STUDENTS from the new St Ninian’s Lower School have teamed up with volunteer group Beach Buddies as part of an educational programme to study damage to the environment.

The group is now involved in regular monthly beach cleaning sessions all over the island – and finding out first-hand how much rubbish collects on Manx beaches and the damage it can cause to wildlife.

The students are currently studying a module in humanities concerning ‘Harming of the Environment’. The first part is ‘rubbish, pollutants and emissions’, which led the group to approach Beach Buddies with a request to join in beach cleaning sessions.

Beach Buddies’ founders Bill Dale and Sandy Huyton had already visited St Ninian’s Lower School to talk about their work and explain the damage that is caused to the environment, including wildlife, seabirds and marine life, by the rubbish which gathers on Manx beaches.

The group, under the supervision of teacher Dave Callaghan and fellow staff, have so far visited Groudle Glen beach and The Lhen and collected significant amounts of rubbish, much of which has been recycled at the civic amenity sites.

Dave said: ‘This has been a really worthwhile activity for the students. They didn’t really know what to expect, but we can see that they have enjoyed getting involved in a practical way, while at the same time learning about the damage that rubbish causes to the environment.

‘We will be joining Beach Buddies once a month through to the end of the summer term, helping the students to learn more about the world in which they live.

‘We have had a very positive response from the children who seem to have genuinely enjoyed getting involved in this way.’

Bill added: ‘The involvement of the St Ninian’s students is really significant because the young people of today are in a position to genuinely do something about the problem of litter, not just on beaches, but everywhere on the island.

‘Previous generations have failed to tackle this problem, and we are now left in a position when a huge majority of people between the age of 10 to 40 seem to have abandoned the idea of protecting the environment.

‘You only need to look at the rubbish at the sides of the roads to see that vast numbers of people simply throw their rubbish out of the car window, which is totally unacceptable.

‘The involvement of the students at St Ninian’s is exactly what this is all about. Beach Buddies is receiving more and more requests from schools, Scouts, Cubs, Guides, Brownies and youth clubs to join in beach cleaning, which is fantastic.

‘Hopefully, we will get the message across to our children at a young age and see some genuine change in the long term. How wonderful would it be for the people of the Isle of Man to be able to say that we have the cleanest beaches in Europe? I genuinely believe that with the help of young people like the St Ninian’s students this can be achieved.’

• Beach Buddies will visit any school in the island to talk about litter pollution on beaches and in glens and footpaths. Email {mailto:beachbuddies@manx.net|beachbuddies(at)manx.net} or go to the Facebook page Beach Buddies Isle of Man.

Monday, April 8

Aries

(March 21 - April 20)

The New moon this week gives you a great insight into what is ahead. It also throws the spotlight on ambitions for the next year. While these are fresh in your mind, formulate a plan of steady progress. This may just take the form of a ‘to-do’ list for each month that will keep your goals sharply focused. As the weekend arrives, so does the influence of Venus, planet of love.

Taurus

(April 21 - May 21)

Self-renewal is the strongest theme for this week. The New Moon reminds you that there is always more to be gained from life. Being with loved ones forms an important part of your thinking. In this area, there is a need to improve the quality of time spent with them. Indeed, as Venus brings a sparkle to relationships at the weekend, prepare for an important conversation.

Gemini

(May 22 - June 21)

Society calls and your social scene beckons with the arrival of the New Moon this week. Be ready to bring people together for mutual fun and benefits. Cash may be short but the need for a lighter mood is strong. Making changes at home can involve younger relatives who need a purpose. Be aware of what made you happy when you were their age. Does it still work?

Cancer

(June 22 - July 23)

Using your subtle charms, seek out information at work. Who is planning what and with whom? How is it possible to raise your own profile? Someone, somewhere knows your worth. Encourage them to sing your praises. The New Moon midweek brings with it the chance to impress without being pushy. In helping someone else, it is possible to very much help yourself.

Leo

(July 24 - August 23)

It is a week for plotting and planning. How to get that promotion at work or where to take your next holiday? Many areas that have been a bit of a haze now come into sharp focus. A fresh light is shone on a close relationship at the weekend. Do you really need to make changes? Sometimes time itself will sort out a problem, especially if it has been long term.

