There’s still time to join in a series of special events that are taking place around the island to mark Dementia Awareness Week.

Peel Methodist Church are hosting an awareness day in the Guild Room between 10am and 2pm today (Thursday).

There’s also chance to see the recent film Still Alice, starring Julianne Moore, who plays a professor who is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

The film is scheduled for a matinee showing at the Broadway Cinema at 2pm today (Thursday).

Meanwhile a meeting of the Isle of Man branch of the Alzheimer’s Society’s North Carer’s Group will take place at the Surestrike Bowling Centre in Ramsey on Thursday between 6pm and 8pm.

On Friday morning from 8.45am, a series of dementia awareness sessions will take place at Ballakermeen High School.

Information on the condition will also be available in the atrium of Ramsey Town Hall between 1pm and 4pm on Friday.

The events mark the end of a packed programme to raise awareness of the condition that included a tea dance at the Villa Marina, dementia awareness sessions and a carers’ conference.

A website developed for Dementia Awareness Week 2015 can be found at www.gov.im/dementia-awareness or contact the Alzheimer’s Society on 613181 for more information.

Hanover Construction Limited, whose registered office is situated at 3 Myrtle Street, Douglas, bought Follies Cabaret Restaurant and Bar, Harbour Road, Onchan, for £1,680,000.

It was bought from Howstrake Developments Limited, whose registered office is situated at Rosemount, Phildraw Road, Ballasalla.

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

St Peters Capital Limited, whose registered office is situated at 26 Woodbourne Square, Douglas, sold 26 Woodbourne Square, Douglas, for £385,000, to Charles Andrew Hartley and Joanna Alice Hartley, of 26 Westbourne Drive, Douglas.

John David Clarke, of 4 First Avenue, Glencrutchery Road, Douglas, and Richard Dominic Clarke, sold 11 Glencrutchery Road, Douglas, for £295,000, to Benjamin Hughes and Olivia Helen Graham, of 21 Alberta Drive, Onchan.

Bernhard Schulte Ship Management (Isle of Man) Limited, whose registered office is situated at Dorchester House, Belmont Hill, Douglas, sold 5 Royal Avenue West, Onchan, for £265,000, to Presswood Limited, whose registered office is situated at Carnane, 9 Bay View Road, Onchan.

Christine Anne Holt sold 25 Derby Road, Douglas, for £265,000, to Tesby Mejia Saballos and Rachel Louise Marjorie Leyton-Henry, of 17 Birch Hill Grove, Onchan.

Barbara Lillian Burt, of 11 Cooyrt Balleigh, Jurby Road, Ramsey, sold 9 Ellan Park, Ramsey, for £160,000, to David Keig and Caroline Keig, of Ballajora House, Ballajora Hill, Maughold.

Christina Louise Alice Boyd sold Beauval, Fistard Road, Port St Mary, for £150,000, to Steven Boyd, of Beauval, Fistard Road, Port St Mary.

Kevin Michael Cowley, of 32 Port-e-Chee Avenue, Douglas, sold 4 Orchid Close, Douglas, for £75,000, to Terence Alan Cowley, of 3 Heather Crescent, Pulrose.

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

Manx Harriers 5km club walk takes place this evening, Thursday, on the TT Access Road from 7 o’clock.

Entries are free and registration will be from 6.30pm at Manx Harriers clubhouse (NSC perimeter road).

There will also be junior distances from 1km up to 5km and all guest walkers will also be made welcome. www.manxharriers.com

Fixtures at a glance

Friday, May 22 - Western AC Dave Phillips running series. Choice of distances, ages seven to 70 plus. Headlands course, starting from the promenade, close to Empire Garage showroom. 6.15 for 7pm start. All welcome, adult races handicapped.

Saturday, May 23 - Race The Sun, sponsored by Mann Made Group in aid of The Children’s Centre. Start, Peel promenade, first team 5.02am (ends 9.21pm/sundown). Team relay clockwise round the island’s Raad ny Foillan coastal footpath (split into 10 sections).

Tuesday, June 16 - James Coulson Laxey Fell Race, round five of the Calln Wild-sponsored Manx Fell League, at 7pm (not 6pm as previously advertised). Go to www.manxfellrunners.org

Friday, June 19 - Ramsey Park Runs (round four), Mooragh Park, 6.15 for 7pm start. Races for youths and adults over a scenic course round the lake and surrounding area. Senior races are handicapped.

