From a Jewish perspective, the Isle of Man is known as the place German Jews were interned alongside Nazis as enemy aliens during the Second World War.

These days, around 200 Jews live on the tiny island, mostly in the capital Douglas. This small community is without a synagogue, a rabbi, or a place to buy kosher food, but it does have a representative in the island's 1,037-year parliament.

Leonard Singer, 73, was elected to the Tynwald after 40 years of public service, and has responsibility for trade and finance on the island.

"I knew from the age of eight I wanted to go into public office," he said. "A candidate for the local council was canvassing my father and I decided right there and then. I wanted to speak up for people."

The retired pharmacist was born in Manchester, and moved to the Isle of Man in 1989. It took him two years to get elected to the local council, and now he works in the Department of Economic Development, strengthening trade ties with countries including China, South Africa and Israel.

As well as his government role - the Isle of Man runs its own affairs apart from military issues, which are dealt with in London - Mr Singer has promoted a cause close to his heart - Holocaust Memorial Day.

After convincing the authorities to hold the first ever memorial service in 2001, he successfully lobbied for an annual event, which he organises with the self-described "matriarch of the Jewish community", Carol Jempson.

The service, which takes place in January, is conducted in English, Hebrew, and the island's native language of Manx.

"It's always a highlight," Mr Singer said. "We've had up to 700 people attending. We hold it in different churches; the president, the chief minister, members of parliament and the governor attend. The six secondary schools all take part, too."

Despite being part of such a tiny minority - Jews make up under 0.25 per cent of the island's 85,000-strong population - he said he felt completely accepted by the wider community.

"I don't find any problems here because I'm Jewish. My colleagues will often joke about it - 'there's pork on the menu,' they'll say - but it's all banter."

Mr Singer acknowledged that if he were strictly Orthodox, "it wouldn't be easy", but Jewish life is maintained on the island. This is largely thanks to Ms Jempson, who, he said "keeps the community going here. She tends to do all the organising".

Ms Jempson, 69, arrived in 1980 thinking she would be the only Jewish person.

"After two years, I discovered there was a community, people in their 50s who were old to me, and I attended their events. Suddenly, 36 years have gone, they're all dead, and I'm the one who's been here the longest. So almost by default, I'm in charge."

The lay leader said maintaining a community was "an uphill struggle," but that she was determined to "keep them together no matter what.

"I do it to maintain the tradition within the community. Most of the people here have married out, and if they were at all religious they couldn't live here. The interest level in Jewish events and festivals is fairly low but if I organise things I get an attendance.

She said that, through her work, she had opened Manx minds to the existence of the community. "I've made the government aware that they have Jews as part of their population.

"The whole island knows me, and knows I'm Jewish. My friends knew very little about Jews until I started opening up - I've made them realise that everyone's the same, which is great."

She is less upbeat when it comes to considering the future of the community. "You can buy food online and maintain a kosher home. That's not too hard. But maintaining a Jewish life with no proper synagogue… I provide what I can, but it's not enough.

"Even if both their parents are Jewish, children here are brought up in a Christian environment. By the time they get to university, they have nothing in common with other Jews, apart from what I've provided.

"It's very difficult to know if it'll continue. Everyone seems to think not. They think I'll be the last one."