Stay Safe With Bonfires And
Fireworks Having
fireworks at home can be great fun, as long as they are used safely.
Figures show more children rather than adults get hurt by fireworks.
Over the past five years over 350 pre-school children, some only a year
old, were treated in hospital for fireworks injuries.
Read the full item for safety tips to enjoy bonfires and
fireworks this year.
Council pushes for
creation of co-located multi-agency control room at Inverness
The Leader of The Highland Council Councillor Drew Hendry has revealed
an exciting new proposal which could see The Highland Council
co-locating with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, NHS Highland,
Police Scotland, and possibly other partners such as the Scottish
Ambulance Service and Scottish Water in a new control centre hub in
Inverness.
Owners
Of Crumbling Buildings May Soon Face Bills From Local Authorities
Defective and Dangerous Buildings (Recovery of Expenses) (Scotland)
Bill was lodged today Highlands and Islands (Labour) MSP David Stewart lodged his
Defective and Dangerous Buildings (Recovery of Expenses) (Scotland)
Bill today. This is the first opposition Member Bill this session to
reach this stage and aims to encourage Local Authorities to deal with
the increasingly large amount of defective buildings before they become
dangerous and unsightly.
The Bill will enable Local Authorities to re-coup their cost of
repairing defective and dangerous Buildings to make them safe. This
will in turn provide them with an extra revenue stream and hopefully
help stimulate the building industry through this work. Vulnerable and
low income home owners will be able, through the proposals outlined in
this Bill, to carry out much needed repairs on their properties, as the
charges involved can be repaid to the Local Authority over a 30 year
period.
SNP Candidate wants to do the
best for the locals of Landward Caithness
Ed
Boyter, from Reay, is the Scottish National Party’s candidate for
Landward Caithness in the up-and-coming by-election to be held on
Thursday 28th November 2013.
Ed, 39, is originally from Fife but made Caithness his home with his
partner when they relocated to Murkle, near Castletown. They now live
in Reay.
Ed has been self-employed since he moved here and is a jeweller to
trade. He leads a very active life and amongst his hobbies he enjoys
hill-walking, rock-climbing and in particular takes to the waves along
the north coast as one of the county’s keen surfers. He is also a
member of Melvich Gaelic Choir.
There are five candidates for the Caithness Landward bi-election to be
held
following the resignation of Alex McLeod. Caithness Landward
Candidates - Ed
Boyter, Scottish National Party (SNP)
Kerensa Carr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist
Tina Irving, Independent Matthew
Reiss, Independent Winifred
Sutherland, Independent
The by-election will be held on Thursday 28 November 2013 and voting
will take place at 14 polling stations between 7.00 am – 10.00 pm.
Candiidates are invited to send photos and statements for publication
on Caithness.org by email to bill@caithness.org
30
October
2013
Freedom of John O’Groats
to be conferred on former councillor John Green
The
Freedom of the most northerly community in Great Britain – John
O’Groats – is to be bestowed by The Highland Council on former Highland
Councillor and local resident of John O’Groats Mr John H. Green.
The decision to award the Freedom came after a number of organisations
and businesses in the John O’ Groats area wrote to The Highland Council
requesting the council consider conferring the Freedom of John O’Groats
on Mr Green.
Caithness At War - Week 61 28th
October - 3rd November 1940
In Wick, all attention in the town was on dealing with the aftermath of
the air raid of 26 Wick North School log book October. The log book of
Wick North School recorded on Monday 28th: “Repercussion of a severe
air raid on Wick on Saturday 26th Oct at 6.30 p.m. was felt in the
attendance today, one third of the pupils being absent. The headmaster
was personally involved as the bombs left his house in an uninhabitable
condition. Two pupils belonging to the school died from injuries. This
brings the total of deaths of pupils of the school in air raids to
nine”.
Broadband Rollout The
first eight areas which will go live in Scotland as part of a
multi-million pound publicly-funded fibre broadband project were
announced earlier this month for the Highlands and Islands.
Caithness will see the rollout take place over 2015.
Another Independent Candidate For
Caithness Landward
Winifred
Sutherland comes as the most local independent candidate having been
born and brought up in Caithness. She said, "I was born and brought up
on a croft and still live in Dunbeath in Caithness, married a local man
and had two children. With plenty of experience in voluntary groups and
running a local business in Dunbeath for 18 years and currently
involved in another business and over the years acting as membership
adviser to the Federation of Small Businesses she has lots of hands on
experience to bring to the varied duties of a councillor.
Remember them at Eden Court last year - See The
Video
Police to target noisy or
anti-social behaviour this Friday as part of Operation Notebook
An operation focusing on reducing noise related anti-social
behaviour and conduct across the Highlands and Islands will be taking
place on Friday 1 November 2013.
Police in the Highlands and Islands receive a large number of calls
relating to anti-social behaviour and noise. Operation Notebook will
see officers in attendance at identified residential address which have
been reported to police as repeat offenders.
Occupiers of a residence attended by police will receive a warning
regarding future unacceptable behaviour and of the possible
consequences therein. A fixed penalty notice can be issued by officers
or a report submitted to the Procurator Fiscal if required.
