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MENINGITIS CASES IN DOUNREAY
On Tuesday 29 March 2004 another man
working for a sub-contractor in the Prototype Fast Reactor at Dounreay,
was admitted to hospital with probable meningitis, though the type has yet
to be confirmed. Dr Ken Oates, Consultant in Public
Health Medicine for NHS Highland said “On the basis that there is a strong
possibility that this is a further case of meningococcal meningitis it has
been decided to extend the offer of antibiotics to include all those who
work on a regular basis in the Prototype Fast Reactor. Further advice and
an update on the situation was given to all members of the workforce at
Dounreay On Wednesday 30 March.”
30 March 04
THURSO PIPE BAND’S FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR TARTAN
DAY PARADE
Thurso Pipe Band have done all
their final preparations for their journey to New York to participate in
the well known Tartan Day Parade on Saturday 3rd April 2004. The Band’s final preparations included their last
practice, and a TV interview with North Tonight which will be shown before
the band leaves on Wednesday, and the unveiling of a banner, which Band
President Billy Gunn will be displaying when he marches at the head of the
band at Saturday’s Parade in New York.
NEW BOOK ON CAITHNESS CASTLES
Caithness Castles and other fortified
buildings
A history and guide to the strongholds and
lairds houses of Caithness by Michael J.
Gunn
This book, the culmination of more than
forty years of research by the author,
recounts the histories and family
connections of more than one hundred
Caithness strongholds. It documents the
growth and development of all types of
fortified buildings in Caithness commencing
with the Iron and Bronze Age hill forts and
brochs, through the Viking and Norse
strongholds, to the medieval castles and
towers and the later lairds houses. We
have seem the draft version of this book and
it is likely to become one of the most
sought after books on Caithness and with
only 1000 copies in the first run may be out
of print fast. So if you would like to
ensure you get a copy place and order with
Michael Gunn now.
HIGHLAND COUNCIL AGREES POLICY ON WASTE FOOD
AND FALLEN STOCK
New regulations affecting the disposal
of animal by-products will come into effect
in the Highlands on Thursday (1 April). Over
the past few months, representatives of The
Highland Council's Technical, Environment
and Community Services have been contacting
affected businesses to explain the impact of
the regulations and offer advice as to
alternative means of disposal. The
regulations target concerns about possible
sources of diseases such as BSE, CJD,
Salmonella, and Foot and Mouth Disease and
aim to protect public health and animal
health by controlling the treatment and
disposal of animal by-products. A wide
range of businesses are affected by the
Regulations including farms,
slaughterhouses, rendering plants, knackers'
yards, food manufacturers, catering outlets,
butchers, fish processors/mongers and food
retailers.
GIBSON CALLS FOR STUDY INTO FAR
NORTH LINE
SNP MSP for the Highlands and Islands Rob Gibson has lodged a motion in
Parliament calling for the Scottish Executive to undertake a strategic
assessment of the Rail link between Inverness, Thurso and Wick. MR
Gibson lodged his motion after Highlands and Islands Enterprise published
a report showing an increase in the amount of people using the railways in
the Highlands. He sees this report a an excellent opportunity to construct
a Dornoch Rail Bridge which would cut 45 minutes off the time that it
takes to travel from Inverness to the far North.....
21 March 04
Huge Crowds Turn Out To Support Maternity
Rally In Wick
The
crowds turned out in huge numbers with
estimates of over 2000 in support of the
North Actions Group's call to support
consultant led maternity services in
Caithness. From 2.20pm onwards the
crowds lined up and eventually encircled the
Caithness General Hospital before moving off
down the Cliff and long Bridge Street and
into Market Square
North Action Group Delivered Mothers Day
Card To Maternity Unit
Members
and supporters of the North Action Group
delivered a large Mothers Day card to the
staff at the maternity unit before the march
to the rally began at Caithness General
Hospital. Many members of the
committee of of North Action Group have been
themselves or had relatives in the maternity
unit. they wish to ensure that future
services are retained for the community in
the future.
