Mediaboss Marketing

by The Childrens Centre

Does the Isle of Man need a stop smoking service specifically for young people? That’s the question being posed as part of a new survey. The majority of clients who use the Quit4You service - the Island’s free stop smoking service, providing practical advice, support and encouragement to anyone who wants to quit - are over the age of 21. Young people are now being urged to put their views forward for this new research through focus groups, an online survey, Facebook group and a ‘Quit Kit’ Competition.

Danni Mottram, Healthier Outcomes Worker at The Children’s Centre and a Specialist Stop Smoking Advisor, said:

“Teenagers and young adults already have access to advice and support which helps them to stop smoking, but statistics show that only a small percentage of young smokers quit through the Quit4You service in the Isle of Man. To enable trained smoking cessation advisors to assist young smokers, we need to find out from the young people themselves how they would like to be supported. The research collection methods are designed to encourage them to put forward their own ideas about what would help them to deal with a range of issues related to smoking - whether that’s helping young people to stop smoking, preventing them from taking up smoking, or helping them to encourage their parents or friends who want to give up smoking.”

The competition to design a ‘Quit Kit’ that could help young smokers kick the habit has prizes on offer for the top three entries including a bowling session, cinema tickets and a £20 gift voucher - with one of these prizes going to each of the top three entries. It is open to smokers and non-smokers aged 11 to 21. The challenge is to write or draw everything young people would like to see in a Quit Kit box with a brief explanation of the reasons for the choices. Entries can  also be made by emailing Quit Kit box ideas - together with your name, age, and contact details - to daniellemottram@thechildrenscentre.org.im; by post to The Children’s Centre, Woodbourne Road, Douglas, IM2 3AS, or by texting your entry to 418971.

The Facebook group allows people to enter the competition online as well as taking part in online discussions - it can be found by searching for ‘Butt Out!’ on Facebook or by going to this link: http://www.facebook.com/groups/131439736956627/
                     THE CHILDREN’S CENTRE
The group is only accessible by those aged 13 and over and includes a link to an online survey which can also be accessed via The Children’s Centre website. The research is being supported by The Children’s Centre and Department of Health.

Anita Imberger, Tobacco Strategy Coordinator from Public Health said:

“Only 7.5% of clients who have attended the Quit4You Service are aged 15-21. We really want to find out from young people if we should tailor the service differently to suit their needs. When we originally set up Quit4You in 2006, we ran focus groups with young people to find out their views, but the main aim was to develop an Island wide service which has probably catered more to adults. We now need to review what might help young people to think about quitting smoking or accessing support, by using lots of different methods, including social media sites. I really would encourage any young person to take part in Danni’s research, particularly those who currently smoke, as your views are really important to us.”

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In Other Isle of Man News

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© Manx Telecom Ltd 2012

Manx Telecom Ltd, Isle of Man Business Park, Cooil Road, Braddan, Isle of Man IM99 1HX
Registered in the Isle of Man Reg no.5629V Vat Reg no GB 003-2919-12

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Should the Island’s Quit4You Service Be Tailored for Young People?

by Isle of Man Crimestoppers

Calls to Isle of Man Crimestoppers helped police investigating six incidents during the last quarter of 2011, according to figures released by the charity. The information supplied related to a wide range of both criminal and motoring offences, enabling the police to take direct action to address concerns raised by the public in a number of cases. Between October and December information provided via Crimestoppers resulted in two arrests leading to court appearances, and one person being summonsed to court.

The positive impact that Crimestoppers is having in combating crime continued into the New Year as calls resulted in one arrest and a further detected crime in January 2012.
Stuart McCudden, Chair of Isle of Man Crimestoppers, said:

“These figures show that information provided to Isle of Man Crimestoppers has a real impact in helping police to investigate crimes and in ensuring that offenders are brought to justice.”

Isle of Man Crimestoppers provides a way for all members of the community to pass on information about crime anonymously by ringing the Crimestoppers hotline 0800 555111. All calls are handled by the UK Crimestoppers Call Centre, so Isle of Man callers can therefore be assured of their complete anonymity.

Isle of Man Crimestoppers is part of the UK Crimestoppers 'family' and is an independent Manx charity dedicated to fighting crime across the Island. The charity focuses on local issues that are important to the community - improving crime detection, enhancing quality of life, and giving residents and visitors alike 'Freedom to Flourish'.

The charity is always looking at new ways to encourage the community to play an active role in the fight against crime, and in 2011 announced its support for the ‘Fearless’ campaign 
aimed at showing young people how they can help to solve crimes by providing information anonymously.
The Fearless website - http://www.fearless.org - includes details of the Crimestoppers hotline but also includes options to pass on information online via a secure web page.

- ENDS -

In Other Isle of Man News

If you'd like to send any information or news releases to us then please feel free to do so and we would be more than happy to consider sharing your news with the Isle of Man!

