About Orkney Today

Orkney Today, is a proactive, campaigning, community-based newspaper serving the thriving island community of Orkney, off the North coast of Scotland.

When launched by TV’s ‘Big Brother 4’ winner, Cameron Stout, at a prestigious event in Kirkwall Town Hall in October 2003, it was hailed as Orkney's first new weekly newspaper in 42 years.

Since then, Orkney Today has gone on to effectively make its mark on island life, providing full county-wide coverage of key issues and events on the 20 or so inhabited isles within the mystical Northern archipelago. The newspaper has also attained several awards and, in the past two six-monthly ABC statistics, was recorded as being the fastest growing regional weekly newspaper in Scotland.

Editor, John Ross Scott, says: “Our success in providing a colourful, innovative and stylish ‘must read’ weekly newspaper for Orkney can be put down to hard work and dedication, a team effort and the ability to understand what our readers want. Our slogan over the past three years has been 'Putting Orkney First' and our philosophy is, and will continue to be, to give the best possible service to the people of Orkney.”

Starting in small premises in Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney Today, after three months moved to consolidate its sound customer base at Kiln Corner, Kirkwall, in December 2003. Since then it has taken on seven new members of staff; installed a state-of-the-art newspaper publishing system; started commercial printing and developed its second 'product' - the Orkney Today website, providing news as it happens.

Orkney Today actively encourages contributions from young and old alike, through sections such as 'School News', 'Orkney Yesterday', ‘Church News’ and the highly popular ‘Marine Scene’. Regular contributors include: Jim Hewitson; Ruth Anthea Emslie; the exiled Orcadian Peter Williamson; Les Cowan; the colourful original Harray potter Andrew Appleby; and, on an occasional basis, top Scottish columnist, Ron Ferguson.

Add cartoons by '2003 and 2005 Cartoonist of the Year' Bill McArthur; two pages of farming news each week (which are avidly read within the corridors of power at the Scottish Executive and the National Farmers Union of Scotland); a monthly Orkney Crossword by Ann and Alistair Cormack; regular profiles of Orkney characters; the satirical column 'Cast Yow’s View From Ward Hill'; the Orkney 'Business of the Week' feature, or, in the summer months, a guide to local visitor attractions 'Oot and Aboot'; plus a regular column on the activities of Orkney Island Council and NHS Orkney, and you really have a winning product.

So far, Orkney Today has gained four awards, with chief reporter Robert Leslie picking up the 'Sports Writer of the Year 2003', and Ken Amer being awarded 'Local Newspaper Photographer of the Year Runner Up in 2004 and 2005' at the Highlands and Islands Media Awards; and our printers - Highland Web Offset - receiving first prize for colour newspaper production for Orkney Today in the Goss User's Group awards in 2004.

On the campaigning front, Orkney Today was responsible for initiating the Orkney Citizen of the Year Awards, which has now become an established event on the local calendar to honour those who have been ambassadors for the islands in the past 12 months. The ceremony, now in its fourth year, includes an Unsung Hero award for someone who has worked tirelesly for the community without asking for anything in return.
The paper also organised the Orkney ‘Buy-a-Boat’ Appeal which raised £11,000 to help fellow islanders – the tsunami stricken fisherman of Sri Lanka.
In 2006, Orkney Today launched its very own version of the popular TV series called the ‘Orkney Fit Club’ which followed the progress of 12 local volunteers as they adopted a healthier diet and fitness regime.

The introduction of a dynamic website in 2005, opened up new opportunities for Orkney Today, and the expansion of its commercial printing services offers a range of Orkney-based print solutions for local businesses.

With an increasing readership and growing advertising revenue, Orkney Today looks set for a bright future

The Orkney Today Team

Robert Leslie
Chief Reporter
robert@orkneytoday.co.uk

Born and bred in Orkney, Robert entered journalism as a junior reporter with 'The Orcadian' in 1993 after spells at Highland Park Distillery and Orkney Health Board. He qualified as a journalist in 1997, the same year as he was commended in the Local Reporter of the Year category in the Highlands and Islands Media Awards, and became news editor_ of 'The Orcadian' a year later.