Wick & District Pool
League
Latest Position The
Commercial remain top of Wick & District Pool Leagues first
division as they kept up their 100% record after defeating Blackstairs
8-4 on Monday night. Gavin Mackay and John Mcgill were the outstanding
players of the night, helping the Lybster side get the better of last
seasons Rockwater Shield champions.
Ryan Carter and Ian Mcdonald both completed superb 8-ball clearances to
help Camps2 win the three points against Alan Larnach's Crown1 side.
The seven time champions won it at 7-3 but some good play from Stevie
Wyllie and Stevie Cunningham reduced the deficit for a more respectable
7-5 scoreline.
Latest Photos Of New Wick Council
Offices Construction
moving on still at the foundations stage and good to see local
contractor Hendersons vehicles involved in works now. See
photos from the start HERE.
Keiss Halloween
THE spooks, witches and vampires decided to have some fun in Keiss hall
before spiriting themselves off on the trail of toil and trouble, later
this week. There were some ghostly games and competitions and plenty to
eat and drink, at the early Halloween party, at the weekend.
Caithness
Drinks Maker
"Berry Good" Is One Of The Best At Highlands & Islands Food
& Drink Awards The
finest talent in the Highlands and Islands’ food and drink industry
gathered in Inverness on Friday (25th October 2013) to celebrate this
year’s Highlands & Islands Food & Drink Awards.
It was a nail-biting finale as 41 businesses awaited the announcement
of the winners of 12 awards, with victorious businesses ranging from
breweries, bakeries, restaurants and retailers to producers of premium
Scottish seafood, salt and cheese. Caithness-based business Berry
Good’s Vodka and Gin Infusions for Best Drink Award.
Ploughing:
a Caithness
pioneering role
The Scottish Championships, held in Caithness for the first time at Stanstill
Farm in Bower last weekend, brought attention to
the
'ancient' and modern forms of turning the topsoil for cultivating and
raising crops in the countryside.
Its satisfying success was helped by two major non-agricultural
private-sector employers in the County's North East; Subsea 7,
operators of the Wester oil-pipeline site assisted with transporting
the eye-catching heavy-horse teams to the fields, while Pentland
Ferries Ltd brought in the big contingent of Orkney competitors on the
Pentalina through Gills Harbour.
But outside of farmers and enthusiasts, few Caithnessians may know that
mechanised ploughing was introduced to the Northern part of Scotland in
Canisbay parish, almost a century-and-a-half ago ... nearly 70 years
before farm-tractors first turned furrows in Caithness fields.
Five candidates to
contest Landward Caithness By-Election
Five candidates will contest the forthcoming by-election to elect one
councillor to serve The Highland Council’s Ward 4 – Landward Caithness.
The candidates are:
·
Ed Boyter, Scottish National Party (SNP)
Kerensa Carr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist
Tina Irving, Independent
Matthew Reiss, Independent
Winifred Sutherland, Independent
The by-election will be held on Thursday 28 November 2013 and
voting will take place at 14 polling stations between 7.00 am – 10.00
pm.
Wick Academy 8 Fort William 1 We-ir
in celebration mode say Academy and no wonder as Gary grabs a record
eight goals
Report by Noel Donaldson
FORT WILLIAM was swamped by a second-half deluge of goals from
Academy's goal machine, Gary Weir.
The tenacious striker netted two in the first half and hit the visitors
for six in the second. His amazing bag of eight in a single game, made
a piece of personal history for the most goals scored by an Academy
player in a single game. The previous best was inflicted by Richard
Macadie, who scored five in his team’s 7-0 demolition of Buckie Thistle
in 2012, and it could possibly be a Highland League and, who knows, a
Scottish premier record.
Photos
Great Chance For Women In
Caithness To See A Future in Science Technology Engineering and Maths Ladies
who want to find a career in some interesting
subjects and get well rewarded for their efforts should go
along to hear how other women have already done it. If you
are a lady who think she can do well in a career in a STEM subject this
day is for you. Wednesday
13th Novermber 9.30am - 3.00pm. Entry FREE - Lunch
is also included. Booking via the Woemn at Work
web site.
Cloud Computing Is Growing
Worldwide But The UK Is Lagging Behind
Ever
wondered what this clolud computing is al about. Well as its
Sunday we have gathered a few videos from Youtube to help you start.
Businesses may need to know what it is all about to save
costs
and function better in a globalised market and perhaps even make
savings along the way. Perhaps your business does not need it
yet
but it might help to know what's out there and growing before it's too
late.
26
October
2013
Change of name for
Dounreay Parent Body Organisation
Dounreay’s
parent body organisation – the consortium of international companies
that owns and manages DSRL – is getting a new name.
From October 28, the Babcock Dounreay Partnership will be known as the
Cavendish Dounreay Partnership.
It follows the decision of Babcock International Group, which has a 50
per cent stake in the parent body organisation, to rebrand its civil
nuclear business unit as Cavendish Nuclear.
Warning Warning - Higher Interest
Charges Approaching - BBC
The clock is ticking towards higher interest rates on loans and
mortgages
Pay off as much of your borrowing before 2016 when interest rates are
predicted to go up fast. End
Of Britain - ok its a hardsell ad to buy a financial magazine
but this ad will may make you think about borrowiing any more money
unless you are sure you can cope with higher charges coming.......its
up to you to make your mind up.