Virgo

(August 24 - September 23)

The New Moon midweek bodes well for your finances. Although spending needs control, bargains are to be had. An educated guess brings great results on a new project. Bring an extra sparkle to your social life at the weekend when relationships positively glow. Why does someone want to send more time with you? Are you really being too modest? Probably.

Libra

(September 24 - October 23)

With both a New Moon and the arrival of Venus in your sphere this week, prepare for fireworks! Those who are not matched could soon be so. Couples may experience a new flush of attraction, especially at the weekend. Planning a holiday with loved ones gives a special sparkle to the everyday routine. Try something different by all means, but check the details.

Scorpio

(October 24 - November 22)

There’s a fast and frantic week ahead, with Mars on your tail and a New Moon overhead. Your independent streak will not allow others to dominate your thoughts. However, through choice it may be worth being flexible physically with a loved one. Giving someone the benefit of the doubt shows that you are secure in your own knowledge and self-worth.

Sagittarius

(November 23 - December 21)

This is a week to have fun with family and friends. Maybe plans are being drawn up for a holiday. This could be as simple as visiting a relative for a few days but, for some reason, there is a special excitement. Taking care of your health and wealth should be ongoing. Avoid extreme tiredness or you will not be on your best form, which is essential this weekend!

Capricorn

(December 22 - January 20)

A bright and inspiring light shines on your home life this week. The New Moon arrives and, with it, ideas. Many, as it happens! Although cash may be short, it will not stop you from finding recycled goods and bargains. Indeed, the sense of achievement that this brings will spin you into the weekend. Get youngsters to help with practical tasks.

Aquarius

(January 21 - February 19)

Special energy comes with this week’s New Moon. Communications are especially sharp and fulfilling, and some topics that have been avoided can now be discussed. Be aware that in the midst of your everyday rush, mistakes are likely. Take special care when travelling or using communication software. Pass advice on in a light-hearted or fun way rather than lecturing. Be imaginative.

Pisces

(February 20 - March 20)

The midweek New Moon is a lucky one for you. With Mars bringing energy and Venus bringing love, you really should have a great time! Finances should show an improvement. Even so, hold on to your cash in case of unexpected bills. Boring? Not really. You would want to be prepared if an opportunity arose, wouldn’t you? Give romance a chance by listening to a loved one very carefully.

THERE is good and bad news about jobs in the island today.

The Isle of Man Examiner today reveals that up to 100 jobs are set to be created in a call centre. The recruitment procedure starts later in the month.

But there’s bad news for workers at the Department of Home Affairs as the minister warns that it has to make £2m of cuts and it will be impossible to do so without cutting jobs.

The Examiner’s front page lead story is about Dr Dirk Hohmann, who has been before a Medical Practioners’ Tribunal. You might remember when we covered {http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/doctor-found-not-guilty-of-deception-charge-1-4001521|stories in the past about him}. Today we report the news that he has been struck off.

Elsewhere in the paper we report a plan to set up a TT camp at Ballakermeen High School in Douglas, a laser attraction at South Barrule and the story of a five-hour rescue operation of a retired midwife who was snowed in during the recent cold snap.

You can also meet Jane Salter inside the paper. The St John’s mum managed to lose seven-and-a-half stone in just nine months. She tells us about it.

Our top sports story is a preview of the TT launch, while the Vikings A hockey team is the main picture on the back page after they secured the Wi-Manx Women’s Premier Division title for the sixth year running.

The Examiner also gives you the chance to win a family ticket to the forthcoming performance of The Sound of Music at the Gaiety Theatre.

The island’s favourite newspaper is in the shops now.

BRIDSON and Horrox Group is beieved to have become the only printing company in the island to achieve a globally recognised accreditation for its environmental management from the UK’s official Accreditation Service (UKAS)*.

It has been awarded the UKAS ISO Standard 14001:2004 following years of hard work by its staff to redefine its processes, and implement a new business management framework designed to reduce the impact of its operations on the environment.

This has resulted in a more efficient business performance, including a reduction in waste and consumption of resources, and lower operating costs.