Send your Isle of Man news to:webmaster@manx.net

© Manx Telecom Ltd 2012

Manx Telecom Ltd, Isle of Man Business Park, Cooil Road, Braddan, Isle of Man IM99 1HX
Registered in the Isle of Man Reg no.5629V Vat Reg no GB 003-2919-12

Read more here:
Crimestoppers’ Figures Show How Anonymous calls are Helping Police

by Department of Economic Development

ISLE of Man based Collins Stewart Wealth Management has been named ‘UK Offshore Investment Management Company of the Year’ at the Citywealth Offshore Awards ceremony at the Landmark Hotel in London.
 
The annual awards cover a range of offshore sectors and services and they are voted for by an independent panel of industry experts and clients of the businesses.
 
Minister for the Department of Economic Development, John Shimmin MHK, commented:
 
‘We are pleased to see Isle of Man companies such as Collins Stewart Wealth Management being recognised at such events as the Citywealth Offshore Awards. Winning this award once again demonstrates that companies in the Isle of Man are being recognised as outstanding in their sectors.
 
Dermot Hamill, Head of Wealth Management on the Isle of Man, commented:
 
‘We are very proud to receive this accolade not least because it was, in part, voted for by our clients.  This is a great way to start the year and comes soon after being named Asset Manager of the Year and Best Advisory Stockbroker by Spear’s and Shares Magazine respectively.’

 
-ENDS-

In Other Isle of Man News

If you'd like to send any information or news releases to us then please feel free to do so and we would be more than happy to consider sharing your news with the Isle of Man!

Send your Isle of Man news to:webmaster@manx.net

© Manx Telecom Ltd 2012

Manx Telecom Ltd, Isle of Man Business Park, Cooil Road, Braddan, Isle of Man IM99 1HX
Registered in the Isle of Man Reg no.5629V Vat Reg no GB 003-2919-12

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Isle of Man Company Named UK Offshore Investment Management Company of the Year

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Increasingly high electricity rates on Cyprus are causing serious financial difficulties for expats

Statistics released earlier this month revealed that medium-sized households in Cyprus paid an average electricity price of 0.1731 euros per kilowatt-hour in 2011 the highest rate in the European Union, and around 26 per cent more than the EU average.

That price, however, is believed to have been calculated before an additional 6.96 per cent levy which was introduced to compensate for the effects of an explosion which destroyed the island's main power station at Vasiliko in July, and further increases including a two per cent hike in VAT to 17 per cent in March have been announced this year.

Expats who moved to the island in search of a cheaper life under the sun say they are increasingly struggling to pay their bills, a situation made worse by the worldwide economic slowdown. Although Cyprus has weathered the storm better than many European economies, the island's unemployment rate is at around 9.3 per cent, with those expats who depend on a sterling income, such as pensioners, having been severely hit by poor exchange rates over the past few years.

Two Facebook groups set up against the growing tariffs have attracted over 7,000 members, and are filled with expats and locals alike sharing stories of how they have been forced to stop using virtually all their appliances to avoid going into the red.

Briton Penelope Hearns, who works for the news portal CyprusExpat , says she knows of several couples, living in one-bedroom apartments, who have been handed bills of €560-plus for just one month and bad feeling, she says, she is mounting.

“Expats and local Cypriots are coming together, and exchanging information via Facebook, and have asked the EU to look into the matter. Soon protests will be staged. Consumers feel they are being ripped off, and have had enough,” she said.

Anger is being chiefly directed towards main electricity provider the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC), which is accused by many of essentially operating a monopoly.

“The semi-government owned EAC is the sole supplier of electricity to the people of Cyprus, and as such are in a position to effectively hold the people to ransom,” said Jas James, who set up the Facebook group One Voice Facebook Group Against the Electricity Authority of Cyprus with two fellow expats. "The EAC can charge whatever they want, they can apply any extra charges they want to without fear of losing business, so the people must either pay what is dictated to them or simply get cut off. This is not acceptable.”

Another Briton with a home in Cyprus, who did not want to be named, said that it was time for action to be taken. “In my view electricity is not a luxury but a basic commodity for everyday life. I think the current levy issued after the Vasiliko disaster should be removed immediately, since the problem was not caused by consumers…and the government should immediately remove VAT altogether from electricity bills, or at least reduce VAT charges to the lowest possible band, which is currently five per cent.

"Finally the Cypriot government should investigate and deal with the many different ways in which consumers' money is being wasted by the EAC, and commence a competitive tendering process to open up the electricity supply market.”

The EAC claims that electric power generation on Cyprus is more expensive due to the island's small size (meaning a lack of economies of sale) geographical isolation from other grids, and because it is dependent on petroleum rather than alternatives like natural gas.

Petroleum is not only more expensive but, because it is less environmentally-friendly, can result in large fines being imposed from the EU which are then passed onto consumers.

In an explanatory leaflet which it provided for Telegraph Expat when asked for a comment, the EAC said that describing it as a monopoly was unfair, because "the fact that EAC has no competition is most likely due to the fact that natural gas is not yet available for power" something which, it added, was "not the fault of EAC, but the state".

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Expats struggle with high cost of electricity in Cyprus