51st Scottish Ploughing
Championships 2013
Stanstill Farm in Caithness saw the start of the 51st Scottish
Ploughing Championships. On what turned out to be a dry
Saturday following heavy rain on Friday conditions seemed ideal for the
competitions that went into full swing from the shire horses showing
how it used to be done to the bigger modern ploughs and many in
between. With 150 competitors from all over Scotland out to show who
was the best and very high visitor numbers well catered for across
several large fields. Transport was provided for those not
wishing to walk around the various fields. Wick and Thurso
hotels and other accommodation has been in high demand with tickets for
the Saturday night dance at the Weigh Inn over subscribed 3
times. Finals, vintage tractor and under 26 age group
competitions take place on Sunday 27th October starting again at 9.30am. Vintage
Farm Vehicles in Caithness
Earlier Ploughing Photos On Caithness.org -
2006 NW Caithness Ploughing Association Match 2012
NW Caithness Ploughing Association Match
North Sutherland social
enterprise celebrates new beginnings
A
North social enterprise is celebrating after securing ownership of a
local building which is at the heart the community. North Coast
Connection, based in Tongue, Sutherland, has taken ownership of the
Kyle Centre and a small parcel of land next to the building from
Highland Council.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) supported the social enterprise
with an award of £3,950 towards the acquisition of the building,
adjacent piece of land and associated legal costs.
MeyGen Surveys Underway
In
recent weeks members of the Caithness public may have noticed some
activity by MeyGen Ltd. around the Pentland Firth Inner Sound and at
Ness of Quoys. This activity is related to two site surveys being
undertaken, one offshore and one onshore. The first, a seabed survey
was carried out at the beginning of July using a multi-beam
echo-sounder, side-scan sonar and magnetometers. This will allow the
detailed analysis of the submarine cable route for the first array of
tidal turbines and to confirm that there are no obstructions or
anomalies that might interfere with this route.
Caithness Heart Support
Group Present Equipment To Local Health Services Caithness
Heart Support Group made a double presentation of equipment at the Wick
Medical Centre, recently. It's been a busy year for the group answering
requests for medical equipment and it is now planning a fresh programme
of fundraisers to boost their funds. The first of these will take the
form of a film show of animals in Arctic by Karen Munro, at the canteen
of Caithness General Hospital at 7.30, on Friday (October 25). As well
as financing medical equipment, in the county, the heart support group
also acts as a social forum for people who have heart conditions before
and after operations.
21
October
2013
Make Sure Your Tyres Are
Legal Or Get Hit With High Fines and Penalty Points
All £60 non-endorsable penalties increased to £100 on 16th August 2013.
Included in this could be fines for not displaying a tax disc, no MOT,
VEL plate offence, no seatbelt on children. In addition to a £100 fine
per tyre there is also 3 penalty points per tyre.
Highland Police will shortly be carrying out winter safety checks on
vehicles and tyres will be part of those checks.
Wick Academy Latest
Saturday's game - Huntly 2 Wick Academy 2
Sports dinner coming up Saturday 26th at Mackays hotel - Big Auction -
make a bid.
Caithness Dialect Poetry - The
Late Alexander Miller More
Caithness dialect poetry from a once well known journalist living
in Caithness. Alexander Miller was born in Glasgow in 1905 of Caithness
parents - his father being Mr James Miller, ironmoulder, and his mother
the late Mrs Miller, 62 Rose Street, Thurso. They came back to Thurso
when Alexander was eight years of age, and he was educated at the
Miller Academy
.
Ralph's Secret North - A Top
Caithness & Sutherland Book for Christmas Around
350 pictures of the
lesser-known parts of wild Caithness & Sutherland with accounts
of various trips by kayak, bike and on foot. At £15-99 an ideal
Christmas gift! Check out the links to see more and order
online or get it locally in Caithness.
RIVERBANK PRACTICE PATIENTS
PARTICIPATION GROUP
The
Riverbank Medical Practice Patient Participation Group (RPPG),
Thurso is undertaking a survey to obtain patients’ views on the current
provision of services at the Practice. The survey will take place
between Monday 21st October 2013, through to Friday 15th November 2013,
inclusive. The RPPG would be very grateful for the help of practice
patients. A survey form can be obtained at the Riverbank surgery from
Monday the 21st October 2013. Alternatively, a survey form will be
available with repeat prescriptions, which patients collect from their
chemist.
18
October
2013
New certificates scheme
boosts Highlands million trees bid Scotland’s
leading conservation volunteering charity Trees for Life has
launched a new range of tree certificates through which people can
celebrate special occasions or remember loved ones by helping to
restore Scotland’s ancient Caledonian Forest.
Trees for Life will plant a dedicated native tree in the wild heart of
the Scottish Highlands on behalf of each recipient of the new
certificates – creating a forest that will benefit unique wildlife
including red squirrels and pine martens, and which will be enjoyed by
future generations for centuries to come.
Book Launch At Caithness Horizons Book
Launch Event – Writer Linda Cracknell reading from and signing copies
of Call of the Undertow - 26th
October 2013, 7.30-9pm
Caithness is the setting of ‘Call of the Undertow’, a powerful debut
novel by writer Linda Cracknell, who travels to Caithness Horizons,
Thurso on Saturday 26th October as part of a book launch tour. Linda
Cracknell has made regular walking and exploring visits to Caithness
since 2008. The contrast in the physical environment of the far north
with her home in Highland Perthshire made a powerful impression on her.
