Armed Forces Day - Thurso
The most northerly Armed Forces Day celebration on the British Mainland
was held by the Royal British Legion Scotland Thurso Branch at their
Riverside Clubrooms on Saturday. Various events including a coffee
morning, exhibition, illustrated talk and a flag lowering ceremony were
held throughout the day.
Castletown Gala - Sorry
But Bill Had Car Trouble So No Photos
If anyone would like to email photos then Bil will create a gallery for
them. Just email any contributions to bill@caithness.org
THANKS to
Jennifer Gunn, Michael Stone and Jamie Sutherland-West who have al
made photos available to the web site.
HomeStart Caithness Gain
Volunteer Friendly Award
Home
Start Caithness were presented with a Volunteer Friendly Award at
a gathering in Thurso recently.
Lord Lieutenant of Caithness, Anne Dunnet presented the award to
Home-Start Caithness staff, Rachel & Dorothy and Linda who is
one
of the volunteers that visit families.
Carrier Bag Tax To Start In 2014
By 2014 Scottish retailers will charge a minimum of 5p per bag in a bid
to reduce carrier bag use.
Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead announced the move today which
follows a consultation that was held last year to gauge public opinion.
He said shoppers would be encouraged to reuse carrier bags to cut down
on the 750 million bags used in Scotland each year.
Regulations will be introduced in the Scottish Parliament in time for
businesses to start charging by October 2014.
DISABLED YOUNG PEOPLE FROM
CAITHNESS SHARE IDEAS WITH MSPS
A
group of disabled local young people from Caithness were invited to
the Scottish Parliament to attend, ‘Young Scot: Agents of Change’
parliamentary reception to discuss how services can be improved to
support the needs of disabled young people in their local area.
A group of disabled young people aged 16-21 years from Caithness have
been involved in the national project, ‘Young Scot: Agents of Change.’
Supported by the national youth information and citizenship charity,
Young Scot, the project recruited five groups of disabled young people
across Scotland to encourage them to explore ways in which they
influence local services, particularly when moving to adulthood.
Plans presented for new
Primary School, Wick High and Community Facilities
Plans for a new schools and community school complex next to the
existing Wick High School and Pulteneytown Academy has taken another
step forward with the submission of a detailed planning application for
the project.
Planned is:-
· a new Wick High School; · a new primary school to replace
Pulteneytown Academy Primary and South Primary; and
· the East Caithness Community Facility featuring a new swimming pool,
fitness suite and library.
The Highland Council is developing the new campus in conjunction with
Hub North Scotland Ltd, who will be responsible for the design,
construction and maintenance of the facilities. The application has
been submitted by Hub North Scotland Ltd.
26
June
2013
New research shows great crested
newts are Highlanders New
research released today has found that great crested newts are native
to the Scottish Highlands.
Most experts had assumed that the newts had been introduced into the
Highlands from other parts of the UK.
The great crested newt has declined across its European range and is
very rare across Scotland. It’s the rarest of three newt species native
to Britain.
New Angler's Lodge At St
John's Loch
Members
and friends gathered at St Johns Loch for the trophy presentation
following their Annual Member’s Competition. The competition was won by
Wick angler Pat Nicol who took the Trophies for Heaviest Basket and
Heaviest Fish. The Trophies were presented by the longest serving
active member, Jim Calder of Dunnet.
As if the day wasn’t special enough, Jim had an even more important
duty to perform. This was to officially open the new Angler’s Lodge at
the Association Harbour.
LARGE PHOTO HERE
Ready Steady Work -
Moving Into Employment
- A Great Opportunity For School Leavers Book Early Book Early Book Early
Book Early Book 22 - 26 July
DSRL is committed to the socioeconomic development of the Caithness and
Sutherland area, and in particular to improving the employment
prospects and “job-readiness” of local school leavers. As part of this
commitment, we have contributed to the development of an innovative,
industry-led event to provide young people with the practical skills
and information required to support their success in moving into
employment in all sectors.
The event has been designed in conjunction with STEMpoint North of
Scotland and North Highland College. It is open to 4th, 5th and 6th
year pupils, from Wick, Thurso and Farr secondary schools and will
include a combination of interactive sessions, industry visits and
presentations.
Another Chance For
Communities To Buy Land Or Property
To date no Caithness
community has had funding to buy land or property -
any takers this time?
Additional Funding announced for Communities to buy land and properties
to help regenerate their local areas.
