The Steam Packet this week pointed to a number of initiatives, which it says demonstrate its commitment to the Manx community.

Theatre groups, brass bands, puppeteers, sports stars, charity workers, skydiving fundraisers and penguins are a few of the examples the ferry company has highlighted.

Each year the Steam Packet provides prize vouchers for raffles and competitions, with 233 issued so far this year. In addition, it provides discounted or free travel to charitable and community groups and projects.

In total, the value of the community support has topped £50,000 during 2017.

Some examples of the projects it has helped this year:

A group of 12 women who cycled 450 miles through England, the Isle of Man and Wales to raise money for dementia charities

Productions at the Gaiety Theatre of hit Broadway musicals The Producers (Douglas Choral Union) and Sweet Charity (Manx Gilbert and Sullivan Society)

A visit to the island by the Lempen Puppet Theatre, which visited eight primary schools

Douglas Town Band took part in the North West Regional Championships in Blackpool

Volunteers from the Hands of Hope charity in the Isle of Man travelled to Romania to deliver essential aid

Three generations of an Isle of Man family went skydiving from 15,000 feet to raise money for Clatterbridge Cancer Charity

Graham Inchley, the son of an Isle of Man TT racer, tackled a lap of the TT course while pushing a specially-adapted wheelchair, raising money for the Joey Dunlop Foundation

Touring skateboard and scooter instructors ran workshops at Ballakermeen High School

The Isle of Man Heavy Horse Society’s annual spring show at Knockaloe in Patrick

A retired racing greyhound who found a new home in the Isle of Man thanks to the efforts of the Greyhound Aid League Isle of Man

Two teams of ace code crackers, who represented the island in Dublin at the International Linguistics Olympiad

A team of swimmers from Bunscoill Rhumsaa who took part in a national competition in Sheffield

The arrival of new residents at Curraghs Wildlife Park - six Humboldt penguins from the Beauval Zoo in France as part of involvement in international breeding programmes.

The Steam Packet supports several Isle of Man festivals, including Tinkermann and Manx Litfest

team Packet boss Mark Woodward said: ’Supporting the island community is something that is very close to our hearts, both in helping people who live here to attend or participate in off-island events, and in helping to bring events and projects to the island for the Manx community to enjoy.

’The range of individuals, organisations and events we support is incredibly diverse and we look forward to continuing our community support during 2018.’

This week’s Isle of Man Examiner revealed that government ministers are seriously considering buying the Steam Packet.