17
October
2013
New Job Ads Today In Caithness Supervisor
at at McColls in Thurso Weekend
Bar Staff Wanted for Holborn Hotel, Thurso
Employers advertise FREE on Caithness.org - all that is required is to
join the forum and then place your ads any time.
If
you add a closing date we remove them or with no date we take off if
you contact us or it has been on for a few weeks depending on the
viewing numbers. The jobs section is one of the busiest
places on
the web site for job seekers so you can find potential applicants fast
and for FREE.
Caithness Landward Bi-election -
Ex Police Chief Matthew Reiss Stands As Independent Councillor Matthew
Reiss recently retired as chief inspector of police in Highland and is
still fully committed to his adopted county where he still lives and
now intends to represent the people of Caithness as an Independent
councillor if he can gain support from the people of the area. He has
been stationed in Caithness several times over his career as he
progressed up the promotion ladder.
Dry Stone Dyking Course - Two Days
26/27 October
Another Dry Stone Dyking Course will take place at the above address -
last opportunity this year to learn this craft. This 2-day course, with
instruction from Master Craftmsn, Dave Goulder, will commence on
Saturday 26th October. For details or to book a place, please contact
Augusta Hutt either by E-mail or Phone.N.B.(Will anyone who is
interested and contacted Augusta Hutt previously, please contact her
again, as her E-mail contact addresses were lost from her computer as a
result of a thunderstorm.)
15
October
2013
Surf's Up Soon At St
Fergus Gallery, Wick Highlife
Highland and the Swanson Gallery would like to invite you and
your friends to the opening of the Surfboard Design Exhibition at the
St Fergus Gallery, Wick Carnegie Public Library. The opening and prize
giving will be on Saturday 26th October 2013 at 11am. We hope to see
all the children who took part in this popular design competition as
all the 171 designs were very beautiful and the decision making was
very difficult for us. You can see the top designs on the
Swanson
and St
Fergus Gallery facebook pages if you would like to take a
peak.
Wick and District Pool
League 2013/14 Season Starts
The
2013/14 Wick & District Pool League season got underway on
Monday night, with the Lybster derby between Bayview1 and The
Commercial the pick of the ties. Raymond Gunn was the star player as he
won all three of his games to help The Commercial cruise into a 7-1
lead. Alistair Young knocked in an 8-ball clearance for Bayview, but it
was the Commercial who took the three points with a 8-4 scoreline.
Latest Jobs Added To The
Employment Section On The Forum Today Job ads on Caithness.org are FREE and easy to set up after
joining the forum. Playwork
Modern Apprentice
Pulteneytown People’s Project is seeking to recruit a Modern Apprentice
(aged 16-19) in Playwork within the Pulteney Centre in Wick.
The successful applicant will work towards achieving an SVQ in Playwork
at level 2.
Wild
North Archivist
The project will run for 20 weeks and the rate of pay is £150 per day
for a maximum of 22 days, starting November 2013 with up to £200
allocated for mileage and expenses.
Wild North Project Co-ordinator
A project co-ordinator is required to develop, design, manage,
co-ordinate, promote and evaluate a series of community events and
activities during 2013 and 2014.
HGV Driver/Store Person 42.5 hours per week, Start 8.00am-5.00pm Mon-Fri (rota system
working everyalternative Saturday 8.00am - 12 noon.)
More jobs A wide variety of positions are currently being
advertised on Caithness.org and the section is updated daily.
14
October
2013
Caithness & North
Sutherland Fund Latest Grant Awards!
The
Caithness & North Sutherland Fund recently held its 3rd grant
assessment round for 2013 awarding over £109K to ten community and
voluntary groups for projects that will benefit people living in the
Caithness & North Sutherland area.
Memorials In High Street, Wick
At
one end of High Street in Wick are a number of memorials placed in the
past 10 years or so. Links on each photos will take you to
further
information about them. The memorials are for Isleford,
Jervis
Bay, Johnny Yuill, Jim Christie.
Latest Caithness
Commercial Vehicles Added To The Gallery Natural Retreats
13
October
2013
Claymore Creamery, Wick - Gone
But Not Forgotten Another
addition to our Old buildingsd in Caithness section. Did you
collect the odd pint of milk or cream when you ran out from that
building. Still looking for photos of old buildings now gone
for
this section. The building was demolished a few years ago to make way
for housing that has nto been built as yet. If you would like at add
any email them to bill@caithness.org Old
Buildings from the Start
One Week To Go Until The
Wedding Fayre Pulteney Centre, Wick - 20th
October 12 noon - 4.00pm
Pultney Centre in Wick would like to invite you attend their First
Wedding Fayre. With everything you need to plan your special day all
under one roof from bridalwear to beauticians, photographers to
florists and everything else in between!
Also why not bring along your bridal party and enjoy an Afternoon Tea
at Telford’s Cafe while you plan your special day. Soft Play area will
also be open for the children
Location: Pulteney
Centre, Huddart Street, Wick
.
