Peel Coal Fund provided £26,420 to the town’s residents struggling with heating costs in 2017.

It was announced at the fund’s AGM that 172 households received help from the charity, which helps residents with winter fuel costs.

Robert Wooding, who recently retired as chairman but remains on the committee, said: ’For years we have concentrated on extending support to elderly low income households, but there seems to be a trend for us to provide support to younger people experiencing financial difficulty. Names of those struggling are usually passed on to us by other residents.’

The charity originally provided coal to pensioners for the colder months. These days, most people receive direct credits to their electricty accounts. The fund’s main source of funding is public donations. But volunteer members also contribute a small amount of their incomes.

Mr Wooding says they take into account people’s health issues, age, finances and other difficult circumstances.

’The system has worked for a long time and all of us at the Peel Coal Fund feel it is a great community boost to the people of Peel,’ he said.

The charity expects to exceed £30,000 in distributions this year. Anthony Quirk, whose late father Harrison Quirk was once the Fund’s chairman, is now chairman.

To make a donation contact secretary Colin Moore at 1 Rosedene Avenue, Birchill Park, Onchan, IM3 3HF.