May 2018 | the CARE issue

Isle of Man Premier Magazine | no. 74 | May 2018 | the [CARE] issue

£ priceless

#74

the CARE issue

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

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Sure. The Isle of Man’s best mobile network. Fact.

Sure provides faster data, better call quality and better coverage. And that’s a fact.

Find out more at www.sure.com/best

Independently verified data*

Sure 44mbps

MT 32mbps

Difference +38%

4G+ coverage

75%

4%

+71%

Voice quality

3.13

2.44

+28%

Average download speed

*Source: Systemics Group Q4 2017, The Isle of Man’s best network.

sure.com

Gallery is published eleven times a year as a fresh yet discerning guide to all that happens on the Island and beyond. Not too arty farty superior or too serious, written by you and enjoyed by people everywhere.

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Clare Bowie Wendy Shimmin Michelle Tonnesen Anne Berry Sam New Maria Hill Jessica Ledger Grant Runyon Les Able Suzy Holland Rebecca Lawrence Adam Jazard Rachel Green Theo Leworthy Anne Moorhouse Leon Flemming Richard Evans Andrew Low Lisa Gadman Russ Atkinson

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Disclaimer. All rights reserved. Any form of reproduction of Gallery Magazine, in part or whole is strictly prohibited without the written consent of the publisher. Any views expressed by advertisers or contributors may not be those of the publisher. Unsolicited artwork, manuscripts and copy are accepted by Gallery Magazine, but the publisher cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage. All material, copy and artwork supplied is assumed to be copyright free unless otherwise advised. Contributions for Gallery should be emailed to editorial@gallery.co.im. Names have been changed to protect the innocent and no penguins were harmed in the manufacture of this magazine, you can’t prove nuffing. Why are you still reading the small print? How about researching what really makes the best paper aeroplane? Test them with your friends or colleagues, add a picture to our Facebook and we’ll send you some doughnuts.

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[THE CARE ISSUE] COVER CREDIT Model: Deanne Fairclough

Photography:

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Isle of Man Premier Magazine | no. 74 | May 2018 | the [CARE] issue

#74

the CARE issue

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

WWW.GALLERY.CO.IM

Isle of Man | Home & Interiors | May 2018

The best place to find a new place in the Isle of Man

Palm Winds, Ramsey - £895,000

No 9, The Penthouse - £2,100,000

agenda lite n

O N T H E A G E N D A n M AY 2 0 1 8

BUISNESS NEWS -

T H E L AT E S T I S L A N D N E W S

ISLE OF MAN BRANDVOICE -

BEHIND THE GENDER PAY G A P

TECHNOLOGY -

S

edito

o, we’ve had our dry January, our vegan February, (no, me neither) our medicinal mindfulness and now the latest kid on the block is “self care”. Apparently, we are all supposed to be looking after no.1 these days, whether it’s relaxing in a salt bath or a mini meditation session, we all have to stop, take five and recharge our batteries. It seems that we are so busy “caring” for others, saying yes to every demand and looking at our phones that we have forgotten how to function, eat well or get enough sleep blah, blah, blah. Our crazy stressed minds only know how to relax when an app on our phone tells us that it’s time to put down our phones (not sure they’ve thought this through).

With this in mind the plan for May is to get outside for at least half an hour a day because the risk of frostbite has finally subsided, switch off your phone at 9pm and try to limit the time spent on social media because let’s face it; do you really care what your cousin’s wife wore last week to that party that you lied about not being able to go to? Self care is not about kale smoothies, pillow sprays and meditation for your soul; it’s about having the courage to admit to everyone else that, actually, you really only care about yourself so you’ll be in the bath for the foreseeable, probably reading Gallery, but hey, you’ll be a much better person next week. Makes perfect sense!

MARK ZUCKERBERG CANNOT CONTROL H I S O W N C R E AT I O N

ARE YOU IN? You can also view paparazzi photos on our facebook page.

The good news is that once you’ve taken this self-care siesta you can get back to celebrating life, dancing round May poles and buying yourself flowers. It’s time to feel the sun on your face (maybe), have drinks outside and perhaps even dust off the barbecue because spring is finally here. On the down side the grass will need to be cut again and you might have to start talking to your neighbours now that you’re getting all this fresh air. Better get that salt bath scheduled so you’re ready for this!

SR

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Gallery, Agenda, Places, and Paparazzi are trading styles of 221LTD. Registered in the Isle of Man no. 125981C.

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UPFRONT

CONTENTS PICKS UPFRONT

FEATURE

FEATURE

UPFRONT

isle of man brandvoice

Care Bears:

THE ENTIRE ECONOMY IS BASED ON CONSUMPTION BY THE THROWAWAY SOCIETY! BLUNT WORDS FROM SAM MURPHY WHO WITH THOMAS RILEY AND KIM TASKER ARE THE YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS BEHIND ONLINE ETHICAL CLOTHING COMPANY ‘I CHOOSE LIFE’.

the Next Generation WORDS Grant Runyon ILLUSTRATION Will Bertram

In 2011 many former children were overjoyed when TV bigwigs took the bold decision to reboot My Little Pony. Not only because they had fond memories of the original from the 1980s, but because it followed the modern trend of making kids’ entertainment that grownups can also get into. Like a weirder version of those adults who can somehow tolerate the Minions, for MLP the audience for the new show is split between a core audience of small children and a sizeable fandom of sweaty males in their twenties and upwards.

They call these scraggly-bearded oddballs “Bronies” and, thanks in part to their large disposable incomes, the reboot has made steaming horse-sized piles of cash. This has proved that there’s definitely nothing weird about grown adults buying children's toys, not at all, so the TV execs are on the lookout for the next 80s property that can be warmed up to fund a new fleet of Bentleys from the merchandise sales.

Again, something which is officially not weird now is adults spending hours writing stories set in the fictional universe of their favourite TV show. It’s not sad when you do it for Star Trek (nope), or Buffy (definitely not sad), or even The Golden Girls (not sad, sexy even) so I’ve been hard at work coming up with new stories in my own beloved world of the Care Bears. I’ve had to make it a bit more contemporary,

Millennial Bear

The leader of the Care Bear bunch is Millennial Bear, the cool young bear with the sarcastic attitude and the endearing catchphrase - “what’s the wifi password, Dad? I hate you.” He has an iPhone on his stomach and is addicted to avocado toast and milky coffee. Along with the other bears, he spends his days sharing funny images online and playing the video game Fortnite instead of doing any work. He wears a £400 pair of trainers made by Kanye West and has a tattoo of a Pokémon on his neck.

and give the bears a modern twist for the new generation, but I hope I’ve captured enough of that 80s magic to take my stories onto the TV screen and out of the spare bedroom at my mum’s house, where I’ve been living since the divorce. I just can’t wait to introduce you to my imaginary bear friends - and it’s nice to be able to say that without somebody reporting me to the people who own Snapchat.

Bitcoin Bear

Bitcoin Bear is the geeky, technology-obsessed bear. He’s a blue bear with lines of code on his stomach, which may or may not contain your Facebook password. He doesn’t have the greatest social skills, but he’s always helping the other bears out by fixing their computers, hacking their school grades to an A+, and trading blockchain-based currency on the dark web to facilitate tax evasion and assassinations. Bitcoin Bear, you big nerd! In the 80s Care Bears cartoon the bears could immobilise threats by shining beams out of their stomachs - in this reboot Bitcoin Bear just explains how cryptocurrency works and enemies run away or fall asleep.

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Words by: Les Able Photos by: Matt Mosur

Youtu-Bear

The twin brother of Bitcoin Bear is Youtu-bear, who is also rich, but instead of mining for bitcoin he has millions of followers on Google’s video-sharing platform. They log in to watch this greenfurred bear shriek at computer games, do dangerous practical jokes on strangers, and sometimes apologise for making semi-racist jokes. None of the other bears can understand why he’s famous, because his jokes aren’t funny and he has a super annoying voice.

He has the Youtube logo on his stomach, which he did in exchange for money. He carries a ukelele, which he is unable to play.

Hipster Bear

Hipster bear has an elaborate moustache, wears a monocle and scoots around on a vintage French racing bicycle. He looks down on the other bears for their mainstream and predictable tastes, whilst enjoying artisan tea and the solo albums of Morrissey.

Despite being born in 1996 he has the logo of the Commodore 64 computer on his stomach. Although he maintains an ironic detachment from the activities of the other bears, his real passion is collecting vinyl records and merchandise from the original 80s version of the Care Bears cartoon. His blog lists his occupation as “graphic design / typography / analogue fotograf” but his only income come from his trust fund and barista job.

‘A

Gym Selfie Bear

Setting a positive example to the other bears, up to thirty times a day, is Gym Selfie Bear. She lives her life for exercise, meditation, a paleobear diet, and the countless opportunities these give her to share inspirational snaps of her life to her 10,000 Instagram followers. She has a hashtag on her stomach and is sponsored to wear a different combo of lurid leggings and knitted trainers every time she appears onscreen. Although Gym Selfie Bear preaches positivity, anybody who makes a negative or even neutral comment about her outfit/recipe/pug online will inevitably be de-friended, although only after receiving a vile stream of abuse via private message.

Young Entrepreneurs Look To Ethical Clothing Fashion As All Agree

Bad Hair Bears

Every kids’ cartoon needs villains, and the best kind are bumbling incompetents who are easily outwitted by our heroes, but can always be relied on to provide humour. The next generation of Care Bears will set out to foil the dastardly plans of a trio of international bears united by their wacky hairstyles and contempt for democracy - Brexit Bear with his blonde bouffant, Donald Bear and his unpredictable comb-over, and Korean Nuclear Bear. His haircut looks like an e-fit of a subway flasher. I hope you’ll join me and the Next Generation Care Bears on their wild and crazy adventures - particularly if I don’t get official permission, because it will be a wild and crazy adventure to a factory in Shenzen that doesn’t ask too many questions about copyright.

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BEAUTY

BEAUTY PAPARAZZI

Thousands of men now go under the knife each year in a bid to improve their appearance.

Once portrayed as the preserve of women, cosmetic surgery is now an acceptable option for a growing number of British men, with thousands opting to go under the knife in their quest for better looks.

And it’s not just help with things like male breast tissue (‘moobs’) they’re after. With male surgical enhancement no longer carrying the social stigma it once did, they’re now looking more widely at the options - particularly those relating to the face, with procedures like nose jobs, ear correction and eyelid reduction all proving popular.

Consultant plastic surgeon Rajiv Grover, a former president of and spokesperson for the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), says there’s been an increase in the number of men having cosmetic procedures over the last 10 years, with 2,417 men going under the knife last year. The proportion of men vs women remains the same however, with men making up roughly 10%, and women accounting for 90% of all procedures carried out.

“What was popular for many years was male breast reduction or ‘moob’ surgery, along with lots of things that were popular with women too, like liposuction,” says Grover. “But recently we’ve found there’s been a real change - men are more facefocused and less body-focused, whereas women are the opposite.

“Men aren’t looked at with the same scrutiny as women - you see quite a few male celebrities who don’t look like an Adonis, but they’re OK. The pressure is there for men, but as it’s more face-focused - facial procedures on the neck, nose, jaw etc are the gold standard for them.”

1. Rhinoplasty (nose job)

In 2017, 554 men had a rhinoplasty, or ‘nose job’, in the UK, an increase 5% from 2016. A rhinoplasty, which typically costs £5000£7000, can increase or reduce the size of the nose, and change its shape or angle.

Surgery is performed either from inside the nostrils (closed rhinoplasty), or by making a small cut between the nostrils and lifting the skin (open rhinoplasty).

The type of operation will depend on the area of the nose being treated but, for example, if a bump on the bridge of the nose is being operated on, the surgeon removes the bone and cartilage causing the bump, and the nose may then be broken so the remaining pieces of bone can be moved closer together. To change the length of the nose, the surgeon adjusts and reduces the septum (the bone and cartilage that divides the nasal cavity) to help shrink the tip and reduce overall length. Adjusting the cartilage at the nose tip can also reduce the length. BAAPS warns there are limits to how much a nose can be altered, and the final result will depend on the size of the nose, the condition of the skin, and a patient’s age.

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ON THE AGENDA

2. Otoplasty (ear correction)

Meanwhile, some 419 men had otoplasty surgery in the UK last year - down 0.5% from 2016. Otoplasty, which will set you back around £2500-£3000, adjusts the shape of the cartilage within the ear to allow the ear to lie closer to the side of the head. Because the operation is carried out from behind the ears, a small scar is left close to the groove between the ear and the side of the head. The procedure can even be carried out under local anaesthetic.

3. Blepharoplasty (eyelid reduction) As we age, reduced elasticity in the skin results in loose skin, which ‘folds in’ the upper eyelids and forms deepening creases in the lower lids. There’s also slackening of the muscle beneath the skin, allowing fat to protrude and appear baggy. Procedures to improve this are called blepharoplasty, which 403 men had in the UK in 2017, up 25% from 2016.

Continued...

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WIN

PAPARAZZI

THE 2018 ISLE OF MAN TT RACES FUELLED BY MONSTER ENERGY IS ALMOST HERE AND GALLERY MAGAZINE IS OFFERING ONE LUCKY READER AND THEIR GUEST THE CHANCE TO GET EVEN CLOSER TO THE ACTION WITH A PAIR OF VIP HOSPITALITY TICKETS UP FOR GRABS FOR RACE DAY ON MONDAY 4TH JUNE.

An upper-eyelid reduction can help improve vision and make people look

M

younger, while lower-eyelid reductions can help reduce wrinkles and puffiness. These

onday’s calendar includes the RL360 Superstock Race and Monster Energy Supersport 1 Race. As well as the SES TT Zero and Locate.im Sidecar TT race. Many of the leading stars including Michael Dunlop, Peter Hickman, Josh Brookes, Conor Cummins, Dan Kneen and Dean Harrison will be on the track going head to head for honours.

procedures can be carried out under local or general anaesthetic, and the surgeon makes cuts in the creases of the upper lids and just below the lashes in the lower lids, extending them into the crow’s feet at the corner of the eyes. Extra fat, excess skin and sagging muscle are removed through the cuts, and they are then stitched.

Blepharoplasty will typically cost around £4000-£6,000.

In 2017, 296 men had breast reduction surgery, down 7% from 2016. Gynecomastia is the medical term for excess male breast tissue, which is a fairly common condition that usually has no known cause.

The VIP Club package gives guests all day access to the hospitality suite with complimentary bar, breakfast and a gourmet hot and cold buffet as well as the opportunity to meet stars past and present behind the scenes. You’ll also receive a goody bag that includes official TT merchandise, an ear piece radio to tune in to Manx Radio’s TT commentary, a copy of the official TT programme and race guide.

To win all you have to do is answer this question correctly:

HOW MANY TT RACES HAS MICHAEL DUNLOP WON?

There are two main components of the breast - glandular tissue (firm and dense) and fatty tissue (soft), and in gynaecomastia there may be an excess of both. If the enlargement is predominantly fatty, liposuction, where tissue is sucked out through a tube inserted via a tiny incision, is the usual treatment. If excess glandular tissue is the main problem, it may need to be cut out, leaving a scar around the nipple edge.

Liposuction can be performed at the same time if necessary.

Most operations for gynaecomastia are performed under general anaesthesia, or sometimes under local anaesthesia with sedation, with a price-tag of around £2000-£4000.

TT legend Charlie Williams, a seven time race winner, will be the host for the day and a series of great riders past and present, from road and circuit racing, will be appearing in the VIP hospitality unit throughout the day.

Email your answer (By 21th May) to:

vipttcomp@gallery.co.im

All of the race winners and podium placed riders will also be coming in to the VIP unit as soon as the race is finished to share their personal thoughts on the day’s races and to meet fans and sign autographs.

5. Liposuction

But if you’re not lucky enough to win there are still ‘late availability’ hospitality and grandstand tickets available to buy. www.iomtt.com

Last year saw a 20% drop in the number of men undergoing liposuction, compared with 2016 figures, with 270 males opting for the procedure. Liposuction can help improve the contours of parts of the body that some people may struggle to shift weight from, such as the tummy, hips, buttocks, knees, neck and upper arms. A thin tube (cannula) is inserted through tiny cuts in the skin and used to loosen the fat, before a suction device is attached and the fat is sucked out. Finally, the cuts in the skin are sewn up. Liposuction typically costs around £2500-£4000.

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

ISLE OF MAN BRANDVOICE

EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO TT2018 VIP HOSPITALITY

4. Male breast reduction

So what are the top cosmetic surgery procedures for men right now? According to BAAPS, these are the five most popular...

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agenda

52 AGENDA lite: I Choose Life

FEATURE: Care Bears

MALE CARE: 5 MOST POPULAR COSMETIC SURGERY CHOICES FOR UK MEN

‘I Choose Life’

fair trade and organic clothing company from start to finish,” says 28-yearold Sam. “An ethical fashion and lifestyle brand committed to helping others with 50 per cent of all profits made from our clothing donated to good and ethical causes.

“We live in a throwaway society, with young people in particular, seduced into buying an item of clothing which they don’t really need then throwing it out after wearing it no more than perhaps three times,” declares Sam who, from an early age, liked the idea of working with clothing as part of a small, apparel-based business.

“A staggering amount of clothing goes to landfill each year in what is now a fast, fashion paced business and each time the consumer buys into it they are doing something adverse to the planet.”

It was when Sam started training with renowned Isle of Man sprinter Thomas Riley, managing director of Douglas-based Riley’s Garden Centre, that his ambition became a reality. The two discovered they had much in common when it came to lifestyles and philosophies.

“Thomas and I combined together initially with my expertise in weight training and his in the sprinting world, from this we decided to combine in creating an ethical clothing company with everyone involved fairly paid. My Mum works in Ramsey fair trade shop Shackti Man so that was probably the spark which ignited my ambitions, a business not purely for profit. I try and have an altruistic perspective with whatever I do.

“Our clothing line comes from seed to garment, even to the point of using recycled rain water in production and the manufacturing is carried out in a wind powered factory in India where all involved are fairly paid in a very reputable company.

We can show traceability at every step of the production process, including what the farmers make and we have proof that we are doing something good for the planet,” declares Thomas.

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BEAUTY: Male Care

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94 PAPARAZZI: TT VIP 2018

THE REST UPFRONT

Edito...........................................................................................................................5 What's On...................................................................................................8 Feature....................................................................................................................10 Me & MY Pet.........................................................................................................12 News in Numbers...............................................................................................14 Feature....................................................................................................................16 Who Cares?...........................................................................................................18 MISC.......................................................................................................................20

EVENTS

Ben Qualtrough & Cara Wilkinson’s Wedding Day...................22 Jen Singleton & Phil Taylor Wedding Day............................................24 Christening at Archilbald Know................................................................26

CULTURE

Culture Vulture.......................................................................................30 Culture News......................................................................................................32 It’s a Wrap............................................................................................................34 The IoM Arts Festival.......................................................................................36 Upload....................................................................................................................38

TRAVEL

Care Free Holidays...........................................................................................42

I Choose Life.......................................................................................................52 Behind The Gender Pay Gap......................................................................56 Facebook Gone Wrong.................................................................................60

PLACES

Feature Properties..........................................................................63-70

APPETITE

Recipes..................................................................................................................72 Wine Talk.............................................................................................................74

FASHION & BEAUTY

Holmes & Davidson Opticians..........................................................76 Fashion News..........................................................................................78 Beauty Products.....................................................................................82

HARDWARE

Motoring News.......................................................................................84 Test Drive..............................................................................................................92 Phone home............................................................................................94

PAPARAZZI Are you in?.....................................................................................91/100

AGENDA

In The News........................................................................................................46 Movers & Shakers..............................................................................................48

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ISLE OF MAN PREMIER MAGAZINE

UPFRONT

Photographer & Styling: Shan Fisher Flowers: Green (Cover) Headpiece from Elaine’s Flowers & Red Headpiece from Flowers by Lynda Hairstyling: Kayleigh Walker Makeup Artist: Katherine Faye Mather Model: Deanne Fairclough Assistant: Jade Parker 1

COVER: the CARE ISSUE

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UPFRONT

WHAT’S ON now – 05.05.2018

CROSSING OPEN GROUND – DAVID GILBERT: A RETROSPECTIVE

//MANX MUSEUM, DOUGLAS// Last chance to see this truly fascinating exhibition of work from a truly inspirational artist. David Gilbert – who lived and worked in the Isle of Man for many years until the late 1980s - passionately believed everyone could be creative, and helped and inspired many to discover their own creativity.

