December brought a wonderful partnership between local Solicitor firm BBM Solicitors with the charity Home-Start Caithness. After an amazing donation of £500 from the firm, the Team decided to personally run each day in December to raise funds for local families supported by Home-Start and the work they do supporting parents across the county.
The Team raised over £4000 and all monies will be spent training new volunteers and developing their service to reach more families at a time where many are vulnerable.
In April, Home-Start Caithness are looking for people to take up the Kiltwalk challenge – a virtual walk, jog or run, to raise monies for our service – why not get a team involved? Or talk to us about becoming a Trustee. There is not a huge commitment in time but your experience, knowledge and skills could really help a small charity like ours!
Get in touch with Rosemary on office@homestartcaithness.org.uk or visit the website www.HomeStartCaithness.org.uk for more information
Building on the successful launch of the inaugural “GLASS, MEET THE FUTURE” Film Festival in 2020 online at North Lands Creative, we are excited to announce “GLASS, MEET THE FUTURE 2021”.
Working alongside North Lands Creative, GMTF 2021 will see an agile programme of both physical and online events taking place internationally throughout the year alongside project partners Toyama Institute of Glass Art with Toyama Glass Art Museum in
Japan and new project partners the Museum of Arts and Design, New York.
The Festival is dedicated to presenting a selection of new films pivoting around the medium of glass. The festival will showcase a cross section of international diverse and engaging series of short films curated and directed by female identified and non-binary and filmmakers using glass as the predominant feature . Telling the stories of how art is made, how artists survive, how they think and work, and what makes creativity our most important skill.
In addition, through the continued expansion and development of GMTF 2021 Festival, North Lands Creative has created six commission opportunities for the creation of new festival-responsive work and associated programming. Over the coming months, the artist commissions will research new ways of engaging with the materiality of glass in the digital era. These contributions will form part of the core schedule with festival artist commissions, films, publication and podcast.
“We regard the festival as a microcosm to explore our relationship to and with glass and film. This includes the physical and environmental context, together with the human and social context.” Karen Phillips, Director, North Lands Creative
“MAD is thrilled to partner with North Lands Creative and Toyama Institute of Glass Art on Glass, Meet the Future Film Festival.” Samantha De Tillio, Curator of Collections at the Museum of Arts and Design, New York.
“Movement, physicality, and a type of musclememory choreography are inherent to the glass-making process resulting in an increased commingling of glass and performance over the last decade. It’s this amalgamation of material and ephemeral, glass and video, at the heart of the film festival, which is so exciting.”
This energising project supported through British Council Scotland and Creative Scotland as part of the UK in Japan. The British Council will lead on cultural activities in Japan, bringing in work from across the UK in collaboration with a range of partners. At the same time the Japanese government will lead on reciprocal activity in the UK.
“The British Council/ Creative Scotland Partnership is delighted to see the Glass, Meet the Future Film Festival come to life, as part of North Lands Creative project with Japanese partners Toyama Institute of Glass Art and US partners the Museum of Arts and Design, New York. In a time when creative sectors across the world are enduring enormous challenges and are reimagining their work within a very different world, this digital festival spotlighting glass artists’ intersection, does exactly that. The initiative also demonstrates that the strength and vitality of Scotland’s creative links with their International counterparts remains very much alive, giving us much hope for what’s to
come when we come out of the current pandemic context.”
The GMTF 2021 film festival takes place over a sixteen-day period showcasing a new cross section of international diverse and engaging series of short films curated and directed by female identified, non-binary artists using glass as the predominant feature.
Film screenings and commissions will air on a daily schedule. The new commissions will form a core programme of the festival with artists also contributing to the festival publication (digital) and podcast.
The festival launches on the 20 March running through out 2021 with a scheduled programme running across the international partners with a hybrid approach of physical and virtual presentation. The full programme will launch 12 March 2021.
“We have spent a great deal of time curating programmes that reflect the diverse interests of our audiences,” Karen Phillips, Director of North Lands Creative.
