Isle of Wight Observer Issue 17

Observer

FREE

Isle of Wight

The Island’s Only Locally Owned Newspaper

Charity in rubbish row with council 2

Newport’s Christmas switch on 12

Friday 30th November 2018 Issue No.17

Please pick up your copy

Dawn raid on Island farm Full story

In your Observer...

Jobs

Your life changing career move could start here 24

Going Out

Your guide to Theatre, Cinema, Eating out & more 19

Sport

3

All the Island’s up to date coverage 28

Inside your Observer...

News Wilson fears a silent killer

5

Shelter opens Saturday

6

Violent crime creates nine ‘no go’ zones

7

Newports Christmas switch on

12 Entertainment A show is born

19

Jobs Get the most from remote working

24

Services A useful guide to local businesses

26 Sport Brian’s dream fulfilled

28

Do you have a story to tell?

Call us on: 01983 214264 Email: newsdesk@iwobserver.co.uk Facebook: @iwobserver Twitter: @iwobserver YouTube: Isle of Wight Observer

What a load of rubbish!

Aspire Ryde have called a than the closure of several public meeting to discuss services. the removal of their waste A spokesman for the IW bins by Amey and the Isle Council said: “Ryde Aspire of Wight Council, who said has been in communication they had been receiving the with the council for a free service for two years by number of weeks recently accident. regarding the services they The charity say they are have been accidentally “shocked and disturbed” at receiving for free for the past the removal of all two years, when their waste bins. it was raised that “They now They also say the five 240 litre expect us this could close black bins at the to spend some of their Dover Street site services that thousands on were overflowing. involve free food, “The council a commercial painting, wood has reiterated to waste work, cycling, Ryde Aspire that books and other we are happy to contract.” free projects for work with their the community. team to find a low A spokesman for the charity cost solution for the waste said: “They now expect us and recycling and there are to spend thousands on a definitely some free ways commercial waste contract. to dispose of unsaleable “This will result in a donations and some of their number of our recycling business waste as detailed projects needing to end above. and they don’t seem to be “Ryde Aspire may also bothered!” continue to use the charity The meeting takes place permits for the tip for free as at Aspire Ryde at 9.30am they have done in the past for on Friday (November 30) their unsalable donations.” to discuss the impact of the Biffa have offered a free removal and explore if there service until Christmas for any other options other Aspire.

Aspire Ryde in Dover Street.

(L to R) James ‘JD’ Viette, Heath Monaghan, Mike Drinkwater.

Fake cops scam £25,000 Police are urging people to warn friends and relatives after a man from the west of the Isle of Wight lost £25,000 to fraudsters posing as police officers.

The man, aged in his eighties, was contacted by phone at home on Saturday (November 24) by a man pretending to be a Detective

Constable from the Metropolitan Police Service.

The so-called “officer” said that he was investigating a theft conspiracy. He passed the victim to another number to confirm the officer’s identity and then spoke to the victim again.

He stated he had a colleague working on the Island who

Address: Suite 4, 17 Thomas House, St. Thomas Square, Newport, IW, PO30 1SL

was visiting a number of people and then asked the victim to transfer two sums of money to different bank accounts, stating that he would be tracing where the funds went. This was a scam and the officer was not a legitimate police officer. The victim made two transactions totalling

£25,000 before dialling 999.

Police have received three similar reports on the Isle of Wight on Sunday 25 and Monday November 26.

The three people who were contacted by phone did not hand over any money.

Anyone with information should call 101, quoting 44180440977.

Stunning Island scene captured in Chale

Publisher: Isle of Wight Observer Ltd. News Editor: Joe Burn Online Editor: Sandy Clarke Sport & Features: Peter White Sales: Carole Dennett, Emma Harper Production: Ian Read

The IW Observer is a member of IMPRESS: The Independent Monitor of the Press. For more information on the IW Observer complaints policy and how to make a complaint visit: iwobserver.co.uk/make-a-complaint/

Head on smash in Ventnor Firefighters freed one person from a crash in Ventnor.

The incident occurred in Newport Road, between

the shop and the schools at around 5pm on November 22. A BMW was involved in a head on collision with a Toyota.

Stunning images have been captured of a herd of deer on the Isle of Wight on Wednesday morning

(November 28).

The deer were captured in the fog on the outskirts of Chale at around 10am.

iwobserver

Car parts business busted!

Continued from front...

A police raid near Chale Green Village has uncovered suspected stolen parts that could be from a silver Honda Civic that was torn apart by a thief in Carisbrooke earlier this week.

Darren Prouten, 36, whose address was listed on court documents as the “caravan on the left Appleford Road, Chale” appeared before Isle of Wight Magistrates on Thursday, November 29.

He is charged with three counts of handling stolen goods, two counts of driving whilst disqualified and one count of possession of cannabis after his arrest in a raid at 7am on Wednesday morning.

The raid took place on

private farm land near to the village, with Isle of Wight Police CID and other officers examining several vehicles on the land.

The land owner, who asked not to be named, spoke exclusively to the IW Observer, he explained that he had allowed Prouten to use his land for storage for free.

A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: “Officers were at an address in Chale Green conducting enquiries as part of an on-going investigation. A 36-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of theft and driving whilst disqualified.

“The theft relates to an allegation of car parts being stolen in Carisbrooke overnight on November 23.”

A silver Honda Civic belonging to Isle of Wight delivery driver Dave Cooley, 31, was targeted by thieves in a Carisbrooke car park on November 23.

Mr Cooley’s insurance said they wouldn’t pay out for the theft as there was no one to

blame.

He also complained that police wouldn’t attend the scene, and said he didn’t feel the Island was the same safe place he grew up on.

There is a silver lining however, as soon after the original story went out, the

Island community rallied around Mr Cooley and donations of car parts and assistance came flooding in.

Prouten was remanded in police custody for up to three days after which time he will be brought before Isle of Wight Magistrates again.

Body found in Cowes

The scene at Northwood Cemetery.

A body has been discovered at Northwood Cemetery in Cowes on Saturday morning (November 24).

Police were called at 8.10am to Newport Road after members of the public discovered the body.

Three police vehicles and a number of ambulance service personnel are also attending.

Friends and relatives of the deceased have arrived at the

scene at 9am according to a witness who did not wish to be named.

A spokesman for Hampshire Constabulary said: “Next of kin have been informed but formal identification procedures are ongoing.

“At this stage the death is not being treated as suspicious and a file is being prepared for the coroner.”

Kitchen fire in Pan Firefighters were called out to a sauce pan fire in Pan on Tuesday evening (November 27).

Ten firefighters were called out at around 6.20pm to Royal Exchange.

Crews from Cowes and Newport attended, with two appliances, one hose reel and

one high pressure jet used.

Two firefighters entered to extinguish the fire using breathing apparatus.

The incident was brought under control after a homeowner left a saucepan on the cooker that caught fire. The kitchen was 25 per cent damaged.

The saucepan that set alight.

News

3

News in brief Catfished Catlin guilty A child sex offender sent pictures of his genitals to a ‘paedophile hunter’ who was posing as a teenage girl.

Robert Walter Catlin, 37, admitted attempting to meet a child for sex and engaging in sexual communication with a child when he appeared before Isle of Wight magistrates Tuesday, November 27.

The case was adjourned to the Isle of Wight Crown Court where Catlin, of Crossway, Bembridge, is to be sentenced on December 21.

No plea after knife haul find in Sandown Gavin Michael Price, 44, of Downsview, is accused of having two large hunting knives, seven lock knives, three sheath knives, and two silver axes when he was stopped by police in Sandown on October 10.

He is also accused of having a crossbow with bolts, a catapult, an imitation firearm, obstructing a constable in the execution of his duty and multiple motoring offences, including failing to provide a specimen for analysis, driving a vehicle without a licence, insurance or an MOT certificate.

He did not enter pleas to any of the charges and the case was adjourned to the Isle of Wight Crown Court for December 21.

4

News

News in brief Ad ban on school buses

@iwobserver

Rider rammed

Emergency services responded to a car versus motorcycle collision in Upper St James Street, Newport.

The incident took place around 6.10pm on Monday (November 26).

The motorcycle belongs to a Domino’s Pizza delivery driver and the car involved was a silver Suzuki.

Both drivers were seen talking with police officers and seemed to be in good

health.

Although it transpired that the delivery driver had sustained injuries to his back as it he was hit from behind.

Southern Vectis is banning adverts for vaping, a smoking alternative, from all of its school buses.

Southern Vectis operations manager, Simon Moye, said: “Although ads on Southern Vectis buses are controlled by an external company, and are aimed at those looking from the outside, rather than by passengers on board, we absolutely agree this particular advert is inappropriate for school buses.

“We have already taken steps to have it removed, and we are also putting plans in place to ensure ads of this nature do not appear on school buses in the future.”

The silver Suzuki allegedly rear ended the Domino’s delivery bike.

Reunion for Mods & Rockers

Homeless shelter without home

Bikers, scooterists, musicians, DJs and anyone who appreciates music from decades gone by is invited to rock up to the Gaslight Cafe in Sandown on Saturday, December 8 for Mods & Rockers reunion, featuring lots of dancing and some drinking.

The event starts at 2pm and is sure to be a fun-filled affair.

Riders are encouraged to bring their bikes and scooters to make the streets of Sandown look hip and happening once again.

The organisers would like it if you dressed in your finest Mod or Rocker wares.

Entry is free.

Islander Norman Gaches carved the sculpture.

Donate to save Dionysus

After 10 months of searching, the Bus Shelter for the homeless, is homeless on the Isle of Wight.

A motion passed at a full council meeting in January 2018 promised support in the search for a suitable site for the homeless Bus Shelter, but so far the search has been fruitless.

The winter has arrived and the IW Council have announced their plans to open a shelter in the Salvation Army building at Pyle Street on Saturday (December 1) for the island homeless people.

Council leader Councillor Dave Stewart explained why shelter has not also been put to work servicing the homeless community.

He says the council met with the Bus Shelter manager to discuss the requirements of the charity and then looked at council land holdings to try and find a possible site suitable for use by the Bus Shelter.

Cllr Stewart said:

“Unfortunately, for a number of reasons it has not been possible to identify a site, and subsequent to the meeting the Bus Shelter confirmed that it was investigating the use of a site in Sandown.

“Additionally, people may like to know that the average numbers of people that presented as street homeless during the winter period 2017-18 was seven and that this is our minimum bed space offer on any one night.

“I can also confirm that a street outreach service is now in operation, led by The Salvation Army, ensuring we are able to respond to individuals that are reported as being at risk of or whom are rough sleeping.”

The council has put in place its Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) for 2018 which: Is being delivered through multiple provisions including existing supported accommodation providers and a rolling church model.

A piece of East Cowes art could return if campaigners are successful in raising funds for its transportation.

Island sculptor, Norman Gaches, carved the stump of a tree at Robert Stigwood’s home. The principle figure is Dionysus, the Greek god of wine.

The sculpture was so loved

All supported accommodation providers operate under the supporting people framework and therefore meet a required standard as outlined within the Quality Assurance Framework.

The rolling church model led by The Salvation Army has achieved the housing justice quality mark standard of excellence.

Pathways have been created to fast track service users from the winter shelter provision into other longer term supported accommodation as commissioned by the local authority. This enables us to prioritise the most vulnerable during the winter period.

A homeless Multi Agency Risk Management (MARM) taskforce will be in place for the 1st December responding to individual should individuals refuse offers of accommodation and/or are at risk of exclusion from accommodation options

by Mr Stigwood he had it shipped to his new property in Ascot when he moved away from the Island.

A crowdfunding campaign to bring the sculpture back to the Island has been started by an East Cowes Town Councillor and local resident.

You can donate online here: gofundme.com/6gqytk8

Pictured, a similar shelter on the mainland. that are available. This will provide a forum whereby we develop appropriate innovative approaches to meet the personal needs of those that do not fit within provision that is identified.

We are collating a day time offer in partnership with

voluntary organisations to ensure people that are homeless or at risk of homeless have an understanding of their options. This will be available in our SWEP document and on the website.

Wilson fears silent killer in Gunville iwobserver

A resident suffering from asbestosis has warned that if a Gunville development goes ahead, local people could end up with the same condition as him.

