Do you want your kids to rockout to a workout, dance to hip-hop, improve their balance skills by walking on water, maybe try their hand at netball or riding a pony, learn to swim or enjoy soft play?

Thanks to the hard work of the Council’s Sport and Leisure team, school age children and young people from across Orkney will be able to do just that after last minute additional funding was announced by the Scottish Government to allow for the programme of activities to be extended.

Orkney athletes will once again be able to apply for funds to help support them with travel costs, thanks to an ongoing partnership between sportscotland, Stagecoach and Orkney Islands Council.

The scheme helps ‘elite pathway’ athletes – athletes with potential to reach elite levels of competition and performance – from Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles gain better access to competitive and training opportunities without having to relocate from the islands.

Orkney Islands Council’s Youth Services team is advising the county’s young folk they now have until 1 September to stand up for what they believe in, by standing for election onto the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP).

Anyone aged between 14 and 25 can nominate themselves to stand, via a quick form on the SYP website.

Our Community Councils team will be heading to the Hup show on 9 August to encourage local folk to stand in the upcoming community council election for the area.

The South Ronaldsay and Burray community council area – one of 20 around Orkney – has been without a community council for a year.

The drive is now on to encourage community members to nominate themselves to take up this important role, providing a vital grass roots link between the Council and communities.

The £400,000 Playpark Renewal Fund has reopened for applications from communities striving to improve their playpark areas.

Six applications were received from eligible organisations in the county in the first round earlier this year.

The fund, created thanks to Covid-19 recovery funding and managed by the OIC Sport and Leisure service, is now open for applications until 5pm on 8 September 2023.