A 41-year-old man from Ramsey has been fined £400 for driving without due care and attention.

Mark Roberts, of North Shore Road, pleaded guilty to the charge and was also disqualified from driving for six months.

Roberts already had six points on his licence and was given a further six points meaning that he was disqualified under the totting up process.

The court heard how, at 9.15pm, on October 16, police were called to a road traffic accident on the Mountain Road.

When they arrived they found a large amount of debris, tools and boxes scattered on the road.

A Citroen Picasso, driven by Roberts, was badly damaged and resting on fencing in a valley off the road.

A witness said that he was travelling over the mountain, approaching two left-hand bends with another vehicle behind him.

He said that the Citroen overtook him and the other car so he braked as it went around the bend.

The witness said he had then lost sight of the Citroen until he came across debris in the road which he had to brake to avoid.

He stopped and said that he could see the Citroen 50 or 60 metres away crashed in the valley.

The weather was described as horrendous with a lot of water on the road.

Prosecutor James Robinson said that Roberts’ driving had not been appropriate for the conditions.

Roberts was interviewed at Ramsey Police Station but made no reply after caution.

Defending him in court advocate John Wright said that his client was a qualified electrician who was currently signed off work due to a back injury.

Mr Wright said: ‘Mr Roberts doesn’t think the weather was so bad but accepts it was wet.

‘He felt he overtook safely. His description is that the car aquaplaned due to the water on the road.

‘He was driving at an inappropriate speed for the conditions and the car came off the road. He has asked me to apologise to the court.

‘He realises there could have been more serious consequences.’

Mr Wright went on to say that his client hoped that he could go back to work.

‘Obviously not having a licence will make it more difficult. We would ask that the penalty be kept to four or five points,’ said the advocate.

‘He knows it will be his last chance.’

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said: ‘There was potential for a far more serious offence. Fortunately you walked away from the collision without injury to you or anybody else.’

A singing group in the south has been revived – and is looking for members.

Happy Harmony was originally a student chamber choir at Castle Rushen High School, formed in 2005.

Its popularity there led to it winning various classes in the Guild and in 2008 a successful trip to Paris with a series of performances.

Memories of the fun members of the choir had prompted the revival of Happy Harmony, which operates independent of the school. It is led once more by Maggie Richardson, former head of expressive and performing arts at the school and now head of music services at the Department of Children and Education. Her involvement in the choir is personal.

‘Quite a few former members of the choir came back to the island and wanted to sing again,’ said Maggie ‘They have missed it. All of them work in different fields, but one thing they have in common is a love of singing. They find there isn’t another choir quite like it in the Isle of Man.

‘The success of the choir always came from the wide variety of music and the fact that the singers were enthusiastic about tackling a challenging repertoire in a fun setting. Our first concert, held just before Christmas, proved that the old formula still works!

‘We sing a cappella music for mixed voices (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) and our repertoire includes sacred music, folk songs, pop and jazz arrangements and world music. Rehearsals are purposeful but with plenty of laughter and there is always vocal training and support to help people new to choral singing.’

Its success is in no small part down to the leadership supplied by Maggie, who has conducted choirs in the island and UK. She has even conducted Gareth Malone.

No experience is necessary and there is no audition, but regular attendance is required. Rehearsals are from 7pm to 9pm on Fridays during term-time at St Catherine’s Church hall, Port Erin.

See ‘Happy Harmony Isle of Man’ on Facebook

Discretionary fund manager Creechurch Capital has appointed Paul Warburton as its head of investments.

Paul brings a wealth of experience from his previous role as wealth manager for Coutts where he provided investment advice to a portfolio of wealthy private clients while also working closely with their professional advisers.

Paul is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment.

Paul was born in the North West of England and for the last 19 years has lived in the Isle of Man.

His wife is from a Manx family and his two daughters have both been raised and educated in the island.

Mary Brady, COO of Creechurch Capital said: ‘It’s no secret that we’ve been growing, and alongside this our headcount has been increasing too.

‘We are thrilled that we have been able to expand while maintaining the existing high calibre within the team.

‘Paul’s appointment is another example of our commitment to hire the industry’s best talent alongside developing our current team through training and exams, highlighted with the recent promotion of Miles Ashworth to senior portfolio manager.’

