North Mainland Notes 20.02.09

Let’s go to the hop

Hop day in Northmavine will begin with a day of food and music in the North Roe and Lochend hall. The fun begins at 1pm and will continue until 8pm. The bar will then close and a bus will leave North Roe at 8.30pm for the evening hop in the Sullom Hall. Doors open at 9pm at Sullom and music will be provided by The Vinyls. Folk can pay at the door. Andrea and Paul have lined up a day of live music to help celebrate the Northmavine hop at St Magnus Bay Hotel. Buses will also be available to transport people to Sullom in the evening.

Open night at Voxter

Winter weather meant the recent planned open evening and annual general meeting at the Voxter centre was postponed. Organisers have now rescheduled, and it will be held on Thursday night at 7.30pm. People wishing to join the committee would be made most welcome and folk are encouraged to go along to find out more about the centre and the facilities on offer.

A recent conversation with Jim Nicolson, a founding committee member, revealed that it is now 28 years since the late Fraser Peterson first came up with the idea of creating overnight facilities at Voxter house.

The centre is available to hire to any group with a minimum of six folk. The charges are very reasonable at £10 per night per person and all you need to bring is your food and a sleeping bag or bedding. Two rooms have en-suite facilities and in addition to the one six bed and two four bed rooms there is sleeping accommodation on the ground floor with disabled access. The centre would make an ideal base for community groups, family gatherings or a group of friends getting together for an overnight trip.

New number for Maureen

If, like me, you’ve been trying to phone Maureen Stewart at the community work office on the 522417 number, you’ll have had little success. The office at Brae has now moved to Internet Telephony Phones (IP) and, as a result, Maureen and Lara can now be reached on a Lerwick exchange number.

Don’t worry, they’re still at the office at 4 Havragord, but the number for Maureen is now (01595) 743968. Lara can be reached on (01595) 743969. There are a number of technical and financial reasons why this new IP system is the best way forward for the Brae office.

Brae theft

Folk in Brae are encouraged to lock doors and outbuildings after a recent theft in the area. Uninvited guests entered a garage at a private home in the area and stole a crash helmet along with a case of beer. The occupants of the house can live without the beer, but would like to see the crash helmet returned. The helmet is silver with distinctive black markings and the person or persons who removed it are asked to return it to the owner.

Refurbishment plans at Roe

The Muckle Roe Hall is planning a big year of fundraising events for 2009. A number of improvements are planned to make the hall a more comfortable and inviting venue for the community.

Initially the committee hope to install a wind turbine to improve heating and water facilities and they are working with Community Energy Scotland on a Wind2Heat project at the moment. As well as this they are looking into the possibility of new kitchen equipment, seats, music system and improving the amount of available storage space.

A number of events are planned, and the committee are really hoping for community support and a good turn out at events to help them with fund raising. The year gets going with an informal music session and family night in the hall on the 7th March at 7.30pm. Folk are invited to bring an instrument and go along for a pre Up-Helly-A’ bash. Watch this space for other forthcoming events and news.

Ollaberry shop service

Thanks to prompt action by Emma Perring at ZetTrans and the co-operation of transport operators in Northmavine, the Northmaven Community Council has been able to organise additional bus services to help folk access the Ollaberry shop now that Hillswick has sadly closed. Details of the service, which is now in place, are listed below. As the service is dial-a-ride, and anyone wishing to use the buses is asked to telephone ZetTrans on (01595) 745745 to book a place, by 4.30pm the previous day.

Eshaness as far as the Wirlie – Shopper service to Ollaberry shop Tuesday and Friday mornings at 9.30am. Operated by Martin Mowat.

Heylor/Urafirth – Shopper service to Ollaberry shop Friday afternoons at 1.30pm. Operated by Martin Mowat.

Hillswick/Urafirth – Shopper service to Ollaberry shop Tuesday and Thursday at 10.30am. Operated by Johnson Transport.

Good luck to Nort guizers

Good luck to Northmavine Up-Helly-A’ jarl Ivan Goodlad and his band o’ hairy Vikings and best wishes to all the squads taking part. I hope you all have a great weekend. Lang may your torches reek!

Anyone wishing to take part in the guizers return at the North Roe and Lochend Hall on Saturday 28th February can purchase tickets from Up-Helly-A’ committee member, Derek Robertson.

Pots to post

School cook Gilda Williamson, of Brae, recently left the pots and pans behind her at Urafirth Primary School for a complete career change. She is now up to her elbows in letters and parcels as the new post mistress at Brae Post Office. Pictured here with her are all but one of the pupils from Urafirth Primary with the book of portraits they drew of her, in case she ever needs a reminder of how she looked in checks and stripes.

Maree Hay