Also in the news / Ulsta resurfacing, art director, volunteer recognised and more …
SHETLAND Islands Council will soon begin work to resurface the vehicle marshalling area at Ulsta ferry terminal in Yell.
Works are expected to start on Monday 9 June and could take up to six days, weather permitting.
There will be no car parking available in the areas verging around the access and marshalling lanes of the terminal while work takes place.
Owners of vehicles are asked not to park in these areas while works are under way, and to remove any vehicles belonging to them. Drivers are advised that the loading of vehicles will commence earlier than usual, 10 minutes prior to scheduled ferry departure times.
Traffic marshals will be in attendance to assist with the marshalling of booked and un-booked ferry traffic.
With restricted space available within the marshalling area, drivers of HGVs and other vehicles may be requested to wait and to load the ferry directly from a marshalling point before the bus shelter.
Shetland Islands Council is apologising to drivers and passengers for any inconvenience caused by these essential works.
SHETLAND artist and curator Helen Nisbet has been named as the new director for Glasgow International, Scotland’s biennial contemporary art festival.
Nisbet – who is a non-executive director of Burra artistic social enterprise Gaada – will assume the post from this summer ahead of the festival’s 11th edition in June 2026.
She has most recently been living in London, and said she was “so happy to be coming home to Scotland” to lead the festival.
“I’m excited to work with, and learn from, the festival team and to be amongst the gorgeous light, energy, artists, communities (and even the rain) in Glasgow again,” she said.
“Glasgow International is a critical biennial which represents a diversity of contemporary and cultural practice, and it is a privilege to lead it into its next phase.
“I bring with me a commitment shaped by years of collaboration with artists, organisers, communities, partners and audiences – locally, nationally, and internationally.”
Nisbet was also a judge for the Turner Prize, one of the best-known prizes for the visual arts world, in 2023.
A BRITISH Army veteran from Shetland has been recognised for 30 years of volunteering for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity.
Clive Richardson, 62, served for 12 years until he left the army as corporal in October 1991.
He decided to start volunteering with SSAFA at the end of 1994 as a way to remain connected to the armed forces community while giving back to those who also served.
Richardson attended a training course at the Sumburgh Hotel along with a large contingent from the former RAF Saxa Vord before becoming a SSAFA volunteer.
In the three decades since he has helped countless members of the armed forces family, including serving personnel, veterans and their families.
Richardson said he could recall years of travel to attend training courses for his charity work, and said he was grateful for the introduction of online meetings in the time since.
He said his motivation for continuing to volunteer with the SSAFA came from knowing that some members of the armed forces community “might need a bit of support”.
“Serving, ex-serving personnel and families sometimes need help, through no fault of their own,” he said.
“This can be due to financial difficulties, resettlement issues when returning to civilian life, coping with loss, needing friendship or sometimes just wanting someone to talk to.”
His 30 year milestone comes with the SSAFA Orkney and Shetland branch launching a volunteer recruitment drive.
“We need new volunteers to help us support the local armed forces family,” Richardson said.
“People needn’t come from a military background, and there is always help with navigating new things – either via specialist assistance from the charity, or the rest of the branch. We work together as a team.”
A SHORT film aiming to promote awareness, understanding and support of neurodivergent people in the workplace is to be screened in Shetland next month.
Working Differently will be shown at Brae High School on Thursday 12 June and at Mareel on 13 June.
The film is framed in the context of the film and television industries and is essentially about how workplaces can better support neurodivergence.
The screening at Mareel will feature a storytelling for film hands-on workshop beforehand, from 2.30-5.30pm.
Keiba Clubb will lead the workshop and will guide people through producing their own short film with only their phone. It is described as perfect for either beginners or seasoned film-makers.
There will also be a short pizza break before the screening of Working Differently.
The screening takes place at 5.30pm and will be followed by an interactive panel and audience discussion with the film’s producers.
The film features a series of interviews with entry level crew and established film industry figures, and shows how small adjustments can make the workplace more neuroinclusive.
You can book into the film-making workshop here, or to the Working Differently screening here.
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