If
you have not been to the centre before this is great chance to see the
best community centre in the north of Scotland with a growing range of
activities in a new purpose built building.
Hero sailor survives home
blaze
- Herald
THE British submariner who launched the torpedoes that sank the General
Belgrano in the Falklands War has survived a blaze at his home.
Bill Budding escaped from the first-floor window of his semi-detached
house in Thurso, Caithness, after a fire broke out. He was helped by a
passer-by.
11
October
2013
Rush.dance kids win Big at
Dancelines Scottish Hip Hop Festival
This
has been massive for Weekend for us at Rush.dance, all the kids
&
parents are buzzing after all the kids making every final we took part
in & to have Winners who have earned the right to have the
dancelines Scottish Hip Hop Champion titles is amazing for us as a
Group.
Rush.dance has just completed their first Weekend dance Festival,
Dancelines runs Scottish Festival in Craig Tara Ayrshire.
This is an international dance competition with dancers coming from
Scotland, England, Norway, Wales & Ireland.
There are different dance styles going on over the weekend Disco
freestyle, slow dance, Show dance and Hip Hop.
2nd Portskerra Story-Telling
Festival 18th - 20th October Traditional
Culture – Stories – Art – Fun & Gathering People in the
North
This is the most northerly Storytelling Festival on the mainland of
Scotland – come and visit the festival and have the bonus of seeing
spectacular scenery and historic archeological sites scattered
everywhere up here – even with all the windfarms they are building and
planning.
We are based in a small traditional style hall (Melvich
Village Hall - check for us on Facebook)
in the midst of the traditional fishing and crofting villages of
Portskerra and Melvich with a fabulous background of traditional
stories and Gaelic /Norse culture and ceilidhs, music, song and edged
by glorious fishing and surfing beaches and the sea. Location: Melvich Village Hall
£5 per event £10 for family of four or £10 per individual for
the whole weekend.
Landward Caithness
by-election timetable confirmed
The timetable for the election for the return of a councillor for Ward
4 (Landward Caithness) of The Highland Council has been confirmed
today. Candidates have
until 4pm on Monday 28 October 2013 to confirm they are
standing. If the seat is contested, a by-election will take place on
Thursday, 28 November 2013. Nomination forms are now available from
David Sutherland, Depute Returning Officer, Chief Executive’s Office,
Highland Council Offices, Government Buildings, Girnigoe Street, WICK,
KW1 4HW or via The Highland Council’s web site:
www.highland.gov.uk/yourcouncil/elections/
Anyone eligible to vote can apply for either a postal vote or to vote
by proxy. The latest time to apply for a postal vote is 5.00pm on
Wednesday, 13 November 2013 and the deadline for anyone
wishing to apply to vote
by proxy is Wednesday, 20 November 2013. Advice on postal
and proxy voting is available by contacting the Electoral Registration
Office on 0800 393783.
The Returning Officer is the Chief Executive of The Highland Council,
Steve Barron and the count will take place at the Assembly Rooms in
Wick on Friday 29
November 2013.
Note To Candidates In
Landward Bi-election. - email your photo and profile to
bill@caithness.org for inclusion in our Bi-election section to be added
shortly.
10
October
2013
Commonwealth Games Baton
Relay Search For Runners Search
launched for community champs to star in the home leg of Queen's
Baton Relay. It will travel across the globe through the 70 nations and
territories of the Commonwealth carrying a special message from Her
Majesty the Queen, but the final lap of the Queen’s Baton Relay will be
its last 40 days travelling the length and breadth of Scotland.
Commonwealth Games Scotland and Glasgow 2014 need up to 4,000 special
people to be the batonbearers given the honour of carrying this unique
symbol of the Commonwealth Games towards its final destination and the
Opening Ceremony of the Games. Leaflet
- to see larger imgages right click and open in a new tab.
Still Time To Vote For Scotland's
Favourite Wild Animal
People
urged to vote for their favourite wild animal as campaign draws to a
close.
With just three weeks to go before voting closes to decide Scotland’s
favourite wild animal, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is urging as
many people as possible to take part in the poll for Scotland’s Big 5.
The vote for Scotland’s Big 5 closes at the end of this month, with
thousands of votes already registered for each of the five species
listed. The campaign is just one of the thousands of activities and
events that have been taking place across Scotland during the Year of
Natural Scotland.
Dunnet
Forest Survey - Get Your Responses In Soon
Part of a project by a Phd student Louise Senior which shoudl prodice
an interesting sotry about hwo people use and view the forest in
Caithness. See also her blog
You can also leave comments once you have completed the
survey HERE.
It doesnto take long to complete so the more the merrier.
Learn Spanish This Winter
Basic Spanish course on offer at North Highland College, Thurso
starting 23 October. Spanish is one of the major
language in the world. Spanish is spoken in Algeria,
Andorra, Argentina, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Chad, Chile, Colombia,
Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Rep., Ecuador, El Salvador, Eq. Guinea,
Guatemala, Honduras, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mali, Mexico, Morocco,
Nicaragua, Niger, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, Togo, Tunisia, United
States, Uruguay, Venezuela.
New campaign launches to help
reduce chewing gum litter
The Highland Council has launched a new campaign today
(Monday 7
October) with the aim of reducing littered gum in the local area.
