News

Firms Urged To Embrace Diversity To Improve Business Performance

Businesses in the Highlands and Islands are being urged to embrace diversity to improve performance and productivity.   A new initiative, Equality Matters in Business, (EMB) has been jointly set up by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Scottish Enterprise to highlight the positive benefits of employing a diverse workforce and considering diversity in service delivery across all equality strands - gender, race, age, disability, religion or belief and sexual orientation.  

Thurso Wedding Videographer Short-listed For Award

Following what must have been a surge of client recommendations, a Thurso based wedding videographer has been short listed for the chance to win a prestigious award at a major Scottish wedding industry event.   Colin Sinclair who runs Video Viewpoint Productions is one of only five finalists remaining in the wedding videographer category at the Voted Outstanding Wedding Supplier ( VOWS ) awards to be staged at a glittering ceremony in the Edinburgh Corn Exchange next month.  

Store Cattle Sale At Quoybrae - 15 October 2007

Quoybrae, Aberdeen & Northern Marts (15th October 2007) sold 466 Store Cattle Champion in the show, judged by Scott Watson, Carnoustie was a 626kg Charolais bullock from J T M MacKay, Thura Mains, Bower and sold for �800 to W & J Cameron, Burnside of Edingight, Grange, Keith.  Reserve was a 538kg Limousin bullock also from J T M MacKay and sold for �680 to Blair Duffton, Bogie Street, Huntly.  

HIE HELPS FIRMS TO LOOK FOR MARKETS AROUND THE WORLD

Helping companies to get into the international marketplace is the focus of a series of workshops being organised by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).   The next event on Thursday, October 25 at Horizon Scotland, Forres Enterprise Park, in entitled 'Identifying and Evaluating Overseas Markets' and aims to help Highlands and Islands businesses identify key export markets for their products.  

Dounreay Bulletin - Issue 12

DOUNREAY ANNOUNCES PARTICLES CLEAN-UP PLAN.   The clean-up operation for radioactive particles offshore could be substantially complete within seven years while onshore monitoring with removal of detected particles would continue for a longer period if UKAEA's recommended way forward is accepted.  

Mey Selections latest employee signs off Christmas order from Caithness Biscuits in Wick

Pictured above (left) is Wick baker, Stewart McConnach, producer of Mey Selections Shortbread, with Michael Gunn, Mey Selections newly appointed Retail Accounts Analyst and Tracy Waters, Business Development Manager.   Michael is seen congratulating Stewart on delivery of his shortbread, completing the first part of Caithness Biscuits contribution to the Mey Selections Sainsbury's Christmas order.  

Particles Could Be Cleaned Up Earlier Than Expected

The clean-up operation for radioactive particles offshore could be substantially complete within seven years while onshore monitoring with removal of detected particles would continue for a longer period if UKAEA's recommended way forward is accepted.   Following a review of all the information gained from public consultation, studies, test & trials, independent expert reports, improvements in the monitoring technologies and the knowledge gained by offshore mapping surveys, it is believed that an environmentally and publicly acceptable clean up could be achieved within this timescale.  

Dounreay Apprentices Receive Their Certificates

This year's Dounreay Apprentices Indenture ceremony took place on 21 September in the Pentland Hotel.   Ten apprentices, from UKAEA and Johnson Controls, received their certificates from John Thurso MP, the guest speaker.  

National Skills Academy for Nuclear Approved by Government

An employer-led proposal has won government approval from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) for the creation of a National Skills Academy for Nuclear.   The announcement made by the Skills Minister David Lammy, 24th September 2007, follows the evaluation of a detailed business plan which was submitted to the DIUS in May 2007.  

Dounreay Bulletin - Issue 11

REACTOR CLEAN-UP TEAM REACH SAFETY MILESTONE Safety and environmental performance is a way of life for staff and contractors working at Dounreay's Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR).  They have clocked up a thousand days without a lost time accident - a commendable achievement given the enormous range of decommissioning work undertaken at the plant and the mix of companies involved.