August 2007
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Merkinch News & Views

SKEC seeks environmental projects throughout Merkinch

SOUTH Kessock Environmental Company (SKEC), despite its name, was set up to look at environmental projects within the whole of the Merkinch area.

The first main development project, long anticipated was to be the replacement of the old Ferry Terminal building with a new multi-functioning Visitor Centre. Much time and effort was put into this proposed development by the directors and the members of the organisation, including those from funding bodies and many others. Eventually SKEC arrived at the stage where it was thought there was sufficient finance to proceed and an appropriate design was agreed.

Sadly it fell at the planning stage for many reasons that made it impossible to continue and at the same time the costs increased far beyond budget so it was agreed not to take the project forward.
This came as a sad and bitter blow to the whole group and community alike. However the group will move on from this setback and continue with other plans that are in the development process, plans such as the Local Nature Reserve that are in the early stages and this exciting project for the Westfield and beyond has to be of immense benefit to the whole community.

The group have also secured some finance and they are investigating the possibility of using this to make much needed improvements to the Coronation Road area behind the Corbett Centre. This project could include resurfacing, weed-killing and perhaps some play area type artwork on a new tarmac surface.

SKEC are also looking at other areas within the Merkinch that could benefit from improvements such as the Benula Road play area and indeed any other play areas and green spaces that could benefit through the group.

All of these activities combined are one of the reasons behind their desire to encourage appropriate skilled individuals from within the Merkinch Community wishing to become involved with their community, to consider joining the group as a director and offer their services to the Merkinch.

A new feature at the South Kessock Fun Day this summer was this roundabout which proved popular with the youngsters. The weather was not too unkind by 2007 standards and everyone had a great time. More summer fun inside...

Letter to the Editor

Animal Aid benefits from Doreen's retirement

I WANT to thank everyone who donated money on my retirement from Forbes Pharmacy. I have given the money to my favourite charity, Munlochy Dogs' Home. The total was £150. I am going to miss all my customers very much. When I started with Charlie Forbes, little did I think I would be there for 37 years and see so many changes in that time. I still think of Charlie, with all his own potions, hangover cures, cough cures, cold sore ointment, rubbing oil for the footballers, hand cream etc. I could go on. Then after Charlie we had Andrew Green and he fitted in so well, we were all very sorry to see him leave. He was a very good pharmacist and a friend to all. We now have a new pharmacist, Kevin Fyfe and I am sure he will do just as well as Charlie and Andrew.

So once again, thank you all so much and also my friend Marlin Mochan who did all the work collecting the money.

Doreen MacDougall, Wells Street.

Ed - Munlochy Animal Aid wrote to thank Doreen for her donation. In the last 18 months they have found homes for over 500 dogs and also many cats. They also have 10 horses, 27 sheep, 5 pigs, their 42-year-old donkey Sam as well as an ever-changing number of dogs and cats!

On a personal note, I recall that Charlie/Andrew's nostrum for repelling midgies was particularly effective.

This summer's rain storms have finally persuaded the powers that be to demolish the eyesore cottage at the top end of Telford Road. Demolition was due to take place on 30 July, after we went to press.

Partnership focus on Sports development plan aimed especially at the young

MERKINCH Partnership held a meeting last month to look at strategies and developments for the coming year.

The Partnership will be working on a Sports Development Plan for the Merkinch area. The focus will be on creating better and more accessible sports facilities for local people and in particular for the youngsters of Merkinch.

The aim is to encourage young people to lead more active lives and give youngsters the opportunity to experience different sports activities. Taking part in a sport is a great way to stay fit, increase confidence and fulfill potential.

A steering group is to be formed to take the proposal forward, made up of various interested parties - the local Youth Development Officer, Community Warden, Active Schools Co-ordinator, representatives from the local primary and secondary schools, as well as members of local community groups such as Merkinch Youth Matters.

The steering group will ensure that all options are looked into and that consultation with the local community is carried out. It is hoped that the Plan will include the post of a Sports Development Officer for the Merkinch area.

Merkinch Partnership Officer, Anne Sutherland, highlighted the many different arts activities taking place in the area.

