Local News – 18th December 2025

Highland Council

Highland Council is urging residents to make the most of the new twin-bin system this Christmas as festive waste levels rise.

Use your blue bin for cards and cardboard, and your green bin for tins and plastic tubs. Remember, soft plastics like crisp packets should be taken to supermarkets, not your household bin.

New reuse containers for working electronics are now available at major recycling centres in Inverness, Nairn, Wick, and Thurso. Finally, ensure glass and batteries are taken to bottle banks or supermarkets to avoid fire risks.

Real Christmas trees can be turned into compost at your local tip after the holidays.

Fort William Mountain Festival

The 2026 programme for the Fort William Mountain Festival has been officially launched, set to take place across Lochaber from February 12th to the 15th.

The four-day celebration features a packed schedule of films, workshops, and talks from leading adventurers, including record-breaking endurance athlete Holly Wootten and climber Pete Whittaker. The Nevis Centre will serve as the main Festival Hub, hosting interactive exhibitors and live sessions alongside outdoor workshops in winter skills and trail running.

Organisers say the diverse line-up is designed to inspire everyone—no matter their ability—to discover their own adventure.

Gaelic Singing

Acclaimed Gaelic singer-songwriter Norrie “Tago” MacIver is set to perform at Broadford Village Hall next March.

Originally from the Isle of Lewis, Norrie recently concluded a nine-year tenure as the lead singer of the folk band Skipinnish, performing at iconic venues like the OVO Hydro and Edinburgh Castle. A former Gaelic Singer of the Year, he is widely celebrated for blending traditional roots with a modern melodic flair. Tickets for the Broadford show are on sale now via the venue’s “What’s On” page.

Island Communities

Six Highland and Island communities are celebrating today after securing a major share of the latest two-million-pound Scottish Land Fund awards.

The Broadford and Strath Community Company has been awarded £29,620 from the latest round of the Scottish Land Fund.

This funding will be used to complete the following:

· Land Purchase: The group will purchase Broadford North Wood and an additional small plot of land from Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

· Community Benefit: The woodland will be managed to increase public access and provide new volunteering opportunities for local residents.

· Strategic Expansion: The newly acquired wood sits adjacent to a 23-hectare site previously purchased by the company in 2011.

· Synergy: This acquisition is designed to complement and expand the community activities already being carried out by the group in the area.

Sport

In local football, Broadford are celebrating a hard-fought 1-2 victory over Lochalsh after a dramatic away day in Plockton.

After trailing one-nil at the break, the second-half introduction of Padraig Campbell changed the game. He provided the equalizer after some smart play from Reid Constant, before Oscar Wilson sealed the points with a late, thundering header that crashed in off the crossbar.

A late Lochalsh free-kick rattled the woodwork, but Broadford held on for their second league win of the season. Charlie MacGillivray took home the Man of the Match honors for a stellar performance in the midfield.

This is their first win in Plockton for over ten years as the under 18s team.