The Shetland Times Live

Football teams vote for three-league reconstruction

February 11, 2025 | 10.40am

Teams have decided in favour of creating a third league after a vote was held by the Shetland Football Association.

SFA president Jakob Eunson said he was delighted to see constructive change, which allowed for “a bit of flexibility” for referees.

It also means changes will be seen in the number of teams in the reserve league, and the number of fixtures each team will play.

Eunson told The Shetland Times he was happy to see an agreement made between all of the teams represented in the league during a vote last week.

“It should give referees a bit of flexibility,” Eunson said. “And take pressure off a small group of fantastic refs.”

“Now we can put the season’s fixtures in place and look forward to a great season.”

The Premier League will remain the same, with seven teams and the reserve league will include eight sides – seven B teams and Delting.

The DITT Reserve League had 12 teams last season, with four B teams dropping down to form the new unnamed third division.

Ness will field a C team in the third league, with a new team joining the set up.

Speaking last month, Eunson confirmed promotion and relegation was off the table.

This comes a year after the SFA voted against reconstruction and introducing a third division.

It was proposed to split the reserve league in two – with one-club teams such as Bressay and Banks in one league, and the reserve teams of premier league clubs such as Celtic and Spurs in another.

There would have been automatic promotion and relegation between the premier league and first division from the 2026 season, if approved.

But members opted instead to keep the leagues as they are for the 2024 season.

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Human rights commission returns

February 10, 2025 | 2.18pm

The Scottish Human Rights Commission has returned to the isles to share its findings from a report published last year as it tours around the Highlands and Islands.

Dr Luis Felipe Yanes, the author of the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the Highlands and Islands, will present his findings to members of the public today (Monday) at the Shetland Museum and Archives.

He will also meet with representatives of the Shetland Islands Council and Hjaltland Housing Association to discuss the next stages of the report over the next few days before attending his next event in Kirkwall on Thursday.

Professor Angela O’Hagan, chairwoman of the commission, said her organisation was concerned about the “poor state” of economic, social and cultural rights in the region and it had a “general duty to take action” to promote human rights across the country.

“Too many people are hungry, homeless, without access to healthcare, and the basics for everyday life,” Prof O’Hagan said.

“With our report… we piloted a new way of monitoring, one that brings the commission closer to communities and is informed by their voices and experiences.”

The report, published in November, found people in the Highlands and Islands felt “abandoned and forgotten” by national government with a Central Belt focus.

Health, housing and hunger were the top priorities of where improvements could be made in the region, the study said.

The research was conducted by the commission, after visiting 20 communities and interviewing 146 people – including a short spell in the isles in 2023.

At the time, Dr Yanes said economic, social and cultural rights were an essential part of living a “dignified life,” however, people felt these had been infringed.

Read more in the next edition of The Shetland Times available in shops on Friday.

Visit here to subscribe to a digital or print edition. 

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Swimmer celebrates double medal victory after near-death experience

February 9, 2025 | 9.29am

A Lerwick swimmer took home two medals for the isles – three months after almost losing her life.

Katie Bain, 24, earned two medals in the Silver City Blues Masters held in Aberdeen.

She claimed a silver medal in the 50 metre freestyle and a bronze in the 50 metre butterfly in the 25-29 age group, as she is set to turn 25 in June.

Her victory came just 15 weeks after she was discharged from hospital following a burst appendix which caused her to go into septic shock and suffer a number of life-threatening complications.

As a result, her medal victory at the Aberdeen tournament was even more special.

“I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I entered as a sort of motivator to get me back into fitness and give me something to aim for,” she told this newspaper.

“Going into it, I had no expectations so I was very happy [with the outcome].”

Read the full story in the latest edition of The Shetland Times. Visit here to subscribe to a digital or print edition. 

WATCH: Vibrant sunset over Spiggie Beach

February 8, 2025 | 2.56pm

Folk across the isles were treated to a vibrant sunset yesterday evening (Friday) including over Spiggie Beach.

The sun shone a fluorescent orange as it went down in the evening – a fitting end to a day filled with spells of sunshine.

Did you see the sunset? Send your pictures to [email protected]

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GALLERY: Girlsta and Nesting procession in pictures

February 8, 2025 | 10.55am

Girlsta and Nesting Up-Helly-A’ procession was a roaring success – as guizers’ torches lit up the tranquil night.

Were you at Girlsta and Nesting Up-Helly-A’? Send your photos and videos to [email protected]

WATCH: Breath-taking highlights of Girlsta and Nesting procession

February 7, 2025 | 10.26pm

Spirits were high this evening (Friday) without a breath of wind for Girlsta and Nesting’s epic Up-Helly-A’ procession.

The procession, led by Guizer Jarl Scott Johnson, was met with huge cheers from both the guizers and the masses of folk who came to watch the stunning spectacle.

Read the full coverage in next week’s Shetland Times.

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WATCH: Good cheer at Nesting for Up-Helly-A’

February 7, 2025 | 1.16pm

The Nesting and Girlsta Up-Helly-A’ has already been a roaring success.

The Guizer Jarl’s Squad has been keeping folk entertained, and the day has remained calm and clear – all of which should make for a great atmosphere when the main procession takes place tonight.

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Nesting and Girlsta Up-Helly-A’ begins

February 7, 2025 | 9.44am

The Nesting and Girlsta Up-Helly-A’ has begun, with The Guizer Jarl and his Jarl’s Squad already on visitation around the area.

Bjorn “Ironside” Ragnarsson — Scott Johnson — and his band of Vikings have kick started their day at the South Nesting Hall for breakfast before trips to schools, stores and hostelries for refreshments and tea.

The jarl’s persona is that of the 1st King of Sweden (circa 830-910) and was the second son of the famous Ragnar Lodbrok and his second wife, Auslaug.

At tonight’s (Friday) procession, 19 squads will proceed to the burning site from the South Nesting Hall, with the Guizer Jarl, his squad and the galley — Kilmister.

In this week’s Shetland Times

February 7, 2025 | 6.35am

In today’s (Friday, 7th February) edition of The Shetland Times:

  • Renewable community ownership potentially worth 20 Viking windfarms.
  • EXCLUSIVE: SIC national insurance contributions rise estimate in millions.
  • EXCLUSIVE: Quarter of water network made from asbestos pipes.
  • EXCLUSIVE: Women’s Aid survey reveals misogyny and discrimination.
  • LANDWISE: Major funding boost to help small producers.
  • Director of dentistry denied “dispute” with dental practice claims.
  • Drug warning as dangerous “apples” reach isles.
  • SPORT: Katie Bain exclusively reveals swimming medal joy after near-death experience.
  • SPORT: Isles ironman plans for second world championship attempt.

Read more in this week’s edition of The Shetland Times out now in shops.

Visit here to subscribe to a digital or print edition. 

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Billie Eilish’s Grammys Shetland hat is a copycat

February 6, 2025 | 1.09pm

A Shetland hat worn by Billie Eilish at the Grammy awards on Sunday was, in fact, a copycat made from imitation wool.

Yorkshire-based manufacturers Abraham Moon confirmed that its “Shetland-type wool” used in the baseball cap was shorn entirely from sheep in New Zealand, then milled in England.

The singer-songwriter was photographed wearing the “Shetland-quality” LA Dodgers hat and looking happier than ever, despite leaving the Los Angeles ceremony without any gongs this year.

Abraham Moon, which make luxury clothing and upholstery mostly to order, said the “Shetland” label was used as industry standard for products not made on the islands but which are “reminiscent” of “true Shetland” products.

“It’s become used as descriptor for a character of a cloth yarn type, rather than denoting a specific breed or origin,” Moon’s brand and product director, Joe McCann, told The Shetland Times.

“In Italy you can also find products being marketed as Shetland which probably have less to do with the UK than ours.”

Shetland’s wool-mongers were not convinced.

“Shetland wool has been hijacked,” said Oliver Henry, the director of Jamieson and Smith Shetland Wool Brokers.

“It’s like Cheddar cheese: producers in the Cheddar Gorge were imitated and now we’re imitated,” he said. “It’s very frustrating.”

With the help of local crofting unions Mr Henry, 76, has been attempting to strengthen a designation of origin protection for the islands’ knitwear since imitation Shetland wool first appeared in the 1970s.

“Shetland has the finest wool in the world,” said Mr Henry, running his hand through a matte of raw wool on Thursday morning.

“Feel this softness – you can see the peat and the heather. This was shorn last year and it’s still alive,” he added.

“Imitations from Australasia aren’t so good, but they are cashing in on our name: Shetland.”

Moon were celebrated in a Guardian article after the photo of Ms Eilish was published as a “thriving” success story and one of last surviving wool mills in the UK.

“Shetland wool is a lovely product,” said Mr McCann. “There isn’t much of it available, certainly in the kind of consistency and quality that a larger scale mill would require.”

