INFLATION and unemployment have both fallen in the island, according to the latest official statistics.

The total registered unemployed stood at 1014 at the end of November, a fall of 51 and representing an unemployment rate of 2.3 per cent.

The annual inflation rate measured by the retail prices index was 2.9 per cent, down from 3.1 per cent in October.

The UK’s unemployment rate is currently 7.8 per cent.

RPI inflation there in October (the latest month for which official statisics exist) 3.2 per cent.

More details in the Isle of Man Examiner on Monday.

A VOTE on whether the island should introduce tuition fees for students has been delayed.

Tynwald was meant to make a decision next week.

The Department of Education and Children has agreed to delay asking Tynwald to support the 2013 student awards regulations to allow members more time to consider them.

The DEC usually takes its student awards regulations to Tynwald in the spring.

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/sixth-formers-stage-protest-at-tuition-fees-1-5189930|Students’ protest against tuition fees}

As the 2013 regulations would have an impact on students who will start university next September, it was decided they should be published earlier and taken to Tynwald this month.

However, several members approached the department to request that the matter be deferred until the January sitting to allow them more time to consider the regulations.

A DEC spokesman said: ‘As the department has now achieved its main purpose for publishing the student awards regulations earlier than usual – which was to ensure students had the earliest possible notification of its proposals – it is happy to respond positively to the request.

‘This matter will now be placed before the January sitting of Tynwald for approval.’

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/education/faqs-about-the-tuition-fees-proposal-1-5193831|FAQs about the proposal}

She added that the department remained committed to the principles in the regulations, ‘which see the balance of responsibility for the payment of tuition fees becoming more equitably shared between the department and students’.

Achieving this would enable the department to continue to protect core services such as schools at a time when it, alongside all departments of government, needed to achieve significant budgetary savings, she said.

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/manx-students-might-have-to-pay-tuition-fees-1-5163909|Our first story about the proposal}

Monday (December 10) is Human Rights Day, but Manx Amnesty International members start their week of action before that. And they want the public to join in.

On the next two Saturdays members of the public can be part of ‘Write for Rights’, an international event which will mean thousands of letters being written to and about people who despots wish were long forgotten.

At two Manx venues there will be a display of 15 cases including feisty Afghan women’s right group Young Women for Change, Mehman Huseynov (facing five years imprisonment in Azerbaijan for using the Eurovision Song Contest to draw attention to that country’s appalling human rights record) and the 30,000 displaced people of Tawargha town, in Libya, which was burned down in 2011 by opposition fighters.

Tomorrow (Saturday) ‘Write for Rights’ is at Jabberwocky, the Douglas café. The following Saturday, December 15, it is at the Northern Lights Centre, Ramsey, from 2pm to 5pm.

At both venues, for the price of a foreign stamp, you can send a brief message of hope to people who badly need it.

Manx Amnesty activist Stuart Hartill said: ‘This is an event anyone can join in with, even if only for a few minutes. Just have a look at a highly varied list of individuals and organisations. Some have simply expressed opinions we would consider common sense. Others live under daily threats of state violence, or have had relatives murdered or “disappeared”.

‘There are full case details and we have cards and even foreign language translations of messages to be sent to both representatives of the governments concerned and their victims.’

Dates in the Manx Indepedent story on this are wrong. Apologies for that.

A NEW out-of-town customer services centre offering all postal services opened on Monday in time for Christmas – the Post Office’s busiest time of year.

Construction of the suite at Postal Headquarters, in Spring Valley Industrial Estate, Douglas, started in July and Post Office chiefs believe the new addition will provide residents with a significantly improved customer service experience.

Commercial director Lisa Duckworth said: ‘The new customer services centre will greatly enhance our customers’ experience at Postal Headquarters.

‘This is an investment into the local community and we are delighted with the finished results.

‘All postal and retail services will be available throughout the day. With early morning opening and late night closing times, I believe this new centre will be very popular with our customers.

‘We have simplified our queuing system and added one of our self-service postal kiosks which have proved very popular elsewhere on the island.’

She added: ‘The suite has also been constructed in consideration of the needs of disabled customers, working in conjunction with the disability access office run by Crossroads Care.

‘We were delighted to work with them to ensure our new centre provided as many aids and features for our disabled customers as possible.’

Disabled facilities include a hearing loop, a disabled level counter and tactile signage.

