Children and adults in need of help with learning and sensory difficulties have a chance to receive pioneering treatment thanks to Manx Mencap.

In mid-July, specialists from The Sound Learning Centre, in London, will visit the island for the fifth time to provide treatments.

Manx Mencap is again sponsoring the specialists coming over and providing the treatment for about 12 people.

A number of spaces are still available – anyone interested should get in touch with the London centre.

The centre’s principal, Pauline Allen, arrived in the island last week to carry out individual assessments, which involve looking at the auditory, visual and neurodevelopmental systems.

Specialists will be based at Centre 21, in Homefield Road, Douglas, for three weeks from July 22, for individuals to receive 10 days of treatment.

The treatment involves sound and light therapy to target the auditory and visual systems.

Auditory integration training involves listening to music that has been specially modified and filtered through an electronic device, the Audiokinetron.

Meanwhile, lightwave stimulation uses low intensity, pulsed, coloured light to rebalance the sympathetic and parasympathetic sides of the autonomic nervous system.

Since their first visit to the island in 2009, the specialists have treated more than 40 people.

She said they had seen ‘very good results’ with last year’s group.

They included a girl with very severe autism who had to be strapped into her buggy.

She is now calmer and speaking a couple of words at a time.

A boy with no impulse control, and who found it very difficult to sit down for any length of time, is now able to do so.

Another boy had been unable to access the curriculum due to very low self-esteem.

Pauline said: ‘He thanked us no end for believing in him and allowing him to feel he could achieve.’

In their feedback parents have reported a range of educational, behavioural and social improvements.

‘There is no way of knowing what the outcomes are going to be and we always advise them not to build up their hopes,’ she said.

‘But if we didn’t see what we see, we wouldn’t do what we do.’

Last year the Sound Learning Centre celebrated its 20th anniversary.

Pauline said: ‘We are very grateful to Manx Mencap for bringing us over allowing people to be helped.

‘They are a terrific organisation and we are very happy to be here.’

Each year Manx Mencap sponsors a new group of residents, so that they can help as many people as possible.

For more information, contact Heather Benghiat at The Sound Learning Centre by calling 020 8882 1060 or email info@thesoundlearningcentre.co.uk

A backbench MHK says it is ‘hugely disappointing’ that the island appears to have fallen behind the UK over pension reform.

Treasury Minister Eddie Teare MHK told Tynwald that the government had yet to determine whether it will recommend adopting the UK’s new single-tier flat rate state pension that will come into effect in April next year – or whether the island should break away from its reciprocal agreement with Whitehall and have its own pension arrangements.

‘This is the principal aspect of our review of the social security system,’ he told the court.

But Michael MHK Alfred Cannan said a decision on which path to take should be made urgently – or we will fall further behind.

He told the Manx Independent: ‘It is hugely disappointing that we appear to have fallen so far behind the UK in respect of pension reforms and have left our citizens potentially unable to benefit from new pension freedoms, including withdrawing lump sums on reaching retirement age.

‘It is also regrettable that we have not yet introduced auto-enrolment into workplace pensions, a move that will be important to ensuring our citizens make adequate provision for their retirement.

‘We have failed to keep pace with these important changes and the Treasury now needs to urgently make their minds up about which path we are following before we fall even further behind.’

Mr Teare denied we are falling behind the UK and it was important to come up with a scheme that would solve the overall issue. He said doubts had been express about the wisdom of pension freedoms.

But the Minister accepted that auto-enrolment has a lot to recommend it.

He said reciprocal agreements came in various forms and our present arrangement was more closely tied to the UK than the one which Northern Ireland has.

Mr Teare said if we do follow the UK, we wouldn’t have the IT systems in place until 2017. He said if the UK abolished contracting out as planned this would cost government an extra £6m a year.

This week’s Manx Independent is out now.

Headlines in the paper include:

Roof firm in court after Mount Murray fire

Man ‘found with £22,000 cannabis’

Man smashed into house and assaulted two women

Minister questioned over cancer delays

Minister faces Tynwald over Peel silt

Woman had tray of cannabis in fridge

Whole village put up for sale

Tower of Refuge walk: Picture special

Baby wallaby dies

This week’s glorious and very welcome spring weather is much nicer than the conditions 70 years ago when, on April 23, 1945, an American Flying Fortress bomber became a victim of low cloud – ‘Manannan’s Cloak’ – and flew into the side of North Barrule at full speed.

Although it was a fully-equipped warplane the bomber was on a peaceful mission, taking passengers to Nutt’s Corner in Northern Ireland for a few days of leave.

