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Ice sculpture in town centre to draw the crowds

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Shoppers in Douglas town centre will be able to witness an ice sculpture taking shape on Saturday, December 20.

The event will be held in Regent Street, where award-winning artists Darren Jackson and Stephanie Quayle will create a Christmas carving.

The husband and wife team, acclaimed worldwide for their ice art, will begin the project at around 10.30am, with the carving being fully unveiled later in the day. There’ll also be a host of other attractions and competitions in and around Regent Street, as well as a craft fair running the length of Castle Street and Marina Road.

Town centre manager Michelle O’Malley said: ‘Darren and Stephanie’s ice carvings never fail to draw the crowds and bring something truly fantastical to the town on a day when the streets are always bustling.

‘For the third year in succession Sure has very kindly agreed to sponsor the ice sculpture, so we’re extremely grateful to them for once again adding to the special festive atmosphere in Douglas this Christmas.’


Beecroft accused of having vendetta against film boss

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Lib Van leader Kate Beecroft, pictured, was accused in the House of Keys of waging a personal vendetta against island film producer Steve Christian.

Ramsey MHK Leonard Singer made the comment during question time when Mrs Beecroft raised further questions about the controversial Pinewood deal.

In Tynwald last week, the Lib Van MHK for Douglas South circulated an extract from Pinewood Shepperton plc’s annual reports and accounts showing the company had signed a £336,000 a year deal with Gasworks Media Ltd, a company incorporated in the island and whose sole shareholder is Steve Christian, who is also an executive director in the group.

Mr Christian was founder and former chairman of CineManx and was appointed executive director of the Pinewood board in October 2012.

In the Keys this week, Mr Singer claimed Mrs Beecroft was ‘carrying out a personal vendetta against Mr Christian’.

But he subsequently withdrew the remark after Speaker Steve Rodan ruled that it was not acceptable.

Treasury Minister Eddie Teare said the annual fee paid to Pinewood Film Advisers was payable even if there is no further investment in film production.

He said the balance of the Media Development Fund managed by Pinewood Film Advisers stands at £24.3m, including a cash balance of £10.3m. Mrs Beecroft pointed out nearly £15m had been spent out of the fund and wondered when we would see any monetary benefit.

Louis Group investors asked to accept ‘compromise’ arrangement

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Investors in the collapsed Louis Group in the island are being asked to accept a compromise arrangement in a bid to get some of their money back.

Investors are being urged to agree to give up their claims in return for shares in an ‘untainted’ new company set up to receive the majority of assets that the liquidators manage to recover.

Louis Group entities in the island were wound up by the High Court last year after an island-based fund promoted as ‘low risk’ was suspended, unable to pay its multi-million pounds debts.

The liquidators’ investigation concluded there is a ‘taint of illegality’ across the vast majority of the business carried out by the group in the Isle of Man. There was a complex web of 120 separate Louis Group companies operating here.

Liquidators estimate there were over 700 different investors who invested a total of about £25m in the Louis Group Structured Fund and around £35m across various property syndicates.

Around a quarter of these investors are from the Isle of Man, the remainder mainly being from South Africa and the UK. The largest investor put in around £5m, but the vast majority invested much smaller sums - between £10,000 and £30,000. Many were attracted by the Louis family’s self-projected religious values and representations of low risk investment.

In a letter to shareholders in the Louis Group Structured Fund, the liquidators BVI explain how the diversion of assets to a British Virgin Islands company suspected of unlicensed deposit taking, together with deficient and ‘potentially false’ accounting records present a ‘substantial impediment’ to recovering money.

The liquidators have received more than 130 claims against the BVI entity LG SP Investments Ltd totalling in excess of £80m claims by value, 22 of which are from property investment claimants totalling circa £2.5m by value.

They note: ‘LGSF is not alone in suffering these problems. A number of other Louis Group companies have seen their assets diverted into LGSPI in ways which substantially deviate from representations made in other offering documents.’

The liquidators say the best option is for affected investors to agree to a compromise involving a new untainted company which would receive the majority of the assets they have managed to liquidate so far.

But before they can do that, investors would have to agree to give up whatever claims they might have in return for shares in the new company.

Investors in another Louis Group entity, LG SLN Ltd, are also being invited to accept a compromise arrangement involving them dropping their claim against LG SPI.

Retiring headteacher slams government approach to education

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Retiring head of Ramsey Grammar School, David Trace is determined to go out with a roar.

