Island Life August / September issue

SNAPSHOTS

OSBORNE HORSE TRIALS

RON BOWLER

ISLAND LIFE

The best events from around the Island

New equestrian event at Osborne House sees Island success

Pick up your FREE issue!

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28 years of Walk the Wight

August/September 2018

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Check out our website visitilife.com

A WORD FROM THE EDITOR It’s been one scorcher of a summer – and if the weather forecasters are to be believed, we still have plenty of sunny days left to enjoy.

CONTENTS ISLAND LIFE

AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2018

INTERVIEWS

p46

Island Sailing Club’s scorcher

of a race

p32

Ron’s boots are made for

walking: Ron Bowler

p49

Jazz on the Quay

p41

Fashioning a life in clay: Neil

p56

Mardi Gras comes back to

Tregear

Ryde

p50

The Royal Isle of Wight

p66

County Show: Nicky

Thousands flock to Festival

It’s been great news for event organisers, who have benefitted from some bumper crowds – and as for our local ice cream makers and beach bar owners, well, they’ve never had it so good!

Hayward

FEATURES

PROPERTY

p60

Spending more time out of doors provides a great reminder of just how special the Island’s landscapes and seascapes are.

p10

COUNTRYSIDE

There’s no shortage of talented local artists who strive to capture those images, and in this issue we meet one of them – potter and ceramicist Neil Tregear, who lived in San Francisco and trained in Japan, but reckons there’s no place quite so inspirational as the Ise of Wight.

We also talk to Jewson’s boss Ron Bowler about a true Island institution – Walk the Wight. It’s become the biggest sponsored walk in Europe, but Ron tells us of its humble origins 28 years ago, when it began as a simple day out for a a small group of workmates and their families.

We also have a personal reflection from Nicky Hayward, MBE, on the iconic Royal Isle of Wight County Show, which has been attracting eager visitors since 1882.

Along with all your favourite regular features, plus plenty of ideas for places to go and things to do to make the most of these last weeks of the summer, we do hope you’ll enjoy your free magazine and please continue to support our loyal advertisers.

Jackie McCarrick, Editor

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Featured Property: Swains

House

A decade of Decadeance

p73

Matt Noyce: Summer at

Quarr Abbey

p83

Sam Biles: Identity and the

p14

Feature Property: Ivy Cottage

p17

New home, same place!

p23

Ideas for the Living Room

Island

p29

The door to success

p84

Turn your garden into a

wildlife haven

OUT AND ABOUT

p86

Countryside news: Tony Ridd

p30

Sailing in sunshine

p89

10 things you didn’t know

p38

Sea View Yacht Club

about cuttlefish

celebrates 125 years

p90

The Isle of Wight’s marvellous

marine wildlife

p92

County Show 2018 - what a

scorcher!

EQUESTRIAN p75

A horde of happy hounds

p76

Equestrian goodies: Froghill of

Sandford

p111

Recipe: Coconut & Lime cake

p112

Local producers

p115 Recipe: Pan fried fillet of local

Sea Bass

p117

Recipe: Roasted Guinea Fowl

p119

Recipe: Vegan Hummingbird

cake

p77

Training Horses:

Robert Booth

p78

New Osborne event proves

great success

p6

p82

Equestrian goodies: Trumor

p8 Notebook

AND MORE...

Island Life Contributors

Feeds

p62

HEALTH & BEAUTY

p68 Motoring

p97

Beauty market is blooming

p99

James Spence: The problem

with wisdom teeth

FOOD & DRINK p109

Travel: A gem on our doorstep

p71

Auction news

p122

Accommodation pages

p123 Education p127

Legal: Unsolicited phone calls

The food guide

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Island Life Magazine Suite 2, 17 St Thomas Square, Newport, PO30 1SL

01983 216111

ISLAND LIFE

Contributors

email: islandlife@me.com

THE ISLAND LIFE TEAM Editor: Jackie McCarrick

Contributors: Tony Ridd, Terence Willey, Sam Biles, Robert Booth, Matt Noyce, Warren Riches

Terence Willey Legal & travel

Warren Riches Antiques

Graham Reading Photography

Head of Sales: Natalie Labelle 07814 723610

Accounts: Carina Farrer 07933 360321

Design: Colin Clarke

Distribution: Steve Read 07894 738246

Photography:

Tony Ridd

Matt Noyce

Robert Booth

Sam Biles

Countryside

Gardening

Graham Reading Jonathon Sheath Martin Potter

Front Cover: Sarah Holmes on Lowhill Clover at Osborne Horse Trials 2018.

Picture by Jonathon Sheath

View all our back issues from the last thirteen years... www.visitilife.com 6

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Equestrian

Countryside

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notebook Events from across the Island

Blackwater Mill Summer Fete This August visit Blackwater Mill Residential Home for their Summer Fete! Taking place on Sunday 19th August, from 2 - 4pm, the fete features live music, a BBQ and fun and games such as Hook a Duck, Tin Can Alley, Nail Painting and Guess the Teddy’s Name. All are welcome so pop down to Blackwater Road, Newport for fun for all the family.

Wolverton Manor Garden Fair The 19th Wolverton Manor Garden Fair is taking place on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd September.

Set in the beautiful grounds of the Jacobean manor house, there is a huge variety of entertainment, garden nurseries, arts & craft stalls and exhibits making it a great traditional family day out.

All profits support Age UK (IOW) and several other local Island charities.

Opera in September Project: Opera, the peoples’ opera company will be holding events through the Autumn and Winter to raise money for a host of good causes.

On Saturday 15th September they are holding Tea at the Opera at Aspire in Ryde, starting at 7pm.

On Thursday 20th September, Annalisa Vaughan will be showing a preview of the ‘A Day at the Bay’ event, held at 7.30pm at the Earl Mountbatten Hospice.

Tickets for this are only available via the Hospice.

The last Project: Opera event in September will be Opera against Homelessness, in aid of the Bus Shelter.

Held on Saturday 22nd September, from 4pm until the evening at St Catherine’s Church, Ventnor, the event will feature a mix of vocal and instrumental music throughout the evening. Donations at the door.

For information and bookings call 07757 965339 or visit www.facebook.com/projectopera.

Autumn Plant Fair

Glamorous Charity Ball A glamorous charity ball will be taking place on Saturday September 22nd at the Lakeside Hotel, Wootton Bridge.

Raising money for the Phoenix Project, which offers services to adults

with learning difficulties, the ball will include a three course dinner, live music and dancing, a raffle and auction.

For bookings and more information call 01983 615746.

IW International Scooter Rally Thursday 23rd August sees the return of the Isle of Wight Scooter Rally, with up to 5,000 riders of classic scooters taking part.

The rally lasts until the 26th August, for tickets visit the Bagel Wrap, IOW Ryde Superbowl or Visual Impact.

The event includes live music at Ryde seafront, starting at noon and is free until 7pm and ticketed after 8pm daily.

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Eddington House Nursery is hosting their inaugural Autumn Plant Fair, held over two days, the weekend of 29th and 30th September.

Noel Kingsbury will be a headline speaker, along with ‘Coastal Gardener’ Gerry Price. Entry is free, with the fair open from 10am - 5pm each day, and the main talks at 11am and 2pm on both days.

You can find the fair at Eddington House Nursery, Eddington Road, Seaview, PO34 5EF. Call 07837 589478 for more details or visit the website www. eddingtonhousenursery.co.uk.

A decade of Decadeance Decadeance celebrates it’s 10th year of partying with the annual event taking place on Saturday 24th November at The Event Centre, Cowes Yacht Haven.

The theme this year is reliving all the previous themes, so as usual dress to impress and let the past inspire what you wear.

Featuring great music, a casino, photo booth, cocktail bar, face painters and plenty of surprises on the night to make it a decadant party like no other.

Tickets are available from Cowes Yacht Haven, Master of Disguise, The Bagel Wrap and The Party Shop, so get yours now while they’re available.

August exhibitions at Seaview Upcoming events being held at Seaview Art Gallery include : ‘Regatta Week Showcase’, an exhibition that runs from Tues 14th - Fri 24th Aug. Featuring three popular and accomplished artists. Shane Couch beautiful detailed local scenes, wave studies and J Class racing, Ray Burt - super realistic still life pieces in the Chiaroscuro style and Fiona Moatt NAPA - awe inspiring Impressionist seascapes and skyscapes.

On Saturday 18th August Seaview Art Gallery invites you to their ‘Meet the Artist Event’ at the Gallery. Fizz and Canapes, running from 6 - 8pm.

At the end of August the gallery will be running a ‘Sun, Sea and Sailing’ exhibition from Friday 25th August to Thursday 6th September. Featuring Rowena Wright RSMA, accomplished artist with

‘Summer Wave’ by Fiona Moatt NAPA

a passion for the Island, and three new artists: Julie Sajous - Semi abstract, Jewel type works, coastal scenes with water in mind. Kate Christie portrays the life aquatic under sail. Mark Buck local scenes with a rich, luxuriant colour palette.

For opening hours, online preview, contact details etc. see seaviewart.co.uk

Harp on Wight 2018 The fifth annual Harp on Wight Festival takes place in Ryde between 26th-30th October inclusive. Leading international harpists will be taking part in a series of concerts and teaching workshops covering a diverse range of styles including Classical, Celtic, Breton and Paraguayan.

There will also be opportunities to come and try the harp for the first time. The festival also includes a six-day course to make a harp at Quarr Abbey and an exhibition of harps made by national manufacturers at Ryde Methodist Church in Garfield Road which is the main festival venue.

For full details of the festival please visit www.harponwight.co.uk

A Day at the Bay Island musicians, storytellers and poets are heading for Freshwater Bay. A Day at the Bay, on Saturday 6th October, offers 12 hours of live entertainment to raise funds for local charities.

“This is our third year and we are really motoring with this now,” explains event organiser David Ballard. “There are three new charities, so we expect even more people to come along.”

The programme starts with Morris Sides at Freshwater Independent Lifeboat. The afternoon’s entertainment includes Ollie Ducie at the Piano Cafe supporting Kissy Puppy. In the evening there is a Blues, Roots and Jazz Party at Dimbola Lodge. Visit the website: www.adayatthebay.co.uk for the full lineup.

What’s coming up on the Quay!

At Quay Arts this summer they have a fun packed programme with something for everyone! They are taking full advantage of the lovely weather and will be holding a BBQ on their terrace every Sunday throughout August.

Plus great music not to miss out on with sublime New York jazz guitar of Nate Najar, much loved English songster Martin Stephenson, and to top it all off a trio consisting of the legendary multi-instrumentalist Kate St. John, Roger Eno & Neill MacColl.

Not only that, but great comedy, theatre, exhibitions & workshops all coming up at the Quay. For more info please visit quayarts.org. www.visitilife.com

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Prestige property

FEATURED PROPERTY:

SWAINS HOUSE An exceptional eight bedroom Bembridge house in a commanding position overlooking the eastern Solent and the sailing activities of Bembridge Sailing Club.

Swains House is an exceptional property with one of the very best sea views from any house in the renowned sailing village of Bembridge, at the eastern tip of the Isle of Wight, in a commanding position overlooking the eastern approaches to Spithead and the English Channel.

The property is an ideal permanent base or second home. The grounds and mature gardens include a longestablished bowling green/croquet lawn. They are of a sufficient size (3.04 acres (1.234 hectares)) for a tennis court and swimming pool. The principal rooms of the house look out over the Solent and the activities of Bembridge Sailing Club established in 1886 and one of the premier clubs on the Island.

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“The accommodation is extensive and adaptable, and includes four principal reception rooms, eight bedrooms in all, four existing bathrooms and plumbing and space for one more.�

The accommodation is extensive and adaptable, and includes four principal reception rooms, eight bedrooms in all, four existing bathrooms and plumbing and space for one more.

The house is within walking distance of the village, with its convenient and extensive facilities.

There is a private aerodrome on the outskirts of the village.

The outbuildings lie to the north and east of the house and comprise outhouses, garages with a workshop, a boat store, potting sheds and a greenhouse. There is some potential for the conversion of the principal outbuilding to additional accommodation, subject to obtaining the necessary planning consents.

Prestige Property

The grounds The formal gardens lie to the south, east and west of the house, and comprise several lawns, including an old croquet lawn, surrounded by mature trees and shrubs.

To the east is a bowling green, standing above a small cliff which descends to a small bog garden encompassing several ponds.

There are palm trees, and other exotic shrubs; rock steps through the garden lead to a gate opening directly onto the beach.

The grounds to the west are terraced, with a formal lawned orchard avenue, a vine and a kitchen garden.

Where: Bembridge Agent: Biles and Co 01983 872335 Guide Price: ÂŁ2,650,000 EPC: E

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Dedicated to selling the finest property across the Isle of Wight A charming detached four bedroom thatched, stone cottage dating back to 1552 with a pretty cottage garden in a beautiful rural location.

The property has a wealth of period features including an inglenook fireplace, exposed beams and an old bread oven.

A modern kitchen, bathrooms and recently installed central heating have brought the character home up-to-date.

Outside there is off road parking and a very pretty cottage garden, partly walled with pond, workshop and terrace accessed from a large conservatory overlooking the garden.

EPC: F

CHALE GUIDE PRICE: £565,000

Sole Agents

A charming residential farm with three bedroom period stone Farmhouse, outbuildings (with potential) gardens, workshop, 11 stables, large storage barn, paddocks and fields.

Conservation woodland and wetland; in all about 37.88 acres (14.37 ha) available as a whole or in 2 lots.

The property is situated in a rural setting with stunning views across the surrounding countryside over the valley of the Eastern Yar towards Brading Downs to the North. Trees and fields with abundant wildlife border the site and gives a peaceful feeling to this idyllic position.

EPC: F

NEWCHURCH GUIDE PRICE: £675,000 - £1,020,000

Biles & Co | Estate Agents & Chartered Surveyors The Estate Office, 13 High Street, Bembridge, Isle of Wight, PO35 5SD Tel: 01983 527744 E: sam@bilesandco.co.uk www.bilesandco.co.uk 12

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Joint Sole Agents with HRD

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Prestige property

FEATURED PROPERTY:

IVY COTTAGE Originating from the Victorian era, the house has been extended over time and more recently refurbished to exacting standards resulting in a wonderful family home, blending period features with modern comforts and high-quality fittings.

The house is presented to an unusually high standard throughout with the stunning rear garden forming the focus from the principal living rooms, where there is a southfacing terrace accessed from both the garden room and sitting room.

In 2010-2011 the roof was refurbished, and many windows replaced, whilst a quality kitchen and bathrooms were also installed. On the ground floor in addition to open-plan kitchen/living room, there is a study, garden room, sitting room, cloakroom and utility room whilst on the first floor there are four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a dressing room, which could easily be converted in to a fifth bedroom.

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“There is direct access from the property to some of the Island’s most scenic coastal and country walks. Brook beach and the adjacent Compton beach are popular with swimmers, surfers and kite surfers and forms part of the Island’s Heritage Coastline.”

The property is situated in the attractive and highly sought-after village of Brook which itself is situated within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, set between rolling downland providing wonderful walks with Brook beach being approximately 600 metres to the south.

