An appeal is being made for information after an object from an insecure load hit a vehicle on the Mountain Road yesterday.

The incident happened at around 1.45pm when a south-bound vehicle, described by police as a ‘white coloured box van, similar to a Ford Cargo’, rounded the corner at the Mountain Box and was heading toward the Black Hut.

An object flew from the vehicle and collided with a blue Citreon Berlingo travelling in the opposite direction, towards Ramsey.

If you have any information which may help police with their inquiries, contact Constable Jane Irvine at Ramsey Police Station on 812234.

Manx alternative band Post War Stories will make a return to the live scene on Saturday. The band will be making their way to the Amber Bar in Douglas for their first show in a good while.

While the boys have been working hard writing, rehearsing and releasing new material, this will be their first live show since December last year.

Expect material from both their Cold Wars and Live at Kenna EPs in the set, along with some newer material that I understand they’ve been working on.

If you’re a fan of their dark, spacey, ethereal and brooding soundscapes then this is well worth checking out. Support for the show comes from Dead Youth. While this is a new band, the members are no strangers to the Manx music scene.

Rising from the ashes of the latter day Uber Room line up, and including singer-guitarist Geoff Murphy and bassist Scott Beecroft, the band bring a mix of riffs and melodies to the table in the vein of Queens Of The Stone Age. There’s an EP in the works, I believe, and more appearances planned for the coming months, including their first headline shows.

9 Mile Smile, a band featuring vocalist Angela Wells, guitarists Graham Smith and Grant Evans, bassist Lewis Thompson and drummer Johnny Wade, are set to appear at the Creek. If you’re a fan of a good covers band that throws in everything from Aretha Franklin’s Chain Of Fools, Michael Jackson’s Billy Jean to Blondie’s Heart Of Glass via more contemporary offerings from the likes of Amy Winehouse, The Stereophonics and Kings Of Leon, then this is most certainly worth a look if you’re anywhere near Peel this Saturday night.

More next week from in and around the Manx Music scene, which will hopefully include some news regarding a forthcoming Pigs On The Wing show!

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Steve Leach brings the latest rumblings, murmurings, news and views on forthcoming events in and around the island’s music scene. Help support the scene by emailing leachsteve@hotmail.com

A review of the island’s National Insurance Fund and benefits system has come up with a ‘treasure trove’ of information, according to the Treasury Minister.

But questions continue to be asked over the awarding of the £775,000 contract.

Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Alfred Cannan, said he found it ‘incredible’ that phase one of the contract had been awarded to a debt-laden company that was subsequently placed into administration by its bankers.

Lloyds TSB was owed £79.5m by RSM Tenon at the time the firm entered into administration. When rival accountancy firm Baker Tilly acquired the operating companies in the group in August last year, it paid £22m to settle the secured bank debt. Unsecured creditors in RSM Tenon Group and its Premier Strategies tax division are owed £2.2m, which is likely to go unpaid.

RSM Tenon’s last accounts showed it owed £636,000 in employer contributions to its group pension scheme, the sum outstanding having widened from £368,000 in 2011 and £225,000 in 2010 - although that shortfall was apparently cleared in the 2012-13 financial year.

Mr Cannan said he found it incredible that a company advising the Manx Government on its financial affairs effectively went bust because it could not manage its own affairs.

He said: ‘I was of course aware that RSM Tenon had entered administration last year with debts exceeding £80m.

‘What is most surprising, however, is that within weeks of this public announcement, a spin off firm from RSM Tenon (Ci65) are appointed to a undertake a major contract advising government on the National Insurance Fund apparently without adherence to financial regulations and without a proper contract.

‘I am concerned about the whole affair but Tynwald will have the opportunity to make its own mind up when I formally present the Public Accounts Committee report for debate in November.’

That PAC report accuses government of ‘playing fast and loose’ with financial regulations after awarding the £675,025 second phase of the NI review to Ci65 without going out to tender. Ci65 was a new company set up by ex RSM Tenon staff who had worked on phase one.

RSM Tenon had been awarded the £100,687 contract for phase one in late 2012/early 2013. The same firm had previously been brought in to turn around the financial fortunes of the Meat Plant.

