Outspoken opposition MHK Peter Karran has announced that he will not seek re-election in September.

The Onchan MHK and LibVan founder said that he will be standing down after more than 30 years in public office.

In a letter to constituents, Mr Karran wrote: ‘I feel now the time has come for me not to seek re-election at the next General Election.

‘It’s time for me to give someone else the opportunity to serve you; for someone else to take on the challenge of standing up, in our Parliament, for those who need to have truth spoken to power - and to oppose what must be opposed.’

Mr Karran said that his record ‘speaks for itself’.

‘I have, for over 30 years, done my very best to show the people of the Isle of Man the true facts relating to Government’s actions,’ he wrote.

‘I have often been a lone voice speaking out against policies and projects that have proved to be wasteful of public funds.’

LibVan leader and Douglas South MHK Kate Beecroft said: ‘Peter started the Liberal Vannin Party in 2006.

‘He is the reason that I joined the party and I have worked with him since then.

‘To say that he will be greatly missed is a real understatement.’

Mr Karran said that he will continue to work for the LibVan Party.

In a extraordinary side swipe at fellow Onchan MHK Zac Hall, who was expelled from LibVan in 2012, Mr Karran told constituents: ‘I offer a sincere apology to those of you who voted, at my behest, for Zac Hall.

‘I don’t always get things right.

‘It is my opinion that when he had his LibVan party membership withdrawn, he ought to have organised his affairs and resigned his seat.’

Mr Karran has held many parliamentary roles during his political career including Education Minister in 2011-2012 and chairman of the Water Authority from 1990 to 2003.

He was first elected to the House of Keys for Middle in a by-election in 1985 at the age of 25, having unsuccessfully stood for the same seat in 1981.

He has been re-elected as MHK for Onchan in 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011.

Fire crews from around the island were mobilised to tackle a major heath fire near Dalby last night (Saturday).

The A27 Round Table to Dalby road was closed while emergency services dealt with the blaze.

Firefighters arrived at the scene just after 9pm to discover a large fire that was spreading quickly and they requested additional resources which were mobilised from Peel, Castletown, Kirk Michael, Port Erin, Laxey and Douglas.

Four fire engines and five Pinzgauer off-road vehicles as well as the incident control unit attended the incident.

Douglas Fire Station officer Brian Quirk said that crews worked hard to prevent the fire spreading towards the nearby Creg Ny Crock plantation using multiple jets, hosereels and beaters.

Officers from DEFA attended to provide valuable information and guidance on the ecologically sensitive area involved.

By 11.45pm the fire had been extinguished.

The cause of the fire is unknown.

Foraging enthusiast and Douglas councillor John Faragher gave a sold out talk about wild foods available for free in the island on Monday.

John’s talk specifically focused on wild plants available in the Isle of Man and gave an introductory guide to foraging for anyone interested in finding out more.

Around 40 people attended the talk at the Henry Bloom Noble Library in Douglas which included sections on edible plants, different plants you find when you’re out and about in the island and an ‘Edible or Deadible’ section featuring plants to avoid.

He said: ‘The talk was not to teach people everything there is to know, it was to encourage people to realise there’s more out there.

‘The best way of learning is to be around people who are interested in the subject. It’s a great way of enjoying yourself, doing something that’s quite healthy and learning.

‘It’s a good thing to know. Everybody knows about wild garlic and things like that but there’s so much more out there.

‘The thing is that you’ve got to be responsible and be aware of your environment.

‘You wouldn’t forage next to a main road or next to a field with pollutants.

‘You can forage anywhere as long as the environment is safe, you’ve got to look at the surroundings.’

John said he is not an expert forager but has a passion for nature and foraging in the Isle of Man and established the group Food For Free Isle of Man.

He started the group around a year ago to promote responsible foraging and also encourage other island foraging enthusiasts.

‘I am hoping to put some more talks on and I’ve got a few more ideas. I’m looking to bring foraging experts from the UK over to give some talks and tie that in with an evening of entertainment.’

To keep up to date with John’s plans or if you would like more information about foraging in the island visit the ‘Food For Free Isle of Man’ Facebook page or email John at foodforfreeiom@yahoo.com

Manx Telecom has strengthened its account management team with two senior appointments.