Community groups across Scotland are being urged to explore the
opportunities available through the recently-expanded Scottish Land
Fund.
Funded by the Scottish Government and delivered by Highlands and
Islands Enterprise (HIE) and The BIG Lottery Fund Scotland, the
Scottish Land Fund has already provided support for communities to buy
a range of local assets to help regenerate the fortunes of their area.
23
June
2013
Wick Council Offices - Demolition
Almost Complete - Pile Driving Starts Soon The
final stages of the demolition of Wick Council Offices was reached last
week. The next stage will involve pile driving of just over
80
round piles for the new foundations. The sytem being used wlil not
create the well known hammering effect often associated with pile
driving. Piles are being used to make sure that unlike the
previous building the new one wil not sink due to the sand from the
original raised beach in that area. For all the photos to date start HERE
Bodies Found In Scapa Flow
Two
bodies located on seabed, Scapa Flow, Orkney.
Police Scotland have confirmed that HM Coastguard notified them of, two
bodies located on the seabed, 40 metres from SMS Brummer, Scapa Flow,
Orkney.
Enquiries are ongoing to identify the divers.
The Police Scotland Dive Unit are currently en-route to Orkney to
assist.
Highland Council gives its
backing to 277-turbine wind farm
Highl;and council agreed not to object to the planning application for
277 turbines just as it had not objected to an earlier application for
over 300 turbines on a site adjacent to this latest one. The
investment has huge potential for north Highland and could particularly
affect Wick, Nigg and Ardersier with potentially an increase in jobs
and other associated investments required for harbours infrastructure.
See the STV video report.
Local
businesses encouraged to see benefits of Spittal Hill Windfarm
proposals
Businesses in and around Caithness are being encouraged to become more
involved in the construction of Spittal Hill Windfarm if approved,
located just over 2km north east of the village of Spittal through a
series of contractor preview events.
The proposals, which outline plans for up to 8 turbines with an
installed capacity of up to 24 megawatts (MW) and a height to the tip
of up to 100m, would represent a capital investment of around £30
million for the area, and if approved, would present local businesses
with a unique economic opportunity.
Those interested in becoming more involved with the project are invited
to attend a set of preview exhibitions which will form a part of the
wider public exhibitions taking place on Wednesday 26th June 2013 in
Watten Village Hall from 3.00pm – 8.00pm and on Thursday 27th June at
the Ross Institute in Halkirk from 3.00pm – 8.00pm. The preview events
will take place on both days from 2.00pm – 3.00pm.
18
June
2013
Logan Mackay, Castletown
Primary School Commended in Neil Gunn Awards
The
only Caithness person to be mentioned in this years Neil Gunn Wrrting
competition was Logan Mackay from Castletown Primary school.
"Marshmallow Mission" was one of the 'Commended' entries in the Primary
Schools section of the Neil Gunn Writing Competition, 2013. It was
written by Logan Mackay, Castletown Primary School.
The theme for the Primary Schools section was "They're gone, he
whispered. They never saw us", a quote taken from Highland River by
Neil Gunn and suggested by Naomi Munro of Alness Academy. Writers were
invited to interpret this theme in any way they
wished. Well
Done Logan. Full
list of winners
Body of man found in Wick
is named by police
POLICE are making enquiries following the discovery of a body of a man
on Sunday 16 June in Wick.
The body was found on Sunday around 13:45hrs at the foot of a cliff at
the old Castle in Wick.
There are no suspicious circumstances.
Next of kin have been informed and the man is named as Mervyn Ahmed
aged 30.
A report will be made to the Procurator Fiscal.
Grant Body Awards £118K
in Latest Round!
The
Caithness & North Sutherland Fund recently held its 6th grant
assessment round awarding £118K to seven community and voluntary groups
for projects that will benefit people living in the Caithness &
North Sutherland area.
This latest round of awards brings the Fund’s total funding commitment
to over £648K, of which forty seven voluntary and community groups have
benefited. Fund Chairman John Henderson stated “We are extremely
pleased to see that the Fund continues to attract a steady flow of
applications and that we have been able to support a wide range of
projects assisting the community to play a major role in achieving
improvements for our area”.
Harbour day on the crest
of the wave
- Many
more photos to come later IT
would have taken a good bit more than grey skies and a chill breeze to
deter folk from Wick Lifeboat’s harbour day which has become a firm
favourite in the summer season.
