Police in Aberdeen are increasingly anxious to trace 20-year-old Emma Leslie, orginally from Shetland, who was reported missing after a night out in the city.

Emma was last seen with friends at 3am on Saturday within a nightclub in the Belmont Street area of Aberdeen.

She is described as being 5 feet 7 inches tall with long dark hair which may be tied up. When she was last seen she was wearing blue jeans, a grey Superdry hoodie with pink writing on the front, red trainers, a charcoal wool jacket and back pack.

Emma’s home is in Dundee but she is believed to be in Aberdeen. Officers want to trace her and ensure she is safe and well.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101.

• On Monday evening Police Scotland confirmed that Emma had been traced safe and well in the Aberdeen area.
Officers thanked the public and media for their assistance.

The southbound NorthLink ferry Hjaltland will sail at 5.30pm tonight, 90 minutes earlier than scheduled, due to adverse weather conditions and low water at the entrance to Aberdeen harbour.

As the Hrossey is in drydock, there will be no northbound sailing tonight from Aberdeen, and no southbound sailing tomorrow.

A nuisance 999 caller has been remanded in custody after once again needlessly calling the emergency phone number.

Nathan Hilditch went out on Saturday to mark his birthday. But his drinking triggered some unwanted behaviour at Lerwick’s Esplanade. He threatened to jump into the sea and tried to run in front of moving traffic.

Police “bent over backwards” not to arrest Hilditch, 19, of Horseshoe Close. But over Saturday and Sunday he got up to his old behaviour again, persistently making 999 calls when there was no emergency, and no need for police assistance.

His behaviour was enough to land him in deep trouble. Hilditch was recently placed on a community payback order after admitting making nuisance calls to the 999 emergency phone line. Re-offending at the weekend means Hilditch has failed to abide by a conduct requirement not to phone the police unless he had good reason to do so.

At today’s court he admitted breaching the peace and making nusiance 999 calls. Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said the latest round of calls were silent and made when Hilditch was sober.

“This is pure wickedness. There’s no other explanation for it,” he told honorary sheriff, Eric Peterson.

He added sheriff Philip Mann – in his previous dealings with Hilditch – had made it “absolutely clear” that if he were to appear in court again on similar charges he would be refused bail.

However, defence agent Tommy Allan said Hilditch had been making a cry for help. He insisted Hilditch had not been acting out of wickedness.

“Clearly there is something going on here,” he said.

He added Hilditch would “gladly” catch the south-bound ferry tonight to stay with his grandparents on the mainland until his case is next called.

He said it was “blindingly obvious” there were a host of agencies – such as the Samaritans – which Hilditch could call.

“But for some reason he phones the police.”

Honorary sheriff Peterson said it would not be “appropriate” to grant Hilditch his liberty following his “peculiar behaviour”.

Calling for reports he remanded Hilditch in custody until 20th March.

Highlands and Islands MSP Jean Urquhart has demanded an explanation as to why folk in the Scottish Islands, bar Skye, cannot apply for a Post Office mortgage.

Ms Urquhart has written to the UK minister responsible for the Post Office, Lib Dem Jenny Willott, and the managing director of the company Paula Vennels.

The problem was raised by a Shetland woman who received a letter promoting Post Office mortgages, even though she would be unable to apply for one.

Jean Urquhart wants the Post Office to scrap its ‘no island mortgages’ rule.

Ms Urquhart said the local post office played “an absolutely central role” in many rural communities, including the islands.

“I would hope that relationship could extend to all of its services,” she said.

“When we have been so failed by the banks, a diversity of financial services providers is to be welcomed. Islanders should be able to benefit from that greater choice the Post Office provides.

“There’s no obvious justification for discriminating against the islands in this way.

“My hope is that this is an oversight by a distant official, and that the Post Office will quickly agree to scrap its ‘no island mortgages’ rule.”

Post Office spokesman Syeda Hasnain, said the Post Office regularly reviews its policies and is considering how mortgages could be more available in the Scottish Islands.

“This would be subject to resolving the wider issues we have encountered, particularly with regard to the supply of valuations,” she said.

