A STRETCH of the TT course from Ballacraine to Kirk Michael was closed for more than nine hours earlier today following a crash.
Police, who haven’t issued detailed information, say the road was closed at around 7.30am today (Tuesday). It was re-opened just before 5pm.
Another incident forced the closure of the coast road from Ballaragh Road, Laxey, to Dhoon Halt, Maughold. This too was re-opened at around 5pm.
iomtoday will bring you further details once more information becomes available.
ENTERPRISING Helen Fox has been providing bedding for horses and other livestock for two years.
Now Green Mann Bedding pioneer Helen is hoping to do more.
‘She said: ‘In working with businesses I realise that there is much more that we can do in the island to divert waste products from landfill.
‘There are many scrapstores set up across the world and they are a fantastic way of safely disposing of corporate or manufacturing waste while firms also fulfill their corporate social responsibility by helping grassroots community groups.’
Helen, who also runs the art department at Isle of Man College, said scrapstores can take a variety of waste as long as it could be reused for creative art materials.
‘This can be as diverse as cardboard tubes, sheets of die cut plastic, containers small and large, off cuts of paper, card and textiles, paint, canvas, posters, wallpaper, paper cups, foam, fabric, cord, ribbon and string. The list is endless.’
She is hoping clean reusable scrap materials, which businesses find hard to recycle, so would be otherwise land filled, can be made available for children and community groups to play or work with through a central collection point/store.
Helen said she was in talks with an established charity in the island to run the store as a joint venture which will be non-profit making.
Green Mann Bedding has been running for two years and is based at the Isle of Man Business Park.
The business, which is big on recycling and the environment involves using unwanted corrugated cardboard and processing it into bedding.
Helen says it is suitable for all kinds of animal husbandry including horses, lambing pens, poultry and game rearing.
The business is based in a 1,500 sq ft unit and the company has always promised to provide the ‘most comfortable sleep animals can possibly have.’
Helen said there is space available at the unit to establish a scrapstore.
She said only scrap that can be used as a creative resource is collected.
The idea is that the scrap is stored and then scrapstore members come along and collect the resources they need. ‘As a member you receive access to the warehouse and low cost scrap creative resources. In the future we hope to run workshops, hold exhibitions and set up a shop,’ said Helen.
She added that membership would be open to any group or individual working in a creative play, care, educational or therapeutic setting in the island.
Helen added: ‘We are currently looking to establish the breadth and range of materials available.’
Anyone interested in the project can contact Helen on 494727 or email helen@greenmannbedding.com
LOCALS are being urged to support a renewed campaign to showcase everything the island has to offer.
Global Friends is an initiative that aims to promote a deeper understanding and awareness of the Isle of Man through an international community of people who feel a strong affinity to the island.
Chief Minister Allan Bell is calling on residents to encourage family, friends and business associates in the UK and further afield to get involved.
‘We are always keen to hear from people who wish to join our network of friends and support our efforts to highlight the Isle of Man’s many strengths,’ said Mr Bell. ‘The announcement of this initiative is particularly timely as we prepare to welcome thousands of international visitors for the 2012 TT Festival. We hope many of them will sign up as friends and keep up to speed with all the good things that are happening in the Isle of Man.’
He added: ‘The island has proved itself to be a major asset to the global community and has established a reputation as a well-regulated, responsible and co-operative nation.
‘We have a great story to tell and want to communicate to the widest possible audience that the Isle of Man is the best small country in the world to live, work, visit and do business.
‘Our Global Friends can encourage others to learn more about the modern Isle of Man, a progressive, forward-thinking nation with a dynamic economy and impressive quality of life. They can also help to debunk some of the tired old myths and misconceptions about the island that are trotted out from time to time. We are seeking your help: if you have family, friends or business contacts overseas who would be interested in joining the island’s network of friends, please ask them to sign up.
‘Global Friends are kept up to date with all the latest developments about the Isle of Man through newsletters, promotional literature and helpful information on a wide range of issues.’
People can register their details via the Chief Secretary’s Office website {http://www.gov.im/cso/friends.aspx|http://www.gov.im/cso/friends.aspx}.
MEMBERS of the Department of Transport’s Road Safety Team will travel on Isle of Man Steam Packet Company sailings this week to target visiting bikers.
With 11,200 motorbikes booked to travel to the island for the TT, the largest number in 10 years other than for 2007’s centenary, on-board advisors will have a captive audience and will aim to speak to first-time visitors about the festival and the associated hazards they may face on the island’s roads.
From Monday (yesterday) to Wednesday this week, Road Safety Team members will be present on various sailings to and from the UK and Ireland.
Road safety manager Gordon Edwards said: ‘It is important for us to be able to target visitors before they arrive on the island, to make them aware of the dangers that can be present on our roads at this unique time of year. It is also a good opportunity for us to remind them of the one-way system on the Mountain Road, temporary speed limits and changes to the roads which they may not be aware of.
‘I would like to thank the Steam Packet Company for supporting us and being able to accommodate us on their sailings at this busy time of year.’
To accommodate the seasonal surge in passenger numbers the Steam Packet has chartered an additional freight vessel to supplement its fleet during TT fortnight.
The 1,000 metre capacity freighter MV Arrow, chartered from Seatruck Ferries, will assist with peak inbound and outbound periods.
She is the sister ship of the freighter MV Helliar, which covered during the Ben-my-Chree’s scheduled dry dock last month.
The freighter, along with the Steam Packet’s own Ben-my-Chree and Manannan, will serve alongside a second chartered vessel – P&O Express – which will operate sailings to and from Larne, Northern Ireland.
Steam Packet Company chief executive Mark Woodward said: ‘While MV Arrow doesn’t bring any additional passenger space, we have already made provision for 43,000 extra seats scheduled over the TT period.
‘It will provide additional freight capacity during the peak inbound traffic flow from Tuesday, May 28, until Monday, June 4. She will assist again during the peak outbound period between Saturday, June 9, and Tuesday, June 12, providing additional operational resilience during the busiest time of the year and maintains excess freight capacity for the island’s businesses and services.’
Tuesday, May 29
Aries
(March 21 - April 20)
Friends and neighbours figure highly in your life this week. There is a golden opportunity to get closer to those you normally see briefly. Don’t be too influenced by either first appearances or gossip. There is someone who could prove a great friend. Just give them the chance. Money matters seem more relaxed now and are not so mixed up with personal relationships.
Taurus
(April 21 - May 21)
A supportive atmosphere encourages you to share both your hopes and frustrations, which gives someone the chance to come up with a possible solution. While your own imagination is in hibernation, listen to the ideas of others. Romance may not be on your list of priorities but it is worth delaying rather than refusing a tempting offer. The right time will come.
Gemini
(May 22 - June 21)
Be prepared to shimmer with success as this new week begins. You are reminded of the dreams that still inspire you. Determined to reach them, you start in a new direction. Small targets will get you there eventually. Don’t be in too much of a hurry as there is a lot of fun to be had along the way. At the weekend you learn something about yourself that comes as a surprise.
Cancer
(June 22 - July 23)
A slower-paced week gives you the chance to relax and do a bit of pampering. Go for more walks, enjoy the countryside and eat fresh and healthy foods. Laughter and optimism draw people to you, creating a warm atmosphere. Friends look to you to make the days glow and the evenings glitter. Spending time with someone from work puts you ahead in the career stakes.
Leo
(July 24 - August 23)
Something that you volunteer for brings a great deal of pleasure. Offers of friendship come from unexpected directions. The week is full of nice surprises. It is not possible to get everything done that you would have liked, especially socially, but enough is enough. Finding the right people to relax with requires some thought and organisation but is well worth the effort.
Virgo
(August 24 - September 23)
Being in a relaxed mood means that everything gives double the pleasure. In this relaxed state, however, you could be more easily hoodwinked! Believing everything that you hear could be an expensive mistake. Check the facts carefully, especially if parting with cash. Show those who matter at work exactly what you can do. It is not the time to hide any of your talents.
Libra
(September 24 - October 23)
Feeling creative and curious? Delays with a work project or travel throw you back on your leisure time. Activities are around lone projects rather than partnership jaunts. Cash flow should improve but past experience leads you to hold on to any extra windfall. Letting others pay for a change is enlightening. Are you far too generous for your own good? Probably.
Scorpio
(October 24 - November 22)
Cash and love seem to flow more freely at the moment. That is wonderful. Time after time you are reminded of how special life can be. You have learnt to take the rough with the smooth but more ‘smooth’ would be welcome. Sharing any good fortune is foremost in your mind but think carefully how this would affect others. Gifts are sometimes a better way of saying ‘thank you’ than cash!
Sagittarius
(November 23 - December 21) Be forewarned of some challenges both at home and work this week. Any long-term decisions are better left until later as you are likely to change your mind. This is not being fickle. It is just that you may not be in full knowledge of the facts. A short trip makes a loved one feel appreciated, especially if you have to delay a personal decision. Be your charming self.
Capricon
(December 22 - January 20)
Social activities dominate the week. These naturally include some spin-off from your work. Indeed, mixing business with pleasure can pay real dividends. With money easier to manage there could be the temptation to overspend. I am not suggesting that you should be mean, just sensible. Realise that others are not as sharp and fast as you and be tolerant to a point.
Aquarius
(January 21 - February 19) Fun with friends and family dominates, although passions may cool. Disagreements with a loved one are likely. Keep your words simple and your decisions delayed. Waiting a few weeks before burning any bridges is wise, even if difficult. Oh dear, you may even have to use that unending charm of yours! A chance to invest is promising but check the small print.
