Staff members at Moore Stephens Isle of Man are raising money for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

They held a breast cancer awareness day at the firm’s three offices with a pink dress-down day and a staff bakeoff.

For 2014 Moore Stephens is focusing on health awareness, giving each quarter of the year a specific theme to help staff members become aware of health issues.

This first quarter is devoted to breast cancer.

Angie Aire, chairwoman of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, joined in a roundtable discussion at the Moore Stephens offices to discuss what the charity does and specifically how they help those suffering from the disease in the island.

‘The idea behind our quarterly health awareness initiatives is to help focus staff attention on serious health issues and also to support the tremendous work carried out by charities in the island,’ said Clive Dixon, managing partner of the business which is based in Athol Street, Douglas.

‘We’re big supporters of Breakthrough and I’m pleased we are able to help their fund raising.’

Moore Stephens Isle of Man is also the sponsor of Breakthrough Breast Cancer’s Valentine’s dinner dance on Saturday (February 15).

Angie said: ‘It’s fantastic that companies such as Moore Stephens do this; holding initiatives like health awareness at work help because too many people ignore critical health issues around them.

‘The purpose of the TLC (touch, look and check) talk is to make people aware but also feel comfortable enough to talk about what worries them.

‘I’m very grateful for all the support Moore Stephens has given us over the years.’

She added: ‘Every single penny helps us towards the goal of a breast cancer free world.’

Moore Stephens think pink

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P.O. Box 25, 26 Athol Street,

Douglas, Isle of Man IM99 1BD

PRESS RELEASE

- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-

To find out more about Moore Stephens Isle of Man please visit www.msiom.com or follow the

firm on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Moore Stephens Isle of Man offers a broad range of services including: accounting and payroll,

accounting, corporate and personal retirement solutions, corporate recovery, fiduciary services,

HR consulting, investigations and forensic, local business support, luxury asset

insurance/insurance brokerage, marketing, personal wealth management and financial planning,

taxation advice and compliance, trust and company administration, yachting and aviation

services, VAT and business consulting, all under one roof.

Notes to editor:

Photograph of

is attached.

Moore Stephens Isle of Man is an independent member firm of Moore Stephens International

Limited.

Moore Stephens is regarded as one of the world’s leading accounting and consulting associations

with 667 offices in 105 countries.

Kate Parrish

Senior Marketing Coordinator

Telephone: +44 (0) 1624 662020

Direct: +44 (0) 1624 697233

kate.parrish@msiom.com

www.msiom.com

The latest property sales recorded at the General Registry.

Haven Homes Limited, whose registered office is at Breagle View, St Mary’s Road, Port Erin, bought a parcel of land abutting North Shore Road, Ramsey, for £625,000.

It was bought from Manx Gas Limited, whose registered office is at Murdoch House, South Quay, Douglas.

Alfred James Cox and Lavinia Libby Cox, sold Langdale, Ballaleigh Road, Kirk Michael, for £435,000, to Glen Alexander Richards and Elaine Richards, of 21 Ballachrink, Colby Glen Road, Colby.

Ronald Leslie Bannan and Ruth Janet Bannan, sold Little Acre, Quarterbridge Road, Douglas, for £430,000, to Matthew Douglas Bawden and Louise Elizabeth Bawden, of Briarfield, Eleanor Drive, Douglas.

Kurt Schrauwen sold 25 Wentworth Close, Onchan, for £430,000, to John Philip Andrew Corlett and Donna Marie Brew, of 14 Cronk-y-Berry Mooar, Douglas.

Hampstead Limited, whose registered office is at Analyst House, 20-26 Peel Road, Douglas, sold The Beech Hotel, 5 Derby Terrace, Douglas, for £361,000, to Donlow Limited, whose registered office is at International House, Castle Hill, Victoria Road, Douglas.

Carolyn Susan Chambers, of North Yorkshire, sold Cronk Coar, Quarterbridge Road, for £360,000, to Beverley Ann Burden and Richard Wallace Burden.

P.D.Q. Limited, whose registered office is at Atholl House, 29-31 Hope Street, Douglas, sold 14 First Avenue, Douglas, for £350,000, to Philip David Quayle, by administrator and Philip Bradshaw Games, as administrator, advocate of Ridgeway House, Ridgeway Street, Douglas.

