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10th February 2006

Youth Competitions

Picture Attached

Youths from Kinlochbervie joined Durness at the Sutherland Youth Highland competition heats last Saturday

The second stage of the first round competitions were held in Durness last Saturday. Competing for places to represent Sutherland in the Youth Highland finals were teams from Durness and Kinlochbervie. The previous Saturday the youths from Durness and Kinlochbervie travelled to Lochinver to take part in the first stage which comprised of the five a side football and pool competitions. In Durness 24 young people took part in Chess, darts, draughts, table tennis and a general knowledge quiz. This is the first occasion that the event has been held away from the east coast and youth workers thank Sutherland Youth Highland for their support and adults Lucy Mackay, Fiona Belbin, Margaret Campbell and Elspeth Anderson for their invaluable assistance. Appreciation is expressed to Marion MacFadyan and Marie Eastcroft for bringing the Kinlochbervie youths for the event. The finals will be held in Inverness on Saturday 18 March.

Results (seniors under 19 years, juniors under 15 years)

Five a side football

Senior boys           Assynt

Senior girls            Assynt

Junior boys           Assynt

Junior girls             Kinlochbervie

Chess

Seniors                  Shaun Macdonald                     Kinlochbervie

Juniors                  Karen Mackay                          Kinlochbervie

Darts

Senior boys           Donald Morrison                      Durness

Senior girls            Denise O Shane                        Kinlochbervie

Junior boys           David Corbett                           Durness

Junior girls             Melissa Mitchell                        Kinlochbervie

Domino

Senior                             George Miller                  Durness

Draughts

Senior                             Elaine Meyer-Turner         Durness

Pool                              

Senior boys                    Liam Wood                              Durness

Junior boys                     David Corbett                  Durness

Junior girls                      Donna McKinnon            Durness

Table Tennis

Senior boys           Tom Robinson      `                  Durness

Senior girls            Clair Morrison                           Durness

Junior boys           Alistair Morrison                       Durness

Junior girls             Nicola Morrison                        Durness

Quiz

Senior Team                   Kinlochbervie

Junior Team          Durness

Cape Wrath Range

Cape Wrath range including Garvie Island will be active with various combinations of air bombardment, naval gunfire support and helicopter operations during the following dates: 01, 02, 03, 04, 06, 07, 08, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 mar 06

When the range is active, red flags will be flown and sentries stationed on the Cape Wrath road. Normally the Daill to Cape Wrath road will remain open during air bombardment operations on Garvie Island only, however the nature of some practices and in the interests of public safety may cause closure.  The road will be closed on the following dates: 01, 02, 03, 04, 06, 07 and 08 mar 06.

Advice can be sought from the sentries, who will be in contact with the range officer conducting the practice, or by contacting the freephone number.  However, whatever the nature of the air bombardment practice, under no circumstances is any person to leave the road or proceed anywhere onto the land particularly the land north of the road within the range area, when the red flags are flying. For further information on the opening and closing of the road telephone the range freephone number 0800 833300.

Community Council

Gordon Cook from the Highlands and Islands fire service gave a talk to the community council at last Mondays meeting. Since the recent act to bring their fire service into a fire and rescue service more emphasis has been put towards education of the public. In this vain Highlands have appointed a community fire safety coordinator to train fire fighters of the 11 stations in Caithness and Sutherland about domestic safety. The local fire fighters are offering home visits to check residents’ houses for safety. The officers will offer to visit at an appropriate and convenient time and give free advice and recommendations for improved protection in the home. The visit should last about an hour and the fire fighters will always carry out this duty in full uniform with clear identity and in pairs only with the consent of the residents. This initiative is designed to make the home a safer place and save lives. In the first instance the target groups will be young families and the elderly who are stastically at the most risk. The coordinator has been in Durness and carried out home visits with the local fire-fighters and has had a very good response. Although individual households will be approached directly for a suitable time to visit individuals may contact the station officer Hugh Morrison to arrange a visit. The community council gave their full support to the scheme.

A report of the recent meeting in Melness regarding Caladh Sona was given. Harriet L Dempster Director of Social Work assured the meeting that Caladh Sona has been identified for investment in the capital plan in 2007/08.  The issue is coming to an agreement about the detail of the development and the communities’ views.

The council agreed to join the Federation of North Community Councils that meets about every quarter to discuss matters that affect the area at large.

Funding has been secured from Scottish Natural Heritage towards the puffin video link from Faraid head to the Tourist Information Centre. Concern has been brought to the attention of the community council about the amount of dog fouling. People are to be reminded that it is an offence to allow their dog to foul in public places and are respectfully asked to remove their dog mess. The official approved minutes of Community Council meetings are displayed on local notice boards after the meeting on the first Monday of each month held in the village hall.