The Isle of Man has a special place in the hearts of one couple who keep returning to celebrate their milestone anniversaries.

Ron and Dorothy, from Princethorpe in Warwickshire, first visited the island in 1956 on their honeymoon where they stayed in Douglas.

Since then they have returned to celebrate their silver, golden and now diamond wedding anniversaries.

The couple, who are both aged 80, got married on July 14, 1956, and visited the Isle of Man for the first time at the age of 20.

To mark 60 years of marriage the pair enjoyed a week-long stay here and had a special dinner at the Empress Hotel in Douglas, where they stayed during the week, on their anniversary.

Dorothy said her husband Ron is sentimental and the couple love returning to mark their milestone anniversaries as the island is special to them. She said: ‘We have had such a nice time over the years here, it’s just lovely.

‘When we first came in 1956 it was so quiet, it was idyllic. We just love it here.

‘It’s the whole atmosphere and we like the little villages, just everything about it really.’

‘From where we come from the Isle of Man is so different, it’s like stepping back in time. We have really noticed how different it is now though, there seems to have been a lot of improvements.’

Dorothy recalled that in 1956 it took much longer to travel on the plane from Manchester, and cost the equivalent of £7 for a return fare.

She said: ‘We just saw this advert about coming to the Isle of Man and it seemed like something really special to do. It was quite a thing to fly then – people don’t realise that.

‘It was just something that nobody did in those days and we were feeling a bit adventurous.’

She added: ‘The Isle of Man has a special place in our hearts because it’s where we honeymooned.’

Douglas Fire Station will be opening its doors to the public on Sunday for a fundraising family day.

The event takes place at the Peel Road station from 11am to 4pm and will feature a host of rescue demonstrations and fun activities.

Money raised will be donated to the Firefighters’ Charity, which assists firefighters and their families, and Tabitha’s Trust, an organisation that supports families through child bereavement in the Isle of Man.

Among the highlights will be a zip wire ‘death slide’ at the rear of the station, rides in the aerial ladder platform, hose reel games and challenges, bouncy castle, roundabout and face painting.

Fire engines will be on display and firefighters from Green Watch will demonstrate a rescue from the training tower and an extraction from a simulated car crash.

There will be a raffle with a number of prizes donated by local businesses, and refreshments including a hog roast, ice cream, homemade cakes and tea and coffee.

Firefighter Richard Little said: ‘Everyone is welcome to attend on Sunday and enjoy a great family day out. We are extremely grateful for the support received from island businesses. We have a fantastic range of raffle prizes, including a trip for a car plus two people from the Steam Packet Company.’

Admission is free.

An all-day festival of music will be topped off with a performance from the legendary Sir Tom Jones at Noble’s Park on Tuesday.

The impressive line-up includes top local acts Joe Crookall and Hamish Faragher, as well as UK acts Jodie Abacus, AJ Brown, Paradisia, Hayley McKay and Joe Treacy.

The long list of entertainment kicks off at 3pm with gates opening at 2pm.

Jones hit number one in 1965 with his debut single ‘It’s Not Unusual’ and a string of hits followed.

A career spanning over five decades has seen him release classics such as ‘What’s New Pussycat?’, Bond-theme ‘Thunderball’, ‘Green Green Grass of Home’, ‘Delilah’, ‘She’s a Lady’, ‘A Boy from Nowhere’, ‘Kiss’, ‘Burning down the House’, ‘Baby it’s Cold Outside’, ‘Stoned in Love’, ‘Mama Told Me Not to Come’, ‘Islands in the Stream’, and ‘Sex Bomb’.

He has had 36 top 40 hits in the UK and 19 in the USA.

In 1966 he won a ‘Grammy’ award for best new artist. In 1999 he received an OBE and in 2006 he was knighted for services to music.

From 2012 to 2015 he was one of four coaches on the BBC television talent show ‘The Voice UK’.

In November 2015 Jones appeared, alongside Rob Brydon in a special 90-minute show, from the SSE Arena, Wembley, for BBC’s Children in Need.

