YOUR VIEWS: Field club’s demise, funding fairness for Caithness, pylons concerns and best wishes for ‘e Groat’s Sheona
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Caithness Field Club’s sad demise
May I inform your readers about the sad demise of the Caithness Field Club.
A simple tale would be that it died of old age, but that cannot be the whole story. From its beginning in the mid 1960s it had evolved as new members, with different interests, contributed.
However, in later years we have failed to recruit new members, even though there have been several attending walks and talks: a common problem with other organisations, I understand. Perhaps social media allows folk to join much larger worldwide clubs.
The pandemic lockdown marked a distinct and understandable change in attitudes to meeting up – this especially applied to indoor events when allowed, whilst outdoor events needed visitors to make up numbers.
There was another field club in the early years of the 20th century. I don’t know much about it, but there was an interesting article in our bulletin for 2018. This was based on an invoice from a transport company that was fortuitously kept by the family.
It detailed a club trip to Reay in 1922; there was also a photo from a separate trip to what looks like Castle Girnagoe/Sinclair with perfect gentlemen assisting ladies dressed in the restrictive clothing that fashion then dictated.
It would be interesting to speculate what effect the war and a far worse influenza epidemic had on the fortunes of that club. Perhaps somebody has already done the necessary research.
Fortunately our club has a good record in the bulletin published each year. A complete collection is kept by the Nucleus archive.
The appeal of the club for me was the vagueness about its interests. The only common theme was a desire to find out about the land where we abide. I hope that such a desire will lead to the formation of a future club, doubtless too late for me.
Tony Bradford
Achvarasdal
Reay
Getting our fare share of funding
Since the UK government’s levelling up fund commenced in 2021, £2.9 billion has been allocated in Scotland.
The aim of this fund is:
1. To create jobs, drive growth and to make sure that people feel proud of the places where they come from.
2. Investment in infrastructure that improves everyday life, including regeneration of town centres.
The PM also said, I quote: “Two-thirds of all the funding is going to the most deprived areas of our country.”
After three years of this funding, Scotland has received £500 per person, which means that there could be £12 million available for projects in Caithness. There was actually some cash allocated to Caithness. John O'Groats Mill reportedly got £300,000.
Highland Council has received funding, approximately £20 million, for what can only be described as vanity projects in, surprise surprise, INVERNESS. Plus Inverness and the Highlands also qualified for money from the City Region Deal – out of the £315 million provided, Caithness has received £250,000.
From both these funds, Caithness has received a paltry amount of the money given to Highland Council.
So with all this funding available and our infrastructure in Caithness falling to bits, why does Highland Council, even with a leader who puts Caithness first, continue to ignore the conditions that exist in Caithness?
I am sure that Caithness ticks all the boxes for qualifying for this funding so why aren’t our leaders applying? With the present state of our county why aren't they making the most of this opportunity to improve our infrastructure and perhaps build a sports centre like Orkney's Pitkaquoy centre, as there is a serious lack of indoor space available for sports groups for both adult and children as reported in last week's Groat?
Caithness will continue to be ignored as long as we remain under the auspices of an Inverness-dominated Highland Council. We are out of sight and therefore out of mind. There is no light at the end of the tunnel, the tunnel is only getting longer and darker and there is little hope that conditions will change.
With MSP Ash Regan and Kate Forbes both saying during the SNP leadership election that if elected they would break-up the Highland Council, then perhaps this is the only way that the people of Caithness can get back control over their future. Surely we could do better, we did in the past!
Billy Sinclair
Ormlie Drive
Thurso
Time to listen to Highland people
In response to statements made by Peter McKessick, head of development at SSEN, showing a talent for copying and pasting scripted rubbish. It is disheartening to witness SSEN once again attempting to justify their destructive actions with rehearsed rhetoric and baseless claims.
Mr McKessick’s assertion of “objective context” is nothing but a thinly veiled attempt to mask the lack of evidence to prioritise supporting their aggressive development plans in the Highlands. They purport to prioritise facts over theories, yet their actions speak louder than words.