His final address at the annual prizegiving last week gave him the opportunity to hit back at recent political decisions.

Mr Trace, who will retire at Christmas after 18 years in charge of the 1,000-pupil school, said that changes to the GCSE system had flown in the face of what the public wanted.

He said: ‘Last year I talked about the enormous uncertainty surrounding the many piecemeal changes now under way in secondary education. Given this, the Isle of Man Government embarked on a consultation – 59 per cent of respondents agreed that qualifications should be as independent of governments and politicians as possible.

‘Ironic then that a ministerial decision would determine the way forward for Manx schools!

‘More than 89 per cent said the Isle of Man should be prepared to break with the English system, so we were concerned when instructed that we must change all our GCSE exams to a single exam board, Cambridge IGCSE.

‘This is an entirely political decision, flying in the face of the outcome of the consultation and of a significant body of informed professional opinion. Forcing our students to sit a single and perhaps inappropriate GCSE can only end in deteriorating examination results which potentially blight the futures of a number of students’.

Continuing his tirade, Mr Trace said the recent withdrawal of direct financial management (DFM), where head teachers had control of school budgets, was having a serious impact on the school.

He explained: ‘With DFM we were able to make significant improvements to the learning environment and resources such computing, decoration, stage and studio lighting, PE equipment, interactive Smart boards, modern furniture and the internal fabric of the building.

‘The ability of my successor to control budgets in the best interests of our students and their education is all but removed as the purse strings are again controlled elsewhere’.

He went on: ‘The move to shared services, supposed to save money, is a bureaucratic nightmare for us – our IT systems are collapsing; we have only a 50 per cent cleaning force through no fault of our own; when I need to replace a teacher who is leaving, three different people in HR have to authorise it before I can advertise and then seven different HR people are involved in the process and we waste a huge amount of time chasing things up. When we managed IT, HR, caretaking, cleaning and catering, everything ran smoothly, meeting the needs of the school and our students – those days have gone and, but for hardworking and loyal support staff teams we would be sunk!’

In a final blast, he criticised ‘the data-driven, results-obsessed culture that the Isle of Man appears to have adopted from England’, saying: ‘This UK system has become one of testing the system, not testing the learning.

‘Research has shown that more autonomy for individual schools helps raise standards. In its most recent international survey of education, the OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development] found that in countries where schools have greater autonomy over what is taught and how students are assessed, students tend to perform better.

‘Yet on the island, the autonomy that head teachers once had has been whittled away. One begins to feel that at times some civil servants have forgotten why we are here, so divorced are they from children and the learning process’.

Nine years for million dollar theft

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Two brothers and a woman have been handed lengthy prison sentences after being found guilty of a number of offences after a six week trial at the Court of General Gaol Delivery in Douglas which ended on Wednesday.

Ian Darroch, aged 64, was jailed for nine years for eight offences of theft totalling just less than $1.5 million, false accounting, forgery and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Andrew Darroch, aged 60, was jailed for a total of two and a half years for offences of false accounting, forgery and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Christine Dirom, aged 58, was jailed for a total of two years for six offences of theft.

DC Julie Jones of the Financial Crime Unit said: ‘These offences were a serious breach of trust by Ian Darroch and Christine Dirom who stole considerable funds from a client bank account under their control and during their trial showed no remorse.

‘Andrew Darroch assisted his brother in attempting to cover up these crimes and to avoid prosecution.

‘The Isle of Man Constabulary would like to thank all witnesses who assisted with this trial and to the aggrieved in this case who has waited several years during a lengthy and complex investigation to see justice done.

‘Corporate Service Providers are key players in ensuring that the Isle of Man has a positive financial reputation.

‘The sentences send out a strong message to the international financial community that the Island will not tolerate such criminal conduct.’

Olivia looks cool with her shades

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Dhoon School pupil Olivia Cowley, eight, shows off her winning entry in a Shades for a Day competition.

As part of Vision Awareness Week, the local Branch of Guide Dogs for the Blind ran a fund-raising campaign.

Members of staff at local businesses were asked to support by paying £1 and wear sunglasses for the day. 

Jackie Murphy of Guide Dogs Isle of Man also ran a competition within the primary schools encouraging the pupils to make and wear ‘Shades for the Day’.

The Douglas branch of Specsavers displayed the winning glasses from the primary schools and store director Adrian Higgins presented the prize to the winning entry.

