Papdale Primary School’s P1 children learned how to make their own paper with Carol Dunbar, the Pier Arts Centre's education development officer (pictured right with some of the pupils).

Primary one teacher, Isobel Gillon, explained: “Carol came into the school to make paper with the P1s, as they have been doing a project and learning about recycling and making new paper. They had lots of fun doing it and have made their own paper.”

“Carol was in for a whole day, and worked with each of the three classes. It was lovely to have Carol in, and the children loved it,” she added.

A decision on the purchase of the Wideford Hill Reservoir has been deferred.

Officials were recommending that islands councillors should decline the offer to buy the reservoir from Scottish Water, which would come with ongoing running costs.

However, at Friday ’s meeting of the land and property sub-committee, members decided further discussion was needed before making a final decision. The trout hatchery in the reservoir supplies fish to the county’s main fishing lochs and it was felt that a sale to a private owner could jeopardise this.

The old Burray school was declared surplus to requirements at Friday’s meeting of the OIC’s education committee.

Members were considering the future of the school and the nearby schoolhouse.

A report is to be submitted to the procurator fiscal following a two-vehicle road accident on Thursday.

The four occupants were taken by ambulance to Kirkwall's Balfour Hospital after the incident near the Corston junction, Harray about 11.40am.

The leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, Annabel Goldie, is due to visit Orkney.

Helen Gardiner, the Scottish Conservative Candidate for Orkney, said: “I greatly welcome Annabel‘s visit to Orkney and know that top of the agenda will be the issue of underfunding of Orkney Islands Council and how that is impacting adversely on the council services delivered to Orkney residents.

Skara Brae has been named as one of the contenders for Britain’s Best – a new television series searching for the nation’s favourite historic site.

The prehistoric village is one of 25 sites across the country chosen to kick off a major event aiming to encourage the public to get involved and visit the heritage sites in their area.

Plans to extend the Orkney Brewery were welcomed by the Orkney Area Licensing Board this week.

The Quoyloo brewery's plans include tours, tasting sessions, a function room and a visitor shop.

Board members approved the licence applications.

A decision on extending the licensing of second-hand dealers in the county has been put off again.

Orkney police are keen for the proposed change to go ahead, saying it assisted in the detection and prevention of crime, particularly in the sale of stolen vehicles.

Councillor Ian MacDonald said: “There is a problem of cars being laundered, even in Orkney, coming from elsewhere that are given new identities. It does happen and this is one of the Northern Constabulary’s concerns.”

The Scottish Executive came under fire in the council chamber on Wednesday over plans to take control of Orkney’s waters away from the local authority.

Members of the OIC environment, planning and protective services committee heard that from April 1, planning control is to be extended to cover marine fish and shellfish farming, and developments related to new fish farms and changes to existing farms will be required to apply for planning permission.

The new controls will replace the current system where all developers must obtain a works licence.

Despite the concerns, councillors recommended that planning control be extended to cover marine fish and shellfish farming.

The OIC has been warned by the State Veterinary Service to sharpen up on their statutory duties regarding the health and welfare of farm animals.

The complaint prompted several councillors at Wednesday’s environment, planning and protective services committee meeting to hit out at the “already over-bureaucratic” system for transporting livestock.

Councillors recommended deferring a decision on whether to employ an animal welfare officer for further discussions with the SSPCA and Ministry vet.

An Irish farmer was in Orkney on Thursday, promoting the use of clover in pasture.

Rex Humphreys, whose family farms 2,000 acres in Northern Ireland expected pasture yield and output to drop when the farm converted to organics in 1999, but the use of clover in the swards meant the drop did not come. He is now a crusader for the benefits of clover.

The Scottish Agricultural College organised Mr Humphreys' visit, which is being funded through SAC, HIE and European Social Funding.

Wednesday, National No Smoking Day, was marked by a special event in Kirkwall.

Although the event finished at 2pm, the Smoking Matters Orkney staff are always on hand to provide information and support to anyone who wishes to quit the habit.

The World War II control tower at the Twatt aerodrome could be renovated and opened to the public by the Birsay Heritage Trust.

Councillors at Tuesday's OIC recreation and cultural services committee recommended that the trust take on the project, which will see them enter into a legal agreement with the council, as owners of the "important military site".

The trust are proposing to clean out the building, making it safe for the visiting public, and potentially leading to a more extensive project in the future.

Heritage sites in Orkney are celebrating record-breaking visitor numbers.

The overall visitor figures for Orkney’s ticketed Historic Scotland attractions rose from 113,602 last year to a projected 117,483 for 2006-07.

This was due to a 19 per cent rise in visitors to Maeshowe, and 18 per cent rise at the Broch of Gurness, and eight per cent rise at the Brough of Birsay and a massive 54 per cent increase at the Hackness Martello Tower and Battery.

Northern Isles MP, Alistair Carmichael, has called on the Government to continue using post offices to provide a range of services.

The call came after media reports that PayPoint has made a bid to the Department of Trade and Industry to take over a number of the services currently offered by post offices.

The OIC’s elections office has produced the definitive guide to becoming a councillor.

The Handbook for Prospective Candidates contains information regarding councillors' duties and how to stand for election. It also looks at the council’s structure and committee cycle and contains details of the support package for members.

Anyone interested in representing their community as a Councillor should make the handbook their first step on their journey to the Council Chamber.

Copies of the handbook are available on request from the Elections Office on 873535.

A report has been submitted to the procurator fiscal following a "road traffic incident" when a vehicle allegedly failed to stop at 2am in the Burray area.

A man has been charged with failing to stop and attempting to pervert the course of justice, Kirkwall Sergeant Angus MacLeod said.

The Orkney Islands Council has bought NHS Orkney’s administration headquarters and nurses’ accommodation.

The council has also bought the former Dounby Surgery.

The Council will fund the purchases from its Strategic Reserve Fund and the transaction is expected to be completed in the next few weeks.

Health board officials are selling off Garden House and Graham House - with an initial price tag of £1.8 million - with the aim of leasing them back for £100,000 a year.

All eyes were on TV screens on Saturday, when a young Stromness boy ran out with his rugby heroes, as Scotland took Ireland at Murrayfield.

Eight-year-old Matthew Rendall was chosen as one of the Scottish mascots after his name was picked from a hat at a mini-rugby training event.

A pupil at Stromness Primary School, Matthew only began the sport when he reached the allowed age of eight, but he is already an avid supporter of the Scotland team.

Now that work has started on the heritage centre in Eday, an appeal has been launched for any memorabilia from the past which will bring the island’s history alive.

Members of the Eday Heritage Centre Association are putting out an appeal to anyone on the island, or who has moved away and might have memorabilia, or articles about the island’s past, for a loan of them to display.

Work on the Eday Heritage Centre, which is due to be opened in May, started in December after a seven-year struggle to raise the money for the construction.

Work undertaken by Stromness-based Aquatera has been commended in the Scottish Awards for Quality of Planning 2006.

The company completed a series of studies for Highland Council, pinpointing where the main renewable energy resources can be found. The results were published on an interactive CD ROM, providing users with easy access to all the data.

Gareth Davies of Aquatera said: "There were 30 entries, of which ten were prize winners, including Aquatera. We are very pleased with the commendation.

Holm Community Association have been awarded a £10,000 grant from the Foundation for Sport and the Arts.

The allocation will be used to help build new changing facilities for the parish and visiting football teams, rooms for officials and storage. The total cost of the project is £120,000.

Since 2004, the Foundation has been solely funded by Sportech plc, the owners of Littlewoods Pools.