Chris Crocker is now account manager for the Isle of Man Government and public sector, while Joseph Walls has joined the company as a corporate account manager.

Chris will be responsible for Isle of Man Government and Isle of Man Post Office accounts, and other selected corporate accounts.

He has more than 10 years’ experience in account management and sales, and joins the company from IFB (Internet For Business) where he worked for four years as a senior corporate account manager.

Chris takes over the role from Paul Keen who is now head of global solutions account management at Manx Telecom.

Joseph Walls’ role as a corporate account manager will see him taking on a sales territory of corporate and small to medium enterprise (SME) customers and matching their diverse telecom and IT needs to Manx Telecom’s products and services. He joins Manx Telecom from Atos where he was IT service manager for major accounts including the National Savings & Investments (NS&I) bank.

Richard Fletcher, head of corporate and public sector Sales at Manx Telecom, welcomed both appointments and said: ‘Manx Telecom is offering a more diverse portfolio to its corporate customers than ever before and there has been a particular demand for our hosting and cloud services.

‘The addition of Chris and Joe to the team means that we can improve the attention given to existing customers whilst at the same time incorporating these new and exciting products.

‘An added bonus is that they both bring valuable experience from their previous roles, meaning that they will be able to contribute immediately and add to the overall capabilities of our corporate sales team.’

Last year, Isle of Man Government renewed a number of contracts with Manx Telecom – including a continuation of the existing ‘ConnectMan’ telecommunications services agreement which has run since 2005.

Manx Telecom now provides government with mobile services to more than 3,000 handsets, local area network infrastructure to over 5,500 end users, wide area networking to over 220 sites, as well as fixed line, internet access and network services.

Government became the anchor tenant for Phase 1 of Manx Telecom’s Greenhill Data Centre (GDC) last year – the centre also provides hosting and managed services to a variety of sectors including eGaming, financial services and those requiring access to big data.

In addition, Manx Telecom has a government contract for 25 racks at the company’s Douglas North Data Centre. Manx Telecom also has a seven year Managed Services contract with Isle of Man Post Office which began in 2013. This is for fixed line telephony, internet, wide area and local area network management, and IT service support provided through a dedicated platform. This supports a workforce of 450 Post Office staff in 32 separate locations across the island, making it one of the biggest deployments of its kind in the Isle of Man.

Last year’s Junior Manx Grand Prix winner Billy Redmayne suffered serious injuries when he crashed at Oliver’s Mount, Scarborough on Sunday afternoon.

The Laxey man was riding in the Bob Smith Spring Cup feature race when he crashed his Kawasaki ZX10.

He was taken by airmed to Middlesbrough Hospital, where he is continuing to undergo treatment for his injuries.

Prior to being airlifted from the venue, it was reported that Billy was breathing on his own and his condition was improving.

The race had been red flagged earlier when Ulsterman Lee Johnston came off and suffered leg injuries. Johnston had been in the island only three days earlier for the 2016 TT Launch.

As doctors accompanied both Redmayne and Johnston to hospital, the event’s clerk of the course announced that because of the lack of medics then on site that the remainder of the meeting would be abandoned.

The feature Bob Smith Spring Cup Race will now be held at the Cock of the North Road Races in June.

Taking the steps to achieve gender parity more quickly was the theme of Barclays’ International Women’s Day celebrations in the Isle of Man.

The bank’s gender network ‘WIN’ hosted a breakfast workshop at the Manx Museum in Douglas which was attended by 55 guests and 30 members of staff.

Rachael Hooper, tax manager at SMP Accounting & Tax and chairman of the Isle of Man Business Network, and chief fire officer, Kevin Groom, attended as guest speakers to share their personal experiences of how changes in the working world have impacted both men and women.

Rachael gave an overview of her background and how growing up in a working class family and the encouragement from her parents inspired her to aim high.

She discussed her career to date and how her determination to never lead a quiet life has led her to qualify as both a chartered accountant and a chartered tax adviser and take on the role of chair at the Isle of Man Business Network.

Rachael also highlighted that she has been lucky enough to have had only positive experiences with regards to gender equality during her career; which, unfortunately, is not the case for everyone.