There were 31 men on board, all looking forward to a time away from their hectic life on their United States Army Air Force base at Ridgewell in Essex where many of them worked as ground crew, repairing and maintaining the bombers which were flying almost daily over enemy territory.

They were all Americans and most had been in England since 1943. Along with their luggage they were packed into every available space in the cramped body of the aircraft; they were sitting on the floor, in the gun turrets and the radio cabin.

Some may have been playing cards and all would have been eagerly anticipating their landing in Northern Ireland.

They never arrived.

In a split second every one of them was killed as the aircraft hit the steep, rocky hillside. It bounced back into the air, debris and men spilling from its torn fuselage, and crashed back onto the rocky slopes where high-octane petrol spilt from the huge fuel tanks in its wings and exploded in a fireball.

Judging by the position of some of the debris and marks which can still be seen on the ground, it is possible to deduce that the pilot may have seen the hillside at the last minute and tried in vain to lift the aircraft’s nose.

Charles Ackerman was no novice pilot, having been flying operationally since February 1944 he had completed 25 missions, been home to the United States and returned to his squadron to have another go at the enemy by flying 27 more missions, many as lead pilot of his squadron.

The reason why Captain Ackerman was some way off his planned route will never be known for certain but it is possible that he had asked his navigator, 1st Lieutenant Martin Matyas, to plot a course for North Barrule because a fellow pilot from the same squadron had been killed there in a crash the previous July.

Could this tragedy be the result of a sightseeing diversion? What bizarre twist of fate could otherwise be the reason for two men, who between them survived 77 hazardous flights over enemy-occupied Europe, dying less than half a mile apart on a Manx hill?

Whatever the reason, 31 young men died there on a cloud-covered rocky hillside far from home.

All were returned to England for burial at the American Military Cemetery at Madingley near Cambridge and after the war several of them were returned home to the USA for reburial closer to their families.

This repatriation of the American dead was carried out in great secrecy. The British government, left virtually bankrupt by six years of war, had no wish for its people to know about it, fearing that they would demand return of their loved ones from their graves all over the world.

Over the years nature has softened the damage to the hillside.

Fire-blackened stones have been covered over by new grass and heather and there are mere fragments left of the 20 tons of twisted wreckage which were once a four-engined aircraft.

In 1995 a memorial and flagpole were erected at the crash site on North Barrule by the Maughold Commissioners and the Manx Aviation Preservation Society.

Every year since then the American flag has been flown there by Mike Corlett from Laxey who remembers the crash happening when he was a boy. Over 80 now, Mike still makes the annual trek up the hill to erect the flag, albeit at a slightly more leisurely pace than before.

Mike is one of the founders of the Manx Aviation and Military Museum.

I have been to the crash site several times with Mike when he’s been raising the flag and it is a very moving occasion.

It is such a beautiful, peaceful spot; on Monday there was only the sound of skylarks and sheep and it’s impossible to imagine that it was a place of devastation and horror 70 years ago, with 31 young lives snuffed out in an instant.

Nature has hidden most of the scars but here and there you can find twisted pieces of metal which provide vivid reminders of that terrible accident.

It is, in a way, a place of pilgrimage; a place where we raise their flag to and say a quiet ‘thank you’ to those young Americans who played their part in overthrowing tyranny and who lost their lives so far from their homes.

Mike doesn’t know this but when we’re up there I also say a silent thank you to him for his dedication to these men and for starting what I hope will continue to be a tradition in the island.

Relatives of several of the victims have visited the site over the years and Mike’s efforts in raising the flag and in guiding them to the site are very much appreciated by them.

Over the years many objects have been found at the site and some of them can be seen along with photographs and names of the victims in one of the many fascinating and moving displays in the Manx Aviation and Military Museum at the airport. T

The museum is open every Saturday and Sunday through the year from 10am to 4.30pm and daily from TT Practice Week to the end of September. Admission is free.

Josie the rescued baby wallaby has died, the ManxSPCA has said.

The charity had been caring for the orphan since it was found by a concerned member of the public.

Round the clock care included three-hourly feeds.

Earlier this week we reported Josie, while being in a fragile condition, was feeding well and had put on weight.

But the wallaby died on Tuesday night due to stress caused by not being with her mother. Margaret Mansfield said that capture myopathy posed a significant risk when caring for wild animals.

She said the milk, recommended by experts at Blackpool Zoo, was also not as good as that which she would have got from her mother.

She added: ‘Everyone’s very upset. It was such a lovely animal.’

----------------

Rescued baby wallaby is ‘doing well’

Baby wallaby in ‘fragile’ condition after being found in north of Isle of Man

TravelWatch thinks there should be a review of the Isle of Man’s travel links with the outside world in the light of the shutdown of our sea and air services a short time ago. But what can we do?

