AI-generated representative image showing a suitcase of colourful dresses inside a remote island cottage, with practical outdoor clothing and a windswept coastline beyond the window. Credits – Gemini
Tammy Hine, a nurse from Bedford, accepted the position and moved to Shetland in February 2026. She moved about 760 miles (1,220 km) from Bedford to become Fair Isle’s only resident nurse. The bad weather delayed her on the Shetland Mainland for three weeks, and the wardrobe she carried, roughly 150 gowns, was a poor match for island winds. Despite the difficult journey, she settled in quickly and described the move as one more adventure before turning 50. The only regular aviation service is run by two small Islander planes, which can take up to seven passengers each with a 15 kg baggage allowance per person, Fair Isle Bird Observatory says. Flights from Tingwall Airport near Lerwick take about 25 minutes, weather permitting. The Good Shepherd IV ferry carries 12 passengers and takes about two and a half hours from Grutness Pier in southern Shetland. The BBC reported 45 residents, but the health board and the island itself work with a figure nearer 60, so it is important to remember that in a community this tiny, numbers fluctuate with the seasons and the school term.
Because of bad weather, she arrived on 9 February but could not reach Fair Isle for another three weeks.
Hine says she likes the speed. The NHS Shetland recruitment advert describes the role as the first point of contact for planned and emergency care, with clinical support from GPs on the Shetland mainland. Her arrival hadn’t gone to plan. Getting the job was straightforward. But getting to the island is a journey dictated by the weather. The Fair Isle travel guide provides details of the available transport services. High winds and fog may interfere with travel any time of year, the island’s community website adds. During summer, the ferry sails three times a week from Grutness, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, with a service to Lerwick once every two weeks. Sailings depend on weather and seasonal timetables. She’s been to a party and a disco and jammed with a neighbour. Her action shows how much a single post may matter in a setting like this. The willing nurse, who packs sensibly and waits out the weather, becomes the full health service of the island. The dresses will have to wait until a peaceful day and a celebration.