The Isle of Wight Council granted permission for a culde-sac development of 12 homes on the land adjacent to 255 Gunville Road in October, despite evidence appearing to show the site was contaminated.

Environmental Health also warned that the site had previously been a refuse dump, munitions storage and an ash dump for a brickworks.

They recommended a four step approach to checking the area was safe before the local authority approved any groundworks or building.

However the council still approved the planning application on October 30, with a ten to two vote.

Gunville resident Keith Wilson, 70, suffers from the silent killer, asbestosis, himself.

He explained that the site had previously been a dump for brick and coal works, with ash in there that could contain arsenic, cyanide and mercury.

He said the area had also been used as a municipal dump, that was unregulated.

He added: “There is asbestos in there, I am convinced of that.”

Mr Wilson warned that if the area is dug up for the development, it would likely release asbestos into the atmosphere.

He said: “Of the six people

News

5

News in brief Citroen smash Eight people were inside a Citroen C1 which careered off the road and rolled onto its roof in Freshwater. on July 9.

IW Magistrates heard that one passenger suffered a compound leg fracture in the horrific accident.

Willow Hughes-Thomas, 30, of Clarendon Road, Shanklin, admitted one charge of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and a further offence of drink driving, when she appeared before Isle of Wight magistrates.

The case was adjourned for sentence until December 21 at the Isle of Wight Crown Court.

Magistrates imposed an interim driving ban and granted her bail.

Marching orders

From left, Brian Break, Bill Moore and Keith Wilson are all concerned about the land being dug up and pollutants released. that were contaminated by the Russian nerve agent Novichok, five survived. If six people were contaminated with asbestos, and got asbestosis, all six would die.”

Mr Wilson is not alone in his concerns, as local residents Brian Break and Bill Moore share his fears.

Councillor Michael Lilley (Ryde East, Ind Grn), voted against the plans.

He explained that opposing residents to the plans may find it “near impossible” to reverse the decision.

“A developer can easily appeal to the inspector if

they get a decision [made against them]. Residents can’t,” said Cllr Lilley. “To me it’s one of those unfair situations.”

Cllr Lilley said writing to local councillors, and keeping on eye on whether or not preconditions are met could help.

And if the residents have the money, its possible to take the case to a judicial review.

Cllr Lilley also suggested speaking to Cllr Barry Abraham (Wootton Bridge, Con), the cabinet member for planning.

“But to change the decision

now is pretty impossible,” said Cllr Lilley.

An Isle of Wight Council spokesman said: “Planning application TCP/33425, P/00354/18 was considered by the Planning Committee in October, and resolved for planning permission.

The permission is yet to be issued, as it is subject to a legal agreement, which is currently being drafted.

“Given the possibility for some contamination at this site, the officer recommended a condition should be imposed to include a four-stage process, to ensure due regard is

taken to the possibility of contamination being found at this site. If required, it would be remediated.

“This condition has been imposed as a precommencement condition to ensure contamination risks are addressed prior to the development taking place.

“To date, no works have taken place.

“The Planning Authority cannot comment on what contaminants may be present, because that information will not be at hand until the planning condition has been complied with.”

A man was forced to walk temporary traffic lights back to their original location by police after he moved them.

Officers then arrested the man who was drunk according to witnesses at the scene of Hope Road, Shanklin at 2am on November 21.

HSS Isle of Wight took to Facebook to thank police, posting: “Excellent approach to policing by Hampshire Constabulary.

A guy steals one of our traffic lights in the middle of the night and takes it some distance up hill and through town. The policeman then makes the guy walk the traffic light all the way back to the site, and then arrests him.”

6

News

News in brief

Suez vets hosted by Chequers Inn Isle of Wight veterans of the the Israeli-BritishFrench attack on Egypt at the Suez Canal in July 1956 met for their annual Christmas lunch on November 28 at the Chequers Inn, Rookley.

These veterans served in the Suez Canal zone from 1950 to 1956 as part of the British armed forces.

In 2006 they received their service medals from Col. David Langford, the then Deputy Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight.

They always enjoy a Christmas lunch together with their wives and have just started to hold a spring lunch in addition to their Christmas lunch.

The Isle of Wight Suez Veterans were established in 2002 by Mike Chiverton, ably assisted by Bob Harris who in 2008, took over the leadership until 2017.

@iwobserver

Shelter opens Saturday The Isle of Wight Council is again teaming up with the Salvation Army to provide a night shelter for homeless people this winter.

As last year, the local authority has partnered with the Island charity to ensure people at risk of sleeping rough will have a safe place to stay.

The Salvation Army will use its headquarters in Pyle Street, Newport, as a night shelter, which will open from December 1 to March 31, 2019.

Hot food and a bed will be available.

Councillor Clare Mosdell, cabinet member for homeless provision, said: “This shelter is more than just tea and sympathy and more than a bed and safe place to stay at night.

“It also seeks to include a supporting and caring arm to help people rebuild their lives, helping us make a real difference to them.”

The night shelter will be accessed through the Salvation Army’s outreach team or the council’s homeless prevention team.

Laurie Anderson, of The Salvation Army’s Homelessness Services Unit,

2016 (16) 2014 (63) 2009 (09) 2014 (14) 2010 (60) 2015 (65) 2013 (13) 2009 (59) 2013 (13) 2010 (59) 2014 (14) 2011 (11) 2014 (14) 2013 (63) 2011 (11) 2015 (15) 2009 (58) 2010 (60) 2011 (61) 2010 (60) 2012 (12) 2009 (59) 2007 (07) 2010 (60) 2005 (55) 2011 (60) 2012 (12) 2010 (59) 2010 (60) 2010 (10) 2010 (61) 2010 (10) 2007 (57) 2005 (54) 2006 (06) 2003 (53) 2004 (04)

Hot food and a bed will be available in Pyle Street. said: “We are delighted to support the council’s winter provision.

“We have a trusted partnership with them and

they recognise the need to ensure that people who are sleeping rough on the Isle of Wight during the winter months have somewhere

safe and warm to sleep.

“The winter night shelter is a vital lifeline for rough sleepers. We will make sure anyone referred to us will get

warm food, a listening ear without judgement and will be sign-posted to services that can offer support to their immediate needs.”

HYUNDAI TUSCAN 1.6 SE, 2wd blue drive, 7500 miles, s/h,PAS, e/windows, r/locking, b/tooth, p/sensors, cruise, climate, a/con, dab,etc...................................................................................................£13,995 SKODA SUPERB 1.6 TDI ELEGANCE GREENLINE ESTATE, 55K Miles F/S/H, Pas,A/Wheels Leather,H/Seats,Climate,A/Con,Satnav,P/Sensors £30 Rfl Etc................................................................£10,995 LANDROVER FREELANDER 2 TD4 2.2, Auto Hse 88K Miles F/S/H 1 Owner Sat Nav,A/Wheels,Leather,B/Tooth,A/Con,C/Control,Cruise,P/Sensors,Etc.....................................................................£9,995 SKODA OCTAVIA 1.4 TSI SE, 5dr h/back 28k miles f/s/h,1 owner, pas,a/wheels, r/locking, a/con.e/windows, p/sensors, climate, bluetooth, e/mirrors, isofix, £115 rfl etc.............................................£9,695 JAGUAR XF 3.0td V6 PREMIUM AUTO, 71k miles, s/h, leather, satnav, b/tooth, a/wheels, c/control, a/con, heated seats, e/windows, r/locking, r/camera, p/sensors etc............................................. ..£8,995 SKODA RAPID 1.2 TSI SPORT BACK, 43K Miles S/H, Pas,A/Wheels,R/Locking,B/Tooth,Climate,A/Con,P/Roof,P/Sensors,E/Windows Etc.............................................................................................£8,995 VOLVO V40 2.0 TD, 5dr, auto, h/back, 43k miles, F/S/H, PAS, a/wheels, r/locking, c/control, a/con, b/tooth, h/seats, cruise, ISO fix, etc........................................................................................................£8,995 BMW 330D AUTOMATIC M SPORT, 84k miles, s/h, leather int, sat nav, Bluetooth, PAS, e/windows, r/locking, climate, a/con, e/mirrors, a/wheels................................................................................ ..£8,495 FORD TRANSIT MWB H/TOP 100 T260, 1 owner, 103k miles, 6 speed, ply lined, e/windows, bulkhead, r/locking, no vat........................................................................................................................... ..£7,995 HYUNDAI 1800 STYLE 2.5 TD, 8 seater, 108k miles, s/history, PAS, e/windows, r/locking, a/con, c/control, r/bars, h/seats, t/bar, etc............................................................................................................£7,995 VAUXHALL INSIGNIA 2.0 cdti, design eco flex 55k miles 1 owner s/h. pas,a/wheels, r/locking, climate, a/con, iso fix, cruise, £0 road tax....................................................................................................£7,495 SKODA OCTAVIA 2.0 TD, 4 x 4 ESTATE, PAS, e/windows, r/locking, climate, a/con, CD player, roof rails, F/F/CD player ISO fix etc......................................................................................................... ..£6,995 PEUGEOT 208 1.2 VTI ACTIVE, 5 dr, 28k miles, s/h, e/windows, r/locking, touch screen multi-media system, a/wheels, climate, a/con, Bluetooth, rfl..............................................................................£5,995 TOYOTA YARIS TR 1.4 D4D, 21k miles, f/s/h, PAS, a/wheels, r/locking, p/sensors, e/mirrors, a/con, £20 rfl, etc................................................................................................................................................£5,995 MINI ONE CONVERTIBLE, 1.6 78K Miles, Pas,A/Wheels,P/Roof,Climate,A/Con,E/Windows,E/Mirrors,P/Sensors,R Locking Etc...............................................................................................................£5,995 SKODA FABIA 1.2 SE 5 DR HATCHBACK, 31k miles, IW car, f/s/h, PAS, a/wheels, r/locking, e/windows, a/con, e/mirrors, ISOfix, etc.......................................................................................................£5,695 FORD FIESTA 1.4 TITANIUM, 3Dr Auto 63K Miles S/H, Pas,A/Wheels,R/Locking,E/Windows,A/Con,E/Mirrors Etc.....................................................................................................................................£4,995 KIA VENGA 3.1.4 CRDI, 60k miles, f/s/h, PAS, a/wheels, pan roof, r/locking, c/control, a/con, r/sensors, t/bar etc.......................................................................................................................................... ..£4,995 SUZUKI SX4 X-XC, 1.6, 5 dr, 78k miles, s/h, PAS, e/windows, r/locking, a/con, a/wheels, ISO fix, etc....................................................................................................................................................................£4,995 VAUXHALL MERIVA 1.4T SE, 80k miles, a/wheels, r/locking, a/windows, pan roof, a/con, ½ leather, e/mirrors.............................................................................................................................................. ..£4,695 RENAULT CLIO 1.2 I MUSIC, 3dr, 41k miles, s/h, PAS, a/wheels, r/locking, a/con, Bluetooth, e/windows, e/mirrors, a/wheels etc............................................................................................................... ..£4,695 TOYOTA YARIS SR, 1.3 VVT-I, 5 dr, 68k miles, f/s/h, PAS, e/windows, r/locking, a/con, e/wheels, e/mirrors, etc...............................................................................................................................................£4,295 HONDA CRV 2.0 LTR, V-TEC SPORT 4X4, 79K miles, f/s/h, PAS, a/wheels, r/locking, a/con, satnav, c/control, e/windows etc.......................................................................................................................£4,295 SKODA FABIA 1.2 TSI SE 5 DR, 66K Miles F/S/H, Pas,A/Wheels,R/Locking,A/Con,E/Windows.e/Mirrors Etc..................................................................................................................................................£3,995 BMW 1 SERIES 118I SPORT, 5dr automatic, 58k miles s/h, pas, r/locking, a/wheels, a/con, c/control, e/windows, e/mirrors etc......................................................................................................................£3,995 VAUXHALL ASTRA 1.4 ES, 5dr, 90k miles, 1 owner, PAS, e/windows, r/locking, a/con, f/f/cd player, e/mirrors, etc...........................................................................................................................................£3,995 SKODA CITY GO SE 1.0, 3 dr, 1 p/keeper, 65k miles, f/s/h, PAS, e/windows/, r/locking, a/con, f/f/cd player, £20rfl, 12v socket, ISOfix........................................................................................................ ..£3,995 FORD FOCUS 1.6 ZETEC, 5 dr, 90k miles, s/h, PAS, e/windows, r/locking, a/wheels, a/con, e/mirrors, f/f/stereo, etc...................................................................................................................................... ..£3,995 RENAULT GRANDE SCENIC, 1.5 DCI EXPRESSION, 7 seater, PAS, e/windows, a/con, r/locking, e/mirrors, £135 rfl, etc........................................................................................................................... ..£3,995 PEUGEOT 407, SPORT 2.0 HDI, auto estate, 87k miles, s/h, PAS, e/windows, r/locking, satnav, 1/2 leather, a/wheels, climate, etc.....................................................................................................................£3,995 SUZUKI ALTO SZ2 1.0, 5dr iw vehicle 21k miles pas, e/windows, r/locking, cd player, a/con, £20 rfl etc...............................................................................................................................................................£3,695 CITROEN C3 PICASSO 1.6 HDI VTR+, 86k miles, s/h, PAS, a/wheels, r/locking, e/windows, e/mirrors, a/con £30 rfl, etc............................................................................................................................ ..£3,295 JAGUAR X TYPE, 2.2 ESTATE, 106k miles, s/history, 1/2 leather, a/wheels, r/locking, e/windows, c/control, p/sensors, etc..............................................................................................................................£2,995 MINI COOPER H/BACK, 3dr, 99k miles, PAS, a/wheels, r/locking, e/windows, e/mirrors, etc................................................................................................................................................................................£2,695 PEUGEOT 307 CC 2.0S CONVERTIBLE, 57k miles, PAS, e/windows, p/roof, r/locking, c/control, a/con, a/wheels, r/sensors etc..................................................................................................................£2,695 VW BEETLE 1.6 CONVERTIBLE, 94K Miles S/H. Pas.a/Wheels,R/Locking,E/Windows,Cd Player Etc................................................................................................................................................................£2,695 MAZDA MX5, 76k miles, s/h, PAS, e/windows, c/locking, a/wheels, CD player, etc....................................................................................................................................................................................................£1,795

