Hail! We welcome three new Board members…..

Elena Baikie was born in Finland and grew up in various countries from Europe to Asia. Wick has been her home since the beginning of the millennium but she visited Caithness frequently even before that as her husband is from here. Elena is keen to support all cultural activities from arts and crafts to theatre and funky modern art utilising new technology. Elena’s training and profession is in the field of science and technology, and she is particularly interested on promoting educational opportunities and widening the horizons of young people.

Magnus Linklater, CBE was born in Orkney, and is the son of Scottish writer Eric Linklater. He was brought up in Easter Ross, attending the local school at Nigg before moving to high school in Dunbar, East Lothian, and then on to Eton College. He continued his studies with courses at Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg in Germany and the Sorbonne in Paris, before he studied a degree at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He is of part Swedish descent, through his father Eric. Magnus’s distinguished career as a newspaper editor and writer is well known. Perhaps less well known is the fact that he was Chairman of the Scottish Arts Council for five years from 1996. In the New Year Honours this year he was awarded a CBE for his distinguished service to media and the arts in Scotand.

Mark Sheridan runs The Sheridan Music Consultancy, committed to providing high quality advice, support and strategic management and leadership in education, creativity and music in the creative and cultural industries. Mark is an expert adviser and writer in education and the creative and cultural industries in Scotland and Europe. As a freelance consultant he supports the development of music, the creative industries and cultural activities across education and in public and private bodies. He advises local authorities, Universities and Colleges and the Scottish Government.
Mark is deeply involved in developing the new music programmes within the University of the Highlands & Islands.

….and Farewell

Philip Colville, FCA, is leaving the Board at the end of April. Philip has worked tirelessly for NHC during his years on the Board. Now, as he takes early retirement from his position as Finance Director at Dounreay, he and Felicity plan to move back to their beloved Perthshire. No words can adequately express our debt to Philip, who has brought his financial expertise to bear on our activities, and has also undertaken many of the day-to-day financial oversight tasks which so often go unnoticed – unless something goes wrong! We have always been in sure hands with Philip. We wish Philip and Felicity many years of happy ‘retirement’, though the term is probably relative, since neither is likely to be content to just put their feet up! Philip has stood by us as we have moved forward in gradual steps to develop a strategy which is now coming to its next exciting stages. He will, no doubt, keep in touch with NHC, and we with him.