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.
The Brief, from Harper Macleod aims to keep individuals and families up to date with issues that could be important to them.
From the very first moment of lockdown, Harper Macleod’s focus has been on the health and wellbeing of everyone they know, be they colleagues, clients, contacts or simply the communities in which they work. As we approach the latter part of the year that hasn’t changed, but we have all become accustomed to a different way of doing things, whether that’s wearing a mask while shopping or continuing to limit contact with those around us.
As you’d expect, this edition of The Brief is heavily influenced by what has been going on, and looks at what the ‘new normal’ might mean for some aspects of you and your family’s lives – from employment to inheritance tax.
On top of all that, there are updates from the Harper Macleod team and firm. They hope you find this edition of The Brief a valuable read.
New electrical waste collection containers in Highland will aim to collect 24,000 unwanted small electrical items providing 1,200 of refurbished affordable electricals for local residents.
Householders in Highland will be able to easily declutter their unwanted small electricals via a new service providing 10 new collection containers funded by Material Focus to support ILM Highland and help save the environment. ILM Highland has been operating across Highland for over 26 years, providing Electrical Waste Recycling and Reuse services, refurbished retail and funded home improvement support for the vulnerable.
The service aims to collect 24,000 unwanted electricals of which 1,200 will be refurbished and sold at affordable prices to local residents. The project will help to reduce electrical waste, boost the local economy by providing a new dedicated Recycling Operative job and help combat climate change by saving 6,888 kg CO2 too.
Recent research, by the new not for profit Material Focus, has found that UK householders are hoarding 527 million small electrical items, an average of nearly 20 per household. And the problem is set to get worse as waste electricals are one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world and the UK. Instead, the majority of electricals can either be re-used or the materials contained in them recycled by being turned into anything from life-saving equipment to children’s playgrounds.*
In a concerted effort to tackle this growing challenge, Material Focus have funded ILM Highland to set up the new collection scheme, as part of the Recycle Your Electricals Campaign. The scheme will collect all items of small electrical waste including kettles, toasters, phones, techno gadgets, electrical toys, hair dryers, DIY power tools, electrical garden equipment – anything small with a plug, battery, or cable can be reused or recycled. The new Small Electrical Waste containers are to be sited in 10 key locations to encourage greater responsible disposal of small electrical waste instead of discarding these items in the green bin. The new container locations currently include Fortrose, Muir of Ord, Conon Bridge, Dingwall, Alness, Invergordon, Bonar Bridge and Dornoch.
Martin Macleod, CEO at ILM Highland, said: “We were keen to get behind the Recycle Your Electricals campaign and make it easier for Highland residents to de-clutter, donate to a local good cause and do their bit to save the planet. It’s estimated that every household in the UK has around £620 worth of electronics sitting unused. These could provide a lifeline for someone unable to buy new, and for those who are looking to buy second hand to protect our environment. Even broken items can be utilised in unexpected ways, with components being recycled in various ways.”
Scott Butler, Executive Director of Material Focus, said: “This project is vital to ensuring that we make good use of our old electricals. Whether they are re-used or recycled – these items contain valuable materials that will otherwise be lost forever. Our research has shown that in the UK we are hoarding over 527 million small electrical items, an average of 20 per household, which is why we have recently launched our Recycle Your Electricals campaign. We are delighted to be working with ILM Highland, who is one of a number of new re-use projects that we are funding in the UK. So whether you are at home or work, please hunt out your old electricals and donate them to benefit your community.”
The scheme will ensure that all items are safe, with ILM Highland securely collecting discarded small electrical waste items from the containers, cleaning and testing equipment before making it available in their shop for locals to purchase. Householders can be completely reassured that all data-bearing devices will be securely wiped by ILM Highland – who offer a complete and secure hard drive data destruction service. Other electrical goods not suitable for reuse will be recycled. The profits from the sale of the refurbished electricals will support the provision of ILM’s Handyperson and Home Improvement services to the elderly and disabled including veterans across the Ross-shire and Sutherland community.
The Highland Council is today (17 November 2020) launching a consultation giving the community until 12 March 2021 to comment on the proposed contents of the Common Good Fund Asset Register for Wick.
The Highland Council does not currently hold a Common Good Fund for the former Royal Burgh of Wick. However, following an unrelated title examination, property was identified that should have been correctly categorised as Common Good.
As a result, a full and detailed investigation has been undertaken into other property titles that may also be Common Good in Wick and a list of potential Common Good property has been developed.
Section 102 Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 states that before establishing a Common Good Asset Register the Council must first conduct a public consultation on a list of property (buildings, land, artwork, regalia and funds) it is proposing to include. The statutory consultation should run for a period of 12 weeks however, the Council is extending this to 16 weeks due to the current Covid restrictions.
The Council is keen to involve the community in this process to ensure that all Wick Common Good property is identified and included. The Community Council and community bodies will be notified and invited to make representations.
However, the list will be widely publicised and available for public representations to be made. The Council must investigate and respond to any representations received. Representations, responses and any final decision will be published on the Council website. Local authorities must also have in place a process for regular review of the Asset Register once published.
The list of property proposed to be included in the Common Good Asset Register for Wick.
Further information on the process required to establish and review the Common Good Asset Register can be found here on the Council website.
Please submit written responses either by email to commongood@highland.gov.uk or by post to Sara Murdoch, The Highland Council HQ, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, IV3 5NX.
Please see below an update from HiTrans regarding G0-Hi.
“You may already be aware of our pioneering new transport project, Go-HI, which is set to launch in March 2021. However, as a brief update our team are trialling a new app (Go-HI), which will make it easier for residents and tourists, within the HiTrans region, to access the information they need to make greater use of public transport.
Funded by the Scottish Government’s MaaS Investment Fund, the Go-HI App will provide a multi-modal integrated journey planning solution to increase accessibility of integrated end-to-end travel. We are currently still at the build stage for the App and to ensure we go to market with the most viable and user-friendly end product, we will be hosting a series of focus groups and research sessions to determine what updates and changes our end users require.
This is where we need your help!
We need participants for our focus groups and research sessions and would be grateful if you were able to work with us to help us source these. We are aware your contacts and staff will have an interest in our product and we feel there is great value in gaining their input at this stage within our development. We would very much welcome the opportunity for them to engage with us to help shape the App prior to us launching the finished product.”
If you think you can be of help please get in touch with Marelise Hamar – Marelise.Hamar@hitrans.org.uk for further information.