First
Stroma Bus Tour 1950
COUNCIL COMMITTED TO
RETAINING SOCIAL WORKERS IN HIGHLAND
An information day is being held in Inverness on Friday 4th February,
which aims to attract people into, and further develop the careers of
those already in, Social Work employment in the Highlands. People
who are already working in social work are invited to attend and those
with relevant degrees in psychology or social services who may have taken
a career break to raise families or might consider re-training in social
work are welcome. Anyone interested can drop in at Hedgefield Management
Centre, Culduthel Road in Inverness, at any time between 11am to 2pm on
Friday 4th February.
Scots NHS dentistry about to 'collapse'
- Scotsman
Young Male Cat Needs New Home - Can You Give Him One
He
is a young cat who we have just neutered and he is so friendly and just
wants attention. Contact Cats Protection in Caithness if you can offer a
home for him.
30 January 2005
Fire
Action Group Questions Statements In The Review
Group Asks Public To Make Representation On the Consultation Very Soon
In the near future if the Highlands and Islands Fire Brigade get their way
there is the possibility of loss of properties and fatalities occurring in
a village in Caithness because of the ridiculous decision to downgrade the
local fire unit. Lybster Fire crew have been informed that their
services in attending house and property fires are no longer needed due to
an Integrated Risk Management Plan which is due to come into effect on the
31st March.
28 January 2005
Geese Visit Caithness.org
Oddly we note from an
earlier web page that geese visited us on 28 January 2003.
Have they got it in their diary to give us a call every two years.
It will be interesting to see if they call round next year at the same
time or leave it until 2007. Without the web page we would not have
noticed the almost two years to the day gap.
Calling Highland Craft Makers -
Exhibition Opportunity
Craft makers are wanted to participate in an exhibition, particularly in
jewellery, basket making, casting (metal, glass) and stone. Fees
will be paid for successful applicants to supply material for the
exhibition and for a handling exhibition but possibly the most significant
part will be the unwritten possibilities of at least a year of publicity
as the exhibition moves around, newspaper and web coverage etc.
Application deadline 14 February. Sponsored by Highland Council and
The Scottish Arts Council.
Caithness Cultural Trust - A Ceilidh Sponsored By "Old Pulteney"
A ceilidh in Mackays Hotel, Wick at 7.30pm - 11.30pm on Friday 4th
February. Local Bands, singers, dancing, poetry and more. Part
of the proceeds will go to eh Tsunami DEC Fund. Tickets £7
Contact K Spruce, Secretary, for tickets tel 01955 604068
GIBSON HITS OUT AT 'IRRESPONSIBLE LAND OWNERS'
Highlands and Islands MSP Rob Gibson has
welcomed the constructive and collaborative approach of the participants
in the Responsible Deer Management consultation where the aim is to
produce a framework on how to deal with Scotland's burgeoning deer
population. Following the passage of the Nature conservation Act last
summer Mr Gibson who has worked closely with Non-Governmental
Organizations, responsible estate owners and with colleagues in the
Environment and Rural Development Committee in this consultation
says that real and sustainable progress is being made..
COUNCIL TO PREPARE A RENEWABLE ENERGY
STRATEGY FOR THE HIGHLANDS
At the Planning, Development, Europe and Tourism Committee,
members selected a small group of Councillors who, working closely
with officers and outside organisations, will draft a comprehensive
renewable energy strategy which could see the Highlands becoming a
world class renewable centre of excellence. The draft will be
subject to full discussion and hopefully agreed at Committee in
August 2005.
COUNCIL
TO SEEK EXECUTIVE FUNDING FOR STORM REPAIRS
The Highland Council is to seek support from the Scottish Executive to
repair storm and flood damage to property, roads, bridges, car parks and
harbours caused by the severe weather experienced on 11/12 January.
The Council is required to meet the first £500,000 of the repair bill but,
once a full assessment is made of the damage, it will apply to the
Scottish Executive for 85% funding towards the cost of emergency repairs.
