Tomorrow (Friday) the Epilepsy and Psychogenic Seizure Association is hosting Epilepsy Action’s public awareness day.

This is one of many activities taking place during the British Epilepsy Awareness Week.

Area manager Cliff Challenger and council member Jayne Burton from Epilepsy Action will be there, together with volunteers from EPSA Isle of Man and the Isle of Man Epilepsy Action Group. Information leaflets relevant for people living in the island will be available.

About one in 100 people is diagnosed with epilepsy, there is no estimate of the number of people with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES).

At present there is no resident specialist here who is able to help those with epilepsy and PNES.

The Isle of Man Charity EPSA IOM supports people in the Isle of Man with PNES by providing information, increasing awareness and campaigning for better services.

See www.epsaiom.org for more details.

EPSA thanked Celton Manx for itssupport in providing publicity and information leaflets.

An island appeal for funds for ShelterBoxes after the earthquake in Nepal has topped £9,000.

Launched by the Rotary clubs of Onchan, Douglas and Douglas Bay with the help of Douglas Inner Wheel, the appeal is raising funds to provide clean water and shelter.

Spokesman Nigel Dobson said: ‘We can only imagine the what it is like to lose your home, possessions and in many cases a family member because the Earth shook for 30 seconds. Anything we can do to assist this extremely poor nation to start on the road to recovery has to be worthwhile.’

ShelterBox is a Rotary-sponsored charity that sends survival equipment to stricken areas around the world, has people on the ground in Nepal and works closely with the 72 Rotary clubs in Nepal, one of which was meeting at the time of the first quake and lost most of its members.

Each box contain much more than at tent. A typical box will contain a four man tent, groundsheet, thermal blankets, enamel cups and crockery, a water purification kit to supply two litres of water per person, per day for a year for a family of four, a sewing kit, hammer and nails, soap and toothbrushes and much more.

‘Donations have come from such a wide variety of places,’ said Nigel. ‘One morning I was opening the post and an envelope contained a cheque for £20 from an old solider who served with the Ghurkhas in his youth, the next envelope contained a cheque for £1,000 with no clue as to who had sent it. We have had collections from churches, donations at a community choir performance and people just dropping a cheque in the post as well as donations from a number of the Islands businesses. They even had a collection at the tax office.

‘We can’t thank the people of the island enough as they once again show their generosity. But the need is still there. The disaster is no longer making headlines but people are still without clean water, without shelter, without basic first aid kit so we will continue to appeal for funds to do what little we can to help.

‘To date ShelterBox has provided shelter for over 1,000 people, we hope to do more.’

To donate to this appeal, send a cheque made to Onchan Rotary to Rotary Earthquake Appeal, c/o The Liverpool Arms, Baldrine, IM4 6AE or contact Nigel Dobson on 215515 or email nigel@suremail.im

Island Financial Solutions (IFS) has appointed Stephen Cryer, a leading figure in the Isle of Man financial services industry, to strengthen its corporate pension activities.

Stephen has worked in the Isle of Man for more than 20 years, during which time he enjoyed a long and successful career with Aviva Life (Norwich Union), where he was responsible for the development of all local Aviva Life business.

IFS director Mike Twist said the appointment was a major boost for the Bucks Road, Douglas based company and has already led to the introduction of a ground-breaking IFS Pensions Charter, specifically aimed at under-serviced local companies.

‘We already have a loyal and established retail client base across the island and Stephen’s in-depth knowledge and contacts within the business sector will provide IFS with a firm foothold in the Island’s corporate pensions sector,’ said Mike.

‘The IFS Pensions Charter has been developed by Steve to address the needs of local businesses who are not currently receiving the service delivery they expect or deserve,’ he added.

In tandem with the charter, IFS has also unveiled a pension MOT service, providing businesses owners and their employees with annual reviews, fund advice, legislation updates and yearly financial presentations, across a wide spectrum of subjects.

Save The Children are holding a coffee afternoon on Saturday to raise funds for the Nepal Earthquake sppeal.

The event will be held in the Port Erin Methodist Church Hall from 2pm to 4pm.

Admission is £1, and the price includes refreshments.

Organisers say the stalls will include raffle, cakes and much more.

