Return to Durness Local News

24th March 2006

Film Nights

The weekly Sunday evening film nights have come to an end. During the winter a variety of films have been shown at the community house and the group express a thank you to George Miller for his ensuring the digital equipment has been set up and running. The film nights will start again in the autumn.

Youths

Picture attached

John Sutherland, Donald Morrison, Liam Wood, Ross O’Brien, Front Row Alistair Morrison and David Corbet.at the Highland Football academy

The youths from Durness and Kinlochbervie at the Highland Youth Club competition finals

Six Durness youths attended the Highland Football academy last week in Dingwall. They were put through their paces on the new indoor grass pitch with Ross County Coaches. The training session lasted from 6 to 8.30 pm and the youngsters, although exhausted had a great time.
On Saturday the Highland Youth Club competition finals were held in Inverness where Sutherland was represented with youths from Durness Kinlochbervie and Lochinver. The youths were taken to the event by youth workers Margery Morrison and Jackie Hird on Dial a bus. Over 100 children from the islands and Highlands were participating at the sports centre in Inverness. The contingent from North Sutherland were on form and represented the area great


Lochinver won the senior football and Lochinver juniors were runners up. Senior Kinlochbervie was first in the quiz, Clair Morrison Durness first senior table tennis, Nicola Morrison Durness first junior Table tennis, Donna Mackinnon Durness first pool, Denise o Shane Kinlochbervie first senior darts.

Runners up
George Miller Durness Dominos,
Donald Morrison Durness Senior Darts
Tom Robinson Durness Table tennis
Shawn Macdonald KLB Chess


Opening of New Durness Fire Station

2 Pictures attached

Sub Officer of Durness station Hugh Morrison, District officer Gareth Edwards, Mr Drew MacFarlane Slack MBE and Chief Fire Officer Mr. Brian Murray

       

For 20 years long service and good conduct Walter Mowat John O Graots, Sandy McLeod and Paul Murray from Scourie Hugh Morrison Durness John Mackenzie who had been Sub officer until 2004 when he retired after 31 years of service was presented with the Highland sand Islands retirement axe., Chief Fire Officer Brian Murray who presented with their medals and. Tom Mackay, Bettyhill:


A significant day in the recognition of making remote highland communities safer places occurred in Durness last Saturday 18 March. The new long awaited Durness fire station was opened by Mr. Drew MacFarlane Slack MBE fire board convener.

“Our fire-fighters make our communities safer by providing community safety advice and emergency response service that is second to none. In recent years we have made increasing demands upon the fire-fighters of Durness, expanding their role and asking them to learn new skills. They have met this challenge and today I am proud that we are able to provide them with a station that meets their professional, safety, dignity and welfare needs. I am confident it will be an important community resource for many years to come.” said Chief Fire Officer Brian Murray in his welcoming opening address to invited guests.

The occasion started with an informal gathering with guests being offered light refreshments on their arrival and a guided tour of the new station by the Durness fire-fighters. The facility replaces an old Nissan hut that at best provided covering for the appliance. Their new building offers office space, drying facilities, changing rooms, toilets, storage and specialist rooms for breathing apparatus maintenance. The area for keeping the appliance is large and roomy where the opening ceremony was held. After all the gusts, about 50 took their seats local piper James Mather piped Chief Fire Officer Brian Murray and Drew McFarlane Slack MBE into the building. They were welcomed by District Officer Gareth Edwards. Before the official unveiling of the plaque chief fire officer Mr Brian Murray gave his welcoming address and thanked the hard work of the Fire board to secure the necessary resources to fund the service and thanked the convenor for attending to open the station.
Officer in charge of the Durness Station Mr Hugh Morrison gave a short address referring to the commitment of family to enable his retained fire-fighter to be able to provide a professional service and his pride in being the station officer for this memorial event. Two previous sub officers were present Gordon Clark sub officer from 1977 – 1990 and John Mackenzie from 1990 – 2004 and Hugh paid tribute to them.
Fire Board convener was called on to perform the ceremonial unveiling and of the memorial plaque. The reverend John Mann gave the station a blessing and joined the throng present in prayer.
With the immanent opening of the new station two occasions had been postponed to allow them to be the first conducted in the new Durness Station. For 20 years long service and good conduct Tom Mackay, Bettyhill: Hugh Morrison Durness, Sandy McLeod and Paul Murray from Scourie were presented with their medals from Chief Fire Officer Brian Murray. John Mackenzie who had been Sub officer until 2004 when he retired after 31 years of service was presented with the Highland sand Islands retirement axe.
James Mackay sub officer of Bettyhill station presented Hugh with a small memorial shield as a commemoration of the day and the close links between the two stations. Mr Gareth Edwards district officer thanked everyone for attending and supporting the service and inviting them to the Smoo Cave Hotel for refreshments and a buffet. The station remained open for members of the public to visit and view during the afternoon.

Highland Gathering

The chieftain for the 2006 Durness Highland Gathering is to be local man Michael Mather. Michael has accepted the position and requested a donation be made to the Highland Hospice for his participation. Anyone who wishes to support this gesture are also urged to make a donation.
For 32 years Michael dove the mail bus from Durness to Lairg on a daily basis and for the last 11 years has driven the children of Durness to the high school in Kinlochbervie. He has held his PSV licence since he was 21. Before national service Michael worked on the Pulford Estates at Rhiconich and then served in the Seaforth Highlanders in Gibraltar and Germany. He is a crofter and inshore fisherman. He also worked at Balnakeil and with the public works at Elphin. In 1967 he married Betty Cooper from Cooper in Fife whose father had come to work as a tractor driver on Balnakeil Farm. They have two grown up children Sheila and James. Michael is a well known man all over North West Sutherland and is seen to be a very good local choice for chieftain. This year it will be something of a family affair Michael is Iris Mackay’s brother, Iris is games chairperson and a leading light in the organistion of the Games. The Durness Highland Gathering will be held on the usual day the last Friday of July.