Fit's in 'e Groat 'is week?

[Nwicker60]

Groat headlines for December 21, 2012

A SURFER, who learned his skills in Caithness waters, this week described his life-threatening double encounter with a tiger shark in Australia as “the most frightening thing ever.” Richard Wands was brought up in Perth, Scotland but took up surfing when he was about eight, while on regular summer holidays with his family in the county. He worked in the oil industry in Aberdeen for a time but emigrated to Perth in Western Australia, eight months ago to become a driller with a Norwegian oil company.

COMPANIES in Caithness have been asked to help a group of pupils realise their ambition of going to Central America for a once-in-a-lifetime school trip. Wick High has put out an appeal to firms based in the far north to give donations to enable the youngsters to take part in a conservation project in Belise in June. The senior pupils have raised more than £15,000 so far, but are still £12,500 short of their £28,000 target to make the trip a reality.

FAMILIES in Keiss claim they will be forced to leave the village over health concerns, if plans to build switching station are given the go-ahead. At least 120 people have signed a petition opposing a bid by Scottish and Southern Electric to construct the facility which will collect electricity generated from the Pentland Firth, Orkney and Shetland waters, on the outskirts of the village.

A CHARITY bash this weekend is hoping to save Thurso’s Christmas lights as the organisers struggle to pay the rising costs of repairing the town’s festive sparkle. The all-day Santa Sesh in Skinandi’s this Sunday has been organised by the Thurso Town Improvements Association to help raise the £5000 needed to keep the town’s lighting glowing.

PLEAS have been made for fans to be on their best behaviour at Dudgeon Park, tomorrow, as a record away crowd is expected to travel for the north derby. More than 500 supporters are planning to make their way from Caithness and beyond to support Wick Academy against Brora Rangers in the Highland League encounter. The spotlight on the fixture has intensified as it will be the first time that Brora Rangers manager Davie Kirkwood will face his old club since his controversial move, over the Ord, in August.

THE county’s premier flagstone exporter has had his knuckles rapped by Scotland’s Traffic Commissioner for faulty wheels but says the problems have been sorted and the firm is back on the right road. Caithness Stone Industries Ltd has agreed to reduce the number of vehicles on its operator’s licence following a public inquiry before national Traffic Commissioner Joan Aitken.

SCRABSTER is to become home to a new seafood festival with its emphasis on promoting sustainable fishing and changing customers’ attitudes. Capt Galley’s head chef and sustainable fishing champion. Jim Cowie, is in early talks about holding the inaugural event in the spring which will involve a number of guest chefs giving talks and demonstrations.

OVER £13,000 has been raised by two Caithness record-breaking cyclists who undertook a 1000-mile bike trip from Land’s End to John O’ Groats earlier this year. Kate Burt and Julie-Anne Mowat were thrilled by the reaction to their sponsored run which generated £13,335 for Marie Curie Cancer Care and Macmillan Cancer Support. The money will be split equally between the two charities.