News Archive - May 2015
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31 May 2015
Play Park at Riverside Wick Now Open
Noel Donaldson snapped a few
photos at the new play park at Riverside, Wick that
officially opened on Friday 29th May.Police Appeal For Information Regarding Damage To Car On Bridge Street, Wick
Use of mini-motos and quad bikes on the moors at Thurso
Police Scotland have received a number of reports of the use of mini-moto’s, motor cycles and quad bikes on the moors at Thurso and other location throughout Caithness.
29 May 2015
Caithness Heart Support Group Praised At 2015 AGM
CAITHNESS
Heart Support Group was praised for its role in advising people on the
lifestyle changes which could pre-empt heart attacks, as well as
supporting them, before and after their operations.
The warm tribute, paid at the group's AGM, came from the county's Lord
Lieutenant Anne Dunnett. Miss Dunnett said that some of the group's
members were well-placed to relate to heart attacks and operations and
went on to highlight the importance of heading off problems.
27 May 2015
Dangleberries Back At Ynot
6th June 2015
24 May 2015
Trip To Hoy - Sunday 31st May - Book Soon
Book now for a trip to Hoy
directly from the mainland. Spend the day on a unique
island in the Orkneys.A few places still left.
Killer Whales Around The Caithness Coast
Thanks to Karen Munro for great
photos of the killer whales that have recently been seen
around the Caithness coast.
Halkirk Gala Week Starts 7th June
IS the scorrie's traditional diet of town titbits and leftover takeaways set to change?
That's the question posed after
this gull was snapped on a rock below Wick town bridge, by Noel
Donaldson on Saturday. He thought it was odd to find a scorrie sitting
in the middle of the river and trained his camera on it. At first the
gull starred down into the water, as he was scanning the river bed,
then launched forward into the river, surfacing with what appeared to
be a salmon smolt.
21 May 2015
Head Teacher Recruitment Crisis in Highland - 20 Head Teachers WantedFar reaching strategies for improving the success rate of Head Teacher recruitment in the Highlands are being devised by The Highland Council. Members of the Council's Education, Children and Adult Services Committee have taken part in local workshops with Education staff to consider strategies to address the current challenges facing the recruitment of Head Teachers in the region.
19 May 2015
Great Whale Photos YesterdayThe past few weeks have seen great chances to see whales in the Pentland firth. Caithness Sea Watching has some great new photos from yesterday on their Facebook page.
Highland Council faces financial black hole over turbines - Press & Journal
Landward councillor Matthew Reiss had the backing of his fellow independent councillors when he put forward a motion to the full Highland council on Thursday last week.
Calling Schools and Community Groups To look At Room 13
Recently Wick councilor Bill Fernie had the opportunity to hear about Room 13 an organisation offering to help groups do arts and learning in a slightly different way taking a more business like approach. So here some information and web site to look at.
17 May 2015
Caithness Classic Motorcycle Club Rally 2015
Caithness
Transport Index16 May 2015
ROCK ROSE GIN FROM CAITHNESS TAKES THE UK BY STORM
Rock Rose Gin, a Scottish craft
gin
that hails from the most Northerly distillery in mainland Britain, is
making waves in the drinks industry, gaining a plethora of awards in
the UK and beyond. The gin, which is hand-distilled at the Dunnet Bay
Distillery in Caithness, features botanicals that are hand foraged from
local cliffs and forests to create a gin with a unique flavour profile.
The exceptional taste of the gin, which is flavourful and fresh, zesty
but berryful, has just been recognised with a Bronze medal at the
world-renowned San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the largest and
most influential spirits competition in America.
Protecting cliff-nesting raptors in Scotland
Climbers and conservationists
are working together to safeguard some of Scotland's birds of prey from
accidental disturbance.
Cliff nesting raptors - such as golden eagles and peregrines - are very
vulnerable to disturbance, especially when starting nesting activity.
As most Scottish golden eagles and virtually all peregrines nest on
rocky crags, they are not easily disturbed. But there have been a
number of incidents when rock climbers have inadvertently disturbed
nesting raptors during climbs. This may lead to nests being abandoned,
eggs failing, and even chicks falling from the nest.
Caithness Horizons Museum in Thurso achieves full accreditation
Caithness Horizons in Thurso
has secured Museum Accreditation for the next three years. The award is
made by Museums Galleries Scotland and Arts Council England under the
2011 Museum Accreditation Standard.
Caithness Horizons houses a permanent collection that tells the story
of the county of Caithness from 416 million years ago to the present
day including the Picts, the Vikings, and the history of the Dounreay
Nuclear Research Establishment.
