Isle of Wight Observer Issue 41

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31st May 2019

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East Cowes celebrates Victoria 200

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SENSELESS MURDER ‘Gerry was a loving family man to me, his children, grandchildren, sister, brother, nephews and nieces’

East Cowes celebrated the bicentennial of Queen Victoria’s birth over the Bank Holiday weekend, with a number of spectacular events, including a horse and carriage procession through the town, a seafront festival and an exhibition in the Town Hall.

Saturday saw a Victorian Day in the town, with music, swing boats and Victorian fancy dress, and there was a town hall show in the

evening with a Victorian time machine.

The highlight of Sunday was the grand procession, featuring horse and carriages, vintage cars and marching bands, which left Osborne House at 11am to march down York Avenue to arrive at the Esplanade at midday.

The Esplanade Festival on Sunday featured live music on two stages, children’s entertainment, a mini

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Concerns that new school plan will harm West Wight education The current new proposal to tackle surplus primary school places in the West Wight has caused community division and could have a huge negative impact on primary education in the West Wight, it has been claimed.

Helen Jones, who is lead for the Save Yarmouth School group, and whose youngest child attends the school, has echoed some of the concerns of parents.

Helen said: “Our schools don’t exist in isolation. These decisions should be taken in context of the recent closure of Weston Primary. This means that some of the children in Yarmouth have already endured a transition and under the new proposals will have to go through yet another.

“The All Saints children will have to undergo two moves. Moving schools has been shown to have a negative impact on children’s education. It’s not acceptable and will impact their stability and educational progress. Also, think about our secondary provision in the West Wight. We are limited to two schools that are both rated inadequate.

It really is so important we get primary education right for the children of the West Wight.

“Putting 81 children, nearly doubling the number at Yarmouth already, onto one small site, some in temporary classrooms, puts huge pressure on space, teachers and shared spaces. The Priority Schools Building Fund, from where the Government funding for any redevelopment of the All Saints site would come, is riddled with contractor delays and snagging issues. How long would our children have to endure an unacceptable learning environment?

“The local authority has to put emphasis on raising educational attainment in any decisions made, surely this could be better achieved if all the West Wight Schools took a number of children to support them in this difficult transition, not just one school.

“A local school is still maintained with St Saviours. At only a mile away, it’s distance from Freshwater high street is no different to the distance

of some other primaries on our Island or nationally to their town or village high streets. The current proposal stands to cause the most disruption and educational damage to not one, but two The IW Council’s current proposal is: *Close All Saints school in Freshwater *Move all pupils from All Saints to Yarmouth School on a temporary basis. *Reconfigure the Freshwater site (building works could take two years or more) while all the children are accommodated temporarily onto the small Yarmouth site. *Permanently close the Yarmouth site and ‘move’ Yarmouth School to Freshwater. groups of children. It is unacceptable.”

The original consultation, that took place back in March, proposed the closure of All Saints and the expansion of St Saviours as the Council’s preferred

option. The Council would have consulted educational professionals on the viability of this proposal. There is a sense among the wider West Wight that the change and most recent suggestion of ‘moving’ Yarmouth has come about from pressure and hasn’t been given enough thought to the wider implications for all children affected.

Helen feels that if the IW Council does decide to close All Saints (which has consistently been Ofsted graded ‘Requires improvement’), then a solution needs to be found which helps the children’s transition to surrounding Ofsted ‘Good’ schools. That is where they can all receive the necessary support, and access good education in a stable calm learning environment, rather than in an overcrowded, temporary site for an unknown period before another move.

She added: “The experience of our children in the West Wight cannot just be written off as ‘unfortunate’ because of this plan. We, as parents, both in Freshwater and Yarmouth, will be picking up the pieces of their disrupted primary years in secondary school.”

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Man charged with murder after body found at Lake A man has appeared at Isle of Wight Magistrates Court on, charged with the murder of former councillor and pub landlord, Gerard White, of Sandown.

Former chef and gardener, 60-year-old Jonathan Christopher Stasuik, of Pier Street, Sandown, was charged with a single count of murdering Mr.White in woodland at a community garden in Lake on Bank Holiday Monday.

Stasiuk was believed to be known to Mr White. No one else was being sought in connection with the incident at the time of writing.

Stasiuk appeared only to answer his name, age, address and to confirm he understood the charge.

Magistrates remanded him in custody until a hearing on Monday (June 3) at Winchester Crown Court.

Police were initially called to the area surrounding Scotchells Brook Lane on Monday evening after receiving a report that a man in his 70s had been seriously assaulted.

Officers found Mr. White in a wooded area off a footpath. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Specialist forensic investigators then conducted a fingertip search of the Lake Community Gardens from late on Monday night. A series of investigations continued throughout much of the week, and the crime scene was kept on lock down.

Earlier in the week, the investigation team said they were keen to hear from anyone who had information that might be of assistance.

Detective Inspector, Toby Elcock, issued the following statement: “We would like to hear from anyone who knew Mr. White and has any information they think could be relevant to our enquiries.

“The area in which the body was found is quite isolated, but we believe this may be used by dog

walkers and other members of the public who like to go out walking.

Were you in this area between 3pm and 6.30pm on Monday, May 27?

Did you see anyone in this area at all?

“Did you hear or see anything that you thought was out of the ordinary or suspicious?

“If you have information then get in touch. We would ask people who have information to not post this or speculate on social media, but to come to the police in the first instance.”

Mr. White, aged 73, was originally from Dublin, and was a former councillor for Lake North and chairman of Lake Parish Council.

He led the project to set up Lake Community Gardens on 16 acres of land near Lake, where his body was found.

Family and friends have paid generous tributes to Mr White. Mr White’s wife, Mrs Lee White, made the following moving tribute to her much loved husband.

She said: “My husband Gerry was a loving family man to me, his children, grandchildren, sister, brother, nephews and nieces. Gerry respected and trusted his loyal staff, recognising their valuable role in his life. He thoroughly enjoyed being a Rotarian, receiving an award in appreciation of his charitable work. His role as an Island councillor helped many local people.

“Thank you for all your condolences and messages, warming the cockles of our broken hearts.”

Anyone with any further information about this tragic event is asked to contact police on 101, quoting Operation Sage, or call the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Tributes paid to Gerry White Cllr Ian Ward I am so sorry that my dear friend Gerry has died. I have known Gerry and his wife Lee for years and we are close friends. Gerry was a successful businessman and used his considerable ability to contribute so much to his community. Gerry was a lovely man who would help and support you without question. He quietly helped many people in a number of ways. He had a great sense of humour and we will all miss him tremendously. Our sympathies are with Lee and the family at this sad time.

Andrew Turner (former MP for the Island) Gerry was one of the nicest people you could meet. He was a popular councillor who was passionate about helping the people he represented and indeed anybody who was facing tough times. He was a hard worker in his businesses and there was always a smile on his face and a joke was never far away. Those of us lucky enough to know him mourn his loss, and our thoughts are with Lee and the rest of the family.

Gerry White Carole Dennett of IW Observer The Lake Community Garden Project Gerry was working on when he died was typical of him. He wanted to create somewhere that veterans and people with problems could enjoy and overcome any

difficulties. He was so excited when he came in to the office and told us all about it. It is tragic that the man who has now been charged with his murder was someone he told us he was trying to help. RIP Gerry, you were one of life’s good guys.

Paul McManus Gerry was my business partner and a very, very good friend. He will be sadly missed by all the customers he just got on with everybody. We will all feel his loss as he did such a lot for the Isle of Wight.

Dorothy Dye I worked with Gerry over a number of years. I always found him very willing to help whenever he could for charity and he will be greatly missed.

Cordoned off area, area surrounding Scotchells Brook Lane

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31st May 2019

Monarch steam boat up for sale

Worried that the paddle steamer Waverley will no longer be visiting the shores of the Isle of Wight as it requires a refit?

Fear not. The miniature paddle steamer, the Monarch, which once plied its trade on the River Medina, has been put up for sale. The paddle steamer is fully functioning and licensed to take 12 passengers. She’s been put up for sale for a mere £55,000. So if you and 11 mates fancy being a proud paddle steamer owner, it would be just £5,000 each.

The ship has been rebuilt, had a new engine put in and the boiler has been retubed. The Monarch has recently done six seasons on the River Frome at Wareham.

Current owner, Noel Donnelly, claims this would be the ideal project for a group of steam enthusiasts to club together and buy the craft, which, with any luck, might allow them to have great fun and make a bit of money.

Litany of failings revealed in Care Home report

By Megan Baynes - Local Democracy Reporter

A resident living at a Ryde care home, which has been shut down after the Isle of Wight Council moved residents out, lost one-anda-half stone in six weeks.

A total of 17 elderly people were moved out of Cornelia Heights Care Home in April, after concerns were raised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The CQC’s report has now been published, revealing the extent of the failings at the home, run by Sanjay Prakashsingh Ramdany and Sandhya Kumari Ramdany. They took the decision to close the home after the residents were moved out.

A second care home run by the couple, Waxham House, also in Ryde, remains open.

The care home was registered to care for up to 23 people living with physical frailty or dementia.

When inspectors asked why one resident

had lost so much weight, no explanation was given. A doctor had recommended the resident be weighed every two weeks, but it had not happened for more than a month.

Residents were at risk of developing pressure sores, and one person was not moved for more than 11 hours and 45 minutes, despite the official recommendation being that bed-bound patients are moved every four hours.

Staff described organisation at the home as ‘chaos’ as they regularly worked 14-hour shifts due to chronic under staffing, or were asked to come in on their days off to cover absences.

One said: “I have had phone calls at four in the morning asking me to come in. There is not enough staff at night, and too many people need help.”

A spokesperson for the couple said they

were sorry for the ‘sad end’ to Cornelia Heights, but thanked hard-working staff for their efforts.

The spokesperson said: “The decision by the Isle of Wight Council to terminate its contract on April 10 left us with a difficult decision which resulted in us sadly deciding to close the facility.

“Since then, we have worked with the local authority to move our residents into alternative accommodation.

“This was done with respect, care and in full collaboration with our residents and their relatives to ensure that the process takes place in a safe manner.”

Staff members said there was a blame culture at the home, with managers ‘passing the buck.’

Records of the number of falls that took place at the home were inaccurate, with

the home under-reporting to the Clinical Commissioning Group.

The risk of infection at the home was also not managed. Inspectors noted the evacuation chair was badly stained, and a stairlift and armchair had a torn seat with the foam exposed. Soiled laundry was piled next to tea towels and flannels, putting it at risk of cross contamination.

Medicines were not always ordered and prescribed correctly and one resident was left without mood medication for six days. In some cases, medicinal creams were used six months beyond their safe shelf life.

For nine residents, allergy information was absent or contradictory, putting people at risk of receiving medicines to which they were allergic. The last residents were moved from the home on May 8, one month after the inspection took place.

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End the SEND Up to 50 protestors gathered in St James’ Square, Newport, on Thursday, to protest about cuts in SEND (Special Educational Needs & Disability) provision, as part of a National Day of Action.

One of the co-ordinators of the protest, Colleen Brannon, who is the mother of a son with special educational needs, said: “The SEND system is in crisis nationally. On the Island, it’s particularly difficult.

“My own son was referred five years ago. He got his diagnosis last month. It took him five years to get an assessment. That’s half his childhood gone.”

Another mother of a special needs child, Maria Villa Vine, said: “I feel very passionately about what’s happening.

You can talk to parents, teachers and SEN experts. They’re just not seeing that money on the ground.

“I’ve liased a few times with Bob Seely. I’ve tried to educate him around SEND. But he’s part of the party that are bringing these cuts in, so I see no joy there.”

Revealed: Dementia unit failings

By Megan Baynes - Local Democracy Reporter

A Healthwatch report has revealed the full extent of failures at the Island’s dementia unit, with patients unable to use the toilet without asking, and bare, unwelcoming rooms.

Work is currently underway to refurbish Shackleton Ward at St Mary’s Hospital after it was branded inadequate by Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors. The ward is set to reopen in June following a nineweek, £200,000 renovation which is hoped will create a more ‘homely’ and appropriate environment.

A report released this week by Healthwatch, the Isle of Wight’s health and social care watchdog, listed a catalogue of failures at the ward prior to the refurbishment works. After Healthwatch inspected the ward in January,

it escalated its concerns to the CQC. The report stated: “The first lounge on the ward contained a television which was secured to the wall in a wooden cabinet and six plastic covered chairs. No other furniture or fittings were evident in the room, and the walls were bare.

“An occupied bedroom that was viewed was stark, unwelcoming and spartan with bare walls. It was not personalised and no personal possessions were evident in the room. The only furniture observed was a hospital bed and a wardrobe secured to the wall. There were no light switches in the room, only on the wall outside, making it difficult for patients to turn their bedroom lights on and off.

“Toilet, bathroom and bedroom doors

were all locked during the day, with patients having to ask staff if they wanted to use the bathroom or enter their bedroom.

“Staff acknowledged the environment was poor, and tried to take residents outside the ward, on visits to the seaside, when possible.

During the visit, three of the four staff on duty were agency staff. Patients were unable to access food or drink independently and would have to ask staff if they wanted something to eat or drink.”

Responding to the report, the Isle of Wight NHS Trust said it was grateful to Healthwatch and fully agreed with the assessment. A spokesperson said: “The environment was not appropriate for this type of specialist service, and we have therefore worked with staff, carers and partners, including

Brading Roman

Healthwatch, to develop plans to refurbish the ward and create a dementia-friendly environment.

“We look forward to welcoming Healthwatch to carry out a follow up review of Shackleton Ward once it is reopened to see the improvements made.”

Manager of Healthwatch, Joanna Smith, said: “We are pleased to see that the trust has acted promptly to address the serious concerns we raised, and Healthwatch is looking forward to working closely with the Trust to ensure that all recommendations made within the report are met and sustained. Good dementia care should be a right not a privilege.”

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31st May 2019

Queen Victoria’s bicentenary News in brief

Continued from front page theatre and Morris dancing.

Michael Paler, Deputy Mayor of East Cowes, said: “The community in East Cowes has been exceptional in their work, including the Women’s Institute, who have been responsible for the bunting and the baking.

120 people attended the civic reception. We should be doing this every year, not every 200 years.”

Pictures by Chris Cornford

31st May 2019

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31st May 2019

Vikings come to Calbourne but refrain from ransacking village A viking re-enactment group, Wolfguard, brought several groups of Vikings from the mainland, and some from as far afield as Poland, for a Viking weekend in Calbourne.

The weekend was held in the idyllic surroundings of Calbourne Water Mill, where visitors could witness reenactments of battles, with Wolfguard defending their fort against all comers, and even watch a cavalry charge on Sunday. Despite the bloodthirsty reputation of Vikings, this was very much a family weekend, with children able to to take part in mock battles and try to take on the Vikings.

The event included a living history display, belly dancers, Bloodstone Morris dancers, ferret racing, and numerous other attractions.

The Viking Weekend raised over £700 for the Phoenix Group in Ryde for disabled adults with learning difficulties.

Susan Osmond, Manager of Calbourne Water Mill, said: “It was a wonderful weekend, and we’d love to do it again.

