News

Changing Perceptions: Focus North Conference 2026

The North Highlands is changing – and so is the story we have to tell about it. With major investment ahead, world-class expertise already here and new opportunities emerging across the region, this year’s Focus North Conference is about seeing our future through a...

No Wrong Path

This is a tense week for young people across Scotland, as they receive their exam results. Here at Focus North, we support DYW's No Wrong Path campaign, which runs every August. There is no single 'correct' route to the future, and a winding path can be an exciting...

PSO renewal is a welcome boost to North Highland connectivity

Caithness has secured renewed funding for PSO flights from Wick John O'Groats Airport, maintaining links with Aberdeen and adding a new service to Glasgow.In our recent blog on regional infrastructure, we highlighted the importance of the transport, energy and digital...

The critical questions behind the North Highland investment story

Think you know Caithness and Sutherland? Read on to discover the opportunities that will transform our region for generations to come.Why is the North Highlands attracting so much attention? Because when it comes to energy, the map of the UK is being turned upside...

Why Caithness and Sutherland is central to the UK’s clean energy future

Heading to All-Energy 2026? Here are seven reasons why Caithness and Sutherland should be firmly on your radar.The UK’s energy transition won’t be delivered by any one region – achieving a clean energy future will require a network of areas each contributing different...

Joining forces for Wick town centre

More than a dozen local organisations came together in Wick this morning to share exciting project updates and explore how working together can help build a brighter future for the town and its community.What’s happening in Wick, and how can we collaborate to maximise...

Focus North: our year in review

Everyone knows the 12 Days of Christmas — but 2025 gave Focus North plenty more to celebrate. From partnership milestones to regional progress, here are our 12 achievements from across the partnership.1. The Flow Country gains World Heritage Site status A landmark...

Thurso PoD: your questions answered

The Focus North team recently attended Highland Council’s first pre-consultation events for the proposed £100 million Thurso PoD project. More than 150 local residents took part, offering early insights and feedback to help shape the emerging plans. Here’s what we...

Council Leader explains what Thurso’s new PoD will mean for Caithness

What's a PoD and why does it matter? Watch our film below, where Council Leader Raymond Bremner sets out the £100m investment into Thurso's education and community spaces.Don't miss pre-consultation events next week: Tuesday 9 December – Gallery Room, North Coast...

Help shape transformation plans for Thurso

Thurso is set to benefit from a £100m investment into new community facilities as part of the Highland Council's Point of Delivery (PoDs) programme. Have your say on the plans at local consultation events next month.Thurso is set to benefit from a £100 million...

The land thanks us: hilltop views of peatland restoration

Joyce Campbell, co-owner of Armadale Farm in Sutherland, shares her journey of peatland restoration in our unique Flow Country World Heritage Site.In the middle of October, Caithness groundworks specialists John Mackay Ltd demobilised their diggers from Armadale hill...