Russabell

Absolutely hitting the nail on the head!

There is, of course, nothing to stop those who don't like the Lerwick UHA from starting up their own event in a way they see fit, and leaving those of us who do enjoy it in its current format (and we are many) to enjoy it.

In this article in Shetland News, the sales manager of Thistle Cross, Luke Fenton, tells us that his cider is suitable for vegans. Is that because it's just like every other alcoholic drink that I've ever come across, and doesn't contain, in any form, anything that a vegan would normally avoid - like meat. In making that statement, is Mr Fenton proving to the world that he is not the most intelligent, or is he showing us just how stupid he thinks Joe Public is - or had he just run out of anything even relatively intelligent to say? Guiness isn't vegan - it is filtered through a material made of fish scales, if my memory serves me right.

I got one in a newsagents in Broomhill Road (or just off Broomhill Road) one time I was away. We wondered if it was stocked there because it was kind of close to the Red Cross accommodation? Otherwise someone told me the other place you can get them is in the hospital shop, but not till a few days later.

My bairns are at a Lerwick school and I have no problem with the concept of a so-called 'super primary'. I think it makes sense. When I was at primary school in Lerwick, there were 700-800 pupils there but it certainly never felt like that. If I remember rightly, the current AHS site is zoned for education (in planning terms). Think traffic management and car parking will remain a nightmare wherever a school is situated since folk seem to have to park right in front of the door to drop off/pick up their peerie darlings....

My bairns went to a partner provider rather than a school nursery. There are no qualified teachers in the partner provider settings (or at least there weren't any where my bairns were), but they received the equivalent service from the partner providers as they would have from a nursery, as they all have to deliver the same curriculum, all get inspected by HM Inspectors and so on (and the partner providers manage to deliver the equivalent service at a much lower cost, incidentally). I don't feel my children were disadvantaged in any way by not having a qualified teacher for their pre-school years. If it comes down to a choice of cutting teachers from nursery settings, or cutting teachers from schools, I know which I would go for.

When we had our bairns, I think around 50% of Shetland bairns were born in Aberdeen so I can understand why they don't cough up for travel and accommodation as they would probably be bankrupt in no time. Although I do feel the policy needs looked at as you can get escorts for things that you really don't need them for, so I think they could do a bit of reshuffling there. I certainly did not require an escort for the tests I had done, although I was allowed to have one if I had wanted. And when you're having a section birth, they emphasise that you're not supposed to lift anything heavier than your baby, so I don't know how they expect someone to get home on their own with baby, car seat, luggage etc if they can't afford for someone to come away with them! My partner made use of the Red Cross accommodation while I was in the antenatal ward, and it is very reasonably priced and he said it was quite good. Then we moved to the Travelodge (although I would not go there nowadays!). No luck with the 'island accommodation' and, as I have posted before on here, I do think this is something else that needs looked at as there were people from the mainland using it who could have gone home at nights (and, as far as I'm aware, they weren't emergency cases).

Had both my children in Aberdeen and we had to pay both times for the 'escort'. (And, for the first one, we had to pay accommodation in Aberdeen for a week after being discharged from the antenatal ward and before the birth, as we weren't allowed to go home in between). I know NHS funds are limited so we didn't question it as we were just glad that we were in the best place for the birth. However since then, I have had to travel to Aberdeen on a few occasions for tests (not maternity related) and I was entitled to an escort for those. This struck me as strange as they were not something I felt that I needed an escort for (and I didn't take one for that reason). So I think the NHS really needs to have another look at their policy. I do know of people that make sure their holidays coincide with their visits to hospital so that they don't have to pay for any trips out of Shetland. Yet they also travel away to hospital themselves when required. Surely if your condition is such that you need an escort one time, then you need them every time, or you don't really need one at all?