Mario Ricciardi, who was appointed managing director of Creechurch Capital in 2016 said: ‘The pace of regulatory, technological and political change has never been faster and for clients this can be overwhelming. With investment in our processes, our culture and our people, we’re perfectly placed to help our clients thrive in a changing world. Our priorities will be to focus on our people and our client service to cement our position in the Manx market and continue to be able to find the right solution for each and every client so they can spend time on the things that matter.

‘We have built in additional capacity within our team for 2017 so that we can take on working with new clients.’

Paul’s focus will be working with private individuals and their own networks of advisers, as well as building a network of trust companies, pension providers and other intermediaries in order to help them meet their private client investment requirements.

Paul said: ‘The vision for Creechurch Capital is compelling and with recent key appointments made to enhance an already stellar team, joining the business at this time was an equally compelling move for me.

‘I look forward to working with the team in the coming weeks, months and years.’

I have had a hand-written personal letter from Treasury Minister Alf Cannan.

It was a worry at first. I thought the cheque I had just sent in to pay my income tax had bounced and people in his position don’t like that kind of thing.

But he started off by wishing me a happy 86th birthday – and there was a present, well a sort of present, to go with it.

The letter was in response to last week’s column when I made a public demand that Alf – we are getting to be good pals - owed me the £145.50 I had had to pay for the full TV licence I had been told to pay for under orders from that sinister body across the water called TV Licensing.

This was because it was my understanding that the Manx Treasury was going to see to it that I and many others like me were going to have our free over 75s’ TV licences continued.

Alf wrote: ‘In the old days I would have just sent you a cheque no questions asked. Unfortunately, as you would probably expect, today you have to fill out a form and then I will send you the money. As it is your 86th birthday I have taken the trouble of enclosing the said form.’

I have now filled this in and sent it to my good old pal Alf,who really is an officer and a gentleman. I know my place when it comes to this kind of thing.

Two people, Paul Quayle of Snaefell Crescent, Onchan, and Judith Vincent, of Westbourne Drive, Douglas, have taken the trouble to tell me that last week’s Isle of Man Courier was dated ‘Dec 30 2016 to Jan 5 2015’

Back to the future it seems.

No crossword clues in this week so I have had to rely on a list sent in by Karl Campbell who likes to call himself my Australian correspondent.

Top of the list is a clue which was in the cryptic crossword in the West Australian newspaper as follows: ‘Lies about Man for example’ (4).

THERE are occasions when I make fun of the errors made by my colleagues in journalism in the Isle of Man. This not one of them. It is to do honour to the brilliance of the headline on the front page of last week’s Manx Independent: ‘TwiTs.’

You don’t even have to ask what the story was about.

Crossword: Isle

For some reason a friend of mine has been anxious to tell me that new research has shown that the first people who are going to live to be 150 years old are already alive somewhere in the world. This because we are all living longer and longer.

It needs no scientific research to tell me that I am not going to live to be 150.

Manxlish. The Isle of Man must be the only place in the world where you can buy ‘mossacins’ and where cows are slaughtered in an ‘abbatter.’

New definitions: Balderdash – a rapidly receding hairline.

Swagelok Limited, whose registered office is situate at Tromode, bought a plot of land abutting Ballafletcher Road, Braddan, for £800,000.

It was bought from the Department of Economic Development, whose registered office is situated at St George’s Court, Upper Church Street, Douglas.

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

Christopher Neil Ingram and Lorna Mary Clark sold 10 Bayr Grianagh, Castletown, for £250,000, to Graeme Anthony Brown and Lynsey Brown, both of 58 Malew Street, Castletown.

Mavis Rosemary Owtram sold Old Mission Hall, Main Road, Foxdale, for £215,000, to Kurt West Dimelow and Anne Sherise Ross, both of 17 Magher Drine, Ballawattleworth, Peel.

Geoffrey Ian Farrant and Catriona Mary Farrant, of Thie Bane Moaney, Quill Close, Laxey, sold 16 Honeysuckle Lane, Abbeyfields, Douglas, for £193,500, to Curt James Kinrade and Victoria Anne Dyson, of Flat 2, Glencrutchery House, Hillberry Green, Douglas.