I suppose we could row our island as close to England as possible, to Liverpool for example, so that people could simply step on and off shore dry shod. But I think there might be problems with this.

In the circumstances, why not build a road bridge from the Isle of Man to somewhere else in the British Isles? Then we could all drive on and off.

Now don’t think this is a new idea. I can remember it being talked of in Tynwald 30 odd years ago. The notion came from the then MHK for East Douglas Mr David Martin who, as a Douglas seafront hotelier, was understandably concerned about the security of our external travel links.

A fixed link he called it. But where to build it?

On economy grounds it was thought it would have to be as short as possible, perhaps stretching from the Point of Ayre to the southern coast of Scotland at Burrow Head, a distance of 10 miles. The next shortest would be from the Point of Ayre to St Bee’s Head in Cumbria. Unfortunately Mr Martin’s notion got nowhere.

In view of the present day concerns, however, I think it should be looked at again by Tynwald.

But what would we call this fabulous fixed link? Well, there is one resonant Manx name which was at the centre of last week’s problems

We could call it Manannan’s Bridge.

----------------

On Manx Radio the Mandate programme presenter John Moss chose to say that something had been done ‘in one fell swoop.’ But he didn’t say ‘fell.’ He used another word, which was incorrect, and which he acknowledged as such when a listener rang up to take him to task.

What he did not do was tell people whether he was trying to say ‘in one fowl swoop’ or ‘in one foul swoop.’

----------------

That Manx crossword clue wag Frank Bond in Doncaster revealed how he got ‘kitten’ last week. He told me: ‘My wife asked me-ow I got it. I said I’d looked it up in a catalogue. She said it would have been a catastrophe if I hadn’t got it.’

That’s purrfect Frank.

On another waggish tack Frank asked me: ‘Now that I can bring my caravan to the Isle of Man, do you think I would need just one permit or one for each camel?’

Just don’t get the hump about it, Frank.

----------------

In the Examiner last week, covering pages 27 and 28, there was a photograph of hundreds of people downing a few snifters at the CAMRA beer festival and at least two readers, Jon Callister and Richard Davies, told me they recognised President Putin sitting up at the bar. There is a remarkable resemblance here but I leave it to other readers to pick this man out for themselves. He might not be too pleased if I told the world who he looked like by re-running the photograph. Mind you it could be that President Putin really was there. But it’s not for me to blow his cover.

He might be planning to stand for the House of Keys next year, with his eye on becoming Chief Minister Putin.

----------------

In a list of Sky TV channels, where programme names are often fore-shortened, at 5.30pm on Sky 2 there was on offer: ‘Terry Prat.’

I think I know who they mean and he wasn’t.

----------------

At Walk and Talk last week I encountered a lady marching along with her iPhone held up in front her and looking intently at the display panel. She told me she was rehearsing the words of a song she was going to be singing in the Guild. I wanted to ask her name but she was leaving me behind; nearly all the ladies are faster than me.

But is it going to be Walk and Talk and Sing in future?

----------------

My Manx crossword clue enthusiasts had little trouble deciding why, as asked last week, the answer to ‘Capricious Manx cat not acceptable in stage show (9)’ should be ‘Whimsical’.

Answers came in from Heather Horsburgh (daughter of Lockie), Barbara Taylor, Frank Bond and Ken Fogelman. Heather, for instance, offered: The cat is whip as in cat-of-nine tails. Manx cat becomes whi. Not acceptable stage show, non-u musical, becomes msical.

A forum for owners of electric vehicles was launched on Saturday.

And the first meeting also included an information and display day between 10am and 3pm at the Green Centre in Douglas.

It was great to see a whole herd of Leafs – cue lots of jokes over the collective noun for these lovely vehicles – assembled outside the Centre.

The display also featured electric bikes and even an electric scooter, which attracted lots of interest from passers-by.

The meeting itself was virtually standing room-only in the – admittedly not very large – Green Centre.

Around 20 people, variously owners, infrastructure providers and the curious, assembled to discuss a packed agenda.

Chris Burton, of the Manx Energy Advice Centre, chaired the meeting and was ably supported by Dan Brook, whose excellent Facebook page EVIOM was the initial inspiration.

Chris and Dan are the driving force behind the group and have lots of information and experience to share.

For instance, did you know that provided you arrange in advance, you can charge your EV on certain Steam Packet sailings? This is a great facility, and hats off to the company for offering it.

It was also good to see the Manx Utilities Authorities’ Richard Bujko in attendance, both to share the MUA’s ideas on developing tariffs and charging infrastructure and to take back feedback from the group.

Richard gave us lots to think about and invited feedback on a planned tariff structure – we appreciate the chance to comment.

The agenda covered everything from affordability and charging points, to connectivity issues, maintenance and battery life.

There was lots to discuss and many items will be revisited at the next gathering, to be held on a date to be confirmed.

What was clear, though, was that EV owners aren’t just motivated by environmental issues or a wish to be freed from the ‘slavery of the petrol pump’ – they genuinely love their vehicles.

More than one person described their car as the best drive they’d ever had, bar none. Clearly, choosing an environmentally sustainable option doesn’t mean opting for second best!

The forum aims to help EV enthusiasts network and share ideas and experience - but it’ll also be a useful lobbying body, and will be one of the groups feeding into the newly established EcoVannin forum (www.ecovannin.im) through its Transport stream.

If you’d like to know more, or to be added to the group’s mailing list, email Chris Burton csburton@manx.net, contact Dan Brook through the EVIOM Facebook page or call/text EcoVannin co-ordinator Cat Turner on 482077.

Douglas Promenade will be jumping on Saturday, May 2, when fitness fans take part in a one-mile burpee challenge to raise funds for The Children’s Centre.

Individuals or teams of four will have to complete hundreds of the exercises to make it to the finish line. All money raised in the ‘Burpee 4 Charity’ event will go towards The Children’s Centre’s charitable projects.

The burpee exercise has become a staple part of fitness regimes for the military, boxers and other combat sports, and for many keep fit enthusiasts.

Mark Eastham, the charity’s fundraising co-ordinator, said: ‘This is going to be a real challenge for fitness fanatics, but a lot of fun too.

‘Everyone will have to complete a burpee followed by a forward jump before starting the next burpee over a one-mile course.

‘The fun starts at the Summerland end of Douglas Promenade at 11am on May 2, and we expect that all the competitors will have to complete around 800 burpees and jumps to complete the full distance. But there’s a generous time limit to allow those of all abilities to take part.’

Entry costs £10 per person, and £40 for a team of four.

The Burpee 4 Charity event was inspired by fitness expert Martin Malone, who will be taking part on the day, and will also be the instructor at a series of classes to learn how to do the perfect burpee.

There are several versions of the burpee exercise, but the one used for the Burpee Mile challenge is demonstrated by Martin in a video {http://www.thechildrenscentre.org.im/events/burpee-4-charity/|here}

Burpee classes will be held at the Summerland end of Douglas Promenade tonight (Thursday) and on Monday at 7.30pm.

All entries must be made online {http://www.thechildrenscentre.org.im/events/burpee-4-charity/|here} - there are no entries on the day. For more details contact The Children’s Centre’s fundraising team by phoning 676076 or emailing adventuremann@thechildrenscentre.org.im

Ulla Irene Hieala-Beavers, of Ballacain, Little Mill Road, Onchan, bought 17 Fairway Drive, Ramsey, for £510,000.

It was bought from Alan Thompson and Yvonne Thompson.

Other recent transactions lodged at the General Registry in Douglas are as follows:

Alan John Harding and Frances Ann Harding sold 18 Sunnybank Avenue, Birch Hill, Onchan, for £395,000, to Patricia Margaret Donegan, of Sunnyside, Lower Dukes Road, Douglas.

Marcamp Limited and Manor Park Management Limited, whose registered offices are at Freeport Centre, Ballasalla, sold 23B Manor Park, Onchan, for £385,000, to Paul Bell, of 12 Manor Park, Banks Howe, Onchan.

Adam Price and Victoria Louise Price sold 32 Sunningdale Drive, Onchan, for £277,000, to Jonathan Harrison Carling and Monika Karolina Carling, of Flat 5, 3 Derby Road, Douglas.

George Michael Lewin and Avril Mary Lewin, of The Firs, Pinehurst Avenue, Braddan, sold 8 The Crofts, Ballagarey Road, Glen Vine, for £275,000, to Alison Mary Sutton.

Strategic Associates Limited, whose registered office is situated in Jersey, sold 15 Ballabrooie Grove, Douglas, for £250,00, to Colin Gyph Bowen, of Creg Beg, Main Road, Crosby.

Frank Peter Benton, of Newport, sold 1 Crovens Close, Governor’s Hill, Douglas, for £235,000, to Lyncot Property Limited, whose registered office is at 8/9 Hill Street, Douglas.

Michael James Playford and Jeanette Louise Playford sold Tengah, Dukes Road, Douglas, for £265,000, to David Frank Corris and Theresa Bernadette Corris, of 4 Fairfield Terrace, Douglas.

Paul Allen and Charlotte Frances Allen, of York, sold 5 Richmond Grove, Douglas, for £190,000, to Nan Wu and Lude Sun, of 13 Stanley Terrace, Douglas.

Georgios Tsapakis and Tabitha Elworthy, sold 24 Lakeside Road, Governor’s Hill, Douglas, for £181,000, to Elmfield Limited, whose registered office is at 99 Cronk Liauyr, Tromode Park, Douglas.

Bornfields Limited, whose registered office is in the British Virgin Islands, sold land at Foxdale for £75,000, to James William Cubbon and Denise Catherine Cubbon, of Kennaa Estate, Kennaa Road, St John’s.

------------------

We publish details of all house sales unless we receive a written request from the police or probation services.

Ramsey Commissioners were surprised to learn that the Department of Infrastructure has plans to create flood defence barriers at junctions where East Street, Christian Street and West Street meet the Quay.

The defences would be in the form of demountable posts and barriers which slide into vertical channels within the posts.

It is intended to install the ground sockets for the posts to East Street before TT week and the other two afterwards.

At their recent meeting, members expressed surprise at the lack of consultation and lack of information surrounding the topic and noted that it had not been raised at the recent tidal flooding presentation held in the town.

Commissioner Stephen Rand said the scheme smacked of ‘spending what’s left of last year’s budget’.

It was agreed to write back saying they are not convinced the measures would be effective and request further information.

The island’s United Nations Association is to hold a discussion about sport this evening (Thursday).

It will take place in the Studio Theatre, Ballakermeen High School, Douglas, from 7pm.

The event is free and the public are welcome.

The panel includes Geoff Karran MBE, Island Games Association Life Member and Chairman of the Commonwealth Youth Games held on the island in 2011; Dot Tilbury MBE, inductee in the British Cycling Hall of Fame in 2012 and recipient of the Isle of Man Newspapers Lifetime Excellence Award for her role in the sport of cycling; and Malcolm Blackburn, Vice President of the Confederation of Independent Football Associations, ConIFA.

The UN encourages people everywhere to observe an International Day of Sport for Development and Peace each April.

Ban Ki Moon, the UN Secretary General, once said: ‘Sport has become a world language, a common denominator that breaks down all the walls, all the barriers.’

He has appealed to sportsmen and women to be advocates for building a better world for all.

On the first UN International Day of Sport last year Ellan Vannin football team played its first international game against the Principality of Monaco in the Bowl, Douglas.

Money was raised to bring Darfur United, a refugee-camp team from the Chad-Sudan border in Africa, to the ConIFA World Cup in Sweden where our island was losing finalist.

That day the Isle of Man United Nations Association congratulated all involved for creating opportunities for people here and elsewhere to develop as sportsman and as ambassadors.

Chairman of the UNA Chris Thomas MHK said: ‘The UNA has existed since 1985 to encourage awareness and dialogue about international issues as they affect the island. Sport is one such issue.

‘Only good can come from providing opportunities from sport for all of us.’

Chris Thomas MHK is to take over as the politician who’ll oversee the island’s housing issues.

Infrastructure Minister Phil Gawne MHK has delegated political responsibility for the housing division to the Douglas West MHK.

The housing division transferred to the Department of Infrastructure from the Department of Health and Social Care on April 1.

The division is what civil servants describe as ‘the strategic and legislative lead’ for housing policy and reform, a landlord to 16 per cent of the Isle of Man’s public sector tenants and a provider of housing assistance to more than 1,600 first-time buyers to date.

The affordable housing sector is a significant contributor to the Manx economy and the division manages the development and delivery of a multi-million pound annual housing investment programme.

Mr Gawne said: ‘Housing policy is of paramount importance and I am looking forward to working with Mr Thomas and the division’s staff to enhance it.’

Mr Thomas, who is also the department member responsible for planning, added: ‘The Isle of Man has real housing issues. I saw this even more clearly when chairing the Landlord and Tenant Bill committee recently. I hope to be able to contribute to addressing these issues. Local authorities will be crucial partners and the connection between housing, social and planning policies needs to be recognised.’

All ages are set to compete in the island’s biggest music, speech and dance festival, which kicks off tomorrow (Friday).

The Manx Music Festival – The Guild – is a platform for talented folk to showcase their capabilities and through the festival’s competitive nature gain motivation for improvement.

It is a huge variety show featuring a staggering 176 classes for individuals and groups, testing singing, instrumental performances, dancing, public speaking and more.

A new class for this year is the music hall class, with entrants competing for the McDowell Trophy, named after Wendy McDowell, a stalwart of the festival as an accompanist, musical director and committee member.

