2 July 2009

Sannie O'Brien Memorial Banger Derby Photos
Photographer Angus Mackay has loaded up photos of last Sunday's Banger Derby.

Thrumster Mini Gala 3 - 5 July
Thrumster Hall continue with their fundraising activities this weekend by staging a fancy dress Rounders Competition on Friday evening starting at 6.30pm. Top prize is £25.00, a BBQ and refreshments will follow. On Saturday afternoon at 2pm. Willie Mackay Oldhall, will compere a Mini Highland Games, there will also be a Pet Show, Face painting, a vintage tractor display, fun activities, baking stalls and teas. At 7pm Prize Bingo will be held in the hall with a raffle and refreshments, Then on Sunday evening at 7pm a Quiz takes place in the village hall where again every one is wellcome to join in.

30 June 2009

Wick Keeps The Events Coming - All Next Week Is Pipe Band Week
This years Pipe Band Week has been set to run from Saturday 4th July 2009 to Saturday 11th July 2009. Check the What's On for details of all the events running every day. Apart from wick Pipe Band Week.  July is packed with events in Caithness and also next weekend in Wick is the Telford Weekend

29 June 2009

Caithness.org Stats Heading For The Stratosphere
As Caithness.org has expanded  in all directions we rarely have time to bother counting the stats up.  But Sunday 28th June saw a phenomenal rise as visitors browsed the Wick Harbourfest, Canisbay Show and Lybster Gala photos.
The stats for one day, yesterday 28th June 2009 exceeded our whole year for 2002.
28 June 2009
Hits 1,422,214  Pages Viewed 546,015 Visitors 32,981
12 Months to 28 June 2009
Hits 301,802,364  Pages Viewed 79,459,964  Visitors 10,959,390
The annual trend on Caithness.org is for July and August to be the really big months for traffic flows so it will be interesting to watch as more gala photos flow on to the site.  Interesting facts on the stats are that the Forum/Message Boards now have over 2 million visitors a year viewing almost 29 million pages.  The Arts section had over 6 million page views and the Business Index had over 12 million page views.  The What's On section had almost 14 million page views.
So whether its advertising events in the What's On or selling items in the Classified section, cars etc or getting your business noticed Caithness.org is the place to be.  We still offer many free services for voluntary groups and free advertising for individuals selling a whole range of items. Businesses get free pages in the Caithness.org Business Index.  Google has over 24,000 listings for Caithness.org  According to Ranking.com Caithness.org has over 12,000 sites linking to us.  They also now rank us as number 127,360 in the world.  May not seem much but we were 558,331 in October last year so the improvement is huge. Since there are by some estimates nearly 200 million web sites in the world we think our numbering is great (although we have no way of verifying their stats)  We are ranked as 127th in the Travel/Destination rankings section  and that we are really pleased about - great news for our tourism industry.  For those of you who have forgotten how we used to look Go Here to view older front pages stored in the Way Back Machine.

Songs From Mamma Mia - Tonights concert At Thurso High
The Caithness and North Sutherland Children's Choir are rehearsing songs from Mamma Mia for this years concert. Thurso High School Choir, The Parents Choir, and various junior vocal soloists will be joining them for an evening of entertainment on Monday 29 June at 7pm, Thurso High School. Tickets can be purchased from The Highland Hospice (Thurso branch) - £3 adult, £2 concessions.

28 June 2009

Wick Harbourfest - Saturday's Photos................More Photos On Monday
169 - 180                      181 - 192

121 - 132                   133 - 144                          145 - 156                   157 - 168

85 - 96                                        97 - 108                               109 - 120

37 - 48                       49 - 60                       61 - 72                       73 - 84

1 - 12                                  13 - 24                                     25 - 36

Wick Harbourfest
Friday Evening - Herring Queen Ceremonies
49 - 60                   61 - 64

1 - 12                         13 - 24                      25 - 36                        37 - 48

Friday Evening's ceremonies for the Herring Queen a re-enactment of the former Herring Queen ceremonies in Wick that ceased to be replaced many years later by the crowning of the Wick Gala Queen.  Friday evening saw the crowning with a newly made replica of the Herring Queen crown copied from the one now in the Wick Heritage centre.  Ray Richard (formerly Mackay) performed the ceremony crowning Lynsey Bremner 60 years after she herself was crowned.
Herring Queens From Earlier Days

Wick Harbourfest Photos In The Forum
A few Harbourfest photos are in the forum.  Many more coming here shortly..............

