About Orkney Today

Orkney Today is a weekly community-based newspaper serving the islands of Orkney, off the north coast of Scotland. When launched by TV's 'Big Brother 4' winner, Orcadian Cameron Stout in October 2003, it introduced competition into the weekly newspaper market in the islands for the first time in 42 years, since the demise of the Orkney Herald in 1961.

Since then, Orkney Today has gone on to effectively make its mark on island life, providing full coverage of key issues and events in its geographically diverse patch in a recognizably different style to the other island weekly, The Orcadian, established 1854. The new weekly has also attained several awards and in the early days was recorded as being the fastest growing regional weekly newspaper in Scotland.

Starting in small premises in Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney Today soon moved - in December 2003 - to more spacious offices at Hell's Half Acre, Hatston. Since then it has installed a state-of-the-art newspaper publishing system, and also developed its second 'product' - the Orkney Today website, providing Orkney news worldwide as it happens.

Orkney Today actively encourages contributions from young and old alike, through sections such as 'School News', 'Orkney Yesterday', and the highly popular 'Marine Scene'. Regular contributors include: Ann Cormack, Les Cowan, Andrew Appleby, 'I Venus' and Ruth Anthea Emslie

Two pages of farming news each week; a monthly Orkney Crossword by Ann and Alistair Cormack; regular profiles of Orkney characters; the satirical column 'Cast Yow's View From Ward Hill'; plus columns on the activities of Orkney Island Council and NHS Orkney, add up to what readers have voted a winning product.

Orkney Today has gained several awards over the years; with chief reporter Robert Leslie picking up the 'Sports Writer of the Year 2003', at the Highlands and Islands Media Awards just months after the paper began. However, photographer Ken Amer has been most prolific winner. Ken became 'Local Photographer of the Year' at the 2007 Scottish Press Photography Awards. He was also 'Local Newspaper Photographer of the Year' in 2007 at the Highlands and Islands Media Awards, having been runner up in 2004 and 2005. 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 served the islands especially well in the past 12 months. The ceremony includes an Unsung Hero award for someone who has worked tirelessly for the community without asking for anything in return.

Orkney Today reporter Craig Taylor also organised the Orkney 'Buy-a-Boat' Appeal, which ran for 12 weeks at the end of 2005 - up to the first anniversary of the tsunami of Boxing Day 2004. The appeal raised an amazing £11,000 to help fellow islanders - the fishermen of Sri Lanka, who were badly hit by the devastating natural disaster.

And in 2006, the newspaper launched its very own version of popular TV series 'Celebrity Fit Club', called 'Orkney Today Fit Club'. This campaign followed the progress of 12 local volunteers as they adopted a healthier diet and fitness regime.

With such news coverage, features and campaigns, the experienced reporting, advertising, and production team at Orkney Today maintains its aim of 'Putting Orkney First' - every week.

The Orkney Today Team

Catherine Turnbull
Editor
catherine@orkneytoday.co.uk

Catherine switched from a career in psychiatric nursing to newspaper journalism in 1990 and has never looked back. As a rookie reporter she spent five years uncovering stories around the harbour side in Weymouth, for the Dorset Evening Echo, a great patch in which she broke stories about coastguards, fishermen, Royal Navy manoeuvres, search and rescue, D-Day war veterans, and tall ships. The court was also on the harbour so there was no shortage of material. During her time in Dorset she also gained a Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism at Bournemouth University and her professional journalism qualification.

In 1995 she moved to the landlocked Cotswolds as Gloucestershire reporter for the regional Western Daily Press where she juggled news writing with features about the homes and gardens of local celebrities.

Preferring a less glamorous lifestyle she became news editor of the weekly Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard in Cirencester (affectionately nicknamed the Hedger and Ditcher). In 2002 her career took her to the urban delights of town where she was news editor and later features editor of the Swindon Advertiser. Her last post before moving to Orkney Today was as editor of the Gloucestershire Gazette Series in the south Cotswolds.

After many holidays spent in Orkney the lure of the islands was impossible to resist when the editorship of Orkney Today was advertised.

Catherine is enjoying her new life here and feels honoured to have been given the opportunity to work at the OT. Her interests include walking, photography, creative writing, reading, watching live music and theatre, cooking, travel and historical research.

