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Radio Orkney's Diary for Friday, 09 May 2008.

Weekend diary

Starting in Shapinsay where Jenny Marriott has the first session of a 6 week course of Gentle Yoga starting at half past 10 this morning, with Hatha Yoga from 7 till half past 9 this evening, both at Haughland House. And there’s a Retreat Weekend there on Saturday & Sunday on the theme Roots & Wings. For details phone Lesley on 711 750.

There’s Buddhist Meditation at The Strond in Holm at 7 o’ clock this evening.

The Gable End Film Society is showing Distant Voices Still Lives at 8 o’ clock tonight. This is Terence Davies’ story of his working class family in Liverpool in the 40’s & 50’s.

Stromness Golf Club is having an Open Day tomorrow when all ages are welcome along at either 10 o’ clock or 2 o’ clock, for a free round of golf, with tuition, clubs & balls available.

The Naming Ceremony for Orkney Yole Association’s new yole is tomorrow at 2 o’ clock at the Navigation Department’s Pontoon in Stromness, and spectators are welcome to gather on the Piers at the Nav School and the Pier Arts Centre. The Ceremony will be followed by a Reception in The Pier with refreshments, a Slide Show and Live Music by Steven Flett & Friends.

Next year is the 100th anniversary of the 1st Kirkwall Boys Brigade and among the event planned is an Exhibition of Memorabilia & Photos. This Saturday the BB Hall at Meadowbank will be open from 10 o’ clock till one when it’s hoped ex BB’s will go along to let the organisers know what they have in the way of exhibits. Arrangements can be made to have black & white photos copied.

The Strynd Nursery is having a Fun Day tomorrow at the Strynd from 12 noon till 2 o’ clock when there’ll be Childrens Lucky Dip, Face Painting, Balloon Modelling, Hook a Duck, a Jar Jamboree, Bouncy Castle, Homebakes, Bottle Stall, Candy Floss and Hot Filled Rolls. Some of the Kirkwall City Pipe Band will be there to perform at the start of the event, and the fundraising raffle draw will be held at quarter to 2.

Orkney Talking Newspaper is holding a Coffee Morning with Homebakes in the St Magnus Centre on Saturday morning from 10 till 12 noon.

The Firth Church Coffee Shop is open on Saturday from 11 o’ clock till two offering homemade light lunches and fairly traded goods.

And the Firth Mums Sale will be held in the Firth Community Centre between 2 and 4 tomorrow afternoon, with Baby Equipment, Toys, Childrens Clothes and general Bric a Brac. To book a table phone 761 883.

The Deerness Community Hall is hosting a Plant Sale this Saturday at 2 o’ clock in the Deerness Hall and donations of plants & cuttings would be appreciated.

There’s a change of artists for this Saturday’s Lunchtime Concert in the Cathedral when the Kirkwall Town Band will be performing between 1 o’ clock and 2 tomorrow.

Sanday Fiddle Club with Sanday’s Singers will be joined by Orkney Camerata to present a Concert of Classical & Traditional Music tomorrow afternoon in the Sanday Community Hall. Everyone’s welcome for a half past 2 start, entry is free, there’ll be refreshments and a raffle after the concert, and donations would be gratefully received.

In Westray remember the Coffee Afternoon at the Kalisgarth Care Centre from half past 2 till 4 o’ clock tomorrow, with raffles & homebakes too, and everyone’s welcome.

Orkney Volleyball Association has an Intercounty Weekend against Shetland with the Mens & Womens matches starting at 11 tomorrow morning at Picky. There’ll be a Dance & Presentation of the League Cup on Saturday night from 8 till late at the Ayre Hotel, and then on Sunday there’s a fun mixed tournament.

The last Junior Intercounty Hockey Trial is this Saturday evening from 7 till half past 8 on the Astroturf at the Picky Centre.

The charity Send A Cow is holding a Supporters Meeting tomorrow night at half past 7 in the Peedie Kirk Hall, when Dr Willy Ouni will speak about Send a Cow’s work in his home country of Uganda, and there’ll be presentations from David Turner.

Artwork by S1 and S2 Pupils at Stromness Academy will be on show at the Pier Arts Centre from tomorrow till May the 20th, and joins the Shared Sculptures by Bill Woodrow and Richard Deacon and the exhibition project Look by P1 pupils from Dounby School.

And the Porteous Brae Gallery reopens tomorrow with a varied programme including new etchings, drawings & paintings from Diana Leslie & Marian Ashburn, and work by artists from the Triangle Arts Trust Workshop on Hoy.

An Exhibition of New Paintings & Prints by Jenny Flett go on show at the Stronsay Fish Mart Café and Interpretation Centre tomorrow, and will run right through the summer.

There’s a Gardening Exhibition running at the Mart this weekend, it’s open on Saturday and Sunday from half past 10 till 4 o’ clock both days.

The Water Gardens at Seaforth in Burray will be opening this weekend with Fund Raising Tables from the Burray Hall, the Burray Football Club, the Carriage Driiving Group, the Shooting Association and the RNLI, as well as an Exhibition. Funds will be donated to Clic Sergant.

