Fair Isle seeks crew for 'lifeline' ferry service

The current Fair Isle ferry is 30 years old

One of the UK's most remote communities is looking to add to its population as it attempts to fill vacancies for two "lifeline" roles.

Fair Isle, which is part of Shetland, is seeking an engineer and a deckhand to work onboard their ferry service.

Successful applicants should live on the island, meaning relocation may be required.

Fair Isle is located 80 miles off the Scottish mainland, half way between Orkney and Shetland.

Both roles are part time, with the ferry only operating three sailings a week in summer and once a week in winter, and include a distant islands allowance in the salary.

The jobs will be based onboard the Good Shepherd vessel until the island's new ferry enters service.

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The ferry, which sails between Fair Isle and Shetland, can carry up to 12 passengers and one car.

The island, which is three miles long and one and a half miles wide, has a population of about 50. Twenty-four hour electricity was only installed on Fair Isle in 2018.

'You can't beat it'

One of the island's residents, Eileen Thomson, said the jobs are a great chance to become an "integral part of a strong community".

Speaking to the BBC's Good Evening Shetland, she said: "It would be the perfect opportunity for someone to come and take on the role but also have a nice home here and make a life on Fair Isle.

"It's a brilliant place to live, good quality of life, lovely neighbours. Shetland in the summer - you can't beat it really.

"We're an island full of enterprising people, we do a lot ourselves but we always look out for more folk with the right skills, you know practical folk.

"You've got to be quite self-sufficient but you've also got to work as a team and enjoy that community aspect."

Eileen Thomson hopes having a new ferry will help encourage people to move to the island

Ms Thomson was born on the island but moved to Edinburgh, before returning to raise a family of her own. Her children make up almost half of the school roll.

She continued: "We've got a great school, there are five kids in the school and we've got a great opportunity to add more children if folk have got families. We've got an amazing island shop, we've got a post office, we've got a nurse who looks after us.

"It's just the most beautiful place, if you're interested in the outdoors, if you're interested in knitting there's no better place really."

She added it was essential the new crew members live locally as "you have to be ready to go when the weather is good".

A spokesperson for the National Trust for Scotland, which owns the island said: "It's always welcome to see employment opportunities come up in Fair Isle, given their importance to the sustainability of this wonderful island."

The deadline for applications is 28 July.