Junior Up Helly Aa

Junior Up Helly Aa Junior Up Helly Aa (est. 1956) takes place in Lerwick, Shetland on the last Tuesday in January every year

We had a great time supporting the RNLI Aith Lifeboat Gala today alongside other jarl squads from across Shetland! Thank...
13/06/2026

We had a great time supporting the RNLI Aith Lifeboat Gala today alongside other jarl squads from across Shetland! Thanks for inviting Junior Jarl Frankie Walterson and the Junior Jarl Squad. Three cheers to everyone supporting this great community event 🔥

What a fantastic evening at Mareel as we gathered with lots of other young people and organisations across Shetland reco...
09/06/2026

What a fantastic evening at Mareel as we gathered with lots of other young people and organisations across Shetland recognising the power of volunteering. This evening members of the Junior Jarl Squad and musicians received certificates totalling over 1889 hours between them 🤩

It is their energy, their imagination, and their enthusiasm that brings Junior Up Helly Aa to life. They are the ones who carry the torches, who create the squads, who perform with such pride and creativity. They are not just participants — they are the future of the festival. And what a future it is.

Because when we look at Junior Up Helly Aa, we are not just looking at an event. We are looking at a training ground for community leaders, for volunteers, for people who understand the value of working together.

We are looking at a tradition that strengthens identity, fosters belonging, and brings people together across generations.

We are looking at something that makes Lerwick — and Shetland as a whole — just that little bit more special.

Thanks to Voluntary Action Shetland for hosting the event. Since we registered with the Saltire Awards young people have completed 5722 hours of volunteering. Three cheers to everyone 🔥🔥🔥

03/06/2026

🔥 Young people and festival volunteers look forward to attend the Global Intergenerational Congress later in the year.

🎦 Check out this short film that showcases our involvement in the event due to be held in Glasgow.

🚀 Over 3 inspiring days in Glasgow, they’ll be:

Thought-provoking keynotes
Interactive workshops
Real stories driving change
Space to connect, collaborate and celebrate

🔗 Check out the congress programme here: https://bit.ly/4vpzcvf

➡️ Junior Up Helly Aa’s participation supported by YouthBank, Zetland Educational Trust and NorthLink Ferries

ℹ️ For more information about Junior Up Helly Aa visit: https://linktr.ee/junioruphellyaa

Throughout the last 70 years of Junior Up Helly Aa, volunteer marshals have ensured the safety of young people participa...
02/06/2026

Throughout the last 70 years of Junior Up Helly Aa, volunteer marshals have ensured the safety of young people participating in the junior procession. As part of , we want to say THANK YOU!

Did you know as part of the new PVG legislation we have strengthened safeguarding practices, in coordination with the senior festival, ensuring that the wellbeing of participants is always at the forefront of what we do. The 2026 festival saw 59 volunteer marshals register / update their PVG to support 125 young people participate in the junior procession - we simply couldn’t do it without them 🔥

It’s ! We are incredibly proud of the young people involved in Junior Up Helly Aa. Since the 2024 festival they have co...
01/06/2026

It’s ! We are incredibly proud of the young people involved in Junior Up Helly Aa. Since the 2024 festival they have completed 5722* hours of volunteering, equivalent to 238.4 days. Junior Up Helly Aa is much more than 1 day, it’s 12 months of fun, friendship and volunteering. Activities include:

🔨 Making Torches
🪚Building the Galley
🎶 Playing music and celebrating our heritage and culture
👵 Visiting local care homes / centres
👶 Visiting schools and nurseries
🛳️ Welcoming visitors to Shetland
🌍 Taking part in beach cleans
💚 Helping at the local food bank
🛻 Participating in community events including the carnival, galas and other events
… and much much more!

📸 Here’s just a small selection of photos looking back at our volunteering activities.

🥳 We look forward to celebrating with our friends at Voluntary Action Shetland Volunteering at the Saltire Awards later this month.

*recorded up to 31 March 2026

The Junior Jarl Squad were delighted to attend the CRUK Relay For Life - Shetland today. An important community event th...
30/05/2026

The Junior Jarl Squad were delighted to attend the CRUK Relay For Life - Shetland today. An important community event that raises much needed funds and awareness. Incredible to see so many people, of all ages, from across Shetland coming together with HOPE that we find a CURE. Three cheers to the event volunteers and all fundraising!

And that’s a wrap! The Junior Up Helly Aa Bands Digital EP was recorded at Mareel yesterday. Thanks to Tim from Shetland...
28/05/2026

And that’s a wrap! The Junior Up Helly Aa Bands Digital EP was recorded at Mareel yesterday. Thanks to Tim from Shetland Arts for his expertise and also Stephen Mercer for capturing the session on film.

We’re finalising everything, so keep an eye out for it on your favorite streaming platforms—more details soon!

The project was supported by Shetland Arts and Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre Youth Fund.

The final practice 🎶 In less then 48 hours the Junior Up Helly Aa band will be at Mareel and working with Tim and Stephe...
25/05/2026

The final practice 🎶 In less then 48 hours the Junior Up Helly Aa band will be at Mareel and working with Tim and Stephen to record / video our Digital EP 🔥

Thanks to Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre and Shetland Arts for your support.

A number of our followers asked for us to list the Junior Jarls that joined us for our 70th anniversary dinner dance 📸 H...
22/05/2026

A number of our followers asked for us to list the Junior Jarls that joined us for our 70th anniversary dinner dance 📸

Here’s the group details below ⬇️

Back Row left to right: Robert Geddes (1991), Bryan Peterson (1990), Sam Maver (2010), Fin Hatrick (2025), James Morrison (2023), Frankie Walterson (2026), Oran McCulloch (2024), Lewis Harkness (2015), Travis Morgan (2014), Lenny Allen (2013), Kristoffer Thomason (2009) & Ryan Stewart (2000)

Middle Row left to right: David Summes (1970), Edward Sim (1969), Míchael Grant (1988), Grant Polson (1998), Alastair Scott (2007), Tom Ward (1993), Luke Hunter (1994) & Jordan Hunter (2001)

Front Row left to right: lan Isbister (1978), Terry Strachan (1975), Melvyn Leask (1977), lan Mann (1979), Mark Sandison (1981), Brydon Peterson (1966), Alan Pottinger (1983), Robert Simpson (1971), Douglas Dalziel (1961), Gary Nicolson (1972) & Andrew Johnston (1962)

You can find a list of all Junior Jarls here ➡️ https://www.uphellyaa.org/about-up-helly-aa/junior-up-helly-aa/ 🔥

Next week sees the Junior Up Helly Aa band record their Digital EP of tunes in partnership with Moniack Mhor Creative Wr...
22/05/2026

Next week sees the Junior Up Helly Aa band record their Digital EP of tunes in partnership with Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre Youth Fund and Shetland Arts at Mareel 🎶

Tonight they gathered as a band to practice the tunes they’ll be recording including:

🎶 Up Helly Aa and Galley Song
🎶 Audunn Thorolfsson, Viking Explorer’s March by Brian Morrison
🎶 Skeppare Nokkvesson, Commander or Ulfhednar. Elite Guard to Harald Finehair’s March by Darren Jamieson
🎶 King Magnus VI of Norway, Magnus “Lagabøte” Haakonsson (The Law Mender) March by George Spence
🎶 Sigtryggr – (Sitric Cáech “The one-eyed”). Viking King of Dublin and York’s March by Andrew Nicol

Address

Peerie Galley Shed, Gremista Road
Lerwick
ZE10PT

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