Also in the news / Covid remembrance, wood burning stoves, garden competition
A FLAG created as part of a national Covid remembrance project is flying on top of Lerwick Town Hall.
The flag has been created by local artist Helen Robertson and represents a focus for the community to remember the pandemic and for people to reflect on their experiences of that time.
It has been created as part of Remembering Together, a national project which seeks to give each of Scotland’s 32 local authorities their own way to remember and mark their experiences of the pandemic.
Speaking as the flag launched this morning, Robertson said: “The symbol on the flag is Tree of Life – Interrupted.
“It is formed from an image of a knit wire Shetland Lace Tree of Life which symbolises growth, family and community with a gold circle representing the interruption to our lives and hope for the future.’
THE SCOTTISH Government has confirmed something of a U-turn on the controversial new build heat standard regulations, climate action minister Gillian Martin confirmed in parliament on Tuesday.
In response to a question from Conservative MSP Rachael Hamilton, the minister said she had been listening to the concerns raised by communities and will be reviewing the regulations on wood-burning stoves and biomass boilers with the intention to adapt them to address the issues of inflexibility that have been raised.
The regulations would have effectively banned wood burning stoves in new build homes.
“The outcome of the review will ensure resilience to interruptions of electricity and heating supply and respect for rural communities’ culture, traditions and sustainable systems,” Martin said.
“I want to ensure that climate-friendly alternatives to direct emissions are promoted in appropriate ways across Scotland, with no unintended consequences with regard to fuel poverty and sustainability, particularly in rural communities.”
Hamilton said: “My party has long demanded that those rules be changed. They are misguided, ill-formed and fail to understand the realities of rural life.”
LERWICK Community Council is inviting entries and nominations for the 2024 Lerwick garden competition.
The competition has the theme of biodiversity and is sponsored by local organisations, individuals and businesses including Cope, Da Barn, Harbro, Bella Irvine, Arch Henderson, the Species on the Edge project – which is promoting the importance of bumble bees – as well as Shetland Amenity Trust which is donating native trees.
All types of private or public gardens in Lerwick can be entered, including vegetable gardens.
Because of the biodiversity theme, judges will be particularly interested in habitats that are kind to nature and encourage anyone with a special garden to enter. Unkempt corners might even be a bonus.
To enter, people can email clerk@lerwickcc.org.uk or, alternatively write to K. Fraser, 80 Breiwick Road, Lerwick ZE1 0DD, with the name and address for the garden, phone number, and their reason for nominating.
Closing date for entry is 30 June and the top prize for the best garden will be £100 plus many other prizes.
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