A UNIQUE job opportunity is up for grabs in Orkney.
North Ronaldsay, Orkney’s most northerly island community, is seeking applicants for the role of sheep dyke warden. It involves overseeing care and repair work on a historic stone dyke that plays a vital part in the management of a unique local breed of ancient seaweed-eating sheep.
The 6ft-high, 13-mile long dyke, erected in the 1800s, keeps the sheep on the foreshore and separate from interior grassland, protecting the animals, which are a vital part of the local economy, from health issues and cross breeding.
Volunteers travel from around the world to help repair the dyke during an annual festival but it is felt a full-time worker is needed.
The post is funded for an initial three years by the North Isles Landscape Partnership (NILPS) and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Anyone interested in applying can find out more on the North Ronaldsay Trust website.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here