Manx Gas Limited, whose registered office is at Murdoch House, South Quay, Douglas, sold a parcel of land adjoining the Port St Mary Railway Station, for £350,000, to Haven Homes Limited, whose registered office is at Breagle View, St Mary’s Road, Port Erin.

Arthur Ronald Miller, of the Corrin Home, Peel, sold Sea Point, Peveril Road, Peel, for £321,600, to Alexander Llewellyn Taylor and Philippa Josephine Anne Taylor, of 41 Faaie Ny Cabbal, Kirk Michael.

Stephen Anthony Quirke and Jennifer Lynne Quirke, of 3 Highgrove, Switzerland Road, Douglas, sold Quietways, Chasm Road, Glen Chass, Port St Mary, for £314,000, to Paul Michael Gregory Francis and Janet Lesley Francis.

Joan Kathleen Naylor Twigger, of West Sussex, sold 23 The Laurels, Governor’s Hill, Douglas, for £260,000, to Craig Anthony Pownall and Lyndsay Claire Caine, of 29 Archallagan Terrace, Foxdale.

Pauline Church sold 22 Ballalough Estate, Andreas, for £247,000, to Mark Richard Teare and Nicola Jane Teare, of 12 Croit-Ny-Kenzie, Andreas.

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

Muriel Garland, chair of Zero Waste Mann, asks what we’re really aiming for

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What is it with this ‘vision’ thing? Malaysia, India, Nigeria, The Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership – they’ve all got a vision for 2020.

So perhaps it was inevitable that eventually the Isle of Man has joined the club. First we had ‘Freedom to Flourish’ followed by the ‘Isle of Man Where You Can’. Now our government in co-operation with the private sector has come up with ‘Vision 2020’, outlining the broad way forward for the island’s economy to the end of this decade.

At the same time in the UK, an impressive group of academics, Conservative politicians and business leaders has come up with ‘Vision 2020 C – Sweating Our Assets’. Apparently one of their aims is to point out to Conservative climate change deniers that economic and environmental factors are intertwined and not ‘opposite ends of the see-saw’.

The Manx Vision 2020 sees continued growth of 3-4 per cent in GDP and 1-2 per cent increase in government income. Seven sectors of the Manx economy are expected to grow: financial services, information and communication technology, manufacturing, offshore energy, the island as a destination for visitors and potential residents, local food and drink, and encouraging enterprise. Many of these depend on improving the environment and the careful use of resources – although that is not spelt out in the document, which is vague on detail.

By contrast, in England’s version of ‘Vision 2020 – Sweating Our Assets’, the environment is at the heart of things. Much emphasis is given to improving the productivity and the efficient use of resources through re-use and recycling. In a situation where world-wide demand and competition for materials is increasing, the authors point out that companies need to be much more careful and responsible. Not only should they avoid waste, but they should look to use and re-use materials efficiently. Vision 2020 points out that there is much talk of improving the productivity of workers but not much about improving resource productivity. And yet, in the modern world it is vital.

The Manx Vision 2020 doesn’t mention waste or resources – and yet it is important that companies, which import materials to an island and have to pay for waste to be disposed of, should be thinking hard about their efficient use of those valuable resources. The document mentions ‘excellent infrastructure’ but companies will find few facilities for the re-use and recycling of many materials here. For example, the European WEE directives on waste, electrical and electronic items don’t apply – so electrical items can be sent to the incinerator and batteries can be thrown in the bin. Not a good outcome foranyone.

The English Vision 2020 sees waste as a resource and an opportunity. In fact they call for waste to be moved from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), recognising that there are opportunities for enterprise within the waste sector.

I wonder how many waste companies the Isle of Man government talked to when drawing up their vision of the future. In England, they had the chairman of Novelis, the aluminium can producer and recycler, Claire Whelan from WRAP, circular economy and resource efficiency experts, and Paul Sanderson from Resource Efficiency magazine on their panel. The authors call for demand reduction policies and for waste to be redefined as a business opportunity.

Surely here in the island, the government should be encouraging companies, which go to all the expense of shipping stuff across the Irish Sea and from further afield to take great care of those resources and make sure they are used efficiently and then re-used. Just disposing of items made from wood, plastic, etc, via the incinerator is wanton when such materials could be recovered and used again.