Save The Children have already reached more than 67,000 people by providing hygiene kits and have set up mobile health clinics to provide basic primary health care.

The BMX track in Ramsey is not an ‘eyesore’, according to Iain Clague from BMX Isle of Man.

He added: ‘It might have been an eyesore three or four years ago, but come and see the difference now! And this has all been done by a handful of parents.’

Iain was responding to comments about the BMX track made by Port Erin Commissioners last month when discussing creating a track in Breagle Glen. Phil Crellin said: ‘[The track at] Ramsey is an eyesore, although it’s a good facility and lot of people go there.’

Mr Clague said hundreds of hours have gone into creating and maintaining the facility, which caters for around 45 regular users aged from four to 52.

He said: ‘Pete Corfield spent his day off with a strimmer there the other day. Steve Dillon and Pete spent most of the week putting up the fence round and tidying up the place in general. Marty Downey from Island Drainage and Jimmy Collins from Mann Construction gave us machinery that we drove ourselves to make the track.

‘When you sit down and work it out, the machinery and labour, you are looking at an £80,000 track. We have spent £1,500, The Manx Lottery Trust gave us £21,500 for the tarmac, which was laid 15 months ago.

‘Pat and Arthur Corrin donated cash and gardening equipment. There is never a day when there is not a kid on it.’

The track now attracts high profile BMXers such as world champions and Olympians Kelvin Batey and Shanaze Reade, who visited in February. From August, Ian Brooks from Preston with his two sons will be offering coaching. ‘We have never been able to get people from England before. From now on, when they see the track, they say: “We will come over”.’

To raise the profile further requires more finance. ‘We are very, very close to having a regional series in the Isle of Man, all we need is financial help ... The government should realise BMX is an Olympic sport, we [the island] could have names in the sport, it’s a big thing.’

Any changes to the island’s relationship with its Lieutenant Governor are not exactly at the top of the government’s priority list, Chief Minister Allan Bell has said.

Mr Bell was responding to calls by Manx nationalist party Mec Vannin to make the Lieutenant Governor vacate the official governor’s residence at Governor’s Hill in Douglas and to pay for his accommodation.

The nationalists, who discussed the matter at their recent annual meeting, also said the title of Lieutenant Governor was an outmoded label and should be changed.

But Mr Bell pointed out the Lieutenant Governor, currently Adam Wood, who took up the post in 2011, is appointed by the queen.

‘The appointment is made by the queen and it is for her to decide what she calls her representative. The role has changed in the past 30 years. In the past he had much greater powers and presided over Tynwald, for instance. Those powers have now diminished and he is little more than a nominal representative and not engaged to any degree in the political process,’ he said.

Tynwald unanimously approved spending £7.223m on a new purpose-built mental health facility at Noble’s Hospital.

Health Minister Howard Quayle described the move as a ‘fantastic step forward’ in the provision of mental health services and stressed further improvements would follow.

He accepted £7.2m was a lot of money but added he was delighted that following a competitive tendering exercise, the project had come in £500,000 less than was budgeted for.

Treasury Minister Eddie Teare MHK said the department had come forward with a ‘robust’ business case. ‘I’m content we did get value for money,’ he said.

Chief Minister Allan Bell MHK said the project would send out a united message of the government’s wholehearted commitment to providing the required standard of service for one of the most vulnerable sections of our community.

Peter Karran (Lib Van, Onchan) sought reassurances that resources would be ring-fenced to staff the facility. ‘We don’t want a repeat of the ridiculous situation where we splashed out millions of pounds for a new drug unit that was never used.’

Mr Quayle explained the current 20-bed acute in-patient mental health facility at Grianagh Court, which has had 100 per cent occupancy for the past four years, was originally built as a unit for the elderly mentally infirm in the early 1990s and was refurbished in 2004.

But he said the building is no longer fit for purpose and further refurbishment and extension was not viable.

Mr Quayle said after a number of options had been appraised, it was decided the only feasible option was to build an extension on to Geddyn Reesht, the Mental Health Service’s in-patient rehabilitation unit.

This would provide a new purpose-built 26 bed facility, increasing capacity by 30 per cent and with the option for further extension if required.

Contractor JCK has won the competitive tender for the project.

This week’s Manx Independent has the latest on the burglary investigation.