His work ranged from the small and delicate to the large and monumental but always explored the same immense themes of birth, love, death and the rhythms of the land.

07.05.2018

LAA BOALDYN – MANX MAY DAY

//CREGNEASH// From 1pm until 4pm, Cregneash village will come alive with the sound of Manx music and traditions.

Local dance group, Perree Bane will perform traditional Manx dancing to live music and along with Crosh Cuirn-making there will also be the scattering of yellow petals – a principal form of protection against mischievous fairies. Standard admission charges apply. www.manxnationalheritage.im

09.05.2018

FORGET-ME-NOT

//DOUGLAS HEAD// Once again Alzheimer’s Society IOM plans to take part in Dementia Week (21-27 May) but as a prelude to this, they are asking for supporters to take part in recreating the big blue Forget-Me-Not on Douglas Head, when for the second year running the Douglas Head poppy, which can be seen right across the Bay and out to sea, will be a compelling symbol of the Island’s commitment to unite against dementia. All you need to do is show up at 12noon to take part in a photograph – more information can be found on: www.facebook.com/ AlzheimersSocietySupport IsleofMan613181/

Monday – Sunday (10am-5pm) Free Admission – Donations Welcome www.manxnationalheritage.im

05.05 – 05.08.2018

HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YESSIR!

//HOUSE OF MANANNAN, PEEL// An exhibition celebrating cartoonist Phil Woodford’s light-hearted take on the Island’s news stories, past and present.

Entry to the exhibition is free, and donations to Manx National Heritage are welcome. www.manxnationalheritage.im

manx telecom parish walk

live timing

06.05.2018

OIE VOALDYN: MANX FIRE FESTIVAL

//PEEL BEACH and WEATHERGLASS CORNER, PEEL// A brand new event to mark the beginning of the Celtic summer and a bountiful harvest, suitable for all the family. Join in the fantastic family Festival of Fire, with a torch lit procession, bonfire and fireworks with Viking games, Manx dancers, local bands and other entertainment. There will be craft stalls, Manx food experiences, the May Queen & King blessing and a Wishing Tree.

got friends or relatives taking part in the Parish Walk? follow their progress on the day at mt.im/parishwalktiming ...or perhaps you’d like to show your support in person? you can find the race map at mt.im/parishwalk

Entertainment from 2pm, 8.45pm Fire Show, Fireworks 10pm

85 miles.

17 churches.

24 hours.

23rd & 24th June 2018

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UPFRONT

MAY

11.05 – 12.05.2018

MANX NATIONAL RALLY //ISLAND-WIDE//

The Manx National Rally incorporating the Chris Kelly Memorial Rally is a closed road asphalt rally attracting entries from around the globe. The Manx National Rally is open to National “A”, and the Chris Kelly Memorial Rally is open to “National “B” Licenced Competitors. Road closure information is available on the government website. www.facebook.com/manxnationalrally/

16.05.2018

ISLEXPO 2018

//VILLA MARINA, DOUGLAS// Hosted for the third year by the Department for Enterprise, ISLEXPO 2018 will continue to reveal the secrets of starting and growing a strong business while shining a light on its 2018 theme, ‘Locate’. This theme shows the importance of location to any business and why the Isle of Man is a unique destination for local and global businesses to call home.

Delegates can expect an action-packed day of insightful speakers, useful workshops, hand-crafted hospitality and networking opportunities.

ISLEXPO is free to attend, and you can find out more about the speakers and events, and register your interest at www. islexpo.com

19.05 – 26.05.2018

PRAYING THE KEEILLS WEEK

//ISLAND-WIDE// An exploration of these ancient places of great peace and beauty. A full range of events and activities throughout the week for all ages learning about the Celtic and spiritual heritage of the Island. www.prayingthekeeills.org/ BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

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UPFRONT

FEATURE

Care Bears: the Next Generation WORDS Grant Runyon ILLUSTRATION Will Bertram

In 2011 many former children were overjoyed when TV bigwigs took the bold decision to reboot My Little Pony. Not only because they had fond memories of the original from the 1980s, but because it followed the modern trend of making kids’ entertainment that grownups can also get into. Like a weirder version of those adults who can somehow tolerate the Minions, for MLP the audience for the new show is split between a core audience of small children and a sizeable fandom of sweaty males in their twenties and upwards.

They call these scraggly-bearded oddballs “Bronies” and, thanks in part to their large disposable incomes, the reboot has made steaming horse-sized piles of cash. This has proved that there’s definitely nothing weird about grown adults buying children's toys, not at all, so the TV execs are on the lookout for the next 80s property that can be warmed up to fund a new fleet of Bentleys from the merchandise sales.

Millennial Bear

Again, something which is officially not weird now is adults spending hours writing stories set in the fictional universe of their favourite TV show. It’s not sad when you do it for Star Trek (nope), or Buffy (definitely not sad), or even The Golden Girls (not sad, sexy even) so I’ve been hard at work coming up with new stories in my own beloved world of the Care Bears. I’ve had to make it a bit more contemporary,

The leader of the Care Bear bunch is Millennial Bear, the cool young bear with the sarcastic attitude and the endearing catchphrase - “what’s the wifi password, Dad? I hate you.” He has an iPhone on his stomach and is addicted to avocado toast and milky coffee. Along with the other bears, he spends his days sharing funny images online and playing the video game Fortnite instead of doing any work. He wears a £400 pair of trainers made by Kanye West and has a tattoo of a Pokémon on his neck.

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and give the bears a modern twist for the new generation, but I hope I’ve captured enough of that 80s magic to take my stories onto the TV screen and out of the spare bedroom at my mum’s house, where I’ve been living since the divorce. I just can’t wait to introduce you to my imaginary bear friends - and it’s nice to be able to say that without somebody reporting me to the people who own Snapchat.

Bitcoin Bear

Bitcoin Bear is the geeky, technology-obsessed bear. He’s a blue bear with lines of code on his stomach, which may or may not contain your Facebook password. He doesn’t have the greatest social skills, but he’s always helping the other bears out by fixing their computers, hacking their school grades to an A+, and trading blockchain-based currency on the dark web to facilitate tax evasion and assassinations. Bitcoin Bear, you big nerd! In the 80s Care Bears cartoon the bears could immobilise threats by shining beams out of their stomachs - in this reboot Bitcoin Bear just explains how cryptocurrency works and enemies run away or fall asleep.

ISLE OF MAN PREMIER MAGAZINE

FEATURE

Youtu-Bear

Gym Selfie Bear

Hipster Bear

Bad Hair Bears

The twin brother of Bitcoin Bear is Youtu-bear, who is also rich, but instead of mining for bitcoin he has millions of followers on Google’s video-sharing platform. They log in to watch this greenfurred bear shriek at computer games, do dangerous practical jokes on strangers, and sometimes apologise for making semi-racist jokes. None of the other bears can understand why he’s famous, because his jokes aren’t funny and he has a super annoying voice.

He has the Youtube logo on his stomach, which he did in exchange for money. He carries a ukelele, which he is unable to play.

Hipster bear has an elaborate moustache, wears a monocle and scoots around on a vintage French racing bicycle. He looks down on the other bears for their mainstream and predictable tastes, whilst enjoying artisan tea and the solo albums of Morrissey.

Despite being born in 1996 he has the logo of the Commodore 64 computer on his stomach. Although he maintains an ironic detachment from the activities of the other bears, his real passion is collecting vinyl records and merchandise from the original 80s version of the Care Bears cartoon. His blog lists his occupation as “graphic design / typography / analogue fotograf” but his only income come from his trust fund and barista job.

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

UPFRONT

Setting a positive example to the other bears, up to thirty times a day, is Gym Selfie Bear. She lives her life for exercise, meditation, a paleobear diet, and the countless opportunities these give her to share inspirational snaps of her life to her 10,000 Instagram followers. She has a hashtag on her stomach and is sponsored to wear a different combo of lurid leggings and knitted trainers every time she appears onscreen. Although Gym Selfie Bear preaches positivity, anybody who makes a negative or even neutral comment about her outfit/recipe/pug online will inevitably be de-friended, although only after receiving a vile stream of abuse via private message.

Every kids’ cartoon needs villains, and the best kind are bumbling incompetents who are easily outwitted by our heroes, but can always be relied on to provide humour. The next generation of Care Bears will set out to foil the dastardly plans of a trio of international bears united by their wacky hairstyles and contempt for democracy - Brexit Bear with his blonde bouffant, Donald Bear and his unpredictable comb-over, and Korean Nuclear Bear. His haircut looks like an e-fit of a subway flasher. I hope you’ll join me and the Next Generation Care Bears on their wild and crazy adventures - particularly if I don’t get official permission, because it will be a wild and crazy adventure to a factory in Shenzen that doesn’t ask too many questions about copyright.

11

••••

UPFRONT

OK, WE’RE OFFICIALLY LOST. I THINK ONCE YOU’VE REACH THE EDGE OF A CLIFF, IT’S PROBABLY TIME TO GIVE UP.

MANN TAILS

Give an animal a home

#6

DON’T GIVE UP, WE’LL FIND PEEL EVENTUALLY, THEN YOU CAN PICK YOUR BONE WITH THE MODDEY DHOO.

15 year old Willow has lived all her life with one family, fitting in with their evolving lifestyle, seeing children grow up and become teenagers, and remaining a loyal and loving pet.

But her family’s changing circumstances resulted in them moving house and they couldn’t take her with them, and so she came to us.

HOLD UP... WHO IS SINGING? IS THAT A MERMAID? NO, WE’RE NOT DOING A MERMAID STORY. THIS IS GETTING FAR TOO CLOSE TO DISNEY.

Willow

HEY... EH, MERMAID. SORRY TO BOTHER YOU, BUT COULD YOU POSSIBLY DIRECT US TO PEEL?

She is a very placid and gentle cat, and spends most of her time curled up in a ball sleeping, and so she would be happy being an indoor cat. Although she has one of the socialisation rooms all to herself, and so she doesn’t have to interact with other cats (which can be incredibly stressful for many cats, especially ones who are used to being on their own), she really hasn’t adapted well to cattery life and she needs home of her own again.

MAAAYBE, BUT FIRST I REQUIRE ONE OF YOUR FINEST LAND EGGS.

I THINK THAT MIGHT BE THE MERMAID OF GOB NY OOYL. ALSO DISNEY DOESN’T OWN MERMAIDS. THEIR LEGEND IS QUITE VAST.

Willow is in good health but we have been advised to keep her on a special diet to help her kidneys, which is something to be expected in an older cat. Willow’s health needs also include maintaining her beautiful long hair in tip-top condition. Fortunately she really enjoys being brushed and pampered and so her grooming regime is not an arduous one – in fact, it is actually a lovely way to form a bond.

Could you be her new hairdresser, and give her the retirement home she deserves?

LAND EGGS? BUT EASTER WAS LAST MONTH. WAIT, NO, I REMEMBER. THIS MERMAID LIKES APPLES. LUCKILY I HAVE ONE ON ME.

OH, THANK YOU KINDLY! NOT SINCE I LAST MET EVAN SAYLE HAVE I MUNCHED UPON A SUCCULENT LAND EGG. HE NEVER DID RETURN... ANYWAY, THANK YOU KINDLY. HERE IS A MAP TO THE LOCATION YOU SEEK.

AWESOME! GOOD THING YOU HAD THAT CONVENIENT APPLE ON YOU. NOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROGRESS A BIT!

We know Spring has arrived when we start to see ducklings brought in to our aviary. More often than not they have not been able to keep up with their mother and siblings, as they seek out food and places to hide, or they have been late hatching.

If you find a duckling without its mother, please take time to observe whether she is around but just out of sight. If you are completely sure that the ducking has been abandoned then place it in a ventilated cardboard box, or something similar, and limit handling it as much as you can.

Ducklings

If you’re not able to bring the ducking to us straight away, then carefully apply a mix of water and sugar to its tongue, and keep it warm. It may eat some oatmeal, but it will need a proper diet of ‘chick crumbs’ in order to survive. Young ducklings can’t swim and can drown in the shallowest of water, and so drinking water needs to be supplied in a very small dish.

We have incubators and specialist feeds, and our success rate with duckling survival is high.

ManxSPCA • Ard Jerkyll, East Foxdale • Tel: 851672

www.manxspca.com

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ISLE OF MAN PREMIER MAGAZINE

UPFRONT

A fashionable hotspot on your doorstep

As a foot passenger, you can be delivered to the heart of Liverpool on board the fast craft Manannan from as little as £19.50 each way for adults and £10.50 for children. And whether you are visiting for just a day, a weekend, or longer, there is so much to see and do.

THOSE LOOKING TO INDULGE THEIR LOVE OF FASHION DON’T HAVE TO CAST THEIR EYE (OR CHEQUEBOOKS) AS FAR AS MILAN, LONDON, NEW YORK AND PARIS. Liverpool, right on our doorstep thanks to daily sailings with the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, has a long history of fashion, from the bespoke dressmaking trade of the late 19th century - centred around Bold Street, the ‘Bond Street of the North’ - to the award-winning creations of Stella McCartney OBE.

Shoppers will find an array of riches to explore at Liverpool ONE, which boasts the widest range of clothing shops in the city there are two department stores, Debenhams and John Lewis, while for the latest trends head to South John Street, home to High Street brands like Zara, Warehouse, Hollister, Oasis, and All Saints. If it’s designer labels you’re after, Peter’s Lane is the place to be, with Hugo Boss, Dolce & Gabbana, Michael Kors, Ted Baker and The White Company. And there are more big names like H&M, Urban Outfitters and Cath Kidson, located down Paradise Street.

To savour the history of fashion, a visit to the Liverpool Walker Art Gallery is a must.

The Gallery looks after National Museums Liverpool’s 10,000-strong collection of items of Western European costume, which date from around 1700, and highlight the city’s dressmaking trade, which was at its height between 1870 and the 1930s.

Running until summer 2018, the Walker plays host to a display celebrating gay designers. Drawn from its own collection, it includes 14 outfits from some of the best-known gay fashion designers, including Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and John Galliano.

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

Some of these designers were forced to hide their sexuality in order to protect their careers. Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of male homosexuality in England and Wales, and fashion Icons praised the Walker’s temporary exhibition, Coming Out, which featured artists who have used their work to explore sexuality and gender identity since 1967.

Of course, if you’re visiting Liverpool, you can’t ignore the city’s rich musical heritage, which itself inspired fashion styles. The most famous musical link can be found at The Beatles Story, located on the UNESCO World Heritage site at the Albert Dock, which transports you back to 1960s, on a journey through the lives, culture and music of one of the most successful bands of all time.

The city’s reputation as a centre for fashion is highlighted each year by the Liverpool Fashion Week, which is considered the UK’s most influential fashion event outside of London. It takes place at The British Music Experience in the Cunard Building in October and showcases designers from around the world, including nights dedicated to couture, new talent and independent boutiques.

Whether it’s for the fashion, the history or the music, the first step in exploring the city of Liverpool is always a visit to www.steam-packet.com to book your travel.

13

UPFRONT

in NUMBERS NEWS 11 7/10

687,981 Total scheduled passenger departures increased over the year to 687,981 in 2017, compared with 675,048 in 2016.

The number of visitors during 2017 decreased by 8.7% to 266,850. The 1.9% increase in total passenger departures is accounted for entirely by increased travel of Isle of Man residents.

After holding steady from 2015 to 2016, the number of non-business visitors staying in paid accommodation decreased in 2017 by 3.6% to 129,860.

Despite lower overall visitor numbers, the estimated total expenditure by visitors to the Island during 2017 increased by 5.6% to £112.6 million, and average visitor spend increased by 23.4% to £448. It should be noted that this rate of increase may in part be attributable to improved data collection methods applied to visitor expenditure.

Recommendations aimed at growing the prosperity of the Island’s ports and harbours have been published by the Department of Infrastructure. The Harbours Strategy has been compiled after assessment of the Island’s five key ports – Douglas, Ramsey, Peel, Port St Mary and Port Erin – and includes support for the £11 million development of deep water berthing facilities to allow cruise ships to dock at Victoria Pier, Douglas. The proposals set out following the review identify a threeyear order of works covering seven different areas, with an estimated total cost of £80.37m

18 0.9% The number of people registered as unemployed on the Island has risen for a fifth consecutive month. Figures released by the Cabinet Office in the March Labour Market report show 26 more people were out of a job compared to in February, bringing the total number to 399.

That translates to an unemployment rate of 0.9 per cent.

14

1.4.2018

Do the TT and Festival of Motorcycling add value to the Manx economy? Is your business affected in a good or bad way by the events? These are some of the questions being posed by the Isle of Man Cabinet Office in a consultation which has been launched in the wake of the Vision Nine report debated in Tynwald in January. Evidence can be given via the consult.gov.im webpage with a deadline of Friday 18 May.

1902

A new public access defibrillator has been located outside Government Office on Bucks Road in Douglas, the device, which was jointly funded by the Cabinet Office and the Treasury and installed by the Department of Infrastructure – could mean the difference between life and death if someone suffers a cardiac arrest. As many as seven in 10 people who suffer a cardiac arrest could survive if they were treated with a defibrillator within the first five minutes.

Paying for an annual license to own a dog ended on 1 April 2018 with a change in the law making it compulsory for owners to have their dog microchipped instead.

Microchipping is a one-off procedure that sees a small electronic chip, about the size of a grain of rice, implanted under a dog’s skin. Microchipping does not hurt dogs. No anaesthetic is required and the procedure should cause no more discomfort than a standard vaccination.

Planning permission is being sought to rebuild Strathallan Horse Tram Depot on Strathallan Crescent in Douglas. The proposed building has been designed to closely replicate the original depot built in 1902.

If approved (summer 2018), the new building will provide a modern environment in which to store and maintain trams, with first-floor offices and welfare facilities for staff, replacing the current facility which is in a considerable state of disrepair.

ISLE OF MAN PREMIER MAGAZINE

MAKING CONNECTIONS

FEATURE

UPFRONT

I’ve been writing about technology for long enough to be cynical about any new fads, but I can still remember the thrill of being one of the first people I know to have a Facebook account. Although this now sounds about as as stupid as boasting that you were the first boy to go wee wee, when the site launched it was restricted to graduates from a small number of elite American universities, and a sprinkling of randoms like myself who knew them online.

At the time it merely felt like a less irritating version of MySpace, or Friendster without the sex pests, and never in my weirdest cheese dreams did I imagine the site would be accused by politicians of tipping the scales on the most farcical election in recent memory. I also never thought I’d need to block my mum for sharing sexy memes of Patrick Stewart, but that’s the strange new world we live in.

The internet was built to survive nuclear war, not share cat pictures, but historic messages from the scientists and army guys who first went online demonstrate an early potential for light-hearted human to human communications. Email was a world changing invention, but also kind of obvious to anybody who has ever posted a letter - the real innovation turned out to be the group communications that evolved on bulletin boards, internet forums and eventually in walled gardens like AOL chat and Compuserve. Non-nerds will already be scratching their heads at these references, which is why the first person to market an accessible way for normals to interact online was destined become very, very rich indeed. After a few false starts the modern concept of the social network was set in stone by goblin-faced boy king Mark Zuckerberg, and at last everybody in the world could theoretically be friends with people from the other side of it. Except, we’ve now come to realise, Facebook likes to make money - and it turns out that just as there’s gold in sharing cat pics, there’s profit to be made from a 500 post argument with your racist aunt, which involves ten of your family members jumping in, wedding invites being withdrawn, and threats of physical violence from cousins who “liked” Katie Hopkins.