Meanwhile, Scottish enterprise minister Fergus Ewing has said businesses should do more to reassure customers in rural and remote parts of Scotland they will not suffer disproportionate delivery charges.

Mr Ewing, along with Trisha McAuley, of watchdog Consumer Futures, has written jointly to retailers across the UK.

This follows the launch of the Parcel Delivery Working Group last year, established by Consumer Futures and the Scottish government to set up a code of conduct for the industry.

The letter asks businesses how they will follow guidelines in a Statement of Principles For Parcel Deliveries and how they will make sure people are not discriminated against for living in rural areas.

The statement was agreed by industry, government, trading standards and consumer groups.

Mr Ewing said: “Although the principles are voluntary we believe they will help to support businesses and reduce the number of customers who abandon purchases at the last minute because they find out the cost of delivery.

“It is not acceptable to hear reports of customers in the Highlands and Islands experiencing excessive charges, being refused delivery and being misled by the term ‘free delivery’.

“The Scottish government, together with Consumer Futures, is committed to ensuring the parcels delivery market in Scotland works in the interests of both consumers and business.

“We would encourage retailers to take on board these guidelines and in turn customers, particularly in the Highlands and Islands, will receive a fairer service and abidance by their adoption of these guidelines online retailers will show respect for their customers.”

In Voe, Tagon Stores are offering a new delivery service to combat postage charges.

Through the Collect Plus system, customers are able to send and receive parcels through the shop – with a number of multinational companies including Amazon signed up to the scheme.

Customers can also send parcels to someone’s house or to another local shop operating the scheme.

Alanah Young at work in the Sandwick knitwear factory. Photo: Ben Mullay

Scalloway resident Alanah Young is the first of a group of young people to complete 26 weeks under a new wage subsidy scheme introduced last year.

She started work in July at Laurence Odie Knitwear Ltd at Hoswick, Sandwick. Meanwhile Mark Wallace has been training at the Peerie Shop Cafe in Lerwick.

Mr Odie said: “This new scheme gave us the incentive to give an unemployed young person an opportunity to learn new skills and gain experience in the workplace.”

Mark Wallace in the Peerie Shop Cafe. Photo: Ben Mullay

Emma Gibson of the Peerie Shop Cafe added: “The funding has been very helpful with the cost of recruiting a new member of our team. It enabled us to consider someone with less previous experience. We are now able to provide more time for training and developing Mark’s skills.”

Scottish goverment funding is available to support new opportunities for youth employment in the private sector. The funding has been extended to provide more opportunities up to December.

The scheme is targeted at private sector companies and charities with fewer than 400 staff and provides 26 weeks of wage subsidy based on 50 per cent of national minimum wage rates to participating employers. Young people aged 16 to 24 must be unemployed to be eligible.

Vocational training manager Margaret Simpson said: “This youth employment scheme is an excellent example of a successful partnership with other agencies, namely Job Centre Plus, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland and SIC Youth Services.

“We have already helped eight people get into work with a range of employers participating in the scheme, and we hope this can continue.”

Early membership figures for the Shetland Folk festival are up on last year.

Society member Mhari Pottinger said sales were slightly higher than 2013 – with this year being the first time all membership and ticket sales are online.

This is after the Shetland Folk Festival Society decided to move away from paper booking forms system as it was said to be too time intensive for volunteers. However, Ms Pottinger was unable to reveal how many memberships had been sold.

On 22nd February the society’s Burns Lane office was opened for early membership – which allows those who pay the upfront cost access to the festival club at Islesburgh Community Centre, early booking and cheaper ticket prices.

But Ms Pottinger said only one person came to the office that day.

“I think that’s a sign of the times,” she said.

“Most people have access to the internet or know people who have access to it. We don’t envisage it to be too much of a problem.”

Concert tickets go on sale to early membership holders online on Saturday, 15th March.

However the festival shop in Burns Lane will also be opening the same day between noon and 5pm to help anybody who may be having problems with the new online system or does not have access to a computer.

On 5th April concert tickets are open to the general public and memberships can also be purchased.

Memberships allow access to the festival club and ticket discounts.

