The organisers of next month’s Tall Ships Races visit to Lerwick are appealing for anyone interested in volunteering to come forward and fill the last few remaining vacancies.
Thousands of folk are expected to congregate in the town for the four-day event, which runs between 26-29 July.
Shetland Tall Ships Ltd. is still looking to recruit some stewards, park and ride marshals, event advisors, site runners and minibus drivers.
Project manager Emma Miller said volunteering for previous Tall Ships events in 1999 and 2011 had proved “hugely rewarding” for those taking part.
“We are looking to fill vacancies for a variety of roles requiring a range of different time commitments,” she said.
“We would urge anyone who’s interested to get in touch as soon as possible. We are looking to finalise all volunteer positions shortly to ensure everyone has access to training and can be fully prepared for, and supported in, the roles.”
Event information advisors are needed to ensure the public are able to find out about activities and can purchase programmes and merchandise.
Event support and admin is also needed to collate information packs in the week prior to Tall Ships.
Shifts are also available to hand out headline concert wristbands on the two weekends leading up to the event.
Park-and-ride marshals are being sought to staff the Sound School and Anderson High School sites where shuttle buses will collect and transport people into the town centre.
Minibus drivers are required to assist with transporting artists and crew from the airport and ferry terminal to event sites.
All roles will require volunteers to complete Act Now! and adult protection online courses.
Meanwhile, consultants EKOS and IBP Strategy & Research are offering paid work as part of an evaluation of the Tall Ships Races’ impact on Shetland’s community and economy.
This will include surveying visitors during the event, with IBP’s own interviewing team to be supplemented by locally-based recruits.
They will be asked to interview visitors on-site using a structured survey questionnaire. Interviewers will be asked to work for a six-hour shift on one or more of the four days.
• Anyone interested in the remaining volunteer vacancies can find full details, including an application form and volunteer policy, in the “get involved” section of the Tall Ships Lerwick website at www.tallshipslerwick.com.
• Anyone interested in putting themselves forward for the paid consultancy work can email Eddy Graham of IBP Strategy & Research at e.graham@ibp.eu.com.