Lieutenant governor praises generosity of Manx welcome in first year

Sir John Lorimer said he wanted more of the community to visit Government House

The Isle of Man's Lieutenant Governor has praised the "extraordinary generosity of welcome" he has received in his first year in the role.

Since his appointment in September 2021, Lt Gen Sir John Lorimer and his wife Lady Lorimer have been immersed in community events and engagements.

He said they had "been struck by just how welcoming everyone has been".

Since arriving they had put in "a lot of effort to try and meet all aspects of the community", he added.

"Part of the role that we play within the community is to meet people, find out what they're doing, and by us engaging we're better informed about what's going on in the island," Sir John said.

After experiencing the atmosphere of the TT Races and the Manx Grand Prix for the first time, he said he had "hugely enjoyed" both of the "uniquely Manx" events.

He added that the volunteer marshals were the "heroes of the whole thing".

Sir John experienced a lap of the TT course on the back of former winner Milky Quayle

After presiding over the annual open-air sitting of Tynwald for the first time in July he said it had been an "extraordinary day and a great honour and privilege".

Reflecting on his next trip to Tynwald Hill following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September, he said it had been important to "commemorate Her Majesty and her incredible service to the nation".

The accession proclamation of King Charles III as the new Lord of Mann was "about recognising that this was an end of an era, and a magnificent 70 years, but it was also the beginning of a new era," he said, adding it had been "momentous for me as an individual".

Sir John first proclaimed King Charles III Lord of Mann at a ceremony at Government House

Sir John said moves were being made to get "a wider section of the community to Government House" and relay the relevance of the role of lieutenant governor in the 21st Century by sharing more about his work on social media.

He said: "It's not our house, it belongs to the people of the Isle of Man, it's about them coming here and seeing the house and the gardens, appreciating them and being proud of them."

Sir John has made numerous visits, including one to Douglas Fire Station

Sir John said he was also keen to continue to reach out to the veteran community on the island and "see how we can try and connect veterans who currently don't have any link to the established charities or associations".

Looking to the future he said: "In the end the most important aspect of this role is not the constitutional one, it's not the ceremonial one, it's the community one.

"It's engaging with the community and supporting the community, which we've started, but we need to keep giving meaning to that in the next year or so."