iwobserver

News

7

8

News

News in brief

Not so clean getaway

@iwobserver

Anyone for Christmas cake?

Brighstone Women’s Institute held a Christmas bake sale in aid of Wight DASH on Saturday, November 24, at the Brighstone Village Hall.

The charity was formerly the Isle of Wight Women’s Refuge and supports women who are experiencing difficult times in their lives.

They are an organisation that is determined to address the difficulties that domestic abuse, poor mental health, substance misuse, loneliness and other issues that negatively affect women’s lives and our community.

The event was well attended with many cakes being sold and raising money for this very worthy cause.

We can’t wait for the next one.

Jamie Boyd Clark, 36, of Newport, was ordered to pay £380 by Isle of Wight Magistrates after he was caught stealing a toothbrush from Boots in Newport worth £300 and clothing from TK Maxx worth £80 on separate dates in September and October.

Christmas Fair at Broadlee December 6 from 2.45pm to 5.30pm.

The fair will include a Santa’s Grotto, craft stalls, games, refreshments, cake stall and much, much more.

Broadlee Primary School is located at Newport Rd, Sandown PO36 9FH.

Hospice Santa dash Don’t forget to sign up for this year’s Santa Dash to make sure you get your suit for the 5k run! Not a runner? Not a problem say fundraising beneficiary Mountbatten Hospice. Jog or walk instead if you feel like it. The run is suitable for all ages and abilities and is a really fun and festive way to kick off Christmas.

The run takes place December 2 at 11am at Ryde Superbowl.

Visit Mountbatten.rog.uk for more details

Members of the Brighstone WI.

New centre officially opened

A brand-new help centre designed to give people easy access to information, advice and guidance services has been opened at County Hall

by Major General Sir Martin White.

The council-run facility has combined with Citizens Advice and Age UK (Isle of

Wight) to create a single streamlined hub, Isle Help.

The charity Hearing Loss will also use the centre from February when it starts a

monthly clinic.

Around £214,000 has been invested by the council in the project, which is the start of its ambition to offer a ‘One

Island’ integrated service covering health, council, emergency services and the voluntary sectors.

Vintage bikers show heart The Isle of Wight’s Vintage Motorcycle Club has donated £250 to a children’s residential and respite service on Saturday (November 24).

Beaulieu House helps children and young people with a varying complexity of needs such as autism, severe learning difficulties, cerebral palsy, and ADHD. The club raised the money after they displayed their impressive collection of vintage motorcycles at their annual Scurry event in St Thomas Square, Newport, back in September.

The club has around 50 members on the Island and they have motorcycles from the 1900s through to the 1960s.

The Isle of Wight’s Vintage Motorcycle Club has made a kind donation.

News

iwobserver

Fall in love with Newport this Christmas Late night shopping in Newport has some tricks up its festive sleeves this year including free parking from 3pm.

That’s right, on December 6, 13 and 20, there will be FREE parking from 3pm in short stay car parks around the town centre. Think of it as the Isle of Wight Council’s Christmas gift to you.

That’s not all though, as this year’s team behind Newport’s late night shopping at #ShapingNewport has made it their mission to make you fall in love with

Newport again. With a festive atmosphere planned for every night, including voice choirs at Caffe Isola, and other musical and family orientated events dotted around town to keep the vibe as Christmassy as can be, you’ll be sure to make an evening of it when it comes to getting your Christmas goodies in.

The Newport Business Association as well as Newport and Carisbrooke Parish Council invite every Islander to eat, drink, spend and #ShopLocalChristmas in Newport. With shoppers

invited to rate their experiences using the hashtag #WDYT (what do you think).

Julie Jones-Evans, owner of Dragonfly in St James Street, said: “I’ve been a retailer in Newport for 40 years, and there has never been such a surge of people working together for the greater good of the town. It’s all about collaboration now, not competition.”

The Newport Business Association is also presenting The Adventures of Alfie, a happy Newport elf who has had a very busy year.

#ShopLocalChristmas

He’s written lots of postcards from all the exciting places he’s been, and he’s left them in shops all over town.

Each one contains a red or green clue to collect, and all the clues make up a “Christmas Conundrums” game with the first correct entry winning £250 in cash.

Pick up an entry form from 30 High Street in Newport to get involved.

The competition closes on December 18.

Merry Christmas...

#ShapingNewport

9

10

News

@iwobserver

Haven wins award Henry Monkey Haven are delighted to report that an inspector from VisitEngland has paid them a visit and the verdict is that Monkey Haven is better than ever!

The Tourist Board inspected their sanctuary from every possible angle, and then reawarded their accreditation as a VisitEngland Quality Assured Visitor Attraction.

In a written report, the assessor Nigel Philpott praised their signage, displays, website and “the excellent App that has proven a hit with audiences”.

He also enjoyed the daily talks and feeds, which he described as “very engaging, fun and informative”.

“We struck Gold in 2016 and now we hope we’ll do it again”, commented Monkey Haven’s Founder, Don Walser. “We’ve been working really hard to continually improve, and to make our animals and

will be missed

A cheeky monkey inspects Visit England’s verdict. visitors as happy as we can.

“We’re continually reinvesting in the park, so that we can care for new

The Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary’s oldest resident Henry, sadly died after suffering a stroke on Monday (November 26).

The 47-year-old was taken seriously ill on Monday morning.

Staff hoped he would be able to pull through but this was not the case and he passed away alongside his friend, Bullrush.

In a statement on its website, the Donkey Sanctuary paid tribute to the red-roan, they wrote: “He was kind and gentle and was one of the donkeys entrusted to small children to be groomed – Henry lapped up

animals, build enclosures, create fun signage, and develop the website and App. We don’t stand still here!”

Don’t miss Jungle Book!

West Wight author, director and singer Cheryl May has written a new pantomime that will be performed at The Trinity Theatre, Cowes, over the next two weekends.

The Freshwater resident has had more than 85 scripts published, and now Jungle Book the Pantomime will come to life in Cowes.

The cast is made up of talented adults and children

from the Trinity Youth Theatre who are thoroughly engaged with the script and characters.

Cheryl said: “We all love Baloo the happy bear, and our villain Shere Khan is a big pussy cat at heart.”

Cheryl also offers a free Jungle Book related workshop to any IW schools that perform her play version and can be contacted at www.

cherylbarrettwriter.co.uk.

Performances will be held on Friday (November 30) at 7.30pm and Saturday (December 1) at 2.30pm; Friday (December 7) at 7.30pm; Saturday (December 8) at 2.30pm; and Sunday (December 9) at 2.30pm.

Buy tickets online at www. caods.org.uk or call the box office 295229.

the fuss and attention.

“He loved humans and loved nothing more than a cuddle and a stroke, and would stand for minutes on end in the embrace of visitors who had hugged and groomed him.”

The furry favourite, who was once nicknamed ‘Henry One-Tooth’ before being renamed ‘Henry No-Teeth’ just over 12 months ago, was born back in 1971.

Staff say Henry managed to bring a smile to all those who visited him.

Xmas starts with brass at the Sally Army The Vectis Brass Band kick started Island Christmas celebrations with an afternoon of festive brass music on Sunday, November 25 at the Salvation Army Headquarters in Pyle Street.

There was traditional music, festive favourites and talented soloists.

The event was free entry for all, refereshments were provided with a retiring collection in aid of the Salvation Army Homeless Appeal.

Check out our video online at iwobserver.co.uk.

The Vectis Brass Band played at the Salvation Army headquarters on Sunday, November 25, for their annual Christmas concert.

12

News

@iwobserver

Newport’s Christmas switch on

Over 60 children from the Federation of Carisbrooke CE and Newport CE Primary schools choir sang to Islanders in the Sts Thomas minster.

The IW Ambulance service showed off their incident support unit, giving the public the opportunity to see behind the scenes of how they manage critical incidents. It was also a chance for the public to ask questions and view the vehicle.

The NHS choir fought the wet weather in St James

Square to entertain the crowd before handing over to celebrity gardener Alan Titchmarsh who pushed the plunger to light up Christmas for a festive and packed out St Thomas Square on Saturday, November 24.

Attendees braved the wind and rain to watch the stunning Christmas tree light up.

Breakfast show hosts Paul Topping and Emily Wells from Isle of Wight Radio provided the tunes and there was fun for all the family.

iwobserver

Violent crime creates nine ‘no go’ zones for IW ambulance crews

News

Do you have a news story to tell?

Call us on 01983 214264

During 2017/18 there were 189 assaults on staff.

Violence against NHS staff on the Island mean nine addresses have been “red flagged” and ambulance crews will no longer attend.

The Isle of Wight NHS Trust said flagging an address (not an area) is a measure put in place for a limited period of time indicating that staff need to take extra care and additional support, meaning police or another ambulance vehicle should be requested.

During 2017/18 there were 189 (183 in 2016/17) assaults on staff of which 176 (174 in 2016/17) were due to a mental health or physical condition impacting on their capacity.

Thirteen assaults were criminal acts and were dealt with by the police.

There were 374 (293 in 2016/17) reports of verbal abuse.

Due to conflict resolution training, staff are more likely to report these incidents as there are more support mechanisms in place to safely manage these situations.

Security were called 411 times to assist the wards with situations such as violence and aggression, verbal altercations causing alarm and distress and missing patients.

Victoria White, head of ambulance at Isle of Wight NHS Trust said: “We abhor violence against ambulance staff which will not be tolerated.

“We will support any action that would see the perpetrators punished to the full extent of the law.

“Like other ambulance services we have wellestablished procedures to protect staff as far as

Schoolgirl in purse theft A schoolgirl has allegedly snatched a woman’s purse from her shopping trolley at Newport’s Asda.

The victim claims the schoolgirl was in Ryde Academy uniform, and was quick to run off with the purse before she could be caught up to.

“The school are being very helpful with things,” added the victim.

A spokesman for Hampshire Constabulary said: “The incident is reported to have occurred between 12pm and 12.20pm yesterday in the Asda car park in St George’s Way, Newport.

“The 22-year-old victim had been shopping and took her trolley back to the bay and returned to her car. She then realised she had left her purse in the trolley.

“She then saw a young girl in school uniform take the purse out of the trolley and head into the store.