For the first time, the facility offers the full range of postal and retail services including foreign currency, vehicle and driving licenses, banking facilities and Moneygram in addition to parcel collection.

All services are available from 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday, and 7am to 12.30pm on Saturday. During December there will be extended opening till 8.30pm.

There is more space with a single queuing system and three counter positions.

And there are two self-service features.

A Pay & Post kiosk means customers can beat the queues for general postal transactions. The machines enable customers to weigh, stamp and pay for packages, using a simple touch screen device.

Customers can also pay their electricity, gas, phone bills and government rates through the kiosks.

There will also be self service PO Boxes for customers who currently subscribe to this service.

THE Manx Government today announced it would adopt tax information sharing arrangements with the UK.

They will follow closely the FATCA intergovernmental agreement currently being negotiated with the United States.

The Isle of Man Government will work together with the UK government on concluding a number of measures which will enhance tax transparency to fight tax evasion and financial crime.

The two governments will adopt new enhanced reciprocal tax information sharing arrangements, under which they will automatically exchange information on tax residents on an annual basis.

The Manx government said today that to minimise the burden on financial institutions, the approach would follow as closely as practicable the Model Intergovernmental Agreement reached between the UK and the United States of America and would be concluded to the same timetable as the agreement between the Isle of Man and the United States.

More on this story in the Isle of Man Examiner on Monday.

DIRECTORS of Mount Murray Hotel and Golf Club, in Santon, have under a year to break the deadlock with the Department of Economic Development over its plans for a second casino before its planning approval expires.

In October 2009 planning approval was granted at the site to extend and upgrade the hotel, with the condition that the casino element was started first.

The approval was valid for four years.

Developer Albert Gubay was one of seven parties that submitted an expression of interest for a second casino licence at the DED’s invitation last year.

He ended up as the last remaining applicant, and negotiations have been on-going since.

One of the directors, Brian Stowell, said: ‘Government seem to want us to build the complex and announce who will be the operator before they grant us a licence.

‘We, on the other hand, would like a commitment that a licence will be granted once the complex is built if we can fulfil all the government’s conditions.’

He added: ‘The directors appreciate a legal process must be followed, however they do not comprehend why an agreement that lays out a pathway to a licence – by that I mean an agreement stating that if the company do X, Y, Z, then a licence will be issued – cannot be agreed.

‘The directors will never sanction the spending of vast sums of money without some sort of guarantee that a licence can be achieved once all the requirements and conditions are met.’

Mr Stowell said the extended complex, featuring five-star accommodation, would address the identified problem that ‘a number of high net worth individuals are being dissuaded from visiting our island due to the lack of facilities’.

And he said it would also bring much-needed revenue and work to the building industry, with about 70 full-time positions also being created to run the extended complex.

Palace Hotel and Casino owner the Sefton Group has previously warned there was no realistic prospect of two casinos operating profitably. Mr Stowell dismissed the concern, saying that Mount Murray was ‘targeting a completely different market and clientele on island’.

THE Lady Taverners’ playground in Onchan Park is to close for repairs.

In the next few months Onchan Commissioners staff and contractors will carry out their annual programme of repairs and maintenance at all of their children’s playparks.

At the Onchan Park playground much of the play equipment is no longer economical to maintain so some of the items may be removed.

The commissioners will be appointing a designer to draw up plans for the make-over of the playground and the installation of new equipment.

Lead member for properties and amenities Rob Callister, said: ‘Our existing playparks will remain open at School Road, Lakeside, Ballachurry and Birch Hill but we think it will be safer to close the Lady Taverners’ Playground because of the amount of work that will be going on there.

‘The young people of Onchan can look forward to an exciting new play area for 2013.’

A Pearl Ball raised more than £27,000 for Hospice.

It was was held at the Villa Marina, Douglas, and sponsored by Coutts

Lieutenant Governor Adam Wood was among the 220 guests.

Chief executive for Hospice, Margaret Simpson added her thanks to John Morphet for his generosity prior and during the event and Charles Alexander Jewellers for their support of Hospice.

She said: ‘It is truly gratifying and stunning to make £27,000 profit from one event but this would not have been possible without the support of Coutts and everyone involved in making Hospice’s Pearl Ball an event to truly remember.

The ball launched a year of celebrations for Hospice Isle of Man in 2013, commemorating 30 years of palliative care on the island.

