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

GET INTO 2014 - NEWSLETTERJulyAugust 2014 Issue 5

36 of the best youth dance companies from across the Commonwealth performed to sell out audiences at Glasgowrsquos Tramway during a three day event on July 10th to 12th as part of the first ever Commonwealth Youth Dance Festival

Skyedance Youth Dance Company from Skye and Lochalsh and

Dalriada from Lochgilphead were selected to perform at the event run by YDance Scotlandrsquos national dance organisation for young people

wwwglasgow2014comfeatureintroducing-festival-2014

wwwydanceorg

HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS DANCE GROUPS SELECTED TO PERFORM AT FESTIVAL 2014

YOUR 2014 BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

bull ProcurementopportunitiesforRyderCuplook atwwwpubliccontractsscotlandgovuk (Shortleadopportunitieswillappearonbothsitesinthelead uptothegamessokeepyoureyespeeledforopportunities)

bull CheckouttheVisitScotlandwebsitebyclickinghere ndashthereisahostofinformationandausefulHomecoming toolkittohelpyourbusinessmakethemostof2014

2014 EVENTS

Jan - Dec The Year of Homecoming 23 July - 3 Aug Commonwealth Games 23 - 28 Sept Ryder Cup

JULY EVENTS

22 Marketing and Selling Skills Workshop 23 South Uist Games and Piping Society25 July ndash 1 Aug Shetland Fireball Championships26 Dufftown Highland Games27 Bike Revolution by the Beach 30 Doing Business in the Commonwealth

AUGUST EVENTS

2 The PWF Callanish Stones Marathon6 Food and Drink Network Exhibition Skills Workshop 6 Isle of Skye Highland Games7 2 Day Business Start Up Workshop 8 - 9 Harris Tweed Hebrides Tattoo 9 - 10 Celebration of the Centuries14 Tain Highland Gathering20 Record Keeping Workshop27 Marketing and Selling Skills Workshop

For further details on all of the above events please visit wwwhiecouk2014

JulyAugust 2014 Page 02Get into 2014 - Newsletter

Scotland Welcomes the World 2014 wwwhiecouk

Businesses in the Highlands and Islands looking to start or increase international sales in Commonwealth countries are being invited a free workshop hosted by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Development International

The event sees exporting experts based in Asia travel to the Highland capital to join local companies willing to share their experiences of doing business abroad Local businesses sharing their successes and challenges to date include the Loch Ness Brewery The Maclean

Electrical Group and Biomatrix Water

The event on 30 July at Eden Court in Inverness will focus on three of the Commonwealthrsquos most significant economies - Australia Singapore and India

Specifically for businesses who are interested in exporting into different markets and for those who are new to exporting it aims to help businesses developing international trade and partner opportunities with these key Commonwealth countries

Laura Robertson development manager at Highlands and Islands Enterprise said ldquoThis event will highlight to businesses the substantial opportunities for doing business with our Commonwealth neighbours while providing practical expert advice for entering these markets or exporting for the first timerdquo

The workshop is aimed at new and existing exporters and places are free but please register in advance by visiting wwwhiecoukcommonwealth

BECOME AN EXPORT EXPERT ndash FREE EVENT AT EDEN COURT

The Queenrsquos Baton continued its journey through the Highlands and Islands ahead of its arrival in Glasgow for the opening ceremony of the Games on Wednesday

In celebration of its arrival to Inverness a special business event co-hosted by HIE and several Games sponsors led by former Scotland and British Lions rugby international Gavin Hastings was held at the Centre for Health Science on 11 July

Scotlandrsquos greatest Commonwealth Games medallist Allan Wells and paralympian Karen Darke also spoke at the event attended by over 200 people

The Outer Hebrides also hosted business events in Benbecula and Stornoway to mark the occasion Activities included business sessions a mini Commonwealth Games and a cooking demonstration by Chef Marcello Tully

Businesses based at the Enterprise Park Forres also welcomed the baton on 3 July

For more information click here

HIGHLAND WELCOME FOR QUEENrsquoS BATON RELAY

Food and drink companies in the Highlands and Islands have a unique opportunity to drive sales at home and abroad by participating in the Showcasing Scotland event the first large scale event of its type to be run for the Scottish food and drink industry

Taking place on 21 and 22 July at Dunblane Hydro it will bring together around 80 buyers from

the UK and key export markets who are looking for Scottish products to enhance their existing offering The event is a partnership between Scotland Food and Drink and Scottish Development International (SDI) and will see Highland producers showcasing their products to buyers over the two days

Food and drink companies

from the Highlands and Islands include MacLeanrsquos Highland Bakery Reids of Caithness Stag Bakeries Connage Highland Dairy Cairngorm Brewery Co Ltd Loch Ness Brewery Baxters A Taste of Arran Cullise Highland Rapeseed Oil Isle of Arran Brewery and Spey Valley Brewery

For more information click here

SCOTLANDrsquoS FOOD AND DRINK SHOWCASE

HIE have been highlighting some of our 50 reasons to live work and study in the Highlands and Islands which you can find on our Twitter and Facebook pages

But itrsquos not just about what we think wersquod love to hear from you - what do you love most about living working or studying in the Highlands and Islands Share them with us by tweeting HIEScotland or use the hashtag HIE2014Events and we will share our favourites

LOVE THEHIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS

The Isle of Colonsay in Argyll and Bute and Fetlar in the Shetland Islands will be hosting their own Commonwealth-themed games celebrations thanks to recent grants from Celebrate a National Lottery funded organisation distributing grants to help communities in Scotland celebrate the Games

Colonsay Community Development Company will use the pound3420 prize to host a community event on Saturday 2nd August Residents and visitors to the island will have the opportunity to take part in sports

such as tag rugby badminton and activities including welly-wanging tug of war and haggis hurling The event will be followed by a ceilidh featuring music from a local band and a buffet dinner with foods from around the Commonwealth Thanks to the award the entire day will be free for all and is open to both visitors and residents

Fetlar Developments Limited will be hosting a series of events as part of their Commonwealth Celebration Week from Monday 28th July to Saturday 2nd August after receiving

pound6120 in the Celebrate Awards The week will kick off with a fun run and other activities during the week include a bike ride treasure hunt watching the Games on a big screen as well as sampling food from around the CommonwealthAre you going to join the fun Share pictures of you celebrating the Commonwealth Games in your community or workplace on social media using the hashtag HIE2014Events

wwwcelebrateit orguklatest-celebrate-awards

COMMONWEALTH GAMES CELEBRATIONS IN COLONSAY AND FETLAR