“She believed the girl was going to hand the purse in but when she checked with staff, nothing had been handed in.”

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting crime reference number: 44180442545.

possible against violence and aggression while on duty and to support anyone who has been subjected to verbal or physical assaults in the course of their work.

“This includes flagging addresses where concerns have been raised in the past, CCTV inside ambulances and the recent introduction of body worn cameras.”

Rob Jubb, local security management specialist in the Health, Safety and Security Team at Isle of Wight NHS Trust added: “Physical assaults on NHS staff increased by nearly 10 per cent nationally last year.

“The collection of data on the number of assaults is vital to measure the actual level of threat our staff face.

This enables us to identify trends of when and in what settings assaults take place.

The flagging system is needed so that appropriate prevention measures can be introduced.

“The Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Bill from November 2018 supports the maximum sentence for a new offence of assault or battery against health care staff or an emergency workers and will double the sentence from six months to 12 months in prison. As an organisation we will pursue criminal sanctions against anyone who assaults our staff.”

An IW NHS Trust spokesman said: “We declined to identify where the addresses are on the basis of patient confidentiality.

What was a flagged address for the last two weeks may not be flagged tomorrow.”

13

14

News

@iwobserver

Paddle steamer on journey to restoration

The Iconic Paddle Steamer Ryde has been saved as restoration enthusiasts enter into a contract to purchase the vessel.

The rusty and derelict

vessel, also known as the Ryde Queen, caught the eye of restorer Lisa Turner, who owns a ship restoration company.

She organised a fundraiser

to get the purchase started and just last week, she and her team signed a contract for the ship’s purchase.

In a 24 month venture, starting in April, the ship

will start it’s return to glory journey. The vessel must be broken into eight pieces and taken away for restoration work.

Prestigious in Porchfield A Porchfield Caravan Club and campsite has won a prestigious national award in its first year of business.

Owners Ed and Carole Jewett have never ran any kind of hospitality business before.

So naturally, they were very pleased to receive the Location of the Year Best Newcomer Award from the Caravan Club for their Rodgebrook Farm site.

The couple were just looking for something to do with a spare field when they started the business, but ended up being treated to an awards ceremony at the Houses of Parliament on November 20.

They were given a tour of the government buildings and the Rt Honourable Jeremy Wright, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport presented

them with their award in a room below the House of Commons.

Mr Jewett said their first year in business had been “extraordinary” and that all their guests, who nominated the site for the award, had been “quite fantastic”.

The 74-year-old described himself as a “Jack of all trades” and began his working career as an oceanographic engineer, providing information for the oil industry and dragging icebergs off the coast of Labrador in northern Canada.

He then spent ten years in transport, and worked as the operations manager for Yarmouth Harbour.

Now he’s happy growing fresh vegetable and spoiling guests with them.

Let’s hope they go from strength to strength.

Ed and Carole Jewett at their Caravan Club site in Porchfield.

Actor James Nesbitt (R) presents Lifeline with their award in the Grand Ballroom at the London Hilton on Park Lane.

Nesbitt makes it for Island security firm Newport based Lifeline Alarms & Security Services has won the acclaimed Small Security Installer of the Year Award at the National Security and Fire Excellence Awards held at the prestigious London Hilton on Park Lane.

This is the second time that the company has scooped the award over the past six years and have been finalists four times; a reflection of the value placed on the awards and the high standards of solution and service provided

by Lifeline.

The awards event and ceremony was held on November 21 in The Grand Ballroom at the prestigious London Hilton on Park Lane with an audience of over

1,000 gathered to celebrate the industry’s best and brightest.

The event was hosted by leading Irish actor James Nesbitt, who presented the award to Mark and the team present on stage from Lifeline.

The award category was sponsored by IPSA the Independent Professional Security Association.

Established in 1990, Lifeline are dedicated to protecting people, their homes, businesses, property and possessions across the Island and as the Islands leading provider are the highest accredited and acclaimed company in their field on the Island.

16

Features

Council data centre works planned this weekend Digital and online Isle of Wight Council services will be unavailable this weekend due to essential data centre works.

The work will impact all internal and external systems including council websites, networks, wi-fi and telephone services.

Critical and emergencytype services which protect the public will still operate during this time, such as WightCare and social care.

John Metcalfe, Isle of Wight Council chief executive, said: “Work is planned over the weekend because the need for many council services is greatly reduced over this time and will, therefore, not be impacted.

“We do apologise for any inconvenience this causes but the work to test the data centre is critical to meeting requirements of good

Alan Taylor’s legacy of testing

@iwobserver

building management.

“All of our services have business continuity plans in place to ensure our activities can continue in the event of unexpected incidents.

“If, for example, a major power cut on the Island affected our ICT services, we have plans in place to maintain council services in this event.

“We have been able to plan for this work in good time to ensure our community remains safe and protected.”

The council’s social media pages on Facebook and Twitter will still operate and be used in the event of sharing messages to the public.

However, these will not be monitored for general or emergency enquiries and should not be used to contact the council.

An islander with terminal prostate cancer organised a testing clinic in Ryde that was “utterly inundated” with patients on Saturday (November 23).

Alan Taylor’s terminal prostate cancer diagnosis lead him to think of the legacy he was leaving behind for his sons.

As the disease is genetic,

his boys have a 50 per cent chance of developing the condition.

“And that’s not the sort of legacy I want to leave them,” said Alan. “I want to make sure they know they’re involved in this, so they know about it.”

Alan organised prostatespecific antigen (PSA) cancer testing with Ryde Lions club and brought a team over from the mainland to collect blood from patients.

The PSA test is a blood test to help detect prostate cancer. But it’s not perfect and it can be expensive, which sometimes leads to men being dissuaded from taking it at their GP surgery, according to Alan.

The test measures the level of prostate-specific antigen in your blood and needs to be

done every 12 or six months to keep track of your levels.

Alan added: “We’ve been utterly inundated with people, we were expecting 180 people, we’ve settled for 230 in the end due to time constraints.

“We’ve tried to get men to understand this is a yearly occurrence, he needs to be checked on a yearly basis, the PSA test is only a blood test.

It’s not anybody doing any internal checks or anything like that.

“It isn’t the actual result you get on the day, that tells you if you’ve got cancer or not, it’s a trend.”

If you catch prostate cancer early you stand a better chance of beating it.

“It can be eliminated from the system, as long as it’s caught early,” said Alan

“It may well be that a man turns up at his GP, asks for it, but is dissuaded from taking it because he doesn’t have any symptoms.

“Now I myself didn’t have symptoms and it was found in me. Numerous members of my group had no symptoms and they have prostrate cancer.

“If you are a man, in your fifties, get a PSA test.

“If you’ve got someone in the family that has had prostate cancer, then get it at 40. Because your chances of getting it are so, so much higher. Get tested.”

Also in the high risk group are West Indian and Asian men who should also get tested at age 40. Last year, 48,000 men were diagnosed and 11,800 died.

Rave against cancer in Ryde Survivor’s story of prostate cancer Rave Against Cancer is in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. Entry is £5 and 100 per cent of proceeds go to the charity.

A spokesperson for the event said: “Our last Rave Against event raised £837.

“We are kitting the Marine Bar out with lasers, lights, smoke machines and a weighty sound system in order to to turn it into a fully fledged micro nightclub for one day only.

“Lineup is compromised of

local drum and bass talent playing sounds both from the early days and the cutting edge of the genre, so there is something for the original 90s ravers and the new generation.

“Doors open at 9pm and music is until 2am.

“It’s a night out that can make a real difference and we are proud to be raising money for a charity that is on the front line of the fight against cancer.”

Jeff Troke travelled from Freshwater to the Queen Alexandria Hospital in Portsmouth every day to receive his radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

He says the journey would often take six or seven hours, and was an exhausting experience.

He says the proposed £60,000 a year cut to subsidised cross-Solent travel for renal and

cancer patients will have devastating effects.

Jeff added: “The only thing they were helping me with was the hovercraft fare really, everything else was additional.

“The treatment is very tiring. You don’t sleep very well. You just feel really unwell with it. It just takes over your life really. You can’t sort of do a job or anything else.”

Jeff ignored some twinges and found himself going to the loo more and more. He admits he shouldn’t have done, and recommends that anyone who is experiencing problems see their doctor immediately.

Thankfully, Jeff is now in remission, but he urges all men in their forties and fifties to get tested.

iwobserver

Christmas day no holiday for Air Ambulance crews

Island Roads go back to school to educate As part of Road Safety Week, Island Roads staff visited Brighstone Primary School to talk to pupils about the importance of staying safe near roadworks.

Structures project manager Jo Saunders and senior district steward Matt Shaw spoke to children from years 4, 5 and 6 about the wide range of work carried out by Island Roads with an emphasis on safety issues.

Island Roads staff have been a regular sight in and around Brighstone recently, with highways improvement works taking place in roads at the front and rear of the school, as well as along the Military Road nearby.

During the talk, children took part in a short quiz and were shown safety clothing worn by Island Roads staff. They also received a demonstration of some of the safety equipment used

by Island Roads and why it is needed.

Pupils also participated in a safety clothing challenge which involved dressing one of the teachers in high viz protective workwear, much to the amusement of the children.

Island Roads is keen to spread safety messages around their work sites and also in general and is planning more talks to schools in the future.

The Critical Care Teams at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) respond to emergencies across the South, 365 days a year. For them, Christmas day is no exception.

The charity relies on support from the community and local businesses to help raise the £15,000 a day needed to keep the Air Ambulance flying and saving lives.

This Christmas, the charity has come up with a novel way for you to have some fun and raise vital funds.

Hairy 4 HIOWAA begins on the December 1 and supporters are urged to grow a glorious beard or tash for cash. Individuals are also encouraged to host a Hairy

4 HIOWAA day at school or work and donate £2 to the cause.

Steven North, a former patient of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, has already started growing his beard! Steven was airlifted to University Hospital Southampton on his 38th birthday after he fell 50ft from a bridge in Basingstoke, having been struck by a car.

Steven said: “I had over 20 fractures in my arm, spine, pelvis and legs. I had to undergo 17 operations but, due to the extent of the injuries, I lost my lower right leg.

“It is only thanks to the HIOWAA Critical Care Team that I got to hospital as

quickly as I did; they saved my life!

“If it wasn’t for them, I probably wouldn’t be here today. Growing a beard to raise money for them means I’ll be helping this vital lifesaving service to continue flying and saving lives.

My life changed in an instant and the same could happen to any one of us.”

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance will be there for you this Christmas.

Show your support for them by getting Hairy! Share your photos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, using the hashtag #Hairy4HIOWAA. For more ideas and to donate, visit the Charity website www.hiowaa.org.

Features

17

News in brief Man released under investigation An East Cowes man has been released without charge after he was arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm or imitation firearm.

Police are still investigating the incident which saw the 33-year-old rushed by officers outside Co-op in York Avenue, East Cowes, before 7.30pm on November 23.

Emergency response in Yarmouth Freshwater fire crews and the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service worked together in a medical emergency on Thursday afternoon (November 29).

Both emergency services worked in tandem to ensure the safety of an individual after they had a medical episode at the wheel of their car near Yarmouth.

18

News

Borthwood’s best beast Isle of Wight and mainland farmers gathered at Lake Farm in Rookley on Monday morning (November 26) for the annual Gilten Market.

Farmers bring their cattle and sheep to be judged and auctioned off ready for Christmas every year.

The winner of the competition is then crowned “best beast” and has its horns gilt (painted gold) by the High Sheriff Gioia Minghella-Giddens, before auction.

She said: “I think it is a marvellous tradition. One of the things we do very well in our community is preserve the traditions of rural life and we have fun at the same time.”

Richard Dennis of Borthwood Farm, Alverstone, was the owner of the “best beast”.

He said: “It’s a great honour to come here and to win is a fantastic achievement. We put a lot of work into it — we’ll start preparing for next year’s event in January.”

Matt Legge, Isle of Wight County Chairman for the NFU said: “We’ve tried to bring some of the younger kids into this. There’s a lot of kids involved in farming on the Island. We’ve brought in a young shepherd’s class for children under 18 where they can show a single lamb.”

@iwobserver

Scan here to see video and picture gallery online Laurie Calloway, the High Sheriff Gioia Minghella-Giddens and Richard Dennis.