Despite claiming expertise and experience, SSEN’s track record reveals a blatant disregard for the environment and the concerns of local communities.
Their so-called “necessary” transmission upgrade wreaks havoc on precious wild lands, peatlands, and animal habitats as well people’s land and homes. They boast about tackling the climate emergency while simultaneously desecrating our countryside in the name of progress.
The Highland people demand transparency, honesty, and accountability from SSEN. Gillian Martin’s [Scotland’s energy minister] words about engaging stakeholders with honesty have fallen on deaf ears. SSEN’s consultations have been nothing but a charade, devoid of empathy and consideration for those directly impacted.
They conveniently tout compliance with policies and regulations, yet their failure to consult with crucial stakeholders such as the MoD, and APPG regarding the protection of our dark skies, reveals their incompetence and arrogance.
SSEN’s cosy relationship with government bodies only serves to further their agenda, disregarding the legitimate concerns and questions raised by Highland communities. They evade inquiries about alternative options, costs, and evidence of need, exposing their true motivations: profit over people.
It is time for SSEN to heed the voices of the Highland people and prove their commitment to transparency and accountability. Until they provide concrete evidence of the need for their destructive infrastructure, we will continue to oppose their invasion and industrialisation of the Highlands.
The people deserve better than SSEN’s self-serving agenda. It’s time for SSEN to listen, engage and act in the best interests of the stakeholders they claim to serve.
Dunbeath/Berriedale Community Say NO to PYLONS Action Group
Safety case for battery storage schemes
I note the proposals for a “300 megawatt” battery storage system at Spittal and a smaller “50 megawatt’” scheme at Toftingall.
If the Spittal scheme can run for two hours at full power then the energy stored is roughly the equivalent of 600 tons of TNT. If that lot went off it would certainly make a spectacular fireworks show!
I hope there is a very robust safety case, and that it will be made public.
BR MacGregor (Dr)
Weydale
Thurso
ONLINE VIEWS
‘I will miss my customers across the north of Scotland and beyond’
The John O’Groat Journal’s long-time advertisement manager Sheona Campbell retired last week after 35 years with the company. Our story received more than 250 comments and ‘likes’ on Facebook, as well as much positive feedback from far and wide. Here is just a small selection of the comments and responses.
End of an era! I've been phoning for years for the annual book and calendar and a family notice, and 'e crack with Sheona was always a joy. I've no doubt her colleagues will do a great job, but she'll be missed. All the best for your retirement, Sheona, and thanks.
Olaf Cowan, Edinburgh
Wishing you a happy, healthy retirement. It will be strange not having you as the contact after such a long time. Remember, retirement means that you work even harder!
Janet Mowat
Happy, healthy retirement wished for you. Enjoy!
Jennifer Gunn
Happy retirement, well deserved, will miss our chats on the phone every month xx
Jeanette Coghill
Happy retirment Sheona, now it's time to enjoy and make lots of new memories xxx
Marina Ross
Happy retirement to you Sheona. Enjoy every minute of it, you deserve it xx
Freya Harding
All the very best Sheona, raising a glass to a very long and happy retirement. xx
Dougie Sinclair
Enjoy your retirement Sheona, thank you for all you have done.
Lynn Parker
Best wishes Sheona, happy retirement and thanks for all your help over the years with advertisements.
David Shearer
You'll be greatly missed Sheona. Great memories when my mum was secretary of the County Show. All the very best for your retirement. x
Liz Hewitson
Thoroughly enjoyed working with you Sheona, you were a lovely boss. Enjoy your well deserved retirement xx
Louise Mackay
Loved Sheona and she was the most friendly and professional lady to deal with, a big miss to the company. Enjoy your retirement. Xx
Karen Sutherland
• Letters of up to 300 words should be emailed to editor@nosn.co.uk. Please include your address and a daytime telephone number. Letters will be included at the editor’s discretion and may be edited.