Kevin Groom discussed his 33 year career with the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service where he started as a firefighter and worked his way through every rank to lead a team of over 150 staff across the island’s seven fire stations as chief fire officer.

Mr Groom also discussed the changes in the perception of the fire service throughout his career and how women have steadily been introduced into the team which is extremely positive for the service.

Colette Johnston, head of local markets for Barclays in the Isle of Man, said: ‘International Women’s Day is a very important celebration at Barclays.

‘The annual breakfast event is one of many events organised by Barclays’ gender network ‘‘WIN’’ to celebrate diversity and promote the importance of equal opportunities both in the community and at Barclays.

‘We were very privileged to have Rachael and Kevin as guest speakers as they’ve both made significant contributions to our island community so it really interesting to hear their experiences of gender parity.

‘Hopefully this event has helped to raise awareness of the International Women’s Day gender parity campaign and what the Isle of Man can do as a community to continue to progress towards gender parity.’

The question of whether gay pupils are being bullied in island schools is being investigated.

The Manx Rainbow Association is undertaking an online survey to find out the level of homophobic bullying in schools and to determine what, if anything, is being done by the schools to prevent it.

Accounts of bullying suffered by members of the Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgender Youth Group prompted the association to look into the problem.

Island schools don’t keep figures on the issue. In the UK they do.

Manx Rainbow Association chair Caroline Brand said: ‘It is vitally important for our children to be safe when they attend school and for any child that is a member of the LGBT community this can often prove to be extremely difficult.

‘The effects of using derogatory language have been proven to have a direct impact on mental health, self-confidence and academic potential and can stay with the person for decades, truly disrupting their lives. ‘This is not acceptable. From speaking with young members of our LGBT community it is common and many of them feel let down and that they are not supported.

‘The Manx Rainbow Association would like to see this tackled head on and from the top. The results of the survey will be made public and we would urge all schools on the island to look into their policy regarding homophobic bullying, to actively engage with their LGBT students and most importantly send out a message that it is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.

‘Teachers are our most powerful tool in the fight against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. The government needs to ensure that all new teachers are trained on tackling all types of bullying as part of their initial teacher training.

‘School heads need to lead from the front and visibly demonstrate their commitment to tackling bullying based on sexual orientation and gender identity and every member of school staff, teaching or not, needs to be proactive in challenging bullying and prejudice wherever it occurs.’

{https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CVC8KR6|Link to survey}

The temporary Snoozebox accommodation is set to be in Noble’s park over the TT period for the next few years after Douglas councillors approved a move for them to return each year up to and including 2018.

The two-storey bank of cabins has been a familiar feature during TT fortnight in Noble’s park of late.

This year’s event will see 160 of the standard Snoozebox rooms plus 80 slightly smaller units, which is the same as those constructed at the site last year.

Councillors have also approved a recalculation of the rental cost they receive to take account of the slightly smaller size of the additional 80 units.

Other proposals will see Snoozebox pay a returnable £10,000 deposit to the council before the units are installed each year. The company will also be responsible for meeting the cost of insurance and connection of services, as well as reinstatement works to tidy up the ground after the event each year.

The agreement would also include a right for the Snoozebox residents to use the Noble’s park community room. Councillors agreed the deal was a useful source of revenue.

It’s been a labour of love for retired education adviser Paul Craine.

He had been working on his Isle of Man Population Atlas since 2011 and devoted more than 2,000 hours to the project.

But now the results of endeavours have been published and the Atlas wenton sale in selected book shops around the island from the end of last week.

It contains more than 130 original maps and graphs of the Isle of Man, together with commentary, making extensive use of the 2011 full census and other sources.

Paul believes it will provide an excellent run-in to the interim census on April 24 and will raise many issues relevant to both the forthcoming local authority and House of Keys elections.

He said: ‘I believe that the book is important for a number of reasons.

‘The Isle of Man unquestionably faces an ageing population over the next 20 years, in large part a consequence of the immigration over the last 40 years.

‘Although no explicit population policy has been developed, the island’s Strategic Plan assumes net migration gains of 500 per year and the Enterprise Development Fund targets the creation of 500-1,000 new jobs per year over five years.