Some key changes to the way Bridson & Horrox Group now operates include:

l Collection and recycling or safe disposal of all waste generated during the printing process, or waste collected from clients

l Sourcing of office furniture from ‘green’ suppliers

l Sourcing of paper supplies produced using sustainable resources

l Encouraging clients to use recycled paper and other materials wherever possible

l More efficient delivery routes to shorten journey times and reduce fuel consumption

l Adoption of ‘green’ policies by all staff in the workplace

The company’s ManRoland litho printing press is also ‘greener’ than other models available on the market.

Staff are independently assessed on a regular basis to ensure they are continuing to meet the accreditation’s very strict criteria.

Companies with the ISO 14001: 2004 Standard are perceived to be innovative and forward-thinking both to prospective customers and employees; it also improves their access to new customers and business partners.

Based on the Hills Meadow Industrial Estate in Douglas, Bridson & Horrox Group specialises in all aspects of printing delivery, design, stationery provision, office furniture supply and signage supply to both corporate and private clients across the Isle of Man.

Darren Horrox, managing director of Bridson & Horrox Group, said: ‘The process of working towards, and ultimately achieving, this ISO environmental management accreditation has had a huge impact on our business, and certainly changed it for the better.

‘It has made our employees more environmentally aware of their surroundings and the way they work, and they now actively reinvent business processes where necessary to help us maintain our green credentials.

‘It has also helped us to help our clients become more aware of the environment and the way they can redefine their business processes to increase efficiency and performance, reduce their costs and ultimately become greener themselves.

‘I’m incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication shown by our staff in achieving this prestigious Standard, and the way they are helping both Bridson & Horrox Group and our customers to become greener citizens.’

www.bridson-horrox.com.

STAFF are such an important resource to most businesses and normally by far the most expensive.

Therefore it is vital that organisations manage their staff, and any issues that may arise, in the most effective way possible.

The Institute of Directors is giving particular focus to this over the next two months.

At a seminar on March 19, Caren Hyde, from local legal and fiduciary services provider Appleby, gave an outline of the Employment Act and the potential pitfalls from hiring to firing. In her presentation she discussed some of the cases which had resulted in Employment Tribunals.

On May 1, the IoD is holding another employment related seminar highlighting why mental health is a workplace issue. This is being presented by members of the Mental Health team of the Department of Health and will address these important points:

l Most people with mental health conditions are in paid employment and are almost as likely to be working as anyone else.

l Employers should expect to find that at any one time nearly one in six of their workforce is affected by a mental health condition

l The combined costs of sickness absence, non-employment, effects on unpaid work and output losses in the UK is £26 billion a year

l It is so important for employers to understand the potential problems relating to their employees and to have the knowledge to ensure that they avoid the serious pitfalls in a well-structured and considered way rather than having to deal with a serious issue after it has gained momentum.

COURSE

Following naturally from these seminars the IoD is holding a half-day course on May 23 on how to avoid an Employment Tribunal which will be delivered by Julie Bradley, head of the Manx Industrial Relations Service (MIRS). On this course she will include:

l The importance of prevention/what employers need in place

l How to deal with issues

l The role of MIRS

l Some examples/facts and figures of Employment Tribunal cases that have arisen

l Alternatives to the Tribunal and what is involved.

Good and timely handling of employment issues can be a positive experience for both the employer and employee but so many companies get it wrong and when they do it can be extremely damaging to the reputation, as well as possibly the finances, of the organisation.

On June 13, the IoD is holding a one day course on the director’s role in managing reputation.

The course tutor is Seamus Gillen, who is a senior adviser to the Reputation Institute, an academic and advisory body dealing with issues of reputation management.

He has worked previously in Whitehall as a senior civil servant (and as Private Secretary to two Cabinet Ministers) which means that he looks at issues from different perspectives based on both the public and private sectors.

All of these events are also open to non-members of the Institute of Directors.

For further details of any of these events contact Ann Clayton on annclayton@manx.net

POLICE are warning people not to leave their cars unlocked after a number of thefts.

Overnight on Friday to Saturday, a number of vehicles in the Saddlestone and Farmhill areas of Douglas were targeted by thieves.

Money and personal belongings left inside was stolen.

Police said people should lock their cars and houses and take preventative measures to minimise the opportunity for these crimes to be committed.