Saturday, July 11 - Bradda Niarbyl Fell Race, organised by Manx Fell Runners (a round of the English Fell Championships). It will cover a 24km (14.9-mile) route, mostly on the Raad ny Foillan, taking in the scenic stretch of coastline from Port Erin to Niarbyl and returning over a similar route.

It will start on the lower promenade, close to the Bay Hotel, at 1pm, to Additional entries are being accepted, for more details log on to www.manxfellrunners.org

Plans to outsource home care services to an off-island private sector outfit have been shelved – after it was decided the preferred bidder didn’t offer value for money after all.

Questions about the contract for home care services were raised in Tynwald by Douglas West MHK Chris Thomas.

Health and Social Care Minister Howard Quayle said his department had undertaken a ‘robust’ procurement process that resulted in the Human Support Group being named the preferred provider of the services.

Under the plan, 61 government staff would have been transferred to the new provider.

But following detailed contract discussions, the department concluded at a meeting on April 17, that the preferred bidder did not represent value for money and ‘was not in the best interests of either service users or staff’, said the Minister.

He added: ‘Home care staff and their representatives have of course been fully briefed. As a result, the service will continue to be provided in-house while the department reviews the options for the service going forward.

‘A full option evaluation will then be undertaken. In the meantime, the department is not in a position to offer commercially sensitive information in relation to the detail of the contract.’

Mr Thomas asked if the tender process would be reopened for the ‘excellent large third sector organisations on the Isle of Man which were unsuccessful in the initial tender’.

The Minister said all options would be considered ‘so we will obviously be looking at what had previously been tendered to see if there is any mileage’.

John Houghton (Douglas North) suggested the department should be, at the very least, ‘a little embarrassed’ by ‘turning its nose up’ to those excellent local service providers for a ‘failed’ UK tenderer.

Mr Quayle said the local companies would have cost considerably more than the department was already spending. ‘There is no way I can sanction handing a contract over to people who are going to cost us more,’ he said.

Fostering First, which is responsible for foster care across the island and part of The Children’s Centre charity, says there was a good response to a series of events held earlier this month to highlight the need to recruit more foster carers.

Events were held at The Strand Shopping Centre, the Sea Terminal and Tesco to mark Foster Care Fortnight, which is an awareness campaign developed and co-ordinated by The Fostering Network in the UK, this years these was ‘my connection to fostering’.

The campaign runs from June 1 to 15 in the UK, but in the Isle of Man it was held between May 5 and 15 to avoid a clash with the TT.

Fostering First staff and a current foster carer handed out information leaflets which explained the need for more foster carers in the island and gave details of what is involved in becoming a carer.

Nigel Howard, deputy team manager at Fostering First, said: ‘We were delighted with the amount of interest generated at all of the Fostering Fortnight events.

‘On average we spoke to around 40 people at each event and our staff answered lots of questions from individuals and couples about all aspects of foster care. Fostering is challenging, but also incredibly rewarding, and there is a real need for more foster carers to come forward and make a life-changing difference to the lives of children who have had a tough start in life.

‘Deciding to become a foster carer is a big step to make, but we hope that some of those who showed an interest during Foster Care Fortnight will proceed with the application process.

‘However, we are still keen to hear from anyone who is interested in becoming a foster carer and they are welcome to contact us at any time.’

Fostering First also hosts a series of monthly drop-in sessions at its HQ which is Bourne House, 97 Woodbourne Road, Douglas.

These sessions also offer an opportunity for anyone interested in fostering to pop in for an informal chat with staff and get answers to any questions or concerns they may have.

The next session is tomorrow (Friday) from noon to 2pm. There are also drop-in sessions at the same venue on June 25 (5pm to 7pm) and July 24 (noon to 2pm).

Foster carers can come from a wide range of backgrounds and it’s not essential for them to have parenting experience.

However, some experience and knowledge of children is beneficial.

What all foster carers must be is caring and understanding, and possess the ability and desire to help a child grow emotionally. Foster carers must be over 21 (there is no upper age limit), and they can be married, divorced or single, or co-habiting.

It does not matter whether or not they own their own home. All foster carers (especially those new to fostering) receive training, help, and support from Fostering First as well as financial remuneration to cover the expenses of caring for a child.

