A wave of kindness — Sanday launches in-island voucher scheme

A North Isles retailer has launched a campaign to encourage investment in the local economy this winter.

Sinclair General Stores in Sanday has teamed up with other Orkney businesses and isles craft makers to create gift vouchers redeemable only in Sanday.

Jackie Sinclair, the store’s owner, is eager to spread the word about the Sanday Wave voucher scheme.

“We are very keen on promoting local economic sustainability,” she said.

“We currently support the Island’s Crafters Hub who use our former premises for their shop. The Hub, along with other local businesses and services, has been unable to operate this year, leaving dozens of talented locals with severely reduced income.

“We decided to launch a campaign this Christmas to encourage residents to look to local businesses before their keyboard, and help Sanday to recover from a devastating year. We usually sell a lot of gift vouchers for our own shop and thought this year we would broaden their scope.”

According to Jackie, the “Sanday wave” is a phrase coined to describe how isles residents greet one another as they pass in their cars. More than a greeting, the aim of these vouchers is to pull Sanday folk together as a community, and repay the support they have given one another throughout 2020.

The scheme aims to encourage friends and relatives who cannot be together at Christmas to send their loved ones a voucher which they can use to select a precious gift or special service, retaining as much trade as possible within the island.

“There are no rules about where the vouchers can be spent, and no business is obliged to take the vouchers,” Jackie added.

“However, those redeeming them simply return them to the store to receive payment.”

The campaign will be supported by social media posts on the store’s popular Facebook page, highlighting the broad range of goods and services available in Sanday.

Further information about the scheme can be found on sandaywave.square.site, by phoning Sinclair General Stores on 01857 600312, by emailing sinclairhaulage@btinternet.com or via the store’s Facebook page — Sinclair General Stores Sanday.