If anyone has witnessed any thefts taking place or has any information they should contact any police station or ring police headquarters.

Police are appealing for potential witnesses who were near Athol Park/Glenview Terrace, Port Erin, on Thursday at about 2pm to come forward.

They may have witnessed an incident involving a male and female.

It is believed there was a female with a dog and another female with two small children nearby.

THE organisers of a workshop for parents and families of children with autism want to raise awareness about the support they can offer.

The informal workshop deals primarily with parents of primary school children with Autism Spectrum Disorder as well as parents with children either moving into or are in secondary school.

Carole Williams, one of the unit managers and co-founders of the workshop, said: ‘We are trying to get the advice out there and raise awareness as we only have a small number of people who attend the workshops at the moment.

She said they were keen to bring more people into the workshops.

The workshops are held in the Professional Development Centre in Santon, several times during the year. They are held from 1pm to 3pm ‘so parents will be able to pick their children up from school’.

The next workshop takes place on Friday, May 24, and another workshop will follow in September, at a date to be confirmed

Carole explained what the workshops involve: ‘We talk with the parents and look at what difficulties they have with their children and do some sentence and word activities in order to help the parents understand the difficulties their children have in processing language, certain words and sentences.

She said: ‘We have had good results with the parents we have worked with and have had excellent feedback from them.’

Carole and her fellow unit manager Sarah Maddrell were inspired to expand their workshop to teach the parents of autistic children last year after having spent some time conducting workshops with professionals such as teachers and student aids on how to properly interact with autistic children.

‘We noticed there was gap and that it would be beneficial,’ Carole said.

The term spectrum is used because the symptoms of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) can vary from person to person and range from mild to severe.

To sign up, call Gail at the Professional Development Centre on 693836.

HOME Affairs Minister Juan Watterson has admitted that the next £2m worth of savings his department has to make is ‘really going to hurt’.

Up until now, staffing in front line services such as the Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Service has largely been preserved, but he said it would be ‘impossible’ to achieve future cuts over the next two years without staffing reductions.

Staff numbers are being looked at across the board – and it is yet to be decided where the axe will fall.

Vote on this issue using our web poll panel at the right of this story.

Mr Watterson said: ‘75 per cent of the Department of Home Affairs’ budget is staffing. It’s going to be impossible to save £2m without staffing reductions. Where that will fall is yet to be determined.’

Talking about the impact of a cut in police officer numbers, he said: ‘That’s a real problem for us in that we are seeing the real success of neighbourhood policing on the island and to scale back from that is a difficult thing to do, if it has to be done for budgetary reasons.’

Among the proposals for future savings is the development of an on-island training facility for firefighters at the former animal by-products plant at East Baldwin. It would reduce the cost of travel and accommodation associated with UK-based training.

The DHA is also planning a new custody block at police headquarters in Glencrutchery Road, to consolidate all Douglas detention facilities into one location. The aim is to improve efficiency and enable the police to vacate the current Lord Street police station site – freeing it up for development.

It is still the department’s intention to have a police presence in lower Douglas though – by opening a station in the former Hanover Street School.

Mr Watterson said the demolition of Victoria Road prison, the sale of Onchan police station and the transfer of the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service headquarters had already generated savings and significant capital receipts for Government.

In addition to rationalising its estate and leased office and storage facilities, the department has also combined the prison and probation services and introduced more flexible terms and conditions for staff.

These measures have contributed to savings of more than £4m since 2010-11, and £8m since the department’s budget peaked in 2007-08.

Mr Watterson said: ‘The primary focus of the department is protecting the vulnerable and our services are targeted towards achieving that objective.

‘Each decision we have taken in relation to budget cuts has been risk-assessed to ensure community safety has not been threatened and we will continue to work hard to provide best-value, effective services for the people of the Isle of Man.’

He added: ‘As well as helping residents to feel secure in their local communities, the Department of Home Affairs recognises its role in supporting our national priority of growing the economy.

‘The Isle of Man is firmly established as one of the safest places to live in the British Isles and this reputation, together with an excellent quality of life, is a significant factor in attracting new businesses and key workers to the island.’

