Orkney Ocean Energy Day

Well that's the last day of May and it's hard to believe that it will be June tomorrow. The summer months in Stromness bring a new busyness to the street, with visitors exploring the piers and closes while the local cats rest between photo-shoots :-) We wonder how many holiday snaps feature Rosie the cat sunning herself in Graham Place? 

As well as those visiting the town on holiday there are many who come to Stromness for work or study, including of course those involved in the marine renewables sector. While most folk in are aware of the presence of marine renewable activity in and around Stromness, a public open day on Tuesday 3rd June, organised by The European Marine Energy Centre Ltd (EMEC), wil offer the opportunity to find out more about the work taking place in Orkney,  visit some of the test sites and see energy devices in action. 

The full programme of events can be downloaded from the EMEC website, but perhaps of particular interest to Stromness folk will be the chance to see inside EMEC's substation and Aquamarine Power's power station at the EMEC Bilia Croo wave test site at Outertown. The Billia Croo site will be open to the public from 4-6pm and the meeting point is the car park.

http://www.waveplam.eu/page/?id=177

Digital Storytelling

Happy Folk Festival!

We would like to wish you all a very happy Orkney Folk Festival weekend! 

Whether you are looking forward to hearing one of the many visiting acts, enjoying a session with some of our very own home grown Orkney talent, or just soaking up the atmosphere as Stromness buzzes with life and music, don't forget to visit the Stromness library, where you can borrow CDs of many of the star performers from previous years. 

Did we mention that CD loans are now FREE!

So there's even more to enjoy in Stromness this Folk Festival weekend - all we need now is the sun to come out! 

In the garden

With the sun shining, and life bursting out all over, many of you will already be in the thick of garden planning and planting. For those who may need a bit of inspiration or expert advice we have created a display of gardening books, covering all aspects of horticulture from choosing garden plants to expert advice on growing vegetables and herbs .  

For many in Stromness, living 'crammed into that huddle of stone between Brinkie's Brae and the sea'*, access to garden space is limited or unavailable, however the Stromness Community Garden project offers a solution. 

The aim of the project is to:

to offer affordable growing spaces for the local community within a supportive environment. The aim is to provide a dynamic community space combining allotment style plots, a communal polytunnel, a community garden hub and areas of wild and shelter belt planting. Membership fees are low (£5 per annum) and rental on plots is offered at a rate per square metre, designed to attract gardeners who wish to work a small plot as well as those who want to work on a bigger scale. Concessions are offered to older people and disabled people as well as to students and those on lower incomes. Members are not compelled to have a plot and can enjoy the communal garden.

The Community Garden is situated on the Brownstown Road and below is a site plan, and photo showing the shelter belt which has already been planted:

Shelter belt planting progresses after fencing, hardstanding and shed in place (March 2014)

This Saturday  (17 May) there will be a workday at the community garden from 9am-1pm, when all who can are invited to come along and help to lay the ecopaving for the car park area. 

Details of how to become a member of Stromness Community Garden Society are available on their website.





*George Mackay Brown,  'Introduction' in Stromness:Late 19th Century photographs, (1972)

Orkney Nature Festival

Orkney Nature Festival 2014 starts tomorrow (Saturday 10th May) and runs until Sunday 18th May. Download the programme to see all the exciting activities and events, that will get you out and about and discovering Orkney's wonderful natural environment. You can also keep up to date with news and events throughout the festival on the Orkney Nature Festival facebook page. 

The organisers have even made a short film of highlights from last year's festival so you can get a taste of what to expect. 


Orkney Nature Festival 2013 from Orkney Nature Festival on Vimeo.

Don't forget you can find lots of field guides and nature books here at the library to help you learn more about the animals, plants and birds that you spot. 

Stromness From the Sea

We wanted to share this lovely little film about Stromness with our blog readers. It has been made by P6 pupils at Stromness Primary School working with the Stromness THI team as part of the wider  'Stromness  from the Sea' project. 

After learning about the history of Stromness and its relationship with the sea, the pupils carried out research, wrote the script, did all the drawing and animation, and recorded the soundtrack, in collaboration with teachers and local experts. 

Stromness From The Sea from SPS on Vimeo.

You can read more about the project here,and find out more about the town on the Stromness website. As well as being available to view on the website the film will also be shown on the MV Hamnavoe during sailings. 

May holiday

Stromness Library will be closed on Monday 5th May due to the public holiday. We'll leave you with a thought on locked libraries from Virginia Woolf.

https://www.facebook.com/grammarly/photos/a.158139670871698.33824.139729956046003/702201189798874/?type=1&theater

Don't worry we'll be open again as usual on Tuesday 6th May from 2pm-7pm.

Happiness is...

https://www.facebook.com/grammarly/photos/a.158139670871698.33824.139729956046003/780718048613854/?type=1&relevant_count=1