News round-up / Turriefield shortlisted, success for young musicians, Althing debate, voting reminder, Fishermen’s Mission calendar
TRANSITION Turriefield has been named as one of the finalists in the food and farming category of this year’s Nature of Scotland awards, run by the RSPB.
The Sandness-based business, led by Alan and Penny Robertson, grows and promotes fresh local food for a more sustainable future.
Turriefield are the only local initiative recognised in this year’s awards shortlist.
At total of 44 entries have been shortlisted across nine categories. The winners will be announced during an awards ceremony event in Edinburgh on 4 December.
The full shortlist can be found online.
SHETLAND’s young traditional musicians have returned with a bag full of awards from the 70th Perth Accordion & Fiddle Festival, which was held last weekend.
- Jayden Moore (11), from Lerwick, won the under-12 fiddle solo competition, while Maisy Nicolson (9), Brae, and Rowan Freshwater (11), Mossbank, were joint 3rd;
- Maisie Henderson (13), from Lerwick, won the junior slow air fiddle solo competition whilst Emma Leask (15), from Gulberwick, came 2nd and Zoe Semple (15), from Gulberwick, 3rd;
- Emma Leask won the march, Strathspey & reel competition, making her the All Scotland Junior Fiddle Solo Champion for the 2nd year in a row.
In the senior fiddle section Anya Johnston (16), from Lerwick, was third in the Senior Slow Air Fiddle Solo.
In the junior accordion category:
- Eight-year-old Ryan Johnson, from Vidlin, won a second place in the 10 & under traditional accordion solo competition
- Victoria Byrne-McCombie (13), from Sandwick, came 2nd in the All Scotland Junior Traditional Accordion Solo Championship and won the girl’s section.
Meanwhile, Matthew Scollay (23) from Gulberwick won the prestigious All Scotland Senior Traditional Accordion Solo Championship, the first Shetland musician to win the award.
And finally, fiddle group Hjaltibonhoga’s own juniors Fiddletasia came second in their category while the seniors The Accidentals gained 3rd place.
AHEAD of the general election on 12 December, the Althing debating society is discussing the tricky question whether politicians should be legally liable for their decisions.
In favour of the motion will be Vic Thomas and Iain Souter while Dennis Leask and Johan Adamson will be putting forward the opposing view.
The Althing debate takes place in the Islesburgh Community Centre on Friday 15 November starting at 7.30pm. Admission is £2.
The Althing is also planning to host a general election hustings. A date and venue is expected to be announced soon.
HIGHLANDS and Islands SNP MSP Maree Todd is urging students to check where they are registered to vote and ensure all their details are correct on the electoral register, amid concerns over polling day falling within university term time.
The last general election in 2017 saw 75 per cent of students vote in their home constituency over their university constituency, according to YouGov.
Whilst it is legal to be registered to vote in two areas, it is illegal to vote in both.
Todd said: “As we only have five weeks until election day, it’s important that students firstly check that they are on the electoral register and secondly, where they are registered to vote.”
The deadline to register to vote is midnight on Tuesday 26 November with the deadline for new postal votes and proxy votes likely to be Wednesday 27 November at 5pm.
STAFF at the Lerwick office of the Fishermen’s Mission are delighted that as many as four images taken in Shetland have been included in the national organisation’s calendar for 2020.
Three of the pictures are by Whalsay based photographer Ivan Reid including one of the pelagic trawler Antares tied up at Mair’s Pier, while an image of the Valhalla at sea was also selected. The Danish vessel Beinur coming in past the Bressay light is Ivan’s third image.
Nine year old Kelvin Laurenson’s photo of Blueshell Mussels’ vessel Replenish approaching Scalloway Harbour is the other local image in the calendar.
The calendar, as well as Christmas cards, are available from the mission’s office in the Stewart Building, and will also be on sale at a Traidcraft event at the Lerwick Baptist Church at Quoys this weekend.
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