Vision 2020 reckons England could save £1 billion in disposal costs and gain £2.5 billion in recovering materials rather than sending them to landfill. They call for waste to be redefined as resources and see waste as an opportunity with a new stream of exciting business opportunities emerging.

Marketing the environment to visitors is an obvious step for the Isle of Man to take – but while members of our government still refer to people who want to protect footpaths and improve cycling routes as ‘the Greenies’, I can’t see them entering into a real partnership with us. They want the island to look beautiful and attract visitors – but those of us who plant trees are referred to by politicians as ‘those tree huggers’. Our government needs to appreciate that the environment and business are complimentary, not antagonistic, to each other. We can all contribute to the success of our island.

Vision 2020C (Sweating Our Assets) points out that a unit of energy saved and not paid for increases a company’s profitability – although it may not increase our GDP.

And government should ensure that businesses are aware of all the profit-maximising opportunities that are available to them through clever use of resources, as global demand drives up costs.

Both the UK and Isle of Man visions agree that small to medium sized business will be the ones to flourish in the period up to 2020. But where is our promised incubator for budding young entrepreneurs who will create this Enterprise Isle? The last one was sold to the highest bidder in Laxey. And in Business News (Examiner, February 4) only Alyson Hamilton Lacey of ITEX had the temerity to suggest that the government might focus on some of the existing entrepreneurs who are here already!

The UK Conservatives’ ‘Vision 2020 – Sweating Our Assets’ has been greeted very favourably by the Environmental Industries Commission, for putting resource efficiency at the heart of UK’s future economic growth. The Resource Association welcomes it but also calls for a cap on valuable materials going to incineration. Here in the Isle of Man, I haven’t seen a response from the waste industry – but perhaps they weren’t invited to the presentation at the Manx Museum.

The business community generally seems to be seeking more detail on how the Isle of Man government is going to achieve this golden future by 2020.

As a Guardian reader, it grieves me to have to say it, but as chair of Zero Waste Mann, and an advocate of resource efficiency in all its forms I would recommend our politicians and civil servants read the UK Conservatives’ Vision 2020 – Sweating Our Assets. They really do appear to understand how environmental matters are intertwined with economic success. For more information, see here. www.2020conservatives.com/Downloads/PEComissionReport.pdf

I suppose I should welcome the planned toilet tax of £50-a-year to be imposed on the people of the Isle of Man because it offers a columnar excuse for indulging is some easy toilet humour. You know the sort of thing. But I am going to avoid this at all costs.

Please read on.

The reason for the tax is withdrawal by the Treasury of certain funding for the Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority. But I wonder if this has been properly thought through.

In the first place I am not sure about how we are going to have to pay this toilet tax. Will a man come round to the front door and ask for £50 in cash, by cheque or by credit card, and also ask if he can come in and ascertain if we actually have a toilet?

It could be grossly unfair for the Treasury to assume all of us have one. After all, it might well be the case that some people have decided they cannot afford to pay the tax, the toilet has been removed and taken to the nearest amenity site, and in future they will go outside, into the countryside.

We have all of us had to do this at some time in our lives. It’s not a lost art. We just have to be careful in finding a considerate place to use. We don’t want people out walking their dogs treading in it.

There is also the question of whether the tax should be a fixed sum or not. Surely it would be fairer if people who don’t go the toilet very often have to pay less. I think the size of the tax should be graded on a sliding scale depending on the average number of trips to the toilet taken by a person in a 24-hour period.

The trouble with this is, how can it be policed? Think about it, if you can bear to.

The other thing is that I’m not sure when imposition of the tax is to begin. I have been told that it is likely to be from April 1 this year.

There seems to be nothing more to say as far as this date is concerned.

There. I have done it. No terrible toilet jokes.

Phew!

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A short time ago I complained about what seem to be tiny black flies infesting the bijou residence. This brought in a call from a lady in Laxey, wishing not to be named, who told me: ‘It’s because there’s a dead body in the house.’

Well, you would think I’d notice one of those. Dead people take up a lot of room.

But no, she said it must be the body of something small like a mouse which has expired somewhere on the premises. Maggots are feeding on it and they eventually turn into the flies.

I wonder if I should impose a service charge on them.

