Isle of Wight Observer Issue 54

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30th August 2019

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in Bembridge again The long-running saga of 5/7 High Street, the home of Captain Stan's Fish Shop in Bembridge, shows little sign of coming to an end as the property is listed for sale by Bembridge Parish Council (BCP) at auction on September 13. And with a new twist to the story, it seems that Friday the 13th may prove unlucky for those wanting to see an end to the long-running drama.

The latest move by those opposed to the plans has been to apply to list the building as an Asset of Community Value (ACV), which if successful, would prevent the sale of the building for at least six weeks, and in likelihood, far longer.

The initial delay would give the community time to decide whether to purchase the building. If they decided to go ahead they would get six months to raise the necessary funds. Although the application itself does not affect the right of BPC to sell it, it may adversely affect the price, as any new owner would be aware that they could be restricted in their plans. The Isle of Wight Council confirmed yesterday (Thurs) they had received the application and said it would be listed on their website within five days.

Bembridge Parish Council’s efforts to dispose of the building make sorry reading

for supporters of local democracy. The plans were first made public in Autumn 2016, and became a controversial issue in the 2017 elections. Open Bembridge, a campaign group opposed to the sale, won 10 of the 12 Council seats, but after being elected five councillors defected from the group and voted to support the sale.

A parish poll established the mood of the village, with a substantial majority voting against selling the iconic building, but the property was put on the market regardless.

The attempted sale was far from straightforward, and after a bidding war during which Bembridge Parish Council were accused of bias in favour of one interested party, a sealed bid process was announced which it was hoped would settle the issue.

However, a bid received after the published closing date was accepted, and the Council found itself facing a Judicial Review from a tenant of the building Peter Burke, who had previously been informed his bid was successful. The Council started legal action to evict Mr Burke, despite being aware that he intended to move out voluntarily. The Council settled the application for a Judicial Review

“It’s going on just as long 2 as the Brexit saga”

Mike Curtis, owner of Captain Stan’s fish shop

5/7 High Street, Bembridge

Time for some honesty over PFI contract Fears have been raised that the Highways PFI contract operated

by Island Roads will fail to resurface all Island roads within seven years. Councillor Geoff Brodie issued a statement last week after a walkabout in his Newport East ward last week with Cabinet member Cllr Ian Ward and officers from the Highways PFI contract management team.

Cllr Brodie claimed he had been misled into voting for the PFI back in 2012 as it was on the basis that all roads would be improved

by April 2020, saying: “With just seven months to go, it is clear the programme will not be achieved.

Newport East itself has 15 roads still to be re-surfaced, many well used. Some of these are in an appalling state and similar roads can be found across Newport and the other Island towns.”

He also said that a new assessment tool grades roads differently allowing Island Roads to delay improvement works without being fined.

However, the Council claimed that the plans had changed when government funding for the

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30th August 2019

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“I feel misled about contract”

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“Money frittered away on legal costs”

Address: Suite 6, 17 Thomas House , St. Thomas Square, Newport, IW, PO30 1SL Publisher: IW Observer Ltd. Sales: Carole Dennett, Emma Harper Online editor: Sandy Clarke Layout and Design: Keenan Jamieson Photography: Chris Cornford, Marie Louise 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/

Crossword Answers - P. 29 Cllr. Geoff Brodie

Find Bob, our friendly squirrel!

Find Bob somewhere in this weeks paper and win one family ticket to The Isle of Wight Zoo. Tell us what page number Bob appears on (not including this). You can e-mail the page number and your name to spotbob@ iwobserver.co.uk or text 07749 591550. Good luck finding Bob this week. The deadline is 5pm on Thursday.

On the 16/08 our winners for the Jay Millers Circus family tickets were; Helen Shreave, Laura Julian, Bob White and Lee Powell.

highways PFI project was reduced by 30 per cent in 2010. Cllr Ward said: “It is important to clarify that the road resurfacing and renovation programme will not cease once we reach the end of the core investment period in April 2020.

“We are currently in discussions with Island Roads over how things will continue to progress as we enter the next phases of the contract.”

The Council added that a complex assessment and calculation procedure meant Island Roads must comply with targets for districts and types of road to hit targets and avoid fines, rather than the state of individual roads.

Cllr Brodie said “We really need the IW Council and Island Roads to be open and transparent about what is happening.

Residents of wards like mine are expecting the roads to be resurfaced soon.

“It is time for some honesty.”

without going to court, paying both their own and Mr Burke’s legal costs, believed to total around £30,000. There were also legal costs associated with the aborted eviction proceedings.

The property, due to be sold by auctioneers Clive Emson, is listed as a ‘Freehold Commercial Investment’ with ‘Development Potential’. The guide price is £180,000 to £190,000 plus fees. Mr Burke’s bid, which Bembridge Council rejected, was in excess of £187,000 and would also have given £20,000 to four local charities. Captain Stan’s has signed a new 10 year lease, but the owner Mike Curtis, has said that he is still unsure that his business will be safe.

In a further twist to the sorry story, one of the reasons originally given for selling the building was that funds were needed for work on the Village Hall, but it was later found that Bembridge Council was not financially responsible for the Hall, although they have subsequently taken this on. The majority of Councillors also voted against an independent investigation into their ill-fated decisions.

There are believed to be a number of legal actions currently underway, both against Bembridge Council as a whole and individual Councillors. No fewer than 10 complaints have been made to the external auditor, and the Isle of Wight Council’s Monitoring Officer is currently considering a complaint made about a Bembridge Council member using profane language during a meeting.

Alasdair Steane (pictured above), an Open Bembridge Councillor, said: “It’s going on longer than Brexit, 10 out of the 12 Councillors were elected in 2017 on a platform of not selling 5/7 High St. Despite the first ever Parish Poll on the Island making it clear that the community did not want it sold by a vote of three to one, and a Parish Meeting that confirmed this with a call for the resignation of seven Councillors and the Clerk by a vote of 147 to seven, the majority group has persisted.

The argument they have used for the sale is to fund repairs to the Village Hall for which the Council was not responsible. In addition the Council was threatened with Judicial Review and backed down, legal and other costs for the sale of 5/7 are now approximately £50,000. It is money just frittered away.”

The Chairman of Bembridge Parish Council was asked to comment, but at the time of going to press had not responded.

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Mental health funding withdrawn from Aspire The forced closure of a number of its anxiety, mental health and welfare services has been announced by Aspire Ryde. The community organisation, which offers social contact and physical and mental support, said the closures were directly due to the withdrawal of promised funding from the Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) – without notice and after costs had been committed.

Since its founding by Mr Heath Monaghan in a repurposed church, Aspire Ryde has offered support and meaningful occupation to those in mental and physical need, with specialist sessions focusing on wellbeing rather than illness. On offer is everything from a community choir, woodwork sessions, cycle maintenance, gardening and arts sessions to groups that encourage talking to combat anxiety, depression and reduce isolation. “These groups give people a place to belong, a place to share thoughts and selfcare strategies, and are a place where people feel cared for,” says Mr Monaghan. “We are regularly told Aspire is a safe place.”

The withdrawal of funding from the CCG came out of the blue, he says, and after money had been spent on a salary, among other costs. “Areas affected will be the bike maintenance and woodwork sessions, the community lunches, mental health sessions and community music.”

He said: “In the spring Aspire had detailed discussions with CCG commissioners who promised that a sum of funding would be made immediately available to avoid the need for a few sessions to close, and that new additional funding would be made available in the autumn. An agreement was drafted, agreed upon and signed by myself months ago. We continued to deliver our services on that basis, and incurred costs in doing so.

“However, after chasing our invoice for payment, the CCG told us, without any consultation or discussion, that its funding priorities were changing and it would not honour the funding agreement.

It also disclosed that the future funding rounds promised from October onwards for community mental health were also being scrapped. The future for community-led mental health for Isle of Wight residents looks bleak, and this is shocking for Island residents.”

Aspire has responded to a growing demand for these services due to the crumbling public sector mental health services on the Isle of Wight, he says. “According to Care Quality Commission reports mental health services are inadequate and require significant improvement. Service users have flocked to Aspire because of its can-do attitude to listen and try to tackle community problems.

Many show a significant improvement in their situation as a result, and avoid entering high cost mental health care.” He adds that patients are directly referred by the community mental health team and are regularly discharged from Sevenacres, the NHS mental health unit at St Mary’s Hospital, and told go to Aspire Ryde.

In response, James Seward, Locality Director at the CCG released a statement saying: “Our Mental Health Blueprint, developed with service users and providers, sets out a significant transformation programme for mental health services on the Island.

“Our focus is to ensure that the most appropriate care is provided in the right place and at the right time, and the wider community and the voluntary sector will continue to play a vital role in this transformation work.

“We acknowledge all that Aspire Ryde has been doing to help people with mental health support needs and we appreciate the work they do.

“We had discussed the opportunity for Aspire, together with other voluntary organisations that work with those who have mental health support needs, to bid for small grants funds from a ‘one-off’ pot of money.

“We have needed to pause these discussions so we can fully consider all possible support options to ensure we provide the best possible mental health.”

Speaking to the IW Observer, a despondent Heath Monaghan wasn’t optimistic about how well the ‘repurposed’ funding would be used. “I was asked to advise on the reframing of mental health services but the result has been dire – a report by the Care Quality Commission said public services must ‘wake up’ to gaps in mental health care.”

The funding withdrawn from Aspire Ryde that could have prevented so much escalation will only pay for one inpatient mental health bed for three weeks, he says. In the end the CCG are likely to incur a considerably greater

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Bullrush passes away cost in this kind of care because of this decision.

Making public the news of the fund withdrawal – which took place last week and to which Mr Monaghan had hoped for a resolution – was also something of an appeal, he added: “We know there are some amazing people on the Island who can be very generous with their time and expertise. If funding is being withdrawn from these vital services we need to hope it can come from elsewhere. We will continue to seek other forms of financial support, perhaps company sponsorships for specific session to reopen in due course.”

“The existing cutbacks in areas of mental health have made these new cuts even worse.

And it is so shortsighted as we’re talking about a relatively small amount of funding that, when withdrawn, creates far greater need and greater expense.”

Moses-Bullrush, one of the favourites at the donkey sanctuary has passed away.

Staff there have confirmed: “It is with great sadness that late Wednesday afternoon, we lost our lovely old donkey Moses-Bullrush.

Our supporters will know that Bullrush has in his old age been suffering from arthritis in his back legs, and has received infinite care and compassion from our farm team, headed up by Sandra our Equine Manager, to ensure that he was comfortable and pain-free.

“Regular visitors to the Sanctuary will miss him, as in recent months he had appointed himself as the main donkey ‘meeter and greeter’ and would wait very patiently by the fence for attention, hugs and strokes from his ‘public’.

“The effect the loss of any donkey has on the staff here at the Sanctuary is immense, but the loss of a character such as Bullrush is immeasurable.”

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30th August 2019

Islanders come to aid of IW Marching Band The theft of £250 of equipment has led Medina Marching Band to turn to social media in an attempt to find the culpruit.

A bag and parade sticks belonging to the Corps of Drums were stolen from beside their vehicle while the popular Island band were performing at St Helen's carnival on Monday (August 26).

However, there was better news later this week when Vice-Chairman of the Band Kevin Downer, announced that two local companies, Beken of Cowes and the Steam Punk Vape Lounge in

Newport, had made donations that more than covered the cost of replacing the stolen items.

Posting on Facebook, the band members described how the items had been inadvertently left outside the vehicle as they marched through the village and said: "Unfortunately no human being outside our great organisation can be trusted so from now on the van will need to be fully packed up before each gig unless someone stays with it, which means we have to

be a little bit quicker getting ready."

As a result of the social media appeal and subsequent donations from Beken and Steam Punk Vape Lounge, Mr Downer said: “We are so grateful for the kind support we have had from across the Island, other local bands and news coverage. This proves that although something like this has happened there really is still some good in the world, and we can carry on our fundraising efforts to get to London for the Lord Mayor's Show in November.”

Quality mark for Cowes chiropractors The Cowes Chiropractic Clinic in Birmingham Road, Cowes has been awarded the Patient Partnership Quality Mark (PPQM) by The Royal College of Chiropractors.

The PPQM is awarded to chiropractic clinics that demonstrate excellence in meeting patient expectations in a range of areas including accessibility, cleanliness and safety and patient communication.

The decision to award the PPQM is made by a panel of patients who form the Royal College of Chiropractor’s Lay Partnership Group. Furthermore, the assessors wished to commend Cowes Chiropractic Clinic as one among a small number that was judged to be outstanding.

Practice Principal Rebecca Taylor is pictured receiving the award, at a ceremony held in London from Mr Hew Helps, Chair of the Royal College’s Lay Partnership Group.

Rebecca said: “The award of the Patient Partnership Quality Mark recognises this clinic’s commitment to meeting the expectations our patients have when they visit us for care. The aim of our clinic team is to continually improve our levels of service to patients and this award gives us confidence that we are achieving this. I am thrilled that my reception team’s sterling efforts were recognised by the ‘outstanding’ commendation.”

Motorcyclist in East Cowes crash

Get on board with Beer and Buses!

A call is out for volunteers for the Classic Isle of Wight Buses, Beer and Walks weekend on October 12 and 13. Last year there were around 13,000 participants and this year even more are expected, 46% of them travelling from the mainland to enjoy the biggest event of its kind in the country.

Somebody has to make sure people know where to go, how to get there, what do once they arrive, and generally provide support.

Paul Sheldon, one of the organisers, said: “The Island has taken Beer and Buses to its heart. Islanders are instinctively hospitable people, we just want them to do what they always do, but for us. We can't put this great event on without you and it’s great fun.

“All volunteers get a free programme to use when you're off duty; you meet wonderful people and are invited to the thank you meeting afterwards with a delicious buffet. Many people come back to help us out year after year and make lifelong friends.”

If you can help make this years event another success please contact Paul Sheldon on (01983) 611063 or e-mail mrssesheldon@gmail.com.

Hovertravel hit peak for Festival weekend Hovertravel had their busiest ever Victorious Festival during the Bank Holiday weekend. The award-winning three-day event is just steps away from their Southsea terminal, and Hovertravel provided extra late services to enable Islanders to get home. Loretta Lale, Head of Commercial at Hovertravel, said: “By adding five extra services on Friday, Saturday and Sunday we provided the closest and fastest way home from Victorious.”

All Hovertravel’s additional services were booked to full capacity, creating a busy, fun post-party atmosphere in the terminals.

Police and paramedics were called to a road traffic collision between a Ford Fiesta car and a motorcycle in East Cowes on Wednesday morning. The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance landed on the Victoria Recreation Ground but were not needed to airlift any casualties to hospital and was stood down. A male motorcyclist was transported to St Mary's Hospital by ambulance.

The accident took place near to the junction of Victoria Grove and Beatrice Avenue shortly before 9am. Long traffic queues built up with Victoria Grove closed off and Southern Vectis announced they were diverting buses via York Avenue.