There is direct access from the property to some of the Island’s most scenic coastal and country walks. Brook beach and the adjacent Compton beach are popular with swimmers, surfers and kite surfers and forms part of the Island’s Heritage Coastline. The nearby village of Brighstone (approximately 2 ½ miles away) has a range of local facilities.

Prestige Property

The grounds To the front of the property is an extensive gravel driveway with two accesses on to the road. The rear south facing garden is beautifully planted and makes for a delightful and secluded setting.

Immediately to the rear of the house are two adjacent stone paved terraces with outside power and lighting facing south and west, one with hardwood pergola over, beyond which are lawns and mature, well-planted borders, along with a number of mature trees.

At the far end of the garden there are views over the surrounding downland, as well as a garden shed and a more substantial secure timber garden store.

Where: Brook Agent: Spence Willard Cowes 01983 200880 Guide Price: ÂŁ935,000 EPC: E

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Prestige Property

New home, same place!

When you want to move house but just can’t face the stress, upheaval and cost, there is another option that’s becoming increasingly popular, and that’s simply staying put – but investing in a home improvement project instead.

The advantage of this approach is that not only can you create a new home in the old space, but also can potentially increase the value of the property.

Currently the most sought-after way of improving and updating a home is by adding a dream kitchen, complete with island working space and sleek marble or granite countertops. Large, open-plan designs are becoming increasingly popular, removing walls to create a smooth flow of space between living, dining and cooking areas and adding rooflights or bi-fold doors to the garden for extra light and airiness.

Converting a basement or attic can also add valuable extra living space, and is a good option for multi-generational families where adult children or grandparents share the home.

One of the easiest ways of adding square footage has always been a quick and easy conservatory - but the latest ones are a world away from those old glass ‘bolt-on’ structures that could only be used for a few of months of the year. A good modern conservatory has the potential to be a fully functional extra

room that can be used all year round as an office, dining room, gym or living space.

Similarly, a little-used garage can be put to much more productive use by being converted to extra living space – and with the advantage of minimal build costs.

If it’s a tiny garden that makes you want to move house, there’s even a ‘stay put’ solution for that: creating a roof deck or balcony where you can relax and grow your potted plants from way up high.

“Currently the most sought-after way of improving and updating a home is by adding a dream kitchen.”

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Prestige Property

Moving made easy Moving home can be a notoriously stressful experience, regardless of whether it’s taking you just to the next village, onto the mainland or further afield.

One way to lessen the stress is to let a professional removals company take the strain – and they don’t come much more professional or experienced than Island-based firm Lacey’s.

This family-owned business was established in Bembridge in1924 and is now in the expert hands of a third generation of the Lacey family.

“We’ve always prided ourselves on giving a prompt, reliable and caring service to all our customers, from start to finish” says Amy Lacey, who adds that this probably explains the

company’s high levels of repeat business and recommendations.

As well as drawing on their own years of experience in the industry, Lacey’s also employs only full-time staff who specialise in the art of household removals, fine arts and antiques.

They run a fleet of varyingsized modern vehicles to cater for all types and sizes of removal job, including national and

European moves, and can also arrange door-to-door worldwide shipping services, or provide containerised storage in their own purpose-built warehouse.

To contact Lacey’s for a free estimate call 01983 872663 or you can visit the website at www.laceysremovals.co.uk.

You can find them at 42 High Street, Bembridge.

Re-styling your space If you’re looking for inspiration on restyling or re-fitting your home, office or boat, then there’s one specialist Island-based business that might just be able to help.

PHG Cowes offers a unique lifestyle service for any interior, whether it’s domestic or commercial, a primary or secondary residence, a boat or houseboat, or even a yacht club – and whether it’s here on the Island or further afield.

The company’s interior design and decoration service

encompasses bespoke curtains, blinds and upholstery, right through to kitchens, bathrooms and cabinet making, and it also represents an innovative local company specialising in concrete surfaces for counters, floors and walls.

PHG can also source vintage pieces, lighting, furniture and

accessories, and design-led products, and are stockists for prestige brands including Designers Guild, Cabbages & Roses, Ralph Lauren, Original BTC, Anglepoise, Ian Mankin, and Skargaarden outdoor furniture.

PHG founder Dawn Townend and Caryl Terlezki of Design Stuff UK, say: “From decorating a single room to a whole house, or styling a property for re-sale, no project is too small and will always receive the same level of care and attention to detail.”

Find PHG Cowes at 74 High Street, Cowes, PO31 7AJ, call 01983 506689 or visit www.designstuffuk.com and www.phgcowes.com.

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Prestige Property

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Prestige Property

The Wydcombe is a modern chesterfield style sofa range featuring a tufted and quilted design with an eye catching slim curved arm. This opulently designed sofa is upholstered in a contemporary dark or light grey fabric. To view the Wydcombe range visit Buywise Furniture & Electrical store in Riverway, Newport. Tel: 01983 525252. www.buywiseforliving.com.

ideas for

THE LIVING ROOM Recycled Aluminium Vase: Gorgeous recycled aluminium vase with richly coloured enamel finish. Hand made in India and Fairtrade. Approx 22cm tall. £22. Available at Daisy, Daisy, Godshill.

Tel: 01983 840913.

Elegant & contemporary 7” Mantel Clock. Available in two finishes Pale Soaped Oak or Grey Limestone. £30. Available at Bayliss and Booth, Newport. Tel: 01983 528600.

Artisan made tripod base floor lamp. Available in Heritage Grey or Antique Red. £195. Available at Bayliss and Booth, Newport.

Tel: 01983 528600.

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Prestige Property

Island-inspired designs When up-and-coming young textile artist Monique Lucas launched her first collection of vibrant luxury cushions, it was easy to see where her inspiration came from – idyllic summers on the beach here in Seaview.

The bold and quirky handdrawn illustrations featured seaside motifs from crabs and anchors to beach-strolling girls.

And that sunny marine influence comes through just as strongly in her newly-launched collection of organic cotton t-shirts, also inspired by happy times spent on the Island.

“Essentially the Isle has a very special place in my heart” explains Monique, who lives and works between London and the Island. “It’s been a happy place for me after experiencing trauma, and

this brand has evolved from regaining my strength.

She adds “l love the laid-back attitude and calming pace here, and in creating my designs I like to put a strong focus on the outdoors, and natural living”.

Each of her designs is hand-drawn and tells its own story, which makes this ownname brand unique, in a world of generic Photoshop and Illustrator images.

Check out Monique’s designs at www.moniquelucas.co.uk

Picture by Milo Hale

Double celebration at Number 66 A Ryde shop that specialises in lovely cards and gifts for special occasions is due to celebrate a special date of its own in August.

Sue Macleod and her twin sister Jane, who launched Number 66 last summer, are planning to mark the shop’s first anniversary on August 17 with birthday cake for customers.

“We love meeting people and searching out unusual cards and gifts, so for us this business has been a dream come true” says Sue, who has lived on the Isle of Wight for 28 years.

Her sister, who moved to the Island just three days before

the launch of Number 66 last summer, had previously built a successful chain of card and gift stores on the mainland, while Sue had worked in marketing.

The twins decided they finally wanted to work together, and have spent the last year developing their shop’s unique offering of

hand-picked gifts and cards, and work by local artists. There’s also a tiny coffee bar in the window area, offering Island Coffee, and a perfect spot to relax and admire the wide range of gifts on display.

Find Number 66 at 66 Union Street, Ryde. Tel: 01983 616437.

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Prestige Property

The door to success You may see it just as a strictly functional portal between the outside and inside of your house, but it seems that your front door is much more significant than that.

In fact, to practitioners of the ancient art of Feng Shui, selecting the right door colour according to its direction can positively optimize energy flow and good fortune for the occupants.

If all that sounds a bit too involved or a touch airy-fairy, there’s still a lot to be said for making sure your front door is giving off the right signals.

If it’s dusty and uncared-for, for instance, with cobwebs and overgrown plants, peeling paint and smeared windows, it’s hardly going to lift your spirits each time you turn the key – and even less will it offer a warm welcome for visitors.

According to the people at paint company Dulux Weathershield, we will make a judgement about a person just 10 seconds after seeing the colour of their front door, and colour psychologist Karen Haller says this isn’t surprising: “The front door is traditionally the first impression the outside world gets, and gives an insight into your life”.

It seems that the UK’s most popular colour for front doors is white, which we subliminally associate with a calm and peaceful home. It’s closely followed by blue, which, depending on the shade, is considered to be harmonious and restorative, and favoured by successful people who tend to be a little conservative.

We associate people who have red front doors with passion and self-confidence, whereas lilac suggests mystery and spirituality, and purple is associated with wealth and power.

People with black doors, meanwhile, are considered to

be the most anonymous, and therefore most mysterious, and people with grey doors are thought to be understated.

If you find your current door colour doesn’t quite match your personality, it might be time for a new coat of paint!

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Out & About

Sailing in sunshine Making the most of the magnificent weather, Cowes Week 2018 was an exciting mix of sailing and shoreside festivities, enjoyed by both competitors and spectators.

Picture by Paul Wyeth

With live music, excellent food, a plethora of stalls and street entertainment to accompany the exciting spectacle of boats racing in the Solent, a good time was had by all.

Picture by Tom Gruitt Picture by Paul Wyeth

Picture by Solent Creatives - Chloe Farrier Picture by Tom Gruitt

Picture by Tom Gruitt

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Out & About Picture by Tom Gruitt

Picture by Paul Wyeth Picture by Paul Wyeth

Picture by Paul Wyeth Picture by Paul Wyeth

Picture by Paul Wyeth Picture by Paul Wyeth

Picture by Tom Gruitt

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Interview

Ron’s boots are made for walking After a long and productive working life, the Branch Director for Jewson’s Isle of Wight stores, Ron Bowler, will be retiring from the day job next year – but it’s unlikely to be a ‘pipe and slippers’ retirement for this dedicated charity fundraiser. As he tells Jackie McCarrick, it will just free up even more of his time to throw into his pet project of the past 28 years, the now world-famous Walk the Wight.

It attracts thousands of people every year to walk across the Isle of Wight countryside and since 1991, has raised an incredible £4.5 million to support the work of Earl Mountbatten Hospice, but few people know the humble beginnings of what has become an iconic Island event.

Ron Bowler, however, remembers it distinctly.

At the time, he was admin manager of the old-established Island timber business Morey’s,

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where the yard manager Bill Bradley and colleague Frank Stevens had been running informal weekend walks for staff.

It was in 1991 that they decided to organise walk from east to west of the Island, Bembridge to Alum Bay, and Ron agreed to help marshal the event.

“On that first walk we had 35 people, all Morey’s employees plus some friends and relatives, and it was done really just as a bonding exercise

Interview

Ron (right) with Gareth Brailey at Decadeance 2014, letting his hair33 down www.visitilife.com

Interview “You could say it was a baptism of fire!

It means I can file with my eyes shut now – and I never save up filing for anyone else to do.” for the business” Ron recalls.

However, the following year, after the wife of one of the company managers died at the hospice, it was decided to repeat the walk as a sponsored fundraiser for the hospice and the hospital scanner appeal, and on that occasion, over 100 walkers took part.

Within a year, an MRI scanner had been purchased - but by then, Walk the Wight was effectively established as an annual event, and is now officially recognised as the largest sponsored walk in Europe, with up to 8,500 people pounding the route.

Recalling the early days when he was one of the volunteers manning the checkpoints, Ron says: “There were just a few of us who used to drive around like idiots to greet the walkers at the next point! You couldn’t do that nowadays – in fact we now have about 250 marshals stationed throughout the course.”

The growth of the event is a source of great pride to him and many others on the Island, so it’s hardly surprising that he intends to stay actively involved with it – and other voluntary work - after his retirement next year.

A passion for life Never a ‘half measures’ type of character, Ron has always been known for enthusiastically throwing himself into whatever he set his mind to. The only child of Cowes boat builder Bill and Nottinghamshire-born accounts clerk mother Edna, he enjoyed a typical rough and tumble childhood of Scout camps, helping on a milk round with the dad of a school pal, playing football in the street (and later for Northwood FC under the legendary Harry Cheek), and

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Ron at Walk the Wight 2018

supporting Nottingham Forest FC out of loyalty to his mum’s home county.

He left the old Cowes Secondary Modern School at 16 with no great academic aspirations, but with “a love of numbers and a logical brain” for which he reckoned office work would be a good fit – and a solid work ethic inherited from his dad.

He successfully applied for a commercial apprenticeship at the West Cowes shipbuilding firm J. Samuel White and on his first day, recalls being faced with three desks piled high with purchase invoices.

“There was three months’ worth of it to do, but it didn’t put me off” recalls Ron. “You could say it was a baptism of fire! It means I can file with my eyes shut now – and I never save up filing for anyone else to do”.

Within a few weeks of starting work, the iconic Isle of Wight Festival of 1970 took the Island by storm with its 50-strong line-up that included The Who, Jimi Hendrix, and The Moody Blues – and for the 16 year-old Ron, it was excitement like he’d never dreamed of.

“I just have a memory of there being people everywhere. An older friend

of mine had a Mini van so about six of us piled in and off we went. We had no tickets but then there was very little in the way of fences! The stage seemed miles away but who cared?

This was our Island and everyone was enjoying it. It was a completely different world that we’d never seen before.”

However, there was trouble waiting for Ron when he rolled home at dawn – his worried father had been out looking for him and promptly grounded him for two weeks.

Cowes Week was another big source of excitement for the young Ron and his pals, and the year after the Festival, he recalls the whole of Cowes ‘coming alive’.

“It was not the big corporate event it is nowadays – Cowes Week somehow felt more colourful and more exciting back then, when you could see Brittania with her guardship plus visiting boats from many other Navies.

“A friend of mine had the use of an inflatable for the week, and on one occasion we went alongside an American frigate and were invited on! Access was by the scramble nets over the port side,

Interview Ron with Matthew and Gareth, circa 1994

Ron and Matthew at Colwell, circa 1985

and once on board we had our own private tour. I was a lot more agile in those days!

The 1970s were also the heyday of the Island’s nightclub scene – and Ron and his mates were just the right age to enjoy it all.

They’d start off at his local, The Horseshoe at Northwood, for games of darts, jukebox or piano music, and then the famous ‘meat draw’ - and then with an elected driver, they’d head off for one of the clubs, such as The Eastcliffe at Shanklin, the Babalu at Ryde Airport (now a McDonalds) or The Prince Consort at Ryde.

Working his way up For all his outgoing social life, Ron also had a healthy respect for his work. As part of his apprenticeship, he attended the local college as a day release student for three years and immersed himself in business studies. As he progressed with the company, he took on sales invoicing for all departments, took a further course in accountancy, and ended up after 11 years with the company as Accounts Reporting Manager,

“It was really a pleasure for me going to work and dealing with them every day, and I think I quickly gained their trust, too.”

ultimately reporting to the Head Office in Pennsylvania after JS White’s was taken over by Elliott Turbomachinery.

His opposite number in the States had the unlikely name of Jerry Burger and Ron admits he was somewhat ‘in awe of him’.

