Welcome to our February 2013 Newsletter. As ever our communities are really busy! And at this time of year we have many folk doing a different kind of volunteering as squads preparing for either Uyeasound, Cullivoe or Norwick Up Helly Aa’s or maybe more than one…. We have some changes to report to you from our service. Julie, who worked as community work officer for 10 years, has taken up a new post as Librarian with the Baltasound Junior High School. We will miss Julie’s expertise and good cheer but wish her every success in her new role! The days I work are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with one of these days being a half day. I can attend meetings outwith these days if I have advance notice. Coleen is in the office every morning, and you can phone and leave a message on the answer machine any time. We are hopeful that we can manage to keep a good service for you all. We are also moving office! The North Isles Community Office will be based at Burravoe Primary School from the end of March 2013. We wish to thank the Yell Leisure Centre who have been great hosts to us for the past 20 Welcome to the latest edition of the North Isles Community Newsletter.... Read on to find out what’s happening... years. We are looking forward to being based in Burravoe School though as it will be very lightsome! Our contact numbers (on the back of this newsletter) and opening hours will continue to be the same. The office is open from 9:00 till 12:30 daily. We are hoping to update our email contact lists which we use to disseminate information to individuals and groups across the north isles without incurring postal charges. We currently have 3, a ‘What’s On’ contact list of events in the North Isles, a ‘Funding Information’ contact list and a ‘Newsletter’ contact list. If you would like to be added to any of these lists please get in touch. We are now looking to create a contact list specifically for all the community groups working in the North Isles. We would like to pass on information such as funding sources and events, training events and other information relevant to groups. If you are part of an organisation (whether main contact or not) and would like to receive this kind of information please get in touch with us. If you are already on our ‘funding’ distribution list and part of a group, please let us know if you would like to receive the extra information, and we will ensure you do.
Transcript
Welcome to our February 2013 Newsletter.As ever our communities are really busy!And at this time of year we have many folkdoing a different kind of volunteering assquads preparing for either Uyeasound,Cullivoe or Norwick Up Helly Aa’s or maybemore than one….
We have some changes to report to youfrom our service. Julie, who worked ascommunity work officer for 10 years, hastaken up a new post as Librarian with theBaltasound Junior High School. We will missJulie’s expertise and good cheer but wishher every success in her new role!
The days I work are Monday, Tuesday andWednesday, with one of these days being ahalf day. I can attend meetings outwiththese days if I have advance notice.Coleen is in the office every morning, andyou can phone and leave a message onthe answer machine any time. We arehopeful that we can manage to keep agood service for you all.
We are also moving office! The North IslesCommunity Office will be based at BurravoePrimary School from the end of March 2013.We wish to thank the Yell Leisure Centre whohave been great hosts to us for the past 20
Welcome to the latest edition of the North Isles CommunityNewsletter.... Read on to find out what’s happening...
years. We are looking forward to being based inBurravoe School though as it will be verylightsome! Our contact numbers (on the back ofthis newsletter) and opening hours will continue tobe the same. The office is open from 9:00 till 12:30daily.
We are hoping to update our email contact listswhich we use to disseminate information toindividuals and groups across the north isleswithout incurring postal charges. We currentlyhave 3, a ‘What’s On’ contact list of events in theNorth Isles, a ‘Funding Information’ contact list anda ‘Newsletter’ contact list. If you would like to beadded to any of these lists please get in touch.
We are now looking to create a contact listspecifically for all the community groups workingin the North Isles. We would like to pass oninformation such as funding sources and events,training events and other information relevant togroups. If you are part of an organisation(whether main contact or not) and would like toreceive this kind of information please get in touchwith us. If you are already on our ‘funding’distribution list and part of a group, please let usknow if you would like to receive the extrainformation, and we will ensure you do.
After more than a year of work by ShetlandAmenity Trust Arch Heritage Team, the firstmajor phase of repair work at BroughLodge, Fetlar, is nearing its end. As well asensuring that the building is wind andwatertight, the original appearance of themain building will be restored, includingcrenellations and turrets. A total of£417,000 will have been spent on theA-listed building. Almost half of that sumhas come from Historic Scotland, with thebalance being met by Shetland IslandsCouncil and Shetland Amenity Trust.Repairs carried out were the minimumrequired to keep the building in reasonablecondition. However, it’s hoped that, with thebuilding secured, it will be easier to attractsponsorship from public agencies and theprivate sector for the major work inside.
Brough Lodge Trust believes that, in thefullness of time, the building could berestored in a way that would make it a realasset to the Fetlar community, producingincome through direct employment andcreating wider economic benefits for theisland.The preferred option, which was endorsed bybusiness consultants, is to restore the oldhouse for a mixed use, involving residentialheritage workshops and exhibitions. Thesewould blend the knowledge and perspectiveof local people with the curiosity of visitors,who by paying for accommodation andother services, would bring income to Fetlarand create employment.The Brough Lodge Trust believes that theconcept of heritage workshops, developedfive years ago, is now more attractive than
Brough Lodge heritage centre moves a step closer....
I became the North Isles Community Worker way back in 2002 and was amazed at thewelcome I got from all of the communities I worked with. Being a Community Worker forthe past 10 years has been a fantastic experience for me. I have thoroughly enjoyed itand have met and worked with some brilliant people along the way. Making thedecision to leave was not an easy one, but I felt that it was time for me to move on.
