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.
Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) is high on the agenda for 2021, offering the highest internet transfer speed among all contended services its availability across the UK is expanding at a fast rate. With more and more area’s having FTTP rolled out it is a good time to look at your current connection to see if or how this can be improved. Having a reliable fast connection can only be a positive for any business.
Lines of communication have never been more important than they are now. No one knows how long this is going to continue for or when we will get back to normal working life but one thing, we do know is that we are all in this together and we will get through it. Try and turn this unknown time in to a time of positivity, a time where businesses took the chance to look at their strategies and services, looking at options out there which can help improve business and continued success going forward.
The Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme 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.
Temporary vouchers of up to £400 are also being made available for premises where superfast broadband is planned for after the end of 2021 – with an additional £250 for those in the hardest-to-reach areas.
An online postcode checker has been launched to give homes and businesses information on superfast roll-out in their area as well as providing information on voucher scheme eligibility. For more information or to check eligibility contact Chamber member, Fibre 1 by email: info@fibre1.uk or call 0800 989 0052.
We’re thrilled to welcome new members this month:
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| Superclean of Thurso is a family run business which has been running for over 30 years.
They provide professional commercial and domestic cleans, hard floor restoration, car valeting, ceramic coating and also specialise in industrial high powered carpet cleaning systems. Superclean strive to be at the forefront of the cleaning industry. |
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| Westfield Timber Supplies process and supply kiln dried firewood, sawdust and garden mulch as well as raw timber, all of which is sourced from local forests. The team can also cut timber to customers specifications. |
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| Portfolio Group specialise in 3 main areas:
maxxCare – Focussed on providing businesses with sanitising and ppe solutions to suit their needs, utilising own branded ViraPro anti-bacterial range. WeAreBrandHub – Offering a tailored and bespoke branding facility for all. Also offering merchandise and souvenirs, both bespoke and licensed. Stationery wholesale – Portfolio Group offer a large range of stationery for sale to retailers. Including the excellent Milan and Jovi. All stationery comes with a price match guarantee. |
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| The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) but works with many Government Departments.
DASA finds and funds innovative ideas that might benefit the Armed Forces and National Security. DASA runs themed competitions and the Open Call for Innovation. They provide 100% funding and respect Suppliers’ IP and equity. Dr Debra Carr is the DASA Innovation Partner in Scotland and is available to discuss Suppliers’ ideas with them and to advise on possible DASA applications. At the time of writing, DASA has funded 55 projects in Scotland in the last almost 3-years to a tune of £8M. Read more about how to get involved here |
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.