In January 2003 he moved to Moray as a district reporter with 'The Press And Journal'. However, the attraction of being on the staff of a brand new paper in his home county lured him back to Orkney in September of the same year. Robert picked up the first ever award for 'Orkney Today' when he was named Sports Writer of the Year for 2003 at the Highlands and Islands Media Awards in February 2004.

Robert, who as a Boys' Brigade member played side drum with the pipe band on BB parades, and was a member of Aberdeen University OTC Pipe Band while studying in the city, is now a member of Kirkwall City Pipe Band. He has also recently resurrected his running career, and is an accidentally successful hamster breeder!

Brian Flett
Reporter
brian@orkneytoday.co.uk

Educated at Stromness Academy, Brian started his working career as a clerk with the Bank of Scotland. He joined the BBC in 1979 working as a station assistant during the formative days of Radio Orkney. In 1988, he was appointed producer/presenter at the local radio station - a post he held until 1993, when he took a year out to travel around the world.

Early in 1995, Brian went to Shetland, as a producer with BBC Radio Shetland and continued in that role for the next four years. In 1999, he switched to the print medium and joined The Orcadian as a reporter.

He stayed there until September 2003 when he joined the editorial team of the fledgling paper Orkney Today. With more than quarter of a century’s experience of continuous reporting of news and diary events for the media in Orkney, Brian can justifiably claim to be the best ‘walking encyclopedia of knowledge’ on local current affairs and Who's Who in the islands.

Outside work, he is passionate about pub quizzes and gathering useless trivia facts. He is also a member of his local hall committee - Harray Community Association - and a qualified badminton coach.

Craig Taylor
Reporter
craig@orkneytoday.co.uk

Craig was educated at Flotta Primary and Kirkwall Grammar School, and later at Woodlands High in Falkirk, when his family moved south to work. At the earliest opportunity, however (in 1990), Craig returned to Orkney. He worked for three years as a reporter with The Orcadian, during which time he studied journalism at Napier, in Edinburgh.

After a spell of working as a photographer at Orkney Photographic, he left to pursue other interests. Later he set up his own freelance journalism and photography business until 2001. He then underwent a career change working in the fishing and shipping industries. He is well known for his ‘At The Fishing’ video series which has been distributed throughout the UK.

President of Kirkwall and District Darts League, Craig joined Orkney Today in May 2005. His responsibilities include developing the ‘Marine Scene’ section of the paper and, after only months in the job, he instigated and ran the highly successful Orkney Buy-a-Boat Appeal which raised £11,000 for Tsunami stricken fisherman in Sri Lanka.

Victoria Olsen
Junior Reporter
victoria@orkneytoday.co.uk

After moving to Rousay when she was 13 years old, Victoria, known to friends and family as Toria, attended Kirkwall Grammar School and stayed in the school hostel during the week to avoid having to make the long boat and bus journey at 7.30 every morning. After finishing school, she studied Imaginative Writing and Screen Studies at Liverpool John Moores University and got her her BA (Hons) in 2002.

After moving back to Orkney, she spent a couple of months working in the Kirkwall Hotel before taking a customer service job with the Royal Bank of Scotland. In September 2004 she realised her ambition of working in the media by landing the position of Junior Reporter at Orkney Today.

Outside of work, Toria is passionate about films, both watching them and making her own short features. She also enjoys reading and keeps her imagination active by trying to write short stories and screenplays. In a bid to get more active overall, she tries to attend fitness classes at the Picky Centre at least three times a week.

George Stout
Commercial Manager
adverts@orkneytoday.co.uk OR
george@orkneytoday.co.uk

George Stout was educated at Papdale Primary and Kirkwall Grammar School. He began work in 1978 at Orkney Islands Shipping Company (now Orkney Ferries) rising to the rank of office manager. In 1992, he left to join the jewellery firm of Ortak. He was its general manager for nine years - a period he referred to as ' fab days' when he undertook trade missions to America and Japan. From 2001, he worked at another local jewellery firm, Ola Gorie, and with Highland Park Distillery.

Away from work, George is a football fanatic, playing as a defender for Kirkwall Thorfinn and coaching Orkney’s Under 11 team. He is also a piper with Kirkwall City Pipe Band.