I started my new job as School Librarian in the Baltasound School just before Christmasand I am having a great time so far. I would like to take this opportunity to thankeveryone that I have worked with during my time as a Community Worker. You madethe job extremely interesting, thought provoking, satisfying and challenging. I canhonestly say that I was never bored! I wish all of the community groups in the North Islesall the best in any project or venture they take. The amount of community activity andvolunteering that takes place on these islands has always astounded me. I feel veryproud to say that I live here. Take care.
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ever before. Events such as Shetland WoolWeek, initiatives such as Geopark Shetlandand the continuing growth of interest inmusic, archaeology and of course wildlifehave demonstrated that Shetland has thepotential to play a bigger role in worldtourism. The islands already attract manyvisitors with special interests in all these fields.In particular, wealthy tourists from many partsof the world, including North America,increasingly look for authentic experiences inmore remote, relatively undiscoveredlocations. The recession seems to have hadlittle impact on such visitors. The facilities andquality that Brough Lodge could offer areexactly in line with the needs of some of themost promising market segments forShetland.
The total cost of the remaining restorationproject is estimated at £2.8m. The aim is toattract the support of a major private donoror Trust, with the option of having theheritage centre named after the donor. It is
also hoped that some additional workcould meanwhile be undertaken to ad-joining buildings, possibly through smallerlocal donations, including ‘in-kind’ dona-tions from local suppliers and contractors,which the Brough Lodge Trust alwayswarmly welcomes.Pierre Cambillard, the Chair of the Trustand its Project Manager, said:“I amdelighted that we have received a strongcommitment from Historic Scotland,Shetland Islands Council and ShetlandAmenity Trust for the first phase restorationproject. I believe that, despite therecession, it will be possible to securefinancial support for the original plan torestore the site as a residential heritagecentre. In the meantime, however, wewould be delighted to receive donationsfrom local people and Shetland businessesto help with the next step. I’m confidentthat investing in Shetland’s heritage in thisway will benefit the whole community. Inrestoring assets of this kind, we don’t justpreserve the past; we also increase theattractiveness of our islands to visitors andhelp preserve or develop local skills, whichis essential if the economy is to be diverseand prosperous. I would ask people toconsider making whatever donation theycan afford. For more details please visit ourwebsite www.broughlodge.org”
Donations or any other form of supportmay be addressed to Brough Lodge Trust,c/o Paul Rutherford, St Olaf’s Hall , ChurchRoad, Lerwick ZE1 OFD. A Gift Aid form isavailable on request. Any donation will beacknowledged with a receipt.
For further information please contact: Pierre Cambillard, Chairman andTrustee of Brough Lodge Trust and Project Coordinator
The Moving On Employment Projects jobcrew team of clients and staff, is well knownfor the range of outdoor work they undertake(in particular grass cutting, painting andgardening) it does for individuals, schools,groups and communities throughout theSpring and Summer. But less well known arethe indoor projects it runs over the wintermonths. In February, the team will be runningan Employability project to support(predominately young) unemployed peoplefrom all over Shetland to learn aboutbecoming more employable. The project willrun 1 day a week over several weeks and willenable the young people to learn aboutmaking CV’s, completing applications andpreparing for interviews, as well as givingthem opportunities to meet employers inseveral different sectors, ask questions andhear about their area of work and what theylook for in their staff. A similar project was runlast year to great success and it’s hoped thatthis new group of people will similarly benefit.
As well as the Employability job crew, the jobcrew teams other current project is to work witha group of students from the Anderson HighSchools ASN dept. supporting them to make arange of specially designed cards, which will besold in Spring with the proceeds split betweenMoving On and the ASN Dept. After that, andwith the weather hopefully beginning toimprove, then the job crew team will be backoutside tackling gardens and lawns and variousother tasks for its ever expanding base of happycustomers.
The team specialises in gardening,grass cutting and painting but canturn their hand to other tasks too, so ifyou or your organisation has a jobthat you feel might be suitable for thejob crew team, then why not arrange for us tocome out and provide a quote? Providing a low-cost service, the team work all over Shetland,take pride in their duties and have a reputationfor being efficient, courteous and professional.
We can be reached on 01595 743926 oryou can find out more about us at
www.moep.co.uk
In 2013, the Centre for Nordic Studies at the University of the Highlands and Islands inOrkney and Shetland is hosting two Viking Culture Summer Courses. The courses areopen to all, and whereas the quality of the teaching is at university level, it is notnecessary to be a university student or hold any qualification to enter the courses.
“The idea of the summer courses is to let people explore what it was actuallylike to be an ordinary person in the Viking age.”The courses run over five days; the Shetland dates are from the 24th to the 28th
of June. The course will encompass lectures by expert speakers as well as guidedtours to Viking sites in the Northern Isles. More information and booking form can bedownloaded from:http://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/research-enterprise/cultural/centre-for-nordic-studies/study-with-us/summer-schools
Disability Shetland currently run a fortnightly “Saturday Club” in Unst for children withdisabilities and additional support needs. They would like to make an urgent appeal forvolunteers to come forward who would like to support children with disabilities. Thecommitment required is 2 hours per fortnight on Saturday mornings. If they can get enoughworkers, volunteers will only have to commit to 2 hours per month.
Anyone interested can contact Brydon Leslie at Disability Shetland on 01595 743919or email [email protected]
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The Yell Arts group have had another exciting season... We have had various folk visiting,like Fiona Daly, a textile artist from Ireland, Bernice - an artist from Australia... We also hadCathrine Cooper from Tasmania (who exhibited in the Old Haa in 2012), she came alongand did a talk and demonstration on how she works.
