Initiative at the Edge Launch of the remote working facility and update of the development plan - Saturday 22^nd March 2008

A 7 page update of the development plan, a programme for the day and an invitation was sent out to each North Isles household. Also invited to the launch of the new remote working facilities and update of the North Isles Development plan were the partners of Initiative at the Edge North Isles ltd., the Shetland Community regeneration partnership, North Isles Councillors and the Shetland MP and MSP.

Despite awful weather on the day there was an extremely good turnout of people to the Launch. There were a total of 50 visitors to the unit which was opened by Councillor Laura Baisley who described Initiative at the Edge as the” grout between the tiles” of all the developments that had been happening in the North Isles since the status was introduced. Laura gave a wonderful speech commending the work that had been done so far and introducing the remote working facility that Initiative at the Edge now have to offer for a small daily fee which is ideal to enable North Isles folk to work for the likes of the SIC and be able to work remotely for one or two days a week. She also stated that it would be an ideal opportunity for someone who had recently set up in business and did not have office premises to be able to work from.

A number of folk commented on the development plan update saying how they never realised how much was happening in the North Isles.

The first person to do a presentation was Mr Andy Ross of the Centre for Creative Industries who spoke to a packed room where there were people sat on the floor and oozing out of the door. Andy spoke about the year since the centre opened. He spoke about how it all came about, how they managed to acquire the weaving looms, how they have students that come up to the centre to work for varying periods of time. At present there is a student from London who is at the Centre for a month and last year they had an artist in residence for the summer who has since decided to stay in Scotland and work with the Scottish Arts Council. Later this year there will be a student from Switzerland that will be here for a month also. The Centre is also working on a project with the children of Mid Yell School designing a stage curtain for their new school. Andy has held various workshops at the centre including a music/felt workshop which proved to be very popular.

Kate Dougan the development worker for the Shetland Geoparks project was on next updating everybody on where their project was to date and explaining how tourism and the Islands can benefit from the area being a Geopark. She gave examples from other areas that have Geopark status and showed slides of some of the various items that are marketed in those areas. Her presentation included explanations about the various types of rocks that are available here in Shetland.

Everybody then walked down to Sellafirth Hall were they enjoyed a delicious lunch made by the Wind Dog Café of Soup, sandwiches, bannocks and home bakes all made with locally produced ingredients. One comment that was said was how lucky we are here in the North Isles to have access to such ingredients. After lunch folk were then able to have a wander round and look at the displays around the hall from the various projects that are happening in the North Isles. These were Geoparks, Viking Unst, North Yell Development Council, Shetland College, HIE Shetland North Isles, and Belmont House. There was also an opportunity to take part in an ancient Viking game of “Hnefatafl” which is very similar to chess and is popular here in the North Isles especially on Fetlar where they are hoping to host the world championships this summer.

Back at the Initiative at the Edge unit after lunch there was a presentation from Pete Glanville of the Shetland Organic Producers Group who spoke about Organic growing and showed some excellent slides of his own garden at North Hamarsland at Tingwall. Pete has two small poly tunnels which he uses in conjunction with his garden plot to for vegetables from which salad leaves and herbs are produced for sale at the Scoop Wholefoods shop in Lerwick.

He spoke about composting and explained how paper can be composted as inks nowadays are less toxic so therefore can be safely used. He then went on to speak about a pilot project that the group have been working on called “wool matters”. They have been processing raw fleeces from Organic native Shetland sheep and encouraging local designers to make distinctive articles. They are hoping that a small scale processing unit can be developed in Shetland as at present they have to send it to a spinning mill in North Ronaldsey with whom they have developed a good working relationship. There was good interaction with the audience and Pete accepted questions at any point in his talk, which was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone.

During the course of the day there was a “youth workshop” available with Lesley Gray the North Isles Youth worker. Lesley also had on display information and pictures from some of the courses that Initiative at the edge had funded. On one of two laptops there was a DVD showing the Youth Groups of Unst and Yell on their Italy trip and on the other Laptop was a performance from the night before of the “YUF” drama groups play “It Snows” for folk to take a look at.

John Laughland the Initiative at the Edge trails worker introduced the draft versions of two new North Isles trails leaflets that he has been busily developing. The first is called “Discovering Yell Unst and Fetlar” this leaflet has been developed to show folk where the main attractions of the three Islands are with numbered points and information relating to those areas included. The second leaflet “Stones, Sea and Settlements” highlights the areas of North Yell and South Unst. The final versions will hopefully be at the printers soon and out to the public by the beginning of May.

The day was completed by the Chair of Initiative at the Edge Minnie Mouatt updating everybody on the success of the “Motivation for local enterprise” project which was a transnational project between Shetland, the Highlands of Scotland and Norway.

Minnie then thanked everybody for coming along to the Launch of the remote working facility and update of the North Isles Development plan. She also thanked the workers of the Initiative at the Edge-North Isles project that over its status so far has employed seven people.

Michelle Morris

Initiative at the Edge-North Isles Development worker