Minister for Policy and Reform Chris Robertshaw told the Manx Independent he had not known RSM Tenon’s financial problems when the contract was awarded. He declined to comment further before the Council of Ministers gives its response to the PAC report in October.

Treasury Minister Eddie Teare said: ‘We did all the standard checks and nothing came up.’

He said Ci65’s report was due in the next couple of weeks and the final draft will be made public. The first draft was a weighty document, he said. ‘I’ve see the draft and it’s a treasure trove of information. Ci65 have done more work than they’ve been contracted for.

‘I know three quarters of a million pounds is a lot of money but they’ve identified spending patterns which have diverged from the UK very dramatically in the last 10 years. If our expenditure had been the same we would have paid £14m less. That puts this in context.’

He said as part of the review of the benefits system, Ci65 had gone into Markwell House anonymously on the claimants’ side to watch what happened and then had sat officially on the staff side.

The NI Fund pays for state retirement pensions, the Manx pension supplement and part-funds other welfare benefits.

CoMin says all options need to be considered to prevent it collapsing by 2050.

The island’s rate of inflation has risen slightly.

Measured by the Retail Prices Index, the annual rise for July was 3 per cent. In June it was 2.8 per cent.

However, excluding housing costs the annual figure has fallen to 2.3 per cent from 2.4 per cent.

Inflation measured by the Consumer Prices Index, which excludes mortgage interest payments and household expenditure such as buildings insurance, it was 1.9 per cent in July, up from 1.8 per cent the month before.

In the UK, June’s CPI rate was 1.9 per cent and RPI was 2.6 per cent. July’s figure has not yet been published.

Delving deeper into the statistics shows that once again poorer people are being hit harder than the rich.

Rent is up 19.6 per cent while rates are up 10.1 per cent.

Since poorer people are more likely to rent their properties than people who own theirs, that will be a big change in disposable income for many.

Similarly, the cost of food is rising much faster than general inflation. It rose 5.6 per cent in 12 months.

Cereals are up 5.2 per cent, lamb by 8.4 per cent, bacon by 8.4 per cent and milk products 10.8 per cent.

However, potatoes are 29.2 per cent cheaper, vegetables have fallen by 10.2 per cent and eggs by 17.8 per cent.

While the price of alcohol is 5.5 per cent cheaper than it was in July 2013, tobacco is 9.6 per cent more expensive.

Petrol and oil have dropped by 1.7 per cent, while air travel has fallen by 21.1 per cent (possibly due to fewer destinations now being available) and sea travel has risen by 12. 4 per cent.

Extremely rare stamps produced at a First World War internment camp in the Isle of Man exceeded their estimates when they were auctioned in London last week.

Hosted by dealers Stanley Gibbons last Wednesday and Thursday, the auction of rare stamps from around the world included the only known unused stamp from the Knockaloe camp in private hands.

A 2d red stamp on ungummed paper, featuring the camp fence and huts with the three legged triskelion symbol in each corner, was designed and printed in the camp but withdrawn by the authorities before use.

It was believed that only one unused sheet of 21 stamps existed and was held in the Manx Museum, until in 1981 the daughter of a former camp guard found eight used examples of the stamps in her deceased father’s belongings.

Then in 1982 a single unused example was discovered in Spain, which is believed to be the only recorded unused example of this stamp in private hands.

The used vertical corner pair (pictured right) fetched the highest price, selling for £1,955 at the Dreweatts and Bloomsbury auction house in London.

The unused single sold for £1,495 and a second vertical used pair went for £1,495. Another used single made £862.

Each lot was sold above their estimated prices, which had ranged from £500 to £1,300.

Stanley Gibbons is a specialist merchant and dealer in rare stamps and collectibles and offer stamps as an alternative investment option.

Auction administrator Ryan Epps said: ‘Unsurprisingly these historical items generated some spirited bidding and we are delighted that they have found new homes.’​

The Knockaloe camp in Patrick housed male citizens of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Ottoman Turkey during the First World War until its closure in 1919.

It was purpose built using prefabricated huts and was originally anticipated to house 5,000 internees. By the end of the war around 24,500 were held there, making it the second largest camp in the British Isles.

