Pictures as pub Mhelliah raises £1,500 for charity

While many islanders were battening down the hatches on Saturday evening as severe weather disrupted travel on and off the Isle of Man, a crowd was gathering at The Albert in Port St Mary.

The pub was hosting its annual Mhelliah, a popular community event that brings people together to raise money for a good cause.

A Mhelliah is a traditional Manx celebration marking the end of the harvest season.

Historically, people would gather for a feast to celebrate a safe and successful harvest.

Today, the tradition continues through charity auctions, with people bidding against one another for items including vegetables, cakes, bread, sweets, wine, teddy bears and much more.

Among the items going under the hammer at The Albert were a Harry Potter jigsaw puzzle, two Japanese money trees, plenty of vegetables, a loaf of bonnag and Manx honey.

Bids often far exceed the actual value of the items, but that is all part of the fun.

This year’s Mhelliah at The Albert raised an impressive £1,500.

Sally Lewis, chairperson of the Isle of Man Anti-Cancer Association, said: ‘Everything’s sold out. It's going to the Isle of Man Anti Cancer Association, of which I'm the chair, and my husband passed away in May with the disease, and three of our members have, and I had it last year and have been cured. Thank the Lord.

‘It's worth it because one in two people get cancer. Tonight has been a real community. Everyone's here, and everyone's come together. It's been fabulous.’

Mhelliahs have also been taking place elsewhere across the island, with Marown’s event scheduled for November 7 at the Crosby pub, starting at 7pm.