News Archive - July August September 2020
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30 September 2020
Wick High Street Devastation Continues - TSB To Close Wick Branch
TSB
has today announced it will close 164 branches as the Bank continues to
implement its three-year strategy announced in November 2019.
73 Branches of TSB in
Scotland will close including the one at Wick. The
wrting has been on the wall for bank closures for sometime
but
the pandemic has made more people sign up for online banking.
- currently 4000 per
day opting to go online for bank services. 24 September 2020
UK Businesses And Cybersecurity: A Troubled Relationship
Security
company Carbon Black released a report
showing that 88% of UK businesses suffered from a data breach during a
12-month period. It also revealed the average number of breaches per
organization: 3.67.
Remember any size of business can be attacked.
Along with
backing up all your systems and data every day in case you computer or
laptop falls over consideration of cibersecurity might be a long-term
lifesaver for your business if any of it is online even if you only use
the same computer to store or send invoices and for emails.
Think about it then get safe.23 September 2020
Caithness Community Groups See Investment Of Over £150k In Latest Funding RoundSeven community projects are to benefit from over £150k of funding following the Caithness & North Sutherland Fund's latest grant awards.
Wick hotel celebrates 65 years of independent family business
One of the north Highlands' most iconic hotels is celebrating 65 years as an independent family business this September. Mackays Hotel on Union Street in Wick has been a leading accommodation provider and a cornerstone of local community life in Caithness for over six decades since being purchased by the first family member in 1955, Murray Lamont's maternal grandmother.
22 September 2020
Scottish Government Latest Announcements On Covid RestrictionsA wide range of measures have been changed or brought in by Nicola Sturgeon for the Scottish Government today.
In England Covid changes were announce by Boris Johnson Today
In England broadly similar changes were announced by Boris Johnson but there are some differences and higher fines havebeneintroduced there.
21 September 2020
A Minimum Income Standard for Remote and Rural Scotland - Volunteer Participants Wanted
The Scottish Government have
commissioned research to help create a better understanding of the
needs and costs experienced by people who live in rural and remote
areas of Scotland. This research initiative is called Minimum Income
Standard for Remote and Rural Scotland and updates similar work which
was commissioned in 2012 by Highlands and islands Enterprise and
partner organisations.
The project has now begun recruiting in Wick and surrounding villages,
for participants from a variety of backgrounds and age groups. The
research will be conducted by the Centre for Research is Social Policy
(CRSP) team at the University of Loughborough working alongside two
Highland based researchers.
Participation in this important study will help our understanding of
the cost of living in rural Scotland.
All participants who attend our
focus groups will receive a £50
voucher from a selection of options to
say thank you for your time.15 September 2020
Miller Academy And Victoria Walk In Thurso Benefit From Caithness Community Payback
Despite restrictions
during COVID-19, the Caithness Community Payback Team have been working
throughout the County ensuring that clients sentenced to carry out
unpaid work by Wick Sheriff Court have been paying back the Community.
Following a three month closure and COVID-19 restrictions greatly
reducing the number of clients that can be facilitated daily by the
Community Payback Team - work has continued to benefit Caithness
Community organisations.
Miller Academy in Thurso has taken receipt of five refurbished
children's benches which were repaired and re-painted in bright Rainbow
colours.
Contract For World's Deepest Nuclear Clean-up Awarded At Dounreay
Dounreay has awarded a major
contract as the world's deepest nuclear clean-up job gets underway.
Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd (DSRL), on behalf of the Nuclear
Decommissioning Authority, awarded the £7.5 million contract for
"advanced transition works" at the 65 metre deep shaft and silo to
Nuvia and its partner Graham Construction, through the site's
decommissioning framework following a competitive tendering process.
Nuvia is an international nuclear engineering, project management,
products and services contractor.
The work will include the rerouting of existing services as well as
minor construction and demolition works, preparing the 2 waste
facilities to be emptied of legacy higher activity waste.
30 August 2020
Look Around Wick Harbour and Consider How It Was Just a Few Years Ago
December 2001 November 2002 2007 Changes Began 2009 Marina Construction
Harbour Day June 2013 Wind Turbines 2012
26 August 2020
New Signs For John O'Groat Trail
The
John o' Groats Brewery has provided signs to mark the start/finish of
the John o' Groats Trail just outside the brewery location near the
harbour in the village.
The John o' Groats Trail is a charitable project to develop a coastal
trail in Caithness and Sutherland with additional links in Easter Ross
to connect to Inverness, allowing a continuous trail walk to or from as
far away as Land's End. Thurso And Wick High School Students Gain For Local Groups
Secondary
students have raised vital funds and awareness for charities in their
communities addressing a range of social issues.
Through The Wood Foundation's Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI),
young people from throughout the country represented causes they cared
about in a bid to secure their school's grant.
Mental health charities, health support services, and organisations
supporting people living in poverty were the top three issues to
receive more than £600,000 of funding this academic year.
16 High schools were successful in Highland gaing £3000 each for their
chosen charity.24 August 2020
Wick Map Streets For All Update: Exploring The Designs - Have Your Say On Draft Designs For High StreetFrom Sustrans - In a series of engagement activities and events last year, the local community told us what changes they wanted to see in the High Street to make it attractive, accessible and welcoming to people, as well as highlighting Wick’s cultural heritage. We’ve used this feedback to come up with design proposals and are giving you the opportunity to view, comment and shape these initial proposals. These draft designs are now available to view outside Caithness House as well as on our project website. Read more and register for online webinars
20 August 2020
High Life Highland Is Ready To Welcome Customers Back To Pools And Gyms
High
Life Highland have expressed delight at today's announcement from the
First Minister that gyms and swimming pools can reopen from Monday 31st
August 2020.
