News Archive - June 2016

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26 June 2016

New Wick High School - Councillor Bill Fernie Looks Inside at Progress
Councilor Bill Fernie took a look around Wick High School on Saturday.  Work is going on 6 days a week to head for opening in October.
Photos from Start

Thurso Gala 2016







Pulteneytown Academy Open Day For A Final look Round Before School Closes After The Summer
Pultneytown Academy will soon be no more when it joins with South School under its new name of Newton Park and moves to a brand new school. An open day was held to allow anyone including former pupils to have final look around the old school before it gets demolished later this year to make way for a new playing field for the new school. Many photos were on display of former classes and we show some of them followed by a look around some of the classrooms as they are now.  

24 June 2016

Highland votes Remain in EU referendum
The total number of votes cast in favour of Remain a member of the European Union was 70,308
The total number of votes cast in favour of Leave the European Union was 55,349
UK on brink of leaving EU - At 6.00am it looks certain UK Will leave the EU.

UK votes to leave in historic referendum - BBC

Scotland backs Remain as UK votes Leave
Scotland has voted in favour of the UK staying in the EU by 62% to 38% - with all 32 council areas backing Remain.

Pound tumbles to lows not seen since 1985 - BBC
What will happen on the Irish border if Britain votes to leave the EU?

Sterling, stocks in free fall as UK votes for EU exit - Reuters

23 June 2016

Additional Support Needs Funding Levels To Be Maintained
The Highland Council has confirmed that it will sustain the current funding for Additional Support Needs in Primary and Secondary Schools for the new school year - 2016/17. While the Council has taken measures to address a £40m budget gap, it will not require to reduce the funding to schools for children with additional needs.

18 June 2016

Engineering and Construction Employability Essentials
Only a few places left on this free course.  Last year the people attending this course all obtained jobs afterleaving school.






Another floating wind turbine project planned for North Sea - Energy Voice

Fast Look at 'e Groat          Caithness Courier Headlines

13 June 2016

EU debate/hustings in Mackays hotel, Wick - Sunday 19th June. 6:30 - 8:00pm

11 June 2016

Lifeboat Day At Wick Harbour

10 June 2016

Wick Lifeboat Open Day At Wick Harbour - Saturday 11th June  - 1.30 - 5.00pm
The bunting is up and boats getting decorated so get along to Wick Harbour on Satruday afternoon and enjoy the activities.

8 June 2016

Single Application Form deadline: one week to go
Farmers and crofters urged to get their SAF and BES applications in as soon as possible. With just one week to go until the deadline of midnight on Wednesday 15 June 2016, Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing is urging farmers and crofters not to leave it until the last minute to submit their Single Application Form - which is required to receive Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments - and their Beef Efficiency Scheme (BES) claim, which also closes on 15 June 2016. As of Tuesday 7 June, 2016, 16,787 SAF applications have been submitted. This compares to 14,162 applications submitted with one week to go last year.  
Business News and Index

Another Quilt Workshop Due To High Demand
The quilting workshop in Wick on Friday this week was completely booked out on the first day it was advertised. Consequently another one has been arranged for Saturday 25th June, 10.30am - 12.30pm. Isobel McBay will teach how to do English paper piecing, a traditional form of patchwork. This workshop will be at the St Fergus Gallery, Wick. It will involve hand stitching and the kit will be supplied, although feel free to bring your own scissors if you wish. This course costs £8 per person.    Arts Section

4 June 2016

Coming Soon In June - Canibsay Show   Halkirk Gala Week and much more  Thurso Gala
Other Big Events Later - Halkirk Highland Games  Caithness County Show  Mey Highland Games
Check out the summer months June   July   August

Poppies - Weeping Window in Orkney
St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall, Orkney is the first venue in Scotland to host Poppies: Weeping Window, installed on the Cathedral's west end. Many people from Caithness and further afield have taken the ferry over the sea to see the display. About 4500 poppies are taken from the huge display at the Tower of London. A cascade comprising several thousand handmade ceramic poppies, Poppies: Weeping Window was originally seen pouring from a high window to the ground below at the Tower of London as part of the installation Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red. Orkney was the home of the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet, and on 31 May 2016 Orkney will host the official commemoration for the Battle of Jutland, the largest and most decisive naval battle of the First World War which was fought at the cost of over 8,000 lives.    Photo Gallery      Community Index

High Schools Compete In Rocket Car Competition
Over 140 pupils from Thurso High School, Wick High School, Golspie High School and Tain Royal Academy descended upon North Highland College UHI's ETEC building last week to take part in The Bloodhound Project Model Rocket Car Challenge. This is a global competition backed by Guinness World Records. North Highland College UHI Mechanical Engineering Curriculum Leader, Peter Hylton, visited the schools beforehand to give a presentation on the World Land Speed Record (WLSR) and various engineering approaches used on the cars that have broken the record. The schools then had two weeks to design and build their cars from materials provided by College with the help of the Energy Skills Partnership.

