The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch a new Market Exploration around Non-Compressible Haemorrhage (NCH).
Run on behalf of Research and Clinical Innovation (RCI) Research, Surgeon General’s Department, this Market Exploration is seeking to identify existing technologies and to understand who is doing work in this area and to uncover novel solutions for treating NCH at a combat casualty scene.
NCH refers to bleeding from anatomical structures that cannot be controlled, or only partially controlled, with application of external pressure, undertaken through an overlying tourniquet or direct manual pressure. Such bleeding is the chief cause of otherwise preventable battlefield death. NCH is highly lethal with a mortality rate of 85%.
If you work in this area or have an innovation that you think could be relevant to this area of research, please read the full Market Exploration document and submit a proposal!
The deadline for submissions is midday 12:00 (BST) on 15 April 2025.
In short:
• DASA has launched a new Market Exploration: Non-Compressible Haemorrhage – Novel Technologies
• Submissions close at midday on Tuesday 15 April 2025 (BST)
Learn more and submit a proposal
The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch a new Themed Competition called ‘Innovations in dermal protection against liquid chemicals’.
Run on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Home Office, this competition is seeking proposals that will address the challenge of developing a solution to the problem of providing dermal protection against liquid chemical contamination.
We are interested in treatments, fabric design, novel constructions or any other approach that prevents the penetration of low surface tension liquids.
Do you have an innovation that fits the bill? Read the full competition document to find out more.
In short:
• DASA has launched a new Themed Competition: Innovations in dermal protection against liquid chemicals
• This competition is funded by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Home Office
• The total possible funding available for this competition is £2.6 million (excluding VAT)
• Competition closes midday on Tuesday 15th April 2025 (GMT)
Learn more and submit a proposal
Apprenticeship Opportunity at the Caithness Chamber of Commerce
Location: Caithness Chamber Offices, Naver House, Thurso
Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week
Apprentice Opportunity
Are you looking to take your first steps into a career in communications, event planning and business administration? Caithness Chamber has an exciting opportunity for an apprentice to join it’s vibrant and fast paced team. The Chamber is dynamic and influential organisation that serves as the voice of the business community in the North Highlands.
As an apprentice, you will have the chance to earn while you learn, gaining valuable workplace experience alongside a professional qualification. This role provides a well-rounded introduction to key areas, including business administration, digital communications, event planning, and business operations, all while receiving structured workplace training.
Key Responsibilities
Social Media & Digital Communications
- Assist with Chamber communications, creating and distributing internal and external communications, collating monthly newsletters, and recording meeting minutes.
- Create and schedule engaging social media content across multiple platforms.
- Help maintain and update the company website.
- Design basic graphics for social media use.
Events & Administration
- Welcome visitors, manage phone enquiries, and take messages.
- Support the team with event planning, coordination, venue bookings, and presentation preparation.
- Assist with general administrative tasks, including managing incoming enquiries and responding to emails, maintaining databases.
- Coordinate meeting arrangements and oversee calendar management.
- Provide general office support, such as mail handling, photocopying, and scanning.
Skills and Attributes
- Confident and with a good understanding of digital skills, including Microsoft 365 and using social media platforms
- Good level of written, verbal and numeracy skills
- Good organisational skills and ability to deliver tasks and work to deadlines
- Personable and friendly with great interpersonal and communication skills
- Motivated with a positive ‘can do’ attitude
- Trustworthy & reliable, and a great team player
About Caithness Chamber of Commerce
Caithness Chamber of Commerce is a membership organisation with some 230 members and is the voice of the business community in the North Highlands.
Established to foster economic growth and collaboration, the Chamber connects businesses of all sizes and industries, providing them with the tools, resources, and advocacy needed to thrive in a competitive marketplace.
With a commitment to supporting local enterprises, Caithness Chamber of Commerce offers a wide range of services, including events and business networking opportunities, business advice, training programmes, and promotional initiatives. It acts as a bridge between business, government, and the wider community, ensuring that the interests of its members are represented, and that the North Highlands remain a vibrant place to live, work, and invest.