We had a visit to Mike McDonnell to see his workshop and his work in progress, thatevening was rounded off by tea and some very amusing stories!
We are planning a craft staff and teas in the Sellafirth Hall around Easter - date to beconfirmed.
If anyone is interested in joining the Yell Arts Group - they are very welcome. Get in touchwith Cilla Robertson on 01957 722301
The Old Haa will open for the season on 21st April.
The opening hours are:-10am - 4pm on Tues, Wed, Thurs & Saturday....Sundays are 2pm - 5pm. (Mon & Fri closed).
The Natural History Room will have a display ofphotographs by Andy Gear. Other exhibitions havenot yet been finalised.
There are also various exhibitions planned for the Gallery this year... There will be a varietyof work including photography, painting, handcrafts, ceramics etc. The Old Haa arealways looking for exhibitors for the gallery, so If you are interested please get in touch withCilla Robertson on (01957) 722301
Cullivoe School bairns
Cullivoe School is part of a European project which is funded byComenius (through the British Council) We are partnered with schools inFrance, Italy, Norway, Finland, Bulgaria, Poland, Malta and Belgium. Staffare able to learn more about the education system in each country andbuild a professional network. The school is able to promote links withother countries. The children can communicate through an onlineworking space. The children work to produce a newspaper withinformation from each country. Our first paper has just been publishedand can be viewed in the shop or at the school. The theme of the firstnewspaper is ‘Winter’. This is a very exciting project and a greatopportunity for both staff and pupils to get to know Europe a little better!
Our annual Burns Supper was held in the school on Sunday 27th January. Pupils entertainedtheir families with Burns and other Scottish songs and poetry. Primary 6 recited “Tam O’Shanter” and Sarah and Kyle said The Address to the Haggis. Primary 1 & 2 led The SelkirkGrace. A fun night for everyone who then enjoyed a supper of haggis, neeps and tatties.
The Pupil Council have organised a coffee morning on Pancake Day (12th February)Everyone was invited to join them for a selection of pancakes and tea / coffee from10a.m.
We are delighted to be welcoming Mark Boden (Chief Executive of the S.I.C) to our schoolon 27th February. He will be able to see around the school, admire our work and speak withpupils about living and learning in Cullivoe.
Our preparations for Up Helly Aa are underway and Maria Leask is working withpupils to practice their Shetland dancing .. The school will be open toeveryone on Up Helly Aa morning for tea, coffee and juice and to meet theJarl Squad. We wish Michael and his squad all the best for their big weekend!
Cullivoe school’s1st newspaper
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Digitisation programmeWe have had a busy winter schedule at the Heritage Centre getting storage sorted outand every item digitised – an on-going project which will eventually allow folk to do asearch to see if we have something on a subject that they are interested in.
CroftingWe are working on upgrading our crofting display, with a touch screen computerpresentation on a variety of crofting topics.
An evening about plantecros at the Centre was entertaining as well as informative.
An evening with a talk about watermills in Unst is still to come on the winter schedule.
Unst Boat Haven...“Small Boats of Shetland” by Alison Munro is selling well and is a great boost to Boat Havenfunds. The Boat Haven is to have T- shirts with a logo from N Barnham , so we hope theywill sell well once the season starts.
VolunteersWorkers and volunteers have been busy all winter, and the Trust could not manage withouttheir help. Sadly one of our Trustees will be missing when next we meet as a Board. AnneONeill will be sadly missed by us all .
Fetlar Interpretive Centre will be open daily from 1st May to30th September. Opening times are 11am - 4pm Mondayto Friday and 12.30-4pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
There is also a craft shop within the Centre featuring aunique range of traditional and contemporary items, all ofwhich are 'Handmade in Fetlar' by local craftspeople andartists.
All Youth Clubs in the North are up and running again after the Xmas break:-� Burravoe Youth Club is open on Wednesdays, 5.30 - 7.30pm in the Burravoe Hall� Mid Yell Youth Club is open on Fridays 3.30 - 5pm @ the Mid Yell Hall� Yell Youth Cafe (secondary bairns) is open on Friday nights @ the Mid Yell Hall from 7.30 - 9.30pm� Unst Youth Group (S1+) is open on Monday 6 - 8pm in Unst Youth Centre� Unst Youth Group (Juniors) is open on Mondays from 3 - 4.30pm in Unst Youth Centre
We follow a varied programme of activities, giving the young people bite-size bits of information,building on their self-esteem, confidence, team-building and empowering them for the future.Our clubs are very fortunate in receiving financial support the Council, giving us a percentage ofrunning costs, with the remainder made up from various fund-raising events e.g. Fish n chip nights,Xmas card deliveries, farmers markets and much more. All clubs are very grateful for everybody thathelps out with and attends fundraising events throughout the year.FundraisingThe Xmas card deliveries this year were again hugelysuccessful and a fantastic fund-raiser to help with theclubs running costs throughout the year ...Between Mid Yell Youth Club, Burravoe Youth Club &Unst Youth Centre the total raised was a staggering £3,238!!Burravoe Youth ClubThe Burravoe Youth Club members recently took part in a bit of“makkin”, both during youth club sessions and on a Saturdayevening in the Burravoe hall with family/community membershelping out. They knitted lots of 3inch squares ,sharing each otherskills and learning to sew them together to make a blanket. Theythen held an “8 ‘0’ Clocks” with a raffle, and raised £70.00 whichwas all presented to Alzheimer Scotland.