The road was later opened in both directions.

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Fishbourne Lane road works set to re-start Island residents and visitors are reminded that the next phase of a road improvement scheme is due to start on Fishbourne Lane at the beginning of September.

Work to reconstruct and resurface Fishbourne Lane, one of the key gateway roads to the Island is being carried out in three phases either side of the main summer holiday period to avoid peak travel periods.

Initial work was carried out over a five-day period in July. This next phase will involve further strengthening and reconstruction work over a four-week period from Monday, September 2 to Friday, September 27 between 8am and 5pm.

Wightlink are also reminding customers that they need to arrive at the ferry terminal no less than 30 minutes but no more than an hour before their ferry departure time.

During the work, the road will remain open but temporary traffic lights will be in operation.

The traffic signals will be controlled manually during daytime hours to help manage the flow of traffic in the area, including those vehicles travelling to and from Wightlink’s ferry terminal.

During the evening and at weekends when work is not taking place, the traffic signals will remain in operation for safety and practical reasons while

open excavations and heavy machinery are on site.

While considerable planning has been undertaken to minimise disruption, delays may be possible, and people are advised to allow more time for their journeys in the surrounding area.

Stephen Ashman, Island Roads’ service director, said: “We would like to thank residents and local businesses for their patience as we completed phase one of these works to upgrade this important section of road and for their continued support as we enter into this next phase of the work.

“The volume of work we are doing now, to strengthen this road, which has significantly deteriorated over time, is crucial and will ultimately result in marked improvements for anyone using this key route.”

The final phase of the reconstruction works will take place from the end of September and the scheme is due for completion by the

beginning of November.

Works can be affected by external factors such as the weather and, as such, are subject to change. Information boards on site will be kept updated to alert residents to any change in timescales and a dedicated section on the home page of Island Roads website www.islandroads.com will also provide the latest information.

How many times do you have to repair a pavement?

How many times do Island Roads repair the same piece of pavement which is repeatably damaged by large vehicles?

The answer doesn't seem very easy to find.

Pavement slabs laid adjacent to the Wheatsheaf in St Thomas Square, Newport are constantly being repaired and the road dug up. The IW Observer spoke to one of the men carrying out the repairs who explained “The paving slabs laid here are not up to the job.

The slabs are designed for pedestrians, not large vehicles such as Biffa trucks and Lloyds bank mobile bank vehicles, these vehicles will almost certainly dislodge the slabs every time they drive over them.

“What’s needed is heavy duty block paving with a proper sub-base which will take the weight of the large vehicles, this would solve the problem.

Most highways and pedestrian areas are checked on a monthly basis however we come every week to check this location and almost every week work is required to replace broken and dislodged paving slabs.”

An Island Roads spokesperson appared to confirm what we had been told saying: “The pedestrianisation scheme was installed shortly before Island Roads became responsible for maintaining the network. It is our role, under the contract, to maintain it to a safe standard.

“The cost of any repair or remedial work at this location is done at the cost of Island Roads and not the IW Council tax payer.

“We continue to monitor this area closely so we can undertake any necessary repairs as required. Although the Vehicle Prohibition Order does

provide exemption for some vehicles to drive in the square, it is true that vehicles not complying with the order do put additional wear and tear on the paving slabs which are primarily designed to accommodate pedestrians.

“Any change to the type of material used at this location would require the permission of the IW Council. Though we do keep this location under weekly review, there are not currently plans to introduce a new type of paving.

“As a result of our commitment to keep this area maintained for Newport residents and visitors, there have been no personal injury claims during the last two years.”

We asked how often there had been repairs over the past year, how much they had cost and how many complaints they had received. We are still waiting for an answer.

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Toilet blockage leads to sewage along sea front Toilets at Shanklin's Hope Beach blocked on August Bank Holiday Monday, leading to sewage running along the footpath next to the Esplanade.

Ryde Town Councillor Adrian Whittaker was alerted to the problem at around 3pm and spent the next 90 minutes warning people not to walk through the water, which Southern Water later confirmed contained untreated sewage.

Together with Jon Gilby, who recently quit the Town Council citing 'political interference', the duo set about sorting out the problem, calling Island Roads to close off the footpath and Southern Water (SW) to deal with the blockage.

Cllr Whittaker said:"This is not the first time this has happened, I was there for three and a half hours and SW need to sort out the problem. The smell was horrendous, worse than portaloos on a festival site. This gives a very poor image when the town is full of tourists."

Jon Gilby, who arranged for SW to call out DynoRod to clear the blockage said:"I believe this happened a couple of times last year and I am disappointed that we are still having drain issues given that SW claimed they were investing £6m in improving sewers and and surface water drainage across the Bay area.

"Ultimately it is a SW responsibility, and with the money they have invested it is very worrying that they have not actually dealt with this problem."

However Southern Water denied that the blockage was caused by a lack of capacity in the system. A spokesman said: "This has no connection to investments in the wastewater network and no connection to any surface water drainage problems that may exist.

“On 26th August we received a report from a member of the public concerning sewage spilling from a manhole near the Hope Beach public toilets. On investigation, the sewer was found to be blocked with rags such as wet-wipes. The blockage was cleared by contractors and the area cleaned up.

We are pleased to say that the beach was not polluted during this incident.

"The blockage underscores a vital message for all our customers and for visitors – only three ’Ps’ should go down your loo. Wet wipes in particular are a common cause of sewer blocking. In this instance the beach could have been polluted.

More often people suffer the misery of internal flooding as the sewer backs up. ”More information about our award-winning Unflushables campaign can be found at southernwater.co.uk/theunflushables."

Appeal for witnesses after Freshwater robbery Police issued an appeal for information yesterday (Thursday) after a 20-yearold man was robbed on Tennyson Road in Freshwater at around 5.30pm on Saturday.

August 24.

The man reported that three boys demanded he hand over his rucksack and trainers.

The rucksack is described as a beige Animal rucksack containing several items including a brown wallet with bank card and cash and blue headphones. His maroon coloured Nike Air Walk trainers with a white trim and black laces were

also taken All three boys were white, two in their late teens. One teenager was of slim build with short blond hair and a black, stubbly beard wearing jeans, a grey t-shirt and white trainers.

The other had brown hair and wore blue shorts and a black Adidas t-shirt. The third boy was of larger build with a black hooded top and joggers and black shoes with a white Nike tick.

Anyone in the area who saw boys matching these descriptions or witnessed this incident should call 101 and quote 44190301151.

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30th August 2019

A wealth of wonder on our doorstep

New managing director for Isle of Wight CCG

Bird Aware Solent are pointing out to Island residents that we are extremely fortunate to live near the Solent, as it offers a wealth of wonder to our lives.

The spectacular tourist destinations, international ports, beautiful National Parks and a coastline that is internationally recognised as a wildlife rich environment.

The range of bird species habituating the Solent coast is vast, but it is constantly changing.

For example, the region is currently in a transitional period, which means the birds that migrated to the Solent to breed are now departing, and those joining us for the winter are making their way back to our shores.

However, there is another group of birds along the coast right now, known as ‘passage migrants’. These stop in the Solent to refuel and then head south, to places like West Africa. Bird Aware Solent Rangers, Lizzie

and Natalie, recently found a group of these on Hayling Seafront bunkered down during a storm. The Sanderling they spotted had most likely bred in the Russian Arctic and are now making their way back to places as far as South Africa.

Councillor Seán Woodward, Chairman of the Partnership for South Hampshire (PfSH), which oversees Bird Aware Solent, said: "The different birds that travel to the Solent help to make it a unique and special place. The Bird Aware Solent team do a great job of highlighting the birds to those visiting the coast, which helps people to understand the diverse habitats of the area."

Bird Aware Solent is a partnership of local authorities and conservation groups that aims to protect coastal birds through public engagement and raising awareness.

Visit www.birdaware.org or Facebook, Instagram or Twitter for more details.

Campaign to raise leukaemia awareness Isle of Wight residents are being encouraged to learn the symptoms of leukaemia during Blood Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) which takes place throughout September.

Leukaemia Care, a national blood cancer charity, is attempting to raise awareness of the disease, as well as its signs and symptoms, as part of their Spot Leukaemia campaign.

In 2015, 9,900 people were diagnosed with Leukaemia. That is 27 people each day.

Leukaemia is a form of blood cancer. Blood cancer is the fifth most common cancer diagnosed in the UK today and is the third biggest cancer killer.

Leukaemia can be hard to spot because the signs and symptoms are common to other unrelated illnesses.

The campaign seeks to raise awareness of

what leukaemia is, the symptoms to spot and who can be affected by leukaemia. The charity wants to equip people to spot the signs and symptoms of leukaemia and urge them to visit their GP if they have any concerns. Early diagnosis saves lives and improves outcomes.

Leukaemia Care is giving away free magnets, pens and symptoms cards to raise awareness of the types of leukaemia and to empower people to visit their GP if they feel worried.

They are also encouraging members of the public to take a new free leukaemia awareness course where members of the public can earn a certificate on their knowledge of leukaemia.

Symptoms cards as well as more information about the campaign and awareness course can be found at www.spotleukaemia.co.uk.

The organisation that plans and buys NHS health services on the Island has a new permanent managing director. Alison Smith has taken on the senior leadership role for the NHS Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Alison said: “I am passionate about this role and the Island community. We all use and value health and care services and it is so important the work we do continues to make a difference to the community we serve.

“Our priority is to ensure we have the right services for Island people and to ensure we work closely together, not only within the CCG, but also with our partner organisations.”

Alison brings vast experience at both operational and strategic levels in provider trusts and working across wider, system based leadership teams. This includes leading integration of pathways across community, acute, place based care and mental health services in Suffolk.

In addition she has led work to reduce length of stay for patients in acute care, working with community services and primary care to move patients closer to home.

In her last role as Chief Operating Officer

for Mid Essex NHS Trust, Alison focussed on quality and performance improvement within the trust and across the wider system.

Now, as Managing Director for the CCG, Alison wants to build on partnership working with the Isle of Wight Council and Isle of Wight NHS Trust – as well as third sector and voluntary organisations – to deliver the best health and care service for Island residents.

Alison added: “The aim of all three organisations is to work together for one important common purpose – and that’s to provide a high standard of care to patients.

“We know we are delivering this in some areas and we want to continue to provide that, but we also know there are areas we need to focus on and make improvements.

“The ultimate test of this will be measuring patient feedback, but also that of our staff and partners to ensure we are delivering the best services and support.

“Clearly this won’t happen overnight, but over the next few months we are focussed on delivering improvements in areas such as mental health and access to urgent and emergency care services.”

Good news for NHS patients who travel to the mainland After a successful trial Northwood House Charitable Trust has agreed to provide four free spaces every day for Isle of Wight patients that need to travel to the mainland for NHS treatments or appointments.

The Park Road Car Park is conveniently located in central Cowes just a five minute walk from the Highspeed Red Jet Terminal in Fountain Yard. Any parking bay can be used provided the permit is displayed.

Roseleen Cullen, Chair of Northwood House Charitable Trust Co. Ltd. commented "We had very positive feedback during the trial. For many, not having to worry about a parking permit running out if return travel is delayed was a huge relief. Patients undergoing regular treatments really valued the cost saving. The Trustees of Northwood House are delighted that together with Cowes Town Council we can offer practical support to residents who need to leave the island for medical treatment. We would like as many people as possible to take advantage of this facility.”

Mayor Lora Peacey Wilcox added "Northwood House continues to show their commitment to supporting the Isle of Wight Community by offering patients worryfree parking in the centre of Cowes, with the administration by Cowes Town Council.

Families with young children have told my

team how much they value this facility, as have elderly patients. It really is making a difference."

The scheme is administered by Cowes Town Council on behalf of Northwood House Charitable Trust. Patients should apply to Cowes Town Council in advance of travel by calling the Town Council office on 01983 209022 or visiting during office hours: 9.30am – 12.00pm, Monday to Friday.

Permits will be issued when proof of appointment is shown and must be collected before the date of use from the Town Council Office, Northwood House, Ward Avenue, Cowes PO31 8AZ. More information is available on the Cowes Town Council website: http://www.cowestowncouncil.org.uk/wp/ homepage/nhs-parking-scheme/

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Drama unfolds on cliff The cliffs at Shanklin were the scene of an arrest during early hours of yesterday (Thursday 29) following an extensive police operation.

The National Police Air Support helicopter was spotted over the Shanklin and Lake areas from around 3.30am.

A Hampshire Constabulary said: “We were called at 6.40pm yesterday to reports of a burglary in Linden Road. Officers were deployed to the scene and searches were carried out in the area. A 33-year-old man was arrested on the cliffs, near Shanklin, on suspicion of burglary. He remains in custody at this time.”

Waverley Inn pulling out the stops to put its namesake back on the water The Waverley Inn at Carisbrooke is holding a fund-raising day on Saturday, September 7 for its namesake, the last seagoing paddle steamer in the world, the PS Waverley.

Goddards Brewery have produced a special ‘Save The Waverley’ Ale for the event and there will be live music starting at midday and finishing at around 11.30pm. A family BBQ party will run from 12.30pm until 8pm with facepainting and glitter tattoos, tombola, kids’ lucky dip and much more.

Built on the Clyde in 1947 for the London and North Eastern Railway, PS Waverley was named after Sir Walter Scott’s first novel and is the flagship of the Paddle Steamer Preservation

Society’s fleet. She was withdrawn from service this May, following the discovery of major problems with her 20-year-old boilers, and all dates on her 2019 tour of Scottish, Welsh and English waters with withdrawn, including her planned annual visit to the Isle of Wight in September when she circumnavigates the Island.

The Waverley Trust is raising £2.3m for a major boiler refit to see her steaming again for the 2020 season. Both boilers will be replaced along with their burners and control systems. New diesel alternators and oily water separators will be fitted, and work carried out to the electrical system.

Tim Bailey, landlord of the Waverley

Inn, said: “The PS Waverley is an important and historic vessel and my entire team at the Waverley Inn wanted to do something to help get her back into service.

"We are putting on a fun-filled day and evening of entertainment and as the food and drink has been donated by generous local suppliers including Goddards Brewery, Medina Foods, the Butchers Shop in Cowes and Wight and Wessex Wines, so the funds raised will go directly towards keeping this iconic piece of maritime history afloat.

It would be wonderful to see her again next year in Island waters, so please come along on September 7 and help us reach our target of raising £1,000.”

Burpee challenge set to take place on Appley beach A Burpee Challenge takes place on Appley Beach this Saturday (31st August).

Fitness group Crossfit Incursion is raising money

for Mountbatten by standing, squatting, planking and squatting and standing – the definition of a burpee.

Trainers Camilla Barton

and Nolan Hermans say: “Mountbatten has supported so many of our Crossfit Incursion community and members. We are determined

to smash our 40,000 burpees target and raise as much as possible for this fantastic local charity.” All welcome, 10am, Ryde Sands.

