Fun runners and serious athletes from across the Isle of Man will again be competing for the chance to become KPMG Promenade Relay champions, this year with the chance to also win up to £300 in cash donations to their chosen charities.

The KPMG Promenade Relay, which is now in its second year, will be taking place on Friday, June 13.

The competitors will complete the 10km Douglas Promenade course in teams of either two or four in support of Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research and its mission to beat blood cancers.

The event is sponsored by The Claremont, ILS, Shoprite, Appleby, Barclays, RL360, Richmond Travel, Microgaming and the Douglas Development Partnership. Participants will also collect their own fundraising money in aid of KPMG’s chosen charity of the year, Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, an organisation dedicated to delivering patient benefits throughout the UK and Isle of Man.

Event coordinator Paul Cawley of KPMG said: ‘Last year’s event raised over £13,000 for Rebecca House due to a large number of keen runners and fundraisers taking part.

‘There was certainly a great mix of runners, from those in fancy dress through to more competitive runners such as the winning team, “Twin Power” team consisting of brothers, Shaun and Jason Moore galloped home with a winning time of 34:46 seconds.

‘We are very excited to replay the event this year and are hoping for an even bigger turnout with entries already pouring in from across the island. Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research is a fantastic charity to support, helping to prevent more deaths caused by blood cancers each year.

‘The charity also helps to make patients’ lives better and works hard to stop blood cancers from developing in the first place, benefiting people throughout the UK and Isle of Man. It is a cause that hits home with so many people across the island and I urge everyone who can to come down and show their support during what is certain to be another great event.’

Callum Mackay of Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research UK added: ‘Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research has launched a series of programmes as a result of our research, each having an impact across the UK and also the Isle of Man.

‘Trials Acceleration Programme (TAP) is a network of 13 hospitals co-ordinated by the central hub at Birmingham University, and all the early signs are suggesting that the network is successful.

‘The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is one of our TAP centres, which has close links with Noble’s Hospital and is where all blood cancer patients from the Isle of Man are referred. Some of our research has even benefited patients worldwide.

‘For example, the minimal residual disease test (MRD) for children, which measures the level of leukaemia cells left post-treatment, is now a standard test all children with the most common form of leukaemia and it allows treatments to be tailored to be most effective in beating the disease.

‘Continued support allows us to keep investing in ground breaking research to beat blood cancer. We are grateful to KPMG and the event’s sponsors for organising the Promenade Relay and hope it is a massive success.’

For more race information, entry and sponsorship forms, visit www.kpmg.co.im/promenaderelay, or contact the KPMG team directly at events@kpmg.co.im.

The Promenade Relay opens for sign on from 5pm for a 6pm start.

A new film explaining what happens when children and vulnerable young people go missing in the Isle of Man gets its premiere at the Manx Museum on Wednesday, April 16.

Young people who have lived in children’s homes on the island share their experiences in the movie, made by children’s charity St Christopher’s Fellowship with support of the police, the government’s former Department of Social department and the Isle of Man College.

The film, entitled Missing, focuses on the procedures that swing into action when a vulnerable child or young person is reported missing. It is the latest in the Wrap project made by St Christopher’s with participation of the children and young people in its care.

Rob Adlem, new business development manager at St Christopher’s Fellowship, said: ‘We believe that in order to run great services for children and young people it is vital that we listen to what they tell us. The Wrap film project gives a voice to young people and allows them to tell us how they feel in a format that inspires them.

‘We want all young people to be safe and by sharing all of our thoughts on this subject we are in a better place to understand.’

Top tribute bands from the UK as well as other attractions from skydiving to a large licensed beer tent await TT fans making the trip to Jurby for the Bikekini Motofest 2014.

Organisers hope the venture, at the Jurby airfield racing circuit from May 30 to June 6, will revitalise TT entertainment and compensate for the reduced entertainment on Douglas promenade.

Organisers’ spokesman Tina Carter said: ‘The existing entertainment is tired and dated and our aim is to reinvent TT entertainment and eventually become the focal point for entertainment during the Isle of Man TT Festival.’