The department has the highest ratio of salary costs as a proportion of its budget of any department.

Ninety per cent of the cost of the Constabulary is staffing. There are currently 236 police officers.

There are about 50 full-time firefighters and 100 retained.

The DHA has lost 44 full-time equivalent headcount since 2010-11. Central staff numbers have more than halved to nine.

A FULL scale emergency was declared at Ronaldsway this morning.

A Flybe Q400 with 46 passengers and four crew on board on a flight from Manchester sounded the alert at 9.30am after the smell of smoke was reported in the cabin.

Fire appliances from Douglas, Port Erin and Castletown were called out in addition to the airport’s own fire team to deal with the emergency landing.

Fortunately they were able to stand down after the Q400 landed safely at 9.35am.

In a statement, a Flybe spokesman said: ‘Flybe can confirm that a flight experienced a minor technical fault this morning on approach to Ronaldsway, informing the Air Traffic Control at the airport prior to landing.

‘As is standard industry practice in such circumstances, emergency services were put on standby by the airport authorities.

‘Flybe apologises for any inconvenience experienced by the 46 passengers who all disembarked normally and without incident after the aircraft taxied to its stand.’

A SIGNIFICANT reform is set for the criminal justice system.

The Department of Home Affairs’ Criminal Justice Strategy, unanimously approved by Tynwald in December, is aimed at making the system better, faster, simpler and more cost efficient.

Key policy areas are identified for improvement, including prevention of crime, an appropriate response when crime is committed, and rehabilitation of offenders to reduce future offending.

Alternative approaches to sentencing, such as restorative and community justice and the extended use of fixed penalties as a means of reducing the volume of low-level criminal matters brought before the courts, will now be explored.

Home Affairs Minister Juan Watterson MHK said he wanted to ensure it was ‘only the more violent and persistent offenders that go to prison’.

Work is being led by the Criminal Justice Board, comprising the heads of the Department of Home Affairs, Isle of Man Constabulary, General Registry, Attorney General’s Chambers, and the Prison and Probation Service, together with representation from the Law Society.

The board has also been tasked with delivering a common set of objectives to improve quality and reduce lead times in such areas as preparing files to go to court, reducing the time taken to prosecute cases and reducing the amount of form filling between agencies.

The average time it takes for a case to reach court is 76 weeks.

Mr Watterson said the board was looking at reducing this to 26 weeks – the time taken in Scotland.

A total of 69 responses were received in a public consultation on the strategy, launched last October.

Mr Watterson said: ‘Reform of the criminal justice system is a massive undertaking which has the potential to deliver significant improvements and efficiencies.

‘The principles outlined within the Criminal Justice Strategy have been broadly supported by the public and as we move towards the implementation of a number of the initiatives, the views received during the consultation will be considered in our discussions.’

The Minister said that questions regarding greater accountability, prison being reserved for serious and persistent offenders, appropriate use of fixed penalty notices and performance reporting were ‘positively received’.

The average number of inmates at Jurby Prison in 2010-11 was 102, at an annual cost of £58,779 each.

He said the issue of legal aid and its sustainability ‘requires further consideration in conjunction with Treasury’, saying: ‘The majority of responses were supportive of the provision of legal aid, but with varied opinions as to how this can be sustained.’

Legal aid costs spiralled from £1.2m in 2003-04 to £3.38m in 2011-12.

In relation to community justice, Mr Watterson, said ‘further consideration would be given to how, and if, this issue would be progressed’.

He said: ‘The Isle of Man enjoys low crime and high detection rates and is undoubtedly one of the safest places to live in the British Isles.

‘The strategy we are working on now provides an opportunity to make significant improvements and ensure the Manx criminal justice system is fit for purpose for the next 20 years.’

ADULT Learners’ Week is a successful UK initiative – and it’s being brought to the Isle of Man for the first time next month.

The week represents a national celebration of the benefits of lifelong learning and offers the opportunity to explore the many types of learning available to adults from all walks of life.

Previous events have seen a range of contributors come together to offer training and services – from dyslexia to cloud computing, and alternative heating to accounting.

Free events will take place from May 18 to 24 at Tower House in Castle Street, Douglas and Tynwald Mills, St John’s.

