Also in the news 10 September 2026
- Outdoor swap shop returns
- Northmavine produce show
- Skyrora hot fire test
- Carmichael welcomes spaceport funding
- West Bank sanctions welcomed
THE OUTDOOR clothing swap will return this autumn, encouraging folk to donate unwanted winter clothing and waterproofs.
The joint initiative by Shetland Islands Council and RSPB Shetland, now in its third year, will take place on a Saturday this year, rather than a Sunday, following community feedback.
The appeal is now open for donations of warm and waterproof outdoor clothing, including jackets, trousers, all-in-one outdoor suits, hats, gloves, scarves, wellies, boots and other outdoor footwear.
Donations can be dropped off at Kit for All collection points located at Shetland Recreational Trust centres throughout the isles.
All items should be clean, in good condition and suitable for reuse.
This year’s swap shop will take place in the Gilbertson Park Games Hall on Saturday 7 November, from 11am to 2pm. The event is free to attend, and relies on community generosity, with donated items being redistributed to people who can make use of them.
THE FIFTH Northmavine Produce Show was held on Sunday in the Hillswick Hall.
There was a record number of entries with 159, up 22 from last year.
Judges Rosemary and Anne had a tough job judging a fantastic array of vegetables, fruit and floral displays.
There was a new class for 2026 which saw three primary schools, Urafirth, Ollaberry and North Roe, creating a harvest display with produce they had been growing at school.
Ollaberry Primary School were the winners of the Polycrub best school display cup and they also won the G&C Anderson Shield for best exhibit.
NCDC made just over £600 from the homebakes and raffle, which will be split between the three primary schools.
NCDC thanked everyone who took time to put in an entry, provided homebakes and raffle prizes and came along in the afternoon.
A full list of winners can be found on the NCDC website.
A UK company with a licence to launch rockets from SaxaVord Spaceport has recently completed a hot-fire test.
Scottish company Skyrora successfully completed a test of its 3.5kN LEO engine featuring an advanced titanium-coated component.
It said this marked a “significant milestone in the development of next-generation manufacturing technologies for the space sector”.
Skyrora has no contract in place with SaxaVord Spaceport, but does have a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) licence to fire a rocket from the Unst site.
The company’s design and test engineer Jordan McCormick said this had been an “important demonstration” that its rockets could work outside of the laboratory.
MEANWHILE isles MP Alistair Carmichael has welcomed news of a £30 million funding boost from the UK Government for the Saxavord Spaceport.
Carmichael said the development had “not been without its occasional stumbling blocks”.
“It is fair to say, however, that we are closer now than ever before to a first launch – and indeed many others to follow,” he added.
The Liberal Democrat politician said the funding support was “particularly welcome”, and called it a “vote of confidence in Shetland’s leadership role in our country’s growing space industry, and in Saxavord’s ability to clear those final hurdles and reach a first rocket launch in the coming months”.
CARMICHAEL has also welcomed a UK Government ban on imported goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
He said: “Credit where it is due – this is a significant step by the UK government in holding Israel to account for the expansion of illegal settlements in occupied Palestine, and the growing abuses seen around such settlements.
“It is a far stronger change in policy than many expected and could, perhaps, mark a shift in momentum to push Israel to moderate its behaviour.
“The expansion of settlements and of settler violence threaten to undermine the basic viability of the State of Palestine so it is vital that pressure is brought to bear to prevent further ethnic cleansing and restore the path to peace and a two-state solution.”
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