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A roundup of works underway or soon to start around Orkney, for the week starting Monday 16 January.

Progress continues to be made on improvements to the Fostering, Adoption and Adult Placement (Continuity Care) Services in Orkney.

The Care Inspectorate published inspection reports into the Council-run services on 29 November 2022 highlighting a number of areas of concern.

The Council tug, Thor of Scapa, and pilot vessel, Scapa Pathfinder, assisted the Caledonian MacBrayne Isle of Mull ferry which had suffered engine troubles on Tuesday, off Orkney.

The vessel is currently berthed at Lyness and repairs are being carried out.

The Council’s St Magnus Café will be hosting the Samaritans of Orkney national annual campaign event known as “Brew Monday” on Monday 16 January.

The third Monday in January is sometimes referred to as “the most difficult day of the year” but this is a myth. Samaritans say there’s no such thing as “Blue Monday” – everyone has good and bad days, and those aren’t for the calendar to decide. 

Orkney Health and Social Care Finance Officer, Joan Jones, is also the Director of Samaritans of Orkney. She said: “We say it's time to stop this myth about Monday being 'blue' and instead start a conversation over a brew! ​Reach out and connect with family, friends, colleagues and loved ones.

Orkney will play host to the International Island Games in 2025 – the largest event ever to be held in the county – and a major part of its success will be a huge team of volunteers working behind the scenes to help make it happen.

Games Director, Kirsty Talbot, believes that now is the time to build on the volunteer capacity within sports clubs in the county to create a really solid foundation for the Games.

Following the Full Council decision during December 2022 to launch a financial support scheme to help folk meet the challenges of the cost-of-living crisis, officers are finalising the detail of how the scheme will be administered.

Further details will be announced later this month, with payments made from February onwards.

An exciting opportunity has arisen thanks to the Orkney Local Employability Partnership (OLEP) delivery of a one-off grant scheme aimed at further tackling employability barriers. 

The Innovation Challenge Fund of up to £2,000 is open to Third Sector organisations delivering employability services to folk in the county – as part of Scottish Government funding in support of No One Left Behind.

Further industrial action by teaching unions is expected to impact Orkney schools next week (10/11 January)

Parents are being contacted directly by schools to inform them of individual school arrangements today (6 January)

The Westray Swimming Pool will reopen in January for the first time since the pandemic, with a special open day for the community on 7 January organised by the Westray Community Association

Orkney Islands Council is reminding households that all young people aged under 22 can travel on public buses for free in Orkney and right across Scotland.