Adult Learners’ Week in England is run by the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) charity. NIACE have agreed to officially endorse any event held in the Isle of Man but no financial assistance is available as the island is outside its scope.

Darran Kenna, owner and head trainer at Resolve, has therefore reached an agreement with Tower House and Tynwald Mills for events to be hosted using their facilities free of charge.

If you would like more information regarding this event, either with a view to contributing as an organisation or individual, or to find out what event is on and when, contact Darran at Resolve by emailing {mailto:Resolveiom@gmail.com|Resolveiom(at)gmail.com}

A 24-YEAR-OLD Ramsey woman has been elected to the world’s biggest sports medicine and science organisation as a ‘student voice’.

Katie Taylor, of Pairk Ollay, Ramsey, is studying for a PhD at the University of Idaho, having gained a degree in sports science from the University of Central Lancashire.

She first went to the US university in 2010 after winning the Department of Education and Children’s Ella Olesen scholarship.

She returned to the North West state last autumn to further her studies after being awarded a graduate teaching assistantship.

Now Katie has been accepted as a national student representative on the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) – the largest sports medicine and exercise science organisation in the world.

She represents the North West chapter of ACSM, which is one of a dozen chapters and includes Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Katie said: ‘With more than 45,000 members and certified professionals worldwide, ACSM is dedicated to advancing scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine.

‘ACSM provides the worldwide guidelines for the recommended levels of physical activity, for example.

‘I submitted my application not expecting anything from it and was delighted when I learned I had been successful. My election means I am the voice of the students in the North West of America.

‘I am honoured to be able to represent students on such a well-respected organisation. I am proud to be the first person from the Isle of Man, maybe even the British Isles, to sit on the executive board.’

Katie’s role will see her attend all the ACSM national meetings.

She has just been to a regional ACSM conference in Oregon, where she was one among eight of 250 attendees invited to speak. She was awarded the ‘outstanding doctorate research’ prize for her study on insulin resistance and its presentation.

Katie will help to arrange the ACSM’s regional conference in 2014 and will be the main organiser of the associated, highly competitive, student competition that takes place at it.

She will also travel to Orlando, Florida, next year for the national ACSM conference.

Katie will fit her role in around her studies in physiology, ethics, and statistics and teaching weight training, motor behaviour, biomechanics and health promotion to undergraduates.

She also teaches Manx dancing in primary schools as an after-school activity.

Katie said: ‘As ever, I am thankful to the Department of Education and Children for providing me with the opportunities that have got me to where I am today.’

A FIVE-HOUR rescue operation took place to save retired midwife and district nurse Beryl Docking after the recent snow storm left her stranded in her Beary Hill farmhouse.

The 92-year-old and farmer Juan ‘Joe’ Bell were completely cut off, with no electricity, on Beary Farm above Glen Helen on the night of Thursday, March 21.

Beryl worked for decades delivering the babies of the west of the island and it was two of these babies – JCK boss James Cubbon and Colin Christie – who drove a digger up the three-quarters of a mile lane, which was filled with 12 feet of snow, to get her down to safety the next morning.

They came after Joe, 68, whose children and younger brother were also brought into the world by Beryl, spent a fraught night trying to keep both his beloved landlady and his animals alive.

‘I’m not one to panic,’ said Joe, ‘but at 3am that night when I was trying to cross from the farm buildings to the house I didn’t know if we were going to make it. I felt like Scott in Antarctica, it was horrendous.

‘I’ve never seen a storm like it – it was raging – worse than the snows of 1962/63.’

He explained: ‘Luckily there is an aga up there and I kept putting hot water bottles in with Beryl throughout the night to keep her warm. But if the aga had gone out we’d have been in trouble.

‘When I managed to get an hour’s sleep I had a blanket over my head and my feet stuck in the bottom of the aga.’

He said: ‘I called my daughter saying “tell somebody we’re up here”. She contacted the Department of Infrastructure who got straight on to JCK in the morning. James called me and told me “don’t worry we’re working our way up the hill” and when they emerged five hours later, boy, I was pleased to see them. To drive a digger up that lane is no mean feat, there’s a sheer drop on one side. I’m so grateful to them both but they did it for her really.’

