Also in the news 11 September 2026
- Community cuts grass at Scalloway pool
- Recruitment agencies could help fill health vacancies
- Viking Genes talks
- Inter-island ferry bookings open
THE GROUNDS of the Scalloway Pool are now a bit easier on the eye after a community grasscutting effort this afternoon.
The grass had not been cut at the site since the pool closed to the public at the end of March.
Owner Shetland Recreational Trust (SRT) stopped its grasscutting contract there after the pool closed.
Campaigners said they did not hear back from the trust about cutting the grass themselves, but went ahead with it anyway.
A statement from the group said that they hope the SRT “feels embarrassed that a group of senior citizens, grandparents and parents have so much pride in their village that they have eventually decided to clear it up themselves”.
NHS Shetland could look to use recruitment agencies to help it find substantive staff.
A meeting of Shetland’s integration joint board (IJB) audit committee heard on Thursday that the number of GP vacancies has increased recently.
IJB chief finance officer Karl Williamson said it has “become very challenging again to staff this service”.
A report to members said a number of clinical vacancies have been advertised repeatedly, with some posts reaching a fifth recruitment campaign without attracting suitable applicants.
Williamson said recruitment agencies would come with a “finder’s fee”, “but in the longer term that’s cheaper than continually employing locums”.
VIKING Genes Shetland is hosting a series of public talks next week.
The events will give islanders the chance to learn how Shetland’s unique genetic heritage is shaping life‑changing research and preventative healthcare.
Led by Professor Jim Flett Wilson, the presentations will explore why certain inherited conditions are more common in Shetland, how early genetic screening can save lives, and what the Shetland Community Screening Project means for future generations.
Details of the events, which are open to all, are as follow:
• Scalloway – Wednesday 16 September, 7.30pm Auditorium, UHI Shetland, Scalloway Campus Public presentation. To secure a place, visit the Viking Genes Facebook page for the booking link or email viking@ed.ac.uk. A limited number of seats will also be available on the night.
• Whalsay – Thursday 17 September, from 6pm Symbister Public Hall. Public presentation + Q&A. Tea and coffee served afterwards. Details will be shared on the Viking Genes Facebook page and local community channels.
In addition, a Viking Genes Shetland networking event will take place in Lerwick on Friday evening. This session is by invitation only for supporters, fundraisers, businesses and key stakeholders of the project.
Professor Jim Flett Wilson said the events were a “great chance to explain why Viking Genes findings are so important for Shetland, as well as to update the public on our future plans”.
BOOKINGS on the council’s inter-island ferry service are now open from 5 October until 30 April next year.
Bookings can be made online or by calling 01595 745804.
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