Fit's in 'e Coorier 'e day

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Caithness Courier headlines: Oct. 3

NUCLEAR police officers at Dounreay are on the verge of suffering from stress-related breakdowns amid claims that they are being overworked with little or no time to recuperate. A Civil Nuclear Constabulary insider said that staff have become exhausted from working long hours, as a result of a review into security and policing arrangements resulting in some of them signing off sick with stress. It is also claimed that staff recently voted against agreeing to volunteer to be within 30 minutes from Dounreay, at all times, during two of their four days off, in case they were called upon.

TREASURE hunting on a global scale will be taking place across the Caithness countryside this weekend as amateur adventurers from around the UK attend the launch in Wick of the Haggis Highway. Stretching from Braemar to John O Groats, this unfamiliar route is the new haunt for trail-blazing outdoor activity enthusiasts participating in geocaching. The pursuit is the latest craze imported from the USA, where participants attempt to hunt down a hidden store, often in places of natural beauty or historic interest, using the space-based satellite Global Position System.

THE construction of what will become the most northern distillery on the UK mainland is under way on the outskirts of Thurso. Wolfburn Distillery is expected to be in operation by the start of next year with its first bottles of whisky likely to be on the market by 2016. The private consortium behind the project was granted planning permission to build the distillery, in June, with the first phase of construction beginning in August.

HEALTH chiefs need to recognise what the real healthcare needs of Caithness are, before making any decision to change services that will affect patients. That is the view of Caithness District Partnerships health and social care public representative David Flear who argues more research needs to be done if NHS Highland is to avoid the same public relations which occurred during a previous healthcare consultation. It was announced NHS Highland and Highland Council will be

A CAITHNESS artist has just received a Royal Diploma for Painting from the Queen, in recognition of his work being selected for the Royal Scottish Collection in Edinburgh. The diplomas were first issued in 1839, to artists of “eminent talents” and have continued in the same format until today. Scotscalder’s Neil MacPherson has now joined the select group of members, having been elected as an academician by the members in Edinburgh 2006.

SCOTTISH Finance Minister John Swinney was in Thurso on Friday when he visited two local businesses, one a new start-up and the other, an established, award-winning enterprise. He began his whistlestop visit by officially opening Renewables@No.10 which is to service the needs of incoming renewable energy business. Based in Sinclair Street, the scheme is the brainchild of Louise Smith director of Caithness Renewable Ltd. The premises houses Ms Smith’s established consultancy and offers hot-desking opportunities for like-minded businesses wishing to access business facilities on a flexible basis.

MORE school students in Caithness are showing an interest in working in the care and voluntary sector, according to health chiefs. It comes after it was announced Highland Council has created temporary trainee posts within its organisations to help youngster get a foot on the employment ladder. It has set in place, a youth trainee programme which will created 66 positions across the North of Scotland together with 27 modern apprenticeships.

A FORMER village railway station has been given a new lease of life as a venue for small themed exhibitions about aspects of local heritage and culture as well as an information point for tourism. Yarrow Heritage Trust officially opened the Thrumster Railway Station, which is located on the former Wick to Lybster line, on Friday. The restoration project included the creation of a community woodland and excavation of the Thrumster Mains broch.

THE new amenity woodland on the outskirts of Wick is starting to take shape, thanks to the active involvement of community volunteers. Newtonhill Croft replaces the nearby area which had been developed on the site of a former refuse tip. The latter was closed to the public on safety grounds some time ago after the discovery that noxious contaminants had started leaching to the surface.