Community / Wishing you all a peaceful Christmas and a good new year
AS THE year draws to a close, we wish to offer our sincere thanks to all our readers, advertisers, contributors and supporters who all play their valuable part in ensuring that Shetland News exists and continues to report the local news in a way you have come to appreciate.
It is fair to say 2024 has been another eventful and, at times, challenging year. As part of our job, we had to report on a number of very sad and heartbreaking stories that will have a long-lasting effect on families and the community. Going back through the archive of this year, it becomes clear quite quickly that there have been far too many of these.
But there have also been plenty of heart-warming community news and features. This one in particular spring to mind, where we told the story of a mother and son who were reunited after nearly 60 years.
‘Unforgettable moment’ as mother meets son nearly 60 years after parting ways
All in all, Shetland News published 1,825 news stories, features and letters during the last 12 months.
But 2024 was also the year when we were able to significantly strengthen our news team. Since Ryan Nicolson joined Shetland News in September, we have not only been able to up our daily news output, but we will also be able to devote more time to individual stories.
Ryan has been shortlisted in the feature writer of the year category at this year’s Highlands and Islands Media awards, as well as in the environment/sustainability section.
For the features entry, he submitted a list of three pieces all written in the short timespan since he joined the team here. We wish him every success when the winners will be announced in early February.
Shetland News also played an active part in the Public Interest News Foundation’s (PINF) annual forum, held in early October at Glasgow Caledonian University.
Bringing together 50 small independent news providers from across the UK, the two-day conference confirmed once again that the news landscape is changing dramatically, and that small local companies such as Shetland News are very much part of the emerging future.
As we have done in previous years, Shetland News is again giving a small donation to a local charity that is making a difference in our community.
This year, we have donated £250 to help restorative justice charity Space2face continue to bring together people who have affected by crime and those who have offended. The charity is in a precarious financial position due to the lack of core funding.
Finally, before we wish you all a merry Christmas and a splendid festive period, here is a quick reminder that Shetland News continues to be free to read.
That is in large part thanks to the local business community that advertises on these pages – and some have done so since we started the Shetland News project more than 20 years ago – but also to our many supporters who give us small monthly donations in appreciation of the work we do.
You can join them and sign up here.
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