A large outdoor stage will host bands including UK Foo Fighters, Desert Monkeys (Arctic Monkeys), The Stones (Rolling Stones), Riff/Raff (AC/DC) and Hats Off to Led Zeppelin. Headliner on Senior Race Day will be Rumours of Fleetwood Mac, a tribute to the world’s first super group.

Big screens fed from web cams around the course will ensure everyone stays up to date with the race action which will also have live race timing and live commentary from Manx Radio. The beer tent will boast television screens as well as a beer garden.

There will also be a food court, children’s play area and a trade village.

The tribute acts will be supported by a host of local bands who will also provide live daytime entertainment on non-race days. Various other activities will be on offer including a strong man competition, bike balancing and wheel changing contests with live timing on stage.

Daily live stunt shows from Vertical Trix should offer extra fun for the crowds. The organisation will bring along its twin wheelie machine. Said to be the the closest possible simulation of pulling a wheelie on the road without the danger or risk, it allows competition between friends in complete safety.

Trials and stunt rider Steve Colley will be performing on Saturday evening, May 31, and the Purple Helmets display team will perform on Tuesday, June 3, as well as taking part in the Motofest quarter mile duel sprint event. Sprints will also take place on Sunday June 1 and Thursday June 5.

Ms Carter said: ‘The event has received huge local interest and support from businesses and this is very encouraging.’

The Black Knights Parachute Centre will be installed at the airfield offering tandem skydives from up to 15,000ft from Tuesday May 27 to Friday June 6. Tandem skydives can arranged in aid of charity such as hospice IOM and organisers say the attraction has already stirred considerable interest.

The adjoining campsite for up to 1,000 campers will have toilets and showers. A further tented area will be for festival goers who decide to stay the night at short notice. The Motofest café will be open from early morning to provide cooked breakfasts for campers.

Eight-day festival wristbands cost £10 for adults and children go in free of charge. Camping is available at £5 per person per night. The festival site will be open 10am to 11.30pm daily. Bookings for wristbands and camping are at www.motofest.im or through the  Motofest team by emailing info@motofest.im

The new chairman of the Manx Utilities Authority has apologised for a delay in completing a water main renewal project in Glen Vine.

Alfred Cannan blamed poor weather conditions and problems encountered during excavations for the six-week delay.

The issue was raised by Juan Turner MLC, a Glen Vine resident himself, who claimed it had taken a quarter of year to re-lay less than 0.1 miles of water main. He claimed no works had been carried out on site for days on end, despite Glen Vine Road being fully closed. ‘Does he think that’s acceptable?’ he asked the MUA chairman.

Mr Cannan said: ‘I apologise to Glen Vine residents for the time this is taking. The excavation was far more complicated than originally planned.’

He said the programme had fallen behind due to poor ground conditions and bad weather during the winter which had drastically reduced excavation rates. A number of other underground services had also been encountered with some not laid to regulation depth.

Mr Cannan said there would be a management review of the project to highlight any weaknesses. The work is being done to replace the current 60-year-old asbestos cement water main which serves several hundred homes in the Ballagarey estate. The scheme is now six weeks behind its 13 week schedule.

A team from Oxford university along with local re-enactment group the Vikings of Mann offered an intriguing glimpse of the past when they performed a Viking burial at the weekend.

The university team was in the island carrying out research into Viking myths and burial customs and decided to re-create the Viking Ballateare burial at Ardwhallan.

John Shakespeare, of Vikings of Mann, said: ‘Ballateare near Jurby was one of the best burial sites but it was swept into the sea by coastal erosion.’

The original Viking funeral is thought to have been a lengthy and logistically complicated process involving animal and human sacrifices in its latter stages.

The Ballateare grave – which is one of the most spectacular Viking graves in the Isle of Man – dated from the late ninth or 10th centuries. It contained the remains of a man, who was contained in a coffin, along with various weapons including a sword, three spears and a shield. Items found in the grave itself revealed a mixture of Norwegian and Danish burial traditions as well as suggesting links with Ireland.

