‘Brand Scotland’ must have integrity and North coast emergency services praised

YOUR VIEWS: Readers of the John O’Groat Journal and Caithness Courier have their say on the issues and topics important to them

‘Brand Scotland’ is being lost in reality

As the UK Government proudly launches a new campaign fund to “forward Brand Scotland” we are left grappling with a fundamental and deeply troubling contradiction: how can the same government that seeks to promote Scotland’s natural beauty and heritage to the world be the very one permitting its destruction?

The Highlands – one of Scotland’s most iconic and irreplaceable landscapes – are under threat from the relentless expansion of invasive big energy infrastructure. These developments are not simply modern upgrades; they are industrial scars on our hills, glens and wild places.

The land that has drawn tourists, inspired artists, and nourished communities for generations is being sold off to the highest bidder, under the guise of economic progress.

“Brand Scotland” was never something that needed to be manufactured or aggressively marketed. It sold itself – through peace, authenticity, rugged natural beauty and a cultural identity rooted in respect for land and legacy. Yet now, this very brand is at risk of becoming hollow, an empty label pasted over a degraded reality.

If the UK government is truly committed to selling “Brand Scotland” with any credibility or integrity, it must begin by safeguarding what makes Scotland exceptional in the first place.

The world does not want a brochure – it wants the real thing. No investor, tourist or ally will be inspired by a land that is losing the very essence of what once made it magical.

We urge the Scottish Secretary and the wider UK government to take a hard look at the contradiction they are perpetuating. If you wish to champion Scotland on the world stage, then stand up for it here at home. Say no to the rampant industrialisation of our countryside.

Say yes to a future where economic development and environmental stewardship go hand in hand.

Scotland is not for sale – not in pieces, not in compromise, and not at the cost of its soul.

Dunbeath and Berriedale Community Say NO to PYLONS Action Group

Emergency situation was dealt with impeccably

I recently experienced a very serious situation while on my croft at Skerray when a close friend suffered a medical emergency.

I contacted the 999 number on my mobile phone and explained the situation. The operator was extremely helpful and recorded the main details.

I was then asked to end the call and wait for a text. This came shortly after and showed a link to contact.

We were then in video and sound contact with a specialist who interviewed my friend who was in a very confused and distressed state.

The specialist then informed us that an ambulance was on the way.

When it arrived my friend was quickly assessed by the two medics (driver Sarah) who decided to take my friend to Wick General Hospital immediately.

By the time I arrived at the hospital my friend had been checked out and was awaiting a scan.

Thankfully my friend’s condition improved and a full recovery was made.

The reason I am relating this experience is to highlight the exemplary emergency services we have available, especially in a remote area on the north coast.

Heartfelt thanks to all involved.

At a time when many column inches are devoted to the strains on the NHS it is vital to recognise the extraordinary service given by its staff as highlighted by this case.

However, this should not detract from other pressing needs for investment especially on the north coast where many NHS services are now being transferred to Inverness – or beyond.

It is quite clear that the talent and expertise is there – urgent investment should follow accordingly.

Gordon Macpherson

Skerray

Going on holiday with diabetes

Many of your readers may be looking forward to holidays whether in this country or abroad. Some of your readers with diabetes may be anxious, especially if it is the first time going on holiday since they were diagnosed.

For people with diabetes, going on holiday is not quite so straightforward and requires more planning, especially for those treated with insulin. If going abroad, the security at airports and on flights means that carrying injection devices, blood glucose testing kit and insulin on planes requires prior arrangements to be made.

As a charity for people with diabetes and their families, we provide a Holiday Information Pack containing our booklet on Holiday Tips with information about carrying tablets and insulin to other countries. The pack also includes our booklets, Diabetes Everyday Eating and Looking After Your Feet, always important but especially so in hot weather or being on a beach.

We are happy send this free Holiday Pack to your readers if they contact IDDT on 01604 622837, email enquiries@iddtinternational.org or write to IDDT, PO Box 294, Northampton NN1 4XS.

We do hope you will let your readers know how we can help.

Jenny Hirst

IDDT

Celebrate childhood

Childhood Day is the NSPCC’s national day to fundraise and help keep children safe. Every year communities in Scotland and across the UK come together to celebrate childhood through fundraising, volunteering and a range of activities for all to enjoy.

Everyone can play their part in keeping children safe and one way is to get involved this Childhood Day on June 6. People can volunteer for NSPCC collections, organise their own event, and take part in the Childhood Day Mile.

Children can move their mile by parading in the playground, dancing in the dinner hall or lunging in between lessons. Or get the whole family involved and take on a mile’s walk together, grab a friend and do it three-legged, or get your workplace to go the distance in a relay race.

How you move a mile is completely up to you! The Childhood Day Mile is for everyone.

Over 80 per cent of the NSPCC’s income comes from donations and it is essential that our services, like Childline, are here for those children that need help when they don’t know where else to turn. Every £29 raised from Childhood Day could fund a Childline supervisor for one hour to support our volunteer counsellors.

Similarly, £5 pays for one practitioner to answer a call to the NSPCC Helpline. In 2023/24, the NSPCC received 75,000 contacts to the Helpline from adults with concerns about a child’s welfare.

We are really excited for this year’s Childhood Day and looking forward to seeing everyone play their part in helping to keep children safe.

For more information about the NSPCC’s Childhood Day, visit www.nspcc.org.uk/childhood-day

Arlene Main

Community fundraising manager

NSPCC Scotland

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