Where there’s muck, there’s brass

Delete your account Y/N?

Facebook is now so ubiquitous in society that disentangling our lives from its clutches is far easier said than done, and similar arguments about the malign effects of corporate power have been levelled at every new form of media. There’s also an obvious counterpoint, which is that Facebook and services like it can foster positive human interactions. The aunt in my example might not be a racist - she might experience real benefits from seeing the lives of nieces and nephews who live in a different town, from chatting to people who are too busy to schedule a phone call, or by learning more about life from somebody who lives in a different culture. I’m still in contact with most of the Americans who formed my first circle of Facebook friends, although ironically a lot of the discussions we now participate in revolve around the issues brought up in this article. There are really two ways to address the negative effects of social media consumption, and they aren’t radically different from the advice I might once have given in a similar debate about mobile phones, or television, or the printed newspaper. The first is that it’s essential to take personal responsibility for the way you consume media, and the kind of behaviour this prompts in you.

Spend less time responding to disagreeable aunts and more time fostering positive interaction with people who can stay calm. Think about things before you share them, and remain cynical about the motivations and biases of people, including yourself, as well as media organisations. The consistent failure of our society to follow this advice, and to ignore the importance of media literacy, has lead to some really terrible outcomes in supposedly-free democracies.

The other way to address this is to do whatever you can to ensure that gigantic corporations are regulated by government and held to account in the ways they make their money. This is a massive task, and seems almost impossible in an era where we’ve come to accept international media oligopoly, but encouraging us to give up on regulation is a deliberate strategy on behalf of massive corporations. Facebook will easily survive its current tangle with the US government, but we need to make sure we demand concrete political action to see some of its power being held to account. Like and share if you agree.

“Many of us wouldn’t be comfortable if that private data was used when we’re applying for a new job, or trying to enter a foreign country, but without proper controls there’s every chance it could be in the near future.”

The current scandal around Facebook, and the title of this piece, hinges around us asking how it is that an argument with your racist aunt can possibly have financial value to anybody - regardless of its hilarity to onlookers. An answer is given by a less humorous example, which is the accusation that Facebook allowed shady research companies such as Cambridge Analytica to indiscriminately mine huge quantities of your personal data so that you could be targeted by advertisers. Some advertisers might just want to sell your Aunt a wolf fleece and some fridge magnets, but some might want to drip information into your news feed in a manner that could sway enough people to vote a certain way. The data from this interaction isn’t just what you publicly say to your Aunt, but every private message you send about the subject to anybody, cross-referenced with every thing you like, every link you’ve clicked on, and the same data for every person you’ve connected with on Facebook’s gigantic servers. This is how Facebook, and Google, make their money - and their algorithms can crunch this mountain of data into such fine informational paste that there are recorded instances of advertisers guessing that women are pregnant before they know it themselves. This is where the value lies: Facebook isn’t the product that gets sold to advertisers, you are.

It’s easy to read this and think “You’re paranoid. Facebook’s algorithms are rubbish - they keep advertising things I hate.” This is true for me, at the moment, but the current limitations on how accurately my data can be crunched don’t mean that I’m okay with

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

that data being stored indefinitely and sold on to third parties.

Many of us wouldn’t be comfortable if that private data was used when we’re applying for a new job, or trying to enter a foreign country, but without proper controls there’s every chance it could be in the near future. We should also be worried about conscious design decisions that encourage us to create more activity data for Facebook to profit from. Apps and pages are forever asking our permission to access the data, and quite often we give it without a second thought. The site arguably encourages negative human interactions, in the form of political arguments, or just personal ones - because any engagement is good engagement as far as Facebook is concerned. It also makes design changes that encourage the compulsive activity of refreshing your feed, which scientists have shown produces a tiny, yet addictive, jolt of pleasure in our brains. Perhaps the only solution is to remove this digital parasite from our lives?

17

UPFRONT

FEATURE

WHO CARES? They’re your friends and you love them but sometimes you just want to press the mute button when they say stuff like this: Words by: Clare Bowie

“I had the weirdest dream last night.”

It’s bad enough when you have to listen to your kid rambling on about monsters and mermaids but when your friends start waffling on about strange dreams and the monologue lasts for more than 5 minutes it’s a proper head melter. It’s just a dream, probably your body telling you to go to the loo not a strange metaphor for the meaning of your life. #Shush!

“My boyfriend is still refusing to put the empty toilet roll tube in the bin!!”

Really?? A shoulder to cry on is part of being a friend but seriously who wants to hear about all the standard squabbles a couple has. Everybody in the whole world has dishwasher/putting bins out/loud snoring/nose stiffing/door closing/new clothes hiding issues that they have to deal with.

Please keep this shiz to yourself and chuck the tube in the bin if it bothers you so much.

“Do you want to see my new bathroom plans?” If it stopped there then fine but you then get the full run-down of the tradesmen, the waste pipe issue, the hidden costs, the quandary of the wall hung toilet, the trouble with sourcing tiles, the wrong shade of grout.

I mean... I am interested (kind of) but maybe give me a chapter of the experience not the whole biography, my ears are actually bleeding here. #havesomemercy

“I’ll just set up a new whatsapp group.” Some friends send a quick message, arrange a time to meet and it’s done and dusted. Other friends want to message back and forth when Homeland is on and they want to include annoying photos that then have to be deleted from your camera roll and it’s a step too far! Back off with the intense correspondence. God, sometimes you just wish it was 1992 when there was so much effort involved in dialling a number on an old fashioned phone that more often than not, you probably didn’t even bother.

“My baby grew an actual tooth.” Just to be clear, it is very exciting and you enjoy a chubby cheek squeeze as well as the next friend but when your friend becomes an oversharing baby bore it’s not that much fun anymore. Those videos of their heavy breathing and drooling are up there with Brexit chat, weather wonderings and the latest family feud they are enjoying.

Can we just talk about me now? Is that too much to ask?

18

“Did I tell you about Sharon from accounts?” Any detailed chat about their office, the politics, the procedures, the scandal about milk buying or lack of milk buying, the tea making etiquette, the saga of the laptop case...etc etc. Kill me now. I. DO. NOT. CARE!! Did I really give up a night of mindless telly to listen to this drivel? #zipit

“We can’t decide on the Hashtag for our wedding!” Let’s be honest, wedding preparation can be pretty all-consuming and people can get a teensy bit obsessed with the sheer volume of “stuff” that has to be dealt with and decided upon. Best advice; bounce those calls for a good 6 months until the mania dies down, tell them you need to invest in some “selfcare” for the foreseeable. #saveyourself ISLE OF MAN PREMIER MAGAZINE

Sail into the heart of Liverpool

You’ll be arriving in the city centre so as soon as you step off the ferry you can start exploring Liverpool and everything the city has to offer including museums, culture and shopping. Plus there are no luggage fees so you can bring back as much as you like.

Pack more in - sail by ferry.

FOOT PASSENGER Adult from

£19.50* Child from

£10.50* Under 4’s Free

Book now at STEAM-PACKET.COM Terms and conditions apply. Subject to availability. *Valid for single journey travel until 05/01/2019. Weekend supplement of £3.50 per passenger for Friday, Saturday and Sunday travel. Child: 4-15 years. Infant: 3 years and under.

No luggage fees Convenient ports Stretch your legs

UPFRONT

MISC

Just random things to amuse you.

SEAGULL SAUSAGEFEST

Seventeen years after being given a lifetime ban from a hotel in Canada, a man who was responsible for causing quite a mess of his hotel room whilst on a business trip has returned to apologise.

When I write that it 'isn't how it seems', you might think, having read the headline, that he said something similar to the housekeeping lady when he'd eventually decided that he was out of his depth at the scene of the incident which took place at The Empress hotel in Victoria, Canada, but Nick Burchill recalls that, looking around at the destruction, the only word that he managed to utter was 'sorry', before exiting the room and going downstairs for dinner and trying to ignore what'd just happened.

It may sound bizarre, which is why you're reading about it on Gallery's Misc page in the first place, but during his trip he'd purchased enough pepperoni to fill an entire suitcase with the intention of posting the sausages as gifts to his friends in the Navy. thankfully, that's about as weird as it gets, but what happened next was a combination of both poor judgement and poor luck.

Not wanting the meat to go off prematurely in his warm hotel room he opened a window before he left for his appointment, returning to discover that a flock of around 40 gulls had decided to embark on a feast whilst he was out. Fending off the stragglers using a combination of one of the hotel towels and his shoe, launched as a projectile (who throws a shoe?!), the ensuing wetting of the room and attempted drying using the htel supplied hairdryer, which eventually caused a power outage, didn't yield the results he'd no doubt been dreaming of whilst attempting to both physically and metaphorically dig himself out of the shit, at which point he called housekeeping.

Trying to ignore the situation, having been moved to a significantly smaller room whilst he tried to enjoy his dinner that evening, his employer later received a letter explaining that he'd been banned but this year he decided to try and set things straight. Thankfully, the hotel found his tale amusing and lifted the ban, although Nick likes to think that the pepperoni that he took them as a gift might've helped the situation this time.

MEANWHILE, DOWN UNDER...

A 27 year old man became involved in an altercation with a 20 year old male friend in the Beerwah Hotel bar on Australia's Sunshine Coast before being kicked out.

Continuing the fight outside, presuably because that's the Aussie way, things took a potentially serious twist when the younger chap stabbed a knife into his mate's back (presumably not the Aussie way, it's probably worth mentioning).

Being a red blooded, steak eating, beer swilling bloke though, the 27 year old man proceeded to re-enter the bar and casually order another pint despite having a knife protruding from his back, seemingly without a care in the world (there's your tenuous link to this month's theme, incidentally).

After finishing his beer, he went to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital for treatment. It doesn't get much more bogan than that - Mick Dundee, eat your heart out!

Then drink another beer, make a comment about the derisory nature of the knife used and go to hospital for a transplant.

A spokesperson for Queensland police commented that a 'substantial' amount of alcohol was involved and that the man didn't wish to press charges against his attacker. What a sport!

Bad jokes:

Quoted:

Salvador Dali

20

"I don't do drugs. I am drugs!"

"Why did the Mexican throw his wife off a bridge?

TEQUILA!" ISLE OF MAN PREMIER MAGAZINE

EVENTS

THE WEDDING OF CARA WILKINSON AND BEN QUALTROUGH AT MAROWN CHURCH

The 31st March, 2018 saw the wedding of Cara Wilkinson to Ben Qualtrough, at Marown Church.

This marked the end of a challenging 10 months for the couple, after Cara was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer in May 2017 and had to undergo six months of Chemotherapy, followed by Surgery and then three weeks of Radiotherapy, finishing on 27th February 2018. During this time she has demonstrated incredible strength and positivity, openly sharing her story with others and creating a Facebook group for Breast Cancer sufferers on Island to contact one another, allowing them to share their fears and experiences.

The reception was held at the Sefton Hotel, with music from Matt Fletcher and Soul Suspects. Pictures were taken by Liam Gilman and Videography produced by Milk Studios. The day was made extra special as Corinthians FC (who Ben coaches) won the FA Cup for the first time in their history, with the trophy making a special appearance at the Reception!

The couple would like to thank their family and friends, from far and wide, who made it a truly unforgettable day.

22

ISLE OF MAN PREMIER MAGAZINE

EVENTS

Photography: Liam Gilman - www.liamgilman.com

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

23

EVENTS

THE WEDDING OF JEN SINGLETON & PHIL TAYLOR

24

Service: St Leonard’s Church, Balderstone Reception: Mitton Hall

ISLE OF MAN PREMIER MAGAZINE

EVENTS

Photos by: Clare Payne - www..clare-payne.com

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

25

EVENTS

CHRISTENING AT ARCHIBALD KNOX

26

Photos: Dollsfactory.net

ISLE OF MAN PREMIER MAGAZINE

Beginners DSLR Camera Settings & Photography Workshop

Beginners Creative Photography Workshop

Do you enjoy photography?

Do you have a passion for photography and being creative?

Do you have a DSLR camera, but always find yourself

Would you like to learn some insider skills to make your

using it only on auto mode? Or perhaps you briefly

photography come alive with fantastic light, composition,

tried out the different settings, but ended up feeling

creativity and posing techniques? This photography workshop

confused and overwhelmed? Would you like to take

is perfect for you if you want to improve the creative aspects

your photography to a new level that enables you to

of your photographs.

take beautiful photos in any environment and lighting?

What am I going to get out of this workshop?

•

You will be confident with your camera’s manual settings and lenses

•

You will become confident with your camera settings for beautiful photos indoors and outdoors, as well as in different lighting situations

•

•

You will know how to adjust your camera settings to make the background blurred for lovely portraits.

You will learn how to photograph individuals, couples and groups

What am I going to get out of this workshop?

•

Understanding the most important elements in photography - lighting

•

Know where to find the best light for your photography - indoor or outdoor

•

Utilise five composition techniques that radically improve your photography

•

Learn five creative fundamentals in photography that make your photography stand out

•

Tips for capturing genuine expressions

•

Key photography skills in photographing people, kids and posing individuals, couples and groups

Dates: Saturday 29th June & 30th September 2018

Date: Saturday 13th October 2018

Time: 10:00am – 5:00pm

Time: 10:00am – 5:00pm

Location: Isle of Man International Business School, Nunnery, Douglas

Location: Isle of Man International Business School, Nunnery, Douglas

More info and booking: www.shansphoto.com/education/

More info and booking at www.shansphoto.com/education/

Class Fee: £250 non-refundable / 15 spaces only £50 deposits paid will secure your place at the event and you are required to make final payment 4 weeks before the workshop.

First booked, first served basis. Includes a light breakfast, lunch and coffee, tea and cakes.

Shan Fisher Photography | photo@shansphoto.com | +44 7624 418031

EVENTS

...CONTINUED

28

ISLE OF MAN PREMIER MAGAZINE

CULTURE

CULTURE VULTURE What’s on now – 19.05.2018 CREATIVE NETWORK EXHIBITION //HODGSON LOOM GALLERY, LAXEY//

To coincide with the Isle of Man Art Festival, and to take the gallery nicely up to its TT photography exhibition (from 26 May to 9 June) members of the Creative Network will be showing a wide range of works from paintings and mixed media art to sculpture. www.facebook/hodgsonloomgallery

now – 10.06.2018 MAGICAL ISLAND //THE ISLE GALLERY, TYNWALD MILLS//

Rosie Wood and Celia Kay are both continually drawn and inspired by nature and particularly of the landscapes of the Isle of Man. Celia’s paintings look at the small details right through to the ever-changing skies and light patterns. Rosie seeks out texture and form and often finds beauty in the most unexpected places.

“Art makes the familiar seem unfamiliar, seeing the world in a different way, finding beauty in a world we often take for granted.

Art is everywhere, all we need to do is go out into nature and find it.” - Dr James Fox, Art out of Nature (BBC4) www.facebook.com/theislegallery

now – 20.05.2018 UCM ALUMNI SHOW //SAYLE GALLERY, DOUGLAS//

exhibition of her glass works. Some of them formed the basis of her recent PhD thesis, ‘Inner Space: The development of repeatable techniques to integrate flame-worked inclusions into and onto the sandcast glass form for artists’, and represent an art form which is rarely seen on the Island.

Her followers will know that Julie is Manx born, was a Sayle Gallery artist-in-residence and may have followed her career avidly to Zurich, where she now lives and works. Her art has been exhibited all over the Europe so the Island is lucky to have her back for this stunning exhibition. www.facebook.com/studio42

01.05 and 17.05.2018 LIFE DRAWING //THE ALPINE and NOA BAKEHOUSE, DOUGLAS//

The Isle of Man Drawing Club is now going twice monthly. 1 May is a new session at The Alpine, featuring two models (one male, one female) – cost £10 – and on 17 May (second Thursday in the month as usual) it’s back to Noa. Everyone is welcome, no matter what your skill level. See the Facebook page for more details. www.facebook.com/ isleofmandrawingclub

05-07.05.2018 ISLE OF MAN ART FESTIVAL //ISLAND WIDE//

An exhibition showcasing the success that graduates of the art design and media department have had within the creative industries, curated by UCM in conjunction with 2018: Year of Our Island. The exhibition showcases a diverse range of disciplines our graduates work within including fashion, graphic design, photography, illustration, jewellery, ceramics, advertising, animation and visual effects and fine art.

The exhibition will also feature work by Preen in the form of a dress and images recently used as stamps for the post office.

The work in this exhibition is only the tip of the iceberg in regards to graduate success from UCM – an inspiration to anyone who wishes to follow a career in the creative industries.

Discover inspiring work by local Manx artists at the Isle of Man Art Festival at this threeday celebration of visual art. Running over the May Bank Holiday weekend, it provides a wealth of opportunities to discover local artists and take part in workshops, creative activities and demonstrations right across the Isle of Man. The Festival is now in its seventh year and bigger than ever, with an exciting new Land Art Trail in Castletown for 2018 and other confirmed venues include Castletown Civic Centre, Ramsey Town Hall, Hodgson Loom Gallery in Laxey, House of Manannan in Peel and the Sayle Gallery in Douglas. There is also a Society of Architects’ mini-trail.

Pop-up venues with open access to artist studios, workshops and try-out sessions will also be available across the island. Entry to all venues is free.

Supported by 2018: Year of our Island, partners, galleries and artists.

Supported by 2018: Year of Our Island

www.creativenetwork.im

now – July 2018 INNER SPACE – MAKING THE INVISIBLE VISIBLE //STUDIO 42, PORT ST MARY//

09.05.2018 and 23.05.2018 FILMS IN PEEL //CENTENARY CENTRE, PEEL//

Fans of Julie Denton – or as she now is, Dr Julie Denton – will be delighted by this

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Commune’ – Cert 15 - a Danish (subtitled) film about a married couple who, in the 1970, inherit a large house which the decide to turn into a commune. What could possibly go wrong? Actress Trine Dyrholm won a Best Actress award at the 2016 Berlinale for her performance of Anna.

On 23 May, it’s ‘Carrie Philby’ (cert 12) about a 19-year-old genius who graduated early from Harvard College and has no idea how to fit in, date, or talk to other people after college.

Her estranged father pays for a psychiatrist to bring her out of her shell and enjoy life, and maybe find love on the way.

For more information about Films in Peel, and how to buy tickets, go to www.facebook.com/filmsinpeel/

27.05.2018 McKELLEN: PLAYING THE PART (LIVE) //BROADWAY CINEMA, DOUGLAS//

This live event from the BFI on London’s Southbank starts at 3pm and is hosted by Graham Norton with some very special guests and includes a live-screening of a feature length film celebrating the life and work of actor and gay rights activist, Sir Ian McKellen.

The film makers had access to a wealth of never-before-seen archive material, and includes an extensive interview covering his life from his childhood in Wigan to becoming a star of stage and screen.

Tickets from the Villa Marina website, the Welcome Centre or by phoning the ticket hotline on 01624 600555.

In association with DED and Trafalgar Releasing. www.villagaiety.com

Now – end of 2018 ARTREACH WORKSHOPS // ISLE GALLERY, ST JOHNS//

ArtReach at the Isle Gallery has expanded its range of art courses for children and adults in 2018, to include, amongst others, ‘absolute beginners’ and ‘improvers’ courses in oils, acrylics, ceramics and mixed media, including day time and some evening sessions.