Personnel involved in the re-enactment included the deceased, a servant to be sacrificed as part of the ritual, a verse reciter, and musicians, mourners, pall bearers ,warriors, slaves, torchbearers and gravediggers. Children were invited to take part in the proceedings.

The teams completed two full runs through the process – a dummy run the previous night and another the following day accompanied by more explanation of what was happening.

The Viking longhouse at Ardwhallan was open to the public, as was a Viking tent with displays of various Viking artefacts and other displays by the Vikings of Mann. The whole event was run in conjunction with the Department of Education and Children.

Mr Shakespeare said the event had gone well and thanked Carys Lloyd, Jo Callister and Paul Melling at the Department of Education for their help and support.

The Isle of Man was settled by the Vikings in the ninth century and Norse artefacts have been found widely in the island including ship burials, sites of settlements andfortifications, silver hoards and inscribed stone crosses.

The team from Oxford worked closely with schools, the museum, archaeologists, re-enactment teams and local experts, as well as visiting a number of the island’s most important archaelolgical sites and monuments. The aim was to learn more about heritage management and public engagement with adults and children.

The results of the project are to be published in a 50-page booklet.

A Celtic style display curated by Manx National Heritage has opened at the House of Manannan in Peel.

The free exhibition is open until February 7 next year. It is being staged as part of the island’s Year of Culture and also commemorates the 150th anniversary of the birth of Archibald Knox.

The exhibition explores the influences that inspired Knox and his Scottish and Irish contempories in the early part of the 20th century.

Pictured are island visitors Linda and Mike Walmsley, from Uttoxeter, admiring some of the Archibald Knox silver on display.

The Communications Commission has updated its website with information about avoiding high data roaming charges when travelling off the island with a mobile phone.

When you surf the web, check emails, open attachments, download songs, upload pictures to social media or stream movies on your phone when travelling, you will be charged for using data.

Even if you do not engage in these activities, if data roaming is enabled on your phone, various applications may update in the background, which can lead to a large bill.

A simple solution is to disable data roaming. Hotels and cafes often provide cheap or free Wi-Fi, and this allows you to connect to the internet without roaming. Another option is to buy a local SIM card. If you do need to data roam, your phone provider will offer more cost-effective roaming packages that can be purchased before your trip.

Chairman of the commission Juan Watterson MHK said: ‘People want to stay connected while travelling. Understanding the options, such as turning off data roaming and using Wi-Fi, or purchasing a roaming package before the trip, will allow consumers to avoid high roaming costs.’

The commission provides roaming advice {http://www.iomcc.im/faq.xml|here} and additional guidance {http://www.gov.im/lib/docs/cc/avoid_high_data_roaming_charges.pdf|here}.

Consumers should visit their phone provider’s website for more information about roaming. To get instructions on how to disable data roaming, Manx Telecom customers can call 01624 624624, and Sure customers can call 07624 247247.

An evening of ‘Brass n’ Voices’ raised almost £900 for the Manx Blind Welfare Society, which looks after the interests of over 600 people with serious sight loss on the Isle of Man.

The Lon Dhoo Male Voice Choir and Rushen Silver Band provided the entertainment at the event, which was organised by the Isle of Man Fund for the Blind, the fundraising arm of MBWS.

An audience of more than 80 were treated to an evening of wonderful music and singing at Bemahague School in Onchan, raising £878.90 through tickets sales and a raffle.

Volunteers’ coordinator and events organiser Debbie Kenyon said: ‘Brass n’ Voices was a wonderful event, and we were delighted to see so many people enjoying the exceptional performances of the choir and band.

‘I’d like to thank the Lon Dhoo Male Voice Choir, Rushen Silver Band, everyone who came along and Fund chairman Jean Purvis and her team for organising such a tremendous evening.