“We had a regular Friday catch-up call and he’d tell me all about his hunting, shooting, fishing lifestyle while I told him about the football club I was helping with and what seemed a mundane social life in comparison”.

However, Ron’s Anglo-American alliance was to come to an end when the US company decided to pull out of the UK, at which point, in 1981, he joined the then local timber merchant H.W. Morey.

“I’d had a job offer in Basingstoke as well but really didn’t want to leave the Island” says Ron. This was partly because by this time he was married to Alana, who he had met at work. Their marriage year, 1978, had been a good one on many fronts, since his beloved Nottingham Forest also won the Football League and then the European Cup.

They’d bought their first house in East Cowes in April 1978, five months before the wedding, but didn’t live there until after they were married.

“Youngsters today can’t imagine that, but it’s how it was then” he says. “There were no lavish overseas trips either - our honeymoon was a week in Torquay and we saved our pre-decimal silver coinage in an old cider flagon to pay for it”.

However, by 1980 they’d been thrifty enough to be able to move from their starter home in East Cowes and take on a bigger mortgage on a large Victorian house in West Cowes.

Within months of the move, though, came the blow of redundancy from Elliott Turbomachinery – happily, to be closely followed by the relief of being offered the job of General Office Manager at H.W. Morey and Son.

A new challenge In 1981 Moreys was the only supplier of imported timber on the Island , importing directly from Sweden and

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Interview Finland. It arrived at the wharf in Cowes to be brought up to the Trafalgar Road yard on a series of hired lorries .

The business was made up of the main timber and building material supply business with branches in Newport and Sandown, and it also ran a commercial joiners shop which made bespoke joinery for several projects across the Island.

As well as the Moreys business the directors also ran Alexandra Sharp and Co which was just opening a DIY centre on the site where Curry’s is today, as well as having a small branch in Ryde.

Ron says he loved Moreys from day one: “The directors were very hands-on and the builders and other customers we dealt with were all very friendly, down-to-earth and honest, so it was really a pleasure for me going to work and dealing with them every day, and I think I quickly gained their trust, too”.

When in 1997 Morey’s was bought out by the national chain Jewsons, Ron was the branch manager at Sandown. He’d moved into sales and general management and effectively improved profitability at the branch.

The following year there was more upheaval in the Island’s building supplies market when Sydenham’s moved to the Isle of Wight and took on almost of 40 Jewson’s staff but Ron decided to stay and was offered the General Manager role, with responsibility for the Island’s five branches.

It’s effectively the role he still has to this day, although the title has since

Ron and Alana in Kenya

“ There were no lavish overseas trips either our honeymoon was a week in Torquay and we saved our pre-decimal silver coinage in an old cider flagon to pay for it.”

Ron and dog Ruby

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been changed to Branch Director for the Isle of Wight Cluster.

He says he loves his job as much as he ever did – but will look forward to a change of focus when he retires next year.

He and Alana – who have two sons, Matthew, 34, and Gareth, 28 – plan to celebrate their upcoming milestone Ruby Wedding anniversary with a three-week holiday in Canada in June next year, and no doubt he’ll have more time for dog walks with the Jack Russell pup they’ve recently bought (and named Ruby in honour of their anniversary).

But there’s no doubt that much of Ron’s retirement will be spent giving time to the causes closest to his heart – chief among them being Walk the Wight, but also doing additional volunteer fundraising for Mountbatten, as well as for his local Rotary Club and giving time to his local Northwood Village Hall.

He’s also keen to promote the work of Mountbatten, which he says a lot of locals “still don’t get”.

“What it does is so much more than providing the 16-bed facility – it’s also there for several hundred carers out in the community and supports countless families who are facing end-of-life care for loved ones with a range of illnesses.

“One thing’s for sure – I may be retiring soon, but I’m not going to be at home much!”

Local Scene

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Local Scene

Sea View Yacht Club celebrates 125 years The Anniversary Ball to celebrate 125 years since the formation of the Sea View Yacht Club in 1893 took place on Saturday 28th July 2018.

The party was held in the beautiful grounds of The Priory Bay Hotel. Just over 470 members and their guests enjoyed a champagne reception on the lawn, before moving inside the marquee to dine on Isle of Wight lobster and fillet steak. This was followed by a trio of delightful desserts.

After dinner, an additional 100 members joined the celebrations to dance the night away. A wonderful time was had by everyone, and it was agreed that it had been a lovely way to celebrate a great occasion.

Pictures by Graham Reading More pictures available to buy online from our website: www.visitilife.com

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Local Scene

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Interview

Fashioning a life in clay He studied his art in London, perfected it in Japan and has lived the dream in San Francisco – but for ceramicist Neil Tregear there’s no place quite like the Isle of Wight for sparking his creative inspiration. So what was it that led him to settle and establish his business here? Jackie McCarrick has been finding out.

It was 15 years ago that Neil made his first trip across the Solent, to attend a job interview with the local education authority – and he recalls it with all the visual detail you’d expect of an artist: “I absolutely adored the Island from the first minute” he says. “It was in the middle of a heatwave and there was something about it that reminded me a bit of San Francisco - totally inspiring with its amazing light, the coastal views and the constantly changing scenery. And then there was also that feeling of freedom you get from being totally surrounded by the sea”.

However, there was to be just one fly in the ointment, and that was the job!

“I knew I’d found the right place - it just turned out to be the wrong job” he explains.

The job he took on involved

using his specialist skills in autism, in an Island-wide consultancy capacity, and was a role he fulfilled for a year.

“I soon realised that my future lay elsewhere, but I didn’t want to leave the Island” says Neil, who had quickly acclimatised to the lifestyle

and got himself involved with the sailing fraternity at Wootton’s Royal Victoria Sailing Club.

“After only a year I felt I already knew both the interior and exterior of the Island pretty well, and knew it was definitely where I wanted to stay”.

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He and his wife Catherine have a combined family of five children, and at that time, the youngest two were still at primary school, so finding another job was a priority.

In the end, it was that pressing need for a solution that brought Neil back to his first love, pottery, and it was the hours he spent sailing around the Island that helped the process along.

“My favourite position of all on a boat is on the foredeck” he explains. “It gives you plenty of scope for looking at the sea and just thinking.

What I increasingly began thinking was: ‘I’m a potter – I want to find a way of capturing what I am looking at in a pot’.“ Which is why, gradually, this previously successful ceramicist started making pots again in his garage, and in 2007 had enough work to stage a solo show at Quay Arts. It was a sell-out, and proved a major turning point in his life.

“That was a major boost to my confidence” says Neil, who was sufficiently bouyed by the positive reaction on the Island that he

immediately began contacting galleries around the UK.

Artistic Revival This was a strategy that Neil had already tried and tested during his early years as a potter, running his first successful business in Oxfordshire in the 1980s - and effectively, it was what brought him full-circle in his artistic career.

So how did he get into pottery in the first place?

The second of four sons of a scientist father and social worker mother, Neil recalls that early on, he had been expected to go into engineering, and in fact harboured the idea that he’d like to ‘build motorways and bridges’.

All that changed when the family moved to San Francisco when he was 14.

“It was a huge culture shock, being there in the mid-70s, among people who were living so differently, in communes and arts communities” he recalls. “The sheer beauty I saw

in California led me to realise that being an engineer wasn’t everything, and that I somehow had to find a way to be an artist”.

Neil opted to do pottery rather than art at his school in the US, and unlike many of his fellow schoolboys, he found the traditional subjects of metalwork and woodwork ‘sharp and unforgiving’.

“On the other hand, I found clay the most wonderful material, with great flexibility combined with strength. I liked the fact that you could change it halfway through the process.”

By the time his family moved back to the UK three years later, Neil was 17, and found himself being taught and inspired by a great pottery teacher at his school in Oxford. Ultimately he became the first student of the school to study for A-level Pottery, and then went on to Banbury College of Art to continue studying his new passion.

Finally, he graduated from Middlesex Polytechnic with an Honours degree in 3-D

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Interview

Design and Ceramics.

It was at that stage that he was offered the chance of a lifetime, thanks to his Aunt Mary, who was the Keeper of Oriental Art at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum.

Her parents (his grandparents) had been missionaries in China and had even met the legendary Chairman Mao, which meant she was able to draw on influential Far Eastern contacts to arrange an Oriental trip for her nephew.

He was promptly packed off to the Far East and lined up with an apprenticeship with Yamada Hikaru, a prominent potter in Kyoto, Japan.

“I perfected the art of making hundreds of tiny little porcelain bowls, day in, day out” says Neil, “and also travelled the country quite a lot, visiting other potters and kiln sites with introductions from my Aunt.”

Back to earth Having “lived and breathed” the subject for a year, Neil came back to the UK with a whole set of new skills, working techniques and

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aesthetics – and then bumped up against the reality of having to make a living.

Having become a first-time dad whilst in Japan – to daughter Lotte – he suddenly found himself “very, very poor” and living in a rented room back in Oxford, working as a so-called ‘humper’ (loading and unloading lorries) at a theatre in between doing his pottery in a borrowed garden shed.

This was the period when he first began sending slides of his work to galleries and shops – a process that definitely worked for him, because by the mid-80s, his creations were being featured in a wide variety of locations such as Liberty’s of London and Leeds City Art Gallery.

However, he still wasn’t making enough money to support a family, so when in 1986 he was approached by established ceramicist Deborah Sears of Isis Ceramics, he was more than happy to take up an offer to collaborate with her in creating a range of reproduction Delftware.

The classic blue and white tableware was such a huge success that Neil ended up employing four people and Deborah employed 12.

They were sending work all over the world, supplying clients like Colefax and Fowler interior

design and many big department stores in New York and Japan.

“It was during that period that I really learnt the professional side of being a potter” says Neil, “all the important stuff about making a profit and employing people as well as just making the ceramics. I also realised that quality and consistency are more important than anything else.”

Typically, though, there came a point where Neil had reached a point of success financially and business-wise – but was becoming creatively ‘dry’ and worn-out, with no time to produce his own pots.

“I’d sold my soul, but at least I’d managed to buy a new car” he jokes wryly.

It was around that time that the UK recession of 1990 began to bite, seeing off a large chunk of the luxury goods market in which Neil had been successfully trading.

“We as a business were pretty heavily exposed to the recession when it hit” he says.

“We were dealing in high-end luxury items such as a dinner plate that retailed for £30 even then – goodness knows what price that would equate to

Interview

“I perfected the art of making hundreds of tiny little porcelain bowls, day in, day out”

now – and people had been buying entire dinner services.”

Changing course Deciding to leave the pottery behind was made easier by the fact that Neil had a new focus, following the diagnosis of his second child, Jan, with severe autism.

Having been impressed by the teachers who worked with his son, Neil promptly decided to quit his business, hand over to his assistant, and re-train as a primary school teacher himself. After graduating, he was immediately offered a job at the Chinnor Resource Unit for autistic children, and dedicated himself to teaching for the next 12 years.

He kept his hand in with the pottery by teaching adult education evening classes, but effectively, he’d stopped producing any original work of his own.

“Life just took me on another course, as it sometimes does”, says Neil, who, during that time had met and married his second wife Catherine, also a special needs teacher, and was kept busy bringing up their blended family of five youngsters.

But life took another turn

in 2003 when Neil saw a job advertised on the Isle of Wight.

“We felt ready for a change and had considered moving abroad, but that wasn’t possible because of our children” says Neil.

And the rest, as they say, is history!

After that initial show at Quay Arts in 2007, and his subsequent approaches to galleries, Neil has never looked back.

In no time he was supplying his work to big names in cities and towns all over the UK – even while still working out of his garage and living room at home in Niton.

In 2010 he had a new exhibitor stand at the British Crafts Trade Fair in Harrogate and ended up with a queue of buyers for the whole three days of the show.

“I remember coming back home in my battered old car with 50 orders and my wife was horrifed!” he laughs. “All she could think of was ‘How are you going to do that?’

That was the point where Neil and Catherine had enough confidence to launch out and take on the lease of Niton’s old butcher’s shop, which is where they run their studio to this day.

Customers love being able to see the potters at work – and

these days there’s a team of them – Scarlett Felstead the studio manager, Pete Avery the technical manager, Tim Alexander the pottery assistant and Sarah Parker the apprentice, along with Neil and Catherine.

Now supplying 70 shops, galleries and interior design stores around the UK, the business has been growing at the rate of 20-30% year-on-year.

Island customers also love the distinctive marine-inspired designs in relaxing, cool colours that feature on bowls and dishes, mugs and lamp bases, and enjoy being able to see the making process.

“I was initially a bit worried about opening the studio to the public” says Neil, “but we now really enjoy having people around and seeing how interested they are in what we do.”

And the teaching hasn’t gone to waste either – because Neil hops on the ferry once a week to the Solent Academies Trust in Portsmouth, where he does a day of specialist teaching in pottery and autism.

“As much as I love doing it, I’m always pleased to get back to the Island” he says.

“For me, the happiest place in the world is my studio”.

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Out & About

Island Sailing Club’s scorcher of a race Island Sailing Club’s annual Round the Island Race in early July, was deemed a huge success with over 1,100 race teams from all around the world taking part.

Despite being one of the slowest in recent years, with light winds, a strong tidal stream and scorching heat that combined, forced many to retire, a total of 659 completed the 50 nautical mile, anti-clockwise race around the Isle of Wight in exceptionally challenging conditions.

Ross and Sarah Applebey and team from Lymington sailed their Contessa 26 High Potential particularly impressively and, after over 11 hours of intense racing, managed to secure the coveted Gold Roman Bowl.

The line honours prize for the fastest time round the Island in eight and a half hours went to Tony Lawson’s MOD70 foiling trimaran Concise Fling, while Tony Langley’s TP52 Gladiator was first monohull home. Langley said: “It was the longest one I’ve ever done; nine hours on the helm which is plenty.”

Pictures by Paul Wyeth

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Out & About

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Out & About

Jazz on the Quay Over 350 hardy jazz enthusiasts braved unseasonably cold June winds to gather at Duver Marina and enjoy the third Jazz on the Quay event – made welcomingly warmer thanks to Sydenhams, who loaned two huge heaters for the marquee.

The all new line-up this year was kicked off by the Jim Thorn Quintet with modern jazz classics from the 1940s-60s, and followed by salsa and Latin Jazz specialists Toca Bonito, whose fabulous sounds enticed plenty of people onto the dance floor.

Angel in the Kitchen dished up their legendary traditional Paella, while the ingeniously-converted vintage horsebox - the Water Horse Box Bar - was on hand to quench thirsts, and on-site Duver Cafe stayed open late serving hot drinks and bacon rolls. Meanwhile, brand new Island business Nice Ice IOW brought along their converted vintage bike, serving a variety of locally-made ice-creams.

To date, the event - in support of Island charity The Sophie Rolf Trust – KissyPuppy - has added a further £2,076.50 to the Harbour’s fundraising total.

Pictures by Soul Photography

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Interview

The Royal Isle of Wight County Show A personal reflection by Nicky Hayward, MBE

As a born-and-bred Islander, I feel passionately about the importance of the Royal Isle of Wight County Show. The Agricultural Society, which puts on the Show every year, was originally founded in 1882 and Queen Victoria was the first patron.

