Also in the news / New Tallack novel, fill your freezer, captive bird registration and more …

LOCAL writer and singer/songwriter Malachy Tallack’s latest novel – set in Shetland – is due to be published later this week.

That Beautiful Atlantic Waltz has been described as a “quietly beautiful novel, from an author with an uncanny ability to see the beauty in everyday life”.

Set in present day Shetland, Jack has been a whaler in the South Atlantic but is now living alone in the cottage he grew up. And it is here that one evening something appears on his doorstep that throws off the rhythm of his solitary existence in the most profound way.

An album with songs written by the novel’s protagonists will be released to coincide with the publication of the book on Thursday (24 October).

Published by Canongate That Beautiful Atlantic Waltz will be available as a hardback at £18.99 and also as eBook. It can be pre-order via the author’s website here.

Suzanne Mulholland

Suzanne Mulholland

TIME-saving guru and family cooking expert The Batch Lady is bound for Shetland to share her skills and tips at two free community events next month.

Suzanne Mulholland, the author of four Sunday Times best-selling cookbooks, will demonstrate her batch cooking talents and meal preparation techniques at a pair of public workshops.

The three-day visit will see her run two Fill Your Freezer sessions: at Scalloway Public Hall on Wednesday 6 November and at Bigton Community Hall the following day, with both events running from 6pm to 8pm.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be heading to Shetland for the first time,” Mulholland said. “I can’t wait to dive into the local produce and meet everyone at my two free batch cooking workshops, open to all.

Her visit is being organised by Shetland Food & Drink, whose chairwoman Marian Armitage met Suzanne at the Royal Highland Show in 2022, where they both launched new cookbooks and demonstrated recipes.

A “RADICAL new musical raising the roof for dementia activism” is set to grace the Mareel stage on Friday (25 October).

Dementia the Musical is coming to Shetland as part of a tour across 12 venues in Scotland.

Dementia activism is at the core of the production, which was written by Ron Coleman in collaboration with director Magdalena Schamberger and jazz musician Sophie Bancroft.

Written with those living with dementia, the musical is based on the campaigning work of three of Scotland’s longest serving dementia activists James McKillop, Nancy McAdam and Agnes Houston and the fight they have led to ensure people with dementia have a voice in what happens in their lives.

Tickets for the event are available now.

BIRD OWNERS in Shetland are now legally required to register their birds on the new Scottish Kept Bird Register (SKBR).

This requirement applies to all captive bird sectors, including pet birds, poultry, game birds, racing pigeons, waterfowl, wild bird rehabilitation centres and zoos. Keepers have until 1 December 2024 to register the location of their birds.

The register has been developed as part of preventative measures against bird flu, and applies to all bird keepers, even those who keep only a single bird.

Those previously registered on the GB Poultry Register will be required to re-register on this new register for bird keepers in Scotland.

A link to the register and the associated helpline number and email address can be found here.

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