Visits to the Orkney College campus in Kirkwall and the Stromness food development kitchen are just two of the many visits arranged for board members and senior management of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) when they visit Orkney on a two-day working visit this week (Tuesday 23/Wednesday 24 May, 2000).

A meeting will also take place with staff and directors of Orkney Enterprise on Tuesday where the L.E.C.'s progress to date and future priorities will be outlined.

Most HIE board meetings are held away from HIE's Inverness headquarters to enable board members to gain a deeper understanding of the needs of individual local enterprise company areas.

Orkney Enterprise chief executive Ken Grant said: "Visits like these are very important as it gives staff and directors of Orkney Enterprise the opportunity to show how we are working with local communities and businesses to meet the development needs of the area."

"Our staff will accompany three groups of HIE directors and staff on visits to a diverse range of exciting and innovative Orkney Enterprise-funded projects. These give a representative flavour of the kind of work we are involved with."

One group will visit the fragile community of Westray where they will view three newly constructed factory units at Pierowall village. A presentation will also be given by the Westray Development Trust who work in conjunction with Orkney Enterprise and the local community to identify projects that offer the greatest potential for development on the island.

A visit to the remoter island of Papa Westray will also be undertaken where the group will meet members of the Papa Westray Development Trust to discuss island issues.

Another group will visit Lyness Naval Base and Interpretation Centre on Hoy, and the nearby Martello Tower on South Walls that acted as protection for the Baltic convoys in 1813. The final group will visit the Heriot-Watt campus at Stromness Old Academy, the Skara Brae visitor centre and Aurora Jewellery amongst others.