The Museum Accreditation Standard sets nationally agreed standards for
museums in the UK. World Class Inverness Campus opened
Multi-million
pound investment will transform Highlands and Islands
economy. A
new world class facility which has the potential to support up to 1,300
jobs on site and create 940 new jobs across the Highlands and Islands
over the next five years has been officially opened by Deputy First
Minister John Swinney. Inverness Campus developed by Highlands and
Islands Enterprise (HIE) is one of Scotland's most innovative
infrastructure projects, aimed at boosting the country's enterprise
credentials. It will bring business, research and educational
organisations together on the 215-acre site to support collaboration,
knowledge transfer and build on the progress the area has already made
in securing highly skilled jobs in recent years. Ready Steady Work Courses Back For The Summer
Dates are announced for the
2015 Ready Steady Work courses.
Are you a pupil who will be in 4th, 5th or 6th year in 2015/16? If
university is not for you, but you're unsure what path to take and
where to start.....this course could be for you.
DSRL are holding two course during the summer holidays to help you find
employment across all sectors, eg retail, tourism, construction and
engineering.
Fit's in 'e Groat
15 May 2015
If You Go Down To Dunnet Woods Today
You
might be in for a big surprise as The Dunnet Forest Bear has come out
of hibernation.
Over the last few years Dunnet forestry Trust has been transforming the
forest making it more interesting and renewing planting to make it more
interesting and increase the biodiversity.
With many paths for walks and cycling this is a gem on that sparkles
more and more each year. Increasing bird life is becoming more and more
visible as the renewal continues.
13 May 2015
When did You Last See A Live Show? - Check Out The Arts SectionAnd there is more in the What's On
11 May 2015
Hidden Landscapes: LiDAR survey of a multi-period landscape in CaithnessFrom Caithness Field Club Bulletin 2014.
Disturbance at Barons Well, Wick - Police Call for Information
10 May 2015
Gills Harbour Spring, 2015 - Gearing Up
Community-owned Gills Harbour
is the most Northerly seaport on the British mainland, lying on the
shores of the Pentland Firth's Inner Sound, just off the A 836 road,
only four miles West of John O'Groats.
The spring of 2015 has seen some significant developments locally, both
in sea-transport and marine electricity, that bode well for the future
of the little port on the inland 'apex' of Gills Bay; it belongs to the
600 people living along the North coast. of Canisbay, Caithness.
Two vessels make their debut visits to Gills Harbour
Two vessels made their debut
visits to Gills Harbour on the morning of Sunday, May 10th, 2015.
The mini-ships Uskmoor and Lodesman sailed across the Pentland Firth
from Orkney to conduct operations in the Inner Sound of the narrow,
tide-swept, channel separating Caithness from the isles.
Just 36 hours earlier, an official 'Notice to Mariners' was issued by
Glasgow-based survey company Partrac Ltd. 9 May 2015
Caithness Model Boat Show 2015
PHOTO GALLERY
8 May 2015
Congratulations to Paul Monaghan SNP On Winning Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross
Paul William Monaghan has been
elected as the Member of Parliament for the Caithness Sutherland and
Easter Ross constituency at the UK Parliamentary election on 7 May
2015. John Robert Erskine - Scottish Labour Party 3,061
Alastair Robert Graham - Scottish Conservative and Unionist 2,326
Paul William Monaghan - Scottish National Party (SNP) 15,831
Ann Therese Murray - UK Independence Party (UKIP) 981
John Archibald Sinclair Thurso - Scottish Liberal Democrats 11,987
7 May 2015
Wick Darts youth event6 May 2015
Free Youth Music Workshop to Coincide With Ross Ainslie & Jarlath Henderson Show
Caithness Gigs,
Pibrochs & Poppies and Music Plus are delighted to present a
youth music workshop in ‘e Shed (off Naver Road, KW14 7QA) in Thurso in
the afternoon of Sunday 17th May. Coinciding with their concert at
Y-not in the evening, the workshop will feature Ross Ainslie &
Jarlath Henderson, with their guitarist Ali Hutton. Described as "two
stupendous young musicians" by Mojo, and "ridiculously talented" by the
Herald newspaper, this duo have fast become one of the most talked
about combinations on the circuit......Thanks to the incredible
generosity of Pibrochs & Poppies and Music Plus, participation
(including a meal and concert ticket for Y-not) is absolutely free -
spaces are, however, limited and are open to young musicians between
the ages of 12 and 18 (inclusive).