Rotary Club’s polio campaign gets a boost

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The Douglas Rotary Club End Polio Now campaign will have a presence on the international sporting stage at the end of this year in a football friendly match in France.

Players from the Isle of Man Ellan Vannin team will be wearing the new purple away kit which promotes the campaign for the first time in a match to be played in Toulouse on December 30.

A spokesman from the Manx International Football Association said they had been delighted to accept the invitation from the Occitan Football Association to play an international football friendly match against Occitania.

‘The match will be played in aid of Rotary Club International’s End Polio Now campaign whose logo the Ellan Vannin team proudly wear on their shirts,’ he said.

Members of the Douglas Rotary Club are hoping to support the match along with fellow Rotarian based in Toulouse.

Douglas Rotary Club has been working with the support of the Manx community to support the campaign to eradicate polio since 2011. During the period, club members have spoken to more than 6,000 of the island’s school children and raised more than £30,000.

Super-rich wouldn’t mind paying more tax

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Tax cappers wouldn’t mind paying a bit more tax, it was claimed in the House of Keys.

The comment came from Douglas West MHK Chris Thomas as he questioned Treasury Minister Eddie Teare over the government’s tax cap policy - a policy which the bankbencher believes is not working.

Mr Thomas said he wanted to thank the taxcappers for living on the island and suggested they would not mind paying a bit more tax. ‘I’m sure they would not,’ he said.

He told the Manx Independent that he had been told this was the case directly from one tax capper and indirectly from another two or three.

In the Keys, the Treasury Minister defended the tax cap policy, insisting the companies owned by those subject to it employed some 365 staff, paid £27.5m in salaries and remitted more than £2.25m in ITIP and £4.4m in National Insurance contributions, bringing a total direct benefit of approaching £17m to the Manx exchequer.

But he said he was unable to given details of the wealth and income of those electing to take advantage of the tax cap, saying that information would not be known until after the October tax return deadline.

Mr Thomas said a Treasury practice note required tax cappers to give details of their wealth and income. ‘Would the Treasury Minister agree to revisit the practice note?’ he asked.

Earlier this month, Mr Teare revealed that just 58 wealthy residents had elected for the £120,000 tax cap in the current financial year.

This compared to a peak of 95 individuals who benefited from the tax cap 2007-08.

Of the 58, just one moved to the island in 2014-15 tax year, one returned the previous year and 15 others had moved here since the tax cap was first introduced in February 2006.

Mr Thomas suggested this showed the policy has not worked. He said: ‘The super-rich are not being lured here which was the intention of this tax policy. Only 17 people have moved here because of the tax cap during its eight year existence.’

‘We are taxing the wealthiest living here less than they used to pay and should pay. Exempting 58 tax cappers from the pain of rebalancing is impossible to justify, especially in its context of stealth taxation of the poorer. Such a tax policy is unfair and is not working.’


35 cars damaged in Castletown vandalism spree

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Police are appealing for the public’s help after 35 cars were damaged by vandals in Castletown during the early hours of yesterday (Saturday) morning.

Tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage is believed to have been caused.

Police say the damage comprises mainly of broken wing mirrors and wiper blades, although three vehicles also suffered punctured tyres.

Witnesses have reported seeing three males in their teens or early twenties causing damage to one vehicle in The Crofts. The suspects have been described as being slim or athletic in build and wearing dark clothing with hoods over their heads.

The trio were seen at around 3am, but police say the extent of the damage over a large area indicates it would have taken a considerable amount of time to carry out.

The trail of damage stretched from the Janet’s Corner area down Bowling Green Road, via Pickard Close, Smetana Close towards Athol Terrace and across the pedestrian bridge over the Silverburn River. Vehicles parked in Northcroft Apartments, Malew Street and The Crofts were also damaged.

Officers will be carrying out house to house enquiries and a leaflet drop in the next few days along the route of the damage.

In the meantime, anybody with any information is urged to contact Constable Robin Arnold at Castletown Police Station on 822222 or anonymously via Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.

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Was your car damaged? Do you have pictures? Email newsdesk@newsiom.co.im

Woodlands closed to public in December

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One of the nearest recreational woodlands to Douglas, Chibbanagh Plantation, will be closed to the public from December.

This is while essential forestry works take place.

Situated on the Cooil Road near to the Braaid, Chibbanagh is popular for cycling, horse riding, and dog walking.

For both the safety of the public and the workforce, the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture has taken the decision to close the woodland, from the start of December through to the end of February 2015.

