SEPTEMBER 2007 The approvals list for HIE Caithness and Sutherland is in two sections. The first details assistance given to businesses, community groups and other public sector authorities to deliver specific projects.
The results of a Scottish wide household survey has highlighted a large number of positive trends for the Highlands, including a high rating from residents for considering their neighbourhood as a very good place to live. A total of 1,184 households in the Highlands were interviewed over a two year period in a national survey conducted for the Scottish Government.
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.
The newly formed National Skills Academy Nuclear has selected a consortium consisting of four Scottish colleges to develop and implement a range of Higher National Diplomas for Scotland's nuclear employers. These important new qualifications will support progression and development opportunities in the nuclear sector for school leavers, new entrants and those re-training.
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.
A pioneering trans-national partnership programme is calling for project ideas in the Highlands and Islands which might be eligible for funding before the deadline of October 31. The Northern Periphery Programme (NPP) 2007-2013 is one of several European Union funded programmes aimed at encouraging trans-national co-operation between the regions of Europe.
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.
The hunt has begun to find the best young innovators in the Highlands and Islands. The ICT Youth Challenge 2008 is looking for young people with bright ideas.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (October, 11th) sold 10,009 store sheep at their sale. Suffolk lambs (1,792) averaged £28.76 and sold to £34 gross from Refouble, Glenferness.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd, (October 10th) sold 770 store cattle and 17 over thirty month cattle at their show and sale of weaned calves and store cattle. The judge Mr John Ross, Ankerville chose a 615kg 15 month old Limousin bullock from Invercharron Mains, Ardgay, as his Champion which realised £810 to W Maciver & Co.
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.
The Dounreay site newspaper for Octoebr 2007 is now out and can be read online here..
The way people in Scotland use water must change if we are to continue enjoying the healthy Scottish environment and adapt to climate change impacts. The pressure we put on Scotland's water resources comes under the spotlight in a consultation report published today (9 October 2007) by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
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.
Some may have seen the televison advert on STV announcing a Hee Haw donkey at the Opera CARMEN at Aberdeen on Tuesday 9th October and Wednesday 10th October. Hee Haw Donkeys owner Marilyn Granville-Fall from Newlands of Niandt, Latheron says she is delighted to have been commissioned by the Ellen Kent International Opera, to provide a star donkey to appear at their stage performances of Bizet's Carmen at Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow.
The conviction of 'Lord Fraud' Conrad Black in the USA on three charges of fraud and one of obstructing the course of justice has brought the question of corporate extravagance into sharp focus, once again. Just where do executives and directors draw the line when travelling on business or entertaining clients and customers? Stephen Fox, a fraud defence expert and partner at national law firm, Ralli Solicitors, has drawn up this10-point rule-of-thumb guide for those with a business expense account.
BLAGGERS are bagging better jobs than honest workers because of slack hiring policies in British businesses, warn employment experts. A report* by the CIPD revealed a quarter of employers in the UK withdrew at least one job offer in the last year after discovering someone had lied or otherwise misrepresented their application.
QUOYBRAE, Aberdeen & Northern Marts (4th October) sold 6,852 Store Sheep Ewe Lambs (1,108) averaged £28.17 and sold to £51 for Half-Breds from C MacAdie & Sons, Skaill, Thurso Wedder Lambs (1,275) averaged £22.63 and sold to £30 for Half-Breds from J Banks, The Broo, John O'Groats. Cross Lambs (4,023) averaged £26.55 and sold to £34 for Suffolks from A S Budge, Milton Farm, Halkirk.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (4th October 2007) sold 1,119 store and over thirty month cattle at their show and sale including special Aberdeen Angus section. The judge Mr Neil Anderson, Inverlochty, Elgin chose an 18 month, 495kg Charolais cross heifer as his champion from Upper Latheron, Caithness, which realised £700 to C Maciver, Easter Strath of Auchterflow.
The chairman of the North Highland Regeneration Fund, John Thurso MP in his opening remarks at T3UK on 4th October 2007announced a further £1 million of funds are to be made available to add to the working capital of £500,000 that was injected when the company was set up a year ago. John Thurso enthusiastically welcomed the latest injection of funds by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.
