The Rotary Club of Rushen and Western Mann has celebrated the creativity and talent of young photographers in the island with the announcement of the winners of its annual photography competition.

A prizegiving ceremony was held on Thursday, October 16, where Alicia Kiernan was named the overall winner for her photograph titled ‘Castletown Beach’.

A total of 121 entries were received from 26 young photographers across the island, all responding to this year’s theme - ‘Moods of Mann’.

A spokesperson from the Rotary Club commented: ‘Yet again the entries were of a particularly high quality. We had some fabulous submissions, reflecting both the ability and imagination of our island’s young photographers but also reminding us what a wonderful place we live in!’

From these submissions, 12 winning photographs were selected to appear in the Rotary Club’s 2026 fundraising calendar, which will be sold in local shops for £6. Proceeds will go towards supporting local charities and community projects.

In addition to Alicia Kiernan, the following young photographers will also have their work featured in the calendar: Molly Hinds, Matilda Bird-McGowan, Morgan Curphey, Oscar Morton, Oskar Hoffmann, Zoe Kirk, Iva Petrova and Matthew Coates.

Each of the 12 winning entrants will receive a £50 prize for their contribution. Thanks to sponsorship from Kelproperties, the overall winner, Alicia Kiernan, was awarded a top prize of £500 for her standout photograph.

The awards were presented by Rushen Captain of the Parish, Paul Costain, at a special event organised by the Rotary Club.

Judges Ron Strathdee and Andrea Thrussell used their expertise to evaluate the entries, which ranged from dramatic landscapes and coastal scenes to moments of quiet reflection — all reflecting the diverse moods and settings found across the island.

The calendar project, now a key part of the club’s fundraising efforts, was made possible thanks to the combined support of local sponsors, teachers, volunteers, and Rotarians.

Special thanks were extended to the island’s Inner Wheel members, secondary school teachers who promoted the competition, and the sponsors whose contributions helped make the event a success.

Calendars are expected to be available in the coming weeks from various retail outlets across the island.

The 2026 calendar sponsors included Conister Bank, Ramsey Crookall, Atla Group, Kelproperties, MJC Guitars, Dandara, Falcon’s Nest, Crowe, Heron and Brearley, Manx Citizens Advice Service, EMCS and the Claremont Hotel.

The Rotary Club of Rushen and Western Mann is part of Rotary International, a global network of volunteers who support community needs and humanitarian causes.

The club is one of three in the Isle of Man and covers the south and west of the island. Members raise funds and volunteer their time to support local and international projects, whilst also meeting socially to have ‘fellowship and fun’.

For more information about the Rotary Club of Rushen and Western Mann and its community initiatives, you can visit its Facebook page.