The Balfour Castle Garden Guided Tours start this Sunday and include a walk through Bluebell Wool followed by a fresh baked Orkney Tea. To book phone 711 282.

The Field Club & RSPB have their Durkadale Picnic this Sunday, when they’ll be planting a shelter belt and doing routine maintenance at the RSPB Native Tree Plantation. Come anytime between 10 o’ clock and 4 – all ages are welcome.

Sanday’s ranger-led expeditation to Eday is this Sunday, meeting at the Loth Waiting Room at quarter to 11. The group will meet-up with Eday’s Ranger and hope to see the Eday Raingeese, the Harry Potter Snowy Owl, and a submarine! Booking is essential so phone Rod today or tomorrow on Sanday 600 341.

The Shore Anglers will fish for the Churchill Cup this Sunday from the Barriers & South Ronaldsay. It’s an Open Basket competition from half past 10 till half past 4, and competitors should meet at the First Barrier at 10.15.

Orkney Golf Club is having a Junior Open Day this Sunday between 2 and 5 o’ clock when all 8 to 18 year old can go along to meet the coaches and have at try at golf. Also on Sunday is the W Hourston Junior Open with the 18 Hole tee off at 2 o’ clock, the 9 Hole at half past 2, and the 4 Hole teeing off at quarter to 3. Everyone’s welcome to have a go but you should enter your name on the sheet by 6 o’ clock today.

There’ll be a Car Boot Sale in the Sandwick Community Centre this Sunday starting at half past 12 and refreshments will be available.

St Andrews Community Association is holding a Car Treasure Hunt on Sunday afternoon, leaving the Hall at 2 o’ clock, and to be followed by Tea with a Bottle Stall & Sales Table in the Hall. It’s £6 a car which includes tea & shortbread.

The Kirk Service for South Ronaldsay & Burray is in the Hope School at 11 o’ clock with Sunday Club. There’ll be Mass at the Catholic Church in Kirkwall at 11 on Sunday. The Birsay, Harray & Sandwick congregation is in Quoyloo this week at 11 and it’s a Christian Aid and Pentecost Service, then there’ll be Redemption Hymn Singing in the Harray Kirk on Sunday evening at half past 7 when everyone’s welcome and there’ll be a collection for Kirk funds. And in Westray the United Evening Service is at 7 o’ clock in the UF Kirk.

Next Saturday the 17th is Norwegian Constitution Day and the Orkney Norway Friendship Association will hold this years Buffet & Dance at the Stromness Hotel,with a bus from the Travel Centre which should be booked with your tickets. Tickets are £15 and available in person from the Orcadian Bookshop or by phone from Connie Grieve on 850 636.

The Riding Club is holding a Working Hunter Show next Saturday and a Working Hunter Clinic next Sunday with Alasdair Matheson, and the closing date for both is Wednesday the 14th.

Tickets for the Schools Instrumental Concert on Tuesday May 15th are on sale at the Picky Centre. It’s the first time pre-paid tickets have been made available to avoid the long queues on the night, and they’re priced at £5 for adults & £4 for concessions, school children get in free.

Eric Andersen, who was described as Bob Dylan as a great Ballad Singer, will be performing at the Gable End in Hoy next Sunday the 18th and also at Woodwick House, Evie on Monday the 19th . Tickets are £8 and £6 and can be booked by phoning the Gable End on 701 301 or Woodwick house on 751 330.

The Art & Design Department at Orkney College is presenting an early summer school giving an Introduction to Leaded Stained Glass. The tutor Ann Ferguson will introduce the basic techniques of traditional stained glass making and you’ll be able to produce a small panel of your own design. It’s on Saturday 24th May, it costs £50 for tuition & materials, and you should book with Morag Tweedie on 569 221. Ann Ferguson’s work is currently on display in the exhibition Offshore at the Loft Gallery in the Hope.

The Rendall Lifeboat Guild is holding a Photo Competition next Saturday when Bert Baikie will be judging the entries. There are sections for Under 16 and Over 16, it’s a £1 to enter and you should write your name, age & address on the back of the photo and send to Laura Deerness at Nordvoe, Rendall, or hand into the Rendall Post Office or bring them along before 3 o’ clock on the day – next Saturday the 17th.

Exhibitions next – Photos by Annie Harcus, Tom Hughes, Graham Maben and Rosemary Rendall are on display at the West Manse, Westray, every afternoon till June the 1st. The Loft Gallery in the Hope has Coastal Recollections in Paint & Glass by Anne Ferguson and Carol Paterson In Stromness John & Kerry McCallum’s work is on display in the Waterfront Gallery for the next few weeks, while the Pier Arts Centre is housing an exhibition by Dounby Primary 1’s, as well as a display of work from Richard Deacon and Bill Woodrow. And the Orkney Wireless Museum at Kiln Corner in Kirkwall is open 7 days a week through the summer.

Creative Patchwork and Quilting are holding an Orkney Quiltfest Exhibition in June and are inviting other Orkney Quilters to submit their work to display at The Strond. They say they’d also be interested in old quilts that Granny or even Great Granny made – regardless of condition they’d be keen to get old quilts to exhibit as well. So if you think you have something they’d be interested in, get in touch with Sue Maclay on 811 323 or Kate Barrett on 87 5562.