It had 23 compounds divided between four camps, and each camp had its own hospital and theatre. The camp also had a printing press, where the internees produced Christmas cards and posters for theatrical events.

Knockaloe became so significant that a railway branch line was constructed and the General Post Office established a branch there.

The Knockaloe post office had its own steel date stamp and printed registration labels.

This was the only British post office to operate within a British prisoner of war camp.

Members of the public will have an opportunity to learn more about the modernisation of the island’s police force during a series of regional meetings.

The Chief Constable {http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/any-more-cuts-to-the-manx-police-could-endanger-public-safety-says-chief-1-6681478|recently announced a major programme of reorganisation at a time of reduced budgets} and tough financial targets.

Public meetings, to be attended by Home Affairs Minister Juan Watterson MHK and Chief Constable Gary Roberts, have been organised to help raise further awareness of the changes and to encourage people to share their views.

The events will be held at venues in the four neighbourhood policing areas – Central, Southern, Western and Northern:

Monday, August 11, at 7pm in St Andrew’s Church Hall on Glencrutchery Road, Douglas, next to St Ninian’s.

This meeting will focus on the ventral district covering Douglas, Onchan and Braddan.

Thursday, August 14, at 7pm in the Castletown Civic Centre for the southern area, incorporating Port Erin, Port St Mary, Castletown, Malew, Santon, Arbory and Rushen.

Meetings for the northern and western neighbourhood policing areas will be arranged after the Manx Grand Prix.

The meetings are being organised by the Police Consultative Forum (PCF), an independent body made up of community representatives that seeks the views of the public regarding policing and the prevention of crime.

Councillor Colin Cain, Chairman of the PCF, said: ‘Safe communities and low levels of crime make a significant contribution towards the overall quality of life enjoyed by people in the Isle of Man.

‘The package of measures announced by the Chief Constable in June will undoubtedly have an impact on policing in the Isle of Man.

‘These public meetings will provide a forum for people to hear more about the changes and what they will mean in practical terms.’

Mr Watterson added: ‘We are committed to working with the public in the best interests of the Isle of Man. This is an opportunity for us to explain the police modernisation plans in more detail and to listen to people’s views and concerns. I hope as many people as possible will attend and provide their feedback.’

The police’s modernisation plans include the closure of two police stations and a reduction in the total number of officers.

Neighbourhood policing is set to continue, but in a different format with the three teams outside Douglas being reduced in size and brought under the command of a single inspector.

Monday to Friday night time cover will be provided centrally from Douglas.

The changes will also result in significant changes to call handling, and to the tasking and management of police officers.

Mr Watterson, the Chief Constable and the local neighbourhood inspector will attend the meetings to respond to any questions.

Roads will be closed for longer on the middle Saturday of the Festival of Motorcycling fortnight.

The Department of Economic Development has announced that, following a consultation, roads will close at 9.30am on Saturday, August 23, rather than midday as was the case last year.

The day’s schedule will begin with a practice session for the Classic TT F1/F2 machines followed by a Vintage Motor Cycle Club parade lap at 11.25am. The four-lap 500cc Classic TT will get under way at 12.30pm and the Manx Grand Prix machines will get have an hour’s practice between 3.15pm and 4.15pm, when a Joey Dunlop Legend Rivals Parade lap will leave the TT Grandstand.

A further session of Manx Grand Prix practice is then scheduled from 4.45pm.

Crossing points around the course will be open between 2.30pm and 3.15pm.

The consultation was launched on June 27 regarding additional practice time as a result of an increase in competitors for the Manx Grand Prix and Classic TT Races.

David Cretney MHK, political member with responsibility for tourism and motorsport, said: ‘We appreciate that road racing on the island can only go ahead with the goodwill of the local people and are very grateful for their continued support.

‘The festival’s success in attracting a higher number of competitors has necessitated this move to ensure that adequate practice time is allocated.’

‘The festival makes a significant contribution to the island’s visitor economy, not only through competitors but also the significantly increasing number of visitors.’

Visiting children from Belarus enjoyed a session at the popular Ape Mann attraction in South Barrule plantation.

The youngsters kitted up with harnasses and hard hats to try out the attraction’s new high rope course which incorporates zip wires and a number of obstacles to scramble across.

