I’ve always taken the view that time spent in the smaller isles is good for the soul. Indeed, one of the great pleasures of being Orkney’s MSP is that travelling out to each of the isles over the course of a year is in the job description.
So ferries look set to be the focus of attention at Holyrood again this week following the grounding of MV Pentalina on Saturday evening, albeit the attention shifts from events on the west coast to here in Orkney.
Motor homes have not enjoyed this much notoriety since convoys of them rolled into rural Scotland after lockdown restrictions were first eased in the summer of 2020. These are strange times.
Bob popped along to Holyrood last week and seemed entirely unfazed by the political drama unfolding around him as MSPs went about the business of electing a new First Minister and confirming a host of ministerial appointments.
My hope had been to use this column to reflect on another hugely successful Orkney Youth Awards, showcasing the astonishing extent and variety of youth volunteering in our islands.
Last week began with a funeral service in St Magnus Cathedral celebrating the life of Robin Preston and concluded with news that Don Peace from Stronsay had sadly passed away.