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‘Pam of Onchan’ – nothing more – rang in to report something she saw on the electronic sign on the approach to the Mountain Road which offers motorists weather information.

It said: ‘High winds, ice, loose sheep.’

Not loose women then?

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This week’s Wacky Website is owned by Experts Exchange, a knowledge base – www://expertsexchange.com

The people of Castletown voiced their unanimous opposition to plans to turn the town centre Callow’s Yard (CY) development from retail to residential use at a packed meeting on Tuesday.

The local authority called the meeting before they made their decision on the plan (14/00007/B) by Roy Tilleard.

Mr Tilleard was unable to attend. Instead Cornerstone architect Tony Lloyd-Davies spoke.

Why would the usual parking requirement be waived, asked one resident. Mr Lloyd-Davies said no parking is required for the site. He added there was a resolution forthcoming on the parking problem. A business owner said a solution to car parking lay in the site of the current fire station (which is relocating and for which there is another plan by the Department of Home Affairs for residential use). Town MHK Richard Ronan is ‘fighting tooth and nail’ against residential use of the fire station site.

Mr Lloyd-Davies said there was already 93 per cent occupancy in residential accommodation in CY, but a resident doubted this figure.

Castletown was the island’s most important historic centre, said a resident, and this application would ‘fundamentally change’ the town and have implications for the whole island.

The Southern Area Plan (SAP) specifies Castletown should remain a retail centre, said one resident. New development proposals must retain the town’s character and a resident asked how turning retail into residential complied with the SAP. Castletown Heritage’s David Wilson said that was an ‘absolutely central’ point to objections, which must be submitted by February 18.

The owner of a dress agency, part of CY, said people boycott her business because of Mr Tilleard. ‘If they do not want residential, local people have to support local shop keepers. But no one (retailers) will come because of the negativity generated,’ she said.

Commissioner Andrew Thomas said fighting the plan would be expensive and he asked for a show of support, which he received.

A resident asked should ‘compulsory purchase’ be considered ‘and run it properly’.

Mr Tilleard’s son-in-law, Simon Glynn-Riley said: ‘CY has been treated as a pariah. If the business fails Mr Tilleard is going to look for other ways to earn money. To some extent you have only yourself to blame.’ It was either going to be retail, residential or boarded it up, he said, adding: ‘Would you prefer the latter?

CY failed because he charged too much rent, said a resident. Mr Ronan said in 2004 Mr Tilleard said landlords charged too much, he wanted to offer low rents to give people a chance. He said people need ‘fair rent’.

Mr Ronan added: ‘Castletown is bigger and better than one man. It’s not about Roy, it’s about the town.’

Mr Glynn-Riley said dialgoue is needed. ‘If it does not make him money, it will not work,’ he said.

A programme designed to help people ‘feel fabulous’ in four weeks is due to start this month.

Pam Ashcroft is running the programme Feel Fabulous in Four Weeks, which she says is open to a group of 10 committed women who want to ‘look and feel amazing, get their head straight, feel calm, get back in control, tap away resistance, regain your sparkle, energise the body and rebalance diet’.

Pam is a trainer of and practitioner in Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), a Hypnotherapist and Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), who has run the programme before.

She says: ‘People are reporting that their skin looks better, they feel “cleaner” inside, have considerable reduction in pain or discomfort and are getting their bodies moving in ways that they don’t usually move.

‘The programme worked wonders for the way they feel physically, but most important of all it was getting their head straight that helped the most.’

The programme runs over a four week period, meeting on a Tuesday evening from 7pm - 9pm, in Douglas, starting on Tuesday, February 25, at the Foot Health Clinic, Lake Road, Douglas.

There will be information, talks, techniques and some treats to try.

Each week there will be tasks to complete before the next session.

It costs £20 per session (£20 deposit and £80 on week one).

‘Most importantly,’ added Pam, ‘there will be support and feedback and plenty of opportunity to ask questions and discuss options.

‘The course provides every opportunity to get rid of negative self-talk, rebalance diet, energise the body and tap away resistance.

‘By better understanding such simple things as beliefs and gratitude we’ll be sure to help you rediscover your inner and outer sparkle.’

Anyone interested can call Pam on 467706 or email pam@pamashcroft.com

Geoff Moorcroft has been appointed to the role of director of education.