George Bruce Chairman
Of North Action Group Overwhelmed By Support
George Bruce reiterated the north Action
Groups intentions to fight all the way for
maternity services in Caithness. He
thanked everyone for turning out in such
large numbers and with few comparisons in
recent years declared this the biggest show
of felling the government has yet seen.
With other groups all over the country
fighting to for other units there was little
doubt that this was a force the MSP's in
Edinburgh must take note of.
Rob Gibson MSP Calls
For Cross Party Unity On Maternity Issue
SNP MSP for the Highlands and Islands has called for cross Party
co-operation over the threatened Maternity Unit at Caithness
General Hospital.
Mr. Gibson was speaking at the protest and he
said..."This is a chance for all shades of political opinion to
get together to come up with constructive solutions to the
problem of centralisation of the Health Service. What we need is
a unity of purpose where we all speak with a clear voice."
"Ultimately the health minister cannot leave Caithness and
north Sutherland in no-man's land." Mr Gibson also
called for health board members to be made
accountable and face the ballot box.
Maureen Macmillan MSP
Delighted At Support For Caithness Maternity
Unit
MSP
Maureen MacMillan stated her full support
for the people of the north and their fight
to retain consultant led services
Jamie Stone MSP Says
"Only God Almighty Can Change Geography"
Jamie
Stone MSP was he said amazed by the huge
support at the biggest demonstration of its
kind he had ever seen in the north of
Scotland. Outlining the reasons why
the Health board and the Scottish Executive
had to think again and referring to
weaknesses in the Calder report he was given
enthusiastic responses from the crowd for
committing himself to do everything in his
power to save services in Caithness General
Hospital
Area Convenor David
Flear Declares Highland Council &
Councillors Support The Campaign
David Flear was firm in his statements
that not only was highland council firmly on
the side of the campaigners fighting to save
consultant led services but they were asking
that no decisions were taken until the
results of the Council and HIE Impact Study
was completed to show the social and
economic consequences of running down
maternity services on the north of Scotland.
Luke Ivory For
Scottish Socialist Party Supporting Fight
For Caithness Maternity Services
Luke
Ivory for the Scottish Socialist Party made
a stirring speech in support of the people
fighting to save maternity services.
He also added his party's voice to the
growing demand to remove un-elected health
board quangoes. He said it was time to
remove the un-elected "Placemen" of the
Scottish Executive. The suggestion
found favour with the assembled crowd and he
was cheered and clapped.
Aelex Bain Vice Chair Of
North Action Group Vows To Fight Campaign
With Everything
Thanking everyone for speaking and the
crowds for coming Aelex Bain pledged that
North Action Group members would be
carrying on the campaign with everything
they could think of. Aelex Bain has
two children and has her own personal story
of how without consultants being on hand in
Caithness she would have suffered serious
consequences. Her story is echoed by
others on the north Action Committee as well
as many other women who have come forward to
tell there own stories.
Global Funds Begin To
Come In From Caithness Connected Folk
Everywhere
North Action Group are beginning top receive
offers of financial support from round the
globe as the Scots everywhere and
particularly those with northern connections
rally to the cause of retaining consultant
led maternity services in the north of
Scotland. what began as a small
campaign is turning out be a rallying call
to the Scottish diaspora. Donations
To the fight To Save Consultant Led
Maternity services in Caithness can be sent
to Treasurer - Councillor Tom Jackson, 15
Upper Burnside Avenue, Thurso, Caithness,
KW14 7XA
Caithness Pipe Bands
Join The Fight For Maternity Services
The spontaneous offers from three different
pipe bands in Caithness brought together a
big sound to lead the demonstrators at
Caithness General Hospital and to lead the
march along Bridge Street and into Market
Square to hear from North Action Group and
the assembled politicians. The rousing
sound hammered along Bridge Street and
resounding in the Market Square urged folk
to say "There is no way we can lose now and
we will not give up"
Call Goes Up To Scrap
Unelected Health Board Quangoes
MSP Rob Gibson SNP and Luke Ivory SSP
both called for an end to unelected Health
Boards and that elections should be brought
in to make the individuals accountable to
the electorate. In what may turn out
to be an unexpected wake up call the crowds
greeted the idea enthusiastically cheering
and clapping each time the idea was
suggested. Calls to ensure that all
the individuals are made known to everyone
as soon as they take office after 1 April
were in place. NHS highland Health
Board members will no longer be allowed to
be faceless as the previous board were.
