Also in the news / Island games, tunnel vision and more…
AS ORKNEY gets ready to welcome more than 2,000 competitors and officials from across the world as hosts of the 2025 Island Games, organisers have announced Loganair as the official airline partner.
Confirmed as the biggest event Orkney has ever hosted, the UK’s largest regional airline Loganair will bring athletes and supporters to the island.
Flights are expected to go on sale next week, and teams looking to secure their seats are advised to contact the Island Games’ official travel management partner, Nirvana Europe, at the earliest opportunity.
Loganair is also working closely with games organisers and Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) to explore the possibility of offering additional flights for the games.
THREE local organisations have been awarded new funding from the National Lottery.
The Shetland Care Attendant Scheme has been given around £136,600 which will be used over three years.
This will fund a new service development officer post which will enable the organisation to sustain and expand its current services, offering regular respite – including overnight support – to more unpaid carers across Shetland.
Northmavine Community Development Company has been given around £66,400 to advance its growing local project, while Shetland Pride has been awarded £5,400 to put towards the running of the event.
MORE ‘Tunnel Vision’ events are being planned in Shetland’s islands in August by MP Alistair Carmichael and MSP Beatrice Wishart.
Previous Tunnel Vision events have been held in recent years to gather communities’ thoughts on fixed links.
The first of the August events will take place at the Baltasound Hall in Unst on 19 August at 6pm. On 20 August there is a meeting at the Fetlar Hall at 12.15pm before a session at the Mid Yell Hall at 6pm.
On 21 August the MP and MSP will travel to Whalsay for a meeting at the Symbister Hall at 7pm, and on the following night (22 August) there will be an event at the Bressay Hall at 7.30pm.
THE SHETLAND Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) programme for 2024/25 is now open for bids from community-based projects.
CLLD funding is provided by the Scottish Government, and administered by the council on behalf of the Shetland Islands Local Action Group, which represents local economic, environmental and community interests.
At this stage, just over £163,000 is available. Bids are welcomed from Shetland-based social enterprises, community development companies and constituted not-for-profit voluntary organisations.
The funding focusses on supporting sustainable projects which fall within four priority areas:
Helping families and services through the cost of living crisis, including helping to address the drivers of child poverty
- Increasing community capacity to address rural challenge
- Transforming the economy to delivery net zero
- Creating sustainable public services
Vice chair of the SIC’s development committee Robert Thomson said: “This is a great opportunity for local community groups and organisations to get support for new activity, or to look at new elements within their existing projects.
“Our staff are here to help and advise on the process, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch.”
More information on the CLLD Programme, and how to apply for a grant, can be found online.
SSEN Transmission has appointed former Scottish Government minister Peter Peacock as the inaugural chair of its first community benefit fund, which launches in September.
SSEN said the appointment marks a “significant step forward in bringing positive benefits to communities across the north of Scotland”.
It has the aim of delivering over £100 million of funding in the future.
From 1 September, community groups – including those in Shetland – will be able to apply for a share of an initial £2 million that is being released from the company’s opening £10 million fund, covering in-flight projects that are already being delivered.
Anyone interested in becoming a panel member of the benefit fund can apply here.
NEW secretary of state for energy security and net zero Ed Miliband has been invited to visit the Northern Isles and expand support for tidal energy.
The invitation came from Northern Isles MP Alistair Carmichael, who encouraged the Labour man to visit Orkney’s European Marine Energy Centre. Shetland also has a tidal energy array in Bluemull Sound.
Miliband replied in parliament that he could consider a trip to the Northern Isles “strongly” and said he understood Carmichael’s call for more support for tidal energy.
ROCKET Factory Augsburg, the company expected to be the first to launch a test flight from the SaxaVord Spaceport in Unst, is already marketing its second test flight.
In a post on LinkedIn the company says it still has 200 kilogrammes of payload capacity available on that second flight expected to launch next year.
“You have a satellite up to this size? And you want it to be precisely deployed in a polar orbit next year? Please get in touch to receive a special offer for your customized transport,” the company said.
A first test flight is from the spaceport in Unst is scheduled for later this year.
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