The West Highland Way 25th Anniversary Relay
Highland pupils walking the West Highland Way 25th Anniversary Relay, will, this Friday 17th June receive double congratulations when Charles Kennedy (MP) and Fergus Ewing (MSP) welcome them into Fort William to the sound of the Lochaber High School Pipe Band.
Community Warden Initiative Reaches First Years Milestone
Residents in Alness and Invergordon are being asked what they think about the Community Warden initiative in their areas.
Highland Schools and College Celebrate Vocational Learning For Pupils
Representatives of ten secondary schools from Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross met today at the North Highland College’s Tern House campus in Alness to sign three area partnership agreements with the college aimed at progressing vocational opportunities for pupils and to demonstrate formally their commitment to school-college links.
Adventure Tri-Series Unveiled
Over 2,000 competitors from eight countries are expected to participate in The VisitScotland Adventure Tri Series. Scenic locations across Scotland form the backdrop for competitors tackling an open loch swim, rocky mountain bike tracks and rugged trail runs in Loch Ness, Loch Lomond and Falkirk.
Caledonian Canal Ceilidh Trail band announced
Organisers of the Caledonian Canal Ceilidh Trail today (Tuesday 28th June, 2005) announced the line-up of the official Ceilidh Trail Band at British Waterways (Scotland) marina in the Inverness Muirtown Basin.
Highland Students First To Complete Unique Teacher Training Initiative
The first students to complete a pioneering new teacher training initiative will receive official recognition from the University of Aberdeen on Monday at a special ceremony in Inverness to mark their unique achievement.
Activities Over The Summer In Ross And Cromarty
This year’s Ross and Cromarty Summer Activities Programme is packed with a wide range of events for people of all ages to enjoy over the summer.
Skye Pupils Take A Step Further
Pupils at Portree Primary School will this week (Thursday 30th June) receive prizes from "Step It Up Highland" for walking the furthest in a Highland wide competition held during National Walk to School Week (Monday 23rd – Friday 27th May 2005).
Talks Result In Staff Agreeing To Resume Normal Working
After intensive talks between The Highland Council and the Joint Trade Unions regarding the proposed harmonisation of terms and conditions of employment for manual workers in Transport, Environmental and Community (TEC) Services, staff have agreed to return to normal working with immediate effect.
Making A Splash At Poolewe
Over 170 youngsters from 8 primary schools in Wester Ross were keen participants in their very own swimming galas at Poolewe Swimming Pool during Healthy Highland Week. Pupils from Gairloch, Poolewe, Bualnaluib, Inverasdale, Sheildaig, Badcaul, Kinlochewe and Torridon all had a great time whilst taking part in one of the healthiest activities known to man.
Launch Of New Gaelic Song Book
The Highland Councils’ Mairi Mhor Gaelic Song Fellowship has published a new and totally unique Gaelic song book which brings together a collection of 30 songs all either written in Ross-shire or composed by Ross-shire born writers.
Public Invited To have Their Say On Services
The Highland Council is about to undertake its annual public performance survey.
Scoraig Primary School's Activity Weekend
Last weekend saw an excited group of children from Scoraig descend upon Fairburn Outdoor Activity Centre for a weekend of fun and physical challenges.
Royals To Visit To Lochaber
Three areas of Lochaber are looking forward to welcoming Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh when they visit on Tuesday 5 July.
Royal Visit To Lochaber
Lochaber will enjoy a very special start to the summer with a visit by Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh.
Road Pricing
Councillor Alison Magee, Convener of The Highland Council, said she very interested in the long-term measures proposed by the Transport Secretary to reduce congestion on the roads by moving away from the current system of motoring taxation towards a national system of road pricing, which includes a lower level of payment for less congested roads.
Childcare and Family Resource Partnership On The Road
Ross and Cromarty Childcare and Family Resource Partnership will be visiting three communities on the West Coast to meet families and learn how it can best support parents of young children in Lochcarron, Ullapool and Gairloch.
Big Recycle Scotland Week
National recycling week, known in Scotland as the BIG Recycle for Scotland, kicks off today (Monday 27 June) to raise awareness of what, where, how and why to recycle.
Crowds Expected To See Queen Mary 2 Dock
One of the most famous cruise liners in the world, the Queen Mary 2 will visit Invergordon on Sunday when between 20,000 – 30,0000 people are expected to converge to admire Cunard’s new flagship which is the largest, longest, tallest, widest and most expensive passenger liner ever built.
