News / Junior UHA withdraws LCC funding request
THE JUNIOR Up Helly Aa committee has withdrawn its application for funding from Lerwick Community Council (LCC) after receiving “offers of financial assistance from elsewhere”.
Last month the community council deferred a decision on whether to approve a small grant until the Junior UHA provided a copy of its policy on equal opportunities.
The voluntary Lerwick festival had been seeking the sum of £82.12 to cover the cost of renting ground for the “Peerie Galley Shed”.
In previous years LCC had paid out the grant, but following a wider debate about the involvement of women in the town Up Helly Aa ahead of January’s event, LCC member Andy Carter was last month reported as saying he wanted to encourage the junior version to adopt a “more progressive attitude” on the issue.
In response, the Junior UHA committee enclosed a copy of its equal opportunities policy, which secretary Ian Spence wrote was “for a boys only group and must be read within that context”.
Its constitution states that “membership of the organisation shall be open to boys over the age of 10”.
The policy states that it aims to “ensure no helper or young person receives less favourable treatment on grounds of age, disability, race, nationality, marital status, and sexual orientation, and class, political or religious relief [sic]”.
It also states that the committee will ensure all those involved “promote equality and do not participate in negative discrimination” and “do not incite or attempt to incite others to practice direct or indirect discrimination”.
However Spence’s letter explained that, since making the application to LCC, “we’ve received offers of financial assistance from elsewhere and therefore feel we no longer need to pursue the grant and wish to withdraw our application”.
He added that the committee wished to thank the community council for its past support towards the Junior Up Helly Aa.
Become a supporter of Shetland News
Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.
Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.
Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has over 600 supporters who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.
Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -
- Bring you the headlines as they happen;
- Stay editorially independent;
- Give a voice to the community;
- Grow site traffic further;
- Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.
If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.
Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.