Inside, there is the latest from Tynwald and the courts, including a report on the jailing of a well-known tree pruner.

Island Life looks forward to Paul Merton’s appearance and has two pages of What’s On.

Our sports section previews the weekend sport.

This week’s Manx Independent is in the shops now.

An ‘internal investigation’ is under way at the Isle of Man government’s income tax office after hundreds of personal email addresses belonging to island residents were sent out by mistake.

The addresses were contained in a three-line email sent out shortly before 5pm yesterday (Wednesday) evening publicising the Income Tax Division’s Twitter account.

Bulk emails to large numbers of recipients are normally sent in such a way as to protect people’s identities. However, yesterday’s message sent from no_reply_tax.ITD@itd.treasury.gov.im presented a huge list of names and email addresses, many belonging to government employees.

More than four hours later, at 9.28pm, a further email was sent from the same address to apologise for the mistake.

It read: ‘You may have received an email today that regrettably contained the email addresses of other people.

‘The Income Tax Division regards your information as sensitive and confidential, and apologises unreservedly for this unacceptable lapse, which was a genuine mistake by a member of staff.

‘We can confirm that this mistake is in no way related to any of Government’s core online systems and that no information was released other than the ‘email addresses.

‘The Division has initiated an internal investigation to see how this occurred and what steps are needed to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

‘Please accept our sincere apologies.’

Onchan MHK Peter Karran caused a bit of a stir at question time in the House of Keys last week when he wondered saucily if Treasury Minister Eddie Teare was ‘playing the dumb blonde again’.

Eddie is not, in any sense of the word, dumb, and he is not in any sense of the word, blonde or, in his case, blond.

But Mr Speaker was pretty testy about Mr Karran’s comment.

Mr Teare himself did not respond for all that he might, in this sort of friendly exchange of insults by Hon. Members, have accused Mr Karran of ‘ playing the Bearded Wonder again’.

I think Mr Teare might try it at the next sitting. It could bring the House down but Mr Speaker would be even more displeased about that.

Meanwhile the House of Keys General Election takes place in September next year. Mr Karran is rightly famous for always topping the poll in Onchan. I don’t know if he will be standing again but I hope so.

If not it might be hair today and gone tomorrow.

Just one more thing. I hope Hansard will credit Mr Karran with saying ‘dumb blond.’

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My car broke down as I drove down Summer Hill last week on my way to work.

I stood looking at it in despair as large numbers of other cars sped past in both directions, all drivers ignoring the white-haired old half-wit at the roadside.

After a couple of dozen cars had roared past, one stopped and out stepped a remarkably good-looking young lady who had decided to come to my assistance and help me get back on my way, which she did.

Later she rang my office to make sure I had made it there all right.

Her name, I found out, is Terry Canty. I also found out that she is married and has three children. When I thanked her she said: ‘It’s OK. I understand. I’ve got grandparents.’ She has a newly-adopted one now.

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Geoffrey Clark says I was wrong to give last week’s Manx crossword clue as ‘Follow a series of races to finish (7) – Attend.’ Numbers, I must admit, are not my thing.

He also pedanted: ‘I am not sure that it can be called a Manx crossword clue if it is not in a Manx publication. Surely if it is from another jurisdiction it is a crossword clue with a Manx connection/association.’

Now I can’t write properly either.

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This week’s Isle of Man-related crossword clue encountered by Barbara Taylor and Richard Hetherington was in the Telegraph cryptic as follows: ‘Man sits in this water (5, 3).’

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The Daily Telegraph reported: More than half of young people have no idea that VE Day marks the anniversary of the end the Second World War, a survey found. A new survey, by me, has found that the Daily Telegraph doesn’t know what VJ Day means.

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David Kennaugh says he heard Stu Peters on the Manx Radio programme ‘Talking Heads’ say there had been an increase in ‘strokes among young people across the water’ and he wants to know if that would be the breaststroke.

Sounds like David nearly wet himself.

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There were UK national newspaper stories criticising the Ticket Hall Cafe at Douglas Railway Station for serving people with breakfasts cooked on shovels.

The papers obviously thought these breakfasts should be panned.

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Crossword: IRISH SEA.