‘A broad range of evidence suggests that the population has ceased to grow and that the island currently has a net emigration of young adults. Changes in the island’s population are not simply responses to economic change, they help to determine economic change. These issues, and many others, are explored in the book.’

Among other things, the Isle of Man Population Atlas provides a reminder that our population, like that on many other small islands, is vulnerable in terms of population ageing, emigration of young adults and depopulation.

It recalls the depopulation in the in the 1950s, which took a heavy toll on the economy.

The Atlas provides new evidence of the scale of out-migration of young adults in the five years up to 2011 and presents evidence on population change since that date - including declining GP patients lists, falling school numbers and a drop in the number in employment.

It also charts a 23 per cent drop in births since 2010 and the return to deaths exceeding births in the Isle of Man in 2015 for the first time since 2000.

Paul says: ‘The next full census will not take place until 2021 and most of the data from the 2011 census will not be updated until then.

‘The 2016 interim census will provide an update of some data but results will not be available until late in 2016 or early 2017. Much of the analysis in the Atlas will be unaffected by the new data eg the island’s population is ageing but this is not simply the result of people living longer, the population is ageing because we have a population age structure that, after decades of immigration, has many people in their 50s and 60s.

‘Over the next 20 years they will swell the 70s and 80s groups and the population will show ageing.’

Maps show how the age of residents increases with distance away from Douglas while other graphs show increasing population diversity in the island.

The Atlas indicates that although 48 per cent of the population was born in the Isle of Man, only 40 per cent of adult residents (and the electorate) were born here. It maps the distribution of the Manx-born population with a range from 34 per cent to 57 per cent across the local authorities.

Other maps show declining household size, improving housing quality and the shift in housing tenure from the public sector towards private sector rental.

Isle of Man Population Atlas will be available, price £15, in The Lexicon, The Book Company on Castle Street, St Paul’s Bookshop in Ramsey and The Bridge Bookshop in Port Erin.

Direct democracy is the focus of the next public meeting organised by the Positive Action Group.

James Hampton will lead a talk and discussion at the Manx Legion Club. Market Hill, Douglas, on Monday April 25 at 7.45pm.

Direct Democracy is about putting power back in the hands of the people via citizen referenda to vote on specific issues, citizen initiative to propose legislation and citizen recall to vote to remove an elected representative.

Mr Hampton has been busy discussing with a number of politicians about how to take his ideas forward.

A PAG spokesman said: ‘James Hampton regards social media as a new external force for discussion. Generally electors have the power of the vote only once every five years.

‘Direct Democracy aims to extend that power by introducing citizen referenda and initiatives. It’s an exciting prospect.’

Admission to the public meeting is free and all are welcome to attend.

A top rate lecture re-examining the Battle of Jutland will take place in Arbory Parish church at 7.45pm on Thursday, April 28.

On May 31 it is the centenary of the conflict, so it was an appropriate subject for the Spring Quilliam lecture which will be given by naval historian Professor Eric Grove, who has been a popular speaker at two Quilliam lectures already.

He will explore new views on the results of the battle between two grand fleets – the British and German navies - and the ongoing debate as to who the winner was. He will address its implications for both countries, and the affect of the personalities of the leaders involved.

This year marks the seventh since the inauguration of the Quilliam lectures - a celebration of Captain John Quilliam, who steered Nelson’s ship Victory during the 1805 battle - the island’s most celebrated naval son.

‘With his grave in the churchyard, and memorial and new stained glass window in the church, the group feels this is the most appropriate place and manner to remember our home’s rich maritime heritage,’ said Phil Smith, a member of the organising Quilliam Group.

Admission is free but by ticket only, these are available at the Bay Hotel and Bridge Bookshop in Port Erin, from Mike Berry, 824550, or Phil Smith 832146/495146, or at davidhandscombe@manx.net.

The Quilliam Group thanked the community for its support.

The road along Peel’s East Quay is undergo repair work in the next few weeks, the Department of Infrastructure has announced.

A DoI spokesman said: ‘We will be carrying out safety critical patching and maintenance in the next few weeks.’

The work will cover the section of the quay from the House of Manannan to the seafront at Weatherglass Corner, known locally as Spit Corner.