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Two new members for Bembridge Harbour Trust announced

Freshwater Lifeboat Open Day proves huge success Freshwater Independent Lifeboat’s (FILB) August Open Day proved to be a great fund-raising event, with record takings of £2,971.46, to help keep the boat in the water over the next few months.

With the last Open Day cancelled, which left a hole in the estimated income, this was a vital event for FILB and, thankfully for all the crew and volunteers, it proved to a huge success.

Rod Adams, Principle Fundraiser, said: “All the cakes and refreshment goodies sold out, and the shop team were flat out all day; we virtually ran out of ice cream. Thank goodness for the whippy machine although that was heavily overworked.”

For the first time, crew member Ricky Lock was not at the helm of the lifeboat, but cooking at the Boathouse BBQ. Rather than having a set price, FILB accepted donations, and they were astounded by the generosity of those who went along for a burger or

sausage roll.

Lots of live music from West Wind and the Brass Monkeys helped the day, while the crew helped entertain the crowds by demonstrating a couple of rescue techniques, and raised a laugh with their formation swimming display.

The Churches Together outdoor service to bless the lifeboats and crew afterward was very well attended, and proved an eloquent conclusion to the days event, and was enjoyed by everyone.

Rod continued: “A particularly massive thank you to all the wonderful volunteers and crew who helped on the day either setting up, running stalls, dispensing teas, playing music, serving in the shop and baking. I am truly humbled by your unstinting commitment.

The treasurer Richard Barton-Wood has also asked me to pass on his personal thanks for your amazing efforts on such a brilliant day.”

Jonathan Bacon

Norman Marshall

The trustees of Bembridge Harbour Trust, a charity with the objective to protect and enhance the harbour, have been joined by two new trustees, Norman Marshall and Jonathan Bacon.

Mr. Marshall has a background in teaching, management consultancy and finance. His particular area of expertise is in communication, where he has already provided the Trust with assistance. He lives in London but has had a base in St Helen’s for the last 20 years and spends many weeks of the year here.

Mr. Bacon practised as a barrister and was a legal academic for many years. He is has returned to live in St Helens which he represented as an Isle of Wight councillor from 2006 to 2017 and was Leader of the Council from 2015 to 2017.

Michael MacInnes has announced he intends to step down as a trustee of Bembridge Harbour Trust at the forthcoming

AGM but will continue his close association with the organisation, becoming its Patron.

He was instrumental in setting up Bembridge Harbour Trust as a charity in July 2007, and was its second chair from 2011 until 2015. He helped guide the Trust as it raised funds in an unsuccessful attempt to buy the harbour from the administrators in 2011.

Jeremy Gully, Chair of Bembridge Harbour Trust, said “The trustees will miss Michael’s input. He has made an enormous contribution as BHT seek to further the harbour’s interests for the benefit of all. We are all extremely glad that the harbour is not losing his drive and wisdom.

“The two new trustees come fully aware of the issues facing the harbour and bring fresh minds to guide us. They bring in-depth experience of local government, business, communications, and the law, which will extend and deepen the already impressive skill base of our existing trustees.”

30th August 2019

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News in brief Traffic build-up Heavy traffic built up in Sandown and Lake last Saturday, August 24.

Southern Vectis tweeted apologies for the delay to routes 2, 3 and 8 and said that the congestion was caused because the traffic lights next to the Heights were out of sync.

Unexploded bomb discovery

Island MP encourages elderly: ‘get online’ More senior members of the Island community are being encouraged to ‘get online’ by Bob Seely after the Isle of Wight MP visited an Age UK digital drop-in session.

Mr Seely met Age UK’s Dan Taylor to hear more about the Digital Inclusion Project which is helping Islanders aged 50+ with training, support and tuition in all things digital.

The project which is part of the Ageing Better Programme, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, offers free drop-in sessions and one-to-one tuition plus bespoke workshops for groups and organisations.

Mr Taylor said: “Through my work with older Islanders at Age UK Isle of Wight, I see the impact and benefits that technology can make to older people on a daily basis, from connecting people to their friends and family

around the world, to being able to access services online.

“Our drop-in sessions have been key part of this, by enabling older Islanders to access local digital support in their own communities.”

Mr Seely said: “It was great to meet Dan and some of the volunteers at the Freshwater digital drop-in session. This is a fantastic project aimed and supporting older Islanders to access technology. In this digital age it is important to be able to manage your affairs and socialise and network online. I would encourage anyone who is not too sure about how to get online to attend these sessions with Dan and his team who can help you take the first step.”

You can find out more about the drop-in sessions on the Age UK website ageuk.org. uk/isleofwight or call (01983) 525282.

Shanklin B&B up for 'Oscar' award

An unexploded hand grenade to a section of Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park being cordoned off and guests evacuated to the Nab Clubhouse at around midnight on Thursday, August 23. The Royal Navy Bomb Disposal team were called to the scene, arriving just before 6am and carried out a controlled explosion on the beach.

Fashion Show for charity There will be a fashion show held in Whitwell Village Hall on Saturday, September 7 starting at 2pm. New and preloved clothes and accessories will be sold to raise funds for Whitwell Church and the Earl Mountbatten Hospice. Admission is £1 and refreshments will be available.

Cut off by tide A passing boat called the Coastguard on 999 when they saw a woman cut off by the tide at the bottom of Culver Cliff on Saturday, August 24. Sandown and Shanklin Independent Lifeboat were despatched, and having located the woman returned her to the lifeboat station.

Motorcycle crash A Shanklin B&B has been shortlisted for a holiday accommodation 'Oscar.' Foxhills has been nominated in the 'bed and breakfast and beyond’ category in the Eviivo Awards, which recognise the country's best independent accommodation providers.

Other categories in the awards, described

by Eviivo as the Oscars of the industry, include 'sweetest homestay’ and ‘quirkiest place to stay.’ Eviivo said last year’s award winners and nominees have seen a 12 per cent increase in bookings, and a 22 per cent increase in revenue.

Zoe Dawes, travel blogger and awards judge, said: “Running a quirky and characterful bed and breakfast is demanding and requires multiple skills, hard work and dedication.

These awards help to shine a light on and identify the finest businesses within the UK’s hospitality sector.”

A panel of industry experts will review the shortlist over the next few weeks, and the winner will be announced at a ceremony on Tuesday, October 15 at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London.

A motorcyclist collided with a parked car on Gunville Road, Newport shortly before midday on Saturday, August 24. A fire engine was despatched due to fears of leaking fuel and the ambulance took the motorcyclist to St Mary’s Hospital. It was initially feared he had suffered serious injuries, but he was later released from hospital with heavy bruising.

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30th August 2019

Shirley and Terry will be rocking through Europe for Bay Primary

Shirley Carroll and her partner Terry Wood (pictured) are set to take part in the 2019 James Bond Swiss Run, raising funds for the Bay Primary School entries for the Global Rock Challenge.

The adventurous duo will be driving through eight countries in four days starting on Thursday, September 12, when they set off to Kent for the crossing to Calais to start of their epic car journey. Passing through France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Italy, Austria, Germany, Luxembourg and Belgium they will be camping along the way as they travel more than 2,000 miles and hope to raise £2,000.

They have been supported by Neutrik UK in Ryde, where Terry works. The company's head office is in Lichtenstein where they will be met by staff who are organising a barbeque to greet them, and help them on their way.

Shirley, who is a learning assistant at the school and runs the Global Rock Challenge Club there, said: “Our school has been entering the competition for the last eight years. The Club is not funded by the school so the children,

volunteer staff and parents work very hard to raise the money we need to talk part.

“The Challenge is an expensive business; some Island schools charge as much as £65 per child to take part, but we wouldn't be prepared to do this as the expense would exclude many of our children. Global Rock broadens the children's opportunities and boosts their confidence no end.

What they acheive is inspirational each and every year.”

Shirley and Terry would welcome any sponsorship to support their worthy cause and can also offer opportunities to companies who would like to advertise on their car as they take part in the Eight Countries Challenge.

Funeral service details for Justin Gladdis The funeral service for former Island journalist and broadcaster Justin Gladdis will take place at the Isle of Wight Crematorium on Tuesday, September 3, at 12 noon.

Justin, who died suddenly at the age of 47, worked as a freelance at Isle of Wight Radio for 18 years, and also wrote for local newspapers and magazines. More latterly he was senior broadcast journalist at Wessex FM, and living on the mainland. He was also PA announcer for Southampton Football Club’s home matches.

You can find out more about the trip at fireballrally.uk.

Bottles of alcohol stolen at burglary at Harbour House restaurant The front door of Harbour House Restaurant in Ryde was smashed during a burglary in the early hours of last Saturday (August 24). It is believed that the incident took place between

4am and 5am and several bottles of alcohol were stolen. The business was later open as normal. Anyone with information is asked to call Police on 101, quoting 44190300475.

Now’s time to vote for your top attraction The Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary, Robin Hill Country Park and Blackgang Chine are just some of the attractions hoping to be crowned as the most family-friendly days out in the south east - and now’s the chance to have your say.

Voting has opened for the 2019 Family Favourites Awards, with voting open across eight categories, including Best

Animal Day Out, Best Educational Day Out and Best for Little Kids. This year, attractions in the south east are also up against the best days out in London, driving fierce competition.

The awards are run by the website for parents, Day Out With the Kids, and were first launched in 2018. Over 20,000 public votes crowned the first set of winners last year, but following

a record number of nominations this year, the figure is expected to rise this year.

Robin Hill Country Park is hoping to retain its title from 2018, after being named Best Attraction Event last year.

Votes can be cast until Monday, September 30 at awards.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk/family-favourites-awards

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Cowes lifeboat to the rescue Five Lithuanian men experienced at first hand the charitable activities of the RNLI when Cowes lifeboat went to the aid of their

crippled motorboat.

The 29-foot craft lost engine power in the Solent, off Gurnard Luck.

The lifeboat launched,

and on arrival the crew implemented an alongside tow, taking the motorboat to Trinity Landing. The grateful Lithuanians were met there

by onshore coastguards. The lifeboat returned to station at 6.15pm.

Recruitment drive to help Island children and families A recruitment drive to get more people involved in supporting children and families on the Island has been launched by the Isle of Wight Council.

Volunteers already play a crucial role in supporting young offenders and children in care and now the local authority wants to build on that success. The Council is highlighting how Islanders can add extra value to the great work being carried out by staff in Children’s Services by getting involved in new volunteering opportunities.

Chris Martin, volunteer co-ordinator, said younger people and their families often responded positively to a more informal approach from volunteers, who have lived experiences and were giving their time for free. He said: “It has been a fascinating and inspiring process for me as a relatively new Island resident to develop this scheme. We are trying to be innovative in the ways we reach out to volunteers of all ages and will be co-

working with our partner agencies.

“This could be a great opportunity for someone coming out of further education or equally for retired residents who wish to share their wisdom and lived experiences.

“There is no ‘typical volunteer’ — we are looking for people aged 18 or over who have a passion for supporting people through and/or out of a rough patch in their lives.”

Volunteers will be supported through a comprehensive recruitment process, will receive a DBS (police) check free of charge, and will undergo accredited training and supervision to support them in their roles.

New volunteering opportunities include mentoring schemes for young people who have lived in care and young offenders, family support roles and supporting delivery of fun activities and participation events.

Another scheme will involve

volunteers leading on "Walk and Talk" groups where members can connect with nature and chat informally about what is going on in their lives.

Robert, a current volunteer, said: “Volunteering for the Youth Offending Team helps keep me in touch with the younger generation and understand some of the issues they face.

“By guiding, supporting and generally encouraging the young people we meet, it gives us a degree of satisfaction that we are helping them reflect on their lives and avoid re-offending.

“The best feedback was when a young person, on whose panels I had participated, noticed me in a supermarket queue; rather than ignore me he called out that he had got a job as a kitchen porter, and was clearly pleased with himself for doing so.”

For more information about the scheme, or to apply, email volunteers@ iow.gov.uk

IW Council launch new carers survey A survey aimed at improving the lives of unpaid carers has been launched by the IW Council.

Cabinet member for adult social care, Councillor Clare Mosdell, said: “The Support

for Carers survey has been designed to help carers let us know their needs and how they are currently supported so they can be supported better in the long term, so I would urge carers to give

their views.”

An unpaid paid carer is someone of any age who supports, unwaged, a relative, partner or friend who due to physical or mental illness, disability, frailty or

addiction could not manage without that support.

View the survey at www. surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ CarersSupportSurvey2019

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Date announced for IW Ploughing match

Manor Farm at Wellow will stage the 120th annual Isle of Wight Ploughing Match on Saturday, September 21 from 9am.

An estimated 40 competitors will take part in the competition which is spread across 7 classes, including; young competitors, vintage ploughs and reversible ploughs. As well as the classes there will be tractor rides, refreshments and a number of trade stands as well as a range of tractors from vintage and veteran to modern.

Making a donation to the IW Ploughing Match will gain you admission and will support the chosen charities which are the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution and Prostate Cancer UK. The Ploughing Match is at Manor Farm, Wellow Top Road, Wellow, PO41 0TB and will be signposted on the day. More information can be found on Facebook (Isle of Wight Ploughing Match) and Instagram (@ iwploughingmatch).

CQC report to be seen in weeks Draft reports from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) are currently being checked for factual accuracy by the Isle of Wight NHS Trust, with the final report due to be published in the middle of September.

It is hoped that this will show significant improvements from the report published in June, 2018 which judged that overall the Trust was inadequate.

However, the report highlighted that the level of caring was found to be good.

The report said that staff treated patients with kindness, respect and compassion, providing emotional support when needed and they also respected and promoted privacy and dignity. There was also praise for the Chief Executive Maggie Oldham, who had been recently appointed.

As well as delivering acute healthcare at St Mary’s Hospital the Trust is responsible for much of the the Island’s health needs including Community and Mental Health Services, Ambulance and Patient Transport services, out of hours GP services and it also runs the NHS 111 helpline. The Trust was placed in Special Measures in April, 2017.

Family fun event to aid Island charities Charities Together are hosting a fun family evening at Ryde Tesco, on Friday, September 6, in aid of eight small Island charities.

The event will take place in the rear car park from 4pm to 8pm, and will host a variety of fun activities, including a military assault course, magic with David Randini, characters from Enchanted Isle, swing boat rides, games, football cage, toy tombola, slime, glitter art, BBQ, cakes, refreshments and a milkshake bar. It promises to be a great

evening of fun for all the family, and a treat for the little ones as they return to school.

Charities Together is a group of local small charities working together to raise money for the local community, and is made up of Cats Protection, MPCT, the Wight Brainy Bunch, Women’s Institute, Aspire, Ryde Rotary, IW Search & Rescue and Vectis Radio. The event is kindly supported by Tesco Extra Ryde.

It is a free event, although donations are welcomed.

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30th August 2019

Jo Brand booked for IW Literary Festival Jo Brand, one of the UK’s well known comedians, has joined the line-up for the Red Funnel Isle of Wight Literary Festival, from October 11 to 13 at Northwood House, Cowes.

