Merkinch will play host to an exhibition of national importance when Heartstone stage Without Frontiers in the Merkinch Community Centre between Monday 22nd June and Saturday 27th June.
Using the oceans, the exhibition will show viewers what we can learn from the way creatures behave, and the folk stories and myths that are linked with the sea. Ideas of tollerance and understanding each others differences form a large part of this exhibition.
Images include those of the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and many others, however unique to the Merkinch exhibition will be a section dedicated to our own local water life. Birds, mammals, fish and plants of the Local Nature Reserve and Moray Firth feature in the exhibition, like the local Cormorants and Herons.
Sita Kumari of the Heartstone organisation will also be working with three groups to put together a performance of Indian dance, telling the story of Ganga and the Shark. It is hoped that this performance will take place in the Local Nature Reserve at the Showcase day on 6th June and a small part of it shown at the June Jambouree.
Local groups can get involved creating art work for the exhibition, and anyone interested should contact Annie Marrs on 01463 240085 or annie@merkinch.com
Photographs: Nick Sidle and Heartstone
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Merkinch Partnership held an "Away Day" on 11th February at the Netley Centre in Inverness. The agenda for the day included presentations on Partnership projects, Annual Reports from Merkinch projects funded by Fairer Scotland Funding and future plans and priorities. Bob MacKinnon, Highland Council, gave an update on the Fairer Scotland Funding and John McMurray, Highland Council Youth Worker, gave a presentation on mp33, the youth drop-in centre in Grant Street.
The Partnership has funded a range of projects in the past year - arts, sports,the environment, training courses, drug and alcohol support work, Social Enterprise and money advice.
Other issues discussed during the meeting included the future role of the Partnership, its relationship with Inverness Partnership, working with community groups in other areas of the city and passing on knowledge and expertise.
The next Partnership meeting will be held on 11th March.
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Do you need advice and/or information on the following:
1. Dealing with Bank Accounts
Choosing and opening a bank account
Common Banking problems
Dealing with bank charges.
2. Managing your Money
How to make a personal budget
Ways to maximise income and decrease expenditure.
3.Dealing with Bills
Common causes of debt
Consequences of not paying a debt
How to deal with debt
Seeking advice about debt
WHERE: Spectrum Centre Farraline Park, Inverness.
WHEN: The sessions will take place over 3 Tuesdays in March 2009 10th, 17th and 24th March 2009 from 10.45am to 2pm.
Tea/coffee breaks and Lunch (soup and sandwiches) will be provided.
To book a place or for more information contact Anne Sutherland, Merkinch Partnership,4 Grant Street, Inverness IV3 8BL Tel 01463 718989.
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Merkinch Greenspace directors held a Board meeting on 9th January in Merkinch Community Centre.
The following projects were discussed:
Community Garden directors agreed that the garden, located at the Corbett Centre, needs to be developed into more of a community facility. It was felt that local residents are not fully aware that the space is a community garden and it was agreed that a programme of events should be drawn up to encourage local people in to the site. Ideas include workshops during the Easter holidays,a community barbecue, Growing Programme, Easter egg hunt and a summer event.
Carnarc Point directors agreed that some general care and maintenance work is needed in this area (litter pick, strimming the paths, etc).
Riverside clearance - Merkinch Greenspace will continue to fund the maintenance work along the riverside from Gilbert Street to "Friars Shot", this project has received very positive feedback from the local community.
Director and Local Ward Member Peter Corbett has resigned as a director of Merkinch Greenspace, in order to avoid possible conflict of interest issues between the group and Highland Council.
Below are the "before and after" photos taken by Greenspace Chairperson Ali Locke.
If you would like to get involved in any Greenspace activities or would like more information about the above projects, please contact Anne Sutherland on 01463 718989.
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Merkinch Local Nature Reserve runs from the canal mouth right the way around the shoreline to just beyond the old Kessock Ferry. It is the fiftieth in Scotland, and the only one to exist in the Scottish Highlands somewhere for Merkinchers and the City of Inverness to be proud of.
Verity Walker was appointed in January 2009 to work with local people to write an interpretive plan for the Reserve. A Black Isler, she is no stranger to the area as her late mother, Penny Poole, was a popular infant teacher at Coronation Park for many years when Miss Young was head teacher.
Interpretation means translating foreign languages to most people, but this kind of interpretation is instead about helping local people tell the stories of a particular place. The interpretive plan will establish strong themes which will then shape what kind of messages local people want to communicate about their reserve. Some of you may already have met Verity at the community centre or out and about.
The plan will also look at how people of all ages and abilities currently use the reserve and how they can get to know it better and enjoy it more. It will look at all the different audiences that want to use the reserve at present and identify and attempt to resolve conflicts of use (e.g. dog fouling/pedestrians, motorbike users/mothers & toddlers on the same path). It will recommend the locations for on-site structures such as picnic tables, bird hides, benches, waymarking posts/routes, wheelchair access points, interpretive panels and orientation panels.
Two panels will fill those mysterious blank spaces in the two stone boundary markers already created. Recommendations will also be made on future leaflet and website content, and possibly some interpretation relating to the reserve located within the Merkinch housing areas and Inverness City Centre.
To get an idea of how an area can benefit from interpretive planning, look at www.culbin.org.uk or take a walk at the Forestry Commission Scotland/RSPB site at Culbin a great place for families and kids learning to ride bikes (follow the signs from the A96 at Brodie Countryfare).
You can pick up a memories sheet to fill in at the Community Centre (please have them back by Thursday 12th March latest) or write to Verity Walker at: verity@interpretaction.com or 6 Greengates Place, Fortrose, Ross and Cromarty, IV10 8RY
Outline of Merkinch LNR
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The Local Nature Reserve Management Group is continuing to meet monthly to deliver the priorities outlined in the Management Plan.
The sea wall path is nearing completion and an additional path has been constructed connecting the boardwalk path to Carnarc Crescent. Once the new ramp at the boardwalk has been installed this will create a circular route within the Reserve as well as a second disabled access.
The Biodiversity Management Plan has been completed, information leaflets have been printed and work is underway on the Interpretation Plan. A feasibility study will be carried out by Sustainable Communities Fife on 20th March 2009 to look at the potential for building an Earthship within the Reserve.
A Showcase Day will be held in the Reserve on 6th June 2009. The event will celebrate, showcase and promote the Merkinch Local Nature Reserve and also highlight the improvements carried out since its designation in 2007.
This event will aim to educate local people and visitors about the LNR and the variety of flora and fauna which can be found in the area. It is a family event and alongside educational sessions, environmental workshops, walks, displays and information about the Reserve, the event will also include sports competitions, entertainment and arts and crafts activities for a variety of ages.
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The Arts in Merkinch project has now come under the umbrella of Merkinch Partnership and the first meeting of the new arts steering group took place on 10th February in Merkinch Community Centre.
The steering group is made up of local residents and project workers who have an interest in the arts and at the first meeting members discussed the arts programme for the coming year.
New ideas included a children's art group, a writers group and a music festival (Merkinch Unplugged). The existing elements of the arts programme will continue to be delivered - Summer Festival, weekly art group, weekly theatre groups, puppet festival, The Big Draw and workshop provision.
The next meeting of the steering group will take place on 10th March to start planning for the Merkinch Unplugged music festival.
For more information on the arts programme contact Annie Marrs on 01463 240085.
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