The children visit the Isle of Man on health-boosting trips each year courtesy of the Chernobyl’s Children charity.

A free information day in Peel will raise awareness of the services available for the older members of the community and their carers.

Taking place at Peel Cathedral on Friday, August 15 between 10.30am and 3.30pm, the event will bring together support, expertise and advice under one roof.

The exhibition will feature around 30 organisations from health and social care providers and various voluntary and private care agencies, and representatives will be present from Men in Sheds, the Stroke Association, the Diabetes Centre and the Older Persons Mental Health Team.

The services available can involve help in the home with tasks such as cleaning or shopping, disability equipment and adaptations, day centres, residential homes, support for carers and financial support.

Member for adult services David Quirk said: ‘There is a great deal of support out there, but sometimes we find that people are unaware of how to access it.

‘By highlighting the support available we can help empower more of our older people to make choices that suit their individual needs and assist them in leading fulfilling and independent lives.’

The event will include both free blood pressure testing and diabetes testing throughout the day. Refreshments will be provided. For more information contact adult services on 686182.

A member of the Manx Dyslexia Association’s committee, Joyce Monroe, who’s a senior educational psychologist, has been awarded a doctorate from University College London.

Joyce’s interest in psychology began at Castle Rushen High School where she taught science.

After completing an Open University degree in psychology she trained as an educational psychologist.

She left the island to do her masters in educational psychology at UCL, which included a year working in Surrey.

She also completed a post graduate diploma in specific learning difficulties (dyslexia) and became an associate member of the British Dyslexia Association, dyslexia having become her particular interest as two of Joyce’s children are dyslexic. All this gave Joyce three different perspectives on dyslexia; as a teacher, as a parent and as an educational psychologist.

On her return to the island Joyce began to offer training to schools.

She believed rather than trying to fix the problems (reading and writing) the key was to find ways around them. This led to Joyce’s decision to do her doctorate with her thesis being about using audio books to support the development of struggling readers’ vocabulary.

The line-up of visiting authors and poets has been confirmed for the third annual Manx Litfest, which takes place in September at venues across the island.

The festival will run from Wednesday, September 24, until Sunday, September 28, with award-winning authors Sally Gardner, Mark Billingham and Philip Reeve among the big names set to entertain book fans.

Festival director John Quirk said: ‘We are thrilled to have attracted more fantastic names this year, a job which is being made easier year on year by the positive feedback we’ve received from the first two festivals. There should be something for everyone, of all ages, be it the Roald Dahl Family Day at Laxey Glen Gardens, the crime writers’ event, Neil Spring and his book The Ghost Hunters, or the Writers’ Day, which will again be held at King William’s College.

‘We’re spreading things out over five days this year, instead of four, with the Poetry Slam kicking things off on the Wednesday night at Jabberwocky, for which we’re delighted to have UK performance poet Mark Grist as compere for the night, and we’re hoping for another full house after the success of last year’s slam.

‘The full schedule for Litfest 2014 will be on our website - www.manxlitfest.com - in the next week or two, along with details of how to obtain tickets, and our free printed programmes will be distributed soon after via various outlets.’

The line-up of visiting authors and poets is:

Mark Billingham - acclaimed crime author, whose Tom Thorne series has won a number of awards, including the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year twice; the first two books in the series, Sleepyhead and Scaredy Cat, were adapted by Sky TV, with David Morrissey in the lead role

Sara Crowe - Sara’s debut young adult novel Bone Jack was published in April, and Litfest is delighted to welcome her back to the Island; a nature writer, she was a guest at the inaugural Manx Litfest in 2012, when she teamed up with Deep Country author Neil Ansell

Sally Gardner - author of Maggot Moon, winner of the Costa Children’s Book Award and the Carnegie Medal, and I, Coriander, winner of the Smarties Prize

Mark Grist - a poet and educational consultant, Mark was named Poet Laureate of Peterborough in 2008, Chief Bard of the Fens in 2009 and Edinburgh Fringe Slam Champion in 2010. He will be performing his show, Rogue Teacher, at Noa Bakehouse on the night of Friday, September 26