Matt Legge, NFU chairman for the Isle of Wight.

The Reserve Gild.

The best beast on show.

Decisions, decisions.

The Dennis family.

Sheep were also on display.

iwobserver

Front row guide: Theatre Listings Medina Theatre Tel: 01983 823884 medinatheatre.co.uk

Entertainment

Isle of Wight Winner

19

Viva Neil Diamond, Fri, 30/11/2018 Bob Drury “one of the world’s finest vocal tributes to Neil Diamond” is back touring the UK with his new show.

Blake - Christmas Classics, Sat, 01/12/2018 Back by popular demand, BritAward-winning vocalists BLAKE celebrate Christmas in style.

Vienna Festival Ballet - The Nutcracker Thu, 06/12/2018 Be swept away on a magical adventure in one of the most famous classical ballets of all time.

Vienna Festival Ballet - Coppélia Wed, 05/12/2018 Coppélia appeals to audiences of all ages with its story of an eccentric toymaker and his beloved doll.

The 1Leisure Professional Darts Masters Fri, 07/12/2018 Featuring one the best darts player on the planet, Michael Van Gerwen.

Shanklin Theatre Tel: 01983 868000 shanklintheatre.com

Glenn Koppany knows his way around a fretboard.

Isle of Wight songwriter Glenn Koppany has won a prestigious annual competition with his song ‘Mary Gonna Marry a Silkie Boy’. This years competition, organised by Watford Folk Song Club, was for newlywritten songs on the theme of Folklore and Superstition.

In mythology, a silkie is a seal with the power to change into human form.

Ten finalists assembled in Watford to perform their songs to an enthusiastic audience.

Entries had come from far and wide so competition was fierce but the trophy was finally awarded to Glenn.

Having learned to play the guitar as a teenager,

Glenn gained performance experience mainly by busking. He soon started songwriting, too.

His songs cover a wide range of topics, with protest songs and strong messages a particular interest. After studying community arts, Glenn now works as a music practitioner with the elderly and adults who have learning difficulties.

Glenn performs with Linda O’Connor in the duo Coppersmith. This year, their tuneful harmonies have been featured at Rhythmtree, Ventnor Fringe and IW Amnesty International events as well as smaller gatherings.

Michael Starring Ben, Fri, 30/11/2018 Michael® starring Ben is a jaw-dropping and magical tribute to the King Of Pop Michael Jackson.

Talon - The Best of Eagles, Sat, 01/12/2018 This world class seven-piece band are a phenomenon and have truly transcended the tag of ‘tribute’.

Spotlight (IOW) Ltd Presents The Magic of Christmas Sun, 02/12/2018 A one-off show before their next pantomime, Sleeping Beauty.

Tom Allen Absolutely Wed , 05/12/2018 Sharp, acerbic wit and camp, riotous storytelling has seen him sell out shows all over the country.

Russian State Ballet present the Nutcracker Mon, 02/12/2018 Music by Pyotr I. Tchaikovsky Featuring live Orchestra with over 30 musicians.

A show is born

By FolkOnWight

John Hacker, hacking away at the strings.

Vectis Radio has a sparkling new weekly show. Last Wednesday marked the first broadcast of The Folk Show presented by singer and guitar teacher John (Lee) Hacker. John is well known among the Island folk community as a gifted solo performer and as one of the popular trio Second Time Around.

A folk music fan from the day he first picked up a guitar, John has a comprehensive knowledge of recorded music to call on when putting together his shows. Although he admits to flirting with other musical styles from time to time, John has always returned to

his first love, folk music. As well as guitar, he also plays mandola and banjo.

Plans for The Folk Show include early blues and roots music from all over the world as well as contemporary and traditional folk. There will be live music from Island performers and interviews, too. The excellent first show featured harmony group Guith with their songs about historical Island events.

The Folk Show is broadcast on Wednesday evenings between 7 and 9pm on FM 104.6 or vectisradio.com. If you miss it, the music and interviews are uploaded to vectis radio iplayer a few days later.

20

News

@iwobserver

DECADeANCE does it again

It started in 2009 as a oneoff charity dance party to celebrate Island DJ Tony Martin’s 30 years in the business.

The event was a huge success, selling out of all 500 tickets and raising a total of £5,200 for two local charities, Barely Born

and the Earl Mountbatten Hospice, which had cared for Tony’s late mother, Eileen.

But the partygoers at that first event relished the mix

of music, nostalgia, energy and pure good fun and enjoyed it so much that Tony was persuaded it was a show that must go on.

Kathie and Keith have you covered for Christmas Iced Inspirations in Ryde has everything you need for your Christmas baking, no matter how extravagant or quaint you’d like to get with your inspired creations this year.

Kathie and Keith have had the family run business for 24 years but have over 40 years of experience in the business between them, so you know you’re in good hands with any quirky questions you might have.

This is their third location in Ryde, at 71 High Street and thousands of items can be ordered from their website with a click and collect service available too.

The pair have a truly massive range of cake boards, boxes and ribbons, including plenty of Christmas designs.

The business is happy to deliver on Wednesdays between 5.30pm and 9.30pm for the shockingly low price of £1 with no minimum order.

They promise their prices will be more

competitive than any other business you might come across on the Island.

Their selection of icing, marzipan, chocolate, flavourings, colourings, edible and non-edible cake decorations, cupcake and petit four cases, cake frills, Christmas bakeware, tins, cake decorating equipment and accessories knows no bounds - just pop

in and see it for yourself.

There’s also Christmas themed packaging for sweets, chocolates, fudge, cookies, cakes, mince pies and more.

Gift vouchers are available and the store is open every day, including Sundays, in the run up to Christmas.

Visit iced-inspirations. co.uk for more info. Or call 01983 811409.

News

iwobserver

Diwali delights A sterling evening of dancing, singing and traditional Indian cuisine was put on to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of light on November 24.

Over 220 people attended

the event at Gurnard Pines, opened officially by Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely, who lit a lamp and later joined in with the traditional dancing, busting some real saucy moves.

There was Choreographed entertainment by Anupama Singh, involving dancers and singers, with turns from both children and adults which lasted around an hour and was enjoyed by all.

Tributes were also paid to Bollywood superstar Sridevi who died earlier this year.

A raffle raised ÂŁ275 for the Hampshire and IW Air Ambulance at the event too.

21

22

News

@iwobserver

Holmesy!

The David Holmes Column

Bored of Bob

Aspire held a build your own hamper event over the weekend.

Fill your box with joy Isle of Access and Aspire Ryde held their first ever Christmas Hamper event on Saturday, November 24.

The Trinity Buildings in Dover Street, Ryde, invited customers to bring their own basket, box or receptacle or Last Sunday, island MP Bob Seely tweeted that he’s bored of Brexit, I think that’s insulting to Islander’s, anxiously waiting to see if it actually happens.

I must remind you that Bob backs Theresa’s old-nag of a Brexit deal, although with war-horse General Jack Seely as a great great uncle, you might have thought he knew more about backing horses? I’ve been reading up on Bob, surprisingly with this historical horsey background, it doesn’t look like he was ever in the cavalry, and as far as I can tell, he didn’t go to University either.

His CV has huge gaps, so for all we know he may have been working as a stable-lad?

He definitely was a Sergeant, I think in the TA reserve, he spent time in Iraq, apparently ‘reporting back to HQ’.

This journalistic work obviously delighted his masters, because last year, as well as being elected MP, the army awarded him with a military MBE and commissioned him at Sandhurst as a Captain.

Without doubt 2017 at Bob’s house – wherever that is- must have passedby with a ying and a yang and a yippiddeedoo, although stupidly, I had always assumed that Harrow school old-boys automatically became

officers, signed up at birth just as your parents put your name down for a public-school place?

Last week I suggested local Tories should tell Bob that we’re more interested in a proper Brexit than Putin, but last Friday, tuning-in to LBC radio, I heard him again, this time with Eddie Mair, discussing the poor student (now released) convicted of spying in Dubai. Yes folks, Bored of Brexit Bob’s the oracle on the United Arab Emirates, as well as Iraq, Syria and

“But

wait, Bob may not be the plonker he appears, this could be Bob at his bally best” the Saudi’s. Clearly Tory’s here hadn’t yet spoken to him, so if you bump into Bob, and he’s not asleep or yawning, please, urge him to focus on local issues, Brading not Baghdad, Fairlee not Farsi. And if you’re brave enough to take on an old soldier, you might ask him why he thinks we should pay for his Russian obsession, when we badly need an MP who will work for the

island?

The following day, with the rest of the nation gripped by Brexit fever, I learned Bored Bob had been asking some important questions at Westminster. Was he forensically examining Theresa’s dodgy-deal; was he suggesting important changes to her gobbledegook text, or did he have some fresh new ideas for the Irish border conundrum? Er, no, Bob was demanding to know ’when will there be a new round of funding to support new and upgraded cycle routes on the island, particularly around Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport?’

Oh dear, it seems bored Bob thinks he’s doing a great job, asking jolly important questions about cycle paths, or writing letters to those unreliable ferry companies, saying he’ll be jolly cross indeed if they don’t pull their socks up sharpish.

But wait, Bob may not be the plonker he appears, this could be Bob at his bally best, spelling out to Theresa - in barely coded terms - that the price of his support for her dead-duck Brexit, will be improved cycle paths for the Isle of Wight, and if he doesn’t get them, he won’t vote for her cowpat of a deal?

purchase one at the church.

Then patrons were invited to fill their boxes with all kinds of great Christmas presents that were mostly locally produced.

There was also the chance to join in with some Christmas

crafting.

Sellers were able to pitch up for between £5 and £15 each.

Aspire Ryde is a charity that aims to service the community through the repurposing of an old church.

You could bring your own basket to the extra special event.

CQC good rating for council care homes Two Isle of Wight Council care homes have maintained their high ratings, despite tougher inspections.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has again judged both Northwood’s Venner Avenue and Shanklin’s Plean Dene care homes – both for people with learning difficulties - as good overall.

The new ratings follow last year’s overhaul by the care watchdog to make its inspection regime more rigorous.

In the respective reports, the CQC said both homes were safe, effective, caring and well led, and inspectors praised the kindness of

staff and effectiveness of managers.

Councillor Clare Mosdell, Cabinet member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, said: “In the last year we’ve introduced improvement plans across all our care homes which look after people with learning disabilities.

“I’m pleased to see the impact of the work we’ve done has been recognised by the CQC in their ratings for Plean Dene and Venner Avenue.”

The council has invested in extra staff and more training for registered managers, alongside additional support from senior managers.

Dr Carol Tozer, director of Adult Social Care for the Isle of Wight Council, said: “I wish to pay tribute to Chris Grimes of Plean Dene and Louise Ixer of Venner Avenue for all the hard work with their colleagues to provide quality support to our residents.

“I know how much they both valued the training to help improve the quality of care their home provides.

“Our improvement plans are not all yet complete but the ratings by the CQC are testament to the fact we are making effective progress.

“As a provider, our ambition is to become outstanding in all of our care homes.”

Letters

iwobserver

Island Soapbox

23

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 500 words please.

NHS in crisis Sally Jones, Cowes

More on the Floaty Colin Greene, Cowes

I was interested to read last weeks front page Observer article, ‘NHS in Crisis’, along with the David Holmes Column.

Having lost all of our Island cottage hospitals, St Mary’s, our one and only remaining island hospital, is struggling with what many consider to be a deliberately engineered deficit. It is a well known corporate practice to underfund a company, or organisation, if you want to undermine its existence.

As a means of survival, St Mary’s is undergoing a huge operational review with the intention of saving money by downsizing and moving many medical services to either the mainland, or outsourcing them to the private sector. This has huge implications for patients, and those dependent upon using many of its currently available services.

Much has been said about the cost of travel for island NHS Patients to the Mainland. Our MP Bob Seely hopes to secure a £5 ferry fare, the same concession many offshore based NHS Patients receive elsewhere in the UK, however Bob appears very reluctant to speak out, or challenge, the savage cuts being inflicted on services at St Mary’s, which will necessitate many more island NHS patients having to travel to the mainland..

Those who have made the harrowing journey to either SGH or QA know only too

well ferry fares are but a very small part of the pain, and indeed overall cost.

