News Archive
A new beef specialist, Ian Pritchard, is due to join Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) at its Thainstone Office, near Inverurie, on 13 June. This new post has been established by SAC to further strengthen its services to beef farmers in the north and north-east of Scotland.
Today the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) announces its agricultural waste roadshows to help the farming community and its suppliers comply with new waste management controls. 98% of holdings are already re-using at least one type of waste, but 72% are storing waste with no plans to use it.
31/5/2006
Support for Highland 2007 is growing within the business community as a further three organisations become official partners to the year Scotland celebrates Highland culture. The three, Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort, Highlands and Islands Airports Limited and First Scotrail are each contributing a substantial package of in-kind promotional support.
A report going to The Highland Council's TEC Services Committee on Thursday (I June) will show that following the introduction of the ban on smoking in enclosed places, the enforcement strategy adopted by the Council, has been effective, and compliance by businesses and customers in Highland has been extremely high. Councillors will be told that of the 778 premises inspected so far, 572 have been found to be fully compliant and the remaining 206 required advice in meet the strict requirements of the legislation.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has adopted an invaluable database which will not only assist in building up a true picture of the extent of fly-tipping, but help track those who illegally dump waste. Fly Capture is an electronic system which records the amount and type of waste illegally fly tipped in Scotland.
30/5/2006
Future visitors to Caithness and Sutherland will benefit from the hard work and achievements of 11 newly-qualified professional Tourist Guides. The successful candidates were presented with their Scottish Tourist Guides Association (STGA) Affiliate certificates and badges at a recent awards ceremony at the Portland Arms Hotel, Lybster.
SAC has been awarded nearly �152,000 by the European Social Fund (ESF) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to fund the continuation of a training project in the highlands and islands area. The renewed funding will support the project from August 2006 to July 2007.
A year of remarkable progress in the economy of the Highlands and Islands has significantly enhanced the area's potential to become one of the best regions in the world to live, work, study and visit. That was the message from William Roe, chairman of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) today as he announced the agency's performance against targets for the financial year 2005-06.
28/5/2006
The Highland Council, along with Morrison Construction and Tulloch, have announced that the PPP2 Contract recently signed between the Council and Alpha Schools will lead to increased employment and training opportunities for young people across the Highlands. The agreement that has been concluded will see the two companies increase the number of apprentices and trainees in the construction industry.
Issue 27 22 May 2006 �6.5 MILLION VENTILATION UPGRADE ENABLES REACTOR DECOMMISSIONING TO PROCEED A key phase in the decommissioning of the Dounreay Fast Reactor (DFR) has been completed with the installation of a replacement ventilation system, comprising 1.5 kilometres of stainless steel ducting and costing �6.5 million. The 50-year-old ventilation needed to be replaced so that the sphere could be decommissioned safely.
25/5/2006
Graham Yemm, founder of Solutions 4 Training proves that we have all the time in the world if we challenge our time thieves. Do you feel as though you are under time pressure for much of your day to day life? Do you think you are "cash rich, time poor"? So many people living in today's apparently increasingly busy and frenetic world feel as though they do not have enough time - yet we have all the time there is!! Why is it so many people struggle with this? Over the years of running various forms of time management training I have come to the conclusion that the reasons are simple.
HIGHLANDS and Islands apprentices and the people behind their success are being sought by the organisers of the Scottish Modern Apprenticeship Awards 2006. Apprentices, training providers, colleges and employers throughout the region are invited to enter this year's awards in a number of categories.
A �3.8 million plant has commenced active commissioning ready to clean up effluent from the next phase of decommissioning Dounreay's Prototype Fast Reactor. The start-up of the plant marks the end of a highly successful design and construction project, which has maintained an exemplary safety record on behalf of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority by UKAEA and its contractors.
North Highland Products - the operating company for the Mey Selections brand - has reported turnover of over £1.2m in its first five months of operation, with over £140,000 gained in premium payments to farmers by the end of March this year for branded beef and lamb. Mey Selections was launched by The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay in August 2005 as part of his North Highland Initiative, which aims to boost the North Highlands economy by promoting its produce, tourism and the built environment.
A wide range of renewable energy technologies and businesses from the Highlands and Islands will be on show at All Energy in Aberdeen - the UK's biggest energy exhibition - on Thursday 24th and Friday 25th May. Fourteen organisations will be exhibiting under the new HI-energy brand, which has been created to represent the extensive renewable energy resources, infrastructure and expertise that the Highlands and Islands has to offer.
Venue: Environmental Research Institute - Thurso Date: Tuesday 30th May 2006 Time: 17.00 to 18.40 with buffet to follow Businesses and people with new ideas are warmly invited to a free event being run by UHI HI Links and Fusion in conjunction with the Scottish Executive and Highland and Islands Enterprise. There are a wide range of schemes in place to support both SMEs and large companies in developing new products and processes.
As Noise Action Week sets to roar (22 -26 May), the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) today recommends some top tips for industry on sound. Measured in decibels (dB), sound affects us all - from everyday household sounds to traffic and industry noise.
The following are funds approved up to the last day of the month. Please note that the sums relate to approvals, not payments.
14/5/2006
Call for Pubs In The Highlands To Enter New Calor Rural Pub In the Community Award Calor today announced that it is adding a brand new award aimed at rural pubs to its Calor Village of the Year(r) competition. The company is calling on pubs in the Highlands to enter.
14/5/2006
Employees could be exaggerating fuel bills by as much as 25 percent and UK bosses need to stop turning a blind eye. The warning comes from AA Business Services as petrol prices reach their highest level yet and the company launches Fleet Advantage, a new payment card to help businesses get more control over their fuel expenditure.