LOCAL NEWS 12 NOVEMBER
Written by MartyM on 13 November 2025
LOCAL NEWS
SSEN Community Benefit
Organizations across the North of Scotland are being urged to submit their applications for a share of SSEN Transmission’s £2 million community benefit fund.
The deadline for this second round of funding is next week: midday on Wednesday, November 19th.
Grants range from a minimum of £40,000 up to half a million pounds for projects. The focus is on three key areas: boosting skills and employability, supporting regional culture, and helping alleviate fuel poverty. The fund’s chair is encouraging all interested groups to submit their proposals immediately, with awards expected to be announced early in 2026.
In news across Scotland
Scotland has achieved its highest-ever recorded breastfeeding rate.
New Public Health Scotland data shows 51% of babies are now breastfed at the six-to-eight-week review, a first since records began in 2002. This success meets a key government target, with rates significantly improving in the most deprived areas.
Public Health Minister Jenni Minto thanked NHS staff and their partner organizations for their dedicated support to new mothers.
The SNP Rural Minister, Jim Fairlie, is facing criticism for having no specific plans to tackle wildfires on Scotland’s islands.
Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston questioned the Minister in Parliament today on island wildfire needs, citing recent major incidents on Arran and Gruinard.
The Conservative MSP, who chairs the Cross-Party Group on Islands, said he was “shocked” when the Minister admitted the recent national wildfire summit did not look at specific island issues.
Halcro Johnston called this a “damning indictment,” warning that the lack of attention ignores the unique challenge of mobilizing equipment and personnel across island communities.
Holyrood Elections
With six months to go before the Holyrood election, Eilidh Munro, the SNP candidate for Skye, Lochaber & Badenoch, has set out her key priority areas.
Munro’s agenda is topped by fighting for a fairer energy system to bring down household bills across the Highlands.
She also plans to focus on the rapid delivery of key local infrastructure, including the new Belford Hospital and school buildings in Broadford and Dunvegan.
The candidate also highlighted the need to better support parents by increasing access to affordable childcare and improving recruitment for social care workers across the region.
Announced candidates so far include Andrew Baxter for Liberal Democrats, Helen Crawford for Conservative and Unionist party and Isla Mackay for Scottish Labour
This election will be held on Thursday 7 May 2026.
In Cultural News
ATLAS Arts is inviting the community to a special publishing celebration this weekend. The Making Publics Press Community Day takes place at Dunvegan Hall this Saturday, November 22nd, running from 11 am until 4 pm.
This free, drop-in event focuses on accessible creativity and the magic of making books. The day begins with a special children’s bookmaking session led by Gaelic translator and publisher Raghnaid Sandilands.
Attendees are welcome to drop in for a free warming lunch provided by Market Kitchen, starting at noon. In the afternoon, Alice Prentice from Isle of Riso will give a short talk on the joy of print and community zine-making.
From 2 pm, the ATLAS team will guide participants in a hands-on session, learning how to bind their own sketchbooks and community zines using the mobile Making Publics Press. The event is designed as a relaxed, social atmosphere for all skill levels.
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