She was also a regular exhibitor throughout her life, and a frequent visitor to the annual Show. King Edward VII followed as patron, with Major Henry J Way becoming the first honorary secretary, a position he held for 24 years. The Show has always taken place in or around Newport, with the exception of

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the years 1888 and 1897, when the venue was Ryde. Historically the Royal Family always took a keen interest in the affairs of the Society. On the death of Lord Eversly, Governor of the Isle of Wight, Prince Henry of Battenburg succeeded as president. In 1885, the date of the Show had to be

altered as it clashed with the wedding of Princess Beatrice.

Financially, the Society has faced many crises, but because of the loyalty of Islanders, it has always managed to weather these storms.

The Society organised the ploughing matches, and before the formation of the NFU the Central Chamber of Agriculture was the national agricultural forum. From 1909, Mr R.P. Mew represented the Society at the London meetings and reported back quarterly to the members.

For many years, the site for the Show presented a problem, first on one field, then another. Eventually

Interview

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Interview “Through determination and dedication, not to mention the hard work of everyone on the committee, the Show was totally revived.”

it came to rest on the Nine Acres field in Newport, where it was able to purchase the ground securing a regular flat area with plenty of room for the Show to grow.

In more recent times, too, the annual event has had its ups and downs. There was a period when it fell into the doldrums and was nearly ended. Then Amy Willcock together with Graham Biss came on board and, through determination and dedication, not to mention the hard work of everyone on the committee, the Show was totally revived. Graham has been the chairman of the Show Committee for the last five years and with their collective energy and enthusiasm, the Show has gone from strength to strength. It is now one of the best one-day shows in the south, and admired and supported both by Islanders and mainland breeders.

It was almost inevitable after selling the Seaview Hotel and retiring, that my husband Nick and I should end up on the committee running the Members’ Area, and in particular organising the lunch for over 200 people, along with

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a bar and light refreshments served all day. All the delicious food and catering is supplied by David Rogers and his excellent team at All About Catering. The huge and beautiful marquee in the Members’ Area, along with hundreds of tables and chairs, is supplied free of charge, by Coast and Country. Peter Alexander and his team from Thompson’s Nursery produce the spectacular floral displays, again free of charge. Nick and I find that pulling together the whole Members’ Area, with this generous and professional team, is great fun.

For the last two years we have been able to supply a further tented area for the bar and light refreshments, thanks to the sponsorship provided by Ben Rouse of Rouse Ltd and

James Attrill of BCM. We needed this extra space because while many of the members like to enjoy the formal lunch, some members are exhibiting or taking part in events and so are not always able to get away. Also, we wanted to encourage younger families to become members to ensure the future of the Show. So now there is a less formal area where people can dine, inside or out, in a more relaxed atmosphere but still enjoying the spectacle.

The Members’ Area is very much the heart of the Show. Set right in the middle of the ground between the main ring and the show jumping arena, it has spectacular views.

Nick and I really enjoy attending the monthly meetings in the Hare and Hounds with all the other volunteers on the show committee. It is fun,

Interview

through the long winter months, listening to and contributing to the plans. All the volunteers in every area work so hard to produce this special day, showcasing and promoting Isle of Wight plc. It is an incredible effort just for one day but, under Graham’s dedicated leadership, it has improved and expanded.

So we all feel a real sense of pride in laying on this unique and spectacular, truly local event. It is quite right, bearing in mind the long history and Royal patronage, that it is called the Royal Isle of Wight County Show.

Over the last five years the Show has developed a wonderful connectivity with the public.

Initially they came to see and get involved in all that is good within the Island’s rural community. But

it has now moved on from this and there is a sense that everyone can come and have a go, with young people able to actually get in and learn how to handle the animals or taste the produce. From rolling huge bales of hay around obstacle courses to sheep shearing competitions, or celebrating the best of Island food, plants, gardens, stock and riders. Not forgetting the enchanting and brilliant poultry section [my favourite tent]. There is a far greater focus on sharing information, with huge educational boards explaining everything from the characteristics of certain breeds of sheep to exactly where our milk or eggs come from. It has retained its rural character and roots while broadening its appeal to give the whole community a feelgood

factor and a great day out.

Today, many locals do not realise or know the history or background to the event. Or, more significantly, why it is important not just to attend the Show but also to become a member of the Society. The Show is the highprofile face of the Royal Isle of Wight Agricultural Society. Its aim is to showcase and promote the rural sector and give Islanders a sense of place and identity. It is definitely not a private show just for farmers, but aims to reach out to all the Island and holidaymakers too. Of course it has and continues to hold onto its historic roots with a large section devoted to livestock and equine events, but now it has something for everyone.

This year we have worked with all the primary schools, inviting them to come for a ‘Taster Day” to see what goes on at the Show. There was also a poetry competition based around Robert MacFarlane’s book, Lost Words.

This beautifully illustrated book highlights the rural words that have been removed from the Oxford children’s dictionary. For

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Interview example Acorn, was replaced with the word App and Conker with Chat-room. While the majority of young people in urban society may have stopped using words Acorn or Conker, children in rural communities, like the Isle of Wight, have not. Thanks to generous local donations 43 copies of the book were presented to every primary school on the Island. And a poetry competition was held in the theatre at the Show with entries from all ages and the mainland too.

Along with the Show, the Society also promotes the Wight Marque for Island food, education and the rural environment with the schools and most important the Rural Careers’ Fund. It is because we believe in the importance of this fund that Nick and I give up our time every year to run the Members’ Area. The fund helps to ensure the Island has good, well-trained young people able to work in the rural sector.

Anyone under 25 years old with a strong connection to the Island can apply for a Bursary or Scholarship of up to £3,000. This adds value to the IW farming and land-based industries and ensures young Islanders gain the relevant qualifications or skills.

We all know the future of our beautiful island lies in our young people and so helping to enable them overcome financial difficulties to train properly is vital, especially in these times of cost-cutting and with the increased price of travel to the mainland courses.

So I urge all of you to come and join the Society. Membership is only £28 a year on Standing Order and includes free entry to the Show worth £10, free entry to the beautiful Members’ Enclosure in its prime location, and special rates all year round for members on Wightlink ferries.

So you get a huge number

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“We all know the future of our beautiful island lies in our young people and so helping to enable them overcome financial difficulties to train properly is vital.”

of added benefits for your £28 membership - but more importantly, the money from your membership is vital to ensure the future of the Rural Careers’ Fund.

This year was particularly challenging for the Royal Isle of Wight County Show. Firstly we had to move the date from its usual slot at the end of June, because it clashed, as a result of the change of date, with the much earlier IW Festival. Obviously the two couldn’t happen on the same weekend. So we moved to the 8th July for 2018. This was not ideal as it made it difficult for some of the regular participants. Then with one of the hottest summers on record it was testing setting up the ground, especially with the rockhard earth and sweltering heat.

Flowers, animals and people were all wilting by the time everything was ready and in place. Then with the usual aplomb, the Lord Lieutenant and the High Sheriff were there to open the Show. It was a glorious day, possibly too hot, as many may have decided to head to the beach. But in the end the Members’ Area was buzzing.

The lunch for 200 was packed and everyone had a great day out.

The committee will shortly meet to review the day’s events, what went well and what areas we can improve. It is only by constantly reflecting on and thinking through the future of the Show that it will be able to survive and continue on into the distant future for the benefit of us all.

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Out & About

Mardi Gras comes back to Ryde Mardi Gras took Ryde by storm once again this year, with an overall theme of Global Biospheres, leading to many colourful and exciting costumes.

The happy crowds enjoyed the sunshine as the parade wove it’s way through the streets of the seaside town. Supported by schools and organisations from across the Island, there was a tidal wave of colour and energy, as the hundreds of participants walked and danced down the road.

Pictures by Graham Reading

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Out & About

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Inside Business

A real destination store A visit to The Old Smithy at Godshill always makes for a pleasant outing for the whole family.

In fact, since it was founded 70 years ago, this family business has steadily grown and evolved to become a favourite destination for generations of Islanders and visitors.

The spacious coffee shop is ideal for catching up with friends for lunch, or perhaps meeting up after a long walk when you’ve worked up an appetite for one of its famous meringues or delicious cakes.

Meanwhile, the Style Interiors section offers a wide range of gifts for the home with on-trend

collections that are guaranteed to make your home look individual and stylish. At the back of the shop is the very pretty garden, which is free to visit, and perfect for children, who can walk around the miniature Isle of Wight and see the fairies and pixies at work.

For the grown-ups there’s the the huge gift shop, full of ideas and inspiration for those special gifts for family and friends, while the clothes shop has a great range

of styles to fit all shapes and sizes, with collections from Masai, Gerry Weber, Seasalt and Soya Concept, plus an extensive choice of handbags and accessories.

Open seven days a week and all year round, and with its own large, free car park, The Old Smithy is a destination store that’s become a real Island institution.

Find the Old Smithy in Godshill, call them on 01983 840364 or visit www.styleinteriors.co.uk.

The Brading Roman Bear Hunt All through the Summer Brading Roman Villa is offering a whole host of craft activities: mask painting, mosaic coaster making, as well as dozens of free activities.

Come to the villa and go on a Bear Hunt. Find the parts for your bear and then decorate him with glitter and feathers, it’s free and it’s fun.

Until 30th September, Brading Roman Villa will be hosting a travelling exhibition from Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre. It is both engagingly colourful and beautifully varied. The puppets cover the

whole world from Indonesia to Scotland and a staggering breadth of time from ancient India to more recent uses on television. Come and find out: how puppets are made, how they are used and then make your own.

Come to the café, with its panoramic views of the whole of Sandown Bay. Try the food, freshly made by Big Ben and our perennially favourite cakes, made by their very own Nicky.

Iced drinks are always on offer.

You can find Brading Roman Villa at Morton Old Road, Brading, PO36 0EN. Telephone: 01983 406223.

Visit the website at www. bradingromanvilla.org.uk

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Feature

A decade of Decadeance It started simply enough in 2009 - as a one-off charity dance party to celebrate Island DJ Tony Martin’s 30 years in the business.

The event was a huge success, selling out of all 500 tickets and raising a total of £5,200 for two local charities, Barely Born and the Earl Mountbatten Hospice, which had cared for Tony’s late mother, Eileen.

But the partygoers at that first event relished the mix of music, nostalgia, energy and pure good fun and enjoyed it so much that Tony was persuaded it was a show that must go on.

Since then, DECADeANCE has evolved into one of the most popular annual events on the Isle of Wight’s social calendar – and the countdown has already begun to party number 10, happening in November.

Explaining the origin of the event’s unusual name,Tony explains: “It came from a mix of decadence, as in ‘luxuriously self indulgent’ which seemed a good description of me playing my personal favourites and dance floor fillers from the 1960s up to present day – it was a sort of decade dance!”

Partygoers were also encouraged to dress to impress, and be as decadent as they dared to be with their outfits.

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It proved such a heady mix, that everyone wanted a followup event the next year – and the rest, as they say, is history. The colourful, high-energy event now caters for 750 people and always sells out months in advance.

Meanwhile, it continues to

surprise with its decadent themes – the most memorable of which have been 007, Carnival and Spaceinspired ones - while Tony has also surprised partygoers on the night with features such as pyrotechnics shows, live Samba bands and an ensemble of Star Wars characters,

Feature “It proved such a heady mix, that everyone wanted a followup event the next year – and the rest, as they say, is history.”

amongst many others.

Most importantly, though, in the past nine years a magnificent total of over £56,000 has been raised for Earl Mountbatten Hospice (now Mountbatten) and the launch of this year’s 10th Anniversary event ‘A Decade of DECADeNCE’ is set to add even more funds to that impressive figure.

Tony reflects: ‘ When I put on that first party to commemorate my 30 years as a DJ, I could never have imagined just how successful and popular it would become. Once it did take off, my challenge was to make it more decadent every year and bring a new ‘wow’ factor that made people want to keep coming

back. The effort by so many people with their decadent outfits every year and their clear enjoyment has continued to inspire me. After the second year, I set a personal challenge to raise £50,000 – and the fact that this was surpassed last year is testament to everyone’s help and support.

‘Some people have come along every year and that’s incredible, but without everyone’s support not just the paying guests but also the many companies who provide substantial discounts on services - it wouldn’t have been possible to raise the huge amounts

we have for Mountbatten.’

Tickets for a decade of DECADeANCE go on sale on August 10 and are unlikely to hang around for long, so it’s advisable to get in quick if you fancy a decadent night out on Saturday November 24.

Tickets are available from Cowes Yacht Haven, Cowes, Master of Disguise, Newport The Bagel Wrap, Ryde and The Party Shop, Shanklin. To request tickets or more info including limited VIP table packages, e-mail: decadeancenight@gmail.com.

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Travel

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Travel

A

Gem on our

Doorstep I have been fortunate enough to visit over 40 of the world’s capital cities in my lifetime, and without a doubt in my mind, London would rank as one of the best. It was the English writer Samuel Johnson who in the 18th century declared: “Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life, for there is in London all that life can afford”.

In my view this quotation remains just as relevant today, and whatever your budget, London still can offer you so many options and at wonderful value. In recommending it to my foreign visitors over the years I am always keen to learn of their specific interests so that their time in the Capital will hold a personal interest and provide a lasting memory.

London has some of the finest museums and art culture in the world, and for any historian it has a wealth of possibilities to explore. Its history is unsurpassed, which perhaps is why it attracts

so many fascinated visitors from the world over. From the Tower of London to our Royal residences and Palaces, the City ‘opens it doors’ for all. Whether you are viewing them on foot or from an open-top bus or a river cruiser, the fascination is there to behold. You could spend a year in London and never see the entirety of it all!

Apart from the obvious attractions that our Capital city offers, there are so many hidden secrets and eating establishments that are not obvious from street level. Many of them date back to the time

By Terry Willey

of the Great Plague of London.

As competition is considerable, eating in the Capital can be relatively inexpensive, provided you are prepared to shop around.

The shopping culture itself is immense with millions of pounds being ploughed into the City each year from tourists, as well as from our own nationals flocking to some of the main shopping areas around Oxford and Regent Streets. The area surrounding Covent Garden offers some of the most talented street entertainment and the London Underground network offers a quick and

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Travel efficient way to travel across and through the City to the suburbs.

The network does not ‘stand still’ with extensive modernisation and new lines opening. It is worth picking up a free London Underground Map to just take in the sheer enormity of the network and your options for travel.

With the Royal Albert Hall offering regular concerts and events, Covent Garden for its music, ballet and opera along with theatres offering some of the finest shows in the country, your entertainment options are endless.

As in every major city, there are areas of London that are perhaps less desirable, but for the greater part “life” exudes from its very heart each day. Having worked in London for some years in the early part of my career, I got to know so many true London individuals and some who still remain friends. My late father who was born in Fulham Palace Road was proud to call himself a Londoner – a claim that was only possible to make if you were born within the sounds of Bow Bells.

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A ride in one of the iconic London Black Cabs will often yield plenty of useful insights from the driver if he feels inclined to engage with you. However, the majority of the taxi drivers have a wealth of knowledge of the City and can often be very useful in guiding you to your destination or recommending alternatives. There has always been a genuine honesty from the Cockney and in most cases a willingness to welcome people to their city with pride.

