Cruse Bereavement Support Isle of Man has marked its 35th anniversary with a black-tie dinner event.

The island charity, which was formed in 1988, offers support to those who are suffering with bereavement and the loss of their loved ones.

The event raised about £9,000 for the charity which is set to be spent on client support.

It costs about £600 per client to provide one-to-one sessions, and during 2022 the charity supported in the region of 350 people.

The event was held at Woodbourne House with Lieutenant Governor Sir John Lorimer, Lady Lorimer and other dignitaries attending.

A spokesperson for Cruse said: ‘A wonderful evening was had by all with dancing to music by Jamie Blackburn and Michael Corlett from MC Entertainment.

‘During the evening Cruse expressed their gratitude to all their regular funders and supporters and were delighted that some of them could attend on the night.

‘Ambassador for the charity, Emilia Stringer, opened the evening by recalling her story and how the charity had helped her find comfort following a close family death.

‘Knowing that Cruse is here to help and reminding people that they are not alone is fundamental to the services the charity delivers. The evening was an opportunity to raise funds but also to remind people of the work Cruse does.’

Cruse recently held its annual general meeting, where a deficit of £9,598 was recorded for the year 2022-23.

Judy Arnold, the chairperson of Cruse, said: ‘The year 2022-2023 was a tough year, with lower donations being made.

‘Our new chief executive officer, Mary Doyle, is implementing cost-saving measures to ensure the sustainability of the charity, but it is important that services we deliver, without cost, continue as essential support for those that grieve.

‘We are indebted to all our funders and donors as we move forward. Core to our service delivery is that everything is funded – we are financially prudent to ensure every penny donated is spent effectively.

‘We passionately support those who need our help no matter how much time has elapsed since the death.’