Farr High School - Winners Again!

Farr Safer, Farr High School's Young Enterprise Team have won the " Dragons' Den" section of this year's competition.  After presenting their idea to a panel of business people, the team were awarded £100 to develop their venture.  The "Dragons" were:

Fiona MacBeath (Press and Journal)
David Howarth (Lifescan Scotland)
Alasdair Lawton (MacWilliams Consulting Ltd)
Andy Maxtone (Inverness Chamber of Commerce)

For further information, take a look at the team's website: Link


I'm really pleased to be part of Farr Safer's advisory team again this year and the students have also been helped by Ali Murray from Atlantic Marketing.

The next stage is the Trade Fair on the Inverness High Street on 11 December 2010.  Fingers Crossed.

Fishing in the Green Corrie

Following my earlier post about the BBC TV programme Fishing For Poetry (shown last Monday - still on iPlayer) several people have cast doubt on my fishing prowess.  Well, here's the proof - 1.5lb brownie caught on a Bloody Butcher in the Loch of the Green Corrie. 

Mind you, it was a while ago and, as yet, unrepeated.

Co-operating For Growth Event - 15 November 2010.

Caithness Chamber of Commerce have organised the above event - at Caithness Horizons, Thurso on 15th November 2010  - with Co-operative Development Scotland to promote collaborations, partnerships and co-operatives.

For more information about the event, follow this link:

Business Gateway Roadshow - Wick 4th November

I spent a great evening at the Wick Roadshow last Thursday. It's been ages since I spent any time in Caithness and it was good to meet some of the businesses that are working with my colleagues Jennifer Irvine and Ian Thomson.

The event was ably facilitated by Moray Firth Radio's Linda Sinclair, (who was returning to her Caithness roots) and guest speakers were fashion designer, Jennifer Easton and Roadshow Regular, Gary Campbell of Environmental Hygiene Products Ltd.

As with all the Roadshows, everyone took the opportunity to make new acquaintances and meet old friends.  (You can find links to the remaining Roadshows on the Sidebar.)

Particular thanks to the venue, MacKay's Hotel, for making the event go so smoothly.

Fishing For Poetry on Monday 18th November

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Aly Bain & Billy Connolly tooled up for Assynt (BBC Photo)

Don't miss the tribute to Norman MacCaig, "Fishing For Poetry" on BBC2 Scotland at 9.00pm as Aly Bain, Billy Connolly and Andrew Greig chase the elusive trout in the Green Corrie. (And, from personal experience, they are VERY elusive).

With local assistance from Mandy Haggith of Top Left Corner and local angling maestro, Cathel MacLeod,  and support  from Trish Shorthouse of the Highlands & Island Film Commission, production of the film is part of the Norman MacCaig Centenary celebrations taking place in Assynt during this month.
 
For more information about the programme, follow the link:

Highland Opportunity Annual Report

At the risk of too much navel gazing,  here's an article from the Highland Council's website about Highland Opportunity, which hosts Business Gateway in Highland:

Positive year for Highland Enterprise Trust (01/11/10)

Highland Opportunity Ltd, The Highland Council’s Enterprise Trust, has completed another positive year in which £900,000 of loans were approved for 50 Highland businesses.

Speaking at the company’s 24th annual meeting, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Councillor Helen Carmichael praised the performance of staff, particularly in more than doubling their target of supporting 426 jobs.

HOL which is wholly owned by The Highland Council, offers a wide range of financial assistance, business support, youth services, and European Consultancy to small and medium sized businesses. It was established in 1986 to help create new jobs, improve access to employment and foster business activity and trade.

The annual report highlighted that HOL delivered a sixth and final year of management of a contract called “Working for Families” which aims to remove obstacles to parents entering education, training and employment. At the year end 1,400 families across the Highlands have received assistance. HOL also operates the Employment Grant Scheme on behalf of the Highland Council and from 2009 to 2010, 108 jobs received support.

On behalf of The Highland Council, HOL delivers Business Gateway through a network of eight offices across Highland and Moray. In the Highland area during its first year of operating, Business Gateway has dealt with 1,426 referrals and recorded 167 business start ups.

Chairman, Councillor Helen Carmichael said: “In a very challenging year for businesses I am pleased to report that HOL has been working hard to provide as much assistance and support as possible. We are very proactive to the problems businesses are facing and I was particularly pleased that, with assistance from the European Regional Development Fund, we were able to launch a special financial service , the Highland Business Growth Fund which offers businesses an interest free loan with no capital repayments for 2 years as a means of leveraging bank loans during the recession.

“I am also pleased to report that we have exceeded the annual target set for the number of full time jobs retained or created. Our target was 160 and the actual was 426 which is a very positive step. Over the coming year our focus will be on ensuring we are in a strong position to stimulate economic activity, promote the start up and growth of business ventures, help to create new jobs and improve people’s access to employment.”

HOL can be contacted via www.highland-opportunity.com

Sutherland Food Businesses Just Keep Winning

Crannag Bistro

Two Sutherland businesses won their categories in the 2010 Williamson Foodservice Highlands & Islands Food & Drink Awards .  We all know how good our local food businesses are but it's great to see this acknowledged in this prestigious event.

Saladworxs  who produce a range of over 80 salad leaves from their base at Mill Farm near  Dornoch, won the Innovation Prize.

Bonar Bridge's  The Crannag Bistro  (where this office will be celebrating Christmas) scooped the Highlands & Islands Restaurant of the Year Award.


Congratulation to both businesses. You can find the full details of the Awards here.

Business Start Course - 15/16th November

By popular demand, we're running a 2-Day Business Start Course at Helmsdale Community Centre on 15/16 November.  The course runs from 9.30am to 4.00pm on both days and covers everything you need toplan, start, run and develop a successful business or social enterprise.

The workshops are FREE, informal but informative and also provide an opportunity to meet other business people.

For further information, please contact me or, to book a place, contact Lesley Allan on 01463 713889, or send her an email