New highland Initiative To Protect The Vulnerable
New guidance and staff procedures have been approved by both Highland Council’s Housing and Social Work Committee and Highland Joint Committee for Action in Community Care to protect vulnerable people from abuse in community, hospital and care home settings.
Children In Highland Are Well Protected
A report on the most far-reaching examination of child protection services in a Scottish local authority area concludes that children and young people in Highland are well protected.
Council Reaffirms Commitment To Pre-School Education
The Convener of The Highland Council, Councillor Alison Magee, has made it clear that in reviewing pre-school education, the Council intends to continue the very successful development of nursery classes and playgroups across the Highlands.
Planning Go Ahead For PPP2 Schools
Scottish Ministers have advised The Highland Council they see no reason to intervene in determining the detailed planning permissions granted by the Council for the Public Private Partnership Schools Programme projects that were referred to them.
Council Welcomes Review Of Planning System In Scotland
The Highland Council has welcomed the publication today (Wednesday) by the Scottish Executive of a White Paper which sets out the way forward for Scotland’s planning system.
Wade Centre Garden Party
After months of hard work a new garden at The Highland Council’s Wade Centre in Kingussie was opened today (Monday 20th June) by local Highland Councillor Gregor Rimell.
Kate From Lochcarron Is 2000th Participant
The Ross and Cromarty Sports Council Out of School Hours (OSH) project has firmly established itself in Ross-shire and at the weekend Kate Tweats from Lochcarron was presented with a special gift for being the 2000th young person to take part in the various activities run by the project throughout the area..
Highland Schools Truimph At Education "Oscars"
An Invergordon teacher is set to join finalists at the UK teaching awards after winning the prestigious Inspirational Teacher award at this year's Scottish Education Awards ceremony in Glasgow.
Highland IOpportunity Grows And Refocuses
The new-look Highland Opportunity Limited (HOL), the Enterprise Trust for the Highlands, has taken on responsibility for assisting a much wider range of Highland businesses – with the scope to award loan packages up to £500,000.
Councillors Will Resist Plans To Make Highland A Nuclear Waste Repository
Highland Councillors sent out a very clear message today (Thursday) that they will strongly oppose consideration of any site in Highland for a national nuclear waste repository.
Drivers Urged To Goslow At Newmore Primary School
A 20mph part-time speed limit goes into operation today (Monday 27th June, 2005) at Newmore Primary School in Ross and Cromarty.
Tots Have A "Real Nappy" Week In The Highlands
Mums and Dads of young tots in the Highlands are today being urged to cut down on their daily household waste by using modern re-usable nappies.
Nairn Leisure Back in The Swim
The Highland Council’s Community Learning and Leisure team in Nairn is to re-open a new look Nairn Leisure facility on Saturday (2 July). And to mark the occasion, a weekend of special events is being organised.
Highland Music Initiative
The Highland Council is moving ahead with innovative provision of musical skills in all of its 187 primary schools.
Council and MOD Combine for CD
An Comunn Gaidhealach (The Highland Association) and The Highland Council have come together to produce a CD featuring 68 of the Prescribed Songs and Literary Pieces for this year’s Royal National Mod.
Drivers Urged To Slow Down Around Lochaber Schools
A 20mph part-time speed limit goes into operation next week from Monday 20th June, 2005 at Ardgour, Fort William R.C., Inverlochy, Lady Lovat, and Lochaline Primary Schools in Lochaber.
Building For The Future In lochaber
Local construction companies were invited on Friday 10th June to Lochaber High School to see for themselves where their future apprentices might start out from.
Focus On Child Safety
An Inverness councillor has been thanked by pupils from his local school for helping make their route to and from school safer.
Skye Landscape Project
Highland Councillors today (Thursday) backed a major international environmental arts event which will take place in the Trotternish area of North Skye later this summer.
New Sounding Board For Licensing Issues
A new sounding board is to be established in Inverness to assist the local licensing board with policy making.
Invergordon Invitation
A Local Councillor hopes residents in Invergordon will be inspired to support their own residents group following the success of other similar groups in the area.
Work By Inverlochy Pupils On Display In Inverness
Pupils from Inverlochy Primary School visited The Highland Council’s headquarters in Inverness on Thursday (23 June) to see an exhibition of their work go on display to mark National Refugee Week.