I shall never forget my organised surprise visit for my family to take them to see The Lion King musical in the West End; having booked a taxi from our early restaurant meal to take us to the theatre, I was able to mention quietly to the driver upon his arrival that this was a very special surprise for my family and they had no idea which theatre we were attending, or which performance. Owing to serious traffic congestion, the cab was late arriving and I knew that the timing would be very tight to arrive in time for the opening of the show which in the case of The Lion King, is something not to be missed!

As we all climbed into the cab, there was an air of excitement and guessing going on as our journey began. However, the time was passing quickly and I could see that we only had five minutes to the opening of the show, so I said to the driver “are we nearly there?” to which he replied “Don’t worry Guv I can see the lion from here!”.

This caused great humour inside the cab and my secret was blown away – at which point the cab driver suddenly realised what he had said and apologised profusely.

Yes, Samuel Johnson was right: in London there is “all life can afford” and whether you are visiting for the first time or making a return trip, you are rarely disappointed!

Travel

Snapshot

“Apart from the obvious attractions that our Capital city offers, there are so many hidden secrets and eating establishments that are not obvious from street level. �

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Out & About

Thousands flock to Festival The 2018 Isle of Wight Festival once again delivered an amazing weekend, with Islanders standing alongside tens of thousands who flocked from over the water.

Headline sets included Kasabian, Depeche Mode and The Killers, as well as a performance from Liam Gallagher – a line-up that lived up to the festival’s famously eclectic reputation. Other artists who appeared on the stages scattered throughout the site included The Script, Nile Rodgers & Chic, James Bay, Blossoms, Manic Street Preachers and Travis.

Music aside, the Isle of Wight Festival is about so much more. Once you’re through the festival gates, there’s something different around every corner, with a smorgasbord of food, stalls, fairground rides and more. The huge crowds prove that the Isle of Wight Festival is seen by many as one of the biggest and brightest jewels in the Festival calendar.

Pictures by Graham Reading

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Motoring

Driving down prices After 20 years of working in the motor trade, Paul Nixon reckoned it was time to follow his dream and launch out into business on his own.

Two years later, and now at the helm of a busy garage operation in Newport, Paul says it was the best decision he ever made.

Working along with equally experienced fellow mechanic Sean Skinner, Paul can offer a friendly, personal and cost-effective service for motorists, whether their car needs a regular service, a repair job or fault diagnosis.

He says his customers at Nixon Automotive Services like the

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fact that they actually get to speak to the person who works on their vehicle – unlike many of the bigger garage set-ups where information is relayed through a reception desk.

Keeping the business small also means that customers benefit from keener prices, and there are regular offers such as the current summer deal of 10p per gram of

refrigerant on air-con recharges.

Nixon Automotive is also the only garage on the Island that offers professional DPF cleaning for diesel engines.

Visit Nixon Automative Services at Unit 6, Riverway, Newport, PO30 5UX or call them on 01983 522033.

AUCTION SUMMARY

ASK THE EXPERTS: AUCTIONEERS CORNER

The June sales saw bidding soar high along with the weather. A beautiful clock retailed by Tiffany & Co was contested via three phones, live internet and room bidders past the expected £4,0006,000 to over £10,000, eventually selling for £14,800.

The sale was very busy, with over 300 live online bidders

waiting to pounce!

Managing Director Warren Riches said “Yet again the audience online, which is worldwide, provide over 32% of our sales total – this shows how a good auction rooms, which has invested in the latest live bidding technology, competes easily with the London Rooms.

RECENTLY SOLD ITEMS Warren Riches writes “Rex and I have been auctioneering and valuing for over 60 years between us, and over those years have seen sea changes in buyers tastes. We strongly believe the value now that “brown Victorian/Georgian” furniture represents is outstanding.

“It is all a matter of taste, todays markets for such furniture has steadied out, and it will always find a home. People have needed to readjust their hopes and accept the new normal price for a mahogany chest of drawers or Grandfather clock.

In the same light a Victorian pine chest of drawers has probably increased three fold in value, so it’s always swings and roundabouts.

Fine Mantel Clock Sold for £14,800

Binocular Microscope Sold for £1,100

Claret jug Sold for £650

Extensive glassware Sold for £500

Chinese plate collection Sold for £1,900

Chinese low table Sold for £1,700

“My advice now, as always, is if you buy for investment and returns, spend that little bit more on that item. It shouldn’t let you down – quality will always come through.”

Antiques & Collectables Modern & Vintage Brading Auction Rooms Quay Lane, Brading, Sandown Isle of Wight, PO36 0AT T: 01983 402222 E: brading@hrdauctionrooms.co.uk

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Gardening

SUMMER AT QUARR ABBEY

by Matt Noyce, Head Gardener at Quarr Abbey While perhaps stating the obvious - that we have been blessed with such an unprecedented start to the summer we humans might have had it good, but extra watering for certain crops has been high on the agenda.

The grass has quickly turned to hay and the landscape looks somewhat parched. The warmth has sweetened fruits and the mulberries have never tasted so good.

Although the gardens have suffered somewhat, we have had to be savvy with the watering regime. At times like this we must all use water responsibly and sparingly. That said, the raspberries, gooseberries (goosegogs as I call them) and blackcurrants have had unprecedented long hours of sunshine to ripen, and where the season began slowly because of the snowy start, they have now caught up and are cropping profusely. The loganberries have been left until they go a rich, dark colour and on most occasions we have beaten the birds to them. The majority of the soft fruits are safely secured within soft fruit cages, away from eager beaks.

A certain amount of our home-grown produce will be used in Quarr Abbey jam and chutney production, while the apple crop is being turned into our own still and sparkling ciders which are available in our farm shop.

The wildflower meadow and large grassy areas at Quarr are buzzing with the sounds of crickets and grasshoppers. They are a great habitat for so much wildlife. The meadow was sown some time ago, but still benefits wildlife as a sanctuary for creatures ranging from bees to butterflies and mice to buzzards.

Surprisingly, wildflower meadows aren’t as maintenance-free as you might expect: they require timed management to create the best habitat possible.

The Quarr Abbey hives and Isle of Wight Beekeepers Association Quarr teaching apiary hives are doing well. We are currently ‘spinning’ honey from the hive frames - a sticky, but rewarding task. Out in the field, we have had to watch out for swarming bees, but as one appears it can be swiftly dealt with and put into a suitable hive to create a new colony.

We are all now looking forward to more of the summer crop of honey, ready to drizzle over a nice big bowl of ice cream.

Pictures by Matt Noyce.

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Local Scene

A horde of happy hounds The Isle of Wight Foxhounds were blessed with glorious sunshine at their annual puppy show at the Kennels in Gatcombe on Saturday 30th June.

The kennels looked impeccable and the hounds were shown by Mr Keith Blaydes, the huntsman, ably assisted by Mr Jack Kingswell.

At the puppy show, last years puppies are judged on their conformation. They are judged initially to find the best bitch and dog hound and then the champion hound is chosen from these two.

This year the champion hound was Partridge, walked

by Mrs Anne Ely and the best bitch was Pamper walked by the Waghorn children.

After judging everyone was treated to a scrumptious tea of homemade sandwiches and cakes.

The two judges this year were Mr Stephen Coates and Mr George Milton who are both experienced Masters from mainland packs.

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Equestrian goodies Ariat Cruiser Castaway Deck Shoe Classic leather or suede boat shoe silhouette with the updated colour and texture combinations and built-in comfort of the Cruiser.

Ariat Emma Reversible Gilet Cosy, cute and like having two vests in one, this reversible layer is insulated for warmth and resistant to the elements so they’ll be comfy whether on horseback or at play.

Mountain Horse Breeze tech singlet A women’s tech singlet made from a fabric that is quick-drying and leads moisture away from your body. Knitted rib collar and cuffs. Soft and quick-drying fabric for great comfort during high activity. Two-toned pattern fabric makes a sporty look. Elastic rib at sleeve for good comfort. Slit at the sides. Tailored fit MH logo at chest and back. Hidden zippers at front.

Ariat Heritage Elite Full Seat Breech Premium four-way performance stretch fabric and performance mesh calf panels for an unparalleled ride. The Heritage Elite delivers technical performance in a traditional package.

All this and more is available in a variety of colours from Froghill of Sandford, Godshill, PO38 3AN. Tel: 01983 840205. www.froghillofsandford.co.uk

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Equestrian

TRAINING HORSES with Robert Booth BHSI

For once, nobody can say we haven’t had a summer this year!

Whilst I do like the hot weather, it also can become a challenge to keep going with the horses and business.

The fields are like concrete, so we are having to limit the turn out, but thankfully we have a surface to work and exercise on, and we are lucky that our covered yard is cool and shady with good ventilation during the day, to give at least some respite from heat and flies.

Working the horses to keep their fitness and training up is tricky and you don’t have to do too much before they start to sweat.

It is natural for them to sweat, as

so good nutrition and lots of fresh water is a must and I feed some electrolytes to encourage them to drink more. I’m dreading our next water bill!

it is how they regulate their body temperature and with regular rest periods to allow them a breather, we manage to get some work done. The important thing is to get their body temperature back to normal straight after work, with cold hosing - and not just a wash off, they need a good dousing to reduce the overheating and then left to relax in the shade. They lose a lot of fluids through sweating,

Teaching in the hot sun can also be exhausting and with riders opting for early morning and late evening slots to avoid the hottest part of the day, this makes it a long day. Again it is important for riders to keep well hydrated for their own health.

My way of surviving is lots of water - or I should say, coffee and a quick trip to Colwell Bay for a muchneeded dip in the sea.

Robert Booth is an equine trainer for Rodgebrook Horses. Visit www.rodgebrookhorses.co.uk or telephone 01983 521870.

Training your horse: Finding your balance A common fault in jumping occurs when the rider is behind the movement and is relying on the reins for balance.

RODGEBROOK HORSES Excellent purpose built facilities, Newport area for full, breaking, schooling, sale and competition preparation livery.

This can prevent the horse from using itself properly and give an uncomfortable jump.

A good exercise I use, especially in gridwork, is when approaching the jump and once the horse is straight and focused on the jump, place the reins in one hand and put the hand on top of your head.

Tuition by Robert Booth BHSI experienced Accredited Professional Coach. Group or individual lessons on your own horses here or your home, all levels and disciplines.

This teaches you to feel the movement and find your balance without holding on.

Regular courses throughout the year

Tel: 01983 521870 www.rodgebrookhorses.co.uk

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Equestrian

New Osborne event proves great success A two-day event in late July saw the ‘best of the best’ compete in the inaugural Osborne Horse Trials, sponsored by London Capital & Finance PLC, in the spectacular surroundings of Osborne House.

This is the first time such a high-profile equestrian event has ever been held here on the Island.

The event saw some fantastic action from some of the top event riders including the world number one, Oliver Townend, along with Island-based event

rider Sarah Holmes. Sarah had three horses in the event, finishing a respectable 6th, 9th and 10th and was the only rider to go clear with all her horses in the show jumping phase.

The cross country phase saw the riders gallop right pass the front of Osborne House, which gave the spectators assembled on the terrace an amazing view.

The event finished with Oliver Townend winning the Victoria Bowl and Albert Bowl and Ludwig Svennerstal winning the Warrior Bowl.

Pictures by Graham Reading and Jonathon Sheath More pictures available to buy from our website: www.visitilife.com

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Equestrian

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Equestrian

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Equestrian goodies Dodson & Horrell Ltd Electrolytes Replaces those essential nutrients lost through sweating and work.

Silverfeet Hoof Balm

Barrier Natural Revitalising Wash Barrier Revitalising Wash is a light, soothing, low lathering, no rinse formula equine body wash that refreshes and removes heavy perspiration with ease.

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A unique blend of natural ingredients and silver complex which has been shown to prevent the growth of common equine hoof microbes which can lead to the development of thrush and white line disease.

Carr & Day & Martin Fly Gard Insect Repellent spray A gentle yet effective, long lasting, summer spray.

This water based formula contains citronella oils for long lasting protection during the summer months.

Flygard also contains added coat conditioners to promote a healthy, shiny coat.

Recommended for horses that suffer from sweet itch or are irritated by flies.

All this and more is available from Trumor Feeds. You can find them at Forest Road, Newport, PO30 4LY. Call 01983 521690 or you can find them on Facebook as TrumorFeeds

Country Life

IDENTITY AND THE ISLAND

By Sam Biles, Managing Director of country Estate Agents Biles & Co

Sam Biles takes a look at how living on an island creates an identity It is interesting, but perhaps inevitable, that we Islanders refer to the Isle of Wight as ‘the Island’.

This is not a new phenomenon.

Jane Austen, the famous Regency novelist, published Mansfield Park in 1814, and in it there is an oft-used quotation: “She thinks of nothing but the Isle of Wight as if there were no other island in the world”.

In fact, this quotation is spoken by one cousin expressing her frustration about the ignorance of another who has stated that the best route to Ireland was to cross first to the Isle of Wight! – but there it is in black and white from two centuries ago: ‘the Island’.

It is something that seems to slip off the tongue so easily for us Islanders, but to those from elsewhere in the UK, it can sound or read very oddly. As part of my job, I draft the text for property brochures. When we are doing these on our own, I happily put an upper case ‘I’ when referring to the

Island but if I am producing a very high-class brochure or doing one in conjunction with a mainland firm, then proofreading by others is often involved. Inevitably my text is returned as ‘island’ instead of Island. If I find any resistance to this pedantry, I quote Jane Austen to them and then normally, if not always, get my way.

My wife and I were recently lucky enough to have a holiday with an old friend who lives on Bermuda – another British island, approximately half the size of the Isle of Wight and with about half the population. Whilst we were there, we met a lot of his friends and they of course referred to Bermuda as ‘the Island’. That was fairly easy to follow, but when my friend was talking about ‘the Island’ he slipped easily between meaning his childhood family home - the Isle of Wight - and his current home, Bermuda. Things became a little confusing on more than one occasion!

People are instinctively tribal, and living on an island enables a sense of identity that is both clear and easy to affirm. This must be more so than in areas such as West Sussex or that amorphous sprawl that is Greater London, but whilst to us ‘the Island’ will always be the Isle of Wight, there are many islands scattered across the globe and on each one ‘the Island’ will mean something quite different – although equally clear and heartfelt.

COUNTRYSIDE TIP It may seem obvious to say, but anything that you happen to be doing with animals in hot weather which is likely to exert them – do it at the cooler start of the day: whether that be riding a horse, walking a dog or handling/moving cattle. If you leave it till the middle of the day when temperatures have risen, the animals can easily become stressed and distressed.

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Country Life

w Photo: Gardening with wildlife by Tom Marshall

Turn your garden into a

wildlife haven By the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

There are around 16 million gardens in the UK, and each one has huge potential for wildlife. Together they form a verdant patchwork across the landscape, linking urban green spaces with nature reserves and the wider countryside. If we manage our gardens for wildlife, we can help reverse the decline of many species suffering from habitat fragmentation.

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Country Life

Habitat fragmentation is a big problem for wildlife – just like we need roads and pavements to get from one place to another, wildlife needs connected green spaces, and a lack of suitable habitats has contributed to the decline of a number of species including hedgehogs, song thrushes and stag beetles.