Would you like to share your passion for model engineering with people who share the same interests?

The Manx Steam and Model Engineering Club, who made and also run the Orchid Line Miniature Railway at Curraghs Wildlife Park, is holding a social evening on Wednesday (April 20) at the Tynwald Inn, St Johns from 7.30pm for anyone who is interested in joining the club.

Model engineering enthusiasts will have the chance to have a drink and chat with members about all aspects of engineering from new build or classic restoration, boiler making and clock making, welding, metal or wood turning, and steam, petrol and electric power models.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

Isle of Man Cyclefest has confirmed support from leading phone and broadband provider Sure for the inaugural festival, which will be held in May 2016.

The company will become the official telecommunications partner for the event and will also be the title sponsor of the Team Pursuit Schools Challenge, which will feature many of the Isle of Man’s primary schools.

As part of their sponsorship, Sure will receive high profile branding around the Pearl Izumi Tour Series course, the Ocean Motor Village Community Day, the three Isle of Man Cyclefest presented by Isle of Man Bank Championship Races and the two day lifestyle and entertainment festival at Milntown Estate as well as the title sponsorship of the Sure Team Pursuit Schools Challenge.

The company will feature prominently on the event website, all marketing collateral and in the official event programme.

Sure’s marketing manager Sarah Jarvis said: ‘Cyclefest is a great fit for Sure as it involves so many different people of all ages from the local community. Our Sure Sports Primary School Programme is aimed at introducing the younger generation to new sports and hopefully we can extend that to cycling with our involvement with Cyclefest.’

Paul Phillips, director, Isle of Man Cyclefest, said: ‘Early on in our planning for Cyclefest we identified Sure as a really important partner to have on board. They are providing the expertise to deliver timing connectivity solutions to some of the more remote places on the island, which will mean that we can provide real time data to competitors, and their friends and family. Their support will also help our official broadcast partner Manx Radio to provide a live service from Mooragh Park as well as the Milntown Estate food and music festival.’

Entries have now closed for all three Isle of Man Cyclefest presented by Isle of Man Bank races; the Storm the Tower Hill Climb powered by Isle of Man Creamery, the Battle of Sky Hill XC Mountain Bike Race and the Isle of Man Cyclefest Gran Fondo presented by Isle of Man Bank.

Entries, priced at £100 per team for a team of five, are open for the Jewson Team Relay at www.iomcyclefest.com Entry fee includes a donation to Isle of Man Cyclefest’s official charity partner Rebecca House. Wristbands for the Milntown Festival, featuring two days of quality live music, the best local artisan foods, stunt shows and family entertainment are available to buy discounted online now at www.iomcyclefest.com

Tickets include free access to the Milntown Estate Gardens.

For more information and race entries go to www.iomcyclefest.com

A Douglas man will attempt to stand in complete silence on Douglas promenade for 12 hours to represent the inner strength needed to overcome mental health issues.

Elliot Kinrade, aged 24, will undertake the challenge on April 23 from midday to midnight to raise money for mental health charity Mind.

He said: ‘I decided to take on the event because I have gone through experiences with depression previously, and the help I received genuinely gave me strength to see a much bigger picture in my life and life in general.

‘I truly changed the way I see the world, and think there can be beauty in the darkest of places, and I don’t think I could have achieved this by myself.

‘So this is my way of thanking anyone that has helped me in my life – family, friends, doctors – and also my way of showing appreciation to all the people that work within mental health services.’

Elliot, who works at Douglas company Twilight, said he got the idea from a friend who practices meditation and thought mixing meditative silence and standing on his feet would be the ‘perfect representation of both the struggles and also the inner strength needed to overcome mental health issues’.

He said he will ‘massively struggle’ on the day but will give it 100 per cent, and will take on the challenge no matter of the weather conditions.

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/Elliot-Kinrade

Leading young bike racer Billy Redmayne has died in a Middlesbrough hospital after suffering critical head injuries in an incident at the Oliver’s Mount course in Scarborough on Sunday.

The 25-year-old soldier from Laxey, a full-time member of the parachute regiment, was hit from behind by another rider on the fastest part of the 2.43-mile parkland course.

He was taken by an Army helicopter directly to the James Cook University Hospital where he was placed on a ventilator.

