Orkney Rugby Football Club's national league campaign continued on Saturday, but saw the Orkney squad soundly beaten 58-0 in the away game against Lismore RFC.

Lismore were expected to be formidable opposition, having won four out of their first five games in the league so far this season.

• Orkney have drawn one of the big names in Scottish rugby – Heriots of Edinburgh - in the third round of the BT Cup. The game will be played at Heriots' ground, Goldenacre, on Saturday, November 2.

The NorthLink ferry, Hamnavoe, was officially named in Stromness on Saturday in the presence of local dignitaries and officials from the shipyard at Aker Finnyards in Finland.

Also attending the ceremony was one special VIP - the oldest resident in Stromness, centenarian Mrs Maggie Muir of New Springfield.

Orkney Harbours' vessel Erlend was called out on Friday night to assist a small coaster in trouble at the entrance to Scapa Flow.

Around 9pm a call was received from the 49 metre Gen Clipper, who had fouled her propeller around five miles south east of the Pentland Skerries.

The Erlend got a line on board the coaster around 1.20am and towed her to safety. Divers will now be called upon to remove the fishing net caught around the vessel's propeller.

Nominations are being sought for Orkney’s sporting personalities awards ceremony which will be held next month.

The awards ceremony will be held at the Pickaquoy Centre on Friday, November 8.

The award categories are: sportswoman and sportsman of the year, junior sportsperson of the year, coach of the year, team of the year, services to sport and sports photograph of the year – presented to whoever receives the most nominations.

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Capital funding of £815,000 for a Westray care facility has been given the green light by councillors.

Funding for the unit, which will offer supported housing with 24-hour care, short break facilities and day care, will be spread over the next two years.

Following the decision at a full council meeting, councillor for Westray, Stephen Hagan, said: “People in Westray will be delighted that the project is now definitely on the capital programme after many years of discussion.”

MV Hamnavoe enters Stromness harbour this morning.

NorthLink's new Pentland Firth ferry, Hamnavoe, arrived in Stromness on Friday morning in preparation for Saturday's official naming ceremony.

Meanwhile, sailings of the ferry temporarily covering the Pentland Firth route, Hebridean Isles, were disrupted on Friday with the 5.30am sailing from Scrabster cancelled and the 8.30am sailing from Stromness only leaving at 11 am. The knock-on effect meant that the 9pm Stromness departure was also cancelled.

Initiative to encourage return to work

Nurses and midwives in Orkney are to be encouraged back into practice – thanks to a £1 million pound government initiative which provides £1,500 for every person who wants to return to work plus expenses of £1,000.

Kathleen Bree of NHS Orkney said that although they are not suffering staff shortages at the moment, they were coming into winter and could have sickness and absence for a various reasons and it was always good to have qualified bank staff to step into the breach when appropriate.

The haulage company Jim Brackenridge Transport (JBT) opened their own depot in Kirkwall on Friday.

The firm, which used to route their operations through Orkney Wholesalers Ltd, have bought the former North Eastern Farmers/Sunnybrae Feeds premises at Hatston.

Around ten people are due to be employed by JBT, consisting of three office staff, with the others involved in the warehouse and delivery side of the business.

Suicide could be the final protest of Orkney MS sufferer Biz Ivol, who says her disease has become almost unbearable to live with.

Spending up to 18 hours a day in bed because, she claims, of a lack of care, has led her to consider taking her own life.

“That has been the plan from the start of this disease. I have always thought when the disease became too bad, I would not want to live with it any more,” she said this week.

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The success of this week’s Renewable Realities Conference in Stromness, which finished on Thursday, has prompted the organisers to host a follow-up event next year.

Orkney Renewable Energy Forum have decided to stage another conference on the practicalities of developing wind, wave and tidal power in October, 2003, using Stromness Academy again.

It is hoped that by next autumn delegates will be able to visit the offshore site for the European Marine Energy Test Centre at Billiacroo near Stromness.

Oil and arts collaboration shortlisted

Talisman Energy and the Pier Arts Centre have been shortlisted for an Arts and Business UK award for their collaboration on the exhibition, Natural Studies – the Art of Observation which featured the work of Dave Harris and Kathy Pickles.

Kathy’s botanical studies are recognised as being among the finest in the UK, while Dave has a growing reputation for his detailed annotated studies of Orkney’s birds.

The awards take place on November 4.

Unemployment continues to fall

This represents 1.8 per cent of the possible workforce.

September’s unemployment total is 19 fewer than at the same time last year.

Orkney MP Alistair Carmichel has secured an adjournment debate at the House of Commons next week, regarding the closure of the Northern Lighthouse Board depot in Stromness.

Mr Carmichael said that the debate will take place at the House of Commons next Tuesday.

Two local organisations have benefited in the latest round of lottery grants from the Awards for All Scheme.

Victim Support Orkney have received a Community Awards grant of £5,000, to enhance their service of providing support, advice and information for victims of crime.

Shapinsay Machinery Restoration Group have been awarded £3,938 towards the purchase of safety and restoration and repair equipment.

Additions to Orkney’s air, sea and bus services were announced on Wednesday by Orkney Islands Council.

These include:

• A Bus service to Kirkwall Airport.
• Winter Sunday flights to North Ronaldsay and Papa Westray.
• An extra winter sailing to Westray and back on Saturdays.
• Winter Sunday sailings to and from Shapinsay.
• An additional weekday sailing to Graemsay.
• An extension to the Kirkwall town bus service to serve Orkney College.