Locals and visitors alike made the most of the attractions in a packed
programme on Saturday 15th June 2013, which included boat races, sea
trips, and music from the Wick RBLS Pipe Band and Addie Harper and his
pupils, interspersed with Highland dancing.
Pride of place, on the maritime side of things, went to the Wick
lifeboat, Roy Barker and the Wick Society’s fine old lady from the
herring era, the Isabella Fortuna, which were well patronised. A small
band of suitably-clad pirates came ashore but only to help things
along. Popular too, was the barbeque stall and model display. PHOTOS
16
June
2013
Caithness Music Festival
2013 Verse Speaking Winners The
verse speaking winners for Primary 5 section on Thursday June 13. Boys
- William Mackay. Girls - Kari Durrand. William was presented with the
Stroma Cup for winning the section with the most points overall.
Successful
Litter Pick By Pennyland Pupils
Pupils
from Pennyland Primary in Thurso, took part in a Litter Day of Action
last week by carrying out a litter pick in the grounds of their school.
Pupils from P2, plus the eco-committee, were assisted by class teacher
Hazel Gunn, teaching assistant Carole Fotheringham and Andrea
Wotherspoon, Waste Management Assistant for The Highland Council.
For a bigger photo go HERE
Wick Harbour Authority to benefit
from Axis 4 European Fisheries
Funding
The
Highland Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) has awarded funding of
£30,098 to Wick Harbour Authority for the purchase of additional
infrastructure to increase the capacity at Wick Marina from 72 to 84
berths. Interpretation panels will also be installed in the area around
the harbour to promote the maritime heritage of Wick and provide
information regarding the diversification process to create a modern
port. A series of interpretation panels will provide information about
the local wildlife and coastal walks.
13
June
2013
Wild North Has FREE Competition
for Natural Retreats Vacation
Wild North Competition - Win 4 nights at the Natural Retreats JoG for
up to 6 people for 4 nights!
Wild North is the brand set up by North Highland Initiative to promote
the natural offerings of the North Highlands.
12
June
2013
59th Caithness Music
Festival Castletown Music Groups Hit The
Top Notes
Castletown
primary school enetered this years music festival in style with a wide
variety of groups showing their talents in music. If anyone
would
like to add photos of groups or other entrants to the music festival
(they do not have to have won prizes) then email photos to
bill@caithness.org
Timber Shipment Leaving
Wick Harbour
A
few photos and a short video clip of timber being prepared for
loading on the Scot Carrier on 8th June 2013. You can easily see just
how many truck loads this takes off the roads in the far north.
11
June
2013
Tours are designed to showcase
local skills
TWO Caithness women have joined forces to help secure a bigger platform
for craft producers.
Susan Asher, of Sue’Nique Designs and Crafting Crofters boss, Sally
Crowe decided to collaborate after pinpointing a gap in the market...no
craft fairs were being held in the county at weekends, on a regular
basis.
Thurso clarinetist's final bid
A THURSO pupil is among eight finalists scheduled to compete this
weekend for the title of Highland Young Musician of the Year.
Clarinetist Belinda Gordon from the town’s High School will perform at
Kingsmills Hotel on Sunday.
Volunteers work to create haven
for rare butterfly
The
Caithness Countryside Volunteers met last Sunday (9 June) to help
create habitat for the rare small blue butterfly at Castlehill. The
volunteers cut back vegetation and dug out rank roots to create an area
which will be suitable for planting plugs of kidney
vetch,
the small blue caterpillar’s food plant. One of the volunteers, Mary
Legg, has been growing the plant at home from seed collected in the
local area. Due to the cold snap the plugs were not big enough to be
planted out on Sunday but the volunteers will return at a later date to
plant the plugs.
Domestic Biomass Supply
Chain Drop in Day
Local shops and businesses across Highland are being encouraged to take
advantage of a new retailing opportunity – bagged wood pellets for
domestic biomass heating systems. The Highland Council is hosting an
event in Inverness on Thursday 20 June to encourage an increase in the
supply of domestic biomass fuel across the area. The event is to allow
engagement between producers, delivery companies, shop outlets,
supermarkets, solid fuel merchants and installers and aims to identify
and encourage new suppliers and improve local supply chains.
Two
Huge Wind Farms Will Sit Side By Side In Moray Firth - reNews Highland officials have advised that the local authority
give its blessing to SSE and Repsol’s plans for the 1000MW Beatrice
wind farm in the Moray Firth off northern Scotland, writes Todd
Westbrook. Beatrice is a 75:25 joint venture between SSE and Repsol. It
will feature up to 277 turbines around 13.5km off the coast of
Caithness.