About 100 Vikings came over three days. Lots of friends were made, and there was a lovely atmosphere.”

The IW Observer asked one of the Vikings, Steve Hobson, about the attraction of being a weekend warrior. Steve said: “The Vikings were a warrior race, unafraid of death.

They thought they would enter Valhalla when they died, which would be non-stop drinking and carnal pleasure.

“I think of the Viking reenactors as being one big family.

We take in everyone, men and women, from the age of 15 to their late 70s.

“People have a lot of fun at our events. On Saturday night, three of our Vikings were auctioned off as ‘slaves’ to raise money for charity. Two were bought by one of the women at the event. I honestly don’t know what happened to them afterwards.

“I made something called the ‘Jarl spoon’, a six foot long wooden spoon that was used in mock battles. It was auctioned off for £90. However, the buyer returned it to me, saying there can only ever be one owner of the Jarl spoon, and swore fealty to me.”

Pictures by Chris Cornford

31st May 2019

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Children benefit from ‘Isle Attend’ course

Over 270 children have benefitted from Isle Attend, a 10-week programme of training to support young children and their development, at pre-schools and primary schools on the Island.

The programme has been designed to help develop the attention, communication and independence skills of children and increase the confidence of teachers with children who show delays in their learning.

The training has been facilitated by the IW NHS Trust Speech and Language Therapy Service, in partnership with the IW Council Early Years SEN Support Team. Isle Attend has now been successfully used in 16 pre-school and 8 Primary school settings.

Rebecca Burr, Professional Lead for Children's Speech and Language Therapy at the IW NHS Trust, said: “Isle Attend really inspires the child’s attention and gives them something worth communicating about. We are really pleased with the initial results, which show, on average, over 50% of children increased from a score below 1 to a score above 2 for a number of the skills targeted.”

Nearly all schools found the programme significantly affected the children and their ability to engage with routines, expectations and learning opportunities.

Feedback from the schools that participated in the programme has been positive.

Comments received include: “This has had an amazing impact on the children who have taken part as well as providing beneficial additional skills to the staff involved.

“Personally I have thoroughly enjoyed the whole process and found it to be

extremely positive to all involved; the team and the children.”

Anita Pitman, from the Isle of Wight Council’s Early Years SEN Advisory Team, said: “Isle Attend was developed jointly between the Isle of Wight Council and the NHS. This has been a very successful initiative, ensuring that pre-schools and schools know the importance of attention and listening skills in young children.”

Weather dampens balloon festival at Robin Hill park The sky should have been the limit at Robin Hill’s brand-new soaring event, Sky High.

Spectators were expected to marvel at the majestic sight of over 40 hot air balloons of all shapes and sizes, taking flight from the Lower Valley.

Unfortunately, the vagaries of the British weather took their toll. A combination of rain and high winds put paid to the idea of balloons floating off into the sunset, and no free flying of balloons was possible at the event.

Despite the impossibility of flying the balloons free, the tethered balloons still provided a wonderful sight for visitors and spectators to the Country Park. Night Glow turned out to be a fantastic opportunity for photographers to snap the balloons at twilight, lit up in all their glory, accompanied by an incredible sound and light production.

Just like a magnificent game of cricket is often washed out, so it proved with the Robin Hill Sky High event.

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Office to let - Central Newport Office approx 15ft x 15ft located in a restored Grade II listed building, centrally within Newport. Easy in out terms. Electric/heating included. Rent payable monthly £550.00. Office overlooks St Thomas Square.

Please call 07976 797455

‘Yeah man...’

What Islanders say...

It’s good to find out all the news and what is going on across the Island.

Yeah man...

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31st May 2019

Office to let - Central Newport Office approx 15ft x 15ft located in a restored Grade II listed building, centrally within Newport. Easy in out terms. Electric/heating included. Rent payable monthly £550.00.

Office overlooks St Thomas Square.

Please call 07976 797455

Bridge over the River Medina?

Plans have been launched for a major infrastructure project that may help alleviate congestion around Coppins Bridge: a bridge across the River Medina.

And the Council declare the project may come to fruition over the next 10 years.

At present, virtually all major roads on the Island, from Ryde, Cowes, Sandown and West Wight, converge at a single roundabout in Newport town centre.

The bridge will be a bypass around Newport for traffic heading between Ryde and West Wight, leading to cuts in both congestion and pollution in Newport.

The council have stated that any proposed bridge is not intended to replace the troubled Cowes Floating Bridge.

A study to test the feasibility of the study is due to start this summer, and the council will be working with engineers from Hampshire County Council to examine all the possibilities available.

On average, the Medina is around 150 yards wide, but wherever the bridge is placed the structure is likely to be far longer.

Hampshire Council experts will examine in depth possible locations for the

bridge, whether it would be paid for by means of a toll or through other sources of funding and the scheduling of the project. Any potential environmental impacts will also have to be thought through with considerable care.

If the specialist advice taken by the Council proves the bridge project to be workable, then the Council will be looking to secure the funding and designs for the bridge at the earliest opportunity.

The bridge would be part of the South East’s strategic road network.

Therefore, the council hopes to obtain funding from central government as well as from Solent Local Enterprise Partnership.

Council leader Dave Stewart said: “We are planning to undertake this study working in partnership with Hampshire County Council because we believe it is really necessary. We want to do it properly, so that once the study is completed we will really know where we are going. I hope Islanders will support this as it is for everybody’s long term benefit.”

When asked whether the cost of the new bridge would mean insufficient funds for much needed improvements

to the roundabout at St Mary’s, Cllr Stewart said: “The money allocated by Govt for the improvements to St Mary’s roundabout is ring fenced. That work is needed to ensure better traffic flows through Newport.”

On the exact location of the bridge, Cllr Stewart said: “There are a couple of options including Stag Lane and Dodnor Lane. We will consider all factors including whether we already own the land, but the one thing we are determined on is that we will make sure that it will go in the right place.”

Cllr Stewart denied that the bridge would increase car usage on the Island.

He said: “We shall think about the possibility of the bridge also having a cycle and walking path in addition to its taking motor vehicles.

The Council Leader regarded it as his duty to do something about traffic congestion in and around the Island’s capital. He said: “Many Islanders recognise the need for us to address the impact of traffic congestion in Newport as well as improve our transport infrastructure generally on the Island, and this is just what we intend to do.”

Shipwreck talk to be held at Cowes library A fascinating talk exploring the world of maritime archaeology is to take place at Cowes Library.

The Shipwreck Centre and Maritime Museum, based at Arreton Barns, will be at the library on Thursday June 20, between 7pm and 8.30pm.

The talk will cover the forgotten wrecks of the First World War and the nature of war at sea, as well as covering the work of the Maritime Archaeology Trust.

Cowes Library supervisor, Joyce Blizzard, said: “It is amazing to explore the tales behind our maritime history here on the Isle of Wight, and we are lucky to have such a wealth of finds that have been brought up from the deep by the Shipwreck Centre and Maritime Museum. I would urge the public not to miss these events, as they are sure to have a wide appeal.”

Visitors will have the chance to look at artefacts that have been found by the museum and hear some of the

HMCS Alberni circa 1943-1944 fascinating stories behind them.

Christin Heamagi, curator at the Shipwreck Centre and Maritime Museum, said: “We are very happy to be working with Cowes Library and to have been given a chance to bring our amazing collection out of the museum and directly to the public to show you that even if our shipwrecks are out sight they are not out of mind.

“There is an incredible archaeological

resource just off our coasts and by sharing the artefacts recovered from the seafloor we will show you that shipwrecks aren’t only accessible for dolphins, divers and dogfish.”

The session is £2 per person. There is no need to book and refreshments will be available. For more information, please contact Cowes Library on (01983) 293341.

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An exhibition that puts feelings in the frame at Pop-up Gallery Reconnections, the latest exhibition at the People’s Pop-Up Gallery (PPUG) will show artwork created by 10 residents of Newport Residential Care.

The exhibition takes place from 10.30am to 3.30pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from June 8 to 30, with an open view on June 11.

Reconnections draws on themes of reconnecting with oneself, the community and to the environment.

The mixed media work was produced during a 15-week long project facilitated

by Independent Arts (IA) working with artists Leigh Jackman, Trudie Wilson and Mark Lloyd.

Each workshop was based around the participants perception of themselves and their environment.

Newport Residential Care is currently home to 29 people, some of who live with a variety of conditions including dementia, isolation, poor mental health, anxiety and addiction. Ten residents participated in the project learning a variety of new art disciplines from photography, printing, painting, wire drawing and collage work.

Lynne Rose, Newport Residential Care Manager, said: “Newport Residential Care is a safe place where

Isle of Wight sites to be new Marine Conservation Zones

a journey of recovery can begin. Some of the residents here feel isolated or stigmatised by society, so we try to rebuild their selfesteem, helping to give them the tools to change their future. The Independent

Arts project enabled people to learn new skills and tap into their creative abilities.

It was wonderful watching how confidence began to grow as their artwork took shape.”PPUG is located at 33 High Street, Newport.

Local sites, Yarmouth to Cowes, and Bembridge, have been declared new Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs). These are areas recognised for their special habitats and wildlife.

Responding to the announcement, Debbie Tann, CEO of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, said: “We are very pleased to see two local areas given this level of recognition. We have some incredible marine species and habitats here, from colour changing cuttlefish and magnificent seagrass meadows to seahorses and stalked jellyfish, and we know that, with such busy local waters, our wildlife can really struggle.

Properly managed, these new underwater nature reserves around the Island should provide much needed safe-havens.

“Thank you to everyone who backed our

campaign to secure these vital protections.

Over the past decade or more we have gathered evidence and public support for these Marine Conservation Zones. With three local areas now designated, the task ahead is to ensure that the management and conservation measures live up to this promise and really play a part in restoring our marine life and livelihoods.

“We are, of course, disappointed that we don’t yet have a complete local network, as we are still missing protections for other important habitats and areas such as the seagrass meadows found between Norris and Ryde and the native oyster beds at Fareham Creek. However, today’s announcement does take us a significant step closer to creating a wilder future for our seas.”

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Pipers lead the way with Isle of Wight tomatoes

Crisp makers, Pipers, have found a way to provide extra flavour for one its most popular crisps. From the end of this month, the tomatoes for Pipers tomato flavoured crisps will be sourced from the Arreton Valley. The crisps will be known as Pipers Arreton Tomato Crisps and will be grown by the horticultural business, The Tomato Stall.

Pipers Marketing Manager, Katy Hamblin, said: “Pipers is, and always has been, incredibly proud of the quality, consistency and provenance of our flavour ingredients. So much so, we tell the story behind our flavours

on the back of every pack of crisps we sell.

"We’re constantly on the look-out for flavours with provenance, and we think Arreton tomatoes is an absolute hidden gem.

Our Pipers Arreton Tomato Crisps have been matched to the existing flavour, but in taste tests most people think they taste even better than they did before.”

Pipers Arreton Tomato Crisps are vegan and gluten-free, and available in 40g packs and 150g sharing bags. The new packs, featuring a minor colour change and name change, are already available in the shops.

Young florists awarded gold and silver at Chelsea Flower Show!

Two young Isle of Wight florists, Kara Halford and Jordan Knight, won gold and silver respectively at the Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show.

The pair, who opened J&K Floral Designs in Gurnard at the end of last year, were competing for the title of Young Florist of the year, a category open to the top 16 florists aged between 16 and 25. This year's theme was Queen Victoria’s 200th Birthday, and Kara and Jordan were challenged to design and create a floral crown suitable for the celebration.

Kara, who originally comes from Southampton, won a gold medal, and former

Carisbrooke High School student, Jordan, won silver.

Kara said: “We were absolutely thrilled to find out what we had won. It’s such an amazing achievement to even be able to compete at this competition, let alone walk away with a gold and silver medal! It was a very emotional experience being able to compete together as business partners.”

Jordan said: “This was my first time competing at Chelsea Flower Show, so I was absolutely thrilled to receive a silver medal. Being able to compete alongside my business partner and friend made the whole experience a lot more enjoyable.”

Jo Goddard from Newport is the lucky winner of a pair of Isle of Wight Festival tickets, courtesy of the Isle of Wight Observer and Festival organisers.

Jo entered our competition, along with hundreds of other hopefuls, and it was her entry which was randomly picked out, in front of an independent adjudicator.

She correctly answered the question we set for the special competition in our edition on May 17. We asked entrants to complete the name of the headline act that will be playing at the Festival - Noel Gallagher and his High Flying *****. The missing word was, of course ‘Birds’.

Unfortunately, Jo was off the Island this week for personal reasons, but we hope to catch up with her for a chat in next week’s edition.

End of road for Lane End beach cafe in Bembridge Lucky Jo wins our pair of tickets for IW Festival

By Megan Baynes - Local Democracy Reporter

Plans for a house extension in Bembridge have been approved despite concerns from residents who fear it will scupper plans to rebuild a seafront cafe.

The Lifeboat View Cafe, at Lane End, Bembridge, was demolished last September with a view to building a smaller cafe on the same site. The site was formerly flats, with a cafe at the front and a large outdoor seating area.

Last year, the Isle of Wight Council approved plans to knock down the cafe and build an extension to the house. Now the owner, Debbie Potts, has been given permission to extend the property even further.

Councillors voted to approve the plans at last night’s planning committee. Members were

not able to vote on the plans to rebuild the cafe, as it was at the landowner’s discretion.

One of the planning officers told the committee: “It’s not for the planning authority to control whether that cafe operates or not. It’s the landowner’s choice whether they run the cafe or don’t and if they wish not to run it’s their decision. You need to consider the plans in front of you, and not the emotional side related to the running of the cafe.”

The owner will now be able to extend the sun room on the seafront property. Plans to include a boathouse in the extension had previously been removed, following more than 900 complaints from residents.

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Abdul Karim’s family attend bi-centenary in East Cowes Descendants of Abdul Karim, whose life was portrayed in the film, Victoria and Abdul, came to East Cowes for the celebrations of the bi-centenary of the birth of Queen Victoria.

Mohammed Abdul Karim, known as the Munshi, was an Indian attendant of Queen Victoria, who served during the final fourteen years of her reign, gaining her maternal affection.

In 1887, Karim was one of two Indians selected to become servants to the Queen. The Queen came to like him a great deal and appointed him as her Indian Secretary.

The close platonic relationship between Karim and the Queen led to friction within the Royal Household, the other members of which felt themselves to be superior to him. The Queen insisted on taking Karim with her on her travels, which caused arguments between her and her other attendants. Following Victoria's death in 1901, her successor, Edward VII, returned Karim to India and ordered the confiscation and destruction of the Munshi's correspondence with Victoria.

Three generations of Abdul Karim’s family attended the bi-centenial celebrations of Victoria’s birth in East Cowes.

Present at the event was his great-granddaughter, Sutlana, his great-great grandson, Nabeel, and his great-greatgreat granddaughter, Zara. The family planted a tree at the Jubilee Recreation Ground on

York Avenue to commemorate the bi-centenary and joined in the procession on Sunday in a vintage motor car.

Karim’s family originally hail from Agra in India, the location of the world famous Taj Mahal.