Mark Lowery - Children’s author, whose first two novels - Socks Are Not Enough and Pants Are Everything - were both shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, which is why he’s been asked to take the lead for our Roald Dahl Family Day (sponsored by Sure) at Laxey Glen Gardens on Saturday, September 27

Sarah McIntyre - an author and illustrator, Sarah recently teamed up with Philip Reeve for a series of books, the first of which was Oliver and the Seawigs, with the second - Cakes in Space - published this September

Nicola Morgan - an author, educationalist and professional speaker, Nicola writes novels for the young adult market, and a series of non-fiction books on the adolescent brain and mind, the latest of which - The Teenage Guide to Stress - was published earlier this month. Nicola is also renowned for her straight-talking advice for aspiring writers

Donald S Murray - author, poet and Scottish Gaelic speaker, Donald lives in Shetland and his books include The Guga Hunters and Small Expectations. His visit to Litfest will coincide with his research into the herring industry around the British Isles

Philip Reeve - author of the hugely popular Mortal Engines/Traction Cities series, the first of which won the Smarties Prize, while the fourth - A Darkling Plain - won him the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize. He has also won the Carnegie Medal for Here Lies Arthur

Harri Sansostri - 12-year-old Harri is an actor and author of The Little Dudes’ Skool Survival Guide, which he wrote last year on how to deal with school bullies

Samantha Shannon - author of The Bone Season, the first of a series of seven books published by Bloomsbury, the movie rights for which have been picked up by 20th Century Fox

Neil Spring - author of The Ghost Hunters, his debut novel; based on the true life events at Borley Rectory, dubbed the most haunted house in England, it has been optioned for a TV series by the team behind Midsomer Murders

Jo Swainson - literary agent with the Hardman and Swainson agency, who is returning to the island after being involved with Litfest 2012, when she signed up two Isle of Man writers who pitched their manuscript to her

Martyn Waites - joining Mark Billingham on the crime night (Saturday, September 27 - sponsored by IQE), Martyn writes under his own name and also Tania Carver - as well as crime, Martyn wrote the sequel to Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black - Angel of Death

John said: ‘In addition to the visiting authors and poets, there will be a number of island-based writers involved with the festival, some of whom will be taking part in panel discussions at the Writers’ Day, while others will be involved with the schools day, which is again one of our most important events.

‘The schools day will be on Friday, September 26. It creates such a fantastic buzz each year, not just among the children, but the teachers, the Litfest team and the authors and poets taking part. We’re delighted that Isle of Man Bank has again agreed to sponsor the schools day, which is such vital support, as it allows us to deliver the day free to schools and help inspire children of all ages to read more and write more.’

John added: ‘This year’s Writers’ Day, sponsored for the second year by Pokerstars, will involve a series of talks, panel discussions, workshops and pitch sessions aimed at writers - both published and unpublished - in the island. We were really pleased with how this event went down last year, and given the interest shown so far for this year’s Writers’ Day, we’re expecting it to attract even more writers.

‘Once again, we’re indebted to the financial assistance provided by Isle of Man Arts Council and Culture Vannin, along with our numerous sponsors.’

The Litfest team and the festival’s partner bookseller, the Bridge Bookshop in Port Erin, attended Tynwald Day and the Southern Agricultural Show to promote this year’s festival, and the publicity will continue at the Royal Manx Agricultural Show (August 8/9) and the Isle of Man Food & Drink Festival, which takes place in the Villa Marina Gardens on September 20/21, the weekend before Litfest.

Anyone interested in becoming a ‘Friend of Manx Litfest’ should email manxlitfest@gmail.com for details.

Two sixth-form students from the Isle of Man are in Houston, USA, attending NASA’s United Space School.

Caitlin Pinder from St Ninian’s High School and Kitto Maddrell from Castle Rushen High School won the annual ManSat scholarships for the two-week space school in Texas.

Working with the Department of Education and Children, island-based ManSat has been offering the scholarships since 2000.

Caitlin and Kitto will join students from 21 other countries at the school, and follow in the footsteps of last year’s recipients, Christopher Clarke-Halewood from Castle Rushen High School and Alex Eaton from Queen Elizabeth II High School.

ManSat chief executive Chris Stott said: ‘It’s an international class, with around 45 students from countries as far afield as New Zealand, Russia and Bolivia, and it’s fantastic for the island to have two representatives at the Space School.’

