Orkney’s school cooks are continuing to serve up success, with another winner being named in a Scottish competition.

With only a weeks’ notice, head cook at Firth Primary School, Sylvia Manson, managed to create a showstopping cake design, which blew away the judges at the ASSIST FM (Facilities Management) Awards 2022 in the “outstanding culinary skills – decorated cake” section.

The theme was “road to recovery” and Sylvia explained how she came up with her design.

Community Councillors are to be elected for each of the 20 Community Council areas within Orkney.  The Community Councils, and number of members required, are as follows:

Howard and Zander McQuaid, from Stronsay, smashed both their time and fundraising target during a log pull to raise money for repair work to the community’s First Responder antenna.

They achieved five miles with a 28kg log (it gained a kilo when they left it out in the rain!) in 1 hour 31 minutes. The donations are still coming in but are over £730 – well over their £500 target.

Fellow islander, Roger Neville-Smith, accompanied the young lads on the route and managed to capture some lovely photos along the way.

Sanday School pupils smashed the ‘Swim to Ukraine’ challenge and have raised £590 through sponsorship -not bad for a school of 60 bairns!

Pupils from P1-S4 and staff from the school swam to Ukraine – thanks to the island’s swimming pool – raising money for the DEC Ukraine Appeal.

Principal Teacher, Kristen Muir, said it’s around 2,200 miles to Ukraine so they scaled the sponsored swim accordingly and counted all swimming lengths during the school and public sessions

The Council’s Catering Manager, Scott Pring, has been named a Food for Life Scotland Ambassador for his work promoting healthy, sustainable and locally sourced food in schools.

Scott attended an event in Edinburgh last week (10 May) alongside a select group of catering staff from across Scotland to receive the accolade – which follows on from the Food For Life Served here Bronze Award achieved by Scott and his team in schools in the county in 2020 and reaccredited last year.

He has been selected for his work within schools, the community and local authority to push forward the “good food” movement.

The re-opening of the campsite at the Point of Ness in Stromness has been delayed until May 23.

A group of Kirkwall Grammar School “climate champions” are hoping to disprove the myth that trees don’t grow in Orkney!

Since COP26 and thanks to Scottish Government funding, KGS climate ambassadors have been bringing their environmental plans to life.

After getting the backing of the Council, it was proposed that a small woodland be created within the school boundary – initially the plan was to plant 70 trees - in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of HM the Queen.

Our Arts Development team are leading the search for an artist or creative collaboration to help develop a COVID-19 memorial for Orkney, as part of the national ‘Remembering Together’ programme.

A bus leaflet with a free Orkney DayRider ticket, worth £7.70, will be sent to all households across Orkney at the end of this month (May) thanks to Council funding.

It is hoped the offer will encourage people to use more sustainable modes of travel, particularly if folk are finding the price of fuel and cost of living a strain at the moment. 

The leaflet also promotes the Stagecoach Bus app which is a fantastic way to track your bus as you are waiting.

Update on road works already underway or starting next week (week starting 16 May), including on Pickaquoy Road in Kirkwall which will also affect public bus services: