Sustainability and housing are amongst the big topics up for discussion at Lochaber Ideas Week 2022

Lochaber Chamber of Commerce is delighted to announce the full programme for Lochaber Ideas Week 2022, with a range of high-quality in-person events and talks exploring the week’s central topic of sustainability and how it affects the region’s businesses and communities.  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.

The region’s annual flagship business event is an industry call to action that celebrates local business and the wider Lochaber community with a number of industry sector focused days which, this year, include housing and construction, aquaculture, food and drink, and tourism, augmented by informative workshops, and plenty of networking and ideas sharing opportunities. 

The full Lochaber Ideas Week 22 programme details can be viewed here –  https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/cc/lochaber-ideas-week-2022-1188349

Ideas Week has an ethos of providing inspiration, motivation, insights, collaboration, education, and discussion, whilst providing a platform from which to explore and challenge the norm. This year it will be opened by Ivan McKee MSP, Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise with a video address on Monday morning, 14 November.

Ideas Week focuses on key trends impacting the region.  Housing is the richest conversation in Lochaber right now and ‘Place, Housing and the Future’ is the opening session of the week on Monday. With insights from local business leaders – 56 Degree Insight, Mowi, The Highland Council, TSL Contractors, and Cairngorms Business Partnership – and the findings of Lochaber’s recent Housing Needs Assessment survey (published 12/21), this event takes a dive into ‘place’.  It will compare the survey results with the Cairngorm and Skye surveys, tackle the lack of housing for valued workers and the impact that this is having on both business and community.  It will discuss the challenges and plot the next steps. It includes a Q&A from the audience.

Frazer Coupland, Lochaber Chamber of Commerce CEO, said: “Lochaber Ideas Week is all about inspiration and challenging the now in business. It’s a week to think about the big picture, make connections and explore the abundance of success and sector diversity in Lochaber.

“We’re proud to be able to bring such a unique and inspiring range of events to The Nevis Centre this year, and better still they are all open to the entire community, you don’t need to be a member of our Chamber to attend.

“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”

Ends

Notes to Editors:

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.

Lochaber Ideas Week – funders and supporters

Lochaber Chamber of Commerce would like to thank all of the event’s sponsors and supporters who include Developing the Young Workforce West Highland and the Outdoor Capital of the UK, Ferguson Transport & Shipping, Nevis Range, UHI West Highland, Mowi, Lochaber Times, VisitScotland, Jahama Highland Venison, Alvance, Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre, and Highlands & Islands Enterprise.

Summary of events:

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!