Wick Development Trust

📋 2025 Round Up of the SSEN Transmissions Shetland HVDC Link Local Fund 📋

Now that summer is upon us and the flowers are out in bloom, we thought it would be a good time to do a round up of the projects that the SSEN Transmissions Shetland HVDC Link Local fund for Wick has supported through Wick Development Trust.

The fund will provide up to £42,000 per year until 2028 to Wick Development Trust to allocate to projects that will benefit the community of Wick.

Last year the fund supported 4 projects in Wick that were delivered by the Trust or other organisations that we work closely with, to make Wick a better place to live, work & visit.

The 1st project the fund supported was to provide match funding towards the resurfacing of the riverside paths network, and also funded the purchase and installation of the new vehicle barrier at Station Road to restrict vehicle access down to the riverside over the winter months, and bollards at St Fergus Road to stop vehicles driving onto the path to the north side of the Bleaching Green.

The 2nd project the fund supported was the purchase and installation of new benches at the Wick Cemetery and new edging around the floor beds. This project was organised and carried out by the Friends of East Caithness Cemeteries, whom I am sure you will all agree do an amazing job at keeping our cemetery neat and tidy, and a nice respectful place for people to visit the graves of friends and loved ones.

The 3rd project the fund supported was the purchase of recycled plastic flower barrels and planters as well as a huge stock of flowers for the Wick Flower Committee. We took a stroll around the town earlier this week to look at what the volunteers at Wick Flowers have done, and it is very impressive to see the floral displays around the town which really does brighten the place up.

The 4th project the fund supported was the purchase of new RGB LED lighting in the salt cellars at the harbour, which really illuminates the seven gates. This was carried out by volunteers for the Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council, and it really does bring the Seven Gates to life.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank SSEN Transmissions for their support, and to say a huge well done to the volunteers at the Friends of East Caithness Cemeteries, Wick Flowers and the Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council, and of course not forgetting our own staff and volunteers. Keep up the great work, you really are making a difference to the town.

🏵We had a fun morning out with Newton Park Primary 1/2 last Friday planting primroses along the hedge line at Wick riverside.

🐌The pupils had keen interest in all the wildlife around them, spotting snails and ladybirds while they were busy planting.

🌿This forms part of a partnership project alongside Caithness and Sutherland Countryside Rangers and other community organisations to deliver biodiversity improvements around the riverside.

🌳The next phase will be to restore and extend the hawthorn hedging along the south path.

This project was funded by the Highland Nature Restoration Fund