There are separate workshops for teenagers and children, including during the school holidays. www.theislegallery.com

Two more films you’re unlikely to see shown elsewhere on the Island. On 9 May, it’s ‘The ISLE OF MAN PREMIER MAGAZINE

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MINISTER PRAISES OUTSTANDING MANX MUSICAL TALENT AT BBC RADIO 2 FOLK AWARDS

The Isle of Man’s outstanding musical talent has been praised by Graham Cregeen MHK, Minister for Education, Sport and Culture, following success at the 2018 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Manx harpist Mera Royle won the twentieth annual Young Folk Award beating talent from across the UK. Mera was successful as one of the ten acts invited to the Young Folk Award Weekend in January which culminated in a public concert in Kendal, Cumbria. From the ten performances, a panel of judges selected four finalists for the Young Folk Award, with Mera announced as the winner.

Mera, who is 18 and a sixth form student at Ramsey Grammar School, has been playing harp, violin and whistle since she was eight years old. She has benefited from harp lessons from visiting tutor Rachel Hair which are organised by Culture Vannin, and she is a member of the Bree youth folk

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group, Scran, who are about to release their debut album.

Speaking following her win, Mera said: “I’m so happy to have won the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award! It was exciting enough for me to just be there surrounded by so many folk legends. It was a really great opportunity and I had an amazing time.

“Thanks for all the support from everyone back home – it’s been so lovely! Thanks to Culture Vannin for all their support, and special thanks to Rachel Hair and Mike Boulton as I wouldn’t have even been there without all their incredible help over the years.”

As part of her prize, Mera will have the opportunity to perform at several of the UK’s major folk festivals.

The full awards ceremony is available online.

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ISLE OF MAN ‘OWL CAM’ GOES LIVE The Isle of Man Barn Owl Project has launched an online video feed that is now broadcasting directly from a Barn Owl nest box in a secret location somewhere in the Isle of Man. The daily lives of the resident pair of owls can be watched live via Manx BirdLife’s website.

The Manx Barn Owl Project is the initiative of Adam Denard in partnership with Manx BirdLife. The project aims to establish the true status of the Island’s Barn Owl population. Surprisingly little is known about the local distribution, biology and behaviour of this enigmatic nocturnal species.

The ‘owl cam’, as it is known, has been made possible by the kind support of the landowners, as well as sponsorship from Sure (Isle of Man) and the efforts of local volunteers Bill Denard and Michael Howland.

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Adam Denard, Project Director, says “My father Bill has been building Barn Owl nest boxes and together we’ve put up a number of these around the island. We are deeply grateful to all the landowners for assisting us with the project to try to give our Barn Owls a brighter future. It’s wonderful now to have a webcam installed in one of these boxes so we can share the results of this work.”

“The owl cam provides an intimate window on the Barn Owl’s world. The birds are of course wild and free to come and go. We hope they will decide to use this particular nest box for raising their family this summer. Everyone involved has their fingers crossed”, adds Neil Morris, Managing Director of Manx BirdLife.

In addition to a sturdy nest box built to exacting specifications, launching the owl cam required the use of up-to-the-minute technology. Internet services have been donated by Sure and the technology has

been masterminded by Michael Howland.

“Getting a live video feed from the nest box in a remote building to living rooms across the island was a challenge, but it’s fantastic to see it up and running. Within a day of putting everything together, we had our first visit from one of the owls” reports Michael.

Sarah Jarvis, Marketing and PR Manager for Sure, is delighted to be supporting the cause, commenting, “I’m really pleased that Sure’s internet services are enabling this fantastic project. Like all owls, Barn Owls, are both beautiful and rather enigmatic. We are lucky to have such wonderful creatures making the island their home and we hope that the project will allow us to learn more about their lives and how we can protect them for generations to come.”

The live video feed is available at www. manxbirdlife.im/owl-cam.

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stamp collection, Chairman of Year of Our Island, Minister for Policy and Reform, Chris Thomas MHK said, “This year is about championing existing events, activities and the sense of community that already exists on our Island; as well as encouraging people to explore more, do more and share more. We want people to make the most of what already exists, whether it’s visiting our striking glens and beaches, joining in with our community groups, taking part in sporting and cultural events or volunteering time to maintain, support or enhance our natural and built environment.”

Year of Our Island 2018 was inspired and informed by the recent UNESCO World Biosphere status which was awarded to the Island in 2016. The ‘man and the biosphere’ status celebrates the Island’s land and seascape, as well as the people living in and enjoying the environment.

The Biospheres status is about balancing a vibrant community, valued environment and resilient economy, and at the same time remaining a special place for people and nature.

MARKING 2018 AS THE YEAR OF OUR ISLAND THROUGH STAMPS ISLE OF MAN POST OFFICE SELECTS TEN BEST IMAGES TO DEPICT THE BEST THE ISLAND HAS TO OFFER

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In celebration of the Year of Our Island 2018, the Isle of Man Post Office commissioned a set of ten stamps featuring key activities, pastimes, culture, landscape and heritage on the Island.

Julie Edge MHK, Chairman of Isle of Man Post Office said, “Being Manx, I take pride in living on the Island which is so rich and diverse in its landscape, culture and heritage offering. The Year of Our Island is a celebration of what we have on our doorsteps and what better way to mark this occasion than some of our special places featured on a set of new stamps.”

The Year of Our Island 2018 is an Isle of Man Government initiative, which aims to celebrate and value the Island’s environment, culture, heritage and community. It is also a reminder to those living on the Isle of Man to explore more and enjoy all of these benefits, which enhances their quality of life, health and well-being.

The stamp collection features some iconic images of the Island including TT Fireworks, Manx Telecom Parish Walk, Niarbyl Cottage, sunset at Peel and The Lonan Cross. The Niarbyl Coast stamp (EU Value) is Isle of Man Post Office’ contribution to the Small European Postal Administrations Cooperation (SEPAC) ‘Spectacular Views project 2018.

In the issue text which accompanies the

www.iompost.com/ourisland.

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Words: Suzy Holland Images: Harry Truman

The short stories of Canadian author Alistair Macleod are ideally suited for film – or so thinks Rupert Clague, a young man brought up in the Isle of Man and now living in London and working on film projects all over the world. And to prove it, Rupert has produced a short film of Macleod’s story ‘In the Fall’.

Unlike Macleod’s near-contemporary, Margaret Atwood, his writing is little known outside Canada, but as another Canadian Irene Guilford said when he died in 2014, “Alistair MacLeod’s birthplace is Canadian, his emotional heartland is Cape Breton, his heritage Scottish, but his writing is of the world.” Rupert and fellow filmmaker Tom Gentle now hope their film will bring the words and stories of MacLeod to a wider audience.

Of course, deciding to make a film and actually doing it are two different things, especially when it’s a labour of love to be fitted in around paid work. Rupert, whose family live in Baldrine, is a documentary producer for Netflix (most recently ‘Jack Whitehall: Travels With My Father’), currently working on an original series while concurrently running his own production company, Handsome Beast.

Glasgow-based Tom has worked on a variety of TV programmes and films, including two other shorts and a feature documentary. The pair met while working for the BBC in Scotland, and having discovered a shared love of MacLeod’s work began thinking about adapting ‘In the Fall’ for the screen, with Rupert as Producer and Tom as Director.

They decided to ‘crowdfund’ ‘In the Fall’, which Rupert admits wasn’t as easy as he expected. “We set a modest target of £15,000 and assumed if you build it, they will come,” he laughs, “As it turns out, crowdfunding is a full-time job. We did everything we could to get our campaign out there, from tweeting at all hours of the day, making videos for social media, writing articles, doing live TV interviews, radio shows, and enduring a lot of sleepless nights when it looked like we’d never get there.” Having attracted some very

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FOR ‘IN THE FALL’ MAKES FILM-MAKER’S DREAM A REALITY

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“There was never any doubt in our minds”

high-profile names to donate including comedian and actor Alan Davies (QI, Jonathan Creek), Canadian stand-up Norm Macdonald and even the aforementioned Margaret Atwood, Rupert and reached their target when James Quinn of Isle of Man firm Quinn Legal stepped in - not for any glory but with a simple desire to help and encourage young creatives to follow their dreams.

“To say that our film looked in doubt would be no understatement. Thanks to Quinn Legal’s extraordinary generosity and quick response, filming has just wrapped and we’re about to start the editing process” remarks Rupert, “Happily I can tell you that James has also come on-board as Executive Producer.”

‘In the Fall’ follows one family and its struggle to survive the harsh conditions of their homestead existence. Without giving too much away, the bleak setting of the environment is both physical and emotional, and almost part of the family itself.

“That was a real issue for us,” says Rupert.

“We knew that filming in Cape Breton was going to be nigh on impossible, so we needed to replicate the raw, weatherbattered coastline setting elsewhere. I’d have loved to have filmed in the Isle of Man but on this occasion it too was beyond

our reach - though I’d love to be given the opportunity to make a film here another time. Luckily we found the perfect location Rackwick Bay – situated in a remote part of Hoy, Orkney. In February we made the long journey north from Glasgow, just as ‘the Beast from the East’ began to close in.”

The finished screenplay pared the family down to three, leaving just four parts to be cast (Susan Coyle, Stuart Bowman, Brian Ferguson, and Lewis McGowan) along with a horse and numerous chickens. But the costs of the week long shoot, plus 2-3 days travelling to the remote location, and additional layers of thermal wear to withstand the unexpectedly arctic conditions, meant the budget now also required an additional layer.

“There was never any doubt in our minds,” says Rupert. “Personal and professional pride meant ‘In the Fall’ was going be made, come hell, high water, blizzards or sub-zero temperatures. The support and backing for the project was overwhelming: from all those contributed from the very moment our campaign kicked off, to Quinn Legal coming to our rescue to ensure filming still went ahead. We can’t wait to show you what we’ve made”. Rupert is keen to return to Orkney – and to the Isle of Man – to talk to schools and community groups about the filming process.

At the time of writing ‘In the Fall’ is in post-production and will be entered in the Toronto Film Festival, South by Southwest, and the Isle of Man Film Festival, all of which take place in August/September, as well as other selected film festivals around the world.

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THREE-DAY WEEKEND? IT’S GOT TO BE THE ISLE OF MAN ART FESTIVAL

Chrissie Moss

Words by: Suzy Holland Images: The artists/Creative Network/

Nothing planned for the first bank holiday of the summer? The annual Isle of Man Art Festival is back - bigger and better than ever, and this year it’s free! This celebration of visual art in all its forms began in 2012 with ‘open studios’ in Peel and is now to be found Island-wide, so it’s a great way not only to discover new artists and makers but to get out and about from Castletown to Ramsey to Peel to Douglas over the May bank holiday, 5-7 May.

Jill Gillings

Eve Adams’ Willow Dome / Photo: Chris McDermott

New for 2018 is the Land Art Trail in Castletown. This is a legacy project being developed in conjunction with the 2018: Year of Our Island initiative and will follow the Bayr Ny Skeddan from Poulsom Park to Silverdale Glen. It’s a ‘living sculpture’ trail so this weekend is just the start of what is literally a growing and developing pathway, with ever-changing willow sculptures by Eve Adams, so it’ll be worth popping down there to see how this is being created starting at the Willow Dome in Poulson Park - and then revisiting time and time again.

Greg Joughin

Last year’s Festival attracted over 1200 visitors and Myra Gilbert, from organisers the Creative Network, is expecting more in 2018.

“We’ve had so much support from the Isle of Man Arts Council, Manx National Heritage, the 2018: Year of our Island initiative and the Castletown, Peel and Ramsey commissioners as well as our partner galleries that for the first time we won’t be charging an entry fee,” Myra says.

“The Creative Network firmly believes that art is for everyone, whether you’re an artist, a crafter, want to see artists at work, have a go yourself or even find a new favourite piece of art for your own wall. All the positive feedback from last year showed we’d got the right mix of art and craft but that the Festival needed to grow to be a genuine all-island event so that’s what we’ve done.

IOM Art Festival 2017

Karolina Pawlowska

“The Isle of Man Art Festival gives everyone the chance to be part of the Island’s rich artistic heritage,” Myra continues, “so we are delighted that thanks to the generosity of our supporters entry to all venues is free.”

Val Galpin

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As well as the Land Art Trail and familiar

Colette Davies

galleries and venues, new for this year is an exhibition at Ramsey Town Hall, where Ramsey Grammar School art students will be displaying their work, several new Creative Network members’ studios and venues in Kirk Michael and Ballaugh.

Work from a wide range of disciplines will be on display around the Island including painting, illustration, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, embroidery, printmaking and photography, and many artists’ studios will be open, offering taster sessions and demonstrations.

If you want to plan your route(s) to discover the best visual art the Isle of Man has to offer, the Isle of Man Art Festival Guide is available now participating venues, or you can find it – and any last minute additions – on the Creative Network Facebook page www.facebook.com/creativenetworkiom/ or its website www.creativenetwork.im. All the venues are open from 11am to 5pm each day and, with the obvious exceptions of the Land Art Trail and the Castletown shop windows, the other venues are indoors.

What better way could there be to spend this May bank holiday weekend – come rain or shine?

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CRIME WRITER AT HOME IN ISLE OF MAN If you’re an avid crime thriller reader you might have come across the works of Douglas Stewart. After all he’s been writing for a good few years and a quick search on that ubiquitous online site shows ten books in print right now.

Words by: Suzy Holland Images: Douglas Stewart

What you might not know is that although his novels travel the world – more of that later – he’s based right here in the Isle of Man. Douglas Stewart – Doug to his friends - is an affable lawyer and international business consultant who knew from his school days, when he met legendary thriller writer Hammond Innes, that he always wanted to write but was side-lined into a law career after university.

Doug’s first three novels were published in the 1970s but he told me that had to use a pen-name, “because the Law Society wouldn’t allow me to use my own as it was seen as advertising for my law practice!” So the ‘Alistair Duncan’ series, concentrating on a not-so-sleepy solicitor’s office in the West Country, originally appeared under the name Cameron Ross, but they’ve since been republished under his own name. But that’s history – in the days when a young solicitor smoked a pipe, in a pub – and it’s his latest, Dead Fix, which I wanted to talk to him about.

Dead Fix is the second of Doug’s ‘Ratso’ series of crime novels - a bang-up-to-date story about international match fixing, conspiracy, corruption and murder. It was published at the end of January and is already getting 5* reviews from readers and recommendations from the likes of international best-selling crime writer Peter James (of the DS Grace series) who describes it as a ‘gripping, action-packed thriller that pierces the fabric of the sporting world’.

Ratso is the nickname of hero Detective Inspector Todd Holtom who, in his first outing in Hard Place investigated the international drug trade, crossing the world from Afghanistan to the US and back to London. So I wanted to know where Doug

gets his ideas from.

“They’re inspired by real events,” he says.

“You’d have to be naïve to think the drugs on our streets don’t come from somewhere, and someone, or some gang, is trafficking them. And every so often match fixing gets a mention on the sports pages and then gets picked up by the news.” Like his hero Ratso (who despite injury) plays cricket, follows football and devours the backpages, Doug can talk sport as much as he can about crime writing.

“I’ve travelled and lived around the world with my work,” says Doug, “including a few years in Las Vegas where I came across many a character. It’s bigger, brasher and more corrupt that you can even imagine – but makes for a great novel, or maybe even more than one!” So is that why Ratso gets to go to all these locations? “I’ve always regarded location as a character in itself,” Doug continues. “I always try to capture something of the locations and this is a definite theme in the Ratso series.”

Which brought me to my next question – who would Doug like to see play Ratso on TV or on film? “Over the years there have been several possible treatments in pre-production,” he said. “As yet nothing’s come from them but a London production meeting earlier this year sounded promising. As usual, I was asked who might play the lead and my image of Ratso was very different to the producers’ and in the end I doubt the decision would be mine anyway! It’ll probably be an unknown actor who’s not associated with any other detective character, of which there are many!”

But Doug’s right: the locations in Dead

Fix are characters in themselves and Ratso follows each of the quite intricate storylines between the UK, India, Dubai and the USA (and a nod to the Isle of Man) with a few dead ends and a few false starts. “I begin with the plot and a storyline, but I always know how it’s going to end before I start writing,” Doug told me. “Match-fixing, and the corruption which surrounds it, is very international so it would have been odd to have Ratso sit in a grimy London office trying to work it all out. And after introducing his long-distance lover, Det. Kirsty-Ann Webber of the Ford Lauderdale Police Department in Hard Place, she had to play her part in this investigation too – and where better than on a Caribbean cruise which, ironically, was won by one of Ratso’s colleagues in a raffle. Even police officers aren’t immune to a bit of low-level gambling for a good cause!”

So will Ratso earn his place in the schedules, matching the recent McMafia location-by-location for international TV rights? Personally, I hope so – but until then I can highly recommend Dead Fix (and, it’s not essential, but if you want to read the Ratso books in order, read Hard Place first), available locally and as a paperback or e-read from Amazon at https://amznbook.co/DeadFixUK

Doug will be signing copies of Dead Fix at the Bridge Bookshop in Ramsey on 12 May. More about Douglas Stewart, his background and his back catalogue can be found on www.douglasstewartbooks.com

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UPLOAD

THE MONTHLY UPLOAD

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YOUR PHOTOS £50

Win ner

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1 Ruairi Mooney 2 Charlotte Tompkins 3 Neesha Kinrade 4 Jacs Baker 5K ristian Edwards -ISB Skateboarding

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6 Stuart Williams 7 Jill Harrison 8 Janette Phair 9 Jill Pugh 10 Krysia Boruch

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11 W illiam Galbraith 12 Alan Clague 13 Morgan Scarffe 14 Adrian Callister 15 M ichael F. Griffiths

Want to win £50? All you have to do is email your entry with the subject ‘upload’ to: upload@gallery.co.im. Make the files nice and big though, 4MB is a good size to aim for. We do try to print every photo following the guide but we can’t get them ALL on the pages full-size unfortunately - they just wouldn’t fit!

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GORILLAS, CHIMPS AND BIG CATS

THERE’S MONKEY BUSINESS AND MORE ON OFFER IN UGANDA Last month marked 25 years since the first gorilla family in Uganda were habituated for tourism. Sarah Marshall goes ape on a primate safari through the East African country, but discovers there’s much more to explore.

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spluttering, guttural growl startles me early in the morning, but I’m relieved to discover it’s not being generated by the stern-faced silverback looming two metres from my face.

Espresso machines have been whirring almost constantly since Gorilla Conservation Cafe opened in Entebbe last year, serving coffee farmed close to Uganda’s prime mountain gorilla habitat.

“Kanyongi was one of my favourites,” explains project founder Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, as she stares up at a black and white mural of the great ape who also features on 500g bags of the arabica beans, which are purchased from farmers in Bwindi at a fair, fixed price.

A Ugandan veterinarian and modern day Dian Fossey, she set up the social enterprise as part of her successful NGO Conservation Through Public Health, with a view to improving relations between the local community and wildlife on their doorstep. A portion of product sales is also donated to gorilla conservation.

Being a member of the Mubare (or M-group), the first habituated gorilla group in Uganda to be introduced to tourism 25 years ago this month, Kanyongi is a fitting mascot for the company.

“I knew him since he was born 20 years ago,” recalls Gladys fondly. “He was a playful silverback who always liked interacting with tourists.”

Sadly, Kanyongi died earlier this year following a fight with a rival silverback, but his legacy continues - in both the cups of steaming espresso brewed in Entebbe and the continuing success of gorilla tourism in this East African country.

Trekking gorillas in Bwindi Along with neighbouring Rwanda and the DRC, Uganda is home to the world’s population of mountain gorillas. At last count, in 2011, numbers were estimated to be 880 - although a new census, currently taking place, is likely to see that figure rise.

There are seven habituated troops living within Uganda’s borders, and with permit prices temporarily frozen at US$600 (less than a half of the cost in Rwanda) tourism numbers are increasing, too.

I’m staying at Bwindi Lodge, where eight individual bandas (thatched cottages) tumble down the hillside, in a steep-rising forest that peaks and troughs like a stormy ocean. Even from bedroom windows, it’s possible to touch the spindly white barks

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where hornbills swoop and red colobus monkeys scamper.

