Looking back on the week: resilience, transport and community heroes
TWO elements of island life – transport and resilience – were among the big stories in the news over the last week.
The week began with Lerwick supermarket Tesco still closed to customers after a power cut the day prior appeared to have knocked-out its wifi system.
It was another non-weather related power cut in Shetland, and another example of the islands’ at-times fragile resilience, with contactless payments only returning to the supermarket some days later.
Transport was also in the headlines, with Loganair putting the ball in the government’s court when it comes to the apparent financial shortfall on its Sumburgh-Kirkwall-Inverness route and whether a fuller service could resume from October.
VisitScotland’s island development manager Steve Mathieson also called for a solution that “suits residents, visitors and the airline”.
Elsewhere in transport Shetland Islands Council’s (SIC) political leader and chief executive headed to Edinburgh to inform a wide range of MSPs about its tunnel aspirations and inter-island connectivity picture ahead of a crucial decision-making council meeting at the end of the June.
We also ran a piece from journalism student Maddison Reynolds on what young people felt about the recent election and local politics.
During the week we also reported on how options could be explored for the long-term future of Yell’s Burravoe Primary School, while more than £330,000 was spent with SIC credit cards during the last financial year.
In business, we ran stories on support for a campaign to reduce hospitality VAT, while the dairy spoke out in praise of a local shop’s move to cut the cost of milk for customers.
There were plenty of community tales too, not least long-serving Samaritans volunteer Edith Leask receiving a British Empire Medal (BEM) in the King’s birthday honours list.
‘Making a difference in a quiet way’ – Samaritan Edith Leask recognised in King’s honours
Westside fundraiser Sharon Deyell was also selected as Shetland’s ‘local hero’ by MSP Hannah Mary Goodlad and will attend the opening of the next Scottish Parliament term in Edinburgh later this month.
A fundraising family will scale Ben Nevis in memory of the late Amy Arthur in July, while the Delting Women’s Football Club will walk the walk the equivalent distance between the Brae football pitch and the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, which will host the 2026 World Cup final next month.
We also reported on the planned fundraising exploits of Wendy Hand, who will skydive later this year – but she said jumping out of a plane is “nothing” compared to her best friend’s cancer treatment.
And a big well done must go to the many young people who received Saltire awards for volunteering.
Elsewhere, we also revealed how Shetland News will now begin hosting the Sheeks Aboot Shetland podcast, which is run by Pete Bevington and Jane Moncrieff.
Yesterday two community events nabbed the spotlight – firstly the Aith lifeboat gala day, which saw an impressive amount of jarl squads join in on the fun.
There was also the Shetland Pride parade, which brought colour to the streets of Lerwick.
For the headline of the piece on our website we highlighted how hundreds of folk had turned out to “celebrate diversity and tolerance”; a message worth reflecting on amid the numerous comments which crossed the line on our Facebook post which we had to remove.
Our reporter Ryan Nicolson has also headed Stateside for the World Cup, and although it is for some well deserved personal downtime, he sent over some videos from Scotland v Haiti game – head over to our Facebook page for a look at what was an electric atmosphere in Boston.
Thanks for all your support this week, with Shetland News continuing to provide news and views free of charge. Remember that if you like what we do and feel able to, you can become a supporter here: https://account.shetnews.co.uk/register/
More stories from the week:
• Changes to coastguard volunteer payments could have ‘serious implications’, councillor warns
• UHI looking at ways to redevelop Scalloway lecture theatre
• Every health centre to close for World Cup bank holiday
• Majority back hockey pitch move to Lerwick, SIC says
• Shetland shines on the European strength stage
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