More young people than ever in Orkney are now able to access the Togetherall online mental health community website for free.

The Council has commissioned an expansion of the 24/7 online peer to peer mental health community to enable young people, from the age of 16-31, to be able to access the digital platform for free.

For the past year it was available at no cost to 16-19-year-olds in the county. During that period around 40 young people from Orkney took self-assessments using Togetherall and raised issues including depression, social fear, anxiety, loss or trauma, obsessive or compulsive tendencies, concern about eating, phobias, concern about drinking or drugs, self-esteem and problems sleeping.

This year 11 local athletes are benefiting from the sportscotland Athlete Travel Award Scheme (ATAS). The Scheme is an ongoing partnership between sportscotland and the participating local authorities in Highlands & Islands - Orkney Islands, Western Isles, Shetland Islands and Highlands Councils.

Orkney Islands Council are extremely grateful to also have a partnership with Stagecoach which allows us to enhance and extend our programme in Orkney.

It’s official - the warm welcome at St Magnus Cathedral is the best in Scotland!

The Cathedral was shortlisted in the National Church Awards hosted by the National Churches Trust, and yesterday (24 October) won the “Open for Visitors” (Scotland) Award 2022 at a ceremony in Mercers’ Hall in London hosted by Hugh Dennis.

Bus passengers are being reminded of reduced timetable on Sundays in winter on the X1 (Stromness-Kirkwall-St Margarets Hope) route. Services 2 (Houton) and 6 (Tingwall) Sunday timetables have also changed to coincide with the winter ferry timetable now in operation.

Orkney's brand new tug - Freyja of Scapa - is due to arrive in Orkney tomorrow (Saturday 22 October).