‘The funds raised at events like this are absolutely vital to allow us to continue to provide important amenities for people with serious sight loss in the Isle of Man. We provide many essential services for free and rely entirely upon the generosity of the public to continue that work.’

Queen scallop fishermen will be required to have a special licence from this year.

New regulations for the island’s queen scallop fishery are planned following a public consultation on management measures.

While many of the measures introduced last year have been retained, fishermen this year will be required to have a specific queen scallop licence as part of their consolidated licence for fishing in Manx territorial waters.

The new licence will enable management measures such as setting catch limits, gear restrictions and closures to be quickly implemented. There will be no charge for a licence this year and all fishing licence holders will be contacted to ask if they wish to have their licence amended to include fishing for queen scallops.

Environment, Food and Agriculture Minister Phil Gawne said: ‘We remain committed to ensuring this is a sustainably-managed fishery which is also profitable for fishermen. I believe the new regulation will be a valuable tool in helping ensure we achieve this aim.’

Plans have been submitted for a motor museum to house and display classic vehicles at Jurby industrial estate.

Denis and Darren Cunningham have applied (14/00343/B) for the development, which if approved, is expected to accommodate 30,000 visitors per year.

They own a ‘large and continually expanding collection of vehicles’ they want to make available to the public.

The museum would house and display classic vehicles including cars, motorcycles, trucks, fire engines, buses ‘and more from all eras and from around the world’.

As well as the museum, there would be a workshop for restoring vehicles, coffee kiosk, gift shop and customer and staff facilities.

Jobs would be created for at least 10 people.

Schools and classic vehicles would be encouraged to visit the museum, as well as visiting coach tours and clubs.

The plan includes parking provision, junction access and roadway.

As the site is owned by the Department of Infrastructure, the application will be referred to the Council of Ministers.

This week four schools – Ramsey Grammar and Ballasalla, Laxey and Michael primaries – have shared with parents the comments from an external validation of their School Self Review and Evaluation (SSRE).

The process of SSRE is continuous and entails schools reviewing all aspects of their work and making judgements about what they are doing well and where they need to take action to secure improvement, Martin Barrow, the island’s director of education, said.

The possible judgements are ‘significant strength’, ‘good’, ‘satisfactory’ and ‘action required’.

For the most part, all four schools were in the good category in most areas.

Ramsey Grammar is a ‘well-led school in which the staff are particularly caring and in which students are engaged in learning’.

It has a number of significant strengths - including the overall learning environment and its care, guidance and support - and is in ‘a good position to improve even further’.

Learning and teaching at Laxey are ‘good’ and moving towards being a ‘significant strength’.

The review says it is in a good position to improve.

It says: ‘Parents have a very positive image of the school and are happy with their children’s education.’

In the future, the school says it will be known for having significant strengths.

Michael School says: ‘Parents informed us that their children prefer to be at school than at home.’

It has a number of significant strengths, including the overall learning environment, and is good overall.

One gap identified is between boys and girls. Boys’ attainment is rated as good, girls’ as very good. The school has developed an action plan to close the gap.

Ballasalla’s positive ethos is praised. But it says its self-review document ‘does not currently allow it to demonstrate that it knows itself well enough’.

It continues: ‘There is a need to strengthen the school’s self review and evaluation processes to enable it to fully document its strength and areas for improvement.’

It adds: ‘The validation team concurred that the school is held in high esteem by the parents and wider community and that parents are grateful for what the school provides for their children both academically and socially.’

Mr Barrow said: ‘This process supports schools in having a clear view of how to build on their strengths to ensure they continue to offer the best possible learning opportunities to pupils.

‘The Department of Education and Children believes the process has proved very effective in helping schools to improve their practice.’

To support schools in confirming that the judgements they have made are accurate, the process has an external element built in to it.

The first external validation cycle took place from 2008 to 2011 and a second validation cycle began in September 2013, Mr Barrow said.

It involves an external validator, together with a DEC adviser, working with headteachers to review the evidence schools have used to make judgements and to quality assure their accuracy.