How to Apply
Please send a full CV along with a supporting letter indicating why you are the best applicant for the post. The letter should give examples of how you have demonstrated the attributes and skills listed above.
CV and letter should be e-mailed to Trudy Morris, Chief Executive: recruitment@caithnesschamber.com
Caithness Chamber is a Living Wage Employer
Norscot, a leading manufacturer of timber frame kit homes, windows, and door is delighted to announce its partnership with Origin, the UK’s leading manufacturer of bespoke aluminium doors and windows. This collaboration positions Norscot as the most northerly supplier of Origin’s renowned, award-winning range of products, bringing unparalleled style, performance, and functionality to homes and businesses across the Scottish Highlands.
Expanding Horizons with Origin’s Premium Aluminium Range
With over 40 years of experience in manufacturing superior-quality windows, doors, and timber-frame homes, Norscot’s partnership with Origin expands its offerings to include a full suite of premium aluminium products. These include:
- Windows (OW-70 and OW-80): Offering unmatched thermal performance, these customisable windows suit both modern and traditional homes.
- Front Doors: Durable, secure, and stylish, these aluminium front doors are available in a wide variety of colours and designs to enhance any home’s curb appeal.
- Bi-fold Doors: Sleek, secure, and stylish, these doors offer seamless indoor-outdoor transitions while maximising natural light.
- Sliding Doors: With ultra-slim sightlines and panoramic views, these doors combine elegance with exceptional energy efficiency.
- Internal Doors: Origin’s internal doors provide a bespoke and classic way to divide your space with a sleek, modern design. Available in various configurations, including French, single, and corner doors, they feature a classic Georgian style that complements any interior.
Origin offers over 150 RAL colours for their aluminium products, allowing colour matching or contracts to existing décor. Finishes are available in satin, matt, or gloss, with textured options also offered.
All Origin products are proudly crafted in the UK and come with an industry-leading 20-year guarantee, ensuring peace of mind for homeowners and property developers alike.
A Perfect Partnership for Scotland
Norscot’s local expertise complements Origin’s reputation for innovation and quality. Located in the Scottish Highlands, Norscot is uniquely positioned to cater to the specific needs of northern customers, offering tailored advice and reliable service throughout the design, manufacturing, and installation process.
“This partnership is a fantastic opportunity to bring Origin’s cutting-edge aluminium products to customers in the Scottish Highlands,” said Iain Sutherland, Norscot Area Sales Manager in Inverness. “Our shared commitment to quality and sustainability ensures we can deliver superior solutions for even the most demanding projects.”
Discover the Best in Aluminium Design
Customers can now explore Origin’s full product range through Norscot’s showroom or online at www.norscot.co.uk. With expert guidance and installation services, Norscot ensures a seamless experience from selection to installation.
Agilico are delighted to announce that they have won the 2024 Environmental Excellence Award at the Print IT Awards in December, the UK’s premier awards event for the managed print and document technology sector. This annual celebration recognises outstanding achievements and innovation, bringing together the industry’s top players for an unforgettable night.
In the highly competitive Environmental Excellence category, Agilico beat global heavyweights such as HP, Ricoh, and Epson to claim the title with their innovative Agilico Zero circular first multifunctional print devices.
As the UK’s largest independent managed print provider Agilico is proud to lead the way in sustainability within their industry, with a commitment to both high performance and environmental responsibility.
Their Agilico Zero MFDs are the cornerstone of a modern sustainable print environment – lightly used, quality refurbished technology, offering a cost-effective, eco-friendly solution that performs like new.
In 2024 Agilico saved nearly 1,500 tonnes of CO₂ emissions with their refurbished Agilico Zero devices and as more customers across the UK choose them, they’re excited to see its positive impact grow each month.
Contact Agilico here to get set for greener printing and find out everything you need to know about their award winning Agilico Zero refurbished devices.
LAC is looking to recruit new board members to help steer the organisation into their next phase of activity.