“This project emphasises identity, community, and the variety in the cross disciplinary approach emerging from the field of international contemporary glass. Adding a new strand with our online festival has made the experience far more powerful. The relationships with
Toyama Institute of Glass Art and the Museum of Arts and Design, New York, have given North Lands Creative a starting point for conversations with the wider International glass community and audiences and has inspired far deeper and more fruitful conversations.”
Jin Hongo, Head Professor, Toyama Institute of Glass Art “We are very pleased to collaborate with North Lands Creative on the special project, Glass, Meet the Future. Glass is not only a traditional craft material steeped in rich history, but is also a continually evolving, cutting edge medium for contemporary artistic expression. In recent years, applications of glass as an expressive medium have diversified concurrently with the development of technologies and new materials. Collaborations with other fields of research and cross-platform applications within the art are expected. Glass, Meet the Future recognizes this trajectory and signals the coming era of diverse new creations
and creators.”
The British Council Scotland and Creative Scotland partnership is a longstanding agreement between the organizations to develop international relationships in order to ensure Scotland’s creativity is recognised internationally. Considering the world situation, we are very proud to be screening many powerful and never-before-seen films with glass artists and filmmakers from around the world. The
Festival is dedicated to presenting a selection of new films pivoting around the medium of glass and to highlight the global glass community during this unprecedented time.
The Open Call for Applications is live until the 29 January 2021. Further information
can be found online here.
North Lands Creative and Berlin Glas are collaborating on an initiative to improve and increase dialogue between an artist from the Highland & Islands region in Scotland and an artist based in the city of Berlin at a time when mobility of artists has been badly affected by the pandemic.
This interdisciplinary and collaborative artist residency will focus on dialogue and interaction between the two artists working from the Lybster and Berlin Studio’s. The primary purpose of the residency is to explore new ways of thinking and working based on the sharing of experience, knowledge and skills both physically and virtually.
This is an exciting opportunity for an Artist to explore the medium of glass in their work and develop a new set of skills and techniques. Applications are encouraged across the spectrum of arts including painters, printmakers, designers, craft makers and also non-visual artists including writers, dancers, filmmakers and musicians. Glass making skills are not necessary as the residency will be fully supported by the North Lands Creative technical team.
North Lands Creative has an international reputation as a centre of excellence in the field of art glass. Over its esteemed 25 year history the NLC Residency programme has benefited over 100 artists from Scotland, the UK and Worldwide.
“North Lands Creative is a wonderful studio environment, perfect for creative exploration and experimentation. There is not another studio in Scotland with access to the same breath of glass making facilities or technical expertise. We are privileged in Caithness to have such a wonderful resource on our doorstep.”
Laura O’Kane, General Manager North Lands Creative
“I would love to see a local Artist take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. As an art student at Thurso High School and later on as a university student, I was fortunate to have taken part in classes and workshops at North Lands Creative. Glass is such a transformative and tactile material. There is no limit to what is possible creatively. This exposure and mentorship are something that have stayed with me throughout my studies and career as a textile designer.”
The North Lands Creative studio facilities, encompassed hot glass, kin formed glass, flameworking, bead making, glass painting, stained glass, engraving, cold working and much more.
The Artist in Residency opportunity is open to artists living and working the schottish Highlands & Islands The closing date for applications is the 29th January 2021
Further information can be found here: https://northlandscreative.co.uk/2020/12/17/isgne-air-2021-dual-call-out/ or please get in touch at info@northlandscreative.co.uk
Read about the experiences of past Artist in Residence at North Lands Creative here: https://northlandscreative.co.uk/2020/09/08/isgne-glass-lives-week-2020/
Applicants for the Scottish Government’s Temporary Business Closure Grant can now apply even if they do not have a formal business bank account. Businesses will now be able to use a personal bank account as evidence, if the account is mainly used for their business banking.
Council Leader, Cllr. Margaret Davidson welcomed this news, she said:
“This immediately will mean that many hundreds of Highland business will now be able to secure this grant.
“We know that many businesses operate through a personal bank account and therefore we lobbied hard to get this grant requirement changed.
“If you have been put off from applying by the requirement to have a business bank account, we urge all affected businesses to immediately go to Highland Council’s website, take the 15 minutes required to read the guidance, gather your bank and business evidence required and to apply using the online form.”
