Sail away for a British Island staycation

SET sail to an extraordinary island and discover a wonderful holiday destination nestled into the heart of the Irish Sea. With the Isle of Man borders set to open by the end of June 2021, the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company is looking forward to welcoming visitors on board soon. In addition, the Company has now released its 2022 sailing schedule so those looking to plan ahead can make bookings up until January 2023.

By releasing its timetable, the Company hopes to give travellers who are eager to experience some of the Isle of Man's magic the opportunity to start planning ahead for both this year and 2022. And with more than 900,000 offer seats available to book during the year, as well as a:- 'Book with Confidence' Commitment to give passengers peace of mind in the current climate, now is the ideal time to secure the lowest fares and book a trip to remember.

Known as the gem of the Irish Sea, the Isle of Man is steeped in history with thousands of years of Celtic and Viking heritage to unearth. Alongside so many distinctive landmarks and historical sites, there is breathtaking scenery to explore, adrenaline-fuelled experiences to enjoy and plenty of hidden treasures to uncover.

Thrill seekers can partake in activities such as:- coasteering, gorge scrambling, indoor rock climbing, paintballing and kayaking.

There's terrain for all levels for cyclists too, ranging from the serious mountain biker to those who enjoy a leisurely ride, and you can round off your days in style with a taste of local produce at 1 of the many wonderful cafes and restaurants. The award winning locally caught fresh seafood, delicious Manx Loaghtan lamb, traditionally brewed Manx beer and botanical gin are not to be missed.

The Isle of Man is also very child friendly with activities such as:- hover karting, laser blasting and bowling and then, of course, there are the Island's stunning beaches and magnificent coastline.

Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Chief Executive Mark Woodward said:- "We are excited to be looking ahead to future travel later this year and beyond with the release of our full 2022 timetable. After a really challenging year, we hope to once again welcome visitors to our beautiful shores to discover the magical Island we're lucky enough to call home. After such an uncertain period with Covid19 travel restrictions the world over, to be able to give customers the reassurance to book ferry travel and know their reservations are safe and fully flexible, is vitally important."

The Steam Packet Company:- "Book with Confidence Commitment' allows for amendment fees to be waived if passengers need to make changes, along with the promise of a full refund if travel is affected by Covid19 Government imposed travel restrictions."

Mr Woodward added:- "We believe the early release of the schedule will be welcome news for those looking to plan a future break to our beautiful Island. Many travellers are considering British staycations and staying closer to home in the current climate, for which the Isle of Man is a fantastic option; offering a sense of an almost exotic holiday destination, but with the convenience of being just a short ferry journey away."

With unrestricted travel to and from the Isle of Man expected to resume this summer, and so much to see, do and experience, it's no wonder the Isle of Man is such a popular holiday destination.

Here are just some of the great special offers available:-

►  5 Day Short Break Offer for 2 adults travelling with a car from ₤79 each way.

►  Any Length Special Offer for 2 adults travelling with a car from ₤99 each way.

►  Kids Go Free Summer Special, 2 adults travelling midweek with a car can take up to 3 kids for free from ₤135 each way.

►  Adult Foot Passenger from ₤18.75 each way, Child Foot Passenger from ₤9.75 each way (infants under 4 continue to travel for free)

► To see all offers available this year and for 2022, along with full terms and conditions, visit:- Steam-Packet.Com/Offers.

► The Steam Packet Company provides fast, comfortable and convenient ferry travel to the Island's capital of Douglas from 4 easy to reach ports via its 2 vessels.

As well as year round services from Heysham via conventional vessel Ben-my-Chree, fast craft Manannan will operate her usual services from Liverpool between March and October with a crossing time of around 2 hours and 45 minutes. The fast craft will also provide seasonal return ferry travel from Belfast and Dublin.

Ferry travel lends itself well to breaks during the current climate with the ability to bring your own vehicle and drive straight on and off to your chosen destination; keeping contact with others to a minimum, and the option to book and enjoy your own private 4 berth cabin on Ben-My-Chree.

It is ideal for families too, with comfortable seating, spacious areas for groups to settle down and play games, dedicated children's areas, opportunities to spot sea and birdlife on deck, as well as 2 cinema lounges on fast craft Manannan. Family pets are also able to travel with the Steam Packet Company either staying in the car or, dependent on the route, in the Pet Friendly Lounge, Pet Friendly Cabins or on board kennels.

Start planning your trip to the Isle of Man now at:- Steam-Packet.Com.

Countdown to apply for student finance in England

SLC is reminding new full time undergraduate students, in Liverpool, that they have 2 weeks left to apply for student finance before the deadline, on 21 May 2021. The deadline for returning students is 25 June 2021. Applying before the deadline is the best way for students to ensure they have their finances in place for the start of the academic year. New students can apply now even if they are unsure which course they will study, or what university they will be attending.

A representative for the UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said:- "So far this year, we have already experienced a significant increase in students applying for finance. Applications have increased by more than 10% year on year and we are anticipating that this will be the busiest academic year ever. We are urging students to get their applications in before the upcoming deadlines. By doing so they can be confident that they will have their student finance in place before their studies begin in the Autumn. To support students and their parents and partners (sponsors) with their applications, we have made information available aimed at helping to answer some of the most common questions StudentFinance.Campaign.Gov.UK about applying for student finance. Throughout the year we will be making even more resources available online to support students as their student finance journeys progress. They can also keep themselves up to date on the latest information by following Student Finance England on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram."

Students should apply online now and remember:-

►  Applications can take 6 to 8 weeks to process. Students do not need to contact SLC during this time to check on the status of their application. They will be contacted if any additional information is needed.

►  Students can also check their application's progress in their online account and view a:- 'to do list' of any action they need to take.

►  Students may be asked to submit evidence to support their applications. A short film explaining how to do this is available at:- Youtu.Be.

►  Parents and partners (sponsors) may also need to provide details of their household income if they are supporting a student's application. Once a student applies the named sponsor(s) will receive an email explaining the steps they need to take.

More information on supporting a student finance application can be found at:- Gov.UK.