Nicolle Clare Plumley, of 32 Market Street, Peel, as administratrix, and John Bruce Cowley, as administrator, sold Laharna, Peveril Road, Peel, for £180,000, to Nigel Richard Rawlinson and Christina Lillian Rawlinson, both of Ashcroft, Tynwald Road, Peel.

Jim Adamson, by trustee, and Jason Brian Trentham Stanley, as trustee and Jenifer Mary Stanley, of 2 Sydney Mount, Douglas, as trustee, sold 6 Bayr Cam, Douglas, for £160,000, to Chichester Martin Rupert Crookshank, of 10 Millenium Court, Douglas.

Philip Henry Kermeen sold 21 Balleigh Mews, Ramsey, for £153,000, to Walter Mills, of 52 Greenlands Avenue, Ramsey.

Robert Charles Phillips and Rosa Maria Phillips, of Sycamore House, Glen Duff, sold a plot of land at Glen Duff, Lezayre, for £150,000, to Christopher Edward Bell, of Corneil House, Sunnymeade, Quines Hill, Port Soderick.

Aileen Singer, of Aberdeen, sold 20 Ballalaughton, Manor Hill, Braddan, for £137,500, to Evelyn Corrin, of 48 Howe Road, Onchan.

Juliet Anne Inskip, John Geoffrey Inskip and Sarah Mildred Gibbs, of Bury St Edmonds, as trustees of the Inskip-Leather family settlement discretionary trust, sold plot of land, Ballachurrie, Old School Road, Rushen, for £57,500, to Ernest Pearson and Barbara June Pearson, of Shalmane, Old School Road, Rushen.

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

Isle of Man resident Jim Mellon is renowned for his predictions about the future, writes Julie Blackburn in the latest Lunch With . . . series in Business News.

His current concern – and the subject of his latest book - is longevity.

If you thought that ‘anti-ageing’ was some kind of cream that gave you less wrinkles – well, you’re just not on the same page here.

What Jim is talking about is far more radical: nothing less than the possibility of increasing human lifespan far beyond anything previously imagined…

‘It’s the biggest thing that’s ever happened in the history of the world…’

This is nothing if not a bold claim but the man who is making it - Jim Mellon – has a very respectable record when it comes to predicting trends and their consequences.

He did, after all, write ‘Wake Up: Survive and Prosper in the Coming Economic Turmoil’ in 2005, warning us of the impending global financial crash.

His latest book concerns longevity and the far-reaching effects of humankind massively extending what we have traditionally thought of as our allotted lifespan.

It’s three days before Christmas and Jim and I are sitting in Samphire, on Douglas North Quay, surrounded by the clink and chatter of festive diners around us.

Jim is enjoying the smoked haddock omelette while I’m tucking into a wild mushroom risotto – both excellent. We also each have a glass of white wine in front of us, which Jim firmly believes is good for you: ‘I have a glass of white wine every day – except in January when I don’t drink at all – then I go on to red wine because it’s better for you,’ he says.

He is also keen to tell me, and I’m happy to hear, that the sugar in wine doesn’t count as it has all turned to alcohol – music to my ears.

The sugar thing is important because, as you can discover when Jim’s book comes out at the end of March, sugar – and having high blood sugar levels - is a big, big baddy when it comes to ageing.

So much so that Jim, along with a number of medical professionals and others seeking to hold back the years, routinely takes a low dose of the drug metformin, more usually prescribed to people with Type 2 diabetes, to keep blood sugar levels low.

He also recommends taking a mini aspirin each day: ‘It reduces your risk of heart attack by 50 per cent and stroke by 80 per cent – and you should take it at night because most people have heart attacks at night. It’s also highly protective against some forms of cancers,’ he tells me.

He adds that a number of eminent doctors in the anti-ageing field claim that you can live longer – maybe an extra five years - by following a very low calorie diet.

But all this is tinkering around the edges: Jim’s vision of extending life expectancy is far more ambitious, as he explains: ‘In 1900 a 20 year-old woman had a lesser chance of her mother still being alive than a 20 year old woman today having all her grandparents alive. The life expectancy was 49 - today it’s in the 80s, depending on where you live, and a child born today has a 50 per cent chance of living to over 100.

‘The reason for that is because of better sanitation; more effective treatment for cancer; lower cardiac death rates, and less bacterial infection - though there’s antibiotic resistance now so that’s a bit of a problem - but generally a whole accumulation of things is leading to longer life spans.