During the week that Tynwald debates the island’s approach to sustainability, Cat Turner looks at an example from across the water

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In past Green Columns, I’ve referred to Wales’s excellent Act for Future Generations – a statement of intent for sustainable living if ever there was one.

Building on this, the Environment (Wales) Bill was last week introduced into the Welsh National Assembly.

In 2013, the devolved Welsh Government published a White Paper ‘Towards the Sustainable Management of Wales’ Natural Resources’.

This built on ‘Sustaining a Living Wales’, which was a Green Paper on a new approach to natural resource management, discussing how to plan and manage Wales’ natural resources in a more sustainable and joined-up way.

It uses the ‘ecosystem approach’ developed by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, something the Isle of Man is also party to.

The White Paper set out plans for the new Environment (Wales) Bill, and sets a good example, one which various other countries are mirroring while some even go further.

It’ll be interesting to see whether our own government can show the same vision and leadership in developing a strategy for a sustainable Isle of Man.

In terms of natural resources, the new Bill puts duties on public authorities:

– Natural Resources Wales (NRW), the new ‘single environmental regulator’, must produce a Statement of Natural Resources Report, assessing the nation’s natural resources and how sustainably they’re being managed.

– The Government itself will produce a National Natural Resources Policy, with priorities and opportunities for managing Wales’ natural resources sustainably.

– NRW must prepare ‘area statements’ setting out the priorities, risks and opportunities for sustainable resource management for each area and exactly what actions it’ll take.

This is similar to the ‘area’ approach under two EU environmental Directives (the EU Water Framework Directive 2000 and the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive 2008).

Already, NRW is trialling area statements in the Rhondda, Tawe and Dyfi river catchment areas. They’re not hanging about – there’s a genuine and inspiring intent to live in accordance with modern values, and not the rather plundering approach which typified the 20th century and the noughties.

– Public authorities in England and Wales must already ‘have regard to the purpose of conserving biodiversity in carrying out their functions’, something we hope to see under the Isle of Man’s Biodiversity Strategy. The new Welsh Bill goes further – it says a public authority must ‘seek to maintain and enhance biodiversity in the exercise of functions in relation to Wales, and in doing so promote the resilience of ecosystems, so far as consistent with the proper exercise of those functions’.

– New powers for voluntary land management agreements will allow NRW to work with landowners to manage land sustainably. Management agreements can already protect designated land and species, but the new powers aren’t restricted to ‘designated’ land and species – they include restricting land use and requiring work to be undertaken. They’ll be binding on successors in title.

The aim is to be flexible, though. In theory, they could also meet wider objectives such as long-term management of flood risk, something that’s also of interest here in the island.

The Bill puts a duty on Welsh Ministers to meet climate change emissions targets, by ensuring that net Welsh emissions for 2050 are at least 80 per cent lower than the baseline (either 1990 or 1995).

It also requires them to introduce regulations setting interim targets, and five-yearly carbon budgets from 2016, which are consistent with the 2050 target.

This we sorely need in the island. We’re already somewhat behind the game.

There are also new provisions for charges for carrier bags. Ministers can set a charge, for example, on bags for life, on top of the current five pence on single-use bags.

This targets a rise in use of reusable carrier bags which are not necessarily reused by consumers. Retailers must donate the proceeds to good causes, not necessarily environmental ones.

There are powers to increase recycling, improve the quality of recyclates and ensure that materials that could have been recycled aren’t wasted.

They will:

– Require business and the public sector to separate recyclables before collection, covering paper, card, plastic, metal, glass, food and wood.

– Require separate collection of recyclables.

– Ban burning recyclables in energy from waste plants. This is desperately needed, to prevent energy from waste plants from derailing recycling efforts and deflecting development focus from true renewables.

– Ban disposal of food waste to sewers from non-domestic premises, so it can be made available for uses such as anaerobic digestion.

The new Bill amends current marine licensing charging powers, and includes provisions to improve the sustainability of shellfish fisheries.

It also tackles some issues relating to flood and coastal erosion, and land drainage.

It’s now been submitted to the National Assembly for scrutiny, and it’ll be interesting plotting its progress as our own government debates similar issues.

There’s a lot riding on this. Some would say, almost everything.

Our economy and wellbeing is so dependent on the environment it’s almost impossible to overstate its importance.