North Action Group members are to take every
step possible to highlight who is on the new
board.
North Action Group
Calls On People To Attend Health Board
Meetings From Now On.
All Health Boar meetings are open to the
public but few people if any ever avail
themselves of the opportunity to see them in
action. north Action Group hopes to
change all that and have people attending
every meeting until the maternity issue is
settled. the next meeting in on
6 April in Inverness and NAG is organising
for people to attend and anyone without
transport can contact NAG to arrange for a
lift. Depending on numbers a bus may
be organised although this expensive.
Thurso Pipe Band All Set For Tartan Day In
New York
The Thurso Pipe band are in their final
preparations to travel over to America
to take part in the Tartan Day Parade in New
York on the 3rd of April 2004. There will be
in the region of 2000 individuals, including
pipers, drummers and Scottish groups from
around the World taking part in the cities
6th annual tartan Day Parade. The parade
marches down 6th Avenue from 44th Street to
58th Street at Central Park. as well as the
tartan Day parade the band will be playing
at several other functions. The band departs
for America on the 31st of March
Gaelic Student Wins Wallace Broadsword Prize
In Gaelic Community Radio Competition
Jaqui
Yuill, winner of The Highland Council's
Gaelic Community Radio Competition receives
the Wallace broadsword prize from Councillor
Neil Clark. The Highland Council's
Gaelic Community Radio Competition is
supported by the Gaelic Media Service and
Burn Stewart Distillers PLC, makers of the
Wallace Liqueur. The aim of the
competition is to encourage radio groups to
develop Gaelic programming within their
broadcast schedules and encourage Gaelic
speakers to participate in Community Radio.
Wick Rally On Maternity Makes It On To BBC
Highland Radio News
The BBC Radio Highland News gave coverage to
the protest rally being organised by North
Action Group on Sunday 21 March 2.30pm
Mothers Day. The item appeared at the
end of the broadcast and can be heard by
anyone with Real Player installed by
following the link at the top of this item.
Murkle Man Gets Nine
Months Jail for Cannabis Possession
41 year old Steven Morris was given a
sentence of nine months imprisonment after
having been caught with £1600 worth of the
drug. He had previous convictions.
Six Men Now In
Hospital With Suspected Meningitis
The men all work at the Dounreay site
and two were taken in yesterday with a
further four today. One man from
yesterday is being treated at Raigmore.
Both of the two taken in yesterday are
improving. The other four have been
taken into hospital in Wick as a precaution
and do not show signs of the infection as
yet.
Councillor Katrina MacNab Calls For Rally
Support Over Hospital Issues On Mothers Day
Councillor
Katrina MacNab who represents the
Pulteneytown ward on Highland council and is
also the manager of the Pulteneytown Peoples
Project has added her voice urging people in
the north to support the rally on Sunday
21 at 2.30pm Mothers Day. Her
letter which has also been published in the
John O'Groat Journal today is to be found on
the North Action Group web site.
Councillor MacNab has pointed out the link
that many people are beginning to make in
the danger to other hospital services
including gynaecology, anaesthetics and so
on if a domino effect was set in motion.
Halkirk 1983 Primary 1
Picture sent by Joanne Mackay
and no doubt this one like many others will
stir a few memories. If anyone would
like to add information to the picture
please send in anything including any
information on the one name Joanne has a
question mark on.