‘But no one is living to over 120 - we haven’t broken that barrier because there’s something that’s making us die.’

That something is related to the way that wear and tear builds up in our DNA but research around the world is increasing our knowledge in this field and Jim believes a breakthrough is not far off.

This is not just wishful thinking on his part: his research has seen him poring over scientific papers and magazine articles and speaking to doctors and ‘KOLs’ – Key Opinion Leaders – around the world.

‘The people that I’ve been talking to are saying we’re not programmed to die: if you alter some of the pathways that contribute to DNA damage, you can extend life,’ he explains.

There is some exciting research being done on mice and fruit flies, chosen because their DNA has a close affinity to that of humans, whilst their lifespan is short enough to make it viable to monitor any extension within reasonable time scales. The research involves switching around some genes – something you can’t yet do in humans – and it is extending the life of these creatures by 40-50 per cent. And not just extending it, but doing so with no diminution of health:

‘So you go to the end of your life, if you’re a mouse, and you die, but you’re in a healthy state, you’re not dribbling away in the equivalent of a mouse nursing home or suffering from Alzheimers.

‘The aim is to be ‘wellderly’ as opposed elderly. The fact is that people over 70 normally get some health complication, then they get another one and another one, and by the time they get to 90 life’s a burden to many of them,’ Jim explains.

His research leads him to believe that this is set to change:

‘There’s never been the quantity of knowledge that we have today and, even if Donald Trump’s a bad president or the European Union implodes, or whatever, that’s just a short term economic thing. We have an accumulation of knowledge and the internet is allowing that knowledge to flow freely across borders, so academic collaboration is much more powerful.

‘That’s why I’ve got no doubt that in five or 10 years’ time we’ll have the answer to how we will live longer.’

So, we will be able to live another 50 years, whilst still being in good health – what’s not to like?

Actually, when you really think about it, the implications are massively far reaching, hence Jim’s assertion that it will be ‘the biggest thing that’s ever happened in the history of the world’, and he explains why:

‘If you can live to 150, you probably want to live to 200 or 300 or 400, and if you can do that then everything about our lives changes: you wouldn’t go to school at five and leave at 18; you wouldn’t retire at 65 - obviously because you’d still have another 300 years to live. So, when - not if - that happens it will have very serious implications for the world we live in.’

Jim’s main purpose in writing his books is not just to look at future trends but to find investment opportunities that exploit the way the world looks likely to pan out and, as he says: ‘There have been many books on how to live longer but none that relate to the investment opportunity.’

Savvy investments have helped to take Jim to Number 135 in the Sunday Times Rich List, with an estimated wealth of £850 million. He is also one of the largest employers on the island, as the owner of the Claremont Hotel and executive chairman of Manx Financial Group PLC which includes Conister Bank and Edgewater Associates.

As such, he is always keen to promote the Isle of Man, and see it prosper. He is known for being very pro-Brexit – he had been interviewed about it on the Today programme on Radio Four a few days earlier – and he sees it as a positive thing for the island too, as he says:

‘I would have thought Brexit is going to be great for the Isle of Man.

‘From the point of view of financial services, the Isle of Man could do well out of it because, post Brexit, there’ll be a lot of people in Singapore, Hong Kong and around the world who regard us as being a more interesting centre without being controlled by Europe. I think the Isle of Man could have a good growth spurt if they seize the opportunity.

‘But I also think they need to do something else and I keep on telling them do something in the biosciences or in the healthcare sector.’

He will be speaking again at next year’s ISLEXPO event. The subject will, naturally, be longevity: ‘Because most people don’t realise this is the greatest technological advance in the world and we’re lucky because it could be realised. It’s not snake oil in the 19th century - this is possible.’

Of course, even with advances in medical science, we will still have to put in a bit of effort ourselves to benefit in terms of living longer, healthier lives. This was highlighted recently by the much-publicised Public Health England report which stated that: ‘Modern life is harming the health of the nation’. An estimated 77 per cent of men and 63 per cent of women in middle age are overweight or obese and the number developing lifestyle diseases, especially Type 2 diabetes, is rising exponentially.