The star and writer of Getting On, the BBC’s BAFTA award winning series, Brand will be speaking about her new book, Born Lippy: How to Do Female.

In addition to memorable anecdotes from her life and career, Brand will share jokes and funny stories that have been coloured by her experiences as a psychiatric nurse, stand-up and working mother of two.

Brand, who co-wrote and starred in two series of the sitcom Damned for Channel 4, in addition to appearances on QI, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Live at the Apollo, 8 of 10 Cats, Have I Got News for You and Would I Lie to You, will be one of the 60-plus writers speaking at the eighth annual Red Funnel Isle of Wight Literary Festival.

Julia Dams, programme director, said: “Following her sell out at the Oxford Literary Festival, we’re delighted to welcome Jo Brand to our 2019 festival.

We can look forward to wit and wisdom in abundance from this wonderful raconteur. To avoid disappointment, you need to book early.”

Purchase tickets on line at www.isleofwightliteraryfestival.com or call 07821 123661. To book in person visit St Mary’s entrance, Northwood House from 1pm to 2pm Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Graham Pountney to star at Apollo after 40-year lapse!

The Apollo, Newport’s small but perfectly formed theatre, is to welcome a well-established TV actor to star in its latest production, Suddenly At Home.

Graham Pountney, whose television credits include Howards' Way, Peak Practice, Doctors, Hustle and New Tricks, will step into the lead role after a cast member had to withdraw.

He last stepped onto the Apollo stage to rehearse his audition speeches for drama school, but although he has been a frequent visitor to the Isle of Wight he has never performed here since graduating from the Bristol Old Vic stage school in the 1970s.

Suddenly at Home is a classic thriller by Francis Durbridge, a master of suspense most known for the BBC Paul Temple series aired in the early 1970s. Graham Pountney plays the volatile, unfaithful husband who schemes to murder his wealthy wife before taking off with his lover. This is a ‘whodunnit’ with all the expected twists and turns of a master writer.

So what brought Graham Pountney to take the role in a small theatre on the

Meeting being held to discuss housing plan Newport and Carisbrooke Parish Council has organised a public meeting to take place on Monday, September 2 in the Trafalgar Room at the Riverside Centre, Newport starting at 7pm. The meeting will discuss the Island Planning Strategy Review under which it is proposed to build an extra 3,695 houses in Newport and Carisbrooke over the next 15 years which is 38 per cent of the total allocation for the Island.

If new garden village numbers and windfall sites

are excluded the percentage figure is 47 per cent. The meeting will be chaired

by Councillor Julie JonesEvans, Chair of Newport and Carisbrooke Parish Council, and will be attended by MP Bob Seely and Isle of Wight Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing, Cllr.

Barry Abraham.

This will be an opportunity for the residents of Newport and Carisbrooke to have their say on future planning proposals for the parish and is open to everyone.

Embroiderers mark 100 years by stiching flora and fauna Isle of Wight? He said: “My parents first brought me [to the Island] when I was three. Then we came every summer, my folks building their retirement home here. Now they have passed on, my sons come down too.”

This isn’t his first sojourn to an Island stage in recent years. He added: “Recently I brought to life two Anthony Minghella plays at the Quay Arts Minghella Theatre in June, and an evening of Alan Bennett plays the year

before. I toured Richard II and Edward II to the Ventnor Fringe in 2017, and presented my solo show as Charles I in Carisbrooke Castle last year too!”

Suddenly Durbridge

At

Home

by

Apollo Theatre, Newport 6-14 September www.apollo-theatre.org.uk

Francis

‘Wild on Wight’, a new exhibition by the Isle of Wight Embroiderers, celebrates the hundreth anniversary of the founding of the Isle of Wight Natural History and Archaeological Society.

Stitched and embroidered at this, the group’s triennial show, will be flowers, trees, birds, insects and even archaeology, in styles and skills as diverse as the subject matter, and visitors can vote for their favourite piece.

The Exhibition, at St Thomas’ Minster, Newport, will be opened on Friday, September 6 at 7.00pm by Dr Colin Pope, Vice President of the Isle of Wight Natural History and Archaeology Society (IWNHAS). The Lord Lieutenant, Susie Sheldon, will also attend. It runs until September 20.

10am - 4pm Monday to Saturday. (Wednesdays 10.30 – 4pm). Free entry

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Car stolen from drive at Nokes Common

Police are appealing for witnesses following the theft of a car in Newport. The blue Ford Focus was taken from the drive of a house on Nokes Common, sometime between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, this week.

A spokesperson for the police confirmed: "We are investigating after a Ford Focus was

reported stolen from a driveway on Noke Common, Newport. This took place some time overnight.

“Anyone with information about this incident, or has seen a blue Ford Focus with a registration ending PAM, is asked to contact police on 101, quoting 44190306870.”

Chale Show raises vital funds for Island charity The Isle of Wight branch of childhood cancer charity CLIC Sargent has thanked Chale Show organisers for their support. Since 2016 the show has donated to the charity, which offers emotional and practical help and support to young cancer patients and their families.

This year there was a special floral art 'Young Lives Vs Cancer' class using CLIC Sargent's colours of pink, black and white. The Chale Show made a donation of £10 per entry.

The charity also raised over £1,000 at the show with a tombola, hook the duck game and raffle and a donation from the Chale Show Auction.

Isle of Wight CLIC Sargent Community Engagement Volunteer Susan Earley said: “The total of £1,060 could pay for a family to stay over a month in the CLIC Sargent Home from Home, 'Jean’s House'. A lot of people don’t realise that the nearest principle treatment centre is in Southampton, so the house is a lifeline for many Island families. I know as we stayed there ourselves. A huge thank you again to the volunteers who helped

on our stall, visitors and organisers of The Chale Show.”

Chale Show Manager Andrew Woodford said: “It’s really important to the Chale Horticultural Society that we are able to make donations from the Chale Show to charities.

The floral display organised by Susan Earley (pictured) won a Silver Medal and was very striking. We are delighted to support a number of charities that help local residents, including CLIC Sargent again.”

CLIC Sargent was formed in 2005 with the merger of two charities. CLIC (Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood) set up 1976 by Bob Woodward OBE when his young son Robert was diagnosed with cancer, and Sargent Cancer Care for Children founded in 1968 in memory of British conductor Sir Malcolm Sargent.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. If you would like to help raise funds for the charity you can contact them on 0300 330 0803 or visit clicsargent.org.uk

Phoenix Choir raise roof and funds at All Saints’

All Saints’ Church, Ryde was the venue for the Phoenix Choir's latest concert on Saturday, August 17 to raise funds towards their Pop-Up Café Project.

They were warmly welcomed by a large and enthusiastic audience of about 250 and performed a wide variety of

easy listening songs which included My Heart Will Go On, a sea shanty, The Impossible Dream, a Gospel medley, and Everything I Do. Soloists were Jan Merwood with Caledonia, Pat Attrill with Amazing Grace My Chains Are Gone, Ian Attrill with Distant Drums and Elizabeth Habens

with I Will Follow Him and I Will Always Love You. The enjoyable evening raised £1,266 towards the project.

Phoenix Choir's next concert will be on Saturday September 21 at St Saviour’s Church, Shanklin starting at 7.45pm.

Advertise your small business...

Great advertising rates available.

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THE OBSERVER GUIDE MEDINA THEATRE

HM Royal Marine Band Portsmouth

Wolverton Manor Fair 2019

The Island's largest traditional garden fair!

Join the fun with over 140 amazing Island and mainland nurseries, garden & craft stalls, classic cars, Elizabethan dancing, dog agility displays & shows, tractors, bike and military vehicles and engine displays, vintage amusements, magic with Randini, air-soft shooting, IOW Donkey Sanctuary, South Coast Falconry, IOW Bat Hospital, West Wight Alpacas, kayaking around the moat, climbing wall, IOW Woodcarvers and lots more over both days!

August 31 - September 1.

The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines, Portsmouth return to Medina Theatre a little earlier than usual this year with another superb charity concert in aid of Seafarers UK. This concert is always a sell out, so get your tickets early to save disappointment.

WEDS SEPTEMBER 25 @ 7:30pm

Beyond the West End For 10 years Spotlight IOW have produced the most entertaining musical variety show on the Isle of Wight. Every summer, they have been selling out Shanklin Theatre with their fast-paced show packed full of songs and routines from the greatest musicals and toe tapping tunes from stadium filling performers.

THURSDAYS SEPTEMBER 5,12,19,26 WEDNESDAYS SEPTEMBER 4,11,18,25 ALL @ 8:15pm

The Chicago Blues Brothers - Motown Mission 2019 The award-winning spectacular is Europe’s biggest and best-loved production of the Blues Brothers. The show is a high-octane, adrenaline-pumping musical mash-up which has jump started the legacy of Jake and Elwood for a new generation with its modern twist on this cult classic and an energy and spirit that is impossible to resist.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 21 @ 7:30pm

BOOKINGS & INFO 01983 823884

www.medinatheatre.co.uk

Advertise your event, call us

SHANKLIN THEATRE

Isle of Wight Carnivals 31/08/19

RYDE ILLUMINATED

All carnivals are free to attend - but remember get there early to secure yourself a good vantage point and somewhere to park your car.

The Wight Proms 2019

To advertise your event in this section call Emma or Carole on 01983 214264

Now established as one of the 'mustdo' events on the Isle of Wight, the 4-day festival will take place on 29th August - 1st September 2019, in the grounds of the Grade II* listed Georgian, Northwood House, Cowes, to the delight of last year’s attendees.

The festival will comprise 'A Wight Laugh' on the Friday night, bringing you international comedy to Cowes for One Night Only starring comedy legends Alan Davies, Shappi Khorsandi and supported by Esther Manito. 'Wight at the Musicals' on the Saturday night, starring Ruthie Henshall with West End Stars, Craig Mather, Tessa Kadler, Mike Christie and Vivien Carter, plus Live Band. 'Last Wight of the Proms' on the Sunday, starring Lesley Garrett.

DO YOU HAVE AN EVENT COMING UP? LET US KNOW BY EMAILING NEWSDESK@IWOBSERVER.CO.UK

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THEATRE AND EVENTS EVENTS ACROSS THE ISLAND

SHANKLIN THEATRE

Folk night at Mountbatten Hospice Folk music fans are in for a treat on the first night of the new Mountbatten Concert Series.

Acclaimed folk musician Mick Sands and fellow band members known collectively as The Rolling Wave will perform in the John Cheverton Centre at the Hospice.

Concert-goers will be treated to an evening of folk dance music and

song from the Irish musical tradition, performed on a wide range of traditional instruments.

Admission to the concert is £10 and includes wine and canapés. There is no need to book, just turn up on the night.

September 5 @ 7:30pm John Cheverton Centre

Chessell Pottery Organiser Mark Giddens took up the challenge thanks to an idea from Wightlink’s Wight Mountain Cycle Team, when he was asked to host the last event in their time trial series, with after-party and prizegiving.

There will be three group rides, including a 60km road ride starting at 9.30am accompanied by the West Wight Wheelers, a 40km road ride starting at

10.30am accompanied by IW Cycling, and a 30km off-road ride starting at 10am, accompanied by The Sunday Social.

Saturday August 31 Brook Road Yarmouth PO41 0UE

The King is Back - Ben Portsmouth is Elvis Ben Portsmouth -The World’s Number One Elvis Tribute Artist. Ben, a multi talented musician, singer and songwriter had Elvis’s DNA in his blood from an early age. His father was an avid Elvis fan and Ben grew up on a diet of Elvis songs.

He looks like Elvis, sings like Elvis and has an on-stage charisma that has audiences believing at times they are watching the King himself.

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 27 @ 7:30pm

The Brading Faerie Festival & Woodfair The Brading Faerie Festival and Wood Fair is back! This year with the two events combined into one day of magical fun and discovery, designed for the whole family.

With music and dancing, storytelling, demonstrations of traditional skills, quests to complete and trails to follow, plus the fairy market place.

For more info and tickets head to:

www.gifttonature.org.uk

September 15 @ 12pm – 5pm Brading Down Road Brading Ryde PO36 0ES

Albert Lee and his Band

Isle of Wight Embroiderers

Newport SCREENING FOR NEWPORT

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw - Ever since hulking lawman Hobbs, a loyal agent of America’s Diplomatic Security Service, met lawless outcast Shaw, a former British operative, the duo have swapped smack talk and body blows. But when cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist Brixton gains control of an insidious biothreat that could alter humanity forever, they must work together.

Once Upon A Time in Hollywood - Once Upon A Time In Hollywood visits 1969 Los Angeles, where everything is changing, as TV star Rick Dalton and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth make their way around an industry they hardly recognize anymore.

The ninth film from the writer-director features a large ensemble cast and multiple storylines in a tribute to the final moments of Hollywood’s golden age.

picks your fancy! Don’t worry if you’ve never stitched before! We all have to start somewhere, come and join the fun!

September 6 - 20 10am - 4pm Monday to Saturday 10.30am - 4pm on Wednesdays St. Thomas’ Minister Newport

RYDE SCREENING FOR RYDE The Lion King - Disney’s ‘The Lion King’, journeys to the African savannah where a future king is born. Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub’s arrival.

Scar, Mufasa’s brother, and former heir to the throne, has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is rife with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba’s exile.

PlayMobil: The Movie - Marla is forced to abandon her carefully structured life to embark on an epic journey to find her younger brother Charlie who has disappeared into the vast and wondrous animated world of PlayMobil toys.

01983 214264

Isle of Wight Embroiderers are back for their 100th anniversary celebrating the founding of the Isle of Wight Natural History and Archaeological Society.

They are exhibiting in style with a “Wild on Wight” theme where all visitors are welcome. Come and vote for your favourite embroidery piece, or purchase an embroidered item that

Undoubtedly one of the finest guitarists the world has ever seen, Double Grammy Award Winner Albert Lee is also an accomplished piano player and has a fine singing voice. He has a soulful voice but can equally ‘tear it up’ rock ‘n’ roll style.

TUESDAY OCTOBER 1 @ 7:30pm

Rob Beckett - Work In Progress Watch Rob Beckett and be the guinea pigs as he tests his new material. After quickly establishing himself on the circuit Rob’s cheeky chappy persona saw him winning fans starring on BBC1’s ‘Live At The Apollo’, ‘Would I Lie To You’, Channel 4’s ‘8 Out Of 10 Cats’, BBC2’s ‘Mock The Week’, ITV2’s ‘Celebrity Juice’ as well as his role as resident comedian in the jungle each year on ‘I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here Now!’

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 6 @ 8:00pm

BOOKINGS & INFO 01983 868000

www.shanklintheatre.com

DO YOU HAVE AN EVENT COMING UP? LET US KNOW BY EMAILING NEWSDESK@IWOBSERVER.CO.UK

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30th August 2019

Annual Scooter Rally is just as popular as ever!