Pisces
(February 20 - March 20)
Feel like being a bit of a home bird? Invite the neighbours in rather than go away. Do some work at home rather than dash around travelling. Indeed, travel delays are likely and could be very annoying. Take care of your belongings and cash in an accident-prone week. You won’t mind any of this because there you are, sitting at home, counting your blessings!
LISTINGS of Court of General Gaol Delivery cases are being put online for the first time.
And bosses at the General Registry hope that if the listings on the www.courts.im website are well-received, they will be rolled out to other courts including the civil and summary courts.
Criticism about the level of public access to information about cases coming before the courts was raised in Tynwald last year by then opposition MHK and now Education Minister Peter Karran.
Mr Karran said then that while the island was ‘leap years’ ahead of where it was with access to justice 30 years ago, there was ‘no excuse not to accept modern functioning democracies’ principles, that the public have a right to know what is going on in public courts’.
The Attorney General replied that while currently there was no integrated court management system in place, work was being undertaken within available resources, with the intention of providing information on court business on the courts website.
‘It is acknowledged that the justice system on the island should be open and transparent, and the provision of appropriate information will certainly assist that,’ he told Tynwald.
The first listings, for Court of General Gaol Delivery cases, went on the website earlier this month.
Paul Coppell, director of courts and tribunal services, said: ‘This is actually something we’ve been planning to do for some time.
‘It is still considered to be a pilot, a first attempt just to see how well it’s received and more importantly how well the process works.
‘We are very anxious that it doesn’t allow anything to be published that should not be published.
‘Assuming it’s successful we will look at rolling it out across as many of the courts as we can.’
Listings of cases before the Court of General Gaol Delivery had previously been mailed to the media.
This same information, including trials and pleas, defendants’ names, start dates and sitting dates, now appears on the website instead.
Mr Coppell said there were no plans to give other information such as the nature of the offences with which a defendant is charged.
He said: ‘We plan to give as much information as we can but we have to balance that with the need to protect the individual concerned.’
Mr Coppell said the project would be rolled out over the next 12 months and it was likely that it would be civil case listings that would be the next to go on the www.courts.im website.
l What do ou think?
Email opinions@newsiom.co.im
A NEW online self referral service for physiotherapy has placed the Department of Health ‘streets ahead of the UK NHS’, according to Minister for health, David Anderson.
Patients will now have the opportunity of a simple self-request form for physiotherapy services that can be completed and submitted via the Department of Health website.
The physiotherapy service historically received 3,665 referrals per year, which potentially created a waiting list of over 12 months. By introducing self-referral, it is anticipated that demand will increase to 5,000 referrals per year. Self-referral will allow for the increase in demand by reducing the number of treatments needed because the person opts in to the service earlier, when they most need it.
The rate of did-not-attend occurrences will significantly reduce, which has already enabled 45 per cent more new patients to be seen compared to the same period in 2011.
The new online form available at {http://www.gov.im/health/services/Hospitals/Physiotherapy/selfref.xml|http://www.gov.im/health/services/Hospitals/Physiotherapy/selfref.xml} provides patients, who have online access with an exceptionally quick way to make a self-referral request at any time of the day, from any location via a computer or mobile device. An instant acknowledgment of receipt is provided using an automated email reply system. Once the form is submitted whether online, by post or by hand, the service asks that patients; telephone the new patient line two days afterwards for a first appointment on 642119. The line is available from Monday to Friday between 8am and 10am.
No appointment will be made until the patient contacts the service after submission of the form.
Mr Anderson MHK, said: ‘It is testament to the hard work of both the physiotherapy service and the e-Business team that this has been possible following the launch of the department’s new website. This is a major first for the Isle of Man Department of Health and places us streets ahead of the UK NHS in online customer service provision. Embracing internet technology in order to improve customer service and access to services is an important element in the Department of Health strategy for the future of health services in the Isle of Man’.
The chief minister flew to the Channel Islands today to meet his counterparts there.
Allan Bell is meeting the recently-elected chief minister of Jersey, Senator Ian Gorst, and Guernsey’s new chief minister, Deputy Peter Harwood, along with the deputy chief ministers and Treasury ministers of both islands.
They will consider a wide range of issues facing all three Crown Dependencies, including financial challenges, economic growth, and developments within the UK and Europe.
Mr Bell, who is being accompanied by Treasury Minister Eddie Teare MHK, Chief Secretary Will Greenhow and Director of External Relations Della Fletcher, flew into Guernsey today (Tuesday) and will travel to Jersey this evening.
All three Crown Dependencies have new chief ministers.
Mr Bell was elected to the post in the Isle of Man in October 2011, Senator Gorst was appointed chief minister of the States of Jersey in November last year, while Deputy Harwood became chief minister of the States of Guernsey earlier this month.