Currently, they have dispersed around the world, and are to be found in Pakistan, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In the UK, they are located in London, Birmingham, Nottingham and Leicester.

Abdul Karim’s greatgranddaughter, Sultana, told the IW Observer she had heard tales of the Munshi and his exploits from her grandmother, Abdul’s daughter.

Nabeel Syed, the Munshi’s great-great grandson, who currently lives in Leicester, believed that the film version of Abdul’s life had been fairly accurate, although there had never been any intimacy between them.

Nabeel said: “Victoria almost treated him as a son and Abdul treated Victoria as a mother.

Victoria regarded Abdul as a human being, which was unusual in those days of colour prejudice.”

This was Nabeel’s first visit to the Isle of Wight. He said: “The Island is fantastic and the people have been great. It has a very welcoming feel. I feel humbled and honoured to be here.

“I hope my daughter Zara’s children will also come to the Island when she is old enough to be a mother herself.”

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News in brief Culver Down closed Police closed Culver Down near Sandown on Wednesday morning following reports of a depressed man at the beauty spot. The swift response of the Police brought the incident to a conclusion, and the man concerned was taken to a place of safety.

Fire extinguished Firefighters extinguished a fire in the open at Afton Marsh near Freshwater on Tuesday night after a bonfire had been lit, then left unattended.

It was fortunate for those who lit the fire that it was extinguished before spreading to the surrounding countryside.

Bonfire extinguished A bonfire on Totland Beach was extinguished by firefighters on Saturday night, following concerns that the fire might potentially spread to nearby wooden structures.

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Mayor welcomes cruise ship The Mayor of Cowes, Lora Peacey Wilcox and other dignitaries welcomed the maiden call of cruise ship, Hanseatic Nature, to Cowes.

A plaque was presented to Captain Christoph Kunz to commemorate the occasion.

Cowes Harbour Commission is working proactively with the Island’s tourism organisation, Visit Isle of Wight, and other local stakeholders, to promote Cowes as a unique destination port of call, encouraged by the rising demand in the Northern European luxury cruise market.

Cowes is regarded as an up and coming destination for luxury cruise ships, and it is hoped this will be the first of many visits by such ships to the town.

Green Party demands 16-year olds be allowed to stand for office

By Megan Baynes - Local Democracy Reporter

Asda colleagues riding for Daisy Chain in Randonnee event Four Asda colleagues and managers rode in this year's Randonnee in aid of Daisy Chain, a charity which addresses the needs of children on the autism spectrum and their families.

Sammie Mumford, Kenny Farrell from the Newport store, Ben Siemasko from Castlepoint store and Mark Ryles, South Coast Manager, joined together to ride the 66-mile course.

Their efforts raised a total of £1,141 through a donation pot, a Just Giving page and a top up from the Asda Foundation.

Pauline Groves from Daisy Chain collected the cheque and said the money would be used to help a great many families across the Island.

The Isle of Wight Green Party said it was not putting anyone forward for the Whippingham by-election because its strongest candidate, a 16-year-old, was too young to stand.

Four parties have already thrown their hat in the ring: the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Labour and Island Independents. The seat was formerly occupied by Julia BakerSmith.

Although the Green Party had previously said it would put someone forward, it announced on Thursday that electoral legislation had prevented it from fielding its strongest candidate.

A spokesperson for the party said: “16-year-old Cameron Palin, campaigns officer for the local party and a student at Cowes Enterprise College, is blocked from standing for election merely because of his age.

“Cameron has been heavily involved in challenging the council on its mismanagement of the Cowes Floating Bridge, the campaign to save the ice rink in Ryde, and has been a committee member for Isle of Wight Pride for the last two years.”

Cameron said: “It would have been an absolute honour to stand for the Green Party in the Whippingham and Osborne ward, however, our electoral system has let us down once again.

“We must lower the voting age to 16 and allow young people like myself to stand for office, as there is a sheer lack of diversity of age, sex, race, religion and culture in elected office at all levels, whether on a parish council or in Parliament.

“Young people’s voices are typically ignored and suppressed under this electoral system.”

The Green Party will not put forward an alternative candidate. Nationally, the Green Party has supported lowering the voting age to 16.

Ventnor assault Police are appealing for information after a man was assaulted in Ventnor.

Officers were called at 1.44pm on Sunday, May 26, to a report that a man had been assaulted at a property in Alpine Road, Ventnor. The victim, a 39-year-old man, was taken to hospital with a head injury.

Officers arrested a 23-year-

old man and a 22-year-old woman on suspicion of grievous bodily harm with intent.

The investigation is currently being treated as an isolated incident. Anyone with information should call police on 101, quoting crime reference number 44190180846.

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All-American girl takes Irish dancing gold

News in brief Down search Coastguard Rescue Teams assisted Police in the search for a missing person on Tennyson Down near Freshwater at around sunset on Tuesday night. The search was brought to a successful close after the at risk missing person was found safe and well elsewhere.

Whiterails Road crash A collision on Whiterails Road near Wootton on Tuesday afternoon between a Nissan Almera and an Audi A3 led to a trapped woman having to be freed by firefighters.

Two people were taken to St Mary’s Hospital after the crash, neither of whom was thought to have been seriously injured.

All-American girl, 10-year-old Annabelle Acutt of Brading, took home the gold from the John Flanagan Memorial Dance Feis competition in Oxford.

Annabelle, who relocated to the Isle of Wight from sunny Florida last year, won a total of four National dance awards for her Irish Dancing, hitting the podium twice, and finishing as runner up in the Premier Championship. The competition, held on Saturday, May 25, was a first for the young dance star, who trains with the Roisin Mullins Dance Academy in Ryde and Brading.

As well as attracting up to a thousand young dance hopefuls, the contest, hosted by An Coimisiun, the official worldwide Irish Dancing organisation, raised funds for Cancer Research UK. Coach Roisin said: “This is proof that hard work really does pay off. Young Annabelle joined us very recently and has been training up to ten hours a week at classes as well as practicing at home.

“She is absolutely dedicated to Irish dancing and deserves every second of this success.

How wonderful that she also raised funds for a National charity at the same time as competing.

What an inspiration! Annabelle is certainly one to watch. We are very proud of her.”

Norah’s Path officially opens A dedicated rights of way path has been officially opened in Newchurch, in memory of a much-loved member of the local community.

Norah’s Way was opened by members of Norah Boswell’s family, Newchurch ward member and Cabinet member, Councillor Clare Mosdell, the parish council and Darrel Clarke, the Isle of Wight Council’s public rights of way manager.

Mrs Boswell was a passionate advocate of the right to walk the countryside safely.

Councillor Mosdell said: “Myself, rights of way and the parish council had been working with Norah Boswell to make walking around Newchurch safer as, since 1958 when Norah moved to farm in this small village, the through roads have become dramatically busier.

“Norah was adamant everyone had the right to walk to the village centre and enjoy

the Newchurch countryside safely, without fear of the busy roads.

“Norah sadly passed away last year, but her family continued her hard work to ensure Norah’s Way could be open."

Newchurch Parish Council Chairman, June Davison, said: “Thanks to all those involved in the partnership working, which has enabled this project to improve safe passage for the community, and we hope to see this continue with the planned pedestrian footbridge at Newchurch Shute.”

Initially, the path was provided to the public on a temporary and permissive basis, however, the council’s rights of way team were delighted with the family’s recent decision the path should become a permanent public right of way, and this has now been secured by the making of a Public Path Creation Order.

Special escort!

The Bembridge lifeboat was given an escort by a pod of dolphins when it went to the assistance of a 33ft yacht that had damaged its steering off the Isle of Wight on Sunday morning. The lifeboat towed the yacht towards Southsea Marina.

Bonfire extinguished A bonfire on Totland Beach was extinguished by firefighters on Saturday night, following concerns that the fire might potentially spread to nearby wooden structures.

Two airlifts An air ambulance airlifted a patient from Shalfleet to Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth at around 2.45pm on Saturday afternoon. Around 15 minutes earlier, another ill patient was airlifted from Colwell Common for treatment on the mainland.

Yacht rescued Sandown and Shanklin Independent Lifeboat went to the aid of a 35ft yacht, La Ina, last weekend. The vessel suffered engine failure some seven miles South East of Sandown Bay and was towed to the safety of the Bay.

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Last chance to catch Chillerton & Gatcombe gallybagger festival The famous Chillerton and Gatcombe Scarecrow Festival has been delighting crowds of visitors, young and old, over the school half-term holidays.

Around 100 scarecrows have been on display all week, and tomorrow (Saturday), will be the last opportunity for visitors to see these effigies on display and vote for the best scarecrow. The imaginative straw-filled creations are to be found popping up behind practically every hedge and appearing in every front garden as well as around the village school and in St Olave’s Church in Gatcombe.

The gallybaggers range from individual scarecrows to group tableaux. Some

of the more imaginative and unusual displays include: the story of the wolf and the three pigs, a family of wooden owls, the Strictly Come Dancing set, the somewhat obscure Isle of Wight mission to the moon, the cast of Harry Potter and a representation of the Isle of Wight Scurry.

The Isle of Wight village of scarecrows is not a sight to be missed, particularly for young ones, so Island residents and visitors are advised to take a stroll around the villages while you can, before everything gets taken down and human occupancy resumes on Sunday.

Millie latest Island star to appear on BGT! Stage star Millie O’Connell was the latest Isle of Wight performer to wow the audience and judges on popular TV talent show Britain’s Got Talent.

But unlike reggae singer Derek Sandy, Millie from Shanklin, was not trying to reach the latter stages of the competition. Instead, she and her five stage partners were there as special celebrity guests, giving a snap shot performance from ‘Six’ the smash hit West end musical they are appearing in.

Six has been described by one critic as ‘the most uplifting piece of new British musical theatre’.

The six girls, portraying the modern-day six wives of Henry VIII, appeared on Tuesday

evening’s BGT live semi-final show, and were given a standing ovation by judges Simon Cowell, David Walliams, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon.

Millie and her co-stars will be performing in ‘Six’ at the Arts Theatre, London, until early next year, before taking the production on a nationwide tour.

Millie, who plays the role of ‘beheaded’ Anne Boleyn, said: “Actually I was quite nervous before performing live on Britain’s Got Talent, because it is such a huge show.

But we all really enjoyed the experience.”

Pictured above: Millie (front row middle) as Anne Boleyn in Six!

Island pub to compete in Spartan Chariot Race Staff at The Hogshead pub in Newport are competing to raise the most money for Cancer Research UK, to help them win a place in a Spartan chariot cycling race. The race takes place in London on June 20.

Newport is not the only town in the running.

In total, 114 pubs in the southern region are competing against each other to win seats on one of eight cycle chariots. With twelve seats on each chariot, only those pubs that raise the most money in their area will get to take part in the Spartan race. Those that do win a place will pedal on chariots around central

and east London for five miles in full Spartan dress.

Colin Hawkins, Operations Director at Stonegate Pub Company, who came up with the fundraising idea, said: “We’ve all been touched by cancer in some way in our lives, so we wanted to do our bit to raise money to help stamp out this awful disease. The pub teams and their customers are all behind this and together we intend to raise a big chunk for the cause, so let’s all support them and start donating!”

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Bay CE Secondary School appoints successful and experienced Head Teresa Westcott-Hayes has been officially appointed as Head of School at The Bay CE School, secondary site.

Mrs Westcott-Hayes has been leading the school since February 2019, following the departure of Mr Nick Cousins. She is an experienced leader, having spent a number of years at secondary schools in Hampshire, which have made remarkable progress.

Mrs Westcott-Hayes was partly responsible for Havant Academy’s journey from Special Measures to Good, moving the school from being the second worst performing school in England in 2010, to winning the National Outstanding Progress Award in 2016.

Before joining The Bay CE School, she worked as the Senior Deputy Headteacher at The Hamble School, which achieved a judgement of Outstanding for Leadership and Management. In 2018, The Hamble School achieved a set of GCSE results that saw them become one of the top performing schools in the county.

In 2018, Mrs Westcott-Hayes won the Education Leadership category at the Hampshire Education Awards. Executive Headteacher, Mr Duncan Mills, said: “I am absolutely thrilled to appoint Mrs WestcottHayes as Head of School, Secondary, and I have every confidence that she will lead the school in achieving the very best possible outcomes for all our students.”

Mrs Westcott-Hayes said: “Headship is a team game. Having been with our staff and students since September, I am confident

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Shalfleet School keeps nautical links afloat A new nautical-themed play area has been unveiled at Shalfleet Primary School. The area was officially opened with a special ceremony, during which thanks were also given to those involved in the fundraising to purchase and install the equipment.

A previous wooden boat structure had been used by children at the school for over 22 years, but years of refurbishment had left the structure in a state of disrepair. With many of the local serving RNLI lifeboat crew’s children being taught at the school, teachers and parents were keen to maintain its nautical links and replace it with a similar

structure.

The school’s Parent Teacher Association and the local community, individuals, businesses, Yarmouth Harbour Commission and Shalfleet parish council, subsequently came together to help meet the project costs through donations, in-kind support or other events and fundraising initiatives.

The 10m x 7m structure, which was produced by a specialist company on the mainland, was then transported free of charge to the Island, courtesy of Wightlink, and constructed on site.

Public meeting to protest mental health day centre closures

By Megan Baynes - Local Democracy Reporter

that we have the right team to drive the school forward, so that all students receive a consistently outstanding level of academic and cultural education, where aspirations are high and where effort, as well as outcomes, are celebrated.”

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After more than 5,400 people signed a petition to stop the closure of the Island’s mental health day centres, a public meeting is being held to discuss the plans. The petition will also be presented to the full council at its next meeting on July 24.

The public meeting will provide an opportunity for all who are concerned to speak with local councillors and a Unison representative. Ryde East councillor, Michael Lilley, will speak alongside George Brewer, a service user.

Colleen Brannon, who started the petition, said: “All people potentially impacted by these proposals, and their families and friends, are encouraged to come along, as well as concerned members of the public who

understand the value of the services that are likely to be closed if proposals go ahead, and the impact on the community these changes will have.

“The petition will be presented to the council at the next full meeting in July, assuming, of course, it meets the new antidemocratic criteria set out for petitioning the council since the recent rule changes.”

Concerns raised by those who have signed the petition include job losses, and the potential for residents to be at risk of suicide without that bespoke and fluctuating level of support.

The meeting will take place at 7pm on Thursday, June 6, at Quay Arts, Newport.

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Ventnor commemorates anniversary of D-Day The vital role Ventnor played in the successful D-Day landings 75 years ago will be commemorated in a ceremony in the town.

On June 5, 1944, Trinity House vessels gathered off Ventnor to await their Minesweeper escorts, before heading off to lay their marker buoys across the English Channel overnight, in preparation for the D-Day landings.

Meanwhile, the Radar and listening stations in Ventnor and neighbouring villages provided a constant watch for Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe movements. It was this vital work from South Wight that gave the liberating forces the best chance of success on the D-Day beaches.

The Royal British Legion and Churches Together in Ventnor will be commemorating the D-Day actions of the armed forces on the evening of the Wednesday, June 5, from 8.45pm.

