Also in the news / Peerie Peeps, Tall Ships and NHS appointments and more…
THE SHETLAND Family Centre is now offering free courses for parents with a baby or young child to learn more about child development.
The ‘Peerie Peeps’ programme offers an opportunity for parents to further their understanding of children’s personal, social and emotional development.
Parents and children attend Peerie Peeps sessions together, to enjoy songs, stories, crafts and play activities which help to strengthen relationships and develop children’s listening and talking skills.
Blocks of classes run throughout the year and those who complete the Peerie Peeps classes can continue to Peerie Peeps Plus, where parents can work towards a qualification.
Kate Hall was the first parent in Shetland to complete the Peerie Peeps Plus classes having recently attended with two of her sons.
She said: “Peerie Peeps is amazing – it brought me confidence in my parenting and you meet such lovely people.”
For further information contact the Shetland Family Centre in Lerwick on 01595 745400 or email shetlandfamilycentre@shetland.gov.uk.
SHETLAND Tall Ships has appointed retired police officer Martyn Brill as chief liaison officer for the races’ visit to Lerwick next summer.
Brill, who has lived and worked in Shetland for more than a decade and a half, will oversee the recruitment and support of the team of liaison officers who will be the dedicated point of contact for each of the tall ships due to visit in July 2023.
He spent 15 years working for the police in Shetland before retiring from his inspector’s role in 2021.
“My passion for involvement in maritime activities has developed further while living in Shetland and this role gives me the perfect opportunity to combine my skill sets with my hobby,” Brill said.
DR SUSAN Laidlaw has been appointed as NHS Shetland’s director of public health on a permanent basis.
She had been in the role as an interim measure after Susan Webb stepped down in 2021.
A “SMALL number” of monkeypox vaccines have been given out so far in Shetland, according to the health board.
Monkeypox is a rare infection most commonly found in west or central Africa. There has recently been an increase in cases in the UK, but the risk of catching it is low.
The NHS is offering smallpox vaccination to people who are most likely to be exposed to monkeypox.
NHS Shetland’s director of public health Dr Susan Laidlaw said: “We are identifying people in Shetland who are eligible for the smallpox vaccine in order to protect against monkeypox.
“Those eligible are being offered the vaccine and a small number of doses have been given so far.”
More information can be found on the NHS website.
THE PRINCIPAL vice-chancellor of the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) will step down from his position early next year.
Professor Todd Walker joined UHI in 2021 but had to work remotely from Australia for the first few months due to COVID travel restrictions.
“This has been one of the hardest professional decisions I have had to make, but in the end has been prompted by family and personal reasons,” he said.
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