Encouraging residents to ‘Bin it your way’, the council has partnered
with the Chewing Gum Action Group (CGAG), an organisation chaired by
Defra and funded by the chewing gum industry, to tackle gum litter in
the UK.
The campaign, now in its eighth year, sees industry working with
councils and Business Improvement Districts to develop local
initiatives to reduce chewing gum litter. The Highland Council is among
16 local authorities and BIDs taking part in the 2013 activity.
Last year’s campaign showed an average fall in gum litter levels of
over 50% in participating areas – and a 93% reduction in one area!
Council keen to receive more
suggestions for future planning of Caithness and Sutherland
A
call for people’s early suggestions of sites and ideas for the new
Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan – CaSPlan – is in to
its last fortnight. It is therefore important that people take up The
Highland Council’s invitation to submit suggestions for inclusion in
the new plan for the future of Caithness and Sutherland, before the
deadline on 17 October 2013.
Scott Dalgarno, Development Plans Manager at The Highland Council said:
“The Call for Sites and Ideas exercise provides the opportunity for all
members of the public to be involved in the development process at the
earliest possible stage. Often members of the public only get involved
in the planning process in reaction to an application for planning
permission being submitted. Now is their chance to be involved and make
their views known early – and to let us know what they want their local
area to be like.”
erielements - Autumn
Newsletter from Enviromental Institute, Thurso Since
opening in 2000, the ERI has become a dynamic research organisation
with a young, highlymotivated
team, and the ethos of multi- and inter-disciplinarity is securely
embedded. Today, the ERI has
become a focus for promoting excellence in research in the region,
largely due to the ability of its investigators
to work with stakeholder, commercial, academic and educational
organisations alike.
The ERI has an extensive network of academic, stakeholder and business
partners across the region and
nationally. International collaborations extend from Europe (e.g.
France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany,
Czech Republic, Ireland, Sweden, Finland) to North and South America
(e.g. USA, Canada, Chile) and
Asia (e.g. China, Taiwan).
6
October
2013
Thurso British Legion
Hunt For Rolls Of Honour From First World War
- Help Find Missing Rolls Of Honour Do
you have a roll of honour like this or have you seen one lately?
Thurso Branch of the Royal British Legion Scotland is looking to make
up a set for the county of Caithness. They have three and they believe
they need a further three to complete the roll. They are looking in
particular for those marked Caithness-shire with the identifier A, E or
F. There may even be more in the set. The plan is to have them framed
and put on display during the one hundredth anniversary commemoration
of the Great War. If you would not wish to part with yours or give it
on long term loan, the Legion would be prepared to make a good quality
copy of it.
5
October 2013
Kaitness Fowk - Poems and Stories
By John Horne We
are grateful to Margo Mackay for sending us the scans of these famous
works by the late John Horne. Although the name John Horne is
known thoughout Caithness for his dialect poems these have been out of
print for over fifty years. A few well worn copies of Poems and Plays
published in 1923 have been handed down and some of his classical
dialect poems have been reprinted at times in the John o'Groat Journal.
His total literary output was very high but only a small fraction was
in dialect - indeed he only published one other dialect book, A Canny
Countryside. This contains stories about characters of the mythical
Caithness village of Knockdry and the last edition was printed in 1906.
In the early thirties he was working on a new edition with extra
chapters but died before being able to accomplish this.
More Caithness Dialect
Poetry Tatties
an Herreen by Castlegreen Caithness
Bitties by Isabel Salmon Jenny
Stewart's Poems W
T Lyall - more to come in coming weeks More
Caithness Poets
Business Start Up Workshop -
Thurso 16/17 October
Highland Opportunity are coming to Thurso with a 2 day business
Start-up woorkshop open to anyone thinking about starting a new
business.
Join our two day workshop where you will learn how to develop your
ideas into a practical and effective plan to launch your business. Key
elements include: Getting the marketing right for your business;
Developing a realistic, working business plan; Deciding what finance
you need and learning how to use financial information.
Chance To Dance Ballrom
and Latin In Thurso The
class is an hour and a half of practice in Ballroom and Latin Dancing
and is in the Girl Guide Hall in Robert Dick Place, Thurso every
Thursday night from 730pm to 9pm and the cost is £2 per person. There
is no actual teacher in the class as we started it as a follow on from
the workshops run in the Park Hotel by a professional teacher from
Elgin (she was here twice already and is coming back on Nov 2nd) and we
are really just going over the routines that she gave us. Saying that,
we don't want anyone to miss out if they want to dance, so the class is
open to anyone to come along and see if it is any use to them. No
partner necessary, no special shoes just not trainers. Weeks holiday on
the 10th but back to normal on the 17th. MContact Lesley Gunn 01847
892658.
Caithness Family History
Society Publications
The
Caithness Family History Society’s 1901 Caithness Census transcriptions
record details of everyone living in each house on the night of 31st
March 1901. We can supply census information for the parishes of
Dunnet, Canisbay, Halkirk and Wick.
The 1841 Caithness Census transcriptions record the details of everyone
living in each house on the night of 7th June 1841. Only have the books
for Wick Burgh, Latheron Parish and Reay Parish still remain for sale. Caithness Family
History Society has also made transcriptions of the
inscriptions on the gravestones in three cemeteries - those of the
older sections of Keiss, Watten and Olrig Cemeteries.
