A dedicated grant supported by sportScotland to help sportspeople in Orkney with the costs of attending competitive and training opportunities has received a £3k boost from Stagecoach.

The Athlete Travel Award Scheme is a partnership between sportScotland and participating local authorities - Orkney Islands, Western Isles, Shetland Islands and Highlands Councils. It’s aimed at helping ‘elite pathway’ athletes – athletes with potential to reach elite levels of competition and performance - from the Highlands and Islands gain better access to competition and training opportunities without having to relocate from their communities.

Unfortunately, weather-related delays has meant that phase two of the resurfacing works on Ayre Mills roundabout only got underway this morning (Monday 18 October).

That means the diversions in place have now changed and these will be signed. Access to the roundabout from Ayre Mills and Grainshore Road has been closed, with signed diversions via Pickaquoy Road and Hatston Brae. Three-way traffic lights will be in place.

The Council has tasked Alfred Flett’s to start repairing and preplacing a number of the festive anchors for the catenary wires that hold the strings of lights within Kirkwall, Stromness and St Margaret’s Hope.

The works are programmed to last for up to two weeks. They will get underway tomorrow, Tuesday 19 October, in Kirkwall and there will be periods of time when Bridge Street, Albert Street and Victoria Street will be closed to traffic. We expect to complete Kirkwall this week before moving to Stromness and the ‘Hope.

Orkney Islands Council is advising Phase 1 of the resurfacing road works on Ayre Mills roundabout should be completed today, with works expected to move onto Phase 2 tomorrow, Saturday when the diversions will change. These will be signed.

The next couple of weeks will see works road works start in Hoy and Mainland Orkney.

Orkney Islands Council is advising there may be delays and closures on the Churchill Barrier No 2 from Monday 18 October, for a period of around six weeks, as repairs to armco barriers takes place.

Two Orkney families have shared how their cancer journeys have been made that little bit easier thanks to a new initiative set up at the Balfour - The Hospital Adventures.

Scotland’s top school chef – Stromness Primary’s Karen Bevan - has accepted a very special award on behalf of all school kitchen staff in Orkney for their “phenomenal” frontline work throughout the pandemic.

The Scottish Government has called in Orkney Islands Council's planning application for a six-turbine wind farm on Faray in the North Isles.

Orkney’s Karen Bevan was pipped to the top School Chef of the Year title at Wednesday’s national cooking competition in Birmingham.