The competition to win the scholarships is open to 16- and 17-year-olds at the island’s five state high schools.

This year’s entrants had to write three short essays – each between 500 and 1,000 words – on these subjects:

1. How can space be of service to humanity?

2. How can the Isle of Man play a greater role in international space activities?

3. Why am I interested in space?

Caitlin and Kitto are staying with families connected with NASA during the two weeks, and will attend the Space School Culture Fair, at which all students are challenged to promote their homeland.

This year, Caitlin and Kitto will be conjuring up a couple of batches of bonnag to give their international peers a taste of the Isle of the Man.

Caitlin said: ‘It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I visited universities in England recently, and they all said what a fantastic addition the Space School trip is to have on your personal statement.’

Kitto said: ‘I heard about the scholarship from one of last year’s winners, Christopher. He told me what a wonderful experience he’d had, and that inspired me to enter this year’s competition.

‘What I’m looking forward to most is immersing myself in American culture. It’s a trip that could be life-changing.

‘I’ve not yet decided what I want to do with my life, and so this could set me on a career path.’

In addition to the Space School scholarships, ManSat sponsors and supports the annual Spirit of Innovation competition for Manx high schools, in cooperation with the Pete Conrad Foundation, and earlier this year sponsored an island high school to participate in the UK Rocketry Challenge.

Plans to create a campsite and motor home park on agricultural land off Truggan Road, Rushen, have alarmed residents who are concerned about access issues and the visual impact of the proposal.

Farmer Derek Cain submitted the plan, (14/00800/B) for the site to go on land at Glendown Farm.

In addition to the campsite and motor home park, they hope to create a shower and toilet block in an existing agricultural building.

He has already discussed improving access to the site with planners and the Department of Infrastructure.

Resident Nicola Hester wrote to planning arguing that Truggan Road is a small, rural lane and there are already issues driving there which would be exacerbated by this proposal.

In her letter, she added: ‘The site in question is accessed from a very narrow road, already too narrow for cars to pass each other.

‘Larger vehicles such as motor homes will cause a hazard on this road.

‘This is a peaceful rural location and it would be inappropriate to have campers using this site.

‘It would have a seriously adverse impact on the appearance and character of this area of open countryside.’

Mrs Hester added that, as people using motor homes tend to eat in their vehicles, the move would be unlikely to benefit nearby restaurants and cafes.

Also, she said an element of the plan to build wooden huts was ‘not in keeping’ with the rural setting.

A further concern raised by Mrs Hester focused on where the motor homes would park when they go to local shops and amenities.

Another resident, who did not want to be named, said: ‘The houses at the end of Truggan Road have to park outside their houses, have oil deliveries, etc, and the large camper vans would have a tight squeeze, in addition to which, the bend down there is quite blind as it is.

‘Plus the road is not suitable for two cars to pass in places, never mind larger vans, and will result in reversing on a narrow road.’

The anonymous resident added that those who use motor homes sleep in them at night and tour around in them during the day, meaning vans travelling in and out of the site twice a day (at least); if there were, for example, 17 sites, that would mean a van on the road every 20 minutes, ‘which is rather excessive for a tiny country road which plenty of residents require to use.’

Mr Cain, a Rushen Parish Commissioner, declared an interest and removed himself when the authority discussed the plan on July 16.

They had no objections.

Due to popular demand by politicians to have all copies destroyed, Southern Befrienders have decided to reprint their popular non-fiction work, Tynwaldballs. 

The book is a compilation of political gaffes and mangled metaphors compiled by Juan Watterson and Quintin Gill (current and former Rushen MHKs), with illustrations by Phil Woodford and extracts from Isle of Man Newspapers.

The first run of 1,000 copies raised almost £8,000 for the charity.

Mr Watterson, who is also SB treasurer said: ‘This book is a guaranteed laugh, with proceeds going to a great cause in the community.’

Co-author, Mr Gill added: ‘For those people who ask, “Have you made these up?”, you have to ask yourself, could we?”’

Plans for a second volume are already underway.