Members of the Transport Environmental and Community Services were told
that the storm damage was extensive, especially in the West Highlands,
most notably in Skye and Lochalsh, Wester Ross and Lochaber. Flooding
occurred at Caol, Inverness and Thurso, while there was damage to harbours
at Gairloch, Kinlochbervie and Uig.
Fudge - A Fluffy Ball That Likes To Sleep
Message
Board Suggestion Leads To Top Band Coming To Caithness - Blues N Trouble
The message board suggestion to have a great band come to Caithness seems
to have paid off and posters are enthusiastically awaiting the arrival at
Skinandis in Thurso of
Blues N Trouble on
19 March.
The band have many albums behind them
and Indie chart success. they have been in
Caithness before but not for many years. The return looks like being
a huge success as their reputation has built massively since they last
played the county.
Thrumster Pupils Send Help To Tsunami Victims
Thrumster
Primary School and Nursery have gathered toiletries and other items
which will be passed to Blythswood who will arrange for these items to
be forwarded to the victims of the Tsunami disaster. Pupils also
collected some money to help with the transport costs. Pupils would like
to thank everyone for their support.
E Caithness Cooncillors Agenda For 31 January In Thurso Town Hall
In addition to the regular monitoring and financial reports
councillors will look at the Highland 2007 Year Of Culture opportunities
for local groups to obtain additional funding for events. Other agenda
items include a possible new bylaw to prohibit drinking alcohol in public
places in Wick and Thurso, agreeing next years grants to certain voluntary
organisations, new funding arrrangements for the Longberry Centre that
supplies services for people with Alzheimers, Update on the Thurso Town
Hall - Caithness Horizons project.
Fire Action Group - Latheron
Lybster And Clyth - Fighting Another Rural Downgrading
This sub group of the community council has been looking at the problem of
the potential downgrading of the Lybster Fire Unit. Since December 2003
the Lybster fire Unit along with others in Highlands & Islands area has
been under review. An
Integrated Risk Management Strategy has been published. Responses from
the public are asked for by 13 February 2005. However the local community
feel that after two years this deadline is far too soon to give people
time to respond. Even
though after this lengthy period of time and much debate between the local
Lybster fire unit and Highlands and Islands Fire Master and the Fire
Brigade committee it has recommended that the Lybster unit should only be
allowed to attend heath fires and road accidents. Members of
the group feel that the areas householders will be put at risk waiting on
a fire tender from Wick or Dunbeath and property put at risk from small
fires they might have been able to deal with more quickly. The issue
surrounds the cost of Breathing Apparatus and annual training now required
for units and smaller units may not be allocated funding for this. A
new section on the web site will run for the Fire Action Group to
follow what happens. the group want to encourage the public to make
responses to the consultation and are requesting an extension saying it is
all too rushed after nearly two years of deliberations to expect the
public to do so by 13 February. They have contact MPs and MSP's over
the matter.
COUNCIL DECIDE NOT TO
BID FOR TRUNK ROAD CONTRACT
Highland Councillors have decided not to bid for the contract for the
management and maintenance of the North West Trunk Road Network, which is
being renewed by the Scottish Executive in April next year. Members
of the Transport Environmental and Community Services Committee concluded
that the Council ran too high a risk of making a significant annual loss
on the five-year contract and that they should instead seek
sub-contracting work from the successful consortium.
HIGHLAND MSP WRITES TO TRANSPORT
MINISTER OVER ROADS CONTRACT
Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Maureen Macmillan has written to
Transport Minister Nicol Stephen over the contract for trunk road
maintenance and winter road clearance, which
is due to go out for tender in April, 2006.
Mrs Macmillan commented, "Since taking over
trunk road maintenance in 2001 the
operations of BEAR Scotland in the Highlands
has attracted repeated criticism, regarding
both the quality of winter road clearance
and summer maintenance of verges and
roundabouts.
