Style of Wight Issue 71 July/August 2021

T H E I S L E O F W I G H T ’ S I N S P I R AT I O N A L L I F E S T Y L E M A G A Z I N E ISSUE 71 JULY / AUGUST 2021

The Power of Play I N T E R V I E W:

LIZ COOKE: F E S T I VA L F L A G M A K E R

ROSIE WOLFENDEN TAT T Y D E V I N E

Destination New port

lifestyle

|

fashion

|

SEASONAL SUMMER SEAFOOD

health

|

beauty

|

food

|

home

|

family

|

art

L I F E S T Y L E

SUMMER BREEZE AT ACACIA BAY Natural jute, bamboo and hessian home lighting, unique wall art and stylish home furnishings available now.

Opening Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 5pm 14 -16 High Street, Shanklin, PO376LB | Te l : 0 7 9 5 6 3 5 1 3 4 1 @ a c a c i a b a y i ow | a c a c i a b a y i ow. co . u k

24 Paddock Drive Bembridge £1,650,000 5 | EPC D Outstanding uninterrupted sea views, located on a peninsula in the soughtafter village of Bembridge. With direct access to the beach and the reassurance of a hefty sea defence, this home is beautifully placed for those desiring a waterfront property.

Accommodation comprises five bedrooms with three bathroom and the possibility and space to create an annexe to the ground floor.

Lower St Cross Farm Newport £800,000 (OIEO) 4 | EPC D Standing in large secluded gardens, with far reaching country views, this spacious family home includes a large open plan sitting room and social area on the ground floor plus, a first floor sitting room with a delightful outlook over the rear gardens, woodland and countryside beyond.

Our London office is at 21 Park Lane, Mayfair and guarantees our properties are exposed to a vibrant national and international markets.

CLASSIC

CONTEMPORARY

COASTAL

Woodpeckers Alverstone Garden Village £775,000 6 | EPC D Nestled amongst the beautiful Alverstone Garden Village, is this uniquely individual property. Staged over three floors, this property is both spacious inside and out. The home boasts en-suite facilities, two reception rooms and large open planned living on the ground floor.

All this, situated in a lovely tree lined road, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Little Gatcombe Farm, Gatcombe £1,650,000 (Guide Price) 5 | EPC D Located in a charming village and surrounded by rolling hills, enjoys 24 acres of land comprising paddocks, gardens, outbuildings and sand school. The farm house is a little over 20 years old and boasts 5 bedrooms, 3 of which are en suite and a large conservatory previously used as a tea room.

Newport 01983 538090

Ryde 01983 617640

Bembridge 01983 875000

More available on Rightmove, OnTheMarket.com and www.hrdthecollection.co.uk

Seaview

Guide price

£1,500,000

A substantial 5 bedroom detached house within a short gentle walk of Seaview village, Seaview yacht club and surrounding beaches. Occupying a large plot with planning permission for a 3 bedroom detached bungalow. The hidden gem in the rear garden is a delightful wooden built summer house with wrap around balcony complete with entertaining space and outside cooking area. Chain free.

Cowes, High Street

Guide price

£950,000

Substantial 4/5 bedroom duplex apartment in a sought after location on Cowes waterfront offering superb Solent and harbour views from most rooms and all outside spaces; the views from the roof terrace are spectacular! Balcony and waterfront terrace. Chain free.

www.watersideproperties.com

Lynda Blenkinsop

Paul Booker

Georgie McCarthy

T | 01983 300111 Cowes waterfront

Guide price

£1,100,000

This stunning superbly located second floor apartment offers breath taking panoramic Solent views. The accommodation comprises an open plan living area with contemporary kitchen, a good sized balcony with uninterrupted sea views. Both double bedrooms have access to a balcony, and one has an en suite. There's secure gated parking in the under croft car park for up to 3 cars.

Gurnard Seafront

This substantial and beautifully renovated family home is wonderfully situated on the seafront at Gurnard. It’s unique position, offering unrivalled views, makes this a wonderful proposition for a purchaser seeking all the benefits of living on the coast.

Guide price

£1,100,000

SA LE R FO

Newchurch

Guide Price £1,750,000 A delightful, Grade II Listed, period farmhouse with an excellent range of barns and outbuildings including ancillary accommodation set in 6.5 acres in an attractive rural location.

