Keeping Nairnshire Colourful plant more snowdrops along the river

This weekend a hardy band of volunteers helped members of KNC to plant more snowdrops along the riverside and among the trees in the Cemetery field.

5.33% of voters in Inverness Nairn Badenoch and Strathspey sign the petition to revoke Article 50 within 48 hours of it appearing online.

A remarkable level of engagement being shown in the Brexit debate as over 5% of constituents in MP Drew Hendry's patch sign a petiton that has been online for about 48 hrs.

For further details click on image below. 

Works under way for new Nairn High Street crossing - Highland Council Press Release - crossing will be commissioned after Courthouse scaffolding removed

Interesting press release but is it outside the Courthouse? A 48 week wait then?

A new pedestrian crossing aims to provide a safer High Street for Nairn town centre as works progress on Nairn Courthouse renovations.

The Highland Council has commenced works to install a pedestrian crossing with lighting outside the Courthouse on Nairn High Street. Bollards will be installed and crossing lighting commissioned after scaffolding has been dismantled and removed from renovation works at the Courthouse building.

Councillor Tom Heggie, Chair of the Council’s Nairnshire Committee said: “Pedestrians will be given priority with the introduction of this new crossing. Nairnshire Councillors agreed to proceed with the crossing after consultation with the Nairn Access Panel. The members were delighted to work with the access panel to provide an additional safe crossing for people in the High Street. The crossing will be of benefit all year round for locals and visitors to Nairn.”

Cable ducting and poles for the crossing lights have already been installed, as have dropped kerbs. White lining and bollards will be completed as soon as the Courthouse scaffolding is removed.

Members were recently given an update at the Nairnshire Committee on the Courthouse renovation works including an overview focusing on the need to address structural integrity matters of the property; the acceleration of the project start to enable scaffolding to be erected early to address the structural works; and the 48 week programme including the removal of the spire which take place during July - August.

Members were advised that presentation boards about the renovations works would be made available for the public to view either in the Courthouse lobby or in the external entrance way formed by the scaffold.

A decision has yet to be made on whether the former flagpole will be reinstated, as the existing parapet stonework had been weakened by movement of the pole. The operation of raising and lowering flags via the narrow tower access ladder is also under review.

The Council is aware that the steeple clock has stopped and it will be removed by specialist contractors for protection, stored, serviced and restored at the end of the project. On completion of the Courthouse works, Members will review the best use of the building for future events.

£1 billion of benefits are unclaimed each year - why not get a Financial Health Check with Nairn CAB?

Did you know an estimated £1 billion of benefits are unclaimed each year, why not get a Financial Health Check with Fiona @ NairnCAB, just pop in and ask a member of staff or phone 01667 456677 to make an appointment. pic.twitter.com/UXLz1RWmRe

— Nairn CAB (@NairnCAB) 21 March 2019

Railway Station Access Issues - George Street access point knocked back

Murd has for some time been campaigning for an access point into the railway station on George Street to improve prospects for those disabled and other folk that might have problems crossing to the Inverness bound platform via the station railway bridge. 

He has learnt from Fergus Ewing that the George Street idea has been knocked back however. In an e-mail from Fergus's office he was told that the decision had been made after Both Network Rail and Scotrail reached this decision after consulting with BT Police and Police Scotland on this matter. The official decision was based thus:

"When the option to create an access point from George Street was assessed against rail safety standards, it became obvious that it would import unnecessary risk impacting on the safety of customers. It was felt by all parties that creating an uncontrolled direct access in the middle of a housing scheme populace with children and youth would inevitably become an easy crossing point into town therefore encouraging trespass and causing disruption to the operation of rail."

Nairn Healthcare - Spring 2019 Newsletter

Staffing

Nairn Healthcare is delighted to announce that Dr Amy Carter has joined the partnership. Dr Carter has been with the Practice since 2012. We have also welcomed our new ST3 doctor, Dr John Kilbride to the Practice. Dr Kilbride is now available for bookable appointments. We will also be welcoming new FY2 doctor, Dr Daniel Carolan, to the Practice at the start of April along with new Practice Nurse, Sue Littlemore. Sue has previously worked with NHS England and specialises in asthma and diabetes. 

We will be saying goodbye to Practice Nurse, Joan Fraser, at the end of March. Joan has been with Nairn Healthcare for over 2 years and will be leaving us for a post in Culloden. Dr Nada Reza has also finished her placement with us and will be departing at the start of April. We wish both Joan and Dr Reza all the best for the future. 

Bowel Screening

April is Bowel Cancer Awareness month. Bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer in Scotland but it is treatable and curable especially if diagnosed early. Taking part in bowel cancer screening is the best way to get diagnosed early. It could save your life! 