Going into 2025, the LAC board and team are excited to develop and deliver a refreshed cultural programme with the Caithness community. Staying true to their core values of Cooperation, Inclusivity, Transparency, Pragmatism and Innovation, LAC are keen to welcome new Trustees to collaborate with them over the next few years.
LAC are particularly interested in hearing from individuals with a strong commitment to the cultural sector and rural communities. They are seeking to appoint people with skills/experience that would include one or more of:
- Practicing Artists – professional artists working across Scotland in any art form or medium
- Buildings and Capital Projects – architect, engineer, builder or someone with experience in planning or developing capital projects
- Climate Action – a researcher, consultant, academic, activist or other worker with understanding of adaptation, sustainability and regenerative practices
- Human Resources – with a comprehensive understanding of Human Resource management, preferably in a not-for-profit environment
- Education – Somebody with experience in Primary, Secondary, Further or Higher education
- Local Folk – a dedicated and active member of the Caithness community
LAC is committed to diversity and inclusion and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds, particularly applications from individuals who have been historically underserved by boards due to age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, faith or belief, or socio-economic background.
Please see the full Board Recruitment Pack here
To apply
Please send a cover letter and CV to info@lytharts.org.uk by 11.59pm on Monday 24th February 2025. If you have any questions, please email info@lytharts.org.uk
A small, Inverclyde printing company which has carved a niche for itself with specialist work has strengthened its executive team with the appointment of a prominent Scottish business figure as a non-executive director.
Port Glasgow-based Love & Humphries, which bills itself as The Clever Printing Company, has secured the services of Malcolm Morrison, a business strategist and transformation specialist with a proven track record in scaling up organisations.
It is the latest in a number of non-executive roles assumed by Mr Morrison, a former Clydesdale Bank partner and Santander relationship director, who is also Director of Highland-based GMG Energy, a timber and biomass producer which has become one of the most environmentally-aware enterprises in the region.
He will make a creative contribution to the company by providing independent oversight as well as offering guidance on a wide array of business issues, especially those which relate to small and medium enterprises.
Philip Wilson, Director of Love & Humphries, who oversees a small team at the company, said: “Everyone in the firm is delighted that we have been able to attract a business personality of Malcolm Morrison’s calibre for the important non-exec role.
“He has a huge range of experience in a wide variety of different sectors and has made valuable contributions to other enterprises across Scotland. I am sure that he will be instrumental in helping us to focus on our business goals.
“The print industry in Scotland has always been a challenging environment, especially at a time when technology is changing so fast and altering the way we operate. We are very pleased to have Malcolm on board to assist us with these challenges and opportunities.”
Malcolm Morrison said: “Love & Humphries may be a small business at the moment, but I am sure that there is terrific potential within Philip and his team, as they have proven by opening up new avenues for business expansion, including exports.
“I will be delighted to offer my experience to assist growth in the company in any way I can and I look forward very much to working with them.”
Love & Humphries has recently secured a significant order from a US customer for SuperTuffMenus®, a type of wipeable, washable menu card used by major brands to enhance presentation.
It has printed poetry books for clients and has also made great strides with uncoated paper, using UV curing inks to speed up drying times and avoid production hold-ups.
“The four Highland Chambers of Commerce – Cairngorm Business Partnership, Caithness Chamber, Inverness Chamber and Lochaber Chamber of Commerce – share the deep concerns expressed by the Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) regarding the introduction of a visitor levy scheme in the Highlands.
Collectively we believe that implementing a visitor levy at this time would have significant negative consequences for tourism in the Highlands, which is already facing numerous challenges. These include:
- Economic Impact: The current economic climate is fragile. A visitor levy would further increase the cost of tourism, potentially deterring visitors and harming businesses that rely on tourism for their livelihoods.
- Administrative Burden: The proposed percentage-based charging model is complex and costly to administer for businesses. A simpler, fixed-fee model would be more manageable and equitable.