Mr Bell said: ‘This is a new political era for the Crown Dependencies following the recent general elections in the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey, and the appointments of new chief ministers in all three islands. This week’s visits will provide an opportunity for me to strike up a personal rapport with both Deputy Harwood and Senator Gorst, and deepen our understanding of each other’s priorities and aspirations.’
He added: ‘We are all experiencing similar challenges in terms of rebalancing our budgets and stimulating economic growth, and I am sure that our discussions around these common issues will be very positive and productive. I am also looking forward to building my relationships with Deputy Harwood and Senator Gorst in the future, in particular when we represent our countries at international forums such as the British-Irish Council Summits.
‘It will be interesting to gain a personal insight into the current political and economic situation in Jersey and Guernsey. Whilst the Isle of Man and Channel Islands are often rivals in terms of competing for new business, there are also opportunities for us to work together for our mutual benefit.’
THE Isle of Man Passport Office regrets that its production of British passports for Isle of Man residents has today (May 29) been subject to temporary disruption as a result of a system problem in the United Kingdom.
The problem is affecting British passport production for all non-UK applicants.
Work is continuing as a matter of urgency with a view to resolving the issue overnight.
In the meantime anyone with concerns about their passport is asked to contact the Isle of Man Passport Office on 685208.
THE Mountain Road has re-opened again after being closed for around an hour following a road traffic collision.
The incident is believed to have taken place at Windy Corner and the route was closed from Ramsey Hairpin to Creg-ny-Baa.
This afternoon’s incident led to the second closure today. The Mountain Road was closed this morning for three hours from the Hairpin to Brandywell, opening at around midday.
iomtoday will bring you further details as they comes to light.
TREASURY chiefs were questioned on their growth forecast, the work of the island’s Brussels representative and even the future of the £1 note before a Tynwald scrutiny committee.
Treasury Minister Eddie Teare MHK and chief financial officer Mark Shimmin gave evidence at the latest sitting of the Economic Policy Review Committee.
In the Budget, a four-year programme to rebalance the public finances in the wake of the VAT bombshell was announced.
It assumed government incoms would grow by 6 per cent, a figure which Treasury officials insisted at the time was realistic.
They said the programme had the flexibility that, should growth forecasts not be achieved, no additional calls on reserves would be required.
When asked how the figures were faring in relation to the target, Mr Teare said: ‘Initial indications are that we are on track.
‘There will be some uncertainty I understand because of the difficulties in Europe which weren’t anticipated at the time we drew up the Budget.’
In response to a question from committee chairman Leonard Singer (Ramsey MHK) Mr Teare said the appointment of Patrick Bourke as the island’s first director of European affairs and Brussels representative provided value for money.
Opportunities
His role is to improve mutual understanding and recognition, address any challenges emanating from Europe, take advantage of potential business opportunities and participate in the development of EU policy.
‘We can learn about things much earlier than if we hadn’t had him there,’ the Minister said.
He said Mr Bourke was ‘doing a good job’ and was an ‘asset to the Treasury’.
When asked what the benefits Mr Bourke was bringing to the island, Mr Shimmin said: ‘You’re asking for benefits which are of a qualitative and subjective nature.
‘It’s about more than simply having lots of meetings which might have taken place.
‘It’s the value that comes from them.’
When asked about the future of £1 notes, Mr Teare acknowledged that some retailers preferred £1 coins. But he said the Treasury had no plans to phase them out.
Mr Shimmin said that the issue of £1 notes was ‘more an identity issue than a pure commercial one’.
The island has signed some 30 tax information and exchange agreements (TIEAs) and double taxation agreements with other countries. Mr Teare said two more TIEAs had been approved in principle and there was another one ‘on the way’.
He said Treasury’s policy was to focus in OECD countries first.
When asked how the island compared with other countries in terms of its international agreements, Mr Shimmin said: ‘I think we are well respected as a country which not only talks a good game but also delivers an effective way of dealing with other countries.’
The committee was also made up of Dudley Butt MLC and Howard Quayle MHK.
EDUCATION chiefs hope they will soon be able to reveal more details of a bid by the Manx Educational Foundation to save the Family and Mobile Libraries.
In April, the Manx Educational Foundation announced the libraries, earmarked for closure by the Department of Education and Children, had reached a ‘provisional agreement’ with the department after weeks of planning.
Education Minister Peter Karran MHK said: ‘We are still negotiating [with the Manx Educational Foundation] at this present time.
‘I’m hoping we will have a meeting with the CoMin [Council of Ministers] subcommittee on the library in the very near future. It’s very regrettable this facility had to be closed. It’s a matter of making hard decisions as far as ring fencing the key services of education.’
Director of Education Martin Barrow said negotiations were ‘now at a more advanced stage’, adding: ‘We have no reason to believe it won’t be successful but we won’t go into detail at the moment.’
It was announced online gaming company PokerStars had committed to fund the libraries for three years to safeguard all employees and maintain the current level of service and fee structure.