Caithness Based Writers Publish New
Book For Tsunami Aid
Caithness
writers have combined to have published a wee book called "The Ballad of
Hercules Mackenzie and other Stories" which is selling for £3 will all
profits going to the Tsunami Disaster Fund. The group though small is very
successful and most of the contributors are either published and/or
competition winners. The content of the booklet is mostly
very light with a great deal of humour and we are getting very positive
feedback from purchasers so readers can have a delightful read and help a
very worthy cause. There is a foreword by John Thurso.
Highland Included In
Rural Priority Areas List
Twenty parts of Scotland have been designated Rural Services Priority
Areas (RSPA) after the identification of disadvantage in service
provision, access to services and subsequently opportunities. The
status will enable government, local authorities and other agencies to
focus improvements in services in the most disadvantaged rural
communities, aiming to find innovative solutions to providing, for
example, health care, training or childcare services.
New Procurator Fiscal And
Depute Start On Monday 31 January In Wick
Mr Alasdair MacDonald has been appointed by the Lord Advocate Colin Boyd
QC to the post of Procurator Fiscal for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter
Ross. Mr MacDonald will take up his post on the 31 January 2005. Mr
MacDonald will retain his commission for Tain and Dornoch where he is
currently District Procurator Fiscal and will be supported at Wick by a
newly appointed Depute Fiscal, Mrs Christine Ball, who will also take up
post on 31 January 2005.
'Ask Jack' Event In The Highlands
First Minister Jack McConnell will answer
questions from Highland school pupils on
Monday at a special session to be streamed
live on the Internet. A link to the
live broadcast between 2pm and 3.15pm will
appear on the Scottish Executive website on
the day. No Caithness schools this
time around.
27 January 2005
Helping Square A Debt - Charity Slave
Raises Amazing Amount In A Few Hours
The
2003 festive season is one UKAEA, Dounreay
employee, Ishbel Mcdonald, will not forget.
After a series of tests it was confirmed
that she was suffering from lung cancer.
“However I was told it was treatable
provided I had my left lung removed,” said
non-smoker Ishbel. “It was a big decision
to take, but because I had always kept
myself fit, I had to go for it.” In the
event the operation was a complete success,
Ishbel received the all-clear, and is now
back hale and hearty processing accounts in
UKAEA’s finance department in Naver House,
Thurso.
Faith groups launch new guide booklet
A new booklet has been launched with the aim of helping people become
involved in volunteering in the Scottish criminal justice system.
Many people in faith communities and wider society are very concerned
about how to best respond to crime today. They want to know how they can
contribute to preventing crime, reducing re-offending, supporting and
caring for victims, and promoting safer communities. Significant numbers
of people already offer help by giving their time and talent as volunteers
in helping people affected by crime, through Victim Support or the
Children's Hearing System, for example.
SPEED REDUCTION MEASURES IN PLACE AT MOUNT PLEASANT
A part-time 20mph speed limit around a Caithness school went into
operation this week (Monday 24th January) at Mount Pleasant Primary in
Thurso. With the help of £2.157M funding from the Scottish
Executive, The Highland Council aims to get the message across that slowing
down near schools saves lives and that reducing the speed limit to 20 mph
outside schools significantly improves the safety of children walking or
cycling to school. Mount Pleasant Primary School is one of five
schools in Highland that is benefiting from the introduction of part time
speed limit signs this January and February....
Mount Pleasant School Newsletter
The
latest Mount Pleasant School Newsletter is now available on this web site
and on the school web site at
www.mountpleasant.highland.sch.uk/ Packed with
information for parents and children the newsletter also tells everyone that
the school children are to take part in the
Highland Big Heart Day raising funds for the Tsunami disaster.
COMMUNITIES
SET TO BENEFIT FROM OWNING THEIR OWN WIND FARM
The
time is now ripe for local communities to seize the opportunity to
develop their own wind farms. That was the message given at a
conference yesterday organised by the Scottish Parliament's
Renewable Energy Group. The conference, called "Community Led
Renewable Energy Schemes", was
organised by the Scottish Parliament Renewable Energy Group (SPREG).
