Ideal Homes Show pulls in the crowds

Crowds of shoppers flooded through the Clickimin today for The Ideal Homes Show.

From wardrobes to heating systems, settees to candles, a huge array of products and services from local businesses was on display across three halls of the leisure centre.

The event is the Rotary Club of Shetland’s biggest show, with 2,300 visitors in 2013 and raising about £15,000 for the club’s charity fund.

Club member Andrew Archer said it was another busy day today, the second day of the event.

A third of the exhibitors were new to to the show, he said and “there’s everything from renewable energy to speaker systems”.

“There’s lots to see; everything from building your house, through to furnishing it and enjoying everything in it.”

Money raised from the event goes to a host of good causes, including local groups, senior citizen’s christmas lunches and international relief projects.

The biggest benefactor this weekend is charity Friends of the Neuro Ward – ARI.

The charity, which originated in Orkney, raises money to help those affected by a brain trauma on the neuro ward at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

In just more than two years, the charity has raised £120,000 for improvements on the ward.

Its next project is to raise £1 million to buy an intra-operative MRI scanner – the only one in Scotland to help achieve better results during brain tumour surgery.

Looking back to 2013, Mr Archer said: “If we can get anywhere near that again that would be fantastic.”

The show continues tomorrow between 10am and 4pm.