Glynis Amer
Office Manager
glynis@orkneytoday.co.uk

Born and brought up in Kirkwall, Glynis attended Kirkwall Grammar School and went on to study English Literature and Sociology at Aberdeen University, qualifying with a MA Degree. She joined the Orkney Today team after 22 years in the Civil Service, where she was based at Kirkwall Social Security office and latterly the Jobcentre. Her personal skills in dealing with the public make her the ideal first point of contact in our busy office.

Olga Burton
Advertising Assistant
olga@orkneytoday.co.uk

An Orcadian by birth, Olga moved to Whalsay in Shetland when she was five and was educated at Symbister Junior High School, then the Anderson High School in Lerwick. Afterwards she undertook a variety of work including shop assistant, Support Training office manager, and as receptionist at MI GB & Magcobar Oscar, the Lerwick Doctors Group Practice and at Bolts Car Hire.

She returned home to Orkney in 1997 where she met and married her husband Richard. After seven years working with local jewellery firm, Ola Gorie,Olga joined Orkney Today in September 2004. Olga is a committee member and staunch supporter of the Orkney Rugby Club, attending as many home and away games as possible. She is also a supporting member of the Ladies team and travels with them as often as she can. Along with Richard she enjoys motorbikes and has met a lot of great friends through rallies and events.

Eileen Russell
Advertising Representative
eileen@orkneytoday.co.uk

Born and brought up in Orkney, Eileen, on leaving Kirkwall Grammar School, trained in retail pharmacy at W H B Sutherland The Chemists. She experienced life in the South – first in Glasgow, where she worked as a chemists in Parkhead, then later in Leicester where she got married and had two sons, Scott and Craig.

Following a change in her family circumstances, Eileen returned to Orkney in 1998, to set up home here with her boys. She undertook her European Computer Driving Licence through Support Training and worked with BP as a clerical assistant, before taking up a part-time post as a typesetter with The Orcadian in November 2002. Later she took on a full-time post as receptionist at the Orcadian office at Hell’s Half Acre at Hatston. She joined Orkney Today in February, 2006.

A Scout Leader, Eileen is also vice-president of Kirkwall Amateur Operatic Society and has appeared in six productions in recent years including ‘Fiddler On The Roof’, ‘Cabaret’ and ‘My Fair Lady.’ She is currently assisting in the production of the local Scouts 100th Anniversary Concert to be staged in 2007.

Isla Rosie
Pre-press Manager
isla@orkneytoday.co.uk

Having spent six years in Glasgow, where she gained a BA (hons) in Applied Graphics with Multimedia Technology, Isla returned to Orkney with her husband Mark in 2004 to work in the Pre-press department at Orkney Today.

Born and brought up in Orkney, Isla is a former pupil of Dounby Primary School and Stromness Academy. She has always had a keen interest in design and aims to continue to progress the high level of design which is synonymous with Orkney Today.

Brian Main
Pre-press Assistant
brianm@orkneytoday.co.uk

A native of Inverness (a Merkincher), Brian has been involved in the printing industry for over 50 years. He served his apprenticeship at the Inverness Courier and, after National Service in the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, undertook various jobs in commercial printing, including running his own business 'Mainprint' for ten years.

He originally came to Orkney from Nairn on a three-day pass in November 2003 but so great was his contribution that he stayed on, becoming a full time employee in September 2004. An ardent Caley Thistle fan, he enjoys his new life in Orkney, and, since moving here, has made various hoteliers considerably richer.

Ken Amer
Photographer
ken@orkneytoday.co.uk

A well-known figure in Orkney, Ken has been a news-based and general photographer since 1985 and has run his own business 'Orkney Photographic' from Bridge Street, Kirkwall. A cameraman for Grampian TV, Ken also regularly contributes to national newspapers and periodicals.

A DJ in his youth - and beyond, Ken used to spin the latest dance floor hits at the former Kirkwall club 'Casablanca'.
Despite various leg injuries, Ken still insists on being an active sportsman - playing rugby and badminton - and is a proud spectator when he watches his son, Ally, taking part in midi rugby tournaments.