I’m keeping everything crossed.

Two island-based competitors will be the first two Manx people to take plart in the Paris Alsace race walk in France in June.

Karen Lawrie and Tony Mackintosh, from Douglas and Colby respectively, are taking party.

The race replaces the renowned Paris Colmar race walk this year.

They will each be accompanied by a support team including previous Parish Walk finishers, Paris Colmar finishers and Centurions.

Karen and Tony received their invitation immediately upon finishing the Chateau-Thierry 24-hour race walk in March.

Just 30 men and 15 women have been selected to compete in the event.

Male and female competitors will cover 275 miles and 190 miles respectively over the three days of the event, which will see Karen and Tony burn between 36,000 and 46,000 calories each.

Karen said: ‘Tony and I met during the 2013 Parish Walk. We got chatting, and haven’t stopped since! We are already keen participants in the local race walking circuit, but we’ve really stepped up our training in preparation for Paris Alsace, both averaging about 90 to 100 miles each week and undertaking a long 30-mile walk each month. We’re really thrilled to be taking part and representing the Isle of Man in the race this year.

Tony said: ‘There is so much planning to be done for competitive race walking events such as this.

‘We have hired a motorhome for each of our teams, and will need to provide food and allow for travel costs of all 10 team members, as well as purchasing essential kit and equipment.’

The competitors are being sponsored by SMP Partners will help cover costs of transport, food, kit and equipment for Karen and Tony and their support teams.

There’s still time to join in a series of special events that are taking place around the island to mark Dementia Awareness Week.

Peel Methodist Church are hosting an awareness day in the Guild Room between 10am and 2pm today (Thursday).

There’s also chance to see the recent film Still Alice, starring Julianne Moore, who plays a professor who is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

The film is scheduled for a matinee showing at the Broadway Cinema at 2pm today (Thursday).

Meanwhile a meeting of the Isle of Man branch of the Alzheimer’s Society’s North Carer’s Group will take place at the Surestrike Bowling Centre in Ramsey on Thursday between 6pm and 8pm.

On Friday morning from 8.45am, a series of dementia awareness sessions will take place at Ballakermeen High School.

Information on the condition will also be available in the atrium of Ramsey Town Hall between 1pm and 4pm on Friday.

The events mark the end of a packed programme to raise awareness of the condition that included a tea dance at the Villa Marina, dementia awareness sessions and a carers’ conference.

A website developed for Dementia Awareness Week 2015 can be found at www.gov.im/dementia-awareness or contact the Alzheimer’s Society on 613181 for more information.

Hanover Construction Limited, whose registered office is situated at 3 Myrtle Street, Douglas, bought Follies Cabaret Restaurant and Bar, Harbour Road, Onchan, for £1,680,000.

It was bought from Howstrake Developments Limited, whose registered office is situated at Rosemount, Phildraw Road, Ballasalla.

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

St Peters Capital Limited, whose registered office is situated at 26 Woodbourne Square, Douglas, sold 26 Woodbourne Square, Douglas, for £385,000, to Charles Andrew Hartley and Joanna Alice Hartley, of 26 Westbourne Drive, Douglas.

John David Clarke, of 4 First Avenue, Glencrutchery Road, Douglas, and Richard Dominic Clarke, sold 11 Glencrutchery Road, Douglas, for £295,000, to Benjamin Hughes and Olivia Helen Graham, of 21 Alberta Drive, Onchan.

Bernhard Schulte Ship Management (Isle of Man) Limited, whose registered office is situated at Dorchester House, Belmont Hill, Douglas, sold 5 Royal Avenue West, Onchan, for £265,000, to Presswood Limited, whose registered office is situated at Carnane, 9 Bay View Road, Onchan.

Christine Anne Holt sold 25 Derby Road, Douglas, for £265,000, to Tesby Mejia Saballos and Rachel Louise Marjorie Leyton-Henry, of 17 Birch Hill Grove, Onchan.

Barbara Lillian Burt, of 11 Cooyrt Balleigh, Jurby Road, Ramsey, sold 9 Ellan Park, Ramsey, for £160,000, to David Keig and Caroline Keig, of Ballajora House, Ballajora Hill, Maughold.