The "Other Side of Air" project has recruited its artist in residence - Del Whitticase will be working in the Merkinch area for the next three months and is keen to talk to people wishing to get involved in his project. He can be contacted at the Partnership Office at 4, Grant Street but has been out and about in recent weeks, meeting local people and getting to know the area.

Anyone wishing to know more about Del and his project can contact Anne Sutherland on 01463 718989.

The Partnership is very supportive of all the arts projects happening in the area and is keen to see a co-ordinated approach by all the organisations involved.

Arts in Merkinch, as the umbrella organisation for the arts in the area, plays a vital role in making sure that everyone is working together and the Partnership recognizes and acknowledges the very valuable work of the committee and in particular the Arts Worker Annie Marrs, who has been a great boon to the Merkinch area.

The Partnership has given the go-ahead to Merkinch Enterprise to look at revamping News and Views, which will include colour pages and improved print quality.

The members felt this would better suit the always high-quality content and expressed their appreciation of the fine work done by Bette McArdle.

Both the Corbett Centre Green Gym and Ness Soaps are progressing well.

The Corbett Centre garden is starting to see improvements, although more local volunteers are needed. Anyone wishing to volunteer or find out more about this project should contact Anne Sutherland on 01463 718989.

Ness Soaps is continuing to receive orders from local businesses and Project Manager Lucy Morrison has been working really hard to move this Social Enterprise forward.

In June the staff and volunteers visited the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre at Drumnadrochit to see the two stands of Nessie Soaps displayed for sale. The team had a great visit at the Centre and appreciated the chance to see their products in the market place.

Merkinch Development Ventures, the charity of which Ness Soaps is the trading arm, has appointed a Development Officer to look at the viability of new potential social enterprises within the Merkinch area. This post starts in August and will last for six months, consultation with the local community will be a key part of this project.

Anne Sutherland, Merkinch Partnership Officer, is keen to highlight all the good work these and other projects are doing in the Merkinch area: "There are some really exciting things happening in Merkinch at the moment, such as all the arts activities and the proposals for sports development and a Merkinch Local Nature Reserve. Merkinch Partnership is totally behind all these initiatives which can only help to push forward the regeneration of the whole area".

Keeping fit the green way

Once a month, weather permitting, a group of people gather at the Corbett Centre Community Garden for a few hours' gardening. Gardening is known to burn more calories than running or a gym workout. So if you want to keep fit in a really useful way and can spare a few hours on the third Wednesday of the month, contact Anne Sutherland on 718989.

briefs.

Summer at the Janny's Hoose

THE holidays are nearly through and it's getting increasingly difficult to keep children amused, especially when it's wet.
"Mum - I'm bored," is a familiar cry.
Why not make some playdough - children can help. All you need is:

2 cups of plain flour,
1 cup of salt,
3 level teaspoons cream of tartar.
Mix these together in a pan and then add 2 cups of cold water, 2 tablespoons of oil and food colour.
Cook these over a low heat for 3-5 minutes and then let it cool.
Children will have endless fun creating with this.

How about some simple cookery? It's easy to make pizzas. Fry a chopped onion and clove of garlic in some oil, add a tin of chopped tomatoes and boil until thick. Spread some of the mixture on to half a roll or ciabatta bread and top with cheese, salami, pineapple or peppers.
Bake for 15minutes at 200º C. Cool slightly and then enjoy.

Happy holidays!

Jean Mackay
The Janny's Hoose
01463 226348

Let's gie them a blaw! Trinity Church Boys Brigade held their highly successful Fun Day in the Merkinch Primary School sports field last month.

SKEC give green light to Firth sewage plan

ALONG with the Inverness Harbour board, South Kessock Environmental Company have agreed to the proposal to bring sewage and waste water from North Kessock across the Firth to the pumping station on Kessock Road.

The route of the pipe will be across to Carnarc Poinbt and from there along to Kessock Road along the shoreline.

The work, which will be carried out by Tulloch's and is expected to take around 12 to 16 weeks, is due to start sometime in mid-August.

Critics of the proposal have pointed out the disturbance to local wildlife, including the dolphins, but defenders of the scheme say the improvement in the water quality in the Firth will far outweigh any temporary disturbance.