A decision has been made as to whether or not Orkney’s Athletics Squad will be attending next year’s Island Games in Guernsey.

Mrs Karen Williams, chairman of the Orkney Island Games Association, said that a decision had been made at the Association's AGM on Tuesday evening.

However, since the Athletics squad did not attend the meeting, she has written to the Orkney Athletic Club’s chairman, Mr Norman Shearer, and said that she could not announce what decision had been made until she knew that Mr Shearer has read the letter.

Mr Jim Wallace speaking at the opening of the Renewable Realities Conference on Tuesday morning. (Picture: orkneyphotographic.co.uk

An announcement about funding for the proposed European Marine Energy Test Centre near Stromness is due to be made next month.

Orkney MSP and Deputy First Minister, Jim Wallace, on Tuesday told delegates at the opening session of the Renewable Realities Conference in Stromness that the Scottish Executive had already signalled its commitment to the Marine Test Centre, and that Scotland’s Environment Minister, Ross Finnie, would be announcing details of a funding package for the project next month.

Permission given to recruit more dentists

NHS Orkney have been given Scottish Executive permission to recruit two more salaried dentists – in a bid to alleviate the current crisis facing patients in the islands.

Around 7,000 people have been de-registered as NHS patients at Kirkwall’s Scapa Dental Centre in recent weeks.

Permission to advertise the new posts will mean, if filled, that NHS Orkney will be able to take some people back onto the NHS books. However it is not known how many as yet

See also: Patients queue for private dental care.

Around 200 delegates from all over the world converged on Orkney to attend a major conference on renewable energy which is took place from Tuesday to Thursday this week.

The Renewable Realities Conference is first event of its kind to fully examine the practical implementation of wind, wave and tidal power systems and is believed to be the biggest conference this year on the subject of renewable energy.

Conference director, Dr Gareth Davies of Stromness-based Aquatera environmental consultants, described the scale of the event as “a coup for Orkney.”

Archive story

Claymore finally arrives in Orkney

The Claymore has finally arrived in St Margaret's Hope. (Picture: orkneyphotographic.co.uk)

Pentland Ferries' new freight vessel, the Claymore, finally arrived in Orkney on Sunday.

After being plagued by a series of delays, the Claymore had been berthed at Scrabster since Thursday because of weather conditions.

Russian ship arrives safely in Ireland

The Russian ship, Mikhail Tchermnykh, which had to shed part of its timber cargo while listing badly off Orkney on Thursday night, has arrived safely in Northern Ireland.

The vessel, with 19 crew on board, spent a day in the Bay of Skaill to secure the remaining load, before heading off for Warrenpoint in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The coastguard emergency tug, Anglian Princess, accompanied the ship as far as Cape Wrath.

Archive Story: Russian vessel sheds cargo off Orkney

“Pretty grim” trip to Aberdeen

The NorthLink ferry Hrossey completed an epic journey on Saturday with a fairly full complement of passengers travelling from Kirkwall to Aberdeen at the start of the October break holiday.

The ship left Kirkwall just before 2am and only docked in Aberdeen at 6pm - some 16 hours later. The trip is scheduled to depart at 11.30pm and arrive in Aberdeen at 7am.

Passengers described the sea conditions throughout the journey as “pretty grim” with most of those on board staying in their cabins suffering from sea sickness.

Death of former councillor

The former councillor for Westray and Papa Westray, Jack Scott, died at the weekend.

Mr Scott served on the former Orkney County Council before local government reorganisation in 1975 and also on its successor, Orkney Islands Council, for a number of terms. He was succeeded as a councillor by his son-in-law, Stephen Hagan.

His funeral was held at the Westray Baptist Church on Tuesday.

Orkney man in “stable” condition

A 25 year-old Orkney man is currently in a stable condition following an industrial incident.

Stuart Norquoy fell from the wall of a building being dismantled at McGowan’s Yard at Scapa at around 1.25pm on Friday afternoon. He was taken to Balfour Hospital before being transferred to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where he was described on Monday as being in a “stable condition.”

Impressive win in rugby cup fixture

Orkney score their final try in their match against Hawick Harlequins.

Orkney Rugby Club were in impressive form on Saturday afternoon, beating Hawick Harlequins by 37 points to nil in the second round of the BT Cellnet Cup.

Orkney's total consisted of six tries, two conversions and a penalty in a match which had looked in doubt during the day due to the weather conditions.

This win will make the draw for the next round interesting for Orkney as the cup competition includes all the big names in Scottish rugby.

Anti-war demonstration held in Kirkwall

The silent protest on the steps of St Magnus Cathedral on Saturday

An anti-war demonstration, was staged in Kirkwall on Saturday.

The organisers say that although the initial idea came from the Scottish Socialist Party, the demonstration was non-political and won the support of church groups, local members of Amnesty International and others.

Sheriff's scheme aims to discourage "boy racers"

He recently implemented the Rehabilitation of Young Drivers' Scheme for the first time in Kirkwall Sheriff Court, asking that a young male driver attend the programme run by Kirkwall police.

Drivers are given the option of attending the course to improve on their driving knowledge, and those attend successfully, are likely to be given less severe fines, or even escape a disqualification.