The festival will evolve further next year with new dance classes.

Dance schools are currently being consulted about the plans.

There are some 1,471 entrants – 811 children and 660 adults – ranging from five-year-old Breeshey Kelsey in the girls’ solo class for school years one and two, to centenarian Laurence Kermode.

Laurence will be hoping to repeat last year’s success by winning the Works of T.E. Brown class. And he has again entered the folk song class.

Festival secretary Dr Jacqueline Yates said: ‘The Guild is a wonderful, inclusive, high-quality occasion which gives many people unbeatable opportunities to build their confidence through performance and enjoy their music, speech and dance in a supportive and social environment.’

The festival reaches its climax at the Villa Marina on Saturday, May 2, with the competition for the Cleveland Medal, donated annually by Ohio (USA) Manx Society, and competed for by the winners of six special solo classes held during festival week.

Prior to the Cleveland Medal Test, the night sees the final of the Sheffield Plate, where the winners of nine junior classes compete for the prize.

Highlights of the festival also include the brass classes this weekend, and one of the firm favourites, the adults’ Songs from the Musicals, on Thursday evening next week, which always attracts a strong entry.

Jacqueline encouraged people to go along and watch the classes.

A season ticket is £30, while most sessions are £4.

There’s a chance for singers to get some tips and feedback from Dr Jill White, a leading expert in classical music.

Dr White, who will be adjudicating the Cleveland Medal Test, is holding an open masterclass on Sunday, May 3.

The session runs from 1pm to 4pm at Manx Blind Welfare, in Onchan, and will consist of an introductory talk and presentation on preparing for performance and breathing exercises.

This will be followed by individual 10-minute slots to perform to an audience and receive feedback from Dr White.

Tickets (£10) are available from Festival Secretary, 12 Devonshire Road, Douglas, IM2 3RB or email theguild@manx.net

The Manx Music Festival, now in its 123rd year, is affiliated to the British & International Federation of Festivals for Music, Dance and Speech.

Businesses have welcomed the news that major progress is now being seen on the Heysham to M6 Link Road project as work continues rapidly on both roadworks and structures.

The new £124.5m link road will connect the Heysham peninsula directly to the M6.

One of the major benefits of the new road will be that people coming off the boat at Heysham will no longer have to struggle driving through Lancaster to reach the M6.

Nick Green, general manager of Graylaw Freight Group said the new road will be a ‘definite benefit’ for the company.

He said: ‘Our drivers can face a huge bottle neck in Lancaster. We are pleased to hear that work is going well on the new link road.’

Graylaw’s main depot is in Skelmersdale and customers include Tesco, Shoprite, Dominos Pizza and various other concerns.

Mr Green said many of the products being transported are time sensitive and it is vital that staff reach the Heysham ferry port in time for the 2.15pm and the 2.15am sailings to the island.

The journey from Skelmersdale to Heysham is around 52 miles. Mr Green said that with the current road works it may well be a case of one step back but in due course it will mean two steps forward.

Michael Coleman, managing director of Manx Independent Carriers said it was ‘excellent news’ that good progress was being made with the link road.

He said a lot of the work done by the firm was ‘time critical and time sensitive’ and when the road eventually opens it will be a huge benefit to the company.

Manx Independent Carriers also has a major depot at Skelmersdale and clients in the island include companies such as Marks and Spencer.

Eight 42-metre steel beams have been installed at the Folly railway bridge, which crosses the West Coast Main Line.

Work on the bridge deck is now under way during a series of Saturday night possessions of the railway.

Project director Andrew Langley said: ‘This is a very technically challenging project.

‘But it is a fantastic scheme which will deliver huge regeneration and economic benefits for the peninsula. Works are nearly going as planned, the scheme is in a good position for the coming year.

‘The link road is currently running on target to meet the construction and clients budget.’

Mr Langley said there were currently around 250 staff working on the project.

This was expected to climb in the coming weeks as the weather improves.

Benefits of the scheme are expected to include Lancaster experiencing reduced congestion, better air quality, and improvements to bus, cycling and walking facilities. A new park and ride scheme at junction 34 will link to the city.

The link road should be open to the public Summer 2016, although smaller elements will be open sooner. The Northgate and Morecambe Road junctions will be reconfigured and all four slip roads will be opened before the whole project is finished.

The latest presentation for the Manx Cancer Service Users’ Forum will be from Noble’s Hospital medical director Dr Jugnu Mahajan.

Dr Mahajan. who came to the island in 2014 to take up her post, is also the lead for the cancer implementation group. Before this, she was medical director at Barnsley hospital and consultant paediatrician and clinical director in Rotherham.

