North Mainland Notes 15.05.09

Maths fun day at Brae

Last Thursday, most of the 39 primary seven pupils from the North Mainland who will move to Brae School in August, met up at the Brae Hall to get to know each other and experience the fun of maths.

Staff had organised a series of challenges with a mathematical theme and there was four rounds during the day. Round one began with a team round where pupils had to work as a team to solve the booklet of puzzles.

A practical round followed where bairns moved around the hall solving anagram puzzles, countdown challenges, jigsaws, problem solving money issues and a whole lot more.

Round three was the model round. Everyone made paper aeroplanes from paper and straws then launched them to see if their feats of engineering had been successful and the planes were able to fly.

The final round of the day was a fast and furious round where pupils were encouraged to run around the hall solving questions and gaining as many points as possible.

Judging from the comments at the end of the day, it was a really enjoyable experience. Everyone had very positive comments and one pupil said: “I really enjoyed myself and it was good to meet new friends.” Another said the day was “challenging but really good fun”.

Everyone who took part received a certificate and the top three teams received prizes for their efforts.

Staff at Brae High School would like to thank the Maths Association for funding towards the cost of expenses. They would also like to say thanks to everyone who helped to organise the event and to Johnson Transport for providing transport for all the bairns.

Road grant deadline

Delting Community Council would like to remind folk in the Delting area that the closing date for the return of applications for unadopted or peat roads is Monday, 25th May.

For anyone who has not yet made the transition to the metric system and only has the measurement of the road length in yards, fear not – the clerk has a conversion table and is happy to convert your yards to metres upon application of the form.

Splinters reminder

Organisers of Splinters youth drama group would like to remind members that a meeting will take place in the Brae Youth Centre on Sunday to finalise casting decisions for this year’s pantomime.

Primary members will meet from 1pm to 2.30pm and secondary members from 2.30pm to 4.30pm.

Members of the cast currently on the Brae school French trip should not panic about missing the meeting. Mike and Di are aware which folk are away and will see everyone in Brae Youth Centre for the final day on 31st May.

Times for this meeting are the same as those held this Sunday.

Brae toddlers meet in Roe

During the Brae High School exam period, the toddler group have decanted from their base at Brae Youth Centre and will meet in Muckle Roe hall each Thursday from 10am to 12.30pm until 4th June.

The annual Trondra farm trip will take place on 11th June and the group will move back to the Brae Youth Centre the following week. The organisers would like to remind folk that they would welcome all babies, bairns and their carers.

Ollaberry teas

The highly-regarded Ollaberry teas will be available this Sunday from 3pm to 6pm. The event will also include a raffle and a sales table, so there will be an opportunity to purchase a few tab-nabs to take home for supper.

Minibus tasters

A recent conversation with Maureen Stewart, community learning and development officer for North Mainland and Whalsay, revealed that a number of free community minibus taster sessions will be run in late May and early June.

Shetland Islands Council is keen to encourage more folk to be able to drive the community minibuses, as this would enable groups to have cheaper and more convenient transport for their community activities.

Minibuses can be hired for 77p per mile and this is calculated on the departure point and venue distance, meaning travel distances from the community office departure point are not included.

In addition to holding a full driving licence which should have a D1 entitlement, proposed drivers should be over 21 and need to complete a MiDAS test, hence the taster sessions.

Sessions will take place on Saturday, 30th May in Lerwick at 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm.

Three further sessions will be held on Tuesday, 9th June at 5pm, 6pm and 7pm. For bookings or further information call 01595 745301.

North Roe plant sale

The recent spell of good weather has resulted in a wealth of work going on in gardens.

Anyone with a few gaps in those borders should go along to the North Roe and Lochend hall tomorrow night for the annual plant sale. The sale begins at 7pm with all proceeds going towards hall funds.

Northmavine road grants

Northmavine Community Council is now inviting grant applications for unadopted and peat roads and request that all grant forms are returned by Friday, 26th June.

Application forms are available from the clerk’s office at Greenbrae, South Collafirth, Ollaberry. Telephone (01806) 544222 or e-mail northmavencc@yahoo.co.uk

Fire officers in the saddle

Most of us are familiar with the names Loch Rannoch and Schiehallion in connection with the oil industry, but as many folk will be aware, they are in fact also areas of Scotland in stunning Perthshire.

Four fire officers from Scatsta Airport will be very familiar with this area after John Gold and Mark Webb of Brae, Derek Edwardson of Muckle Roe and Mark Moncrieff of Lerwick take part in the MacMillan Cancer Support Etape Caledonia cycle challenge on Sunday.

A total of 3,500 cyclists have signed up for Etape Caledonia, Scotland’s only closed road cycle challenge, which begins and ends in Pitlochry and winds through an 81-mile course.

The route will take in Lochs Tummel and Rannoch in the areas of Atholl and Breadalbane and includes a total ascent of 1,949 metres as cyclists ascend the Schiehallion Climb, among others.

Although John, Derek and both Marks are regular cyclists, they have undertaken additional training sessions in the lead up to the event.

John regularly cycles from Brae to work at Scatsta via the Lang Kames to join up with Mark Moncrieff who cycles to work at Scatsta from Lerwick.

Each cyclist has increased their daily mileage over the past few weeks to ensure they are ready for the event.

All four are looking forward to the challenges the Etape Caledonia will provide and would like to thank those people that have already supported them by donating to Macmillan Cancer Support.

Anyone else who would like to sponsor them can fill in their individual sponsor sheets and, in addition, John Gold has a just giving site www.justgiving.com/johngold1

Maree Hay