More than 400 guests saluted locals who went above and beyond during the Covid-19 pandemic before partying the night away to live music during a fun-filled ceremony.

The ‘Extraordinary Party’, supported by local sponsors including ‘party planner;’ Wilton, celebrated those who put themselves at risk to save lives, worked tirelessly to rebuild community spirit, went out of their way to help others or made sure that everyone in the community was being cared for.

Recognising the selfless actions of individuals and an array of uplifting contributions to society, all winners and finalists received some fantastic tailor-made prizes in eight categories shortlisted after more than 16,500 public votes were recorded.

‘Wilton have been delighted to act as a sponsor of the Extraordinary Islanders campaign and to acknowledge and celebrate the hard work, compassion and kindness exhibited by many in the local community over this past unprecedented year.

‘It has been very humbling and inspiring to hear how much all of those nominated have done to support and give back to the local community.

‘It reaffirms the Manx sense of community that we pride ourselves on.’

Helen Summerscales, Managing Director of Isle of Man Advertising and PR, the communications agency behind the campaign, said the initiative had showcased Team Isle of Man at its very best.

‘To be able to bring together so many incredible people and thank and acknowledge the real heroes of the Isle of Man, for all they did celebrate everything that is great about the Manx spirit has been so rewarding.

‘The level of interest in Extraordinary Islanders was quite exceptional, in fact at one point we had to extend the deadline to help ensure no-one was missed out.

‘Virtually all of our prizes were sourced and purchased on the Isle of Man and pretty much all of the campaign funds were ploughed back into local businesses to keep the money on Island, supporting our local economy.

‘Thank you one and all to everyone who got involved. This has been a true team effort and something we are planning to repeat in spring 2022.’