Belmont MuralUnst Youth centre have received some funding towards doing up the Mural at Belmont, which wewill shortly start work on, so its ready for Summer.
Last summer saw a total of 37 young people from Yell Youth Café and Unst Youth Centre enjoy afabulous youth trip to Ardeche, France. Youth workers, youth members and parents all put in a lotof hard work to raise funds for the trip. We gratefully received grants from the Yell & UnstCommunity Council, Children In Need, Shetland Islands council and undertook lots of fundraising,including compiling local phone books, restaurant nights, farmers markets, bbq’s and muchmore... Again - a large “thank you” to all that helped andsupported our fundraising to allow the young people totake part in the trip.
Our trip of 1,551 miles began with a night on Northlink,followed by a long bus trip to Dover, Dover to Dunkirk byboat, then by bus to Ardeche. The trip was bookedthrough “Acorn” and our Acorn Village was situated in theArdeche Gorges, renowned for it’s outstanding naturalbeauty.
A programme of outdoor activities were planned for each day for the week, including a 2-day(26km) river descent down the Ardeche river encountering white water rafting as well as thunderand lightening, then spending the night on the bivouac under tarpaulin due to the rain.Other activities included, Kayaking, River trek, town trailaround Roums, High Ropes followed by an excursion dayspent Go-Karting in the morning followed by a trip intoVallon for some retail therapy in the afternoon.The whole week was filled with adrenaline and an arrayof emotions, and was over far to soon. Acorn Staff werevery impressed with the young folk’s behaviour andattitude whilst on the trip.The young people thoroughly enjoyed the trip and some of their comments included:- “don’twant to go home”, “amazing time” and “can we go next year?”
Well done to all our young people you should be very proud of yourselves.
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In October a group from Shetland including 7 young people (acting as ambassadors forShetland) and accompanying youth workers set off to Canada for a Youth Exchange trip, whichwas a once in a life time experience. We were being hosted by the First Nation Bands (NativeNorth Americans), getting to share cultural experiences, as well as being invited to take part inmany of their rituals.
Our 13-day trip started with a long flight to Vancouver where we met by Chris & BarbaraCooper (who were in Shetland last year with the “Spirit Dancer” canoe which they travelledaround the isles with), who took us to their home town of Pitt Meadows. Some of us stayed withthem and some stayed with another host family for the next couple of days. We spent timewalking in Golden ears Park in the Fraser Valley with the gushing water from the meltingGlaciers, we were welcomed into the Pitt Meadows school for a day where many friendshipswere built. We met Xwalacktun Chief, who is a very talented carver, we took a trip up GrouseMountain by cable car to see Grinder and Coola the grizzly bears. We then had theopportunity to go for dinner with the Mayor and Councillors from Pitt meadows, where wepresented them with gifts from Shetland and played some Shetland music and taught themsome Shetland dances.
We then drove up to Pinticton where we stayed with First NationIndians on their camp, who were very welcoming. We had awelcoming dinner and there was a chance to meet thecommunity. During our time there we visited many places:-Princess Margarart school; En Owkin Centre; OK Falls- Sokeyesalmon; Osoyoos to Kay kaitwus Pitt House etc. We were invited totake part in the sweat lodge cermoney which was very veryspecial, we also met the Mayor for Pinticton, and took part in theSmudging Ceromony (which was all about cleansing the body).
This news letter just isnt big enough for us to tell you everything, but for the young people andstaff it was truly brilliant experience and we look forward to the Canadians coming back to visitus here in Shetland in the future.
Wednesday 13th Whist, Mid Yell HallFriday 15th Chinese night, Mid Yell Boating ClubSunday 17th Valentines Quiz, North Ness Hall. 7.30pmWednesday 20th Whist, Sellafirth HallFriday 22nd Cullivoe Up Helly AaSaturday 23rd Guizers Hop, CullivoeSaturday 23rd Bar lunches and music all afternoon, Burravoe HallWedneday 27th Whist, North Ness Hall
HFriday 1st Whist, Westsandwick HallFriday 1st Chinese night, Mid Yell Boating ClubSaturday 2nd Guizers Return, Cullivoe HallSaturday 2nd Dean Owen (of “The Felsons”), Mid Yell HallSunday 3rd Table top Sale, Mid Yell Hall (to raise funds for Yell Schools’ Edinburgh Trip)Wednesday 6th Whist, Sellafirth HallFriday 8th Spring Sale + Prize Draw, North Ness Hall (in aid of Yell Show)Saturday 9th Spoot, scallop and mussel suppers, Mid Yell Boating ClubSaturday 9th Bingo, Burravoe Hall (for Burravoe School funds)Sunday 10th Mothers Day Lunches, Mid Yell HallWednesday 13th Whist, Mid Yell HallWednesday 20th Whist, Sellafirth HallSaturday 23rd Coffee morning, Burravoe all (for Burravoe School funds)Wednesday 27th Whist, North Ness HallFriday 29th Whist, Westsandwick Hall
LWednesday 3rd Whist, Sellafirth HallFriday 5th 25th “Yell Open” Badminton competition, Yell Leisure CentreFriday 5th Chinese night, Mid Yell Boating ClubSaturday 6th Concert, East Yell Hall (Yell Show funds)Saturday 6th 25th “Yell Open” Badminton competition, Yell Leisure CentreWednesday 17th Whist, Sellafirth HallSaturday 20th Kaleidoscope Disco, Mid Yell HallSat 20th & Sun 21st Brick-a-bruk extravaganza, Westsandwick Hall (funds towards Yell forCancer Support) - PROVISIONALSunday 21st Old Haa opens for the seasonWednesday 24th Whist, North Ness HallFriday 26th Whist, Westsandwick Hall. 7.30pm
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Wedneday 1st Whist, Sellafirth HallFriday 3rd Chinese night, Mid Yell Boating ClubSaturday 4th Restaurant Steak night, Mid Yell Hall (Youth Cafe fundraiser)Wednesday 15th Whist, Sellafirth HallWedneday 22nd Whist, North Ness Hall
Friday 7th Chip Suppers & Music Night, Weavers Bar, BurravoeFriday 7th Chinese night, Mid Yell Boating ClubSaturday 8th Burravoe Carnival + “The Bashies” in Weaving Shed + Fiddle/Accordions
in Barrel StoreSat 8th + Sun 9th Shetland Dinghy Championships, BurravoeSaturday 15th Mid Yell RegattaSaturday 29th Bastavoe Regatta
+ EVERY WEEK IN YELL….