The Liner, MV Boudicca, chartered from Fred Olsen by the Royal British Legion, will steam out of Portsmouth Harbour bound for the Normandy Beaches, carrying 300 D-Day Veterans. She will arrive and stand off the coast at Ventnor, accompanied by a Royal Navy escort warship, for 20 minutes.

The offshore presence of the Royal Navy warship, together with the veterans, will provide an opportunity for Ventnor town to mount a series of commemorative events along the foreshore. The special role of

RAF Ventnor, the Royal Navy’s ‘Y’ station, together with RAF St Lawrence and GCI (Ground Control Intercept) Blackgang will all be remembered.

Those gathering along the foreshore will see maroons (fireworks) of acknowledgement from the Groyne, hear the ship’s horn responding to Ventnor at arrival and departure and church bells rung across Ventnor from the Esplanade. There will also be commemorative prayers at Esplanade Rotunda Bandstand. Wartime Music from 1944 will be played and children will be able to build D-Day objects from sand on the ‘Liberation Beach’. A commemorative £1 Booklet with the history of Ventnor’s own special role in Operations Maple and Neptune on June 5 and 6 will be on sale, with all proceeds going to the Royal British Legion.

Arreton Gardens hold Open Day A total of 13 Arreton gardens will be opening their gates on June 9 to raise money for the charities Relate and St John Ambulance.

Money donated at the event will be used to help support couples needing counselling on the Island and to buy much needed Automated External Defibrillators – resuscitation equipment.

The gardens, none of which are normally accessible to the public, will be open from between 11am to 5pm. The gardens are very

varied, with two new gardens in the middle of the village which have been completely redesigned. There will be cream teas at St George's School, and a plant stall and cream teas at Haseley.

Visitors are asked to start at either end of the village to avoid congestion. Parking is free of charge. The No 8 bus is hourly and stops at either end and centrally in the village. The cost of attending the Open Day is £3 50 for all gardens with free entrance for children.

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Fish and chips simply the best Fish ’n’ Chip Day 2019 falls appropriately enough on a Friday. Britain’s national dish will be celebrated on June 7 this year.

The tang of salt and the oilstained newspaper represents a meal steeped in tradition, which used to come wrapped in yesterday’s news. Fish ’n’ Chip Day commemorates the staple take away of the Working Class.

While the origins of fish ‘n’ chips derive from Britannia’s foggy shores, there are few places in the world that this comfort food hasn’t found its way to.

Britain’s national dish has been described as: “rich, delicious, and flavourful, and utterly, utterly satisfying.” Few would venture to disagree.

Fish ’n’ chips may seem an odd thing to base working class culture on, but it makes sense when you understand the economy and industry of the time. In the late 19th century, trawling became a major industry in the North Sea, resulting in a greater availability of fresh fish in areas further inland, especially in Britain’s major cities. ‘Easily available’ of course meant ‘cheaper to get your hands on’.

Fish ’n’ chips was a cheap, filling, and high caloric food, meeting the needs of a working class that held down incredibly physically demanding jobs.

‘Chippys’ began popping up throughout major population centers, rapidly becoming ‘the people’s food’.

The classic British meal then spread all over the world. Fish ’n’ chips became popular in Canada, where it is sold from Chip Wagons and throughout the USA. In the States, it’s now to be found everywhere, from corner burger bars to the most upmarket restaurants serving only the very best cod and side dishes. Fish ’n’ chips really is the one meal that surpasses the boundaries of culture, class, and status.

And how will you celebrate Fish ‘n’ Chip Day? Pay a visit to your favourite Island chip shop and get your fill of this delicious and filling meal. Eat it how you like it, with a little tartar sauce as in the US, a bit of mayonnaise as they do in Belgium or with gravy as they do up north. But, best of all, keep it real and eat it like a true Southerner with the tang of malt vinegar to make your Fish ’n’ Chip Day both tasty and authentic!

20 fun fish ’n’ chip facts 1. Northern entrepreneur, John Lees, has been credited for first combining fish ’n’ chips together in 1863.

2. The shop that claims to be the oldest fish ’n’ chip shop in the world is located in Yeadon near Leeds and has reportedly been selling the family favourite since 1865.

3. Traditionally, the fish in fish ’n’ chip shops were fried in beef dripping or lard, but now vegetable oils are used.

4. Fish and chips were referred to by Winston Churchill as “the good companions”.

5. Fish ’n’ chips were excluded from rationing in WWI and WWII. 6. There are believed to be around 10,500 fish ’n’ chip shops in Britain.

7. In China, they serve fish and chips with, of all things, sugar.

8. The World Record holders for the fastest portion of chips served from scratch belongs to Henley’s Fish ’n’ Chip Shop in Wivenhoe, Colchester, Essex, which cooked up the dish in 222 seconds.

9. According to the Federation Of Fish Friers, 22% of the British population visit fish and chip shops every week.

10. Fish and chips were served in newspaper until the 1980s. Serving fish and chips in newspaper kept prices low, but, in the 1980s, it was ruled unsafe for food to touch newspaper ink.

11. Fish and chips are not as unhealthy as you might think. An average portion of fish, chips and peas contains only 7.3% fat. By comparison, a pork pie has 10.8% fat.

12. Over 250 million fish and chip meals are sold each year in the UK. 13. Fish and chips appear in Charles Dickens’ A Tale Of Two Cities. Dickens describes: “Husky chips of potatoes, fried with some reluctant drops of oil.”

14. Chip bags were first marketed in 1910.

15. By 1910, there were roughly 25,000 fish and chip shops around the UK. By 1927, the number had reached 35,000.

16. The record number of fish and chip portions sold in one day is 12,406 at Marini’s in Glasgow.

This record was set in 1999.

17. Mushy peas, often served with chips, are made up of dried marrowfat peas which are first soaked overnight in water with two teaspoons of baking soda.

18. In Scotland, fish and chips are served with chippy sauce, a mixture of vinegar and brown sauce.

19. The word batter comes from the French word ‘battre’, which means to beat, when whisking the flour and water together.

20. For the best fish experience, you should listen to the advice of those who live in fish ports and never eat fish and chips when you can’t see the sea.

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15 of the very best fish & chip shop names 1. The Codfather, Ryde 2. New Cod on the Block, Sheffield 3. For Cod and Ulster, Belfast 4. Frying Nemo, North Humberside 5. Codrophenia, Sheffield 6. Contented Sole, Narberth, 7. The Batter of Bosworth, Market Bosworth 8. A Fish Called Rhondda, Mid-Glamorgan 9. O’my Cod Fish and Chips, Majorca 10. A Salt & Battery, New York 11. The Frying Scotsman, Portland, Oregon 12. Northern Sole, Sheffield 13. Mister Chips, Whitby 14. The Rock n Sole Plaice, London 15. The Frying Squad, Bangor

Peter decides it’s end of the line at IW Steam Railway Having completed 14 years at the helm of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway as the General Manager, Peter Vail is to step down and retire.

Peter is possibly one of the longest serving General Managers in heritage railways.

Before joining the Railway, he had a 30year career working for HSBC bank in the East Midlands, latterly as a branch and commercial manager. By his own admission, Peter’s knowledge and experience of railways was non-existent. However, the board was looking for a business leader with a sound financial understanding, together with a knowledge of people management and business development.

About his time as General Manager, Peter said: “I liken this job to that of a football manager. We have a vast number of loyal supporters who want to see positive progress in certain areas. Decisions made will never suit all, but the priority must be what is best for the business. Key to a heritage railways success is a good relationship between the board and management team.

“To be successful this job required total commitment and is always full on. But the reward is the progress of the railway. I have been incredibly lucky to work under three very supportive chairmen and have always received the backing of our board and management team.”

Peter Conway, Chairman of IWSR, said: “We are extremely grateful to Peter Vail who fulfilled all the commitments he made to this railway. Our latest audited accounts confirm

Peter Vail

our strong financial position: we have no borrowing and £1.4million in the bank. Peter will be a hard act to follow but the vacancy we will be advertising presents a wonderful opportunity for the right person.”

Northwood House Rotunda restoration Work has started on a major project to renovate the iconic entrance Rotunda at Northwood House in Cowes, funded by a grant from the Coastal Revival Fund.

The Rotunda, opened in 1838, is a unique Georgian structure. The dome was formed over bricks using Medina cement render to the internal and external faces. Through the years, various repairs have been undertaken, but the structure suffers badly from water damage. Many layers of later coatings, including paint, bitumen and plaster, have been carefully removed to find the original dome that George Henry Ward would have seen.

The dome roof is a critical part of the project to restore the Rotunda to its original splendour as the grand entrance to Northwood House, an entrance that has welcomed royalty, prime ministers, dignitaries, and the Isle of Wight community for over 180 years.

In addition to the roof project, detailed restoration is taking place inside the building, including stripping layers of paint from the Georgian pillars, cleaning and refurnishing the historic stone floor and repainting the interior in period colours.

Tim Wander, the Charity’s Project Manager, said: “As always, once you peel back the

layers of an old building, there are always some unwelcome surprises and challenges to overcome. But we have a great team on site and some ground-breaking technical solutions to recently found structural issues that have just been agreed with Historic England.”

Roseleen Cullen, Chair of the Charity, said: “We are delighted that this essential work is underway to preserve and protect this unique part of the House, through which visitors, staff and tenants pass every day. The House has watched over and supported the town and people of Cowes for over 180 years, and this work will ensure it can continue to do so long into the future."

Work on the project is hoped to be completed by the first week in June, subject to weather and any unforeseen factors, in time for the busy summer event season at Northwood House.

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Jo is living proof you can eat pasta and still lose weight A Slimming World member who has discovered the secret of being able to eat pasta and still lose weight, is to start her own Slimming World group in Newport. Jo has decided to tell her story to inspire others to follow her weight loss journey.

Jo is currently an active member of Slimming World and attends a group in Ryde. Jo decided to join Slimming World because she didn’t like how she looked and when looking at photos. She couldn’t believe how big she appeared and decided she needed to make a change. When she joined, she was exactly a stone heavier than when she was 9 months pregnant and felt very unattractive and unhappy.

At first, Jo tried doing Slimming World from home with information she had found on the internet but found she wasn’t seeing the results she wanted and lacked motivation. Therefore, she decided she needed more support than her bathroom scales.

Whilst driving to work, Jo noticed a

local Slimming World group advertised outside one of the venues and, after weeks of deliberation, she decided to walk through those doors. The reason Jo had chosen Slimming World to help her lose weight was not just because she had seen a group advertised nearby but because she was aware of friends who had been successful with it. She was very nervous about joining, as she

didn’t know who was there or what to expect, but she need not have worried as Rachel, the group leader, was very friendly, welcoming, non-judgemental and explained the Slimming World plan during a new member talk.

Using the pack provided during her first session, Jo followed the plan and was ready to face the scales the following week. She was nervous about stepping on to the scales but was delighted with the result of a 3½ pound loss in her first week. Two weeks later, Jo was Slimmer of the Week and was presented with a certificate and a sticker for her book.

It was exciting receiving rewards for achievements. In quick succession, she received her Half-stone Award, then her Stone Award and finally her Stoneand-a-half Award. To cap it all, she was also awarded a Club 10 award, meaning she had lost ten percent of her body weight.

One aspect of Slimming World that Jo liked was being able to fill up on ‘free foods’ and not having to count calories or weigh everything she ate (who has time for that?).

Jo loves Slimming World because she finds the plan easy to follow and can still enjoy her favourite foods, such as roast dinners, cooked breakfasts, pasta bakes and many more. She didn’t feel restricted following the Slimming World plan, as she can still enjoy treats using her daily ‘sin allowance’ and can still dine out with friends. Slimming World works well for Jo's lifestyle and she enjoys creating meals the whole family can enjoy.

Jo said: “The great thing about Slimming World is that it can work for anyone regardless of age, gender, dietary requirements, the plan can even be adapted and followed by the younger generation and pregnant women too.”

As a member of Slimming World, Jo has lost 1 stone 8½ pounds so far.

She has dropped a dress size and finds that she takes much more pride in her appearance: dressing for her shape, opposed to just covering up. She likes how she looks and has received compliments from others who have noticed her weight loss.

As a consultant, it is Jo’s mission to help others in achieving their goals.

She feels that as she has also struggled with her own weight before Slimming World, that she can support others

with following the plan and is looking forward to helping her members celebrate their weight loss journeys.

Jo will be launching her Slimming World group on Thursday, July 20, at 6pm at Newport C of E primary school, where she is looking forward to meeting new and existing members.

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Kestrel flies in with first freight cargo Garden waste service proves huge success

Thousands of Islanders have signed back up to the successful garden waste scheme operated by the Isle of Wight Council.

Just over 7,000 households have joined up to the scheme this year, meaning that the service has reached the maximum capacity for the 2019/20 subscription year. However, existing subscribers may request a second or third subscription if the property has already signed up for the service.

Head of Waste Services, Natasha Dix, said: “We are extremely pleased that the garden waste service has proved so popular and welcome in its first year to users, in taking the hassle out of taking it to the tip and reducing the cost of travel to residents. We aim to extend the service to more households in the future.

“We are continually looking at ways in which we, as a council service, can become more sustainable so this project was a key

part of our plans: making sure more waste was diverted from landfill and improving composting rates. As all garden waste collected is composted locally here on the Island and contributes to our national recycling targets, I would also like to thank residents for helping us to achieve this together.”

The optional fortnightly scheme was launched last year and collects garden waste from the kerbside at total cost of £60 per year, working out at just over £1 a week.

Anyone who has missed their chance to register on the scheme can still sign up to be contacted when there is new availability or when subscriptions open for next year (2020/21) by emailing waste.contract@iow. gov.uk and asking to be added to the waiting list.

For further information, visit: www.iwight. com/GreenGardenWaste .

Red Funnel’s new freight ferry, Red Kestrel has officially entered service, following a successful few weeks of sea trials in the Solent.

Red Kestrel marks Red Funnel’s first dedicated roll-on-roll-off freight ship since the company’s inception almost 160 years ago. Red Kestrel will operate between Southampton and the Isle of Wight and, as a freight vessel, she is limited to 12 passengers and constructed specifically to provide additional year-round freight capacity for Red

GP practices set to merge Four Isle of Wight GP practices in Newport and Ventnor are set to join forces in two separate mergers to ensure the long-term future for their patients.

GP partners at all four practices believe the two mergers are in the best interest of patients, at a time of growing demand and pressures on primary services with people living longer, including many with more complex long-term health conditions.

Carisbrooke Medical Centre and the Dower House Surgery, Newport are set to join forces from October 1. The benefits for patients of the merger are said to include a better range of appointments, with patients being offered appointments at either site and a better ability to recruit and bring in a range of GPs who have other skills, such as dermatology and mental health.

The two practices are already working closely together, and the merger will help build on existing relationships.

Dr Tim Whelan, from Dower House, said: “We are already facing problems recruiting GPs who have left or retired, and Carisbrooke also has GPs who are nearing retirement. Together, our two practices will be much stronger to face future challenges and be better placed to further improve our services to patients.”