The Kirby Estates Cowell Cup final takes place at the Bowl this evening.

St Mary’s and Ramsey go head-to-head in the last major final of the campaign, the Saints aiming to win back the honours after lifting the trophy in 2012.

The northerners have to go back even further to their last success in the competition, the Ballacloan last landing the spoils in 1982.

Ramsey beat previously unbeaten northern rivals Ayre 5-2 in last week’s semi-finals to secure their place in this evening’s game, while the Saints edged past Corinthians 3-2 at Groves Road.

With the cup’s upper age limit being raised to 21 this season, several of the clubs’ respective first-teamers should be on show tonight.

Striker Michael Simpson, Premier League Young Player of the Month Tom Bentham and talented midfielder Declan Cummins have been among the Ballacloan youngsters impressing as Kevin Holmes’s first XI finished fifth in the top-flight standings.

The Saints will call upon the likes of midfielders Nathan Halsall, Nathan Cooil, Connor Birch and Connor Gorman to drive them to victory, the latter skippering the team to victory three years ago.

With both line ups evenly matched this should be a cracker. Kick-off is 7pm.

You wanted the best, you got the best!

So says the announcer at each live show by classic rock outfit Kiss and this Saturday is no exception as 9 Bar Gypsies make a very welcome return to the Amber Bar in Douglas.

The band made up by members Adrian Bruce on vocals, Dave Atkins and Jason Cain on guitars, Jimmy Lee on bass and Mark Cain on drums have garnered a reputation over the last couple of years for pulling out the hits by what would now be classed by many as classic rock and metal outfits, Kiss being one of those.

The band also specialise in dipping into the back catalogue of Metallica, Guns ‘N’ Roses and Steel Panther among many others.

If your musical sensibilities are of that type of persuasion then these boys are well worth checking out.

The doors for this event open at around 8pm with the Gypsies taking to the stage at around 9.30pm for a mammoth two-hour show.

For more information on the band, visit www.facebook.com/9BarGypsies

The Big Wheels Blues Festival makes it 17th annual appearance this weekend.

Held over Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the Promenade Suite of the Villa Marina, the line-up features a mix of acoustic, Americana and Blues from the likes of Mike Sanchez, Kaz Hawkins, Doug McLeod, Chris Jaggers, Atcha, Zoe Schwarz and Della Grants among many others.

For more information on tickets and stage times, visit www.bigwheelblues.com

Penthouse Dive make one of their regular appearances at Jaks in Douglas on Friday night. Expect covers from the likes of ZZ Top, Foo Fighters, The Police, Thin Lizzy and the like.

This band is certainly very popular on the covers circuit and the show will serve as a warm up ahead of what will be their usual onslaught of shows during TT fortnight.

Heading to the west of the island now to Peel and to The Creek in particular where this weekend a triple header of shows takes place from 3 Million, 9 Mile Smile and Powercut respectively.

First up on Friday, local heroes 3 Million bring their guitar-driven influence of Oasis, Stereophonics, Placebo and Shed Seven for what will no doubt be a very popular night. Saturday sees 9 Mile Smile take the baton. If you’re into anything 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 The Creek that night.

Sunday sees the behemoth that is Powercut close the Bank Holiday weekend shows.

Formed back in 2009, Powercut are John Percival on bass, Simon Watson on drums and Ian Bradley on guitar. The band play a wealth of material that ranges from The Kinks and The Who at one end through to the likes of more modern day offerings from the likes of The Kaiser Chiefs, Razorlight, The Kings of Leon and Green Day at the other. And that is that!

Have a great Bank Holiday weekend.

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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

Police are appealing for witnesses following the theft of a black and yellow JCB chainsaw from a Volvo double decker bus which was parked in a field near Quarry bends, Sulby.

The chainsaw is believed to have been stolen some time between Tuesday, May 12, and Tuesday, May 19.

The reform of financing local authorities has moved a step closer.

The government today published a report summarising responses to its consultation on the reform of domestic rates.

Most people want properties to be revalued and to move from a system of domestic property taxation based on rental value to one based on capital value.

The consultation was one of the largest consultation responses received on any subject by the Isle of Man Government.

Treasury received 1,484 individual responses to the consultation 84 per cent of which were made online. Responses were also received from 17 of the 39 rating authorities, including 15 of the 24 local authorities.

