Whisky enthusiasts raise £1150 for Caithness Talking Newspapers

A malt whisky tasting event in Wick has raised £1150 for a free service that allows people with sight loss to keep up to date with local news.

The event was held by the West Wing Crew – a group of family and friends who enjoy a malt or two – in the Nethercliffe Hotel in aid of Caithness Talking Newspapers.

Each week, news stories from the John O'Groat Journal and Caithness Courier are recorded onto tape which is then duplicated and sent to visually impaired recipients.

The tasting session was organised by Kenneth Forbes and his uncle Bruce Simpson. For many years, the late Minnie Simpson – Kenneth's granny and Bruce's mum – enjoyed receiving tapes of Groat and Courier articles read by volunteers.

In a statement, the West Wing Crew said: "We would like to thank all those who attended the tasting, donated raffle prizes and bought tickets – and thanks to Mervyn and the staff of the Nethercliffe Hotel for hosting the tasting and providing the haggis, neeps and tatties to soak up some of the whisky! A great night was had by all."

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