Dr Judith Moore, from Carisbrooke, said: “Patients will have greater choice by choosing which medical centre they attend although some specialist services or clinics may only be available at one of them. Our practices have already proved that they work well together to improve patient services.”

Ventnor Medical Centre and Grove House Surgery, Ventnor are set to merge from April 1, 2020.

The two sites are only around 200 metres apart and both practices already share the services of an advanced nurse practitioner.

Dr David Stevenson, from Ventnor Medical Centre, said: “Our practices have already proved that they work well together to improve patient services.

We see this merger as great news for our patients, especially at a time when so many practices face real issues when GPs leave or retire.”

Dr Stephen Doggett, from Grove House Surgery, said: “This merger offers us very exciting opportunities to develop our existing relationship to improve our services to patients. It will also safeguard our services and greatly improve our resilience and mean that we continue to serve patients at the heart of our community, not just now but in future years.”

The two mergers involve no site closures and no loss of any staff jobs. All four existing buildings will remain open to offer patient services.

Funnel’s Southampton to East Cowes route.

Fran Collins, CEO of Red Funnel, said on Friday: “Today marks a huge milestone in Red Funnel’s history and the Isle of Wight, and we are incredibly proud that we can support the Island with its freight requirements. Red Kestrel is unlike any of our ferries and will play a very significant role within the business. It will increase our capacity to transport more private vehicles, enhancing convenience for our customers and giving them more options for when they wish to travel.”

Heritage Group to hold Open Days Ryde Social Heritage Group will be holding their Summer Open Days on Saturday, June 8 and Sunday, June 9, at Ryde Cemetery Heritage and Learning Centre. The event is open from 10.30am to 4pm each day, with free admission.

The theme this year is the 40s, 50s and 60s and visitors can view the exhibitions, with guided walks on the Sunday at 11am and 2pm. There are also self-guided trails, and the chance to explore the Group’s extensive archives.

Artecology win tender The Isle of Wight eco-engineering design company, Artecology, has been selected to take part in a major international marine conservation project.

MARINEFF, supported by the European cross-border Cooperation Programme and the European Regional Development Fund with nine UK and French partners, will develop and upscale new ways of enhancing and protecting urban coast and estuary ecosystems at test sites in the Solent and on the north coast of France.

Artecology, based in Sandown Bay, was chosen to work with project lead Bournemouth University in designing and testing constructed habitats for marine wildlife.

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31st May 2019

Yarmouth Bridge to be given makeover

A major Island Roads project to repaint the entire length of Yarmouth Bridge is to begin in June.

It will be the first time the 90-metre long structure will have been taken back to the metal and completely repainted since it was built nearly 35 years ago.

The work will involve applying primer, undercoat and top coat to an estimated 2100 square metres of steelwork that forms the bridge structure. Around 2500 litres of paint will be used.

The project is the largest single scheme being undertaken as part of Island Roads’ structures

improvement programme this year in which dozens of bridges and retaining walls are being improved and upgraded. It is anticipated the work will take approximately 23 weeks to complete.

The structure will remain open to road traffic throughout, apart from a short period towards the end of the project when the end sections of the 32-metre swing bridge element will be painted. There will also be a six-week period, after the summer season, when river traffic will not be able to pass under the bridge as the swing bridge section will need to be in a fixed position while it is painted.

Sandown beach club plans axed

By Megan Baynes - Local Democracy Reporter Plans to open a luxury beach club at Sandown have been axed, due to building problems.

The Isle of Wight Council said Carlauren, the firm behind the project, had never even discussed the plans with the authority.

Carlauren said Origin Beach Club would feature DJs, live music, a swimming pool, luxury food and fine wine. It unveiled the plans on its website and Facebook page in May, promising a hot tub, indoor and outdoor bars, and restaurants and hotel accommodation.

The company announced on Facebook this week that the plans had been cancelled due to issues with building works.

The Isle of Wight Council said it had not been approached about the plans. A spokesperson said: “No permissions have been granted to section off a beach in that area. Sandown beach remains very much open to the public, and at present there are no plans to change that.”

New lifeboat named at RNLI Open Day The naming of a D Class lifeboat was the highpoint of the East Cowes-based RNLI Inshore Lifeboat Centre Open Day on Sunday.

The lifeboat was named after the late Marjorie Boneham, who had made a substantial donation to the RNLI, for which she was a Coventry branch fundraiser. The naming was performed by her friend, Kate McCutchion.

A service of dedication was led by the Rev Andrew Poppe, Vicar of St Mary’s Church, Cowes, and Chaplain of Cowes lifeboat station.

Throughout the day around 500 people flocked to the centre, where they were welcomed by 45 centre staff and RNLI volunteers, who manned the various stalls and conducted tours of the extensive riverside premises.

The visitors had a chance to see how inshore boats are manufactured and maintained at the centre, which accounts for 60 percent of the lifeboats constructed by the RNLI. Among the other attractions were capsizing and man-overboard demonstrations with a lifeboat in the

Brexit MEP meets assaulted veteran Robert Rowland, Brexit Party MPE Candidate for the South East, which includes the Isle of Wight, has met Don MacNaughton, an 81-year-old ex-paratrooper, who was assaulted outside a polling station on Euro election polling day.

Mr. MacNaughton, who served with the Paras for 22 years, was campaigning for Nigel Farage's party when a yob threw a milkshake over him for wearing a Brexit party rosette.

Robert Rowland MEP said: “This is an affront to Democracy, to have an 81-year-old veteran attacked outside a polling station simply for wearing a rosette.

"We are not Zimbabwe where thuggery takes place at the doorstep of the polling booth. This is just further evidence of how the provisional wing of the Remain campaign do not accept that we are a democratic nation.

"The fact this happened to a veteran is doubly sickening.

This is someone who has put his life and limbs on the line for this country and its values.

"I can only hope the Remain commentators who have celebrated this 'milkshake Spring' feel some shame and responsibility for the anger and violence they have encouraged.”

adjoining marina, music by Medina Marching Band, and the attendance of the Cowes station’s Atlantic 85, Sheena Louise.

There were also lively performances by the Sink or Swim ukulele band, involving a number of centre staff, including Operations Manager, Glyn Ellis. In addition, there was a chance for visitors to view the new Visitor and Heritage Centre, recently opened by the Princess Royal.

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Men in Sheds grant

This competition is being funded by Southern Co-op. Gemma Lacey, Southern Co-op’s Director of Sustainability and Communications, said: “We want to encourage people to connect with our natural world. This competition will give young people the chance to make this connection and learn more about our environment, our wildlife and its value. They are our future and, together with support from us and others, they can have a positive impact on our environment for decades to come.”

The competition is open to both individuals and groups, which can be made up of friends, families, or organised groups, such as school classes and Scout Troops. The deadline for applications is Friday, June 14. All entrants to the competition must be aged from 11 to 25 and living in either Hampshire or the Isle of Wight. Projects must also take place in one of the two counties. Further information on eligibility and how to apply is available at: www.hiwwt.org.uk/WilderFutures

News in brief Note prompts search Police and HM Coastguard went to an incident at Ventnor seafront on Thursday morning to search the cliff top while the Bembridge RNLI Lifeboat was deployed at sea. It is believed that the discovery of a concerning note led to the emergency response.

Young nature lovers compete for £400 Wildlife Trust prize Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is offering young people, aged between 11 and 25, four prizes of £400 to run projects to create for nature.

The competition has four categories, for Small Spaces, School Grounds, Urban Places and Rural Communities. Projects might include creating an allotment in school grounds, organising a beach-cleaning group, installing window boxes on urban streets or building feeding stations for garden birds.

In addition to the prize money, the Wildlife Trust will provide winners with expert advice on running their projects and support from Becky O’Melia, the Trust’s Education and Engagement Manager. All winners will also be invited to a high-profile event in October.

Becky said: “We’re really keen to empower more young people to be on nature’s side, so we are delighted that Southern Co-op are supporting us to provide this prize to young people taking action in their local patch. We can’t wait to see the amazing projects which get submitted.”

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Concern over bather

West Wight Men in Sheds have successfully applied for a local grant of £500 from Asda Foundation to help pay for the electrics and other items for their new shed,

being officially opened on Saturday, June 8. The cheque was collected by Ian Wright from Men in Sheds and presented by Clare Jones and Store Manager Kenny Farrell.

100 quid up for grabs!

A new ice cream shop is on the hunt for a new name – and if you make the winning suggestion you’ll be £100 richer.

The Old Post Office in Freshwater is being refurbished and is now serving delicious soft ice cream with an assortment of toppings. Freshwater resident Peter Westgate is behind the transformation and plans soon to offer tasty crepes with a variety of sweet fillings. If you want to win the cash all you have to do is send your name and contact details with your idea for the new name for the business to newsdesk@iwobserver. co.uk or to our postal address shown on page 2 before 5pm on Friday June 7. Best of luck!

A woman taking an early morning dip in the sea off Shanklin led to Coastguard teams from Bembridge and Ventnor being called to the seaside resort.

The Coastguard Rescue Officers were swiftly stood down after the Police arrived on scene and were able to make contact with the individual concerned.

Front end bump A road traffic collision on School Green Road in Freshwater on Monday evening led to a Peugeot sustaining front end damage.

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31st May 2019

THE OBSERVER GUIDE MEDINA THEATRE

One Life Festival to return for 2019

Derek Nash’s Sax Appeal Sax Appeal are an award-winning, UKbased Jazz / Fusion group which features a five saxophone front line, plus an exciting rhythm section. Lead by the dynamic Derek Nash, a featured member of the Jools Holland Rythym & Blues Orchestra, they are a regular performer at Ronnie Scotts and are in demand for tours around the world.

Expect a fantastic closer to the Isle of Wight Jazz Weekend that will have you dancing in your seats!

Sunday, June 2 , 8:30pm -----------------------------------------------

Echoes of Ellington - a Tribute to the great Duke Ellington Peter Long has formed this London-based big band by selecting musicians with individual sounds similar to the original Ellington sidemen, like Cat Anderson, Cootie Williams, Joe Nanton, Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges or Harry Carney.

The results are amazingly truthful to the original Duke Ellington Orchestra sound.

Sunday, June 2, 5pm -----------------------------------------------

Dedicated to adults and children with Learning and Physical Disabilities and Special Educational Needs.

After watching a short film on the Internet about music events for people with Learning Difficulties, Barrie Wade and Paul Elvins set out to create a unique festival experience on the Isle of Wight. Dedicated to,

and specifically for people with Learning Difficulties and the neurodiverse.

In 2018, One Life Festival was born. Gathering a huge amount of support from the local community along the way. The idea behind the festival was for the event to be a safe, supported festival, where people can enjoy the full festival experience,

people with disabilities are at the heart of the festival, and are encouraged to participate and celebrate.

Such was the success of last years festival, Barrie and Paul decided to open the festival up to a wider audience and create a second day specifically for families and younger children, so the family can enjoy a festival

together in a safe and friendly environment.

One Life Festival 2019 now incorporates a wider audience and is reaching out to people across the UK that want to attend this amazing event that will take place on Friday, June 7 (over 16s only) and Saturday, June 8 (family day).

Simple Things: Galina Zastava’s solo exhibition

Eat Me Community CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) is proud to host two free performances of ‘EAT ME’ a play based on a book by Suzanna Walters that deals with the challenging topic of Eating Disorders, in particular, anorexia.

EAT ME, directed by Birminghamborn actress, writer and director Sally McCormack, is a thought provoking, often chilling and dreamatic exploration of the sensitive subject of eating disorders based on real-life experiences.

Wednesday, June 5, 2.30pm and 7pm

A Russian artist resident on the Isle of Wight, Galina Zastava, is mounting a solo exhibition of her works, entitled, Simple Things, at Quarr Abbey, near Ryde.

Galina is originally from Moscow, Russia. She worked as a financial analyst in Moscow banks and when she got married she moved to England in 2005. Her husband’s job took them to Mexico for two years and, while there, her husband bought her several books and DVDs on painting and drawing, and he inspired her to try some of the techniques. Galina always admired old Masters’ paintings, especially 16th and 17th century Dutch painters. She had found a few lessons online and started to learn their technique. Meantime, she tried other mediums: pencils, watercolours, pastels, acrylics. She enjoyed painting and drawing almost anything, but her favourite subject is still life.

When Galina returned from Mexico

she joined Chelmsford Art Society, and it gave her a lot of encouragement to pursue and improve her techniques.

While there, she tried oil, and it was as if it was made just for her. It was the perfect medium for her.

Galina still likes to work in old Masters style, as she really enjoys painting light and the way it creates forms and textures. But now she likes to use old Masters’ technique for painting modern still life. This multi-layers technique lets the light come through layers of paint and bounce back from white underpainting, creating the transparency and purity of colours.

Her painting, Daniela’s old tin, was awarded Best Amateur within the Still life Category of the Society for All Artists Artist of the Year Competition 2015.

Galina’s exhibition, entitled, Simple Things: Joy is in the detail, will be running at Quarr Abbey Art Gallery from May 30 until June 4, from 10.30am to 4.30pm. Entrance is free.

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THEATRE AND EVENTS EVENTS ACROSS THE ISLAND

SHANKLIN THEATRE

Diva’s Gala Project: Opera’s Sopranos, Annalisa Vaughan and Marika Rauscher, Mezzosoprano Indyana Schneider and Pianist Karen Kingsley open the Island’s Opera season with a one off concert of arias and ensembles, in a celebration of the female voice- performing a beautiful programme, from Purcell’s ‘Bid the virtues’ and Il padre adorato from Mozart’s Idomeneo,

to popular favourites Habanera, Lakme’s Flower duet, La mamma morta and more!

Saturday, June 1, 7pm – 9 pm Ryde Methodist Church, Garfield Road PO332PT

Joe Ellis Trust Funday Enjoy a dream ride with the Sporting Bears motor clubs, a whole host of stalls to browse, arena events, magic by Andy and more. There’s fun for all the family, plus tasty food available in The Dairyman’s Daughter. All donations will be going to the Joe Ellis Trust Fundraising Page.

They do fantastic work, organising events while also supporting children with cancer

locally, the event is free but welcomes donations.

Saturday, June 1, 10 am – 4 pm Main Road, Arreton PO30 3AA

The Island Dance and Theatre Company present Our Greatest Show The Island Dance and Theatre Company have been open for 10 years! With studios in Shanklin and Godshill, they are very proud to present their students in a forthcoming show ‘Our Greatest Show’.

The students of the school, have had an amazing 2018 year, performing in Disneyland Paris for the fourth time, and at The Shaftesbury Theatre in the West End. along with many in house and Island opportunities they have had.

Upbeat 60’s Inspired Night

Friday, May 31 - Saturday, June 1 ,7pm

Step back in time and boogie to the best in Soul, Ska, Motown, and Northern Soul.

Party to the music of some of the most legendary artists, varying from Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder to Prine Buster and The Temptations- all 60’s lovers will be guaranteed a good time.

With live music from Island favourites Ska’d For Life plus DJ’s Tim Boogaloo & Dj

-----------------------------------------------

Miss Chelle on the decks. Make sure not to miss this new and exciting experience.

