Ministers' response to dyslexia report 'disappointing', says campaign group

Ministers' response to dyslexia report 'disappointing', says campaign group

The response by the Council of Ministers to a report into the Island's dyslexia provision is 'disappointing', according to a campaign group. Of the twelve recommendations put forward by a Tynwald Select Committee, ministers accepted just two as they are written, amended nine, and rejected one. In this edition of the Manx Radio Newscast, Lewis Foster speaks to Dyslexia Advocacy Group IOM members Julia Bell, Peter Washington and Chrissie Watson.

'We want to provide a facility for almost anybody'

'We want to provide a facility for almost anybody'. That's the message from two women who are hoping to keep Ballafesson Church Hall open for the local, and wider, community. Maureen Dadd and Pat Harper, from Friends of Ballafesson Community, have one year to make the hall viable otherwise it will be sold on the open market. Mrs Dadd and Mrs Harper say the group is looking to start a programme of events and is open to ideas from local groups. They add the chapel is closed and has issued a 'cease to meet' - but the hall is still in use. Currently the Friends of Ballafesson Community has organised coffee mornings and jumble sales - but is hoping to expand into hotpot nights, soup lunches and concerts with Manx bands. Local Democracy Reporter Emma Draper has been speaking to Maureen and Pat:

Calls for 'transitional protections' for migrants on five-year immigration path

Government is being called on to offer ‘clear and meaningful protections’ for migrants who moved to the Isle of Man under the published five-year route to settlement. It comes after the UK Government looked at increasing the time a worker has to live there before starting the naturalisation process and subsequent concerns the Island may follow suit.

Relatives seeking clarity over potential plans to relocate dementia patients

The families of dementia patients currently being cared for in the north of the Island are urging Manx Care to ‘think seriously’ about the impact of moving them. It follows concerns there may be plans in place to relocate residents from the Elderly Mental Infirm unit at the Reayrt Skyal residential care home in Ramsey. Manx Care and the Department of Health and Social Care has been contacted for a comment.

Catching up with the Street Angels during TT fortnight

Volunteers with the Street Angels group say there's a positive atmosphere around the TT fortnight, and it should stay that way. Sue and Joe Sheehy travelled from Italy to help out the organisation, which helps members of the public on nights out if they get into difficulty.