Firstly, you have to travel to the ferry port, possibly find somewhere close by to park and pay. On the mainland there is then the cost, and stress, of travelling to and from either Southampton General Hospital or Queen Alexandra Hospital, neither are close to the ferry terminals.

Your article ‘NHS in crisis’ evidenced our closest Mainland Hospitals are experiencing many of the same pressures on beds and squeezed services as St Mary’s, with missed targets that are often worse. The idea that the extra burden of NHS patients from the island will be welcomed with open arms by those staff already struggling to deliver services on the mainland is naive in the extreme, added to which there is no evidence to suggest the necessary infrastructure has been put in place to cope with an increased number of NHS patients from the Isle of Wight .

During the recent debate on island hospital services the representative on the panel from the mainland revealed the STP strategy, stating island patients receiving treatment in SGH or QA would stay for as short a time as possible. But will a ‘ship them in, ship them out’ culture be in keeping with a caring recovery pathway,

particularly for elderly and frail patients?

Moving on to David Holmes’s column. I agree with many of his sentiments.

The island desperately needs an MP of real substance.

Sadly, Bob Seely seems more preoccupied with self promotion, be it on Radio 4, or fluffy cameos appearances on BBC’s News Night, in addition to ingratiating himself with his Party’s hierarchy in Westminster, rather than confronting and speaking out about many of the substantive constituency issues requiring very urgently attention here on the island. St Mary’s Hospital desperately needs to be properly funded, adequately equipped and resourced to meet the basic everyday needs of our growing island population here on the Isle of Wight, now and for well into the future.

The Conservative Party’s continuous rhetoric of promising jam tomorrow, along with its deliberate lethargic response to the crisis facing our NHS, dare I suggest is not fooling anyone.

Bob Seely has said, ‘judge me by my results’, I am sure the island community will be doing just that, and indeed will be doing the same with his Party colleagues in County Hall; holding them all to account in the next Parliamentary and County Council Elections.

As a post script; in his defence Councillor Ian Ward implied (IWO 16/11) the ‘Floaty’ contract was issued under the previous administration, but he robustly defends current reliability and punctuality record. By his own admission he has served as Councillor since 2005 and was Chairman of the Council between 2013 and 2015 (Facebook). As Major in the Army and presumably qualified Engineer you

would think he was more than suitable qualified to oversee such a project even after issue by the previous administration.

Bear in mind it is inconceivable as Chairman he would not have had some oversight during the design concept, approval and budget at that time.

So to imply it happened on someone else’s watch is a bit rich in my view. Of course thats easy to say, difficult to disprove! If you’ve search

Blue Badge warning

County records you will know many records and committee’s minutes are sealed or protected. It is not time these were opened so public scrutiny can assessed who knew what, when? £6.5m is a huge amount of public money and according to Mr Ward, would amount to 65% of the £10m annual capital budget. At double the original budget surely there must now be some accountability in this matter.

Patients come first?

H. Carter, Cowes

Mrs Linda Scares May I, through your good offices, warn Blue Badge holders renewing their badges through the IW Council that they could be without a badge for two to six weeks due to the council’s current system. · I am currently without a badge (it expired on November 19). · I applied for renewal on September 4. · I received a request for further information (10 page form) on November 1 (apparently they don’t look at applications until four weeks before the expiry of the old badge). · I was told that an appointment for assessment

would be made in December (they are currently running four weeks behind). · As I was able to take up a cancelled Assessment on November 14 I am hopeful of getting my badge in the next few weeks (allow two weeks for submission, printing and return of the badge from the mainland).

Please would you let other disabled people know that this could happen with their application, and that wheelchair users like myself, who can’t utilise ordinary parking spaces, may have considerable difficulties and incur extra expenses.

With reference to Michael Pugh’s letter, ‘We want our beds back’ The IW NHS Trust website states St Mary’s has 246 beds. A few weeks ago, ahead of this years ‘Winter Pressures’ I asked the IW NHS Trust Board how many hospital beds St Mary’s has.

In Novembers Trust Board Papers they confirmed the number now was 220 beds. 26 bed fewer, or viewed another way, a 10% reduction.

One could be forgiven in thinking the IW NHS Trust’s strategy to become more and more efficient and save money is to continually reduce hospital bed capacity.

It would be interesting to know if Executive Board members and their salaries have also been reduced by 10 per cent.

Sorry to carp on but...

H.B. Wich, Cowes Post Brexit will the fish in British waters have freedom of movement? ...and will any migrant fish be deported?

24

IW Jobfinder

GET THE MOST FROM REMOTE WORKING Remote working is on the increase with employers discovering a rise in productivity from remote workforces.

Working from the comfort of home is appealing, but not without challenges.

Jacquelyn Smith from remote working specialist firm Remote.co identified four key challenges in this area and offered solutions to overcome them; Challenge: Temptation to stay in pyjamas and work from bed.

Solution: Don’t! Get up and get dressed.

Challenge:Sluggish technology.

Solution: Speed things up by using cloud storage.

Challenge: Working too much.

ADVERTISE YOUR JOB HERE

@iwobserver

Solution: Shut down your computer at the end of the workday.

Challenge: Distractions from friends and family.

Solution: Educate your family and friends on your work situation.

These 4 solutions from Remote.co are simple and incredibly effective when used collectively. As a remote worker, one of the best tips I was given was to keep my routine, act as though I was still heading into ‘the office’. It really works! I achieve more when dressed and ready for the day at my desk, than curled up with my laptop on the sofa.

At home you may not have the superfast systems you enjoyed in the workplace and it can be frustrating waiting

to start up, open files and run programs so Remote. co recommend taking advantage of cloud storage to keep your computer running faster; “That’s right: you can free up space on your computer by saving all your files to the cloud. Dropbox, for example, offers secure cloud storage plans with features like file recovery and version history, so you’ll never accidentally lose a file or project again. This can also help you maintain your high productivity levels, since you won’t have to spend time trying to recover lost files.”

Remote workers also overcompensate, to show how effective they can be from home. It is tempting to always be online, and a sure-

fire shortcut to burnout!

Having predictable hours helps with productivity. If your day ends at 5pm, you are more likely to complete your work, not letting it spill into your free time. Turning off devices is key, forcing you to consciously decide whether to restart everything just to refresh emails.

Friends and family need to know that when you are working, you’re not available and to recognise remote working as of equal value to working elsewhere. Remote. co say “Sometimes remote workers have a decent amount of flexibility—but it doesn’t mean they’re free to chat on the phone for hours on end, or meet for long brunches, or constantly help with last-minute favours.”

Structured hours help with this too, so let friends and

family know your schedule.

With support from those around you, structured hours and ditching a few of

the home comforts, you can make remote working work for you, opening the door to increased productivity and job satisfaction.

St Catherine’s is a national charity, based in Ventnor on the Isle of Wight The school wishes to appoint an enthusiastic, energetic and forward-thinking Speech and Language Therapist.

For further information and to download an application form, visit stcatherines.org.uk

Tel: 01983 216200 HR Administrator

IMMEDIATE START Pertemps currently have an exciting opportunity for a HR Administrator to join a large, well respected organisation on a temporary contract; based on 35 hours a week Monday to Friday starting in the coming week until the 21st December.

The ideal candidate will have HR experience, alongside a proven trackrecord as a diligent and efficient administrator.

Please call us immediately on 01983 533235

CLEANERS REQUIRED We need you for our Island-wide eco-friendly cleaning service.

If you can be flexible with hours (up to 20hrs per week), be available to clean weekdays & Saturdays, have a car & driving licence, and enjoy making a home sparkle then we would like to hear from you!

For more information please call us on

01983 716464

STONEHOUSE THE SLOOP INN

We are on the hunt for an awesome superstar to join our team!

Prior experience working in a food business is preferred, but not essential as full training will be provided.

Email a cover letter and your current CV to: sloopinnryde@stonehouserestaurants.co.uk

IW Jobfinder

25

EMPLOYEE PROFILE iwobserver

It takes a dedication and commitment to work in veterinary care and if a career looking after animals interests you, there are a range of vital roles within veterinary practice to consider.

Frances Jones is a Veterinary Nurse working with a new veterinary service.

Company: Island VetCare / Island Referrals Role: Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) When did you join the team?

We opened in February 2018 whilst I was on maternity leave, I joined in April but I visited the practice regularly during design and build so it feels like I’ve been with them from the start!

Frances Jones

What made you apply for this company?

They approached me as I’d previously worked with some of the team and had experience setting up a new practice. I loved the challenge of helping launch a new service with such caring, dedicated and skilled staff.

Previously there wasn’t a facility for pets needing care from a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) specialist on the Island so our centre massively reduces the stress and expense of travelling to the mainland.

How have you progressed in the role?

Ten years ago, I started in the veterinary world as a receptionist. After my first daughter was born, I trained as a Registered Veterinary Nurse. It took three years to train and I still undertake continuing professional development every year to keep my registration and continue to practice.

I’ve learnt so much from clinical skills to practice management.

How have you changed since joining the team?

I am now a clinical coach, responsible for helping train future Veterinary Nurses.

I’ve developed confidence to take on more challenging procedures from being in such a positive, supportive environment with everyone sharing knowledge and experience.

What are the challenges of working in your role?

Having to constantly shift focus with each patient; one minute I’m giving advice on feeding a new puppy, then I’m comforting an elderly cat in their last moments or dealing with an emergency that’s just arrived. It’s challenging to manage the whole spectrum of human emotion in a really short space of time.

What are the best things about your job?

How varied it is! In the last week I’ve done a scale and polish on a dog’s teeth, assisted with major orthopaedic surgery, done a post-operative check on a rabbit, tested the pressure in a mouse lemurs’ eye and helped anaesthetise a tiger!

It’s very rewarding when we’ve had a seriously ill patient and we see them for their final check, happy, healthy and back with their family!

What does your working day look like?

The day starts with rounds, discussing patients we’ve had in overnight and planning for incoming patients and operations. We ensure theatre is set up, ready to admit our first operation.

We try to admit patients for planned procedures directly before we intend to start so they are not stressed in a kennel for hours beforehand.

Surgical procedures can take from 25 minutes for routine neutering up to several hours for more complex surgery. It can be a really long day! Once patients are in recovery with the kennel nurse, we fully clean down the theatre and surgical equipment.

A lot of an RVN’s day is spent cleaning! Then its nurse consultations including advice clinics, post-op checks, nail clipping, blood sampling and more! Then I start on insurance forms from clients and ensure we are stocked with equipment and medication for the

next day. We also assist the consulting vets with animal handling, running lab tests, taking samples and more cleaning!

What skills do you need to succeed in your role?

Patience, empathy, compassion, flexibility, adaptability, quick reflexes and a sense of humour!

What advice do you have for anyone looking for work right now?

Persevere. If there is a role you want, you will make it!

Remember your value, good employers see staff as great assets so be confident in your worth. Your relationship with your employer should be mutually beneficial, don’t settle!

26

Services

@iwobserver

Local Services - To advertise here please call us on 01983 214264

Observer

Computer Plus Servicing the Island for 30 years

Repairs, FREE Diagnostics, Quality refurbished laptops & desktops, Re-installations of Windows only £25 14 Scarrots Lane Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 1JD

freephone 0800 019 0119

SPECIALISTS IN BUILDS, EXTENSIONS & RENOVATIONS CONTACT US TODAY FOR A FREE CONSULTATION

Tel: 07772 099213

michael@ambuildersiw.co.uk

www.ambuildersltd.co.uk

STEVE COUSINS

MAN & VAN

Removals - Any job undertaken From whole house moves to single items - Full mainland coverage 10 Years experience

Ring Ben for quotes

07500 253334

HOUSE CLEARANCE & RUBBISH REMOVAL FULLY LICENSED

Reliable friendly service with competitive prices, items recycled whenever possible.

Tel: 01983 532424 Mob 07967 914038

Entertainment

iwobserver

Suguru

Sudoku

For Suguru fill the grid so that each cell contains a digit. A cold outlined cluster of two cells contains the digits 1 and 2, a cluster of three ontains 1,2 and 3 and so on. No same digit appears in any neighbouring cell, not even diagonally.

Crossword

Giant Crossword For last weeks Puzzle answers visit iwobserver.co.uk

Spot the differences

Can you find all eight differences between the two pictures from the news story below.

