12 April 07
HEAART Is Up and Running At the Wellington Boot
SUCCESS!!!!!!! The Wellington Boot (formerly the Wellington Centre) became ours on 2nd April.
Congratulations to all involved we did it. Now instead of closing it's doors at the end of March ,which would have been a crying shame and a complete loss to the county and to everyone who has worked so hard in the Wellington Centre over the last couple of decades, it will now reopen it's doors but as a Community and Arts Centre run by and for Adults with Learning Disabilities and anyone else who wants to come along and join in. On Monday 26 March 2007 the council finally gave their approval for HEAART to take on The Boot.

27 February 07
New Community Enterprises Section
Following the successful day held at the Wellington Centre by HEART who are aiming to take over the Wellington Centre and run social enterprises from it we have set up this new section to draw together any information and details about any community enterprises in Caithness.

If you have a group involved in any type of community enterprise in Caithness or Sutherland and would like to have details in this section please get in touch with Bill Fernie bill@caithness.org

We will add more information and links in coming months.

What's It All About?
Community Enterprises come in many shapes and sizes.  Take look at the Jargon Buster at Forth Sector to get some short explanations.

Links
Social Firms
Social Enterprise Edinburgh
Senscot
A network in Scotland for social entrepreneurs.
Social Economy Scotland
Information, news and policy updates.
CEIS – enterprise support & employability solutions

Social Enterprises In Scotland
Forth Sector formerly Edinburgh Community Trust
Very successful and runs several enterprises
Edinburgh Embroidery Services
Forth Sector Development
Forth Sector Restart
Parkview Laundry
Rolls on Wheels
Six Mary's Place
The Soap Company
The Wood Works

25 February 07
New Way Forward For The Wellington Centre Following Saturday's Conference

An all day meeting on Saturday of people interested in taking forward the possibility of staring a Social firm or firms using the Wellington Centre as the base was discussed by 74 people from a variety of backgrounds.  Wick councillors have already had meetings with Enable Scotland and HEAART (new local group).  Bill Fernie the Caithness area chairman of Housing and Social Work said, "I was more than pleased to see this proposal coming forward and told the meeting that the council was ready to to as much as it could to help a new group get established using the Wellington Centre for a Social Firm creating employment for some of the client group and others.  The council may offer the building to a new venture at a token rent if a viable business plan comes forward."  "We have had one meeting a few weeks ago with Enable and another with HEAART members and both have been very positive."  It is hoped that an outline plan will come forward in March.  The Wellington Centre officially closes at the end of March.  Bill Fernie added" I looked into the possibilities of a Social Firm a few years ago and I hope that now is the time to bring one into being at the Wellington Centre and I will be trying to help the organisers this new approach as much as I can to make it happen."