Caithness Chamber AGM Approves Renaming to North Highland Chamber of Commerce

12th October 2025

Stephen Sutherland Chair, North Highland Chamber of Commerce and Director, JGC Engineering & Technical Services.

As a Chamber, we are privileged to represent the North Highlands.

In recent years, our business community has faced significant economic challenges, with organisations across every sector needing to adapt swiftly to remain relevant. We recognise that true resilience is built on change, creativity, and growth. Caithness Chamber itself is responding to its own evolving horizons.

At our AGM in October, held at the John O'Groats Mill, our membership voted in favour of a resolution to change the name of the organisation to North Highland Chamber of Commerce.

This marks a significant milestone for the Chamber and reflects how far we have come over the last 17 years, with a geographical sphere of influence that now extends far beyond regional borders. Our Chamber consistently delivers above expectations, punching well above its weight. And while it's very much business as usual, we remain focused on delivering for the North Highland business community.

Much of this work is underway, and the new name simply reaffirms the efforts already taking place across the region; spearheaded by the Chamber through various projects such as Developing the Young Workforce. For the past decade, this initiative has worked with schools across Caithness and Sutherland, from Kinlochbervie High School in the west to Dornoch Academy in the south, it is firmly a cornerstone of youth development in the North Highlands.

Earlier this year, Venture North approached the Chamber to explore options for safeguarding its future and sustaining its valuable work. With both organisations sharing a commitment to promoting and growing our region, the Chamber agreed to a strategic merger. Through this merger, and the launch of a strategic destination strategy, we are now positioned to considerably amplify our impact across the region.

Reflecting on another year of progress, we extend our sincere thanks to our members for their ongoing support. Through our shared efforts and commitment, we continue to cement our role as the most respected voice for business across the North Highlands.

Together, we are shaping a stronger, more vibrant future for our region, and we are proud to stand with our members every step of the way. Here’s to the North Highland Chamber of Commerce, we are excited to see how this next chapter unfolds.



Trudy Morris, CEO, North Highland Chamber of Commerce

As I reflect on the past year, it is clear that it has brought a number of challenges for businesses, particularly as concerns around taxation continue against a backdrop of wider economic uncertainty surrounding tariffs, immigration, and fiscal policy. These issues are increasingly becoming part of the ‘new normal’ that businesses must navigate. From a tax perspective, conditions have undoubtedly become more demanding. However, even in turbulent times, there remain many reasons for optimism.

Our Chamber has continued to be a strong and trusted voice for North Highland businesses, representing their interests locally and nationally. It has been an exceptionally busy and productive period at the Chamber and as I reflect on the year, I’m exceptionally pleased with what we have achieved.

With the newly named North Highland Chamber of Commerce now including the destination management organisation Venture North, the Chamber represents 307 businesses. We are taking bold steps to ensure the North Highlands remains not just a place to visit but a place to call home; a thriving, vibrant region where businesses, communities, and individuals can flourish. Our team has grown too, and we have also been investing in our people with some excellent new appointments, including our inaugural Deputy CEO Donna Chambers who joined us earlier this year in April, and our two new apprentices Edythe Cottam and Georgina O’Doherty, the Chamber now employs a staff team of 17.

At our 2025 AGM this October, we received a warm welcome at John O’Groats Mill, where we enjoyed a demonstration, guided tour, and talk on its rich history and the remarkable £4.5 million restoration that has transformed it into a leading visitor attraction. Amidst the dedication and passion driving this transformation, it was clear that the mill’s redevelopment has remained firmly rooted in community and people. This focus strongly resonates with our own values at the Chamber and the work we strive to do.

This year we celebrate another significant milestone, as Developing the Young Workforce North Highland marks its 10th year. I am hugely proud of how far DYW North Highland has come, and everything we have achieved together over the last decade. We are also incredibly grateful to businesses, educators, industry experts, and volunteers who have worked in partnership with us and acted as role models and mentors to young people in our region over the last 10 years. This support has shown young people that anything is possible and helped shape a brighter future for our region.

This positive narrative was clearly reflected at the Focus North Conference also in October, which showcased the scale of opportunity, investment, and ambition across the North Highlands. A key theme throughout the day was how we can harness the skills and talent of local young people to fulfil these opportunities, providing them with meaningful career pathways and encouraging them to build their futures here in the region.

A highlight of the event was a DYW North Highland panel discussion featuring three S5 students from Wick High School, who shared their personal experiences and aspirations for the future of the North Highlands. Their frank and open insights were both refreshing and inspiring, and reminder of the potential and promise our young people bring to the region. It was also a clear call to action for both the private and public sectors to step up and ensure young people are central to our region’s development.

Our Chamber is proof to the dedication and collective efforts of our members, staff, and supporters. We remain committed to fostering a resilient business environment. By continuing to support one another and advocating for the unique strengths of our region, we can ensure the North Highlands thrives for generations to come.