Beatrice is closer to shore than EDP and Repsol’s neighbouring 1500MW
Moray Firth projects, which won the support of Highland Council in
March.
Caithness
Stone Industries Ltd goes into administration
- BBC One of the leading quarriers and processors of
the
world-famous Caithness stone has gone into administration.
Caithness Stone Industries Ltd, based in Spittal, operated a number of
quarries and also processed and despatched the finished stone. Insolvency
News
59th
Caithness Music Festival 2013 Just a few photos from the Caithness music Festival.
We are happy to add more photos from the festival if anyone
would like to share them. Just email photos to
bill@caithness.org
NOTE - to see a bigger photo right click and open the photo in a new
tab or window
The
Hamefairin yole built around 1880 In Dunbeath
THERE
was a buzz about Dunbeath harbour on Saturday 8th June 2013 as the
community celebrated the restoration of a herring fisher of yesteryear.
The Hamefairin yole built around 1880 was donated to Dunbeath
Preservation Trust some years back but has been sitting in a shed ever
since.
Until, the Trust decided, that was too long and set about restoring the
yole as a project. However, it has still to remain in the shed as it
would otherwise require insurance.
Rush.dance
from the Highlands Win big At The Scottish Championships
Rush.dance
from the Highlands Win big At The Scottish Championships & take
the chance to compete at the UDO World Street dance Championships in
August.
The kids of Rush.dance have just competed at the UDO Scottish
Championships in Glasgow with fantastic results.
International
company recruiting home workers in Caithness and
Sutherland
International business services provider, Arise, is
holding a series of recruitment advice sessions in Caithness and
Sutherland to find local people interested in working from home.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has been working closely with
the US company who now have a significant presence in the UK with
offices in London and Edinburgh. The company services a growing client
list to develop the innovative and flexible home working project.
Vintage
Vehicles Rally 2013 - Class A Veteran Cars Pre - 1919 - More
photos coming later The annual rally took place at John O'Groats on
Sunday 9th June 2013.
NOTE - you can see bigger photos by right clicking and
opening them in a new tab or window.
Suspicious
fire which took place at Icetech Norfrost
Police in Thurso are appealing for any information about
a suspicious fire which took place at Icetech/ Norfrost premises,
Murrayfield, Castletown on Saturday 8th June 2013 between between
7.00pm and 8.15pm.
COUNCILLOR
LAUNCHES NEW 'COMMUNITY SURVEY'
MACLEOD
TO LISTEN TO PEOPLE, NOT POLITICIANS A Far North councillor is to deliver thousands
of community surveys in a bid to gather the views of Caithness
residents on issues that matter to them.
Landward Caithness councillor Alex MacLeod has launched the new survey,
which features 12 questions in all and asks local people about issues
from the 'Bedroom Tax' to social media.
North
Head Memorial Fenced Off Due To Falling Masonry Council officials have taken action to safeguard the pubic
following a fall of masonry from the North Head Memorial Tower that
overlooks Wick Bay. The ownership of the memorial has to be established
although it was built from a public subscription organised by John
Horne a pastor who was born at Louisburgh Street, Wick in 1861.
The monument commemorates the men who died in many wars and battles
before World War One.
A leaflet is still held in the Wick library showing his appeal for
funds in which he was successful enough to build the monument at about
£120. Unfortunately the listing of names seems not to have gotten
further than the book "A Roll-Call Of Caithness Veterans" held in the
Wick library.
7 June
2013
Thurso
and Wick Charrettes Follow-up Meetings Highland Council’s Development Plans team will be running
two events
later this month to follow up on the Wick and Thurso Charrettes which
took place in February. The events will be open to anyone to attend,
and will take place in the Free Church Hall, Millbank Road, Thurso on
Monday 24th June at 7pm and in the Assembly Rooms, Wick on Tuesday 25th
June at 7pm.
Please book to attend.
The
rita stewart memorial fund Applications are invited for grants available from the
above Fund. The Trust provides that grants may be available to:- (1)
Needy and indigent ex-servicemen from the three Branches of the Armed
Services; and
(2) Part-time or full-time students not in receipt of grants,
bursaries, or loans from educational or other institutions.