TT RIDERS John McGuinness, Michael Rutter and Johnny Barton took time out of their busy schedule to lend their support to firefighters training for a Guinness World Record ladder climb attempt.
The trio visited the practice scaffold in the grounds of the old prison in Victoria Road, Douglas, this week to find out how the 10-strong team are getting on with their preparations for the 24-hour event.
The charity challenge will take place in Regent Street, Douglas, on July 13 and 14.
As it stands, the latter climb record is 109.59km, or 68.1 miles, over 24 hours. It is held by the New Zealand Fire Service and was achieved in Auckland, on the North Island, in December 2005.
To beat this, each team member must climb 460m per hour. A minimum of 11,040m per person is required to beat the record.
To put this challenge into context, Mount Everest stands at 8,848m, which means each team member has to climb 2,192m higher than that summit in 24 hours.
The charities set to benefit from the firefighters’ efforts are Help for Heroes, the Firefighters’ Benevolent Fund, the Hyperbaric Chamber, Rebecca House, Craig’s Heartstrong Foundation and the joint Isle of Man Newspapers/Manx Diabetic Group campaign Pumps 4 Kids. Pumps 4 Kids is raising money to pay for pump therapy for children with Type 1 diabetes, eradicating the need for injection therapy.
The attempt will begin at 4pm on Friday, July 13.
On the Saturday, firefighter Gary Kirby, who is organising the event, is hoping that there will be a bit of a party atmosphere in the street as the team continue to push through their gruelling task.
To that end, he has secured permission to use part of the nearby Royal Bank of Scotland International car park in which there will be a fire engine, aerial ladder, bouncy slide and burger van.
‘It’s going to be a big day hopefully,’ said Gary.
If you would like to sponsor the firemen tackling the challenge, visit their website where you can donate through Paypal – see {http://www.ladder24.im.ladder24.im}.
HELICOPTERS are a regular sight in Manx skies during TT fortnight.
Some are here to put in the hard yards – like the ones we watch chasing bikes around the Mountain Course to help produce the footage for ITV4’s outstanding race coverage.
But others are here simply to provide pleasure.
Elite Helicopters is a firm based in Chichester, West Sussex, but has currently set up camp in a field next to Robinson’s on Cooil Road, Braddan, over the road from B&Q.
They are here, of course, to serve the needs of our thousands of visitors, taking them on trips around famous TT landmarks and to feed the adrenalin habit.
But the locals are not being left out, with more and more taking the opportunity to indulge in a thrilling airborne trip to enjoy the island’s spectacular scenery at jaw-dropping angles.
Along with Isle of Man Newspapers digital producer Gary Myers, who was shooting video footage for iomtoday.co.im, I was invited to visit Elite on Wednesday by the firm’s commercial manager Bill Leach.
He greeted us in the field on our arrival, quickly introducing us to pilot Stephen Brady while explaining how the business relies primarily on corporate bookings at major sporting events – a flying taxi service, if you like – as well as providing pilot training, often to military personnel aiming to use their skills in the wider world on leaving the services.
The helicopter we were to take a trip in was a seven-seat Bell 206 LongRanger – pilot and passenger up front, plus five in the back.
And following a safety briefing, conducted standing in the field just as the sun started to break the cloud cover in timely fashion, we boarded the aircraft.
The choice of flights available during TT include five, 15 and 30 minutes, and can be booked through Regency Travel, with whom Elite work closely during their time on Manx shores.
Ours was the 15 minute version – and after excitedly placing headphones with in-built microphone over our heads, we were ready for the off.
The headphones, incidentally, weren’t simply for the obvious photo opportunity as Stephen talked us through lift-off, hover and told us where we were heading and what to expect at every stage.
The journey itself took us up and over the incinerator on Richmond Hill and out towards Douglas Head.
This was where the fun really began as Stephen assessed everyone’s immediate reaction to helicopter flight and talked us through a banked turn to the left across the bay.
The exhilaration had us all grinning excitedly at the same time as our pilot informed us we were levelling out at 1,800 feet while sweeping across the seafront at a graceful 120mph.
High above wispy cloud, we were able to see the TT Grandstand buzzing with activity before heading inland to Creg-ny-Baa and over Kate’s Cottage.
Turning back towards Onchan, Stephen prepared us all for a dive – a manoeuvre which produced a similar feeling to being on a roller coaster, only at almost 2,000ft – and then we were heading south again, picking out the trio of helicopter landing pads at Noble’s Hospital as well as the Bowl and NSC sports pitches, before landing back at the Cooil Road base.
It’s an experience I’m sure I’ll never forget, and would recommend to anyone looking to do something a little bit different this TT.
Elite Helicopters can be contacted by ringing 01243 530165 or by getting in touch with Regency Travel via the {http://www.iomttbreaks.com|iomttbreaks.com} website.
THE 2012 Isle of Man TT truly bursts into life today with the opening day of racing.
