The Orkney News

08/02/2025

It's been cold but bonnie in

08/02/2025

The survivors of the Gaza Genocide have been returning to the shattered remains of where their homes once were. Over 560,000 people have returned to northern Gaza. Communities where generations of their families have lived. A Main Street and Minaret in Gaza ( 1920-1930 )credit Silverbanks Pictures Image Archive Gaza, once a beautiful coastal Palestinian land, with sites of world archaeological importance, lies in devastation....

The survivors of the Gaza Genocide have been returning to the shattered remains of where their homes once were. Over 560,000 people have returned to northern Gaza. Communities where generations of …

08/02/2025

The Scottish Government has announced a new deal for farmers and an increase in funding. The announcement was made by the First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, at the NFU Scotland annual conference. The Scottish Government will invest £20 million additional capital support this year and £26 million next year in our farming sector. Westray Image credit Noel Donaldson The conference also heard from retiring NFU Scotland President Martin Kennedy over the damaging effects of leaving the EU, the world's largest free trade area, highlighting the severe labour shortages the industry faces....

The Scottish Government has announced a new deal for farmers and an increase in funding. The announcement was made by the First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, at the NFU Scotland annual confer…

08/02/2025

By Ian Cooper from his excellent series Records of a Bygone Age published in The Stronsay Limpet and republished here with kind permission. Another milestone in the history of farm and field boundaries in Stronsay was marked by the formation of the Crofters Commission and the subsequent passing of the Crofters Holdings Act in June 1886. Its main outcome was to provide security of tenure for crofters and the right to succession of tenure for their family....

By Ian Cooper from his excellent series Records of a Bygone Age published in The Stronsay Limpet and republished here with kind permission. Another milestone in the history of farm and field bounda…

08/02/2025

Information from The Met Office. Today 8 February: The day will be cloudy with only the occasional bright spell. The day will be mostly dry with a few light showers over Shetland from the morning. Maximum temperature 5 °C. Tonight: A few light showers over Shetland at first otherwise the night will be dry but cloudy with the occasional clear spell....

Information from The Met Office. Today 8 February: The day will be cloudy with only the occasional bright spell. The day will be mostly dry with a few light showers over Shetland from the morning. …

07/02/2025

Mmm a cheese scone and coffee at St Colms Cafe & Crafts

07/02/2025

Four projects in Orkney are benefitting from the latest round of funding from The National Lottery Community Fund. Burray Community Association has been awarded £7,800 : This two-year award will fund various music events, and crafting workshops to bring together different members of the community, offering a social outlet for people of all ages. Rousay School Parent Council has been awarded £6,667: This one-year project will replace and improve a condemned play park at the local school on Rousay, ensuring it is accessible and friendly for children with disabilities....

Four projects in Orkney are benefitting from the latest round of funding from The National Lottery Community Fund. Burray Community Association has been awarded £7,800 : This two-year award will fu…

07/02/2025

More than 2,100 properties now have access to full fibre in Orkney through the R100 programme, and 1,200 in Shetland. The Scottish Government's R100 scheme has now delivered faster internet access to more than 3,300 hard-to-reach households and businesses in Orkney and Shetland, according to the latest figures. People in Westray, Shapinsay, Birsay, Rousay and Sandwick in Orkney, and West Sandwick and Gutcher on Yell and Uyeasound on Unst in Shetland are the latest to benefit from the £600 million…...

More than 2,100 properties now have access to full fibre in Orkney through the R100 programme, and 1,200 in Shetland Scottish Government’s R100 scheme has now delivered faster internet access…

07/02/2025

Information from The Met Office. Today 7 February: A dry day with long sunny periods at first, clouding over at times in the afternoon. It will feel cold in the fresh southeasterly wind. Maximum temperature 7 °C. Tonight: The night will continue dry and cold with a fresh southeast wind. Clear periods for most at first otherwise a cloudy night. Minimum temperature 2 °C....