A winding path forms a green tunnel around the property and slopes alongside a river where, I’m told, one gorilla troop crossed only last week. “They were here for several hours,” explains my gentle, attentive butler, who wakes me every morning with coffee, biscuits and a song.

Unfortunately, I need to travel a little further for my one-hour gorilla encounter.

Leaving town, we drive for 45 minutes, passing women stoking mud bricks in kilns the size of temples and men on tea plantations stooping beneath the weight of heavily-laden baskets.

Vibrant, earthy, radiant and calm - the landscape is a spectrum of greens that would exhaust the shades on a Pantone palette.

The terrain in Uganda has a reputation for being challenging, but I find our 90-minute trek surprisingly manageable; even when the silverback in charge of the Habinyanja group makes us run for our money, we manage to keep up.

Whether they’re gnawing sticks of bamboo, shimmying up trees (Uganda’s gorillas are famously arboreal) or meticulously grooming one another, spending time with gorillas is priceless.

Dr Gladys tells me even Prince William once revealed to her that seeing gorillas in the wild was top of his bucket list.

Our own encounter is both humorous and endearing; one hormone-pumped teenager swings from a branch to steal a ranger’s cap, and two tussling, fluffy-haired toddlers elicit endless oohs and ahhs from our group of eight.

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sniggering with glee.

Like gorilla trekking, the experience lasts an hour, although it costs substantially less - just US$150 for a permit.

Sweating and panting, we’re finally treated to a tender few minutes as two chimps groom each other on a fallen tree trunk.

Their actions mimic each other, lifting legs and scratching armpits; lost in concentration, the primates are even more transfixed than us.

You can find big cats, too So many travellers fly in and out of Uganda, seeking a safari elsewhere, but in addition to gorillas, the country also has a healthy big cat population.

Lake Mburo National Park, where British ex-pat Ralph Schenk and his wife, Suni, built the beautiful Mihingo Lodge 10 years ago, claims one of the highest leopard densities in Africa. And although you’ll have a hard time finding predators in the scrubby, thorny bush, crowd-free drives through the park are a delight.

On the trail of chimps in Kibale The comparisons with human behaviour are uncanny - but a much closer relative of ours can be found further north in Kibale National Park, where a troop of 120 chimps has been habituated for tourism.

“They feel emotion,” explains our tracker Gerard Kirungi, a thin, drawn man who has been guiding since 1991. “When a member of the family dies, chimps stay with the body until it swells.”

Gerard, who grew up 6km from here, recalls his dad building trenches to catch bush meat. Those activities ceased years ago and tourism has since become a key source of income; when Gerard ‘retires’ next year, he plans to develop a cultural centre educating visitors about his community’s way of life.

Tracking chimps is rewarding, but it is also hard work; they have a habit of moving - at pace.

Using her forearms like pistons a female runs on her knuckles, leaving me caught in a tangle of thorns and spider webs.

Looking round, her expression is fixed with a mild smile; it would be improper to anthropomorphise but I suspect she’s

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Built on a granite kopje (small hill), with an infinity pool overhanging a plateau, the tented camp is a welcome recharge stop between Entebbe and Bwindi. Even the view from my toilet is superb, and when I’m not spending time coasting across Lake Mburo in search of African fish eagles, I’m relaxing on my terrace, enjoying Africa’s vast, untamed landscapes.

In Queen Elizabeth National Park, 42 lions roam the southern sector - all adept at climbing trees; a response to the large number of elephants once found in the park. Further north, I’m told, they’ve even learned to clamber up euphorbia candelabra cacti.

We spend hours looking for paws draped over the branches of broad, open-armed fig trees, but focusing solely on big game is a big mistake.

Elegant butterflies, garish agama lizards and acrobatic Angolan swallows are some of the many smaller species deserving attention. At the peaceful Ishasha Wilderness Camp, you don’t have to go far; a riverside location brings all these things to my canvas door.

Because that’s the real joy of Uganda; beyond the headline-grabbing wildlife acts, there’s a place and people we should all get to know.

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BEHIND THE GENDER PAY G A P

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MARK ZUCKERBERG CANNOT CONTROL H I S O W N C R E AT I O N

Business news

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eading marketing and communications firm MM&C is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The company, which has offices in Circular Road, Douglas, began in 1998 as Mainstream Media Limited and was founded by Managing Director Craig Wolstencroft. Twenty years ago the company focused on the Island’s finance sector, and while this continues to be a key focus for MM&C today, it now has a much broader portfolio of clients spanning telecoms, financial services, public and third sectors, and the rapidly growing food and drink sectors. While its core business is here on the Island, MM&C also has an international dimension with clients in the UK, Malta and Gibraltar, many of which operate in global markets.

Craig Wolstencroft said: “Our client portfolio is as diverse as the Island’s economy, encompassing many sectors ranging from SMEs to PLCs, Government and public sector, and charities. In fact, MM&C’s evolution over the past 20 years reflects how the Isle of Man has changed in that period. We have moved with the times and will continue to do so as new technology and consumer behaviour changes the way we need to use content to communicate on behalf of our clients – our experience over many years counts for a great deal, but there’s no room for

20 years young! Leading marcomms firm MM&C celebrates anniversary

complacency in our business. That’s a challenge, but it’s also exciting because it means we never stand still and are constantly looking for the next trend so that we can refresh our ideas – that’s why we prefer to say that we are 20 years young!”

He thanked clients, and employees, past and present for helping to establish MM&C as one of the Island’s most respected communications companies. “Over the

years,” he added, “we have worked with fantastic people as clients and colleagues, and I thank them all for their loyalty and support. Our philosophy has always been to work in partnership with clients, either as their own dedicated marketing and communications team, or working with their in-house teams. We find that this flexible approach enables us to create a better understanding of what the client needs, and make the right decisions about how best to communicate their key messages. As digital technology has revolutionised how we all communicate, those decisions have become even more important. Our success rate is due to working with clients who buy-in to our philosophy, and our MM&C team who work hard to achieve the best results time after time.”

“As we move into our third decade,” Craig added, “our focus will remain very much on the Isle of Man, but we will continue to look for growth opportunities internationally, including the UK where we are currently exploring leads in the north west of England and London.”

accountant! I’d like to thank my colleagues for their support and MPES for helping me with my studies. I hope to continue learning

and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

Finally, I’d also like to thank Browne Craine for supporting the award.”

Browne Craine sponsors ACCA Top Student Prize

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rowne Craine & Co is pleased to have sponsored the ACCA Isle of Man Top Student Award. The prize, which is given to the person with the highest marks overall during the year, was awarded to Alex Hullock for achieving 75% in the P5 exam in December 2017.

Alex, who is an Audit Senior at Harding Lewis, has been studying since he joined the company five and a half years ago. He has completed his Foundation in Accountancy (“FIA”) and has now successfully completed his ACCA studies.

“I’d like to congratulate Alex on winning the ACCA’s Isle of Man Top Student award, it’s a fantastic achievement,” said Stuart Foster, of Browne Craine and ACCA Panel Isle of Man Committee Member. “I’ve sat the same exams myself and it’s tough - studying and working full time takes a lot of commitment but becoming a fully qualified accountant at the end of it, makes it all worthwhile. At Browne Craine, we support lots of our staff to study for professional qualifications and pride ourselves on being a Platinum ACCA training provider.”

“I’m so pleased to have been presented with the ACCA’s Isle of Man Top Student award, it’s a perfect way to complete my studies,” enthused Alex. “Studying my accountancy exams has been challenging but I’m very happy to be a qualified

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ON THE AGENDA

Minister highlights scale of Promenade redevelopment

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nfrastructure Minister Ray Harmer MHK has highlighted the huge scale of the project to redevelop Douglas Promenade.

Thousands of tonnes of materials and up to three years of working time will be needed to reconstruct the failing highway, replace the horse tram tracks and carry

out improvements to the footways, drainage, junctions and pedestrian crossings.

With planning approval granted, work is scheduled to start in September to rejuvenate the area widely regarded as the ‘gateway to the Isle of Man’.

The quantities of the main

materials to be used in the Promenade refurbishment include: 16,000 tonnes of aggregate | 17,500 tonnes of tarmac | 3,000 cubic metres of concrete | 12,000sq metres of block paving | 9,500 units of kerb | 8,500 metres of rail | 1,100 metres of safety fencing | 250 metres of traffic separators.

We’ve always been by your side Celebrating 30 years of private banking and unwavering client service excellence in the Isle of Man. For a multi-award-winning approach, phone 645000 or visit

WWW.NEDBANKPRIVATEWEALTH.COM

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Nedbank Private Wealth is a registered trade name of Nedbank Private Wealth Limited. Nedbank Private Wealth Limited is licensed by the Isle of Man Financial Services Authority.

Registered office: St Mary’s Court 20 Hill Street Douglas Isle of Man.

movers & Shakers

Manx Telecom CEO nominated for prestigious Institute of Directors award

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anx Telecom CEO, Gary Lamb, has been nominated for an Institute of Directors (IoD) award.

He is shortlisted in the ‘Chairman’s Award for Excellence in Director and Board Practice’ category in the regional awards organised by the IoD’s Isle of Man branch.

Kevin Walsh, Non-Executive Chairman, Manx Telecom, congratulated the CEO on his nomination and commented: “This prestigious award nomination is a reflection of Gary’s excellent work since he became CEO in 2015, a period of significant change and progress for the whole business.”

Gary Lamb said: “I’m delighted to be nominated, but I regard this not just as a personal recognition, it also reflects the work of all my colleagues at Manx Telecom who have contributed to the company in my time as CEO.”

Jennie Costain Joins IEG In Senior Role To New Managing Director

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xciting and challenging,” says Jennie Costain on her appointment as executive assistant to Ian Plenderleith, new managing director of the International Energy Group which owns Manx Gas along with the gas companies in Jersey and Guernsey.

Jennie, 45, who has held senior PA roles with major legal firms in the island for nearly 30 years, said: “The opportunity came up to work with new management at Manx Gas so now instead of the legal language of litigation, injunctions, limitation periods and court deadlines I’m learning the intricacies and language of the energy sector.”

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Ian Plenderleith, who took up the role of MD three months ago said: “I’m delighted Jennie is joining IEG, not only bringing great experience but also so much enthusiasm coupled with an engaging personality.”

Born in Colby and a farmer’s daughter, she admits that her dream from an early age was to work alongside her Dad on the farm. “But he had different ideas as he didn’t want any of his children to follow in his footsteps,” declared Jennie. “Just before my 16th birthday I was sent out into the big wide world starting work with Dickinson Cruickshank.

ON THE AGENDA

Michael Hazel joins Annexio Board to support ambitious growth plans

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ottery betting operator Annexio has appointed Michael Hazel as a non-executive Board member.

With 25 years’ experience in the technology and online industries, Michael has worked with some of the biggest names in the business at a global level and brings valuable international perspective and operational insight to the Annexio Board.

A qualified Chartered Accountant, Michael began his career with Deloitte in Dublin, Ireland, before moving to Melbourne in Australia to work for Motorola and BHP. He was then recruited by software giant Microsoft, undertaking a number of international assignments prior to moving to Microsoft’s international headquarters in London where he was appointed Finance Director of its online business MSN. Responsible for the region covering China, India, South Africa, Latin America and Canada, he set up new market strategies and managed a number of joint ventures in these countries.

In early 2006 Michael joined PokerStars, part of the Rational Group, as Director of Financial Planning and Analysis. He spent 10 years there during the company’s expansion into many new markets across Europe, Latin America and Asia.

Commenting on his new appointment, Michael said: “I am excited about joining at a time of explosive growth for Annexio. I have great belief in the group’s Executive Management team, led by the founder Tom Brodie, and consider the company to be in a prime position to continue as a leader in the secondary lottery business and capture a significant market share in the coming years.”

MOVERS & SHAKERS

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movers & Shakers

END OF AN ERA AT NEDBANK PRIVATE WEALTH

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familiar face in Island business has retired after more than 40 years at the forefront of the financial services industry. Greg Horton, who has led the Nedbank Private Wealth team for nearly a quarter of a century, has taken his bow as managing director and executive head and been replaced by Stuart Cummins.

Greg is a well-known business figure in the community having moved from the UK to the Isle of Man when he joined Nedbank Private Wealth in 1995. He has over 44 years’ banking and investment industry experience, both locally and internationally, having held a number of main board and senior management positions during his career.

Professionally qualified in both banking and the security industry, Greg was head of Nedbank Private Wealth’s operations in the Isle of Man, Jersey, London and Dubai, alongside Nedgroup Trust’s international trust businesses in Jersey and Guernsey.

Greg’s career on the Isle of Man has incorporated many noteworthy achievements; he was instrumental in securing the first ever euro-sterling bond issue for the Isle of Man government, which funded the Water Authority’s £75 million infrastructure project in 2000. This ultimately led to the Island obtaining its original AAA credit rating.

Following the acquisition of the former Fleming Offshore banking operations by Old Mutual and Nedcor Group in 2001, Greg successfully restructured the business’s operations and completely redesigned its operating model to provide a source of competitive advantage. Under his leadership, it became the first British offshore island bank to obtain an independent credit rating, and several years later became the first British offshore island business to obtain a UK banking and investment licence when it opened its London branch operations in 2008. More recently, the business became the first British offshore island bank to obtain a central bank licence for its Middle East based operations, which commenced in 2011.

Greg substantially broadened the business’s product offering with the design and launch of Europe’s first ever integrated banking and investment account named “Focus”.

As at the end of 2017, Focus holds approaching £4 billion of client wealth and the international footprint of Nedbank Private Wealth’s operations now extends over five different geographies. This expansion, along with a focus on client service and advice, has led to significant industry acknowledgement with over 100 internationally recognised awards for not only client service, products and services, workplace engagement practices, but also people management.

With a compounded annual growth rate in underlying profits of over 20%

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during the last four years, and a recent top quartile placing in The Sunday Times sponsored 100 Best Companies listing, Greg leaves a well-respected and highly regarded international business that is strongly positioned for the future.

Greg said: “For me this is the end of an era.

I’ve served 44 years in the financial services industry, over half of which I’ve spent at Nedbank Private Wealth. It has been a great privilege to lead the business throughout this time, but now is a perfect opportunity to hand over the reins. Stuart is an excellent fit for our business, both technically and culturally, and his role will be to carry forward this amazing international business across its chosen geographical and business sectors. I wish him every success.

“From where we started, the business today is unrecognisable in terms of size, reach and market position. Over the years, I have made many friends, both inside and outside the business and the team I have helped to build in that time is more an extended family than a

group of work colleagues. I have enjoyed a long and happy association with the business and it is a rare privilege to benefit from the support of one’s shareholders for the best part of a quarter of a century. I owe a great deal to the loyalty and friendship of this amazing team of people, comprising staff, clients and shareholders, and, although the transition of my role has been well messaged and planned for, it is never easy to say goodbye. I wish to express my thanks and gratitude to them all. I take great pride in what we have achieved together.

“While my time at the company has now come to an end, I look forward to watching its continued progress from a different perspective. As a client, I will remain no less excited to witness the continuing roll out of the company’s 2020 vision, which will see the launch of an impressive array of technological improvements through 2018 and beyond. These will ensure the business remains firmly at the top of its game and maintains its current positon as a leader in its field.”

ON THE AGENDA

CORLETT BOLTON APPOINTS NADINE ROBERTS AS DIRECTOR

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adine is based in Corlett Bolton’s Port St Mary office and specialises in the areas of Commercial and Residential Conveyancing and Leases, Commercial, Employment Law, Civil Litigation, Matrimonial Law, Private client services including Wills, Estates and Foreign Probates, Receiverships and Powers of Attorney. She is also a Notary.

Nadine rejoined the company at the end of last year having started her career there as a trainee. She was

commissioned as a Manx Advocate in 2009 prior to which she completed an LLB (Hons) degree at the University of Wales in 2005 and a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice in 2006.

Nadine added: ‘I’m delighted to be joining the board of Directors at Corlett Bolton and I’m looking forward to helping the business grow even more.

The team and board have been really supportive; I’m lucky to have such a fantastic set of colleagues.’

MM&C appoints new Client Administrator

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eading marketing and communications company, MM&C, has appointed a new Client Administrator.

Connie Jones – who has more than 15 years’ experience in sales, marketing, customer service and office administration – has been recruited to provide additional admin support for the Douglas-based firm as its list of clients on and off-Island continues to grow. She has a BSc in Business Studies and a HND in Business and Finance (majoring in marketing for both qualifications) from the University of Salford. More recently, she attended University College Isle of Man where she gained a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, and completed EDCL and Business Administration courses.

Connie, who joins MM&C as it prepares to celebrate 20 years in business, said: “I am very excited to be working within such a dynamic and forward thinking team, and helping to enhance MM&C’s relationships with existing and new clients.”

Craig Wolstencroft, MM&C Managing Director and founder, said: “Given our expanding client base, it is essential that we stay focused on our delivery of great customer service, because that is what has made us one the Island’s most respected communications agencies. Connie has the perfect background, skills and knowledge to support our team and help to drive the business forward.

We view our work with clients as a partnership, and investing in this partnership to ensure the best possible client/agency relationship is essential to maintain our high standards as the business continues to grow.”

MOVERS & SHAKERS

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isle of man brandvoice

Young Entrepreneurs Look To Ethical Clothing Fashion As All Agree

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‘I Choose agenda

ON THE AGENDA

THE ENTIRE ECONOMY IS BASED ON CONSUMPTION BY THE THROWAWAY SOCIETY! BLUNT WORDS FROM SAM MURPHY WHO WITH THOMAS RILEY AND KIM TASKER ARE THE YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS BEHIND ONLINE ETHICAL CLOTHING COMPANY ‘I CHOOSE LIFE’.

Words by: Les Able Photos by: Matt Mosur

‘A

Life’ ISLE OF MAN BRANDVOICE

fair trade and organic clothing company from start to finish,” says 28-yearold Sam. “An ethical fashion and lifestyle brand committed to helping others with 50 per cent of all profits made from our clothing donated to good and ethical causes.

“We live in a throwaway society, with young people in particular, seduced into buying an item of clothing which they don’t really need then throwing it out after wearing it no more than perhaps three times,” declares Sam who, from an early age, liked the idea of working with clothing as part of a small, apparel-based business.

“A staggering amount of clothing goes to landfill each year in what is now a fast, fashion paced business and each time the consumer buys into it they are doing something adverse to the planet.”

It was when Sam started training with renowned Isle of Man sprinter Thomas Riley, managing director of Douglas-based Riley’s Garden Centre, that his ambition became a reality. The two discovered they had much in common when it came to lifestyles and philosophies.

“Thomas and I combined together initially with my expertise in weight training and his in the sprinting world, from this we decided to combine in creating an ethical clothing company with everyone involved fairly paid. My Mum works in Ramsey fair trade shop Shackti Man so that was probably the spark which ignited my ambitions, a business not purely for profit. I try and have an altruistic perspective with whatever I do.

“Our clothing line comes from seed to garment, even to the point of using recycled rain water in production and the manufacturing is carried out in a wind powered factory in India where all involved are fairly paid in a very reputable company.

We can show traceability at every step of the production process, including what the farmers make and we have proof that we are doing something good for the planet,” declares Thomas.

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“We see the complete cycle, from ground to finish and the money from the business goes into a variety of causes. We don’t do what the fast fashion industry does which is to put profit first. Our philosophy is a sustainable fashion industry which puts the environment first, the worker second and fairly paid, while making profit the third and final step. We are, however, anxious to stress that we are not a charity but a company.”

Both Thomas, 32, and Sam agree that when tempted to buy something they will think twice when it’s not fair trade but at the same time admit that sometimes it can be hard to make those decisions, more from laziness and price than anything else.