Guests enjoyed an early Christmas turkey dinner, provided by Brian Keenan and his team from the Empress Hotel.

The charity was set up in the Isle of Man in 1983. It now looks after more than 350 patients and their families every year. The children’s unit, Rebecca House, currently looks after 24 children.

Every year Hospice needs to raise more than £3.5 million to continue its excellent level of service and continue to provide a wide range of care.

It is particularly fitting that Coutts and its founders were involved with this event.

From as early as the 19th Century, philanthropist Angela Burdett-Coutts (granddaughter of Thomas Coutts) was one of the first to support cancer research. She had a significant impact on society through her philanthropy. Indeed she supported and funded many projects for local hospitals, children’s education, housing for the poor and the protection of animals.

In addition, Hospice thanked Kevin Ford, the compere for the evening, and Georgia Maddocks for her endition of Somewhere over the Rainbow accompanied by the Kelly Sweetman String Quartet.

Hospice also thanked Shelby Sandyford-Sykes, Harvey Gough’s family, Balloonatics, Andrew Barton, Marco Leonetti at Utopia, Ron Berry, Monsoon and Laxey Blacksmith, the Villa Marina team, Douglas Corporation and A3 Marquees.

During the evening, ‘surprise’ guests appeared and burst into song with performances from the west end as well as classical opera.

This element of surprise was brought to the Villa by a group called Incognito.

David Batey, director for Coutts in the Isle of Man, said: ‘Following my recent visit to the Hospice I saw at first hand the tremendous work that goes on.

‘Coutts are proud to be associated with this charity that offers such an important facility for the island.’

ISLAND schoolchildren have been ‘showing racism the red card’ for the third year running with the help of two former professional footballers.

Former Newcastle United defender Olivier Bernard and ex-Cardiff City winger Christian Roberts were in the island promoting the Show Racism the Red Card initiative; a charity that produces anti-racist educational resources and harnesses the power of high profile professional footballers to help combat racism.

The Show Racism the Red Card team visited pupils at Peel Clothworkers and Kewaigue Primary and held a special session at the Bowl for children from the island’s other schools, organised by the IoMFA.

Christian and Olivier played fun football games with the pupils before providing them with an introduction to the subject of racism and its origins, causes and practical ways to combat it. The children were also given the opportunity to ask any questions they had on the topic of racism.

Christian said: ‘We have been given such a warm welcome to the island on our previous visits, and this year has been no exception. We are so pleased with the children’s enthusiasm for this project; it really is inspiring to see how much they care about these important issues even at such a young age.’

‘Our team is also very appreciative of the ongoing support of Barclays in making our trips to the island possible. They have been a fantastic help in sponsoring and helping to arrange our visits over the past few years.’

Barclays Wealth and Investment Management supported the visit.

Simon Scott, Barclays’ managing director in the Isle of Man, said: ‘We are committed to promoting diversity and seek to work in partnership with charitable organisations to help others in our community. The Show Racism the Red Card initiative provided the opportunity to do both of these things.’

SAMANTHA Barks is pictured taking to the red carpet ahead of the movie premiere of Les Miserables in London on Wednesday evening.

The Manx singer and actress, who reprises her Eponine stage role in Sir Cameron Mackintosh’s film production, wore a Stella McCartney dress for the occasion.

The screening took place at the Empire in Leicester Square.

But anyone wishing to know what the critics thought of the movie, which runs to 2hrs 40mins, will have to wait. Universal have placed an embargo on any reviews appearing before Tuesday (December 11).

Sam, 22, grew up in Lonan and first rose to fame when she came third in the BBC’s I’d Do Anything, Sir Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s search to find a face to play the role of Nancy in his West End production of Oliver!

A series of high-profile musical theatre roles led her to Les Miserables, where she played the tragic Eponine to critical acclaim.

Manx National Heritage has received a rare and unusual piece of artwork.

The oil painting depicts Mrs Elizabeth Karran, the wife of Captain John Karran, a member of the Castletown family which owned the famous Karran Fleet.

Karran vessels traded all over the world at the end of the 19th century, and it was understood that the portrait was painted in Japan, from a photograph carried on one of the vessels during a trading voyage.

A signature, ‘J Kasagi’, gave a clue to the identity of the artist – and MNH curators, working with a Japanese colleague, were able to confirm that this was in fact Jirokichi Kasagi, who was painting in the port of Yokohama at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century.