· The “Yell for Cancer Support” Shop (E.Yell) is open every Thurs & Sat from 1-5pm· Centre for Creative Industries, Sellafirth, Yell (Tel: 01957 744355) Monday – “Drop in Craft Day” 10am – 12.30pm. Cost £3 Thursday – “Sewing Group” 6.30 – 8.30pm. Cost £4· The Club Room of the Cullivoe Hall is open every Friday night… 8pm onwards (but will not be open on Fri 22nd Feb or on the following Friday 1st March)
· The Peerie hall (Burravoe) is open every Saturday…. 8.30pm onwards
YFriday 15th Uyeasound Up Helly AaSaturday 16th Uyeasound Hop night
Saturday 2nd Norik Up Helly Aa
If you would like to be sent a “What’s On” periodically via email, get in touchwith your email address and we’ll add you to our distribution list.
Tel the N.Isles Community OfficeWith any dates on 01595 745715
Using ICT to enhance music at Mid Yell SchoolPupils in S1-3 at Mid Yell Junior High School have been using macbook pros and ipod touch toenhance their learning in the classroom. This equipment is on loan from the CPD consolarium.
This is a service that has been running for a few years now via EducationScotland's Consolarium initiative. The past few years have seen theConsolarium lead the way in the exploration of games-based learning andgame design in schools. This new community is designed to encourage thesharing of teachers’ experiences and insights into their use of a range ofdigital technologies. The pupils at the school have been focusing their work on a piece ofsoftware called garageband. This gives them their own recording studio where they can record,arrange and master their own musical tracks.
Music Festival 2013The Shetland Schools Annual Music Festival will take place this year between 18th March andthe 22nd March. It is a Secondary Festival this year and pupils from S1-3 and the MirrieDancers will be representing the Mid Yell JH School. The Festival will be held in Mareel and the
adjudicator for the festival will be Neil Morris (formerWoodwind Instructor for the Local Authority).
At present funding is still to be found to support the festivaland anyone willing to provide sponsorship or make a contributionshould get in touch with Julie Johnson (Music Teacher at MidYell School) for further details.
School Grounds CommitteeThe School Grounds Committee are delighted to be able to tell you that their polytunnel isready for collection from the Northmavine Community Development Company. They are hopingto have the groundworks completed by mid February and the polytunnel in place and ready to beused this spring. The committee were delighted toreceive the sum of £2000 from the organisers of theAladdin pantomime in the Mid Yell Hall this Christmas,the money will go towards raised beds and decking –thank you very much! If anyone has time to spare andwould like to help with the polytunnel, either withground works, building works or planting etc, we wouldbe delighted- contact Michelle with you details and we’llget back to you!
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Mid Yell Junior High School NurseryOn the run up to Christmas, the Nursery children worked really hard in preparation for theirNativity show called “Nativity Party.” They entertained their families, friends and the widercommunity and all felt a real sense of achievement. We are proud of every single one of them!
With it coming up to that time of year again, the children wanted to express theirlove for their family and friends. The Nursery will be holding a Valentine’s CoffeeAfternoon where they are preparing a short song to sing to their loved ones. There
will be a selection of homebakes, teas and coffees..... Hope you can make it!
S2 NewsletterS2 pupils have been working very hard in English to produce a newspaper entitled “The Yell News”.They reported on various items including the school dance, Peanuts’s trip to India, an article aboutferry cuts and the Maths teacher moving into a new home. Please go to our school website to seethe S2 Newspaper. They also included reports from Burravoe andCullivoe schools. Here is a taster:-
“Last Friday, Mid Yell Junior High School raised an outstanding £301for Children In Need. Upper primary held a Pudsey café, with homebakes that they baked by themselves during golden time. The homebakes included Pudsey-shaped decorated biscuits, Honey biscuits andChocolate rice-crispy and Chocolate-coated marshmallows, they alsosold tea, coffee and juice.All the classes and teachers were invited to the café to enjoy the lovely home bakes. The pupils inUpper primary all made two bandanas each using sewing machines, which sold for £2 each”.
Edinburgh TripPrimary 6 & 7 pupils from Burravoe, Cullivoe and Mid Yell are going on aschool trip to Edinburgh in June. Pupils from Unst, Fetlar and Nestingwill also be going. The Yell bairns have been doing fundraising activitiesto help reduce the cost – this has included supper nights in local hallsand bag packing in Lerwick. There will be a Table Top Sale in the MidYell Hall on Sunday 3rd March with soup, sandwiches and homebakes etc.