The singer appeared on BBC’s Jools’ Annual Hootenanny in 2015, broadcast on New Year’s Eve, on which he duetted with Paul Weller.

Local artist Joe Crookall recently supported Jones in Lichfield and also supported Cast at the Isle of Man TT. He will be supporting Martha and the Vandellas this summer as well as performing at several festivals this year with the likes of Tinie Tempah, Sigma, All Saints, Lightning Seeds and Travis.

Manx singer/songwriter Hamish Faragher has played guitar since the age of nine and cites his influences as Ed Sheehan and Jake Bugg.

He supported Davy Knowles for three shows on the island last year.

UK artist Jodie Abacus is now on Radio 2’s A-list playlist. His influences are listed as Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, A Tribe called Quest, Hall and Oates and Steely Dan. He will also be playing V Festival in Chelmsford in August.

All-girl trio Paradisia have also recently supported Sir Tom and have just played London’s Hyde Park where they supported Carole King.

Joe Treacy and Hayley McKay are both from the north-east and have already performed at festivals such as the Isle of Wight this summer.

The festival will take place in what is described as a ‘Grand Marquee’ and is brought to the island by the Villa Marina in association with concert and festival promoter tinyCOW, who also brought James and 10cc to the island.

TinyCOW promoter Lee O’Hanlon said: ‘People have said that our island shows with acts like 10cc and James are some of the best they have ever seen. We’ve already worked with Tom Jones this summer and I can assure people that they are going to witness the most incredible show.’

Tickets are still available from www.villagaiety.com or by calling 600555.

When walking along Strand Street in Douglas or Parliament Street in Ramsey, have you ever wondered why so many town-dwelling pigeons have such deformed feet?

There are several causes, but the main two are string or filaments becoming entangled in a bird’s feet and cutting off blood circulation, and a bacterial disease called ‘bumble foot’.

Spending time roosting on non-porous surfaces such as window ledges or roofs means that the droppings from the birds build up (one of the main reasons so many people consider pigeons to be a pest) and cause an infection in the ball of a bird’s foot.

With so many birds in our aviary at the moment, mostly young herring gulls, we have to take very good care to ensure that bumble foot does not become an issue.

Power-washing the floors is a daily necessity, alongside providing non-concrete surfaces for the birds to sit on – Astro turf, wooden perches, ledges and twigs all play their part.

The aviary is a high-maintenance area at this time of year and so, once again, we are appealing to bird-lovers to help us out, even for just a couple of hours a week.

We are very lucky to have a network of volunteers who foster smaller wild birds in their own homes, nurturing them until they can be released.

The most active of these volunteers is a well-known Castletown resident, Barbara Cole.

Not only does Barbara take in fledglings and injured birds, she gives advice and support to other ‘wild bird rehabers’ around the island.

If you would like to be more involved with this group and develop your expertise in caring for wild birds, please let us know.

Bumble foot can also afflict rabbits, and manifests itself as painful sores on the skin of the feet and hocks which, if left untreated, can cripple the animal.

Vets advise rabbit owners to check their pet’s feet thoroughly on a regular basis because the sore patches are often hidden under the fur.

As with birds, spending time on hard surfaces exacerbates the infection and so good hygiene is a must, as is a plentiful supply of bedding such as hay. Vets also advise that owners should never trim the fur under a rabbit’s feet, which is coarser than the rest of the fur and grows at a different angle, effectively acting as a cushion.

We have a very special rabbit to tell you about this week.

She’s called Summer and she came to us because her mate died and her previous owner was unable to get a new rabbit.

It became clear that Summer was missing her companion and so her previous owner’s wish is for her ‘to find a forever home with a new man in her life’.

Summer is seven and so is too old to be neutered, and so this will need to be a consideration.

Her favourite foods are dandelions, milk-thistle, spinach, kale, broccoli, grapes, banana and strawberry tops – she is clearly a rabbit with discerning tastes!