Many Japanese records relating to the Kasagi family were destroyed in allied bombing during the Second World War, and the artist’s grandson is now trying to gather as much information as he can about his grandfather.

He was delighted to be contacted by MNH and was able to confirm the attribution.

Hidefumi Kasagi, aged 65, wrote in an email: ‘I have never visited the Isle of Man, but the name is very impressive for me because I worked at the Honda Motor Company for 40 years.

‘Although I am not an Occultist, I feel very strange that your email was received on the day our family decided to have a special memorial ceremony for our ancestor, and today we will go to the temple for this ceremony.’

Kasagi’s work is now highly regarded – and collected in Europe.

Matthew Richardson, MNH curator of social history, said: ‘One of the great delights of working in a museum is that you never know what will turn up next, and it can be a fascinating process of detective work to piece together the wonderful stories which lie behind historic artefacts.

‘Here we have a piece of artwork which illustrates the trading routes that existed between the Isle of Man and the Far East during the age of sail.

‘It is often forgotten that before the Second World War, there were quite close links between Japan and the West, indeed Japan was an ally of Great Britain during the First World War.’

It is hoped that after some conservation work, the portrait will be on show in the National Art Gallery at the Manx Museum.

THE Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in the Isle of Man has topped regional statistics for the number of participants per head of population.

Figures for April 2011 to March 2012 for the North West, just published by the Award in its annual review, show that 2.47 per cent of the 14 to 25 year olds living locally were taking part – higher than anywhere else in the region.

The Department of Education and Children is licensed to offer the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in the Isle of Man.

Young people complete activities under the headings of volunteering, skills, physical, expedition and residential, explained Alison Gawne, of the Youth Service, who co-ordinates it.

At any one time, there are more than 800 young people in the island working towards bronze, silver and gold Awards through all six secondary schools, six voluntary youth organisations, two youth centres and one outdoor activity provider.

Participants take part in regular activities and commit themselves to a minimum timescale of between three and 18 months depending on which Award they are taking part in – and learn a lot about themselves along the way.

The North West statistics also show that the island is fifth out of 23 centres when it comes to young people completing the award.

In the Isle of Man nearly 60 per cent of those who start DofE finish their award, which is 20 per cent higher than the national average.

This may be down to the island being a close community where unit leaders meet regularly with participants and the award co-ordinator can easily communicate with all those involved.

In the year in question, nearly 200 young people gained an award, which is the highest number to date.

Announcing the launch of the award in 1956, Buckingham Palace said it wanted to encourage the young citizens of tomorrow by helping them to ‘achieve a balanced development of their character’.

The Duke of Edinburgh remains a patron of the award, introduced in the island three years after its inception.

To find out more about DofE in the Isle of Man, contact Alison on 686051 or visit {http://gov.im/education/info/doea.xml|gov.im/education/info/doea.xml}.

The winter season has commenced at Manx National Heritage (MNH) – which means now is the time to undertake essential improvement works around the island.

MNH recently welcomed a group of volunteers from Isle of Man Bank to The Grove in Ramsey.

The team gave the ticket office and shop building a new lease of life by redecorating the exterior and also renewed a nearby fence.

Dating back to the mid 19th century, The Grove, now known as the Museum of Victorian Life, presents a series of period rooms of original furnishings, fittings and precious possessions belonging to three generations of the Gibb family.

Shaun Murphy of MNH co-ordinated the work. He said: ‘The appearance of the outbuilding and the fencing was looking tired.

‘We are very grateful for the work carried out by IoM Bank, which has made a vast improvement to the entrance and the welcome to visitors at The Grove.

‘The team managed to get through a considerable amount of work and in the process they have really transformed this area.’

John Lindon, head of community investment for Isle of Man Bank, said: ‘We are committed to supporting the communities in which we live and work and volunteering is a way to develop new skills and team work across our divisions.

‘Our products and marketing team were delighted to support the excellent ongoing work of MNH with a “Community Day” at The Grove.’

MNH regularly works with companies looking to provide an ‘away day’ which provides excellent team building opportunities while providing support for its work across the island’s countryside, heritage sites and ancient monuments.

Find out more at {http://www.manxnationalheritage.im.manxnationalheritage.im}.