The shop will also be open for anyone having difficulties with purchasing tickets or membership online.

The Discovery on a visit to Lerwick last year.

The first cruise ship of the season is due in Lerwick this weekend, over a month earlier than usual.

The Discovery is expected to berth on Sunday for the first of three visits this month on special interest voyages between ports in Scotland, England and Norway. With capacity for 700 passengers, she is due to make a further five visits this year.

Lerwick Harbour is on course for another record-breaking season. With 52 ships booked, matching the 2012 record, the tonnage is expected to reach a new high at 1,923,950grt, beating the previous record of 1,531,097 two years ago.

Passenger numbers are estimated at 44,725, topping the previous highest figure of 37,572  set in 2012.

The tonnage of shipping reflects the trend towards larger vessels. The 114,288grt Costa Pacifica, the biggest yet to visit Lerwick, is due to return on 25th June.

Other large vessels will include the 90,280grt Celebrity Infinity (due on 9th and 30th June) and the 113,561grt Ruby Princess (due on 11th September), both on maiden visits.

There will be a total of eight first-time callers in a season which runs to late September, with peak months in June and July, each with 14 arrivals.

Lerwick Port Authority deputy chief executive Victor Sandison said: “Repeat visits, maiden calls and strong forward bookings underline the popularity of Shetland with cruise line operators and passengers.

“The combination of port facilities, warm welcome and numerous attractions has as powerful an appeal as ever.”

Meanwhile advance bookings for 2015 currently add up to 31 ships, at 1,587,169grt and carrying an estimated 32,640 passengers.

A member of Cruise Scotland, the port authority is attending Cruise Shipping Miami from 10th to 13th March and will be at Seatrade Med in Barcelona in September.

The port authority continues to support a “meet and greet” project by local greeters who provide an onboard and onshore welcome for passengers and crew, orientation leaflets and maps, and traditional Shetland music on the quayside, as well as a shuttle bus service to and from the town centre for passengers on ships berthed at Holmsgarth.

When Mark Rushby’s pure-bred Staffordshire terrier attacked another dog he threatened the owner to warn him off calling the police.

But the 17-year-old, of Lerwick’s Haldane Burgess Crescent, later went to the man’s house and shouted more abuse at his wife.

His appearance at the door was made more threatening because he was carrying a length of wood with two screws in the end.

Rushby later left the scene and the police were called. They soon found him and foiled his attempt to dispose of the weapon.

Rushby has already owned up to the offence. He admitted breaching the peace and threatening violence on 14th January and having the offensive weapon.

He also pleaded guilty to hanging around two addresses in Lerwick while on bail five days later, so that it could be inferred he intended to steal.

Sentence was deferred until today for background reports to be compiled.

At Lerwick Sheriff Court today procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said Rushby had approached the man after his “status” dog, which was off its lead, went for the complainer’s pet.

“The accused appeared and effectively threatened the complainer with violence if the complainer reported what had happened to the police.

“The complainer made his way home and a short time later – he was in the kitchen – there was a knock at the door, which his wife answered. It was the accused who was accompanied by an associate.

“The accused was carrying a length of wood with two screws in the end of it and, again, he repeated the threats of violence.”

Mr MacKenzie added Rushby had the presence of mind to dispose of the wood, but police soon recovered it after they were called.

He added the dog owner approached by Rushby had, in the past, suffered a heart attack, and that a stressful situation like this could have run the risk of a triggering further complications.

“His wife was alarmed and frightened by this incident.”

Defence agent Tommy Allan said Rushby had already spent two nights in custody in relation to the offences.

He added Rushby had managed to hold on to an apprenticeship for a year. He said Rushby wanted to get a job at the oil terminal after completing a construction course.

“The report is not so bleak so far as Mr Rushby is concerned. He accepts full responsibility for what has happened.”

Sheriff William Taylor ordered Rushby to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work as part of a community payback order.

A full-scale emergency was declared at Kirkwall Airport this morning as a plane bound for Shetland reported an “icing” problem.

The Loganair Saab 340 with 25 passengers on board had taken off from Aberdeen at 6.50am and was due to land at Sumburgh at 7.45am.

As the pilot approached Sumburgh he announced that the plane would return to Aberdeen, but then decided to divert to Kirkwall.

Police, fire and ambulance crews were alerted, and the Kirkwall lifeboat was launched.

However the plane landed safely and a replacement was sent out. The passengers eventually arrived in Sumburgh around 1pm. The incident meant that Shetland received no newspapers.

A Loganair engineering team is to carry out a full inspection of the aircraft.

Erraid Davies with her two gold medals.

Delting Dolphins swimmer Erraid Davies won two gold medals at the DSE National Junior and Youth Swimming Championships at the weekend in Sheffield as a member of the Scottish Papa Swimming Squad.

She dominated the 10-13 age group for the 50m breaststroke, coming in four seconds ahead of the second swimmer, and in the 100m breaststroke, both in personal best times.

Davies was also a member of the Scottish relay team which came fifth.

Meanwhile Lerwick swimmer Andrea Strachan won a silver medal in the Berlin International Swim Meet at the weekend.

Strachan, who hopes to qualify for Scotland’s squad for this year’s Commonwealth Games, was competing in the 50m butterfly and the 100m and 50m breaststroke.

Andrea Strachan

On Friday she completed the 50m butterly in a time of 29.19 seconds, just outside her personal best. On Saturday she was slightly off the pace in the 100m breaststroke which saw her miss out on a final place in the evening.

However, on Sunday in her favoured event, the 50m breaststroke, she qualified in third place. She improved in the final to finish second equal in 32.32 seconds to take the silver.

The area of the Staney Hill where the new houses could be built. Photo: John Coutts

A joint push is to be made to build hundreds of houses on “the only large scale development site in central Shetland”.

Members of Lerwick Community Council were told last night that Shetland Leasing and Property Developments Ltd (SLAP) had reached an agreement in principle to sell land at Staney Hill to Hjaltland Housing Association.

It is intended that a collective outline planning application will be submitted by the two organisations around the beginning of May and next Wednesday a public consultation will be held at Clickimin.

Hjaltland chief executive Bryan Leask said obtaining the site was a positive move.

“The Staney Hill site is probably one of the only, if not the only large-scale development site in central Shetland,” he said.

“I think to try and get that site for us and for affordable housing generally is a good step forward.”

Planning consultant Alan Farningham, who has been appointed by SLAP, spoke to community council members about the proposal.

He said the land could accommodate “a good few hundred houses”, but was unable to comment on details.

“We are very much aware that there’s a need to get housing in this area,” he said. “The intention is very much to develop.”

Mr Farningham explained that next week there would not be an exhibition of plans, but a simple red-line drawing showing the extent of the proposed site.

There will also be an aerial photograph of the site to put it in context with the rest of Lerwick, and information about why the development is being put forward.

People are invited to make comments which will be included in the application. Lerwick Community Council, local councillors and adjoining landowners are also among those asked to attend.

According to the initial outline, the principal access route would be the same road to access the new hostel for the new Anderson High School.

Concerns were raised by community council members about the volume of traffic but Mr Farningham said the route had been suggested by Shetland Islands Council.

However, when asked if there would be any facilities tied in with the houses, Mr Farningham was not able to provide any details. He said it was very early on to comment.

Karen Fraser asked whether blasting of rock was needed to make way for the houses and also raised the issue of maintaining paths and viewpoints.

The council agreed to put their concerns forward as part of the application.

Afterwards Mr Leask was asked about the geography of the site and rock blasting.

He said a feasibility study of the area had been conducted and Staney Hill was “not unusual” in terms of work they had carried out in the past.

Mr Leask cited recently completed work at Quoys – where rock was removed for homes and then used for building roads.

He added that the housing association would also want more access roads to the Staney Hill site and said securing the land would provide “certainty” in terms of a long-term development plan for the housing association.

It would also mean the land was secure for development and help the housing association to pull in funding from the Scottish government.

Hjaltland’s housing waiting list stands at 650, Mr Leask said, with 380 applying for homes in Lerwick. The second highest on the list is Scalloway followed by Brae and Tingwall.