The public are asked to abide by the closure notices and any future access restrictions.

Large vehicles will be accessing and leaving the plantation at times, so drivers are also asked to take care in the area.

Restocking of felled areas is planned immediately after the works are completed.

A spokesman said where stands of conifer once stood, they will be replaced with mixed-broadleaf species as part of the department’s aim to sustainably manage the natural environment across the island.

The department acknowledges Chibbanagh as being a key recreational hub and, following the works, hopes to improve the infrastructure through the creation of a new car park and picnic area with updates to signage and interpretation.

People are encouraged to continue exploring the countryside which can improve personal fitness and wellbeing.

During the closure of Chibbanagh, alternative recreational woodland facilities are available at Archallagan and South Barrule Forest Parks, both of which have recreational routes and ample car parking.

Party time for midwives with new calendar

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It’s party time for midwives at the Jane as they launch their latest fundraising calendar.

Every penny for the sale of the calendar will go to the appeal for a new Breast Cancer Unit at Noble’s Hospital in Braddan.

Last year, the team at the Jane Crookall maternity unit starred in a Call the Manx Midwives calendar to raise money for the Big Push campaign to refurbish two rooms on the labour ward.

But the theme this year is parties – with the midvives and some of the children born at the maternity unit appearing variously at Christmas and New Year celebrations, a wedding reception in the sea and a youngster’s first year party cake bash.

This year’s charity target was chosen in recognition of the treatment and support given to one of the midwives after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Thankfully, she is now in remission.

Midwife Liz Vipond said: ‘We wanted to do a calendar to honour her as well as the team at Noble’s for the great help they gave her.

‘We’ve witnessed first hand how they supported her through diagnosis and treatment.

‘She is doing remarkably well. She has a very positive spirit and was never going to let the cancer take her.’

David Silvester at Studio Colby took the photographs and all printing costs were covered by Hartford Homes.

The calendars cost £5 and are available from Shoprite and B&Q.

All proceeds go to the Noble’s Hospital breast care unit appeal.

Horse tram passenger figures on the rise in 2014

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The number of passengers travelling on the horse trams on Douglas promenade increased by 3.6 per cent in 2014, according to a new report.

The figures released by Douglas Borough Council show a total of 61,877 passenger journeys were made during the 18-week summer season.

Regeneration and community advisory committee chairman councillor Stephen Pitts said: ‘Given the current economic climate and recent year-on-year falls in passenger arrivals to the island these figures are most encouraging.’

Mr Pitts explained that the Council’s marketing strategy, use of social media and ‘horse tram bingo’, a new game where visitors can tick off each horse they see on a specially made card, have helped attract visitors.

He said: ‘The latter has proved especially popular and encouraged a good number of children and young people to travel on the trams.

‘These initiatives, combined with continued interest from visiting vintage transport enthusiasts’ groups, film crews and journalists have had a welcome impact on this year’s figures.’

Numbers were down marginally in June and July over the previous year but in August there was an increase of 5.3 per cent over the same month in 2013.

Mr Pitts continued: ‘At a time when the scheme to upgrade Douglas promenade is prompting much animated debate it’s comforting to note the groundswell of support that exists for the service and the public’s abiding affection for this unique attraction.’

Do you have what it takes to be a Fire and Rescue Service volunteer?

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The Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service is seeking to recruit a team of community volunteers to support its efforts to keep the island safe.

Public spirited individuals interested in making a valuable contribution to island life are being encouraged to find out more about the new roles.

The aim is to put in place volunteers to work alongside firefighters and support staff to help deliver the national priority of protecting vulnerable people.

Training and support will be provided to enable individuals to perform a range of duties, such as offering fire safety advice to householders via home visits or over the telephone.

People from all backgrounds and walks of life are encouraged to apply, whether they can devote a few hours a month to the role or offer a more significant time commitment.

Chief fire officer Kevin Groom said: ‘This is an opportunity to play a part in supporting the operation and delivery of a busy frontline emergency service.

‘We are looking for people who can utilise their existing skills for the benefit of their community.

‘Academic qualifications are not necessary, but honesty, integrity and enthusiasm are essential.

‘Candidates should have a positive and friendly approach towards the public, an ability to work in a team and be willing to learn new skills.’

He added: ‘The contribution of the community volunteers will in no way be a substitute for the work that is currently undertaken by firefighters or support staff.

‘I recently announced a reorganisation of the Isle of Man Fire and Service in line with our challenging budget target and need to focus on the provision of our core statutory functions of preventing, protecting and responding.