Maginot Band Plays
Inverness, Wick and Thurso Local
boys The Maginot Band play the first gig at the re-opened Blackstairs
Lounge.
Since recently signing a management deal, the band have been locked
away in the studio writing new material, which will be showcased at
their up-coming mini tour that sees them play Inverness (Mad Hatters,
4th October), Wick (Blackstairs Lounge, 5th October) and Thurso (Y-Not,
6th October).
Caithness Landward Homes
To Be Offered Free Energy Savings Measures Council
and E.ON work together to improve Highland homes.
Home owners in four Highland Council Wards are the first to be offered
free energy saving measures in a £6.4 million project with energy
company E.ON.
People who own homes in the Landward Caithness; Aird and Loch Ness;
Inverness Central and Upper Achintore (Fort William) Wards will be
invited to have their properties assessed for free energy efficiency
measures as part of the Home Energy Efficiency Programme for Scotland –
Area Based Scheme (HEEPS-ABS).
The scheme is mainly aimed at insulating hard-to-treat properties with
primary measures being: cavity wall insulation or external wall
insulation.
Still Time To Volunteer for Burn
Of Whilk Archaeology Dig
From
20 September to 7 October 2013 AOC Archaeology Group, on behalf of one
of the UK’s leading renewable energy developers, RWE npower renewables
(RWE NRL), are carrying out an archaeological dig around RWE NRL’s Burn
of Whilk Wind Farm in Caithness. The excavations focus on the Warehouse
chambered cairns.
This project coincides with Scottish Archaeology Month and Highland
Archaeology Fortnight, is part of a wider project that aims to improve
understanding of the Yarrows trail and surrounding area.
Dr Andy Heald of AOC Archaeology Group is organising both the project
and the volunteer programme for RWE NRL. He is keen to have as many
local people as possible contact him and take part at some point during
the dig.
He said: “While Caithness is a region rich in archaeological history,
we still know very little about many of the identified monuments of
importance. The work we are carrying out in the coming weeks should
shed new light on the Neolithic and Bronze Age of the county.
“As with all such projects in Caithness, we are keen to get as many
volunteers to take part as possible. Volunteers can come for any length
of time and require no previous experience. As well as excavating we
will teach them various techniques including survey, laser scanning and
conservation principles”.
Highland
Archaeology Festival 2013
Sell It Buy It- Classified Ads On Caithness.org
are FREE
Hundreds of items are being bought and sold via the Caithness.org
classified ads section every month. Costs nothiing to add
your items for sale so why not check the attic or garage to see what
you can sell to get extra cash for Christmas or holidays or just to buy
something else you need. Probably the best form of recycling
is to sell things you no longer need. And save yourself money
by buying used items many of which are in great condition.
Don't bin it sell it.
Modern Apprenticeships
Opportunity For Employers
PPP have 4 Modern Apprenticeships available at level 2 Playwork and
Administration level 2 & 3.
This is an opportunity for an employer to recruit and employ a young
person who they would release one day a week/fortnight to study at our
centre towards their qualification. The rest of the time they would be
working within their placement. They would gain their qualification
within 9 – 12 months, which will include their level 2 or 3 SVQ in
Administration or Playwork, manual handling, risk assessments, first
aid and food hygiene. Once they have completed their qualification you
will then have a qualified, confident young person ready to take on
more responsibility and a more appropriate wage.
New House In Wick - Start
to Finish - 39
Photos StartCompleted
Celebration Cèilidh Marks
Medium Education at Mount Pleasant Primary School
Pupils
and staff from Mount Pleasant Primary School in Thurso were joined by
parents and guests to enjoy a special ceilidh today (3 October 2013)
celebrating the opening of the first Gaelic Medium department in
Caithness.
The school’s Gaelic Medium Department opened at the start of the new
school session when 7 pupils from the active Gaelic Medium nursery
enrolled into Primary 1. The youngsters are the first pupils in
Caithness to be taught via the medium of Gaelic, under the guidance of
teacher Mrs Gwen Bowie. The school decided to mark this significant
milestone by hosting a cèilidh and inviting local councillors,
musicians, and representatives from the local community to participate
in the event.
Under Age Sales Of Alcohol To Be
Tested This Weekend 4 - 6 October
Police Scotland Highland and Islands Division will be
carrying out test purchasing operations in the Badenoch and Strathspey,
and Caithness and Sutherland areas of the Division this coming weekend.
The scheme consists of a fully briefed teenager (under 18 years of age)
entering licensed premises under controlled conditions and in line with
agreed guidelines to purchase alcohol.
If the proprietor does not ask the person their age and allows them to
purchase alcohol they will be committing an offence, even if their
excuse is that they thought they were 18.
Lethal
Power Tools Sales
Generate Warnings
Trading Standards officers from The Highland Council and Police
Scotland are asking Highland residents to think again before they
consider buying potentially lethal power tools that are being offered
for sale door to door and from the back of vans.
Following reports of generators, chainsaws and power washers being
offered for sale by itinerant traders in the Nairn, Skye and the
Badenoch & Strathspey areas, officers acted last week and 25
items were seized.