However, if we manage our gardens sympathetically for wildlife, these creatures and many more will feel the benefits. So give it a go and watch as wildlife brings colour, movement and beauty to your garden.

Here are five simple ways you can turn your garden into a wildlife haven.

• Butterflies bring beauty to any garden. Attract them with nectar-rich flowers like verbena, scabious and ice-plant. Go for plants with simple flowers that make it easy for butterflies to get at the nectar; many cottage garden flowers are suitable.

Plant in a sheltered sunny spot and don’t forget to provide food plants for caterpillars too, such as nettle.

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, working for a better future for wildlife and wild places in Hampshire and the Island.

Phone: 01489 774 400

E-mail: feedback@hwt.org.uk Website: www.hiwwt.org.uk

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Beechcroft House, Vicarage Lane, Curdridge, Hampshire, SO32 2DP

• You can have an attractive and productive garden without using chemical fertilisers and pesticides. You can make and use your own compost and encourage insect and slug eating creatures. Gardeners’ friends include frogs and toads, birds, and small mammals like bats and hedgehogs – all of which eat insects or slugs.

Ladybirds, lacewings and hoverflies feast on aphids.

• Make your own natural fertiliser by composting garden waste

Photo: Honeysuckle

and vegetable kitchen scraps in a home-made box or bought compost bin. If you have limited space, you can still make compost in a small ‘worm bin’ in your house or back garden.

• Climbing plants on fences and walls make nesting and roosting sites for birds, and a haven for insects and small animals.

Choose plants like quince and honeysuckle which have nectar-rich flowers followed by fruit. Make sure you have some evergreens too; ivy is especially valuable.

• Different species of birds eat different things in different ways and places. Provide nuts, seeds and fat in feeders, trays and on the ground. Insect eaters will appreciate mealworms sprinkled on the ground or in fat. Move feeding places from time to time to guard against predators, disease and unwelcome visitors such as rats. Remember that water is vitally important, so if you have a bird bath or pond keep it topped up.

Join us today and enjoy the benefits of being a member of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust: • Unlimited visits to 57 wildlife reserves in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and 2,500 reserves nationwide.

• A welcome pack when you join.

• Wildlife, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust’s magazine, delivered to you three times a year.

• The chance to take part in local group and community activities, offering you a variety of opportunities to be involved in. More than 350 walks, talks and events throughout the two counties.

• Join by Direct Debit & receive your FREE full colour Local Wildlife Reserve Guide. www.visitilife.com

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Country Life

Countryside news

By Tony Ridd

Give a hedgehog a home!

Last year, Hedgehog Street launched the first-ever Hedgehog Housing Census, which looked at how, when and why hedgehogs use either homemade or artificial hedgehog houses in gardens across Britain. Between August and October 2017, over 5,000 people responded. A year on, the secrets behind what makes a perfect hedgehog home have been revealed, and the results show that: • Hedgehogs prefer homemade houses, but artificial houses are still a good alternative if they have the right features.

• Hedgehogs need time to get used to a new house before they use it.

• Feeding hedgehogs, putting water in your garden and providing bedding (such as dry leaves, pet straw or both) increases the chances of a resident hedgehog moving in.

• Hedgehogs prefer houses found in back gardens, in shaded areas.

• Pets or badgers don’t appear to put off a ‘hog from moving in.

The Hedgehog Street team - run by wildlife charities the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) and People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) - is urging people to help hedgehogs by building them the perfect home, providing a safe haven that’s cool, cosy and comfortable during this hot summer weather. Building your own hedgehog home is fun and easy to do. To download a PDF with

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Picture by Hedgehog Street Picture by Bob Webster

simple instructions on how to build two different types of hedgehog house, visit: www.hedgehogstreet. org/housingcensus.

Emily Wilson, Hedgehog Officer for Hedgehog Street explains: “These results tell us that ‘hog houses are helping hedgehogs find a place to rest, hibernate and even breed. We can use these results to help conserve these animals and give the most accurate advice to anyone wanting to provide shelter for wild hedgehogs through our Hedgehog Street campaign.

Picture by Angela Hodge

Hedgehogs seem to prefer houses that have been in a garden for some time, but we hope that people won’t be disheartened if they have a newer hog house - it just means hedgehogs need a little time to get used to it. If hedgehogs are provided with food and water in the garden (especially during this unusually hot weather), and the correct bedding in the house, this really encourages hedgehogs into your area, and they could become regular night-time visitors.”

Country Life Nature strolls for all...

Picture by Kathy Grogan

Memories of the Sea Do you have a maritime story to tell or memories you would like to share?

Oral history is all about recording the memories of older people and storing them for future generations.

Down to the coast, working in partnership with Carisbrooke Castle Museum, would like to talk to people who have made their living from the sea and can share how maritime heritage has changed over the last 70 years.

We are interested in memories relating to all things maritime, from fishing and boatbuilding to bucket and spade holidays. If you are someone (or you know someone) who enjoys talking about times past and would like to share their memories please contact Lisa Kerley on 01983 523112 /lisa.kerley@hotmail.co.uk who can tell you more about what is involved.

The Footprint Trust charity is keen to encourage everyone to get out and enjoy their local environment.

They have two free gentle summer strolls, suitable for people with mobility restrictions, including those who use wheelchairs or pushchairs. Run by trained walk leaders from The Footprint Trust, and supported by grant funding from the East Wight Landscape Partnership, they will be held this August.

The walks are around places of interest such as Sandown Community Orchard and the River Medina, and they are accessible for all. The Trust is also producing maps of six local strolls, which will be put on their website footprint-trust.co.uk in the near future and will also be given to local libraries. For further details or to book a free place, please contact The Footprint Trust on 01983 822282 or email ray@ footprint-trust.co.uk

Wild events Wildplay at St Helens Beach - Hants & IW Wildlife Trust • Under 5’s, Wednesday 22nd August, 10 - 12 noon.

• 5-12 year olds, Wednesday 22nd August, 1 - 3pm.

All children to be accompanied by an adult. For more information contact Kelly on 07825212473 /kelly.wetherwick@hiwwt.org.uk

LANDSCAPE THERAPY

Wild about Wight Bat Walks - Vectis Housing

Bare-rooted tree and shrub nursery. Fruit trees, tree guards, canes and stakes. Woodland and hedgerow planting and management.

• Sandown Los Altos. 23rd August, 7.30 - 9.15pm.

Meet at Sandown Heights car park.

All walks are FREE. Book a place on 07710 363446 or email claire@ vectishousing.co.uk

LANDSCAPE & COUNTRYSIDE SPECIALIST Tel: 01983 760011 Mob: 07966 292334

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Country Life

A year of Colourfence

By Carole Dennett, Colourfence It’s now almost a year since the ColourFence product, with its 25 year guarantee and its practically non-existent maintenance, was brought to the Island.

So how has it fared against its wooden competitors in the fencing market?

I’m pleased to say that we now have over 65 installations under our belt, and, as more are installed, so the interest grows.

Clients are delighted with both

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the look and the high quality of the fence itself - and it’s catching on that we also guarantee the product to withstand winds of up to 130 miles per hour.

The fact that the product never peels or warps and never requires painting is the big selling point.

After our glorious summer, when fence replacement might have seemed a distant priority,

lots of potential customers have decided that they had better prepare for the winter storms, so our installation timetable is extending rapidly.

So don’t delay - for a troublefree fence to grace your garden, contact us for a free, no obligation survey and quote. You will not regret it.

See below for contact details.

Country Life

10 things you didn’t know about

Cuttlefish

1. With eight arms around its mouth, two tentacles, and W-shaped eyes, the cuttlefish resembles a mysterious creature from an alien world.

Their bodies shimmer and pulse with beautifully-coloured striking patterns.

2. The cuttlefish of the Solent have camouflage skills that are so highly developed that if a checkerboard were placed beneath one, it would assume the same pattern.

3. Cuttlefish are colour-blind they are able to camouflage

using their enhanced perception of contrast and by detecting the polarisation of the light waves entering their eyes.

4. Cuttlefish have three hearts.

5. Cuttlefish are sea royalty – they literally have blue blood!

6. During the spring cuttlefish swim to shallower waters like those in the Solent to breed, often in fragile underwater meadows of sea grass.

7. Amazingly, they can see backwards, as well as forwards.

8. Cuttlefish are active predators – they will feast on crabs, fish and even smaller cuttlefish.

9. Their eggs are dyed black with cuttlefish ink and are sometimes called “sea grapes”.

10. Cuttlefish normally live for 2 years and die after they have bred. When cuttlefish die, their large, chalky internal shells, known as cuttlebones, often wash up on the beach.

Discover more with your local Wildlife Trust: www.hiwwt.org.uk

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Country Life

w Photo: Seahorse and seagrass by Julie Hatcher

The Isle of Wight’s marvellous

marine wildlife By the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

The Isle of Wight is home to some spectacularly rich marine environments. With thriving wildlife communities and ancient underwater cliffs, Yarmouth to Cowes is an exciting ecological and archaeological treasure trove.

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, working for a better future for wildlife and wild places in Hampshire and the Island.

Phone: 01489 774 400

E-mail: feedback@hwt.org.uk Website: www.hiwwt.org.uk

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Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Beechcroft House, Vicarage Lane, Curdridge, Hampshire, SO32 2DP www.visitilife.com

Join us today and enjoy the benefits of being a member of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust:

• Unlimited visits to 57 wildlife reserves in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and 2,500 reserves nationwide.

• A welcome pack when you join.

• Wildlife, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust’s magazine, delivered to you three times a year.

• The chance to take part in local group and community activities, offering you a variety of opportunities to be involved in. More than 350 walks, talks and events throughout the two counties.

• Join by Direct Debit & receive your FREE full colour Local Wildlife Reserve Guide.

w This area has some of the best peat exposures in the region, notably at Bouldnor where an underwater peat cliff rises up nine metres from the seabed. This cliff is thought to be 8,000 years old.

Before it was submerged by sea level rise, it was inhabited and is rich in archaeology.

In Thorness Bay, clay exposures form ledges at low water and expose the holes of piddocks: molluscs which use their serrated shells to excavate protective holes in soft rock. Sheltering under the many limestone boulders at Thorness are thriving wildlife communities, which include porcelain crabs, sea squirts and sponges. Newtown Harbour is one of the few locations for estuarine rock in the region.

Hosting a greater number of habitats and species eligible for protection than any other site, the Bembridge area is the biodiversity jewel of the South-East. The area is a national stronghold of the

peacock’s tail seaweed and one of only two sites in the South East where you can find both British species of seahorse, the spiny seahorse and the short snouted seahorse. The kaleidoscope stalked jellyfish has also been found here: one of only two locations in the region which supports this beautiful and delicate species.

We have been campaigning to make these areas Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs), which would afford them the protection they desperately need. MCZs are places at sea that are recognised by government as needing a special plan to make sure that they are managed to allow nature to recover from damage and be restored. They are managed for the benefit of conservation, while allowing economic and leisure activities like fishing and yachting, as long as they are sustainable.

The government will be announcing whether or not these precious habitats will be given

Country Life the protection they deserve in the coming months, so keep an eye on our website or sign up to our e-news for updates. In the meantime, there are many ways you can help protect your local marine environment.

Beach cleans are one of the most simple and satisfying ways that you can help, and being part of a small island community puts you in a great position to organise your own; you have plenty of coastline to work with and it’s only a stone’s throw away!

You could also explore the shoreline and identify all the different creatures you find along the way. By submitting your recordings to our online database you will help build a more complete picture of the species inhabiting our local seas, informing our conservation efforts.

You can record your species sightings on our website: www. hiwwt.org.uk/submit-speciesrecords.

Photo: Piddocks

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Country Life

County Show 2018 - what a scorcher!

This year’s Royal Isle of Wight County Show was one of the hottest ever experienced.

No fear of rain but extra precautions taken to ensure the animals were kept in prime condition and did not adversely suffer from the high temperatures.

The attendance and entries unfortunately did suffer on the hottest day of the year so far, but the new additions to the show, alongside the traditional mix of animals, large machines and family entertainment still resulted in another successful show.

Great thanks goes to all the sponsors, supporters and volunteers who helped to make the event a true County Show and one which we hope the Island is proud of.

Wellies on for 2019!

Pictures by Graham Reading More pictures available to buy online from our website: www.visitilife.com

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Country Life

Top specialist vet now on Island Ian Nicholson, recognised by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons as a Specialist in Small Animal Surgery, is now working out of Island VetCare (the Island’s newest, independent veterinary practice) in Brading Road, Ryde.

As well as continuing his work teaching qualified vets, vet nurses, and students, to improve their surgical skills, Ian offers the highest level of Specialist care to all pets on the Island.

Previously, pets needing expert or major surgery would have been sent by their vet to a mainland

Ian Nicholson

referral centre for treatment.

Now, if your pet needs surgery, your vet can refer you directly to Ian. This is a huge benefit for the Island and, more importantly, this service dramatically reduces

the stress and cost of mainland trips for both you and your pet.

Since Island Referrals first set up earlier this year, Ian has already helped many pets from across the Island, some just with expert advice, and others using a variety of procedures including cruciate (knee) surgery, fracture repair, key-hole shoulder surgery, and liver cancer removal.

If your pet is ever unfortunate enough to become ill or injured and you would like specialist assessment or treatment, it’s good to know that a friendly expert is now available on the Island – and all you need to do is ask your vet to refer you for an initial consultation.

For more information please see www.islandreferrals.co.uk or call Island VetCare on 01983 214747.

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Fashion, health & beauty

‘Posture perfect’ is the goal At Cowes Chiropractic Clinic we see many children from as young as just a few hours old, and upwards. From day one, if a little one is comfortable in their body, then we believe they can start this journey of life well.

In newborns, postural problems can develop from day one. For instance, a newborn who is continuously holding its head to one side can have difficulties latching onto its mum when breastfeeding. A baby that is unable to settle on their back to sleep, or who is generally unsettled might also be an indicator of a potential problem.

With a toddler, if developmental milestones have been a challenge and the difficult sleep patterns or behaviour continues, these

by Rebecca Taylor, Practice Principal individuals can become over-stimulated and overtired and, as a result, can find a learning environment more of a challenge.

Even in a teenager, postural patterns can develop when using smartphones, tablets and laptops when learning.

Carrying heavy books and paperwork can also have an effect on their posture and result in discomfort in their bodies.

To book a free chiropractic assessment, call Cowes Chiropractic Clinic on 01983 282810. Find them at 24 - 26 Birmingham Road, Cowes, PO31 7BH.

Beauty market is blooming Despite the doom and gloom on the British high street, it seems that at least one sector - health and beauty – is positively glowing, thanks to our looks-obsessed culture.

In fact it’s expected that UK consumers will be prepared to spend even more on looking good over the next few years, with annual spend per head forecast to rise by £73 to £487, and the market reaching £26.7bn by 2022 according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Skincare is forecast to be the fastest growing

sub-sector out to 2022, rising 27.9%, with much of this down to product innovation in both the mass and premium markets. Skin preparation products such as masks, serums and primers are expected to be the big outperformers.