“It’s all about having a conscience and awareness that what we are buying is all too often polluting the planet,” declares Sam. “Some 20 per cent of all water pollution of the planet is down to dyeing from the fashion placed buying industry. Let’s face it, companies like Primark bring out a new line of clothing every week. The entire economy is based on consumerism and things we don’t truly need.”

So what about the company’s range of clothing? Thomas: “For now, it’s a casual lifestyle range, hoodies, T-shirts, vests, etc.

All are from 100 per cent organic cotton, bamboo and while currently it’s a limited range we are always looking to build our line which will include recycled organic dye.”

Sam: “We will go with the business wherever it leads us, and certainly clothing for sport. We want to produce a line of T-shirts and on the label the story behind its manufacture. What frustrates me is people think anything organic is expensive.

We are trying to convert people who are curious to be potential customers and look to organic things and ethical industries.”

Kim, founder of Isle of Man-based Adventurous Experiences: “I believe ‘I Choose Life’ to be the How to our Why! Being ethically minded and having others at the forefront of our cause isn’t all that original. However, bringing like-minded people together, creating camaraderie fuelled by kindness, action and taking that extra step to help others, will have a much greater effect than individuals alone. I’m proud to be part of ‘I Choose Life’ because I believe we are exactly this, furthermore we believe you and I alike can make a difference.”

The philosophy which all three have signed up to in driving ‘I Choose Life’ forward is: ‘I Choose Life’ represents the idea that life should be enjoyed, not squandered. We represent those who live their lives for enjoyment and satisfaction, without avoiding hardship. Those that understand that to enjoy life you must embrace it while helping those along the way.”

More information: info@ichooselife.com www.ichooselife.co.uk

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“For now, it’s a casual lifestyle range, hoodies, T-shirts, vests, etc. All are from 100 per cent organic cotton, bamboo and while currently it’s a limited range we are always looking to build our line which will include recycled organic dye.”

ON THE AGENDA

MAKING CONNECTIONS

isle of man brandvoice

Behind the Gender Pay Gap Despite many leaving it until the last minute, the majority of UK companies managed to submit their figures on the Gender Pay Gap

by April 4th.

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ON THE AGENDA

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ender equality has moved on light years in recent decades, with arguably the biggest strides forward in the entirety of human civilisation.

However, there still remain significant differences in average pay between the sexes. The government’s recent insistence that all companies report a Gender Pay Gap – with the figures published a few weeks ago in early April – were intended to draw attention to this difference, and by highlighting it hopefully reduce it further.

There were unlimited fines at stake for late delivery of the information, to be levied by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, so that must have concentrated minds on getting those submissions in on time.

The results were largely as expected.

Overall, there was a mean Gender Pay Gap of 15% and a median Pay Gap of 9.7% (ie men are paid this much more than women). Some 78% of companies paid men more, while at 9% of companies pay is equal, and at 14% of companies women earn more. It would be intriguing to know what sort of companies these were, if indeed they fall into any category.

All UK companies with more than 250 employees, whether public or private, were required to report – some 10,000 in total.

The gender pay gap is a different to equal pay. The latter has been illegal for 47 years.

The gender pay gap does not result from companies paying different rates for men and women. It reflects instead differing levels of seniority for the genders. More senior people are male, so they earn higher salaries, but it also reflects different occupations, and the fact that more women work on a part-time basis.

The issue is more complex than it might at first appear. There is median pay (ie the number slap bang in the middle), and there is mean pay (the figure we would more normally associate with ‘average’, but which is affected by big outliers).

Take the Bonus Pay Gap, which companies also had to report. The mean difference is 15% in favour of men, while the median difference is 14% in favour of women.

Gender pay reporting is no doubt proving inconvenient, not to say embarrassing, for certain companies. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the biggest differences in gender pay - at 26.1% - occur in the financial and insurance sector.

Law firms, with a high proportion of male partners, and travel and aviation companies, with large numbers of male pilots, also show similar biases.

A few weeks ago the insurance company Aviva was first out for the finance sector, announcing a 27.6% median pay gap, putting this down to more males in senior roles.

HSBC also announced high gaps, noting that less than 25% of senior staff are women: the Gender Pay Gap was 29% for median pay (please see definition above), 59% for mean pay, and 86% for bonuses.

ISLE OF MAN BRANDVOICE

As for other finance firms, the gap was 36% at Goldman Sachs and 38% at Virgin Money.

Even media companies, where women are well represented, showed a bias towards men.

At the Financial Times the median pay gap was 19.4%, and the mean difference 24.4%, while the gap was 12.5% at The Guardian, 17.5% at Sky, 18.2% at ITN, 24.2% at Channel 4, 29.5% at The Economist, and 9.3% at the BBC (perhaps lower than might have been expected given all the publicity in January).

Easyjet (where only 6% of pilots are women) revealed hourly rates 45% less for women, while at Tui the difference was 56.9%. Ryanair showed the biggest difference at 71.8%.

British American Tobacco has a pay gap of 36%, while at Burberry it was 25.9%. Ladbrokes revealed only a marginal 2.5% difference.

At Cambridge University the difference was reported to be 15%.

There is no doubt that a lot of progress has been made on this matter over the years. As recently as 1997 the gender pay gap was 27.5%, while the latest figures show this has narrowed to 10%.

As already stated, gender equality has moved on hugely in recent decades, with several big strides forward.

But given we now have enforced publication of pay differences between the sexes, the issue is likely to remain topical.

James Penn CFA ASIP Senior Portfolio Manager

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GOING THAT EXTRA MILE, AND THEN SOME!

At RL360, our Customer Services team deal with more than 6,000 customer calls each month, 96% of which are answered and resolved by the same member of staff in under 5 minutes.

The team handles a similar number of emails, with 97% of these answered directly by the person who opened the email in our Contact Centre.

We call this service First Touch Resolution and our customers love it.

While consistent customer care is a vital part of what makes for a successful business, there are also times when going that extra mile, and then some, can have a huge impact.

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ON THE AGENDA

Here are some examples of extreme customer service which have made the news: 1.

SAINSBURY’S AND LILY: Mid-sandwich one day, 3-yearold Lily began to question Sainsbury’s decision to name the bread she was eating “tiger bread”. To Lily, the bread clearly looked much more like a giraffe and she wrote to the supermarket giant to tell them so. Instead of ignoring her letter, a Sainsbury’s customer service manager not only wrote back to Lily to agree, enclosing a gift card, but also renamed the bread “giraffe bread” in her honour.

2.

MORTON’S PORTERHOUSE AND PETER SHANKMAN: Author and business consultant Peter Shankman was about to board his flight home after a tiring day of travelling. Just before he did, he jokingly tweeted his favourite restaurant Morton’s Porterhouse saying: “Hey, @Mortons – can you meet me at Newark airport with a porterhouse when I land in two hours? K, thanks. ☺” To his surprise, and great delight, they did.

3.

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5.

THE RITZ-CARLTON AND JOSHIE THE GIRAFFE: After a visit to the Ritz-Carlton, Chris Hurn’s son accidentally left his toy Joshie the giraffe behind in his hotel room. As any parent would, Chris reassured his son that Joshie was just taking an extra few days’ holiday before making a desperate call to the hotel to explain what had happened. After finding the giraffe, staff really got into the spirit of the story and, before they sent him back, took and posted pictures of Joshie relaxing around the hotel, including by the pool and in the spa.

MICHAEL FROM NETFLIX AND SUBSCRIBER NORM: Netflix subscriber Norm contacted Netflix’s online chat service after encountering problems when viewing an episode of a sitcom. A Netflix staff member introduced himself as “Captain Mike of the good ship Netflix” and chatted to Norm – who during the course of the conversation became Lieutenant Norm – about the issues he was having, all as if reciting a Star Trek script. Not a way to immediately resolve the issue, granted, but a great way to have a bit of fun with a frustrated service user and turn the situation to your advantage.

UNITED AIRLINES AND KERRY DRAKE: Kerry Drake was making the dash to reach his mother’s hospital bedside as she was facing her final hours. When his first flight was delayed, Kerry broke down in tears on the plane, knowing he wouldn’t make his connecting flight. When the flight crew found out what was happening they spoke to the captain who radioed ahead to Kerry’s next flight, which delayed its departure to ensure he got on board. As a result he made it in time to see his mother before she passed away.

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6.

TOMMEE TIPPEE UK AND BEN CARTER: Ben Carter, a 14-year-old boy with severe Autism, became the centre of a viral social media campaign when the only cup he would ever drink out of, made by Tommee Tippee but now discontinued, needed to be replaced. Without his cup, he would refuse liquid, even if it meant dehydration and hospitalisation. Ben’s father shared the information online and the public took up his cause, leading to Tommee Tippee’s decision to create a limited run of 500 of the discontinued cups, especially for Ben.

7.

WESTJET AND ITS PASSENGERS: To spread seasonal goodwill (and gain some advertising credit too), WestJet decided to surprise 250 passengers across two of its flights into Calgary. As they checked in for the flight they were directed to an electronic counter featuring a WestJet Santa who prompted them to make Christmas wishes. While their flight was in the air, WestJet volunteers rushed out and bought, wrapped and labelled each of the requested items.

As the passengers arrived in Calgary, they were met with the gifts they had requested.

8.

CASPER AND THEIR INSOMNIAC CUSTOMERS: Sleep specialists Casper introduced a fun service for customers in 2017 in the Insomnobot3000. The chatbot provides a free service for insomniacs between the hours of 11pm and 5am only. A text to the bot with whatever is on your mind will elicit some sage advice or commiserations. It’s an innovative way for the company, which sells mattresses and sleep related products, to collect mobile numbers to send promotions and information to.

9.

LEGO AND LUKA: LEGO received an email from 7-year-old Luka after he had lost one of his Ninjago figures at the shops, despite the fact his dad had told him to leave the figures at home. Not only did LEGO send him a replacement figure, they responded to his email in an entertaining way, saying they had consulted Sensei Wu (a lead Ninjago character) about it and he had agreed to send a new figure, as long as Luka listened to his dad in future.

10. BUNGIE STUDIOS AND BRADY: In 2013, the father of a sick 5-year-old boy called Brady wrote to Bungie Studios (creators of the Halo franchise) after Brady had come out of surgery. Brady was a Halo fan and his dad wanted to know if the makers of the game could put a smile back on his son’s face. Bungie certainly did that, by presenting Brady with a Halo t-shirt, a card signed by all of the studio workers and a full-size replica of a helmet worn by one of the characters in the game.

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technology

Words By: John Gapper (FT)

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n Walt Disney’s Fantasia, the apprentice Mickey Mouse bashfully hands back the sorcerer’s hat after failing to stop a troupe of magic broomsticks from causing a flood.

Mark Zuckerberg made his own bow to the US Congress on Tuesday by apologising for the havoc that he has unleashed at Facebook.

Mr Zuckerberg once gave the impression of being supremely in charge of his company, down to his control of its voting shares. Even when something went wrong and he had to backtrack, it felt like a mere adjustment to his master plan.

Lately, he has looked more apprentice than sorcerer.

“Social networks can have properties that are neither controlled nor even perceived by the people within them,” Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler observe in their book Connected. Or by those in charge. The troubling thing is not that Mr Zuckerberg at first downplayed Russian efforts to affect the US presidential election, but that he did not understand them.

With greater effort and honesty, Facebook can fix the laxity with which it has handled personal data. The Cambridge Analytica scandal showed that it was far too loose in allowing people and organisations to plug into its “social graph” and extract data about millions of users. It has already tightened its data controls and must tighten them more, but the task is achievable.

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Mark Zuckerberg cannot control his own creation “The technical term is emergence, the powerful and unpredictable outcome of millions of users interacting freely with others”

But other things cannot be fixed because they are beyond Mr Zuckerberg’s control, lost in myriad encounters among Facebook’s 2bn users. The technical term is emergence, the powerful and unpredictable outcome of millions of users interacting freely with others. Anything from joke videos to fake news can spread like a virus, changing how people feel and act.

Mr Zuckerberg has been subdued by witnessing his creation cause chaos.

Facebook was tapped by anti-Rohingya Buddhists in Myanmar and Russian fake news factories. No higher authority holds the solution. The EU and the US may impose stricter rules on social networks, but politicians and regulators have no deeper insight into Facebook’s workings than its founder.

ON THE AGENDA

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talk WE NEED TO

agenda

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technology

Facebook increasingly talks of trying to limit the amount of passive consumption by users, from reading news (fake and otherwise) to watching videos. Instead, it wants to nudge them back to the kind of interactions with which it started — “to stay connected to the people they love, make their voices heard, and build communities and businesses”, Mr Zuckerberg says.

That may be prudent, but it does not get to the heart of the matter: Facebook grew by intentionally mixing up what Mark Granovetter, the US sociologist, called “strong ties” with weak ones. The former are close relationships among families, friends and colleagues; the latter are links to distant acquaintances and people in other communities. On Facebook, all “friends” are equal.

The EU and the US may impose stricter rules on social networks, but politicians and regulators have no deeper insight into Facebook’s workings than its founder This could not be faulted as a business strategy, for it enabled rapid expansion from a social network for US colleges to a global corporation. The “six degrees” database patent jointly acquired in 2003

by Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn’s founder,

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“Social networks can have properties that are neither controlled nor even perceived by the people within them”

imagined a social network gaining “hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of individuals” with this method. It was far too modest.

There was a philosophy behind the strategy. Prof Granovetter pointed out that weak ties sometimes have greater benefits than strong ones. His original example was finding a job: it helps to engage an extensive network of contacts rather simply sticking close to home. Similarly, Facebook groups devoted to organ donation can be extremely useful for patients who need one.

Facebook’s size makes it more weakly tied than social networks that focus on smaller communities. One analysis of 957,000 Facebook users and 59m connections (gathered before it limited data scraping) found that “most connections are weak . . . with few contacts and infrequent interactions”. That made it “a powerful way to transfer information across large social distances and to wide segments”.

Hundreds of millions of weak ties also make it a powerful way to wield influence. Studies show that people’s mood, behaviour, and even weight are affected by others who are fairly weakly connected in a social network — Profs Christakis and Fowler refer to the “three degrees of influence” that friends of friends of friends can invisibly exert.

This is the trouble with Facebook’s elision of families and acquaintances, of strong and weak ties. The latter can make users happy or depressed; can help them to lose weight or gain it; can deliver insight or misinformation. Good and ill both multiply across its emergent, disobedient network.

Mr Hoffman limited this at LinkedIn by making explicit the degrees of separation among users rather than calling them all “friends”, but Mr Zuckerberg was less cautious. So was Mickey Mouse, who dreamt of controlling the stars but awoke to complete disorder.

The sorcerer cleaned up Mickey’s mess but Mr Zuckerberg has not yet handed in his wizard’s hat. “It’s not enough to connect people, we have to make sure those connections are positive,” he told members of Congress on Tuesday. That is a fine pledge, but it would take magic to fulfil it.

John Gapper is a columnist with the Financial Times ON THE AGENDA

Isle of Man | Home & Interiors | May 2018

The best place to find a new place in the Isle of Man

Palm Winds, Ramsey - £895,000

No 9, The Penthouse - £2,100,000

HOME

PROPERTY FEATURE

Palm Winds, Ramsey £895,000 – No onward change – Part Exchange considered

NO 4 PALM WINDS IS AN EXCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT OF 5 LUXURY PROPERTIES SITUATED ON A HEADLAND OVERLOOKING RAMSEY BAY.

THE PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO TAKE FULL BENEFIT OF THEIR STUNNING LOCATION WITH LARGE EXPANSES OF PICTURE GLAZING OVER LOOKING GARDEN, COUNTRYSIDE AND COASTAL VIEWS BEYOND. The Property is a Contemporary design which makes full use of modern construction techniques to provide an unrivalled living environment. The use of highly insulated construction results in the property having a low environmental impact.

The location has a rural feel but is close to all the amenities in Ramsey.

THE ACCOMMODATION COMPRISES:

Master Suite with Dressing Room, Second and Third Bedroom with En-suite and Dressing Room, One Further Double Bedroom and Family Bathroom.

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Large Entrance Hall, Study, Cloakroom.

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Lounge/Dining Room with Two Sets of Sliding Doors Leading to Patio and Rear Garden.

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Gated Entrance with Driveway for Several Vehicles leading to Double Garage.

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Spacious Kitchen/Family Room again with Sliding Doors Leading to Rear, and Utility Room.

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Gas Fired Central Heating. With Under Floor Heating Downstairs.

Tel: 01624 662820 62

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THIS PROPERTY IS BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED, VIEWING IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO APPRECIATE THE LUXURY AND STUNNING LOCATION

1ST FLOOR: APPROXIMATELY 1817 SQ.FT.

GROUND FLOOR: APPROXIMATELY 1814 SQ.FT

Tel: 01624 662820 BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

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FAIRHAVEN LUCERNE COURT, DOUGLAS

This stylish 4 bedroomed detached executive family home occupies a private position in this highly sought-after location only a few minutes’ drive from the centre of Douglas.

Offering an excellent standard of contemporary accommodation throughout, Fairhaven has a generous number of reception rooms perfect for family entertaining and relaxing.

PROPERTY INCLUDES: n Executive family home

n Located in a desirable development n 4 double bedrooms n Spacious entrance hall with gallery landing n Luxury modern fitted dining kitchen n Cinema room n Conservatory n Landscaped front and rear gardens

DANDARA Price £1.295m VIEWING HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Contact 615000 for details 66

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Bridge court

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FEATURE PROPERTY

FEATURED PLACES Our pick of the market this month

NO.9, THE PENTHOUSE

Windsor House, Port Erin - ÂŁ2.100,000

Prestigious luxury 3 bedroom penthouse apartment with breathtaking views over Port Erin Bay situated in a stunning location, just minutes walk from the Town centre and the Beach. The apartment was designed to offer a front row seat with Mother Nature making way for expansive views of the Irish Sea, ensuring the most amazing sunsets the West coast has to offer. The prime location offers the opportunity to witness exquisite drama of winter storms, beautiful summer days from the comfort of this spectacular development.

Garforth Gray 3

HAROLD TOWER

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T: 66 77 88

Fort Anne Road, Douglas- ÂŁ3,950,000

An outstanding gothic design castle, circa 1830, occupying a commanding position on Douglas Head overlooking the bay. Located approximately half a mile from the town centre, enjoying considerable privacy with mature walled grounds, extending to approximately 3 acres (1.214 hectares). Beautifully renovated, Principal residence currently has 3 bedrooms with potential for 5, 3 bed guest coach house and 2 bed cottage, garage, workshop and stores. Formal gardens with walkway down to South Quay.

Chrystals T: 623778

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COME HOME TO AWARD WINNING STYLE

at Ballakilley, Port Erin

FINAL PHASE - Last chance to purchase a superb 3 or 4 bedroom home at Ballakilley.

PRICES START FROM £296,950 SHOW HOMES OPEN

SHOW HOMES OPEN Sat & Sun 11am - 4pm Visit dandara.com or call 615000 for full details

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Sales office: Victoria St, Douglas. Open 7 Days.

Specification may vary subject to house type and build stage. Full details available on request. Prices and details correct at time of going to print. Image shown is the Maple show home.

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FEATURE PROPERTY

FEATURED PLACES Our pick of the market this month

BALLAMENAGH CROFT

Sandygate - £550,000

Detached True Bungalow with Gated Entrance and Parking for several Vehicles.

Situated on a Large Plot in a Rural Location, close to Sandygate Crossroads.

Accommodation Comprises: Entrance Porch, Hallway, Lounge with feature Fireplace and French Doors to the Garden, Kitchen/Breakfast Room with French Doors to the Garden, Utility Room and WC, Master Bedroom with En-Suite, Two further Bedrooms and Family Bathroom, Double Garage and Driveway, Gardens to Front and Rear.