Respondents agreed that each domestic property should be placed within one of nine property tax bands, though views were expressed that the range and value of the proposed bands should be amended.

But support for a change in the calculation of property taxes did not extend to the proposed valuation process, which involved an element of self-assessment.

When considering how property tax should be collected the largest number of respondents (but not local authorities) were in favour of an all-island basis, with income being raised equally across all properties in the same tax band and allocated to local authorities according to their needs.

Individual views were also expressed supporting the need for a rate rebate scheme and for discounts in certain circumstances, however due to the additional cost of administering such a system this received little support from rating authorities.

Respondents also showed significant support for the reform of commercial and agricultural rating together with domestic rating to ensure that any revaluation was fair to all rate-payers.

Treasury will consider all the views expressed by respondents before determining how best to proceed to deliver reform of domestic rates.

A more detailed explanation of the consultation findings is set out in the report which can be viewed {http://www.gov.im/ConsultationDetail.gov?id=493|here}.

Paper copies are also available from the Rates and Valuation Office at Illiam Dhone House or by telephone on 686266.

Chrisitians will be praying at the island’s keeills next week.

Keeills are Christian chapels built in the island between the eighth and 12th century.

The earliest keeills were built of sods of earth and rarely larger than three metres by five metres internally.

Some of the keeills were more substantial – bigger, and built of stone.

here may have been almost 200 of them, of which about 35 now have remains that can be seen.

Keeills served a variety of purposes - family chapels, wayside shrines, places of retreat and hermitage.

Isle of Man Churches says the week is a chance ‘to discover these places of great peace and beauty, to sense their unique spirituality, to reflect on their place at the heart of our Christian journey and to deepen our own personal prayer life’.

Saturday, May 23

10.30am Service of welcome at Glen Maye Chapel at the beginning of Praying the Keeills week. Open for all – not only for those walking.

Following the service all day walk from Glen Maye

Walk to Keeill Moirrey (St Mary) and on to Juan y Clery’s bridge beside a shieling site. On to Ballavell and Glen Rushen West chapel.

Follow river path past mines to the quarry cottages and back to Glen Maye. Strenuous walking over rough and sometimes muddy terrain. Stout footwear required. Bring a packed lunch.

(11.5 km/seven miles; four to five hour walk)

Sunday, May 24

2.30pm Meet at Peel Methodist Church, Atholl Street

Walk to cross garden at St German’s Cathedral and then on to Old St German’s Cathedral, St Patrick’s Isle for short reflection. (1km 2/3 mile)

Monday, May 25

11am Visit to Keeill Driuight, Glenlough Farm

Turn left off main Douglas – Peel road ½ mile before Glen Vine (coming from Douglas) into Glenlough campsite to visit keeill (Duthracht of Liathdriun). Off road parking available

Take cars to St Runius Church (Map ref SC 321 786). Take cars to Ard Jerkyll for lunch.

7.30pm ‘Manx Saints’

An illustrated talk by the Rev Ian Faulds to be held at the Promenade Methodist Church, Douglas.

Tuesday, May 26

6.30pm Evening walk to Keeill Kickle (St Cecilia), Jurby

Meet at Jurby Church (St Patrick’s). Bring packed supper. Hot drinks available. Walk to Keeill Kickle (for short reflection. Total walk 3km/2 miles. Part of this walk is across agricultural land. A limited car shuttle service will be available from Jurby Church to road near keeill.

Thursday, May 28

2pm An afternoon walk from Scarlett to Balladoole

Meet and park at Scarlett. Walk to Chapel Hill, Balladoole (Keeill Vael - St Michael) passing the sites of Keeill Oran (St Odhran) and Keeill Pharlane (St Bartholemew).

Car shuttle service will be available. (Total distance 8km / 5 miles). A limited car shuttle service will be available from Balladoole back to Scarlett.

Friday May 29

6.30pm Supper and an evening walk between the Onchan churches

Supper at Onchan Methodist Church. Walk to St Peter’s Church, Onchan, a former keeill site, then on to St Anthony’s church for a candlelit service and back to Onchan Methodist Church. Total distance 3km / 2 miles.

A limited car shuttle service will be available back to Onchan Methodist Church.

Saturday, May 30

10am Meet at Christ Church, Laxey, for a short reflection followed by all-day walk. Non-walkers welcome at the short reflection.

