Keith Brown MSP, Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning, visited Inverness College UHI this week for a guided tour around its facilities and an update on the college's innovative practices in Further Education. John Spencer, Principal of Inverness College UHI, not only updated the Minister on the progress of the college's new campus, but also led him around some of the college's state-of-the-art facilities such as the college's Centre for Renewables.
Scotland's Housing Expo at Inverness is set to meet and possibly surpass the target of 30,000 visitors for the month-long event, which ends on Tuesday 31 August. A bumper turn out is expected this weekend, which will add to the 25,000 visitors who have already come through the doors.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (August 27th) sold 8,533 store lambs and breeding sheep at their annual sale. Suffolk cross lambs (2,757) averaged £57.70 and sold to £65.50 gross from Aldourie Home Farm, Inverness.
The public is being invited to have their say on the choice of two sites for the new Wick High School. A consultation by The Highland Council runs from Friday 23 August until Friday 1 October.
A new online gazetteer providing a single authoritative source of information on Gaelic place-names was launched today (19 August 2010) at The Highland Council's Gaelic Committee. The National Gazetteer of Gaelic Place-names is the culmination of 10 years of research by Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba (AÀA), the national advisory partnership to research and establish Gaelic place-names.
A number of key strategies, which are aimed at delivering more efficient services and significant savings, have been agreed by The Highland Council's Resources Committee. The reviews surround making better use of council properties, sharing services with partner agencies, reducing the costs of back office support for council services and making it easier on the web for the public to access information and pay for/book services.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (August 19th) sold 8,607 store lambs at their annual sale. Cheviot wedder lambs (5,670) averaged £51.61 (up £8.49 on the year) and sold to £60.50 gross thrice for a pen of 25 from Millnain, Strathpeffer, a pen of 23 from Achentoul, Kinbrace (J.
EXPO marks 10,000 visitor milestone (17/08/10) Scotland's Housing Expo in Inverness celebrated its 10,000th visitor this weekend (Friday, 13 August) as Aislinn Haszeldine and her family walked through the gates. Hazel from Falkland in Fife attended the Expo with her husband Stuart and children Suilven (2), Hamish (5) and Elfie (7).
The Duke of Rothesay has attended a workshop at the Castle of Mey looking at future opportunities for marine energy in Caithness and North Sutherland. The event was jointly organised by The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment and the North Highland Initiative in association with the partners in the Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership.
ScottishPower Renewables Welcomes Hammerfest Strøm's Commitment to the Scottish Renewable Energy Sector ScottishPower Renewables' Managing Director Keith Anderson joined First Minister Alex Salmond in Oslo today (Tuesday 17th August 2010) as the Norwegian tidal-power developer Hammerfest Strøm announced major contracts worth £4m to construct the first of their advanced HS1000 tidal turbines in Scotland. Fife-based Burntisland Fabrication Limited (BiFab) has been awarded the largest single contract for the fabrication of the sub-structure for the turbine, which will be installed at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney next year.
Pupils in Highland secondary schools are to receive guidance on mobile phone safety as they return to school this week. Advice in a joint letter from The Highland Council and Northern Constabulary to parents and carers of secondary pupils aims to raise awareness and specifically highlight the dangers of young people finding themselves in uncomfortable, compromising or illegal situations as a result of inappropriate use of mobile phones.
More than 31,000 pupils go back to school in the Highlands today (Tuesday 17 August 2010). Some will be returning to schools which have been upgraded over the summer holidays and others will benefit from major projects which will begin during the school session.
Scottish Book Trust has just launched its new Early Years Programme, (formerly known as Bookstart in Scotland) together with a brand new mascot. Following consultation with stakeholders and with the support of the Scottish Government, Scottish Book Trust has developed a new book gifting programme which firmly links into Scottish educational and parenting policies.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (August, 17th) sold 69 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (40) averaged 166.8p (-0.1p) and sold to 182p per kg and £1,181.25 gross.
Islanders on Raasay, off Skye, were celebrating on Tuesday 17th August 2010 the opening of their £12 million new ferry terminal. Stewart Stevenson, Minister for Transport Infrastructure and Climate Change, was joined by pupils from Raasay Primary School in unveiling a plaque to mark the completion of the terminal at Churchton Bay, which provides a sheltered roll on roll off facility for the Caledonian MacBrayne car ferry, Loch Striven, and overnight berthage.
Staff at Caithness General Hospital have made good progess in their efforts to reduce the risk of infection among patients, visitors and staff, according to a report published today. The Healthcare Environment Inspectorate report, published today, states that NHS Highland is complying with the majority of measures to reduce infection rates.
Ever wondered what goes on behind closed doors? Every September, the national Doors Open Days offers free access to landmark buildings, private homes and usually private work spaces that the public never normally get a chance to see. The Highland programme is co-ordinated by The Highland Council and Inverness City Heritage Trust.
Probation teachers receive a warm welcome in the Highlands For 2010 Seventy five probationer teachers who will start work in Highland schools next week attended an induction day in Inverness today. The probationers were welcomed by Chairman of The Highland Council's Education, Culture and Sport Committee, Councillor Bill Fernie, and Hugh Fraser, Highland Council Director of Education, Culture and Sport.
Trading Standards Officers have joined forces with Money Advice Service colleagues on The Highland Council to tackle the "unacceptable and aggressive practices" of debt collectors. Gordon Robb, principal trading standards officer, highlighted the joint effort to address the problem while presenting the annual report of the Council's trading standards service to a meeting of the Transport Environmental and Community Services Committee.
Throughout Scotland's Housing Expo a series of seminars, organised by Sust, will offer an opportunity for housing and building specialists to hear expert opinion on a range of special interest topics related to the industry. Sust is the Scottish Government's Sustainability in Architecture Programme which is part of Architecture and Design Scotland.