Maternity Rally In Wick On Mothers Day
Likely To Get huge North Support
At 2.30pm on Sunday - Mothers Day
people fighting to save consultant led
maternity services in the north are likely
to see one of the largest public protests
for many years. After the large
numbers who attended the protests during the
day and later when Professor Calder came for
his visit to look at the service many more
are expected to come out on Sunday.
The fact that so many politicians have
agreed to speak in the Market Square in Wick
shows that the matter is a cross party issue
and regarded with utmost importance. Outwith an election seldom do so many agree
to come so speak publicly on a single issue.
some folk are travelling a long way to
Caithness to support the place where their
children were born and can hardly believe
that downgrading is being considered.
North Action Group accept that change will
come but that change should include the
retention of consultants in Caithness.
TOMORROW'S HOUSE TODAY SEMINAR, ACKERGILL
TOWER, WEDNESDAY 14 APRIL 2004
The Tomorrow's House Today Seminar which
was originally due to be held on 30 January
has now been rescheduled to Wednesday 14
April 2004, at Ackergill Tower, By Wick,
Caithness from 09.00am until 16.30pm
The Local Economic forum for Caithness and
Sutherland is organising this Seminar owing
to a lack of available modern quality
affordable housing which is seen as a major
constraint to development. Sponsoring
members of the forum include Ackergill
Tower, Caithness & Sutherland Enterprise and
The Highland Council. All interested
parties, whether community housing
association or groups, professional
architects, builders or private developers
as well as those with an interest in the
latest low cost technologies for energy
efficient housing for their own use, are
invited to this Seminar with national and
international speakers.
Caithness Guides Open A New Web Site
Caithness Guides and Brownies information
can now be found on their new web site just
launched.
Show Time At Pulteneytown Academy
The curtain came down after three shows in
two days by the children of Pulteneytown
Academy in Wick. Wick players should
not be short of talent for many years to
come with some great performances and music
coming via a state of the art sound system
that showed off the singing to great effect.
The school has in recent years invested in
modern stage, lighting and sound equipment
and the kids really took advantage of it all
in the performances. Great show - well
done everyone.
14 March 04
Getting Ready For "Wedding Belles"
By Wick Players On 1 April
The
ladies were trying out the dresses at Wick Old Parish church as they
prepared for "Wedding Belles" the latest production by Wick Players.
With many wedding dresses and bridesmaids outfits as well as other clothes
for the production the wardrobe department is gearing up for a busy night.
The production will be performed in the church itself lending an
appropriate backdrop for this fundraising production aimed at boosting the
coffers and raise money for the new premises recently purchased by Wick
Players. Dresses have been loaned for the production and includes
the wedding dress of the late Lady Jessamine Harmsworth.
Plenty To Set Science Festival Alight At The Sunday Opening
Check out the programme for talks
open to the public
12 March 04
Duke Of Edinburgh Award Show
Trailer At Dounreay
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Show Trailer, which was generously supported
by TNT recently visited the Dounreay site, with the aim to encourage young
employees working with UKAEA and Contractors to take up the challenge of
participating in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Brian Lavery,
Award Officer, Highland Council and Diane Gibson, Development Officer for
the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Highland Award Project were on hand to speak
to staff about the award. Billy Husband has agreed to take on the job of
Unit leader in an effort to persuade the UKAEA and contractors to use the
Duke of Edinburgh's Award as a tool for their employees on the site.
11 March 04
Expanding Business
Opportunities
In Decommissioning At Dounreay
Simon
Cole-Hamilton, Chief Executive of Inverness Chamber of Commerce and Carol
Gunn of HIE Network Decommissioning Task Force based in Thurso recently
visited Dounreay to explore ways in which more members of the business
community in his area could become involved in Decommissioning at
Dounreay. They are pictured here with Robert Nicol of UKAEA (right) who
gave them a presentation on the Business Opportunities at Dounreay, which
was followed a by a tour of the site.