Saturday, June 8, 7:30pm – 1 am Strings Bar & Venue, 9 Bowling Green Lane Newport, PO301RR

Nature detectives Come and discover nature through art in the beautiful grounds of Rodgebrook Farmwhich is packed with stunning wildlife.

The event is suitable for ages 3-11, where children will be able to learn and explore while also playing, also having the opportunity to make surreal sculptures, paint with mud, hunt for the colours of the rainbow and make a sun catcher to take

Treasures of the deep A fascinating talk exploring the world of maritime archaeology are to take place at Cowes Library. The Shipwreck Centre and Maritime Museum, based at Arreton Barns, will be at the library Thursday June 20, between 7 and 8.30pm.

The talks will cover the forgotten wrecks of the First World War and the nature of war at sea, as well as covering the work of the Maritime Archaeology Trust.

Cowes Library supervisor, Joyce Blizzard, said: “It is amazing to explore the tales behind our maritime history here on the Isle of Wight, and we are lucky to have such a wealth of finds that have been brought up from the deep by the Shipwreck Centre and Maritime Museum. I would urge the public not to miss these events, as they are sure to have a wide appeal.”

Visitors will have the chance to look at artefacts that have been found by

the museum and hear some of the fascinating stories behind them.

Christin Heamagi, curator at the Shipwreck Centre and Maritime Museum, said: “We are very happy to be working with Cowes Library and to have been given a chance to bring our amazing collection out of the museum and directly to the public to show you that even if our shipwrecks are out of sight they are not out of mind.

“There is an incredible archaeological resource just off our coasts and by sharing the artefacts recovered from the seafloor we will show you that shipwrecks aren’t only accessible for dolphins, divers and dogfish.”

Each session is £2 per person.

There is no need to book and refreshments will be available. For more information, please contact Cowes Library on (01983) 293341.

home. Pre- booking is essential.

Saturday, June 8 10 am – 12 pm Rodgebrook Farm White House Road, Newport, PO30 4LH

Stewart Francis:Into the Punset The star of ‘Mock the Week’, ‘Live at the Apollo’ and ‘Crackerjack’ embarks on a brand-new show, in this, his last tour ever. See him before he heads off into the punset.

Wednesday, June 5, 8pm -----------------------------------------------

Beyond The West End Every summer, they have been selling out Shanklin Theatre with their fast-paced show packed full of songs and routines from the greatest musicals and toe tapping tunes from stadium filling performers.

So, what can you expect from the 10th Anniversary show, Beyond the West End, for 2019? A Vegas style opening, a glitzy 70’s disco, a romantic cruise, songs from Whitney Houston, Tina Turner, Anything Goes, Carousel, Ray Charles, The Righteous Brothers and many, many more and let’s not forget the record breaking Greatest Showman.

Thursday, June 6, 9:15pm

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Isle of Wight Postal Museum opens its gates The Isle of Wight Postal Museum, based on Fairlee Road near Newport, opened its doors to the public for a once-a-year glimpse into the fascinating collection of post box obsessive, Arthur Reeder.

Arthur now has 238 post boxes in his collection, which can be seen from the main Newport to Ryde road, near Binfield Corner. The self-employed electrician began collecting post boxes 25 years ago, in 1994, and brought his collection to the Island in 2002. After what he described as 'a few planning issues', Arthur set up his own, individual post box museum.

Arthur said: “I’m fascinated by history and street furniture in particular. I used to photograph old post boxes and street lights, anything with a bit of history to it.

“I’ve collected post boxes from people who used to work for the Royal Mail and were given them as leaving presents. A lot of these were simply left in gardens.

“The Royal Mail used to sell stuff off, such as uniforms, bikes and trolleys.

I’ve

collected it all. I even have a Royal Mail fly swatter.”

At least 20 people travelled from the mainland to Saturday’s Open Day. In the past, people have come from as far afield as Ireland, Australia and Chicago to view his impressive collection of postal memorabilia. Entrance was free, and Arthur makes no personal financial gain from his hobby whatsoever. He regrets that post boxes do not pay the bills.

Arthur is a mine of unusual and obscure information. For example, the oldest postbox on the on the Island is located on the Mall in Newport, and dates from 1857. The original post boxes were painted green rather than red.

Arthur has been given an English Eccentrics Award for his efforts, presented by Norman Wisdom in 2004.

Referring to eccentrics living on the Island, Arthur refers to the Isle of Wight as ‘the Isle of Eccentrics’, and believes this aspect of the Island should be promoted by the Tourist Board to attract visitors.

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31st May 2019

Derek Sandy’s ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ quest comes to an end

Derek Sandy's hopes of reaching the semifinals of ITV's Britain's Got Talent show has unfortunately come to an abrupt end.

Derek, who thrilled the audience and the judges in the opening round with his famous song 'Welcome to the Isle of Wight' was called on stage with another group of hopefuls, only to be told he would be 'going home'.

It ended his hopes of winning the £250,000 first prize, and performing at the Royal Variety show later in the year.

So it was back to the day job. But just before the outcome was announced on TV, Derek took his unique brand of musical entertainment to Shanklin Esplanade. He played a small set in an event organised by Island Roads following the completion of

work to upgrade the Esplanade.

Derek changed the lyrics of his 'Welcome to the Isle of Wight' song during one verse to say ‘welcome to the Esplanade’.

Opening the event, Cllr Beston thanked Island Roads for their good work. He also mentioned Neil and Marie Cole from Sail and Surf Café who had provided power for the event.

Ian Saunders, Island Roads Project Manager, said: “This scheme wouldn’t have been possible without the tremendous support received from all the local businesses, the residents, and Councillors Quirk and Beston so I’d like to extend a big thank you on behalf of myself and the rest of the team.”

Free summer water for primary school Morrison's in Lake has donated over 100 bottles of water to St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School as part of an initiative to keep children hydrated.

Maggie Sanderson, headteacher of the school,

said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive these bottles of water for our children to use at their sporting events throughout the summer term. We are very grateful to Morrison’s for their kind donation.”

Morrison’s Lake Community Champion, Carrie Fineran, said: “We are so pleased to be able to make this donation and support our local schools.”

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Actor Shane Richie leads Lambretta Day ride out

Around 350 Lambretta enthusiasts gathered at Newport Quay on Sunday, for a noisy and colourful ride out to Ryde Pavilion.

Lambretta Day began in 1999 with just 20 scooters, and this year marked the 20th anniversary of this popular event, which, according to organisers, has grown and grown.

At the pavilion, the scooterists were entertained by well-known local band, Ska’d for Life. There was also a performance by the original 80s Mod band, Secret Affair, playing top 10 hits such as Time for Action and My World.

Leading the ride out was actor, Shane Richie, who played Alfie Moon in Eastenders. Shane was making a documentary about the event for Channel 5.

Scooterists descended on the Island from far and wide. Adam Ford, who attended the event from Devizes, Wiltshire, said: “Lambretta Day is a great social meet up. Islanders are very friendly and we’ve come every year for the past five years. It’s well organised and the roads are very good compared with Wiltshire.”

Wightlink celebrates all aspects of Island talent Over 120 achievers, sponsored by Wightlink, gathered to celebrate their successes at a special event at Quay Arts in Newport.

Wightlink sponsors a variety of artists and and sportsmen and women, including an underwater hockey player, a skateboarding champion, an 81-year-old swimmer, jazz musicians, carnival and theatre supremos, a rising Motocross star and a team of Lycraclad cyclists.

The event, which was held for the second year, provided an informal opportunity for Wightlink senior staff to meet with the groups and individuals that they sponsor, to find out more about their achievements and the many events and fixtures they have planned in the year ahead.

Many who attended were there as part of the Talented Athletes Scheme, run by the Isle of Wight Council with the support of Wightlink

and Southern Vectis, to help provide support to athletes travelling to training and competitions both on and off the Island.

Wightlink provides discounted travel and helps to promote the many achievements and events of its beneficiaries through its social media pages, including it’s Facebook page ‘Wightlink in the Community’.

Wightlink Chief Executive Keith Greenfield, who hosted the event, said: “It was a real pleasure to have the opportunity to talk to so many of the people and organisations that we sponsor and to hear about their hugely inspiring achievements.

“The Island has a wealth of sporting talent that it should be rightly proud of, and we are delighted to be able to play our part in

supporting them and the many organisations who bring art, theatre, music and sporting opportunities to the local community.”

Vic Farrow, Chairman of Shanklin Theatre, said: “We couldn’t work without what we get from Wightlink. They bring entertainment to the Island, and sometimes it can be the difference between getting an act and not getting an act. I don’t think people realise what they do for people like us, and what

they bring to the Island.”

Dave Stewart, Isle of Wight Council Leader, who also attended the event, said: “It was a privilege to meet so many of the sportsmen and women we support and to hear about their sporting successes. We are extremely grateful to Wightlink for the invaluable support the company provides for our Talented Athletes programme.”

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Holmesy!

The David Holmes Column

31st May 2019

Island Soapbox Send your letters into us newsdesk@iwobserver.co.uk or post them to us IW Observer, Suite 6, 17 St.Thomas Square, Newport, IW, PO30 1SL Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in these letters are not those held by the IW Observer or its staff.

They belong to the author and the author alone - Letters must be no longer than 250 words please.

Youngsters are not robots

Holmesy: It’s time we took mental health issues more seriously One in four of us has or will at some time in the future suffer from a mental health issue. It’s the single largest cause of disability in the UK, costing £105 billion annually.

The statistics are alarming enough, and the Island does not have good mental health services. Most of us will have a family member or friend who has an issue, and that should mean we all take the problem seriously, so, why don’t we?

On the Isle of Wight, all health services here leave much to be desired but Mental Health is always underfunded. The Commissioning Body say they are working on improvement, including finding new service providers, but at the same time, the Council proposes closing the Adult Mental Health Day Centres.

How does that work? Too few people are working face-to-face with adults and children, so, of course, the services on offer are nowhere near as effective as they should be, and obviously, that means staff are under pressure while management failings seem engrained.

As the world grows more complex, the number of young people suffering from poor mental health has grown.

Social media hasn’t helped, particularly image conscious girls, while, among other things, boys easily fall victim to the Island’s cannabis problem. Smoking weed is probably safe for most adults, but for the developing adolescent brain, it has the potential to cause psychosis.

Working in mental health is not the easiest career choice, yet thankfully the job attracts people who have firsthand experience of their own mental health issues. When you’re having a crisis, speaking to someone who isn’t just responding professionally can make talking far easier.

My own family has lost two people to

“All

suicide and, in both cases, tragically the person who died had not sought any help, which magnified our sense of shock and loss. There are few things worse than suddenly losing someone close that you never got a chance to help. Suicide feels like the ultimate rejection.

All of us feel stressed or down from time to time, life is tough, and the single most important thing you can do if you think you might be suffering is to TALK TO SOMEONE. If you can’t get an appointment to see a professional, don’t wait, try a friend, family member or colleague. There is no stigma these days and keeping quiet means you may end up in crisis. Men can be reluctant to talk about their feelings, and that must change.

Not too long ago, a close relative developed a serious mental health problem requiring a short in-patient hospital stay, arguably because not enough help was available here. It was a frightening and surreal experience, but thankfully after just a few weeks in an excellent mainland hospital, rapid progress was made.

The ‘pull yourself together’ school of thought was consigned to history years ago; no-one need suffer in silence these days.

We learned a great deal from our own experiences and were incredibly grateful to the professionals who made such a huge difference to our family and the funding of course.

A Mental Health inpatient stay costs the NHS well over £3,000 a week, that’s £78,000 for an average 26 week stay. So, finance alone should help even the most unsympathetic politician see that excellent local first-call mental health services are actually cheap as well as essential to all of us.

MENTAL HEALTH DAY CARE MEETING: QUAY ARTS 7PM ON JUNE 6.

of us feel stressed or down from time to time, life is tough ”

To the Editor, Having just read The David Holmes article last week, I felt a desire to comment.

Firstly, I agree that the minimum wage to be increased to £10 an hour for 16 to 18-yearolds would indeed be foolish as the standard minimum wage for adults, many of whom are skilled and experienced, is just £8.21 and would be difficult for employers to cope with.

However, I was reminded of the YTS in the early 1990s. The young people involved earned a really low wage but, more importantly, employers taught the skills required for the work, and the trainees were treated with respect. Had a supervisor expressed the veiled insult that a person had 'performed the limited tasks well', I would have encouraged the trainee with some variety in the work.

I am not surprised that on Day three the teenager had lost interest. At 17 years of age or even recently, I suspect I would have walked out too, no doubt with a few expletives. I certainly know that I would not have stated

allegations about the young man's private life in a local newspaper.

The other person he referred to was another example of demeaning character assassination regarding his 'ineffectual sweeping'. Mr Holmes had no interest in either of these teenagers at all. Teenagers often show disinterest in mundane and menial work, especially when they are intelligent and have had various reasons for underachieving at school.

All Mr Holmes has shown is a total disregard for the teenagers mentioned, as it seems his priorities were to employ a couple of teenagers to do boring, menial tasks and expect them to be grateful, as long as he didn't need to 'bother' about knowing them as human beings. I think that the words, 'we simply won't employ unusable teens', says it all.

Perhaps Mr Holmes could get a few robots instead that have a 24-month guarantee without breaking.

J Phelan - Ryde

Misleading – or just a failure of memory, Mr Seely?

Open letter to Island MP Bob Seely.

Dear Bob, I note with interest from your column in the County Press of May 24, the comments about Brexit and the Brexit process and your part in them as our local MP. Firstly you assert that the Withdrawal Deal is the ‘best chance of getting a meaningful Brexit’. This is simply not the case as the Deal delivers Brexit in name only. For instance, there is a reasonable chance of us being stuck in the Customs Union and the European Court will have continuing jurisdiction over us, perhaps until 2031. This is not to mention the open ended financial obligation far higher than the widely touted £39 billion divorce bill. The Withdrawal Deal is a complete surrender on a par with Versailles and would only normally be signed by a country if they had lost a war in order to stop bloodshed.

No free country would volunteer to sign this treaty.

My second point of interest is your assertion that ‘I want Islanders to know that despite some media reports I voted against the recent extension to the Brexit process’. Hansard shows that on March 14, you followed your boss Michael Gove, who you are backing in the Conservative Party Leadership race, into the lobby to vote in favour of a Motion to extend Article 50, something which would extend the Brexit process.

The Motion tabled explicitly states that

in the event that the Withdrawal Deal not being passed by March 20 (which despite your support for it was known to be likely at this point), then the European Council would determine the length of the extension period. With this in mind, I am confident of saying that you did approve an extension to the Brexit process and that you knew you did not have the power to limit any extension.

May I therefore ask if the statement in your column was a deliberate attempt to mislead the public or was it instead a mistake on your part, a mere failure of memory?

Yours sincerely, Daryll Pitcher - UKIP PPC for the Isle of Wight

Honour the memory of Brian To the Editor, I have just spent four days watching cricket at Newclose ground with several thousand people.

It was with grateful thanks to the late Brian Gardener who had foresight to create this ground. It shows that some people want to have a sport facility here, as opposed to

some local businessmen who just want a community sports ground turned into a retail park for short-term gain, especially having another fast food outlet and another food store, as if there weren't any others.