The validating company, World Class Learning, was chosen from a number of companies that tendered.

The island does not have Ofsted assessments, as schools do in England.

Any areas for improvement or further dissemination of best practice are then identified in the annual School Improvement Plan and supported by the school’s link adviser.

Mr Barrow said: ‘The main aim of the validation process is to provide professional support to schools to help them to refine their own judgements. When a school has been involved in this validation process, they will take the opportunity to share key outcomes with parents.’

Results from other schools will be released later.

Members of the North American Manx Association will be returning to their roots this summer with a visit to the Isle of Man for Tynwald Day.

Between 80 and 100 people from various parts of North America who were born or whose ancesters were born in the Isle of Man will make the trip in July.

Kelly McCarthy, whose father Dollin Kelly lives in Port St Mary and aunt Esther Richmond was Isle of Man Newspapers’ court reporter for more than 40 years is president of the Washington area association, is organising the trip.

‘Really we are an umbrella organisation for a lot of smaller societies. We produce a news letter and every two years there is a big convention where we go somewhere and do things that as far as possible in America reflect Manx heritage.’

So when this year was Mrs McCarthy’s turn to organise the trip, she decided to go one better and actually come to the Isle of Man.

‘There are elements of Manx culture in Wisconsin, ‘she said.

‘For example in Plateville there is a Laxey chapel built by the Foxdale miners who went there and there is also a Manx Museum in the university that traces the immigration of these people.

‘But as it is my turn to organise this year’s convention, I thought it would be a really good idea to hold it in the Isle of Man.’

Members of the organisation in America will often have Manx themed activities like dancing or viewing of films like Waking Ned, shot in the island, but it will be the first time since 2000 that the group has been to the Isle of Man.

‘We have been very fortunate in that the president of Tynwald Clare Christian has been really welcoming, as have Manx National Heritage, Peel Cathedral, Castletown commissioners, who are all hosting events for us,’ she said.

The visitors will enjoy a reception at the Sefton courtesy of Manx National Heritage, tea with the dean of Peel Cathedral and afternoon tea at the town hall in Castletown: ‘We couldn’t find a tea room big enough for us all,’ Mrs McCarthy said. They will also visit Cregneash, hold a meeting in the Villa arcade where the Wurlitzer will play the countries’ respective national anthems, and have a tour of the Tynwald buildings.

One of the visit highlights will be holding their association board meeting in the Legislative Council chambers.

‘Everyone was so delighted about this and they are all so excited about coming back, particularly as many have relatives still living in the Isle of Man,’ she added.

The Sefton Hotel in Douglas is the official visit hotel though many will be staying elsewhere, and its atrium is also the location for the Manx National Heritage reception. Crowning glory at the end of the official visit will be a trip to Tynwald Day on July 7 to see the pomp and circumstance of the annual outdoor ceremony.

Visitors will also have some free time to do family history research and visit the island’s cemeteries if they wish: ‘We are hoping one of them, who is a direct descendent of Mike Standing, who came over on the Mayflower, will be well enough to attend,’ Mrs McCarthy said.

In the run up to the visit, Mrs McCarthy is hoping to get as many Manx businesses on side as possible.

‘I’m seeking to invite sponsors for the trip and I would also like people who offer on-line products, locally-produced products to get in touch with me.

‘Our visitors will want to buy items as mementos from their trip and small items can be carried on the plane but because of the weight restriction I think many of them would also be particularly interested in on-line shopping.

‘I am also keen for people who offer goods and services to get in touch so I can include their information in the delegates’ information packages.

Mrs McCarthy can be contacted by email on kelly@mustgoto.com

A historic building is soon to disappear in the West of the island as demolition work begins on the Farmers’ Arms hotel in St John’s.

The building on Station Road has stood empty since the pub closed its doors for the last time several years ago.

In 2011 the site was bought by the Department of Infrastructure for £372,000.

They described the building as being in ‘poor general condition’ at the time of sale.