FO

R

SA

LE

Cowes Office: (01983) 200880

Whitwell

Guide Price £950,000 A truly secluded cottage set within around 40 acres with a barn, enjoying unrivalled tranquillity and wonderful views, for sale as a whole or in two lots. EPC Rating E. Cowes Office: (01983) 200880

www.spencewillard.co.uk

located in a quiet location with sea hello@spencewillard.co.uk views, a short walk from the beach hello@spencewillard.co.uk hello@spencewillard.co.uk 01983 200880 and sailing club.

Bembridge £1,650pcm

Yarmouth £1,400pcm

T LE

LE

LE

T

T

Calling all Landlords!

Freshwater £825pcm

Looking for a professional, experienced and efficient team to manage your property?

Look no further We have a vast & varied portfolio of properties across the Island.

Providing competitive fee structures and a choice of services, we can offer a package tailored to suit you as a Landlord.

Cowes £1,100pcm

Bembridge Office: (01983) 873000

Brighstone £1,100pcm

Cowes Office 01983 200880

Advice | Experience | Expertise

www.spencewillard.co.uk @spencewillard @spencewillardiw

https://www.facebook.com/spencewillard/ https://www.facebook.com/spencewillard/ https://www.facebook.com/spencewillard/

T

Totland £1,000pcm

LE

LE

T

LE

T

Contact our Lettings Department today 01983 761005 | lettings@spencewillard.co.uk

https://www.instagram.com/spencewillardiw/ https://www.instagram.com/spencewillardiw/ https://www.instagram.com/spencewillardiw/

Associated with

STYLE | Art

BEDDING - THROWS - CUSHIONS- WALLPAPERS - INTERIORS - GIFTS SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER VIA OUR WEBSITE WWW. XVSTRIPES.COM FOR AN EXCLUSIVE 10% OFF

styleofwight.co.uk www.xvstripes.com

Follow us:

@xvstripes

Down to Earth by ladypat

Cover Portrait by Julian Winslow

Publisher and Creative Director Christian Warren christian@styleofwight.co.uk Editor Emma Elobeid emma@styleofwight.co.uk Sub Editor Helen Hopper Contributors Ursula Brunetti, Jo Macaulay, James Rayner, Roz Whistance Design Thea Welsford Photography Timi Eross, Christian Warren, Julian Winslow Sales Christian Warren christian@styleofwight.co.uk Distribution office@styleofwight.co.uk 01983 861007 Supported by Acclaim Logistics

Note from the Editor Hello summer, our old friend. We’ve come to play with you again.

Island life invites a playful approach. More than that, it demands it. Which is why you’ll find flashes of play and playfulness in each page of this fun-filled summer issue. Every single one of the Islanders featured – from Tatty Devine’s Rosie Wolfenden to Festival flag maker Liz Cooke and acclaimed Hambrough chef Matt Tomkinson – knows there is no better place on earth to cultivate happiness, create delight, and share the joy of doing what you love.

Happiness is a contagion – the kind that starts with the “snap, crackle and pop” of stand-up (see our interview with awardwinning Irish comedian Gráinne Maguire on page 114), builds in the sparkle of surprise from those first shoulders-under sea swimming moments (read our feature on the Gurnard Dipping Society on page 26) and multiplies exponentially in the collective carnivalesque atmosphere of an Island in the sun.

Wherever your happy place – at the beach or front of stage, wandering personality-packed side streets and discovering the hidden gems of Historic Newport (page 71), or soaking up the sunset on an evening stroll after a luxurious seafood dinner (page 60) – you’ll find it here. There’s art to make every heart sing and seasonal Isle of Wight produce to make every taste bud zing.

It’s been such a fun issue to put together, and we hope you take as much joy from reading it as we have in crafting it.

Have a beautiful summer.

Emma Elobeid

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of Style of Wight Magazine, but legal responsibility cannot be accepted for errors, omissions or misleading statements.

Get in touch

Winners at the IW Chamber Awards 2016

At the time of going to press we are seeing changes to regulations and social behaviour guidelines due to Covid-19. Some of the content in this magazine was committed and published prior to this guidance being in place.

