Also in the news 28 August
- More decommissioning footage
- Animal welfare charity shop launches
- Quarff hall future secured
- Vessel raises eyebrows
- Local link to fired armed forces newspaper editor
- Business support for football coach highlighted
- Swan receives immersion suit donations
A NEW video has been released showing the removal of the North Cormorant platform topsides and their load-in at Dales Voe in Lerwick.
Weighing more than 17,000 tonnes, the topsides were removed in a single lift by Allseas’ Pioneering Spirit before being transported to Dales Voe at the weekend for decommissioning.
Operator TAQA said at least 97 per cent of the materials will be recycled.
The Northern North Sea platform achieved first oil in February 1982 and went on to produce more than 467 million barrels of oil over more than four decades of operations.
TAQA UK managing director Sandy Hutchison said: “The safe removal and delivery of the North Cormorant topsides is a significant achievement and marks the completion of a major phase in the decommissioning of an asset that has been an important part of the UK North Sea for more than four decades.”
“THE GREATNESS of a nation is judged by the way it treats its animals,” Shetland Vets founder Jim Nicolson said, quoting Ghandi, as he opened the new Shetland Animal Welfare charity shop for donations and volunteers in Lerwick on Thursday.
“I think if we treat our animals humanely then we are in for a good future, but without that then things look a bit desperate,” he added.
After cutting a ribbon to mark the opening of the premises in the Toll Clock Shopping Centre while surrounded by a dozen supporters, the retired vet said Shetland needed funding for animal welfare in the wake of the Scottish SPCA pulling its inspectors out of Scotland’s islands in an effort to save the national animal welfare charity money.
“I think it’s a real shame, because they did fulfil a vital role here, with wildlife especially,” he said.
He also talked fondly of Jan Bevington, who four decades ago founded Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary, which is behind the new charity shop.
“I know how passionate Jan was about wildlife and it came very much from the heart. She felt it was her calling to help wildlife and she has left a great legacy.
“I think she would be very pleased to know that we are carrying something on to help ensure a future for wildlife in Shetland.”
THE FUTURE of the Quarff public hall has been secured after a strong response from the local community saw a new committee formed at last week’s extraordinary general meeting.
The hall had reached a critical point earlier this year when its AGM could not go ahead because there were not enough members present to form a quorum.
With several long-serving committee members stepping down, the hall faced the possibility of being mothballed unless new volunteers came forward.
That appeal has now been answered, with a new committee formed at the EGM.
Amanda Inkster, a member of the committee, said: “Thank you to all that came to the EGM last week we now have a robust new committee to keep the hall going for many years to come.”
The hall will open its doors this weekend for the new committee to have a tour and get familiar with the building.
Following the tour, everyone is invited to come along for a bar and games night on Saturday (29 August) from 6.30pm to 9pm.
A FRENCH intelligence ship with no identification, berthed at Morrison Dock, raised a few eyebrows around Lerwick Harbour this week.
The FS Dupuy de Lôme is a floating listening post that picks up radio signals and communications and likely spends a great deal of its time in the area hoovering up Russian signals.
It comes amid recent suggestions about heightened intelligence gathering activities in the waters off Shetland, and increased strategic importance of what is known as the Greenland-Iceland-UK Gap (GIUK Gap).
THE EDITOR of the US armed forces newspaper Stars and Stripes who has been in the headlines for being fired by the American government has a Shetland connection.
Erik Slavin lost his job after saying in an interview that hypothetical censorship would be a “red line”.
However prior to this the newspaper reported on conditions on board American aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Persian Gulf.
Thirty years ago he spent some weeks as an intern on the newly-founded Shetland News online news website.
Dr Jonathan Wills, who founded Shetland News with Graeme Storey in 1995, said: “He was at college in Florida when he heard about Shetland News, which was one of the first local online daily newspapers in the World.
“He made his way to Shetland in the summer of 1996 and asked if he could help, so he worked as our intern for a while. I think Erik found Shetland a bit of a shock after Florida.
“He later worked for Stars and Stripes in Japan, Germany and elsewhere. I thought he would go far and I’m very proud of him for defending the principle of honest, independent journalism. I doubt if he’ll be out of a job for long.”
BUSINESS Gateway has highlighted the growth of a football coaching business run by Jack Clubb which has involved more than 100 players since launching less than a year ago.
Business Gateway Shetland said it worked with Clubb on his business plan and marketing, and signposted him towards a start-up funding of £4,000 through Shetland Islands Council.
The grant allowed him to purchase a range of professional training kit and IT equipment to support him with business planning, as well as allowing him to build a following on social media to promote and grow his business.
Clubb said: “Starting my coaching business was an exciting step, but like many new entrepreneurs, I wasn’t entirely sure where to begin when it came to building a sustainable business.
“The support I received from Business Gateway was invaluable.”
Business Gateway manager Kirsten Scott said: “Through Business Gateway, we were able to provide tailored support around business planning and marketing, helping him establish a clear direction for growth and reach his target audience.”
THE SWAN Trust recently took delivery of new industry standard immersion suits, thanks to sponsorship from Boskalis Westminster Ltd.
The company has been working in Shetland to undertake harbour dredging for Lerwick Port Authority.
The immersion suits, which are required by industry regulations to be provided to passengers when water temperatures are less than 10°C, have been supplied by LHD and printed with the Boskalis Westminster logo.
Swan Trust chair Mary Irvine said: “As a small charity working in an industry with very tight safety regulations, it is always a challenge for us to raise funds to purchase expensive equipment.
“Safety is our top priority for all passengers and crew and we are very grateful to Boskalis Westminster for their very kind assistance with this.”
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