Summer Holiday Activities for Caithness, Sutherland and Across Highland
High Life Highland's 2016 summer activities programme is jam-packed with over 1100 fun things for children and young people to do across the Highlands. From swimming lessons to mini-olympics, from mountain biking to martial arts - you'll find a host of activities on offer to exercise, inspire and entertain.   Bookings for places begins on 18th June online or at any Highlife centre.
 For the next  few weeks the link wil be on the side-bar of this page to make it easy to find.


New Jetpatcher Set To Repair Potholes Faster On Highland Council Roads
The Vice Chair of Highland Council's Community Services Cllr Richard Greene and Badenoch and Strathspey Ward Member Cllr Jaci Douglas recently viewed a Jetpatcher in operation at Grantown on Spey. Following trials with neighbouring Local Authorities the Council's Community Services Committee in February this year, approved the purchase of a Jetpatcher with £150,000 from the capital programme. Over a 10-year period the cost of purchase and in-house delivery will provide a saving against the contracted cost of jetpatching.  The Jet Patcher wil be in Caithness for 15 working days between 1st June and 21st June 2016 .

3 June 2016

The 25 for 25 Collection - Quilt Exhibition
St Fergus Gallery and High Life Highland would like to invite to a new quilt exhibition - The 25 for 25 Collection. This exhibition of 25 works by contemporary makers was intended to act as a snapshot of patchwork and quilting at the time of The Guilds 25th Anniversary. The range of techniques used in the works in the 25 for 25 Collection is very broad, as they are in the 90s collection, and include hand and machine piecing, hand and machine quilting, hand and machine embroidery and embellishment.

Musical Map Of Caithness Success Brings Second Run For 2016
The Musical Map of Caithness produced by local musician Gordon Gunn and friends in 2015 has proved a huge hit with locals and visitors. Gordon said, "We had a terrific response last summer and now we are restocked and gearing up for summer tourists so folk are are using it as their musical tour guide and from hotel responses some are staying the extra night due to the visitor attractions on the album and wanting to go and visit."


Puffin Watching Event Tonight Friday 3rd June - 7:30pm
Caithness is lucky to have puffin colonies but youneed to get to the right places to see them.  Tonight at 730pm a Ranger led walk will guide you to one place where you can get a great view and take some photos.
Enjoy an illustrated talk on 'An Introduction to Caithness Seabirds' with some coffee/tea & home baking before taking a short walk to view a puffin colony in the Dunbeath area.
To book Contact Marina on 07818 588256 or marina.swanson@highland.gov.uk
Meet At Laidhay tearoom at 7.30pm   - Coffee and Cake included in the price.

2 June 2016

Choice Based Lettings extended throughout Caithness
Anyone who wants to rent a council or housing association house in Thurso now has greater choice. This is because homes are now being allocated through ‘Choice Based Lettings'. ‘Choice Based Lettings' is already in use across most of Caithness and due to its success the Highland Housing Register (HHR) partners are extending it to homes in Thurso. This way of letting council and housing association houses gives people a greater say over where they live and the houses they are offered.

Are you 4th 5th 6th Year And Want To Get Some Training? - Sign Up For Ready Steady Work
If you will be in 4th, 5th or 6th year in 2016/17 and you are unsure what path to take when you leave school then this course may be for you.   FREE - North Highland College from Monday 11th to Friday 15th July 2016.  Sign up now before places are all gone.  One week of your holidays and it might prove useful in the future.



This Sunday 6th June - Jazz At Mey Hall
Jazz in the Village stars IAN MILLAR and DOMINIC SPENCER - saxophone, piano jazz duo. Based in Edinburgh, the duo has regularly and extensively toured Scotland. They have embarked on many rural tours, often bringing jazz for the first time to remote communities, performing in intimate settings. They have played in Northumberland, North and South Yorkshire, Cumbria, Bedfordshire and Shropshire making the occasional trip further south including a European trip to Brussels.


Caithness County Show 2016 - Deadlines For Entries
The 2016 Caithness County Show will be here before you know it. So anyone who still has an entry form waiting to go in or has not completed one yet should get their skates on. The deadlines for are - Schedule entries close on 3rd June 2016 and applications for trade stands and stand space in the Northern Quality Produce Marquee close on the 10th June 2016.



Councillor Bill Fernie welcomes Scotland Excels Living Wage boost
Local Wick Councillor Bill Fernie has welcomed Scotland's centre for procurement expertise for local government, gaining Living Wage accreditation. Scotland Excel's accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation affirms the organisation's commitment to leading by example on the issue of fair pay.

1 June 2016

Wick Beginners Running Sessions
Do you want to give running a try? Suitable for absolute beginners.

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