In brief for 1 February 2011

New contract

LOCAL wholesales company J.W.Gray & Co has secured a contract as main supplier to all three shops on NorthLink’s passenger ferries Hjaltland, Hrossey and Hamnavoe.

The company’s director Iain Johnston said he was pleased: “We secured the bar provision in June last year. Our staff have all worked particularly hard since to prove that local service providers can step up to the mark and compete with their counterparts on the Mainland.

“To pick up this business in the currently challenging environment is most welcome indeed. NorthLink should be commended for their on-going commitment to local companies and service providers”.

NorthLink’s senior manager for vessel support services Peter Hutchison added: “We are delighted to further show our commitment to the island producers and wholesalers by moving a significant percentage of the shop goods to be provided via JW Gray in Lerwick and Kirkwall”.

Big hearted

THE Lerwick branch of the British Heart Foundation has been given more than £1,200 thanks to a series of fund-raising events by the crew and their families of the NorthLink passenger vessel Hjaltland.

The festive charity fund-raiser has become a Hjaltland tradition and the decision to donate this year’s proceeds to the British Heart Foundation was taken because two crew members have themselves recently suffered from heart problems.

A cheque for £1,247.45 was handed over to Diane Watt, the chairwoman of the BHF’s Lerwick branch, by Brian Daly and Brian Comiskey – the two crew members who have recently benefited from BHF research.

Hjaltland master Stewart Gunn said: “This year we continued the charity tradition and because both Brian’s had recently benefited from the work of the British Heart Foundation it was decided that the BHF would be a particularly fitting and worthwhile recipient.”