Lombard Manx are the latest group of enthusiastic volunteers who have given up their time to tackle undergrowth on a Manx National Heritage site.
The team from Lombard Manx spent a bracing December day attacking dense brambles and wading through mud to clear part of the Raad ny Foillan coastal footpath at Port Lewaigue.
The coastal footpath runs along a section of Victorian promenade and the team were given the task of removing scrub growing on the promenade.
Following further work carried out by the MNH Sites and Monument team, led by John Skillen, the full extent of a section of the promenade has now been revealed.
As a result of the work, a much clearer impression is gained of how the promenade would have appeared soon after its construction over a century ago.
Mike King, Senior Relationship Director from Lombard Manx, coordinated the event with MNH. He says, "The whole team enjoyed the day out and had a huge amount of satisfaction with what was achieved in a day.
"It was good to get out of the office and to be in the fresh air. We would love to do something again next year with Manx National Heritage – carrying out work like this and seeing the results is addictive."
The promenade was built just prior to 1900 as part of a much larger development scheme to link Port Lewaigue with Ramsey. The development plans also included a hotel on the headland at Gob ny Rona and a 'bathing creek', the steps of the latter still being visible.
A Ramsey architect, George Kay, was the principal shareholder of the development company. It is understood that the ambitious development plans fell victim to the failure of Dumbell’s Bank in early 1900.
The land at Gob ny Rona was subsequently generously gifted to Manx National Heritage by Margaret Cunningham and the Groves family in 1964.
Shaun Murphy, Properties Manager at Manx National Heritage, said, "The volunteers from Lombard did a fantastic job and cleared a large area during their day on site.
"Corporate volunteering is a great way of team building outside of the normal work environment and we find that most people go away from these events feeling that they have achieved something tangible and worthwhile."
Manx National Heritage is very grateful for the support and enthusiasm of volunteers and says, "If you think that you and your colleagues would be willing to get involved in carrying out some outdoor work on a Manx National Heritage site, Manx National Heritage would be pleased to hear from you."