GRAYS GARDEN

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T: 882820

Ramsey - £299,950

A detached spacious house situated in a quiet back water. The property is approximately twenty years old and has been well maintained during ownership. The property is an ideal family home with three good size bedrooms, two bathrooms (one En-suite) and two large reception rooms. In addition to the principal rooms there is a large dining kitchen, lovely south facing lawned garden and off road parking for 5-6 vehicles. Offered with no onward chain.

Chrystals T: 623778

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U P T O 2 0 % O F F P L U S F R E E S T O R AG E F O R S O M E , S L E E P I S S O M E T H I N G T H AT J U S T H A P P E N S . AT S O M N U S I T H A P P E N S B Y D E S I G N .

Our handmade craftsmanship, combined with innovative Sensa Intelligent pocket springs and home-grown natural fillings, from our farm in North Yorkshire, makes every bed unique.

We’ve redesigned sleep. And you’re invited to see the results.

H A N D M A D E I N YO R K S H I R E S I N C E 1 840

W W W. S O M N U S . C O . U K P R O U D T O B E PA R T O F T H E H A R R I S O N S P I N K S F A M I LY

Unit 16A, Snugborough Trading Estate, Union Mills Isle of Man IM4 4LH tel: 01624 623322

APPETITE

Recipes HOW TO MAKE DIANA HENRY’S CRAB, TOMATO AND SAFFRON TART “This is one of my best dishes and I’ve been turning it out every summer for years,” says food writer Diana Henry. “It’s rich, but the custard is delicate. Prepare the components the day before, then you just have to fill the tart case and bake it.”

Here’s how...

Ingredients: (Serves 6-8) For the pastry: n 250g plain flour, plus more to dust n 150g chilled unsalted butter, chopped n Good pinch of sea salt flakes n 1 egg yolk For the filling: n 4 plum tomatoes n 15g unsalted butter n 1/2tbsp regular olive oil n 1 small onion, very finely chopped n 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped n Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black

pepper n Pinch of caster sugar (optional) n Squeeze of lemon juice (optional) n 200ml double cream n Generous pinch of saffron threads n 100ml creme fraiche n 1 large egg, plus 3 egg yolks n 200g white crab meat n 50g brown crab meat To serve: n Whatever you fancy - but Henry recommends a green salad, or green beans with toasted almonds, and potatoes if you like.

Method:

1. To make the pastry, put the flour, butter and salt into a food processor and whizz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Mix the yolk with half a tablespoon of very cold water, add it and whizz again. The pastry should come together into a ball. Wrap it in cling film and allow to rest in the fridge for 20 minutes or so, then roll out on a lightly floured surface and use to line a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Prick the bottom with a fork, then chill in the fridge or freezer until cold and firm.

2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas

mark 4 and put in a metal baking sheet to heat up. Line the pastry with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Bake the pastry case, on the hot baking sheet, for 14 minutes, removing the paper and beans after seven. Leave to cool.

3. Plunge the tomatoes into boiling water and leave for 20 seconds, then remove. Skin, halve, deseed and cut the flesh into slivers. Heat the butter and regular olive oil in a frying pan and cook the onion and tomatoes gently until soft but not coloured. Add the garlic, season and continue to cook until you have a thick puree. Taste. If the tomatoes didn’t have the best flavour to begin with, it will benefit from the tiniest bit of sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice. The puree should be dry, not at all wet. Spoon it into the pastry case.

4. Put about 50ml of the double cream in a saucepan and add the saffron

threads. Heat until just under boiling, then stir until you can see the saffron colouring the cream. Leave to cool. Mix this with the rest of the double cream, the creme fraiche, egg and egg yolks. Season well and gently stir in all the crab. Slowly pour into the tart case.

5. Return the tart to the hot baking sheet and cook for 45 minutes, or until the

pastry is golden and the filling just set in the middle (it should still have a little give, as it will continue to cook out of the oven).

6. Leave to cool for 15 minutes, then remove the tart tin and serve. I think this only needs a green salad, but green beans with toasted almonds are also good, and some people always want potatoes.

How To Eat A Peach by Diana Henry, photography by Laura Edwards, is published in hardback by Mitchell Beazley, priced £25 (octopusbooks.co.uk).

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APPETITE

HOW TO MAKE RUSSELL NORMAN’S RIBOLLITA “Ribollita is a great example of a hearty dish that, despite its humble, inexpensive ingredients, does not compromise on flavour. The addition of the bread creates a texture that I find deeply comforting, too.”

THIS HEARTY SOUP USES UP LOTS OF LEFTOVER BREAD.

“So often, domestic Italian recipes call for stale bread, usually chopped or torn into small chunks and sometimes soaked in milk. It is this frugal, sensible approach to household management that characterizes the cooking I love and certainly informs the choices of home cooks in Venice; always with one eye on the purse strings,”

says food writer and restaurateur, Russell Norman.

Ingredients: (Serves 4) n 300g dried cannellini beans n 2 bay leaves n Extra virgin olive oil n 1 large onion, finely diced n 1 large carrot, finely diced n 1 large celery stalk, finely diced n 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped n Flaky sea salt n 1tsp fennel seeds, crushed n A small handful of thyme leaves n Freshly ground black pepper n 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes n 1/2 a loaf of stale bread, crustless, torn into small chunks n 1 whole cavolo nero, roughly shredded

Method: 1. Soak the beans overnight in a very large bowl with one of the bay leaves and plenty of cold water. Next day, drain the beans, transfer to a large pan, and cover well with fresh cold water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes, until soft. While cooking, remove scum as it comes to the surface. Retain two large cups of the cooking water, drain the beans and set aside.

2. In a large, heavy-based saucepan, heat a good glug or two of olive oil and gently saute the onion, carrot, celery and garlic for a good 15 minutes, until soft and glossy. Add a good pinch or two of salt, the crushed fennel seeds, the thyme and a twist of black pepper.

3. Now add the chopped tomatoes, the cooked beans, one of the cups of cooking water and the second bay leaf, and stir over a medium heat for about 30-45 minutes.

About halfway through, submerge the chunks of stale bread in the soup and add the shredded cavolo nero. You may need to use the second cup of cooking water.

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

4. When done, your thick soup will improve vastly if you leave it overnight in the fridge and reheat it the next day (ribollito means ‘re-boiled’). Either way, remember to remove the bay leaves and finish each bowl with a twist of pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

Venice: Four Seasons Of Home Cooking by Russell Norman, photography by Jenny Zarins, is published by Fig Tree, priced £26.

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APPETITE

WORDS | Anne Berry | The Wine Cellar

MAKING IT SUSTAINABLE OVER THE LAST DECADE, IT HAS BECOME MORE APPARENT, WITH RELIABLE EVIDENCE, THAT CONDITIONS ON EARTH ARE LIKELY TO GET WORSE OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE. There are two options open to the next generation: 1. Ignore the problem and bury their heads until it is too late 2. Realise that the only way to create change is to vote in mass with time and money Older generations used to happily drive miles to pick up a bargain at an out of town supermarket whereas today’s shopper is more likely to question the source and will care more about reducing the waste and their carbon footprint.

When it comes to wine, many wineries are becoming more sustainable and this is only going to increase as climate change becomes more of a reality.

Sustainability is difficult to define as different wine regions have differing environmental stresses, but it refers to a range of practices that are ecologically sound, economically viable and socially responsible. Many sustainable wineries will also use organic practices but sometimes prefer not to get certified. They see it as a choice so they are able to do what is necessary for the grapes in any one year.

The general aim is to respect the land and the people who work it and also to meet the demands of the increasingly environmentally aware consumers who enjoy the products.

Wineries will work to maintain or rehabilitate vegetation, animal life and biodiversity. Many have owl boxes in the vineyards, an inexpensive and earth friendly form of rodent control. Others turn their biodegradable waste – from cellars,

winery restaurants etc. – into ‘food’ for soil, they may have animals to provide compost or could have an arrangement with a local farm. Cover crops are planted to enrich soil, prevent erosion, aid in water conservation and provide a habitat for beneficial insects.

More and more wineries are moving towards lighter bottles and recyclable closures and labels.

Almost all of New Zealand and South African vineyards are certified as sustainable. In both countries, wineries are inspected every three years to ensure they pass the minimum standards.

In South Africa, these standards include health and safety for the workers, use of natural predators to combat pests and reduction of water usage. They can then use the official seal marking them as Integrity and Sustainability Certified.

Try the Wolftrap White (£8.75), a beautifully balanced and certified sustainable blend of Viognier, Chenin and Grenache Blanc. Great on its own or ty it with fish or pasta with a creamy sauce.

In New Zealand, the SWNZ (Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand) focuses on biodiversity, energy use, chemical use, vineyard and winery waste and social impact. The programme is based on continuous improvement and adherence to the standards set and members have to submit scorecards annually.

The Pilot by Alpha Domus (£14.45) is a richly flavoured Bordeaux blend of Merlot and Cabernet from Hawkes Bay, North

Island, that will be delicious with roast or slow cooked lamb or just with a big platter of cheese.

Chile adopts the three ‘E’s of sustainability; economic viability, environmental stewardship and social equity.

Wineries are reviewed every two years and given scores for their compliance standards.

Once the required targets are met or exceeded, they are awarded the status of Certified Sustainable Wine of Chile.

De Gras Merlot is a lovely soft and fruity Chilean Merlot (£9.15) with the seal and the Humo Blanco Sauvignon Blanc (£12.15) is certified both sustainable and organic.

Sustainability ensures the long term health of the entire ecological system by promoting and maintaining the biodiversity of plants and animals, conservation of natural resources and supporting the viability of the viticultural community for generations to come. Look out for the symbols above to seek out wineries that are caring for the land, their employees and the future.

THE WINE CELLAR • TENNIS ROAD • DOUGLAS • IM2 3QW TELEPHONE: 01624 611793 • EMAIL: anne@thewinecellar.im

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FASHION

Ray-Ban - The most legendary sunglasses and prescription eyewear in the world Timeless style, authenticity and freedom of expression are the core values of Ray-Ban, a leader in sun and prescription eyewear for generations. Since the introduction of the iconic Aviator model created for the aviators of the United States Army, Ray-Ban has been at the forefront of cultural change, becoming a symbol of self-expression, worn by celebrities and public figures all around the world.

The full Ray-Ban range of sunglasses and eyeglasses are available at Holmes & Davidson on Strand Street. Check online or call into the store for the latest offers and advice.

ROUND DOUBLE BRIDGE The best seller model Round Double Bridge features frame colours covered by thin plastic circles in different kind of tones. Contemporary gradient lenses and transparent frame colours enhance the unique identity of this ultra-fine, resilient metal frame.

ORIGINAL WAYFARER CLASSIC The Ray-Ban Original Wayfarer Classics are the most recognizable style in the history of sunglasses. Since its initial design in 1952, Wayfarer Classics gained popularity among celebrities, musicians, artists and those with an impeccable fashion sense.

The selection includes the New Wayfarer, Original Wayfarer, and Folding Wayfarer styles.

RAY-BAN AVIATOR - Originally designed for U.S. Aviators in 1937, Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses offer iconic styling with exceptional quality, performance and comfort.

Reflect your style with Ray-Ban Aviator Flash lens sunglasses, one of the most iconic sunglasses models in the world.

Available in 11 different colours.

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FASHION

EYEGLASSES FOR THE KIDS Discover the full Ray-Ban eyeglasses collection featuring stylish glasses and frames for kids. Ray-Ban frames are available in a number of iconic styles to suit all face shapes and timeless looks.

Available in 8 different colours.

BLAZE WAYFARER - One of the most iconic shapes, now with a brand new look: Wayfarer goes lens-over-frame with Blaze.

The new Blaze lens-over-frame gives this model a futuristic attitude, while transparent frame enhance its elegance.

This combination results in a catchy, daring and illuminating effect.

Except for the total black and havana SKUs, frames and temples are presented in contrasting and stunning colours.

Ray-Ban 5283 - Stay sharp in this signature phantos optical frame. Rep one of three new exclusive striped horn colour combinations like grey/blue, pink/brown, and beige/brown, or one of ten other colour combinations. Pick up a pair with Ray-Ban prescription lenses in different size for a perfect fit.

THE RAY-BAN ÂŽ RB4075 - These sunglasses are one of the best selling RayBan classic rectangular designs, crafted in propionate plastic with a wrapped fit.

HOLMES & DAVIDSON

OPTICIANS BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

Holmes & Davidson Opticians 45 Strand Street, Douglas, Isle of Man IM1 2EJ T: 01624 676230 E: info@holmesanddavidsonopticians.co.uk W: www.holmesanddavidsonopticians.co.uk F: www.facebook.com/ HolmesAndDavidsonOpticians/

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BEAUTY

MALE CARE: 5 MOST POPULAR COSMETIC SURGERY CHOICES FOR UK MEN Thousands of men now go under the knife each year in a bid to improve their appearance.

Once portrayed as the preserve of women, cosmetic surgery is now an acceptable option for a growing number of British men, with thousands opting to go under the knife in their quest for better looks.

And it’s not just help with things like male breast tissue (‘moobs’) they’re after. With male surgical enhancement no longer carrying the social stigma it once did, they’re now looking more widely at the options - particularly those relating to the face, with procedures like nose jobs, ear correction and eyelid reduction all proving popular.

Consultant plastic surgeon Rajiv Grover, a former president of and spokesperson for the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), says there’s been an increase in the number of men having cosmetic procedures over the last 10 years, with 2,417 men going under the knife last year. The proportion of men vs women remains the same however, with men making up roughly 10%, and women accounting for 90% of all procedures carried out.

“What was popular for many years was male breast reduction or ‘moob’ surgery, along with lots of things that were popular with women too, like liposuction,” says Grover. “But recently we’ve found there’s been a real change - men are more facefocused and less body-focused, whereas women are the opposite.

“Men aren’t looked at with the same scrutiny as women - you see quite a few male celebrities who don’t look like an Adonis, but they’re OK. The pressure is there for men, but as it’s more face-focused - facial procedures on the neck, nose, jaw etc are the gold standard for them.”

So what are the top cosmetic surgery procedures for men right now? According to BAAPS, these are the five most popular...

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BEAUTY

1. Rhinoplasty (nose job)

In 2017, 554 men had a rhinoplasty, or ‘nose job’, in the UK, an increase 5% from 2016. A rhinoplasty, which typically costs £5000£7000, can increase or reduce the size of the nose, and change its shape or angle.

Surgery is performed either from inside the nostrils (closed rhinoplasty), or by making a small cut between the nostrils and lifting the skin (open rhinoplasty).

The type of operation will depend on the area of the nose being treated but, for example, if a bump on the bridge of the nose is being operated on, the surgeon removes the bone and cartilage causing the bump, and the nose may then be broken so the remaining pieces of bone can be moved closer together. To change the length of the nose, the surgeon adjusts and reduces the septum (the bone and cartilage that divides the nasal cavity) to help shrink the tip and reduce overall length. Adjusting the cartilage at the nose tip can also reduce the length. BAAPS warns there are limits to how much a nose can be altered, and the final result will depend on the size of the nose, the condition of the skin, and a patient’s age.

2. Otoplasty (ear correction)

Meanwhile, some 419 men had otoplasty surgery in the UK last year - down 0.5% from 2016. Otoplasty, which will set you back around £2500-£3000, adjusts the shape of the cartilage within the ear to allow the ear to lie closer to the side of the head. Because the operation is carried out from behind the ears, a small scar is left close to the groove between the ear and the side of the head. The procedure can even be carried out under local anaesthetic.

3. Blepharoplasty (eyelid reduction) As we age, reduced elasticity in the skin results in loose skin, which ‘folds in’ the upper eyelids and forms deepening creases in the lower lids. There’s also slackening of the muscle beneath the skin, allowing fat to protrude and appear baggy. Procedures to improve this are called blepharoplasty, which 403 men had in the UK in 2017, up 25% from 2016.

An upper-eyelid reduction can help improve vision and make people look younger, while lower-eyelid reductions can help reduce wrinkles and puffiness. These procedures can be carried out under local or general anaesthetic, and the surgeon makes cuts in the creases of the upper lids and just below the lashes in the lower lids, extending them into the crow’s feet at the corner of the eyes. Extra fat, excess skin and sagging muscle are removed through the cuts, and they are then stitched.

Blepharoplasty will typically cost around £4000-£6,000.

4. Male breast reduction

In 2017, 296 men had breast reduction surgery, down 7% from 2016. Gynecomastia is the medical term for excess male breast tissue, which is a fairly common condition that usually has no known cause.

There are two main components of the breast - glandular tissue (firm and dense) and fatty tissue (soft), and in gynaecomastia there may be an excess of both. If the enlargement is predominantly fatty, liposuction, where tissue is sucked out through a tube inserted via a tiny incision, is the usual treatment. If excess glandular tissue is the main problem, it may need to be cut out, leaving a scar around the nipple edge.

Liposuction can be performed at the same time if necessary.

Most operations for gynaecomastia are performed under general anaesthesia, or sometimes under local anaesthesia with sedation, with a price-tag of around £2000-£4000.

5. Liposuction

Last year saw a 20% drop in the number of men undergoing liposuction, compared with 2016 figures, with 270 males opting for the procedure. Liposuction can help improve the contours of parts of the body that some people may struggle to shift weight from, such as the tummy, hips, buttocks, knees, neck and upper arms. A thin tube (cannula) is inserted through tiny cuts in the skin and used to loosen the fat, before a suction device is attached and the fat is sucked out. Finally, the cuts in the skin are sewn up. Liposuction typically costs around £2500-£4000.

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

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FASHION

n New Look Denim Contrast Stitch Jacket, 29.99; Skirt, £19.99, available from New Look.

n Be Shape and Sculpt Super High Waist Lace-up Skinny Jeans, £48

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THE 5 DENIM UPDATES YOUR WARDROBE NEEDS THIS SEASON

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Denim never really goes out of style, but if Irish girl band B*Witched taught us anything with their late-Nineties music videos, the way you wear it certainly can.

That’s why it’s vitally important that anyone worth their fashion salt stays bang up to date with the denim trends of today.

For the months ahead, that means much more than just jeans - and actually there is (whisper it) more than a hint of Nineties styling around.

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n Bonprix High Waist Push-Up Jeans, £29.99 ISLE OF MAN PREMIER MAGAZINE

FASHION

HERE ARE THE DENIM CUTS, COLOURS, WASHES - AND EVEN SHOES - YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT

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The jeans

Move over, mom jeans. The skinny is back (as if it ever really went away), with super-high-waisted styles big news for spring.

Think you’ve got to be straight up and down to pour yourself into these tight trousers? Think again. The form-fitting cut accentuates your waist (and your curves) and some of the most flattering jeans on the high street this season are actually from plus-size brands.

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n V By Very Unique One Shoulder Tie Front Denim Dress, £45

The skirt

2 n by Very Contrast Stitch Indigo Denim Skirt, £25

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This is where the Noughties come in the coolest denim skirts are darkest indigo denim with contrast stitching.

A high-waisted A-line mini makes a great weekend staple, or you could tap into the pencil skirt trend with a knee-length denim number.

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The jacket

Last summer was all about distressed, borrowed-from-your-boyfriend acid wash denim jackets, and while fashion still favours a vintage vibe, now it’s about cropped styles - all the better for teaming with your high-waisted jeans for a double denim delight.

n JD Williams Fringe Trim Denim Jacket, £39

For something slightly more dressy, a neat collarless denim jacket with pocket detailing is the casual equivalent of a boucle blazer and is the ideal cover-up for a floaty boho maxi.

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n Monsoon Joni Denim Dress, £59

The dress

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Like the perfect pair of jeans, a great denim dress works for day or night, depending on how you accessorise it.

For day, a simple shirt dress is a handy transitional piece (wear it with Western boots now and suede sandals later), while you can zhuzh up a statement denim dress with pointed-toe ankle boots for a fab Eighties feel.

