Your guide to stories, news and business opportunities in the Highlands and Islands throughout 2014

GET INTO 2014 - NEWSLETTERAugust/September 2014 Issue 6

The Commonwealth Games opening and closing ceremonies were screened live for free across the country thanks to BBC Scotland and HIE.

Taking place in 21 cinemas across various towns and cities including Thurso, Campbeltown and Kirkwall, the screenings brought communities together to enjoy the Commonwealth Games.

Claire Simers from HIE said: “We wanted to get communities beyond the main Commonwealth Games involved and for them to experience this major event for themselves. By screening the opening and closing ceremonies at local cinemas, it’s just one of the events we hope will bring people together and instil a sense of pride in the Games and Scotland itself.”

CELEBRATING THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES CEREMONIES LIVE AT LOCAL CINEMAS

YOUR 2014 BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

• ProcurementopportunitiesforRyderCup:look atwww.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk (Shortleadopportunitieswillappearonbothsitesinthelead uptothegames,sokeepyoureyespeeledforopportunities).

• CheckouttheVisitScotlandwebsitebyclickinghere –thereisahostofinformationandausefulHomecoming toolkittohelpyourbusinessmakethemostof2014.

2014 EVENTS

Jan - Dec The Year of Homecoming 23 - 28 Sept Ryder Cup

AUGUST EVENTS

1 – 31 Summer Arts 23 Invergordon Highland Games24 Lord Tweedmouth Walk27 Marketing and Selling Skills Workshop28 Record Keeping Workshop 28-30 Cowal Highland Gathering 29 - 30 Ride the North

SEPTEMBER EVENTS

2 – 7 Nairn Book and Arts Festival2 - 3 Investment Readiness Workshop, Orkney and Shetland3 - 4 Financial Management Workshop, Shetland3 – 6 World Sheepdog Trials 4 – 6 Skye Book Festival4 – 10 Orkney International Science Festival 5 – 7 Highland Military Tattoo5 – 13 Blas Festival 6 Kilts Up Ben Macdui6 Calling Me Back Home6 - 7 Culloden Homecoming9 Knights of the North Highland Way Duathalon10 2 Day Business Start Up Workshop 13 The Camanachd Cup Final13 - 14 Best of the West Festival 13 – 20 Isle of Harris Mountain Festival17 - 18 Marketing and Branding Workshops, Isle of Skye17 & 24 Introduction to Developing your International Tourism Markets 20 Living Food at Cawdor Castle20 Skye’s the Limit 20 Invercharron Highland Games 20 City of Elgin Food and Drink Festival 23 - 24 Scottish Renewables Marine Conference, Exhibition and Dinner24 – 28 Findhorn Bay Arts Festival

For further details on all of the above events please visit www.hie.co.uk/2014

August/September 2014 Page 02Get into 2014 - Newsletter

Scotland Welcomes the World 2014 www.hie.co.uk

Glasgow 2014 was a record-breaking Commonwealth Games for Team Scotland with 53 medals in total and athletes from across the Highlands and Islands playing their part in the team’s medal success.

Three female athletes from Shetland competed at the Games - Erraid Davies, Andrea Strachan and Lynda Flaws (pictured). Erraid Davies, 13, Team Scotland’s youngest ever competitor won bronze in the 100m Breaststroke (SB9) and Lynda Flaws was part of the women’s table-tennis team which was the first to win a match at the Commonwealth Games.

Andrea Strachan, from Lerwick, reached the final of the 50m Breaststroke. She said: “Being part of Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Games is definitely something I will never forget. The crowd at the pool was absolutely amazing and the noise they made definitely spurred me on for my race. Also the support I got from back home in Shetland was incredible.”

Stephanie Inglis, from Inverness, who secured a silver medal in the under-57kg Judo event at the Games said: “I am delighted to have won a silver medal at the

Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. It has taken a lot of hard work and dedication to reach this stage and I am very happy that it paid off. I feel so lucky to have represented Judo Scotland and Team Scotland at the Games and to compete in front of such a large home support. To represent Inverness and Highlands was a very proud moment for me and after I competed I had so many people from the area congratulating me on social media sites. My next big goal is to try and qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio. This will mean more hard work, sacrifice and determination, but after my success in Glasgow, I want to push myself

more to see how far I can go.”

Jamie Bowie, also from Inverness, ran the fastest split in Team Scotland’s 4x400m relay in the final to achieve a national record and Mark Dry from Moray brought home a bronze medal in the hammer event.

Congratulations to all athletes from the Highlands and Islands who competed at the Games for Team Scotland.

COMMONWEALTH SUCCESS FOR HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS ATHLETES

After a very successful Commonwealth Games in Glasgow last month, Scotland now looks to the next major event in the sporting calendar – The Ryder Cup. The most prestigious event in golf takes place at The Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire from 22nd to 28th September with competition days being held on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The event is expected to attract 45,000 spectators from 75 countries to watch teams from Europe and the USA compete in the biennial competition. The venue will welcome more than 250,000 visitors over the course of the week and coverage will reach more than

half a billion homes each day of the competition.