Wick
High Is On A Roll with More Techy Successes - congratulations from
Caithness.org Wick
High School pupils show real App-titude - On Their Way to London
Sixteen pupils from Wick High School announced as finalists in Apps for
Good Awards 2013.
Sixteen talented pupils from Wick High School, Caithness have been
announced as finalists in a national schools initiative that enables
students from all over the UK to design an application – or ‘App’ – for
mobile phones, tablets or social media sites such as Facebook – and
then have it created, produced and marketed to the public.
Following several months of preparation, 120 students working together
in 24 teams have now been revealed as the finalists in the competition.
Five of those top 24 teams are from Wick High School and have been
invited to attend the Apps for Good Awards 2013, which will take place
at the LSO St Luke’s, a spectacular venue on Old Street in East London,
on Tuesday 11 June 2013. This part of London is known as ‘Tech City’
and is the home of many of the UK’s digital companies and creative
agencies.
Wick
High pupil, Shona, wins top engineering prize
- congratulations from Caithness.org Wick
High School second-year pupil, Shona Tait, has won her school £4,000 by
coming top in a national engineering competition.
Shona, from Reiss, has won the 2013 Scottish Engineering Schools
Competition sponsored by the Weir Group for submitting a research
project based on the potential for tidal energy exploitation of the
Pentland Firth.
Shona’s presentation included some of the great engineering
achievements of the past as well as the potential opportunity for
future renewable energy exploitation. This was followed by questions
from the panel on her research work and how this had expanded her
interest in studying engineering.
Following a review of the presentations, the panel were unanimous in
awarding her first place, with a prize of £4,000 being awarded to her
school.
Highland
is bucking national trend in house building industry
The Highland Council’s Leader Councillor Drew Hendry says
the Highlands is bucking the trend of declining house building in
Scotland, with a very encouraging delivery of new homes throughout the
region.
Dunbeath
wind farm refused planning consent -
BBC Energy Minister Fergus Ewing has refused
planning consent for a proposed 17-turbine wind farm in Caithness.
Falck Renewables had originally hoped to construct 23 turbines on the
Dunbeath Estate, south west of Wick.
Aberdeen
company secures Caithness engineering jobs
- BBC Twenty-six jobs at a financially troubled Caithness firm
have been secured.
Mowat Technical and Design Services (MTDS) was put into administration
last month due to cash flow problems.
Heart
Support Group Presents New Monitors To Caithness General Hospital
ONE
of four vital signs monitors presented to Caithness General Hospital
wards by Caithness Heart Support Group, recently. Receiving it, on the
hospital's behalf is its rural general hospital manager, Pauline Craw,
and staff members. The support group raises funds for equipment for the
hospital and GP surgeries throughout the county as well as acting as a
social forum for people with heart conditions.
Dounreay
granted planning permission for shaft and silo work
The
world’s deepest nuclear clean-up job has been given the green light by
the planning authorities.
A processing agreement has been made between the Highland Council and
Dounreay, with planning permission in principle granted to Dounreay for
the construction of plants to remotely retrieve, package and store the
intermediate level waste from the shaft and silo.
The site’s intermediate level waste was disposed in the shaft until
1977, and in the silo until 1998.
6 June
2013
Spectacular Displays Of Gorse
Bushes This Year For
some reason the gorse bushes around the north and perhaps elsewhere
seem to be particulary vibrant. The ddisplays around Helmsdale captured
by Noel Donaldson seem to prove the point.
Summer Holiday Activities For
Children and Young People From HighLife Highland
Take
a look a tthe summer programme and remeber to book the activites from
17th June onawards to have things to do in the school summer
holidays. Nine area programmes for Highland the North
Sutherland
and Caithness on is HERE
See the web site for other areas.
Bookings for all the activities can be made at Thurso and Wick swimming
pools from 17th June. Activities commence on 1st July and run
until 31st July. Book Early. Beatrice
Works By Sue Jane Taylor - More Images From The Exhibition A
new exhibition documents the construction and installation of the
world’s first five megawatt offshore turbines near the Caithness coast.
Internationally acclaimed Sutherland artist Sue Jane Taylor, famed for
her work with the offshore oil industry and Piper Alpha Memorial
Sculpture, has turned her focus to renewable energy in her latest
exhibition entitled Beatrice Works, which opens in Thurso on Saturday
June 8th before travelling to Aberdeen, Kirkcaldy and Kirkwall.
