News Archive

CASE Approvals List - November 2005

The following are funds approved up to the last day of the month.   Please note that the sums relate to approvals, not payments.  

Caithness Cows Supply Milk For New Highland Blue Cheese

A new soft blue cheese Highland Blue, specially developed by Tain cheese-maker Rory Stone for the North Highland Initiative's Mey Selections brand, is set to become a national festive favourite following a Gold medal-winning launch at the recent Cheltenham Cheese Festival.   The flavour and quality of the new soft blue cheese, described as: 'Tangy and long; a soft rich blue with creamy notes and a mellow aftertaste', has now attracted the attention of buyers from food retail giant Sainsbury who have launched it on their delicatessen counters in 23 Sainsbury stores in time for the festive season.  

EU Prepares For A Year-long Campaign To Protect Young Workers

An EU-wide campaign will start next year to address the safety of young people at work as according to European statistics they run a 50% higher risk of work accidents than other workers.   A 16-year-old worker's legs were broken less than two hours into his first day at work as he fell from the footplate of an 18-ton refuse lorry.  

Scotland's Lorry Operators Suffer From High Fuel Duty and Unfair Competition

Lorry operators in Scotland say that the Government's high fuel duty strategy, coupled with the increasing operation of foreign lorries in the UK, is causing serious problems for the Scottish transport industry.   Members of the Freight Transport Association's Scottish Freight Council, meeting at the end of October, were concerned that plans for Lorry Road User Charging (LRUC), scrapped by Secretary of State for Transport Alistair Darling in July, had not been replaced with any alternative strategy.  

Training For Potential Local Food Producers

The Highlands and Islands Local Food Network (HILFN) is on the look-out for trainee food producers to help expand the availability of locally grown fruit and vegetables.   HILFN is planning to run a one-year programme to provide in-depth training to help small agricultural producers in the Highlands and Islands establish successful new businesses based on the supply of fresh horticultural produce to local customers.  

Bosses Risk Being Left In The Lurch By Job-hopping Employees

Scottish Businesses Struggling to Hold on to Staff.   More than three-quarters of the Scottish workforce (78%) know or suspect that colleagues are on the lookout for a new job, according to new research.  

Full Steam Ahead For New Ironing Service

A new Caithness business aims to offer a very welcome alternative for those tired of hours spent at the ironing board.   Janet Crossley and Lorna Gunn from Watten have started ‘Press On’, which will offer a complete ironing service, including collection and delivery, throughout Caithness.  

Youth Challenge 2006 Launched

The hunt has begun to find the Highlands and Islands' answer to Richard Branson.   The ICT Hothouse Youth Challenge 2006 is looking for young entrepreneurs with bright ideas.  

Highland £1 Billion Project A Step Closer

The findings of an independent economic impact assessment of the proposed Forscot project have been published.   The report examines the impacts on employment and income associated with the proposal to build a £1 billion state-of-the-art integrated pulp mill, paper mill and renewable energy generation plant, together with a sawmill that will be owned and operated by a leading UK sawn goods company, at Invergordon in the north-east of Scotland.  

Calling Young Northern Chefs

Scotland's first Scottish Food Scholarship embarks on search for new culinary talent.   Young chefs across Scotland will be encouraged to develop their culinary skills and talents next year at the launch of Scotland's first Scottish Food Scholarship 2006.