Latest News

If the past two years has proven anything, it’s how our young students are resilient to change.

Orkney’s 6^th year pupils are preparing for their first and last full, sit-down school exams next month.

Despite the best efforts of the teachers and parents supporting them, they have spent their entire senior phase – S4 to S6 – largely in a state of limbo, uncertain of what may happen from one week as a result of the pandemic.

A Firth Primary schoolboy who had 12 inches chopped from his lion-like mane for charity has raised nearly £1,500 - 25 times his original target!

Thorfinn Leonard, 8, is pleased with his new look thanks to Natalie Armstrong at The Peedie Salon and even more delighted with the total so far.

Thorfinn and his family - Mum, Becky, Dad Sweyn, big brother Finlay and Rocco the dog, want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has donated, adding that there’s still time if you would like to share a few pennies to the cause – the Little Princess Trust. Here’s the link: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/thorfinnleonard

Councillors are to be elected for each of the 6 wards of Orkney Islands Council.

A tree-planting event will be held at Happy Valley on Saturday 26 March as part of this year’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Orkney Islands Council has made the above-named Order under section 14 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to ensure the safety of the public and road users during Orkney Islands Council’s works on trees either within or adjacent to the public roads specified in this Order.

The online consultation into potential future options for reducing traffic speeds and improving pedestrian safety in Finstown closes on Monday (21 March) at 9am.

New ticket machines being installed in Council car parks over coming weeks will offer contactless and ‘chip and pin’ card payments.

Orkney senior phase youngsters who are preparing for SQA exams and final assessments are set to benefit from additional funding being made available by Orkney Islands Council.

COVID disruption has meant that this year’s SQA exam diet is the first to go ahead in three years - so Orkney youngsters in S4, 5 and 6 will be sitting exams for the first time.

Additional funds will be used to improve equity and access to study support, with Mainland secondaries and isles Junior High Schools offering a range of strategies.

Orkney Harbours are delighted to have played a small part in the tremendous fundraising effort by the Stena Spey and Stena Don crews and the Stena Drilling team in raising a magnificent £10,000 for a local charity.

The crews have been based in Scapa over the past months, including over the festive period, so to raise their spirits they raised money through raffles, competitions, and onboard events.

The teams discussed which charities they would like to share this money with and chose those close to their hearts, one of which was NHS Orkney’s Hospital Adventures. A truly phenomenal donation of £8,000 was to be presented from the crews, then an incredible further donation was made by the Stena Drilling team taking the total to an enchanting £10,000!

The COVID infection rate in Orkney is now the highest in the UK.

Data shows 2,290 cases per 100,000 in the county – considerably higher than our island counterparts of Shetland (1,216) and the Western Isles (1,815) and the national average (1,000).

The widespread community transmission is putting a strain on a number of Council-run services – most notably schools, nurseries, health and care settings but also in areas of sport and leisure and quarries.