Scottish Cup Replay Wick 5 Nairn 1 - pictures Donald Matheson

Nairn exited the Scottish Cup in an ignominious fashion up at Harmsworth Park yesterday.  You can read a match report here.  A video of highlights has appeared on line here. Les Fridge tries to make sense of what went wrong in comments to Graeme MacLeod here. Meanwhile on the fans We Believe Facebook pages there are again vehement calls for the manager to step down. 

Individual images here. 

Meanwhile over the other side of the tracks a comfortable win reported for Saint Ninian JFC 

It's all going to shine in Nairn on Thurs November 5th as Festival of Light details revealed in press release

A SHINE press release

SHINE, a Festival of Light, will be held on Thursday 5th November on the playing fields at Nairn Academy. This new community event, led by staff and pupils at Nairn Academy, hopes to bring members of the local community together to bring in the start of winter by celebrating the work and talent of young people. 

The event will begin with a lantern procession, led by local Nursery, Primary and Secondary School pupils, leaving from Rosebank Primary School car park at 6.15pm up to a bonfire on the playing fields at Nairn Academy. Live music from schools and local groups, visual demonstrations, children’s activities, fun rides and a variety of food stalls will be available on location from 6.45pm.

The emphasis on visual elements will contribute towards a calm, inclusive event for children with varying levels of needs. Lanterns, a bonfire, a suspended illuminated logo, projections of pupil animations and stimulating lighting in and around the marquee will all contribute towards visual stimulation. A generous donation from Nairn Rotary Club has allowed specialist equipment to be hired to project animations onto the school building. 

Staff and senior pupils from Nairn Academy have attended Auldearn, Cawdor, Millbank and Rosebank Primary Schools as well as local nurseries over the past few weeks to lead workshops in creating hand held lanterns which will be carried by each school pupil who takes part in the procession. Larger individual lanterns have been made and decorated to represent each school. Local street band, Penguin Tuxedo, will add to the feeling of carnival by leading the procession.

Elements of the event will be environmentally friendly; pupils are applying creative designs to used plastic water bottles, which they have been asked to bring to school. Members of the public are being encouraged to embrace the ‘green theme’ by walking to the event and taking part in the procession at 6.15pm. For people driving some distance, the main parking will be in the Farmers’ Showfield with a mini bus shuttle service running for those with walking difficulties. Disabled parking will be available in Nairn Academy car park on Duncan Drive.

The entertainment begins at 6.45pm on the playing fields. There will be a variety of live music in the Music Tent including Nairn Academy pupil Marc Britovsek, the Wind Band, the String Ensemble, various Choirs and the Steel Band. Toe-tapping ceilidh music will be provided by the Feis Nairn Youth Ceilidh Band and Champin’ At The Bit then Highland based singer/songwriters Niven & Gavin will share some of their many musical influences with an exciting finale. There will be several children’s fun rides, water zorbing, rodeo bull and face painting. For the more energetic, Nairn Academy Sports Leaders will be running sports activities on the all-weather pitch. 

A selection of food vendors will be in attendance with teas and coffees organised by Nairn Academy’s Parent Council, who have also very kindly sponsored aspects of the event. Nairn Academy is also very grateful to Nairn Rotary Club who will be providing marshals for the lantern procession as well as looking after the bonfire. As public safety is a main focus of the event, S3 First Aid pupils at Nairn Academy have been discussing safety and accident prevention in class and will provide assistance to the First Aiders on the night. We look forward to welcoming as many members of the local community to join us for what we hope will become an annual event for the local area.

Marine Road becomes the A96 after tragic traffic incident in the town centre

Marine Road around 17.15 29/10/15

Following the tragic traffic incident at the Academy Street pedestrian Crossing earlier this afternoon traffic was diverted along Marine Road and through the West End. Long tailbacks formed in the town as the police began an investigation in  to the incident in which, sadly, an elderly female pedestrian died

Police also said that another elderly female has been transferred to Raigmore Hospital with serious injuries.

Serious Road Traffic Collision - A96 Nairn town centre - message posted by Police Scotland 16.19

Serious Road Traffic Collision - Nairn

Emergency services are currently in attendance at a serious collision, involving a lorry and two pedestrians, on Academy Street (A96) in Nairn town centre.

The road is currently closed to all vehicles with local diversions in place. The diversions are not suitable for HGVs or buses so are advised to avoid the area until further notice.