Christina Louise Alice Boyd sold Beauval, Fistard Road, Port St Mary, for £150,000, to Steven Boyd, of Beauval, Fistard Road, Port St Mary.

Kevin Michael Cowley, of 32 Port-e-Chee Avenue, Douglas, sold 4 Orchid Close, Douglas, for £75,000, to Terence Alan Cowley, of 3 Heather Crescent, Pulrose.

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

Plans to outsource home care services to an off-island private sector outfit have been shelved – after it was decided the preferred bidder didn’t offer value for money after all.

Questions about the contract for home care services were raised in Tynwald by Douglas West MHK Chris Thomas.

Health and Social Care Minister Howard Quayle said his department had undertaken a ‘robust’ procurement process that resulted in the Human Support Group being named the preferred provider of the services.

Under the plan, 61 government staff would have been transferred to the new provider.

But following detailed contract discussions, the department concluded at a meeting on April 17, that the preferred bidder did not represent value for money and ‘was not in the best interests of either service users or staff’, said the Minister.

He added: ‘Home care staff and their representatives have of course been fully briefed. As a result, the service will continue to be provided in-house while the department reviews the options for the service going forward.

‘A full option evaluation will then be undertaken. In the meantime, the department is not in a position to offer commercially sensitive information in relation to the detail of the contract.’

Mr Thomas asked if the tender process would be reopened for the ‘excellent large third sector organisations on the Isle of Man which were unsuccessful in the initial tender’.

The Minister said all options would be considered ‘so we will obviously be looking at what had previously been tendered to see if there is any mileage’.

John Houghton (Douglas North) suggested the department should be, at the very least, ‘a little embarrassed’ by ‘turning its nose up’ to those excellent local service providers for a ‘failed’ UK tenderer.

Mr Quayle said the local companies would have cost considerably more than the department was already spending. ‘There is no way I can sanction handing a contract over to people who are going to cost us more,’ he said.

Fostering First, which is responsible for foster care across the island and part of The Children’s Centre charity, says there was a good response to a series of events held earlier this month to highlight the need to recruit more foster carers.

Events were held at The Strand Shopping Centre, the Sea Terminal and Tesco to mark Foster Care Fortnight, which is an awareness campaign developed and co-ordinated by The Fostering Network in the UK, this years these was ‘my connection to fostering’.

The campaign runs from June 1 to 15 in the UK, but in the Isle of Man it was held between May 5 and 15 to avoid a clash with the TT.

Fostering First staff and a current foster carer handed out information leaflets which explained the need for more foster carers in the island and gave details of what is involved in becoming a carer.

Nigel Howard, deputy team manager at Fostering First, said: ‘We were delighted with the amount of interest generated at all of the Fostering Fortnight events.

‘On average we spoke to around 40 people at each event and our staff answered lots of questions from individuals and couples about all aspects of foster care. Fostering is challenging, but also incredibly rewarding, and there is a real need for more foster carers to come forward and make a life-changing difference to the lives of children who have had a tough start in life.

‘Deciding to become a foster carer is a big step to make, but we hope that some of those who showed an interest during Foster Care Fortnight will proceed with the application process.

‘However, we are still keen to hear from anyone who is interested in becoming a foster carer and they are welcome to contact us at any time.’

Fostering First also hosts a series of monthly drop-in sessions at its HQ which is Bourne House, 97 Woodbourne Road, Douglas.

These sessions also offer an opportunity for anyone interested in fostering to pop in for an informal chat with staff and get answers to any questions or concerns they may have.

The next session is tomorrow (Friday) from noon to 2pm. There are also drop-in sessions at the same venue on June 25 (5pm to 7pm) and July 24 (noon to 2pm).

Foster carers can come from a wide range of backgrounds and it’s not essential for them to have parenting experience.

However, some experience and knowledge of children is beneficial.

What all foster carers must be is caring and understanding, and possess the ability and desire to help a child grow emotionally. Foster carers must be over 21 (there is no upper age limit), and they can be married, divorced or single, or co-habiting.

It does not matter whether or not they own their own home. All foster carers (especially those new to fostering) receive training, help, and support from Fostering First as well as financial remuneration to cover the expenses of caring for a child.

You wanted the best, you got the best!