The demolition, expected to be completed by the end of Easter, follows the department receiving planning permission in principle in September 2013 to redevelop the site for residential purposes.

The department already owns land around the area, including the site of the former cattle mart and the sheltered housing facilities on the other side of Station Road.

Originally called The Central Hotel, the historic building was constructed when the railway line reached St John’s from Douglas in 1873.

It became known as The Farmers’ Arms because of its location next to the cattle mart, from which it enjoyed a roaring trade.

Beyond approval in principle for residential development and the demolition itself, there are no firm plans in place for the future of the site.

Andrew Wallis, of the Treasury’s Strategic Asset Management Unit, said:

‘At the current time we are working with the Department of Health and Social Security as we look at the options for redeveloping the site in the future.

‘There is a variety of different types of housing and we are looking at the best approach as we move forward.’

Concerns were previously raised as the boundary of the site takes in a section of the Heritage Trail along the old railway line.

Mr Wallis gave assurances that any future developments would not interfere with the existing public right of way:

‘The planning consent is conditional on the basis that we don’t impact on the existing footpath and heritage railway.’

He added that any future development will require full planning permission.

As part of this year’s Island of Culture the Manx Passion is to be performed at sites around the island this Easter.

It is an ambitious community theatrical project to be staged in seven locations and with a cast that includes a number of first time-performers and singers.

Its director is Jan Palmer Sayer, who holds a degree in drama and education from Middlesex University, has run her own theatre company, Shattered Windscreen, and recently retired as head teacher of Herstwood, a specialist arts college in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire.

She said: ‘Right from the outset I wanted this to be a community production. Very much in the spirit of Island of Culture 2014, which seeks to leave a lasting legacy, I wanted the cast to include people who’d never acted or sung before but who, bolstered by this experience, might choose to go on and perform again.

‘We’ve had a tremendous response from the Isle of Man community. We didn’t hold auditions as such – this was very much a community response to our request for cast members, supporters and helpers. The cast spans a really wide age group, from a seven-year-old girl to a man in his 80s. Also in the cast is 2013 Young Singer of Mann finalist Michelle Jamieson, who’s 16 and playing Mary.

‘Carrie Hunt of the Broadway Theatre Company has provided us with some incredibly gifted young performers; then we have the Isle of Man Wind Orchestra, a choir from Bunscoill Ghaelgagh, the Lon Dhoo male voice choir and our own Passion choir. This is a 20-strong scratch choir we’ve formed, among them people who have never sung before, so this is real “Gareth Malone” stuff.’

Performances are being staged daily from this Sunday until Good Friday.

Performed largely outside, the Manx Passion will be shaped by the weather, but whatever the weather the performances will go ahead. Mrs Palmer Sayer said: ‘I’m used to directing performances in the dramatic cliff-side setting of the Minack open-air theatre in Cornwall, so coping with the Isle of Man weather won’t be a problem.’

Manx Passion performances take place: Sunday, 2pm: Creation, Nativity and Passion – Rushen Abbey; Monday, 6.30pm: Creation – Mooragh Park, Ramsey; Tuesday, 6.30pm: Nativity, Church of St John the Baptist, St John’s; Wednesday, 6.30pm: Creation, King William’s College; Thusday, 6.30pm Nativity, Kirk Maughold; Good Friday, noon: The Passion, Peel Castle; Good Friday, 6pm: The Passion, Church of St Anthony, Onchan.

Mrs Palmer Sayer explained: ‘We wanted the Manx Passion to be an all-island production so looked at lots of different sites and settled on a mix of locations. Some, but not all, are based around a church. In Ramsey we’re using Mooragh Park so we’ll be introducing humour into the Noah scenes where we can use the children’s water feature to great effect and will be setting off fireworks from the island in the middle of the lake.

‘Rushen Abbey affords tremendous opportunities to stage a great promenade piece of theatre and I just had to use Peel Castle as one of the locations. It’s a wonderfully dramatic setting where the Passion will take place with the cross raised and set against the skyline.’