Police in Ramsey are asking people who live in the Ballure Road, Stanley Mount and Walpole Drive to check their vehicles, sheds or outbuildings.

Officers have discovered items of property that they believe was removed from such locations last night.

Anyone who finds that items are missing should not disturb anything and contact Ramsey police station on 812234 so a forensics search can be conducted/

THERE has been no decision yet on introducing a minimum unit price for alcohol in the island.

Dr Paul Emerson, consultant in public health medicine, insisted: ‘It’s early days. We’re not even sure it’s practical, feasible or even legal.’

Plans to introduce a minimum price for alcohol in England and in Scotland are being challenged in the courts by the drinks industry.

And developments are being closely monitored here.

UK Home Secretary Theresa May unveiled plans to introduce a 45p a unit minimum alcohol price in a bid to cut binge drinking, curb crime and prevent alcohol-related deaths.

Public health officials in the island are proposing a 50p minimum, in line with the limit being suggested in Scotland.

Following the Department of Health’s decision to support a minimum price of alcohol, a working group made up officers from the departments of Health and Home Affairs, the police, Customs and Excise, off-licence industry and the Alcohol Advisory Service, has been set up to consider the proposal.

It will report back to the Drug and Alcohol steering group.

The idea for a minimum unit price of alcohol emerged out of research carried out by Sheffield University using computer modelling.

Its team identified that 50p per unit of alcohol would target irresponsible drinking while have a minimal financial impact on moderate drinkers or trade sales.

Problems of binge drinking in the island have been revealed in recent surveys. The European School Survey Project for Alcohol and other Drugs (ESPAD) found continued unacceptable levels of alcohol abuse among 15- to 16-year-olds and a lifestyle survey of adults found one in 10 drank at hazardous levels.

‘The figures are quite stark - it is a huge problem,’ said Dr Emerson.

Alcohol abuse is linked to crime, homelessness, domestic violence, homelessness, and family breakdown.

The UK government’s former top medical advisor Sir Liam Donaldson in his 2009 annual report recommending action was taken on the price of booze, stated: ‘Cheap alcohol is killing people and it’s undermining our way of life. Price and access are two crucial factors affecting alcohol consumption.

So should the state intervene – and would a minimum price actually work?

Dr Emerson said: ‘The state has a responsibility for public health. It’s not just the person abusing the alcohol who suffers - children suffer in family break-ups and spouses suffer in domestic violence. The state has a duty to protect vulnerable people.

‘Then there’s the cost to the NHS and the cost of policing.’

He said that the introduction of the ban on smoking in public places showed that intervention can have clear benefits in changing attitudes.

He said the Sheffield study showed that while a 20p or 30p a unit minimum price had a minimal impact, a 45p minimum would reduce overall consumption by 4.7 per cent while a 50p price would cut consumption by 7.2 per cent.

A 50p minimum would mean a 750ml bottle of wine (12 per cent alcohol by volume) could not be sold for less than £4.50.

And a 700ml bottle of whisky (40 per cent alcohol by volume) could not be sold for less than £14.

Critics say the measure will penalise the moderate responsible drinker at a time when people are already facing the squeeze.

But Dr Emerson said the 50p a unit minimum would cost the moderate drinker no more than a £1 or £2 a week extra.

In a statement, the Drugs and Alcohol Steering Group said it was keen to have all the facts relating to the control and price of the sale of alcohol so that any such measures introduced met the needs of the island in reducing alcohol-related harm.

A public consultation exercise will be conducted before the introduction of any measures.

The working group will consider:

•The benefits of the introduction of a minimum price and the impact on those who drink safely

•By what legislative means the minimum price could be introduced

•At what level a minimum price may be introduced

•Should multiple drinks promotions be permitted

•Should the additional income of retailers as result of the minimum price increasing margins be collected and used for alcohol treatment services

•How will internet sales of alcohol (wine by the case) from another jurisdiction without a minimum price be impacted

•Should there be other controls on the sale of liquor from off-licences

•Is it possible to avoid legislation through extension to the voluntary code with off-licences

•Is there an alternative to a minimum price that will not impact on sensible drinkers and target those in greatest danger of harm

•Any other matters that would be helpful to discuss to provide an Isle of Man solution to harmful drinking

THE National Union of Teachers is looking into the possibility of teachers breaking with the English government pension scheme and coming under the Manx government’s unified pension scheme.

