first infant formula. Best Start Foods is up to £39.60 via a pre-paid chip and pin card every four weeks to spend on food from pregnancy until a child turns three.

Yesterday :: Business
 
Visit Scotland To Close All 25 Visitor Centres By 2026 - Statement By Lord Thurso

Statement By Lord Thurso, VisitScotland Chair. I have been Chair of VisitScotland for eight years and in that period we've seen huge changes to the way people access their travel information, not to mention advances in technology and shifts in the economic landscape.

Yesterday :: Business
 
Labour Market Outlook Q2 2024 - Happy 25th Birthday To The Minimum Wage

This year's minimum wage uprating is large: roughly 1.6 million workers stand to benefit directly on 1 April when the adult rate rises to £11.44 - giving a cash increase of 9.8 per cent and a real-terms increase of 7.8 per cent. These are the third largest annual increases in the minimum wage's history.

Yesterday :: Business
 
Public Attitudes To The NHS And Social Care

A 2023 study on the British public's satisfaction with the NHS and social care services, and their views on NHS priorities, principles and funding from The Kings Fund. This report draws upon responses to the latest British Social Attitudes survey to explore public satisfaction with the NHS and social care.

Yesterday :: Business
 
The Minimum Wage Is The Single Most Successful Economic Policy In A Generation, And Has Boosted The Wages Of Millions Of Britain's Lowest Earners By £6,000 A Year

The introduction of the minimum wage in the UK in 1999 is the single most successful economic policy in a generation, raising the pay of the nation's lowest paid workers by £6,000 a year compared to their earnings simply rising in line with typical wages, according to new Resolution Foundation analysis published today (Wednesday). Happy 25th birthday to the minimum wage examines how the introduction of the minimum wage in April 1999 has affected low-paid workers in the UK over the past 25 years.

Yesterday :: Business
 
Happy New Tax Year - Six Big Changes To Pay, Tax And Benefit Policy

The beginning of April brings a new tax year, and a flurry of tax, benefit and pay policy changes coming into effect. Benefit levels are finally returning to their pre-pandemic levels after a difficult few years.

27/3/2024 :: Sutherland
 
Sutherland Spaceport As Construction Continues And New Patent Agreed

Orbex, the only UK owned orbital launch services and rocket manufacturing company, has successfully patented its REFLIGHT reusable rocket technology following patent approval in several European markets as well as the United States. This protection was based on the patent grant by the European Patent Office.

27/3/2024 :: Business
 
Wick Public Service Obligation Celebrates Successful Second Year Subsidising Wick Aberdeen Flights

The Highland Council is delighted to confirm a highly successful second year for Public Service Obligation (PSO) flights between Wick and Aberdeen. The period from April 2023 to March 2024 has seen a substantial increase in passenger numbers, with several months seeing over 1,000 passengers using the service, and overall the service has seen year on year growth of 25%.

27/3/2024 :: Community
 
Pupils Plant Trees To Improve Wick Riverside

Recently pupils and leaders from Step Forward Wick Youth had the opportunity to help out in our local community. Along with Wick Development Trust and The Countryside Rangers they managed to plant 300 trees along the Wick Riverside to help provide some woodland areas along the riverside, giving the local wildlife shelter and a food source too.

26/3/2024 :: Sutherland
 
Gairloch Open New Public Amenities And Motorhome Waste Disposal

A new high-quality toilet facility to help alleviate pressures at Gairloch has now opened. The project was brought to fruition by a community partnership driven by Gairloch Area Development Ltd, supported by The Highland Council and Visit Scotland.

25/3/2024 :: Community
 
Fan Of Black Liquorice? Beware Of Its Dark Side − It Can Be Dangerous For Your Health

Black liquorice may look and taste like an innocent treat, but this candy has a dark side. On 23 September 2020, doctors reported that black liquorice was the culprit in the death of a 54-year-old man in Massachusetts.

24/3/2024 :: Coming Events
 
Mon, 22 Apr 11:00am - Otago Exercise Class

Monday commencing 22 April See poster..

20/3/2024 :: Community
 
Support For Family Mental Health - Funding for perinatal and infant services

Charities providing support to pregnant women, new mums and their families are to share £1.5 million expand and enhance their mental health and wellbeing services. It has been estimated that up to 20% of mums and up to 10% of dads are affected by poor mental health in the perinatal period.

18/3/2024 :: Sutherland
 
Funding To Help Dornoch Museum Extension To Be More Green

A community project to extend a museum in Dornoch has been able to enhance its environmental credentials after securing a £30,157 investment from HIE. The £560,000 project to extend the Historylinks Museum is being taken forward by Dornoch Heritage SCIO, the community group that operates the attraction.

17/3/2024 :: Community
 
The Flight Path to Conservation: St John's Pool's Journey from Field to Bird Reserve

Paul Castle reflects on a remarkable journey and the difference conservation volunteering makes. St John's Pool Bird Reserve began life in 1988 as a damp patch in the corner of a field at the side of St.

16/3/2024 :: Coming Events
 
Sat, 27 Jul 9:00pm - Silver Stirling On Gala Night At Harpers, Wick

Come along to Harpers Bar on Gala night 27th July, for a fantastic night of music and entertainment with Stirling Silver..

16/3/2024 :: Coming Events
 
Sat, 3 Aug 9:00pm - The Robbie Pie Band

Come along to Harpers on bonfire night 3rd August, to hear the fantastic Robbie Pie Band. Not to be missed!.

