The Orkney News is very pleased to announce that as part of Scotland’s Year of Stories we have been awarded funding to make a series of short films highlighting stories from Orkney.

Orcadian Stories is one of 136 new projects being supported throughout Scotland by the Community Stories Fund.

Produced by Orkney News Ltd – Orcadian film maker Martin Laird, researcher Fiona Grahame and musician Eamonn Keyes, will be giving a voice to some of those lesser known stories involving the people of Orkney. The films will include:

• the development of the internationally renowned St Magnus Festival
• the Orkney Men’s Shed
• the Military Veterans Breakfast
• the wellbeing projects in Hoy
• communication in the islands with The Stronsay Limpet
• traditional spinning and Weaving in Sanday with Badger and Vole

The films will be the individual personal experiences of those behind the scenes of these invaluable community organisations and projects.

Kim Foden will talk about her father and uncle: Jimmy and Jack Twatt – with their explorations into early television and other aspects of their amazing life stories. Kim will also recount her own personal journey with her family links to the First Nations people.

More stories will be featured as the project progresses.

Over £545,000 of funding has been awarded across the 136 projects which join the 45 projects confirmed earlier this year in the first round of funding, taking total support for the Community Stories programme to more than £740,000. 

Scotland’s Year of Stories spotlights, celebrates and promotes the wealth of stories inspired by, written, or created in Scotland.  Every community has its own tales to tell, places to highlight as inspiration for well-known books and films, visitor attractions that showcase our literary and storytelling heritage and all kinds of places and spaces where stories, old and new, can be enjoyed.

The Community Stories Fund has been designed to support organisations and community groups to take part in and celebrate the year, spotlighting the unique stories that matter to them. The fund is being delivered in partnership between VisitScotland and Museums Galleries Scotland with support from National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players. Additional funding was secured from National Lottery Heritage Fund and Scottish Government after communities across Scotland responded enthusiastically to the Community Stories opportunity.

The Orkney News Team successfully produced the award winning animation by Martin Laird: A Gude Cause Maks A Strong Erm, about the Orcadian Woman’s Suffrage Society. Martin has also recently launched a new animation: The Fairy Dance.

The team are thrilled to be able to come together again and work on telling Orcadian Stories, celebrating the people of the islands. Filming will take place over the coming months. If you would like your organisation to feature in a short film please email: fiona@theorkneynews.scot