Staff at Orkney Health and Care have helped leading children’s charity Action for Children distribute grocery vouchers to 32 vulnerable families and young children in the county ahead of Christmas.

The Action for Children charity contacted the OHAC team advising they had received funds from the Scottish Government’s Winter Wellbeing Fund to distribute to 32 vulnerable young people and families on the Scottish Government’s behalf. This was in the form of vouchers from major supermarkets and electricity top up cards.

The staff at St Rognvald House have been cooking up a festive display to delight – thanks to a generous donation from Cooke Aquaculture Scotland in Orkney of £1,000.

St Rognvald’s Manager Shirley Miller said: “2021 has been another challenging year for staff and residents at St Rognvald House but in true community spirit Cooke Aquaculture Scotland has come up trumps once again.

While many of us are enjoying a few days off during the festive season, spare a thought for those who will be on duty during the 12 days of Christmas, helping make this time special for others on their own, taking care of the vulnerable and ensuring our roads are safe to travel on, to name but a few.

From all aspects of caring, whether that be residential, home or social care to the pier masters, tugs crews and ferry workers to the on-call highway officers, roads operatives and garage mechanics, they all play a vital role in making sure the Council’s services continue over the festive period.

Work to try to identify and help bring empty properties back into use across Orkney is picking up pace thanks to a growing network of dedicated Empty Homes Officers.

Rachael Batty was appointed to the role of Development and Empty Homes Officer at Orkney Islands Council in May 2021 and is delighted to be part of what she sees as the “opportunity to assist in building a sustainable future for our islands”.

The scale and spectacle of the Royal Navy’s largest base during the World Wars is being brought to life in a new virtual reality display at the Scapa Flow Museum in Orkney.