She is a very affectionate and gentle creature, and deserves to have a peaceful retirement.

And over in the cattery we have two lovely cats that have been with us longer than any of the others – Blaze and Glory.

They are still very shy, having been born in a pub basement and not handled, and their new owner will need lots of time and patience.

They are young cats, one is black and the other is a silver tabby, and they are quite protective of each other which is very endearing – they simply need a nurturing environment that will enable them to flourish.

For those of you who have access to Facebook, please have a look at our main ManxSPCA page.

The kennels staff have made a video featuring many of the dogs that are looking for homes.

It’s great to see them in action – rolling in the grass, playing with their toys, and generally having fun.

Our beautiful Northern Inuits, Tasha and Susi, star in the video.

We have now made the decision to rehome them separately, provided they leave the kennels at the same time.

They are beautiful and well behaved dogs, but both together they are a bit of a handful, and so we are confident that there are new owners out there who will be able to provide them with the future they deserve.

The Manx Bat Group are staging a public bat walk on Saturday, July 30, in Elfin Glen at Ramsey Hairpin.

All are welcome although children should be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Bat detectors can be loaned to hear the wildlife.

There are at least two known roosts nearby, of two different species, so organisers are hopeful of successful trip.

Meet at Ramsey Hairpin – limited parking, grid ref SC449934 – at 9.15pm.

A 16-year-old from Bride has had her long locks cut to help provide real hair wigs for children suffering from cancer.

Aimee Swift, who has just completed her GCSEs at Ramsey Grammar School, has had approximately 15 inches of her hair cut off and has also raised £1,218.94 for the Little Princess Trust.

The charity provides real hair wigs to boys and girls across the UK who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment. It costs between £350 and £500 per wig.

Aimee raised the money through sponsorship, donations on her JustGiving page and also from a collection box at Beanies Coffee Shop at St Paul’s Bookshop in Ramsey, where she works on Saturdays.

Aimee’s mum Tracy said: ‘When she approached me and told me what she was doing, that she had already set up the site and had made her decision to cut her hair off, it was a complete shock as her hair has always been so important to her. I’m very proud of her for doing such a selfless act.’

The teenager had her hair cut by her auntie, Jeanine Sayle, a hair and beauty lecturer at University College Isle of Man, at Nailz2Beauty in Douglas.

Wendy Tarplee-Morris, trustee and co-founder of the Little Princess Trust, thanked Aimee for her support: ‘We are very grateful to Aimee and all of our generous hair donors as it is such a brave and personal gift to give. We are extra thankful to her for also raising money for the charity as we will be benefiting in two ways.’

A team of students from St Ninian’s High School have won this year’s One World Centre Poetry Slam with their poem about the plight of child soldiers around the world.

The poem, entitled ‘They Will Not Listen’, was performed by Lucy Barks, Anna Harris, Emily Sweetman and Frankie Cullen at the grand final held at St Ninian’s Lower School, Bemahague.

As well as picking up the trophy, the team will perform the poem in public at Manx Litfest in September.

Runners up were a team from Ballakermeen High School with a poem entitled ‘Someplace Under the Sea’.

Two other teams from Ballakermeen came in joint third place with poems called ‘The Lost Children’ about child soldiers and ‘Under the Sea’ on refugees.

A total of 12 teams of year seven students (aged 11 and 12) took part in the competition in which they had to write and present a poem on the subject of child soldiers, water and sanitation, refugees or education for girls.

Manx Bard Stacey Astill read two of her own poems at the event and was also on the judging panel. Castle Rushen High School teacher Eilish Matthews and Ramsey Grammar teacher Leona Bell were also judges along with Joel Smith, secondary schools advisor from the Department of Education and Children.

Rosemary Clarke, director of the One World Centre, said all the teams should be proud of their efforts, adding: ‘It was a really thought-provoking evening with some vivid interpretations of how difficult life is for many people around the world. All the student teams had worked hard on crafting their poems and their performances were excellent.’