With the help of some friends, Joe cleared the yard and took Beryl straight to his house in Peel where she’s been staying since. ‘She is unsteady on her feet and has bad arthritis but luckily we both came out of it fine,’ he said, ‘She’s like another mother to me.’

Beryl, who trained as a nurse in London during the war, was unfazed by the ordeal. She said: ‘The police were worried about me but I had Joe there with me and I knew he’d sort it out. I knew they were coming for me and Joe made sure I was warm enough. He’s very resourceful. I’m very grateful to him and his wife June.’

Joe added: ‘By the morning there was 16 feet of snow in the yard, I couldn’t even see my tractor and one of the rooves had collapsed with young cattle inside.’ He has 40 beef cattle, which all survived, and 180 sheep. ‘I managed to get a few sheep inside but there are still many missing,’ he explained. ‘I’ll be grateful if I have more than 30 per cent of my lambs left. The fields are all still covered in nine feet of snow and my next worry will be feeding the animals because all the grass will be dead.’

Joe’s surviving sheep have gone to Aileen Crebbin and 26 of his cattle went to John Maddrell until he can take them back. ‘I’m very grateful to them both for helping me out,’ he said.

He also thanked the DoI, Chris Kneale from DEFA and Marty Downey who was ready to help out. ‘People have just been fantastic,’ he concluded.

UP to 100 jobs are set to be created in the island over the next year thanks to a planned new call and contact centre.

That’s the message from the people behind an ‘exciting’ venture which aims to win business from around the world.

And the new enterprise, called Yello, is holding a two-day recruitment event at The Courthouse, Athol Street, Douglas later this month where bosses will be providing a showcase for budding employees to show off their abilities.

Martin Linham, chief executive officer, said he believes people in the island have the abilities to do a first class job and the Manx centre will provide a better service than others across the world.

And he told Business News: ‘There is so much backlash against the Indian call centres now because what we are after and what we are looking for out of our staff is not people that will work just from a script. We wantreal people answering the phones to real people.’

He added: ‘We identified a big gap in the market for somebody to provide customer service and outsource work which is not all paperwork and accounts.’ Initially they are looking to take on 35 to 40 people here.

He said: ‘We started talking to Government and they have been extremely supportive. We met with the chief minister and officials from the Department of Economic Development and here we are now, just about to take 4,000 square ft of office space.

‘We plan to be up and running in May. We have recruitment open days at The Courthouse in Athol Street, Douglas on April 24 and 25.

‘We are hoping that within the next 12 months we will have up to 100 staff in the island and we are really going to push this and it could be the tip of the iceberg.’

Mr Linham, 44, said customer service operations can be a headache for many companies, ‘so we are saying to them that they can outsource to us and cut costs.’

Mr Linham and chief operations officer John Hewitt, 44, say they were looking to take on people from all sorts of backgrounds.

Scots born businessman Mr Hewitt said initially they would be looking to take on 35 to 40 people.

He said: ‘That is the challenge, to get the right people through the door to join us. We want local people.’

Asked what sort of people they were looking to take on, Mr Linham said: ‘They must have the ability to think outside the box. Someone who is not a robot. We want people who have common sense and a sense of humour as well as the drive and commitment to succeed.’

‘We are doing this for the Isle of Man. We live here, our kids are Manx and we want to do this for the island.

‘We recognise times have been tough and there have been redundancies in various companies in the last 12 months and we want to help fill that gap.’

Mr Linham lives in Baldrine and is a father of two girls aged 16 and 13. Mr Hewitt lives in Laxey and has a 13-year-old daughter and a son aged five. Both men knew each other though their children who attend the same school.

Mr Linham left his job running an eGaming business in the island to concentrate on this new venture.

He said customers could come from companies all over the world and there are already several companies on board to outsource to Yello.

He said the service will appeal to firms of all sizes. ‘eGgaming companies, telephone companies, anybody that has a customer service.

‘Even the plumber that is a one-man band and needs somebody to answer his phone and make appointments for him.

‘It’s from a sole trader to someone that needs a virtual office right up to multinationals. So we are catering for everybody. We have many years experience of operation and management between us.’

‘We are independent and looking to focus on creating jobs here’.