The Isle of Wight was the traditional August Bank Holiday scooterists' heaven as up to 5,000 descended on the Island for the annual Scooter Rally.

The sun shone throughout the weekend showcasing lovingly polished Vespas and Lambrettas, with beautifully shiny mirrors, as well as parka coats and 'target' helmets, as Ryde became a hub of activity for scooterists and those turning up to enjoy the spectacle and soak up the atmosphere.

Around 3,000 bikes took part in

the annual Sunday lunchtime ride out from Ryde Esplanade to Sandown, attracting large crowds of onlookers. Inevitably there was a spate of breakdowns, and roadside repairs, which have become a familiar part of the weekend activities over the years.

Steve Robson of Visual Impact Events, who organised entertainment over the weekend, said: “We had an amazing weekend, obviously helped by the weather and some

fantastic music to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Quadrophenia.

“We need to keep the Rally relevant to younger scooterists, so booked some new acts including Marquis Drive, who play 90s Britpop and were really popular. Although there is a competing rally in Brighton the numbers coming to the Island seem to be holding up and this was one of our best rallies ever.”

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30th August 2019

Oldest Carnival in UK a hit once again!

Carnivals are a firm tradition on the Island and Ryde Carnival is the oldest.

In fact it’s the oldest carnival in the UK, dating back to 1887, Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.

This year was no exception as yesterday evening (Thursday) it yet again proved a popular draw. The crowds turned out to enjoy another spectacle of colour and music, with fantastic floats and flamboyant costumes.

Returned by popular demand to its traditional Thursday, it was time to

enjoy one of the final flings before the schools return and the holidays are over for another year.

This year was special for Hallam Saunders, aged 14, of Ventnor Free School, as Medina Marching Band played ‘To the Sea’ - a piece he had composed especially for them. The piece was commissioned by Ryde Arts, an organisation dedicated to celebrating the talents of the town and the wider Island. As you can see the town did itself and the Island proud!

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30th August 2019

Floats do Yarmouth proud on the day The 2019 Yarmouth Carnival Chairman Chris Waddington, and his committee took to social media to thank everybody involved with this year’s carnival.

But this being Yarmouth they have a full carnival

week, so there were lots of people to thank including sponsors, advertisers, helpers and participants.

Many of them take part year after year, helping to make the entire week run smoothly and an enduring success.

Unicorns, bees and pirates were all roused by an enthusiastic performance of Mamma Mia from one of the floats and a great time was had by all.

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Fantasy fun weekend a hit...

The Island’s first Fan TC Con gathering has been a ‘resounding success’ according to organiser Adam Pearson. Last Saturday and Sunday (August 24 & 25) hundreds of fantasy and comic fans made their way to Cowes Enterprise College to hang out with others of a similar ilk and take selfies with their idols.

Former Dr Who star Colin Baker was a firm favourite as he posed with a Dalek along with the Island’s own Jennie Linden (pictured right). Jennie lives in Bembridge, and it was far from her first encounter with the metal monsters as in 1965 she starred as Barbara in Dr Who and the Daleks.

Adam said: “There was a great atmosphere and I was amazed and thankful that our first event went so well. I am seriously considering doing the whole thing over again, but have to draw breath first!”

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Local Events

Letting off steam Vehicles were the undisputed stars of the 45th Island Steam Show over the Bank Holiday weekend (August 24-26), but there was lots of alternative fun at the Havenstreet Island Steam Railway with the well-trained pigs from the Hogg Show and the daredevil antics of Reel Stunts delighting the crowds.

There were live bands and music to enjoy throughout the day with displays and attractions to keep the whole family entertained.

The traditional carousel brought back memories of days gone by for those who recalled the fairground horses of their younger years, but also brought

smiles to the faces of a new generation of riders.

Many visitors took advantage of the opportunity to enjoy the Island’s beautiful countryside from a steam carriage or savoured a flavoursome Island beer from the real ale bar. A day out to remember for all the family.

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30th August 2019

Calbourne holds Harry Potter day There was a world of wizarding fun at Calbourne Mill over the August Bank Holiday weekend with Island youngsters and tourists alike enjoying a themed weekend celebrating the magical characters created by J K Rowling.

Many people dressed up for the occasion with imaginative and creative outfits. The weather was simply perfect, as it was for all Island events over the keenly awaited break. Witches, Wizards and muggles all mixed happily enjoying the atmosphere – despite the notable absence of butterbeer.

This may be corrected when Calbourne Mill takes part in the forthcoming Buses and Beer Weekend on October 12 and 13 – why not plan to put the venue on your route and find out!

Would you like your event featured in the IW Observer?

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Cowes illuminated carnival 2019

Light hearted fun Cowes illuminated carnival took place on Saturday, August 24 and the spectacle lit up the streets of Cowes.

The Cowes Queens were resplendent on a 50s style float adorned not just by them, but by a giant jukebox. The assorted glowing witches and wizards may have been responsible for some of the transformations, including turning people into teapots. Who knows! All in all it was a light and light-hearted evening for all those who took part and those who turned up to watch.

Great village turnout Shalfleet has held a traditional village fete for over 100 years and this year the festivities took place on Bank Holiday Monday (August 26). The fete raises money for the village hall and St Michael’s Church and is always attended by a good number of local residents.

As well as the two good causes at the centre of the fete, Ability Dogs for Young People, Action for Support and Friends of the

Animals use the fete to raise money for their charitable activities.

Traditional fun and games like crockery smashing, a coconut stall and splat the rat kept visitors dipping into their pockets for a few coins, making the fund-raising relatively painless. The bouncy castle was well-used and the dog show made sure canine companions were also part of the celebrations.

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Hillbans Pest Control receive 'great honour' Hillbans Pest Control is celebrating national recognition by the British Pest Control Association (BPCA).

The Island’s leading pest control provider was given a full-page editorial in the UK pest control industry’s magazine, PPC95, following an invitation to PestEX, the biannual exhibition and conference for the UK’s pest control industry at Excel, London.

Sandra Knowles, Managing Director of Hillbans Pest Control, said: “Being featured in the magazine is a great honour for us as a business.”

The article aimed to inspire other companies in the industry to raise standards, and described Hillbans’ recent award of significant accreditation from the Confederation of European Pest Management Associations (CEPA) – the only Island company to hold this award.

Other recent accolades for Hillbans include Member of the Year, Growth Business of the Year, and Highly Commended as Small Business of the Year at the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce awards for Excellence.

30th August 2019

New rules for Blue Badges Islanders are being reminded that new Blue Badge parking qualifications for people with non-visible disabilities were brought in on August 30.

The Department for Transport has introduced the changes to help people whose non-visible disabilities are assessed as enduring and substantial. Details on who may qualify and how to apply are available on the iwight.com and gov.uk websites with the Council's website including frequently asked questions.

Applications should be made via the gov.uk website – and will then be processed locally by the Isle of Wight Council.

“We hope this will help those deserving Islanders who have missed out on parking assistance under the existing criteria,” said Councillor Stuart Hutchinson, deputy council leader.

“This is a national change and we are advising those who think they may now qualify to look closely at the new criteria.”

Applications must include acceptable evidence of a qualifying condition, and the processing will include input from healthcare professionals. Because of the strict criteria, not all applicants will be successful.

Currently over 8,000 Island residents have Blue Badges.

Volunteers needed to provide extra support Home-Start Isle of Wight is looking for 10 volunteers from Ryde or Newport who would like to help those who need extra support with parenting, ‘because childhood can’t wait’.

The organisation supports families on the Island coping with issues such as post-natal depression, illness or disability, isolation or multiple births - or simply the challenges of day-to-day parenthood.

Volunteers, who must be parents or have parenting experience themselves, are asked to visit families regularly to offer emotional and practical support. This friendly parentto-parent arrangement, which requires around two to three hours’ volunteering a week, is a simple yet effective way of enabling struggling families to get back on track.

Alison Griffiths, Senior Co-ordinator at Home-Start IW, said: “Our volunteers visit families at home each week offering practical help and emotional support. It’s so important that the training they receive covers all aspects of the role and ensures volunteers feel confident, happy and ready.

Our volunteers are as different as the families we support so it is great to be able to broaden our reach in terms of volunteer recruitment.”

Training will be held at in Newport starting in September. Volunteers from Ryde and Newport are encouraged to apply, with all volunteers vetted and subject to an enhanced DBS check.

For more information, or to offer or receive support, email admin@homestartiow.org or call (01983) 533357.

With a recent move to new larger offices in Wootton, award winning Brightbulb Design have continued their expansion with the appointment of Shane Smith and Adam Hayles to their design and creative team.

Adam joins the Graphic Design Team and is well known to many businesses across the Island from his time with Crossprint, Island Printers and DNN Signs. Shane brings experience in Web and Software Development, having been part of the highly successful Stainless Games team, working on their Carmageddon game franchise for almost seven years.

Matt Jeffery, Founder and Managing Director

of Brightbulb Design, said: “It’s great to welcome Adam and Shane to the Brightbulb Team. A reflection of our commitment to invest in the very best talent, that ensures our clients across the Island and mainland UK receive the best in award winning creative and design services.

"Their knowledge and experience is invaluable and adds to an already strong creative and technical team. Coming on the back of our recent office move to new larger offices, further reflects the strength of Brightbulb Design and a bright future for us and all our clients.”

Help get our troops smiling this Christmas Brightbuld Design call up two new recruits It may seem too early to be thinking about Christmas, but IOW Operation Shoebox - the Smile Club, are starting their annual appeal for small gifts for troops deployed in Afghanistan, Estonia, Somalia, Bahrain, Cyprus and Iraq.

Suggested donations include sweets, chocolate or biscuits, savoury snacks, toiletries including shower gel, roll-on deodorant, toothpaste and moisturiser or other small items such as playing cards, puzzle-books and novelty socks. They are unable to accept aerosols, alcohol or anything in a glass container. The last date for donations is

October 10, with boxes despatched in early November to reach Army, Navy, Air Force and Royal Marines before Christmas. There are collection boxes in Allsorts Hair & Beauty, Pyle Street, Newport, the Central Store, Avenue Road and ’Tis The Season (opposite the Old Comical) in Sandown and there will shortly be a collection box at Morrisons in Lake.

Why not buy a small gift for somebody who is serving overseas and away from their home and loved ones this Christmas – and help them join the Smile Club?

New nurses at St Mary's The Isle of Wight NHS Trust welcomed two cohorts of nurses from the Philippines in July and August, with more due to arrive in September.

In a message to NHS staff Chief Executive Maggie Oldham said: “The NHS truly is all about the people and our Trust is exactly the same. Without the people that make up our

teams it would not be possible to support the local community in the way we do. Thanks to them all for choosing our Trust and thanks to you for making them so welcome, they will make a big difference to the amount of temporary staffing we have to use and I know having continuity in our workforce is vitally important.”

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Oh Sister! What a brilliant act from the Island Savoyards!

Island musicians light up cafe!

Sister Act the Musical at Shanklin Theatre was yet another smash hit from the Island Savoyards. The opening night on Friday, August 23 was a boisterous success with toe-tapping music, powerful vocals and well-choreographed dance routines. This may be an amateur production, but it was well worthy of a London stage.

The story opens with aspiring night club singer Deloris Van Cartier (Iona Fraser) disappointed and hurt that her mobster boyfriend Curtis Jackson (Ben Spurling) won’t let her sing in his club. She goes to break up with him but arrives just as he shoots one of his gang members.

As she flees Curtis sends dopey nephew TJ (Nathan Stubbings), suave Joey (Jake Alabaster) and Spanish Pablo (Tommy Venier) to find her.

Arriving at the police station Deloris tells her story to cop Eddie Souther (Nathaniel Meller), who she recognises as ‘Sweaty Eddie’ who had a crush on her at school. He decides to hide her in a nearby convent, which is where the fun starts.

Dismayed to find she can’t drink, smoke or wear her flashy clothes Deloris makes a bad impression on strict Mother Superior (Vivien Russell) who is struggling to keep the convent afloat in the face of a financial crisis.

But when Deloris, as Sister Mary Clarence, transforms the hopeless choir into the hottest musical act in town it’s Mother Superior’s turn to be horrified. As money pours in Deloris can help save the convent, but risks blowing her cover.

Monsignor O’Hara (David Kast), whose sequined vestments are a feast for the eyes, brings the astonishing news that the choir is to perform for the Pope.

The action takes place both in and outside the convent, with numerous, deftly executed scene changes. Jackson and his gang spot Deloris on TV which leads to a hilarious number with the three goons outlining their plans to break into the convent. Deloris must leave immediately for the safety of the nuns, but their dismay at losing her leads her to reflect overnight. Feeling guilty for leaving and realising that following her dreams will bring her nothing but fame and money she returns to sing with her sisters.

The gang dress up as nuns and break into the convent but find themselves up against the entire sisterhood. Just as Curtis is about to fire at the nuns Eddie turns up, arrests the gangsters and finding his inner man, passionately kisses Deloris.

The show ends as first the nuns and then the entire cast perform for the Pope, with the audience clapping along enthusiastically.

There are so many great performances on stage and by the unseen crew that it seems unjust to single out individual performances, but Fraser (a professional performer) as Deloris keeps the fast-paced show moving well and Meller’s performance as a cop longing to become a hero, won the heart of the audience. The nuns were without exception a class act, their transformation from tone-deaf sisters to talented songbirds is a delight.

The Savoyards next gig is the fantasmagorical musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in October. We’re in for another treat for the eyes and ears from the Island Savoyards.

Two highly respected Isle of Wight musicians came together at the Gaslight Café at Sandown Station to delight a packed audience, proving talent can be even more than the sum of its parts.

Double bass players Jon Thorne and Paul Armfield tour well beyond the Island’s

shores so catching them together is a particular treat.

The pair embarked upon two sets embracing Mood Indigo, I Walk The Line, 16 Tons, Somewhere Over The Rainbow and many more. Beautifully sung, uniquely played, punctuated by

Paul's withering work on the saw (“He studied at ‘The Saw Bum’ you know”), and humorously presented, Two Big Violins must surely be another jewel in the Island's glorious live music crown.

Julie Felix returns for Bash 50 years after Festival show

It’s the summer of ’69 again on the Island as preparations for the Million Dollar Bash festival this weekend go into overdrive. The Bash is a one-day event on Saturday to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bob Dylan’s iconic appearance at the 1969 Isle of Wight Festival of Music. And on Tuesday folk legend Julie Felix led a gathering on the ’69 festival site in Woodside Bay, Wootton.

Julie – who played shortly before Dylan hit the stage half a century ago - was joined by Island artist Alex Williams and his oil-on-canvas painting of Dylan performing on the Island, and rock’n’roll sculptor Guy Portelli with

two works inspired by the festival.

They came together in front of a backdrop of original 1969-70 IW Festival sound gear and mixers presented by CH Vintage Audio.

