Shops and shoppers in Kirkwall will be back in action this year with the Great Molecule Hunt. It’s a Festival highlight each year, organised by Sandy and Lorna Smith with energy and flair, and  takes place in partnership with Kirkwall BID who provide much kind support, including hosting the competition details on their website.

Twenty Kirkwall business are taking part, and you can see where they are from the map accompanying the downloadable entry form. Each business has a molecule, chosen because of its connection to the business’s activity. For example one of this year’s molecules is something found in tea and coffee, one is found in wool, one is used in refrigerators. You work your way round the various businesses, looking for the molecule.

When you have the list complete, you take the entry form to the Kirkwall tourist office, by the deadline of 12 noon on Wednesday 11 September.

Later that day the entries will be carefully checked, and the first correct entry out of the hat wins a Molymod molecule kit to allow you to build your own molecular models. The kit has been kindly donated by Philip Spiring of Molymod.