Friday 2 October 2026
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Food and drink award, Sharon’s Swapshop and more…

From left to right: event host Fred Sirieix, Nia Hunter, Moira Stalker (Food and Drink Federation Scotland), and Allison Carrington (Skills Development Scotland).

A YOUNG Shetlander is celebrating after securing success at this year’s Scottish Food and Drink Excellence Awards.

Nia Hunter, from Weisdale, won the young talent prize.

She recently completed an apprenticeship with Scatsta Farm’s A&D Hunter.

“It definitely still hasn’t sunk in yet,” Hunter said. “I did not expect to win at all so I am absolutely delighted.”

It is not the first success experienced by Hunter, with the 19-year-old doing well at Lantra Scotland’s Awards for Land-based and Aquaculture Skills earlier this year.


THE POPULAR ‘Sharon’s Swapshop’ is set to return later this year.

The event will take place at the Aith Hall on Sunday 5 November to raise money for CLAN.

The long-running swapshop allows people to pick up clothes and accessories in return for a donation.

It has raised thousands for charities since starting in 2007, but it has not been held in recent years.


THE FUNDING situation of Dogs Against Drugs was raised with Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf in parliament this week.

The matter was raised by Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart, who said the charity was an “important asset” to both the police and the community.

Yousaf said: “If there’s anything more we can do to try to support Dogs Against Drugs then of course we’ll be open to that, within the difficult financial circumstances we’re operating in.”

He also said he believed the charity recently received some additional funding from the government’s Serious Organised Crime Taskforce.


UP HELLY Aa has featured on a list of the most “quirky cultural experiences” in Europe.

It ranked at number 18 on the list which was compiled following a survey of Britons by EasyJet about what experiences are on their ‘quirky cultural bucket list’.

The top ranking experience as the Festival of the Giant Omelette in France.

It appears the organisers of the survey have done some thorough research. They say: “Dating back to the Victorian era, locals transform into Vikings for one evening only.

“Festivities include a parade, and the ceremonial burning of a ship which is then danced around.”

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