Derek Peters of the service users’ forum said: ‘She comes to us with a real wealth of experience and knowledge. The opportunity to make a real difference to the health of the people of the Isle of Man attracted her to this position.

‘She is passionate about developing quality improvements and committed to taking this agenda forward.’

In her current position, Dr Mahajan is part of the team working on integration of services and she is keen to develop clinical leaders for the future. She is also working on a peer support programme for the hospital.

Mr Peters said: ‘This drive will offer huge benefits to the development of cancer services and the forum is pleased to welcome her to speak to us.’

As usual, the session is at Douglas Golf Club on Monday, April 27, at 7.30pm. Admission is free and there is plentiful parking. Dr Mahajan will speak and answer questions.

For more information contact Julie Stokes on 484950 or email csuf@manx.net

The well regarded litigation team at Douglas advocates MannBenham has been further strengthened with the appointment of Christopher Webb.

Christopher is a senior Isle of Man Advocate and English Solicitor and brings with him a breadth of experience having previously been a director of two leading Isle of Man legal practices.

Christopher is an experienced and robust litigator with more than 12 years Manx experience and specialises in the areas of commercial, common law, employment and family litigation.

Christopher is married with two children and prior to moving to the Isle of Man 14 years ago was a director of a London market insurance broking house.

Senior director Miles Benham said: ‘We are recognised as being a provider of high quality legal advice and assistance and we achieve that by having a team of highly experienced and qualified lawyers.

‘Chris is well respected by his peers and is a strong litigator who will be an asset to our clients and will add further depth to our litigation team.

‘We continue to offer our popular free initial consultations on all areas of Isle of Man law including litigation and commercial work.

‘This is open to both individuals and businesses and even our most senior advocates are available to meet and talk through a matter on a no obligation basis.’

Don’t miss the chance to have your say on controversial domestic rates reform.

That’s the message from Onchan Commissioner Rob Callister, who is urging homeowners to have their say on Treasury proposals to reform the island’s rates system.

The proposed scheme would expect householders to declare the value of their own homes and may penalise those who do not submit a valuation.

Mr Callister told iomtoday: ‘Most people I’ve spoken to totally disagree with the idea that they should be held liable for valuing their own properties. Who will be accountable if the valuations are wrong?’

‘People need to read this. If it just gets ignored and the government introduces self-assessment, there could be a financial burden on all ratepayers,’ he said.

An annual rates bill covers services from local authorities and water and sewerage provided by Manx Utilities.

Under the current system the rateable value of a domestic property, which determines how much is paid by each household, is calculated based on the rental income it would have earned in 1971.

The new system will group properties into nine valuation bands to determine their rates. Although it won’t increase the overall amount of revenue raised from domestic rates, some properties will pay more and others pay less under the new scheme.

The public consultation, including an online survey, finishes on Monday, April 27. Visit www.gov.im/ConsultationDetail.gov?id=493 for more details.

Braddan School was visited by a bona fide superhero this week.

Will Hodson, aka Super Cycling Man, dropped in to see pupils during the Isle of Man leg of his world tour. He was in the island for two days, having caught the ferry from Belfast.

The former teacher arrived in the Isle of Man on Sunday afternoon with no set plans, but soon found himself the recipient of Manx hospitality – with a complete stranger offering him the chance to camp in their garden for the two nights he was here!

Lynne Speller, a Year Three teacher at Braddan School, had heard about the visit after a friend in Northern Ireland mentioned he was on his way.

So Lynne got in touch with Will and he agreed to call by. When Lynne rang head teacher Louise Oates to confirm the visit could go ahead, it turned out that she had just bumped into Will at the Sea Terminal!

The visit to Braddan School was especially appropriate as the children in Year Three and Reception classes are working on superhero projects at the moment, so they were delighted to meet one in the flesh.

Will talked to the children about cycling and his travels – as well as some of the things involved with being a superhero.

Formerly of London, Will said of adventure: ‘I have quit my job, I have sold all my worldly possessions, like my car, and I am now heading around the world.’

He has set aside April and May to cover the British Isles and will then head to mainland Europe.

The journey will take in all the continents, including Antarctica. Two years ago the South Pole Race was won by a woman from Wales on a bike, so Will is confident he can make it across the icy conditions.

‘The original plan was to travel around the world in stages in the summer holidays as I was a teacher, but the big dream was to travel all around the world in one go and I am finally making my dream trip happen.’

He enjoyed his visit to the island.

‘Once, I would have struggled to put the Isle of Man on the map, but it has been great. It is a very beautiful island,’ Will said, adding that he was overwhelmed by the welcome he received during his stay and admitted he turned a few heads with his outfit as he cycled the TT course.

