Islanders are encouraged to commemorate Her Majesty the Queen on becoming the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee after 70 years of service.

The official Jubilee celebration will take place over an extended bank holiday from Thursday 2 June to Sunday 5 June. Various events are being organised including a ‘Big Jubilee TT Rideout’ on Mad Sunday, as well as the lighting of Beacons across the Island.

A Platinum Jubilee Event Fund offering a one-off grant to help cover up to 80% of total costs has been launched to encourage local communities to come together and celebrate this momentous occasion.

The fund will allow the Island’s Local Authorities, non-profit making community/voluntary groups and local charities to apply for a one-off grant towards the costs of specific community events celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

The event fund will offer the following financial support:

• Up to £5,000 for each of the Island’s local authorities
• Up to £1,000 for community/voluntary groups and local charities

Events eligible for support must demonstrate a clear link to the celebration of the Queen’s Jubilee in terms of theme and event activity. The events can take place from 1 April 2022 until 30 September 2022 and can include but not be limited to the Big Jubilee Lunches, street parties, live music and entertainment, festival activities and specific exhibitions.

Whilst the official celebrations across the Commonwealth are planned for the special extended bank holiday from Thursday 2 June to Sunday 5 June, Islanders are encouraged to celebrate any time from April through to September with the help of this grant.

Those interested can apply using the online application form and for any related enquiries please email eventfund@gov.im. Applications will close on 31 May 2022.

A full list of information on the Platinum Jubilee can be found at gov.im/platinumjubile

More than 1,500 beacons will be lit throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories in recognition of The Queen’s long and selfless service.

Those who wish to register a beacon on the Isle of Man or want to find out more information about organising a beacon, are asked to contact Jane Kelly at jane.kelly@gov.im

Local food and drink producers are invited to take part in a series of marketing masterclasses designed to help boost their brand and customer reach.

The four workshops, developed in association with the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture’s Food Matters strategy, will be served up by food business specialist Fiona Fitzpatrick and social media expert Kirsty Lawrence.

Between them, they have worked with countless businesses to design and implement successful social media strategies and brand identities.

Producers are encouraged to attend all four sessions as they will form a step-by-step guide. The weekly two hour sessions will be held at the Engine House in Castletown and start at 5:30pm on 6 April. They will cost £50 per each and cover the following topics.

• Wednesday 6 April – Winning in your market
• Wednesday 13 April – Building a brand that can win
• Wednesday 20 April – The digital Eco-system and the importance of engaging content
• Wednesday 27 April – Crafting great social media and an introduction to Facebook and Instagram adverts

Fiona Fitzpatrick, who runs a chart topping UK business podcast called Brand Growth Heroes, said:

‘Kirsty and I are delighted to team up with DEFA and help local food and drink businesses to develop their branding and marketing to support their future growth.

‘We are immensely lucky to live on an Island with such rich agricultural lands, a strong tradition of world-class farming, UNESCO Biosphere status, and a growing list of food entrepreneurs so the possibilities are very exciting.’

Local producers can register here, or find out more information by emailing food@gov.im.

Clare Barber MHK, Minister for DEFA, said:

‘As part of the Food Matters Strategy we are looking to grow the industry by £50m by 2025, so we are delighted to team up with Fiona and Kirsty to empower our producers to reach new audiences and optimise the way they connect with consumers.’ 

Businesses of all shapes and sizes are invited to get involved in the Isle of Man’s largest Food & Drink Festival with sponsorship packages to suit all budgets.

This summer’s event will showcase the Island’s finest producers and their culinary creations at the Villa Marina Gardens in Douglas on 17 and 18 September.

Last year, more than 10,000 food fans attended the two-day celebration which incorporates live music and cooking demonstrations in a relaxed family friendly atmosphere.

A range of sponsorship packages are available ranging from £1,000 to £10,000, all providing a great opportunity to be associated with the crowd pleasing event.

The packages come in three flexible options covering different levels of representation at the event, its promotional literature and website.

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA), which runs the festival, will again use it to champion sustainability with all visitors and exhibitors encouraged to avoid unnecessary single-use plastic.

Clare Barber MHK, Minister for DEFA, said:

‘The Isle of Man Food and Drink festival is a summer highlight and plays a key role in our goal to grow the sector by £50m.

‘We have lots of exciting plans this year and we would like to hear from any business, big or small, which would like to be associated in 2022. We have a range of packages that can help raise your businesses profile to an audience of thousands.’

The Island’s food scene is flourishing and last year 18 food products made by seven different producers on the Island were successful at the Great Taste Awards 2021. The Awards are the largest and most trusted accreditation scheme which showcases local food and drink produce on a global scale.

Anyone who wants to find out more about sponsorship opportunities can contact the Isle of Man Food & Drink Team on +44 1624 687520, or email hayden.armour2@gov.im