Love Tech has welcomed Lady Lorimer MBE as patron of the charity.

Love Tech is a local registered Manx charity and initiative run by a group of local female business leaders and technologists on the Isle of Man.

It was launched by Claire Milne of Appleby, Deb Byron of Hansard and Roberta Castle of Continent 8.

All of them have worked for years in and alongside the technology sector and were determined to increase the number of women choosing technology careers.

The ladies gathered a group of Isle of Man-based female leaders and technologists to realise this vision, and Love Tech was born.

Initially operating as a not-for-profit and now a registered charity, it is now a team of 20 plus local female business leaders and technologists on the Isle of Man, all volunteering their time to support and mentor young people, to explore career opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

On Thursday, June 23, the charity welcomed Lady Lorimer as its patron at a reception held at Government House.

The charity’s chairman, Angela van den Berg, said: ‘We are honoured that Lady Lorimer, with her career background in science and technology, has graciously agreed to serve as our patron.

‘At a time of a global skills shortage and when girls and young women are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, for Love Tech to have the support and expertise of Lady Lorimer as such a positive role model, will strengthen our work in alerting young people to the exciting career opportunities these fields can offer.’

Lady Lorimer has a career background in science and technology.

She said: ‘I am delighted to have been invited to serve as patron of Love Tech, a local charity that recognises the importance to bring diverse perspectives to the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in order to advance scientific progress and reverse skills shortages.’

The charity host a number of events year round.

This Sunday, July 3, they are hosting an event at the Isle of Man Met Office in Ronaldsway Airport.

Any budding meteorologists are invited to go along.

The event kicks off at 11am with a session for year groups 5 and 6, followed by a 12.30pm session for year groups 7, 8 and 9.

Those who attend will find out more about the various types of weather that we get on the Isle of Man, along with the instruments and equipment used to measure it; learn how the team at the Met Office go about writing weather forecasts, and have the opportunity to chat to meteorologists about weather or climate related careers.

We spoke to one of the island’s meteorologists ahead of the event in this week’s Manx Independent, which is out in shops now.

For more information about Love Tech and upcoming events, including this Sunday’s ‘Cloud Coding’, visit www.lovetech.im.