Further details will be updated in due course. From Police Scotland Highlands and Islands Division Facebook page. 

Update 18.00

Update - Road Traffic Collision, Nairn

Police can confirm that following a road traffic collision - involving two elderly female pedestrians and an articulated lorry - that occurred around 3.30pm today (Thursday 29th October 2015) near to the pedestrian crossing on Academy Street in Nairn town centre, sadly an elderly female pedestrian has died.

The other elderly female has been transferred to Raigmore Hospital with serious injuries. The male driver of the lorry was not injured.

The A96 at Academy Street remains closed whilst an investigation into the incident is carried out. Local diversions are in place but are not suitable for HGVs and buses, drivers of which are advised to avoid the area until further notice.

Motorists and residents are thanked for their patience. Anyone who witnessed the incident is encouraged to contact Police on 101.

Tunnagan Inbhir Narann ann and dubh is geal - Nairn ducks in black and white - video

A huge contingent below the sewage bridge yesterday afternoon.

Paddling and putting discussed at West CC on Tues night

On Tuesday evening in Nairn Academy at their last meeting before the merger with Suburban CC the Westies had the subject of the paddling pool on the agenda:

Councillor Michael Green said:

"The maintenance is becoming more and more onerous and we are coming up to making a decision on the paddling pool. I would like to make this decision as part of a wider plan of what the ideas are for the Links. In the interim we have to address this because we don’t want to go through what we did – emergency repairs and the thing closed. My own preference is, I think this harps back to what is happening with James* and the putting green. We currently commission Highlife Highland to carry out the putting from basically the swimming pool. James has very kindly offered to run the putting and that is something that is under consideration. I’m very supportive of that. It’s costing the Common Good to pay Highlife to carry out this function – if James can do it then it is beneficial for him and it is beneficial for the Common Good. 

The second part is the pool maintenance. The pool is such a size that it needs daily supervision. If we can get it slightly smaller and enhance the facility, which we wish to do, we don’t want to make it down to something that is just for washing your feet in. We wish to have a sizeable paddling pool and an enhanced facility. I think it is essential that we have the paddling pool there. [...] It’s pretty straight forward, it needs a very substantial base and I think it needs appropriate material and paint put in. I’m very much in favour, the Common Good is now starting to accumulate money and I think we should invest in an enhanced facility - we need to decide this with consultation over the next few months and just crack on and get that in for next spring. "

Brian Stewart of West CC then said: “I think it is a brilliant move that Liz and now you Michael and others have actually put this out for public discussion and for debate. There’s a huge variety of views as to what is good and what is bad. The good thing is that at least we are having open public discussion about what we think we want, whether or not we can afford it, before the decision is taken that was what went wrong with the big slide saga; where it was sprung upon us from a clear blue sky and people reacted very badly. I think it is actually very good and very helpful that we should have a debate with lots of different views.

*James at the Kiosk.

Church Street/High Street junction will be closed for two weeks from tomorrow 29th October

@GurnNurn Due to gas mains upgrade work, the Church St/High St junction will be closed for two weeks from tomorrow: https://t.co/Y2iBUznfjp

— SGN (@SGNgas) October 28, 2015

Dick’s Sandown plan latest - also a Business Improvement District for Nairnshire? – Michael Green “It’s just a new millennium version of the old Nairn Initiative.”

At the last ever meeting of Nairn Suburban Community Council in Nairn Academy last night before they merge with the West CC, the Chair, Dick Youngson, gave an update on his organisations aim to see the south field of the Sandown lands turned into a parkland-wetland facility. 

He mentioned his ongoing communication with the Trustees of the Tradespark Hall fund about the Subbies plans for Sandown that go back to the early 2000’s. He said the Trustees had met and had discussed how to close the fund down and move it to an appropriate trust for raising funds for Sandown. He also said there would be a meeting with Highland Councillors looking at the Common Good land and looking out how the wetland part of that could be utilised. He said that there appeared to be a blockage in the culvert that goes under the A96. 

Dick said that they would be doing a community survey. He said: “we did one before and asking the community what they really want in the way of a parkland/wetland, the facilities that go with it. Because that is a condition of the trust. It has to be used for the community in the way of facilities which would replace the old Tradespark Hall which was used for a number of different purposes. But we don’t need a hall like that, we need different buildings and facilities for the present time. So that is where we are, we will communicate now with the whole area.”