Steve Walsh Chief Executive of High life Highland said, "I am
absolutely delighted with the news that we are able to welcome our
customers back earlier than we had first thought. We have been working
incredibly hard behind the scenes in preparation for September and I am
pleased to be able to confirm that we are ready and raring to go from Monday 31st August."
19 August 2020
East Caithness Bounceback Into Sports And Games - Term 1
12 August 2020
Caithness Voluntary Group Funding Update August 2020Thanks to Yvonne at Caithness Voluntary Group for putting together a few funding suggestions that may be of interest to local groups.
Wick Paths Group Return To Work On The Coghill Bridges - Saturday 15th August
Wick Paths Group will be
returning to work on upgrading the Coghill Bridges at Wick Riverside
this weekend - Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th August and the bridge will
be closed to the public both days to enable the work to proceed
safely.......................To coincide with the bridge
work there will be a litter pick of both sides of the river - Highland
Council are providing refuse sacks and will remove the full sacks.
Members of the public are invited to join with the Paths Group, the
Wick Riverside Volunteers and members of Pulteneytown Parish Church for
this community event - meet at 10.00am on Saturday either at the
Riverside play park or beside the Boating Shed but remember the Coghill
Bridge will be closed! 6 August 2020
Green Health Packs To Benefit Environment And Boost Wellbeing Across Caithness
Green
Health Packs have been bagged and are being distributed to community
groups in a project that will bring environmental benefits across
Caithness while also boosting people's wellbeing.
Caithness Voluntary Group has assembled 450 packs with help from
volunteers and staff at Pulteneytown People's Project in Wick, while
Caithness Rural Transport has helped get them distributed.
The purpose of the packs is to provide enjoyment, release some creative
talents and encourage people to discover new hobbies in the outdoors.
29 July 2020
Biggest Meal Deals Ever - Compliments of the GovernmentEat Out To Help Out - Look For The Logo - Up To £10 Off Every Meal Mon - Wed
Lots of Caithness Eating Places
Have already signed up.
Diners who eat-in will benefit from a 50% discount, up to a maximum of
£10 per person, on food and non-alcoholic drinks, any Monday to Wednesday in August.
More than 53,000 outlets across the UK have so far signed up to the UK
government's Eat Out to Help Out scheme.Check Which Places Have The Offer HERE
23 July 2020
Spotted At Scrabster Harbour Today - A Ship Flying The Union Jack Flag Upside Down
German registered chemical
Tanker “Antares” alongside at Scrabster Harbour today.
The vessel is in theory committing “Lèse-Majesté" (to do wrong to
majesty) by flying the Union Flag upside down. An easy
mistake to make if you do not know your flags.In 1950 there was an attempt to have the regulations changed so that British merchant ships would be allowed to fly the Union Jack as a jack. One point made in favour of the change was that some foreign merchant ships flew the Union Jack as a courtesy flag, without any action being taken against them, whilst a British merchant ship that flew a Union Jack at the yard would be made to remove it. In considering the matter a survey was made of the foreign ships in the Port of London. Fifty percent flew no courtesy flag, forty percent flew the Red Ensign, and ten percent flew the Union Jack. David Prothero, 17 October 2000
Coghill Bridges Temporary Closures
If you regularly walk over the
Coghill bridges at Wick river check the temporary closure dates.
Upgrading work will commence on Saturday 1st August and runs over two weekends.
10 July 2020
Why it's better to give to a food bank now than three months ago
Food
banks in the UK
reported that demand had tripled in March this year as the coronavirus
lockdown threw millions out of work. Many food banks faced an urgent
need for money to buy extra food and launched appeals through
crowdfunding websites.
The public response was impressive, with a massive surge in support.
Nearly a million people volunteered to help the NHS and local support
centres.
Later, public backing for footballer Mark Rashford's appeal also forced
the government to reverse its decision not to continue funding free
meals for the nation's poorest children over the summer holidays.
This surge in generosity has led to hope that the pandemic signals a
transition to a kinder and more humane society after the pandemic. To
find out whether that might be the case, we developed a piece of data
scraping software to chart the generosity of the public in response to
appeals by food banks. We looked at how much was being donated during
the pandemic to see if the goodwill was sustained.
4 July 2020
Society Of Caithness Artists 2020 Annual Showcase Exhibition - Online For the First Time
Eighty Five artists have taken up the invite from the Society of Caithness Artists to join their on-line exhibition this year.
The exhibition will run from 1st July until 31st July 2020 and there are three hundred and fifty nine images to scroll though. The exhibition is divided into two main sections, with the 3D and sculptural section showing three images of each work. Most works are for sale by contacting the artist.
3 July 2020
Northland Creative Glass Takes Unique Film Festival Online After Covid Cancellation
Scotland's
arts links with Japan are being supported by over £100,000 from a
partnership between British Council Scotland and Creative Scotland.
Following an open call for proposals, which drew 24 responses from
individuals and organisations working across the Scottish arts
sector, North Lands Creative was selected to receive a share
of the funding. The successful bid covers several art forms including
glass, film and cross-disciplinary practices.
UK in Japan is a major bilateral campaign that started in September
2019 at the same time as the Rugby World Cup. It will be extended into
2021 with the culmination of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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