Gaelic award in name of former Merkinch head

SCALPAY-born Murdo Campbell retired as head of Merkinch Primary School in 1990 and died 12 years later.

Mr Campbell played a leading role in a large number of organisations reflecting a remarkable range of educational, social, cultural and religious interests which he pursued with energy and enthusiasm. These included the EIS , the Retired Teachers Association, An Comunn and the Mod and all things Gaelic, and shinty - for almost 20 years he was secretary of the Scottish Schools Association.
Now the Celtic Congress (Highland) aim to commemorate his exceptional service to establish a trust fund with a view to awarding a suitable prize for distinctive achievement within a Gaelic Course in the Dept of Celtic Studies at the University of Aberdeen.

Donations welcome-cheques made out to the Celtic Congress should be sent to Mrs KN McGregor, 2 Leys Farm Cottages, Leys, Inverness IV2 6AF.

Jamboree marks official opening of theatre facilities on Centre's 30th anniversary

IT IS 30 years since Merkinch Community Centre first opened its doors and the June Jamboree celebrated this event, along with the official opening of the Centre's theatre facilities, known as the McCreadie Suite. Anne McCreadie (left) and Dell McClurg, two of the Centre's directors, are pictured cutting the birthday cake at the June Jamboree. The event saw everyone from young dancers and majorettes to the young-in-heart Singing for Pleasure group enjoy the new stage.

The following month saw a number of Festival events make full use of the theatre, particularly the Falcon film premiere and on the last night when Fiona Knowles brought her hilarious one-woman tour-de-force "A Clucking Good Hen Night" to the Centre, the first play to be staged in the new theatre.

Later in July the Rock School was held over three days with around 35 teenagers taking part. Run by Careers Scotland, part of the Highlands & Islands Enterprise network, this saw the youngsters learn various aspects of the music industry from such luminaries as ex-Ozzy Osbourne player John Sinclair. The aim is to build confidence, learn to work with others and expand horizons.

Sporting Nooz

Back from the USA - Lilywhite's heroic Under-19s

BECKHAM is not the only one to show the Yanks how to do it! Clachnacuddin's Under-19 side did the Merkinch - and Scotland - proud when they won the USA Cup Tournament in Minneapolis last month. They won all their group games before beating the Minnesota team Juventus by seven goals to four in the final. Clach manager Dave Mackay said, "We have half a dozen players who will be too old for the Under-19s next season and the majority of these boys have signed for the first team." MacKay feels this will boost the development of the Lilywhites' current youth teams as players in the 12-18 group will see they have a chance of working their way up to the first team. But the current batch of Under-19s who will still be eligible to play at that level next year will have a chance to measure up against more experienced players when they get the chance to train with the first team.

Beware holiday clubs

BOGUS Holiday Clubs are to be tackled by the European Commission. Many 'Holiday Clubs' have adopted sharp practices and dubious sales pitch on unsuspecting consumers over the years. As a result thousands of consumers have fallen victim to these scams which invite consumers to buy membership of a holiday club on the promise of cheap holidays for years to come, only to find out later that the membership they have bought is worthless.

Consumers do not enjoy the same cancellation rights as those offered under timeshare legislation. Therefore, once a consumer signs up to a holiday club the agreement is usually binding.

Holiday Clubs promise discounted travel and accommodation as part of their membership. However, consumers might be able to get similar deals by shopping around online or going through a travel agent.
Buyers of holiday clubs, after they sign up, may find that they have no guarantee of the dates they wish to travel or the quality of the accommodation. Holiday clubs also usually impose a substantial annual subscription fee regardless if the consumer takes a holiday with them or not.

With the promise of 'free holidays' used by marketers or special prizes as incentives to sign up at sales presentations, consumers find themselves being pressured into signing up. The Office of Fair Trading Standards estimates that as many as 400,000 UK consumers have lost an average of £3000 each to bogus holiday scams. Proposals by the EU include:

Greater transparency given to the consumer on the terms of the contract they make with the holiday club and clearly stating the main parties to the contract.

Until these proposals are in place, however, consumers both in the UK and travelling abroad should be on their guard and remember the following basic advice in order to prevent falling victim of this type of scam: