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Talking Toevakuddis

29May Hazel Hughson, Barbara Ridland and Joan Fraser explored the use of cloth to pay taxes in a series of thought-provoking art forms in their recent Gadderie exhibition, inspiring us to consider why and how cloth was fulled in the sea and the hard work and dangers faced whilst producing this essential commodity. Many visitors to the exhibition were intrigued by the title and subject of the artists’ work – the word toevakuddi being as unfamiliar as the processes involved. Eileen Brooke-Freeman takes a look at the significance of the toevakoddi place names in Shetland.

Bold new photographic exhibition celebrates the significant role of women in the fishing industry

08May A compelling new photographic exhibition that pays homage to the integral role women have played in the fishing industry will open this weekend at the Shetland Museum and Archives in a collaboration between Shetland Amenity Trust and Shetland Arts.

Shetland Wool Week patron and nature inspired hat pattern announced

28Apr The Shetland Wool Week patron for 2023 has been named today as Shetland-based nurse and talented Fair Isle knitter, Alison Rendall, at a launch event held this evening at the Shetland Museum and Archives.

Fantastic day at Sumburgh Head

19Apr Thank you to everyone who joined us at Sumburgh Head a few weeks ago to celebrate the start of the 2023 season.

Opening of newly extended tree nursery

06Apr We were delighted to see the official opening of our newly extended tree nursery at Staney Hill, Lerwick this week.

Get involved with a native tree planting and demonstration day

04Apr Shetland Amenity Trust’s woodlands team is hosting a practical demonstration day on correct tree planting practice later this month and the public are invited to come along and take part in the planting of over 200 trees.

Help shape the future of the past at Old Scatness

29Mar Shetland Amenity Trust is beginning to gather thoughts and views on the long-term future of Old Scatness and is inviting the public to a series of free site tours and feedback opportunities over Easter on 7th and 10th April.

Da Voar Redd Up returns this April

23Mar Back for its 36th year, Da Voar Redd Up is Shetland’s most successful annual community beach and roadside spring clean-up.

Sumburgh Head opening postponed to Saturday 8 April

21Mar Spring is nearly here which signals the start of the season at Sumburgh Head Lighthouse and Visitor Centre. Join in the celebrations on Saturday 1 April as the popular lighthouse destination reopens for 2023. The foghorn will be sounded to mark the start of the season and members of the public will get the chance to win a competition to be the lightkeeper’s assistant on the day.

Shetland Heritage Conference

13Mar Last weekend over 80 delegates took part in discussions to help us shape the future for Shetland’s local culture and heritage. There were a number of presentations and group discussions which covered topics ranging from how we tell Shetland’s story to digital heritage. Discussions often highlighted concern that aspects of our heritage may be at risk of being lost such as oral traditions, traditional crafts and our living heritage. Shetland’s rare plants, breeds and crofting techniques were felt to be especially important to preserve and promote.

Local knitwear designer to curate the fourteenth Shetland Wool Week

21Feb Shetland Amenity Trust’s annual Shetland Wool Week festival, the isles’ celebration of Shetland sheep, wool, and textiles, has appointed renowned local knitwear designer, Donna Smith, as the event curator.

Shetland heritage conference – shaping the future together

15Feb Shetland Amenity Trust and Shetland Heritage Association have come together to host their first joint Heritage conference in March. Shetland’s Heritage – Shaping the Future Together will take place on Saturday 4 March in Shetland Museum and Archives.

Shetland Amenity Trust celebrates the return of Lerwick Up Helly Aa

07Feb It was so good to have Lerwick UHA back after two long years and welcome visitors from near and far to our sites at the Shetland Museum & Archives, Old Scatness Broch and Sumburgh Head Lighthouse, the latter two of which are not usually open during the winter.

The ‘Harriet’ unveiling honours phenomenal fundraising effort

30Jan Last night saw the official unveiling of the ‘Harriet’ portrait at a civic ceremony at Shetland Museum and Archives (Sunday 29 January) by renowned portrait artist Stuart Pearson Wright, as he presented his painting at the museum in front of invited guests.

New watercolour exhibition at Da Gadderie inspired by the Shetland landscape

24Jan Shetland Museum and Archives will be unveiling a contemporary art exhibition in its Gadderie space this weekend that is inspired by the extremes of Shetland’s landscape. The exhibition which comprises almost 40 watercolours is called ‘Clear Sight’ and features the recent work of award-winning, Shetland-based artist, Peter Davis, who has worked using the medium of watercolour throughout his art career.

Shetland Amenity Trust sites open for the return of Up Helly Aa 2023

17Jan The fiery season is back and the Shetland Amenity Trust is putting together a series of events as well as offering extended opening times to its main sites to appeal to locals and visitors alike.

On this Day in History - Braer Oil Disaster

05Jan It's hard to believe that today marks the 30th anniversary of the Braer oil spill. In this latest blog post by Shetland Museum and Archives we reflect on one of the world's worst environmental disasters in waters around Scotland.

Shetland Museum and Archives Festive Opening Times

20Dec These are the Festive Opening Times for Shetland Museum and Archives and Hay's Dock by the Dowry.

Shetland Museum and Archives - Closed Wed 14 Dec

13Dec Shetland Museum and Archives will be closed today due to the adverse weather conditions.

Shetland Museum Straw Crafts Update

12Dec The Shetland Museum is into the fourth week of its winter evening craft sessions using oat straw, and it’s been really encouraging to see the groups progressing their skills in the endangered basketry techniques of kishie making, knotted straw (Fair Isle) and coiled stitched straw.

The Guillemots are back

29Nov Given the horrors of bird flu last year it's great to see so many guillemots back on the cliffs today.

Winter weekend fundraiser as Sumburgh Head celebrates Christmas

21Nov Christmas is coming! Join us at Sumburgh Head Lighthouse and Visitor Centre on 3rd and 4th December as it opens for a winter weekend to kick off the festive season and raise money for a special cause.

School talent on display in new ‘Art’s Cool’ exhibition in the Shetland Museum

09Nov A colourful new schools’ art exhibition opens on Saturday 12 November in Da Gadderie at Shetland Museum and Archives

Free tree packs for schools and community groups

07Nov Shetland Amenity Trust in collaboration with Woodland Trust Scotland is encouraging schools and community groups in Shetland to plant native trees and help improve Shetland’s biodiversity.

New exhibition celebrates the artwork of John Johnson: Hobby Artist at Sea

04Nov A new exhibition of paintings by Shetland resident John Johnson has been launched today in the Shetland Museum and Archives.

Shetland Museum kicks off traditional straw crafts winter club

01Nov Shetland Museum and Archives is launching a series of winter evening sessions which will focus on craft techniques using oat straw and are inviting members of the public to come along to an open evening on Wednesday 9 November to find out more.

We're Hiring - Finance Manager

19Oct In an exciting new collaboration with Shetland Arts we are recruiting a Finance manager to work across both Trusts.

Bringing biodiversity and history into the (outdoors) classroom

11Oct The Crofthouse Museum has closed after a busy season and it’s been so good to see folk back again. One project we delivered over the summer months was an outreach partnership between our cultural and natural heritage teams and pupils from the nearby Dunrossness Primary School.

Rise of the Relict Birch Seed

06Oct Downy Birch is one of Shetland’s few indigenous tree species left growing in the wild that has survived the challenges of both climate change and agriculture. There are now only five verified sites left. Our woodlands team recently made an exciting discovery of birch seed at Clubbi Shuns.

Archaeology is Rubbish….

27Sep Archaeology really is rubbish. It is the study of the things which people have left behind – and usually that is the things which people have discarded. Maybe not always literally though, because archaeology frequently includes looking at the ruins of buildings which have gone out of use. It also includes looking at objects which were lost accidentally, rather than thrown away, or – in the case of the St Ninian’s Isle treasure – objects which were deliberately hidden but then never retrieved.

Shetland Wool Week Official Opening

26Sep The official opening of the thirteenth Shetland Wool Week took place last night at Shetland Museum and Archives welcoming guests from near and far.

Shetland Wool Week returns this Saturday

22Sep This Saturday marks the return of Shetland Wool Week ‘in person’ with a packed nine-day programme of classes, tours, talks and events throughout the isles. The popular festival, which is organised by Shetland Amenity Trust, is now in its thirteenth year and will take place from 24 September – 2 October 2022.

Shetland Amenity Trust buildings closed on Monday 19 September

14Sep The Shetland Amenity Trust buildings will be closed on Monday 19 September for the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

Stories from Ukraine - with Jen Stout

13Sep Join Jen Stout, journalist and Shetlander on Tues 20 September and learn about her recent time spent in war-torn Ukraine. There will be accompanying pictures of the landscape and the people she met.

HRH Queen Elizabeth

09Sep We are deeply saddened by the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

Archaeology Talk: Hidden in Plain Sight? Finding Shetland's Picts

07Sep It’s Scottish Archaeology Month! And if you’re interested in, our would like to find out more about Shetland’s archaeology, then next Thursday’s talk is for you!

Archivist Brian Smith receives distinguished service award

05Sep We’re delighted that Brian Smith’s dedication to Shetland’s historical records has been recognised with a distinguished service award from the Archives & Records Association, the leading professional body for the record-keeping sector. His work is hugely important in preserving Shetland’s history and this recognition is well deserved.

Shetland Amenity Trust Annual Review and AGM

30Aug The Shetland Amenity Trust held their AGM on Tuesday 30st August. Trustees re-elected Alison Moncrieff for a second term and appointed a Chair and Vice-Chairs.

It's raining ... moths!

11Aug Monday was ‘magical moth’ day at Boddam, a partnership event between Shetland Amenity Trust and The Shetland Community Wildlife Group. The wet, windy weather did little to put people off and over a dozen folk descended on Boddam to check out moth traps set the night before.

Tickets to Shetland Wool Week 2022 go live on Wednesday

09Aug The much-anticipated tickets to this year’s Shetland Wool Week will go live on Wednesday 10 August at 2.00pm.

Hunting Hawkweeds

27Jul July is the month that Shetland’s hawkweeds flower. Natural Heritage Officer, Paul Harvey tells us how they're so much more than a dandelion.

International Bog Day 2022 - Help Restore Shetland’s Peatland

12Jul To coincide with International ‘Bog Day’ the Shetland Amenity Trust is inviting people to find out more about peatland restoration and make a positive contribution to the restoration of an area of Shetland peatland on Sunday 24 July.

Shetland Wool Week patron and hat pattern announced for 2022

13Jun The Shetland Wool Week patron for 2022 has been named today as Whalsay knitter, Linda Shearer, at a launch event held this evening at Shetland Museum and Archives.

Summer Nature Programme gets underway

30May The Shetland Amenity Trust are excited to launch a new programme of nature events taking place throughout Shetland this summer from June to September 2022. The events cover many aspects of Shetland’s unique natural heritage, with everything from guided walks to family days out, children’s activities and training courses, there's something for everyone.

National Moth Night

19May Keep your eyes open - as it's National Moth Night! This event organised by Butterfly Conservation, the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and Atropos is an annual celebration of moth recording in the UK. It runs from May 19th-21st and everyone is encouraged to record any moths they see.

Introduced Plants in Shetland

18May Around a third of the species of flowering plants that one might come across in the Shetland countryside are not native to the islands. That’s a staggering 300 or so species that were deliberately, or accidentally, brought into Shetland by humans! For 'Invasive Species Week' we hear from Paul Harvey, our Natural Heritage Project Officer, who focuses on introduced plants in Shetland.

Visualising Shetland’s Iron Age

17May Three of Shetland’s most prestigious archaeological monuments will be brought to life next week on 26 & 27 May at the Shetland Museum and Archives with the launch of interactive iBook Shetland in the Iron Age, together with a series of talks from five visiting archaeologists.

We are hiring - Retail Coordinator

16May We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Retail Coordinator to join our team and develop our retail business.

Hay's Dock by the Dowry opens at Shetland Museum and Archives

05May Food and drink is back on the menu at Shetland Museum and Archives, with the much-anticipated opening of ‘Hay’s Dock by the Dowry’.

Heritage sites opening for the summer

27Apr Shetland Amenity Trust is re-opening the doors to the rest of its heritage sites this May.

We are hiring - Shetland Wool Week Event Coordinator

03Apr Join our team and become part of one of Shetland's biggest events. Attracting thousands of people from all over the world, Shetland Wool Week is an annual 9 day celebration of all things Shetland Wool and our outstanding textile heritage.

We are hiring - Cultural Heritage Manager

29Mar We are hiring! We have an exciting new position for a Cultural Heritage Manager to lead our work in protecting, enhancing and promoting Shetland’s Cultural Heritage.

We are seeking interested parties to help bring properties back into use

29Mar We are currently seeking interested parties to work with us to get some of our currently vacant properties back into use.

Shetland Wool Week is back for 2022

28Mar Shetland Wool Week will finally be going ahead in person this September as organisers at Shetland Amenity Trust confirm the dates as 24 September – 2 October 2022.

Sumburgh Head Lighthouse and Cafe to reopen for the season on 2 April

22Mar Join in the celebrations at Sumburgh Head on Saturday 2 April as the site reopens for the 2022 season. The foghorn will be sounded to mark the start of the season and members of the public will get the chance to win a competition to be the lightkeeper’s assistant on the day.

International Day of Forests

21Mar Shetland is not typically known for its forests, but there are in fact many plantations and woodland areas dotted throughout the isles.

Da Voar Redd Up Returns this April

14Mar Shetland Amenity Trust is pleased to announce that its award-winning annual spring clean up, Da Voar Redd Up (DVRU), is back and will take place next month from 23 – 29 April 2022.

We're Hiring - 2022 Season!

11Mar Join our team. Vacancies available at the Shetland Crofthouse Museum and at Sumburgh Head.

The Dowry set to open café/restaurant at Shetland Museum’s historic Hay’s Dock

01Mar Shetland Amenity Trust is pleased to announce that food and drink will once again be on the menu having reached an agreement with The Dowry to open a café/restaurant in May at its waterfront location Hay’s Dock at Shetland Museum.

We are hiring - Peatland ACTION Project Officer

09Feb We have an exciting opportunity for a self-motivated, experienced individual to join our team!

Peatland Restoration Demo Day Event

09Feb Join us to find out more about our peatland restoration work and to see the team in action.

Shetland Museum and Archives reopens

07Feb Shetland Museum and Archives is delighted to announce that it will reopen from tomorrow (Tuesday 8 February) following a temporary closure due to a fault with the heating system.

Business opportunity at Sumburgh Head Lighthouse

26Jan We are offering an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic individual or business to partner with us and take on the role of managing our unique holiday accommodation at Sumburgh Head Lighthouse, comprising two self-catered cottages.

A look back at 2021

05Jan We look back on a challenging and busy year and how we have had to adapt and find new ways of working to preserve and promote Shetland’s natural and cultural heritage.

Archaeology you must not miss!

18Nov Shetland’s wealth of archaeological gems is an all too well-kept secret and visitors frequently ask which sites they really should see on a short trip. Here regional archaeologist, Val Turner, recommends the best places to visit.

WE'RE HIRING!

16Nov We have a new vacancy for a Custodian at Sumburgh Head Lighthouse.

New exhibition at the Shetland Museum to excite young readers and art lovers

28Oct A new exhibition opens this week at the Shetland Museum and Archives. 'A’ll Tell Dee a Story' is the work of local author and self-publisher Ann Marie Anderson, and her show is enhanced through a partnership programme of activities delivered by the Museum and Archives.

We're Hiring!

20Oct We have vacancies for a Natural Heritage Officer and a Maintenance Technician.

On the global trail: Shetland Geopark part of World’s first UNESCO trail

15Oct The world’s first ever UNESCO trail, bringing together some of Scotland’s most iconic, diverse and culturally significant sites, has been launched today (Friday, 15 October, 2021).

VIRTUAL SHETLAND WOOL WEEK KICKS OFF THIS SATURDAY

23Sep Shetland Wool Week is going virtual this year - with the nine day event kicking off this Saturday.

New Chair Appointed and Annual Review published

01Sep We held our AGM on Tuesday 31st August 2021. Trustees considered the Annual Report and Accounts, elected new Trustees and appointed a new Chair and Vice-Chairs.

Gingko tree planted at Lerwick Flower Park

06Aug A ginkgo tree has been planted in Lerwick Flower Park this morning, to mark the 76th Anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing on 6th August 1945.

Book launch and signing at Sumburgh Head Lighthouse

02Aug The fascinating history of Scotland’s lighthouses is revealed through the stories and voices of keepers in a new book which is to be launched at Sumburgh Head Lighthouse on Sunday 8 August

Help Restore Shetland’s Peatland

20Jul To coincide with International ‘Bog Day’ the Shetland Amenity Trust is inviting people to get involved with the restoration of an area of Shetland bogland on Sunday 25 July. The aim of the event is to raise awareness of the valuable role peatlands play in tackling climate change and to take practical action in helping to protect these incredible carbon stores.

Recruiting new Trustees

29Jun Could you help lead Shetland’s heritage into the future?

Scaled up efforts for rewilding project

25May The Shetland Amenity Trust are delighted to be involved in this year’s rewilding project working together with the Lerwick Port Authority and Bell’s Brae Primary School. As well as supplying the trees, the Woodlands Team have provided advice and support on the planting as part of the Trust’s conservation and cultivation programme in the islands.

Vikings Discovered in Sandwick

20Apr Hints of two new Viking sites have recently come to light in Sandwick, both made by sharp eyed young people, and both of which will be reported as Treasure Trove.

Shetland Wool Week 2021 hat pattern launched

16Apr The new Shetland Wool Week 2021 hat pattern released today

Sumburgh Head opens for the season this Easter weekend with a programme of family activities

30Mar Join in the celebrations at Sumburgh Head this Easter weekend as the site reopens for the 2021 season with a host of activities, events, and a new café.

Da Voar Redd Up to go ahead this April in collaboration with Marine Conservation Society

30Mar The Shetland Amenity Trust is delighted to announce that Da Voar Redd Up (DVRU) is back on and will take place from 24th – 30th April 2021. The annual beach and roadside clean-up was cancelled last year due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Organisers have since been working on ways to make the event more efficient and COVID-safe for volunteers who wish to participate.

Trust Mourns the loss of a much loved colleague

24Mar It is with immense sadness that we have learned this morning of the passing of Davy Cooper, Head of Development and Assistant CEO at the Shetland Amenity Trust.

Shetland Wool Week to go virtual for 2021

09Mar The Shetland Amenity Trust has announced today that it will be cancelling its leading event, Shetland Wool Week, which was due to take place at the end of September, due to the ongoing uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic.

Place Names - Women Immortalised in Place Names

08Mar Madge and Agatha, Charlotte, Baabie, Beenie, Belle Yorston, Jannie, Ola and Ellen Slater - who were they, when did they live and why were places named after them?

Place Name of the Week - Butter

03Mar A recent enquiry reminded Shetland place name expert Eileen Brooke-Freeman of research into butter names she carried out a few years ago. Da Butter Stane a large stone in the hills between Weisdale and Aithsting, a merch-stane (boundary stone) visible from miles around.

Shetland Amenity Trust reopens Shetland Museum and Archives

01Mar The Shetland Amenity Trust will reopen its doors to the public at the Shetland Museum and Archives this week following careful consideration of Government Guidelines and recent statements from Shetland NHS concerning the likely course of COVID 19 locally.

Blue Tits and Woodpeckers

22Feb At times this winter the bird-life in some gardens has been more in keeping with the Scottish mainland than Shetland. Last October saw the biggest influx of Blue Tits into Shetland in living memory. Along with these came a fair few Great Tits and the occasional Great Spotted Woodpecker too.

Birds and the Big Freeze

15Feb Its been a good few years since Shetland has faced a fortnight of freezing weather. Its not so bad for us – we can just put on the thermals, wrap up warm and get out and enjoy the snow and sun in the knowledge that we can come home to a warm house and a cupboard full of food. For our wintering birds though it’s a matter of life or death.

Sumburgh Head secures support from Historic Environment Scotland

26Jan We are pleased to announce that Shetland Amenity Trust has secured funding for Sumburgh Head Lighthouse from Historic Environment Scotland as part of its recovery fund to support Scotland’s historic environment sector from the impacts of Covid-19.

Place Names of the Week - Press hols

21Jan Shetland’s reputation of having many excellent seamen made the isles an obvious target for the Press Gang or Bluejackets, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. The Royal Navy had problems recruiting enough volunteers, particularly during periods of war, so they used the system of impressment right up to 1815.

Place Names of the Week - Playin da ba

06Jan Playin da ba was once a popular pastime at Auld Christmas (5th/6th January).

Award for iBook interpreting Mousa, Old Scatness and Jarlshof

22Dec An Interactive iBook which includes virtual tours around three of Shetland’s most prestigious archaeological monuments was Highly Commended in the Association for Learning Technologists Awards last week.

Place Names of the Week - Craigsaets

17Dec Craigsaets, also called craigstanes or craigs, are rocks along the foreshore used for line fishing and associated with the term ‘gyaain ta da craigs.’

SAT bids farewell to Chief Executive

10Dec The Shetland Amenity Trust’s Chief Executive, Mat Roberts, is leaving the Trust after almost three years in the job.

Place Name of the Week - Skerries

04Dec Skerries are small rocky islands, usually too small for habitation. They are often associated with shipwrecks and their isolation attracts bird colonies and seals. The word comes from the Old Norse word sker meaning an isolated rock in the sea. Examples occur throughout Scandinavia and the UK; particularly well known in the Britain are Skerries (Shetland), Sule Skerry (Orkney), Pentland Skerries (Scotland), and The Skerries (Anglesey).

Place Names of the Week - Personal names

25Nov Several place-names reflect people who have lived at or been associated with places in the past. Here we focus on a few less obvious and particularly interesting ones.

Place Name of the Week - Talking Taings

12Nov The Old Norse tangi, tungi means a point of land and is a common place-name in Norway, Faroe and Iceland. The names are easy to recognise and interpret because there are many parallel taing, teng, tung, tungi or tonga names in Shetland. The place-names describe the location, wildlife or buildings associated with the points.

Place Name of the Week - All about burning

06Nov This week as our minds turn to bonfires, I consider some of the many place-names that relate to burning. Old Norse brenna and brandr, a burning, burnt off piece of land, gives brunna, brenna, brenda or brenya place-names. These are places where patches of heathery moorland were set on fire to clear for grazing and encourage new growth

Place Name of the Week - Njuggls and Shöpilties

29Oct The njuggl is a water spirit similar to the kelpie, which frequents burns and lochs. It disguises itself as a horse and, by feigning tameness and affection, lures unsuspecting weary travellers onto its back and then gallops at lightning speed towards the nearest water.

Place Name of the Week - Bölin da Kye

23Oct Old Norse bú, oxi, kálfr, kýr and kví village, farm and field names all relate to cattle. Discover the Shetland place names related to cattle in our latest Place Names blog.

Place-name of the week blog – Neaps and Noups

12Oct Find out more about Shetland's place names in our weekly blog. The Old Norse terms gnípa and gnúpr mean a steep mountain with overhanging top or a high mountaintop with a steep front. This gives rise to place-names like Nipa and Snønipa in Norway, Dalsnípa and Núpur in Faroe and Eiríksgnípa in Iceland. In Norse mythology, Gnipahellir was an overhanging cave where Garmr the hound was chained until the onset of Ragnarök.

Appeal: A Peerie Hansel Fae Hame

06Oct The Shetland Community would like to express its support by sending a peerie hansel (gift) from home to the estimated 400 students away from home during the pandemic. Can you help?

Shetland Amenity Trust publishes 2019/20 Annual Report

06Oct The Shetland Amenity Trust has today published its Annual Report and Accounts for the 2019/20 financial year, which were approved at the AGM last month.

Place-name of the week – searching for sheep

02Oct Find out more about Shetland's place names in our weekly blog. As this is Shetland Wool Week, I have been thinking about all the dialect words associated with sheep and wool and particularly the place-names that reflect where sheep grazed, rested or were caaed (rounded up).

Place Name of the Week - Grinds

24Sep The dialect word grind comes from Old Norse grindr a wicket-gate, usually in a fence or wall. Grind place-names denote where there have been such gates or describe features that resemble gateways

Place Name of the Week - Pursuing pirates

18Sep You may start talking like a pirate on “Talk Like a Pirate Day” on 19 September, but will you also go out and search for fellow pirates and if so, where will you go?

Remarkable Journeys

15Sep Autumn migration should now be in full swing here in Shetland but so far this September has proved disappointing for birdwatchers. This because the wind has largely been from the western quarter. Westerly winds do bring some migrants to the isles, notably those that breed to the north-west of us in Faroe or Iceland.

New Chair and Trustees and farewell to Frank

14Sep The Shetland Amenity Trust held their AGM on Monday 14th September at which they appointed a new Chair, Vice-Chairs and four new Trustees. Long standing Trustee Frank Robertson stepped down after 21 years of service on the Board.

Place Name of the Week - Tings and Things

10Sep Things, from the Old Norse word þing meaning assembly, were an early system of justice and administration. When Vikings and early Norse settlers arrived in a new place, they brought with them their customs and legal systems.. Things were where political decisions were made, laws upheld and disputes settled. They acted as meeting places and were often the focus for trade and religious activity.

Place Name of the Week - Noosts

03Sep Noosts, nousts or nowsts, are places where boats are drawn up from the sea. They occur along the coastline of Northern and Western Scotland and Scandinavia and take their name from the Old Norse naust meaning a boatshed.

Look out for hoverflies

02Sep With summer drawing to an end, insects will soon start to disappear from roadside verges and our gardens but one group – the hoverflies – will be around for a while yet.

It's bat time of year

01Sep Shetland’s cool, windy climate and the general lack of tree cover means the islands are hardly a haven for bats and there has never been any evidence that bats have bred in Shetland. Some folk, however, might be surprised to learn that bats are seen here almost every year and most occur in September and October.

Super Saturday

25Aug Saturday was one of those days that wildlife watchers can only experience in a place as unique as Shetland. Paul Harvey's super Saturday comprised a moth, a bird and a habitat he'd not come across in Shetland before.

Place-name of the week – Quoys, quees and hwais

20Aug The re-use of place-names is sometimes confusing, especially when the same name is repeated near an original landmark, or the meaning of a name is totally inappropriate for a new house or road. However, applying old names to new buildings helps maintain links with the past, particularly when recalling what was formerly on the site.

Off the Beaten Track 20 - West Side Crannogs

13Aug Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust

Place-name of the week – Deep ida daals

12Aug Old Norse dalr place-names are commonly used for valleys in Norway and Iceland, as well as in Shetland and Orkney. In Shetland, although the map spelling is generally the same as the English dale, the pronunciation is usually daal, del or dil.

What to look for this week - Burying Beetles

12Aug Once we get into late summer and the nights are relatively still and warm nocturnal insect activity reaches a peak. Paul Harvey tells us more about burying beetles.

Place-name of the week - Nesses

06Aug Ness place-names are common throughout the Viking world. Old Norse nes described headlands and was also used in both farm and village names.

Off the Beaten Track 19 – Skaw

06Aug Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust

What to Look for this week - Gentian Heaven

05Aug The gentians are among the most attractive flowers found in Britain. Yet sadly, they are becoming increasingly rare.

Successful Reopening of Sites

04Aug The Shetland Amenity Trust reopened its doors to the public at the Shetland Museum and Archives and the Sumburgh Head Lighthouse and Visitor Centre in recent weeks with a positive response from locals and visitors alike.

We are seeking new trustees

31Jul Could you help lead Shetland’s heritage into the future?

Off the Beaten Track 18 - Eshaness

31Jul Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust

Place-name of the week – Mills

29Jul Shetland’s horizontal watermills are often referred to as Norse mills as they were introduced here by the Vikings, but their origins lie in Ancient Greece.

What to look for this week - Beautiful 'Weeds'

28Jul One group of plants that has declined more than any other in Shetland are the so-called arable weeds. Our Natural Heritage Expert Paul Harvey explains more and shares some of the best places to find them in Shetland today.

Place-name of the week – Landing places, docks and harbours

23Jul The Lodberrie has become an internationally recognised landmark since featuring as Jimmy Perez’s home in the TV drama ‘Shetland’.

Off the Beaten Track 17 – Pinhoulland

22Jul It is almost impossible to go for a walk in Shetland without seeing a plantiecrub (krub), the small enclosures in the hill for kale seedlings.

Place-name of the week blog – Linga and Klingra

16Jul This week it’s been a joy to see both heather and wild roses coming into flower. Both beautiful plants are reflected in several place-names.

Off the Beaten Track 16 - Eastshore, South Voe

15Jul Shetland’s South Mainland has one of the greatest densities of broch sites anywhere.

Why Record?

14Jul This week our Natural Heritage expert Paul Harvey explains the significance of recording our wildlife.

Off the Beaten Track 15 – Kebister

10Jul Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust

Place name of the week – Brochs and Forts

09Jul Find out more about Shetland’s place names in our weekly blog. This week we visit brochs and forts.

What to Look for this week - Out of the Darkness

07Jul Our Natural Heritage Expert Paul Harvey shares an insight into what to look out for in the garden or when out for a walk this week.

Off the Beaten Track 14 - Dalsetter and Troswick

03Jul Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust.

Place-name of the week – a world tour

02Jul Find out more about Shetland's place names in our weekly blog. This week we go on a world tour.

What to look for this week - Damsels and Dragons

01Jul Our Natural Heritage expert Paul Harvey shares an insight into what to look out for in the garden or when out for a walk this week

Off the Beaten Track 13 - Whalsay

26Jun Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust.

Place-name of the week – Houlls

25Jun Find out more about Shetland's place names in our weekly blog. This week we look at Houlls.

What to look for this week - Orchids are blooming

24Jun Our Natural Heritage expert Paul Harvey shares an insight into what to look out for in the garden or when out for a walk this week

Off the Beaten Track 12 - Noosts

19Jun Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust.

Place-name of the week – Lerwick Lanes

18Jun Find out more about Shetland's place names in our weekly blog. This week we look at the history of the Lerwick Lanes.

What to look for this week - The trouble with lichen

17Jun Our Natural Heritage expert Paul Harvey shares an insight into what to look out for in the garden or when out for a walk this week

Off the Beaten Track 11 - In search of Brochs

12Jun Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust.

Our commitment to equality, inclusion and diversity

11Jun The death of George Floyd has prompted a global outpouring of grief and anger that we, as an integral part of society, cannot ignore. Peaceful protest should be a catalyst for both self-awareness and action by organisations.

Place-name of the week – Garth, Gerdie, Gorsendi

11Jun Find out more about Shetland's place names in our weekly blog. This week we look at place names Garth, Gerdie, Gorsendi

What to look for this week - Beautiful Butterflies

09Jun Our Natural Heritage expert Paul Harvey shares an insight into what to look out for in the garden or when out for a walk this week

Off the Beaten Track 10 - Miles of Prehistoric Landscapes

05Jun Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust.

Place-name of the week – birds

04Jun Find out more about Shetland's place names in our weekly blog. This week we look at place names inspired by birds.

Protect the environment and those who care for it - take your litter home

02Jun As the organisers of Da Voar Redd Up and the Dunna Chuck Bruck campaign we are urging people now more than ever to take their litter home with them, both to keep Shetland tidy and to protect those who pick up litter during Covid-19.

Off the Beaten Track 9 - Ancient ritual and burial in the landscape

29May Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust.

Place-name of the week – beaches

29May Find out more about Shetland's place names in our weekly blog. This week we look at beaches.

Visiting Sumburgh Head during Covid-19

28May Potential visitors to Sumburgh Head urged to follow Government Guidelines as lockdown restrictions are eased.

Off the Beaten Track 8 - Burnt Mounds

22May Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust.

Place-name of the week – kleber, klamel and klemel

21May Find out more about Shetland's place names in our weekly blog. This week we look at kleber, klamel and klemel.

What to look for this week - Wildflowers

19May Our Natural Heritage expert Paul Harvey shares an insight into what to look out for in the garden or when out for a walk this week

Off the Beaten Track 7 - In search of soapstone

15May Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust.

Place name of the week - gaets, gotts and veiens

12May Find out more about Shetland's place names in our weekly blog. This week we look at the 'gaets, gotts and veiens'.

What to look for this week - Wonderful Waders

12May Our Natural Heritage expert Paul Harvey shares an insight into what to look out for in the garden or when out for a walk this week

Off the Beaten Track 6 - Walking with Vikings

08May Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust.

What to look for this week - Bumblebees

06May Our Natural Heritage Expert Paul Harvey shares an insight into what to look out for in the garden or when out for a walk this week

Place name of the week - Holms

05May Find out more about Shetland's place names in our weekly blog. This week we look at the 'holms'.

Off the Beaten Track 5 - The Mysterious Picts

30Apr Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust.

What to look for this week - Wheatears

29Apr Our Natural Heritage Expert Paul Harvey shares an insight into what to look out for in the garden or when out for a walk this week

Place name of the week - Warts and Trigs

28Apr Find out more about Shetland's place names in our weekly blog. This week we look at the 'warts' and trigs.

Place name of the week - Bisters

21Apr Find out more about Shetland's place names in our weekly blog. This week we look at the 'bisters'.

Off the Beaten Track 4 - Our past emerging as the coast erodes

16Apr Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust

Place name of the week - Wicks

14Apr Find out more about Shetland's place names in our weekly blog. This week we look at the 'wicks'.

Shetland Amenity Trust postpones key events

13Apr The Shetland Amenity Trust have announced that its key annual events will all be postponed until next year. Due to the current Coronavirus pandemic, Shetland Boat Week, Shetland Nature Festival and Shetland Wool Week will now no longer take place in 2020.

Off the Beaten Track 3 - Homesteads

10Apr Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust

Off the Beaten Track 2 - Ness of Burgi

03Apr Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust

Off the Beaten Track 1 – Punds Water

02Apr Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust

Da Voar Redd Up Postponed

31Mar The Shetland Amenity Trust have announced that Da Voar Redd Up will be postponed until later in the year due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The annual event which is now in its 33rd year was due to take place from the 25th to 26th April with an anticipated 4,500 volunteers cleaning up Shetland’s beaches and roadside verges. It is hoped that the event will now take place in the Autumn but the organisers are still encouraging people to pick up litter whilst they are out and about.

SHETLAND WOOL WEEK 2020 PATRON AND HAT PATTERN LAUNCHED

27Mar The Shetland Wool Week patron for 2020 has been named today as Shetland knitwear designer, Wilma Malcolmson, who is internationally renowned for her skilfully blended Fair

Shetland Amenity Trust closes key sites

17Mar The Shetland Museum and Archives and the Shetland Amenity Trust’s head offices at Garthspool, Lerwick have today closed to the public until further notice. The upcoming seasonal opening of the Trust’s other sites at Sumburgh Head, the Crofthouse Museum, and Old Scatness Broch and Iron Age Village are also under review.

Chair steps down from Shetland Amenity Trust

10Mar Chair of the Shetland Amenity Trust Ruth Mackenzie has announced that she is stepping down from the role for health reasons. Mrs Mackenzie joined the Trust in May 2016 and was appointed to the role of Chair of the Board in October 2017.

Shetland Wool Week needs your support

28Jan

New home for Shetland Family History Society

28Jan

Shetland Amenity Trust reflects on a busy year

17Dec The Shetland Amenity Trust (SAT) published its annual review this week looking back over the 2018/19 financial year. It has been a busy year for the Trust as it continued to deliver a range of services, projects and initiatives all aimed at caring for Shetland’s natural and cultural heritage.

A new direction for the Shetland Amenity Trust

14Nov At their meeting this morning, Friday 15 November, Trustees will launch ‘Caring for Shetland’s heritage’, their new Strategic Plan, which endorses a new direction for the Trust’s future activity.

A change in focus for Da Voar Redd Up volunteers

13Nov The final totals have now been tallied for ‘Da Voar Redd Up’ 2019, the annual spring clean of Shetland’s beaches, and the results have been surprising.

Early Vikings discovered in Unst

22Oct There is a strong tradition of Vikings living in Shetland, but firm evidence of early Viking settlers has always been elusive – until now.

A call for ‘Pre-loved’ leaflets

22Oct Shetland Amenity Trust are encouraging local people, businesses and visitors to help them collect up visitor information leaflets so they can be re-used.

Seasonal Opening times change for key Visitor Attractions

08Oct Shetland Amenity Trust have announced that their key Visitor Attractions at Sumburgh Head, Old Scatness Broch & Iron Age Village and the Crofthouse Museum are all now closed for the Winter season. The Shetland Museum and Archives remains open with reduced hours.

Fair Isle Friday Fun

08Oct Last Friday, 4th October 2019, saw the launch of ‘Fair Isle Friday’ as part of the Shetland Wool Week 10th year celebrations. People across the world wore their Fair Isle to mark the event and shared the pictures on Social Media. Lots of local organisations and businesses got involved posting pictures online using #SWWFairIsleFriday.

Wool Week tutor helping to change lives in India

01Oct Young Shetland knitwear designer and Wool Week tutor Terri Malcolmson is travelling to southern India next week to teach fair isle knitting to women in the Tamil Nadu province. The two-week trip is part of an initiative to provide women in rural areas with the skills to gain sustainable, well-paid employment.

Get involved in 'Fair Isle Friday'

24Sep As organisers of Shetland Wool Week we are asking as many people as possible to get involved in ‘Fair Isle Friday’ as part of the Wool Week 10 year celebrations next week.

Shetland Wool Week set for a very special year

24Sep This Saturday marks the start of the 10th Shetland Wool Week. The event has grown into one of Shetland’s biggest annual festivals and attracts people from all over the world for 9 days of workshops, tours, classes and events all celebrating Shetland Wool.

Shetland retains its UNESCO Global Geopark Status

24Sep At their meeting in Indonesia earlier this week, the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council announced that Shetland will retain its UNSECO Global Geopark status.

Archaeologist gather from across the world to discuss Shetland’s Archaeology

17Sep This Friday sees the start of a weekend symposium where the future Shetland’s past will be the main focus. The symposium will consider what archaeologists now know about Shetland from the time when people first settled here through to recent times, and what the key questions are for the future.

Sumburgh Head Café to re-open

17Sep The popular café at Sumburgh Head is set to re-open this week. The café suffered extensive water damage earlier in the season as water leaked in through the spectacular curved windows. Repair works are now complete and Katja Stübiger of ‘Katja’s Cakes’ will be running a pop-up café for the remainder of the season.

Tackling Climate Change through healthy Peatlands

16Sep To coincide with the Global Climate strike this Friday, 20th September, the Shetland Amenity Trust are inviting everyone to come along and take some practical action on climate change. The Trust has organised a peatbog restoration day where you can learn about the valuable role peatlands play in tackling climate change and to get involved in restoring these incredible carbon stores.

Shetland Wool Week Stories Competition

20Aug Shetland Wool Week celebrates its tenth year this Autumn and with more people than ever booked on classes, tours and activities it is set to be the biggest and best yet. As part of the celebrations the Wool Week team are collecting stories from the people who have been part of Wool Week over the years - from participants to patrons, tutors to tea makers, communities to crofters.

Huge support for Shetland Boat Week 2019

13Aug Shetland Boat Week came to a close this weekend after a week long celebration of our maritime heritage. The Boat Week team welcomed over 500 people to Hay’s Dock each day with a range of people getting involved from toddlers to teenagers, and seasoned sailors to those who have never been on a boat before.

Shetland Boat Week starts next week

31Jul Shetland Boat Week kicks off on Monday with a packed programme of events. The week long celebration of our maritime heritage has events to appeal to all, from toddlers to teenagers, and seasoned sailors to those who have never been on a boat before.

Shetland Nature Festival enjoys a bumper year

16Jul The Shetland Nature Festival came to a close this weekend after a 9 day action packed programme. Shetland Amenity Trust run the annual festival and this year the programme was bigger than ever before with over 70 events throughout Shetland.

Shetland Ponies: Choosing the best from the rest

16Jul The Shetland Pony is iconic around the world and will be the focus of a week long celebration of the breed this July culminating in the Shetland Pony Stud-Book Society annual Breed Show. This is only the second time the show has ever been held in Shetland, the last one over ten years ago in 2009. In celebration of the event, the Shetland Museum and Archives are working with the Pony Breeders of Shetland Association (PBSA) to put on an exhibition about Shetland Pony shows and their history.

Shetland Nature Festival starts this weekend

02Jul Shetland Nature Festival kicks off this weekend with Coasteering, open days at Noss and Sumburgh Head, family activities, guided walks, a talk on Seabirds by Will Miles, croft tours, botanical drawing classes, and much, much more. The Nature Festival starts this Saturday at Noss and concludes next weekend in Unst.

Seasons of the Shetland Crofter - Last chance to enter

02Jul Time is running out to submit your entry for the ‘Seasons of the Shetland Crofter’ competition. You do not have to be a professional photographer or a crofter to win, just submit a photo or video that reflects an aspect of life on a Shetland Croft. It can be a new image or video, or one from the past. You could win a luxury Vispring Real Shetland Wool Bed and a stay at the spectacular Sumburgh Head lighthouse.

Shetland Amenity Trust launches Heritage Season Ticket

25Jun Shetland Amenity Trust has announced the release of a new ‘Heritage Season Ticket’. The ticket can be used at Shetland Amenity Trust sites in the South Mainland including Sumburgh Head Lighthouse & Visitor Centre, Old Scatness Broch and Iron Age Village, and the Crofthouse Museum at Dunrossness. The ticket provides up to a third off the usual ticket price and means that you can visit the sites as many times as you wish throughout the season.

A native Shetland Hazelnut

25Jun Growing quietly in the Staney Hill horticultural unit, a relict of Shetland’s ancient woodlands is springing to life once more. The woodlands team at the Shetland Amenity Trust have successfully cloned and pollinated the last native hazel tree in Shetland and it has produced its first hazelnut.

Shetland Nature Festival Programme Launched

12Jun Saturday 6th to Sunday 14th July will see the return of the Shetland Nature Festival with a bigger and better programme than ever before. Shetland Amenity Trust has just announced the bumper programme of events which stretch from Unst to Fair Isle, and Eshaness to Skerries, and many places in between.

2019 Shetland Boat Week Programme Launched

11Jun Shetland Amenity Trust is pleased to announce the launch of the 2019 programme of events for Shetland Boat Week, to be held from 5th to 11th August. Sponsored by Ocean Kinetics, So Much to Sea, Lerwick Port Authority and Serco NorthLink Ferries, the event includes a number of new activities this year to complement the return of firm favourites.

SAT announces Geopark partnership with Mirrie Dancers

04Jun Shetland Amenity Trust (SAT) has announced a partnership with Mirrie Dancers Chocolatier to celebrate and promote Shetland’s Geopark status.

Looking to the future

12May Shetland Amenity Trust is looking to the future of Shetland’s natural and cultural heritage and the future work of the Trust itself. They are now asking for feedback from groups, organisations and individuals on what the priorities should be for the Trust in the coming years.

Emma Louise's Coffee Shop Opening at Shetland Museum & Archives

01May

Our Millionth Visitor!

22Mar Our team at the Shetland Museum & Archives welcomed their millionth visitor on Thursday 21st March.

Shetland Wool Week 2019 Patron Announced

22Mar The Shetland Wool Week guest patron for 2019 has been named today as Shetland ‘Man of Wool’, Oliver Henry. The news was announced yesterday morning at the start of Scotland’s largest urban yarn and fibre event, the Edinburgh Yarn Festival, where the Shetland Wool Week team is exhibiting.

Welcoming tenders for Hay’s Dock Café

15Jan Do you have what it takes to deliver a great café offering in a 5 star Visitor Attraction? We work hard to feed the imagination of all our visitors at Shetland Museum and Archives - up to 90,000 of them per year - but sometimes they need something more. We are inviting tenders for the operation of our in-house café ‘Hay’s Dock Café’ for the period of 1 year.

Museum loses a treasure

18Dec Shetland Museum and Archives lost one of its greatest treasures last week as member of staff Cathy Hallett retired. Cathy has been a Visitor Services Assistant at the Museum since its opening in 2007 when she welcomed Queen Sonja of Norway and the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay to our Museum.

The Mystery of the Three Kirks

03Dec A small sandstone altar found recently at Eshaness has sparked a mystery at the Shetland Museum and Archives. Shetland Amenity Trust staff were preparing the altar for exhibition at the Museum when they discovered that the sandstone was not in fact from Shetland.

Businesses and Communities Redd Up Remote Areas

27Nov With marine industries and land owners realising the benefits of making positive change, this year saw a large increase in the number of remote areas cleared through Da Voar Redd Up.

The Vikings are coming - prepare for a spectacular audio visual theatrical performance

14Nov Shetland Amenity Trust is delighted to announce that the international Follow the Vikings Roadshow is coming to Shetland on Saturday 24th November. Celebrations will begin with a Family Fun Day at the Shetland Museum and Archives from 10.30am to 4pm, followed by a unique contemporary show portraying Viking heritage in Mareel from 7.30pm.

Shetland Amenity Trust Appoints Head of Engagement

05Nov The Shetland Amenity Trust is delighted to announce that after a thorough and independent recruitment process conducted by external consultants, Sandy Middleton has been appointed to the position of Head of Engagement.

Hay’s Dock Café Restaurant Closure

03Nov Hay’s Dock Café Restaurant, in the Shetland Museum and Archives, has closed in the face of recent, very challenging trading conditions. The decision was taken with regret, but the business is not currently profitable.

Peerie Boat Week Proves Popular

21Aug Shetland Amenity Trust have released details of the numbers of visitors to the Peerie Boat Week event last week and are pleased with the turnout and public feedback on the miniature maritime festival.

Shetland Amenity Trust hopes to take on graduates

27Jul Shetland Amenity Trust, keen to explore the possibility of bringing graduates to live and work in the islands, is offering two graduate placements in key areas of its operations. These posts would be part of the ScotGrad Programme and would be part-funded by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the European Regional Development Fund.

Peerie Boat Week Programme now online

24Jul Shetland Amenity Trust have published the first details of the Peerie Boat Week programme online this morning ahead of the maritime festival next month. The printed programme, sponsored by Serco NorthLink Ferries, will be available shortly.

Shetland Amenity Trust Leadership Team Reorganisation

23Jul The Shetland Amenity Trust is delighted to announce that after a thorough and independent recruitment process conducted by external consultants, the following appointments have been made to its Leadership Team:

2018 Shetland Nature Festival Programme Launched

17Jul Shetland Amenity Trust, in partnership with RSPB Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage is delighted to announce that the programme for the 2018 Shetland Nature Festival has now been published online, with tickets available to book now. This year the Festival will run from Saturday 28th July to Sunday 5th August inclusive.

Peerie Boat Week Programme to launch in July

16Jul Shetland Amenity Trust, organisers of the 2018 Shetland maritime festival are preparing to announce full programme details shortly for the August event.

The National Gallery Masterpiece Tour 2018

04May Five hundred years after the dazzling genius of Hans Holbein, a painting by one of the greatest portraitists of all time can now be seen in Shetland.

Election of Trustees

10Apr There are a number of vacancies on the board of trustees that the Shetland Amenity Trust is looking to fill. Applications are open until Monday 30th April.

Trustee applications welcomed!

08Mar Shetland Amenity Trust is still looking to recruit some new trustees.

Shetland Amenity Trust appoints new Chief Executive

05Mar The Trustees of the Shetland Amenity Trust are pleased to announce their appointment of Mat Roberts as the Trust’s Chief Executive Officer.

31st Voar Redd Up Launched

27Feb Shetland Amenity Trust has announced the dates for Shetland’s 31st annual Voar Redd Up, with the main weekend to take place 28th and 29th April 2018.

2017 Shetland Environmental Awards Presented

15Nov The winners of the 2017 Shetland Environmental Awards have been announced at a ceremony in Shetland Museum and Archives today.

Eighth Shetland Wool Week begins this weekend

20Sep The eighth Shetland Wool Week will be kicking off on Saturday 23 September for a nine-day celebration of Shetland’s textile heritage and wool and crofting communities.

Shetland Amenity Trust Chair Retires

13Sep Brian Gregson, who has chaired Shetland Amenity Trust for the past decade, has decided to step down from the position ahead of the Trust’s annual general meeting next month.

Benefits of Small Scale Woodlands Event

04Sep The SRDP Farm advisory Service has arranged a series of presentations, including the Trusts Peatland Restoration Officer, Sue White.

Still time to apply for Environmental Awards

23Aug Shetland Amenity Trust is reminding local environmental projects that they have less than two weeks left to enter the Shetland Environmental Awards.

2017 Shetland Environmental Awards Launched

28Jul Launched today, the Shetland Amenity Trust is looking for nominations for the Shetland Environmental Awards. Any environmental project is eligible to apply.

2017 Shetland Nature Festival Programme Announced

01Jun The programme of events for the 2017 Shetland Nature Festival has been published online today, with tickets available from Monday 5th June.

Shetland Museum and Archives Celebrates Ten Years

29May Shetland Museum and Archives will celebrate the tenth anniversary of the service on Saturday 3rd June with a day of special events.

Peatland Restoration at Sandy Loch

21Apr Shetland Amenity Trust and local contractor Sean Mackenzie have recently been working on a peatland restoration project, funded by Scottish Water, at the Sandy Loch just outside Lerwick.

Shetland Precast & Groundworks Ltd Leases Enviroglass

18Apr Shetland Amenity Trust is pleased to announce that its glass recycling enterprise, Enviroglass has been leased to a local family business experienced in the precast industry.

Still time to register for Redd Up

12Apr There is still time to register for the 2017 Voar Redd Up, due to be held the weekend of 22nd & 23rd April.

Shetland Boat Week Sponsors Confirmed

12Apr Shetland Amenity Trust, organisers of Shetland Boat Week, is pleased to announce the key sponsors for this year’s event. Lerwick Port Authority have committed support alongside last year’s sponsors Ocean Kinetics and Serco NorthLink Ferries.

Accolade for Shetland Nature Publications

08Mar Shetland Heritage Publications title, Discover Shetland's Birds by Paul Harvey & Rebecca Nason, came third in the Favourite Scottish Nature Photography Book 2016 vote.

2017 Voar Redd Up Launched

06Mar Shetland Amenity Trust has announced the dates for Shetland’s 30th annual Voar Redd Up, with the main weekend to take place 22nd and 23rd April 2017.

Management appointment at Shetland Amenity Trust

13Feb Due to the sad death of Jimmy Moncrieff, Mr Andy Steven, Head of Strategy and Innovation, has been appointed interim manager at Shetland Amenity Trust.

Peatland Project Highly Commended

06Dec The Shetland Peatland Restoration Project has been highly commended in the RSPB Nature of Scotland Awards.

Shetland Peatland Project Nominated for Award

07Sep The Shetland Peatland Restoration Project, run by Shetland Amenity Trust's Peatland Project Officer, Sue White, has been shortlisted for an RSPB Nature of Scotland Award.

Last Call for Environmental Award applications

07Sep Shetland Amenity Trust would like to remind local environmental projects that they have just over a week left to enter this year's Shetland Environmental Awards.

2016 Environmental Awards Launched

19Aug The 2016 Shetland Environmental Awards are officially open for nominations today, Friday 19th August.

Shetland Boat Week Success

16Aug Organisers of the first Shetland Boat Week have hailed the festival as a success, after hundreds of people attended planned events and activities last week.

Best Practice Award for Peatland ACTION

12Jul The Peatland ACTION Project has won the CIEEM Best Practice award for large scale practical nature conservation.

Interesting Features Identified in Surveys

11Jul Geophysicists from the University of Leeds School of Earth and Environment identified interesting features in a series of archaeological surveys in Shetland last week.

Geophysical Surveys in Shetland

21Jun Geophysicists from the University of Leeds, in collaboration with Shetland Amenity Trust, will be conducting surveys at Old Scatness and Sands of Sound this summer, to identify potential extensions to known archaeological sites.

Tree Management at Kergord

20Apr Anyone passing Kergord recently may have noticed ongoing work to clear wind-felled trees and manage the woodland area.

2016 Redd Up this Weekend

19Apr The 29th annual Voar Redd Up will take place this weekend, with thousands of volunteers taking to beaches and roadsides to clear bruck.

Shetland Boat Week Launched

13Apr A new and exciting event is planned for Shetland this summer. The first Shetland Boat Week will take place between 8th and 14th August.

Peatland Restoration Day

15Feb Ten volunteers plus 5 members of the Peatland Restoration Team set out on a snowy, but bright, Saturday morning this past weekend to the peat hills of the East Kames.

Archaeology Article Nominated for Award

21Dec An article about OId Scatness, inspired by an interview with Shetland Archaeologist Val Turner and colleague Stephen Dockerill has been nominated for an award.

Shetland Heritage Book Shop

20Nov Shetland Amenity Trust is set to host a pop-up traditional style bookshop next weekend (28th & 29th November) to mark Book Week Scotland.

New UNESCO programme recognises the UK’s seven ‘Global Geoparks’

17Nov UNESCO – the United Nations Organisation for Education, Science and Culture – has announced a new programme, which creates “UNESCO Global Geoparks.” This is the first new UNESCO designation of its kind to be established in over 40 years and puts Global Geoparks alongside UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites.

2015 Shetland Environmental Award Winners Announced

11Nov Shetland Amenity Trust hosted the Shetland Environmental Awards at a ceremony held in the Museum and Archives today. Seven local environmental projects won an award for demonstrating sustainability, innovation and best practice.

Viking Project Identity Contract

08Oct Shetland Amenity Trust is currently tendering for a creative agency to develop identity guidelines for the Follow the Vikings project.

New Trustee Appointed

01Oct Following the recent AGM at Shetland Amenity Trust, Alastair Hamilton was elected as a Trustee, in place of Laughton Johnston who chose not to stand for re-election.

2015 Environmental Awards Launched

24Jul Launched today, the Shetland Amenity Trust is looking for nominations for the Shetland Environmental Awards. Any environmental project is eligible and the Trust would encourage those who have undertaken these projects, or anyone who knows of a worthy project, to apply.

Bruck Monster Goes on Show

17Jul The highly successful anti-litter campaign film, 'Curse of the Bruck Monster', is now on show at Shetland Museum and Archives along with the specially created model of the Monster.

Follow the Vikings Project Launched

15Jul Follow the Vikings Project LaunchedZoom The €3.92 million Follow The Vikings project was successfully launched in Lerwick on Friday 10th July. Twenty-eight delegates from the 14 partners participated in the first Steering Committee and contributed enthusiastically to the planning for the various project work packages.

Nature Festival Launches with Photography Competition

02Jul Shetland Nature Festival kicks off this weekend for a series of great events, and the launch of a Nature inspired photo competition, with a return trip for two to Aberdeen supplied by Northlink Ferries as the prize.

Viking Unst Summer Opening

01Jul The Viking Unst site at Brook Point will open this weekend for Living History demonstrations and to give details about the Viking Unst Project.

Sumburgh Head Receives Five Star Award

19May Sumburgh Head Lighthouse Visitor Centre and Nature Reserve has been awarded a Five Star Visitor Attraction rating following a recent inspection visit by Visit Scotland.

Peatland Restoration Project Shortlisted for Award

14May The peatland restoration project in the Cunningsburgh hills has been shortlisted for the 2015 Golden Plover Awards. The work has been carried out by Shetland Amenity Trust, Hazel and Kenneth McKenzie and local digger driver Sean MacKenzie and was funded by the SNH’s Peatland Action Fund.

Scalloway School Redd Up at Burwick Beach

14May Pupils, staff and volunteers from Scalloway School will return to Burwick Beach on Friday this week for the third year running to carry out the annual Redd Up. The work done during this Redd Up is followed up by work in the classroom and with local businesses to help tackle the marine litter problem.

The Shetland Boat: Lecture Live Online

29Apr Shetland Museum and Archives is set to broadcast its first live lecture online from the auditorium on Thursday 14th May. Marc Chivers will discuss the history, folklore and construction of Shetland Boats

2015 Shetland Nature Festival Programme Launched

27Apr The programme of events for the 2015 Shetland Nature Festival has been published today, ahead of what is sure to be a successful 6th year for the event.

Follow the Vikings Project

16Apr Shetland Amenity Trust has been awarded €1.96 million from the EU Creative Europe Culture sub-programme for the project “Follow the Vikings”.

Bards are back and speaking Bruck

12Mar Shetland Library, in partnership with Shetland Amenity Trust, is launching a new round of the popular Bards in da Bog poetry competition.

28th Voar Redd Up Launched

06Mar 28th Voar Redd Up LaunchedZoom Shetland Amenity Trust has announced the dates for Shetland’s 28th annual Voar Redd Up, with the main weekend to take place 25th and 26th April 2015.

Geopark Shetland Secures Project Funding

03Mar Geopark Shetland is pleased to announce the success of a funding bid to the Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme for the ‘Drifting Apart’ project, involving partners from Canada to Russia.

Shetland Traditional Boat Building Skills Project

26Jan Shetland Amenity Trust have been awarded £105,000 grant funding from the Coastal Communities Fund to develop an SQA accredited customised award in the building of traditional Shetland, wooden boats.

Archaeology collection awarded Status of National Significance

04Dec The Archaeology Collection cared for by Shetland Amenity Trust has become the latest Recognised Collection of National Significance awarded by Museums Galleries Scotland.

Renewable Energy enhances Sumburgh Head’s energy efficiency

03Dec Solar photo voltaic panels at Sumburgh Head Lighthouse, Visitor Centre and Nature Reserve are being used as part of a wider scheme, including geo-thermal ground source heating, to enhance the sustainability of the visitor attraction and lighthouse buildings. The success of this technology can be seen from the results of the first few months of electricity generation.

2014 Shetland Environmental Awards Presented

12Nov 2014 Shetland Environmental Awards Presented. Shetland Amenity Trust hosted the Shetland Environmental Awards at a ceremony held in the Museum and Archives today. The awards acknowledged twelve local environmental projects demonstrating sustainability, innovation and best practice.

Scalloway Museum foundations layed

29Oct The mild weather this morning enabled the foundations for the Scalloway Museum extension to progress.

Essential repairs commence on Nil Desperandum

23Sep Following a successful request for volunteers by the Shetland Amenity Trust, essential repair work has begun at Hay’s Dock to the ex-seine netter boat Nil Desperandum.

Geopark Shetland Educational August

03Sep It’s been a great month for education in Geopark Shetland, as the Geobus arrived to run a series of workshops with High Schools in the islands. This is a free educational outreach project for schools developed and run by the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of St Andrews.

Last Call for Environmental Awards

01Sep Shetland Amenity Trust is reminding local environmental projects that they have just over a week left to enter this year’s Shetland Environmental Awards.

2014 Shetland Environmental Awards Open

25Jul Launched today, the Shetland Amenity Trust is looking for nominations for the Shetland Environmental Awards. Any environmental project completed during 2014 is eligible and the Trust would encourage those who have undertaken these projects, or anyone who knows of a worthy project, to apply.

Double Gold in Green Tourism Awards

11Jul Shetland Amenity Trust and one of its core services, the Shetland Museum and Archives, have both, again, achieved Gold Standards in the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS), following a recent assessment by inspectors.

New Sumburgh Head Website Launched

03Jul The brand new website for Sumburgh Head Lighthouse, Visitor Centre and Nature Reserve was launched today, following the official opening of the restored buildings in June.

Peatland Restoration Project

02Jun A new Shetland Amenity Trust “Peatland Restoration” Project has been established with an aim to raise awareness of the importance of blanket bogs; not only for the wildlife they support, but also for the other ecosystem services that they can deliver.

2014 Shetland Wool Week Programme of Events

23Apr Organisers of Shetland Wool Week are set to release the details of the 2014 programme on Thursday morning, with tickets for classes and events on sale from Monday 28th April. The festival takes place from 4th to 12th October.

2014 Shetland Nature Festival Programme Announced

24Mar Organisers of the 2014 Shetland Nature Festival are pleased to announce the publication of the schedule for the 7th annual festival, to be held from 5th to 11th July.

27th Voar Redd Up Launched

11Mar Shetland Amenity Trust has announced the dates for Shetland’s 27th annual Voar Redd Up, with the main weekend to take place 26th and 27th April 2014.

Shetland Wool Week 2014 Patron Announced

05Feb Organisers of Shetland Wool Week have today announced Hazel Tindall as this year's guest patron of the festival, and invited local craftspeople with ideas for events to get involved in the 2014 event. This is the fifth year of Shetland Wool Week, which continues to grow in popularity, attracting a worldwide following and hundreds of visitors to Shetland every October.

Scottish Parliament hears about Enviroglass

28Nov Last night delegates at a special session of the Scottish Government's Cross Party Group on Architecture and the Built Environment heard how Shetland is utilising its waste glass in an innovative way to produce high quality products.

ARTIST ROOMS: Don McCullin Exhibition Announced

28Nov Shetland Museum & Archives and Shetland Arts Development Agency will show work by internationally acclaimed photojournalist Don McCullin in Da Gadderie and Bonhoga Gallery from 29 November 2014 to 22 February 2015 in a joint exhibition entitled Fallen.

Shetland Museum and Archives Textile Collection is Recognised

15Nov Shetland Amenity Trust is delighted that the Shetland Museum & Archives' Textiles Collection has been awarded Recognised status by Museums Galleries Scotland, under its Recognition Scheme.

2013 Shetland Environmental Awards

13Nov Shetland Amenity Trust hosted the Shetland Environmental Awards at a ceremony held in the Museum and Archives today. The awards acknowledged eleven local environmental projects demonstrating sustainability, innovation and best practice.

Shetland Wool Week Looks Ahead

15Oct The fourth Shetland Wool Week concluded on Tuesday morning with the closing remarks of the North Atlantic Native Sheep and Wool Conference. This marked the conclusion of 11 days dedicated to the celebration of Shetland Sheep, Wool and all things textile which saw hundreds of people attending events throughout the isles.

Shetland Textiles 800BC to the Present

22Sep Shetland Textiles: 800 BC to the Present traces the history of textiles in Shetland through fabrics and garments together with the fibres and tools used to craft them, and the people who made and wore them. It brings together in-depth research with personal memories of local people, lavishly illustrated by stunning images.

2013 Environmental Awards Reminder

04Sep Shetland Amenity Trust is reminding local environmental projects that they have just over a week left to enter this year's Shetland Environmental Awards. The closing date for award applications is 12noon, Friday 13th September.

Transport Litter Week of Action

20Aug Shetland Amenity Trust and the Shetland Islands Council are to highlight the blight of roadside litter in the isles as part of National Transport Litter week, 19th to 25th August. They are also appealing for volunteers to help with a Redd Up along Da Black Gaet on Thursday afternoon. Anyone who would like to be involved should contact the Trust on 01595 694688 for further details.

Viking Congress Highlights Shetland's Hospitality

13Aug Shetland AmenityTrust has been delighted with the delivery of the 17th Viking Congress, held at Mareel and Shetland Museum and Archives last week, showing that Shetland has the capability and experience to host large scale, international events.

Shetland to Host Viking Congress

01Aug Shetland Amenity Trust is to host the 17th Viking Congress from 3rd to 10th August. This international academic event is a gathering of scholars of Viking culture and it is the first time the Congress has been back in Shetland since the first event was held in Lerwick, in 1950.

2013 Environmental Awards Launched

26Jul Launched today, the Shetland Amenity Trust is looking for nominations for the Shetland Environmental Awards. Any environmental project completed during 2013 is eligible and the Trust would encourage those who have undertaken these projects, or anyone who knows of a worthy project, to apply.

Scottish Government Announces Geopark Funding

25Jul The First Minister today confirmed funding of £280,000 to support two Geoparks in Shetland and the North West Highlands. This investment, which will be provided over two years, will allow the Geoparks – which play an essential part in promoting tourism – to continue as valuable members of the UNESCO supported Global and European Geoparks Network.

Skaill Hoard Exhibition on Loan

23Jul Shetland Museum and Archives will unveil an exciting new loan exhibition this week, comprising a number of pieces of the Skaill Hoard Treasure, courtesy of their partnership working with National Museums Scotland, and with sponsorship from Shetland Jewellery.

Shetland Nature Festival Round-up

17Jul The 2013 Shetland Nature Festival took place recently, with nature themed events throughout the Isles including traditional favourites such as guided walks and the ever popular Noss Open Day, but there were also some new departures.

Axe Training at Viking Site

03Jul Shetland Amenity Trust's Architectural Heritage Team has been training this week in traditional Viking building techniques using hand axes. The training has taken place at the site of the recently constructed Viking Longhouse in Unst, where these methods would historically have been used in construction.

Redd Up Shortlisted for Award

25Jun Da Voar Redd Up has been short listed for the 2013 RSPB Nature of Scotland Awards. The awards, designed to recognise and celebrate excellence, innovation and outstanding achievement in Scottish nature conservation, aim to recognise projects which protect and enhance the nation's natural heritage.

Earth Science Entertainment with Geopark Shetland

19Jun Geopark Shetland is preparing to host a visit from the Tectonic Studies Group for an evening of earth science entertainment, aimed at all ages and levels of scientific understanding. The Group, which is part of the Geological Society, will be spending a week in the isles to explore the structural Geology of Shetland.

THING Project Presented

12Jun Shetland Amenity Trust is presenting the activities and findings of the 3-year NPP funded THING Project at an event in Shetland Museum and Archives on Saturday 22 June. The afternoon will include presentations about the project, the relevance of the thing system today, and how Nesting Primary School was inspired to create their own thing site in the school grounds.

Trust Teaches Dry Stone Dyking

10Jun Shetland Amenity Trust recently held introductory training courses in the art of Dry Stone Dyking, where participants were given a basic understanding of the principles and skills required to get started.

Dunrossness Primary Pupils Complete Sumburgh Graffiti Project

22May Pupils from Dunrossness Primary School have been taking part in an art project which will see their work preserved in the fabric of the newly restored buildings at Sumburgh Head for future generations to discover.

Shetland Amenity Trust Hosts UK Maritime Heritage Forum

21May Shetland Amenity Trust hosted the 2013 UK Maritime Heritage Forum annual meeting at Shetland Museum and Archives last week. Local delegate, Sandra Laurenson, of Lerwick Port Authority said "It was good to meet some interesting guests from other Maritime Heritage sites and they were all very positive about their visit to Shetland."

Sumburgh Head Progress

01May The Sumburgh Head Project continues to make good progress towards completion, on schedule, in Spring 2014. An appeal has been issued for more information on wartime keepers.

Writing the North

01May Shetland and Orkney's literature will take centre stage in a major new project being launched this weekend in Edinburgh. The project will culminate in spring of 2014 with a specially designed exhibition at Shetland Museum and Archives, and will include activities for school pupils, new contemporary writing and a series of public events.

Dry Stone Dyking Training

23Apr Shetland Amenity Trust are seeking expressions of interest from anyone who would like to attend a training course covering the principles and basic skills of Dry Stone Dyking.

Shetland Wool Week 2013

17Apr Shetland Amenity Trust is proud to be a partner in the ever growing Shetland Wool Week. Held every October, this event is a celebration of celebration of Britain's most northerly native sheep, Shetland's textile industries and rural farming communities. Organised by a committee of local public, private and voluntary organisations, this community led event has a world-wide following, and attracts ever increasing numbers of wool and knitting enthusiasts to the isles every year.

Havera Book Launched

12Apr The latest title from Shetland Heritage Publications was launched today at Shetland Museum and Archives. Havera: the story of an island, recounts the history of the small island of South Havera, and the people who lived there before it was finally abandoned in 1923 after originally being settled in the 1770's.

Skerries ‘Boathouse’ to be Restored

11Mar A lifeboat from the Ugie Brae, which has served as a lambie-hoose in Skerries for many years will be restored in the coming months.

Registration is open for the 26th annual Voar Redd Up

08Mar Originally launched in 1988, Da Voar Redd Up quickly became the largest community based voluntary clear up throughout the UK, with over 20% of Shetland’s population regularly volunteering for the event. Last year 4,849 participants volunteered more than 10,000 man hours to collect over 56 tonnes of bruck from roadside verges, beaches and coastline.

Hazelnuts Grow in Shetland

05Mar On a recent routine visit to the Loch of Voe Community Woodland (at the A970 Vidlin junction), Shetland Amenity Trust Woodlands staff were surprised to come across a few ripe hazelnuts on a shrub, in a stand of about one or two dozen hazels.

Skidbladner Longship Relocated

13Feb The Viking Unst replica longship, Skidbladner was last week moved to it's permanent location, adjacent to the newly constructed Longhouse.

Visitor Numbers Boosted by Divine Cat

06Feb Visitor numbers at Shetland Museum and Archives increased to the highest ever level in 2012. Numbers released this week show that 88,963 people visited the building during the year, an increase from the previous year when the Lewis Chessmen and Tall Ships visitors had already boosted numbers to an all-time record.

Nominations Sought for Inspiring Award

25Jan Shetland Museum and Archives are seeking public nominations for the title of the UK's most inspiring Museum. The Guardian Cultural Professionals Network has teamed up with the Museums and Heritage Awards for 2013/2/13 to award this accolade.

Former Keeper Returns for 192nd Anniversary of Light

16Jan Tommy Eunson, from Virkie, yesterday visited Sumburgh Head tower to commemorate the 192nd anniversary of the light first being lit. The occasion was also an early birthday celebration for Tommy who will be 81 on 28th January.

Winter Storms Reveal Archaeological Sites

16Jan South-westerly storms which affected Shetland over the festive period have revealed an exciting new archaeological site in Dunrossness, which was assessed by Trust archaeology staff

Shetland Amenity Trust Achieves Gold Again

30Nov Following a comprehensive assessment Shetland Amenity Trust and one of its core services,the Shetland Museum and Archives, have again achieved Gold Standards in the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS).

2012 Environmental Awards

16Nov Shetland Amenity Trust presented the Shetland Environmental Awards at a ceremony held in the Museum and Archives today. The awards acknowledged four local environmental projects demonstrating sustainability, innovation and best practice.

Five Stars Retained by Museum and Archives

14Nov Shetland Museum and Archives has again maintained a five star grading following a recent assessment by Visit Scotland.

Viking sites lead the way in global treasure hunt

13Nov Shetland is part of an innovative new tourism initiative linking sites in Norway, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Shetland, Orkney, Highland Scotland, and the Isle of Man. The Thing Sites GeoTour, which launched this week, has been developed as part of the EU Northern Periphery Programme funded THING Project and was created with the assistance of the team at Geocaching.com.

Chalara Dieback of Ash

06Nov Most people will probably be aware from national news programmes or newspapers that a serious fungal disease, Chalara fraxinea, affecting a native tree species, ash (Fraxinus excelsior), has spread into the UK.

Common Seal Study

30Oct Local photographer Jim Nicolson recently encountered this Common Seal at Sandsayre. Photographs of the seal, which showed the animal to be sporting an orange, numbered tag on its hind flipper, were sent to Shetland Biological Records Centre.

Viking Longhouse Reconstructed

29Oct Shetland Amenity Trust are pleased to announce the completion of the replica Viking Longhouse in Unst which the Trust’s Architectural Heritage team have been working on during the past three summers.

Museum's Art Collection goes Live

29Oct A group of oil and acrylic paintings from Shetland Museum's collection of art can now be viewed on the BBC's Your Paintings website. The 187 paintings range from 18th century portraits of eminent Shetlanders, to 21st century landscapes by contemporary artists.

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