Kate Ormrod, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, commented: ‘Consumer appetite for new cult products is expected to grow over the next five years, providing retailers and brands with license to push the boundaries and introduce new innovative items to their ranges to drive impulse purchases and spend per head.’

High Street chain Boots is expected to remain the market leader, with a 20.5% share – although its slice of the market has notably been eroded by price pressure from general merchandisers and discounters.

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Fashion, health & beauty

The problem with wisdom teeth James Spence from James Spence & Colleagues Dental Surgery in Ryde discusses wisdom teeth.

Wisdom teeth are usually normal-sized teeth, but many people simply have no room, or restricted room for them to erupt, and this can sometimes be a problem.

In a 2011 audit of young adults we found that 60% had four wisdom teeth, 25% had only three, 10% had two, and 5% had none.

It is possible occasionally to have one - or sometimes, even more than four wisdom teeth.

However, it is not always possible to be sure if the wisdoms are there until the age of about 14.

Due to guidelines from NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence), in England, dentists are not really allowed to remove wisdom teeth routinely, but are encouraged to wait until several episodes of pain and/ or infection have occurred.

However, by waiting until this happens, other teeth and/or the supporting bone itself can be damaged or destroyed.

The example shown in the radiograph is a 2015 case where

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2015 radiograph we extracted the Upper Right 7 tooth in an 18 year-old having predicted a 95% chance of eruption of the wisdom tooth into its place. The patient had complained of a single episode of pain and it was decided to surgically intervene.

All went well, and the photo shows the damage done to the Upper Right 7 by the erupting wisdom. The two radiographs show the outcome, where the prediction was indeed met, with the #8 replacing the #7, and closing the gap efficiently.

If you want to discuss wisdom teeth, we offer a full consultation for a fixed fee of ÂŁ110 including x-rays. Contact James Spence and Colleagues Dental Surgery on 01983 615108.

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2018 radiograph

7

The removed tooth

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Fashion, health & beauty Before

“Karen, I love love love my eyebrows. It’s an absolute joy not having to pencil in every morning. All thanks to you!

I highly recommend your work. Professionally carried out in a lovely manner.

Sue C, Shanklin”

After

“Hello Karen,

Unhappy with your brows?

Microbladed and Permanent Make-up Brows have become one of the fastest-growing areas of personal enhancement in the lifestyle market today - and for good reason, as this can really make a big difference to the way you look!

• Thin or missing eyebrows? Save time by never having to pencil again!

• A beautifully placed arch in your brows will take years off your face!

Deborah F, Freshwater”

• Short-sighted or wear glasses?

Never worry about applying your brow pencil properly again!

Phone me for a FREE, No-obligation consultation on 07511 398797. Visit the website at carefreebeauty.co.uk for FAQs & more.

Also you were so gentle and professional and undoubtedly it was your experience that made me feel secure to go ahead. I hope you and the family are all well and no doubt you will be seeing me next year sometime.

Kind Regards,

• The natural hair-strokes look so real - only you will know the secret!

Worried it might hurt? Or you’ll end up with a really unnatural result?

Don’t just take my word for it...

I just wanted to thank you so very much for my ‘eyebrows’.

They were settled properly by last weekend and they’re now fading and looking more natural. I am so happy with them, always felt my face looked so unbalanced without them, and for someone who has never really wanted to bother with make-up, to not feel the need to draw them in every day is fantastic. The initial thought of something so permanent was scary but it’s really a relief not to even have to think about make-up any more, unless I want to of course.

By Karen Douglas-Bhanot, Microblading & Permanent Make-up Specialist Carefree Beauty Studio, East Cowes

“I am very pleased with my ‘new’ eyebrows which look so natural. You take great care in perfecting the line. One less thing to worry about!

Thank you so much...

Jean N, St. Helen’s”

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Fashion, health & beauty

A new store with the Italian Touch The Italian Touch has arrived in Wootton Bridge! The store, a favourite haunt for many of the Island’s more discerning fashion-lovers , has moved from its home in Ryde to new, bigger premises that offer much more.

are not quite finished Sharon Hinallas, on the outside, we owner of the Italian should be looking Touch said: “We loved fabulous by the end being in Ryde, but we of the summer. needed somewhere “We thought long and bigger where we could hard before moving offer our customers from our home on a more comfortable Union Street in Ryde experience. In the new - and some would store there’s more say we were mad to space to browse, room move, but we truly for new collections believe that we made and less worrying the right decision.” about parking!”

Italian Touch As well as a larger, provides exclusive air-conditioned shop international floor, the new store The new Italian Touch store is officially opened by collections of also boasts more Gillian McGregor, who was named as the Island’s most ladies’ clothing changing rooms, glamorous lady in a competition run by Age UK last year. and accessories, a private viewing in sizes 8-22. room and even a Join the mailing comfortable ‘man “My aunt passed away recently list to get invitations to our cave’ area for patient partners! and left me a legacy that has paid exclusive events by visiting the The move has also made it for all the building work. I think website, giving the shop a call, possible to extend opening she would be proud and happy or popping into the new store. hours to a late-night (7.30pm) to see what we have achieved.

Find the new store on the finish on Wednesdays and offers “I was very keen to support the High Street, Wootton Bridge, more scope to stage exclusive local economy - after all, we are PO33 4PL, visit the website at events, such as fashion shows part of it! So all of the contractors www.the-italian-touch.co.uk, and collection previews. and materials were sourced from or call on: 01983 882 468.

Sharon explains further: the Isle of Wight and, although we

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Fashion, health & beauty

Regular hearing checks keep you healthy, happy - and hearing!

As Colin Stockdale from Shanklin-based hearing specialists Wight Sound Hearing explains, it’s not just your eyes that need looking after regularly. Are you neglecting your ears?

For many of us, our hearing health is not at the top of our list.

Yet it’s so important as a part of maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle - not to mention keeping us happy. That’s why annual hearing checks are as important as our visits to the optician.

Maintaining your hearing makes a big difference in your life and your enjoyment of social situations. Hearing loss can shift your listening from second nature to feeling like hard work – and result in you wanting to avoid noisy social events and other activities that make it difficult to understand what you are hearing.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone, says Colin:

“As your local qualified, independent hearing healthcare provider, we are inviting you to make an appointment with us. Look upon this as your first step in making a commitment to your hearing health. Why not benefit from a complete hearing screening and consultation? And there’s no waiting for the results.

We will share these with you at the appointment. We can also demonstrate some of the latest hearing technology if needed.

“Using state-of-the-art testing and assessment technologies, our qualified audiologists will ensure you receive the highest standard of care. At Wight Sound Hearing,

we know from experience just how important it is to offer an excellent consultation and aftercare service.

And you would be amazed at how powerful and discreet hearing aids are nowadays.

“Put your ears first and make an appointment today!” * Make an appointment today and discover the very latest in hearing technology.

You can also discuss your hearing needs with specialist audiologist, Colin. Call the friendly team on 01983 865959 to book your appointment.

Find Wight Sound Hearing on 12 High Street, Shanklin, or call 01983 865959.

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Food & Drink

The food guide Your brief guide to a variety of places to eat and drink on the Island

The Old Fort The Old Fort in the small sailing village of Seaview is located in an enviable position overlooking the Solent.

Family owned they have recently undergone a major renovation which has had fantastic customer feedback.

A full varied menu using locally sourced produce and meat is offered. Full bar with a wide range. Also serving Lavazza Coffee, a selection of teas and hot chocolate.

Family friendly establishment providing free WiFi and outside dining. The Old Fort crew look forward to welcoming you!

Baywatch on the Beach Situated at the waters edge on an unspoilt beach with spectacular views of the Solent and English Channel from both the sun terrace and restaurant, Baywatch specialises in fresh seafood, steaks and gourmet burgers. There’s also breakfast, great coffee, car parking, free mooring buoys and Wi-fi.

Listed by Condé Nast Traveller magazine as one of Britain’s top 40 alfresco tables; 10 best cafés by the beach - Telegraph.

Come down and see for yourself, you can be sure of a warm welcome and great food! Open 9am till late daily.

The Aqua The Brasserie Restaurant offers diners a delightful New England style setting with comfortable seating, modern tabling, cooling ceiling fans and lovely wide aspect windows allowing views of the sea.

Our waiting staff provide full table service with complimentary chilled water & pre-dinner nibbles and we have a varied menu to suit all tastes together with a daily specials board for even more choice.

We take great pride in the quality of our menu ingredients and always endeavour to give first class service.

The Salix You can enjoy a warm welcome at The Salix, the licensed beachside café in Shanklin.

Named after a willow tree, The Salix is a cosy location to enjoy freshly cooked food and Island roasted coffee.

Need a break while walking your dog? Pop in for a tasty treat for both yourself and your canine friend.

The Salix is open seven days a week, 9am - 5pm every day. You can also hire The Salix for private parties, they are licensed for alcohol until midnight and have no neighbours to annoy!

The Old Fort, Esplanade, Seaview, PO34 5HB Tel: 01983 612363 www.theoldfort.co.uk

Baywatch on the Beach, Duver Road, St Helens, PO33 1XZ Tel: 01983 873259

The Aqua, 17 The Esplanade, Shanklin, PO37 6BN Tel: 01983 863024 www.aquahotel.co.uk

The Salix, Small Hope Beach, Shanklin, PO37 6BQ Tel: 07772 056204 www.thessalixcafe.co.uk

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Vernon Cottage Beautiful Vernon Cottage in Old Shanklin is renowned for its ‘fabulous home-made food’.

Delicious meat, fish and vegetarian dishes using fresh local produce - including its signature ‘Old Shanklin Pie’ made with succulent slowly roasted Lamb – plus lovely light bites, baked potatoes and baguettes.

Enjoy its scrumptious unique ‘Isle of Wight

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Shaped Scones’ freshly made daily and gorgeous home-made cakes. Or relax with a coffee, glass of wine or share a jug of Pimms in the lovely sunny ‘Wight In Bloom’ Award winning Tea and Beer Gardens.

Vernon Cottage, 1 Eastcliff Rd, Shanklin, PO37 6AA Tel: 01983 865411 www.vernoncottage.co.uk / Vernon-Cottage-Tavern

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Food & Drink

COCONUT & LIME CAKE Recipe by Richmonds Bakery, Cowes Ingredients The Cake 14oz Stork margarine 14oz Caster sugar 14oz Self-raising flour 7 Eggs 4 tsp Baking powder Zest of two limes The Buttercream 8oz Butter 1lb Icing sugar A splash of coconut milk Desiccated coconut, to garnish Lime zest, to garnish

Method 1. Preheat oven to 160ยบC and line two 8-inch circle cake tins.

2. In a bowl, add all the ingredients together and mix on high for 3-5 minutes until pale in colour.

3. Divide mix evenly between both tins, and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

4. Place cake on a cooling rack and allow to cool.

6. Add the icing sugar and a splash of coconut milk and mix until incorporated.

7. Add a splash of milk as desired until it is the consistency of whipped cream.

8. Sandwich the cake together with the buttercream, and spread the buttercream around the sides and top of the cake.

9. Use the flat side of a knife to gently press into the sides of the cake to get the lines running through it.

5. Once the cake is cooled, slightly 10. Garnish with desiccated soften the butter and add to a coconut and lime zest. Enjoy! bowl and mix on high for 3-5 minutes until pale and fluffy.

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LOCAL PRODUCERS J. WILKINSON’S PIES Various pies, pasties and slices made by hand on the premises and sold in our shop to the public as well as to various restaurants, cafes and other shops. Orders taken please phone for details.

Tel: 07716 106926 Address: 1 High Street, Sandown, PO36 8JW

TIPSY WIGHT Tipsy Wight is an award winning producer of quirky and delicious vodka liqueurs made entirely from natural ingredients grown on the Isle of Wight.

THE BORNEO PANTRY Est 2011 in Brunei, Borneo, now handmade on the Isle of Wight. Specialising in Chutneys and Pickles, producing an extensive range to suit all taste buds. Uses are only limited by your imagination.

Tel: 07809 707837 Address: Unit 19, Faulkner Lane, Sandown, PO36 9AZ Web: www.borneopantry.com E: theborneopantry@gmail.com

We harvest fruits, flowers and berries that each season provides and now have nineteen flavours all beautifully presented to capture the English countryside in a bottle.

To find out more visit www.tipsywight.com Tel: 01983 299088 @tipsywight

#tipsywight

PHILLIPS FINE FOODS Phillips Fine Foods offers a wide range of whole and filleted fresh fish, such as Cod, Haddock, Hake, Salmon & Trout to name but a few.

We source from local and national markets up to five times a week to meet the demands of the chefs.

The business also operates two retail shops, one on Cowes High Street and the other in Northwood, selling a wide range of fresh, frozen and smoked fish and seafood direct to the public.

We can offer cooked crab and lobster, subject to landings, and for a special occasion why not try a poached and decorated Salmon?

Tel: 01983 282200 Address: 339 Newport Road, Northwood, Cowes, PO31 8PG Tel: 01983 245247 Address: 111 High Street Cowes, PO31 7AT Web: www.phillipsseafoods.co.uk

VENTNOR BOTANICAL GARDEN Ventnor Botanic Garden reintroduced hop growing on the Island back in 2009.

Our Original Ale is a light golden colour, punchy and earthy with a hint of apricot fruit. Our Pale Ale combines green Sovereign Hops with dried Cascade and Admiral Hops. The latest addition is our Botanic Lager with a hint of Eucalyptus.

Innovative, yet totally refreshing.

Come to our Hops Festival on Sunday 16th September.

Tel: 01983 855397 Address: Undercliff Drive, Ventnor, PO38 1UL www.botanic.co.uk Facebook: /ventnorbotanicCIC

BROWNRIGG’S Selling our own free-range eggs and quality meat all reared on our family farm. Well stocked with Gluten free, Vegetarian, Vegan and local produce. Café open daily from 9am till 2pm serving our Farmers’ Breakfast and hot home-made food.

Tel: 01983 840191 Address: Brownrigg’s, Newport Road, Godshill, PO38 3LY www.brownriggfarmmeats.co.uk

FARMHOUSE FAYRE Farmhouse Fayre, growing on the Island for the Island. We are now the third generation farming at Ash Hill farm. Locally sourced produce wherever possible.

We stock IOW free range eggs, cheese, milk, garlic, tomatoes and vegetables.

Also in the shop we have the finest fruits from all around the world.

Visit our shop and be welcomed with our personal touch.

Tel: 01983 525836 Address: 85-86 Upper St James St, Newport, PO30 1LG farmhouse.fayre@btconnect.com

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ISLAND ROASTED Island Roasted have been producing the Island’s finest hand roasted artisan coffee for wholesale and retail since 2010, sourcing direct trade coffees where possible ensuring ethical and sustainable trade.

Tel: 01983 857670 info@islandroasted.co.uk Website: www.islandroasted.co.uk

BEAU’S ICE CREAM Beau’s Ice Cream handcrafts luxurious vegan artisan ice cream using only the best natural ingredients.

We have a full menu of exciting flavours which provide the delicious, creamy taste of traditional ice cream without the dairy, all made locally in our 100% vegan facility.