He will take over the position from Martin Barrow, who retires at Easter after a 36-year career in education.

Mr Moorcroft has been the co-ordinating adviser for primary education since 2012.

He will oversee the running of the Department of Education and Children’s 38 schools, the Isle of Man College of Further and Higher Education and the central Education Improvement Service, which advises and ensures standards in schools.

Nine-year-old Sammie Earl and her friends have raised £240 for the Children’s Centre by singing carols around Castletown at Christmas.

The Victoria Road School pupil began carol singing when she was three and every year since has been raising funds around her neighborhood where she lives with her mum Cath, dad Mark and her four-year-old brother DJ.

Mark, who is senior facilities officer at The Children’s Centre, said: ‘Sammie was interested in where I worked and one day she said that she wanted to go carol singing to “raise funds for the children”. She was only three at that time, and it was all her idea. Cath took Sammie carol singing and we’ve supported her ever since.

‘Over the years Sammie’s friends have joined in, so there’s now a little group of carol singers who go around Castletown. Our son David also sings with them and we’re really proud of them both.’

Receiving the cheque last week, Susie Cox, community fundraiser at The Children’s Centre, thanked Sammie and her family and friends for their support - and all of the Castletown residents who have made donations to the carol singers over the years:

‘For such a young child to have the idea to raise funds for other children is truly heartwarming. The funds that Sammie has raised are a great contribution to our charitable projects, but the generosity and community spirit she and her friends have shown is worth so much more than that.

‘It’s a fantastic example of all that is good about our island community, and of the values we wish to promote as a charity for families and children.

‘We will have to keep an eye on Sammie as a potential member of our fundraising team in the future as she clearly has a talent for it!’

The Isle of Man Choral Society, in conjunction with the Isle of Man Symphony Orchestra, will perform a special concert on Sunday, March 23.

Two works previously performed under the society’s previous conductors are being revisited.

Poulenc’s Gloria was performed under the baton of Alan Pickard in 1984 and 2000 and Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man in 2006 under the direction of Pam Duchars.

One of the reasons for choosing to perform The Armed Man this year is that 2014 marks the centenary of the start of the First World War and, as the piece is subtitled ‘A Mass for Peace’ it seemed appropriate, the society said.

The work was originally dedicated to the victims of the Kosovo crisis and was first performed in April 2000.

It is essentially an anti-war piece and is based on the Catholic Mass.

Pam died in 2013 and the society decided that it was only fitting that this year’s performance be dedicated to her memory.

Following this decision IOMCS contacted Karl Jenkins to tell him that we would again be performing his work.

When he heard that Pam, whom he had met when she attended a concert of his in October 2010, had died, he wrote to say that he personally wished the performance to be dedicated to her.

Soloists for the occasion, which is supported by Tower Insurance, will be Karen Elliott for the Gloria and Mandy Griffin for The Armed Man.

The performance takes place at the Villa Marina at 7.30pm on 23rd March 2014 and tickets are available from the box office or the Welcome Centre in the Sea Terminal, Douglas, priced at £13 for adults and £3 for children and students (inclusive of 2 per cent booking fee). Telephone bookings on 600555.

An evening of fun, colour and food has been organised to raise funds for Hospice, Mama Ngina Orphanage in Kenya and St Andrew’s Church, Andreas.

A Bollywood-themed evening will help people to find out more about the Indian experience than just gyrating actresses.

But there there will be a short workshop to demonstrate some moves of both traditional Indian dances such as Bharatnyam and Odissi.

As well as the dance – there will be saris to try on, a henna artist to decorate fingers, market stalls of crafts, artefacts and spices from India as well as a raffle with some stunning prizes and Indian food.

A new slant to the evening is the bar which is introducing of a range of low alcohol wines and beers from Shoprite.

Revellers can drink all they like without getting over the limit.

The event takes place in a transformed Parish Hall in Andreas on Friday, February 28, from 7.30pm.

Tickets at £15 are available at Andreas Stores or at Shakti-Man in Ramsey – or ring 880777 to reserve your table.

As the global economy changes so too is the Isle of Man’s.

Perform LLC has been swift to recognise that to succeed businesses must re-imagine how they do things or, as Perform’s principal John Danielson puts it: ‘Businesses will have to think ahead to outperform the competition.’

