LOCAL NEWS 14 MARCH 2023

Snow forces Skye and Lochalsh school closures

Several schools across north Skye are closed today due to heavy snow fall overnight across the island.
The closures come amid a yellow weather warning issued by the Met Office which is set to remain in place across Skye, Lochalsh, and large parts of the west Highlands until 11am this morning.
The school closures are as follows:

North Skye: Bun-Sgoil Ghàidhlig Phort Rìgh, Carbost Primary, Dunvegan Primary, Edinbane, Kilmuir, Knockbreck, Portree primary and High school, Macdiarmid, and Staffin.
South Skye: Bun-Sgoil Shlèite and Kyleakin
Lochalsh: Auchtertyre, Kyle, Loch Duich, Plockton primary and high school

Meanwhile, Stagecoach has suspended all its bus services due to the conditions. Train services to Kyle to Inverness are currently running to schedule.

Ferry services between Sconser and Raasay and currently unaffected, however a warning has been put in place for ferries from Armadale to Mallaig which may be liable to disruption or cancellation at short notice.

The Highland Council’s winter maintenance team are currently treated primary and secondary routes across Skye and Lochalsh with snow showers having resulted in two to four inches of snow across the area.

A further yellow weather warning for snow and ice is set to begin from 5pm on Tuesday afternoon for the Highlands and Eilean Siar through to 10 am on Wednesday morning, while another weather warning for snow across the same areas will come into effect from 4pm on Wednesday through to 4am on Thursday morning.
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Skye health care: “No reasons why vacancies can’t be filled”

The chair of campaign group SOS-NHS Skye has called NHS Highland into question over its recruitment drive to fill key healthcare vacancies on the island.
SOS NHS Skye argues that beds are lying empty at Portree and Broadford Hospitals and at Home Farm due to lack of staff, and said families are at their wits end as an absence of care places on the island is resulting in residents being regularly sent to Inverness, Aultbea, Ullapool and further afield.

On Monday, in a statement, the local health authority defended its commitment to strengthen its workforce amid criticism from the group that is only currently advertised eight of its 50-plus vacancies.
A spokesperson for NHS Highland told Radio Skye: “We have recently met with community representatives in Skye to explain to them about our plans to encourage recruitment and applications to vacant positions. This includes our Aim Highland campaign.

“Job vacancies will be at various stages in the recruitment process – this includes closing the vacancy, reviewing applications and, if none are suitable, re-advertising the position. This can lead to a gap between reviewing applications and deciding to re-advertise as we are unable to advertise the role again until this process is complete.

The added: “We are committed to strengthening the workforce and will continue to find new and innovative ways to encourage people to think about a career with NHS Highland.”
However, SOS-NHS chair Fay Thomson disputed the response said there was absolutely no reason why vacancies can’t be left open until they are filled.

She told Radio Skye: “NHSH has told us many times of their plans to improve recruitment on Skye.  Unfortunately, they have not followed through with appropriate action.  It doesn’t take an expert to recognise jobs need to be advertised and open for applications in order to have any chance of successfully recruiting staff.

“There is absolutely no reason why vacancies can’t be left open until they’re filled.  Can you imagine someone saying they need 60 members of staff to open a hotel on Skye, then stopping advertising for staff after two weeks despite not getting sufficient suitable applicants.  You could only conclude they didn’t really want to open their hotel at all. “
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Skye restaurant and head chef in running for top Scottish awards

A Skye restaurant has been selected as a finalist in the restaurant of the year category at a prestigious award ceremony taking place in Edinburgh this week.

Edinbane Lodge run by chef-proprietor Calum Montgomery has been shortlisted as one of five finalists for the restaurant of the year by the Scottish Excellence Awards.
The award ceremony will take place on Thursday at the Sheraton Hotel in Edinburgh.

Calum and his family transformed a derelict 16-century hunting lodge into an award-winning restaurant which has already claimed multiple accolades including becoming the only restaurant in the Highlands to receive Four AA rosettes.

Edinbane Lodge will vie for the award with Unalome (Glasgow), Station Road at The Lovat, (Fort Augustus), Haar Restaurant with Rooms by Dean Banks, (St Andrews), and Aizle (Edinburgh).
The Skye chef has also been chosen as one of four contenders for the Scottish Chef of the Year alongside Dean Banks, Derek Johnstone, and Paul Wedgwood.

Speaking to Radio Skye Calum said: “I am really looking forward to it.
“One of the first awards that we won was the Scottish Restaurant Newcomer of the Year, which I feel put us on the map on the Scottish restaurant scene, so to be considered as Scottish restaurant of the year is a complete privilege.

He went on to say: “It was a really welcomed surprise and it caught me out of the blue that have been nominated as the Scottish Chef of the Year, alongside some incredible chefs who I have admired from afar in a professional capacity, and whose restaurants I have dine in for myself.

“I don’t think Scottish hospitality has ever been as strong as it is right now, so for Edinbane Lodge to be considered alongside these restaurants is really humbling for myself and the whole team as well.

“I am very proud of everyone and looking forward to the award ceremony on Thursday.

https://www.mixcloud.com/RadioSkye/skye-chef-calum-montgomery-on-award-nominations/