All our ice cream is lovingly made to order, and we also offer bespoke guest ice creams for any occasion.

Tel: 07507 814458 Email: info@beaus-icecream.com www.beaus-icecream.com

Food & Drink

A cup of vintage charm For those who like their cuppa a bit more sophisticated than a tea bag dunked in a mug, a quaint and quirky new vintage-themed tearoom in Newport is bound to fit the bill.

As its name suggests, the Vintage Rose Tea Room in Pyle Street is decorated in a shabby-chic floral theme and the teas and coffees come elegantly served in traditional china pots with cups and saucers.

Opened on July 30 by husband and wife team Paula and Tony

Griffiths, the 34-seat tea room quickly created a flurry of interest and some early satisfied customers, who took to social media to praise the ambience, the service and the delicious homemade cakes, teas and lunches.

Open Monday to Saturday from

9am – 4pm, the tea room has a daily specials board as well as a regular menu of jacket potatoes, paninis, salads, pancakes, soups and all-day breakfasts.

Paula and Tony are also offering to host baby showers, hen parties and birthday celebrations, for which they will open on a Sunday for parties of 20 or more.

“The early feedback has been great” says Paula.

“People love the fact that we are so different.”

Find Vintage Rose Tea Rooms at 115 Pyle Street, Newport, PO30 1JW. Tel: 07562 980 745.

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Food & Drink

Pan fried fillet of local Sea Bass With marinated fennel and samphire salad, pea puree and local picked crab Recipe by The Portland Inn, Gurnard Ingredients

Method

1 fillet of fresh sea bass portioned to approx 120g.

The salad

1 bulb of fennel Small handful of picked samphire 200g garden peas 50g picked crab Pea shoots Lemon juice - teaspoon Salt Olive oil Small amount of butter

Sea bass

5. Cook the sea bass in a non stick 1. Cut the fennel in half and remove frying pan at medium heat with skin the core, thinly slice (use mandolin if side down until the fish is almost you have one) and place in a bowl. cooked now flip over and add a 2. Remove the stalks from the teaspoon of butter. samphire, mix with fennel with 6. When the butter has started to lemon juice, salt and splash of colour add the lemon juice and olive oil. baste the fish gently.

Pea puree 7. Remove the fish from the pan and 3. Cook peas to 70°C (don’t overcook now you are ready to plate up. or the peas will lose their colour).

8. Place the fennel on the plate with 4. Blitz peas in food processor and the sea bass skin side up and spoon place over a bowl of ice to prevent over the pea puree. the puree from discolouring.

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Food & Drink

Roasted guinea fowl with beetroot, ginger and thyme

Serves 6

Ingredients 100ml Olive oil 1 Free-range guinea fowl 4 Beetroots 2tbsp Red wine vinegar 5 Sprigs of fresh thyme 200ml Water Salt Pepper 1tsp Fresh ginger, grated

Method 1. Start by pre-heating the oven to 200ËšC/gas mark 6.

2. Cook the beetroot by wrapping in foil and placing in the oven for 45 minutes or until tender, or alternatively you can place in a large pot of boiling water with a dash of vinegar and simmer until tender 3. Remove the beetroot from the oven or water and allow to cool slightly.

While still warm peel the beetroot and dice into 1cm cubes.

4. Joint the guinea fowl into breast, thigh and drumstick, or ask your butcher if you do not feel comfortable with this.

5. Heat half the olive oil in a large oven proof fry pan and sear the guinea fowl joints for 4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Add the beetroot, vinegar, thyme, ginger and season generously with salt and pepper. Place the pan into the oven for 30 minutes.

6. Remove the pan from the oven and use a slotted spoon to lift out the guinea fowl pieces, allowing all the juices from the bird to drip back in.

7. Place the pan back onto a high heat and reduce for 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining olive oil and a pinch of seasoning and serve with the hot guinea fowl.

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Food & Drink

VEGAN HUMMINGBIRD CAKE Recipe by Gladys May Cakery, Ryde Makes 2 x 8“ round cakes

Ingredients The cakes 300g light brown sugar 360g plain flour 1tsp bicarbonate of soda 1tsp ground cinnamon 200ml vegetable oil 3tbsp ground/milled flaxseeds 9tbsp warm water 50g chopped walnuts plus extra to sprinkle on top 3 ripe bananas, mashed Small tin of pineapple chunks in juice

The frosting 75g vegan butter/spread 400g icing sugar Vanilla extract

Method The cakes 1. In a small bowl, combine the flaxseeds and warm water and mix together gently, set aside for a few minutes to thicken.

2. Combine the sugar, flour, bicarb, and cinnamon and mix until incorporated.

3. In a separate mixing bowl, beat together the bananas, pineapple chunks (including the juice), oil and the thickened flaxseed mixture.

4. Add the dry mix to the wet mix, as well as the chopped walnuts, and mix gently until combined.

5. Divide the mixture between the two lined cake tins and bake at

175°C for approx 20-25 minutes or until golden and a skewer comes out cleanly when inserted.

6. Leave to cool.

The frosting 7. Beat the vegan butter until soft, then fold in the icing sugar and vanilla extract and whisk until light and fluffy (it may appear too dry at first, but continue to whisk and the mixture will soften).

8. When the cakes are completely cooled, spread the icing between the layers and on top, then sprinkle chopped walnuts over the top to decorate.

9. Enjoy!

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Food & Drink

Olde-Worlde pub with 21st century twist It’s been three years since brothers Tom and Matt Axford took over a run-down, empty pub in Brading and embarked on a dramatic transformation.

These days the Kynges Well is a world away from its former incarnation, with fresh bright décor, a relaxed ambiance and appealing gastro-pub menus.

The venue has become popular for its monthly live music and quiz nights, as well as the delicious menus devised by chef Tom. In fact, weekends are so busy that these days, it’s always advisable to book to guarantee a table.

The character pub appeals

equally to tourists and locals, with a changing menu featuring local, seasonal produce, and local real ales.

Tom, 30, who was previously chef at a number of popular

Island venues, had always wanted his own place to showcase his own style of menu – classic dishes with a modern twist.

Going into partnership with his older brother Matthew - who lives on the premises and runs the bar side of the operation – has proved the ideal solution for both of them, and certainly seems to have hit the spot with their growing band of regular customers.

Find Kynges Well at 10 High Street, Brading, PO36 0DG. Tel: 01983 408776. Visit the website at www.kyngeswell.co.uk.

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ACCOMMODATION

VICTORIA LODGE HOTEL

The Victoria Lodge hotel is open all year round to offer you a warm welcome. Ferry deals are available, contact for details. Offering evening meals. Both pets and children are welcome.

T: 01983 862361 5 Alexandra Rd, Shanklin, PO37 6AF

INGLEWOOD GUEST HOUSE

THE LECONFIELD

Contact us or book online via: T: 01983 852196 85 Leeson Road, Upper Bonchurch, Ventnor, PO38 1PU Facebook/Theleconfieldhotel www.leconfieldhotel.com

T: 01983 403485 15 Avenue Rd, Sandown, PO36 8BN www.inglewoodsandown.co.uk

GRACELLIE HOTEL

THE WHEATSHEAF

A warm welcome awaits you, only minutes from Shanklin town centre, sea front and ‘Old Village’.

On-site restaurant and bar with entertainment most evenings, Wi-Fi throughout. Call for discounted ferry tickets with your room.

Receive a warm welcome at the Gracellie Hotel, with modern en-suite rooms and plenty of amenities. Start the day with a traditional English breakfast, and enjoy a varied dinner menu in the evening. Free WiFi access.

The Wheatsheaf can be found in St Thomas Square, Newport.

Original features. A top-notch dining experience for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Cosy en-suite rooms and a very warm welcome.

T: 01983 862101 9 Queens Road Shanklin, PO37 6AR www.medehamstede.co.uk

T: 01983 863243 25-27 Hope Rd, Shanklin, PO37 6ED www.gracelliehotel.com

GRANGE FARM BED AND BREAKFAST

T: 01983 530777 16 St Thomas Square, Newport, PO30 1SG www.thewheatsheafhotel.com

HEWITT’S HOUSE

Grange Farm sleeps eight, with two ensuite bedrooms and family suite. Includes two sitting rooms and large kitchen diner.

Large garden & 50 acres woodland.

Red Squirrel Lodge is a new three bedroom build with facilities for the less mobile, kitchen / living area & covered veranda.

Please visit the website for more information and booking.

Offers contemporary dining and a bar with free Wi-Fi. The rooms are festooned with period charm and each benefits from either an en-suite or private external bathroom.

T: 01983 882147 Grange Farm, Staplers Road, Wootton Bridge, PO33 4RW www.grange-farm-holidays.co.uk

T: 01983 822994 33 Lugley St, Newport, PO30 5ET www.hewittshouse.com info@hewittshouse.com

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Evening meals available to non-residents.

T: 01983 402518 2 Royal St, Sandown, PO36 8LP www.wightbayhotel.com

MEDEHAMSTEDE HOTEL

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Full catering, bar, free WiFi. Parking available for 20 vehicles.

Friendly family run guesthouse in prime location 200m from Sandown beach. OPEN ALL YEAR. Delicious breakfasts.

Eight comfortable guestrooms.

Call for our best prices.

We are an idyllic base for walks on coastal paths or St Boniface Down without the need to use the car.

Amenities include off road parking, a cycle store and drying facilities.

An excellent venue for your next event. With 40 en-suite Guest Bedrooms, the Hotel features a large restaurant and lounge, with a 100 guest capacity.

2018 dates available. Contact us now for full details.

Situated in a rural location one mile from Ventnor and two miles from Shanklin with a stop on the main No 3 bus route outside.

You can enjoy panoramic sea views from most rooms, the breakfast room and conservatory.

WIGHTBAY HOTEL

THE CALEDON GUEST HOUSE

The Caledon Guest House in Cowes, is a peaceful, welcoming B&B. It is beautifully decorated with spacious rooms and amazing views.

Enjoy a great breakfast with locally sourced produce and friendly, helpful service with a smile.

The Caledon is conveniently located only a short walk from the heart of West Cowes and the Red Jet ferry, but far enough away to enjoy some peace and quiet during your stay.

A real home away from home.

T: 01983 293599 59 Mill Hill Road, Cowes, PO31 7EG www.the-caledon.co.uk stay@the-caledon.co.uk

Education

Ryde School’s still a hive of activity The children’s Summer School and new Island Pony Project (a riding and activities weekly summer course) at Ryde School are proving extremely popular, both with local and international

children, with activities such as water-sports, cooking, games and day trips among some of the summertime options available.

Children, both local and from overseas, are also staying at the School’s boarding houses for the duration of the Summer School, which means they get to enjoy even more fun in the evenings with barbecues, beach excursions and games.

Meanwhile, on-site, teams are hard at work improving and adding to the School’s facilities, aiming to create three newly-fitted science labs, two in the Senior School and one in the Junior School, a newly

refurbished and re-designed wellness centre and generally preparing the School for the new academic year in September.

If you are interested in hearing about and seeing what Ryde School has to offer, the next Open Morning will take place on Saturday 6 October. Visitors can take part in a series of experiments, activities and demonstrations, there will be information available on scholarships and bursaries, and a complimentary family lunch will be served in the dining hall.

For more information, contact Mrs Becky Craik on 01983 617970 or email admissions@rydeschool.net

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Education

The smart way to study towards your degree The Isle of Wight College offers a range of courses in partnership with the Universities of Portsmouth and Chichester.

Higher National Certificates are equivalent to the first year of a full degree. Higher National Diplomas and Foundation Degrees are both equivalent to the second year of a full degree and will guarantee Island students a place at the associated university to top up to a full degree by attending

university for only one further year.

If you are over 19 and want to go to university, but don’t have the entry requirements, The College offers Access to Higher Education courses, which are recognised as an alternative to A

Levels and take only nine months to complete.

Those aged under 24 who don’t already have a Level 3 qualification may get the fees fully funded.

Others can apply for an Advanced Learner Loan which does not need to be repaid until earnings rise above £25,000.

Student Finance England will ‘write off’ any outstanding Advanced Learner Loan balance you owe for an Access to HE course, once you complete a higher education course - which means it does not need to be repaid!

Visit www.iwcollege.ac.uk to learn more.

Fully-funded further education UKSA offers exciting practical outdoor education courses for 16 - 19 year olds, incorporating work experience opportunities leading to employment in the watersports industry and a pathway into higher education.

The BTEC Sport & Physical Activities Level 3 is a two-year advanced programme which is ideal for those with a love for watersports or outdoor education. Qualify as a Watersports Instructor or Sports Coach, and you could begin a career in this sector or use your UCAS points towards Higher Education.

from the age of 18.

Ali Nolan, BTEC Level 3 graduate, comments.

“I didn’t want to stay in mandatory education for another year and had absolutely no clue what to do next. My life changed when a visit from UKSA opened up the opportunity to do Stand up paddleboarding at UKSA something active on the water to complete my secondary education.

Not academic, but passionate I gave the course about watersports? The my best shot and loved it.”

Watersports Instructor Traineeship Ali is now a Lead is a one- year programme leading Watersports Instructor for to Instructor qualifications in school groups at UKSA. Dinghy Sailing, Windsurfing, Call 01983 203038 to find out Stand Up Paddleboarding and more about the vocational training Kayaking. You could work in the options available at UKSA. UK on graduation and abroad

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Local Scene

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Legal

Unsolicited phone calls

By Terence Willey of Terence Willey & Co A question that I am frequently asking myself these days is: how many people will have to be inconvenienced, upset and financially deprived by means of unsolicited phone calls, before we see the introduction of strict regulation?

that this is extremely common.

One particularly worrying aspect of all this is that some companies are targeting the elderly and vulnerable who get lured into Agreements and, in some cases, these companies then pass on details that should be kept private. I have written many times on this subject generally and the ‘golden rule’ must always apply: if you receive any telephone call, internet enquiry or the like, do not agree to anything. Simply say that you are going to take advice before proceeding. If the Over the years as a Practice we have encountered enquiry is genuine, such a response will be respected numerous serious circumstances where individuals - but you will probably encounter a great deal of have been lured into taking on financial obligations that are either fraudulent, illegal or just simply hard-sell. pressure to make a decision ‘on the spot’.

I earnestly believe that this problem could be I was bemused recently to hear a particular financial quickly dealt with by strict regulation and control services advertisement on the radio, inviting the and involving fines to companies and individuals listener to listen to two approaches for the sale where there is non-compliance. In other words, of financial services and decide which one was it should be illegal for such direct advertising to fraudulent. Obviously this particular company’s selling pitch was to point out the difference between a individuals to be undertaken without a Licence to respectable approach and one to be wary of. It is awful do so. It is not surprising that any such suggestions that such sales calls are now increasing at an alarming have been rebuffed by companies, which will see their own genuine trade policies prejudiced by such level and affecting more and more people. I suspect if you ask any of your friends or acquaintances if they strict regulation. I think we would all agree that we have now reached a time where Government should have recently received a call about internet issues, intervene in what is becoming a very troubling issue. accident claims or financial planning, you would find

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ISLAND LIFE

ISSUE 81

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

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