We have the opportunity for further powerboat training for Rathlin residents with Charles Stewart of Red Bay Powerboating. This can be for beginners (Level 2 for adults, Level 1 for young people) or for people who have already successfully completed powerboat training before or have similar professional experience or qualifications (Intermediate and possibly Advanced - see Red Bay website for more information on the training levels).
The RSPB has advertised for Visitor Experience Officer posts for the Seabird Centre at the West Light. Deadline for applications is Friday 8 January. Details here.
The Resource Centre will close for the Christmas holidays on Friday 18th December, and will reopen on Monday 4th January. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Committee of the RDCA and from David, Stephen and Caroline.
This year's Tuesday Club Christmas Dinner will be held on Thursday 10th December. Anyone interested in attending should contact Shauna to confirm by Friday 4th December.
A large groups of island residents turned up to Bruce's Kitchen on Tuesday afternoon for the official launch of Rathln's Local Biodiversity Action Plan. Both the island's Tuesday Club and the pupils and staff of St Mary's Primary School had been centrally involved in the formation of the Plan, which used the island's twenty two townlands as a way of exploring Rathlin's very special flora and fauna.
The Northern Health and Social Care Trust - after discussions with the RDCA - is now seeking to recruit Home Care Workers based on the island. The posts will have 20 hour per week fixed term contracts - to be reviewed annually. The Trust also intends to create a waiting list for as and when required cover for staff leave.
The report based on the Church Bay Area Consultation Event that was facilitated on the island by Rural Community Network and DARD last July is now available for viewing in the Resource Centre.
The Council lorry for disposal of bulky goods will be on the island on next Tuesday 20th October, arriving on the 10.30 ferry and leaving on the 3.00. A sweeping lorry will also be coming over at a later date to clean the harbour area.
Residents should phone NI Water on 0845 744 0088 as soon as possible to get on the septic tank emptying waiting list. The lorry will only come over to the island when there are enough households on the list.
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service has asked us to remind island residents that free home fire safety checks are available to all, and should be carried out periodically.