8 Salisbury Gardens, Dudley Road, Ventnor, Isle of Wight PO38 1EJ 01983 861007 www.styleofwight.co.uk

July and August 2021

11

Find The Pieces That Make A House A Home

This & ThaT Our collection of furniture and accessories offer inspiration for every single room in your home. Whatever life throws at you, if you’ve got somewhere that feels homely - somewhere loved and lived - you’ll have a place of your own telephone: 01983 612 152 email: thisandthatseaview@aol.com web thisandthatseaview.co.uk Address: 1 Pier Road Seaview Isle Of Wight PO34-5BL

CCTV Fire Alarms

Protecting your home, so you can focus on what’s important Working with you to look after your individual fire and security needs. Solutions available with 24 hour monitoring, remote viewing and control through smartphones and tablets, with Police, Fire & Keyholder response.

The Island Security Centre, Riverway, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 5UX 01983 521621 info@lifeline-security.co.uk lifeline-security.co.uk

Access Control Intruder Alarms Fire Protection Keyholding

26

Contents

44

Issue 71: July and August 2021

Regulars

42

Immersion in excellence – Binnel Studios summer exhibition

84

Treasure Island: our favourite Island-inspired jewellery pieces

44

Meet the Maker: Festival flag maker Liz Cooke

89

Get the summer glow: with Caroline Hurley

14

Style picks: the lights and the brights: summer style favourites

17

Charity and community: Isle of Wight beach soccer

18

Lead interview: A Joyful Life – with Tatty Devine’s Rosie Wolfenden

53

Seasonal vegetable: kohlrabi – with Living Larder

92

A Happy Home – with Rachel Savage, Interior Designer

90

People with style: Izzey Hung, XV Stripes

55

Recipe: Cauliflower tacos – with Balance + Glo

94

Carnival of Colour: bringing hedonism home

114

Style speaks: to comedian Gráinne Maguire

56

Meet the Chef – The Hambrough’s Matt Tomkinson

Business

60

An Island in the Sun – seafood, sunsets, salsas

107

How to look forward with confidence – with Lisa Butler, Rouse Ltd

Features

Food

Home

26

Daily Dippers: sea-swimming with The Dipping Society

63

A secret culinary cove – the True Food Kitchen at Castlehaven

109

30

Tribe and Tide: navigating Island family life

65

Taste the summer – seasonal Isle of Wight produce

Find your perfect Island-made gift – with Wight Originals

111

48

Torches and Tableaux Cars: the origins of the Island’s carnivals

Play hard, but play safe – with Hannah Lisseter, Glanvilles

Fashion and Beauty

112

71

Destination Newport: discover the Isle of Wight’s central historic town

80

Here comes the fun!

The Style summer edit

The business of imagination – with Marnie Janaway

113

83

Crowning around: a flower crown for every occasion

Selling is an art – with Dale Howarth

Art 32

Style spectrum: Vincent Dupont-Blackshaw

36

Freedom! with Quay Arts, Newport

37

Summer book reviews – with Medina Bookshop

39

Blast Wall – Lisa Traxler exhibition

40

Kids Art Activity: merry marionettes

65 July and August 2021

13

STYLE | Feature

Organic cotton surf towel Amphitrite claw earrings

Warm up after a dip in super thick and absorbent terry loop towelling: a game-changer for sea lovers

Crown your lobes like goddess of the sea Amphitrite in these hand-jewelled, laser-cut red earrings

£40, Rapanui

£50, Tatty Devine

Instagram: @rapanuiclothing

Instagram: @tattydevine

Style picks Summer is style (the lights and the brights) and summer is scent (Sicilian lemons, oh yes). But above all, summer is a feeling – and that feeling is fun. Here, we bring you the lot, from our favourite Island independent makers and retailers.

Hand-painted Spanish ceramics It’s tapas time! This brilliantly bold range is full of joy and made for alfresco dining Scents of summer

From £24.99, This and That Seaview

Favourite soy wax candle = summer berries with light melon traces and creamy vanilla

Instagram: @thisandthatseaview

£14, ChilliWinter – available at Caffe Isola, Wight Originals and more Instagram: @chilliwinteriow Palawan printed blanket Enjoy tummy time in the shade with this tropicalinspired baby blanket in butter-soft organic cotton £49, Hunter + Boo Instagram: @hunterandboo

14

styleofwight.co.uk

Feature | STYLE

Parrot green cushion

FUN AND GAMES

Pure pops of deepest dazzling green – the original happy colour £48, Bayliss and Booth, Wootton Instagram: @baylissandbooth

Play always Make play a priority with a custom-knitted wire word.

Bespoke commissions from £8, Mari’s Bubble Instagram: @maris.bubble

Happiness on Sea Designed and made in Cowes, these sturdy bags epitomise coastal living £45, Dr. Beans Bags – available at Caffe Isola, Newport Instagram: @drbeansbags

Hometime wall clock What time is it? Fun o’clock! £13.99, Hurst, Islandwide Instagram: @tryhurstfirst

Mala of Happiness Made from all things sunshine: from fragrant sandalwood to sassy, swirly silk tassels £130, Spike Rocks Instagram: @spikerocksjewellery

Old school fun and games Simpler times: fill your home with things that make you smile. Wooden train, £19.50 Dig4Vintage, Ryde Instagram: @dig_for_vintage

July and August 2021

15

we are on the lookout...

are you...

passionate about print and mad about magazines? in love with the Isle of Wight and its surrounding areas? excited about digital platforms and the future of media? boasting a proven track record in media communications?

THE ISLANDS BOUTIQUE PICNIC COMPANY

07938063764

If so, then you could be the missing piece to our fabulous team. We’d love to hear a bit more about you – why not drop us an email and say hello at office@styleofwight.co.uk

Community | STYLE

ISLE OF WIGHT BEACH SOCCER Each summer, hundreds of people take to Ryde’s golden sandy beaches to experience the thrills of beach soccer, a sport which has grown in popularity since it was first introduced on the Island in 2001.

T

he Isle of Wight is leading the way in the sport, with many of its young players going on to represent England. In fact, in 2019 more than 70 per cent of the England men’s team came from youth leagues set up via the Isle of Wight Beach Soccer Association.

Unlike traditional football, beach soccer doesn’t require participants to invest in expensive boots and kit. Players simply play barefoot in beautiful outdoor settings, with Appley Beach the centre of activities for beach soccer on the Island.

As well as playing in events affiliated to the English Football Association and County FA of Hampshire, the Isle of Wight Beach Soccer Association

also works closely with local Police Community Support Officers, NHS teams and Network Ryde to reach young people who would benefit from the focus and direction that beach soccer can provide. It has also developed links with local schools to provide more opportunities for children to experience the sport.

Luke Kerr, the driving force behind Isle of Wight Beach Soccer, is passionate about the sport and the benefits it brings: “As well as the obvious boost to health and fitness, beach soccer also develops social skills, teamwork and sportsmanship. More importantly than ever – and particularly following the events of the past year - we have also seen the benefits beach soccer can bring to people’s mental health.”

As the sport has grown in popularity, the IW Beach Soccer Association – a not-for-profit-organisation has invested in new equipment to increase the club’s capacity. It has received support from the Isle of Wight Foundation, a charitable trust established by the partners in Island Roads, which has provided several grants for new sets of goals, which has allowed larger tournaments to take place and increased training opportunities for its members.

To find out more, visit isleofwightbeachsoccer.org islandroads.com/iw-foundation July and August 2021

17

STYLE | Feature

A Joyful Life

By Em ma Elobeid Pictu res Ju l ia n Wi nslow

I

In the very early days of planning for our summer issue, the Style office was littered with post-it notes proclaiming ‘Colour!’ ‘Joy!’ and ‘Fun!’ Though we didn’t know it at the time, the woman who epitomises all three was back in Ventnor town, and back for good.

t’s not the first time that Style of Wight has interviewed Rosie Wolfenden. Back in 2013, features writer Roz Whistance met Rosie – Managing Director and Co-Founder of Tatty Devine, the world’s go-to brand for original and fun statement jewellery – at their iconic Brick Lane headquarters, two weeks after she and partner-in-jewellery Harriet Vine had received MBEs for services to the fashion industry.

Tatty Devine has since moved from the East End workshop that had been their flagship home for twenty years to a lovely light and airy studio up the road and along the canal, an end-ofan-era move that Rosie describes as “weight lifting, actually.” But it’s not the only game-changing move of late. After twenty years surrounded by city colour and chaos, Rosie is energised by a different pace and palette: the rampant fuchsia-pink Centranthus (“or ‘Ventnor Pride’, as my Granny used to call it!”) that grows exuberantly up chalk cliffs, down coastal paths and all around the South-east slopes of Bonchurch, where Rosie grew up.

