Weekly update, 18th March

Energy & Business Services:

I’m delighted to see yesterday’s news that Restore Digital have announced the creation of 39 new job opportunities in Wick. The Restore UK group will already be familiar in Caithness as the operator of the Nucleus facility in Wick, where around 30 people already work in the nuclear and Caithness archive. This new announcement is a real vote of confidence in the area and its people, and I was delighted to bring news of it to today’s (Friday’s) meeting of the CNSRP Advisory Board (see below for more on that meeting).  https://caithness-business.co.uk/article/9290

Enabling activities:

As colleagues work to prepare for the opening of the UK’s first Newton Room next week at North Highland College UHI in Thurso, the Steering Group for this important project met this week in Thurso. I’ve had the pleasure of chairing the group over the last 12 months, and this week we were able to hold our meeting in the Newton Room itself for the first time. In advance of its official opening the Room hosted some sessions this week as part of well-attended STEM events for S2 High School pupils across Caithness and North Sutherland. These sessions were run by DYW North Highland and attracted stands from a range of local, regional and national businesses/ organisations involved in STEM subject areas.

To celebrate the opening of the Room project leads from the Highlands and Islands Science Skills Academy will be running a public drop-in event from 4pm-6pm next Monday (25^th March) – anyone interested in a first look at the facility should go to reception at North Highland College UHI, where they will be directed to the Room.

On a similar theme, this week has also seen further evidence of the fantastic work being done at Wick High School to inspire students to get involved in STEM-related work. This time the student team behind the Light Bike concept were at the UK Big Bang Fair in Birmingham, where their concept bike attracted huge amounts of visitor attention. The concept is just one of a series of  Wick successes through the Apps for Good process and using Raspberry Pi technology. More at  https://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/wick-pupils-light-bike-catches-the-eye-at-big-bang-fair-175852/

Communications:

As part of an ongoing process of helping communicate progress with the delivery of aspects of our economic transition programme CNSRP’s partners work together to generate news stories for local, regional and national media. I also speak on a regular basis to individuals and organisations across the area to update on progress. This week:

• The CNSRP Advisory Board met this week, and I was delighted to be able to introduce members to my successor as CNSRP Manager. Peter Faccenda, who lives in Tongue, will officially take up post after Easter, but today was a very important early opportunity to meet members and to gain up to date intelligence on the CNSRP Programme as well as the views of members on progress. Under the Chairmanship of Cllr Matthew Reiss we were also delighted to see new NHS Highland Chief Executive Iain Stewart as he goes round the area.