Books, £10, are available from the Manx Museum Shop, Bridge Bookshop, Port Erin, or Southern Befrienders’ office at Thie Rosien, Four Roads, Port Erin.

The Henry Bloom Noble Library, in partnership with Douglas Council’s parks section, invited children from St Thomas’s School to create designs of their favourite book characters that could be made into floral displays for the play area on Douglas promenade.

The chosen designs, Peppa Pig, SpongeBob SquarePants and War Horse, were devised by children from the school’s gardening club.

Lexie Gibson designed Peppa Pig, Matthew McCausland War Horse and Kieron Shimmin SpongeBob.

People who’d like to get fitter by running are being given some help to get going.

That’s the message from the government’s Manx Sport and Recreation (MSR) staff, who are is holding beginners’ groups with qualified leaders on hand to offer advice and encouragement.

MSR’s Run Isle of Man Begin to Run group was formed a year ago in conjunction with Run England, athletics’ official recreational running programme.

MSR, part of the Department of Education and Children, is supporting Run England’s #whywerun campaign to encourage people to take up running this summer.

Trevor Christian, MSR Athletics development officer and group leader, said: ‘Running is one of the best ways to improve your health and fitness and, with longer days and warmer weather, summer is the perfect time to start.

‘Run England beginners’ groups – with qualified group leaders on hand to help you every step of the way – provide a friendly, sociable platform for anyone to turn up and take part.’

Sessions take place on Mondays and Fridays at 12.10pm and last 40 minutes – designed to fit into an hour’s lunch break.

Participants meet at Jaime’s Café, opposite the Jubilee Clock on Loch Promenade, Douglas.

Trevor said many of those who signed up to his group as novices a year ago have progressed to being able to run for half an hour or more.

‘If newcomers don’t want to run straight away they can walk to start with,’ he said. ‘When they feel ready they can dip their toe in the water with the odd 10-second jog and go from there. The group is friendly and welcoming, so come along and try it out.

‘Some of us want to get fitter, some to lose weight, some to stay healthy or just meet up with a group of like-minded people. It’s amazing how a chinwag in a social running group can take your mind off the effort you are putting in.’

To find out more about Run Isle of Man, Begin to Run, contact Trevor on 688576 or email trevor.christian@gov.im

Out-of-town groups also exist under the Run England banner. The Southern Striders meet at Thie Rosien, Port Erin, on Saturdays at 9.15am. Contact Janet Bridle on 838180. Ramsey Runs, Walks, Jogs holds sessions at Mooragh Promenade (opposite the northern pool) on Mondays from 6pm. Contact Nikki Boyd on 481194.

The island’s twins, triplets and other multiple births have been invited to join a fundraising event.

The sponsored twin toddle, walk, ride and push along Douglas Promenade will take place on Sunday, August 31, starting at the Bottleneck car park cafe at 2pm.

Event organiser Kerry O’Hare said: ‘We are hoping to attract twins, triplets and any other multiples of all ages for this fundraising walk, and see just how many twins the island has. Farmhill Lane has five sets of twins living on it, is there anywhere with more?’

The event is part of a fundraising campaign by the Isle of Man twin mums support facebook group, affiliated with the Twins and Multiple Births Association, to purchase a second specialist twin cot for Noble’s Hospital.

One cot has already been bought with funds raised by the group and the Oskar’s Dreams charity. It will be presented to the Special Care Baby Unit later this month.

The second cot will be donated to the main maternity ward for twins who do not require specialist baby care, but can be kept together.

For further information and sponsorship forms contact Kerry O’Hare kezza@manx.net or 469299.

The supreme champion at this year’s Southern Agricultural Show will be immortalised as a work of art.

Pasturefield Turbo Tommy, the eight-year-old Simmental bull owned by Peter and Sheila Quayle of Ballagraingey Farm, St Mark’s, was the inspiration for their daughter Stephanie and son-in law Darren Jackson’s entry in the show’s Sculpture Competition.

The bull’s head, fashioned from farm implements, and so large it had to be displayed outside the Heritage Tent, received the most public votes.

Designs in the competition, funded by the Arts Council for the 2014 Year of Culture, celebrated 100 years of the Southern District Agricultural Society (SDAS) and its agricultural heritage.