10 March 04
'CAITHNESS CRITTERS' TAKE FIRST PLACE
IN SCOTTISH WATCH GROUP OF THE YEAR COMPETITION
A Caithness based children's nature
group, organised by The Highland Council’s Planning and Development
Service Rangers are the winners of the Scottish Wildlife Watch Group of
the Year Competition for 2003. The group, 'Caithness Critters', won the
Scottish Wildlife Trust competition which celebrates the achievements of
Watch Groups around the UK and encourages the groups to keep a
diary or yearbook of their activities through out the year. The 'Caithness Critters', organised through
Highland Council’s Rangers is a club for children aged 8 - 14 with an
interest in wildlife. The group meets every month to explore the great
outdoors and learn about the wonders of nature. Events take many
different forms and over the past year have included forest treasure
hunts, rock pool rummages, bat walks, gold panning, bird cake making and
mini beast safaris.
Craft Residencies in Caithness, Lochaber and
Wester Ross
Three nationally acclaimed craft
artists-in-residence start work this week at
schools in Caithness, Lochaber and Wester
Ross. Each artist has been specially
selected by pupils from local schools who
also chose the craft they wished to study.
Applications were received from craft makers
from all over the country and pupils in each
area selected three to interview before
deciding on the successful applicant.
Caithness Science Festival - Sunday
14 - Thursday 25 March
The
Caithness Science Festival gets going with a week of events for school
children with a few events open to the general public with hands on
demonstrations and lectures by scientists. The events open to the
public are on 14, 16, 18, 23 March. the festival kicks off with
three thirty minute science shows at Wick High on the 14th with Black
Holes, Electronics in Miniature and Electronic Musical Instruments being
the topics of later lectures.
Thurso V Halkirk At Recreation Park, Halkirk
On Saturday 6 March
The
BIG Caithness Derby match is on Saturday 6th of March 2004. It is in the
Morris Newton Cup Second Round, to be played at Recreation Park in Halkirk
with a 2.30 pm kick-off. Should be a good game of football. Hope the weather is
better than the last time the two teams played before Christmas when
Thurso won 1-0 with a goal from Allan Sutherland.
3 March 04
Designated Port Fish Landing Status
For Wick
Four fishing ports will be added to the list of those designated for
haddock landings. Haddock can now be landed at Scottish ports of
Whitehills, Wick, Arbroath and Macduff by vessels with special haddock
permits under EU arrangements introduced earlier this year. The addition
of these ports brings the total number of designated haddock landing ports
to 23 and ensures the continuation of tradition within the four
communities.
CAREERS
SCOTLAND WELCOMES YOU TO THE 2004
CAITHNESS CAREER CONVENTION
ASSEMBLY ROOMS, WICK
WEDNESDAY 10TH MARCH 2004 6.00pm – 8.30pm
Careers
Scotland staff be on hand to provide expert careers advice, but also
representatives from more than 50 organisations will be ready to give you
up-to-date information on opportunities in learning training and
employment. The convention is the ideal opportunity to meet first
hand with people from a range of career areas, universities, colleges,
employers and training providers – all there under the one roof, ready to
help you as an individual. Whether you’re a school pupil planning
for the future or a parent/carer wanting to help, whether you looking for
work, returning to work, or in work but seeking new horizons… The Careers
Convention has plenty to offer.
2 March 04
YOUTH CHALLENGE GROWS
The success of a youth technology and innovation competition
developed in the Highlands and Islands will see it become a major national
contest next year. The PICT ICT Youth Challenge encourages small
teams of people under the age of 20 to develop innovative information and
technology projects that have the potential to become commercially viable
ventures. PICT (Producing Information Communications Technology)
Innovation Ltd takes innovative IT related ideas, supports and champions
them in order to turn them into real businesses and jobs. That
popularity has led to the decision by the organisers and sponsors to
extend the contest to young people throughout Scotland from next year.
1 March 04
Crossroads Prize Draw