Christmas card post boxThis year the primary children have raised £29.22 for the” Yell for Cancer Support” charity. Thechildren have a rota to take it in turns to sell stamps at a cost of 2p each at break time, and then atlunchtime they empty the post box and deliver the Christmas cards to the classrooms. Well done toeveryone who helped.
P6/7 making posters toadvertise table-top sale
Carl Clinton has been appointed as the Community Sports Hub Officer for Shetland. TheCSH initiative is Sportsscotland’s contribution to the Scottish Governments 2014 LegacyPlan. This initiative involves the establishment of eight Community Sports Hubs (CSH).However, it may be possible that the intended CSH for Unst & Yell combine withalternative meetings at each (Fetlar will be included in either Yell or Unst CSH).
A CSH is a local venue (school / leisure centre/ community hall etc.) for local people. TheCSH is intended to be a home for local sports clubs and sports organisations: a local placeat the heart of the local community. The CSH will come in all shapes & sizes, there is no-one size that fits all. The locations & offerings of the CSH will vary according to local needs& resources. However, all CSH will develop according to 5 principles:
1. Growth in participation2. Engage the local community3. Promote community leadership4. Offer a range of sporting opportunities5. Bring all appropriate key partners / groups / people together
The aim of the CSH is to make it easier and more appealing for local people to getinvolved and engage in a more active and healthier lifestyle; an opportunity to becreative, an opportunity to make a difference, an opportunity to support club sport.
The CSH will be a welcome and safe place which provides local communities with moreopportunities to participate in sport & develop skills for life. It will be a home where arange of local sports club can work together, there will be training & developmentopportunities for people that can make sport happen, an integrated approach led bylocal partners / clubs and a genuine community engagement with leadership skills beingdeveloped.
The eight proposed Community Sports Hubs for Shetland are:
1. Clickimin CSH2. South Mainland CSH3. Central Mainland CSH4. North Mainland CSH5. West Mainland CSH6. Whalsay CSH7. Yell CSH8. Unst CSH (potential for a combined North Isles Hub to include Fetlar).
If anyone requires any more information - please get in touch with CarlClinton (Community Sport Hub Officer) on 01595 741040
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Unst:NIC Unst have been very busy recently moving to the Youth Centre and settling in there. Sincemoving we have done several topics.... “Space”, “Thomas the Tank Engine” and “Rainbows” havebeen very successful, especially our rainbow party!The children are very excited to be doing the topic “Vikings and Up-Helly-Aa” as well as goingfor a visit to see the Vikings at the school.
Our staff in Unst are:Louise Hunter - ManagerChristine Hunter - PractitionerKaren Priest and Paula Goddard - Support Workers
Yell:NIC Yell have enjoyed looking at “Space” lately, focusing on the “Aliens Love Underpants” bookwhich has been a huge hit with the bairns.We are now covering the topic of “Babies” which hastied in well with Kirsty Williamson being pregnant, aswe could discuss if her baby will be a boy or girl andwhat it might look like.The children have also loved the role play area (babyclinic) during this theme. The Yell children are alsovery excited to be doing some work about Vikings andlook forward to seeing the Jarl Squad. We would liketo send Kirsty our best wishes in her maternity leave as well good luck to Inga Tulloch and LisaSmith in their new jobs. We are hoping to take on a new Practitioner in the next few weeks.
Our staff in Yell are:Louise Hunter - ManagerKathryn Brown & Savannah Inkster - Support WorkersVolunteers - Nala Williamson & Danielle Nisbet
To contact Louise Hunter (Manager) tel 01595 745300 (Unst) or 01957 702255 (Yell)
PLEASE NOTE - Since submitting the above article,NIC held a Director’s meeting - see the outcome below...
"Unfortunately due to financial restrictions North Isles Childcare has made the decisionto close it's doors from the end of June. This has been a very difficult decision. North
Isles Childcare would like to thank everybody for their fantastic support over the yearsand hope to support locals wishing to set up as child minders as much as possible."
The Shetland Child Protection Committee (CPC) unveiled a brand new section of its websiteon 30 November, designed to give local clubs and voluntary organisations direct access toinformation and guidance.
A new tab ‘For Community Groups’ on the home page at www.childprotectionshetland.com,which will guide visitors to specific information including templates for child protectionprocedures and policies, guidance for recruiting new staff and volunteers, codes of conduct,and help on the national Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme, which has replacedthe previous Disclosure Scheme.
Bob Kerr, Chair of the Shetland Protection in the Community sub group, says: “I’m delightedthat this new information is now included on the CPC website as it makes it so much easier forgroups to ensure children are kept safe while enjoying their activities. I’d encourage anyoneinvolved in clubs, such as committee members, coaches or parents, to take a look at the newpages and check they have at least the basics in place.
Safeguarding Children and Young People in ShetlandChildren can’t always tell someone if they are being abused or neglected.
But you can. http://www.childprotectionshetland.com/
A training course has been developed for voluntary and community organisation to raise awarenessof adult support and protection in Shetland... The two dates available are:-� Saturday 2nd March - 11am - 1pm in Islesburgh Community Centre (apply by 26th Feb)� Tuesday 14th March - 6.30 - 8.30pm in Market House (apply by 8th March).