26 January 2005
Caithness.org Message Board Breaking Records Of Its Own
On Tuesday 25 January at one point there were 83 users online at the same
time. The recent surge on the Message Board is also reflected in the
leap in visitors to the web site in January and it looks like all previous
records are going to be consigned to history with visitor numbers already
past 118,000 and the hit rate over 8 million for the month to 25th January.
HILLHEAD PUPILS SIGN UP FOR TSUNAMI SURVIVORS
Pupils
at Hilhead Primary School, Wick have been signing up to help raise funds for
Tsunami survivors. A huge wall map of South Asia has been hung up in the
school hall. It has been drawn up in to more than 1000 squares and pupils
and staff pay 20p to write their name or something else in the square. As
well as their own names, nick names, the names of pets and football teams
have all been popular choices with the pupils. With a thousand squares,
there are plenty to go round. Anyone wishing to sponsor a few squares at 20p
per square can do so by contacting the school on 01955 603233.
25 January 2005
Berriedale Circa 1910
Karen
Grant sent in this picture from Canada and says "I believe that this was sent by
Barbara Campbell (nee Sutherland) Christie to her sister Jessie Sutherland
(later Ramsay) In Winnipeg. Barbara Sutherland was married in Canada to
Bert Christie in 1908, she returned to Clyne, SU and her husband died just
a month before her son was born."
Highlands and Islands Enterprise Strategy Review 2005 - Have Your Say
Highlands and Island Enterprise are inviting anyone who has views on the
direction for the Highland and Islands economy to have say. On the new
consultation section you will find documents and a form to complete.
Tony
Blair Meets Right To Swim Campaigner Promising To Look Closer
The
Caithness campaign to get access to swimming pools for parents and toddlers
and have the regulations changed back may have died down but in other places
the campaigns are still running. A recent edition of the
Kent
Messenger shows campaigning mum Carolyn Warner taking her case to Tony Blair
who has promised to look at the matter.
New rules on the ages and numbers of adults required for young children were
introduced into Caithness in 2000. The local campaign failed to get
the rules changed back. But perhaps it will be looked at again.
24 January 2005
Upgrading Wick - New Pipes At Francis Street
Not
exciting but a very necessary upgrade to the pipe system in Wick is
underway. Depending on you point of view the fact that the road is
not having to be dug up from end to end to achieve it is interesting.
the method is to push a plastic sleeve through existing pipes and then
pour boiling water through for three hours until the plastic solidifies.
Ingenious and fast!!!
More streets to come in coming months so look out for more temporary
traffic lights as the work proceeds. And they are on their way to
Thurso shortly for some upgrading there also.
Upgrading Wick - Bank Row Gets A New Flagstone Pavement
Meanwhile
at the other side of the harbour Bank Row is having its pavement relaid
with Caithness flagstone. the tar pavement has disappeared and will
soon have a pavement covered in the material that was removed many years
ago. Caithness flag is much more in keeping with the character of
the area and it will run right up to the Blackstairs and down to the
harbour.
Upgrading Wick - Shore Road Work To Begin Soon
Work
is due to start on Shore Road shortly to fix the problems along the waters
edge and the road. This area has been crumbling under the onslaught
of the sea over the past few years. Highland Council are to pay to
have the work done even though the ground does not belong to it.
Apart from the eyesore it has become it will make this road look much
better.
Upgrading Wick - Widening Shore Lane
Shore
Lane has always been a bit of nightmare in the days of the car. The
project underway now will widen the road by a few feet making it much
safer and easier to get up and down. The garden of a house was
shortened last year and the wall built round the old well discovered in
the process.
Karen Shirron -
SNP Candidate Selected
Caithness,
Sutherland and Easter Ross SNP Constituency Association have recently
selected their candidate to fight the forthcoming Westminster election will
be Karen Shirron. The announcement was made in Helmsdale.
