Over the last two weekends, local Amnesty International members invited the public to send a greetings card to a prisoner of conscience. As a result, this week cards are being posted to offer new year words of hope to a highly varied list of groups and individuals, from an Afghan young womens rights group to jailed journalists and even whole communities displaced by civil war or economic redevelopments.

Local activist Stuart Hartill said: “In previous years we had large public signings in open air venues, but that is no longer practical, so this year we went ‘back to basics’, creating  situations where we could talk one to one with potential card-signers, and making new links for the future. The result was a smaller, more intimate campaign, but one where we could explain cases in detail and work with civic-minded organisations in ways which help both parties to reconsider their role in the Manx community.”