We had a similar experience, dinnaken. I must confess to feeling annoyed when I was on the ward and found out that people from the mainland were using the isles accommodation. Okay - I accept that for some of them it would have meant a journey of an hour or two to get home at nights, but at least they could get home at nights, which people from the isles can't. I do feel that those furthest away should have some sort of priority, but it didn't seem to work like that! I suppose if you put people in, you can't chuck them out if someone from the isles needs it, but it really is such a nightmare finding accommodation in Aberdeen at short notice so I think that there is a need for this to be taken into account?

is on the list... As far as I am aware, this would be a personal donation to the festival and not paid out of SIC coffers. I do hope that this isn't an attempt to turn UHA into another town v country rant.....

Excellent post, Engineer 21. I'm so saddened by this town v country mentality that is going on, and at some of the rubbish and bile being spouted by people I would have classed as friends and acquaintances. It would be interesting if those who think the rural areas are hard done by could come up with some statistics to prove this, as I think Shetland does very well by its rural areas and that the statistics may prove surprising. You have to accept that if you want the advantages of living in a rural area, then you have to put up with the disadvantages - the same way that we put up with the disadvantages of living in Shetland because we enjoy the advantages of living here. Interestingly, as far as I can see from the Council's website, there are 22 councillors, seven of whom represent Lerwick, so Lerwick does not have a majority on the Council. And the furore surrounding the recent decision not to award funding to country halls - there are (according to the website), 10 councillors on that committee, three representing Lerwick. The proposal not to award funding was made by a country councillor. The counter proposal which would have allowed funding (albeit on a different footing) was made by a Lerwick councillor (it was defeated). My own family (living on an isle) are just as guilty of spreading some of the rubbish that's going round. Apparently we in Lerwick are deliberately arranging things/events to occur at certain times in order that those from the isles can't attend because we don't want people from the isles there. And - a classic - someone's bairn from the isle visited Lerwick for the day and came back with headlice. I truly despair......

It would be really great if community groups could carry this on in their areas when they are fundraising. I would much rather make a donation to something useful like a sponsored clean up than the usual things that people do like sponsored walks, cycles or - dare I say it - bag packing..... And, yes, I know many do participate in the Voar Redd Up, but it would be great if it could be carried on and extended. Sad how much disrespect people have for their own environment.

Couldn't agree more!

Well said, Shoogler.

Given that the Lerwick primary pupils are only costing 69% and 77% of the Shetland average, I fail to see how this would save any more money. Having said that, if I felt that my children's education would benefit from having to go to Scalloway and it was financially necessary, then they would go there. However if they had to go to Scalloway simply in order to keep smaller schools with fewer pupils than my bairns have in their entire class open, then I would have something to say about it. (And we would probably be the only place in the UK that didn't have schools in its main centre of population). Have seen/heard so many childish insults and unsubstantiated statements about town pupils bandied about lately, and it really doesn't do people's arguments any favours. It certainly has made me feel less sympathetic.

Have only been to cinemas in Aberdeen and Edinburgh and (certainly the last times I have been there) it has always been reserved seeking. Fully intend to "embrace" Mareel - have always been a supporter. Don't see why that should stop me commenting on something that I think will make it a better experience.

I'm hoping they will introduce reserved seating again when Screenplay has finished (don't know if that has anything to do with it or not). Much prefer to reserve my seat, especially when you are going with the bairns or in a largeish group, as then you can be assured you will all get to sit together.

My 'alternative' is leave the rural areas alone. We're sick and fed up of being continually targeted. Go ahead and build a 'super' primary school in Lerwick, one school instead of two for Lerwick. I would have no problem with a so-called super primary in Lerwick for my bairns - makes perfect sense. Can't see how it would solve all the financial problems though, especially since it costs per pupil in Lerwick are a lot less than elsewhere. Couldn't agree more Staney Dale. Lots of examples of vibrant communities without schools and sick and tired of everything being blamed on Lerwick.

