Timber specialist firm Russwood Limited was awarded up to £149,965 in green jobs funding towards the cost of automation of its manufacturing facility in Newtonmore.

More than £83,000 in green jobs funding was approved for the expansion of renewable energy firm, Proterra Energy Ltd, near Drumnadrochit.

Inverness tourism businesses, Jacobite Cruises and Twelve Ness Walk, received £4,960 and £2,433 respectively for specialist advice support.

Up to £249,000 was approved for the Inverness Brewstillery development by the Glen Mhor Hotel. Port of Cromarty Firth was awarded up to £27,000 for project management and up to £50,149 was approved for The Apprentice Store limited aspirational growth project.

£72,000 was awarded to the Seaboard Memorial Hall in Easter Ross to employ a local development officer for two years.

James Gibbs, HIE area manager for the Inner Moray Firth area, said his team is looking to work with more organisations across the patch who are keen to grow their operations.

He said: “Over the past couple of years, we have taken the opportunity, linked to our provision of pandemic related support for businesses and communities, to build new relationships and work with new clients.

“The growth in online delivery of support has enabled us to enhance our assistance to smaller companies across the area, working in partnership with Business Gateway and others.

“This broader engagement is something we are very keen to maintain. We’re therefore reaching out to businesses in food and drink production, tourism, technology/engineering, other manufacturing and creative industries who have aspirations to expand and improve the efficiency of their operations, target new markets and of course employ more people, even in the current challenging business climate.

“We also have a long history of working successfully with social and community enterprises and we look forward to continuing and extending this important area of our work too.”