Both men said they had considered other jurisdictions but in the end the island was preferred because of its ‘can do attitude.’

They said Yello had two directors in the UK, a husband and wife in Scotland, Mark and Arusha Irvine who have 25 years’ experience in eGaming. who have lots of contacts in the business world and are also said to have huge call centre experience.

The company’s chairman is island based businessman Morris Hazell.

Recruitment sessions take place at The Courthouse on Wednesday, April 24 between 4pm and 7.30pm and on Thursday, April 25 between 11am and 2.30pm.

The finishing touches are being put to a new website at www.talktoyello.com

Anyone wanting any information can email info@talktoyello.com

A ROAD accident closed the main road between Kirk Michael and Ballacraine this morning.

It has now re-opened and the bus services are back to normal.

PART of the A3 Kirk Michael to Ballacraine road has now re-opened after closure due to a road traffic accident today (Tuesday).

At about 8am, the police announced the road would be closed between Douglas Road Corner and Barregarrow crossroads for about one to two hours.

No more details about the accident have been released, but the road is now open once more.

A TRAINING day will help those working on the front line with young people to make links with other agencies and open up more opportunities for young people to access positive activities.

That’s the hope of the Department of Education and Children’s Youth Service, which is inviting teachers, youth workers, Guide and Scout leaders, sports coaches and other professionals who come into contact with young people to take part in the training event on Saturday, April 20.

Closer Links will be held at the Isle of Man College’s Nunnery Campus in Douglas from 9.30am to 3pm and is free to attend.

Principal youth officer Ken Callister said: ‘We know 72 per cent of young people aged 11-19 are involved in positive activities and we know from research young people who are engaged in activities outside school do better when it comes to exams and getting jobs.

‘These activities and the people that provide them are not only helping young people achieve but also sometimes steering them in the direction of extra help and support or encouraging them to try something new.

‘Adults who are investing time and energy in helping young people are building us a stronger and more inclusive community. With some peer support and more knowledge and awareness of all the opportunities and services, between us we can make the Isle of Man an even better place for young people to grow up.’

Participants will get the opportunity to learn about the range of activities provided for young people.

And agencies and charities that offer young people help and advice over alcohol, drugs, health and wellbeing, relationships and other issues will be present to outline their services.

Ken said those working with young people often feel more confident about signposting to specialist services when they know the individuals involved.

He added: ‘To ensure young people have access to a wide range of activities and the best help and advice available to them, it helps to ensure those working closely with them know what the different agencies offer and who the contacts are and we aim to increase this knowledge and strengthen these contacts through this event.’

Anyone interested in taking part should call the Youth Service on 686057 or email youthservice@doe.sch.im

AT lunchtime on Tuesday, April 16, a presentation will be given at the Palace Hotel, Douglas.

The main speakers will be two senior officers from the Offshore Coordination Unit within the H M Revenue & Customs Specialist Investigations Office.

The presentation will be about the terms and background to the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and Isle of Man.

Importantly, it will also cover some of the operational issues of the Manx Disclosure Facility.

The more recently signed agreements with Guernsey, Jersey and the Cayman Islands increase speculation as to who will be next in signing up to automatic disclosure of financial arrangements with the UK Government.

Relevant to the work of all within the financial services industry, this event will provide a unique opportunity to hear from and gain an insight into the work of senior operational officers from H M Revenue & Customs, to understand more about the new requirements and their implications in practice.

There will be a chance to raise concerns and ask questions.

The presentation will be chaired by John Cowan, Tax Partner at Crowe Clark Whitehill LLC.

Places should be pre-booked through John Danielson or Sue Dixon on 01624 627335 or email john.danielson@crowecw.im. There is no charge for places.

Police are investigating damage caused to several vehicles some time between 12pm on Saturday and 12.45am on Sunday, while they were parked in the area of Janet’s Corner and Mona Terrace, Castletown.

The vehicles in question were a blue Nissan Note which had the front nearside light cluster smashed and a silver Citroen XSara Picasso, which has had the paintwork scratched on every panel.

Anyone with any information is urged to contact Constable Tyle at Port Erin police station on 832222, or alternatively give their information via the anonymous Crimestoppers line which is 0800 555 111.