Homecoming preparations well under way for 2007
(Story dated: Saturday, February 18, 2006)

Preparations for the Orkney Homecoming 2007, an event to celebrate the county’s historical and cultural links with Canada, are now well under way.

Orkney’s long-standing links with North America will be further cemented with next year’s celebration, a follow-on from the first homecoming in 1999.

Some of the parties involved in organising the celebration are Orkney Islands Council, VisitOrkney and the Great Canadian Travel Company.

OIC’s Convener, Stephen Hagan, and chief executive, Alistair Buchan, have backed the event and recently wrote a letter to welcome North Americans.

They wrote: “Today’s Orcadians are proud of their rich heritage and their ancestral connections with people and communities on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. As part of Orkney’s Diaspora we hope that you share that pride in our common ancestry.

“In order to celebrate that connection, and on behalf of the people of Orkney, we would like to invite you to return home to Orkney in May 2007 when there will be special events, tours and access to enthusiastic experts.

“You have been away for a while, it is time to come home.”

Barbara Foulkes, VisitOrkney area director, commented: “I am delighted to be involved with the Orkney Homecoming 2007, which I’m positive will be another resounding success.

“Orkney’s historical impact on the development of Canada goes back to the Hudson’s Bay Company, and the importance of this legacy cannot be overstated.

“Indeed, without these intrepid Orcadians, who were the mainstay of the company’s workforce, we may never have had our very own Arctic explorer John Rae or discovered the true fate of Sir John Franklin’s final expedition.

“While the Homecoming will be a fantastic opportunity to strengthen these ties even further, there are also economic and cultural benefits to be gained, particularly from a tourism perspective.

“More and more people are becoming interested in researching their family history and tracing their family tree, and Orkney Archives and the Orkney Family History Society will play an important role in helping our visitors discover their heritage.”

The event will run from May 16 to 22, 2007. For more information check see www.orkneyhomecoming.com.