‘I said that we would look at new ways of maintaining our community engagement and the recruitment of volunteers is a key part of that process.’

Further information and a downloadable application form are available on the Department of Home Affairs website at www.iomfire.com or by telephoning Mrs Claire Newall on 647303.

Completed forms should be sent to Mrs C. Newall, Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service, Homefield, 88 Woodbourne Road, Douglas, IM2 3AP, marked ‘Fire and Rescue Service Volunteer’.

Home Affairs Minister Juan Watterson MHK said: ‘The recruitment of community volunteers is a positive step aimed at supporting the outstanding work of the Fire and Rescue Service.

‘This is an opportunity for people to give something back to the community in a way that is not only personally rewarding, but could also help to save lives.’

Shark tag found after 10 day search

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Manx Basking Shark Watch are celebrating the return of a satellite tag that was recovered from a Welsh beach after a 10-day search by local residents.

The tag was originally attached to a seven metre basking shark, nicknamed King Orry, near Peel in August 2013 and spent 448 days collecting data before becoming detached earlier this month.

Manx Basking Shark Watch (MBSW) co-ordinator Jackie Hall knew that the tag was floating free and followed it as it came ashore a few miles east of Tenby in south Wales.

She explained: ‘I put out the story via our Facebook page that the tag was on a beach in Wales and we’d really like to get it back.’

But she soon learned that the beach was used as a firing range and would only be open to the public for a few days, prompting several teams to search the beach.

She said: ‘I knew that if we didn’t get to it by the weekend, we probably wouldn’t get it back because the beach was closing again.

After 10 days of searching by volunteers the tag was picked up on Saturday morning by Michael Karpaty, a local resident who was looking for driftwood.

Jackie said: ‘Somebody passed him and he asked, ‘why are there so many people on the beach?’. He’d seen the report on the news about the missing tag, and shortly afterwards he found it.’

The tags provide invaluable information about the habits of these little-understood sharks, and MBSW’s new tags - known as SPOT tags - can transmit for far longer than in the past.

Jackie said: ‘This is by far the longest we’ve had a tag on any shark. We’ve found out loads from him.

‘The great thing about the SPOT tags is that anybody can follow them online, and we get very accurate location information, which is how we’re able to retrieve them.’

The tag, which cost around £1,500, can now be serviced and used again next season.

Jackie added: ‘It’s a good reminder that they are still out there, 365 days a year, but we only see them for a few months in the summer.’

Mec Vannin critical of government over pensions

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The Manx nationalist party Mec Vannin has criticised the government’s handling of public sector pension reform.

In a wide ranging discussion at its monthly public meeting, it was advanced that successive governments during the boom years had failed to ensure pension security for public sector schemes. A number of these schemes failed pension stress tests in the early 1990s.

The government had failed to encourage, via fiscal incentives, a broader roll-out of private sector schemes in workplaces across the island, it was claimed.

The view was advanced that because the present government scheme is not secured via an investment fund and is completely funded by the payment of current contributors, any government moves which effectively force workers to consider resigning from or attempting to take their benefits out of the scheme could be catastrophic in the medium to long term.

The following motion was adopted: ‘Mec Vannin views with concern the manner in which public sector workers are being treated over their occupational pension schemes.’

It is less than three years since the Government Unified Pension Scheme (GUS) was introduced.

Mec Vannin said the decision of government to revisit the issue must undermine the value that public sector workers can place on commitments given at the time GUS was introduced.

It said it is ‘tawdry’ of government to amend pension provision without agreeing to honour its commitments.


Lloyds puts Isle of Man investment business up for sale

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Lloyds Banking Group’s insurance arm Scottish Widows has put its Isle of Man based investment and tax planning business up for sale in the latest sign that dealmaking in the sector is heating up, according to the Financial Times.

Several parties are said to have expressed an interest in the Isle of Man-based operation, which manages about £5bn of policyholders’ funds, according to people with knowledge of the process.

It has an estimated embedded value – a way of valuing life insurance companies – of about £200m says the FT.

Lloyds are said to have has appointed investment bankers at Fenchurch Advisory Partners to handle the sale of the offshore investment division, known as Clerical Medical International.

Lloyds and Scottish Widows declined to comment.

Insurance has a 15 per cent share of gross domestic product in the island.

