Assynt Enterprise Club - HMRC Workshops in Lochinver

Sharon Bartram, of the Assynt Enterprise Club,has organised workshops to be presented by Janet Campbell, Business Education and Support Officer from Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (HMRC). 

These 2-hour sessions, aimed at both new and existing enterprises, will be held on the 9th February at 2pm and 5pm and will cover the basics of tax and national insurance  - with plenty of opportunity for questions and discussion.

Janet's sessions are incredibly informative  - and she is excellent at explaining what is thought by many to be a complicated and, for small businesses, a worrying subject.

The venue in Lochinver will be confirmed later but, for more information, contact Sharon at the Assynt Learning Centre 01571 844123 or email: assyntlearningcentre@gmail.com

Clachtoll Broch

An interesting, if irreverent, look at the Clachtoll Broch dig.  Video by Bill Ritchie.  (Note the organised rock-relocation activity).


the clachtoll broch dig from Bill Ritchie on Vimeo.

Assynt Enterprise Club

Just back from the inaugural meeting of the Assynt Enterprise Club which is building on the work of the now-defunct (but hopefully soon to be resurrected) "Learn 2 Be Enterprising project". 

Invited by Learning Centre Manager, Sharon Bartram, local businesses took the opportunity to meet Federation of Small Business Chair, Joan Campbell to hear about the benefits of FSB membership. It was also good to catch up with businesses which have started trading over the past year -  following support from L2BE and, naturally, Business Gateway.

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.

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:

Fun with Renewables!!

Assynt Renewables are holding a Demo Day on Saturday 23rd October in the Lochinver Village Hall.  There are all types of fun and activities relating to energy-saving  including the chance to try electric bicycles.

For further information take a look at the Assynt Renewables website: Link

Lochinver Mission Project

Possibly everyone knows, by now, the success of the Big Lottery/Village SOS application by the Lochinver Mission project.   What isn't always acknowledged is the phenomenal amount of voluntary effort which goes into this success.

The commitment and drive of the Mission team was awe-inspiring.  Preparing a bid to develop a potential eyesore into an income-generating community asset in relatively short-time is not easy, even if you can work at it on a full-time basis.  To achieve so much as a team of volunteers is amazing.


Gateway merely helped to put some figures together but working with this enterprise was particularly  rewarding because of the infectious enthusiasm it generated.  The project certainly deserves its £400k and I look forward to fish & chips in the new Mission when it opens in 2011.

   
You can get the full story from the  Lochinver Mission website.
(Celebratory Photos: Roger Glover)