The Temporary Closure Grant is available for businesses who have had to close due to the COVID-19 protective measures introduced on Boxing Day.
The closure grant operates as a two-tiered scheme, with a grant of £2,000 for premises which have a rateable value of up to and including £51,000 and a grant of £3,000 for those businesses with a rateable value of £51,001 and above. The grant is payable every four weeks, in arrears, for the duration protective measures are in place with the first grant payments due towards the end of January.
For more information please visit www.highland.gov.uk/strategicframeworkfund
Over the coming weeks the Scottish Government will be making available a range of other grants to businesses, including taxi and private hire; newly self employed, mobile close contact services and a Highland Discretionary Business Grant scheme.
The Council has been asked to deliver these grant schemes and as detailed eligibility and grant scheme information becomes available from the Scottish Government, the Council will provide guidance and detail on its website as to who is eligible and how to apply for grant.
Strathnaver Museum has taken a major step forward in realising their vision for creating a world class visitor attraction on the north Sutherland coast after securing £113,157 from Museum Galleries Scotland’s Recovery and Resilience Fund.
As well as supporting the future aspirations and recovery of the popular visitor attraction the funding will help cover operational costs during the 2020 closure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Project Manager, Fiona Mackenzie said “Strathnaver Museum secures 76% of its income from admissions and retail sales so the closure of the museum has had a significant impact on our income generation over 2020. The closure could have had a significant impact on our reserves which have been built up over many years to help fund our much-anticipated refurbishment programme. This welcome funding from MGS will ensure that we enter 2021 in a strong position and are able to carry forward our essential refurbishment programme”.
The funding granted towards recovery will enable Strathnaver Museum to undertake crucial survey work to progress plans for the refurbishment and repair of Strathnaver Museum. The development project will make much needed repairs, improve access to the site and its collection, create additional spaces for community projects and help the Trust to improve its sustainability.
Lucy Casot, CEO of Museums Galleries Scotland said:
“We are pleased to support Strathnaver Museum through the Recovery and Resilience Fund. They have faced severe difficulties caused by the pandemic, but none the less have continued to make exciting plans for their substantial refurbishment programme to become a heritage hub for North West Sutherland.
We are delighted that this fund will support the museum to continue their development as an important hub for regional heritage and an asset for their rural community.”
Strathnaver Museum’s building dates from the mid-18th century and is an important part of the Highland Clearances story. From the pulpit which still dominates the main room, Rev David Mackenzie read out eviction notices to his congregation. Later in 1883 crofters and cottars gathered to give evidence to the Napier Commission which eventually led to them gaining security of tenure.
Strathnaver Museum have secured £1.06 million of the £1.9 million capital funding costs which will secure the building, create a new agricultural annex building and see new interpretation installed across the site. The group are awaiting the outcome of a number of funding applications and have launched a Crowdfunder to help meet an anticipated £30,000 funding gap.
The team are offering some exclusive rewards as part of their Crowdfunder including money off vouchers, behind the scenes tours and the chance to have your name displayed in the refurbished museum. You can contribute to the Crowdfunder here.
Strathnaver Museum volunteers with architect Catriona Hill at a consultation event discussing refurbishment plans in January 2019
Among many achievements in 2020, Fast-Growing Moray-based digital telecoms company Fibre 1 has recently been shortlisted for Reseller of the Year at the Comms Business Awards. The results will be announced virtually in January. The team are delighted to be recognised for their hard work through tried and testing times and look forward to more success in 2021.
The firm moved to Horizon Scotland offices in Forres in October 2018 due to increased development. Fibre 1 has recently announced growth, with two new members joining the company, each bringing their own strengths which is invaluable to the growth of the business. Summer Liddle has joined as Accounts Executive and Aimee Walker as Office Coordinator. Now employing seven full -time staff members, it will be actively looking to add to this next year as its growth continues in 2021 by adding a further two new members in January.
“We work with businesses of all sizes and only offer services that we are in no doubt that we can successfully deliver. We have been able to successfully provide services to customers who have been advised previously that these were not available due to location. We believe that no job should be impossible providing you have a strong relationship with suppliers, an excellent project management team and exceptional level of customer care.” – Stewart Macdonald – Managing Director.
