5 January 2009
HIE
Launches Free Business Advice Line - Open 8.00 -
6.00pm Mon - Fri and Saturday Mornings
Highlands
and Islands Enterprise (HIE) today formally launches a campaign to
assist businesses to navigate their way through the current economic
downturn. The agency has set up a dedicated advice line with business
experts on 08000 884 884 offering free tailored advice to businesses of
any size and in any sector. Callers can also get contact details of other
agencies such as HM Revenue and Customs or Scottish Development
International which may be able to assist them with particular issues, or
go on to book a free one-to-one consultation with a business adviser.
"We want everyone that could benefit from this service to be aware of it,"
said Carroll Buxton, one of HIE's regional directors. "We will be running
advertisements in local newspapers and on local radio during the next few
weeks and will be sending details of this service direct to 17,000
businesses in our area. We also have a
downloadable podcast on our website homepage which tells people
a little of what they can expect from our advice line.".......... See
Also HIE
Business web site
4 January 2009
International Year Of Astronomy - Caithness And Sutherland Events
Are you
interested in astronomy? Then the series of events being organised by a
new local group starting on Friday 30th January will be a good place to
start. There will be talks, observing sessions, hands-on-activities,
gallery events, competitions and a chance to see genuine moon rocks and
meteorites over the year.
Earlier Caithness Night Sky
items
Reay Primary School May Be Closed On Monday Due To Burst Pipes
Burst pipes in some schools in Highland may mean they do not open as
planned on Monday after the holiday.
Check the Highland Council web page for the latest information.
1 January 2009
Congratulations To Pradip Datta For His MBE In the New Years Honours
List
The MBE was awarded in the listing as "Pradip Kumar Datta,
Founder, Wick Surgical Courses. For serv Medical Training." Pradip
Datta retired three years ago as a surgeon at Caithness General Hospital after
many years of service there. He continued to teach in the UK and
India. A very keen squash player in the local
Wick club for many years.
In May
2008 he received an award for the course he set up
Happy New Year From 2009
Well that's 2008 gone and we wish everyone a happy new year for 2009.
Bill was suffering from one of the bugs going the rounds and did not
venture out to the Market Square in Wick to try and not spread it round
more folk. If anyone wants photos of the night in Wick, Thurso or
any other events in Caithness published just email them to
bill@caithness.org
Local Hotelier Completes 366 Days Of 2008 Photos
Jamie
Buchanan a local hotelier and photographer has just completed a year long
project to publish a photo every day for 2008. 366 photos have gone
on to his Flickr web pages and show many parts of Caithness. Jamie
also runs a blog under the name
North
Light Congratulations to Jamie for a great set of photos and
letting us see many of the wonderful views and aspects we might not yet
have had time to get round to. The whole set of 366 photos can be
viewed as a
Slide Show See how many places you can name and why
not go out and see one or two in the coming year. Great project
Jamie - Visit Scotland should be paying you. Jamie also contributes
photos in our
Photography section We would also like to thank the many
contributors to this section that now has a huge number of photos of
Caithness and other subject matter. The section has over 1200 threads and
over 14,000 posts. The sections on Thurso and Wick old photos have
had over 100,000 visitors alone. It is easy for anyone to post
photos and then draw them into the section. If you have never done
this before some tips can be found
HERE If you get stuck just ask the forum members
for help. Share your photos in 2009.
31 December 2008
Wick
Hogmanay Web Cam - Camera Goes Live By 5.30pm
the web cam this year is compliments of
Paul
Broadwith of Blue Ivy
Entertainment from Thrumster
brothers Andrew and Craig Harvey. Balloons will be released once
again and food will be the traditional fare of black bun and shortbread
from local bakers MacDonalds. Tea and coffee will be available from
Santa's Grotto. A huge snowball waltz this year will see dancers
pick partners from the crowd and it is hoped enough folk will join in to
create yet another huge strip the Willow dance after that. The evening
kicks off at 10.30pm.
Thurso Street Party Starts At 9.30pm
Lots
of Street Parties Around Scotland
There are many parties and
celebrations tonight in Scotland.
Here ar links to a few to look at what
is happening around the country -
Aberdeen
Glasgow City Centre Web Cams
Edinburgh Web Cams
For many more web cams go to Camvista
Maes Howe Web Cam
Caithness & Sutherland Women's Aid Children's Service
Caithness
& Sutherland Women’s Aid— CHILDREN’S SERVICE offers a confidential support
service to children and young people who are experiencing or have
experienced domestic abuse. Published here is their October newsletter
Caithness & Sutherland Women's Aid Main Page
Don't Believe Everything You Read In The Newspapers
An article in the Press and Journal dated 15 November 2008 in an item
about 999 calls and alleging Bill Fernie said etc and with a quote from
Bill Fernie is completely wrong as the councillor in question was John
Finnie and not Bill Fernie. Despite a request to print
a retraction the Press and Journal have so far not done so although the
journalist who wrote the item phoned to apologise for the error.
Proving you need to be very careful when reading anything in papers or
online.
30 December 2008
Caithness Horizons Is Open On Wednesday 31st 10.00am - 4.00pm
If you have not been inside the new Caithness Horizons based at the former
Thurso Town Hall then why not pay a visit over the holiday period.
The Centre is open on Wednesday 31st and then Saturday 3rd January and
Sunday 4th January. There is plenty to see.
Highland Hunting Lodge In Sutherland Set For Extensive Upgrade
A
Victorian hunting lodge in Sutherland is to get a £1.5m facelift to allow
a variety of uses including use as luxury accommodation and use for
corporate events, thanks to a funding package including Highlands and
Islands Enterprise (HIE) together with the Big Lottery Fund.
Community group The Assynt Foundation near Lochinver has been awarded
£250,000 by HIE and £785,000 by the Big Lottery Growing Fund Community
Assets towards a £1.5 million project to renovate Glencanisp Lodge. Its
renovation will create five jobs directly and another two indirectly,
while also securing the six jobs already created since 2005. The Assynt
Foundation acquired the 44,400 acre Glencanisp and Drumrunie estates,
covering an area the size of 123 Hyde Parks and including the 14 bedroom
lodge at Glencanisp in 2005.
More Photos
See the
Assynt Foundation web site for more information and photos
29 December 2008
Boxing Day Mock Hunt At Sandside Estate
The Caithness Branch of Horse Society's Boxing Day Mock Hunt Meet at
Sandside House. 29 horses and riders, young and older, turned out on a
beautiful morning for a mulled wine stirrup cup, mince pies and venison
sausages before riding over a prepared course over Sandside Estate. They
chased Charlie Inness, the "fox" on a quad bike, who they eventually
caught up with at Stable Wood in the Helshetter Strath after several miles
of fast going. A lot of fun was had by all and £125 was raised for
Caithness Riding for the Disabled and The British Horse Society.
Sandside House
Thousands of drink driving offenders caught since 2000 - STV
The number of drink-drivers caught in the Highlands has reached 7,474
since 2000. The figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show
that 800 individuals charged with drink driving offences were under the
age of 21. The statistics also reveal that of the drivers arrested by the
Northern Constabulary one in five were in Inverness. Fort William, Lerwick,
Nairn, Stornoway, Thurso and Wick also had high numbers of people caught
driving over the legal limit.