SLAP chairwoman Susan Groat stated in a press release after the meeting: “We are pleased to have reached an agreement in principle with Hjaltland Housing Association for this area of land, where they intend to develop much-needed housing in Lerwick.

“We will work with them to finalise the sale and together put forward an outline planning application.”

In January The Shetland Times reported that the development could support between 200 and 300 houses.

Next Wednesday’s consultation will be held from 10am to 9pm.

A drugs supplier has been spared a prison sentence following an appearance at Lerwick Sheriff Court.

Ryan Galbraith, 20, of Da Vadill, has instead been ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

He has also been ordered to abide by a curfew, designed to restrict his liberty between 7pm-7am, Monday to Friday.

Galbraith previously admitted supplying cannabis resin to four people between September 2012 and February last year at Nordavatn and Sandveien in Lerwick.

He also pleaded guilty to supplying diazepam, and possessing amphetamine with intent to supply.

Galbraith would have been facing a custodial sentence for his offending.

However, sheriff William Taylor was persuaded that Galbraith was “changing for the better”.

He accepted recommendations in a social work report not to impose a custodial sentence.

“I take into account that, as a 20-year-old, you’ve got your whole life in front of you, and a restriction of liberty order is something that is quite a punishment.”

Serco NorthLink is bringing forward its southbound sailing tonight due to strong winds and sea state.

The ferry Hjaltland is scheduled to depart Lerwick sailing for Kirkwall and Aberdeen at 5.30pm, but will now leave at 4.30pm. Check-in opens at 3pm, and final check-in time is 4pm.

Shetland’s new chief of police Eddie Graham. Photo: Dave Donaldson

Newly promoted chief inspector Eddie Graham has been appointed the local area commander for Shetland.

He replaces outgoing chief inspector Angus MacInnes, who has moved to the Scottish Borders to undertake his role as superintendent.

Chief inspector Graham took up post this week and is in the process of familiarising himself with his new role which he says he is very much looking forward to.

Originally from Fife, Mr Graham has 28 years experience in the police and previously served as a sergeant in Shetland between 1999 and 2003.

He spent the next few years in Orkney but was always keen to return north. This opportunity came when he was promoted to local area inspector for Shetland in 2010.

Inspector Lindsay Tulloch, originally from Bressay, will move back to the isles to assist Mr Graham. Mr Tulloch has been in the police for 21 years and brings considerable experience from his recent roll in the Public Protection Unit based in Thurso.

Spokesman Barry Collard said: “With their combined depth of local knowledge, experience of operational policing and appreciation of island life, this will allow them to serve the community well and deal successfully with any local issues that may occur.

“Command area priorities will continue to include local engagement and community consultation, tackling violence, disorder and anti-social behaviour, emergency planning and resilience, protecting people and road policing.”

Mr Graham said: “Throughout my service in the isles I have always been impressed by the Shetland community’s resilience when it comes to dealing with major incidents or weather events.

“Policing benefits from well embedded partnerships with public, private and voluntary sectors however the bedrock of successful policing is the continued positive relationship we at Police Scotland have with our communities.

“I am confident that with public support for policing in Shetland we will continue to ensure that these islands remain one of the safest places to live in Scotland.”

I very much hope that The Shetland Times, which has always stressed the importance of the environment of and around the isles, will be challenging the appalling decision by the SSPCA to shut the wildlife unit and which has, apparently, prompted the inspector to retire early.

As you know this centre was set up mainly with money from the oil industry so why on earth don’t the SSPCA ask that same industry for help to keep it going?

Are they really serious in suggesting that injured creatures or those requiring specialist care/help are to be taken all the way to Clackmannanshire for treatment? How much is that going to cost each time?

It is an outrageous decision in a remote area that needs every facility it can get and, for me, makes it abundantly clear that the SSPCA have no special regard for the unique wildlife environment of these islands.

I believe this decision needs to be seriously challenged by all who care and I very much hope it is a matter that the Times will take up on behalf of everyone.

