Also in the news / Also in the news 12 March 2026
- Opportunity to live and work in Fair Isle
- Willmore becomes youth music festival patron
- Battery powered truck
- Lifeboat donation
- New UHI course
FAIR ISLE owner National Trust for Scotland has announced a rare opportunity to live and work on the island, with a croft and house available to let from late spring.
Applicants with direct experience in crofting and land management are invited to apply.
Those with trade skills, such as electrical expertise to support the island’s renewable energy systems, joinery, or maritime skills, are also encouraged to apply.
Angus Murray, the National Trust for Scotland’s operations manager for Fair Isle, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming new people to the island to become part of the crofting community of Fair Isle.
“We are inviting resourceful and enthusiastic people with the skills, creativity, and care needed to make a success of this unique opportunity.”
Fair Isle Development Company director Eileen Thomson said: “Fair Isle is a beautiful island with a proud and friendly community. Families and hard-working folk will have a chance to thrive here.
“It is not a quiet life or for those seeking seclusion, rather a busy community-based life, but amazing for raising a family and for work-life balance.”
More information can be found here.
NORMAN Willmore has been announced as the patron of this year’s Shetland Youth Music Festival.
The saxophonist said the “celebration of youth music in Shetland through the music festival was a vital part of my musical up bringing”.
“Being encouraged to play with others and in front of audiences at a young age helped me to get where I am today,” he added.
“Whilst competition and music have a complicated relationship, I personally found it valuable, encouraging and exciting to come back with a certificate to recognise my achievements from the music festival when I was at school.
“It’s a great thing to celebrate young people taking extra time outside of school to also learn and practise an instrument and play music with their friends and neighbours at every level.”
This year’s Shetland Youth Music Festival will take place 16 to 19 March.
DFDS has introduced what is described as the first battery-powered heavy-duty truck working in Shetland.
The Volvo FM Electric 4×2 tractor unit is is one of 10 electric trucks DFDS now operates across the UK and Ireland, supporting the ferry and logistics company’s ambition to reduce the environmental impact of its commercial vehicle fleet.
The truck offers a range of approximately 300 km which is “more than enough for DFDS’s local operational needs”, the company said.
It charges at the DFDS depot in Lerwick and at customer sites across the islands.
DFDS added that recent infrastructure investment has added strategically positioned charging hubs throughout Shetland.
Operations manager Bryan Hepburn said: “The early signs are very positive. This deployment shows that electric trucks really can work anywhere and are ready to deliver time sensitive goods in pristine condition, even in places with harsh climates, where reliability matters more than anything else.”
THE CREW of the Aith lifeboat have welcomed a donation of thermal imaging binoculars from a philanthropic foundation with Shetland connections.
The new high-tech binoculars – provided by the Skipasund Foundation – will allow the volunteer RNLI crew based in Aith to further improve their search and rescue capabilities, and matches a donation made to the RNLI’s Lerwick lifeboat station in 2024.
Aith lifeboat Nathan Mann said: “The increased capability of these binoculars will help us to find folk faster in the water or along the coastline, in situations when every second can count.
“As an independent charity, less than one per cent of the RNLI’s funding comes from government – and so we rely on the kindness of our donators and supporters to keep lifeboats maintained and volunteer crews well equipped.”
UHI Shetland has launched a new CertHE Introduction to marine biology, environmental science and sustainability course.
The course is designed for school leavers, adult learners, and students seeking accelerated progression to university in environmental, marine, and renewable science disciplines.
Head of marine sciences at UHI Shetland Stuart Fitzsimmons said “We are delighted to be able to launch this course; one that deeply ingrained in our Shetland landscape.
“This field-intensive course set in Shetland’s world-class natural laboratory, will offer practical skills, scientific knowledge, and pathways to university and environmental careers.”
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