Brothers ‘lost for words’ over community’s response following blaze

Donations from across Shetland poured in on Saturday to help the two brothers whose house was destroyed by fire.

Brothers Geordie, 68, and Jeemie Halcrow, 71, lost everything in a blaze at their home at Noness, Sandwick, on Friday, 26th October. The community rallied round to help and lauched an appeal for household goods, collected at Sandwick’s Carnegie Hall.

Rosemary Inkster of the community council said the response had been “very good, exactly what we were looking for.” There were now sufficient items for the brothers to set up home again as
pots and pans, furniture, linen, dishes and even a fridge freezer had been donated, she said.
Mrs Inkster added: “People were asking what we needed and there were not many duplicates. People were very kind, we’re really pleased. We all have lots of things we don’t need.”

She thanked the fire service for their help in picking up larger donations, and added that messages of goodwill had come from as far away as New Zealand, thanks to the reach of global media.

The brothers meanwhile are recovering from their ordeal. Geordie is staying with another brother and sister-in-law, while Jeemie is progressing in hospital. They said: “We don’t have words to say how much it means to us”, and thanked everyone for their messages and phone calls.