The dazzling showcase of Manx Celtic music and dance that wowed audiences at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient last summer is being brought to the Gaiety Theatre.

The Manannan’s Isle show will be premiered in the Isle of Man on Sunday evening (July 24).

Described as the Isle of Man’s ‘Riverdance’, the family-friendly show was created for the 2015 ‘Year of the Isle of Man’ at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Brittany.

Produced by Culture Vannin, the show will appeal to both residents and visitors alike.

It features Manx acts including upbeat band Mec Lir, skilful dance group Ny Fennee, Rushen Silver Band, trad

power trio Barrule, Gaelic singer Ruth Keggin and choir Caarjyn Cooidjagh.

The show line-up also sees solo trumpet player Russell Gilmour, mini dancers Skeddan Jiarg, and the mighty Celtic sea-god Manannan himself!

The Isle of Man will be represented again this summer at Lorient, Europe’s largest Celtic festival.

Attending the festival in August will be Manx dance group Ny Manninee, bands Mec Lir and Birlinn Jiarg, singer-songwriter Matt Creer, plus duo Cairistiona Dougherty and Isla Callister.

A team of eager volunteers will also be travelling to the festival to run a pavilion dedicated to promoting the island.

Manannan’s Isle starts at 7.30pm doors open at 7pm).

Tickets cost £10 or £5 for under 16s.

They are available online at www.villagaiety.com or call the Gaiety box office on 600555.

For more information see www.manxmusic.com and www.culturevannin.im

With one Wildlife Adventure Pass, children will have a passport to enter the world of nature throughout the summer.

They can discover all sorts of fascinating facts about wildlife in the Isle of Man.

The Manx Wildlife Trust has held popular rock pooling and wildlife events over the schools summer holiday but this year it is selling a limited number of tickets so staff can spend more time with children explaining things and get to know them and their interests.

Family members of the Trust will get a ticket sent out free but you can buy a ticket at £10 per child then choose six out of 10 activities on offer which they would like to attend.

All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

The first event is rock pooling on Tuesday (July 26), at 10am.

Children will meet at Douglas beach opposite Summerhill Road.

The MWT says: ‘Come search our rock pools for hungry hermit crabs and learn about this happening coastal habitat.’

See www.manxwt.org.uk for more details.

I’ve just had an appointment with a physiotherapist.

‘So what?’ you might be excused for asking. So what, indeed.

Well, to be honest, I had forgotten that my Parkinson’s consultant had referred me to the physio department.

As is the case with most specialities the queue of patients waiting to be seen is getting longer every month.

Just have a sight on the public car parking areas up at Noble’s Hospital. Full!

Take a trip round the island and count all the health centres that you find. Check out the car parks. Full!

I think I once heard someone say that our health service was the island’s biggest employer.

When you take into account all the departments, all the specialities, and all the clinics and surgeries, it seems half the population work in ‘health’ and the other half is waiting in the queue for an appointment to see them.

I was born in 1940 so I can safely say that I am older than the National Health Service.

I can also safely say the health service has grown at such a rate and to such an extent that even the farsighted folk that started it all off would be amazed at what they helped to create.

This is not going to be one of those ‘I remember the days’ stories. I think even the most critical of users of the modern day health service would agree that we’re all better off than folk used to be.

This is where I stand back and wait for all the cries of ‘shame’ and ‘traitor’ to die down.

‘I’ve paid in all my life’ is another regular rant, closely followed by,­­­­­­­­­well you know what I mean, there’s no need for me to recite all the same old grumbles and moans.

The plain fact is that waiting lists are getting longer, and as far as I can see, the future holds more of the same.

And do you know why these lists can only get longer and longer? It’s not because we have a rubbish health service.

It’s because we have an excellent health service. It’s so good that it keeps all us oldies alive and breathing for longer than we deserve, when you take account of the way that some of us criticise the system that preserves us.

Take joint replacements. That department alone must cost a fortune to run. And as time goes on, and new treatments come on stream, we all queue up to be kept alive to collect our pensions for longer than anyone could have possibly imagined.

