Welcome to the first of our Members Newsletters. These will be published every three months to keep all our members up to date with Initiative at the edge– North Isles.

New Development Worker

The new Development worker for Initiative at the Edge-North Isles is Michelle Morris.

If you need to contact Michelle for anything please ring 07917 624254 or e-mail michmorris32@yahoo.co.uk.

New Admin. Assistant

The new admin assistant for I@TE is Jackie Smiles. Jackie has lots of experience of admin work as she is also the clerk for the Yell Community Council.

Projects update

Tourism Conference

A tourism conference is being organised in Unst for Saturday September 30th, please put this date in your diary. It will be called “Make tourism your business in the North Isles”, and it will be open to anyone with an interest in setting up a business in the North Isles. The keynote speaker will be Professor John Lennon who is the Centre Director of the Moffat Centre for travel and Tourism Business Development which is within the Caledonian Business School at Glasgow Caledonian University (www.moffatcentre.com) there will also be various workshops to attend, and a marketplace which will include lots of North Isles products, more information will be published soon.

Motivation for local enterprise

This five day event will take place at the end of September/ beginning of October so that the delegates can take part in the tourism conference. The main object of this project is to motivate entrepreneurs to consider developing local enterprises. It will involve entrepreneurs from Norway, the Highlands and the North Isles. It will include study tours of all 3 islands, visits to local business and community enterprises, motivational and training workshops, and then finishing off with some of our wonderful Island entertainment.

North Sea Festival 2006

There have now been two people chosen to go to Norway in June, the criteria for this trip was quite strict, the young people had to have a musical ability, and another skill such as dancing, singing, etc. This was to enable them to participate in the Festival. They will arrive inVaerlandet and then go onto Jostedal for Bluetones under the glacier and culture training at University College, Sogndal. We look forward to hearing from them on their return. The project is now looking for young people to go next year.

I @TE NI development plan projects

1. To set up and run a fun training scheme to build confidence in our young folk.

This is now in the early planning stages and we will bring you more news in the next

newsletter.

2. Investigate land reorganisation by consultation.

This is also in the planning stages and we are hoping to commence with a house to house

survey during the summer in Fetlar.

Initiative at the Edge conference 2006

We have just heard that the I@TE national conference is going to be held in Shetland, this will be shared by ourselves and Northmavine. So once we have all recovered from the shock we will be busy planning this conference which will be a great showcase of Shetland. We know there is lots of experience of organising events in the North Isles, so this will be a great opportunity to show of our skills.

Dental Provision in the North Isles

I@te is holding a meeting between the three Islands Community Councils, the Directors of I@te , Mike Collins and Sandra Laurenson of the Shetland Health Board. This is to address the ongoing problem of dental provision to the North Isles.

I@te Newsletters

If in the future you would like to receive your newsletter by e-mail, please e-mail Michelle at michmorris32@yahoo.co.uk with your e-mail address.

One of the items on the Development plan was to produce a North Isles newsletter, which has now been published and circulated to every household in the North Isles, this also included a Recycling sheet ,if you did not receive a NI’s newsletter please contact Julie at the community office 722369.

Environment and Land use:- There was an evening seminar on Croft legislation in Unst in March. And there has also been a Seminar on access issues and agri-environment schemes held in Fetlar on 10^th April. This session is to be repeated in Yell and Unst after lambing time. Please keep an eye on local notice boards for details.

I@TE Directors:-

Laura Baisley (Chair), Minnie Mouatt (Vice Chair), Cheryl Jamieson, Gordon Thomson, John Coutts, Bridgette Thomason, James Rendall, Robert Jamieson, Lesley Gray.