Due to this, Fibre 1 have been approved as a registered supplier for the Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme, The SBVS will provide funding of up to £5,000 to help homes and businesses not in the range of either Reaching 100% (R100) contracts or planned business investments to obtain superfast broadband where providers may not typically go. The scheme will help to ensure everyone in Scotland will have access to superfast broadband by the end of 2021. The firm take pride in their fantastic customer service, providing the best possible support throughout projects whilst meeting deadlines, coming in under budget and exceeding expectations.
The company believes strongly in supporting the local community. It is currently the short sponsors for both League Two side Elgin City FC and Lossiemouth FC who compete in the Highland League. Both clubs have recently signed affiliate deals along with Ross County FC and Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC, which will see revenues go back to each club to support their fundraising strategies and community development programmes and they are extremely pleased to add Premiership side Ross County and Championship side ICTFC to the mix.
Fibre 1
Horizon Scotland
The Enterprise Park
Forres
Moray
IV36 2AB
T: 0800 9890 052
E: info@fibre1.uk
Cavendish Nuclear has donated funds totalling £12,000 to charities in the communities surrounding six of its offices across the UK.
Cavendish Nuclear is committed to making a positive impact and a long lasting sustainable legacy in the communities where we operate and where our workforce work and reside. Recognising the unprecedented year we have had and the challenging time that Christmas poses for some, Cavendish Nuclear is pleased to be able to donate to six charities/community groups supporting vulnerable/homeless people in our local communities.
Donations have been made to following six charities/community groups to enable them to provide extra support this Christmas:
• Bristol – The Bristol Soup Run Trust
• Dounreay – Thurso Development Community Trust
• Newbury – Loose Ends
• Leicester – b-inspired
• Warrington – Warrington Open Door at Christmas
• West Cumbria – Phoenix Enterprise Centre Fare Share Food Pantry
Dominic Kieran, Managing Director, “The communities we live and work in are incredibly important to us. This has been an especially challenging year and I am pleased that we have been able to provide support to those most in need in the local communities near a number of our sites.”
Martyn Jones, Trustee/Director, The Bristol Soup Run Trust, “On behalf of everyone at the Bristol Soup Run Trust I want to say a huge thank you to Cavendish Nuclear for supporting us. We have continued to operate a nightly soup run in Bristol city centre every day in 2020 and this has only been possible thanks to the dedication of our amazing volunteers and the support of our generous donors.”
Joan Lawrie, Development Manager, Thurso Community Development Trust, “We operate a
community larder called ‘The Sharing Shed.’ The aim of the larder is to redistribute surplus food to assist people who are in need, as well as ensuring that they are given advice on cooking, budgeting and maximising their income. The donation from Cavendish Nuclear will assist the Trust to deliver these services.”
Linda Fergusson, Chair of Trustees, Loose Ends Newbury, “Loose Ends is a drop-in centre run solely by volunteers in Newbury serving food to the homeless and vulnerable five days a week. The preparation and serving of healthy, hot meals is our main function but we also offer mini food parcels, toiletries and clean clothes and we work with other agencies and charities and signpost people to those who can provide help. Thank you to Cavendish Nuclear for supporting us.”
Catherine Derwent, Communication and Project Support Worker, Binspired Braunstone Foodshare, Leicester, “The Foodshare scheme was set up in January 2011 to help reduce food waste from supermarkets but now the scheme works to tackle food poverty in the local area. We are overwhelmed with the generosity shown by Cavendish Nuclear this Christmas. Thank you for supporting our cause after such a difficult year, where the need for our services has increased by 37% over the past few months.”
Andy Willis, Chairman, Warrington Open Door at Christmas (WODAC) On Christmas Day, “Run entirely by volunteers over the eight day Christmas period, WODAC offers take away food and drinks with additional focus on delivering food parcels and Christmas gifts to the residents of Warrington who are less fortunate. WODAC would like to thank Cavendish Nuclear for its very generous donation.”