Tommy will be modelling for the final sculpture over the next year, and the finished, larger than life metal bull will be on display on the showfield at the 2015 show, and in subsequent years.

Stephanie and Darren, who are the artists behind the 30ft sculpture of Mananan at the Mannifest event and giant loughtan sheep on the Mountain Road, would be grateful for any donations of agricultural machinery and parts to complete the work.

Anyone who would be willing to contribute should contact the artists directly or through SDAS secretary Sarah Comish on 494497 or sdas@manx.net

Do you have an important message that you’d love to share, or could you inspire an audience with a short talk on your favourite Manx subject?

The first ever TEDx event will be held in the Isle of Man this November and the organisers are looking for inspiring speakers to enthral their audience with powerful, thought-provoking talks.

TEDxDouglas will take place at the Youth Arts Centre in Kensington Road, Douglas, on Monday, November 10.

TED – which stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design – is a non-profit organisation devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short talks, normally no longer than 15 minutes.

Since the first one-off event in 1984, the movement has developed into a worldwide phenomenon.

TEDx events are independent from the main TED conferences but operate under the same banner and follow similar principles and guidelines.

There are more than 30,000 talks in the TEDx online library from presentations in over 130countries.

Chris Stott, chief executive of Manx satellite company ManSat, is the licence holder for TEDxDouglas. He said: ‘I’ve been involved with TED for eight years now and also teach with the TED Fellows, and I’m proud to be able to bring a TEDx event to the Isle of Man.

‘The goal is to bring together bright minds to give talks that are idea-focused to foster learning, inspiration and wonder – and provoke conversations that matter.’

TEDxDouglas will be curated by Emma and John Quirk, with the talks being streamed live on the internet and uploaded to the main TED website afterwards for worldwide viewing.

Emma said: ‘We’re keen to hear from anyone who has an idea for an inspiring talk. The TED philosophy is about the power of ideas to change attitudes, to make people question the world around them and how they live their lives.

‘We have a very general theme in mind, and we want a good proportion of the talks to be based around, or inspired by, the Isle of Man. But we want to hear from individuals who believe they have an idea or a topic that needs to be heard, that needs to be aired and inspire others.’

The TED mission statement reads: ‘TED is a global community, welcoming people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world. We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world.

‘On TED.com, we’re building a clearinghouse of free knowledge from the world’s most inspired thinkers — and a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other, both online and at TED and TEDx events around the world, all year long.’

If you would like to propose an idea for a talk, contact Emma on tedxdouglas@gmail.com or call her on 341823.

Another important part of any TEDx event involves screening some lectures from the archives of the main TED conferences.

More than 1,500 talks from some of the world’s best-known speakers can be seen at www.ted.com, and the organisers of the Isle of Man’s event are seeking nominations from the Manx public.

More details about TEDxDouglas, including ticket availability, will be released soon.

Keep up to date with the latest news on Twitter (@tedxdouglas) or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tedxdouglas

Two students from Queen Elizabeth II High School have been presented with copies of potentially life-saving DVDs they helped to create as part of a collaboration with the charity Thare Machi Education (Isle of Man).

TME (IoM) creates lessons that teach basic health and life-skills topics to some of the world’s poorest people in their own languages.

The programming of the lessons on DVD is not a straight-forward operation and required the students to work with languages they didn’t understand themselves.

Walid Anwar and Michael Diehl, both 13, are the youngest people to produce a lesson.

They edited the images to fit in with the length of the words spoken on the DVD.

Their topic was ‘Having an HIV Test’, with Walid working in Afrikaans and Michael in Acholi, a Ugandan language.

The youngsters were brought together as part of an initiative by the St John’s-based One World Centre which works to highlight and address the issues around global poverty.

One World Centre director Rosemary Clarke said: ‘These young people had given up their lunch hours – and been allowed out of a couple of lessons – to create these DVDs which will be vital in helping promote good healthcare in some of the more isolated parts of the world.

‘I’m really proud of what they have achieved, and I hope we can look forward to doing more in the new school year.’

TME (IoM) currently has 31 different lessons waiting to be translated, recorded and authored into a range of different languages. Anyone who would like to help should contact Rosemary Clarke at the One World Centre on 800464.