Cllr Muriel Cockburn SNP

09/10/2026

09/10/2026

🗓️ The surgery tour continues… Still have some availability for Drumnadrochit, Fort Augustus & Aviemore

📍 Fort Augustus & Drumnadrochit
📍 Thurso & Golspie
📍 Aviemore & Grantown-on-Spey

📥 For more info and to book an appointment, please email me on [email protected] or 📞 01349 888281

09/10/2026

Did you know that you could access the Childcare Support Fund through CALA?

Scottish Government's Childcare Support Fund, administered by CALA, will provide short-term financial support to families experiencing temporary financial difficulties across Highlands and Islands.

Registered childcare services can apply on behalf of eligible families to help cover childcare costs where a family is at risk of losing their childcare place, requires additional childcare, or is unable to access childcare due to financial difficulty. Families can also apply themselves.

Funding can be used to cover childcare fees at Care Inspectorate-registered services, including daycare, breakfast clubs, after school clubs, childminders and holiday clubs.

Eligibility - Who Is This Support For?

The Fund is designed to support families where the cost or availability of childcare is a barrier, including circumstances such as:

Increasing working, studying or training hours
Preventing the loss of working, studying or training hours
Looking for work or attending job interviews
Following unemployment or redundancy
Managing short-term financial strain (e.g. unexpected bill, home repair or car repair)
Supporting the family during a period of ill health
Supporting the family following bereavement
Supporting the family with caring responsibilities

The Fund will focus particularly on families most at risk of poverty, including the priority family groups identified in the Scottish Government's Bringing Hope, Building Futures: Tackling child poverty delivery plan 2026 - 2031:

Lone parent family
Minority ethnic family
Family with a disabled adult or child
Larger family (three or more children)
Family with a child under one year old
Family with a mother aged under 25

Although not excluded from the fund, families in receipt of Universal Credit childcare costs and other financial support are advised to speak to their work coach or benefits advisor before an application is made on their behalf.

Check our website for further details and the application process and form
FIND OUT MORE - https://careandlearningalliance.co.uk/childcare-support-fund/

09/10/2026

The Bereavement Support Group returns next week 🌿

Drop in from 7pm for support with grief. You can attend at any time during the six-week block and there's no need to book.

Your bereavement does not need to be recent, and help with grief can be sought at any time. Please come along to this safe space if you are struggling or would just like a compassionate ear.

09/10/2026

09/10/2026

Please help us by spreading the word! Many thanks!

08/10/2026

I’ve spent the last couple days in and around the Cairngorms speaking to residents and businesses about the wildfire, which is still having an impact on the area to this day.

I was particularly grateful to the RSPB for taking me up to see the devastation left behind by the fire in person. It’s heartbreaking to see such a beautiful area ravaged.

It’s going to take a long time for the environment and economy to recover fully, but I was glad to see for myself that physical ecological recovery is happening and is very visible, and I’ve been happy to hear from several business owners and estate managers that things are looking better financially.

There’s much more to say about the visits I’ve been on the last couple of days and the illuminating conversations I’ve had with folk, but for now I’ll just say that the experiences I’ve had have strengthened my already iron-clad commitment to ensuring we learn important lessons from the wildfire, and put into place steps to ensure we are better prepared in the future.

My office has produced a report on the wildfire, which you can read in the comments, but there is still so much local knowledge and experience that has to be taken into account by all levels of government and I’m happy for folk to reach out to me about the wildfire over email at [email protected]

07/10/2026

07/10/2026

There’s still time to sign up for the Cairngorms Youth Action Team’s social ride at Glenmore.

In partnership with Able 2 Adventure and Outfit Moray, this is a free and open ride, accessible to all. The event is aimed at young people aged under 30, but all are welcome to attend. Under 16s should be accompanied by an adult.

The event takes place from 10am to 1.30pm on Saturday October 3, meeting at the Glenmore Community Café. Free lunch will be provided.

Booking is essential, visit https://forms.gle/JgHvdhJkA9DUpMBL6 to access the booking form.