Members of London Manx Society (Manx: Yn Cheshaght Manninagh Lunnin) held their annual Mhelliah Service at St Bride’s Church in London’s Fleet Street.

The service - one of the highlights of the society’s calendar - included prayers spoken and written in Manx Gaelic.

The Reverend Justin White, who has long connections with the Isle of Man, officiated at the service.

He passed on greetings to those attending from The Venerable Peter Eagles, Bishop of Sodor and Man.

The service concluded with the singing of the Manx National Anthem, after which a celebration lunch was held in a nearby tavern.

London Manx Society has a long association with St Bride’s Church in London’s Fleet Street.

It is one of the oldest churches in London and is traditionally thought to have been founded by St Bridget of Ireland in the sixth century or in her name by Celtic monks.

The present church is thought to be the seventh church to have stood on the site, the most recent having been designed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1672.

The London Manx Society was formed in 1895 as an idea by Mr J.J. Cowin, the son of a well-known draper in Douglas .

On the 28th of November that year, the inaugural meeting was held in the vestry of St Martin’s-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London, with Deemster S. Stevenson Moore as its first president.

Since then, the society has met regularly keeping alive its long tradition of providing a focal point for Manx people, and those with Manx connections, who live in and work in the London area and the south-east of England.

The society is always very keen to welcome new members and their contact details can be seen on their website www.londonmanxsociety.co.uk or by writing to the secretary, Douglas Barr-Hamilton, at 132 Bush Hill, London, N21 2BS.