Julie sang several songs including Dylan’s Chimes of Freedom. She said: “It’s incredible to think I am back on the site where I performed all those years ago alongside some wonderful artists, including Bob Dylan, of course. And – incredibly -- I am playing through the same sound system, too!

“I’m looking forward to playing at the Bash itself on Saturday; it should be a lovely anniversary event. I’ve said that the Isle of Wight in 1969 was

the aristocracy of festivals – it was a wonderful time and this is a chance to pay tribute and create new memories.”

The Million Dollar Bash, on Saturday from 11am to 11pm at the County Showground, near Cowes, has a top bill including folk-rock legend Richard Thompson, rockers Wishbone Ash, 1969 stars Julie Felix, Jacqui McShee’s Pentangle and Phil May and Dick Taylor from the Pretty Things plus an all-star ‘Dylancentric’ band, assembled by Fairport Convention founder member Ashley Hutchings MBE. Tickets will be available for cash sale at the gate at £44. Under-18s are half price and under-10s go free.

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Holmesy!

The David Holmes Column

Make way for the stupid they’re always right!

30th August 2019

Island Soapbox

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

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

Paint too expensive?

Dear Editor, Somewhere deep under Ryde in the Council bunker, whispers from the world above reach hairy old ears. A danger to public safety was identified, reported in the IOW Observer and supported by Cllr Charles Chapman. Yet over a month later, nothing has been done. I speak of the proposed use of paint - not expensive or high tech - to create a cycle/ scooter lane on

the landward side of the coast from the Ryde lifeboat station to the Boat House pub. The non-arrival of this sensible safety measure makes me wonder if, having been made aware an not yet acted, Ryde Council are now liable for any accidents that may occur?

Sincerely, Adam Webb, Ryde

Where have all the orchids gone?

Our world is populated by all kinds of people with widely varying levels of intelligence.

People who are less intelligent than us often do things that mark them out as stupid. For example, urban young people like to stab each other in what often seems a motiveless crime. Drugs can be a cause, but more often than not, it’s just a disproportionate response to a trivial slight.

It’s not just the young though, I’m always reading about neighbours going to court and subsequently using the entire appeals process because of a hedge. The papers love these stories, Mr and Mrs Miggins face ‘losing their home’ because they felt next door’s leylandii had grown too tall and litigated to get the bushes pruned.

Worse, they cut it themselves in the dead of night, but either way, the legal fees reach hundreds of thousands and still the idiots ploughed on, absolutely convinced they were right. No boundary hedge is really that important is it, and what happened to the neighbourly chat stage?

A pal recently fell out with the bloke next door because he’d started using his garage as a joinery workshop.

For 12-14 hours a day every day, the neighbour was out there making a racket, drilling, sawing and whittling wood.

After weeks of the noise nuisance, my pal went round and asked for it to stop.

However, by then he’d become so irate he went-in all guns blazing and didn’t get his desired result. He was told to clear off, although those were not exactly the words heard. He was also threatened with a punch in the face, if he dared come whining about the noise again. At this point he asked me for advice and my straightforward response was, move.

You used to be able to sell your home and not mention a bad neighbour. Now, if you

have rude, noisy or violent people next door, you’re obliged to disclose the fact and if you don’t, your purchaser could sue you. You could be made to compensate the buyer for your deception and, in extremis, they can get the sale set-aside, forcing you to take back the property and neighbour you thought you were rid of. This is why I advise selling-up as a first step, even before complaining officially to the police or council’s Environmental Health department, where your problem will be recorded.

On the Island last week, I witnessed two women yelling at each other about their dogs’ behaviour. They really went for it; that’s the women, not the dogs.

They appeared quite unconcerned by their unreasonable owners hysteria. I then read about two otherwise law-abiding mainland women (middle-aged neighbours who’d been feuding for a while) who’d come to blows over a shared driveway. One of them died; the other is likely to be charged with murder.

The women lived-in a nice leafy road, but disproportionate responses seem the norm everywhere now.

Stupid people always have to be right, and none of us are right all of the time. We all know people who won’t listen or consider the other persons point of view, and such inflexibility tends to be a good indicator of stupidity.

Aggressive behaviour is the go-to reaction for stupid people and anger is never an emotionally intelligent response.

I admit to having no advice for dealing with stupid relatives and/or remainers, so sadly we’re stuck with them.

“Anger is never an emotionally intelligent response’”

Thanks to Nicholas Finney OBE for filling in for the last fortnight. #whataguy

Dear Editor, On the lawns of the Isle of Wight an inconspicuous species of wild orchid appears to be disappearing rather too quickly.

Autumn Ladies-tresses (Spiranthes spiralis) is the last of Britain’s 55 species of wild orchid to come into flower in the year. From the middle of August their thin pale green stems start to appear on garden lawns, grass verges, public recreation grounds and open grassland in churches and cemeteries and on chalk downland.

By the end of August, three to twenty delicate white, bell like orchid flowers, appear from the middle of the stem upwards in a spiral resembling a ringlet hence the name Ladies-tresses. When viewed close up through a hand lens the flowers have a charm all of their own.

The plants tiny stature (3-15cms) and small flowers mean that they are easily overlooked.

In the last 4 years my partner and I have found the orchid on over 200 front lawns on the Isle of Wight although virtually none of the residents realised that they had them.

Because of this they frequently succumb to the lawn mower.

This year the wet weather in the middle of August has meant that lots of residents on the island have been cutting their lawns in the last few days, so many of the lawns where the orchids were abundant last year are now sadly lacking this lovely species. However plants are still in the process of coming up so they may still appear on lawns that have just been cut.

Individual plants are very long lived and may flower for many years and there may well be large numbers of dormant non-flowering plants on lawns which are cut too regularly.

Plants that have been cut off often increase in size vegetatively year by year until they are able to flower. A cutting regime of last cut around August 10th would allow the plants to flower and increase, while a further cut in late October would allow the orchids to set seed and the colony to expand further. Keep an eye out as you may well be lucky enough to have this delightful species on your lawn.

Stephen Oakes-Monger, Ventnor

Danger during Fort Walk Dear Editor, Thank you for reporting the rescue of the father and sons taking part in the St Helens Fort Walk. Luckily it had a happy ending. My friend, Archie Henley, and I have often said that the numbers that walk out there make it a disaster waiting to happen. We are both retired fishermen and have considerable knowledge of this area and more so in Archie's case as he was a member of the last family to live on the fort and, with his brother, came in daily by small boat. When the tide was out they walked across Bembridge sands to go to school in Bembridge.

Our concerns for the safely of the current fort walkers are: 1.) Tide tables are only predictions of the tide height and can be affected considerably

by Atlantic low pressure.

2.) Because Bembridge Harbour is tidal boats go aground regularly and their propellors can shift tons of sand leaving deep holes not marked on charts.

3.) A South Easterly gale can also move tons of sand and shingle leaving deep holes and sandbanks.

4.) Big ships, both Naval and Commercial, on their way through the Solent can create a wash that will reach Bembridge sands and can knock you off your feet and, with the numbers now involved, the Bembridge Inshore Lifeboat would be unable to cope.

We are mainly concerned with the safety of the children. If they can't swim please don't take them out there. The sea can be your best friend or your biggest enemy.

Yours sincerely, N. Wade, St Helen’s.

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Red squirrels have their very own app

It's a top 10 breeze for Island bus route The Needles Breezer service has appeared in the Guardian newspaper's top 10 list of the UK's best open-topped bus rides. It said: "This ride heads across Tennyson Down for a vertigo-inducing climb up the road from colourful Alum Bay to the Needles Battery. The Needles – three unmistakable chalk stacks with a lighthouse on the end – are directly

below, and the closest views are via a National Trust tunnel through the downs.

"The bus takes a circular route from maritime Yarmouth, stopping at classic landmarks including thatched St Agnes’ Church and the Dimbola gallery, a museum in the house where Victorian photographer Julia Cameron lived and

Red Funnel in running for top Maritime award Red Funnel Ferries is one of three companies shortlisted for Maritime UK’s Maritime 2050 Award, in recognition of its support for British shipbuilding.

Most recently, Red Funnel awarded a £10 million contract to Cammell Laird in Birkenhead on the River Mersey, to build its new state-of-the-art freight-only ferry, Red Kestrel.

This was the third successive UK ship order for Red Funnel, following two high-speed catamarans, Red Jets 6 and 7. Both were built on the Island at Wight Shipyard in 2016 and 2018, investing £13m into the UK economy, much of that staying on the Island.

Some 85 skilled Island craftsmen were employed during the Red Jet builds, including several apprentices. Fran Collins, CEO of Red Funnel said: “We’re extremely proud to work within the British maritime industry and as a business, we work hard to help it grow. Our last three ship builds have been evidence of that.

“Supporting the UK economy is embedded in the ethos of Red Funnel. During the Red Kestrel build alone, we supported 45 supply chain businesses and generated over 3,000 hours of apprentice work, so it is wonderful news that our efforts towards the Maritime 2050 strategy have been recognised by this nomination. We’re incredibly proud of this achievement.”

The other companies shortlisted are MJC2 a software company and the Port of Tyne. The winner will be announced at an award ceremony on September 19, during the Southampton Boat Show.

The Maritime 2050 Award is sponsored by the Department for Transport to highlight the Government's recognition of the importance of the maritime sector to Britain's future.

Police officers suffer injuries Three police officers suffered minor injuries following an incident inside Newport Police Station.

A 23-year-old man was later arrested on suspicion of a public order offence and assaulting three police

officers.

An Armed Response Unit pulled up outside the High Street station last Thursday, late afternoon, and officers entered the building through the main front office.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson was a regular guest."

The Southern Vectis service runs hourly until November 3 with an adult single ticket costing £5 or £10 for a 24 hour pass covering all the Island's buses.

The Guardian article also mentioned the open-top Downs Breezer service.

A new red squirrel app has been created to enable Islanders to report sightings of the precious mammal instantly.

The Wight Squirrel Project has found a way to monitor red squirrels using non-invasive techniques and with help from computer whizz and volunteer Ian Rennie, designed an app which can be downloaded via the App Store.

By downloading ‘Epicollect5’ and adding ‘Wight Squirrel Observations Project’ you can report when you spot a red squirrel, helping to monitor their conservation and ensure they are protected and thriving.

Helen Butler, Wight Squirrel Project founder, said: “I am very grateful to Ian as we have been trying to get a working app for a long time. Monitoring the squirrels non-invasively is important and this is one way it can be done - with the help of the general public.”

Artwork on show at Mountbatten A collection of stunning artwork, capturing the beauty of the Isle of Wight, its coastline and some of its birdlife, is on public display at Mountbatten Hospice.

The artist Christina Phillips is on placement at Mountbatten as a trainee bereavement counsellor.

She trained at Camberwell Schools of Art in her twenties, and painting and drawing has been an important part of her life since.

Christina said: “Many of my paintings are an exploration in capturing the effects of light on water; whereas in my recent works, the presence of the elegant egrets symbolise my spiritual views on the journey we make through life.”

Nigel Hartley, Mountbatten Chief Executive, said: "Whether it's singing together in our Mountbatten community choir, making memories at one of our music concerts, or patients and families enjoying our music and art therapies, the creative arts form such an important part of what we do. Our art gallery is an opportunity for everyone to relax, experience new perspectives and take a moment to reflect on something other than our daily lives."

Anyone visiting the new art display can also take the chance to experience Mountbatten's recently refurbished café which is open to the general public, as well as tour the relaxing gardens including the award-winning Chelsea Garden and children's playground.

The art gallery is open to everyone and 20% of all sales will be donated to Mountbatten. It is open between 9am and 5pm on weekdays, and can be found at the back of the hospice opposite the Chapel.

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By Peter White

Di takes Ryde Golf Foundation Brooch

Perfect golfing conditions provided the backdrop for the Ryde Golf Club Ladies’ closely fought competition to win the attractive silver Golf Foundation Brooch. The prize went to Di Taylor who returned a score on count back of 29 points. Di is pictured being presented with the brooch by Lady Captain Jan Walker.

Result: Ladies’ Foundation Brooch, Stableford Division One: 1, Sara Weech 29points; 2, Julia Fauvel 28 ocb; 3, Marian Johnston 28.

Division Two: 1 Di, Taylor 29; 2, Doreen Perkis 28 ocb; 3, Trish Pitts 28.

Golf Clubs around the Island Shanklin and Sandown Golf Club

Ladies’ Diamond Jubilee Foursomes: 1, Jenny Domoney and Angela Lassey 37 points; 2, Lorrie Hawkins and Lynne Maidment 33.

Open Stableford: 1, Will Nicholls 41; 2, Alex Messing 40; 3, Ray Winter 37.

Senior’s Stableford: 1, David Ames 38; 2, Bob Wynn 38.

Saturday Open Stableford, Division 1: 1, Peter Brooke 44; 2, Ashley Jones 43; 3, Lawrence Tolfrey 39; 4, Brian Dyer 39. Division 2: 1, Fred Sillwood 39; 2, Tony Ryall 39; 3, Pat Cavaliero 37.

Bank Holiday Monday Open Stableford: 1, Tony Ryall 42; 2, Tony Valvona 40; 3, Shawn Ford 39.

Newport Golf Club

Nine-hole Stableford: 1, Robert Groom (18) 23 points.

Thursday Stableford: 1, Chris Ridett (19) 38; 22 Steve Johnson (7) 37; Jaime Currie (14) 36.

Men’s Open Scramble: 1, S. Trippleton, L Danson, S. Legg, G. Daish 50net; 2, Yolande Farrer, Andy Wheeler, Keith Fryer, George Foreman 63.2; 3, Stuart Sholfield, K West, B White, S Hardwick 65.

Sunday Stableford: 1, Yolande Farrer (6) 38; 2, Rex Ringer (11) 38; 3, Adam Ridett (14) 37.

Cowes Golf Club

Tuesday Coleby: 1, Viv Jenkins net 32; 2, Dave Rapley 32 ocb; 3, Mike Tanser 32 ocb. Best gross: Viv Jenkins 39.

Thursday Coleby: 1, Peter Widgery net 29; 2, Keith Parker 31 ocb; 3, Brian Rockliffe 31. Best gross (joint): Peter Widgery and Len Rowley 38.

Ladies’ medal: 1, Kate Palfrey net 70; 2, Judy Ferris 80.

Gary Batchelor Stableford, Division 1: 1, Nick Toms 41points; 2, Cyril Knowles 39; 3, Shaun Collins 37. Division 2: 1, Graham Frecknall 42; 2, Stuart Chadwick 39; 3, Ernest May 38.

Mixed Foursomes Mayo Trophies: 1, Ian and Jackie Graham net 73.5.

Cass trophies, Aggregate Stableford: 1, Bob Balchin and Arthur Godfrey 77points; 2, Glen Hammond and Howard Burt 74; 3, Kate Palfrey and Howard McHale 72.

