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View Full Version : Fit's in 'e Coorier 'e day



Nwicker60
27-Apr-11, 14:13
Caithness Courier, review: April 27, 2011-04-27

THE paper leads strongly with the news that a local charity has been cleared of serious misconduct allegations. Complaints made again the Clan Sinclair Trust, relating to alleged administrative and financial irregularities, have been dismissed by the Scottish charities regulator, OSCAR, after an 18-month investigation. The outcome has delighted the trust, whose chief executive, the Earl of Caithness, said the accusations concerned the purchase of Noss Head Estates Ltd, in 2006. The company owns Noss Head visitor centre near Wick and Niven Sinclair Library. The Earl said: “OSCAR found that the trustees acted in the best interests of the charity by following professional advice throughout the transaction.

ALSO on the front, an historic Thurso church could become “a pile of stones” unless urgent conservation work is carried. The dramatic warning came from local community councillor, Don Smith, and found support from Alan McIvor, chairman of Thurso Heritage Society. They expressed their concern about the condition of Old St Peter’s Church and the need to raise funds to carry out conservation work. Mr McIvor said: “There are very few historic buildings left in Thurso, as so many of them have been demolished. This one should be treasured.” A spokeswoman for Historic Scotland said that the organisation was working with the Friends of Old St Peter’s Church to establish the conservation needs of the building,

YOU can’t go very far, just now, before encountering some mention of an important wedding in London. But Thurso couple Jennifer Sutherland and Allan Paul are not jumping on the royal bandwagon. They had fixed their date before....before...it’s come back to me... Got it!...William and Kate and will be tying the knot at the Castle of Mey, the very same day. Good job Wills and Kate were not getting married at Mey.

THE eighth Northern Nashville Country Music Festival was another resounding success and is well covered. In fact it commands the whole of Page 4 between photos and text. This year’s event, at Halkirk’s indoor riding centre, was the biggest and best yet, according to Christine Gray, chairwoman of the group behind the festival. She said: “ It was just such an outstanding success this year. There was a great atmosphere with hundreds of people all coming to listen to great country and western. The attendance was excellent. We had our full complement of weekend tickets sell out for the first time and means, there were over 700 there for the whole event.”

THE number of courses at a local secondary school is set to drop, due to budget cuts. Thurso High School says it can no longer afford to offer business management or computing studies at Standard Grade or Higher level. Highland Council is currently undertaking an annual review of teacher entitlement, relating to schools rolls at the start of of the new academic year. The review has been compounded by significant pupils roll reductions and the need to find budget savinsg of 2.6 per cent. The council says that falling pupils numbers are being particularly felt in the Far North.

THE Groat and Courier held their own royal event..a themed sponsored walk to John O’ Groats to the Castle of Mey. The cash raised will help finance two play parks and football pitches.
WHEN you’ve got a winner, you keep backing it. That, in effect is Thurso Community Council’s take on the international surfing event held there recently. Members gave their support to efforts to ensure the town remains part of the World Qualifying Series which was such a success in the Far North again, this year.

RENOWNED foot writer, Lady Claire Macdonald took to the stage at Ackergill Tower, earlier this month for a demonstration aimed at raising funds for Dunnet Forestry Trust.

NORTHERN Constabulary is encouraged that efforts to deter thieves who steal rare birds’ eggs, appear to be bearing fruit. Launching its annual drive, as part of the nationwide Operation Easter, campaign, the Force has welcomed a dramatic downturn in criminal activity around protected birds’ nests in recent years.

WELL...what about that Wick Academy win against one of the Highland League’s tougher sides? Nothing marginal about the 4-1 rout of Huntly on their home ground. The only regrettable aspect of it that, invevitably it had to be recorded that it was the Scorries’ first away win of the season. It just proves what everyone knows, that when the boys are on their game, no-one in the Highland League can cope with them.

AND finally a couple of German tourists had the right credentials for a warm welcome to Wick. Master optician Dirk Wick treated his daughter Nina to a visit to the North of Scotland town bearing their name, as a very unusual 16th birthday present.