Your vote matters tomorrow
Postal voters who have
missed the post are reminded that they can hand both their General
Election and by-election postal ballot papers in to any of the Highland
polling stations up until 10pm tomorrow.
5 May 2015
Volunteers work in woodlands at Castle Mey
Members of the Caithness
Countryside
Volunteers took refuge from the bitter winds on Sunday (3rd May) by
working within the walled woodland garden of the Castle of Mey. The
volunteers assisted head gardener and fellow Caithness Countryside
Volunteer, Andrew Glaister, with weeding of the Giant Yellow Tibetan
Cowslip, Primula Florindae. The plant was first collected in 1924 by
Frank Kingdon-Ward and named after his wife Florind. It is native to
southeastern Tibet and does very well growing in the shade of mature
trees at the Castle of Mey. Photos4 May 2015
New Play Park At Riverside, Wick - Opens on Sunday 10th May at 2.00pm
Wick Gala committee have done a
great job gathering the funds for the new play park at riverside, Wick.
The playpark
is to be opened at a ceremony on Sunday 10th March at 2.00pm3 May 2015
Credit unions provide affordable loansYou can help spread the word ort even join your local credit union. Links in the item to more information for borrowers and savers. Remember credit unions are membership organisations run for members with unpaid directors and very few paid staff. With APR for borrowers often about 12 - 13% compared to huge rates currently being advertised by some places on TV. Savers get a good annual dividend - better than rates on many bank accounts. Savers join to help your community and borrowers get smart and save yourself from high charges. There are many benefits to joining your local credit union. And as they have almost no money to advertise please share on Facebook.
2 May 2015
NHS Highland Publishes Newsletter On Possible Future Of Servises At Caithness GeneralMore surgeons will be located
in Raigmore rarther than Caithness General and rotate to the hospital
as required. Do you think this major change
requires a public
consultation
as set out on the
Scottish Health council web site?
Replica Fishing Yawl On Show As Waterlines Opens At Lybster
Waterlines Heritage Centre
opened on 1 May 2015 for its summer season. It will be open daily from
11.00 am to 5.00 pm.
The replica of the 19th century fishing yawl which was built in the
workshop at Waterlines by John Cameron, a local boat builder, is now
housed in a new boat shed...The workshop now houses a new exhibition
describing the activities in Lybster Village over the past 100 years
which complements the existing exhibition on the history of Lybster
Harbour and its natural environment.
Waterlines Heritage Centre, which also provides a unique coffee shop on
the shore of the North Sea at Lybster Harbour, was opened in 2002......Check your polling station location before you go to vote
Make sure you know how to have your say on 7 May
Voters are being reminded to
make sure they are ready to take part in the UK Parliamentary general
election taking place on Thursday 7 May.
1 May 2015
Fit's in 'e GroatNoel Donaldson grabs a few items and shortens them for all you busy readers.
Presenter Fern Britton Starts Fundraiser From John O'Groats
Fern Britton began her quest ot
raise £57,000 by cycling 57 miles per day for the charity run by
Professor Robert Winston looking to find out more about and possibly
prevent so many miscarriages. Community Section
New Noss Primary School - Latest Photos
The Stakeholder group keeping
track of the schools projects in Wick were told that Noss Primary
school is now several months behind schedule and the expected opening
date is now pushed back to Easter 2016. Weather problems including a
prolonged wet period and a big gale causing lots of damage along with
the necessity to change a main sub contractor supplying panels has
added months to the deadline. Photos
from the start HEREWick High School Construction - Latest Photos
Wick High stakeholders group
were informed on Monday that the construction of the school is running
on schedule.Photos from the start HERE
Caithness Features on BBC programme 'Landward' at 7.30pm Tonight
Euan visits the uninhabited island of Stroma, Sarah tries to catch a glimpse of an orca and Dougie looks at efforts to harness the power of the tides to generate electricity. If you miss the programme you can catch it on BBC iPlayer later.
Highland communities get Spring cleaning
Across
the Highlands, schools and community groups are turning out to
Spring Clean their local environmental. Keep Scotland Beautiful (KSB)
is encouraging groups all over Scotland to organise events,
particularly during April and May, and register them on their website.
Community Index
MAD street dance Ultimate championships
Rush.dance kids came out on top
at the massive Scottish street dance competition - MAD STREET DANCE in
Motherwell The competition is the 2nd biggest in Scotland with all the
very best street dancers competing.
Arts Index
Entries invited from tourist businesses for the Scottish Thistle Awards
Lots of categories and nominations can be from a business or anyone recommending them.
May Day Holiday Arrangments For Highland Council
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