Karen Shirron is currently a local councillor with Aberdeen City
Council where she is the SNP Deputy Group Leader and a Parliamentary
Assistant to Brian Adam, SNP MSP for Aberdeen North. First elected to the
Council in 1999 with a majority of 7, she was re-elected in 2003 with a
majority of 336.
2005 Westminster Election
Hillhead Primary School, Wick -
Newsletter Now Publishing On The Web Site
Hillhead
school newsletter begins publishing on
Caithness.org today joining Pulteneytown and
South Schools. If any other Caithness
schools would like to have a section for
their newsletter just get in touch and we
will set it all up.
Report claims neglect in rural healthcare
- Grampian TV
Thurso Lifeboat Bringing In Rafts From The
Ferry "Hamnavoe"
Thurso lifeboat crew
yesterday carried out an unusual mission in
the Pentland Firth. They were called out to
recover four liferafts which were washed off
the deck of the Northlink ferry Hamnavoe
during its early afternoon crossing from
Scrabster to Stromness. Ferry skipper Bob
Johnston reported the loss of the rescue
craft, which posed a potential shipping
hazard. The lifeboatmen found the four rafts
- fully inflated
and each capable of taking 100 people -
floating in the sea off Dunnet Head. They
towed them back to Scrabster, from where
they will be returned to the ferry company.
Thurso Lifeboat
23 January 2005
Thurso British Legion
Tsunami Bingo Night Was an Overwhelming
Success
Thurso British Legion would like to thank
everyone who attended, contributed and
helped the Prize Bingo evening on Friday
21st January at the club and helped raise
£1622 to add to our previous Hogmanay raffle
of £459 taking our fundraising up to £2081.
The amount of people attending and the money
raised surprised them and they are so
chuffed that the local community care so
much to come out on a cold winters night to
help others less fortunate.
Coming Tsunami Events At Thurso British
Legion
Still to come in the next couple of weeks to
continue our fundraising towards assisting
the victims of this disaster is our
afternoon of Live Family Entertainment next
Sunday the 30th January with Gary Weston
between 3pm and 6pm - All Welcome
AND
on Friday February the 4th our 60s,70s & 80s
School Disco Revival takes place at the club
8pm onwards, tickets £5 are still available
from the club All Welcome.
The ongoing raffle for 2 tickets to Bryan
Adams, Microwave Oven, Leather Jacket, Lunch
Voucher, DVD Player, NNCMC Tickets plus
various other prizes will be drawn at it
(Tickets still available) and it is hoped to
announce a final total for our fundraising
before the end of the evening.
For further information contact us on Tel:
01847 893377 or 893417 or call Graeme on
892520 or visit us at
www.rblsthurso.com or email
enquiries@rblsthurso.com
Pentland Canoe Club And Caithness Kayak Club
Coaches On Coaching Weekend
Coaches
from the Pentland Canoe Club and Caithness
Kayak Club joined others from across
Scotland to attend a Coaching Processes
Course in Speyside. The course was delivered
by Gordon Brown and Jas Hepburn, both highly
respected coaches in the sport. The weekend
was aimed at developing coaching styles and
a variety of skills. Top coaching tips were
also given along with an insight into the
psychology of coaching. Attendance at the
course was supported by the Caithness Sports
Council through the RWE NUKEM Coaching
Grant.
Pentland Canoe Club
Caithness Kayak Club
Wick Harbour Solar Roof Gets Mention On
Welsh National Web Site
SolarGen keeps harbour lights shining
A SOUTH WALES company has
taken its solar power technology to the
Highlands of Scotland. Cwmbran-based
SolarGen has completed a major solar power
scheme at Wick, near John o'Groats. As
part of the regeneration of Wick Harbour a
solar power generator has been installed on
the roof of the Fish Market building. The
£140,000 demonstration scheme is producing
enough power to light the entire harbour
area and half-a-dozen homes.