‘We’re doing everything we can on the planet to squander the advantages of healthcare improvements by lifestyle issues such as bad food, lack of exercise and excessive drinking – it’s quite sad actually,’ Jim says.

So his parting advice to all of us is: ‘Stay healthy and wait for the breakthroughs to come.’

I have an even more appropriate one for him: ‘Live long and prosper!’

ISLEXPO, a conference launched in 2016 to support innovation and entrepreneurialism in the Isle of Man, will be returning this year.

The free two day event will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, May 24 and 25.

It all takes place at the Villa Marina, Douglas, and will be closed by a gala dinner.

Building on the success of the last event, ISLEXPO 2017 will be evolving from 2016 with a stronger focus on accelerating business growth in the island.

Organisers are promising the slightly extended conference format will feature inspirational speakers, lively panels and an increased number of workshops for growing businesses as well as more interactive delegate content.

Economic Development Minister Laurence Skelly MHK said: ‘I am delighted that the Department will once again be hosting ISLEXPO.

‘ISLEXPO 2016 saw 1,000 delegates descend on the Villa Marina for a day of fascinating talks and practical business advice, with a number of funding applications received on the day too.

‘The Department of Economic Development and our partners are building on the momentum of last year’s event with an enhanced format for ISLEXPO 2017.

‘I would like to thank everyone who supported the inaugural ISLEXPO in 2016 and would encourage anyone who missed out, to register their interest in this unique event.

‘Whether you’re just starting up or an established business looking for opportunities for growth and development, ISLEXPO 2017 has something for you.

‘We are also expanding our local focus, with an increased presence from the island’s food and drink industry and more opportunities for different emerging sectors to join in the action.

‘We are now reaching out to potential sponsors for the 2017 event and I’m pleased to see the return of local businesses who previously invested in the event and some great names joining ISLEXPO this year.

‘We will be announcing speakers, workshops and panel line-ups over the next few months.’

Following feedback from sponsors and delegates, this year the conference will be split over two days allowing us to grow the programme and offer a wider range of opportunities for local businesses and visiting delegates.

Hosted by the Department of Economic Development, ISLEXPO 2017 will be co-ordinated by local events and marketing consultants Revel.

For sponsor information visit www.islexpo.com

Full registration for the conference will open next month.

A 32-year-old man from Douglas has been jailed for 20 weeks after assaulting a police officer.

Carl Joseph Bridson, of Loch Promenade, pleaded guilty to the charge as well as being drunk and disorderly and was also banned from entering pubs for six months.

Prosecutor James Robinson told the court how, April 24 at 12.25am, police were called to Jaks pub on Loch Promenade after a report of a man refusing to leave the pub.

When officers arrived they found Bridson outside the pub with a friend. He was asked twice by police to move away but swore at them.

Bridson was told to calm down but continued swearing at police.

Officers said that he had glazed eyes and was clearly intoxicated. He was subsequently arrested but pulled away from police.

When other officers tried to intervene Bridson attempted to kick out. He was put in handcuffs and into the back of a police van.

While being put in the van Bridson’s resistance continued as he stiffened his body and continued shouting and swearing.

He kicked out hitting one officer in the chest area causing them to fall backwards but not fall over.

Bridson was eventually restrained using Pava spray.

In a final act of defiance he shouted ‘I want you to get CCTV from Jak’s. I’m not going to jail for something I haven’t done.’

Defending Bridson in court his advocate Roger Kane said: ‘At some stage of the evening Mr Bridson’s friends had gone for a cigarette and didn’t return.

‘He decided to go out to look for them. He was not aggressive. One officer arrived who knows him and there is no love lost between them.

‘He told him to “go away, stop staring, you don’t need to get involved”

‘He felt aggrieved, he didn’t feel he was acting disorderly. He was arrested and taken to the ground. He felt it was a heavy-handed approach.

‘Mr Bridson didn’t punch, headbutt, bite or spit, but he did struggle. And during the incident he did use some choice words.

‘But I would hope a police officer would have just brushed them aside.

‘As far as the assault goes this is at the lower end of the scale. It was a reckless kick out.

‘If it wasn’t for Mr Bridson’s history I wouldn’t be saying that the custody threshold was passed.’

Mr Kane read out a long list of previous convictions from Bridson’s record from 2001, 2002, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

‘It’s a cycle that won’t be broken with another prison sentence,’ said the advocate.