27

28

Sport

Sport Observer

By Peter White

Shanklin & Sandown Golf Club

Stef and Chris win Royal IW Trophy

Stef Brochocki and Chris Gould won Shanklin and Sandown Golf Club’s Royal Isle of Wight Trophy, 2018, beating Shawn Ford and Linda Piche in the final. Other results: Lady Captain’s Charity Day: 1, Catherine

Bachelor, Lynne Maidment, Philippa Warren 63; 2, Chris Gould, Hazel Smith, Ruth Graves 60; 3, Joyce Petrie, Brenda Keyte, Ronnie Hirst 59.

Open Stableford: 1,Rick Scoble 37pts; 2, Neil Hallett 34.

Newbridge edge past Newport In the Isle of Wight Billiard and Snooker League’s latest matches, Newbridge edged Newport Con 8-7.

D Cox (-37) put Newport 4-1 up against K. Whillier (-74), but for the second week running, Newbridge captain T. Whillier won 5-0, this time against V. Salter. Sandwiched between these games T. Phillips (-11) won 3-2 over

T. Rider.

Ryde B.L lost 8-7 against Chillerton. The first two matches went Chillerton’s way, R. Packer (54) beating T. Worsfold (45) 3-2 and A. Potts (-11) beating J. Barnes(40) 3-2.

J. Sprake (38) made a good comeback but it was not enough as T. Sleight (69) closed out for a 3-2 win.

Local football fixtures for Saturday (Dec 1) Hampshire FA Intermediate Cup Third Round Kick off 1.45pm Bournemouth Manor v East Cowes Sports Brading Town v Netley Central Sports Chamberlayne Athletic v Shanklin Compton v Whitecroft & Barton Sports Pan Sports v Tadley Calleva Reserves West Wight v Clanfield Hampshire FA Junior ‘A’ Cup Third Round East Cowes Sports Reserves v Wymering Kingsclere v AFC Wootton Newchurch v Tadley Calleva A Niton Community v Capital Oakfield Reserves v Fleet Spurs A Ryde Saints v Carisbrooke United Harwoods Renault Isle of Wight League Division One Kick off 2pm

Cowes Sports Reserves v Binstead & COB Osborne Coburg v Sandown Ventnor v Northwood St Johns Division Two Adgestone v Seaview East Cowes “A” v Wroxall Yarmouth & Calbourne v Oakfield Combination One Binstead & COB v West Wight Northwood St Johns v Ventnor Sandown v Brading Town Shanklin v Osborne Coburg Combination Two AFC Wootton v Newchurch Bembridge v Yarmouth & Calbourne Carisbrooke United v Seaview The Ken Morris IOW Junior A Cup Whitecroft & Barton Sports Reserves v Brighstone

Latest results from Newport Golf Club Thursday Stableford:1, Robert Robinson (17) 35pts; 2, John Godwin (9) 34, 3, James Orchard (10) 33.

Sunday Stableford: 1, Mark Hancott (5) 37pts; 2 Rex Ringer (10) 33; 3, Gary Marshall (5) 31.

Cowes & District Snooker League - Week 8 Results: WC Con 4, Lib A 3. Con C 4, Con A 3. Lib C 2, Con B 5.

Highest breaks: G. Brown (Con C) and R. Green (WC Con), 40.

Pl WC Con 8 Con C 8 Con B 8 Lib A 8 Lib C 8 Con A 8

W 33 32 29 26 25 23

L 23 24 27 30 31 33

Dif 195 223 62 4 -157 -327

Pts 33 32 29 26 25 23

@iwobserver

Brian’s dream is fulfilled

By Peter White

When the late Brian Gardener set out to fulfil his dream of building a cricket ground on the Isle of Wight capable of accommodating County Championship matches, nothing was going to stop him.

The immaculate Newclose ground, on the edge of Newport, was completed in 2009, thanks to Brian’s tireless efforts and determination, couple with around £2million of his own money to fund the ambitious project.

So Phase One was complete. Sadly, Brian died nearly four years ago, so did not see the realisation of the second phase of his bold venture - persuading County Championship Division One side, Hampshire, to come across the Solent for a fullfour day game.

But this week, when the English Cricket Board unveiled their fixtures for the new season, there for all to see was: Monday, May 20, Hampshire v Nottinghamshire.

Venue:

Newclose County Cricket Ground Isle of Wight.

The showpiece match between Hampshire and Nottinghamshire could well feature several England players, including Notts pair Stuart Broad and Alex Hales, provided they are not included in the international squad for the ICC World Cup. But whoever does take to the field for the four-day game, it will provide a fitting tribute to Brian, and what he has achieved for not just cricket fans on the Island, but for our profile in the game, and hopefully a tourist boost in May. Hugh Griffiths, trustee and volunteer general manager of Newclose, said: “It is particularly good news for us, and hopefully it will help us raise funds for the Newclose charity.

“This is what Brian always dreamed of, and now it has come true. He set up the ground for the benefit of Isle of Wight cricket, and cricket on a national level through Hampshire. As we

good for the Island to have another top event, and as we

will also become the newest cricket out-ground, and as

The late Brian Gardener. lost Bestival a few years ago, this can become a festival of cricket. It is an opportunity for people of all ages on the Island to get more actively involved in the game.”

Hugh added: “Newclose

such a lot of fans who pride themselves on visiting every county ground in the country will be coming over here, so this is also a great tourism opportunity for the Island.”

Help Island Games team Team Isle of Wight are hoping to take part in the next Island Games in Gibraltar in July next year - but need your help. A crowdfunding appeal has been set up to raise money to send the 142-strong squad to compete in athletics, badminton, basketball, cycling, judo, sailing, shooting, squash, swimming, table tennis, tennis, and triathlon against other Islands worldwide.

Each competitor needs around £800, and Martin Goodall, chairman of the Isle of Wight Island Games Association, said: “We don’t want money to stop us from taking the best team possible. Many of those we could select are at school or college or not working for different reasons.”

The event runs from July 6 to 12,2019. To donate, visit teamiow.org.uk

Team Isle of Wight ladies football squad.

Brading fall and EPP top

EPP maintained their 100% record in Division One of the Leslies Motors Indoor League following their two- wicket win against previously unbeaten Brading, scored 122-4 (Alan Johns 26no).

But it was not enough to overcome EPP who made 128-4 (Ben Attrill 26no).

Shanklin & Godshill 1 (1344) secured their second win by overcoming Prison

Officers (128).

Simon Wratten (44) top scored for the Officers but 35no from Steve Egerton-Read and 26 from Nathan Moore saw Shanklin & Godshill 1 home, while Ryde (124-5) defeat Northwood (80-5) by 44 runs. In Division Two Island Bakeries beat Cowes by just three runs. The Bakers reached 153-3 but Cowes fought back only falling just

short on 150-5 on the last ball. Newport hit the highest score of the evening (1913) to beat the IW Disability Team (100-3). Sunday (Dec 2) fixtures: Div 1: Brading v Shanklin & Godshill 1 (7pm), EPP v Prison Officers (9pm).

Div 2: Cowes v IW Disability Team (5pm), Newport v Shanklin & Godshill 2 (6pm), Island Bakeries v Ryde School (8pm).

Do you have a sports story to tell? Call 01983 214264

Sport

iwobserver

29

Elly gives help to Island riders British Showjumping coach Elly Wishart, who prides herself on representing grass -roots riders ‘as a one-horse rider with wilting money’, has held a pole jumping clinic at the Island Riding Centre.

It provided the chance for 16 Isle of Wight riders to receive expert advice on the

discipline.

A Forces Equine member, Elly Wishart is a brand ambassador for Jump 4 Joy, manufacturer of world class jumps, and is a qualified trainer having run training events for FE members, and competed at such venues as at Blenheim and Hickstead.

30

Sport

@iwobserver

Yachtsmen hoping for that lucky break Bournemouth 3 Cowes Sports 0 Cowes Sports’ failure to convert their chances haunted them again as they lost their Wessex League, Premier Division game at Bournemouth. The Yachtsmen were without front men John McKie and Jimmy Wykes, and failed to tuck away their opportunities after Bournemouth scored what looked to be an offside goal in the opening minute.

The Island side then dominated for 20 minutes,

with Callum Chase hitting the bar, Gareth Bricknell having one effort cleared off the line, and a couple of other chances were squandered, with a strong penalty appeal also rejected.

Bournemouth doubled their lead with a speculative shot that crept in, and although the Yachtsmen continued to battle, they conceded a third with what looked to be a handball in the buildup. Manager Vic Sanders said: “The big positive is that in the last two games

Port fail to hold onto lead after fine start Newport 3 Downton 5 Newport were unable to capitalise on a perfect start in their Wessex League, Division One clash against Downton at St Georges Park.

The Island side raced into a two-goal lead inside the opening 14 minutes, but without both their first team keepers, Gary Streeter through injury and Ryan Hall unavailable, they succumbed to pressure from the Wiltshire visitors.

Port boss Andy Sampson was thankful veteran Ashley Wright, not a regular between the posts, filled the keeper void, saying: “It was difficult to find anyone to go in goal, and he helped us out.”

Jared Cousins scored his first goal for the club to give Port the lead, and Liam Triggs added a second soon afterwards. But Downton were back on terms by half time, and edged in front for the first time from the

penalty spot soon after the break. Ben Snow, a 16-yearold sub for the injured Cousins, made an immediate impact with the equaliser, but the visitors added two more late on to seal the win.

Sampson said: “We started off well and I thought we would get the points, but unfortunately all that

Andy Sampson. changed. Ryan Hall may be available to this weekend’s game against Amesbury, and hopefully we might have a couple of new signings on board.”

we have played very well, and we just want the rub of the green. Hopefully, that will come this weekend at Christchurch.”

One bright spot for the Yachtsmen was the performance of 17-yearold Scott McFarlane on his debut in midfield. Sanders said: “We signed him from Whitecroft and Barton Sports, and after a couple of games in the reserves, I felt the time was right to give him a go, and he did very well. That was a big plus.”

Vic Sanders.

Vics boss upbeat despite defeat US Portsmouth 3 East Cowes Vics 2 Vics boss Steve Brougham was full of praise for his young players despite their Wessex League, Division One defeat at Portsmouth. He said: “In our last two games they have been absolutely fantastic, and I don’t know how we haven’t got anything out of them.

“We camped in USP’s half in the second period, but hit the crossbar and unfortunately missed some good chances. It was just one of those games against a very good side. However, the time to worry is when you are not creating chances. I am sure that if we keep playing like this, a good win is just around the corner. We have a very young side, but the lads are beginning to listen and learn, and you can see they are now playing more as a team.”

Jimmy Burton put Vics in front, but the hosts hit back with two goals before half time. Although Vics conceded a third, Joe Butcher pulled one back before the end with a 30-yard screamer, and late on sub Kyle Drew just failed to grab the equaliser.

Brougham added: “Everyone in the team is upbeat, and hopefully, after two good performances we can turn our form into goals this weekend against Ringwood.”

Steve Brougham.

Mighty Lions are tamed by Trojans Ventnor 2ndXV 19points, Trojans 3rdXV 58 The Mighty Lions returned to the field after a two-week rest to face Trojans 3XV at Watcombe Bottom, but were outclassed. It was clear from kick off that Trojans meant business as they scored two quick tries.

The Lions didn’t back down

and scrum half Ed Blake picked up a pass from veteran centre Gavin Davis and took the play from halfway line to the corner where Mark Tucker pushed over.

Trojans came back strong and scored a few well worked tries before The Lions found an answer again through Blake, who broke through

the line and sprinted from well inside his own half to score under the posts.

But the Trojans scored another well worked try before Lions captain, Jac Stemmet, kicked a dropped ball through from a line out, Harry Colson collected and although held up just short, the ball was recycled

for Grant Richardson to dive over. However, Trojans scored another couple of tries to pile on the pain for Ventnor.

AJ Wells Man of the Match Harry Colson Red Funnel Moment of the Match - Allan Bridges

Brading on the move after Vale bangs in double

Brading Town continued their push for honours in Division One of the Harwoods Renault IW Football League with victory over West Wight.

Dan Vale scored twice and Aaron Burford also netted as Brading moved up to third in the table. They are only a point behind second-placed Northwood St Johns, who went down 3-2 at home to Sandown with Dean Johnson, Josh Field, Tom Bleach netting for the winners.