So says the announcer at each live show by classic rock outfit Kiss and this Saturday is no exception as 9 Bar Gypsies make a very welcome return to the Amber Bar in Douglas.

The band made up by members Adrian Bruce on vocals, Dave Atkins and Jason Cain on guitars, Jimmy Lee on bass and Mark Cain on drums have garnered a reputation over the last couple of years for pulling out the hits by what would now be classed by many as classic rock and metal outfits, Kiss being one of those.

The band also specialise in dipping into the back catalogue of Metallica, Guns ‘N’ Roses and Steel Panther among many others.

If your musical sensibilities are of that type of persuasion then these boys are well worth checking out.

The doors for this event open at around 8pm with the Gypsies taking to the stage at around 9.30pm for a mammoth two-hour show.

For more information on the band, visit www.facebook.com/9BarGypsies

The Big Wheels Blues Festival makes it 17th annual appearance this weekend.

Held over Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the Promenade Suite of the Villa Marina, the line-up features a mix of acoustic, Americana and Blues from the likes of Mike Sanchez, Kaz Hawkins, Doug McLeod, Chris Jaggers, Atcha, Zoe Schwarz and Della Grants among many others.

For more information on tickets and stage times, visit www.bigwheelblues.com

Penthouse Dive make one of their regular appearances at Jaks in Douglas on Friday night. Expect covers from the likes of ZZ Top, Foo Fighters, The Police, Thin Lizzy and the like.

This band is certainly very popular on the covers circuit and the show will serve as a warm up ahead of what will be their usual onslaught of shows during TT fortnight.

Heading to the west of the island now to Peel and to The Creek in particular where this weekend a triple header of shows takes place from 3 Million, 9 Mile Smile and Powercut respectively.

First up on Friday, local heroes 3 Million bring their guitar-driven influence of Oasis, Stereophonics, Placebo and Shed Seven for what will no doubt be a very popular night. Saturday sees 9 Mile Smile take the baton. If you’re into anything from Aretha Franklin’s ‘Chain Of Fools’, Michael Jackson’s ‘Billy Jean’ to Blondie’s ‘Heart Of Glass’ via more contemporary offerings from the likes of Amy Winehouse, The Stereophonics, and Kings Of Leon then this is most certainly worth a look if you’re anywhere near The Creek that night.

Sunday sees the behemoth that is Powercut close the Bank Holiday weekend shows.

Formed back in 2009, Powercut are John Percival on bass, Simon Watson on drums and Ian Bradley on guitar. The band play a wealth of material that ranges from The Kinks and The Who at one end through to the likes of more modern day offerings from the likes of The Kaiser Chiefs, Razorlight, The Kings of Leon and Green Day at the other. And that is that!

Have a great Bank Holiday weekend.

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Steve Leach brings the latest rumblings, murmurings, news and views on forthcoming events in and around the island’s music scene. Help support the scene by emailing leachsteve@hotmail.com

Police are appealing for witnesses following the theft of a black and yellow JCB chainsaw from a Volvo double decker bus which was parked in a field near Quarry bends, Sulby.

The chainsaw is believed to have been stolen some time between Tuesday, May 12, and Tuesday, May 19.

The reform of financing local authorities has moved a step closer.

The government today published a report summarising responses to its consultation on the reform of domestic rates.

Most people want properties to be revalued and to move from a system of domestic property taxation based on rental value to one based on capital value.

The consultation was one of the largest consultation responses received on any subject by the Isle of Man Government.

Treasury received 1,484 individual responses to the consultation 84 per cent of which were made online. Responses were also received from 17 of the 39 rating authorities, including 15 of the 24 local authorities.

Respondents agreed that each domestic property should be placed within one of nine property tax bands, though views were expressed that the range and value of the proposed bands should be amended.

But support for a change in the calculation of property taxes did not extend to the proposed valuation process, which involved an element of self-assessment.

When considering how property tax should be collected the largest number of respondents (but not local authorities) were in favour of an all-island basis, with income being raised equally across all properties in the same tax band and allocated to local authorities according to their needs.

Individual views were also expressed supporting the need for a rate rebate scheme and for discounts in certain circumstances, however due to the additional cost of administering such a system this received little support from rating authorities.

Respondents also showed significant support for the reform of commercial and agricultural rating together with domestic rating to ensure that any revaluation was fair to all rate-payers.

