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NORTH HIGHLAND INITIATIVE REVIEW 2014-2019Success Is in Our Nature

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NORTH HIGHLAND INITIATIVE REVIEW 2014-2019Success Is in Our Nature NORTH HIGHLAND INITIATIVE REVIEW 2014-2019Success is in our nature Chairman’s Letter and Introduction David Whiteford OBE, Chairman, on his “The North Highland Initiative has, farm at Nigg, Easter Ross. thanks to our many partners and the support of HRH, The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay, delivered economic change and created exemplar initiatives in the food production and tourism sectors.” 32 Dear Supporter and Stakeholder, In 2006, HRH, The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay, brought together several strands in his vision for the North Highlands with the creation of the North Highland Initiative. More than a decade has passed since those early “Seeing Is Believing” visits by HRH and the Initiative has continued to develop and deliver the vision of HRH to support and help create sustainable communities and businesses in the North Highlands. It has done this by working with primary food producers, tourism businesses and agencies such as The Highland Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and private sector with significant businesses such as Anglo Beef Processors, Dunbia and Sainsbury. While the office base is where the Initiative was born, in Wick, Caithness, its reach is much wider than the county. The activities of NHI are across the whole of the North Highlands, the counties of Caithness, Sutherland and Ross & Cromarty. We are very conscious of the fragile nature of the rural economy across the UK and Europe, but acutely aware of the specific challenges to the northern counties, particularly the challenges of distance, transportation, infrastructure to support businesses and communities and young people. The work we have done though our trading company, North Highland Products and the Mey Selections brand has boosted the farming community since 2006 and our thanks go to those farmers, processors and retailers who have supported the brand and what it stands for; quality, high animal welfare and food production. We are confident that our work has created added value to what are already outstanding beef, lamb and other products. You will read shortly about the North Coast 500, the 516-mile touring route around the coastline of the North Highlands. Since it’s inception as part of NHI’s tourism work, it has become a global sensation. So much of what the project has achieved from it’s launch in April 2015 has been at the core of what NHI is all about. NC500 has created an unprecedented visibility for the best of the North Highlands, with an audience reach in 2019 of 5.5 billion. No other tourism initiative has had such a meteoric growth and impact and we are very proud that it was born out of NHI’s objectives to make a positive difference to people’s lives. The past three years has really seen the growth of the impact of NHI and we are grateful to all our supporters and stakeholders. We believe that the next three years will see a further growth of the influence and leadership we can bring to communities in the Northern Counties. Finally, my thanks for the work over the past four years to my Board, some of whom who have retired and to Tom Campbell, our Chief Executive, who has now moved to NC500 Ltd, through these transformational years. Without all of us working together, none of what you read about in this Review would have been achieved. And the last word is a thank you to our Patron, HRH, The Duke of Rothesay for his commitment and support, which has been unfailing and vitally important for us. David Whiteford OBE Chairman 4 The Signature Project for 2014 -2019 - The NC500 “It has been absolutely spectacular. The run back from Ullapool to Inverness was as spectacular as anywhere we have seen in the world and we’ve been to Burma, South America – and it’s right on our back door” Jeremy Clarkson, after filming for Series 3 of The Grand Tour on the NC500 The North Coast 500 (NC500) was developed as part of the Initiative’s strategic vision and plan to try and create sustainable communities through tourism. The tourism project board represented the area tourism groups from around the area, senior public sector representatives and industry experts. As well as the concept, we developed a ground-breaking business model and proposition. We sought private investment rather than public investment and we managed to secure that with key investors. NHI retains a significant share in North Coast 500 Ltd, as an investor and we are delighted by the progress made, using the NC500 and North Coast 500 trademarks which the company owns. The route itself has become iconic in such a short space of time, now being widely regarded as the number one touring route in the world. These accolades have come as far afield as The Times, Lonely Planet, National Geographic Traveller and Conde Nast Traveller and it has been featured on major UK television channels as well as featuring in Amazon’s Grand Tour, with its own global audience. Between 2018 - 2019, the audience brand reach was 5.5 billion and it has an active social media following with over 100,000 followers across the digital channels and a social media reach of 20 million. All of this is great news for the economy of the North Highlands. Glasgow University’s economic baseline study in 2017 showed that NC500 had created £9 million of additional visitor spend. The Moffat Centre of Caledonian University undertook an economic impact study in 2019 and estimated that the NC500 had created a GVA of £22.85 million to the Highland economy. xtended the season from 6 to 10 months and in 2017 it was anticipated that an additional 200 jobs would be created. NC500 Ltd now has 4000 personal members, 300 business members and 8 corporate partners. In 2017, we hit new heights with the launch of the Aston Martin DB11 NC500 which was limited to 18 cars globally and Aston Martin becoming the main route sponsor 5 Stephen Jardine, journalist, presenter and creator of Taste Communications on the impact of North Coast 500 “At Taste Communications, we specialise in helping brands and businesses tell their story. As soon as we met the NHI team behind the North Coast 500, we realised they had something exciting and different. The brand itself was new but the road was long established and a lifeline for people living and working in the North Highlands. It is a means of getting places but along the way it encounters some of the most stunning scenery and natural heritage in Europe. At a time of growing environmental awareness, that has proved to be a compelling proposition for worldwide media. On almost a daily basis we deal with media enquiries from all over the globe. Some want access to photography for a short article, others want to come and experience the route for major newspaper features and magazine spreads The route has achieved global coverage in media ranging from the Rough Guides and the Wall Street Journal to CNN and the BBC. Conde Nast Traveller said “Scotland’s North Coast 500 May Be the Best Road Trip In The World”. In 201, the social media reach was an amazing 20 milllion and the overall media reach was an unprecedented 5.5 billion. That’s exposure that has been created for the Highlands and for Scotland which is truly an astonishing impact Photographers and camera operators love the scenery and the views and journalists are intrigued by the story of the collaboration between the charity, public and private sectors to regenerate the tourism and economy of the North Highlands. NHI have really set the bar high for other charities in creating socio-economic impact. Impact that is meaningful and will be long-lasting.” 6 NHI at a Glance The aim of the Initiative is to promote economic growth and to create sustainable communities in the North Highlands and the objectives of the Initiative are set out to give NHI the opportunity to operate across a comprehensive range of activity areas. These are also embedded in the charitable status of the company which it was granted in 2011. The Objectives are shown below: The The promotion of Citizenship and development of The encouragement civic responsibility, Environmental community the arts, built of public volunteering and development participation in protection and environment the voluntary through urban and sport improvement and natural sector rural regeneration heritage, culture and science Our sectors and how we Where we are active deliver • Mey • NC500 Selections Food & Drink Tourism Black Isle Sutherland Community Built Ross-shire Support Environment Caithness • Project • Consultant Support Support 7 Achievements 2014 - 2019 8 9 Vision and Purpose Our vision for the company in 3 years’ time serves as the framework for every aspect of our business We will create We will create places opportunities for growth where funders want to and improvements in invest in local enterprise how people do and sustainable business. communities We will enhance communities where we operate in the North Highlands. This vision describes what we need to accomplish to continue achieving sustainable, quality growth; • People: Be the catalyst for opportunities and the inspiration for the people of the northern counties to be the best they can be. • Portfolio: To continually create and recreate a portfolio of projects that is transformational. • Partners: Nurture and grow network of funders and delivery partners to create mutual and sustainable value. • Planet: Be a responsible organisation that makes a difference by helping build and support sustainable communities. • Productivity: Be a highly effective and fast-moving organisation. 10 KEY OBJECTIVES The Key Objectives for NHI are the major goals which need to be achieved over the next three-year period in order that the vision is realised.
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