World Book Day

Happy World Book Day to all our readers!

This year is the 16th World Book Day, a worldwide celebration of books, authors, readers and reading. The World Book Day website says

The main aim of World Book Day in the UK and Ireland is to encourage children to explore the pleasures of books and reading by providing them with the opportunity to have a book of their own.

To achieve this, schools who have registered will get special World Book Day book tokens for each child. Children can then exchange their token at their local bookseller for one of eight specially produced World Book Day books or use it to get £1 off a book of their choice.

If you are too old to qualify for a token never fear, you can get free books every day (except Sundays) from your lovely local library (we only ask that you bring them back again).

Lots of children will be dressing up as their favourite book character, and again you need not feel left out. We will be delighted to welcome our customers today in a literary outfit of their choosing -  and we promise to share photographic evidence should anyone oblige!

 

Farewell to Stromness Shopping Week

Well the sun has shone, ice cream has been eaten, crabs caught, and doughnuts devoured - all the ingredients of a successful Stromness Shopping Week! Tomorrow is the final day of festivities, culminating in the fancy dress parade through the street to the Market Green ,where the prizes will be presented by the Shopping Week Queen.

But before the riot of colour, costumes, and caustic satire of the floats and fancy dress there is a day of heroic sporting activities to take part in (or in our case enjoy as a spectator). At 10.30 am there is the Holms Race when intrepid swimmers will brave the icy water, and the attentions of the remaining crabs from Wednesday's Crabbing Championship, to swim from the Holms back to the Pier. Then at 11am the Ferry Inn 10K Fun Run starts from the Pier Head, following a route around the town.

Trophies for the Holms Swim and 10K Fun Run, along with those won at Friday's Swimming Gala, will be presented by the Shopping Week Queen at 12.30 followed by the first ever outdoor competition for "Orkney's latest watersport craze" Canoe Bat Polo. Gosh we feel exhausted just thinking about all that activity!

We hope everyone enjoys themselves and the sun manages to hang around for the parade, or at least the rain which has made an appearance in previous years, stays away. As always we will be staying up way past our bedtime to watch the fireworks at 10:45pm, before saying farewell to another happy, fun-filled Shopping Week!

photo by Cecil Garson