Latest News

23 April 2014

New Community Index Under Construction
Send your groups latest details and information for the new pages to bill@caithness.org
Do you have a news items about your organisation - youth, church, health  etc you would like included in the new community pages now building....check your details and let us know of any changes....
Village Halls, Day Centres, Care Homes have all now been transferred to the new community section - Can committee members please check the details and let us know if any changes are required.  Send in news items, photos and updates at any time.     Old Community Index

Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm Included In New UK Goverrnment Investment
Government unveils eight major new renewables projects, supporting 8,500 green jobs. SSE welcomes the UK government's announcement that the Beatrice offshore wind farm project has been successful in securing an Investment Contract. The security the contract provides means SSE and its partner Repsol can continue to invest in the the engineering and procurement work required to maintain progress towards a final investment decision in early 2016.


YOUNG PEOPLE SEEK ADVENTURE TO COMBAT “BAD” JOBS MARKET
Thousands of young people are jetting abroad in search of adventure amid serious concerns over the state of the British jobs market. Among those aged 18 to 30 going overseas to work, 43 per cent say they are seeking adventure, 21 per cent aspire to work abroad and 36 per cent had simply had enough of Britain..... Smaller Earth UK placed over 6,000 young adults on its Camp Leaders programme in the United States in 2013, an increase of almost 20 per cent on the previous year.

Highland recruitment drive for nursery staff
The Highland Council is this week launching a recruitment drive for 140 extra nursery staff as it prepares to implement an increase in childcare provision from August 2014. As part of the implementation of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, all three and four year olds in Scotland will be entitled to 600 hours per year of early learning and childcare from August. The current entitlement is 475 hours, so this is a significant increase in provision.
Nursery Staff wanted - Wick High Vacancies  Thurso High Vacancies   Farr High School   Golspie   Dornoch
Cleaners wanted -  Wick Library  Archive Centre, Wick Library   Thurso High School
Many other vacancies are currently available in our Jobs section

22 April 2014

Can You Help Rangers Get Rid Of The Giant Hogweed Menace Along Wick River
Help control the invasive Giant Hogweed along sections of the Wick riverside. Training will be given by John Parrott from Collie Alba on how to sever roots, before splitting into smaller groups to survey the river bank.

Labour MSP Rhoda Grant Supports More Action To Prevent Bird Poisonings
Highlands & Islands (Labour) MSP Rhoda Grant has claimed that more needs to be done to prevent a repeat of the carnage of the birds of prey in a small area of Ross Shire.

Education Director For Highland Announces His Retiremment Date
Mr Hugh Fraser, the Director of The Highland Council’s Education Culture and Sport Service, has announced his intention to retire later in the year. Mr Fraser, who will be 60 in July, will retire at the end of September after more than 37 years service as a teacher and in education management.

Body discovered following a search for a missing person in the Wick area

New operating rules at Highland Recycling Centres
From 28th April 2014, The Highland Council’s Recycling Centres will no longer accept waste associated with commercial or trade activities (i.e. work carried out for business or profit) such as household clearances, furniture removals and handyman or gardening services. A letter explaining these changes has been written to a number of businesses of this type that have used the Recycling Centres in the past and includes details of licensed disposal facilities in their area where they can dispose of their waste.

Thinking About Starting A New Business? Check Out This Free Course  - BOOK EARLY
This free workshop is delivered by Highland Opportunity Ltd - a company owned by Highland Council. The course is delivered via the Business Gateway that in Highland is operated by Highland Opportunity from its offices in Inverness. 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.

21 April 2014

Police appeal for information regarding missing person Donna MacAlpine From Wick
"Police in Wick are appealing for information on the whereabouts of Donna MacAlpine, aged 22 years. She was last seen in the Macrae Street area of Wick about 1.15am on 21 April 2014. She is described as slim build with brown hair tied up, wearing a blue puffy jacket with pink trousers. Anyone with any information regarding Donna's whereabouts is urged to contact Police Scotland on 101."

New Vacancies Added at 1.45pm Today

Wick Youth Club Re-open Crazy Golf At Rosebank Park After Upgrade
Wick Youth Club's move into running the Rosebank Park in Wick is proving to be a great success.  On Sunday in addition to they egg hunt they also officially re-opened the crazy golf that has been refurbished by local firms and the community Pay Back Team.  The park now has some new items to amuse the kids when they visit the park in addition to the ever popular bouncy castle
.

