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Also in the news / Dunna Buy Bruck, Covid passport opposition, Children in Need, town centre funding

LOCAL environmental campaigners are urging people to reject Black Friday consumerism as they are launching their Dunna Buy Bruck campaign.

They say that attempt to challenge climate breakdown must also confront the epidemic of consumption, describing Black Friday and other shopping event as “totally manufactured “festival” of consumerism foisted upon us by corporations”.

Shetland Green Party co-coordinator Debra Nicolson described Dunna Buy Bruck as a broad based, cross party campaign that aims to move towards a circular economy.

“We want to create a system in which folk can buy high quality products from local shops, where we can mend things if they stop working and reuse or recycle them when we don’t need them anymore.”

Celestine Verdcourt-Lawrence, a member of EcoYouth Shetland, added: “We live in an extractivist, consumerist, throw-away society – that culture needs to change.

“We all know about Dunna Chuck Bruck, but if we’re honest with ourselves, we need to get to the root cause of the problem and stop buying bruck in the first place.”


Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart. Photo: Shetland News

Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart has once again reiterated her party’s opposition to the Covid vaccination passport required in Scotland to enter a nightclub, large indoor and outdoor events, as well as for international travel.

Responding to first minister Nicola Sturgeon’s update on Covid measures in parliament earlier this week, Wishart said that getting vaccinated and regular testing were keys to stay safe. She described the vaccination passport scheme as a distraction.

“We are still living with this virus, and we must remain vigilant. There is no silver bullet to defeating Covid-19 but vaccination is a key measure that people can get to protect themselves and others from the worst of this virus,” the MSP said.

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“We know how to disrupt the spread of Covid, and we should not be distracted by the disproportionate Covid ID card scheme. Producing a negative lateral flow test gives a snapshot of your likely Covid status at a moment in time and tells you if you are unwell.”

The rollout of booster vaccinations continues in Shetland. People eligible for a booster vaccine will be contacted by NHS Shetland. More information can be found at: www.coronavirus.shetland.nhs.scot.


ALMOST £15,000 has so far been raised locally for Children in Need, BBC Radio Shetland has confirmed.

Despite last week’s fundraising efforts being hampered by Covid-19 restrictions and a rise in local virus cases, Shetland’s schools still managed to raise thousands of pounds for the BBC’s charity appeal.

Particularly notable efforts came from Baltasound Junior High, Mid Yell Junior High and Sound Primary School in Lerwick, which all managed to raise over £400 on the day, senior producer John Johnston said.

Mossbank Primary School pupils completed competitions and sold merchandise to take in £327 in donations.

The highest single total donated this year has come through the Aith Guizers with bairns dressing up in smaller family groups to visit their neighbours and ask for donations, raising £607.81.

Anyone who has been fundraising for Children In Need this year is encouraged to get in touch with the team at BBC Radio Shetland to add their efforts to Shetland’s grand total. Email radio.shetland@bbc.co.uk


TOWN centre organisation Living Lerwick has received £6,674 in grant funding from the Scotland Loves Local fund to help promote the local loyalty scheme Spend at Da Street.

The organisation’s chairman Steve Mathieson said: “We are delighted that this funding has been approved at the level we requested.

“The fund was 2.5 times oversubscribed so being able to go ahead with everything we planned is great. The support from Lerwick Community Council and Shetland Islands Council has meant we have been able to attract a good sum of external funding to benefit our local businesses and economy.”

The project includes an extension of the Spend at Da Street loyalty scheme where shoppers are rewarded with stamps for purchases and entered into a monthly draw to win vouchers to spend at da Street.

Forty-four town centre businesses take part in the scheme and all contribute to the bumper Christmas prize draw where six customers will win prize packages worth up to £1,745. 

The Shetland Food and Drink also received £5,000 from Scotland Loves Local. Its money will go towards enhancing the organisation’s profile via social media content, biannual newsletters, newly-commissioned film and photography, and branded tables, chairs and covers for using with its new Taste of Shetland trailer.

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