The story of Tatty Devine is a classic rags-to-riches tale (in metaphor terms, it’s never been about the money for either founder) retold as scavengersto-style icons. A story so inspirational that I delight in its retelling. “We were real magpies, always in skips and on the street finding stuff – our passion

18

styleofwight.co.uk

“I think we’ve come to the conclusion that, actually, our purpose is to bring joy.” was always junk shops, car boot sales, charity shops – still is!” Famously, Rosie and her art-school friend Harriet Vine came across a book of colourful leather samples in a skip, which led to their first foray into jewellery designing.

Success came fast, and so did the hard work: the pair graduated from Chelsea School of Art in June 1999, had their first market stall in July, and

by Christmas of that first year – as Y2K millennium fever peaked – were selling in Harvey Nichols, Whistles, and Urban Outfitters. “We just got our heads down and worked,” she smiles. “I feel like I’ve only just brought my head up.”

“I feel very grateful that the pandemic has made this move possible,” she says. Though the day-to-day decisions and deadlines remain, the balance is working well. On the day of our cover shoot on Ventnor Beach, Rosie has been preparing staff appraisals. But every day at 2:30 pm “I switch off and become a mum again.” In between house-hunting and continuing to run

the business (which has just had its most successful year on record) remotely, Rosie is breathing it all in.

You can’t fail to recognise a Tatty Devine piece of jewellery: conversationstarting, self-expressionist, delightfully anarchic objects of pure joy – designed to be worn with pride and treasured forever. “When you wear Tatty Devine people often stop you in the street, and it genuinely does spark conversation and brighten up people’s day,” Rosie says. “We didn’t sit down and think ‘let’s bring joy into the world!’ – it’s been a very organic thing. It’s taken us quite a long time to realise, but I think we’ve come to the conclusion that, actually, our purpose is to bring joy.”

Over the years, their jewellery has been influenced by both pop-culture and political movements; Tatty Devine believes in the power of jewellery to spread messages and has partnered with leading gender equality and women’s rights organisations. Early pieces were nostalgia-driven: fuzzy felt-inspired charms, porcelain sweetie bracelets, Rubik’s Cubes, chewing gum cuffs and cocktail umbrella barrettes.

The traditional seaside muses of Rosie’s Isle of Wight childhood are evident too: in ‘Sundae Best’ bunting extravaganza necklaces, chip fork brooches, and in everything from mermaids and marine mammals to sailors and shark’s teeth.

Feature | STYLE

July and August 2021

19

STYLE | Feature

20

styleofwight.co.uk

Feature | STYLE All are documented in the mighty hot pink ‘20 years of Tatty Devine’ book Rosie brings along to our first meeting.

The process of assembling and writing, Rosie tells me, has been both satisfying and cathartic. “I went through 20 years of stuff – our archive of jewellery alone was 6,000. We’ve never thrown anything away: we have every gig ticket, every flyer from every exhibition, seasonal sketchbooks, every fanzine – even the receipt from our first market stall in Camden. I always felt when I was doing this book that I can sort of close that twenty years and start the next twenty years – it does feel like the natural next chapter, whatever that might be.”

“Know that you can make your own job, make your own world, make things happen.

Just get involved and get your hands dirty…”

Imagining the future often involves revisiting the past. In Rosie’s case, a past which is all around her – from memories of the “joy-filled” Bonchurch hotel Peacock Vane, run first by her paternal Grandmother and later by her parents; to the central Ventnor car park in which she had her first market stall. “When I was about eight, I made scrunchies and friendship bracelets and Carol, who was the hotel pastry chef, let me sell them on her stall.”

The presence and larger-than-life personality of her grandmother, who moved to the Island in 1954, is felt always: “Granny was a huge inspiration.

She had a full-on energy but was also very structured and massively influential on me. She’d actually wanted to go to art school, but it hadn’t been allowed back then. She made all her

own clothes – a lot of them were patchwork and quite ‘out there’ – and wore a lot of really big (but tasteful – it wasn’t Pat Butcher-style!) jewellery.

Big rings, big necklaces, big earrings.

I am quite like her, which is always quite strange to realise!”