The Mountain Road will close at 9.30am with the rest of the course following at 10am - the early closure being put in place to allow the Olympic Torch to be carried on closed roads from Quarter Bridge to Braddan Church by Milky Quayle and David Knight.
The racing is scheduled to begin at 11am with the six-lap Superbike event getting proceedings under way following a week of practice sessions.
John McGuinness will start as favourite to retain his Superbike title after clocking the only 130mph lap of the week. However, Bruce Anstey and Cameron Donald are both in impressive form, while many would love to see Guy Martin open his TT account.
The three-lap Sidecar A race is scheduled to follow the Superbikes at 2pm - and it’s difficult to see anyone getting the better of Manxman Dave Molyneux, who will be gunning for his 15th TT win alongside passenger Patrick Farrance.
iomtoday will bring you race reports plus video footage from the post-race press conferences - and don’t miss the second edition of TT News, which will be printed overnight and in shops around the island on Sunday morning.
THE London 2012 Olympic torch will be in the island today (Saturday).
It will be carried by 26 Manx champions and travel on different types of transport, including a lifeboat and horse tram.
The torch will arrive at Ronaldsway Airport onboard a special plane from Liverpool at about 9.30am and will be transferred to the National Sports Centre Stadium in Douglas for the start of its Manx journey at 10.30am.
From the NSC it will loop through Anagh Coar, Farmhill and Pulrose – including a motorcycle ride between Quarter Bridge and Braddan with former TT winner Milky Quayle and three-times world enduro champion David Knight – before being carried down to North Quay and over the lifting bridge.
From there the RNLI Lifeboat will drop the flame off to a horse tram at Circus Beach on Loch Promenade, which will escort it as far as the War Memorial.
A cyclist will then ride with it along the rest of Douglas seafront to the Manx Electric Railway station, where the torch will catch a tram to Laxey.
It is expected to arrive in Laxey at 1.20pm. After a photoshoot at the iconic Laxey Wheel, it will be conveyed back to Onchan ( 2.40pm), where it will be paraded from Whitebridge Road to the bottom of Summerhill Road.
The parade resumes in Ballasalla (3.15pm) before heading down to Castletown (3.40pm), after which it will catch a flight to Belfast.
In Castletown there will be a community celebration between 2pm and 4.30pm, with sporting activities, entertainment, sporting demonstrations and the chance to have your picture taken with the Olympic torch.
In Braddan, parking is suspended from 6am to 11am in Saddle Road/Vicarage Road from Saddle Road roundabout to the entrance of Kirby industrial estate.
In Douglas, North Quay from its junction with Quine’s Corner to Ridgeway Street, will be closed from 11am to midday.
For street-by-street details and proposed start times of when the Olympic flame will travel through the island, visit www.london2012.com/ olympictorchrelay
The island’s torchbearers include those who were successful through the public nomination processes run by London Organising Committee Olympic Games (LOCOG) and the presenting partners – Coca Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung.
Each torchbearer will wear a white and gold uniform designed by Adidas.
The torchbearers include Cronk-y-Berry School head teacher Rob Sellors, Breakthrough Breast Cancer Isle of Man group chairman Angie Aire, RNLI souvenir secretary Simon McFerran and Isle of Man Cricket Club honorary life member Ian Tomlinson.
After Northern Ireland, the relay route continues through Eire, Scotland, England and the Channel Isles and then it’s back to London in time for July 27, when the cauldron will be lit at the Opening Ceremony.
• Email your pictures of the Olympic torch celebrations to {mailto:opinions@newsiom.co.im|opinions(at)newsiom.co.im}.
STEM cell therapy rocks!
That’s according to Chris Walmsley and his family who have seen amazing changes since Chris received the pioneering treatment in August 2011.
Chris, aged 33, was left quadriplegic after being hit by a car on Richmond Hill in 2006.
Thanks to the island’s support, some £27,000 was raised in three months so that Chris could undergo the treatment at a clinic in Germany.
His mum Carol said: ‘The changes we have seen in Chris are really amazing.
‘We knew it wasn’t a miracle cure but his reactions are quicker, his comprehension levels are really good and the right arm is really starting to function well.
‘As far as the family are concerned, stem cells rock!’
Carol has posted a video on YouTube which she says shows just how much progress Chris has made.
He is now able to touch his nose with his right hand.
‘I keep watching it over and over I am so thrilled with it,’ she said.
Carol said: ‘We haven’t had Chris assessed neurologically since the stem cell therapy but his neurologist is being kept informed of any progress we see and the video is on its way to him.
‘But before the therapy Chris could give you thumbs up and would look up and down, left and right but he held his right arm tight against his chest most of the time.
‘Now his arm relaxes a lot of the time, not all the time.
‘We do still have times when you need to use a crowbar to move it – not literally.’
She added: ‘Before the therapy there was no way he could have touched his nose. Yesterday he was touching his lips and his forehead too.’
Chris lives during the week at Abbotswood Nursing Home in Ballasalla.
But Carol said that after looking after Chris for a week in a caravan the family realised they could look after him at home, in Maine Road, Port Erin.
She said: ‘We realised we could look after him at home, not permanently because the house isn’t really wheelchair-friendly but we can get him into our lounge and study.
‘We bought him a bed – a fully profiling hospital bed with a pressure mattress.
‘And Chris now stays at home every Friday and Saturday night and we all absolutely love it.’
Chris now has physiotherapy weekly and carers are employed specifically to work with Chris, so he is starting to enjoy a social life.
Carol said his carers take him bowling to Sure Strike in Ramsey which he loves, the cinema and the Wildlife Park and he also went to see the Chinese Circus.
Last week saw Small Bear Records release Keep It Covered.
It is a digital album featuring 24 tracks of local artists covering songs by other local artists.
Proceeds from the album, costing £5, will go towards Chris’s ongoing care.
Download the album at {http://www.smallbearrecords.com.smallbearrecords.com}.
Meanwhile, Carol is raising money for Chris at a car boot sale at the Vintage Rally in Port St Mary on Sunday.
She said she would welcome any donations of items to sell – or anyone wanting to have a stall.
Contact Carol on 498403 or email {mailto:carol.walmsley@yahoo.co.uk|carol.walmsley(at)yahoo.co.uk}.
Money raised will help fund these sorts of activities, as well as equipment he needs. Chris’s physiotherapist has recommended that he has a £7,000 standing frame.
Carol said: ‘This will help get him up onto his feet, which is really important. It will help with kidney function and is important for the chest.’
Watch the video of Chris at {http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck-JFywrC3I&feature=youtube_gdata_player|www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck-JFywrC3I&feature=youtube_gdata_player}.
HEAD TEACHER of Scoill Vallajeelt Adrian Shorthouse, who ran the London Marathon for a cause close to his heart, has raised more than double his target.
Mr Shorthouse tackled his first marathon in memory of his mum, Elsie, who died after suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
He completed the 26.2-mile route in just four hours and seven minutes.
He set out to raise £3,000 for Alzheimer’s Society Isle of Man but has collected £6,400 thanks to the generosity of family and friends, parents, children and staff at Scoill Vallajeelt, colleagues at the Department of Education and Children and members of the public, who put money into buckets, donated raffle prizes, held dress down days and gave concerts.
Mr Shorthouse, said: ‘I am hugely grateful for the many messages of support and kindness shown by the community. The generosity of people in the island has been amazing.’
Carol Frearson, Helen Fowden, Markè Railton, Jonathan Ayres, John Gill and Jo Overty were part of a fundraising team backing Adrian and raising money that will help Alzheimer’s Society to extend its services in the Isle of Man.
‘This has been very much a team effort,’ said Mr Shorthouse. ‘I can’t thank them enough for their time and dedication to the cause. This contribution will go a long way towards helping people in the island cope with this severe and debilitating disease.’
The Alzheimer’s Society plans to introduce specialised dementia services locally in the near future. It is predicted that by 2021, as many as 1,532 people in the island will have dementia.
Anne-Marie Cagliarini, Alzheimer’s Society locality manager for Merseyside and the Isle of Man, said the generosity of local people in raising funds and the tireless work of local trustees meant the charity would open an office offering specialised support and information to those living with dementia and their carers and families.
‘People will be able to drop in to speak with our outreach workers for specialised support and information to help all people live well with dementia,’ she said.
Support groups would be created in different parts of the island to make help and advice accessible to all, Anne-Marie added.
Fran D’Arcy, community fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Society, said: ‘We are extremely grateful to Adrian and his family, friends and colleagues for all the time and effort that they have put in to their fundraising for us.
‘Many congratulations to Adrian on completing the challenge and thank you to everyone who has supported him and helped him to exceed his fundraising target.’
BENEATH blue skies and facing out to the sea in the direction, ultimately, of Dunkirk, the anchor of the Mona’s Queen found its final resting place.
In a moving ceremony on the tranquil headland of Kallow Point, Port St Mary, the anchor was dedicated as a memorial to the 24 crewmen – 17 of those from the Isle of Man – who lost their lives when the Isle of Man Steam Packet Co. vessel Mona’s Queen struck a German mine during the heroic evacuation of the British and French troops from Dunkirk in May 1940.
The highlight of the ceremony came as the Steam Packet fast craft Manannan sounded its horn as its sailed past.
Bright sunshine ensured a large turn-out for the event, which began to the evocative sound of the Ellan Vannin Pipe Band.
Invited guests included families of the survivors of the Mona’s Queen’s sinking and four representatives from the French military who were closely involved in the operation to lift the anchor from the seabed at Dunkirk during the 70th anniversary commemorations of the evacuations in 2010.