Opening Of Wick Harbour Solar Roof
22 January 2005
Caithness Walking Festival Ready To Go 14 -
22 May
The second Caithness Waling Festival have
their calendar of events on the web now.
21 January 2005
Is This The Biggest Digital Panoramic Photo
In The World?
Jus something sent to us to have look at and
we thought others might like look at it.
You can zoom a long way into this highly
detailed 2.5 billion pixel photo. The
photo is from TNO TPD and is part of the
Netherlands Organisation for Applied
Scientific Research TNO, the largest
independent research institute in the
Netherlands. If anyone feels like
donating a camera that can do this to us at
Caithness.org then get in touch - some hope
unless you have an extremely large chegue
book. Well
done to the people who produced the
technology for this type of photo.
Are You Planning Your Summer Holidays?
Then Come To Caithness
What
is there to see and do in Caithness?
Well where do you start looking. Here
are three sections on this web site that we
think might help you decide -
Caithness Biodiversity Photo Collection
covering the landscape and it flora and
fauna,
Caithness Castles showing just one
aspect of the hugely varied history all
around the landscape of the county including
literally hundreds of sites with standing
stones, brochs and ancient cairns and the
A - Z of Caithness an ever growing
section with thousands of pictures of every
part of Caithness. There are many
other sections with photos and information
but if you have never visited before we
think these three sections will give you
many hours of exploration before you reach
our county. Holidays in Caithness are
seldom about lying on the beach - they
are about visits, walking along the striking
coastline and checking out the history of
the of past two thousand years and earlier -
they are about meeting local people or
attending some events in the summer period.
Check out the local pub scene with music of
various types from rock and jazz to
traditional Celtic or visit the
Wick Pipe Band summer show for a
flavour of Scottish music with pipes, dance
bands, Highland dancing and singers.
Thurso is one of the top places with surfers
these days and increasingly used for
competitions. Lessons are available
locally if you are into sporting activites.
Pulteneytown Academy
School Newsletter
The latest newsletter from Pulteneytown
Academy including a special
class newsletter giving parents
details of exactly what each class will be
covering on the curriculum at school
this term and a good guide as to what
children in Highland schools are learning
this term. Also included this week are
details of the
new menu being introduced into
the school from 24 January. A reminder
is also included regarding the Caithness
Music Festival in case parents wish children
to enter the individual poetry events.
BIG HEART DAY HIGHLAND
The Highland Council is organising a
Highland-wide day of school fundraising for
the Tsunami Disaster Appeal - and is
inviting other Council employees and local
businesses to join them. Wednesday 9th
February has been designated as Big Heart
Day Highland when every class in every
school across the Highlands (220 schools)
will be given the challenge of raising an
average donation of £1 per pupil towards the
Appeal.
20 January 2005
council secures funding for caithness and sutherland women’s aid
A service to provide support and refuge for
women affected by domestic abuse received a vital assurance of funding
from The Highland Council’s Housing and Social Work Committee today. Caithness and Sutherland
Women’s Aid currently provides an Outreach service giving support to women
suffering from domestic abuse but it has also worked with the Highland
Council and Pentland Housing Association to set up a refuge which can
assist women with children and single women who become homeless as a
result of domestic abuse. Today the service received an assurance of
£127,000 funding from the Highland Council which will ensure that this
vital service to the community can be established and the purpose built
refuge opened for use.
Highland
Council Library Service Launches 24 Hour Online Services
At
The Highland Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Committee, today
(Thurs 20th January, 2005), members saw a demonstration of the
Highland Libraries on-line catalogue, which provides users with an
internet-based interactive service 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Through the Council’s website
www.highland.gov.uk , anyone can
now access the Highland Libraries Catalogue and other sources such as the
National Library of Scotland and the British Library. People with
current library cards can renew loans, request items and review their
borrower accounts, as well as accessing a range of electronic reference
materials, newspaper files and business information. A number of
schools including Wick and Thurso High schools have the online catalogue.