Island of Culture 2014 director Michael Lees said he was delighted that Jan accepted the Isle of Man Arts Council’s commission to direct the Passion.

‘We’re also fortunate to have Cyd Waters as our musical director, who has extensive experience in community projects, and the talented Tim Price who has written a wonderful score,’ said Mr Lees.

Manx-born Tim Price, 23, from Ramsey, who holds a Masters degree in composition from the University of Bangor, said: ‘My approach to composing the score is founded on my Christian faith. The music’s very much been shaped by my understanding and interpretation of key events in the Bible, such as the Crucifixion, Creation and Nativity. But at the same time I’ve been mindful to introduce an element of drama that doesn’t overpower the performance as a whole.’

Tickets, priced £5 for adults and £1 for under-18s (under-12s to be accompanied by an adult) are available from the Welcome Centre at the Sea Terminal or from the Villa/Gaiety box office, call 600555 or go onling to www.villagaiety.com (Peel Castle not suitable for the disabled. No formal seating at Peel Castle or Rushen Abbey; audiences may sit on the grass).

The Island of Culture 2014 is a year-long celebration of the island’s talent and creativity, led by the Isle of Man Arts Council.

While well publicised events took place in Douglas and Peel on Wednesday to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Archibald Knox at 40 Cronkbourne Village in 1864, a very small and impromptu celebration took place at Government House in the afternoon.

The Trinity Church Ladies Wednesday Group were being given a private guided tour of the house by local historian Peter Kelly and in the drawing room he pointed out a watercolour painting by Knox. When he established that his audience were aware of the significance of the day he led them and members of Government House staff in singing Happy Birthday to the great artist.

Social workers are to be more tightly regulated in the Isle of Man.

The Department of Health and Social Care this week placed a measure before Tynwald about the matter of social workers’ registration.

It will make it compulsory from May 1 for all social workers to be registered with a professional body in neighbouring jurisdictions, such as the UK’s Health and Care Professions Council.

It will be an offence for people who are not registered to use the term ‘social worker’ with the intent to deceive others.

Using the term ‘social worker’ includes using a title or description which implies that people are registered.

Those who use the protected title or practise without registration, as well as fail to carry out adequate employment checks, may face prosecution.

The department’s registration and inspection unit will ensure that care service providers who employ social workers assure themselves, and the registration and inspection unit, that social workers are registered.

The department said the purpose was to assure the public about such services.

Minister for Health and Social Care Howard Quayle MHK said: ‘The requirement for registration brings the social work profession in line with many other disciplines. The introduction is a further example of the department’s commitment to maintain and improve our standard of care through regulation.’

Braddan Commissioners will hold their Parish Day celebrations on Strang Corner Field adjacent to Noble’s Hospital on May 5.

It is an opportunity for local businesses to promote themselves, and charities to raise funds.

For the children there will be running games and competitions, inflatable bouncy castles, a number of rides and a demonstration of circus skills.

For the adults, music will be provided by the Manx Jazz Aces band and a farmers’ market will again be an attraction.

The event starts at midday and finishes at 4pm with adequate parking on the field.

The Steam Packet’s fast craft Manannan flew an American flag last week to mark the retirement of a former commander from her days in military service.

The stars and stripes flew from the vessel during last Friday’s sailing from Liverpool to Douglas in tribute to Captain Thomas Shaw of the United States Navy.

He commanded the vessel when it was known as USS Joint Venture between 2001 and 2006, when it acted as a fast transport and support vessel for the U.S. armed forces.

Captain Shaw officially retires in June after 27 years’ military service. He has been recognised with numerous medals and awards during his career, including the prestigious Legion of Merit for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding achievements. He has participated in operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Philippines.

The Steam Packet agreed to recognise his service with Manannan after being approached by Commander Robert Stover, Director of Engineering with the Afloat Training Group in San Diego.