Lybster Gala 2009
25 - 36                       37 - 48                       49 - 60          61 - 72 End 75

27 June 2009

First Lybster Gala Photos

26 June 2009

HarbourFest Entry Charges
In response to a question from the Groat regarding the entry charges for the HarbourFest this year, Gordon Doull, HarbourFest Chairman said “The previous event was funded by a number of Government agencies, and so the costs of the event were met by grants and we were able to offer free admission. However, since then, the strategic priorities of the agencies have changed and their focus has tightened. Consequently, this source of funding is no longer available to us.

Wick Harbour Fest boat trips - Saturday 27th June 10.00am - 6.00pm
Enjoy a short 20 minute cruise of Wick harbour, Wick bay, local bird colony and caves. All seats £8. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult (1 adult per group is ok). Children should be 4+ (they must fit into our available lifejackets). Lifejackets and waterproofs provided. To book your seat whilst at the festival just visit our booking office next to the Coastguard Station. For today only, minimum numbers do not apply. All trips are weather and sea conditions permitting. Tel 01955 609200
Sunday 28th June 1.00pm - 5.00pm
Wick Harbour Fest boat trips to see the departing fleet - As above Enjoy a short 20 minute cruise of Wick harbour, Wick bay as boats leave the harbour,  All seats £8....................

22 June 2009

Galas/Shows Etc Dates To Remember
Lybster Gala - 27TH JUNE UNTIL 4TH JULY
Castletown Gala 2009 - Sat 4th July - Sat 11 July 2009
Latheron Show - Sat 11th July
2009 Thrumster Mini Gala - Fri 3 Sat 4 & Sun 5th July Mini Gala
Wick Gala Week - 25th July - 1 August 2009
Caithness County Show - 17th and 18th July 2009
Halkirk Highland Games - 25th July 2009
Thurso Gala 2009 - 1st-9th August 2009 - Thurso Town Improvements Association 60th Gala
Check the What's On regularly for new events

TUC Occupational Health and Safety Awards
Award For Hugh Gunn, Social Work, Wick , (UNISON)
Eight members of staff with The Highland Council, who represent their trade union colleagues in the workplace, have gained their TUC Occupational Health and Safety Diploma, through a health and safety training scheme sponsored by the Council and the TUC in association with Stow College, Glasgow. The diploma represents the completion of 55 days of training at the college and in the workplace and will help extend the promotion of health, safety and wellbeing in the workplace.
 

Council Safety Initiative Reduces Deaths On The Roads
A road safety initiative aimed at young drivers in the Highlands is helping to assist in the reduction of deaths and serious injuries throughout the area. The Highland Council's Pass Plus scheme for young drivers aged 17 - 25 years was introduced in 2002. Figures recently produced by the Council have shown that since 2005, Pass Plus has seen a significant increase in the number of people applying for the scheme with 704 young drivers completing the scheme. This has corresponded with a downward trend in the number of injury accidents involving young drivers. In 1998, 275 young drivers were involved in injury accidents while in 2008, the corresponding figure was 145. In the corresponding period the number of fatal accidents involving young drivers has fallen from 12 in 1998 to 6 in 2008.

500th Request For Business Assistance
The Business information and advice service for the Highland and Moray Councils which is delivered by The Highland Council's Enterprise Trust, Highland Opportunity Limited, has just reached its first major milestone today with at total of 500 requests for advice and assistance having been received since the service started on 1st April. Enquiries to Business Gateway have come via the national website www.bgateway.com and the national telephone number 0845 609 6611 and 30% of enquiries have come from people visiting the walk-in shops in Inverness and Elgin where business advisers are on hand to answer queries and provide information. Of the 500 enquires, 63% are new business start up enquiries and 37% are queries from existing businesses.
Where Can You Get Help With your business or start-up - Locally try these places -
Wick Enterprise Centre  Highlands And Islands Enterprise

Banger Derby At Hill O Many Stanes - Sunday 28th June - 1.00pm - 5.00pm
Already 48 BANGERS have entered for the second annual Sanny O'Brien memorial Banger Car Racing Derby to be held this SUNDAY 28TH JUNE at The Hill O' Many Stanes, Hill of Clyth, Lybster. Principal organiser this year is Duncan O'Brien from Staxigoe who has been delighted so far with the response and entries. Last years winner, Alan O'Brien, will be taking part and there will be a separate ladies only race. A collection for charity will be held during the afternoon. Racing starts at 1 p.m. Outwith Caithness, competitors have entered from as far away as Brora, Lairg, Inverness, Glasgow and Ireland. Once again, heading the commentary team is Willie Mackay, Oldhall, Watten assisted by his wife Glynis who has gathered lots of information on the drivers and cars to keep the spectators informed throughout the racing. Light refreshments will be available on site.