Also in the news / Bobby bids farewell to Scottish Water, renewable funding, new college branding
A STALWART of Scottish Water’s Shetland team is retiring this week after more than 40 years of public service.
Bobby Fullerton, 64, from Lerwick, joined the water board in 1981 and marked four decades of continuous service at the end of 2021.
Having begun working in the water industry with Shetland Islands Council in 1975, Bobby was lured away to the fishing.
But a dramatic turn of events saw the boat he was on sinking as it headed into Fraserburgh to land fish – and with the crew hiring a boat while waiting for a new one to be built Bobby jumped at the chance to rejoin the water board.
He worked in water operations until 2006 before joining the sampling team, where has worked for the past 16 years.
“It has gone by in a flash,” Fullerton said. “Especially the last few years, which is funny as I thought they might drag due to Covid. “I’ve really enjoyed my time in networks – finding the issue and repairing the water mains was very satisfying.” Bobby said he was looking forward to having more time to spend on life outside work including “a fair bit of DIY” on his family’s nineteenth century house and “running around with the motorcycle club here”.
“I’m going to miss the people that you get to work with for a long time,” he added.
Scottish Water’s Shetland team leader Jim Anderson said Bobby would be a miss around the office and sites: “His great sense of humour and willingness to help anybody and everybody who knocked on his door for yet another ‘quick favour’ will certainly not be forgotten.”
TWO small Shetland organisations are each to benefit from £5,000 in funding from airline Loganair.
The grants will support renewable energy projects being developed by Haroldswick Methodist Church in Unst and the Aith Charity Shop.
It forms part of Loganair’s Greenskies Community Fund, which the airline set up as part of the airline’s professed commitment to achieve “net zero” carbon emissions by 2040.
It has distributed £30,000 across Scotland and plans to launch a further round of funding later this year.
UHI Shetland has unveiled a new visual identity which the institution says is designed to “strengthen engagement with communities and market more effectively through a connected and recognisable brand family.
Professor Jane Lewis, UHI Shetland’s principal, said they were “delighted” to adopt the new identity.
“We hope our community will embrace our new identity as we look to the future and continue to offer even more diverse, flexible and supported learning opportunities from access level to PhD.”
Meanwhile, open days are being held between 4pm-7pm on Monday at the Scalloway Campus and between 4pm-7pm on Tuesday (29 March) at Gremista in Lerwick.
The events are being held for anyone interested, whether they are leaving school, looking to retrain or looking to learn a new skill.
Teaching and vocational training staff will be on hand to discuss options with prospective students.
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