The aims of this two hour training session are:- To understand the harm that adults can be affected by, To have an awareness of Shetland Interagency Adult Protection Procedures and the Adult
Support and Protection Legislation, To know what to do if you have any concerns about the safety and well being of adults
This training is aimed at:Managers Voluntary OrganisationsCommittee members Community GroupsCoaches Sports GroupsCharity TrusteesCommunity Hall committee members
If you would like to attend either of these dates,please contact : Sarah Johnston, APC BusinessSupport, The Old Library, Lower Hillhead, Lerwick
The show committee would like to thank everybody that has supported their fundraising todate, we have been upgrading our show field including constructing apony area and improving the cattle area.
Our fundraising is continuing with our spring sale and hamper draw onFriday 8th March in the North Ness Hall. Anyone with goods to donate tothe sale can pass them on to a committee member prior to the sale orcan take them along to the hall on the night of the sale between 6.30pmand 7.30pm, the hamper draw will take place after the sale.
We are also having a variety concert on Saturday 6th April at 7.30pm in East yell Hall with aselection of local music, singing, sketches and poetry. There will be further fundraisingduring the next few months, details will be advertised locally.
The show this year will be on Saturday 7th September followed by “the Bashies” playing inthe East Yell Hall at 9pm.
Winners of the current ‘100 draw’ are as follows:July 2012 - £50 John Nicholson, £20 Joann Hoseason, £10 Amy Saunders, £5 each for AlisonMartin & Dana Thompson.August 2012 - £50 Jack Jamieson, £20 John Nicholson, £10 Shirley Gifford, £5 each for JodieSaunders & Kayden GairSeptember 2012 - £50 Laurence Keith, £20 Ruth Brown, £10 Martha Moar £5 each forMargaret Williamson & Michelle MorrisOctober 2012 - £50 Jacqui Duncan, £20 Jill Thomson, £10 Kayden Gair, £5 each for DavidAlbutt & Emma MylettNovember 2012 - £50 Martha Moar, £20 Jodie Saunders, £10 Charlie Tulloch, £5 each forGraham Hughson & Olga HughsonDecember 2012 - £50 Nicole Hughson, £20 Graham Hughson, £10 Fiona Nicholson, £5 eachfor Stephen Saunders & Una SimpsonJanuary 2013 - £50 John Johnson, £20 Stuart & Thomas Leask, £10 Dean Henderson, £5each for Val Leask & Susan Msalila.
Burra History Group's Easthouse premises, available for hire (includescooking facilities), from £5 per hour, £20 per evening (other prices onrequest).For further details and booking contact Willie Johnson tel: 01595 859669, Email [email protected]
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The Mid Yell Boating Club have purchased a large Cinders Gas BBQ(for which they got financial assistance from Yell CommunityCouncil).
It is available for hire to other community groups and the generalpublic for events. They also have a smaller gas BBQ for hire as well.
The hire charge is £25 for the large barbeque, and £15 for thesmaller one. Anyone hiring the bbq’s are to supply their own gas.Bookings can be made through Graham Hughson 01957 702011.
- If you haven’t already met the new Local Development Officer for the Unst Partnership feelfree to call in or phone/email Verona Shaw on 01957 711495, [email protected]
- Promotion and communication: an Autumn Newsletter was created and circulated to everyUnst household in November 2012 with a New Year edition distributed this month. The launch of anew Facebook page and keeping the UP and unst.org websites up-to-date is helping thePartnership communicate with the Unst community and beyond. In addition, Verona attended alocal craft fair in November with an information stand; this was a good opportunity to engagewith local people and gather ideas and feedback on projects.- NTS property - Halligarth Woods, Baltasound: through NTS’ Little House Improvement Schemefunds have been secured to survey Halligarth House, Woods and Gardens to produce an optionsappraisal for the site. UP have been tasked with gathering local feedback on what peoplewould like to see the site used for. Surveys to take place in Spring 2013.- Community Allotments: four of the six allotments are now occupied, being used and haveshelter nets around them with one recent request for the use of another. The Terms of Referencedocumentation for allotment users has also been reviewed.- Unst Map: this resource has proved invaluable and attractive to tourists. Amendments andadditions have been collated and sent to the designer with reprints hopefully available andcirculated for April 2013.- Northern Lights Bistro, Haroldswick: a report has been put together (for the benefactor)illustrating the results of the short lease from summer 2012. Interest from the community has ledthe LDO to explore the Community Right to Buy options and a visit to Neilston DevelopmentTrust’s CRtB project “The Bank” proved a useful fact-finding exercise.- Renewable Energy project: Verona attended the Community Energy Scotland annualconference and is discussing options with CES’ local officer for a renewable wind project and adistrict heating system. Suitable sites on Unst are being considered. Community consultation tofollow in due course.UP Turbines Hagdale: the one active wind turbine at Hagdale is generating consistently and hasallowed for UP to receive FIT claims from SSE recently. This is a significant achievement andhelping boost much needed funds!
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Kyle Sylvester has recently taken up hisrole as Fetlar Tourism DevelopmentOfficer. He will be looking at ways ofboosting tourism to the isle by a varietyof means and will be working withclosely with local Tourism business.....look out for more information from Kylein local media over the coming weeksand months. At present he is based atFetlar Interpretive Centre. He can becontacted by emailing [email protected]
Fetlar Developments Ltd is alsofortunate to have secured the servicesof an Intern for 4 months. RhonaJackson, who took up her post in earlyJanuary, is currently working ondeveloping media resources for thewww.fetlar.org website."
