To coincide with a new television series, the BBC are hosting an event in Kirkwall in June to give the public the chance to play or sing with members of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and BBC Singers.

The events are open to everyone, regardless of musical ability or experience. In particular, the events are aimed at beginners or people who haven’t played in years – the idea is that anyone can come along and take part.

The first wave energy device to generate electricity for the National Grid is back on site for a new test programme at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Stromness.

Pelamis has been fitted with a new mooring system designed to speed up the installation process when the technology is deployed offshore and allow the use of relatively small, readily available vessels.

The “sea snake” was towed to EMEC's wave test site off Billia Croo and hooked up to new seabed moorings and its power connection to the National Grid.

The device will now undergo a lengthy test programme at EMEC, which will involve extensive sea trials and time alongside the pier at Lyness for checks and maintenance work.

NorthLink has agreed terms to charter the freight ro-ro vessel, MN Toucan, to deputise temporarily for MV Hascosay.

The Hascosay is currently undergoing a routine dry dock in Denmark. She was originally expected back in service on April 3, but her return has been delayed for a fortnight by the need for rudder repairs.

The Mill of Firth was sold at a public auction in the Orkney Auction mart on Friday.

The property, outside Finstown, went for £88,000.

Meetings of NHS Orkney’s board are to move around the Mainland and outer isles instead of being centred in Kirkwall.

Board members, who met on Thursday, agreed that meetings should be held on a monthly basis to deal with increasing workloads, with every second meeting held outside Kirkwall, and at least one meeting per year held on one of the islands.

A Kirkwall Grammar School business, www.orkneychina.co.uk, has taken first place at this year’s Young Enterprise Innovation Awards.

Stromness Academy who set up a healthy living company, OKNY, were just pipped to the post.

The ceremony was held in the Phoenix Cinema on Thurday night where both teams gave presentations on their achievements over the year to shareholders and guests.

Orkney college also took part, promoting their business Seashore Galore, although they didn’t compete.

The vulnerable elderly in Orkney are to have state-of-the-art motion sensors installed in their homes.

NHS Orkney’s planning and performance manager, Ken Harris-Jones, explained to members of the health board on Thursday that the new devices would help further protect those most at risk.

"If someone falls from the bed at night, or trips and falls, the motion tracking sensor is linked through to the Balfour Hospital."

After a number of reports of low-flying aircraft in recent days, the Royal Air Force has confirmed that Orkney is one of the venues for a Scotland-wide military exercise.

The operation, codename TLT/NITEX, runs until April 7 and involves 40 aircraft such as Chinooks, F15s, Hercules and Nimrods.

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, together with representatives from Sainsburys supermarket, was in Orkney on Thursday for a flying visit to the county.

The visit came about because Jamie, the “face” of Sainsburys, requested that Orkney be included in Sainsburys' list of places to visit.

The supermarket giant is trying to get its buyers out and about, learning more about the origins of its produce. The tour included a visit to the Foveran restaurant in St Ola as well as North Ronaldsay and Birsay.

Rose Grimond, of London-based food company Orkney Rose, is pictured with Jamie at Kirkwall Airport.

The starling has been named the most common garden bird in Orkney after this year’s RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch.

Two companies have been asked to tender for load-on-load-off freight shipping between the Northern Isles and the mainland.

An unsubsidised service is currently operated by the Streamline Shipping Group, using the Daroja on the Lerwick-Kirkwall-Aberdeen route.

The transport minister, Tavish Scott, said the two companies invited to submit tenders within nine weeks were Streamline and Eimskip UK Ltd. The selected bidder will be announced in the summer, with the new contract to start later in 2007.

The new contract is for two round trips on the route each week, with subsidy paid on each tonne carried, up to a set limit.

A new exhibition at the Orkney Museum focusing on the work of Stanley Cursiter opens next week.

‘Looking Back; Stanley Cursiter – A Retrospective’ will run until September in two venues – the Museum, and Kirkwall Town Hall.

The Orkney Museum will house works on loan from the National Galleries of Scotland, the City Arts Centre, Edinburgh and private collectors.

Kirkwall Town Hall will house much of the collection owned by Orkney Islands Council. These paintings are usually on display across Orkney and have not been seen together before.