20 April 2014

Easter Egg Hunt At Rosebank Park, Wick


Church to display historical stone
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Thurso has received a fibre glass replica of a historical stone, which will be displayed on Saturday, 26 April from 1-5pm during free tours of the new Thurso meeting house. The stone was originally part of a building in Stirling, where its inscription, ‘What E’er Thou Art, Act Well Thy Part,’ inspired a young man named David Oman McKay as he struggled with homesickness. His grandparents, Helen Oman and William McKay, lived in a croft they had built near Thurso and emigrated to America after joining the church in 1850. A hundred years later, their grandson became the President of the world-wide church, leading it for 19 years. Under his presidency, the church nearly tripled in size, from 1.1 million to 2.8 million members.

19 April 2014

Police to host Facebook chat event on motorcycle safety
Police Scotland, Highland and Islands Division are hosting a Facebook chat event on Tuesday 22 April 2014 on the topic of motorcycle safety. The evening, which will run between 18:00 hours and 19:30 hours will be facilitated by Acting Sergeant Alistair Mcbean, an Advanced Police Driving and Motorcycle Instructor, based in the Divisional Road Policing Unit in Dingwall. The aim is to raise awareness on motorcycle safety and, ultimately, keep riders safe in the Highlands and Islands.

18 April 2014

Fit's in 'e Groat 'is Week

Grant Campbell returns to Harmsworth Park

Superfast fibre broadband to roll out on first Scottish Island
Homes and businesses in Lerwick on Shetland are set to be Scotland’s first island community to get fibre broadband as part of the £410 million Digital Scotland partnership. Lerwick joins Keith in Moray as the latest areas to be announced as part of the Digital Highlands and Islands project which will deliver fibre broadband to 84% of premises across the region by 2016. They will see fibre broadband services offering speeds of up to 80Mbps* roll out in the autumn, as BT engineers deploy the technology.  Different parts of Caithness will be connected between January  - December 2015 but not all areas are includedin the rollout according to the map

17 April 2014

Deadline approaches for next round of Armed Forces Community Covenant Grant Scheme
The Highland Council is reminding people that bids to the Armed Forces Community Covenant Grant Scheme need to be submitted by Wednesday 30 April.

Easter dog walkers urged to be careful around sheep
With lambing season well underway, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Ramblers Scotland and land management organisations, Scottish Land & Estates and NFU Scotland, are asking dog walkers to be aware of vulnerable young lambs when they’re out walking over the Easter holiday weekend.

Employment Fund Programme - Work Placement Scheme ·
Are you aged 16 or over and currently unemployed? ·
Would you like a work placement with a local employer that may lead to a job? ·
Would you like to gain certificated training towards employment?

Northern Nashville country Music Festival 18 - 20th April
the Northern Nashville Country Music Festival is here again for another Easter weekend and once again they have a huge line-up of singers.

16 April 2014

Job Added To Vacancies Section 3.45pm
Service Industries Assistant - North Highland College

More Memories Of Wick From Connie Dunnet Sutherland - Part 7

Braemore To Morven For Breathtaking Views Of Caithness

15 April 2014

Old Violin At The Heart Of First Responders Fund Raiser
The violin is possibly an old fake Stradivarius but the story behind why it is up for auction is very real.

14 April 2014

Your Citizens Advice Bureau – here to help
Caithness CAB was set up in 1982 and has been running successfully ever since. Your Citizens Advice Bureau – here to help The CAB service is here to help you. Whatever your problem, we’ll help you find an answer. There can be a perception that CAB deal only with people living in poverty and those in crisis, this is not the case and we will help anyone in need, including, for example, small employers. You’d be amazed by just how much information we have on just about any subject.

Several New Job Vacancies Added at 8.00pm Today

Reflections On New Wick Council Offices
       The new Wick council offices construction from the start

College Students ‘Champion’ Barclays Money Skills Week
Students at North Highland College UHI enjoyed a series of activities to learn how to better manage their money during Barclays Money Skills Week. The interactive events covered themes such as budgeting, saving and spending, and were designed to be entertaining and informative. Activities were based on topics that interest students, such as food, shopping and independent living. The initiative gives students the opportunity to build crucial skills for the future and gain knowledge of personal financial issues and controlling their budget. PHOTO GALLERY

Tour Your Local UHI Campus
The four North Highland College UHI (NHC) campuses are ever expanding and having had over £11 million invested over the last five years, is now opening its doors to offer campus tours for the general public. The scheduled tours are available to book online via the college website and will entail a general tour of one of the four campuses based in Thurso, Halkirk, Alness and Dornoch. Prospective students are able to register their interest in a particular subject area with the opportunity to chat to staff and students and the tours will be available twice per month.