Exhibition
at Caithness Horizons, Thurso from 8th June - 24 August 2013
Charity
Sponsored Relay Race - Wick to Thurso Plenty
of time to get your team trained for this relay race organised by
Caithness Amateur Athletic Club. The race will take place on
22nd September and raise funds for MacMillan Cancer Support and
Disability Sports Highland.
£150,000
Windfall for Community Groups
Following the successful launch last week at Thrumster
Hall,
Foundation Scotland is encouraging groups and local charities to apply
to the newly launched E.ON Camster Community Fund.
Foundation Scotland has been appointed by the wind farm operator, E.ON,
to administer the Community Fund. The Foundation will work with
communities local to the wind farm site to help them decide how funds
should be allocated, using its grant-making expertise to ensure
positive long lasting impact.
The funding will benefit charities and community groups in the
Latheron, Lybster & Clyth; Watten, and Tannach and District
Community Council areas. The Fund is expected to distribute around
£150,000 per annum for the next 25 years.
There are three level of awards available starting at £250 for small
grants up to in excess of £25K for large scale strategic projects.
Coronation
Meadows Launched Across UK Today “The
sixtieth anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation; what better excuse for
a concerted effort to begin the creation of at least one meadow in each
county?”
- His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales.
At the end of 2012, HRH The Prince of Wales suggested a
remarkable nationwide project – a meadow in every county to mark the
anniversary of The Queen’s coronation. The first stage of Coronation
Meadows will launch at Highgrove House on Wednesday 5th June, with the
announcement of the first 60 flagship meadows. Coronation Meadows are
outstanding examples of flower-rich grasslands, surviving fragments
that support our wildlife and which are often the result of years of
careful management by generations of one family.
The
map shows the current meadows. In Caithness one meadow is on the list - Burn of Midsands at Dunnet.
Plants, insects and animals are affected by the loss of
meadows. The reduction is frightening with very few left. Plantlife has identified the top
ten rare plants under threat in the UK
If you are looking for wild flower seeds for meadows or smal areas we
found this web site Later today we will publish photos of rare animals and
insects etc to show more of the diversity we are losing by the loss of
our meadows and wild areas.More great photo supplied as part of
this project to save Britain's meadows. Vintage
Vehicles Rally At John O'Groats Sunday
9th June
Old
Wick Council Offices - Gone From The Start HERE African
Kitchen Tour Comes To Thurso A
special FREE cookery demonstration using Fair Trade goods will be held
in Thurso next week as a part of a national tour organised through The
Co-operative Membership and Just Trading Scotland.
“Savour the Flavour – The African Kitchen Tour” (StF) is coming to the
town’s North Highland College on Wednesday 12th June 7-9pm, and is open
to existing co-operative members and anyone who registers their
intention to attend on The Co-operative membership website or phones to
book prior to the event.
Zumba
Classes Around Caithness Fitness and fun rolled into one - it says take plenty of
water so it must be good for you!
North
Highland Connections more Young Artistes
Following
the brilliant performance by world-class clarinettist, Michael Collins,
in Thurso on 1st June, North Highland Connections is following it with
another concert in its Young Artistes series, featuring up and coming
young professionals.
The concert, on 15th June, will be in the Drawing Room at Dunrobin
Castle. Appropriately, the performers are The Sutherland Duo, with
Harriet Mackenzie (violin), and Christina Lawrie (piano).
BEATRICE
WORKS by Sue Jane Taylor A
new exhibition documents the construction and installation of the
world’s first five megawatt offshore turbines near the Caithness coast.
Internationally acclaimed Sutherland artist Sue Jane Taylor, famed for
her work with the offshore oil industry and Piper Alpha Memorial
Sculpture, has turned her focus to renewable energy in her latest
exhibition entitled Beatrice Works, which opens in Thurso on Saturday
June 8th before travelling to Aberdeen, Kirkcaldy and Kirkwall.
Volunteers
Wanted To Help Rare Blue Butterfly
The
Caithness Countryside Volunteers hopes to attract new members to their
next event planned at the Castle hill Heritage Trail, Castletown on
Sunday 9th June. The group are attempting to expand the range of kidney
vetch plant to create new habitat for the rare small blue butterfly.
Volunteers will be removing dense vegetation and planting out plugs of
kidney vetch. The kidney vetch serves as the food plant for the small
blue butterfly caterpillar.
3 June
2013
Recession
Bites As D R Simpson In Wick To Close In Days
D R Simpson the newsagents inthe middle of Wick is set to
close
after an announcment by the owner Davie Moss on Facebook last night.