W&B Sports stretched their lead at the top to five points with a 5-0 success over Shanklin, with two from Sam Yelland, and one each from Jack East, Matt Evans and Josh Appell.

Shanklin Reserves and East Cowes Sports Reserves were involved in a ninegoal thriller in Combination

One, with Sports edging in 5-4 despite goals from Olly Fleming, Sam Sayers, Dave Warne and Louis Pale for Shanklin.

Results: Division One: Brading Town 3, West Wight 1. Cowes Sports 2, Ventnor 4. ECS 3, Pan Sports 5. Northwood St Johns 2, Sandown 3. Osborne Coburg 1 Binstead & COB 7. W&B 5, Shanklin 0.

Division Two: Adgestone 1, Newchurch 4. Bembridge 3, Seaview 0. Brighstone 6, Wroxall 3. Carisbrooke 2, East Cowes Vics A 2. Ryde Saints 5, AFC Wootton 2.

Combination One: Binstead & COB 2, Oakfield 3. Sandown 5 Osborne Coburg 0. Shanklin 4 ECS 5.

Combination Two: Newchurch 0, Niton Community 10. Yarmouth and Cal 4, Bembridge 6.

Brave Hurries bow out of Junior Vase Gillingham Anchorians 31 points Sandown & Shanklin RFC 10 Sandown & Shanklin RFC’s long journey to North Kent to take on Gillingham Anchorians in the third round of the London & South East Junior Vase, proved in vain despite a valiant effort.

The Hurricanes gave a good account of themselves, but could not hold out their more experienced counterparts.

They enjoyed plenty of early pressure but after suddenly finding themselves defending their own try line, a clever front line out move caught them napping and they trailed 7-0. They struck back almost immediately, as Sam Flux making a break down the blindside, fed winger Josh Wetherick, who was held just short of the try line. The ball was recycled and Sam Tyson got around the defence for the first score of the game. The conversion was missed by Flux.

The home side went further in front, and then scored two more converted tries to round off the first half leading 26-5.

Hurricanes attempted to find a way back into the game and Damian Seder sprinted through but was brought down by a last ditch tackle. The Hurricanes’ momentum was killed when Owen Williams was sin binned, but it was soon followed up by a Gillingham sin bin.

Moments later Man of the Match Zak Chiverton stepped through a whole in the line for the Hurricanes second try, but it was nullified by a try from the home side for a 31-10 scoreline.

The Hurricanes are in Hampshire Premier action tomorrow (Dec 1) when they travel to Gosport & Fareham 2nd XV. Sandown & Shanklin 2nd XV welcome Chineham RFC 2nd XV to the Fairway, 2pm kick off.

Lighting up Friday for local Rugby players Local Rugby players enjoying Friday Night Lights.

Keen players enjoyed a night of Rugby under floodlights at Isle of Wight RFC, as part of the RFU's Friday Night Lights initiative. Offering occasional, returning and new players from the Island an alternative to the traditional Saturday afternoon fare, the evening

was successful in providing a competitive but lighthearted run out to 19 players.

The group mainly featured players connected to the host club, but there were also some newcomers. Refereed and organised by Hampshire RFU development officer Ivan Torpey in conjunction

with IW representatives, the event is the first of a series planned across the season. Participants enjoyed complimentary food and drink in IW's Wootton clubhouse afterwards, and the next such event on the Island is planned for February.

Sport

iwobserver

31

Newport cricketers mark a successful season The youth and adult sections of Newport Cricket Club recently held their annual presentation evening for the 2018 season. The club had a very successful year at both levels, with the seniors completing a clean sweep of all three major competitions.

The award winners were: Youth: U11: Manager’s player, Luke Smallwood; Players’ player; Patrick Banks.

U13: Manager’s

player, Joe Haydon. Players’ player, Will Turrell.

U15: Manager’s player, Ryan Hughes; Player’s player, Cameron Beale.

Junior batting,Jake Wright. Junior bowling, Joe Shaw. Junior fielding, Alex Houghton.

Seniors: Players’ player, Gareth Bricknell. Batting award, Tom Dye. Bowling, Gareth Bricknell. Fielding, Ryan Donald. President’s award, presented by club

president Keith Mitchell, Lewis Wright. Chairman’s award, presented by club chairman Steve Keyzor, Jon Houghton.

Youth Titles: Indoor U12 Cup winners; U13 League winners; U13 Cup winners; U15 Cup winners.

Senior titles: Harwood’s IOW Division 1 winners; T20 Cup winners; IOW Senior Cup winners.

Newport’s treble winning team. Back (l to r): Kev Winchcombe, Mike Watson, Will Turrell, Mark Barry, Owen Herbert. Middle (l to r) Lewis Murray, Paul Attrill, Ryan Donald. Front (l to r) Gareth Bricknell, Ash Brett, Tom Dye

Tight at the top in table tennis At the halfway point of the season, it’s tight at the top of Division One of the IW Table Tennis Association, with Ryde A leading Shanklin Piranhas by one point, but with third placed Newport Vics A over 20 points behind, after their 9-1 thrashing by the Piranhas.

Young IW Junior Champion Hugh Idle gave an exceptional performance for Ryde Royals against Rookley Rhinos, winning all of his games, including a thrilling

five-set encounter against Para gold medallist Tom Johnson. Another notable performance came from Timothy Giles who also won all his games in Ryde Raiders 6-4 victory against Ryde Run of the Mill.

In Division Two Havenstreet Hooters continued their dominance, beating Ryde Rascals 8-2, while second placed Ryde Peers also won 8-2 against bottom placed St Lawrence Yo Yo Lizards.

With two more games to

Isle of Wight Indoor Bowls Club members Paul Attrill and Bertie Everson came from behind to reach the third round of the Men’s National Pairs. They trailed by seven shots with only four ends remaining against Dave Watts and Colin Thresher from Victory, Portsmouth, but recovered to win by a single shot.

In the first round of the Men’s National Fours, Ryan Trigg, Peter Furmidge, Ron Leleux and Jack Berry took on Colin Thresher’s rink from Victory, going down 22-14, and a defeat was sustained by the Ladies against Palmerston of Fareham in the first round of the National Mason Trophy.

Palmerston took control from the start and ran out winners 49-19, with Ronnie

Berry, Val Addision, Carol Jones and Pauline Proud losing 25-13, and Annie Morris, Steff Ball, Shirley Stubbs and Gay Allen going down 24-6.

The club recorded two friendly wins against visiting Caldicott, and while winning on only two of six rinks, they also won their first away friendly of the season 109-107 against Riverside,Winchester, as Phyl Fredericks, Carol Jones, Simon Gibbs and Roy Jemson who enjoyed a 37-9 success.

Also winners were Dave Fredericks, Ted West, Shirley Stubbs and Anne Bernard 2215. On Saturdays each week at 6pm for 6.30pm the club hold a spoon drive which all members are welcome to attend.

Ryde clubs bowl in memory of Patrick Paul and Bertie hit back for bowls win Ryde Indoor Bowls Club have marked the first leg of the annual match between Ryde Marina, the outdoor club, and Ryde indoor club. The first leg was won by Ryde Marina with a score of 130 – 92.

This year was celebrated by the presentation of the Patrick White Trophy, generously given by the

family on behalf of their late father, who enjoyed playing bowls at both venues. The second leg will be played on Saturday, January 26.

Pictured: Bev and Lesley the daughters of Patrick White with Tricia McMurray Ladies captain from Ryde Marina, and Roy Jempson, Captain of Ryde Indoor Bowls Club.

Bowen stern to finish in front!

Yarmouth Sailing Club

Rain didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of Yarmouth sailors for the Navigation Race, based on predicted times. Liz Mead and Tom Ainsworth, sailing Scows, were among the first to go; Joy Mowle in a Pico Race and Patrick Tate in a Feva were next, then Graeme Bowen in a Scow and John McGuirk in a Pico.

With no time wasted on the course, Bowen finished within four minutes of his prediction and took the race from Tate in second and Joy third.

For the Sunday Series in the first race, Liz Mead led off the start line, all the way up to ‘B’ buoy but then slipped back. Graeme and Melinda Measor swapped tacks until Graeme eased ahead. In the

second race Melinda (Scow) and Bryan Locke (full-rig Laser) squeezed ahead of the fleet. Bryan finished first but after the handicap was applied he fell back down the order. There was a very tight contest between Liz and Melinda for the other two podium places. Melinda shaded it by a couple of inches to take second behind Graeme.

Navigation Race: 1,Graeme Bowen, Scow. 2, Patrick Tate, Feva. 3, Joy Mowle, Pico Race. Winter Sunday Allcomers’ Series: Race 1: 1, Graeme Bowen, Scow. 2, Melinda Measor, Scow. 3, Liz Mead, Scow.

Race 2: 1, Graeme Bowen, Scow. 2, Melinda Measor, Scow. 3, Liz Mead, Scow.

Carol steps down Ryde Rowing Club held its Annual General Meeting where Carol Hewison, the retiring club secretary, was thanked for her 10 years of service, and reported on a fairly successful season.

Club President, Peter Allsopp was re-elected, as was the club captain Graham Reeve and financial secretary Dave Redstone.

Daryl

Reeve has take on the role of club secretary and Chris Groves was elected assistant secretary. Joel Smith was elected the Vice/Rowing Captain with Micky Jenner, who had performed the role for many years, stepping down although he will continue in a coaching role, and will mentor Joel in his new role.

play in Division Three until halfway, Ryde Rockers have stretched their lead to nine points. The fight for second place is tight, with Newport Vics D managing to hold on after their exciting 6-4 victory over newcomers Wootton Wolves, with Ryde Revellers only two points behind following another close match against all girl team Ryde Rapscallions, which they won 6-4.

Results: Division One: Rookley Rhinos 6, Ryde

Royals 4; Ryde A 7, Newport Vics B 3; Newport Vics A 1, Shanklin Piranhas 9; Ryde Raiders 6, Ryde Run of the Mill 4. Division Two: St Lawrence 2, Ryde Peers 8; Havenstreet 8, Ryde Rascals 2; Shanklin B 7, Ryde Red Kites 3.

Division Three: Ryde Rockers 9, Wootton Wombats 1; Ryde Rustics 6, Ryde Rebels 4; Wootton Wolves 4, Newport Vics D 6; Ryde Revellers 6, Ryde Rapscallions 4.

llusion action in Bembridge Harbour.

Plain sailing for Mark to retain Bailey Bowl

The Bembridge Illusion fleet had 20 boats racing in Bembridge Harbour for the Bailey Bowl. With 17 on the start line for the first of the day’s four races, Class Captain, Mark Downer, soon took an unassailable lead. Bruce Huber’s green spinnaker led the fleet back down to the leeward gate in the second race, but Mark took the lead as they started the second round. The third race was another excellent demonstration of the close racing, and at the front it was again Bruce and Mark, but this time Bruce managed to hold onto his lead. In the final race, the pink spinnakers of Mark and Julia Bailey dominated.

Conditions on day two were considerably better and in the first race, Bruce built a healthy lead, but almost threw it away when he went aground.

Fortunately, he sailed clear and managed to

keep ahead of Mark to finish first. In the second race, Mark built up a lead ahead of his wife Jo, who was overtaken towards the end by Bruce. In the third race, Julia rounded the windward marks with a substantial lead, but Mark reeled her in to finish ahead.

Mark’s white spinnaker led the fleet back down the run on the final race to take his sixth first place of the weekend, so coincidentally the top three of Mark, Bruce and Julia finished in the same positions as in last year’s Bailey Bowl.

Mark Downer, Bruce Huber and Julia Bailey

Sport Observer

Newport cricketers mark a successful season 31

By Peter White

County cricket dream is reality!

County Championship cricket WILL return to the Isle of Wight next summer for the first time since 1962.

Hampshire will host Nottinghamshire at the Newclose County Cricket Ground, Newport, in a Division One, four day-match, starting on Monday, May 20.

Full story 28 Picture: Dave Reynolds

This weeks highlights...

Sailing Plain sailing for Mark

31

Equestrian Elly gives help to Island riders

29

Are you connected with local sport?

If you have a story contact our Sportsdesk now on 01983 214264 @iwobserver

@iwobserver