The
Orcadian Stone Company In Golspie Always Worth A Visit If
you are heading to or passing through Golspie a fascinating place to
visit or buy presents is the Orcadian Stone Company that houses a very
special collection of specimens from all over the world. The
collection was a lifetimes work for two geologists and is reckoned to
be one of the finest in the UK. The collection is in one
building and nearby is a wonderful shop with thousands of
unusual gifts that will last forever. Christmas is
coming..................... Earlier
PhotosOrcadian Stone
Company Web Site
The Big Lament - A Major Event At Timespan
Helmsdale and Portgower Margaret
Tait’s groundbreaking film Caora Mor: The Big Sheep, 1966 is celebrated
through a series of events between 30TH October and 2ND November 2013.
Timespan's Digital Artist Oliver Mezger has spent two years living in
the far north of Scotland methodically filming the remote Highland
villages of Helmsdale and Portgower. Now, in view of this year's
Clearances Bicentenary, he sheds contemporary light on themes first
addressed by Tait in her films, 45 years ago.
Does Anyone Have Innes Family
Information Relating To This Photo? William
Innes In Montreal, Canada has asked if anyone can help with this photo.
INNES gathering at the “Aberlour Hotel” about 1925
William Innes was born in 1822 at the family farm called Craighead
located in Glenlivet. and remained there until his death in 1890.
The people in the photo are numbered to assist. Email William
in Montreal if you have any information relating to the family history.
Caithness Slabs Optical
Illusion Trialled On Union Street, Aberdeen
Asphalt
is to be dressed up as Caithness slabs as part of a new operation to
improve the south pedestrian area on Union Bridge.
The existing concrete slabs are thin and frequently damaged. The
Caithness slabs, which are used elsewhere on Union Street are too thick
to use on Union Bridge due to the limited depth available between
bridge deck and footpath.
Aberdeen City Council, in order to solve both problems, is trialling
the use of a new operation called StreetPrint, which mimics the visual
effect of the Caithness slabs in asphalt.
1
October 2013
Wick Council Buildings
And Town Hall Under Wraps As Work Progresses
Highland teachers get
musically active
Over 100 Highland Primary and Early Years staff from all corners of the
region gathered in Inverness on Saturday (28th September) to receive
training in the delivery of a new music teaching support resource for
non-music specialist staff – Active Learning through Music.
Journey Share Caithness
Share
a lift and save money - check it out to see if it can work for you.
They match the journeys and match you to like-minded people.
They match your profiile and you have the Choice of accepting
or
not lifts available from the map and information n the web site.
Lift sharers are saving load of cash. - Check it out. Highland Liftshare - October
Newsletter
This newsletter is orientated to the Black Isle but you will get the
idea as it applies UK wide.
Mystery Solved - Thanks To Forum
Members The
photo found by Noel Donaldson amongst his late father's records.
Forum members began a discussion and now one of them has come
in with the information. It turns out not to be Caithness
photo
but from Orkney. The photo was taken in front of St Magnus
cathedral in Kirkwall in 1936.
Mr Z a forum member has helpfully provided names and full details about
the photo as follows - This is the crew of the Longhope lifeboat "
Thomas McCunn" who rescued 41 men from the French Grand Banks trawler
"Neptunia",which was wrecked on the tail of Brims on 21st. Feb. 1936.
They were in Kirkwall receiving awards for this service. Coxwain Billy
Dass was awarded the R.N.L.I. bronze medal and a silver medal from the
French government and the remainder of the crew were awarded bronze
medals from the French Government. Also in the picture is the former
coxwain Jake Swanson, who was awarded the R.N.L.I. long service vellum.
Jake joined the crew when he was 14 years old and was coxwain for 34
years, 28 of those years under sail.
Back row. George Johnston( Bowman),
Bob(Sodger)Johnston(crew),Bob(engineer)Johnston(me chanic), Jocky
Robertson(crew), Billy Dass(coxwain), John Norquay(crew), Jake
Swanson(retired coxwain), Eric Mowat(assistant mechanic), Sinclair
Mowat(2nd. coxwain).
Front row. Doctor John Foubister, Longhope; Wm. Heddle, clerk to the
Lieutenancy and Vice Consul for France; Mr A Baikie, Lord Lieutenant of
Orkney & Zetland; Mr. John M. Slater, Provost of Kirkwall; Mrs.
Baikie; Mr J Storer Clouston O.B.E.Convenor of Orkney; Mr William
Sutherland, Secratary, Longhope lifeboat. --- Many thanks to
Mr. Z for the information.
The
class is an hour and a half of practice in Ballroom and Latin Dancing
and is in the Girl Guide Hall in Robert Dick Place, Thurso every
Thursday night from 730pm to 9pm and the cost is £2 per person. There
is no actual teacher in the class as we started it as a follow on from
the workshops run in the Park Hotel by a professional teacher from
Elgin (she was here twice already and is coming back on Nov 2nd) and we
are really just going over the routines that she gave us. Saying that,
we don't want anyone to miss out if they want to dance, so the class is
open to anyone to come along and see if it is any use to them. No
partner necessary, no special shoes just not trainers. Weeks holiday on
the 10th but back to normal on the 17th. MContact Lesley Gunn 01847
892658.
