About Merkinch Enterprise

Merkinch Enterprise was founded in 1992 and is registered as a charity with the remit of relieving poverty in the Merkinch ward of Inverness. Merkinch is defined by the British government as an area of high deprevation. Government figures reveal a very high number of single parent families, an equally high elderly population and very high unemployment.

Merkinch Technology & Training Centre is part of Merkinch Enterprise, an umbrella organisation which covers other provisions such as Fliperz Day Care Centre, free community training funded by The Tabair Trust and our community newsletter, the Merkinch News & Views.

Surveys carried out by the founders of Merkinch Enterprise supported the above conclusions, and concluded that there was a need for a multi-pronged strategy in order to achieve the aims of the organisation. Our strategy is based on four threads - attraction of investment into Merkinch, creation of jobs, providing childcare at a reasonable cost and training the local population in skills currently required by employers.

In 1994 local people were given a chance to take part in business planning courses, which led to several viable ideas for businesses that could be set up in Merkinch by the population. From these business plans, three subsidiary organisations have been formed, these being the Merkinch Technology & Training Centre, aiming to bring money into the organisation and the area; the Fliperz childcare centre, providing childcare for working parents, or parents undertaking training; and the News & Views community newsletter, distributed free to all households and businesses in Merkinch every month, as well as various organisations throughout Inverness.

Our newsletter, the Merkinch News & Views, is available to view or download.