If I had money to burn, I would have been tempted to buy a ticket for the seat directly in front of me as well as my own in the Garrison, as I could see sweet BA when someone sat in front of me. And the bairns could see nothing when there was an adult in front of them. So really looking forward to Mareel opening. I've always had concerns that the Council will end up turning Shetland into one big home for the elderly/those that need looked after, so it's good to see something to help add variety.

great ones The one I remember: Hey diddle diddle, the cat did a piddle All over the kitchen floor. The little dog laughed to see such fun so the cat did a little bit more. Hey diddle diddle, the cat did a piddle All over the kitchen mat The little dog laughed to see such fun And piddled all over the cat

£243 million?! How many years does that figure relate to? I can see why people living on the mainland might feel like moaning about it! I'm a 'born and bred' Shetlander, but do accept that ultimately it is my lifestyle choice to live here in that a lot of people have to live where they can find work and make a living, so they may not have much choice in the matter. I want the advantages of living in Shetland, so I accept that I have to put up with the disadvantages. So I think to some extent, those who choose to live in the isles have to put up with the disadvantages that come with living there, as they obviously want the advantages that come with it too. Having said that, I haven't read the ferries consultation so not sure what is being proposed. I don't see a problem with carrying out a proper study/consultation on ferry usage and consider different ways/fare structures to see if the service can be run more efficiently. Surely it makes sense to run ferries at peak/popular times and cut down on runs during quiet times. I have often been on ferries during the day when there have just been a few cars. And I'd like to see a centralised booking system - the current system can be a joke. But ultimately I'd like to see the Council looking to see if it can 'beg, borrow or steal' money to put fixed links to the isles. I'm sure that would help address depopulation (question - why have the populations decreased over the last 50 years or so when links to the mainland have never been better?) and encourage development in the isles. Norway is a good example of this, and how many people would be living in Trondra/Burra today without the bridges, I wonder?

I did hear that it had been stopped because folk coming to dump rubbish were complaining that they were having to sit and wait ages to dump their rubbish whilst those in front of them in the queue were going through the stuff that had been left at the side. Don't know if it's right or not, but I'm sure a quick phone call to the Council would enlighten anyone who wants to know.

Drivers who don't ensure their indicator is turned off (is their music in the car so loud that they can't hear it staying on?). Three times this past week I have nearly had an accident because of this - twice on the same five-minute journey. On two of the occasions it had been a long stretch since the last junction so their indicators must have been going for a while. I know you should never fully trust an indicator signal, but if you didn't you'd be sat at a junction all day waiting to see which way the traffic is going.

I actually have some sympathy with your argument, Fusion (let's get shot down together...). I feel that instrumental tuition is something that should be offered to everyone (although realise this is not feasible, particularly in the current climate) or no-one. Whilst I'm not denying some of the musical talent in Shetland and the role that tuition in schools has played in this, if a bairn has a particular talent in art, sport or whatever, they don't get offered extra tuition to nurture that talent. I think at least the current system is a bit fairer than the previous one in that if you can afford to make a contribution to the cost, then you do.

Until I actually had bairns myself, I would probably have thought that parent and child spaces were not necessary, but I have changed my views now! To me, the main issue and the reason for having these spaces is to have enough space around the car to get your bairn in and out of the car into its car seat - especially relevant when it is the young baby carrier type of seats that you have to lift into the car. It is really difficult and sometimes impossible to get them in the car when you have a car parked right next to you. (And sometimes when I have been parked in a normal space at Tesco, I have had to climb into my car through the passenger door due to some inconsiderate so and so parking too close to me). I don't think the people who see these spaces as unnecessary would be too happy having their car scratched or bumped by a parent struggling to put their bairn in the car next to them. When my bairns are old enough that they don't need put in and out of seats, I will revert back to using the normal spaces as it also really annoys me when I see parents with older children using them. I think Tesco made a boob putting the parent and child spaces where they did - it's just too tempting for everyone to park there. I don't actually mind having the spaces further away from the door - I simply want enough room around the car so that I can get the bairns in and out of the car without a problem. In fact if there are no spaces, I simply park right across two spaces so that I do have enough room and I suggest that others do the same so that we can try and get the message across. Someone I know puts messages under the wipers of the offending cars when they see them parked in the parent and child spaces but I think it would take a lot to shame some people! As someone mentioned earlier, it is not easy at Tesco due to the gradient of the car park. It's a nightmare trying to get your bairn back in the car whilst preventing the trolley rolling away into another car or into the path of another car. And I do try to shop without the bairns whenever possible, but there are times when I just can't do that. If only life were that easy!