Ryan Nicolson

Scotland

Reporter at The Shetland Times

I just wanted to be one of The Strokes

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Articles

Football round-up 12 May

2 days ago | shetnews.co.uk | Ryan Nicolson

SPURS, Scalloway and Whalsay are into the second round of the Highland Amateur Cup after beating fellow isles’ opposition over the weekend. Scalloway produced the surprise result of the opening round, beating Whitedale 3-1 after extra time at Strom on Saturday afternoon to progress. Whalsay thrashed Championship side Banks 12-1 at home to ease through, while Spurs beat Ness United comfortably by five goals to one in town.
Island Games supporters club gearing up for biggest backing ever in Orkney

2 days ago | shetnews.co.uk | Ryan Nicolson

AROUND 200 to 300 supporters are set to descend on neighbouring Orkney to roar on Shetland’s athletes in this summer’s Island Games. It will be the biggest backing that Shetland has had at an Island Games since it hosted the event 20 years ago. The team’s official supporters club are gearing up for the short journey to Orkney this July, with founding member Olive MacLeod saying this games will be “completely different to any other one”.
Royal Mail decline crisis talks as posties leave ‘in droves’ over low pay

5 days ago | shetnews.co.uk | Ryan Nicolson

ROYAL Mail has been accused of ignoring a growing crisis in Shetland, with postal staff leaving “in droves” due to low pay and extremely pressured working conditions. A quarter of postie jobs in Shetland are vacant, with four workers quitting in April alone. That has meant some remaining staff are having to work up to 70 hours a week – the legal limit – to cover the shortfall.
Firefighters from three problem stations forced to train elsewhere

5 days ago | shetnews.co.uk | Ryan Nicolson

FIREFIGHTERS from three problem fire stations are having to train at other stations nearby with better facilities. Volunteer crews from Bressay, Hillswick and Walls are now travelling for training nights in Lerwick, Brae and Bixter respectively. It comes after the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) ordered the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) to make immediate improvements to the three stations. None of the three have toilets, changing areas or showers, and Walls has no running water.
Lengthy stays at hospital ‘growing’ as population gets older, NHS director says

6 days ago | shetnews.co.uk | Ryan Nicolson

THE NUMBER of patients with extended stays at the Gilbert Bain Hospital is “growing”, putting a further strain on the already stretched health service. As many as 12 people had their scheduled surgeries postponed earlier this year because of a lack of available hospital beds. And over the Easter weekend all of the Lerwick hospital’s contingency beds were also filled, leaving the NHS anxious to find spare beds outside the health service.
Veterans and Norwegian crews march together through Lerwick

1 week ago | shetnews.co.uk | Ryan Nicolson

A PROCESSION featuring crews from the visiting Norwegian vessels and World War Two veterans has marched to the Lerwick Town Hall to attend a formal ceremony. Lerwick Pipe Band led the procession, which marched from Lerwick Harbour up to the town hall tonight (Wednesday). People lined both sides of the pavement around the harbour to watch and pay tribute to those marching. Crews, veterans and guests were all part of the procession, which also passed through Harbour Street and Fort Charlotte.
Wood wows and Kansa conquer festival’s opening night at Mareel

1 week ago | shetnews.co.uk | Ryan Nicolson

AND SO, after a year of counting down and crossing off the calendar, one of Shetland’s most anticipated weekends of the year arrives. Folk fever was in the air at Mareel for Thursday night’s opening salvo, the anticipation palpable in the packed auditorium. Some awaited their first taste of the folk festival, others are battle-hardy veterans ticking a 43rd off. Expectation was so high, in fact, that there was not a seat to be had by 7.10pm, a full 20 minutes before the opening note was struck.
Lerwick in line for 20-seater sauna as company steams ahead

1 week ago | shetnews.co.uk | Ryan Nicolson

LERWICK is set to get a lot warmer this summer with the addition of a new 20-seater sauna. The popular Haar Sauna, which currently has two trailers based at the St. Ninian’s beach in Bigton, is set to expand with the addition of two extra saunas in the coming months. One will be based in Lerwick, at a location which will be announced shortly, with the other 20-seater unit also going to St. Ninian’s Isle.
Maternity department will have to move during ‘intrusive’ hospital repairs

2 weeks ago | shetnews.co.uk | Ryan Nicolson

NHS Shetland is still confident the isles will get a new hospital, despite the Scottish Government having to fund £10 million in urgent repairs to the Gilbert Bain. It is a case of “when and not if” Shetland gets a replacement for the aging hospital, health board chairman Gary Robinson says. NHS Shetland revealed today (Tuesday) immediate structural works are required at the crumbling facility, with some concrete walls needing to be replaced and others reclad.
Cup-winning comeback proves Shetland ‘never know when they are beaten’

2 weeks ago | shetnews.co.uk | Ryan Nicolson

SHETLAND’s hockey players “never seem to know when they are beaten” after a stunning comeback saw them lift the Scottish District Cup for a second time. The blues trailed 2-0 to Edinburgh Hockey 2’s just after half-time of Sunday’s final, but rallied in spectacular fashion to draw 2-2 and take the game to running penalties. After missing their first two penalties it looked again like Shetland were going to be disappointed at the last hurdle, having lost 1-0 in last year’s final.

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