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The shoes

n Topshop Moto Hacked Off Cropped Denim Jacket, £42

BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

What’s the only thing better than double denim? That’s right, TRIPLE denim.

Throw the rule book out the window and add a pair of jeanlettos (yes, we did just make that word up) to your denim duo for the ultimate head-to-toe homage.

n Frayed Detail Strappy Heels In Light Denim, £32.99

5 n Deichmann Sequin Detail Strappy Heel, £24.99

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BEAUTY

BEAUTY PRODUCTS

Care for your skin.

Estée Lauder Daywear Eye Cooling Gel-Cream

Guerlain Abeille Royale Black Bee Honey Balm

Vichy Ideal Soleil SPF 30 Protective Water for Enhanced Tanning

This moisturising, anti-oxident rich product gives a cool rush of hydration. For an extra treat keep it in the fridge for a blissful cooling sensation. It re-freshes, de-puffs protects and deeply hydrates this delicate area which can so easily show signs of ageing. Keep on top of your eye care ladies!

At the heart of this is the wonder product is Ouessant Black Bee Honey which boosts the skin’s ability to repair itself.

This intensely nourishing balm makes your skin the best version it can bee, ideal for face and hands to stop signs of ageing in its tracks. Buzz off wrinkles.

Sunscreen can sometimes feel way too oily or creamy, so the Scientists behind coveted french skincare brand Vichy have developed this ultra light solar water spray for face and body. The radical lightweight solar water formula hydrates and protects while feeling comfortable on the skin.

La Prairie Eye & Lip Care Palette

Sisley Youth Protector Summer Body Oil SPF 15

Shavata Brow & Lash Strengthener

The eyes and mouth are the face’s most expressive features and are the first to show signs of age and fatigue. This product instantly reduces dark circles, puffiness, fine lines, and wrinkles. Helps temporarily fill wrinkles and plump lips.

Diffuses light to disguise imperfections and gives you a refreshed look. A handbag must-have!

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There are tons of good things about this product, but our favourite is being able to apply sun protection to your whole body (including your own back) in 10 seconds flat. It is just so convenient! On top of this it is one of the very best sun protection products out there; your tan will be radiant and long-lasting, fine dehydration lines are smoothed and the appearance of dark spots caused by the sun are minimised.

Want shinier, longer, thicker and stronger looking eyebrows and lashes? “Hell yeah” I hear you cry! Ideal for encouraging growth on over plucked eyebrows. Made from 100% cold-pressed nourishing, organic castor oil. The Omega 9 fatty acids it contains make hair thicker and shinier. For rapid results, apply twice a day.

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HARDWARE

TEST DRIVE: THE FORD MUSTANG Ford has given its iconic muscle car a facelift for 2018.

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HARDWARE

What is it?

It wasn’t too long ago that the Ford Mustang was first introduced to the UK, going on-sale officially here in 2016 for the first time in the model’s 44-year history - but barely two years on, and we have a facelifted car.

The iconic V8 muscle car has been quite a success since arriving in Europe - having sold more than 33,000 units since landing on this side of the pond - and the American firm is hoping more technology and a fresh face can continue its initial success.

What’s new?

The big focus on the facelifted Mustang for Ford has been improving its previous Euro NCAP safety rating from two stars to a targeted three. As a result, it now features pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection technology along with lane-keep assistance.

That’s not the only new thing, though.

Providing fresh vocal chords to the eightcylinder brute is an active exhaust system that features ‘Good Neighbour Mode’, which can be set to reduce exhaust noise between certain hours of the day to avoid disturbing the peace. There’s also the addition of optional ‘MagneRide’ adjustable suspension, which adjusts depending on the driving mode.

What’s under the bonnet?

There’s no real change in the choice of engines on offer for the updated Ford Mustang, with a 2.3-litre turbocharged fourcylinder unit starting the range, while the iconic 5.0-litre V8 remains too.

We drove the V8, which has received some minor fettling. Power is up to 444bhp from 410 on the original car, although torque remains unchanged at 529Nm. Paired to a six-speed manual gearbox (a 10-speed auto is also available), the 0-60mph sprint is done in 4.6 seconds with a 155mph top speed possible. It’s not exactly the last word in efficiency, with a claimed 22mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of 277g/km.

It’s an archaic feeling thing, with torque lazily coming in at around 4,000rpm before power really begins to build, which would be a disappointment in any other car - but it’s a Mustang, and it aids that old-school muscle-feel that buyers will want.

feels pretty composed and manageable on the road, likely thanks to the ‘MagneRide’ adaptive suspension. Steering also weighs up nicely in Sport+ mode, although more feel through the wheel wouldn’t go amiss.

Take the ‘Stang out on the motorway and you’ll have a very relaxed journey - if maybe one with a fair few fuel stops as a result of that poor economy. It feels truly at home on big, open roads, with the suspension providing a comfortable ride and the engine settling down to a quiet grumble at cruising speeds.

How does it look?

The Ford Mustang has never been a discreet looking vehicle, but a few visual tweaks have certainly given it even more presence on the road. New air vents have been added to the bonnet, while a revised lower grille creates an even more menacing look.

It’s not all show, though. The new front splitter increases downforce while the addition of ‘rocker shields’ to the wheel arches aid air flow under the car to reduce drag.

It’s not a classically beautiful design, but the aggressive, bold look continues to fit the mission statement of the Mustang perfectly. It’s one of the most brutal looking machines on the road that’s sure to turn heads - especially so in the ‘Orange Fury’ paint finish on our car.

VERDICT:

Fresh changes for the Ford Mustang haven’t revolutionised the brute, which is exactly what it didn’t need to do. It remains in its own league, offering an old-school, all-American muscle car experience here in the UK. Sure, the interior may not be up to scratch with rivals at its price point, but they simply don’t offer the theatre and raw fun the Mustang brings to the table.

In a world driven by electrification and autonomy, it’s a relief that a naturally aspirated, V8 monster with a manual gearbox still remains on sale. And a great one at that, too

What’s it like inside?

To hit a £41k price point with the performance on offer, it’s clear to see Ford have cut corners inside the car. It’s definitely not a bad place to be - most things feel well-built and there’s few hard plastics to be found - but rivals do offer more.

Controls and switches in the centre console look and feel a tad outdated, while the faux leather upholstery is a bit hard to the touch.

Our test car was also fitted with optional Recaro leather seats. They’re fine to sit in, offering great support all round and plenty of comfort, but it does result in a cramped driving position that is a struggle to adapt to. Fitting these also removes the option of heated and ventilated seating - worth considering if you plan to use it as a longdistance cruiser.

What’s the spec like?

The Mustang is pretty well equipped out of the box. For no extra cost, there’s the new lane keep and pre-collision technology, while adaptive cruise control, a 12-inch LCD instrument cluster, Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system on an eight-inch screen, automatic LED headlights and a heated steering wheel are present.

Mechanical features such as a limited-slip differential and the active exhaust system are also included.

FACTS AT A GLANCE Model as tested: Ford Mustang 5.0 V8 GT | Price: £41,095 Engine: 5.0-litre V8 Power (bhp): 444 Torque (Nm): 529 Max speed (mph): 155 0-60mph: 4.6 seconds MPG (combined): 22 Emissions (g/km): 277

What’s it like to drive?

On paper, a Mustang might sound like an overdose of understeer with large dimensions (4.8m long, and 2.1m wide) and a 1,743kg weight - but that’s not the case.

It’s no hot hatch through the corners, but it BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

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HARDWARE

MOTORING NEWS

AUDI REVEALS ALL-ELECTRIC VISION GRAN TURISMO RACE CAR Audi has revealed the e-tron Vision Gran Turismo - an all-electric race car concept designed for virtual competition on the PlayStation 4.

The racer was originally only conceived to be included in the Gran Turismo video

game to celebrate its 15th anniversary.

However, the German car manufacturer has announced that it has built a one-off, fully functional version to support its team in the all-electric Formula E single-seater championship.

It will be used as a ‘race taxi’, giving guests of Audi hot laps on the series’ street circuits.

The electric powertrain produces 794bhp and feeds all four wheels via two electric motors at the rear wheels and a third powering the front two. It has a carbon-fibre construction to keep weight down, tipping the scales at 1,450kg with a 50/50 weight distribution.

NEW HYBRID RANGE ROVER ACCOUNTS FOR 20% OF ORDERS ALREADY Range Rover’s first plug-in hybrid drivetrain is proving very popular, accounting for 20% of current orders for the prestigious SUV just weeks after its reveal.

The hybrid, badged P400e and mixing a 2.0-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and battery pack, is theoretically capable of 101mpg and emits just 64g/ km of CO2.

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HARDWARE

GIANT CAR VENDING MACHINE IN CHINA LETS POTENTIAL BUYERS GO ON THREE-DAY TEST DRIVE Chinese shopping centre Tmall and Ford have partnered to offer people the convenience of picking up a car from a giant vending machine.

Alibaba Group, which owns Tmall, opened the Super Test-Drive Centre in Guangzhou

last month, allowing potential buyers to pick from 100 cars using their mobile phone and take one for a three-day test drive.

Customers can search for a new Ford on the Alibaba app. The system then uses face recognition when they arrive at the

vending machine, and the car’s delivered straight to them.

This car vending machine isn’t the first to be put into practice, with Carvana opening a 24-hour machine in the United States in 2017.

The new Focus gets a wider range of driver assistance technologies too, including adaptive cruise control that can adjust the car’s speed to the posted limit by reading signs, fully automated parking and an evasive steering assistant that helps drivers avoid potential collisions.

Its silhouette is true to the outgoing Focus model, but there are plenty of design changes that differentiate this as a new model, such as a redesigned front end with a longer bonnet, new LED lighting both front and rear, and split tail lights. It’s also built on Ford’s new C2 vehicle platform, which the firm says improves cabin space, exterior aerodynamics and fuel efficiency.

ALL-NEW FOCUS REVEALED WITH NEW FACE, BETTER TECHNOLOGY AND RUGGED CROSSOVER VERSION Ford has pulled the covers off the new Ford Focus - the fourth generation of one of the most popular family cars on sale today.

The Blue Oval says this model has been BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

built through closer collaboration with its customers than ever, and the result is a more spacious cabin with better materials and build quality.

In addition, Ford is offering a wide range of body styles and trim levels for the Focus range, similar to what we’ve seen with the new Fiesta. There’s the high-spec Vignale, sporty ST-Line and style-conscious Titanium. For the first time in the Focus range, Ford is offering an Active model, which has elevated ground clearance, rugged black plastic wheel arch mouldings and skid plates for crossover-esque style as well as some off-road ability.

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SPORT

SURE REVS UP FOR ITS 11TH TT Sure supports Dan Kneen in new venture with TYCO Sure is proud to be the Official Telecommunications Partner for the Isle of Man TT for the 11th year running and is continuing its sponsorship of local rider Dan Kneen in 2018.

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Earlier this year Dan announced that he will pilot the BMW S1000RR for Hector and Philip Neill’s team in the RST Superbike, RL360 Quantum Superstock and PokerStars Senior TT Races having impressed the team riding for the Northern Irish-based squad at this year’s Ulster Grand Prix.

Dan had a fantastic season in 2017 and placed third in the RL360 Quantum Superstock TT Race on the JRC powered

by Penz13.com BMW; he also recorded a new personal best lap of the Mountain Course, clocking a top speed of 130.3mph.

Since his TT debut in 2009 the Manxman

ISLE OF MAN PREMIER MAGAZINE

SPORT

Sure’s involvement in the TT is a relationship that goes right back to the telecoms company’s arrival in the island. The company has established itself over the past decade as a thoroughly Manx business supporting the local community.

Sure’s been the official telecommunications partner of the TT since 2007 and is extremely proud of the close and productive relationship with an event that has such cultural significance for the island.

during their trip.

We’re always pleased to meet visitors from around the world and help them stay connected to the Isle of Man’s best network during their stay. Riders also often pop in to our Grandstand shop to say hi and thank us for our support and it’s rewarding to know that we have an impact on this amazing event.

The TT fortnight is one of the busiest but most enjoyable times of the year for Sure and its engineering and retail staff work incredibly hard to make it a success by selling handsets and SIM cards to tourists: indeed in 2017, and again in 2018, Sure partnered with a sports touring company to provide a party of more than 250 Australian visitors with phones and earpiece radios

The TT is a phenomenon in the Isle of It’s great that visitors to the island are able Man; it has brought the island fame, to tap into the island’s best network due has cemented its position on the global to Sure’s significant investment in 4G+, motorsport map and meaning that peak the event continues speeds can be twice to attract tourists as fast, and users “Sure is proud to be a offers a visceral can consistently get part of island life; there’s and thrill that we just a higher speed even nothing more Manx don’t get elsewhere. when a lot of people than the TT and our are connecting at There’s something once. involvement is just one about the roar of small way that we can the engines, the This year Sure’s give something back to excitement of the Grandstand store crowds and the will be selling the our island home.” vibrancy of the popular powerbanks whole island during for TT visitors to TT fortnight that charge up their is contagious and Sure is proud to be phone batteries. When the powerbank involved in an event which has a worldwide runs out all they need to do is bring it back following of loyal fans. to the store and Sure will swap it for one with more power. You’d hate to run out of Sarah Jarvis, marketing manager at Sure battery just as Dan Kneen hits top speed Isle of Man, said: “Sure is extremely proud or – fingers crossed – roars across the finish of our association with the TT and we’ve line to take a podium place! been fortunate enough to support some The true joy of the TT for Sure is getting of the most talented competitors over the to represent the island on a global stage. years.”

has been a regular top-15 finisher.

Ulster-Superbike championships and is

Sure provides free WiFi around the paddock and fan zones, has a shop at the Grandstand and spent many years supporting the Sidecar Races. They also support the wider infrastructure, providing equipment and mobiles for the Clerk of the Course and the “Orange Army” of sector marshals.

The company’s backing of the event has also extended to specific riders over the years and, this year, Sure continues to support Dan Kneen while he rides for Tyco BMW.

Dan first tackled his home track in the 2008 Manx Grand Prix to become the first rider ever to achieve three race wins as a newcomer during that fortnight.

He also has countless wins in the Irish- and BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS

gunning for more glory at the 2018 TT. Dan will be racing with fifteen-time Isle of Man TT winner Michael Dunlop and Sure will be supporting Dan as he and his team tackle the 2018 races.

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HARDWARE

GADGETS NEW APPLE PENCIL COMPATIBLE IPAD IS SHARPER THAN EVER KEY FEATURES n 7 inch Retina display n 8MP camera with 1.2MP front facing camera n 32GB &128GB options available n Compatible with Apple Pencil The new iPad 9.7 is here! And (pardon the pun) its biggest draw for Apple aficionados is that the latest version is compatible with the Apple Pencil. That means you can write notes, paint a watercolour or sign a lease, all on screen. It’s so precise and responsive that it feels just like using a traditional pen or pencil. Engineered for speed, the new iPad is incredibly fast and ideal for editing 4K video, playing graphics-intensive games, and for getting the best experience when using the latest augmented reality apps.

Weighing just under 500 grams, and only 7.5mm thin, the 2018 iPad is as stylish and sleek as it is portable. There’s a great range of colours too – silver, space grey and a new gold.

To see the new iPad 9.7’s full specification go to: www.apple.com/uk/ipad-9.7/ Manx Telecom’s Strand Street store is stocking the latest iPad 9.7 in all specification variants and colours, including the 32GB WiFi version which is expected to be especially popular with Apple fans. Available from just £15 per month with any new or renewed mobile or broadband contract, or £319. For full details call in to the Strand Street store in Douglas.

IPHONE 8 (PRODUCT) RED

SAVING LIVES & SETTING NEW STANDARDS In the hyper-competitive smartphone market, manufacturers are always looking for the next big thing but with the iPhone 8 (Product) Red, Apple has gone beyond the search for a single innovation, and is trying to rewrite standards across the board.

The most obvious differentiator is the colour. OK, this may not be the first red smartphone but Apple is the first red smartphone manufacturer to give a donation from every sale to HIV/AIDS programmes that provide counselling, testing, and medicine that prevents the transmission of HIV from a mother to her unborn child.

Few design innovations will make as big a difference to the world as these

donations but it is worth noting that the iPhone 8 includes a new, durable, all-glass design that makes it look superb and speeds wireless charging.

The iPhone 8’s and 8 Plus’ Retina HD displays are combined with True Tone technology and dual-domain pixels, to ensure that every image and video you capture is displayed in the most vivid of true-life colours.

Running the new iOS 11 and A11 Bionic chip that Apple claims is the most powerful ever in a smartphone, the iPhone 8 is perfectly equipped to deliver an out-of-this-world, truly fantastic, Augmented Reality experience.

Don’t wait any longer! Visit the Sure store and experience the iPhone 8 (Product) Red for yourself!

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PAPARAZZI

WIN

EXCLUSIVE TT2018 VIP

To win all you have to do is answer this question correctly:

HOW MANY TT RACES HAS MICHAEL DUNLOP WON? Email your answer (By 21th May) to:

vipttcomp@gallery.co.im

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ACCESS TO HOSPITALITY THE 2018 ISLE OF MAN TT RACES FUELLED BY MONSTER ENERGY IS ALMOST HERE AND GALLERY MAGAZINE IS OFFERING ONE LUCKY READER AND THEIR GUEST THE CHANCE TO GET EVEN CLOSER TO THE ACTION WITH A PAIR OF VIP HOSPITALITY TICKETS UP FOR GRABS FOR RACE DAY ON MONDAY 4TH JUNE.

M

onday’s calendar includes the RL360 Superstock Race and Monster Energy Supersport 1 Race. As well as the SES TT Zero and Locate.im Sidecar TT race. Many of the leading stars including Michael Dunlop, Peter Hickman, Josh Brookes, Conor Cummins, Dan Kneen and Dean Harrison will be on the track going head to head for honours.

The VIP Club package gives guests all day access to the hospitality suite with complimentary bar, breakfast and a gourmet hot and cold buffet as well as the opportunity to meet stars past and present behind the scenes. You’ll also receive a goody bag that includes official TT merchandise, an ear piece radio to tune in to Manx Radio’s TT commentary, a copy of the official TT programme and race guide.

TT legend Charlie Williams, a seven time race winner, will be the host for the day and a series of great riders past and present, from road and circuit racing, will be appearing in the VIP hospitality unit throughout the day.

All of the race winners and podium placed riders will also be coming in to the VIP unit as soon as the race is finished to share their personal thoughts on the day’s races and to meet fans and sign autographs.

But if you’re not lucky enough to win there are still ‘late availability’ hospitality and grandstand tickets available to buy. www.iomtt.com

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Save regularly to reach your life moments For details of our range of 6, 9 and 12 month Fixed Term savings accounts, talk to us today.

Visit your local branch iombank.com Call us today 01624 637000 Like Isle of Man Bank on Facebook Follow us on Twitter @iombank

Isle of Man Bank Limited (IOMB). Registered Company Number: 1C Isle of Man. Registered Office: 2 Athol Street, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM99 1AN. Tel. 01624 637000. Licensed by the Isle of Man Financial Services Authority in respect of Deposit Taking, Investment Business and registered as a General Insurance Intermediary. IOMB is a member of the Isle of Man Depositors’ Compensation Scheme (DCS) as set out in the Depositors’ Compensation Scheme Regulations 2010. To understand your eligibility under the scheme you may wish to visit http://www.iomfsa.im/investor/dep_comp.xml.IOMB is a member of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group. The Royal Bank of Scotland plc - Registered in Scotland No 90312. Registered office: 36 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 2YB. The Royal Bank of Scotland plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. The latest report and accounts are available at www.investors.rbs.com IOMB places funds with other parts of its Group and thus its financial standing is linked to the Group. Depositors may wish to form their own view on the financial standing of IOMB and the Group based on publicly available information. The latest report and accounts are available at www.iombank.com/financial-results. Calls may be recorded.

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