16/3/2024 :: Arts
 
Handbell Concert For All - Saturday 16 March

The Assembly Rooms will be the venue for the Scottish Spring Rally of the Handbell Ringers of Great Britain (HRGB). Concert 4.00 - 4.40pm Handbell Ringers from across the country are coming to WICK for a Spring Rally.

15/3/2024 :: Sutherland
 
Gargask Primary School To Close Highlighting Highland Population Decline In Remote Rural Areas

On 14 March, the Highland Council took the decision to permanently close Gergask Primary School. All school closures in Scotland must be ratified by Scottish Ministers.

14/3/2024 :: Sutherland
 
TV Repair Contract Scams - Trading Standards Report

A woman in her 80s was cold called this week and told that she was due to pay £189 as a final instalment for a TV repair contract. The woman was unsure which company was calling but was worried that she owed them money, so agreed to provide her card details and make the payment.

12/3/2024 :: Sutherland
 
The next pandemic? It's already here for Earth’s wildlife

I am a conservation biologist who studies emerging infectious diseases. When people ask me what I think the next pandemic will be I often say that we are in the midst of one - it's just afflicting a great many species more than ours.

10/3/2024 :: Community
 
Deer Species of the Highlands - An overview of Scottish Antlers

Nestled within the heather covered hills and wooded glens of the Scottish Highlands, a diverse array of deer species roam. This blog aims to illuminate you on the different types of deer inhabiting this region and uncovers which ones are truly indigenous.

9/3/2024 :: Community
Community Services Events Pop-up In Caithness

NHS Highland is to host a series of community pop-up hubs within Caithness to highlight an array of community services available from a wealth of different organisations. Visitors will have the opportunity to find out about community and health services, such as new frailty services, with the chance to try out some simple chair-based exercises designed to help prevent falls and support wellbeing.

7/3/2024 :: Sutherland
 
Scotrail Supports Scottish Apprenticeship Week With New Recruits

ScotRail is showing its support for Scottish Apprenticeship Week by announcing more apprenticeship opportunities for young people in Scotland and championing the achievements of those already on an early careers' pathway within the train operator. New apprenticeships will be created to provide valuable employment and training for young people across Scotland, with positions available in sectors ranging from engineering and administration to customer service.

6/3/2024 :: Sutherland
 
Glasgow's Financial, Drink And Arts Sectors In The Spotlight

Apprenticeships, spirits and culture were on the agenda as UK Government Minister for Scotland John Lamont embarked on a series of stakeholder engagements. To mark the start of Scottish Apprenticeship Week (Monday March 4, 2024), Minister Lamont dropped in to multinational financial corporation JPMorgan Chase & Co in Glasgow to meet with apprentices and hear about the firm's work.

6/3/2024 :: Sutherland
 
Community Right To Buy - Review Of Powers Of Communities To Acquire Land Or Buildings

A review of Community Rights to Buy will begin this summer to look at how effective current powers are. Community Right to Buy has now been in use for 20 years.

5/3/2024 :: Sutherland
 
More Highland School Leavers Than Ever Before Moving Into A Positive Destination

A record number 95.3% of Highland school leavers in the last year have gone into a positive destination including employment, higher education, further education, training, personal skills development and voluntary work. Education Chair, Cllr John Finlayson said: "I am delighted that this year we have more young people than ever before leaving school into a positive destination.

4/3/2024 :: Coming Events
 
Fri, 29 Mar 7:30pm - Call Me Mister Bullfinch - George Gunn

A moved reading of George Gunn's new work. The story of Call Me Mister Bullfinch is this: on 25th of August, 1942, a Short Sunderland Flying Boat crashed into a hillside in Caithness.

4/3/2024 :: Community
 
Funding Opportunities From Argyle and Bute Open To All

Argyle and Bute council publish a monthly funding newsletter. Anyone in Scotland can sign up to get it.

4/3/2024 :: Arts
 
Anthropocine - The Human Epoch

A cinematic meditation on humanity's massive reengineering of the planet, ANTHROPOCENE: The Human Epoch is a four years in the making feature documentary film following the research of an international body of scientists, the Anthropocene Working Group. From concrete seawalls in China, to the biggest terrestrial machines ever built in Germany, to psychedelic potash mines in Russia's Ural Mountains, to metal festivals in the closed city of Norilsk, to the devastated Great Barrier Reef in Australia and surreal lithium evaporation ponds in the Atacama desert.

4/3/2024 :: Community
New Guidance For Charities Facing Decisions About Donations

Today (Monday 4 March 2024), the Charity Commission has published new guidance to help charities when deciding whether to accept, refuse or return a donation. Applies in England and Wales but makes sense for Scotland also.

2/3/2024 :: Coming Events
 
Sat, 6 Apr 7:00pm - Bingo for Fun

Bingo is back at Spittal Village Hall. £2 for Under 16’s.

29/2/2024 :: Community
 
UHI and partners sign up to Scottish LGBTI+ Rainbow Mark during LGBT History Month

The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) and eight partners have signed up to The Scottish LGBTI+ Rainbow Mark during LGBT History Month to support inclusive social spaces across the Highlands and Islands, Moray and Perthshire. The Scottish LGBTI+ Rainbow Mark (The Rainbow Mark) was developed with LGBTI+ people.

29/2/2024 :: Community
 
Keep Water Beads Away From Young Children

With their bright colours and squishy feel, water beads are especially appealing to young children. When dry, water beads are tiny and can easily be swallowed without detection.