Bluemull Sound down to a single vessel tomorrow amid ‘extensive’ ferry repairs 

The SIC has announced the Bluemull Sound service will be down to a single vessel tomorrow (Thursday).

Drunk driver who left injured passenger lying on roadside ordered to pay out over £6,000

A drunken and disqualified driver who left his injured passenger lying on the roadside after a crash has been ordered to pay out more than £6,000.

Fifteenth Wool Week set to begin

The countdown to Shetland Amenity Trust’s annual Shetland Wool Week festival has begun.

Wool Week kicks off on Sunday 29th September, which is now in its 15th year.

The festival has grown to become one of Shetland’s largest annual events, attracting visitors from around the world who gather to celebrate Shetland wool, heritage, and craftsmanship through a rich programme of workshops, tours, classes, and cultural events.

Amenity Trust chief executive Hazel Sutherland said the great growth of the event was a “reflection of the community energy and commitment,” to the event.

“This year we are honoured to have the Doull family as SWW patrons and we are looking forward to celebrating their dedication to the Flock Book and commitment to high-quality wool,” Ms Sutherland said.

“A special film, produced by Liz Musser and JJ Jamieson will be premiered at a live-streamed event on Monday evening.

“The family will also host a lively ‘Sheep House Social’ at their Islesburgh Farm, featuring traditional Shetland music, food, fleeces and lots of fun.”

She added that the event curator Donna Smith, had pulled together an extensive and diverse programme for this year’s festival.

Visitors and locals can look forward to classes led by both local and visiting tutors in Fair Isle knitting, lace, spinning, weaving, dyeing, and machine knitting.

Alongside the traditional favourites, organisers have introduced new classes such as crochet, tapestry, knitwear repair, felted wool, tablet weaving, and hat anatomy.

The Shetland Wool Week Hub, located in the Shetland Museum, will serve as the central gathering point for attendees, where they can purchase the highly anticipated Shetland Wool Week Annual.

Tickets are still available for a number of classes and events and there are plenty of drop-in sessions, talks and exhibitions open to all. Visit the Shetland Wool Week Box Office to find out more.

Cruel fraudster who duped Shetland pensioner out of £80k is jailed for more than 13 years

A despicable fraudster who duped an elderly Shetland woman out of more than £80,000 as part of a Scotland-wide scam has been jailed for 13-and-a-half-years today (Tuesday).

Report finds Viking Energy was ‘missed opportunity’ and pushes case for greater community benefit

A transition to clean energy can only be just if the community receives a “fair share of the value” of local resources.

This is what an independent body will tell the government as it launches its report in Mareel today.

The Just Transition Commission will unveil findings of its report in Lerwick today before recommending the Scottish government ensure communities to have a share in renewables developments.

It said this could “super-charge the creation of community wealth.” 

The report also notes that the Viking Energy windfarm had been a “missed opportunity”.

Co-author, Voar director Tom Wills, said: “Shetland’s strong winds, prime development sites and capable workforce make the islands an attractive location for new energy projects.

“Locals are, however, concerned that while further large-scale development seems guaranteed, a fair share for the community is not. 

“Despite hosting oil and gas terminals and the UK’s most productive onshore windfarm, Shetland suffers from high inequality and fuel poverty.

“More jobs and economic activity won’t fix this, because Shetland already has low unemployment and relies on fly-in workers.

“A fair energy transition fair means retaining a fair share of resource value. Our research has explored the opportunities and barriers to greater community ownership, participation and benefit from energy projects.

“As new energy developments accelerate, we have found that government at all levels – UK, Scottish and local – could be doing more to ensure communities are not left behind.”

The commission says communities like Shetland face barriers when seeking to ensure revenues are more equitably shared.

It has called on bodies such as Scotland’s development bank, the Scottish National Investment Bank, and the recently announced GB Energy, to take on the job of supporting communities and local authorities who have the ambition of benefitting from new energy projects.

Among the key findings of the report, it was found that the scale of coming development is unlikely to be considered just, unless the community receives a fair share of the value of local resources.

The commission’s remit is to scrutinise the development of just transition plans led by the Scottish government, advise on the best approach to monitoring and evaluation of just transition and engage with people most likely to be impacted by the transition.