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said: ‘You have a problem with violence and you need to address that problem.

‘There is no evidence of remorse on your behalf.’

A former student of St Ninian’s High School in Douglas, Amy Kay Bannister, has been awarded a £1,000 bursary from the Isle of Man Decorative and Fine Arts Society (IoMDFAS) to support her continued studies.

Amy is in her final year at Loughborough University studying innovation and design in textiles.

She designs and weaves her own fabrics from materials as diverse as silk, paper, bamboo, fine wool and even wire.

As all this is expensive, Amy did some research in search of sponsorship and discovered that IoMDFAS was inviting local arts students to apply for a bursary.

She submitted examples of her work along with a resume of her experience and an outline of her plans.

Her degree course incorporated a year working in the fashion industry, when Amy spent some time assisting local designer Clare Christian as well as working with craft weavers, and with a London fashion designer.

When she came home for the Christmas holiday, Amy met IoMDFAS committee members and took more examples of her textiles.

She told them that her aim was to work in haute couture, possibly in Paris, London or Milan.

She will use part of her bursary to create a prototype of a handbag from her own fabric in the hope that this accessory will hit the catwalk of a leading fashion house.

The money will also enable her to visit specialist galleries.

An 80-year-old former vicar of St Ninian’s Church has been charged with indecently assaulting a young child.

Graham Gregory, who now lives in Brockfield Park Drive, Huntington, York, is accused of committing the offence between January 1990 and March 1990.

The case against Mr Gregory has been adjourned until February 2.

He is yet to enter a plea to the charge.

Bail was granted in the sum of £500 and with conditions that he reside at his home address in York and return to the island on February 1.

Peel commissioners will hold their next surgery this Saturday (January 14).

This is an opportunity to speak directly to a commissioner and Peel MHK Ray Harmer at the town hall between midday and 1pm.

The meetings are usually held monthly from 11am to midday on the second Saturday of the month. Visit www.peelonline.net

Five generations of family and Lieutenant Governor Sir Richard Gozney joined Bessie Horne to help her celebrate her 100th birthday.

The celebration took place at Castle View care home, in Peel, where Bessie has lived for three years.

The highlight of the afternoon was when Sir Richard presented Bessie with a gift and birthday card from The Queen.

He gave a speech congratulating Bessie on her milestone birthday before mingling with her family and residents.

Throughout Bessie’s 100 years she has never stepped foot off the Isle of Man.

Mike, one of six children who range in age between 62 and 75, said: ‘ She’s never left the island. She would say: “What’s over there that I want? Everything I want is here”.

‘It’s nice that she could reach that level of contentment.’

Mike explained that it was in stark contrast to her late husband Bernard, who had been around the world.

Bernard served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War and afterwards was a seaman in the Merchant Navy.

Bessie was born on December 9, 1916, in Greeba.

Her journey to school involved walking up the steep hill to Old Marown School, now the Manx language centre Yn Ynnyd Chengey.

She has memories of No Limit, the musical comedy starring George Formby and the Shuttleworth Snap, being filmed at the 1935 TT.

Bessie has lived in Peel since she married in her early 20s. Mike explained his parents’ wedding, in February 1940, was the first in Peel following the outbreak of the Second World War to see the groom wearing military uniform, and was a big community occasion.

She has 14 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild.

Mike described her as an ‘avid bookworm’.

Castle View manager John Adair said: ‘Castle View is proud it now has two resident centenarians with Elizabeth Kissack having reached the landmark in May. It was wonderful to see so many different generations all come together to share in Bessie’s special day.

‘We always facilitate a family’s wishes for their loved one to celebrate a birthday.

‘Bessie was full of smiles at having her whole family around her and they all thoroughly enjoyed the party.’

Bacchanalians Hockey club has completed its annual fundraising target of £3,000 and present the funds to the staff from Rebecca House, the children’s hospice.

The club arranged for the Rebecca House logo to be embroidered on all club members’ playing shirts, while organising and completing fundraising events such as sky dives, charity auctions, and social events at their Cronkbourne clubhouse.

The club thanked sponsors Ramsey Crookall, a Cains, Canada Life and Manx Business Solutions for all their support.

Let us know about your charity fundraising.