If you enjoy fiction, poetry or short stories, why notcome along to
Fetlar Book Group?We meet most months and alternate betweendiscussing a chosen book-of-the-month and enjoyingan evening of poetry & shorter fiction.
All welcome
Whether you use knitting needles, a sewing machine,a loom, a crochet hook, a paint brush or a hammerand chisel, if you enjoy making things then you arevery welcome to come along to
Fetlar Makers' Group!Regular meet-and-make sessions to work on yourown projects in the company of creatively likeminded people. All welcome
For more info on either of the above groups,contact Katy on (01957 733284 or
The ongoing issues for the Yell Community Council (YCC) have been pretty much the sameas all other rural Community Councils during these times of economic uncertainly andbudget cutbacks throughout the SIC. YCC have been pro-active in lobbying on behalf ofthe Yell community, especially with the Ferries Review where our voluntary memberscommitted themselves to putting together an alternative proposal that suited the localcommunity better than the initial cutbacks proposed by SIC.
Schools - (especially Mid Yell JHS) are another permanent item on the agenda and YCChave been lobbying for a permanent English Teacher Post since last year and aredisappointed that, for various reasons, there has not been a continuity of teachers for thebairns as hoped over the past term and YCC are keen to see this resolved as soon aspossible.
Roads - aware that the Streetlighting Review consultations will be coming to the North Islesshortly, YCC would encourage anyone who is concerned over this, or has some alternativeideas, to take part in the consultation.
CC Budgets - have been cut by 60% over the past three years and SIC are now proposing afurther 30% cut which will have a serious knock on effect for road and project grants for localgroups. This is an ongoing issue and all Shetland CCs are concerned that SIC want to movemore SIC workloads onto to the local CCs but with no additional budget for the extra workthat would be involved.
YCC have also put forward objections in the strongest terms to the closure of the Viking BusStation and therefore the Freight Centre which is a vital link for the North Isles, as well as theremoval of community skips.
YCC will continue to lobby SIC on behalf of their local community and if you have any issuesyou would like to raise please contact your local YCC member (see www.shetland-communities.org.uk/subsites/ycc/-members.html) or the clerk on [email protected],tel: 01957 722359).
After the last recruitment drive for additional drivers to work with the local contractor,Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) only received one enquiry. SAS are still keen to hear frominterested parties ....The Yell ambulance is well covered for evenings so SAS are ideally looking for drivers who
would be available during the day - perhaps folk in Yell who are working shifts orwith more time on their hands due to early retirement would find this most
rewarding.
SAS would encourage anyone living in Yell who would like to join theirvital team of local drivers and are available for call outs during the day to
contact the local contractor, Robert Goodlad on 766256 or Peter Smith, Team Leader on01595 695344.
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After setting up the Remote Working officein Sellafirth Business Park over five yearsago as part of the Initiative at the EdgeNorth Isles Development Plan, BDC is sadlynow having to close the doors of the officefacilities at Unit 2 from 1st April this year.
Directors and staff are extremelydisappointed at this decision after buildingup a successful social enterprise thatprovided business services and officefacilities at competitive rates to localbusinesses, community groups and anyoneneeding office services. As our main clientsare funded by SIC themselves they havenow either had their grant funding cutcompletely or drastically reduced,meaning they are no longer able to retainour services. Unfortunately, this is one ofthe many knock on effects of the SICcutbacks in the North Isles resulting in theloss of the only remote working hub in theN.Isles as well as two part time jobs.
BDC have approached SIC Economic DevDept (EDU) several times over the past fewyears with proposals and suggestions as tohow SIC could utilise BDC services and theremote working hub at Unit 2 better but, aswe are reading more and more in the localmedia, the EDU have been unable tocommit to anything new as under severebudget cutbacks themselves. Many SICemployees have used our remote workingfacilities successfully over the past fiveyears as we have the sameinternet/telephone access as any SICbuilding but sad to say the initiative toprovide remote working facilities in theNorth Isles has not been a major successamong commuters as more people havedecided to work from their own homesrather than use our facilities available at £5per day.
On a positive note, as well as our communityinvolvement, BDC have had a very successfulpast three years and built up greatrelationships with business clients including:Promote Shetland, NI Childcare, ShetlandNature, Belmont House and the Centre forCreative Industries among others. This hashelped us raise awareness of what's beengoing on in the North Isles with agencies andpeople living on the mainland.
We will be truly sorry to miss out on catchingup with the folks who come along everyTuesday for the Shetland College Classes heldin Unit 2 (Shetland College will continue withtheir weekly classes at an alternative venueyet to be confirmed). Unit 2 meeting roomhire has been well used over the past fiveyears with Shetland College, SIC, TrainShetland, NHS Shetland and otheragencies/businesses to deliver workshops andtraining either by tutor or video conferencing(VC). Adult Learning have also used Unit 2 todeliver evening classes by VC. BDC has alsobeen successful in bringing the Yell TouristGroup back together and finding funding forthe new Yell website www.welcometoyell.orgas well as compiling the Isles Views column inthe Shetland Times since June last year.
Karen, Jackie and Directors would take thisopportunity to wish all other communitygroups and small businesses well in theseuncertain economic times in Shetland. If youwould like to speak about any issues beforewe close please don't hesitate to contactKaren or Jackie at the BDC office duringoffice hours until 29th March.
(BDC will remain registered as a companywith the aim to continue research outsidefunding to set up future community projectswithin their remit to promote Unst and Yell asa great place to work, live, invest in and visit).