His girlfriend of precisely two years, Hannah Louise, posted a message on Facebook early this morning (Tuesday) to confirm that he had passed away.

In a moving tribute she said: ‘We were told that the damage to his brain was too severe for him to ever wake up again. Even if we had waited for the swelling to go down, the damage was too bad.

‘He also wasn’t able to breathe for himself and was kept awake by machines. Myself and his family decided rather than prolong the inevitable, we would turn off his life support machine and donate whatever organs we could.

‘I am holding on to the fact that Billy died doing what he loved, and that was the way he always wanted it.’

Billy Redmayne was the most promising young local talent to emerge for several years.

He rose from obscurity to win the 2014 Newcomers Manx Grand Prix and last year won the Junior Manx Grand Prix proper riding for Martin Bullock

Manxsport.

He was preparing to make his TT debut next month on a 675 MV Agusta provided by fellow local backers Des and Dot Collins, in addition to his own 1000cc Kawasaki which he was riding when the tragic crash occurred on Sunday.

A motion on reform of public sector pensions due to be debated in Tynwald this week has been deferred until the June sitting to allow members more time to consider the issues.

The move comes after five backbench MHKs announced they would not be supporting ‘flawed’ proposals for reform.

These proposals would see staff across the public services paying up to 50 per cent more in pensions contributions for reduced future benefits.

But five MHKs - Alfred Cannan (Michael), Ralph Peake and John Houghton (Douglas North), Leonard Singer (Ramsey) and Graham Cregeen (Malew and Santon) - say the plans are flawed and would expose the taxpayer to unacceptable levels of financial risk.

They say the burden on the taxpayer to support the unified pension scheme will rise from the current £44m to more than £100m over the next six years.

John Shimmin MHK, vice chairman of the Public Sector Pensions Authority, explained: ‘It has become apparent that some members are uncomfortable with government’s proposals to address the sustainability of the Island’s public sector pension schemes.

‘Deferring the matter until the June sitting of Tynwald will allow further opportunities, on top of the extensive discussions that have already taken place, for members to clarify their concerns and any additional or alternative approaches they may have.’

Mr Shimmin added: ‘This is a huge and difficult issue – the most important domestic challenge facing our Island – and it is essential that we move forward on the basis of clarity and consensus across the Tynwald membership.’

Meanwhile, Mr Cannan tabled an urgent motion for debate in this week’s Tynwald sitting calling for CoMin to set up an independent review commission, chaired by a QC, to review options for a fair and sustainable public sector pension scheme.

However, Mr Cannan’s motion was rejected this morning (Tuesday) after members of Legislative Council voted seven to two against it. Members of Keys voted 15 to eight in favour of the proposal.

Chief Minister Allan Bell said he was ‘disappointed’ that the five backbenchers were planning to oppose the reform proposals - and said Tynwald members have to work together to find a workable solution to the public sector pensions issue.

Mr Bell said: ‘It’s very disappointing these members now at the last minute suggest they disagree with what is being proposed.

‘Minister Shimmin has run a number of seminars for members over the last few months to try to explain the extent of the problem. This is one of the most important problems facing the island at the moment. Members have had every opportunity to work with us to try to arrive at a workable solution.’

He added: ‘This is too important to be used as a political football. We have to try to engage with all members. It’s not a government vs backbenchers issue. There has been no ducking the issue - we’ve forced it into the public arena. We know it isn’t the perfect solution. We have to work within the legal framework. We have to recognise time is not on our side.’

Chefs with a passion for cooking with fresh local ingredients are being invited to compete for the title of Isle of Man Chef of the Year.

Island chefs can now enter the competition in which the winner will receive £500, plus advertising to the same value for their place of work, a trophy and a certificate.

Chefs must submit recipes with their entry forms and ingredients should, as far as possible, be Manx grown or produced.

Shortlisted chefs will cook in front of an audience at the Isle of Man Queenie Festival on Sunday, July 3, and two finalists will then go head to head for the title at the Isle of Man Food and Drink Festival on Sunday, September 18.

James Stubbs, head chef at The Courthouse in Douglas, was crowned 2015 Chef of the Year and will be a judge in this year’s competition.