Alan M. Watkins

26 The Cobbins,

Burnham on Crouch,

Essex.

A few years ago, when I was writing letters to The Shetland Times in opposition to the proposed music venue and cinema, while the council were talking about closing schools, I made a remark that has apparently now come true.

I said that there would be no bonus for pensioners by the time I got to retirement age because of the way money was being wasted, and guess who gets their state pension next January? As for the bonus – forget it!

I am sure I will manage without the bonus, but I was disgusted by the proposal that any money should go to the working poor.

Not everyone in Shetland made money from Sullom Voe and it should be remembered that the people who still deserve to get the bonus were the “working poor” for many years before oil came to Shetland.

Native Shetlanders in their 70s, 80s and 90s, some of whom lived through a war, worked hard all their lives for very little and are now facing cuts in services in a bid to save money. They should continue to get the bonus for the remainder of their lives as a mark of respect.

If the administration of the scheme is a problem, I’m sure there are many council employees, who find their workload reduced with the closure of schools and cuts in other services, and would be glad of the chance to pass their working day doing something as rewarding as this.

I admire councillors Allison Duncan, Andrea Manson and Amanda Westlake for their attempts to preserve the bonus, but a few others have gone way down in my estimation and I certainly will not vote for them at the next election.

It’s funny how you always think when a new council is elected: “Oh, well they can’t been any worse than the last lot.” And quite sad how wrong you can be.

Barbara Steven

14 Chromate Lane,

Lerwick.

The van was stolen from outside Grantfield Garage.

A man who stole a van from Grantfield Garage in Lerwick before committing a catalogue of other offences has been sentenced to nine months in prison.

Craig Moverly, 44, of the town’s Burnside previously admitted a total of nine offences at Lerwick Sheriff Court.

He took the van which had been left running idle from outside the garage and headed to the South Mainland on 17th January.

He drove dangerously, uninsured and at excessive speed.

Moverly later stood in the middle of the carriageway between Scousburgh and Bigton. He subjected a “terrified” woman and her two children to an ordeal after getting into her car.

He later became involved in a struggle with a female delivery driver from the Bigton shop as he attempted to steal her van. She broke a small bone in her hand as she struggled to remove the key from the ignition to prevent him from taking the vehicle.

Moverly was later tracked down by police in a nearby field, but he threatened to kill them during a violent struggle. He was later searched and found to have the Class C drug diazepam.

Moverly committed the offences while on bail, which had been granted at Tain Sheriff Court.

In court today procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said the incident had played out over an extensive period of time. He said it was fortunate that a serious road accident did not occur.

“There were a number of very dangerous overtaking manoeuvres which, but for the reactions of other drivers, certainly had the potential to result in a fairly catastrophic collision.”

He added a woman was forced to bring her car to a halt in the South Mainland after spotting Moverly standing in the road.

“Her reaction was to wind down her window to establish what he wanted. The accused just walked to the passenger door of her car and entered the car.

“She described him as being jumpy and being affected by some substance.

“He initially asked for a run to the airport. She declined to do that, but was too scared to ask him to leave the car.”

Instead she ran him to the Bigton shop, but her “initial discomfort” turned to “outright fear” when he repeatedly asked her for a kiss.

She drew the attention of a passing delivery driver and quietly asked her for help.

“That witness could see that the woman in the car was, as she described, ‘obviously terrified’,” Mr MacKenzie added.

After arriving at the shop the woman and her children left the car. But Moverly climbed into the delivery van and started the engine, “revving it to its full limit”.

The woman from the shop went to prevent him from driving away.

“There was a struggle and she managed to remove the ignition key from the van. But in the course of that struggle she broke a small bone in her hand,” Mr MacKenzie told the court.

Moverly was eventually subdued after being tracked down by police officers.

Mr MacKenzie added the pills found on Moverly may have been the root of his problems.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said Moverly accepted his behaviour on the day was “terrifying”.

He said Moverly had been suffering from hallucinations

“One thing leads to another and the whole thing plays out in a nightmarish fashion,” Mr Allan said.

Moverly had been subject to psychological assessments which failed to highlight any treatable mental health conditions. But Mr Allan said Moverly was not short of problems.

