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

Orkney’s two new MSYP’s put inclusion, education, poverty, housing and environmental issues high on their agendas moving forward for the next two years.

New Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament were named today across Scotland, including those who will fly the flag for Orkney – Kaydence Drayak and Zachary Shiner.

Members of the Integration Joint Board Audit Committee were told last week (17 November) that the IJB has “appropriate and effective financial management arrangements in place” – however the board’s financial sustainability remains at risk.

The annual external audit was noted, and the annual accounts were approved by committee members and revealed the extent of the financial challenges being faced by the board in terms of the savings target of £4.2 millon which was over a three-year period ending 2022/23; workforce recruitment and retention and COVID-19.

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.