An annual event will act as an “industry call to action” that celebrates local businesses in Lochaber next week.
Lochaber Ideas Week, the flagship business programme led by Lochaber Chamber of Commerce, has revealed a series of in-person events and talks exploring the week’s central topic of sustainability and how it affects the region’s businesses and communities.
The event kicks off Monday with a discussion on the region’s housing shortage crisis.
Organisers said the lack of housing is the “richest conversation in Lochaber right now” and the event, Place, Housing and the Future, is the opening session on Monday morning.
With insights from local business leaders – 56 Degree Insight, Mowi, The Highland Council, TSL Contractors, and Cairngorms Business Partnership – the event will focus on the findings of Lochaber’s recent Housing Needs Assessment survey.
Among the research’s startling revelations was 80% of respondents felt that a shortage of housing/accommodation is impacting on efforts to recruit staff.
Lochaber Ideas Week is being staged from Monday 14 to Friday 18 November 2022 at Nevis Centre, Fort William, and runs in parallel with Global Entrepreneurship Week 2022 and COP 27.
On Tuesday veteran broadcaster Brian Taylor, former political editor for BBC Scotland, TV presenter and columnist will deliver the Charles Kennedy Lecture in memory of the former Liberal Democrat leader and long-serving Lochaber MP.
Lochaber Chamber of Commerce chief executive Frazer Coupland said: “In the current situation we find ourselves in, the topic of sustainability and tackling discussions around housing and the future are extremely important.
“We believe that events like this can be a catalyst for positive economic and social change, we’re very much looking forward to presenting Lochaber Ideas Week to you this year”
To see the full program click here.
Lochaber Ideas Week 2022, supported by DYW West Highland and showcasing the Outdoor Capital of the UK, presents Lochaber Chamber of Commerce’s annual industry call to action and is themed under the umbrella of sustainability.
Monday 14 November
Opening address from Ivan McKee MSP Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise (pre-recorded)
Place, Housing & the Future
The first session of Ideas week takes a dive into ‘place’, with Lochaber’s recent Housing Needs Assessment survey taking centre stage. Sessions include:
- Understanding the Housing Need Assessment for Lochaber and what we know today.
- Panel discussion with 56 Degree Insight, Mowi, The Highland Council and Lochaber Chamber of Commerce
- Understanding construction and development in the current climate with Andy Knight, TSL Contractors
Food & Drink Innovations and Working Together – Local food, produce, producers, manufacturing, waste, packaging, logistics are all incredibly important topics to the food and drink sector in Lochaber. But how can we collaborate? How can we ensure this sector can grow amid increased costs? Sessions include:
- A dive into the food & drink innovation landscape in the Highlands
- A look at Nc’nean Distillery and their Net Zero progress and exemplars
- Zero Waste Scotland present on the topic of waste management for sustainability and share top tips
Michael Campbell, Lecturer in Professional Cookery at UHI West Highland outlines the current learning opportunities and what the course is teaching students about waste management, working with industry and collaboration
Exploring a Lochaber Food and Drink Network
An audience with Stu Thomson and friends – Stu Thompson and Lisa Annette from the award-winning global sports content studio, Cut Media, present their stories of high-performance, sport, origin and finding happiness through challenge.
Tuesday 15 November
Around Lochaber in 80 Tables – a business speed-networking morning
Building, construction and innovations – this session, will explore construction, funding for places, sustainable planning and building methods, industry innovations and what the future can bring through collaboration. Sessions include:
- A presentation on how sector and partners can work together, best practice from across the sector, exemplars for inspiration and providing innovations for all to consider to meet Net Zero and carbon offset targets.
- A presentation on how the construction industry is using technology to protect the workforce
- A presentation on the Western Isles’ innovations around modular construction, projects learnings and potential challenges to overcome
- Panel discussion addressing the challenge of how Lochaber can think differently and offer innovations for construction
Charles Kennedy Lecture (Tuesday night) – The return of the popular Charles Kennedy Lecture, this year delivered by special guest Brian Taylor, former political editor for BBC Scotland, TV presenter, and columnist for The Herald.
Wednesday 16 November – Tourism and visitors day
The tourism sector is an extremely important economic generator for the Highlands, and Tourism Day focuses on visitor experience in a changing world, challenging sustainability and what that means for Lochaber. This event will include panel discussions, networking, and audience participation to unlock the many industry gems. The discussions include:
- Where is Scottish tourism on its sustainability journey?
- Future Trends in sustainable and responsible tourism
- Visitor Management for sustainability
- What does sustainability mean in practice?
Who said it would be easy? Hear from Mollie Hughes, world-record-holding mountaineer and adventurer, talking about her life, achievements and what this means for sustainability and businesses.
Thursday 17 November – Aquaculture sector and supply chain day
During the full day focused on aquaculture, hear directly from sector leaders and supply chain businesses challenging how Team Salmon can innovate for change. They will be discussing the supply chain working together, innovation possibilities, fish health, analysis, the environment and much more. Sessions include:
- Opening address from Elaine Jamieson, HIE
- Salmon Farming & the Supply Chain – Team Salmon working together
- Sustainability & the Supply Chain
- Social Impact of the Sector & Supply Chain
- Future Development of the Aquaculture Sector
- How can we develop the Supply Chain together?
Friday 18 November
Workplace mental health, wellbeing and resilience. Sessions include:
- Mental Health and Workplace Wellbeing: An interactive workshop to highlight the importance of wellbeing within the workplace.
- A welcome and insight into local support networks in Lochaber
Resilience and Goal Setting Strategies with Kev Shields, a professional climber, Rab sponsored Athlete and Manager of the National Climbing Centre at The Ice Factor, who will tackle the balance of life, work and mental health.
This event will be followed by the Lochaber Ideas Week Gala Dinner, which is already sold out.
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