Osborne Golf Club results Midweek Stableford Division 1: 1, Matthew Purser 39 points; 2, David Stephens 37; 3, David Cotton 34. Division 2: 1, Mike Blow 37; 2, Bob Kennovin 36 ocb; 3, Mike Spall 36. Division 3: 1, Richard Green 39; 2, Derek Paton 37; 3, Darren Arnold 36.

Saturday Stableford Division 1: 1, Derek Wright 37; 2, David Cotton 35; 3, Paul Haward 34. Division 2: 1, David Ramsbottom 37 ocb; 2, Robert Holloway 37; 3, Mike Spall 36. Division 3: 1, Deryck G Jones 34 ocb; 2, Leigh Lipscombe 34; 3, Tony Lake 34.

Sunday Stableford Division 1: Brian Wright 39; 2, Danny Stimson 34 ocb; 3, Dennis Brown 34. Division 2: 1, Mike Blow 40 ocb; 2, John Elliott 40; 3, Peter Wright 31. Division 3: 1, Howard Johnson 37; 2, Barry Geary 35; 3, Roger Cooper 33.

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Ollie completes hat-trick in Newport Golf Club finals Newport Golf Club held its Club Championships recently with 47 players taking part. The Scratch Champion, with rounds of 75 on the first day and 70 on the second was Ollie Wilson, who just beat Chris Haywood by one shot, with Darren Masterton a further stroke behind.

Ollie also picked up the Handicap Championship with a net total of 137, beating Tom Caddy on countback and Nick Matthews by a stroke. Ollie made it a treble by also picking up the Westridge Cup for handicaps scratch to 12.

The Hewitt Cup winner, for handicaps 13 to 28 was Steve Gilbert with a gross 143, and the Birdie Trophy was won by Darren Masterton with six birdies over the weekend.

Meanwhile, Nick Matthews picked up the Junior Championship.

In-form Joel picks up hat-trick of victories Joel Tarry was in fine form during Westridge Golf Club’s latest competitions. Joel won 36-hole medal Junior Club Championship, Scratch event, and then paired up with Max Shallice-Palmer to take the August Shield 18-hole, Aggregate Stableford. He even had time then to win a Junior 198-hole Stableford with an impressive 39 points. Joel and Max are pictured receiving the August Shield from Rose Budd, Westridge’s Ladies Captain.

Results: 36-hole medal Junior Club Championship, Scratch: 1, Joel Tarry 143; 2, Harrison Knights 153; 3, Harrison Lake 159.

Handicap: 1, Harrison Lake 129 ocb; 2, Joel Tarry 129; 3, William

Lakin 140.

Nine-hole Stableford: 1, Terence Pearce 20points; 2, Roger Sims 19; 3, Ming Choi 16.

18-hole, Medal, Division 1: 1, Duncan Hardiman 61; 2, Geoff Budd 63; 3, Glen Winnard 65.

Division 2: 1, Barry Herbert 63 ocb; 2, Ernie Moore 63; 3, Jasmine Light 66.

Junior 18-hole, Stableford: 1, Joel Tarry 39; 2, Bailey Hyde 34; 3, William Lakin 33.

Nine-hole, Stableford: 1, Clive Martin 19; 2, Luke Menniss 18; 3, Richard Evans 17.

August Shield 18-hole, Aggregate Stableford: 1, Joel Tarry & Max Shallice-Palmer 81points; 2, Mick Willis & Zane Cohen 75 ocb; 3, Duncan Hardiman & Tony Jennings 75.

Forthcoming football fixtures Tomorrow (Sat)

Yarmouth & Calbourne v Oakfield

FA Vase

Binstead & COB v West Wight (ko 4pm) Brading Town v Whitecroft & Barton Sports (4pm) East Cowes Sports v Ryde Saints Northwood St Johns v Seaview Oakfield v Carisbrooke United Shanklin v Sandown (ko 4pm)

Kick-off 2pm unless shown Cowes Sports v Shaftesbury (3pm) Folland Sports v East Cowes Vics (3pm)

Wessex League Division One Hythe and Dibden v Newport (3pm)

Harwoods Renault Division One

Bembridge v East Cowes Sports Binstead v Sandown (ko 1.30pm) Brading Town v Northwood St Johns (ko 1.30pm) Carisbrooke United v Whitecroft & Barton Sports Ryde Saints v Cowes Sports Reserves Shanklin v Ventnor (ko 1.30pm) West Wight v Pan Sports

Division Two

Adgestone v Niton Community Seaview v Newchurch

Combination One

Tuesday (Sept 3) Harwoods Renault Division One

Cowes Sports Reserves v Bembridge Pan Sports v Binstead & COB

Division Two

Newport Reserves v Osborne Coburg - Andy King Niton Community v Seaview - Chris Cass

Combination One

Brading Town v Sandown

Carisbrooke United v West Wight Oakfield v Northwood St Johns Shanklin v Whitecroft & Barton Sports

Wednesday (Sept 4) Harwoods Renault Division One East Cowes Sports v Shanklin Northwood St John’s v Carisbrooke United Ryde Saints v Brading Town West Wight v Sandown Whitecroft & Barton Sports v Ventnor

Division Two

AFC Wootton v Yarmouth & Calbourne East Cowes Vics Reserves v Newchurch Oakfield v Vectis

Combination One

Seaview v Binstead & COB - Richard Mcfarlane

Have you got sports news for us? email: sport@iwobserver.co.uk

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30th August 2019

Martin and Joy excel in Yarmouth SC Regatta Yarmouth Sailing Club held their Spence Willard sponsored Regatta, which comprised four races of two days, with 17 Scows entered for the Scow races and eight boats entered for the mixed fleet class.

The first day’s races experienced mixed conditions with winds from all points of the compass and big holes, but also some pleasant light breeze interludes. The conditions produced some remarkable changes of fortune but Martin Palmer came through to win the first scows race with Bill Ford in second place. In the mixed fleet race Joy Mowles won the first race and Patric Tate the second.

The following day the breezes were more consistent and produced some delightful and competitive sailing. Martin won race three and Melinda Measor won race four. So overall the Regatta Scows result was first Martin Palmer, second John Smith and third Melinda Measor. Bill Ford, Roger PoerscoutEdgerton and Niall Wallace tied with Melinda on 12 points, but Melinda got third place on the number of firsts and improving performance.

In the mixed fleet Joy took first place in both race three and race four, so overall in the mixed fleet Joy was first, with Patrick second and Zach Clarke third.

After the racing Spence Willard presented prizes and trophies to the winners, and YSC thanked Spence Willard for their input to encourage sailing in Yarmouth.

Watson's knock helps St Helen’s overcome Newport in Cup final A fine innings by Mark Watson helped St Helen’s defeat reigning champions Newport at the Newclose County Ground, to claim the Island Webservices trophy.

Isle of Wight junior cricket’s premier competition gave both sides plenty to play for, and it was Newport who batted first. But the St Helen’s opening bowling combination of Marc Allen and Lee Brown soon began to give Newport plenty of problems.

Allen produced a fine spell of nine overs, which included a maiden, and ended up with figures of two for 18.

But there was an even better stint

from Brown, who also bowled his allotted nine overs, and weighed in with excellent figures of four for 24, including two maidens. Watson also put in a good display in the field with two wickets and a couple of catches.

The tight bowling restricted and frustrated Newport, who had to settle for a below par total of 123 all out, with Mike Barry reaching 24 to top score.

So Newport took to the field knowing they would have to bowl exceptionally well to give themselves any chance of retaining the coveted trophy.

They began positively enough with skipper Ryan Young returning figures of

three for 26 off his nine-over spell, with an impressive four maidens. He was well supported by Mark Barry who picked up two wickets for 32 in seven overs.

But the game was settled in St Helen’s favour thanks to some hard hitting from Watson, who hammered a smart, unbeaten 47, which not only saw his side home with four wickets to spare, but also earned him the Man of the Match award.

The trophy was presented to winning captain Hadleigh Carkeet by David Pratt, representing the Isle Of Wight Cricket Board, and special thanks went to umpires John Bowra and Derek Simmonds.

Ryde Marina bowlers lose match - and gin!

Bowlers from North Petherton Bowling Club, Somerset, enjoyed the festive atmosphere of the scooter rally when they played in a 10-rink friendly match at Ryde Marina Bowls Club.

North Petherton outran Ryde to achieve a very comfortable win with overall points of 225 to 165. Ryde's top rink was won

by Pat Ludlow, Seamus Morris, Brian Wilders and Roy Cooper.

After the match a bottle of gin, kindly donated by a local gin distillery, was raffled by Sandra Aldridge to help raise funds for the Macmillan Cancer Charity, with £80 being raised. The prize was won by a member of the North Petherton BC so it was a win win all round for the visiting team!

Italian job well done Defensive errors let down the Yachtsmen

Isle of Wight sailors Oliver Evans and Toby Atherton had a successful trip to Lake Garda in Italy as part of the British 29er team competing in the European Championships last week.

As well as being part of the British Team which won the Nations Trophy for the best country at the event, both sailors also enjoyed individual successes.

From a fleet of 210, Oliver finished ninth overall in the Gold fleet with his crew Will Jarman. Toby finished first in the Silver fleet with his crew Freddie Peters. The two sailors, who are supported by Wightlink through the Isle of Wight Council’s Talented Athlete scheme, battled it out against Europe’s top sailors during the six-day regatta.

Oliver said: “This was my third time sailing on Lake Garda which is such a great venue, and my best result so far. It was a great way to finish my 29er sailing partnership with Will

Cowes Sports 2 Brockenhurst 4

Jarman. My next event is in two weeks’ time in Weymouth where I will be sailing with a new partner and hoping to gain selection for the British Youth Squad once again.”

Wightlink Chief Executive Keith Greenfield said: “It is great to see Oliver and Toby competing at such a high level among Europe’s top sailors. We are delighted to support them both with cross-Solent travel through the Talented Athlete scheme and wish them all the best for future events.”

Manager Steve Rutter admitted Cowes Sports didn’t do themselves any favours as they slipped to defeat against a strong Brockenhurst side, who have opened their campaign with three straight victories.

The Wessex League, Premier Division match at Westover Park saw the Yachtsmen twice get themselves back into the game, only to let the chance of at least a point slip away.

Rutter said: “We battled hard to come back to 1-1 and then 2-2. But instead of continuing the momentum from there with fantastic support behind us, we just seemed to coast a bit, and didn’t do enough. The amount of people who turn up to watch us each home

game is amazing, but we didn’t capitalise on that bonus of having that 12th man!”

The Yachtsmen boss continued: “They had a very good player up front, who did make a difference. But having said that, he was only one man, and we didn’t do enough, or were clever enough to counter his threat, and we didn’t defend well enough. I can’t criticise their effort and hard work, but we lacked the basics, and at any level of football you can’t concede four goals at home, and expect to get anything from the game.”

The Yachtsmen’s goals came from a Ewan Cranwell penalty and Jimmy Wykes, and following their midweek cup game at home to Horndean, they can now turn their attentions to tomorrow’s FA Vase clash at home to Shaftesbury (3pm).

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Riders and horses take on tough Dunsbury event There were over 70 riders competing at the Annual Dunsbury Cross Country Event which was held over two days.

The opening day saw competitors competing in the Dressage and Show Jumping phase at Little Kennerley Farm.

The following day was Cross Country

Day at Dunsbury, where competitors tackled up to 18 varying obstacles which included steps, a water complex, corners, table tops and open ditches.

Brian Waghorn, who gives up a huge amount of time to build the course, said the event would not run without the

volunteers who jump judge, time and score, so a huge thank you to them all. It proved another successful year with lots of happy faces!

Pictures by Kev Cant

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Rutter looks for young talent for Chelsea FC Cowes Sports manager Steve Rutter has been appointed Chelsea Football Club Foundation’s coordinator for the Isle of Wight. Rutter will oversee the development of potential young talent on the Island for the Premier League club, hoping one day he will discover the next Frank Lampard or John Terry.

He said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for me to work with boys and girls of all ages on the Island to further develop their abilities. I also believe this is a great opportunity for football on the Island. Chelsea is a massive club, as we all know, and the Foundation is one of the biggest globally.

“My role as Cowes Sports manager will allow me to work closely with the progression from youth to adult football. There is a lot of talent on the Island, and I want to bring a coaching programme for boys and girls of all ages, and give them the opportunity to progress and improve, not only their football abilities, but life skills.

“We will be going into junior schools, so it will be from under 6s all the way up to teenage years. We will have a development centre during the first year, and then the plan

is to have an academy set up to work in joint partnership with the college, and students will receive coaching under Chelsea’s umbrella. But it will not be just driven at Btec level education, because the idea is to give youngsters football and an education to A level standard.”

He added: “Cowes Sports are very excited about coming on board as the Island’s grass roots club for this exciting venture.”

Toucan shows the way in an exciting weekend of racing As normal, it was a busy sailing weekend at Bembridge Sailing Club. On the Friday, seven Redwings, nine OneDesigns and two Seaview Mermaids competed in the first day of Brading Haven Yacht Club’s Regatta. In the Redwings’ first round Toucan, helmed by Colin Samuelson and crewed by his wife Becky, was ahead, with Joe Robertson in Red Gauntlet II and Jonathan NainbyLuxmoore, sailing single handed in Snowgoose, not far behind. Colin extended his lead and finished a country mile ahead of Red Gauntlet II and Snowgoose.

The One-Designs saw Sarah Marshall, with daughter Sophie crewing, just ahead of No 6, helmed single-handed by Charles Abel Smith and No 11 helmed, also single handed,

by Sophie Ross. The race was shortened, and No 6 took over the lead to finish just ahead of No 11.

The two Seaview Mermaids saw U11, helmed

by David Carter-Johnson, lose ground to Ben Few-Brown in U22 and was unable to make it up. The finals of the Redwing’s Jeannie Cochrane Trophy and the One-Designs Jubilee Trophy were completed on Saturday morning.

The One-Designs started first and Andrew Palmer won the first race. In the second race Mark Grzegorczyk reached the windward mark ahead, and held it to the finish. For the final race, Mark held his nerve and finished first. With three quarters of a point for a win, this put him on 5½ points, a quarter of a point ahead of Andrew, and therefore the winner of the Trophy.

Meanwhile, three Redwings competing in

the Jeannie Cochrane final were sent on a longer course. John Raymond in Harlequin was three minutes ahead of James Wilson in Quail. However, Quail reeled them in and extended their lead to win the prestigious trophy by just over two minutes.

The BHYC Regatta day two, incorporating the Mermaid Gin Regatta, saw Redwings racing surprisingly close. Colin Samuelson in Toucan and Andrew Eddy in Plover. Quail made up six or seven places from the back and through the finish line had moved up into first place just ahead of Plover. With a first and a third, the Lochnell Trophy, and bottle of Mermaid Gin, went to Toucan.

The start for the seven One-Designs painfully slow, but having been ahead almost from the start, Susie and Syd Beart in No 5 took line honours to win the Hector Humphray Cup and a bottle of Mermaid Gin, finishing two minutes ahead of William Bland and D. Orange in No 12. With virtually no wind at Seaview, the Mermaids remained on their moorings.