Simplistically, there are only two ways to reduce waiting lists. Solution one is to throw more money in the direction of the DHSS, and we all know there’s not much chance of that happening.

Solution two is to limit medical services to folk under a certain age. Thankfully, I don’t think there is much chance of that happening either.

So how about this for an idea? Why don’t they just employ more physiotherapists? I have no idea how much it costs to keep a physiotherapist on the road, and even less idea of the price of a hip or a knee, but I’ll bet that if more of us oldies did more supervised exercise not only could it avoid the need for so much surgery it would also have a knock-on benefit for our general health which would in turn save even more money.

I was talking to someone the other day about the same sort of thing and he said if the hospital car park was moved to Union Mills, it would make us all have to walk a bit further. I think that he was joking, but you never know.

Anyway, as I was saying I’ve just had an appointment with a physiotherapist. And I can honestly say that for the first time since my diagnosis, I have been given a glimmer of hope for the future.

No I didn’t mention the word miracle, there’s still no cure. But there is a positive chance of personal function improvement. The snag is, the whole thing is built round more and more exercise, which is what I’ve been preaching for years.

Maybe the car park idea isn’t as daft as it sounds.

Donna Harrison is the glue that holds the Finley’s Tracks Charity together.

That’s the view of Clive Hesketh who has also nominated Donna, who is chair of the charity, in the Charity and Volunteers category of the Pride in Mann Awards.

Finley’s Tracks, inspired by young Finley, aims to raise awareness of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in the Isle of Man, support sufferers by fundraising to provide equipment and treatment, and raise money for research into the disease.

Clive said the organisation has made a ‘massive difference’ to families living with DMD in the island. ‘Donna Harrison and all the trustees both past and present, including Serena Woods, Rebeca Okell, Michael Craine, Laura Truman and Amanda Boyd, have all played their part and need to be thanked. But Donna has been the chair and the glue that has held the charity together.’

Donna, who lives in Peel, said she had never heard of the disease until Finley was diagnosed. ‘Finley’s parents had wanted to set up a charity but as their son would be a beneficiary this was not possible. I decided to look into what would be required with setting up a charity to help Finley and the other families living with DMD.

‘It seemed very daunting initially but once I got going it fell into place relatively quickly with friends stepping up to the roles of trustees.

‘I love working with the other trustees and being able to provide help and make life easier for the families who are living with DMD. There are currently five boys in the Isle of Man with this devastating condition, of which we have managed to directly help four to date. We just want to be able to help in as many ways as we can to make life easier for the families in the Isle of Man.’

The charity has provided equipment to adapt sufferers’ homes and paid for alterations.

In Tynwald this week government health chiefs discussed the possible funding for the drug Translarna, which treats DMD, for island sufferers. However, Minister for Health and Social Care Howard Quayle said they will not fund the drug.

Cregneash is offering people the chance to learn all about fairies and folk heroes with a summer adventure day.

A guided two-hour expedition of the village will take place on Wednesday, running from 2pm until 4pm.

The session will end with a themed workshop. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Spaces are limited so it is recommended that you book places in advance. To book a place call 834993.

For more information visit the Manx National Heritage website.

Isle of Architecture, a year-long series of events celebrating the island’s historic buildings, has been launched.

A presentation was held last Thursday at Douglas Market Hall to mark the start of the event.

Isle of Architecture has been developed by Culture Vannin, the trustees of Manx National Heritage, and the Isle of Man Society of Architects (SofA).

The aim of the initiative is to get people of all ages to take more interest in the buildings they see in their every day life.

On July 28, at Noa Bakehouse in Douglas, at 6pm, Martyn Thomas, chairman of SofA will talk about some of the events which are going to be held, in particular live events and interactive digital ones which people will be able to take part in.

One such event which will start soon is ‘I love this bulding because..’, which will involve asking people to upload videos of their favourite buildings to the Isle of Architecture website, and say what they like about them.

On July 29 the Manx Northern Railway Goods Shed on Station Road in Ballaugh will be open and will feature a display of local artist Michael Starkey’s paintings.

On August 11 a guided walk around Douglas will take place to discover more about the development of the town in the 19th century.

Visit www.isleofarchitecture.com or the Isle of Architecture Facebook page.

The emergency services were called on Saturday after scaffolding collapsed at a house in Ramsey.

The incident happened just before 4pm on Coburg Road.

An aluminium scaffolding tower fell away from the a building towards the footpath and roadway.

On its way down, it snapped some power lines but some power lines held the scaffolding in a precarious position about 15 to 20 feet from the ground.

Fire crews helped to evacuate bystanders from the area and with the police secured a no entry safety zone until electrical engineers from Manx Utilities arrived and isolated the power.

Then the scaffolding was removed and the area was made secure.

and make the area secure.

Two people were taken for treatment in hospital this afternoon after a road accident.

It involved two vehicles and happened at about 1.25pm on the Sandygate Road, Jurby.

Paramedics treated three people at the scene and took two to Noble’s Hospital for treatment for shock and minor injuries.

Fire crews helped with casualty care and vehicles were made safe so that they could be recovered and the roads re-opened.

A charity that helps the elderly is to stage a celebration of the United Nations’ International Day of Friendship on July 30.

The Isle of Man Live At Home Schemes charity is staging the event for scheme members, volunteers and supporters.

The invitation-only event takes place at a marquee in Tynwald Mills from 2pm to 4pm and features afternoon tea and refreshments, a raffle and musical entertainment from the Southern Belles.

About 700 people are members of the six Isle of Man Live At Home schemes which are run by a team of 12 MHA staff and around 500 volunteers. All the schemes are run by the branch of the UK-based charity MHA, which tries to help ‘older’ people to live independently.

Jo Dixon, MHA area manager for the Isle of Man, said: ‘We all need friendship, but it’s even more important for older adults who can be at greater risk of becoming isolated with fewer opportunities to socialise.

‘Celebrating the International Day of Friendship is the ideal time to show our appreciation to scheme members, volunteers, supporters and friends who help us throughout the year.

‘We must say a big thank you to everyone who has made this event possible, and especially to Tynwald Mills for use of their marquee, Rotary Club of Douglas for sponsoring the event, and Culinary Liberation for the catering.’

Also attending the event will be Isle of Man Live At Home schemes’ chairman, David Gawne MBE; trustees Frank Pattison and Craig Wolstencroft, and committee members Audrey Humphries and Catherine Delaney. Representing the police will be Chief Constable Gary Roberts, Inspector Cathryn Bradley, and members of the community policing team.

The Department of Health and Social Care will be represented by Cath Hayhow, director of adult services. Ellan Vannin Fuels, a company which has shown great support to Isle of Man Live at Home Schemes over the past year, will be represented by Andy Sweetman.

There are five Isle of Man Live At Home schemes – Western, Northern, Onchan, Douglas, Laxey and Lonan. Northern Men in Sheds is the sixth scheme run by the charity.

The scheme’s services include regular social groups, lunch clubs, film clubs, shopping clubs and men’s groups.

They also offer guidance on how older people can access other support services, and run befriending initiatives in which volunteers make regular visits to an older person to have a chat and a cup of tea, providing friendship and company.

To find out more about Isle of Man Live At Home Schemes, phone 616571, email isleofman.liveathome@mha.org.uk or visit the website www.mha.org.uk

Cakes, jams, plants and crafts are just some of the attractions set to be on display at the Michael Horticulture and Produce Show next month.

The popular event will be held on Thursday, August 11, between 2pm and 6.30pm in the sports hall at Michael School.

Entries are invited in a range of categories, including: honey; children’s painting; confectionery; flowers and vegetables; photography; eggs; sweets, pickles and jams; children’s poetry; children’s handwriting; crafts and more.

Presentations at 7.30pm will be followed by an auction of produce in aid of the IoM Bowel Cancer Society and Michael School.

