Alex Blake

1 week ago | bbc.co.uk | Alex Blake

Image caption, Organiser Matt Cox said he enjoyed getting feedback from festival goers in the industryA number of anniversaries are being celebrated this year at the Isle of Man's 12th annual beer and cider festival. The event at the Villa Marina in Douglas is visited by thousands of people over three days. While local brewery Okell's celebrates its 175th anniversary, Bushy's Brewery has turned 40, and the Manx branch of Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) is marking 50 years.

1 week ago | bbc.com | Alex Blake

Alex BlakeBBC News, Isle of ManA number of anniversaries are being celebrated this year at the Isle of Man's 12th annual beer and cider festival. The event at the Villa Marina in Douglas is visited by thousands of people over three days. While local brewery Okell's celebrates its 175th anniversary, Bushy's Brewery has turned 40, and the Manx branch of Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) is marking 50 years.

2 weeks ago | bbc.co.uk | Alex Blake

Image caption, The rise follows on from a similar increase last yearThe cost of renewing a passport on the Isle of Man has risen by 7%. It follows two price hikes in the last year and comes after similar moves by the UK parliament. It means the charge for a standard Manx passport has increased from £100 to £107, and an express application has gone up to £190.50 from £178. The changes have been applied to all new applications, renewals and replacement documents.

2 weeks ago | bbc.co.uk | Alex Blake

Image source, PA MediaImage caption, There has not been a full-time breast radiologist in post since June 2024Ongoing staffing issues at the Isle of Man's breast cancer clinic are putting the service under "enormous pressure", an MHK has claimed. Manx Care said an emergency sickness absence had left the clinic without a radiologist last week. While a full-time role has now been filled, Health and Social Care Minister Claire Christian said that person would not start work for three months.

2 weeks ago | bbc.com | Alex Blake

'Busier than ever' year for RNLI in Manx watersAlex BlakePort Erin RNLIThere are lifeboat stations in Douglas, Ramsey, Peel, Port Erin, and Port St MaryFour lives were saved in a "busier than ever" year for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution which saw 40 callouts in Manx waters in 2024. The organisation its number of launches around the island's coast increase from 31 in 2023, when two lives were saved.