Send details to newsdesk@newsiom.co.im

Every time you email us please include a telephone number.

Annabel Corkill, aged 13, Emily Toombs also 13, and Suzie Heap, aged 14, raised £400 for Rebecca House, the children’s hospice, with a quiz.

The girls are pictured at Ballawhetstone Riding Stables in Douglas with their ponies.

The money will be used to buy kindles for the children.

Let us know about your charity fundraising.
Send details to newsdesk@newsiom.co.im

Every time you email us please include a telephone number.

Unemployment figures in the island have dropped by 282 in the past year, according to new figures released by the government.

The Cabinet Office’s latest Labour Market Report, based on figures as at December 2016, shows 579 people out of work down by 282 from December 2015.

This is the lowest December figure since 2007 when 571 people were unemployed.

Of the 579 people, 398 are men and 181 are women. Sixteen are aged under 18 and five are requiring work permits.

The number of people under 18 registered with the Department of Economic Development, but not claiming benefits is 36.

In December 2016, 99 people signed on to the unemployment register while 93 people left the register, an increase of six people to the regiser between November and December.

The unemployment rate for December 2016 is 1.3 per cent, the same as for November 2016. The unemployment rate is the proportion of economocally active population registered unemployed.

There has been a decrease in vacancies notified to the job centre. During December 462 vacancies were notified to the Job Centre. At the end of the month 327 remained. Of those, 281 were full-time positions and 46 were part-time.

The sector with the highest number of job vacancies is medical and health services with 63 vacancies. Other, catering and entertainment has 45 vacancies. Egaming has 42 vacancies, retail distribution 30, and public administration 25. The sector with the highest number of unemployed persons was construction with 75.

An Oie’ll Verrey concert will take place in the north of the island on Monday, in celebration of the old Christmas Eve.

The event is being organised by Bride Wesley Guild and will take place in the village’s Methodist School Room, starting at 7.45pm.

Eric Kelly will provide the music and there will be refreshments available.

All welcome.

A 25-year-old woman from Ramsey has been fined £1,200 after admitting to drink-driving.

Nicole Jade McMullan, of Marine Gardens, admitted the charge and was also banned from driving for three years.

The court heard how, on Christmas Eve, at 3.39am, police were called to an accident in Ramsey Road in Laxey.

When police arrived they found the road blocked by a car which had crashed into two parked cars, which were unattended.

McMullan was still in the driving seat of the car, with a passenger beside her. She was said to be slurring her words and failed a roadside breathalyser test.

She was subsequently arrested and taken to police headquarters.

A breath test recorded 91 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres – the legal limit is 35.

In a police interview McMullan made a full admission to drink-driving and crashing the car.

A letter from McMullan was handed in to the court in which she expressed her remorse.

Defending her in court advocate Peter Russell said: ‘This is not going to be a lady who is going to be a coming before the court again.

‘She has a small business as a cleaner which will now be severely curtailed by her disqualification.

‘She admitted in interview what she had done and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

‘She has done everything right since committing the offence.’

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes gave McMullan credit for her guilty plea, and said: ‘I accept your remorse is genuine. Nonetheless this is very serious, you have risked losing your livelihood.’

McMullan was also ordered to pay £125 prosecution costs. There are 72 days in default of payment.

Two bands have been selected to travel to Ireland following the Arrane Son Mannin competition was held in Peel.

Four bands competed for the prize of £300 and the chance to represent the Isle of Man at this year’s ‘Celtivision’ contest, also known as the Pan Celtic National Song Contest.

Sticking to the rules of the competition, bands must create original music, sung in their own language. The winners go through to compete against bands from Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Brittany and Cornwall.

The four acts in this year’s competition were harpist Christa McCartney, duo Jedoonee Bagoon, Biskeeyn Brisht and the Matt Creer Band.

The three judges, Manx language expert Phil Gawne, Culture Vannin member Claire Kilgallon and former Celtivision winner Laura Rowles, had a tough time choosing from the entries, but eventually they chose Biskeeyn Brisht as the overall winners.

They were fronted by the colourful Ruby Briscoe-Taylor, accompanied by Owen Williams on accordion and David Kinley on guitar and backing vocals, while Gypo Buggane dusted off his trumpet to provide backing instrumentation.

