One of the pupil contribution groups took responsibility for organising this year’s events. Their aim was to beat last year’s total but in the end they more than doubled it! The committee included Cayden Lee Anderson, Kirsty Cooper, Ella MacGregor , Alex Corsie, Austin Scollie, Conal Glackin and Caiden McBeth and Jayden Gunn.

Lots of things which would normally happen were restricted because of the pandemic but they succeeded in organising a colouring competition, dressing up, sweeties in a jar, guess the name of the monkey, fun stalls and to top is all off they promised that if the targets were met then some brave volunteers would get dooked by the children.

The quick actions of an OIC Marine Services piermaster and a skipper almost certainly saved the life of a man who had fallen into the icy water at Kirkwall harbour earlier this month.

Tributes have been paid to those involved in the rescue of the man who was spotted falling backwards into the sea between a large vessel and the pier.

Pupils across Orkney will, once again, be enjoying lamb on the school menu this St Andrews Day after a kind donation from the Orkney Auction Mart.

The special menu is part of the national “Lamb for St Andrews Day” campaign, aimed at encouraging Scots to adopt lamb as their choice for St Andrews Day (30 November) meals. The idea of donating lambs for schools was started by members of the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland (IAAS) in 2020, when Scottish marts donated over 50 lambs to promote the campaign, which is backed by livestock auctioneers, red meat levy body Quality Meat Scotland and butchers.

The residents of Hamnavoe House in Stromness are feline great thanks to the company of rescue cat Hammy.

A new donation of a David M. Kirkness-made Orkney chair to the Orkney Museum has caused great excitement among the curators and staff there.

Advance warning of a road closure required while roadworks are carried out at The Inn, St Mary’s, Holm, starting on Monday 13 December 2021.

Schools to host virtual Christmas nativities, carol services and concerts to share with communities

Children in Need will benefit to the tune of £188.29 thanks to the efforts of all at Shapinsay School.

An update on progress and road closures in central Stromness as flagstone repairs are carried out.

A further update on the Council’s roadworks programme that will take us up to the festive holiday period – that’s right folks, it’s just five weeks until Christmas Eve!