Also in the news / Foodbank donations, help with heating bills, business breakfast and more…
SHETLAND Foodbank says it is “extremely grateful” for all the support it receives throughout the year, including the many people who donated more than three tonnes of food and toiletries during the annual Tesco Christmas collection.
Foodbank manager David Grieve said the donations filled the organisation’s Berlingo-sized hired van five times and are equal to approximately 200 food parcels or around two months demand from clients.
Grieve added: “Throughout the past year these donations, both financial and food, have supported 280 different individuals, couples or families and 92 of them have come to us for the first time this year.
“Each client tends to use the foodbank three or four times to help them through their difficulties.
“By the end of the year the foodbank expects to provide around 1,500 food parcels, which is very similar to 2023.”
Shetland Foodbank can best be contacted via its Facebook page here.
THE LOCAL Citizens Advice Bureau has launched a campaign to raise awareness of the support that is available to islanders who are facing high heating bills and energy debt.
The Worried this winter? Let’s chat campaign will run over the coming months as part of the national campaign being run by Citizens Advice Scotland.
Launching the campaign in Shetland, bureau manager Della Armstrong said there is help available from the local branch.
“If you come to see us there are things we can do to offer practical help. We can check you’re not missing out on any benefits or grants you’re entitled to, and we can negotiate with your energy supplier over your bill payments,” she said.
“Our help is free, confidential and impartial so you’re not losing anything by coming to see us.
Shetland Islands Citizens Advice Bureau can best be contacted by email sicab@shetland.org by phone 01595 694696 or via their Facebook page.
NOSS boat tour company Seabirds and Seals scooped a top prize at the Herald’s Scottish Family Business Awards.
Its small team won the Scottish family business of the year (micro) prize at the recent awards ceremony.
In a post on Facebook, the company said: “Thank you so much to our strong team for all your hard work, dedication and support, you truly are valued and very much appreciated, great to see all our team efforts recognised in this way.
“We would also like to say huge thanks to all who nominated us, to our local community, customers locally and from all over the world, and to our many supporters for making awards like these possible, we could not have done it without your continued love and support, we couldn’t be more prouder.”
UHI SHETLAND is hosting a ‘business breakfast; on Thursday 12 December between 8.30am and 10am at its Lerwick campus at Gremista.
Local businesses are invited to attend and have an opportunity to chat and network over breakfast, and hear information on the following industry topics:
- Apprenticeship and training funding with UHI Shetland staff
- A new way to book commercial short courses for industry at UHI Shetland
- Shetland Islands Council’s Economic Development department will present their findings from their recent Shetland Skills Survey
- Business Gateway will discuss funding and training information
- Skills Development Scotland will advise on the current SDS employer offer
UHI Shetland principal Jane Lewis said: “We are looking forward to welcoming local businesses to discuss skills and training opportunities with ourselves and other agencies in order to better support the economy and community of Shetland.”
People are asked to RSVP to communications.shetland@uhi.ac.uk by 10 December.
SHETLAND Amenity Trust has given more details of a project that last week secured £97,000 from Coastal Communities Fund.
The maritime heritage project is aimed to revitalise the museum’s boat shed by developing it into a hub for learning, interpretation and preservation.
Work will be undertaken to make the interior of the boat shed suitable for accessible museum-standard display of boats and will incorporate a workshop and viewing platform.
Project curator at Shetland Museum and Archives Tracey Hawkins said the funding was a milestone in bringing and marks the first phase of our broader maritime plans for the museum.
“We will be able to display wooden boats from the museum’s collection and tell the story of trade and fisheries that Shetland has been built on, with connections to the maritime regions of Scandinavia, Europe, Scotland and around the coast of the British Isles,” she said.
“The project celebrates the unique boat culture that has shaped our islands, while also sharing the skills and knowledge needed to preserve this vital aspect of our history for future generations.”
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