They now have the chance to travel to Carlow, near Dublin, on April 18 to perform ‘Nagh Abbyr Shen’, which translates as ‘Don’t Say That’ in front of the multi-national judging panel, and a chance to win the £1,000 prize.

Matt Creer’s song ‘Ny Boallaghyn Shoh’, meaning ‘These walls’, which he performed with cellist Josephine Evans and fiddler Katie Lawrence, was chosen to go through to the ‘Best Original Traditional Song’ category.

A LibVan MHK is calling for the Manx government to introduce a voluntary living wage.

Ramsey MHK Lawrie Hooper has tabled a motion to next week’s Tynwald sitting seeking Council of Ministers’ support for his living wage proposal.

He wants a voluntary living wage to be introduced by October this year.

Mr Hooper said: ‘Despite the challenging financial times – or perhaps especially because of them – it is essential that people who are working a full-time job are earning enough to meet their cost of living from their salary, without the need to resort to additional government support.

‘Many on-island employers are already part of the UK voluntary living wage scheme for the UK parts of the businesses – and LibVan are sure many more employers would be if there was a similar scheme on-island.

‘A voluntary scheme would allow employers to stand up and be counted and to advertise the fact that they are living wage employers, whilst at the same time giving other employers something to aim for.’

He added: ‘LibVan calls on CoMin to support this motion, to support employers who are already committed to the island and to support people working hard to grow our economy.’

In the Programme for Government unveiled this week, Chief Minister Howard Quayle said CoMin would investigate options to introduce a living wage.

The UK introduced a new National Living Wage of £7.20 an hour for those aged 25 and over, in April last year. But there are also 2,000 accredited living wage employers across the UK who have agreed to pay their staff at least the new voluntary living wage rate of £8.25 per hour.

In the island, the minimum wage is currently £7 an hour for those aged 21 and over, and £6.65 for the aged 18 years and over. The minimum wage committee has consulted on the rate that will be paid from April this year.

The living wage is intended to allow people to cover their cost of living through earnings, whereas the minimum wage is intended to be a safety net below which it is illegal to pay someone. In his 2015 Budget, the then Treasury Minister Eddie Teare said he would encourage employers to move to a living wage.

First this week we head out to The Creek in Peel where tomorrow night four-piece Soul and Classic Blues band Borderline will be taking to the stage.

The band play a set that mixesRhythm ‘n’ Blues, Rockabilly, a little Country and Western, 60s Soul and Delta blues. Think Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, BB King, Muddy Waters and Jerry Lee Lewis.

If that sounds like your cup of tea, then you can’t go far wrong.

In other news, The Big Beat are back! The core fund raising team of six drummers first appeared on the scene back in 2014 with their Big Beat For Hospice event at The Villa Marina and raised over £20,000 for the organisation in the process.

The next event is scheduled to take place in The Promenade Suite at The Villa Marina from February 24 to 26, and will be in support of Craig’s Heartstrong Foundation.

Proudly supported by PokerStars through their Helping Hands programme, the event will see the team of six drummers, Andy James, yours truly, Noah Egelnick, Jonny Peacock, Ben O’Hare and Martin Rigby, play along to music, in unison, for over 50 hours.

Commenting on the partnership, Martin Rigby from The Big Beat said: ‘With only a few short weeks now till the next Big Beat we cannot thank the PokerStars enough for supporting us through their charity programme, Helping Hands.

‘From our first contact with the team it was clear we held a shared passion for helping our local community.’

With further promotional appearances due to take place in the lead up to the main event, it looks like it’ll be a bust few weeks for the Big Beat Team.

Martin added: ‘Donations for The Big Beat can be made via www.justgiving.com/thebigbeatIOM. We also have Big Beat t-shirts and mugs available for sale at our events, if anyone wants to reserve any merchandise please let us know, either via our Facebook page www.facebook.com/TheBigBeatIOM, or email thebigbeatiom@gmail.com.’

Finally this week, some sad news that has also come to light was the death of Manx drummer and percussionist, Roger Leece.

Roger was a long time member of both Pink Floyd tribute, Pigs On The Wing and Two Tone/Ska band, Buncha’ Skankers amongst many other musical ventures over the years.

A very well loved and respected friend and musician to many on the island and further afield who will be very much missed.

RIP Roger.