Joanne Crowe, Ops Manager, Phoenix Enterprise Centre, Cumbria, “Phoenix Enterprise Centre is very grateful for the generous donation from Cavendish Nuclear. These funds will support the delivery of food and essentials (and a selection box for children) to some of the most vulnerable families across Copeland this Christmas time. Thank you so much.”
A national conference will hear today how digital technology has the potential to enable a sustainable future for the civil nuclear sector over the coming years, bringing with it new opportunities and ways of working that will transform asset management.
Cavendish Nuclear, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Babcock International, is speaking at the Nuclear Industry Association’s Nuclear2020, which will be attended by delegates from across the nuclear industry.
Tony Burnett, Cavendish Nuclear’s Head of Innovation and Technology and Steve Penver, Babcock Group’s Head of Data and Analytics, will share insight on how ‘digital twins’ of nuclear assets can transform asset management and performance.
Digital technology has a fundamental role to play in the transition of ageing assets to a more sustainable future, and the impact on nuclear will be significant. They will explain the benefits of using applications such as digital twinning, to enable the nuclear industry to transition to a more sustainable future and be an essential, efficient element of the wider Net Zero 2050 Challenge.
Steve said, “Digital technology has a critical role to play in enabling a sustainable future for our business; whether that’s using a digital thread, digital twin or artificial intelligence. It’s also about working in close collaboration with our customer and having a clear mandate and a plan for how that transition will take place.
“We’re already deploying digital technology in the defence and marine industries and these proven applications mean that we can better understand the critical assets we are managing, develop better training solutions for our people to deliver, and ultimately improve availability by optimising maintenance and predicting failures.” Tony said, “A digital twin for storing data relating to the design, construction and operation of an asset, provides a deeper, real-time, long-term understanding of an asset’s performance and enables timely and effective asset management decisions
to be made throughout its life. “Application of this technology in the civil nuclear industry has significant potential in supporting ageing assets and in ensuring that new nuclear projects enable a more sustainable future.”
The presentation and Q&A is being held 10:00-11:00 and 14:00-15:00 in the Cavendish Nuclear breakout room at the Nuclear 2020 event. For more information on the conference and to register for free click here.
We’re thrilled to welcome new members this month:
The Virtual Learning Academy (The VLA) is an Education Provider founded in 2011 by Catherine Sutherland. Catherine spent some time working in further education after 20 successful years in Management. Originating in the Highlands of Scotland she recognised a need for more flexible and accessible learning methods to overcome the geographical challenges inherent in the UK’s most remote region.
Specialising in both Organisational and Personal Development the company have expanded their portfolio and will continue to do so. They have specialists in Learning & Development and all subjects presented. This enables VLA to bespoke and deliver programmes relevant to specific industries and careers.
The mission of the VLA is to break down the barriers to learning to ensure opportunity for all. VLA have been creating and innovating new methods of course delivery to meet the learning style and needs of those with diverse work and life commitments.
The Virtual Learning Academy’s passion is innovation. They are already working on new themes, products and services which they anticipate can break down even more barriers to learning to enable opportunity for all.
The VLA are currently offering an exclusive reduced rate for Chamber members on their Management & Development Programme. Download the brochure here to read what the programme is all about. Chamber Members are welcome to the reduced rate of £135 per event or £899 for the overall programme.
They’re also running a FREE webinar this week on Managing the New Normal. See details here.
RBLS Thurso – A local, social venue… and much more
The Thurso Branch is the Royal British Legion Scotland’s most northerly branch on the UK mainland. The Club offers a wide range of activities and facilities and is available to both members, guests, visitors and local community groups alike.
To learn about how Chamber membership could benefit your business, see the Membership benefits page or get in touch with Fiona Levack, Business Development Manager to arrange an informal chat. You can email fiona here: Fiona@caithnesschamber.com The Chamber offers advice and support to businesses of all sizes, at all stages and in all sectors and we would be thrilled to hear from you.
In addition to chamber membership, many of our funded projects offer support and guidance to businesses in a range of ways. See the list of options, here.
Did you know that we offer a membership referral scheme? If you refer a business who joins the chamber, you could benefit from £50 off your next renewal. Read more here.