The event presents many opportunities to the tourism industry across the Highlands and Islands and gives businesses across the region the chance to showcase the very best of what they have to offer. Highlands and Islands businesses are set to reap the benefits, with Great Glen Game, Hebridean Sea Salt and Gigha Halibut amongst the many suppliers from the region featured on the menus.

http:/ /www.hie.co.uk/regional-information/2014/ryder-cup-2014.html

SCOTLAND WELCOMES THE RYDER CUP

Kevin A Jones Photography

Visitors from all over the world enjoyed tasting food and drink from Argyll and the Islands at the Commonwealth Games last month as producers from the region showcased their local cuisine to festival-goers. Food From Argyll, which is account managed by HIE,

served food from BBC at the Quay and Glasgow Green’s Scottish Food and Drink Village over the two-week period.

Competitors at the Games also got the chance to sample food

from the Argyll and Islands region. Henshelwoods Fine Foods, based in Rothesay on the Isle of Bute, followed up on their Olympics success by supplying their award-winning jam and marmalade to the Commonwealth Games athletes’ village.

For more information on Food From Argyll please visit www.foodfromargyll.com

TASTEBUDS ARE TANTALISED BY FOOD FROM ARGYLL AT GLASGOW 2014

The Highlands are getting ready to take centre stage during September and October with a two-month long programme celebrating the Year of Homecoming.

Highland Homecoming is set to be an unforgettable celebration of contemporary art, literature, sport and music, as well celebrating the region’s rich heritage and tradition. Events include the World Sheepdog Trials (3 – 6 Sep), the Highland Military Tattoo (4 – 7 September), Blas Festival (5-13 Sep), and Baxter’s Loch Ness Marathon and

Festival of Running (28 Sep).

Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland said: “The line-up for Highland Homecoming is nothing short of spectacular. From ancestry to astronomy, mountain biking to marathons, ceilidhs to cabers, the Highlands will light up with the outstanding sights and sounds of Scotland during September and October.”

For more information on Highland Homecoming events visit www.homecomingscotland.com

HIGHLANDS WELCOME THE WORLD

Scottish Renewables Marine Conference, Exhibition and Dinner will be held at Eden Court, Inverness on 23rd and 24th September. The event, in association with HIE, will showcase world-leading wave and tidal energy technologies and give delegates the opportunity to learn about the key issues facing the sector.

The event has been chosen as a Scottish Cities Global Excellence

Conference as part of the Commonwealth Games legacy programme and is one of seven Global Excellence conferences taking place throughout Scotland.

www.scott ishrenewables.com/events/sr-marine-conference-exhibition-dinner-2014/

INVERNESS TO HOST SCOTLAND’S LARGEST MARINE ENERGY CONFERENCE

August/September 2014 Page 03Get into 2014 - Newsletter

Scotland Welcomes the World 2014 www.hie.co.uk

Henshelwood’s Fine Foods

August/September 2014 Page 04Get into 2014 - Newsletter

Scotland Welcomes the World 2014 www.hie.co.uk

Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight, an annual celebration of Scotland’s fantastic produce, takes place between the 6th and 21st of September. Last year there were more than 320 events and this year looks set to be even bigger and better.

Elgin city centre will be taking part in the event by hosting its very own food and drink festival on Saturday 20th September. More than 80 exhibitors from the Highlands and Islands and beyond are expected and visitors can enjoy cooking demonstrations, children’s activities and a craft market.

Other Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight events taking place next month include Living Food Festival at Cawdor Castle, Dornoch Farmers’ Market, Hooray Haggis, and Cromarty Community Market.You can find out more about Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight events in your area here:

www.scottishfoodanddrinkfortnight.co.uk/events/events-2014

CELEBRATE OUR REGION’S FANTASTIC FOOD AND DRINK

A free workshop for businesses in the Highlands and Islands looking to start or increase international sales in Commonwealth countries, hosted by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Development International, was held at Eden Court on July 30th. Biomatrix, based in the Enterprise Park in Forres, the Loch Ness Brewery and The Maclean Electrical Group were among those who shared their experiences of doing business in key markets abroad with attendees. The event was a Highlands and Islands’ extension of the Scotland House programme of business events taking place in Glasow during the Games.

Laura Robertson, development manager at HIE said: “There was a wide selection of delegates from various sectors who were keen to hear about the opportunities available in each market. Speakers came from overseas and locally to share their key learning and advice, and we hope the delegates take away some valuable insights.”

Looking to develop your export and trade skills? Sign up to Smart Exporter’s Preparing to Export Introductory workshop which will be held on 1st and 2nd October www.hie.co.uk/exporting

DOING BUSINESS IN THE COMMONWEALTH