He said Moverly had served the equivalent of a three month custodial sentence since he was taken into remand. He added a background report highlighted alternatives to a custodial sentence.

But sheriff William Taylor was not to be persuaded.

“The difficulty I have is the protection of the public because the report makes it clear that he is not to be trusted in terms of substance abuse. If he is involved in substance abuse then he is likely to commit this kind of offence again.”

He said it was “absolutely horrific” to consider a woman with her two children in her car could find herself in that situation.

“I don’t see that there’s very much alternative to the court to custody.”

As well as sentencing him to a prison term – backdated to 20th January – he also banned Moverly from driving for a year. Moverly will have to resit the test if he wants to drive again.

Shetland Arts Director Gwilym Gibbons is to leave the organisation in September after eight years in the job, it was announced today.

Gwilym Gibbons

Mr Gibbons was the first man to be appointed as the agency’s director and oversaw the tricky opening of the cinema and music venue Mareel.

He plans to develop a new Shetland-based consultancy agency offering practical support to the UK cultural and heritage sector known as Creative Help Ltd.

He said: “It was after careful con­sid­eration and with a certain sense of sadness that I tendered my resig­na­tion as SADA’s first director.

“The past seven-and-a-half years have been an extraordinary, full-on journey for me both professionally and personally and I’m hugely proud of the growth of Shetland Arts over the period of my tenure, and of the range and impact of its activities during that time.

“I have always maintained that the individual who leads Shetland Arts through the challenges of its post-Mareel construction and open­ing phase should be someone dif­ferent from myself, someone with a fresh approach and new ideas. Now is the time to make a positive move that will facilitate bringing those fresh ideas into play.”

He thanked the board, staff and volunteers at Shetland Arts insisting: “It has been a huge privilege and a joy to work alongside such a talented and skilled team of people who are an asset to Shetland Arts and to the community they serve.”

Shetland Arts chairman Danus Skene said: “We share the sadness that Gwilym expresses surrounding his decision to leave Shetland Arts after his eight years with the organi­sation. On behalf of the board and staff of Shetland Arts I thank him for exemplary service.

“He has made a unique contribution to the wellbeing of the Shetland com­munity through his leadership of an agency which provides such diverse services to so many.

“The scale and breadth of the work of Shetland Arts under his leadership deserves to be widely celebrated.”

Greenhead Base, Shetland

Operations/Agency Assistant

The Operations/Agency Assistant will provide both office based and hands on support to the day to day running of agency and operations activities, including completion of paperwork, checking of cargo and maintenance of spreadsheets.  Under the direction of the Transport Manager, the position will also ensure the ongoing road worthiness of all vehicle and plant.

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate knowledge of operators licensing and VOSA requirements with regard to road worthiness and be computer literate, including Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook. An ability to prioritise and cope with competing demands is essential in this role, as is an attention to detail and a focus on customer service. 

Should you be interested in this position, please submit your CV to: Zoe Sinclair, Recruitment Consultant

Tel 01224 288132

Email : zsinclair@onepeterson.com

Closing date for applications: 14th March, 2014.

www.onepeterson.com

Greenhead Base, Shetland

Chargehand 

The Chargehand will support the coordination and control of materials and personnel to support the 2014 campaign for one of our clients, including on the job supervision of allocated staffing. Other responsibilities include liaison with clients and supporting the movement of materials in and out of the base, ensuring that safe working practices, documented procedures and risk assessments are adhered to at all times. The Chargehand will take the lead of assigned teams and maintain a strong focus on safety, setting a good example for other team members to follow.

The successful candidate will have proven experience within a similar role, including working in safety critical environments. You will also have risk assessment training and experience working with plant. 

This is a client dedicated role and as such, a focus on customer service is essential.  You will also have the ability to lead a team, have good communication and a commitment to health and safety.

Should you be interested or wish to apply, please contact: Craig Lawie, Recruitment Consultant

Tel: 01224 288142

Email: clawie@onepeterson.com

  Closing date for applications: 11th March, 2014.

www.onepeterson.com