- Funding Uncertainty: There is a lack of clarity on how the revenue generated from the levy will be used. We urge that funds be specifically and transparently allocated to enhancing the visitor experience and supporting sustainable tourism development in the Highlands.
- Competitive Disadvantage: The Highlands already face challenges in attracting visitors due to factors like travel costs and remoteness. A visitor levy would further increase the cost of visiting the region, making us less competitive compared to other destinations.
- Inadequate Consultation: Many businesses and residents in the Highlands remain unaware of the implications of the visitor levy (for example that Highland residents will pay the levy if staying in accommodation for business or a hospital appointment) and have not been adequately consulted on its potential impact.
- Operating Costs: With the UK’s VAT rate among the highest in Europe, applying VAT to this levy effectively creates a double tax, driving up prices for consumers. For numerous small businesses, this added burden could push them over the VAT threshold, forcing them to take on unsustainable financial and administrative pressures. This scenario risks leading to business closures or shorter operating seasons, further weakening the sector’s stability
We urge the Scottish Government and The Highland Council to:
- Pause and Review: Take time to carefully consider the potential impacts of a visitor levy on the Highland economy and tourism sector.
- Re-evaluate the Charging Model: Explore a simpler, fixed-fee model that is more manageable for businesses and less burdensome for visitors.
- Ensure Transparent Funding: Guarantee that the revenue generated from the levy will be used to directly benefit the Highland tourism industry and support sustainable tourism development equally across the region.
- The Highland Council needs to confirm how many staff it will need to employ to administer the scheme and how much the employer costs will be including full salary, on-costs, office costs, IT costs etc. Furthermore, the council needs to appoint an industry led forum to lead on decision making for the levy.
- Conduct Thorough Consultation: Engage in meaningful balanced consultation with businesses and communities across the Highlands to understand their concerns and ensure their voices are heard.
The Highland tourism industry is vital to the region’s economy and provides significant employment opportunities. We understand that change is needed for the tourism industry and are very happy to explore all options with relevant stakeholders. We believe that a well-considered and carefully implemented approach to tourism development is crucial for the long-term success of the Highlands. Therefore, we urge caution and a thorough review of the proposed visitor levy before any decisions are made. Collectively, as the largest tourism business member organisation in the Highlands, we would urge Highland Council to open meaningful dialogue before proceeding.”
Issued on behalf of the Highland Chambers of Commerce by:
- Trudy Morris, CEO, Caithness Chamber of Commerce
- Craig Mills, CEO, Cairngorm Business Partnership
- Colin Marr, CEO, Inverness Chamber of Commerce
- Frazer Coupland, CEO, Lochaber Chamber of Commerce
Highland BlindCraft is celebrating a remarkable year, having received two prestigious awards and announcing an exciting new partnership. At the Highland Business Awards 2024, the organisation was honoured with Employer of the Year, recognising its dedication to providing an inclusive and supportive workplace. Additionally, Highland BlindCraft secured the Loganair Award for Excellence in Customer Service at the Prosper/Highlands and Islands Business Excellence Awards, reflecting its commitment to exceptional service and quality craftsmanship.
These achievements reflects the hard work and perseverance of the team, many of whom have overcome personal challenges to excel in their roles. Highland BlindCraft continues to provide employment, training, and education for individuals with disabilities, crafting premium beds and mattresses for homes, hotels, and businesses across Scotland.
Further marking its growth, Highland BlindCraft has partnered with Highland Coast Hotels to produce bespoke beds and mattresses for their stunning properties throughout the Highlands. This collaboration expands the organisation’s reach into the hospitality sector, ensuring guests enjoy unparalleled comfort. Read more here.
In addition, Highland BlindCraft remains committed to contributing to the local community and supporting causes that matter. They recently joined the Highland Community Lottery, where ticket sales support its mission and offer participants the chance to win exciting prizes. To support Highland BlindCraft and join the lottery, click here.
With the continued support of staff, partners, and customers, Highland BlindCraft looks forward to creating new opportunities and crafting comfort with purpose.