This is against a background of changing customer habits and structural reforms across Europe and further afield.

Joint owner of Perform and accountancy firm Crowe Clark Whitehill, and with a background in corporate finance and business planning, chartered accountant Mr Danielson has more than 15 years’ consultancy experience working with clients that have included Land Securities, John Lewis, Wellcome Trust, Bloomberg and the UK government.

‘I’ve helped businesses “man up” to and make challenging decisions with confidence,’ he said.

‘These may be times of change but with change come opportunities for creativity and new ideas.

‘In the Isle of Man, we’re seeing a shift away from the traditional to the more sophisticated business model and this is leading to some real success stories.

‘We want to help clients think ahead. Successful businesses have well thought-out plans, efficient processes and people with the right skills. These are businesses wholly focused on their customers that use information to best advantage.

‘Their structure needs to make the most of their future, not reflect their past.

‘By combining new thinking with the pedigree of Crowe Clark Whitehill, an accountancy firm with a strong local reputation built over more than 30 years, we are well resourced to offer the breadth of services to help businesses succeed. Perform’s about adding value. When a client comes to us they’re buying an external perspective. We encourage them to seize opportunities and we work collaboratively with them to develop a flexible and tailored business solution.’

Perform wants to get to know its clients. ‘We’re not interested in making a quick buck; we want to really understand our clients - and that very often means being a challenging voice - because only then can we can start adding that value.’

To prove the point Mr Danielson said Perform would be offering a free initial piece of work and some free training, ‘because I’m confident prospective clients will like working with us and value what they get.’

A media suite at Fairfield Junior School in Douglas has added a whole new dimension to learning.

Much of the equipment in the mini TV studio is on loan from the Department of Education and Children with the Friends of the school paying for other essentials, such as a green screen and lighting.

Children are already getting to grips with the skills involved with being both behind and in front of the cameras.

And head teacher Ian Walmsley described the equipment as enhancing learning.

As part of their project Spaced Out, all about Space, children have been writing scripts, being interviewed and producing podcasts.

‘Rather than filming in a classroom environment, the green screen means they can do the interview at NASA, in Space or from inside a Space rocket,’ Mr Walmsley said.

He said it was also character building, improving skills such as working together, and building confidence speaking in public.

‘We have quite a lot of children who may have difficulty with reading or writing, but just allow them to speak and those skills blossom.’

He said the aim was for the children to be at the forefront of the studio, so they become the experts: ‘You know what children are like.

What might make me take an hour to learn takes them 30 seconds to get to grips with.’

ICT education adviser Alex Townsend said it was important for youngsters to develop a critical awareness of how media is produced so they understand that not everything they see is as it appears.

When Fairfield and Ballacloan merge to form Noble’s Primary School the plan is for a space for the equipment as a ‘semi permanent fixture’.

Year six pupil Adib Jardirdar said he enjoyed being behind the cameras and manning the video switcher, both new to him.

Today, MONDAY

SOUTHWELL PICKS : 2.0 Exemplary 2.30 Any Given Day 3.0 Mauricetheathlete 3.30 Moaning Butcher (Each way) 4.0 Masterful Act 4.30 Bold Prince Rupert

WOLVERHAMPTON SELECTIONS: 2.15 Miles Of Sunshine 2.45 General Tufto 3.15 The Blue Dog (NB) 3.45 Mary’s Prayer 4.15 Honey Of A Kitten (NAP) 4.45 Swiss Cross 5.15 Female Strategy 5.45 Kyllachy Star

Police want to find the driver of a car that hit a pedestrian and drove off without stopping.

The man was hit by a car and suffered a broken rib at about 5.30am on Monday, February 10.

He was walking along the St Jude’s Road towards Ramsey.

Vandals attacked a number of cars in Royal Avenue, Onchan, over the weekend.

The damage is believed to have taken place sometime between 11.30pm and midnight on Saturday.

A police spokesman said: ‘The damage is consistent with vehicles being kicked and/or punched, most of the damage being isolated to the wing mirror areas.

‘Inquires are ongoing into this matter and police will be eager to speak with witnesses. Additionally, any person who may have been in the area between these times and may have seen any activity from persons or vehicles which they consider to be suspicious is urged to contact police.’

Sometime between Monday, January 27, and Friday, February 7, a red kayak was taken from a property on North Shore Road, Ramsey.