If you are aged between 50-74, the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme will invite you for screening every 2 years. A kit will be sent to your home address where it is to be completed and returned to the screening centre based in Dundee. 1 in 20 over 50s will get bowel cancer at some point in their lives, screening aims to find bowel cancer at an early stage and if the cancer is detected early enough, there is a 90% chance of treating the disease successfully. 

Screening saves lives but at the moment, in some areas of the UK, only a third of those who receive a test in the post complete it. Thousands of people are missing out on the best way to detect bowel cancer early when it is easier to treat and there is a greater chance of survival. 

For more information call the helpline on 0800 0121 833 or visit www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/screening. 

Annual recalls

Nairn Healthcare would like to encourage all patients with a mobile phone to provide us with their number. Nairn Healthcare now provides 2-way texting for appointments. If you have booked an appointment 2 working days in advance, we will text you and remind you of said appointment and if you wish to cancel, you just have to reply to the text. 

We have also started recalling patients for their annual reviews (asthma, diabetic etc) by text message. It is really beneficial to both the Practice and the patient to have the up-to-date mobile number on record. If you don’t own a mobile phone, please don’t worry as a letter will be sent out to you as previous. 

Tick information

Winter is now officially over and we are all looking forward to summer and getting out in the countryside and gardens. 

However, the country undergrowth from spring until autumn is covered in tiny ticks which may carry bacteria and can transfer to people when the tick attaches itself. If the tick is removed properly and correctly, there is no risk to health but there is a risk of developing Lyme disease if this is not done correctly. 

A symptom of Lyme disease is a red skin rash which can be cured with a simple antibiotic. If the rash

goes unnoticed, it can result in joint pain or nerve problems which may require stronger antibiotics. 

If you find a tick on yourself or your child, wait until you get home and calmly remove the tick with a tick removal tool which is designed to get underneath the tick and lift it off safely. Don’t attempt to remove it with your fingers. Using fingers or tweezers risk squeezing the tick and actually injecting the Lyme disease bacteria into your blood. 

DO NOT USE VASELINE, CIGARETTES OR ALCOHOL 

For more information, please pick up the Tick Information Guide from reception or read online at http://www.nairnhealthcaregroup.co.uk/website/S55041/files/tick%20information%20sheet.pdf

Or check out the following videos on YouTube: 

1 Overview (video): https://youtu.be/Quoh5YFVsX0

2 What are ticks? (video): https://youtu.be/iHXW7B6XT7E

3 Avoiding ticks (video): https://youtu.be/AlCr8KuVJrY

4 Checking for ticks (video): https://youtu.be/L3SxuRYDPcI

5 Tick removal (video): https://youtu.be/7SngcVIJ9eo

6 Lyme disease signs and symptoms (video): https://youtu.be/wuP5G7WCHbA

Prevent Suicide Highland App

On average, two people die by suicide every day in Scotland and is the main cause of death among young people. Suicide affects all ages, genders and cultures. If you feel suicidal, please don’t hide it. Talk to someone you trust or phone a helpline. 

There is an app available called Prevent Suicide Highland. This is available from App Stores free of charge and gives information about suicide, on how to help others and help lines available. 

The app also has information for those struggling with drugs and alcohol, mental health issues, victims of sexual or domestic abuse and those who wish for help with bereavement. There is also information for the LGBT community who feel they need some added support. 

This app has also been recommended by our local Community Mental Health Team. 

Some helpful numbers: 

SAMH: 0141 530 1000 Samaritans: 116 113 

Breathing Space: 0800 83 85 87

Over 2% of voters in Inverness Nairn Badenoch and Strathspey sign the petition to revoke Article 50 within 24 hours of it appearing online.

A remarkable level of engagement being shown in the Brexit debate as over 2% of constituents in MP Drew Hendry's patch sign a petiton that has been online for about 24 hrs. 

Click image below to enlarge screenshot for more details. 

Cinema Nairn The Hound of the Baskervilles (PG) Monday March 25th 2.00pm Nairn Community and Arts Centre Tickets at the door.

Next up in Cinema Nairn’s popular matinee series is Sherlock Holmes thriller ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’, which screens on Monday 25th March at 2pm. In the 1959 film Peter Cushing stars as the great detective, with Andre Morell and Christopher Lee making up the top investigative team, trying to capture the mystery beast of the title. A scary classic, but recover afterwards with the usual tea and bakes all included in the price.

Why Nairn Academy has to be rebuilt

Anger at Highland Council spending £37million on consultancy and specialist fees in the last six years