Which brings us the question of why is he dressed as Super Cycling Man. He said he decided on the superhero image to help break down barriers. He has been greeted with smiles all around the world when he has been cycling in the outfit.

‘People are always waving out of their windows. It brings a smile to their faces. It makes it a lot more fun for me and for everyone else,’ he said.

‘A big reason is to engage school children with the adventure because it is a little more fun and there is a message behind it that we call all do heroic things.

‘It is all about discovering your own heroic self.’

Braddan School head teacher Louise Oates said: ‘We were delighted that Super Cycling Man could drop in.

‘All the children loved meeting him and talking to him and we will follow his adventures with great interest.’

Will’s mission is also in aid of charities and he is raising funds for Parkinson’s UK, World Cancer Research, World Bicycle Relief, the World Wildlife Fund and safe cycling routes charity Sustrans.

You can keep up to 
date with Will’s adventure via the Super Cycling Man page 
on Facebook.

Action has been taken to address concerns raised about delays in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients, the Health Minister told Tynwald.

Cancer patients in the Isle of Man have had their diagnosis delayed by up to a year, a report by independent inspectors from the West Midlands Quality Review Service revealed last month.

The reviewers found widespread evidence of ‘re-prioritisation’ of urgent suspected cancer referrals from GPs.

Some were recategorised as ‘routine’, including some referrals for patients with imaging reports indicating suspected cancer.

In Tynwald, Health and Social Care Minister Howard Quayle MHK was asked by Lib Van leader Kate Beecroft (Douglas South) about what action had been taken to rectify concerns raised by the West Midlands team.

Mr Quayle replied that a number of initiatives are being progressed – and these had been agreed by the external reviewers.

He said: ‘While the report identified a number of areas for improvement it also highlighted a range of good practice and achievements in the areas such as lung care, gynaecological care, chemotherapy and palliative care where reviewers recognised the excellent integrated services between Noble’s Hospital, Primary Care and Hospice Isle of Man.

‘With regard to the 11 immediate risks that were identified in the report, these have all been actioned. A number of these related to timely diagnostic processes and treatment pathways for patients.’

Mr Quayle said Macmillan has offered to fund a project post to support the improvement of patient pathways from diagnosis to survivorship in partnership with Noble’s Hospital and the Primary Care sector.

He said a lung cancer co-ordinator had been appointed to track patients to reduce delays. ‘The department is in the process of recruiting additional cancer co-ordinator posts. These post holders will ensure all cancer targets are being met,’ he said.

Mr Quayle said a locum interventional radiologist has been appointed to improve diagnostic turnaround and the department had commissioned detailed analysis of cancer-related data.

Mrs Beecroft sought assurances that re-prioritising cases was not being allowed to continue, describing delays of referrals by up to a year as ‘not acceptable’. She said at times cases were being prioritised even though imaging showed suspected cancer.

Mr Quayle replied if Mrs Beecroft had any evidence of that he would look into it. He said he had been assured time targets were being met ‘to the best of our abilities’. Mrs Beecroft pointed out the evidence was in the report.

Health Minister Howard Quayle says his recent fact-finding visit to New Zealand has confirmed his belief that its model of healthcare is one the Isle of Man should follow.

Mr Quayle insisted his 21 day trip was no jolly. ‘If we weren’t in meetings, we were travelling between meetings,’ he said.

He and his department’s chief executive, Mark Charters, visited district health boards in Canterbury, Marlborough and Hamilton, where they spoke to senior managers, consultants, nurses, doctors, dentists and patients’ representatives.

They met one chief medical officer who is a Manxman trained at Noble’s.

Since introducing an integrated model of healthcare, Canterbury has seen average hospital stays reduce to 3.6 days – half that of Noble’s – admission rates cut by 25 per cent and this at a 30 per cent lower per capita cost than we expend in the island.

Mr Quayle said: ‘I would like to see a version of it here. But we’ve got to make it relevant for the Isle of Man. We pay higher wages and we don’t have their economies of scale but there are savings to be made while improving services we give to the people of the island.

‘This is not something that will happen overnight. It will be a three to five-year programme. If we start the ball rolling now we can come up with a formula that will enable the next generation to fund a decent health service within the constraints of reduced expenditure.’

Mr Quayle said he would not follow the New Zealand model of GP co-payments where patients pay to see their doctor, the rate subsidised by the state. But he could not rule out such a move being followed here in the future.

The Minister said the 21 day trip included two days of travel each way to reduce costs, he and Mr Charters flying out via Manchester, Dubai, Bangkok and Sydney.