First Sandown Sprint to be staged next March Following nearly two years of preparation, Solent and the Isle of Wight Car Club have announced dates for the first Sandown Sprint. Over the weekend of March 28 and 29, the new motor sport event will be one of the first of its type to be held on public roads in England.

The concept was first put forward by Solent to the IW Car Club in December, 2017 after a change in the law allowed local authorities to close public roads to allow racing.

The two organisations have since been working together to develop the idea with input from a number of motor racing experts.

Promoter of the event Tim Addison, from Solent, said: “It has been a long road, but after many months of talks with local businesses and organisations, we have successfully submitted our application to Motorsport UK, the sport’s governing body. A team recently visited the Island for a full inspection of the proposed track and has now given our plans a green light.”

As part of its overall evaluation, Motorsport UK also undertook a formal consultation process which included the Isle of Wight Council, Island Roads, Sandown Town Council and the Island’s Safety Advisory Group.

Malcolm Smith, Chairman of the IW Car Club, said: “We’ve had a lot of very positive feedback and support for the Sprint. Our members are very excited at the prospect of being able to host the Sandown Sprint. The approval of the highways authority is vital to the process and we are most grateful to both the Council and Island Roads for the support they have demonstrated. Many of our members will be looking forward to competing alongside those that we expect to join us from the mainland. There are very few races of this type in the UK.” An aspect that makes the Sandown Sprint unusual is that it will be open to spectators, as the seawall along Culver Parade provides an

elevated vantage point. Tim added: “Our aim is to run a safe and enjoyable sprint for the competitors, that is also great fun to watch.

Sandown not only provides a spectacular backdrop for the racing, but the enormous advantage of being able to allow visitors to safely enjoy the action.”

Local businesses alongside the track in Sandown have been involved at various stages of planning, but now the organisers are looking to widen the net and get more of them involved.

Malcolm said: “There’s a few areas where we still need some help. For example, we require a quantity of large straw bales to complete the track at a time of the year when there’s not too many about. Hopefully we can encourage a number of local farmers to set some aside for us to borrow for the weekend.

We will also need a number of track and spectator marshals, so anyone who would like to be involved should get in touch, as we’d love to hear from them.”

Pathe Newsreels still provide a record of motor rallies and sprints being held on public roads on the Isle of Wight in the 1950s, in places like the Cascade in Ventnor and the Esplanade in Sandown. Once national speed limits were introduced in the 1960s all of this was inadvertently outlawed until a recent change in the legislation.

Tim added: “There’s been a campaign to bring back motorsport like this for the past 50 years and now we could see the Island leading the way. It’s a bit like the Isle of Man, where the UK speed limits were never introduced and motor racing flourishes, but on a much smaller scale to start with. The format of the Sandown Sprint is similar in style to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, but it really needs to work for everyone, especially local residents and businesses. If successful it would be great to see how we can build on it in the future.”

More dismay for 10-man Ventnor Ventnor Cricket Club can surely hardly wait for the season to finish following their worst campaign in recent history.

Travelling with only 10 players to take on Rowledge in their penultimate Southern Premier Cricket League, Division One match, they were put to the sword as they suffered a wretched 265-run defeat.

Batting first, Rowledge were always on top of the Ventnor attack, with Ollie Baker (70), Joe Randall (68no) and Sam Plater (59) doing most of the damage as they galloped

along to 312 for six in their 50 overs. George Willis was the most effective Ventnor bowler, taking three for 62 in his 10 overs.

In reply, Ventnor were soon in trouble. losing their first four wickets for only 18. Rob Snell rallied briefly with 20, but he was the only batsman to reach double figures as the Island side were shot out for just 47, their last four wickets falling for only five runs.

Ventnor complete their league programme tomorrow (Sat) at home to second-in-thetable Sparsholt.

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39

Ladies C team bowlers clinch title in ace style

Silverline Bullet wins once again!

By John Moore Drew Langdon and Miles Jennings won the 2019 Cowes Torquay Cowes with an average speed of 92.87 mph and in the process took the UK Offshore Powerboat Racing Association (UKOPRA) Offshore 1 World Championship.

Their nearest rivals in the Championship, Richard Carlton, Phil and Neil Payter who were racing in a Chevrolet powered Cigarette, had their hopes dashed when they lost oil pressure on one motor on the way back from Teignmouth. The crew persevered and decided to continue racing at a far reduced speed and crossed the finish line 12 minutes outside the time limit.

For the victors, it was their second successive Cowes win.

Langdon who had been on a strictly controlled training routine before the race, said: “Our main problem was the fog banks at Portland, we were running alongside Tommy One at 110 MPH, when we both had to back right off. We would have

taken the course record but for the bad visibility.”

Andy, Dan and Matt Smith with Jack Weller steered their Buzzi RIB to second, while Christian Toll, Mike Bontoft and Michael Peet took a creditable third in the veteran Dry Martini hull.

The Cowes Poole Cowes race organised by the British Powerboat Racing Club signalled the final race of the 2019 UKOPRA season. In the highly competitive Class 3 A/B, Malcolm Dopson and Andy Hiscox in 66 Racing, prevailed over Barry Culver and Stuart Unwin in a similar Phantom 19g hull.

Dopson and his accomplished navigator Hiscox averaged 59.93 MPH over the 65.70 NM course.

Multispark Race Product made it an all Phantom 19g podium with Dave Sheldon and Chris Bailey taking third.

66 Racing’s win added to their success in Guernsey and a third place in Poole gave them the 2019 UKOPRA Championship.

Kevin Burdock and John Donnelly took the win in Class 3N.

Rifles take plaudits in shooting challenge

The fourth Bows vs Rifles competition was held at Arreton, a unique Island event where a team of archers from Wight Bowmen and a team of target shooters from Shanklin Rifle and Pistol

Club compete against each other.

They shoot their own discipline and then swap over to have a go at their opponents’ discipline. It is always a close call, but this year the rifles won

the day, but only by 80 points, with a total of 2,120 points.

The fun event this year raised £80.05 for Shanklins MS Charity Shop from the sale of refreshments .

Bembridge Bowling Club Ladies’ C team have been in sparkling form all season and sealed their Championship and promotion in style with two victories. Away at Newport B, Freda Lambourne, Rose Leal, Judy Silvester and Sue Simpson went down 13-27, but Loraine Whelan, Wendy Thipthorp, Jane Swinfield and Jenny Juby levelled the match score with a 39-6 win and did it in such style that the overall match score was never in doubt. Final result: Newport 2 points, Bembridge 4.

Away at Totland C, Freda Lambourne, Irene Rogers, Val Newton and Sue Simpson won convincingly 30-10, and Jenny Juby, Wendy Thipthorp, Jane Swinfield and Loraine Whelan won 33-11. Final result: Totland 0 points Bembridge 6.

There were mixed fortunes for the Ladies’ D team in their two games. At home to Totland C, Margaret McKenna, Jackie Pickworth, Edna Marsh and Edwina Blakemore narrowly lost 25-26. In an equally close game, Sue Svensden, Patsy Rothert, Lindsay Heinrich and Sally George went down 19-20.

But in a complete reversal of form, the Ladies’ D experienced different emotions in their home game with Sandown B. Sue Svensden, Patsy Rothert, Lindsay Heinrich and Sue George won 30-19 and Margaret McKenna, Jackie Pickworth, Judy Collins and Edwina Blakemore took it 29-11 for a 6 points to nil success.

The Ladies’ B team were at home to Totland B and recorded a good win, but four points to two. After the game, Carole Whittington was presented with a County Badge for 2019.

Carole qualified for the National Finals at Leamington Spa, as runner up in the Ladies’ Fours, but missed them due to illness.

Meanwhile, the Ladies’ A team, away at Shanklin, lost four points to two.

There was a good 8-2 win for the Men’s E team at home to Ventnor E. David Simpson, Ian Vallender, Peter Pickworth and Steve Eynon scored two shots on the last end to snatch a win 21-20. Anthony Hill, Peter Swinfield, Paul Martin and Fred Marsh won comfortably 33 - 9.25. Despite a late rally Nick Clement with Derek Selway, Gordon Holmes and Kev Levonian lost a tight game 19-23.

The Men’s A team hosted Cowes B, who were involved in a dog fight to avoid relegation, and it was the visitors who displayed greater determination and went away with a valuable 8-2 victory.

Newport errors help Romsey take points Romsey 5 Newport 2 Just 48 hours before their comprehensive victory over East Cowes Vics, Newport suffered a heavy defeat themselves when they visited Romsey. Hoping to continue the promising start to their Wessex League, Division One campaign, the Island side could hardly have got off to a worse start, as they conceded an opener in just 20 seconds.

They then created a few half chances, but manager Andy Sampson admitted: “We made mistakes and paid the consequences. We gave the ball away for their second goal, which in fairness was a great effort from 25 yards out, and flew into the top corner.

“But for their next goal we also gave the ball away, and they broke away and scored.

Although we pulled one back before half time, they got one from the penalty spot, and then added a fifth before we managed to score our second.”

Newport’s goals came from Connor Kelly and substitute Scott Sampson, while Liam Magee notched a hat-trick for the hosts, with their other goals coming from Harry Draycott and Luis Morais.

Newport are away to Hythe and Dibden in the Wessex League, Division One tomorrow, and Sampson said: “They beat Wessex Premier Division side Horndean in the FA Cup last weekend, so we know it is going to be a tough one.”

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Sport News

Observer

www.iwobserver.co.uk

This weeks highlights...

By Peter White

Powerboat Silverline Bullet wins again...

39

30th August 2019

St Helens

Take on Newport in Cup Final...

36

Wight Tri members tough it out at Ironman Copenhagen

Red card spoiler..!

Newport 6 East Cowes Vics 1 The eagerly-awaited Bank Holiday clash between Island and Wessex League, Division One rivals Newport and East Cowes Vics, turned into something of an anti-climax after Vics were cut to 10 men inside the opening few minutes.

Vics, the ‘away’ side, being hosted on their own pitch by ground-sharing Newport, got off to the perfect start when Joe Butcher shot them ahead from a free kick.

But shortly afterwards Zac Harris raised his arm, following a tussle with Newport’s Joe Craig, and was promptly shown a straight red card.

Vics manager Steve Brougham said afterwards: “A lot of people thought it should only have been a yellow card at the worst. But if you raise your hand, I suppose there is always that chance the referee will send you off. But I do believe if the ref had shown just a yellow, no one would have moaned.”

Newport boss Andy Sampson accepted: “The sending off changed the game. I am confident we would still have won it, but football is all about opinions.We played well going forward, but the conditions were very hot, and made it difficult for everyone. I think that is why play became a bit sloppy at times, but it was a good three points for us.”

Brougham continued: “The sending off killed the game. We started well, and got the goal, and it needed to be like that to give them a game. I think it would have been a really good contest, but rightly or wrongly we had the dismissal. Straight after that we had a bad five-minute spell when they scored two goals, to go in front. So from 1-0 up, we were suddenly 2-1 down with 10 players, so it was always going to be difficult.

And in fairness they coasted trough it after they were in front, but I’m sure if we had kept 11 players on the pitch throughout it would have been a closer game.”

Following the red card, Newport capitalised with two goals in quick succession from Scott Sampson and Joe Craig. Sampson then added the third, before Mark Taylor scored the fourth to put the game out of Vics'’ reach. The emphatic Newport victory was completed with two late goals from Connor Kelly.

Wight Tri members Grant Philbrick, Richard Bulmer, Mary Norman, Laura Abrook and Joe Norman, along with fellow Islander racing for the Royal Navy Tri team, Josh Abrook took an eightday, 1,700 mile road trip to compete in the Copenhagen Ironman event.

Mary, Joe, Josh and Laura were already ‘Ironmen’ and were looking to build on previous good races and times. Grant and Richard, having both completed 70.3 (middle distance) races, were taking the huge step up for the first time.

The Amager area on Copenhagen’s eastern shore was where the 2.2 mile swim took place. Richard is a strong, experienced swimmer and was hoping to be in a good position coming into T1.

A touch of cramp in his calf slowed him slightly but still took a time of 1:04:41 into the transition. Josh took over 13 minutes off of his previous swim time to leave the water in 1:02:05.

Laura, Joe and Mary all smashed their swim PBs to finish in 1:07:45, with Joe in 1:13:46 and Mary 1:25:22.

Grant had a great swim, never having swam that far before, to exit in 1:21:00.

On the 112-mile bike course Josh powered on with a time of 5:14:39.

Richard started well, but crashed after 10 miles. He was unable to do the ride he hoped for but still finished in 6:03:56.

Laura smashed her Vichy time by 50 minutes to enter T2 in 6:05:48.

Joe had a great bike leg, to finish in a PB of 5:22:09, while Grant held a lot back on the bike to ensure he continued his steady progress towards his first Ironman finish and recorded a 6:20:15 split. Mary passed Grant near the end to finish in 6:15:20, though a slower transition saw Grant leave before her.

Then came the 26.2 mile run in heavy rain and windier conditions. Run times were: Josh 3:27:26; Joe 4:05:35; Mary 4:17:05; Grant 4:42:40; Laura 5:04:11 and Richard 5:07:51.

They then cheer on the others. Josh finished his third Ironman distance race in a personal best time of 9:54:35. Joe crossed the line in 10:58:52 with a PB in all three disciplines and a massive 57 minute PB overall.

Mary went past many who passed her earlier in the day, including others in the 55-59 age group, and moved into third place by the end. Her time of 12:15:12 was a PB and a third place trophy.

Richard completed 12:34:53 of racing, and not far behind was Laura who beat

her previous Ironman time by over an hour to finish in 12:37:50. Grant exceeded his pre-race expectations and finished in a time of 12:40:21 to become an ‘Ironman’ for the first time.

Three-second goal!

Cowes Sports 1 Horndean 0

Jez Conway created his own piece of history for Cowes Sports on Tuesday evening as they progressed to the second round of the Wessex League Cup at Westwood Park Conway scored the only goal of the tie just THREE seconds after the game kicked off. Under the new rules, a player does not have to pass the ball it to a team mate at kick off, so he just let fly with the first kick of the match, and the

ball flew over the Horndean keeper and into the net.

Yachtsmen manager Steve Rutter admitted: “I’ve never seen anything like it before. It was literally the first kick of the ball, and it proved to be the winner. It was a long 89 minutes and 57 seconds to hang on to the lead!”

Conway’s stunning effort earned the Yachtsmen a home tie with Island rivals Newport in the second round of the competition. Rutter said: “That is going to be a difficult one, because they have

a good manager in Andy Sampson, and a very useful team. We played them in pre-season, and they beat us, so hopefully we can get our revenge.”

The Yachtsmen’s manager’s only criticism of his side’s play against Horndean was that after the goal they did not test the opposition keeper enough. But he used the tie as an opportunity to have a look at a few more of his squad members, and was generally pleased with what he saw.