Orkney’s Kali Morris may be only seven, but she’s getting quite accustomed to receiving a special delivery in the post! 

The P3 pupil at Firth Primary recently received two Royal letters, which have pride of place in her “Royal box”, joining another she was sent some time ago.

 

The Council is reminding parents and carers that most schools in Orkney will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, as a result of the planned industrial action by teachers in a national dispute over pay.

The only facilities open are: Eday (nursery/school) North Walls (nursery/school) Papay (nursery/school) Rousay (nursery/school) and the nurseries only at Dounby, Glaitness, Papdale and Stromness Primary. Both the Strynd and Willow Tree Nurseries will be open and Shapinsay will be partially open in both the primary and nursery sections.

A group of ten young Naval officers from the HMS Prince of Wales laid a wreath at the Royal Oak memorial within St Magnus Cathedral and performed a short ceremony of remembrance on Friday (18 November).

 

The group were on a battlefield study trip as part of their Cultural Study programme, and have been to Fort George and Culloden before spending a week in Orkney to visit Lyness, HMS Tern and the Ness Battery among other sites.

 

In the Cathedral, their “Act of Remembrance” commenced with the reading of an eyewitness account from Ordinary Signalman Kenneth G. Conway, a survivor of the HMS Royal Oak, and ended with the Naval Prayer and Naval Hymn.

 

One of the visiting group, Sub- Lieutenant Yanislav Yurkevych, said: “Being able to come to Scapa Flow and pay our respects to the many war memorials, particularly that of HMS Royal Oak, has been a sobering chance to reflect. Seeing the graves of naval officers the same rank as us, but many of them much younger, certainly puts things into perspective.”

A lifelong ambition to open a purpose-built art studio became a reality for Orkney artist Ingrid Grieve earlier this year thanks to assistance from the Council.

Toumal Art Studio sits within Ingrid’s garden in Orphir and enjoys breathtaking views across Scapa Flow – an area, among many others throughout the county, to provide an endless source of inspiration for the artist.

This year 11 local athletes are benefiting from the sportscotland Athlete Travel Award Scheme (ATAS). The Scheme is an ongoing partnership between sportscotland and the participating local authorities in Highlands & Islands - Orkney Islands, Western Isles, Shetland Islands and Highlands Councils.

Orkney Islands Council are extremely grateful to also have a partnership with Stagecoach which allows us to enhance and extend our programme in Orkney.