HIAL Airports Record Busiest Ever Year
Energy sector drives huge growth at Sumburgh and Wick John O’Groats
Extra 70,000 passengers across the group
Much of the growth was linked to the energy sector, with Sumburgh and Wick John O’Groats the main beneficiaries. At Sumburgh, Scotland’s fastest growing airport, passenger numbers grew by 32.2% as a result of increased oil and gas traffic. A major terminal development is planned in the coming months to allow for future growth as the airport seeks to expand its energy sector operations. Wick John O’Groats recorded growth of 21.7% following an increase in energy related fixed wing and helicopter operations, and additional scheduled flights between the capital and the far north.

13 April 2014

Thurso Gala Queen 2014 Announced
Thurso Gala committee have announced the names of the 2014 gala court.

12 April 2014

The Referendum - We Look At Some Web Items You May Not Yet Have Found

Local Dance Instructor's Daughter Does Well At Euro Dance

More Trophies For Rushdance
Willie Miller of Rush.dance reports on the latest wins. Two of my Rush.dance kids Chloe MacGregor and Tyler Hutton (both from Wick) have just competed at dancelines Euro dance International championships in Brean, This competition was run over the weekend with dance styles going on Freestyle, slow dance, show dance and Hip Hop sections. Chloe danced in the Open U8 Hip Hop Championship section, which she dance on Saturday in her way to the final and coming away with an amazing (2nd place) Runner up place. Tyler danced in the Open U10 Hip Hop Championship section, which he danced on Saturday on his way to the final and he became U10 Dance lines International Hip Hop Champion coming in 1st place. Tyler has now won this amazing title as Euro dance Hip Hop champion for the second year running.

11 April 2014

Mozart's Requiem Day On Saturday
Open to all singers and players.

Wow You Added Over 100 New Events To Our What's On In Two Days - Total now over 500
A couple of days ago we sgave reminder to get events added to the Caithness.org What's On section to increase the coverage and publicity and you certainly respionded.  Caithness always has plenty of events going on but does everyone know about them?  Well the total events in opur listings today is 511 - it changes daily but has shot up.  But we definitely know there is much more yet to be added - for example all the galas are not yet listed so that should add many more events.  So get your club dates, coffee mornings, fitness, football and gatherings of all kinds in to the What's On.  Kids Dance classes and groups of all kinds do not yet put there dmeeting dates in.  Businesses must have dates they want to share so get listing. - It's FREE so get them in. Just use the Submission form

ERI Met New Partners In Thurso To Kick Off Turnkey Project
This week saw the launch in Thurso of the TURNKEY (Transforming Underutilised Renewable Energy Natural Resource into Key Energy Yields) project. This €2 million EU project has seven partners from five EU countries, and is coordinated by the Environmental Research Institute in Thurso. It is part of the EU’s Atlantic Areas programme.



Licenced Premises To Be Checked Out In Coming Weeks
Police to carry out test purchasing operations in Caithness and Sutherland in the coming weeks. Police Scotland Highland and Islands Division will be carrying out test purchasing operations in the Caithness and Sutherland areas of the Division in the coming weeks.

Local residents wanted to represent communities on decision making panel
Two vacancies have arisen for community representatives to serve on a locally elected panel making decisions about funding from the E.ON Camster Community Fund; one representative is sought from the Watten Community Council area and one from the Tannach & District Community Council area.

Sea Survival Trainng Course - RYA FIRST AID
First course being run in Wick - Wednesday 30th April 2014
This is a one day course and it covers all the usual first aid subjects, but from a boating perspective. It is aimed at anyone who goes afloat, whether on inland waters, rivers or at sea. This course fulfils the requirements for professional skippers of small craft working within 60 miles of a safe haven, including boatmasters. The course is recommended by the MCA and HSE


Parrot lost in the Springpark area of Thurso
If anyone see or captures please email Paul Cannop at paul.cannopATtopenworld.com

10 April 2014

NEW LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE HIGHLANDS
If you’re leaving school this year, planning a career change or would like to retrain, North Highland College UHI, Thurso, Alness and Dornoch has a range of new courses to kick start your career. The North Highland College UHI is continually seeking to improve their range of courses and levels and modes of study. This year, the college is excited to announce even more new courses with excellent progression routes to give you the best learning journey and opportunities right on your doorstep.


Need Cash For Holidays This Year? - Sell Your Unwanted Items In Our Classfied Ads Section - It's FREE
Whether you are buying or selling it is worth checking our ads section regularly as many items are being added each day.

Fit's in 'e Courier
A fast look at the local paper.

Missed The Last Few Days Items - Over 14 Years Indexed - Front Page Archive >