The FT says UK tax changes have made the offshore investment products offered by CMI less attractive to British savers. CMI stopped writing new policies two years ago after a review of Scottish Widows by Toby Strauss, its chief executive.

Penguin on the loose in Ramsey - can you find them?

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The hunt is on for a colony of 60 hand-stitched penguins that have been hidden around shop windows in Ramsey.

See how many you can find between now and Friday, December 19 and enter the free competition by getting hold of an entry form in participating shops.

Ramsey Town Library also has a special Penguin Post Box for completed entries.

Every entry will win a prize and there’s no need to find all 60.

The flock has been created by a volunteer workforce from Ramsey Baptist Church for their annual shop window competition.

Penguins were chosen for this year’s theme as a reminder that people, like penguins, are ‘better together’.

The annual competition will lead into a host of festivities organised by the church.

On Saturday, December 20 the penguins will be reunited in the Town Hall atrium from 10am to 4pm, and every competition entrant can come and claim a prize.

Children can also help to build an igloo from recycled plastic milk bottles and everyone is invited to take part in making Christmas tree decorations, balloon modelling, storytelling and enjoying carols from Ramsey Town Band every hour.

Everything is free and refreshments will be provided.

An informal children’s nativity will take place from 10.30am in Bunscoill Rhumsaa’s Auldyn Hall on Sunday, December 21. And visitors can enjoy a carol service at the same venue from 10.30am on Sunday, December 28.

For more information email info@ramseybaptistchurch.org or by sending a message through their Facebook page www.facebook.com/rbcim

Tynwald carol service at St George’s Church

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Some of the government’s most familiar faces will be in the choir for this year’s Tynwald Christmas carol service.

The annual event will take place at St George’s Church, Upper Church Street, Douglas on Thursday, December 11, from 1pm.

The service will feature familiar and lesser-known music from the Isle of Man and further afield, and members of the public and the local business community have been invited to attend by president of Tynwald Clare Christian.

Mrs Christian said: ‘This is a very busy season of the year that places many demands on everyone.

‘We would be delighted, however, to offer all those who have the time an opportunity to celebrate Christmas with us in song and prayer.’

The service is expected to finish at approximately 2pm, after which those attending have been invited to stay for a cup of tea and a mince pie.

OFT to review pay day lenders in Isle of Man

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The Office of Fair Trading will be reviewing the need for further consumer protection from pay day lenders.

Treasury Minister Eddie Teare was quizzed in the House of Keys by Peter Karran (Lib Van, Onchan).

Mr Teare said it was a matter for the OFT which last year published a report concluding money lenders operating locally market were acting responsibly. He said the OFT will be reviewing that in light of planned new measures by the UK Financial Conduct Authority.

Call for volunteers to join Red Cross first aid team

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Do you have what it takes to be a hero in your community?

The Isle of Man branch of the British Red Cross is seeking volunteers to be trained to offer first aid services at events across the island.

The organisation might be better known for international humanitarian work, but the busy local branch provides community first aid training, offers patient transfers and maintains a fleet of three emergency vehicles for event first aid use.

Between cultural events at the Gaiety Theatre and sporting highlights like the Parish Walk, the TT and Southern 100, their team of volunteers also provide first aid cover for hundreds of local events every year.

Event first aid service coordinator Sue Plant is calling for new recruits to boost their ranks and help them provide better cover.

She said: ‘People often think of the British Red Cross as a charity that only works overseas. They’re not always aware of the Isle of Man branch, or everything we do in the island. All of our event first aid people are fully trained volunteers who provide a very high standard of care.

‘Volunteering with us is about doing something in the Isle of Man, for the Isle of Man.’

‘Our campaign is for a new year, new start, and a resolution you can stick to - become a volunteer with British Red Cross Isle of Man.

‘We’re looking for committed people with good interpersonal skills and a good sense of teamwork.’

No prior experience is necessary as a full training programme will be provided to successful candidates. The Red Cross also recognise existing first aid qualifications.

New volunteers will take part in a four day event first aid training course, and recruits are encouraged to regularly attend weekly training sessions at the Red Cross headquarters in Braddan.

Ms Plant continued: ‘The easiest way to volunteer is to fill in the form online at the British Red Cross website. Prospective volunteers will be interviewed and once accepted, given an induction and training in basic first aid.

‘Once the mandatory first aid training is completed there are a number of options for further development.’

To apply as a volunteer, use the job search function at www.redcross.org.uk or for more information email Sue Plant at SuePlant@redcross.org.uk

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