Highland Youth Voice To Debate Key issues
Highland Youth Voice, the elected youth parliament for the Highlands, meets this weekend (17-19 June) at Sabhal Mor Ostaig on Skye
Councillor Recognised In Honours List
A Highland councillor and a senior council planner have been honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Outstanding HMIe Report For Lochaber Primary
Inverlochy Primary School in Fort William has been given an outstanding report following a recent HMIE inspection.
Children To Lead The Way During Healthy Highland Week
To launch Healthy Highland Week (20th – 26th June), on Monday delegates will attend an event at The Highland Council Headquarters in Inverness that will showcase the many health promoting initiatives currently running throughout the Highlands.
Ton up For Health Promoting Schools In Highland
One hundred Highland schools have now been officially recognised as ‘Health Promoting’.
Council Wins Hat-Trick Of Awards
The Highland Council has scooped three out of eight firsts for excellence or innovation in the Scottish local government Oscars ceremony, the Convention of Scottish Local Authority's Excellence Awards 2005.
Presentation Of Gold Duke Of Edinburgh Awards
Five young people from the Highlands were presented with their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards during a meeting of The Highland Council on Thursday (24 June).
Ghost Ships Not Welcome In The Highlands
The Highland Council has made it clear that they will not entertain plans to scrap toxic "ghost ships" from America at the disused oil fabrication yard at Nigg, East Ross.
Inverness Games To Make Annual Tribute Games Legend
The City of Inverness Highland Games Committee has announced details of their plans to honour the memory of the late Tom Mackenzie at next month’s Games which will be the first staged since his death last year.
Top Musicians To Perform At Inverness Highland Games
This City of Inverness Highland Games Committee has announced details of the five new musical events that have been added to this year’s Games programme. The action will get underway on Friday 22 July when the Inverness Youth Forum will host the eve of Games " Pro-teen Party" for younger teenagers in Downtown USA at Inverness Ice Centre.
Gaelic Primary Teachers Graduate
Three Inverness College UHI-based students have graduated from the Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) Primary Teaching with Gaelic course run by the University of Strathclyde.
Fire Brigade Helps Wick Pupils In Award
Three pupils at Wick High School have received certificates from Highland and Islands Fire Brigade that will count towards attaining their Service Section of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
Fionnar Fly To Wales
Fionnar – the teenage Gaelic vocal harmony group established by the Mairi Mhor Gaelic Song Fellowship for The Highland Council, will be flying the flag for Scotland and Gaelic this week at the premier music festival in Wales – the international Eisteddfod, based in Llangollen.
Fionnar In Lochaber
The teenage Gaelic vocal harmony group "Fionnar", established by The Highland Council’s Mairi Mhor Gaelic Song Fellowship in 2003, is hosting a night of Gaelic music, song and dance at the Lochaber Rural Complex on Friday 17 June.
Highland Facilitation Improves
Community consultation across the Highlands looks like improving thanks to a Scottish Executive funded initiative.
Council Welcomes Euro Backing For West Ross Road Improvements
The Highland Council has welcomed the award of £1 million of Euro funding towards the third and final phase of the upgrading of the A832 between Achnasheen and Kinlochewe.
Elections 2008
Highland Councillors are to support a move to delay by one year to 2008 the next local government elections to avoid a clash with the Scottish Parliamentary election in 2007.
Alness Pupils Receive Duke Of Edinburgh's Award
Six Alness pupils today (Tuesday 21st June, 2005) received their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at a ceremony in Alness Academy.
New Dining Room For Drummond Pupils
The Highland Council’s Director of Education, Culture and Sport, Bruce Robertson was invited to officially open the new-look dining room at Drummond School in Inverness today (Monday 20 June).
Council to oppose Future Plans for Dumping Nuclear Waste at Dounreay
Any plans by the Government in the future to use Dounreay, Caithness, as a national repository for nuclear waste, will be strongly opposed by The Highland Council.
Glowing Report For Dochgarroch Primary School
Digital Gaelic Channel Or Not?
At the end of last week OFCOM announced their plans for Gaelic broadcasting. They have given ITV permission to cut its commitments to regional TV programming.
HMIe Report on Daviot Primary School
In an HMIe report on Daviot Primary School, Inverness, the school was commended for its progress in learning made by pupils from P1 – 3, the close and supportive staff team and the generous assistance given to supporting the work of the school by the School Board and The Friends of Daviot.
Families Project Awarded Grant To Run Support Services For young Dads
Alness and Dingwall Families Project has been awarded a grant by NCH’s Innovation Fund to take forward an innovative approach to delivering the Incredible Years Parenting Programme alongside a curriculum based on the Sports Leader award and sessions related to the promotion of healthy lifestyles and choices for young dads within the projects catchment area.
