News / In brief for 20 April
Legionnaires’ disease
NHS SHETLAND is working with two other health boards in Scotland to establish the source of a Legionnaires’ disease infection a patient on a work trip to Shetland contracted.
Director of public health Sarah Taylor said there was no cause for concern for other people in the isles, as the health board had no indication that the case had been contracted locally.
The patient is being treated at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Nature festival
THIS year’s Shetland Nature Festival, which runs between 2 and 10 July, will be opened by well-known wildlife film maker Simon King.
The festival has been organised by Shetland Amenity Trust, the RSPB and Scottish Natural Heritage, and will also feature Shetland’s status as a Geopark.
The nine day event will take the form of a number of ‘open days’ in specific areas such as Noss, Sumburgh Head, Eshaness, Unst, Fetlar, Bressay and Lerwick.
In his opening lecture, Mr King will share his secrets for tracking, watching and appreciating Shetland’s wildlife.
For a full list of events planned during the Shetland Nature Festival, visit www.shetlandnaturefestival.co.uk
Young sailors
Forty two young Shetlanders will taste life on the ocean waves this summer as they take part in the sail training experience with placements on seven vessels during this year’s Tall Ships Race.
The lucky candidates will experience life as crew members, undertaking tasks such as watch-keeping, setting sails and other domestic duties with the other trainees onboard the 53 ships from all over the world that will visit Lerwick in July.
Peter Malcolmson, chairman of Sail Training Shetland, said: “It will be a fantastic event giving our trainees a completely unique insight into working closely within a team environment and I’m sure they’ll be fantastic ambassadors for Shetland.”
Each trainee, aged between 15 and 25, will work closely with the crew of their allocated ship, taking part in one of the race legs.
Trainees needed no previous sailing experience to take part and their time on board will be spent being shown the basics of seamanship and working together as a team. They will experience the international exchange of cultures and language and meet lots of new people.
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