Unst partnership celebrates after winning Highlands and Islands Tourism Award

The partnership of Saxa Vord and the Unst Regeneration Growers Enterprise (URGE) has won one of the prestigious Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards.
Sarah McBurnie of URGE and Saxa Vord owner Debbie Strang were at the Shetland Tourism Association workshop last Tuesday and received congratulations on the short-listing in the Best Supplier Partnership category from VisitScotland chairman Mike Cantley. The winners were announced on Friday.

Ms McBurnie said the partnership, which had developed over the years, went from strength to strength as URGE harvested a kilo of salad leaves each day during the summer season.

She said: “We are delighted to receive the award and it endorses all that we are doing and goes some way to repay all the hardwork and effort that has gone into the project by all URGE members.

“There is a real enthusiasm for all that URGE has achieved over the past few years and people are genuinely interested in what we are doing. If we can grow it here, it can be grown anywhere.”

Ms Strang said: “It was very exciting to see Unst businesses being highlighted amongst the finalists throughout the Highlands and Islands at the ceremony. Together with the Scalloway Hotel, which was a finalist in the “Dining Out Experience” category, we really put Shetland on the map in food and drink terms.”