Information from The Met Office. Today 7 February: A dry day with long sunny periods at first, clouding over at times in the afternoon. It will feel cold in the fresh southeasterly wind. Maximum te…

06/02/2025

BDMLR (British Divers Marine Life Rescue) Orkney are in urgent need of a new trailer. The trailer is used to transport all the kit they require when they attend rescues of marine mammals. In Orkney last year BDMLR responded to 22 seals in trouble and 11 cetacean strandings, including the stranding of 77 pilot whales in Sanday. The trailer they currently use requires to be replaced and without one the team might not be able to respond to rescues in the successful they have done without help from the public....

BDMLR (British Divers Marine Life Rescue) Orkney are in urgent need of a new trailer. The trailer is used to transport all the kit they require when they attend rescues of marine mammals. In Orkney…

06/02/2025

There has been a slight decrease in the number of people applying to Orkney Islands Council as 'homeless'. From April to September 2024 there were 65 applications compared to 76 for the same period in 2023. The number of children in Orkney who are having to live in temporary accommodation has doubled over a period of 2 years....

There has been a slight decrease in the number of people applying to Orkney Islands Council as ‘homeless’. From April to September 2024 there were 65 applications compared to 76 for the…

06/02/2025

By Susy Shearer When I was brokenWhen the word future had been lostAnd my shattered flesh and bonesCould not let me standWhen all I had once held in my heart and mindLay broken and buried under tonnes of rubbleAnd my torn flesh and broken bonesWere merely held together by tiny little sticky plasters…...

By Susy Shearer When I was brokenWhen the word future had been lostAnd my shattered flesh and bonesCould not let me standWhen all I had once held in my heart and mindLay broken and buried under ton…

06/02/2025

The volunteer crew of Stromness RNLI Lifeboat launched the Violet Dorothy and Kathleen to attend a medical emergency on the Safe Caledonia rig in Scapa Flow today. Upon arrival they found fellow crew member - Skipper Norman Brass - already there on another job with Island Wildcat (operated by Norman's Fast Vessel Charters). Island Wildcat assisted by transferring three lifeboat crew members, plus equipment, to the rig to assist with casualty care until the helicopter arrived. Norman was on hand for the return crew transfer to the lifeboat. This was a super example of skilled and professional cooperation. Many thanks to all concerned. Thanks also to Robbie Stanger for the photo.

06/02/2025

Information from The Met Office Today 6 February: This morning will be dry although with some cloud around. This afternoon will be dry with some sunshine. Fresh to strong southwesterly winds across Shetland. Maximum temperature 8 °C. Tonight: This evening will be dry and clear. Then the rest of the night will remain dry with lengthy clear periods. Brisk southwesterly winds across Shetland easing down....

Information from The Met Office Today 6 February: This morning will be dry although with some cloud around. This afternoon will be dry with some sunshine. Fresh to strong southwesterly winds across…

06/02/2025

Stuart Linklater, from Kirkwall, had his first experience of aviation at an early age, when he took his first life-changing journey as a Loganair passenger on one of the airline’s Britten Norman Islander aircraft in 1972. This led on to a career of 37 years of service with the airline. Stuart said: “I first flew in the Islander as a passenger with Captain Jamie Baillie in 1972, just five years after Loganair spread its wings in Orkney....

Stuart Linklater, from Kirkwall, had his first experience of aviation at an early age, when he took his first life-changing journey as a Loganair passenger on one of the airline’s Britten Norman Is…

05/02/2025

And breathe

05/02/2025

Friday marked five years since Brexit – the day Scotland was removed from the European Union against its will. Every local authority area in Scotland – not least Orkney – voted to remain in the EU in 2016. Today, with the UK economy stagnant under Labour at Westminster, the negative impact of this country being made to end so many beneficial relationships with our European neighbours is all too clear....

Friday marked five years since Brexit – the day Scotland was removed from the European Union against its will. Every local authority area in Scotland – not least Orkney – voted to remain in the UK …

05/02/2025

Click on the link to access the slide show from the recent public meeting with SSEN in Orkney.
The Orkney-Caithness 220kV HVAC Subsea Link is part of a wider connectivity project which will see the north of Scotland contribute over 50GW of clean renewable energy to the UK Grid by 2050....

The Orkney-Caithness 220kV HVAC Subsea Link is part of a wider connectivity project which will see the north of Scotland contribute over 50GW of clean renewable energy to the UK Grid by 2050.