Cycling Safely - A Confidence Course For Adults
The Highland Council’s Road Safety Unit, in partnership with Healthways in Ross and Cromarty, has organised a couple of informal training courses for adults who are thinking about returning to using a bicycle.
Cutting-edge Research into How the Public Really Values Public Services
Highland public agencies will be breaking new ground this week when they launch an innovative new survey asking people how they value eight core public services.
Craft Makers Come To The Highlands
The 3-year project aims to place a craft maker-in-residence for a term in a school in all eight areas of the Highlands, culminating in a major touring craft exhibition in 2007, the Year that Scotland celebrates Highland culture.
Master Plan For A96 Corridor
Members of The Highland Council’s Inverness and Nairn Area Committees have agreed to support a development strategy of the A96 corridor which could provide homes for an expected 20-30,000 population growth over the next 30-50 years.
Council Commits More Funding For Community Projects
The Highland Council has made a short and long term commitment to fostering community projects.
Open Meeting Todiscuss Plans For Community Learning
Life changing experience was the name of the game on Tuesday (28th June) when an Alness audience was asked to reflect on a positive experience of adult learning.
Investment In Public Safety At Cemeteries
The Highland Council has allocated £160,000 in this year’s budget to tackle the repair of unsafe headstones and memorials in its burial grounds.
Caledonian Canal Ceilidh Trail - 2005
The opening chord of the Caledonian Canal Ceilidh Trail will be struck this year at Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness on Monday 18th July at a "Grand Opening Ceilidh" from 8-10pm.
Wick Pupils Raise Cash
Seven pupils from Wick High School completed the Service Section of their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at Bronze Level this week. They undertook a Fundraising Venture to raise money for the Pupil Support Base at the High School.
Summer Brochure Launched
On Tuesday (14 June) in Gairloch Primary School, 45 children took part in an African drumming session with tutor Steven Sharpe to launch this year’s Summer Activities Brochure from Ross and Cromarty’s Education, Culture and Sport Service. Joining in the fun were councillors Roy Macintyre, Jean Urquhart and Isobel McCallum.
New Book about Motor Neurone Disease Hits Highland Library Shelves
To mark Motor Neurone Disease Week (17th – 24th June) a new information book about Motor Neurone Disease is to be introduced to The Highland Council’s library collection today (Monday 20th June, at 2pm) at Grantown on Spey Library.
Pupils Meet Astronaut During Sci Tech Festival
School children from Inverness, Badenoch and Strathspey, Sutherland and Ross and Cromarty came face to face with NASA Astronaut Mike Baker when he touched down in Dingwall this morning (Tuesday 14 June) on his mission to meet and speak to Primary 5-7 pupils during a special Sci Tech Festival held at the Highland Football Academy.
An Excellent Start For Lochaber's Newest School
Ardnamurchan High School has received a very positive report confirming that, since its opening in August 2002, it has successfully established itself as a six-year secondary school.
Announcement Warmly Welcomed
Residents in a Ross-shire community are to benefit from an investment of over £800k to upgrade their central heating it was announced today (Tuesday 28 June 2005).
Inverness High School Chosen As A School Of Ambition
Inverness High School will benefit from funding of £100,000 for each of the next three years as the result of being selected to being among the first few schools in Scotland to pilot the Schools of Ambition Programme.
Highland Housing Alliance Appoints New Chief Executive
The newly-formed Highland Housing Alliance, a development organisation established by local Housing Associations operating in the area and The Highland Council, with the support of Communities Scotland and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, has appointed a chief executive.
New Planning Manager
The Highland Council has appointed a new Planning and Building Standards Manager for Sutherland. He is Allan Todd, Team Leader, Development Control, with the Planning and Development Service at Council Headquarters, Inverness.
New Initiative For People With Sensory Needs
The Highland Council has developed a single strategic approach in partnership with other bodies to ensure that community services offered to people who are deaf, deafened, hard of hearing, blind or deafblind are founded in good collaborative practice.
Kerbside Recycling Off To A Good Start In Fort William
The kerbside collection of paper in Fort William has got off to a good start with 4.3 tonnes of paper collected in Caol on Monday, the heaviest amount for the first day collection from any route in the Highlands.
Enterprising Pupils Show Off Their Work
Pupils from Highland schools today (Wednesday 1 June) showcased their projects at a special event to highlight their new skills learnt through an enterprising approach to learning and teaching.