“We’d love to do more with British wool, and we are working with the British Wool Marketing Board to bring back more onshore,” he added.

What was the hat made for? £130. Ms Eilish’s agents were also approached for comment.

• Read the full story in this week’s edition of The Shetland Times, out Friday, 7th February.

Power cuts in Unst, Yell and Lerwick

February 5, 2025 | 10.47am

Two power outages hit Shetland this morning — one in Lerwick, the other stretching across all of Unst and north Yell.

Together at least 700 homes lost power.

Though pupils sitting exams in Anderson High today fall under one of the outage areas, the school was unaffected, according to SSE and the council.

Both failures were caused by “a fault in our underground network” according to the energy company’s power tracker.

“These are not related and are on different parts of the network,” however, SSE said.

The Lerwick outage was reported a little after 3.30am today (Wednesday) and an engineer is currently on site. Despite SSE initially aiming to restore power by 11am, the cut is still in force at time of writing.

The larger cut across Unst and Yell was reported at roughly 10.15am and power has now been restored.

The Lerwick cut stretches over Anderson High, where pupils are sitting preliminary examinations today, but the school did not experience any cuts.

“Anderson High School has been unaffected by any power outages this morning,” the council said. “Classes and school activities have been as normal.”

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Lerwick Harbour welcomes new oil production from Penguins field 

February 4, 2025 | 4.06pm

Lerwick Port Authority (LPA) has welcomed the announcement of a new, floating facility to restart oil production at a deep sea field north-east of Shetland.

The Penguins field had ceased production four years ago, but operators Shell announced today (Tuesday) that oil is flowing again — courtesy of new wells and a “modern” floating, production, storage and offloading facility (FPSO), co-owned by NEO Energy.

“Being the closest hub port, we will be expecting to see service and supply vessels using Lerwick for Shell’s operations at the field,” said LPA Harbourmaster Captain Alexander Simpson.

“It is difficult to predict numbers at this stage but hopefully we will see some regular visitors.”

The facility will, Shell said, produce roughly 45,000 barrels of oil a day, as well as enough gas to heat 700,000 homes. The oil and gas giant said it hopes to extract from Penguins for another two decades.

While that oil will be refined overseas, and Penguins’ gas piped directly to the north-east of Scotland the activity is expected to bring more oil support boats into the harbour.

The number of oil rig supply and standby vessels calling in Lerwick dropped more than ten per cent last year, according to the LPA’s annual report — though dive support boats more than doubled, netting the harbour an extra £400,000, compared to 2023.

Shell claim operating the new facility will produce a third less emissions than the previous, standing platform.

“Today, the UK relies on imports to meet much of its demand for oil and gas,” said Zoë Yujnovich, Shell’s integrated gas and upstream director.

“The Penguins field is a source of the secure domestic energy production people need today, and the FPSO is a demonstration of our investment in competitive projects that create more value with less emissions.”

An ‘extremely potent’ drug is believed to be circulating in the isles

February 4, 2025 | 1.45pm

A drug referred to as “apples” is believed to be circulating in Shetland.

Shetland Alcohol and Drug Partnership warned on its Facebook page Orkney Alcohol & Drugs Partnership have reported the drug is being circulated and consumed in Orkney.

The partnership said it is believed the “extremely potent” drug is also circulating in Shetland. The drug “red apples” is believed to contain opioids.

The statement highlighted naloxone is a drug which can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

More information of naloxone provision in Shetland can be found here

Two Shetland books shortlisted for national photography award

February 4, 2025 | 12.40pm

Two local photographers have been shortlisted for a national award celebrating nature, wildlife and landscape photography.

Wild Shetland through the Seasons, by Brydon Thomason and published by The Shetland Times, has made the list, along with Shetland Travel Guide, by travel writer, tour guide and Shetland Times columnist, Laurie Goodlad.

The Scottish Nature Photography awards are held every other year, and organisers are now asking readers to cast their votes for their favourite of 18 candidates.

In the books highlighted, photographers cast their lenses from the Hebrides and Highlands to the Cairngorms and Shetland.

Some of the books are presented as guides, others as studies of particular photographers and photographic techniques. All of them focus on Scotland’s natural world.

“The shortlist reflects a prolific two years of publishing in this genre,” said the award’s organisers.

“Covering diverse subjects and approaches, these books feature stunning photography that portrays aspects of Scotland interwoven with its nature, wildlife and landscape.”

Voting opened on Friday and closes Monday, 3rd March.

You can cast your vote here, and find copies of both Shetland-inspired books in The Shetland Times bookshop or online.


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