He said: ‘The competition provides a fantastic opportunity for chefs to showcase their skills and gain valuable publicity for themselves and their place of work. We benefited greatly from the coverage of the competition and I would really recommend chefs to enter this challenging and rewarding competition.’

Richard Ronan MHK, Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture, said: ‘When eating out, diners are increasingly seeking out establishments that use Manx produce. Not only does eating Manx mean money goes back into the local economy and supports local jobs, it also guarantees a great-tasting meal and fewer food miles.

‘Chefs are using the wonderful array of Manx produce to create ever-more innovative menus and we invite them to showcase their signature dishes in this competition.’

For the second time, the contest will be complemented by an Isle of Man Student Chef of the Year competition for students on hospitality and catering courses at the Isle of Man College of Further and Higher Education.

Thirty students will cook up their favourite dishes at the college in June, with four going through to heats at the Queenie Festival and the title to be decided at the Isle of Man Food and Drink Festival. The winner will receive £250, a trophy and a certificate.

Entry forms and more information can be found at www.gov.im/foodanddrink or by calling 685856. The closing date for entries is Friday, May 27.

IT’S amazing where the time goes when you’re having fun - and a whopping 60 MILLION of us had just that over the past 25 years at three iconic Sheffield venues.

Today we are looking back as silver jubilee celebrations get underway at Sheffield Arena, Ponds Forge International Sports Centre and Hillsborough Leisure Centre, which all opened in 1991.

Their birthday gift back to the steel city is news that they have generated over £500 million between them to the region’s economy.

Now we are after your special memories - details below.

VIDEO: Watch a special video report about 25 years at Ponds Forge - CLICK HERE.

You may have been at the first ever concert at the £34 million Sheffield Arena, which was opened by Her Majesty The Queen on May 30, 1991 ahead of Paul Simon’s Born at the Right Time tour.

Over 16 million of us have since visited the 13,000-seater arena, which has hosted more than 3,000 events.

Many of you may have met there for the first time, fallen in love and returned years later with your own kids, or now grand kids.

Or you may have seen your idols play that stage, including our home grown connections including Arctic Monkeys, Joe Cocker, Pulp, Def Leppard, One Direction, Iron Maiden, Heaven 17, Human League, ABC, Reverend and the Makers and Richard Hawley.

Biggest names to played there reads like a who’s who of all time greats such Oasis, who played their first ever arena gig at the Arena in April 1995, Tina Turner, who played her last ever show there in 2009, Stevie Wonder, Luciano Pavarotti, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Billy Joel, Neil Diamond, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, The Who, Beach Boys and Michael Buble.

It goes on and on...Prince, Whitney Houston, Take That, Duran Duran, Meat Loaf, Shirley Bassey, Justin Timberlake, Diana Ross, Lady GaGa and Kanye West,just to mention a few.

Then of course it has hosted amazing shows and events from Disney On Ice to Batman Live, Riverdance, Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, Cirque du Soleil, Jesus Christ Superstar and who can forget BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2009, when our Olympic golden girl Jess Ennis-Hill was honoured.

Global icons Justin Bieber, Lionel Richie, Andrea Bocelli and Bryan Adams are next - they will form part of this year’s celebrations - they will all perform at the Arena this year.

The GB Rio 2016 diving trials, ASA Masters and Summer and Special Olympics GB’s National Summer Games will be hosted at the two sports venues.

Sheffield’s £53 million Olympic-standard Ponds Forge, which remains one of the world’s best aquatics, sport, leisure and events venues, has welcomed more than 25 million people since it was opened by HRH Princess Anne on April 17, 1991.

It has been home to the Roundhouse Nightclub, Last Laugh Comedy Club and Sheffield Sharks basketball team and acts as a training base for GB swimmers and divers.

Following a recent multi-million refurbishment, the Fitness Unlimited gym at Ponds Forge, voted number one in the city by readers of The Star, is now home to a UK-first Technogym spin bike studio and virtual riding system, a Wellness System and MyWellness Cloud equipment and an innovative Prama system, which brings the gym’s floors and walls to life to create an energetic and motivating atmosphere.

SIV has also announced invested in a new Daktronics HD scoreboard for use at Ponds Forge aquatics events.