The kayak has the word ‘Jumper’ on it. If anyone has information regarding this theft or sees the kayak should contact Ramsey police station on 812234.

Police took action against youths in Peel last night.

A police spokesman said: ‘Several teenagers were spoken to last night in the grounds of Peel Clothworkers’ School.

‘They were making noise and had left litter and smashed bottles in the area of the infants’ playground.

‘All their details were taken and will be submitted to the youth justice team for their information.’

Five teams of Manx secondary school students are aiming for the sky as they enter a national rocket-building competition, with help from local engineering and aerospace firms.

Three teams from St Ninian’s High School and one each from Ballakermeen and Castle Rushen High Schools will attempt to build a rocket that will launch and safely return to earth two raw hen’s eggs as part of the UK Aerospace Youth Rocketry Challenge.

Local firms RLC Ronaldsway, Swagelok, SES, Cavendish Trust, Carrick Consulting and ManSat have each agreed to sponsor one of the teams, who will go head-to-head in a Manx regional heat before the winners travel to compete in the UK national competition in May.

The top prize in the challenge is the chance to compete at the Farnborough International Air Show against winning students from America and France, plus an all-expenses paid aerospace trip to Paris and Toulouse and a £1,000 cash prize for their school.

First run in 2006, the challenge is the largest model rocket showcase in the UK and aims to inspire students to enter the world of aerospace and science. As well as preserving their precious cargo, the teams earn points for achieving the target altitude of 825 feet and an overall flight duration of between 48 and 50 seconds, making for a difficult engineering challenge.

Howard Quayle MHK, the Department of Economic Development’s Political Member with responsibility for the Space sector said:

‘I am sure the students involved will benefit not only from taking part in such a highly technical challenge but also by gaining valuable insight into the opportunities the aerospace and space sectors can offer right here on their doorstep.

‘The job prospects in the Isle of Man for skilled engineers are excellent: the industry is creating 80 new jobs a year and so the potential for the island’s young people in this high-tech industry is very exciting. I am delighted that local businesses are supporting the next generation of potential engineers and scientists in this way to take part in this innovative competition.

The Welsh government is following the Manx government by using Pinewood Shepperton plc to manage its media investment fund.

Treasury Minister Eddie Teare MHK, who has faced a barrage of criticism since the Manx deal was made, has welcomed the news.

Pinewood will advise on the new £30m television and film investment fund for Wales and operate a new facility ‘Pinewood Studio Wales’ to be developed at Cardiff Bay.

Mr Teare said: ‘This is good news for the island’s investment in Pinewood, showing that the company is continuing to develop strongly.

‘Its combined advisory funds now total £55 million, making Pinewood one of the largest regional investment portals for new British television and film content.

‘‘The fact that the Welsh government is now following the Isle of Man’s example is an endorsement of our strategy of investing in media to diversify the island’s economy, and our choice of Pinewood as a partner in pursuing that strategy.’

Pinewood Studios is home to some of the best-known films, including the James Bond series.

Government ministers face 12 questions for oral answer and 14 for written answer in this week’s Tynwald.

Among the subjects is the amount of money the taxpayer has paid to the Sefton Group. Kate Beecroft (Lib Van, Douglas South) will ask Treasury Minister Eddie Teare how much has been paid and under which powers it was given.

Her party leader, Peter Karran (Onchan), wants to know details of severance payments to public sector workers.

He is also going to ask the Chief Minister if he will follow the example set by Westminster last week of agreeing to make it a criminal offence to smoke in a car which is carrying children.

The cost of the IRIS sewage scheme will come under the spotlight when Mr Karran asks Mr Teare about savings on the scheme and why competitive tendering was not undertaken before a request to Tynwald for £39m.

Steve Rodan, the Speaker of the House of Keys, will ask Infrastructure Minister David Cretney to make a statement about proposed £1m savings for introducing a single waste refuse collection across the island.

Chris Thomas (Douglas West) wants to know when a study on pre-school education after cuts last year will be reported.

Questions will be asked tomorrow (Wednesday). Usually they are at the beginning of the Tynwald session. However, {http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/today-is-budget-day-in-the-isle-of-man-1-6445538|the Budget} is being delivered today by Treasury Minister Eddie Teare MHK.