The Council should think of the future.

Allan Blackburn

31st May 2019

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Island Soapbox

Conservatives in difficult position To the Editor, Whilst not unexpected, the support for Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party on the Island should send shock waves through the Conservative party. It achieved an astonishing result. Only six weeks after its formation, it gained 46 per cent of the vote on the Isle of Wight with over 19,000 votes. This compares with the 3,550 odd people who voted for the Conservative party. And for Change UK, with the obnoxious Anna Soubry claiming a good result with only 600,000 votes nationally, Farage’s new party has broken a few records with its stunning performance.

But these were the elections which were never supposed to happen, since we were promised, time and time again, that we would leave the EU, come what may, on March 29.

Clearly, the whole national electorate, to differing degrees, felt that the major parties had simply failed to deliver on the decision made by 17.4 million people in 2016.

Where to now? We will have a new leader of the Conservative party, who, by virtue of the 5 year fixed term Parliament Act, will become Prime Minister. Even as a committed Conservative party supporter, I am uncomfortable about that fact. It feels undemocratic.

I wonder to what extent the votes cast in this somewhat phoney election really can be taken to reflect the likely shift in electoral preferences at the time of the next general election.

Perhaps the votes cast on a fairly low poll reflected the electorates disgust at the behaviour of the two main parties. Brexit means Brexit appealed to all those who want our sovereignty restored. The Lib Dems honestly supported and always have staying with the EU. The Greens may be more of a protest party, aided and abetted by the glorious 16-year-old Greta Thunberg, although I noticed that her own Green party in Sweden lost 4% of its vote. Hardly an endorsement for ‘ I can see CO2’ Thunberg’s climate crisis.

But, looking forward to the inevitable General Election in the UK, where does our ‘Seldom seen Seely‘ stand. He still claims that he has not voted for a delay in the leaving date, a claim which he has repeated in the County Press on May 23, 2019. I haven’t quite lost faith in the Conservative Party, despite the appalling performance of Theresa May and others in their failure to deliver the democratic vote of the referendum, but I look for honesty and truth from my elected representatives.

I know that Bob Seely, our Conservative MP, voted to delay leaving the EU. I study the votes of a number of MPs. Seely voted in divisions on April 8, 2019, to support the Cooper-Letwin Bill, which is now the European Union (Withdrawal ) (No 5 ) Act, to create a mechanism whereby the House of Commons can instruct the Prime Minister to ask for an extension to Article 5.

The Bill was created and passed by Parliament to ensure that the departure from the EU be delayed until a deal is in place, subject to the agreement of the European Council. He then abstained (or was simply not present on a division 413), but there is absolutely no credible argument to pretend that he did not vote to delay. And he voted for amendments that endorsed our leaving date being October 31, 2019. But here he is in the County Press, pretending that he didn’t.

So there we have it. Our MP, like so many others, dissembling from the truth . And that’s why members voted against their own parties in this phantom election.

Now the chips really are down, is our Island MP going to support us leaving on October 31 if nothing has changed to the Backstop or anything else by that date?

If he doesn’t make his position absolutely clear, he risks losing the seat to the Brexit party at the next election. And he will put many loyal Conservative party members in a very difficult position.

N Rose - Isle of Wight

Please keep your letters to a maximum of 250 words Thank you We find our selves in a real ‘Catch 22’ Dear Editor, Temperatures are running high on our Island over Brexit and what our ex-military MP is doing about it, but think of this. In a few weeks’ time Channel 4 will show a dramatization of ‘Catch 22’ starring British resident George Clooney.

In ‘Catch 22’ Captain Yossarian wants to get out of the war, but Colonel Cathcard keeps extending the number of bombing missions before he can get out of the war. Remind you,

at all, of Brexit?

Captain Farage wants to get out of the EU, but Colonel May keeps extending the date, saying “I want to deliver Brexit, but I can’t pass my deal - Catch 22!”

With the 75th anniversary of D-Day coming up, what a relief we didn’t really fight World War II like the hell of ‘Catch 22’ we now find ourselves in with Brexit.

Happy Times & Places. - Dr Ian Saxon, Brading

Young never been educated about EU

To The Editor I find myself questioning Anthony Tiller's letter (24/05/2019) as to whether he is just a troll or actually believes what he said. If it is the latter, then his history education is sadly lacking. Walter Hallstein, the first EEC Commission President in 1958, served as a German officer in occupied France.

When captured and imprisoned by the Americans, he denied having any support for the Nazis. Evidence suggests that he had supported Germany's takeover of Austria and Czechoslovakia on legal grounds. At that time, declassified documents show the Americans were actively financing and supporting the European project. This meant that Hallstein would have been seen as a useful pawn, so any negative aspects would have been overlooked.

On to duplicitous Edward Heath, who promised he would not enter the EEC without the full-hearted consent of Parliament and the people. In 1972, he signed the Treaty of Rome without that consent. Having totally ignored British Constitutional laws, he said there would be no loss of sovereignty, which he later acknowledged he knew was a lie. At the 1975 referendum, Harold Wilson repeated that lie and still continued to portray the EEC as just a trading group, ignoring the fact that political federation was the ultimate goal and the politicians knew it.

All subsequent treaties were pushed through using the Royal Prerogative, yet Gina Miller, the extreme remainer, stopped it being used to extract us from the EUSSR. Each Treaty was bulldozed through using lies and deceit. The EU Constitution was rejected in

referendums in France and Holland, so the EU changed its name to the Lisbon Treaty.

Even the ex-East German Secretary for Agitation and Propaganda (Agitprop), Angela Merkel, admitted it was the Constitution by another name. Gordon Brown argued that it was not the Constitution and sneakily sent David Milliband to sign it. Brown's EU lords and masters did not accept this, so he was forced to sneak off and cram his signature alongside Milliband's.

Interesting is Gorbachev's comment on the EU: "The most puzzling development in modern politics is the apparent determination of Western European leaders to re-create the Soviet Union in Western Europe."

The EU was designed by people who believed that the public were incapable of making the right decisions. Hence a decision making body (the Commission), who would not be answerable to the public or electable by the public. The EU Parliament is about as effective as the old USSR Parliament was, and you cannot really vote for a party you want because of the way it works.

As far as young people are concerned, a trip to YouTube is enlightening. When at anti Brexit marches, many young people are stumped when asked why they favour the EU. Mostly, if they give any answer, it's freedom of movement and they have no idea who their MEP is or even who the EU Commission President is. Educational qualifications to vote? How about knowing what the EU actually is?

David Maguire

Vote out ‘main’ parties To the Editor, What a pleasure it was to see the Brexit Party driving the people’s steamroller over all opposition. This is effectively the third time the nation has voted to Leave the EU. Yet the ‘main’ parties are still either at war over how

to implement Brexit or offering outright opposition.

Therefore, if we value democracy, our only choice is to vote them all out at the next General Election.

Adam Webb

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Photos by: Joe Pepler

By Peter White

Amelie helps England lift under-15 squash title Ryde School student Amelie Haworth is continuing her amazing rise to prominence at squash, after successfully competing for England in the European Under-15 Championships.

Amelie, who lives in Godshill, represented her country, along with four other players, in the tournament in Eindhoven, Holland, and won all her matches. She beat Hungary’s Lorena Varga 3-0 and Varvara Kliueva, from the Russian Federation, by the same scoreline in the group stages.

She then took on Scot, Rowan Niven, in the quarter-finals, and again beat the odds with a 3-0 success. She then watched as her colleagues ensured England took the European title with victory in the final against Ireland.

Osborne Golf Club latest results Midweek Stableford: Division 1: 1, Keith Williams 39ocb; 2, Danny Stimson 37; 3, Matthew Purser 35.

Division 2: 1, David Geddes 37; 2, Nick Hunter 35; 3, Peter Catchpole 34.

Division 3: 1, Adrian Cleightonhills 38; 2, Paul Entwistle 34; 3, Benjamin Woodford 33.

Saturday Stableford: Division 1: 1, Brian Wright 39ocb; 2, Matthew Williams 39ocb; 3, David Cotton 39.

Division 2: 1, Nick Hunter 37; 2, Zachary Newnham 36ocb; 3, Victor Langley 36.

Division 3: 1, Deryck G Jones 36ocb; 2, David Churchill 36; 3, Richard Highmore 35.

Sunday Stableford: Division 1: 1, Glynn Taylor 36; 2, Sean Woodford 35; 3, Robert Lee 34.

Division 2: 1, John Siviter 34; 2, Peter Catchpole 33ocb; 3, Peter Wright 33.

Division 3: 1, Kerry Colebrook 37; 2, Martin Marshall 34ocb; 3, Darren Arnold 34.

Shanklin and Sandown Golf Club latest results Open Stableford: 1, Stephen Dingsdale 42; 2, Bill Foss 41; 3, Alex Messing 40.

Alverstone Trophy: 1, David Kiely 63; 2, Lawrence Tolfrey 66; 3, Marino Zanti 66 ocb; 4, Steve Collins 66 ocb; 5, Mark Linington 67; 6, Jason Kwan 67 ocb.

Rolling Pin (Mixed Greensomes): 1, David Ames and Lynn Aylott 42; 2, Shawn Ford and Linda Piche 41; 3, Terry Harris and Penny Last 38.

Seniors Winter Eclectic: 1, Graham Spary and Steve Brewer.

Island pair in push for Pompey spots Two Island teenagers have been given an extra year’s contract with League One football club, Portsmouth.

Leon Maloney and Joe Hancott have both shown enormous promising since joining Pompey, and have now been further rewarded for their efforts with an extended one-year

deal. Maloney 17 and Hancott, 18, have already made the breakthrough to first team level under manager Kenny Jackett. Maloney was a used substitute in the Checkatrade Trophy victory at Southend in mid-season, and Hancott was just 16 when he made his senior debut two years ago

in the same competition, against Fulham.

Now both will be hoping to feature in the senior side next season, after Pompey just missed out on promotion to the Championship this time, losing to Sunderland in the Play-off semi-finals.

Jake finishes 48th in Edinburgh race Jake Brougham from Ryde Harriers took part in the Edinburgh Half Marathon. Jake (pictured) took 48th position overall in a time of one hour, 18 mins, 35 secs, in one of the UK’s largest half marathons.

The course, billed as ‘fast and flat’ took in sights such as Greyfriars Bobby and the National Museum of Scotland with Edinburgh Castle as a backdrop.

For Jake, who is trained by coach Geoff Watkin, it was only his second half marathon after taking part at Bath earlier this year.

Vics Ladies look for new recruits East Cowes Vics Ladies football team are looking for new players to join their expanding squad.

The club will be holding an open training session on Sunday at 2pm at Beatrice Avenue, East Cowes, PO32 6PA, for any female who would like to try, or take up, the sport.

All abilities are welcome, and it provides the ideal opportunity to get fit, accept a new

challenge, and maybe even play for Vics Ladies in the Hampshire Women’s League.

FA qualified coaches will be on hand to offer training sessions, and the get-together also provides the opportunity to meet new friends in a welcoming environment.

For further details call 07841 658058 or visit the East Cowes Vics Ladies FB page.

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31st May 2019

Christ the King College trio excel at Andover

Butler is waiting on after Wembley woe There was last-minute heartbreak for Isle of Wight footballer Dan Butler and his Newport County team mates at Wembley. County took on Tranmere Rovers in the League Two playoff final, and looked the better side for much of the game, until Rovers grabbed the only goal in the final minute of extra time.

It was little consolation for Butler that he turned a Man of the Match performance at Wembley. The 24-year-old, who was born in Cowes, was dominant throughout, and troubled Tranmere with his swift breaks down the left and pinpoint crosses.

But the game remained goalless throughout

90 minutes, and as extra time drew to a close it seemed the game would be settled by a penalty shoot-out. But then Connor Jenkins struck with a late header to seal Tranmere’s ticket to League One. Even so, Butler and his team mates did well to even reach the final, as they began the season among the favourites to be relegated.

Now they must try again next season, although Butler’s overall performance at Wembley, and his efforts throughout the campaign, suggest he could well see a club from a higher division trying to sign him this summer.

Three Christ the King College students represented the College in the Hampshire Schools’ Athletic Association Combined Events Championships in Andover on May 23, with athletes competed in five events on the day.

In the Junior Boys category, Jacob Patey finished fourth with 1,669 points with personal bests in the 80m hurdles, shot putt and long jump.

As Jacob finished in the top four in his category, he has been selected to represent Hampshire Schools in the South East Schools’ Combined Event Championships in

Basingstoke at the end of June.

The biggest field was in the Junior Girls category where there were 19 athletes. Naomi Holdsworth scored personal bests in the 75m hurdles, shot putt and long jump to score 2,120 and finish sixth overall.

In the Intermediate Girls category, Eden Canning finished eighth with 1,833 points with personal bests in shot putt and javelin.

All three athletes, accompanied by Mr. Patey to Andover, were supportive of each other throughout the day and were a credit to the College.

Coad and Wilson take Bank Holiday honours There were a lot of relieved Redwing and One-Design sailors at Bembridge Sailing Club when the winds picked up for the Bank Holiday weekend.

Both classes competing for their Friday Evening Challenge Trophies.

Four Redwings and four OneDesigns took part with Jonathan Nainby-Luxmoore in Snowgoose leading to the finish. The One Designs had a close race with Jos Coad leading James Beart until they got to within striking distance of the finish line. Then Mark Grzgroczyk

surprised them by coming in to finish 25 seconds ahead of James, with Jos 10 seconds further back.

Saturday offered almost perfect conditions for 11 Redwings and eight One-Designs. Redwings’ Jockey Wilson in Quail took the lead and never looked like giving it up.

The first One-Design soon settled down as Jos Coad took the lead and finished well over a minute ahead.

The second Redwing race was for the Mercedes Trophy for ‘lady helms’ which meant that only half the fleet qualified! Chloe Crisp in

Blue Jay II was never under much pressure. However, with the breeze picking up it turned out to be quite a challenging race. The second OneDesign race saw Norman Marshall just getting away with his pin end start on port! On the homeward beat to Under Tyne, Coad worked his way into an unassailable lead to made it two straight wins.

A stronger breeze on Sunday afternoon meant there was no single-handed racing. In the Redwings, Jockey Wilson in Quail finished a minute and a half in

front. In the second, much shorter race, Wilson had to be content with coming second 15 seconds behind Harlequin, helmed for this race by Jonathan Nainby-Luxmoore.

Eight One-Designs also enjoyed some close racing as Jos Coad finished a minute and a half ahead of Alexander Ross. With Coad not making the best of starts in the second race, Robin Joy finished just over half a minute ahead of the Ross.

On Bank Holiday Monday eight Redwings had an excellent race.

Wilson in Quail finished half a minute ahead of Mike Toogood in Tara, more than enough to ensure that Wilson and Quail won the Gunston Trophy.

Eight One-Design’s set off on a similar course and Norman Marshall led for half the race, but was overtaken by Ashley McLucas.

Susie Beart was third, a second ahead of Sophie Ross. Although he had to be content with coming in sixth, it was good enough for Jos Coad to win the Lowry Corry Cup.