Walk up the Glen Roy Road past the keeill site of Keeill Vian (St Matthew).

Continue up track and follow the miners’ footpath to the Bungalow. Walk across valley to the Snaefell mines, walking down the mines road to Agneash Chapel (keeill site, Ballayolgane, St Comgall of Bangor (Ireland)) then back to Laxey. (Total distance 12km / 7.5 miles; six-hour walk.)

Strenuous walking over rough, steep and sometimes muddy terrain. Stout footwear required. Bring a packed lunch.

For more details see: www.prayingthekeeills.org/

Experienced anglers are invited to learn how to tag small sharks and help conserve their numbers.

The small shark tag training takes place on Saturday afternoon at the Manx Wildlife Trust’s office in Peel’s Market Place.

It runs from 2pm to 4pm and is free to attend.

To book a place email MWT marine officer Lara Howe on lara@manxwt.org.uk or call 844432.

The trust will also be organising tagging boat trips in the summer.

Schools and businesses donned their wellies and onesies to show their support for Manx charity, Sleeping Angel Wood.

The charity supports families that have lost a child through miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal death.

April saw the first saplings planted in the Sleeping Angel Wood, a project in Colden Plantation designed to give families a way to get some solace after the loss of a child.

Earlier this month the charity encouraged people to spend the day in their wellies and onesies and upload their pictures to the charity’s Facebook page.

The charity’s founder, Tori Smithies, said: ‘Wellies for the Woods went really well with quite a few offices getting involved and, of course, Anagh Coar School who were fantastic.

‘It was great to see them all and they all enjoyed meeting Giallican the bear. There was everything from super heroes to fluffy kittens!’

She added: ‘We will definitely be doing something similar next year and we will be picking and announcing a winner in the next few days.’

A musician who uses rubbish to make instruments held a thumping good event at The Buchan School last week.

Andy Warn, from Bristol, brought his ‘Sounds Roadshow’ to the school on Friday with an exciting all-day musical workshop based on recycling.

Pupils from nursery up to F3 (nine and 10 year olds) experienced a whole new way to look at rubbish thanks to Andy’s innovative approach to making instruments out of commonly discarded objects such as bins, buckets and pipes.

Group sessions were aimed at developing concentration and collaborative listening with the children imitating strong rhythm patterns and developing ideas to accompany more contemporary music and experience mixing simple rhythms in layers.

Each class enjoyed their own catered sessions that saw teachers joining in the fun, and in the case of P2 (five and six year olds), even the childrens’ parents took part, with the day’s highlight being a rousing rendition of Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’.

Head of music Sue Mills said: ‘Andy did some fabulous workshops with all of the children.

‘The P2s were joined by parents, grandparents, relatives and nannies to play all the games. Everyone enjoyed playing the different rhythms to “We Will Rock You”.

‘Everyone enjoyed the day and we look forward to Andy coming back to the school to do another fun workshop soon.

‘Andy and I had set the gym up with rainbow coloured plastic and tin buckets and two white cut pipes with rubber bands on the ends to act as beaters.

‘The children had to learn the start position where they put the beaters next to their chests so that they would not make any sound.

‘They then had to follow a sequence with their hands: they tapped their bin twice, clapped their hands in front of them and then clapped their bin twice.

‘They had to follow the different patterns. The children tapped sticks on the floor, on buckets and in the air in a rhythmic pattern.’

For more than 20 years, Andy has toured the UK while developed a series of workshops for schools.

For more information about Andy’s workshops visit www.soundsroadshows.co.uk

The electorate in Douglas North has chosen businessman Ralph Peake to be the area’s new MHK.

The results were

David Ashford 554

Maire Booth (Liberal Vannin) 223

Ralph Peake 604

The vacancy arose when Bill Henderson moved from the House of Keys to join Legislative Council.

We asked Mr Peake to tell our readers why he deserved their vote.

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/politics/douglas-north-ralph-peake-1-7267838|This was what he wrote in this week’s Examiner.}

The electorate in Douglas South has voted for Bill Malarkey to be their new MHK.

The votes were:

Kurt Buccholz 169

Amy Burns 273

Keith Fitton (Liberal Vannin) 502

Bill Malarkey 598

For Mr Malarkey, it’s a return to the Keys.

He was MHK for the area until 2011 when he lost his seat in the general election.

He said he was ‘over the moon’ with the result.