Michael Green then said:

“Just picking up your point on the wetlands. I’d like to put a sense of perspective onto this.” He went on to mention a very positive meeting that outlined the CC’s aspiration and then added: “What came out of the meeting was really that we needed a wider perspective for the whole of Sandown. [...] I’ve been away for two weeks and I picked up a lot of the points in the Nairnshire, everyone seems to be facing these things piecemeal, now what came out of our discussions there was that we wanted to get a broader picture of Sandown and just to put that perspective we want to get a broader picture of Nairnshire as a whole. We want to work together, we want everybody to have their input to the town centre, the harbour, Sandown, because you can’t do any of these projects in isolation. 

So I would just mention that, I’ll look over at Alistair* for this, we’ve been pushing for this for some time for a BID. Which is a Business Improvement District which would give us the capacity whereby we could meet and that’s where we could do surveys and consultations – all that could come and all the various community councils, elected members, agencies groupings would be round that table and that would be the forum to take these things forward and feed these things into. 

So that’s a very exciting development, that is next week and hopefully we will get that up and running.”

Dick said: “That’s something very sensible and something which we have been working for.”

When asked by Martin Ashford about the makeup of the BID for Michael Green responded:

“That’s to be decided the meeting is between myself, there’s NICE and it’s the Association of Nairn Businesses and it’s to bring all the parties together and create a forum whereby we can actually get things done. It’s just a new millennium version of the old Nairn Initiative. It’ll be very, very effective and tailor made for Nairnshire. They’ve got it in Inverness and it’s been very, very successful. These things really, really work.”

*Michael Green was glancing in the direction of Alastair Noble.

Local MP urges people to call Home Heat Helpline

People in Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey could save £140 on their electricity bills according to our Westminster Member of Parlianment

With winter fast approaching, Drew Hendry MP is encouraging local residents in Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey to call a free helpline to find out what help they may be entitled to with their energy costs.

Launched ten years ago, Home Heat Helpline (0800 33 66 99/0333 300 3366) is a free, impartial and confidential service offering support to anyone concerned about paying their energy bills and staying warm during winter. The help available includes grants for insulation, new boilers, discount schemes and rebate schemes; including the Warm Home Discount which provides eligible households with £140 off their electricity bill.

Drew Hendry MP said:

"I would urge anyone who is concerned about staying warm in the run up to winter to call Home Heat Helpline on 0800 33 66 99 and seek advice. I would also ask people to look out for neighbours, friends or relatives who may be in difficulty and make sure that they are aware of the Home Heat Helpline and consider calling on their behalf."

Eligible people include vulnerable, low-income households. New figures show that over 450,000 people have used the services in the last decade to help them manage their energy bills and energy efficiency.

Home Heat Helpline’s Lawrence Slade said:

“Winter can be an incredibly tough time for people financially, around the UK, and we are here to help. There are many out there that could benefit from our support that we haven’t yet spoken to. Even if you are not eligible yourself, you may know someone else who is. Our Home Heat Helpline number - 0800 33 66 99 - is a direct and easy way for you, your neighbours, friends or family, to get the assistance needed to keep warm.”

There are also some other simple steps people can take in reducing their energy. For example:

· switch off the heating when you are out

· turn appliances like TVs and phone chargers off at the wall rather than leaving them on standby when they're not being used

· replace normal light bulbs with energy efficient ones which use up to 80% less energy

· move furniture away from radiators and heaters to allow heat to circulate around the room

One of those days when you wonder if Highland Council is beyond repair?

Two news stories breaking today out there on line today concerning Highland Council - cleaners look set to be paid off but there is a massive bill for hire cars. The BBC reports:

"Highland Council expects to begin restructuring its cleaning service from next year to save £580,000.

It said the 12% reduction in the service's budget would mean cutting 30 full-time posts and ending cleaning supervisor roles in some areas.

The union Unison said the cuts would affect low-paid female workers." More here.

Contrast that with a story in the Strathspey Herald: "New figures suggest Highland Council spends around £30,000 a month on hire cars for its workers.

The council spent a total of £363,063 on hired cars, including £120,138 on fuel costs for the last financial year.

The local authority defended the costs – saying the council covered the largest local authority area in Scotland." More here.

Update there is a facebook chat with the Convenor of Highland Council starting this evening 27/10/15 at 17.30. Question is:

"The Council has to save around 6% across all services next year. Would you be willing to pay a bit more council tax to protect some services against cuts eg. education, care, roads, voluntary groups etc"  You can participate here.