Treasury will consider all the views expressed by respondents before determining how best to proceed to deliver reform of domestic rates.

A more detailed explanation of the consultation findings is set out in the report which can be viewed {http://www.gov.im/ConsultationDetail.gov?id=493|here}.

Paper copies are also available from the Rates and Valuation Office at Illiam Dhone House or by telephone on 686266.

Chrisitians will be praying at the island’s keeills next week.

Keeills are Christian chapels built in the island between the eighth and 12th century.

The earliest keeills were built of sods of earth and rarely larger than three metres by five metres internally.

Some of the keeills were more substantial – bigger, and built of stone.

here may have been almost 200 of them, of which about 35 now have remains that can be seen.

Keeills served a variety of purposes - family chapels, wayside shrines, places of retreat and hermitage.

Isle of Man Churches says the week is a chance ‘to discover these places of great peace and beauty, to sense their unique spirituality, to reflect on their place at the heart of our Christian journey and to deepen our own personal prayer life’.

Saturday, May 23

10.30am Service of welcome at Glen Maye Chapel at the beginning of Praying the Keeills week. Open for all – not only for those walking.

Following the service all day walk from Glen Maye

Walk to Keeill Moirrey (St Mary) and on to Juan y Clery’s bridge beside a shieling site. On to Ballavell and Glen Rushen West chapel.

Follow river path past mines to the quarry cottages and back to Glen Maye. Strenuous walking over rough and sometimes muddy terrain. Stout footwear required. Bring a packed lunch.

(11.5 km/seven miles; four to five hour walk)

Sunday, May 24

2.30pm Meet at Peel Methodist Church, Atholl Street

Walk to cross garden at St German’s Cathedral and then on to Old St German’s Cathedral, St Patrick’s Isle for short reflection. (1km 2/3 mile)

Monday, May 25

11am Visit to Keeill Driuight, Glenlough Farm

Turn left off main Douglas – Peel road ½ mile before Glen Vine (coming from Douglas) into Glenlough campsite to visit keeill (Duthracht of Liathdriun). Off road parking available

Take cars to St Runius Church (Map ref SC 321 786). Take cars to Ard Jerkyll for lunch.

7.30pm ‘Manx Saints’

An illustrated talk by the Rev Ian Faulds to be held at the Promenade Methodist Church, Douglas.

Tuesday, May 26

6.30pm Evening walk to Keeill Kickle (St Cecilia), Jurby

Meet at Jurby Church (St Patrick’s). Bring packed supper. Hot drinks available. Walk to Keeill Kickle (for short reflection. Total walk 3km/2 miles. Part of this walk is across agricultural land. A limited car shuttle service will be available from Jurby Church to road near keeill.

Thursday, May 28

2pm An afternoon walk from Scarlett to Balladoole

Meet and park at Scarlett. Walk to Chapel Hill, Balladoole (Keeill Vael - St Michael) passing the sites of Keeill Oran (St Odhran) and Keeill Pharlane (St Bartholemew).

Car shuttle service will be available. (Total distance 8km / 5 miles). A limited car shuttle service will be available from Balladoole back to Scarlett.

Friday May 29

6.30pm Supper and an evening walk between the Onchan churches

Supper at Onchan Methodist Church. Walk to St Peter’s Church, Onchan, a former keeill site, then on to St Anthony’s church for a candlelit service and back to Onchan Methodist Church. Total distance 3km / 2 miles.

A limited car shuttle service will be available back to Onchan Methodist Church.

Saturday, May 30

10am Meet at Christ Church, Laxey, for a short reflection followed by all-day walk. Non-walkers welcome at the short reflection.

Walk up the Glen Roy Road past the keeill site of Keeill Vian (St Matthew).

Continue up track and follow the miners’ footpath to the Bungalow. Walk across valley to the Snaefell mines, walking down the mines road to Agneash Chapel (keeill site, Ballayolgane, St Comgall of Bangor (Ireland)) then back to Laxey. (Total distance 12km / 7.5 miles; six-hour walk.)

Strenuous walking over rough, steep and sometimes muddy terrain. Stout footwear required. Bring a packed lunch.

For more details see: www.prayingthekeeills.org/