Also in the news / Pride festival recognised in parliament, afternoon tea in a box, broadband coverage, seafarer welfare, beach wins praise, Viklings naming
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SHETLAND MSP Beatrice Wishart has lodged a parliamentary motion backing plans for the isles’ first Pride festival.
Her motion said the parliament “welcomes the opportunity for the community to show support and solidarity for LGBT+ people”.
The festival is due to take place in 2022.
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AFTERNOON tea in a box have raised more than £7,000 for Relay for Life/Cancer Research UK this year.
Orders for a Relay Day Afternoon Tea in a Box are open via Facebook until 5pm on Wednesday 26 May, which features the most popular treats from the initiative over the last couple of months.
Shetland Relay for Life committee member Olive Macleod said: “With this year’s Relay being so different to any other we thought continuing our ever-popular Afternoon Teas in a Box would be a great way of letting everyone mark the day.
“We would usually be putting up marquees and getting ready to welcome people to the Relay, so we are looking for as many orders as possible to soak up our surplus energy.”
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SHETLAND’s coverage of super fast broadband is among the poorest in the UK, new figures have reiterated.
Data from Think Broadband shows that 75.2 per cent of Shetland premises has over 30Mbps speeds.
Its league table shows that this places Shetland fourth last in terms of British council areas.
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A “LANDMARK” agreement has been signed to boost the welfare of seafarers and fishers around the UK, including those visiting ports such as Sullom Voe.
The formal agreement between the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Merchant Navy Welfare Board sets out ways both will work together to coordinate their approach to the provision of welfare.
The memorandum of understanding sets out the specific responsibilities of the two organisations, as well as committing to sharing information about matters affecting seafarers’ and fishers’ welfare, seeking advice and consulting on other issues.
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SCOUSBURGH Sands has been named as one of Scotland’s top beaches.
Travel publication LonelyPlanet said the “gloriously white sandy beach of Scousburgh Sands (also known as Spiggie Beach), is backed by dunes and rolling countryside and is considered Shetland’s finest strand”.
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NORTHLINK Ferries has teamed up with Orcadian artist Alex Leonard to debut a colourful new cartoon family of Vikings on its ferries and are now looking for help to name.
The Viklings are a family of eight distinctive characters who wear costumes inspired by jarl squads from previous Shetland fire festivals.
Ahead of their official unveiling, NorthLink is launching a competition to name all eight members of the family – including a pet puffin and otter.
Entries can be made until 31 May 2021 using this link: www.northlinkferries.co.uk/viklings
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