Also in the news / Theatre project returns, young people celebrated, Belmont House sale and more…
THE ALICE Theatre Project is set to return to the Garrison Theatre on Sunday 26 June with its student show Happily Ever After.
Since January the company of 50 ALICE Students aged from four to 12 years old have been devising their new show.
Happily Ever After will take the audience on a “journey through the children’s imagination as they turn traditional fairytales upside down and inside out”.
Live music is being provided by ALICE junior support worker and Shetland’s Got Talent winner, Amber Thomson and all the costumes, set, characters and plays have been entirely created and devised by the students – with support from the team of staff and volunteers.
ALICE Theatre Project is a community interest company which delivers creative theatre classes in Shetland.
Director Stephenie Pagulayan said: “We’ve faced our fair share of challenges over the past two years, including almost closing our doors completely back in October last year as the pandemic took its toll on our business operations. Since then, thanks to the support of some amazing people, we haven’t looked back.”
Tickets for Happily Ever After are available now in person at Mareel or online here.
FOUR S4 pupils recently travelled to Perth to represent Brae High School at the national Youth Philanthropy Initiative (YPI) event.
Hannah Williamson, Clair Smith, Caelan Leask and Hansen Wood were successful in securing a £3,000 YPI grant for the Compass Centre in Lerwick in March.
As a result they were invited to represent their school at the YPI event.
Scottish-based charity The Wood Foundation, which supports YPI, invited 1,000 pupils and teachers from across Scotland to recognise the achievements of young people, partners and charities engaged with YPI.
Williamson commented: “It was amazing to see how all the people our age had done great things for themselves and for other people. Some of the information about problems in Scotland was shocking and really made you think.
“I would advise any young person to get involved in YPI as you learn a lot and your confidence can grow.”
The four pupils were accompanied by principal teacher Valerie Watt and ASN teacher Emma Nicolson.
Watt commented: “What a fantastic celebration of young people and what they can achieve.
“It was so refreshing to see young people being inspired by their peers to do what they can to have a positive impact in their local community.”
BELMONT House in Unst has now changed hands, with the new owners having moved to Unst at the weekend.
The historic house was offered for sale by the Belmont Trust, a registered charity, which was set up in 1992 to save and restore the building.
Trust chair Mike Finnie said: “We are delighted that new owners are making Belmont House their family home, and also will be continuing to run the property as a holiday and event venue.
“Over the past 25 years our volunteer trustees have put in an enormous amount of work in the restoration and then successful running of Belmont House.
“We are very grateful for the support of the many folk in Unst and Shetland who have contributed to making Belmont a success. The Belmont Trust has achieved its aim of restoring the house for future generations.
“We accepted the most advantageous bid, and now intend to wind up the charity with remaining funds to be dispersed in line with our charitable purpose. We will announce details of this in due course”.
PEOPLE are invited for free hot rolls and hot drinks at The Compass Centre on Sunday 3 July as part of Shetland Pride weekend.
The event will take place between 10.30am and 1.30pm, partly to recognise the charity’s wider work to become a more inclusive and accessible service to all.
At this family-friendly event, people will be able to meet staff, trustees and volunteers, chance their luck at a self-care themed tombola, have a look around the centre and even take part in some pride-themed face painting.
Staff and volunteers from the centre – formerly called Shetland Rape Crisis – will also host an information stand at the Pride village in the Gilbertson Park on Saturday 2 July.
Service manager Lisa Ward said: “At The Compass Centre, we provide inclusive support to all non-abusive survivors of sexual violence.
“Whatever your gender, your sexuality, your pronouns or your experience, you are welcome here and we’d love to see lots of folk of all backgrounds join us for a hot roll and a hot drink at the centre on Sunday 3rd.”
PEOPLE with an interest in aquaculture are being asked to take part in a new survey.
The Aberdeen University survey, which is funded by Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC), is called Social licence to operate for finfish aquaculture in Shetland: investigating stakeholder perceptions using Q-method.
It can be found here.
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