Chairman of Port St Mary Commissioners Bernadette McCabe told the gathering that the day was for the families of those who had taken part in Operation Dynamo, the codename for the Dunkirk evacuations.
The flukes of the anchor are positioned so as to face towards Dunkirk on one side and, on the other, towards the Howe, where many of the Mona’s Queen’s crewmen once lived.
His Excellency Lieutenant Governor Adam Wood welcomed the guests from across the Channel in impeccable French and told the audience: ‘This is a solemn and historic day’.
He said it was hard to imagine what it was like 72 years ago when the Germany Army had swept through Belgium and Northern France in just 16 days, leaving the British Expeditionary Force and a large element of the French army surrounded at Dunkirk.
With the very real threat of the rest of Western Europe, including the UK, falling under the fist of fascism, he said, an armada of ships large and small was gathered with the aim of rescuing troops from the beaches. Included in that armada were no fewer than eight Steam Packet ships which, between them, brought nearly 25,000 troops back to Britain.
But within 24 hours, three of the Steam Packet ships had been sunk. His Excellency said the memorial would serve as a reminder of the bravery and sacrifice of those involved.
Steam Packet director Kit Pemberton said that 10 of the company’s 16 ships were commandeered for war, of which four were lost. He said the Mona’s Isle was the first to complete the round trip back to Britain during Operation Dynamo in May 1940, followed by the Mona’s Queen and then the King Orry.
At 5.30am on the morning of the May 29, Mona’s Queen struck a magnetic mine as she approached Dunkirk, causing her to ‘break her back’.
The losses incurred by the Steam Packet and its people that day were devastating, he said. He said the memorial was for the whole island and would serve as a reminder of ‘those that did not come home’. The Steam Packet has presented a cheque for £5,000 to the commissioners toward the costs and maintenance of the anchor.
Officially opening the memorial, Captain Jack Ronan said that Kallow Point had been chosen because of its tranquillity and natural aspect looking out to sea in the direction of Dunkirk – and within sight of where so many of the crewmen had lived.
‘It could not be more appropriate,’ he said, explaining that seven of the crew had hailed from the Howe and Cregneash.
He recalled that when he was a child, family conversations had often centred on the Steam Packet and the Mona’s Queen. He added: ‘When word came through she was sunk, I remember it vividly. I was 11. We stood on the pavement at The Examiner Shop, anxiously waiting for news.’
A bugler sounded the Last Post before wreaths were laid by the anchor.
After the service, Capitaine Jean-Pierre Castier of the French Navy said that it was the perfect spot for the anchor. He added: ‘It’s absolutely marvellous with this landscape and breathtaking views.’
REBECCA Lawrence has every reason to be looking forward to next month’s Children in Song extravaganza – it will be her first visit to the Isle of Man and the first time she will see the musical she wrote for the concert performed.
More than 500 children from 22 different schools will take to the stage at the Villa Marina on Saturday, June 16, for Children in Song, which is staged by the Douglas Buxton Music Trust every two years.
The event will see the world premier of Jazzy Jinks, a magical 45-minute musical drama about the secret life of a jazz cat.
Jazzy Jinks’ creator, Rebecca Lawrence, a former teacher and children’s songwriter who has had 80 of her songs published, admits: ‘It’s going to be quite emotional for me.’
She says she has deliberately not found out how Jazzy Jinks will be performed, only that rehearsals are going well, so that the production will come as a complete surprise: ‘The gift of this is that it is down to their interpretation and I know it will be wonderful whatever they do. It’s really exciting.’
Rebecca, 41, was approached two years ago by Maggie Richardson, head of music service with the Department of Education and Children, to ask if she would like to do a commission.
‘Of course I jumped at the chance,’ she says.
Inspiration for Jazzy Jinks were the tales told by her later father, Allan Veak, about a cat he had had as a child which had been called Jimbonathan Jinks. Rebecca’s father lived in the Isle of Man just after the war, flying for a local airline.
‘He told these wonderful tales about the island and its fairies. I have this image of the island but I’ve never been. I’m an island girl myself,’ says mother-of-two Rebecca, who was born and educated in Jersey. ‘Maggie wanted me to come up with an original idea and I suddenly thought about my dad’s cat Jimbonathan Jinks. It’s a wonderfully characterful name. The story quickly developed about this collection of Jazz cats and the underground world they inhabit.’
Jazzy Jinks follows the story of Jimbonathan Jinks, who plays trombone and longs to create his own jazz band, with the musical following his auditions for players. Cats sing stories about their lives, through swing, scat, ballad and rap and Jim searches in vain for a lead singer and longs for his cherished Celeste, a beautiful singer he knew in Paris.
‘It has completely contrasting musical styles, which is something I’m quite well known for. I believe that if it’s good music, it’s good music.’
As well as the main piece, the concert will see individual performances by school choirs and groups. Tickets, at £6 for adults and £3 for children, are on sale at the box office on 600555.