It comes as the teachers’ contributions are to rise significantly by 2015, and a rise in pension age is set to be introduced.

Karl Flint, branch secretary of the NUT, said: ‘Teachers at the moment are most concerned about their pensions from a personal point of view.

‘Salaries have been frozen for two years, workload has increased, the number of teachers is down and teachers are being asked to contribute even more quite simply to plug part of the economic shortfall in [the UK] government between income and expenditure.’

At the moment, a teacher with no responsibility for which they get an extra reward contributes 6.4 per cent of their salary.

Their contributions will rise to 9.4 per cent.

The level of contributions increases depending on the teacher’s grading, with the highest earners – such as head teachers – set to contribute 13 per cent of their salary.

State pension age will increase to 66 by 2020, to 67 between 2026 and 2029 and to 68 between 2044 and 2046.

Mr Flint said: ‘The question for Manx residents, particularly those with children is: do they really want teachers unable to afford to retire before the age of 65, 67, 68? And I have no doubt we will be talking about 70 in future.

‘There will be 60-plus teachers in large numbers unable to afford to retire turning up to work for financial reasons when the whole quality of education that is delivered is based upon the enthusiasm and exertions of teachers still young enough to have the ability to give.’

He said teaching had changed enormously since he started teaching in the 1970s and had ‘become stressful’, adding: ‘It’s so different from the jobs I took over when I started teaching in the 1970s that I don’t believe most teachers are actually doing their health any favours by carrying on beyond the age of 60.’

He said teaching was very different from an ordinary office job, with added pressures such as children with special needs and behavioural problems.

He said he fully supported these pupils being fully integrated in the classroom, but said: ‘It takes it out of a teacher.’

And he said it was becoming increasingly difficult to fill the most highl demanding positions in schools, such as department heads and head teachers, because of the added stress.

STUDENTS were told how to spot the signs of alcohol overdoses and how to avoid them at a special pre-Christmas event.

Seven agencies gave information at the Isle of Man College of Further and Higher Education’s annual ‘Students’ Guide to Surviving Christmas’ Fair.

Student welfare officer Julie Bibby said: ‘The fair has two aims – helping students keep safe while enjoying partying and offering support to those for whom Christmas can be a sad, lonely, difficult or stressful time.

‘Lots of students participated in the activities and chatted with the stall holders. Hopefully they picked up some helpful tips as well as knowledge of local support agencies.’

Public health representatives provided information about keeping safe at festive house parties.

Cards with advice were available and students were guided to the website www.houseparty.im to find out more.

The Alcohol Advisory Service described the signs of alcohol overdose, including vomiting and slow irregular breathing. Students received chocolates containing messages about how overdose can be avoided; for example, eating before drinking, wrapping up warm and setting your own limits.

Victim Support talked about two types of punch. One of which is violent and one which is a pleasant drink, samples of which were available to be enjoyed.

A representative said: ‘We hope everyone has a safe and peaceful Christmas but if anyone does get a punch of the violent sort, we are here to help.’

DASH (Drug Advice Service and Helpline) provided information on two drugs which are concerning the agency.

Director Shelley Stanley said: ‘We are concerned about the rise in mephedrone use again and we want to make people aware of the dangers of ketamine.’

DASH volunteer Niall Gale added: ‘The best advice about ketamine is don’t use it as its effects can be so unpredictable and frightening.’

The Road Safety Team promoted its Christmas message which is that drinking and driving can lead to a 12-month ban or a £5,000 fine.

Team members suggested that those who want to drink leave the car at home and allocate a designated driver, get a bus or book a taxi. Leaflets containing bus times and taxi numbers were available.

For some people Christmas can be a difficult time and the Samaritans and Cruse Bereavement Care were on hand to offer their services.

A representative of the Samaritans said: ‘We want to let people know that, whatever is troubling them over the festive period, we are here to help. Samaritans are available 24/7: all year round including Christmas Day.’

Cruse manager Amanda Cafearo said: ‘We are here to talk about Christmas and what it means to people, especially if they are experiencing loss and loneliness through bereavement.’

Santa also called in for a visit and gave out some tangerines donated by Robinsons and mince pies provided by Shoprite.

MOTHER-of-three Michele Gogan is celebrating after scooping another award linked to going into business on her own.