For further information, contact organisers David and Janet Foss on 878602.

Manx National Heritage are promising to take people back to Victorian times by holding a Parlour Games Week.

The event will run all this week, July 25-29, at The Grove in Andreas Road, Ramsey, from 2pm to 4pm each day.

Games will include ‘Blow the feather and Blow the wool’, ‘Ring on a String’, ‘The Sculptor’, and ‘The Laughing Game’.

If the weather is fine there will also be croquet in the country garden.

Visit the Manx National Heritage website for more information.

A novel new business line is now up and running at the Manx Worshop for the Disabled.

Not content with a flourishing line in bespoke joinery, including garden furniture, and a vibrant engraving business which sees them provide the plaques for the TT and Manx Grand Prix trophies every year, among others, they are now branching out in to picture framing.

As a launch project, the workshop has just finished framing a series of photographs of TT racer Peter Hickman - and drinkers in the island will be first to assess their handiwork as the photographs are to be on display at a number of the pubs around the TT course.

The photographs are the work of aspiring photographer 17-year-old Callum Staley of CJS Photography.

Workshop manager Peter Hindley said the workshop had taken over the framing business from Chris Corlett who ran the business based in Nelson Street in Douglas for many years.

‘Barry Whittle is now our official picture framer,’ Peter said.

‘Chris came along and trained him up to do the job to a very professional standard and we are now ready to take orders.

‘We have just completed the work on Callum’s photographs. There is a total of 19 photographs for display in different bars in the island.

‘We really want to say a big thank you to Chris for all the help and support he’s given to us as we took over the business, particularly the time and effort he has put in to training Barry to do the job. Thanks are also due to Callum who let us take his prized photographs to use for our first job.

‘Fortunately he is delighted with the results.’

The workshop offers a range of services and is always happy to discuss needs with any customers who would like to find out more information or prices.

Anyone wanting to find out more about picture framing should call 620149 or alternatively they can send an email to Peter or Kimmy on info@mwfd.co.im

The workshop is in Douglas off Westmoreland Road.

Cost limits could be placed on Freedom of Information requests.

Policy and Reform Minister John Shimmin told last week’s Tynwald sitting that there will be a public consultation on proposals to introduce a cost limit.

He said the average request took 15 hours to deal with, at a cost of £375.

But the most expensive so far had already taken more than 60 hours, at a cost of £1,500, and was still continuing.

Mr Shimmin told members: ‘We have endeavoured to make sure a balance is struck in the FOI regime introduced.

‘However, learning from both the pilot phase and experiences of other jurisdictions’ evidence there is a need to provide some level of protection against the burden caused by the time taken to respond to some Freedom of Information requests.

‘Consequently over the coming weeks we will hold a public consultation on proposals to introduce a cost limit for requests, above which public authorities can refuse to answer them.’

FOI was introduced in February this year and initially piloted in the Cabinet Office and the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture. Since then, 40 FOI requests have been submitted.

Mr Shimmin said it been encouraging to see island residents exercising rights given to them by the Act and the Council of Ministers remained committed to rolling it out across the remaining government departments, the information commissioner and Tynwald and its branches from January 1 next year.

But he said the phased introduction of the Act has identified ‘areas for refinement’ needed ahead of this further roll-out.

He said: ‘The pilot has also been an opportunity to understand the impact on government of responding to FOI requests.

‘There has been a significant variety in the requests submitted; some have been straightforward requests for information, whilst others have been lengthy, complex and relating to sensitive matters. Correspondingly the amount of time spent in answering each request has varied greatly.’

‘While the Act permits for the burden on public authorities to be managed by way of the vexatious provisions, the departments have so far been unwilling to do this,’ he added.

Peel resident Trevor Cowin, a regular contributor to this newspaper’s letters page, has made more FOI requests than anyone else.

He insists he is not a vexatious complainant and says he will continue to challenge decisions of departments. And he says his persistence had paid off – one of his FOI requests resulted in front page story in the Examiner about the introduction of the sewerage rate.