Also opening its doors that very same day back in 1991 was Hillsborough Leisure Centre, which has been visited by 18 million people and delivered more than 1.2 million swimming lessons.

With over 5,000 Fitness Unlimited members, it is home to one of Sheffield’s most popular gyms offering over 100 fitness classes each week for all ages and abilities.

It runs an award-winning GP Physical Activity Referral Scheme and is Inclusive Fitness Initiative-accredited for disabled users, boasts a free-form leisure pool with an interactive pirate ship, wave machine, slide and flume and is used by community clubs such as local Guides and Scout Clubs and Weight Watchers.

The three venues were built by Sheffield City Council as part of the 1991 World Student Games, which left taxpayers with a bill for millions - but facilities which have produced stars like Olympic golden girl Jess and affirmed Sheffield as a world centre for sporting excellence.

SIV is a subsidiary of Sheffield City Trust and serves as its operational arm - its primary objective is to improve the health and wellbeing of Sheffield people by providing facilities for sport and leisure activities.

Steve Brailey MBE, chief executive of SIV, said: “We are extremely proud to be celebrating 25 years of success for these iconic leisure and entertainment venues. Over the last two and have decades, the much-loved facilities have become part of the fabric of the city - an important part in the lives of millions of people in Sheffield.

“The Arena is one of Sheffield’s biggest stories bringing hundreds of millions of pounds to the city economy. It has been central to the development and regeneration of the Don Valley area.

“Ponds Forge and Hillsborough have made a huge impact on the lives of so many people.

“Thanks to these venues, we are making Sheffield healthier and fitter.”

Sheffield ambassador and former sports minister Richard Caborn was one of the founders of Sheffield City Trust in 1991 and its first chair until 1997.

Richard, who is now chair of the Olympic Legacy Park, said: “SIV should be rightly proud of the success of the Arena, Ponds Forge and Hillsborough and congratulated for the positive impact they’ve had on the city economy and the health of Sheffield people over the last 25 years.

“As a Sheffielder and one of the founders of Sheffield City Trust, I have a real fondness for these venues.” 

Olympic silver medallist Leon Taylor said: “Congratulations to everyone at SIV on reaching this milestone! I trained at Ponds Forge full time with many other members of the British diving team in our preparations for all major championships including the Olympic Games. The facilities are first-class and if you have to train all day everyday there isn’t a better venue.”

What are YOUR memories - email graham.walker@jpress.co.uk, with #StarSIVMemories in the subject field, tweet him @GW1962 using #StarSIVMemories or post to #StarSIVMemories, Graham Walker, Digital Editor, The Star, York Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S11PU.

We must stay focused on external challenges.

That was the message from Chief Minister Allan Bell after his visit to London last week which saw him sign a ground-breaking agreement on sharing information on the real ownership of companies.

Mr Bell, accompanied by Home Affairs Minister Juan Watterson MHK and senior Government officers, also continued talks on the implications for the Isle of Man of a UK exit from the EU, meeting supporters of both the Remain and Leave campaigns.

Under the agreement signed by Mr Bell and UK Treasury Financial Secretary David Gauke MP, the Manx Government has committed to establishing and maintaining a central electronic register of the beneficial ownership of companies. Information will be provided within 24 hours or in urgent cases within one hour on request by law enforcement and tax authorities.

Mr Bell said: ‘The island has no choice, if we are to safeguard our economy, but to keep on engaging with the international agenda on tax transparency, which is now moving faster than ever before.’

In addition to the renewed international focus on offshore issues, it was clear that the Isle of Man would have a lot of work to do to protect its position if the UK’s referendum on June 23 produces a vote to leave the European Union, said the Chief Minister.

He said: ‘All of this will coincide with the run-up to our own House of Keys general election. It is absolutely vital we do not allow electioneering to distract us from the defence of the island’s long-term national interests during this critical period.’

Mr Bell added that his talks in London had included meetings with counterparts from Jersey and Guernsey.

He explained: ‘As Crown Dependencies Jersey and Guernsey have the same Protocol 3 relationship with the EU, via the UK, as the Isle of Man. We are in the same boat on this issue and we have agreed to continue working together to protect our interests.’