NorthLink Ferries will invest £20,000 between January and March next year, supporting talented youngsters, charities, events and festivals in Shetland and Orkney.

The company’s sponsorship funding will take the form of free travel and discounted fares to a host of local clubs, organisations and sports stars, including Orkney’s sportsman of the year Andrew Hamilton.

Both Shetland and Orkney rugby clubs will benefit from discounted travel, as will Orkney’s Badminton Association and Orkney Octopush Club and Shetland’s Football Association and Country Music Club. 

Next year’s Young Farmers North Region conference will be held in Stromness in January and up to 80 delegates from across the region will receive 30% discounted travel on NorthLink’s Pentland Firth crossing as “honorary islanders”.

Fifteen young thespians from Shetland will receive a boost in February next year when NorthLink backs their entry in a national competition. The members of Splinters Youth Theatre, from Shetland, will travel to Aberdeen Arts Centre for the first round of the Scottish Youth Community Drama Association Festival 2006, competing against young drama enthusiasts from around Scotland. If Splinters are successful in the first round in Aberdeen, they will go on to perform their one-act play in the second round of the competition in Arbroath Webster Theatre in March.

During the first quarter of 2006, NorthLink, which has donated more than £300,000 in sponsorship funds over the past three years, will also assist swimmers, bowlers, baton twirlers, and hockey players. The Dogs Against Drugs charity will continue to benefit from the ferry firm’s support too, with travel to the mainland for training being subsidised.

Gareth Crichton, NorthLink’s commercial director, said: “When NorthLink took over the Northern Isles services, we were acutely aware of the importance of our ships, and the opportunity for travel that they provide, to the communities in Orkney and Shetland. Since then, we have worked to support a wide range of events, community groups and individuals as they travel to and from the islands.

“We are delighted to be able to extend our backing for local causes into the new year and hope that our support continues to enrich the islands’ social, cultural and sporting life and to aid charity work.”