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SATURDAY 22 JUNE    UBF – THE SEQUEL
The Ceilidh Place Venue
10.30am Eleanor Thom Her first novel, The Tin-Kin, won the Saltire First Book of the Year Award. Eleanor’s research on her grandmother while writing Connective Tissue, her second novel, was presented to the Bundestag in 2022 during proceedings to change Germany’s citizenship laws. As a result, along with her mother and her children, Eleanor was granted dual German citizenship on grounds of restitution.
12 noon William Letford William published his first collection of poetry while working as a roofer. Since then, his work has been adapted into film, projected onto buildings, carved into monuments, adapted for the stage, written onto skin, cast out over the radio, and performed by orchestras. A brilliant reader/performer of his poetry.
2.30pm Ruth Wishart Ruth is a journalist with a very impressive CV. She is currently a columnist with Sunday National and Helensburgh Advertiser. She was formerly assistant editor at several national newspapers. She has been chairing events at UBF since the very early days so we thought it was time to turn the tables and bring here to The Sequel to talk about her many years as a journalist.
4pm David Greig David Greig is a Scottish playwright whose plays have been performed widely in Scotland and around the world. These include Midsummer, The Events, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Local Hero, and The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart. He is currently the Artistic Director at Edinburgh’s Lyceum Theatre. Columba’s Bones is his first book. It has been shortlisted for this year’s Highland Book Prize.

Tickets from  www.ticketsource.co.uk/ullapool-book-festival

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Information for Highland voters on UK Parliamentary Election boundary changes
Candidates confirmed for UK Parliamentary General Election 2024
Issued on behalf of the Returning Officer for Highland – Derek Brown
14 candidates are seeking election on Thursday 4 July 2024 for the two Highland UK Parliamentary constituencies:
• 7 candidates are standing in the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross constituency
• 7 candidates in the Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire constituency Candidates are as follows:

Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
• Lucy BEATTIE – Scottish National Party (SNP)
• Steve CHISHOLM – Alba Party: Yes to Scottish Independence
• Fiona FAWCETT – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
• Eva KESTNER – Scottish Labour Party
• Sandra SKINNER – Reform UK
• Jamie STONE – Scottish Liberal Democrats
• Anne THOMAS – Scottish Greens

Inverness, Skye, and West Ross-shire
• Drew HENDRY – Scottish National Party (SNP)
• Dillan HILL – Reform UK
• Angus MACDONALD – Scottish Liberal Democrats
• Peter NEWMAN – Scottish Greens
• Darren PAXTON – Socialist Equality Party
• Michael PERERA – Scottish Labour Party
• Ruraidh STEWART – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
Registering to vote:
To vote in the 2024 election you must be aged 18 or over and your name must be on the electoral register. You can register to vote online at https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. If you’re already registered to vote and haven’t moved since, you don’t need to re-register. The registration deadline is midnight on Tuesday 18 June 2024.
Anyone who would like more information on registering can get in touch with the Electoral Registration Officer, Moray House, 16-18 Bank Street, Inverness IV1 1QY. Visit: www.saa.gov.uk/h-wi-vjb; Phone: 0800 393783 or
Email: ero@highland.gov.uk
Voting by post or by proxy:
In this election you can opt to vote in person, by proxy or by post. The deadline to apply for a new postal vote or a postal proxy application or to change an existing postal or proxy vote is by 5pm on Wednesday 19 June 2024. The deadline to apply for a proxy vote to appoint someone to vote on your behalf at a polling station is 5pm on Wednesday 26 June 2024.
You can apply online for a postal vote at www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote or proxy vote at www.gov.uk/apply-proxy- vote. If you need assistance contact the Electoral Registration Officer.
Voter ID:
UK General Election: For the first time, electors voting in person at a polling station will need to show photographic ID to vote. Electors are being advised to make sure they are ready to vote by checking they have an accepted form of ID. Accepted forms of ID include a passport, driving licence, older persons or disabled persons bus pass, and Young Scot card. The full list and further information can be viewed on our website at www.highland.gov.uk/info/799/ elections_and_voting/1116/voter_ids_for_future_uk_general_elections. Voters will be able to use expired ID if they are still recognisable from their photo. See also half page with full details of forms od ID in this issue.
Anyone who does not have one of the accepted forms of ID can apply for free Voter ID online by visiting – https://voter- authority-certificate.service.gov.uk or by contacting their local Electoral Registration Office. The deadline to apply for free Voter ID is 5pm on Wednesday 26 June 2024. Voters wishing to apply should first make sure they are registered to vote.
Polling Day:
Voting will take place on Thursday 4 July 2024.
Polling stations across the Highlands will be open from 7am to 10pm.
The votes will be counted overnight at the Highland Football Academy in Dingwall.
Live coverage from the count, including the two declarations will be available on YouTube using this link https:// www.youtube.com/live/RpW5LbFIbNg and also on the Council’s social media channels @HighlandCouncil.
Further information on the UK Parliamentary election can be viewed on the Council’s website www.highland.gov.uk/ge2024

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Guided Tours at Knockan Crag with North West Highlands Geopark

Dates 21 June, 13July, 20 July, 16 August, 23 August, 6 September

Time 11am – 1pm   HIKING BOOTS & waterproof clothing recommended.

Places are free, please book ahead via email: admin@nwhgeopark.com

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