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.

After a spell as interim editor of Orkney Today following the departure of editor John Ross Scott at the end of 2007, Robert returned to the chief reporter's post, also looking after weekly sport coverage, in April 2008. He is also a board member of Orkney Renewable Energy Forum, of which Orkney Today is a full member.

Robert, is married to Kara, a health promotion officer with NHS Orkney, and they have three daughters, Ria, Isla and Ruby.

Outside of work, Robert is a member of Kirkwall City Pipe Band, and was part of the memorable trip to Shetland for the Up-Helly-Aa fire festival in January 2008, when KCPB were guests of Guizer Jarl Roy Leask.

Craig Taylor
Reporter
craig@orkneytoday.co.uk

Craig joined Orkney Today in May 2005. His responsibilities included developing the 'Marine Scene' section of the paper. 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.

Craig was educated at Flotta Primary and Kirkwall Grammar School, and later at Woodlands High in Falkirk, when his family moved south due to work commitments. At the earliest opportunity, however (in 1990), Craig returned home to Orkney after four years away.

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 he pursued other interests. Later he ran 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 and dvd series which has been distributed worldwide.

Craig is President of the Kirkwall and District Darts League and in an attempt to stay reasonably fit spends the summer months attempting 10k runs and the Hoy Half marathon. He also enjoys being out on the sea on his boat, but struggles to find the time to do so.

Victoria Rhodes
Reporter
victoria@orkneytoday.co.uk

Toria moved to Orkney aged 13. She lived on Rousay and attended Kirkwall Grammar School, staying in the school hostel during the week. She went on to study Imaginative Writing and Screen Studies at Liverpool John Moores University and achieved her BA (Hons) in 2002. After moving back to Orkney, she worked in the Kirkwall Hotel and then the Royal Bank of Scotland before joining Orkney Today as Junior Reporter in September 2004.

Outside of work Toria is passionate about films, both watching them and making them as a member of the Orkney Movie Group. She also enjoys reading and writing fiction and kickboxing.

Andrew Hamilton
Reporter
andrew@orkneytoday.co.uk

Andrew was born in Glasgow, but considers himself Orcadian, his family moving to the islands when he was two-months old.

Educated at Glaitness Primary and Kirkwall Grammar School, Andrew went on to study Japanesse and English Literature at Stirling University, and Media and Cultural Studies at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.

Returning to Orkney in 2004 with his wife, Kim, Andrew started work as a graduate trainee at Orkney Islands Council.

In 2007 he left the council for Kirkwall-based builder RS Rendall where he worked as a labourer until the end of 2009, before taking up the post of trainee journalist at Orkney Today in January 2010.

Andrew and Kim live in Kirkwall with their two-year old son Thomas. Andrew enjoys reading and taking his dogs Glayva and Grouse for walks.

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. Married to local photographer Ken, Glynis has one son called Ally. Rugby plays a huge part in her household so somewhere along the line she has grudgingly become a fan herself.

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.

Carrie Norquoy
Pre-press Operative
carrie@orkneytoday.co.uk

Carrie was born and brought up in Orkney where she went to Papdale Primary school and then later to the Kirkwall Grammar School. After finishing sixth year she decided to stay in Orkney to do a HNC in Computing at Orkney College until she felt she was ready to move away for further studies. Moving to Glasgow in 2004, she studied for a HND in Multimedia Production and Design before returning to Orkney to take up a position in the pre-press team at Orkney Today.

Out of work she loves reading, watching movies and is also a big music fan, especially for the Glam Rock Genre. She enjoys playing different musical instruments and has played the Clarinet for the past 13 years as well as a bit of the electric and bass guitar.

Leigh Kennedy
Pre-press Operative Assistant
leigh@orkneytoday.co.uk

Leigh was born and brought up in Orkney. He went to the Holm Primary School, before it closed and the new St Andrews Primary School opened, then attended Kirkwall Grammar School.

After completing sixth year, in 2007 he left school and moved to Aberdeen to study Introduction to Multimedia at Aberdeen College. The following year he achieved an HNC in Visual Communications and moved back to Orkney. After only a few weeks of being home he started work as a pre-press assistant at Orkney Today. In his spare time, Leigh is studying two courses through home learning - 3D Animation and Web Design.