Steam Packet Company Chief Executive Mark Woodward said: ‘Manannan has served the Isle of Man well since joining our fleet and we are extremely proud of her. When Commander Stover asked if it would be possible to recognise Captain Shaw’s time with the vessel in his retirement year, we were delighted to pay our tribute.

Mr Woodward continued: ‘With so much history of our own, the Steam Packet Company was happy to agree to recognise the role Captain Shaw played in the history of Manannan. Everyone here wishes Captain Shaw all the best for his retirement.’

Commander Stover explained that Captain Shaw’s retirement will be marked with a formal ceremony in June attended by family, friends and colleagues and featuring a Navy band.

He said: ‘I would like to pass my personal best regards to everyone at the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company for allowing this to happen.’

A youth festival organised by Christians is to take place in July.

Firestarter is returning for 2014 after the success of last year’s event. Eighty tickets are available for this year’s four-day long party.

Firestarter is a four-day camp based at Ardwhallan Outdoor Education Centre, aimed at teenagers between the ages of 12 and 16. Volunteers from the island’s Christian churches have been running Firestarter since 1997, and it offers a mixture of fun stuff to do, including kayaking, hiking, talent shows, huge water fights, and other games and entertainment.

This year it will be running from July 21 to 24, the first week of the summer holidays.

Tickets cost £65 all-inclusive, but concessions are available for multi-child families and those who are unable to afford the full price.

Festival manager Tommy Harrison said: ‘Everyone had a great time last year, both the staff and the youth. We expect more of the same this year, plus we have a few surprises up our sleeve that we think everyone will enjoy.’

The camp offers 24-hour security and has a strict zero-tolerance policy on drugs, sex and alcohol, but organisers say they ‘otherwise offer a huge degree of freedom to the youth that attend’.

Festival coordinator Graeme Brooks said: ‘There’s no bed time, no getting up time, no compulsory activities and no pressure to talk about God stuff if you don’t want to.

‘The youth get from Firestarter get whatever they want to get from it; we’re just here to ensure there’s plenty of choices of things to keep them occupied.’

Tickets and more information are available at www.firestarterfestival.com.

Fourteen patients in the Isle of Man are waiting for organ transplants.

To promote awareness of this issue members of the Organ Donation Committee at Noble’s Hospital will be at both signing on events for the Manx Telecom Parish Walk.

They will also be running a water station during the race handing out bottles to walkers with details on labels about organ donation.

Some committee members will be taking part in the walk to raise funds for a memorial at Noble’s Hospital in memory of all those in the island who have donated organs.

The committee is made up of co-ordinators from the UK, and staff from the Noble’s Hospital and the mortuary.

One of the committee members is Diane Taylor. Her 15-year-old son Daniel died in a car accident in 2007.

After Daniel’s organs were donated, four patients got life-changing transplants.

Diane, who lives in St Jude’s and works for Manx Telecom, set up a Facebook page called ‘Organ Donation Isle of Man - The Gift of Life’ which raises awareness of organ donation.

She said: ‘Last year I took part in the Parish Walk with my best friend Shona Shade. We both walked in memory of our children [Diane’s son Daniel, and Shona’s daughter McKenzie] and also to raise awareness of organ donation in the Isle of Man.

‘This year I will be working with the committee from Noble’s Hospital and there will be a team taking part in the Parish Walk.

‘On the two signing-on nights we will be having a table with forms to sign up to the register and other promotional materials. There will also be a table at the checkpoint in Peel.

‘Organ donation is a sensitive subject, but it’s important for people to discuss and understand what’s involved. And it can make a huge difference to the lives of those in need of transplants.’

From April 2009 to February 2014 17 patients in the island received a life-saving organ transplants from a deceased donor. There are donor registers both here and in the UK. The greater the number there are who sign-up for these registers, then the greater the chances of organs being available which match the tissue-types of patients needing transplants.

For more information go to the ‘Organ Donation Isle of Man - The Gift of Life’ Facebook page, or www.organdonation.nhs.uk where you can join the NHS Organ Donor Register.