The vacancy came about after long-standing MHK David Cretney was elected to the Legislative Council.

We asked all candidates to say why they should be an MHK.

{http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/politics/douglas-south-bill-malarkey-1-7267846|This is what Mr Malarkey wrote in this week’s Examiner.}

A team of six Manx police officers plan to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania - Africa’s highest point at 5,895 metres - during a 10-day expedition in September.

Carl Woods, David Baker, Kelly Wilkinson, Darren Gorry, Graham Corran and Quentin De Backer are undertaking the challenge to raise funds for Manx Miracles and Tabitha’s Trust.

Team leader Carl Woods said: ‘The idea came about in a conversation during a rare quiet night shift we were all working. We all said we fancied going on a bit of an adventure and after some research and further discussion we decided on trekking Kilimanjaro.

‘We thought it would be a waste to just climb the mountain for ourselves, so we nominated the two charities we are raising money for. They are both Island-based and, for various reasons, close to our hearts.’

The charities are Manx Miracles, which aims to create, find and support programmes that directly improve the health and well-being of Island children facing huge challenges in their lives and support their families, and Tabitha’s Trust, which provides support, guidance and services to families in the Island who have been touched by the death of a child.

Carl added: ‘A significant amount of training has already been undertaken. We are all relatively fit individuals in our own right and the biggest challenge is likely to be the extreme altitude. In an attempt to prepare ourselves the best we can, myself and David are attending a pre-trip weekend in Wales in July to take part in some altitude simulations and speak to those who have done the trip before.

‘The whole trip is self-funded by the team members and support from family, friends and generous businesses like the Steam Packet.

‘The costs of travel, accommodation, expenses and so on will not be met from the donations made to the charities, so everything we raise will support their important work.

You can donate by visiting www.gofundme.com/cops-to-kilimanjaro

The Steam Packet is assisting with the cost of travel to and from the UK for the expedition, as well as supporting a training trip to Wales in July for two team members.

As the team is meeting all costs at their own expense and with help from supporters like the Steam Packet Company, donations will go directly to the nominated charities.

War memorials could be protected under law soon.

Rushen MHK Juan Watterson will be introducing a Bill into the House of Keys to bring in the measure.

The main proposed reforms of this brief bill include:

Placing a duty of care on the owner of a war memorial to maintain it

Giving the Council of Ministers enforcement powers to ensure war memorials are maintained

Mr Watterson said he was introducing the Bill because there was no compulsion for anyone to preserve the memorials.

He added: ‘Most local authorities act in good faith and use the powers in the 1927 Act to preserve their memorials, but if one fell into disrepair there would be no compulsion to maintain or restore it. This Bill would seek to place an obligation on the landowner, local authority or church where the memorial was sited to maintain it.’

He said that in providing this special status, the Bill provided for Council of Ministers to have some powers, although there would be the possibility of delegating them to the War Memorials Preservation Committee.

This would include the power to approve erection of a new war memorial, the power to vest a memorial in a local authority where ownership was unknown or as in many cases owned collectively by the community. It also requires Council of Ministers to maintain a register of war memorials.

Mr Watterson has consulted h local authorities, church authorities and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and War Memorials Trust about the matter.

This has led to a number of changes from the first draft, including:

Exemption for faculty jurisdiction, recognising that the Church of England and other Church bodies have suitable protection

Requirement for Council of Ministers to maintain and publish a public register of war memorials, so that there is certainty as to what is and what is not a war memorial

Allowing Council of Ministers to treat war memorials as if they were registered buildings in order to ensure that there is a known system and proper sanctions in place.

If the Bill progresses through the House of Keys, it is the intention to publish and consult on the draft register of war memorials, the rules which Council of Ministers will apply for applications, and draft an order to apply the relevant sections of the Town and Country Planning Act.

Mr Watterson added: ‘We are in the midst of 100th anniversary commemorations of events during the First World War. This tragic episode in the history of humanity made a massive impression across the globe, including, possible even especially, the Isle of Man.

‘We are all aware and proud of the fact that more Manxmen per thousand put themselves forward for service than any county of England.

‘The names of those who fell are recorded on our island’s War memorials, there are around 170 such memorials around the island, not just parish obelisks, but plaques buildings, books, windows and organs all sacred to the memory of those who paid the highest price for our freedom.