31st May 2019

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Many triumphs at Island Pony Club open show There was a great turn out and a warm welcome for this year’s Isle of Wight Branch of Pony Club open show at the pony club field at Whippingham, with the weather kind and the rain thankfully holding off.

There were many triumphs in all rings but the Champions of the day were Chris Ingram with her beautiful cob Frank, and runners up Seb and Paige Steel with their super pony Kiki.

The field was a hive of activity with three rings running consecutively for showing,

jumping and ridden classes, from the very young to the more experienced ponies, horses and riders. All were in their best turn out with some beautifully presented summer coats on display.

Spectators and riders were kept fuelled by the wonderful ladies in the kitchen and many commented upon the relaxed and friendly feel of the day.

Photos by Kev Cant

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31st May 2019

Pictures by Natalie Sylvester

Salar Bettum (left) receiving second team Player of Year and Player’s Player of Year awards

Luke Blackman (right) receiving his first team Player of the Year award

Isle of Wight Rugby Football Club busy off field too!

After concluding the playing season with an emphatic 77 points to 28 win over touring side Old Culverhaysians, Isle of Wight RFC have been busy off the field, holding both its Annual Meeting and end of season awards evening.

At the AGM, election of club officers took place, and the following positions have been filled

for the 2019-20 season: President, Nick Puckett. Chairman, Ollie Boulter. The Secretary, Kieran Leahy. The Membership Secretary, Martin Newnham. Match/Fixtures Secretary, Andy Puckett. Social Secretary, Betsy Allen. House and Grounds, Kevin Blackburn. First team captain, Lewis Murray. Second team captain, Dean Jennings. Club

captain, Andrew Brown. Director of Rugby, Dave Metcalfe and Wight Wolves representative, Vicky Paris.

The club’s end of season dinner dance at Northwood House saw several awards conferred to both playing members and club volunteers.

The Chairman’s awards went to Neil Brading and Will Peters;

President’s awards, Kieran Leahy and Dean Jennings. Biffa recognition award, Gary Warvill.

Young Player of the Year, Salar Bettum. Best Newcomer, Kevin Blackburn. Wight Wolves coach’s award, Cheryl Beale. Wight Wolves players’ player of the year, Vicky Paris. First team player of the year, Luke Blackman. Second team player

of the year, Salar Bettum. Player’s player of the year, Salar Bettum.

O2 touch begins at Wootton Rec on Wednesday, June 5 from 6 pm, running for six weeks. Male and female aged 14 or over all welcome, and no previous experience is required.

Ryde cricketers fall short in big Dorset run chase Ryde Cricket Club’s first XI travelled to Dorset to take on a strong Parley side, who finished runners-up in Hants Division One last season.

Parley batted first and amassed a very competitive 322 for five, with two of their batsmen hitting centuries.

Ben Gregory was the most economical of the Ryde bowlers with just 41 runs coming off his 10 overs, even though he came up wicketless.

In reply, Ryde finished on 228 for nine at the end of their 50 overs, so losing by 94 runs. Mark Oatley was top scored for Ryde with 69, and he was well supported

by Brendon Speechley who weighted in with 40.

Ryde Seconds made it three wins out of three, by beating Railway Triangle at Harding Shute, and now sit second in Hants Division Four. Having won the toss, Ryde batted first on a wicket that has

seen runs galore scored on it already this season.

The runs certainly continued to flow, as former Newport star, Stuart Gurney scored a flawless 161 before being given out lbw. Gurney was supported by Ashley Goldsmith (45 not out), while Benj Shannon continued his good form with 39. In reply, Railway Triangle were dismissed for 243, with the wickets being spread between six Ryde bowlers.

Harrison Hendy shows Island Games backing for way in under-10s event Pictured: Danny Burns (left) with Keith Trigg

table tennis hopefuls The Isle of Wight Table Tennis team have secured vital sponsorship to ensure they can take part in the 2019 Island Games, being held in Gibraltar in July.

Following their sponsorship of The Isle of Wight Table Tennis Premier League, Island Estate Agents Trigg & Co are backing the Island team, which will be led by Premier League winner and team captain Danny Burns.

Managing Director Keith Trigg is a keen supporter of Island sport and represented the

Island as a member of the shooting team at the Rhodes Island Games in 2007. He said: “We are delighted to give our backing to Island sport. Table tennis has a terrific track record at The Island Games and is increasingly popular on the Island. We wish the team all the best in Gibraltar.”

To find out more about the Island Games visit: https://www.gibraltar2019.com/ If you are interested in joining the growing Isle of Wight Table Tennis family visit: https:// www.tabletennis365.com/IsleOfWight

Young cycle racer Harrison Hendy, a member of the IW Council Talented Athlete scheme, competed at Brooklands in Surrey in a support race to the final round of the OVO Energy tour series. He raced on the same course that the professional riders and teams raced on later in the day.

His race was combined with the under 12s.

When two age categories are raced together the riders are not actually racing each other but it’s a really good experience for Harrison to race older and faster riders.

He had to work extremely hard to get back on to the front group after getting briefly dropped half way through the race, but he

fought back, and it became a group of four.

The group then split again leaving him in the second pair, with the difference in gearing between the two age groups he was unable to out sprint the other rider, crossing the line in fourth place, but winning the under-10s by a large margin.

Wightlink supports Harrison with discounted ferry travel. Wightlink chief executive Keith Greenfield said: “We are really proud to support Harrison, and are very impressed with his performance on the track this season. He shows real dedication to his sport and is certainly one to watch.”

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Speedway sidecars are coming to the Island!

Picture by Marc Webslade

The breathtaking 1,000 cc methanolguzzling sidecars are heading to the Isle of Wight tomorrow night Saturday) for the opening round of the ACU British Sidecar Speedway Championships. The UK’s top 16 crews will be locking horns at Smallbrook Stadium in Ryde, the home of the Wightlink Warriors speedway team.

Reigning British Champions Paul Whitelam and Alan Elliott (pictured) will begin the defence of their title facing some tough opposition. These include ex-champions and last season’s runner-up Mark Cossar who will have Sam Heath on the back in place of regular passenger Carl Blyth.

Both are very experienced crews, as are Mick Cave and Bradley Steer and Will Penfold and Ricky Pay. All the riders have raced against the best in the world in Australia, the spiritual home of Sidecar Speedway.

All turned down invites to compete in this year’s World Cup in order to concentrate on preparation for racing in the UK in 2019.

The crews warmed up for the season at the ‘Season Opener’ in Leicester. After 22 heats of thrilling, neck and neck, edge of the seat racing, 2017 champions Mark Cossar & Carl Blyth took a well deserved win. Not such a great night though for the defending champions as Paul Whitelam and Alan Elliott

blew an engine early on.

Sidecar GB had an awesome year in 2018 and with some of the newer less experienced crews getting quicker on the shale meeting by meeting it looks like 2019 is going to be a cracker.

Sidecar Speedway GB organised five championship rounds last season as well as a very successful team event. On every occasion the fans and riders left the stadium with the adrenaline flowing after 20+ heats of fairing-rubbing racing. The sight and sounds of four 1000 cc multi-cylinder 170 bhp ‘monsters’ screaming into the first bend is one of the most breathtaking sights

in sport. Feel the suspense and the tension rise as the machines roll-up to the tapes. The start marshal is ready, the driver focused on the tape and the passenger hangs on tightly waiting for launch. The starter walks away, the decibels reach the maximum and in a flick of a switch the race is on, more action in 60 seconds than an entire F1 GP. Gates open tomorrow at 5.45 pm, practice starts at 6.30 pm and the main action begins at 7.00 pm. The stadium will host 20+ actionpacked races for just £10 for Adults, with under 16s free.

Woodhouse and Westhorpe Warriors crack The Potters fail to arrest Ventnor’s slide Despite excellent knocks by Ben Woodhouse and Neil Westhorpe, Ventnor failed to kickstart their disappointing start to the season in Division One of the Southern Premier Cricket League.

After three successive defeats, Ventnor were hoping for better fortunes when they entertained Portsmouth at Steephill. But the visitors were in a ruthless mood with their batting, as opener Ben Duggan set the trend with a superb 111, including 14 boundaries.

Duggan was given excellent support by Fraser Hay (85) as the pair put on 129 for the third wicket. The Ventnor bowlers toiled against the venomous Portsmouth batting, although Hugh Calloway and Charle Calloway managed a couple of wickets apiece.

Portsmouth completed their 50-over innings on 352 for five, giving Ventnor a mammoth uphill task. And their challenge became even bigger when Mark Fletcher was dismissed first ball, to be quickly followed back to the pavilion by Mark Price and Rob Snell, leaving the hosts on 10 for three.

That figure slipped to 65 for five, before Woodhouse snd Westhorpe finally showed some resistance with the bat. Woodhouse hit a quick-fire 94 off 87 deliveries, including 10 fours and five sixes. He looked set to reach three figures before being caught by Duggan off the bowling of Andrew Marston.

Westhorpe and Woodhouse put on 135 for the sixth wicket, and then Westhorpe continued the spirited battle by reaching 88, before running out of partners. His innings off 111 balls, included 11 fours and a six.

But with the tail-enders offering little resistance, Ventnor were all out for 257 in 44.4 overs, a total that on many other days would have been more than good enough for victory.

The defeat left Ventnor at the bottom of Division One, with an average of just five

points from their four matches. They will be hoping for better fortunes tomorrow (Sat) when they visit Sarisbury Athletic, who are currently sixth in the table, with two wins and two defeats from their four outings.

Wightlink Warriors speedway team secured a tense and exciting 48-42 win over Stoke Potters in their recent National League fixture, while the Wizards suffered a 15-21 reverse at the hands of Carmarthen.

The Warriors left it late to secure the win over a plucky

Potters outfit and had big guns Georgie Wood and Ben Morley to thank for securing all three league points. While the victory was founded on Wood and Morley’s maximum contributions, there were some telling scores from other Warriors, including Connor King’s first

winning race at Smallbrook.

But for the Wizards, it just didn’t happen. The Carmarthen riders were sharp away from the tapes and as hard as the Wizards chased, the Dragons just carried too much experience.

Winds pick up to give Yarmouth crews action

Pictured: Ben Woodhouse, who hit 94 for Ventnor

The first real winds of the season for Yarmouth Sailing Club over the first day of the Bank Holiday weekend saw gusts up to 20 knots, as 11 Scows prepared to start, but two retired before the off. Five Mixed fleet boats also started.

In Scows, Chris Parsloe got a flying start with Bill Ford and John Smith in close pursuit. Coming out of the creek it was still Chris leading with Bill and Roger P.E close behind. Roger and Chris duelled closely with Roger just coming out ahead after the second round and holding on to the finish. Second was Chris and third was Melinda Measor.

On corrected time the Mixed winner was Patrick Tate in a Feva with second Bryan Locke (Laser) and third Andre and Ronnie Usborne (Quest) fourth place due to spending 15 minutes stuck in the mud at Mill Creek exit was Lynn and Alan Welch.

Despite gusting to 23 knots the following day, six Scows and three Mixed made the start. In Scows, Melinda Measor got off to a flyer and held on until spray from choppy waters upset her tacking. This allowed Niall Wallace through to the front before Martin Palmer’s superior heavy weather ability

got him to the front. So the final result was Martin from Niall with Alan Toms third.

In the Mixed fleet on corrected time, first was Andre Usborne with Joy Mowles in a Quest and second was Patrick Tate and James Ward Jacobs in a feva.

On the final day seven Scows and three Mixed fleet were at the start. In the Scows, Bill Ford started best before Martin Palmer gained the lead which he maintained for the rest of the race. Niall Wallace was hounded

by Graeme Bowen and eventually Graeme took second position. Niall was caught

by John Smith, for the final order to be Martin,Graeme and John.

In the mixed fleet Patrick Tate with James Ward Jacobs in a Feva finished first with the other two boats retiring.

Sport

40

Sport

Observer

www.iwobserver.co.uk

This weeks highlights...

Football Butler having to wait on

By Peter White

36

31st May 2019

Equestrian Triumph at Island Pony Club show 37

Above: Newclose officials with the catering team from the Isle of Wight College who served guests in the marquee

Presentation by Hampshire chairman Rod Bransgrove to Hugh Griffiths and Graham Cooper of Newclose

Andy Butler remarking crease under the watchful eye of Hampshire coach, Island-born Charlie Freeston

Newclose certain Hampshire will be back soon!

Hugh Griffiths, Trustee and General Manager of Newclose County Cricket ground, is in no doubt Hampshire will be making many more visits to the Isle of Wight to play County Championship matches in years to come.

Hampshire’s Division One clash against Nottinghamshire, played over four days at Newclose last week, proved a huge success for everyone present, from the players and officials to spectators, as well as volunteers, the ground staff and impeccable catering teams.

Thousands of visitors and locals supported the match, which brought positive comments afterwards from both the Hampshire and Nottinghamshire camps in particular.

Hugh said: “All the feedback we had from the players and officials, the Hampshire members and the Isle of Wight cricketing community, as well as the local and national media, was that it was a splendid advertisement for

County Championship cricket, and especially for Newclose and the Isle of Wight.

“There can be no doubt it was a successful return of first class cricket to the Island after 57 years, and it will be returning next year, and for years to follow - of that I am certain.

What has been recognised is that ‘outground’ cricket, at places like Newclose, provides the ideal venues for such games. And I am confident that as years progress, Newclose will rival any outground that is used at County Championship level.”

Hugh continued: “Of course it is good for Island people to go over and watch County Championship cricket at Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl in Southampton, but it is also nice for them to see it come ‘home’ occasionally. I am sure the addition of cricket to other sporting events, such as Cowes Week and the Round the Island Race, and top attractions like Osborne House and the Botanic Gardens, underlines

that the Isle of Wight has something for everyone as a holiday destination.”

Hugh was full of praise for his ground staff and for those who provided the hospitality services during the recent showpiece match. Staff and students from the catering department of Isle of Wight College, provided meals for guests in the hospitality tent, while the resident Newclose catering staff, led by catering manager Nikki Price, served up food for the players, officials and press in the pavilion.

Hugh added: “I want to thank two groups in particular who helped make the event so successful. The pavilion catering team are there throughout the year and excelled, so they deserve a big pat on the back. Also, the ground staff, led by head groundsman Andy Butler, who prepared the perfect pitch and outfield for the match.

“But thanks also to Newport Vectis

Sunrise Rotary Club who stewarded the car parks; Newclose Cricket Club members and committee who helped prepare the ground and host the marquee, and Arreton Cricket Club whose members provided manpower for a number of vital activities including selling tickets at the gate.

“I also wish to thank friends and family of Graham Cooper and myself, and finally the Gardener family – Brian Gardener’s relatives – who attended each day to celebrate and be part of Brian’s dream coming true.

“They all ensured the success and smooth running of a major national professional sporting event. Nearly all of them are from the Isle of Wight or have Island links.”

The Trustees of Newclose County Cricket Ground were also delighted to welcome Mrs Susie Sheldon JP, Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, who is a Life Member of Newclose Cricket Club.