Air ambulance provision in Orkney has improved for the better. That is the opinion of the Scottish Air Ambulance officials, who will present the results of the new contract’s first year of operations at a public meeting next week.

SAS chief executive, Adrian Lucas, said: “The continued monitoring of air ambulance operations shows that the service is meeting performance standards and delivering a better and safer experience for patients than ever before.”

The meeting will be held in the St Magnus Centre in Kirkwall on Tuesday, April 3, at 11.30 am, where representatives will also outline other development plans for ambulance care in Orkney.

Orkney has the lowest rate of children receiving the MMR vaccine in Scotland.

A new 40-bed care home for Orkney moved a step closer this week.

Councillors at the OIC policy and resources committee recommended that the proposed project, at a capital cost of £6.275 million, should be included in the combined general fund and reserve fund capital programme for 2008-2009.

Councillor Mike Drever said: "We have identified the capital and we are on the road to identifying the revenue - in some ways we should congratulate ourselves."

But he warned that this was "as far as this council could take it", with future decisions resting with the newly elected councillors.

The schools and libraries in Orkney are among those who will benefit from a high-speed internet access as a result of a £70 million contract announced by First Minister Jack McConnell on Tuesday.

The contract for roll-out of the Pathfinder project has been awarded to THUS PLC and is expected to be completed within two years.

The Executive has funded £63 million with the balance met by Highland Council in partnership with councils in Argyll and Bute, Moray, Orkney and Shetland.

A final design for a new Orkney flag was given overwhelming backing from island councillors on Tuesday.

A survey invited the public to select from one of five designs, with the most popular to be submitted to the Lord Lyon King of Arms for adoption.

About 200 people responded, of which 18 per cent indicated they did not like any of the designs. However, 53 per cent favoured the design submitted by Duncan Tullock, from Birsay, a blue and yellow Nordic cross on a red background.

The sight of an exposed coffin at the Stromness cemetery has again prompted concern about the condition of the Warebeth graveyard.

Members of the Stromness Community Council heard on Monday night that a member of the public walking through the cemetery reported the sight.

Member Dr John Brown said that urgent attention was needed and OIC councillor James Stockan added that he had raised the condition of the graveyard two years previously but it had not been sorted.

Alexander Korobko pictured with Ronnie Simison during a visit to the Tomb of the Eagles (Pic: K4 Graphics)

A documentary film by a Russian TV producer, premiered in Kirkwall last year, was broadcast nationally for the first time on Tuesday, on Sky TV.

Who Am I follows TV producer Alexander Korobko's journey after DNA research revealed he had Orcadian ancestry.

The programme was aired  at 7pm on Sky Channel 181, "Information TV", in the "Russian Hour". There will be repeats on the same channel, on Thursday at 8am and Saturday at 10am.

Bruce Pilkington has been appointed as the ‘Linked’ Head Teacher for Orphir and Stenness primary schools.

Mr Pilkington has been the acting head teacher for both schools since May, 2006, and has now been offered the permanent post. 

Originally from New Zealand, he arrived in Orkney in December, 2003, and has taught in a number of Orkney schools as a supply teacher.

Communities Minister Rhona Brankin has announced funding of £6 million for affordable housing in Orkney over the next year.

The investment through Communities Scotland, the Executive's housing and regeneration agency, will enable around 90 new homes to be built for rent or low-cost ownership across the area.

This will include 32 new homes at Phase 2 Wellington Street in Kirkwall and 31 new properties at the Meadows, Grainbank, Kirkwall.

The Creel Restaurant in St Margaret’s Hope has added to its collection of awards after receiving a silver award for high standards in Scottish dining.

Orkney Rugby Club’s First XV were beaten by St Andrews in their last home game of the season at Pickaquoy on Saturday.

The final score was Orkney 18, St Andrews 50.

OIC convener Councillor Stephen Hagan, and two other council officials attended the funeral of former convener Edwin Eunson in Inverness on Tuesday.

Councillor Hagan spoke at the funeral, highlighting Mr Eunson’s contribution to local government in Orkney.

The organisers of the 2007 Orkney Folk Festival have revealed some of the attractions for this year's event - the festival's 25th anniversary.

Running from May 24 to May 27, the festival is planning a commemorative CD as well as return visits from some of the best artists who have performed over the years.

Click here for more details