‘I am proud to be the current chairman of the government’s War Memorials Preservation Committee. Almost all of the memorials around the island were erected or funded by public subscription – demonstrating the outpouring of public of feeling that existed at that time. Many were supported by war memorial committees that retained funds for the upkeep of the memorials, and this was supplemented by legislation in 1927 allowing local authorities to spend ratepayers money on maintaining memorials.

‘We move on, and the Second World War brought further memorials. However, sadly due to the passage of time, the loss of interest, the shame perhaps of war that society went through, none of these war memorial committees exist. Indeed, your committee has noted that some memorials are in desperate need of repair or maintenance and there has been no “owner” per se to care for it.

‘I have therefore sought leave of the House to introduce a Bill to make provision fit for the future and to ensure that the memory of those who died continues to be preserved beyond the lifetimes of those who remember them.’

The first reading for the bill will be on Tuesday, May 26. The second is scheduled for June 23.

Schools are to be given portraits of the island’s national poet, T. E Brown – replicating a gift made to them a century ago.

Brown was born in Douglas in 1830, attended King William’s College and graduated from Christ Church, Oxford, then entered teaching, retiring as master of Clifton College, Bristol, in 1892 and returning to his native island.

He died five years later.

His most noted collection of poems was Fo’c’s’le Yarns, tales told from the forecastle of a ship by an old mariner, which contained his best-known work of all, Betsy Lee.

In May 1914, the Manx Society – now the Manx Language Society – gave a portrait of Brown to every island school to encourage pupils to read his works.

Exactly 100 years later, to mark Island of Culture 2014, Jo Callister, advisory teacher for the Manx curriculum with the Department of Education and Children challenged schools to unearth the portraits.

Six schools – Michael, Arbory, Laxey, Willaston, Henry Bloom Noble and St Thomas’s – still had the portraits on display or were able to locate them.

The World Manx Association (WMA) found 18 copies of the portrait in an attic and donated them to the DEC, which had more prints made.

The framed portraits are now being presented to schools along with other gifts relating to Brown.

The WMA is also gifting schools copies of ‘Treasure of the Island’s Heart’, a CD featuring Major Geoff Crellin reading Brown’s poems.

Culture Vannin is donating copies of ‘T.E Brown – an Anthology’ by Dollin Kelly – a book aimed at young people.

Schools will also receive a CD created by Emily Cook as part of Island of Culture 2014.

Emily invited John Kennaugh and schoolchildren to read Brown’s work and the recordings are illustrated with moving images.

Courtesy of Manx National Heritage, the pack will also contain a copy of the article from the Isle of Man Examiner of May 9, 1914, detailing how Manx Society members visited schools to present the portraits.

The article stated: ‘The rising generation should, as a result of the actions of the Manx Society this week, be encouraged to devote to the literary work of the Rev Thomas Edward Brown that attention and study which its intrinsic merit should in itself be sufficient to command.’

Tim Crookall MHK, Minister for Education and Children, joined Mary Corlett, chairman of the WMA, and Angie Weimar, a past chairman, who found the prints in her attic, to present the first of the gifts to Braddan Primary School.

The newly relaunched Decaf charity drop in session went with a swing in Peel.

The support group, which became registered as a charity in 2012 offers help for people who suffer from dementia and their carers and the cafe events are informal monthly events that take place across the island.

The relaunched sessions in Peel take place at the Highwayman pub on the second Tuesday of each month from 2.30pm to 4.30pm.

Occupational therapist Karen Bell said the sessions were informal so people could drop in and out as they wished and need not stay for the whole session. Support is offered not only from the occuaptional therapy team but also from social workers and the mental health team as well. If possible representatives from the Alzheimer’s Society also go along to the events.

‘Each year the regulars have a Christmas meal and we try to organise an activity for each session,’ she said.

‘Such as Pets for Therapy who will visit with their animals or the Silver Club older people’s swimming club. There are always tea and cakes provided and we ask for a minimum donation of £2 from each person attending.’

Sessions run in the Highwayman in Peel on the second Tuesday of each month; Ramsey second Thursday of the month, 2pm to 4pm; Port Erin, second Wednesday of the month, Cherry Orchard, 2pm to 4pm; Douglas golf club, last Friday of the month, 2.30pm to 4pm.

The battle for the Premiership title continues on Saturday after last week’s break for the MPL and Tinker Cup ties.

