NORTHINGS is approaching a major crossroads with changes to our funding from Highlands & Islands Enterprise.

THE web-based journal has been what we hope is a valuable and valued part of the cultural sector in the Highland’s and Islands for well over eight years now, and has always been wholly supported financially by HIE through HI-Arts.

WE are grateful for that support. However, our current funding arrangement finishes at the end of this month, and will operate on a reduced basis for 2012-13. We must now seek other means of keeping the site going as well, and we are determined to make all possible efforts to secure additional funding in the months ahead – I will have much more to tell you on this subject next month.

Everyone at HI-Arts was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Gordon Urquhart in Zambia last month. Gordon’s devotion to the history and heritage of the Highlands & Islands was always evident in the work he did with Ewan Macrae for HI-Arts on the Heritage North project, and in many other projects in which he was involved.

Ewan Macrae and Gordon Urquhart on Ben Nevis

We have launched an appeal to attempt to raise £500 towards a memorial plaque in aid of Highlander’s Museum Redevelopment Project at Fort George. Military history was one of Gordon’s many strong interests, and this seemed an appropriate way to mark our regard for him.

It is clear from the early responses to the appeal and comments that he was held in high regard by many. If you would like to donate to the appeal, you can do so via PayPal at this page. Any funds raised beyond the £500 target will be donated to the Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET) – Gordon’s wife Anne is a volunteer with that organisation.

Kenny Mathieson

Editor

© Kenny Mathieson, 2012