Manx Newscast

An endometriosis sufferer says more needs to be done to help women like her with the condition.

March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, and one in ten ladies have the disease - which causes severe pelvic pain, heavy periods and infertility. 

Chloe Love has suffered from the condition since she the age of 12.

The founders of an endometriosis support group say women on the Isle of Man need access to specialist care. 

March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, and one in ten ladies suffer with the condition - which causes severe pelvic pain, heavy periods and infertility. 

Sharon Lunt and Karen Van Den Berg say there are 262 members in their Manx Endometriosis Support group on Facebook, with ‘most still awaiting diagnosis’. 

New facilities at the Community Dental Service on Westmoreland Road are 'all about equity of care'.

That's from specialist in special care dentistry, Beverley McClung, who approached the Henry Bloom Noble Healthcare Trust to facilitate the project.

The trust provided a grant of £33,000 to carry out building work which included taking down a wall to make a dedicated treatment room for wheelchair users who can't self-transfer into a dental chair - nicknamed the 'Bloom Room'.

The grant covered everything, including plumbing, electrics and decorating and the provision of some new dental equipment. 

Dr McClung told Siobhán Fletcher the changes mean patients are now at the centre of the experience.

What was predicted to be a health dominated sitting, didn't quite live up to its expectations.

Phil Gawne and Christian Jones take a look back at the highlights.

A political member for the Department of Infrastructure says a 'house building plan' is missing from the government's housing policies. 

Ramsey MHK Lawrie Hooper believes the solution to increasing public sector housing is to work with the local authorities to find out the needs of each constituency. 

It comes after comments were made by Ramsey Commissioners saying the DoI is 'systematically delaying' funding for projects and is not providing support. 

Mr Hooper admitted there are 'blockages' in the application process for money and more 'checks' have been added which are unnecessary. 

Local Democracy Reporter Emma Draper has been speaking to him:

The annual Teddy's Trundle is taking place this weekend.

In its fourth year, it sees a group walk the 21km from Peel to the Terminus in Douglas to raise awareness of Downs Syndrome.

It's organised by Charli and Oli Dimelow, who are parents to three-year-old Teddy who has Trisomy 21.

Charli has been telling Manx Radio more.

We heard this week how government is considering charging people to submit Freedom of Information requests, as the number of 'complex' requests taking more than 18 hours to process is growing.

A consultation has opened asking whether charges should be introduced - or other measures such as cost limits or a limit on the amount of requests individuals can submit in a single year. 

FOI requests allow individuals to ask public authorities for access to information held by them and, currently, you can submit them free of charge.

In this edition of Newscast, Christian Jones speaks to Cabinet Office Minister David Ashford about why government is bringing this matter forward for consultation.

The Department of Infrastructure says a solution has been found to keep the site operational for another year following a dispute between local authorities in the area.

Ramsey Town Commissioners announced last month that the site would be closing at the end of March due to funding issues associated with Bride Parish Commissioners withdrawing financial support, leaving a funding gap of £67,000 and leading to fears of increased fly-tipping in the northern parishes.

From April, the Department of Infrastructure will take over the facility from the NCAS Committee and — subject to final contract — Ramsey Town Commissioners will operate the site on its behalf.

Infrastructure Minister Dr Michelle Haywood joined us live on Manx Radio Breakfast this morning to discuss the latest development.

A Manx resident who travelled the world through some of the Coronavirus pandemic has published a new book detailing some of his adventures.

Derek Allen, and his wife Claire, were travelling near Germany in 2020 when Covid-19 struck and countries began getting ‘blacklisted’.

They returned to the Island but left again for Europe, in their campervan, when things began to open up the following year.

Derek told Manx Radio their experience – and a chance encounter with a kitten called ‘Vangelis’ – has inspired his writing:

​Government is set to resume control of the Northern Civic Amenity Site, keeping it open and operational for another year.

In just two weeks' time the site was set to close to residents due to funding issues associated with Bride Commissioners withdrawing financial support.

From 1 April the Department of Infrastructure will take over the facility from the NCAS Committee and — subject to final contract — Ramsey Town Commissioners will operate the site on its behalf.

Chair of the Commissioners, Rob Cowell, says it's a step in the right direction: