The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is launching a new programme to help educate people in the island about its work.

The CWGC is responsible for marking, recording and maintaining the graves of those who died fighting for allied Commonwealth countries during both world wars.

Community groups, schools, businesses and other organisations are able to book a local CWGC speaker to learn more about the wartime heritage which is commemorated in the island, and globally.

Manx groups can choose an online talk from the following options ,which will be tailored to different age groups: ’We are CWGC’ (an introduction to the history and work of the CWGC), ’Gardening the World - the Horticulture of the CWGC’, ’The CWGC Architecture and its Conservation’, ’ The CWGC Archives and Records’, and ’The History of the CWGC’.

After lockdown, an on-island volunteer speaker from the CWGC will be able to attend in-person meetings.

There are 363 Commonwealth war graves in the island, across 18 different sites, from Port Erin to Bride.

Two of the major sites are Douglas Cemetery, with 138 graves, and St Patrick’s churchyard in Jurby, which has 45 graves.

The latter has such a large amount because of the frequency of training accidents which happened at the historic RAF station at Jurby.

The initiative is part of the CWGC Kantor Speakers Programme, which is new across the UK - and though the commission has always offered talks, it says it has never done so on this scale.

The programme’s aim is to ’engage and educate existing and new audiences to the work of the commission, to bring awareness to future generations and keep the memories of the sacrifices people made, alive’.

The CWGC has five active volunteers on the island who are tasked with monitoring and maintaining headstones.

Manx organisations can book a talk at: www.cwgc.org/our-work/outreach/speakers-programme/cwgc-talks/