Michele operates as a sole trader in her own right from her home in St Catherine’s Drive, Douglas, where she advises on the Cambridge Weight Plan.

She is feeling jubilant after just returning from an annual ceremony in the UK where she was hailed the Cambridge Sales Champion for the Isle of Man for the second time.

She also picked up a special award for having advised on the Cambridge Weight Plan for five years.

‘I can’t believe I’ve done it. I haven’t come down from cloud nine yet,’ she said.

She is a dieting success story herself, as the before and after photographs show above. At one time she weighed in at 19 stone with a size 22 dress size.

Now she says she is a size 12.

But more than that she gains just as much satisfaction from seeing her customers succeed in their personal ‘journeys’ to lose weight.

Michele travelled to Telford in the Midlands for the Cambridge Weight Plan Convention with her partner Kumar Menon.

He himself is building a name for himself as the inspiration behind Leela’s Kitchen, where he cooks healthy Indian dishes in the comfort of people’s own kitchens.

Business News told last summer how Michele, 41, never looked back since taking the bold step of going into business on her own.

Michele believes a key factor in making her business a success has been communication with clients who include athletes concerned about keeping their weight down, people working in government and private enterprise and even models.

She always tells clients the biggest and bravest step they could take was acknowledging they had a problem and contacting her.

She said: ‘Rapport is essential so you can sympathise to people’s needs.’

She added: ‘It comes natural to me, it’s probably my Irish charm.’

Michele said she is always developing her business and is excited by being able to offer her clients a new microwavable meal called Eat Easy Chicken Curry. There is also a new lemon flavour yoghurt and a Christmas recipe book to keep everyone on track over Christmas.

She can be contacted by email at cambridge@manx.net or on 200200.

www.leelaskitchen.co.uk

AN English MP has tabled an early day motion in the House of Commons about the proliferation of wind farms in the Irish Sea.

The move came after Morecambe and Lunesdale MP David Morris met with House of Keys Speaker Steve Rodan to discuss concerns raised by the government and the Steam Packet about the impact of proposed wind farm developments on lifeline ferry services to the Isle of Man.

His motion calls on the British Government to move away from the construction of wind turbines in close proximity to shipping lanes.

Isle of Man Newspapers has been urging its readers to sign a petition against energy giant Celtic Array’s proposals to build wind farm in the North East area which cuts right across the Steam Packet’s Liverpool and Heysham routes. More than 400 Manx Independent readers have already sent a petition form in. The form, on this page, also appeard in last week’s Courier.

Steam Packet boss Mark Woodward says diversions will result in increased crossing times and the risk of more cancellations in bad weather.

Celtic Array held three public exhibitions over its proposals for a wind farm in the south east area to be called Rhiannon.

Mr Rodan praised our campaign.

He said: ‘I will be urging Isle of Man residents, following the excellent initiative of Isle of Man Newspapers to lobby Centrica, to ask friends and family across to write to their MP to sign this EDM and build up some political support.’

He said that while in London he also met Laurence Robertson MP, who is the co-chairman of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly, and briefed him about the situation.

‘The next conference is in Donegal in March, and it is likely that I shall table a resolution asking the BIPA to support the Isle of Man in opposing wind farms in the Steam Packet shipping lanes,’ he said.

POLICE inquiries into allegations of theft and burglary in the Ballure Road area of Ramsey has resulted in three men from the United Kingdom being arrested.

Inquires are continuing and police are trying to find other victims.

The area that has been targeted appears to be concentrated from Queens Drive East towards Ballure Road and minor roads leading off it.

Police are appealing for residents in the area to check their vehicles, sheds and outbuildings as soon as possible to ensure they have not had any possessions stolen.

Detective Sergeant Richards said: ‘Some of victims may not yet know that they have had items stolen from them and I would urge them to check carefully particularly if they are missing items of jewellery, work tools or compact discs.

‘I am also keen to identify anyone that may have seen a large white Ford Transit van either parked up or in the vicinity of Ballure Road, Ramsey, at any time during the evening of Saturday.

‘Many of these crimes were preventable and at this time of the year when many of us will have Christmas Shopping and presents in our cars or around our properties it is essential to deter opportunistic thieves by locking our doors.”

Two men have been charged with a number of offences and will appear in Court on Monday morning. A third man has been released on police bail.

If anyone has any information or believes they are a victim of crime then please contact Ramsey police station on 812234.