Born in 1946 and brought up in Cupar, Fife, I was educated at the local school - 
The MV Hamnavoe, which has a capacity of 600 passengers and usually operates between Scrabster, Caithness and Stromness in Orkney, has been diverted to Bergen to collect around 200 people who have already come forward to be picked up.
The Scottish Government took the decision following discussion with Orkney Islands Council and ferry operators Northlink Ferries. The journey is expected to take 18 hours, with passengers due to arrive back in Aberdeen late Thursday.
Homecoming Helpline
0800 027 0504
From overseas + 44 800 027 0504
Foreign and Commonwealth Office helpline
0207 008 0000
From overseas +44 207 008 0000
Pentland Ferries will continue to operate a passenger and freight service over the Pentland Firth between St Margaret's Hope and Gill's Bay. Additional freight services between Aberdeen and Kirkwall will also operate.
The decision to uplift stranded airline passengers from Scandinavia came after another day of disruption to flights to and from Scotland's airports, but with a window of opportunity which airports have been able to benefit from.
A meeting of the Scottish Government Resilience Cabinet sub-committee (SGoRR) this morning heard that the significant decrease in volcanic activity in Iceland could lead to further windows of opportunity over the course of this week. MV Hamnavoe
Meanwhile, less than two per cent of pupils were reported as absent due to the flight restrictions. There are no school closures and the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is adequately prepared to deal with any disruption even if the situation continues into next week when National Examinations are due to commence on April 28.
Speaking after meeting helpline staff, Mr Stevenson said:
"The Scottish Government will continue to do everything it can to help individuals and businesses adversely affected by the situation. Those stranded in Norway and elsewhere who are now in Bergen are coming home thanks to action taken in partnership by this government, Orkney Islands Council and the ferry operators.
"For those waiting to return home or wanting to know how their travel plans have been affected, and wanting information to pass onto loved ones, our Homecoming helpline staff have been on hand to offer advice and are providing information all day and will continue to do so until the situation is resolved.
"It is thanks to the hard work of education staff across Scotland that not a single school has had to close. Officials will endeavour to keep head teachers, pupils and parents fully informed while SQA will ensure that any necessary contingency plans are in place so that no candidates are disadvantaged once exams begin next week.
"Information coming from the Met Office at present is positive and we are hopeful that our airports can reopen during windows of opportunity in the coming days. However, in the meantime, we will continue to do everything in our power to limit the impact and keep Scotland moving."
Stephen Hagan, Convener of Orkney Islands Council, said:
"We acknowledge the need for us to play our part in the Scottish Government's efforts to ensure that people who are stranded abroad can be brought back home.
"These are exceptional circumstances and it's important that local authorities and communities work together with government to come to quick solutions to an immediate problem."
For those interested in booking the service, go to www.Northlinkferries.co.uk Tel 0845 6000449
Ongoing analysis of dust samples by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) demonstrates no risk at present to human health - health experts advise those with respiratory conditions, such as asthma, to keep medication to hand when outdoors.
Continuous environmental monitoring will be ongoing, using information from the network of 75 air monitoring sites and 25 radioactivity monitoring sites across Scotland.
The Scottish Air Quality Database contains the most up-to-date continuous ambient monitoring information across Scotland. Members of the public can access this information at www.scottishairquality.co.uk. All concentrations have remained low at all monitoring sites across Scotland.