Holders Peel and St John’s start as favourites against Ramsey, who ended at the bottom of the table last year and lost the other week to Cronkbourne.

However, the Saints need to be careful as the northern club could welcome back Shaun Kelly and Tom Howard and both batsmen are potential match winners.

In 2014 Kelly had scores of 148 and 156 while Howard also notched a century.

On the other hand the strength of the Peel squad is awesome. Their fast attack of skipper Dan Hawke and Akkie Van Den Berg is now backed up by the promising Kieran Cawte who impressed in the opening games in the MPL.

The batting is also packed with potential and it will take a special effort from Ramsey to come away from Mullen-e-Cloie with a victory.

They will, however, be encouraged by last week’s Tinker Cup win which saw Tom Moffatt take five wickets, Dan Kelly hit 62 and Andy Ball make 40 not out.

Cronkbourne could have problems at home when Crosby are the visitors.

The Marown side were at Tromode on Sunday when they beat Valkyres by nine wickets.

Martyn Oates cracked 40 and Danny Kniveton made 44 to go with the 57 he made the previous day in the MPL.

Both Ross Berry and Dave Picken had four-wicket hauls so Cronkbourne could be pushed here. Their supporters will point out that the team looks in good form with a definite desire to win.

The Castletown versus Valkyres fixture is now to be played at Marown and this could be close. The Douglas team have a fine fighting spirit and last week saw good innings from Rob Weight, Ryan Windell and Chris Langford.

The bowling, however, failed to dent their opponents and claimed only one wicket.

The track was damp and slow, so the Marown astro with more pace and bounce should help restore their fortunes.

There seems little to choose between the teams, but the bowling and batting of Town’s Mark Williams could be the deciding factor.

l The draw has been made for the semi-finals of the Tinker Cup. Peel meet Ramsey, while Crosby will be at home to the winners of Castletown v Cronkbourne.

The delayed first round tie between Castletown and Cronkbourne goes ahead on Sunday, June 14. The semi-finals are on Saturday, June 27 with June 28 as the reserve date if the games are washed out the day before.

Maurice Trace

RESULTS

Forrester League

Finch Hill B 69 for 9 (Richard Oliphant 19, Ben Bennett 12: James Harrison 3-7, Tim Evans 3-9); Cronkbourne Bacchas 79 for 3 (Nathan Knights 35no, Tim Evans 20: Richard Oliphant 1-6, Tom Burrows 1-11). Bacchas won by seven wickets.

Finch Hill B 116 (Graeme Healey 40, George Burrows 34: Paul Smith 3-13, Jay Gandy 2-24, Dave Picken 1-1); Crosby B 117 for 6 (Lance Hall 25, Dan Jacobs 19: Graeme Healey 2-17, Andrew Birkett 2-34). Crosby won by four wickets.

FIXTURE

Thursday, May 21

Under-15 Six-a-Side Tournament (6pm)

(At Tromode)

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Friday, May 22

U11 League (6pm)

Colas Finch Hill A v Finch Hill B

Newfield Castletown

v Nedbank Private Wealth Crosby

Baker Tilly IoM Cronkbourne v Ramsey

U9 Festival (6pm) At Crosby

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Saturday, May 23

Isle of Man Premiership (1pm)

Baker Tilly IoM Cronkbourne

v Nedbank Private Wealth Crosby

Shimmin Wilson Peel and St John’s v Ramsey

Newfield Castletown v Conister Bank Valkyres

(at Crosby)

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Sunday, May 24

U11 Festival (1pm) At Tromode

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Monday, May 25

Forrester League (6.30pm)

Colas Finch Hill B v Shimmin Wilson Peel C

Paddy Power Union Mills B v Ramsey C

Newfield Castletown C

v Nedbank Private Wealth Crosby B

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Tuesday, May 26

U13 League (6pm)

Baker Tilly IoM Cronkbourne B v Cronkbourne A

Newfield Castletown v Colas Finch Hill

Ramsey v Nedbank Private Wealth Crosby

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Wednesday, May 27

Cain League (6.30pm)

Colas Finch Hill A

v Nedbank Private Wealth Crosby A

Paddy Power Union Mills A v Ramsey B

Newfield Castletown B

v Baker Tilly IoM Cronkbourne B

Conister Bank Valkyres B

v Shimmin Wilson Peel and St John’s B