A
blow to Thurso is the
fact that J Bews newsagents owned by the same parosn is also closing as
the business goes into administration.
2 June
2013
Scottish
Independence Referendum - Major Survey of 14 - 17 Year Olds
Dr Jan
Eichhorn and Professor Lindsay Paterson, University of Edinburgh
appeared on the BBC's
Sunday Politics programme
on Sunday 2nd June 2013 to discuss results from the first
representative survey of 14-17 year olds in Scotland regarding the 2014
independence referendum.
Led by a team of researchers and academics Dr Jan Eichhorn (AQMeN), Dr
Michael Rosie and Professor John MacInnes (Department of Sociology,
Edinburgh University), and Professor Lindsay Paterson (Department of
Social Policy, Edinburgh University), the ESRC funded study asked a
representative sample of 14-17-year-olds about:
their views on Scottish independence and devolution,
their feelings of Scottish, British and European identities,
their political interest and engagement,
their socio-demographic characteristics.
The survey results provide a detailed understanding of what factors
influence young people’s attitudes towards Scottish independence.
Read
the summary report of the research findings - Pdf
Warning
On Rural Volunteering Numbers
Policymakers
expecting volunteers to play a bigger role in delivering local services
may need to re-think their strategy for rural areas, according to
research led by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC).
In a study published during Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June), SRUC’s Rural
Society Research Team and Stirling University found Scotland’s rural
volunteers often undertake roles to fill gaps in service provision such
as providing transport, acting a ‘first responders’ in medical
emergencies and doing odd jobs. They are likely to volunteer across a
larger number of roles but spend less time in each one. This differs
from towns and cities, where volunteering is less service orientated
and people divide their time across fewer roles.
Annual Sprint Triathlon At Wick - 9th June - Entries Now Open Annual Sprint Triathlon takes place on Sunday 9th June -
750M swim (30 lengths), 20km cycle and 5km run. Registration at Wick
Pool from 10.30am to 11.30am with the event starting at 12noon.
Individual Entries can be made on entrycentral.com
Team entry forms are available at Wick and Thurso Swim Pool. T-shirt
and medal for all competitors and refreshments served after the event.
A Few More Caithness Projects From the LEADER Report On Funding Filling
the energy gap - Ormlie Community Association Ormlie
Community Association Ltd sought to tackle fuel poverty through its
Caithness Energy Advice offshoot. Following a successful pilot and the
purchase of a thermal imaging camera, in 2008 the Association launched
‘Fill the Gap’ with support from
LEADER.
Mill
Theatre Extension Project
Thurso
Thespians
The Thurso Players bring a rare experience of theatre to audiences
along Scotland’s northern coast. The company puts on a varied,
year-round programme of performances and workshops for adults and
children. Itowns and manages the Mill Theatre.
Caithness
Broch Centre
Pride
in past place.
Brochs have been part of the Caithness landscape since these dry stone
towers were built uniquely in Scotland 2,000 years ago. Local people
wanted to put community
at the heart of their story, in celebrating the broch builders and
excavators and exploring how brochs instil a sense of place today.
Climb
Swing Slide
Boating
Pond Play Area
Designed in the 1960s, the Boating Pond Play Area in Thurso was more
than showing its age. The Thurso Town Improvements Committee identified
a lack of familyfriendly, outdoor leisure facilities for local people
and visitors. It consulted with young people to find out what they
would like and involved them in planning the site.
The
Dunbeath Fishings Project The
largest crowd at the harbour since the heyday of the
fishings.
Around 1850 Dunbeath was one of Caithness’s top three fishing villages
until lack of a proper harbour resulted in the ‘chase for herring’
moving elsewhere. Local families still retain connections with their
seafaring past.
Wick
High School's Amazing Results In UK Apps Competition News this week that an amazing 5 of 24final teams
competing for the UK “Apps
for Good” come
from Wick High School. Wick High School is the first in Scotland to
enter the competition, which will take the teams to London for work
experience (“hothouses”) with high-tech companies in Tech City in
London before making “dragon’s den” pitches for their app ideas. Apps
for Good is an organisation that encourages young people to use new
technologies to design and make products that will make a difference to
their world. Well done to the Wick high teams for so many
getting
to the finals-
looks like Wick is building a high-tech future if these teams are
anything to go by - keep the ideas flowing. Well done again!