Conversation with Rosie bubbles forth, and we bounce around from Absolutely Fabulous (an early ‘we’ve made it’ moment was Jane Horrocks’ Bubble character wearing Tatty Devine on screen) to bubbles of the portable party-bag variety that she always carries around with her. “If there’s ever a small child moment, bringing the bubbles out always completely stops it!”

Giving her two boys access to the same open spaces, after-school beach clubs and old-fashioned exploration experiences of her own childhood was a driving force behind the move. Plus, she adds, “I don’t like the way London is all about the money – that noise is just too much now.” She’s glad to be home.

“I’m really excited to be on the Island.

I hope that this shake up that Covid has given the world is a wake-up call.

One of the most important things in life is happiness and what is the point if you’re not happy? The Island has so much to give, although sadly not enough interesting jobs for young people.”

Sharing her experiences of creative entrepreneurship is a real passion-point for Rosie. Already, she has provided one-to-one mentoring through Brave Island, the creative network run by the team behind Ventnor Exchange and Ventnor Fringe Festival. “I’m so excited to help,” she says. “You shouldn’t have to do twenty years in London to be able to come home. I hope that after Covid, place has a different sensibility. It’s time now for everything to be accessible for all – no matter where you live.” Her advice for young Islanders? “Know that you can make your own job, make your own world, make things happen. Just get involved and get your hands dirty – there’s interesting stuff happening all around, but you’ve got to seek it out.”

Ready to get cra f ty?

On Friday 30th July Tatty Devine are hosting 2 x super-special Necklace workshops at Ventnor Fringe 2021! Choose from either a classic five-flag Mini Bunting necklace or recycled rainbow Parakeet necklace.

For more information and to book (the workshop is suitable for over 14s with a paying adult).

Visit www.vfringe.co.uk

Win

Wa nt to w i n t he recycled red a cr yl ic ‘Play’ neck la ce R osie is wea r i n g on ou r cover?

You ca n!

For your chance to win visit www.styleofwight.co.uk

July and August 2021

21

STYLE | Art

STUDENT SUCCESS AT PLATFORM ONE This summer, the independent, not-for-profit Platform One Col lege is celebrating the outstanding achievements of its students, w ith 98% of its 2021 cohort achiev ing first-choice University places.

Festival links

A

n alternative to sixth form, post-16 students study the full-time BTEC Extended Diploma in Music or the new BTEC Extended Diploma in Music Production & Music Technology; these programmes are both equivalent to three A-Levels.

Students enjoy a variety of vocational and academic subjects – including music business, composing for TV and games, video editing, marketing and event management – all in inspirational, industry-standard facilities.

STUD EN TS SAY “Platform One College of Music was the best decision I made: it gave me the chance to shine and develop as a person and musician. Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to go to University.”

Edan Bartlett, Currently studying the Platform One MA Music Industry Innovation & Enterprise

22

styleofwight.co.uk

Platform One’s well-established links have opened many doors for students past and present: in previous years the Isle of Wight Festival Platform One stage has hosted over 50 bands, with students working in production, stage-management, live sound and artist liaison. This year, Platform One will have its own stage once again – a wonderful opportunity for all involved.

Ellis Durrand

Education Director David Pontin explains, “Platform One is not about creating rock stars or pop idols. The approach across all programmes of study is very old school, with robust educational values: we want our students to graduate as young professionals and to be ready for the reality of this exciting and challenging industry.”

The college has developed excellent links with many prestigious universities across the country, including Goldsmiths, Westminster, Bath Spa, Liverpool and Chichester. Since 2006, Platform One has also run a full time BA (Hons) Commercial Music programme in partnership with the University of Chichester – this is the only full-time degree provision to run from the Island – ever. It attracts not only local talent, but students from around the country and across Europe.

The course has an excellent reputation for producing highly employable graduates, many of whom go on to establish their own careers and businesses from the Island. A new Level 7 Masters in Music Industry Innovation & Enterprise is also proving to be extremely exciting.

Platform One students also benefit from the continued patronage and support of two of the UK’s most successful music industry professionals.

“Platform One do an incredible job of preparing young musicians for the reality of the music industry.”

– John Giddings, Isle of Wight Festival “Platform One is one of the brightest, most futuristic looking schools I’ve ever seen and is a truly inspiring educational establishment that is firing out new musical talent at a rate of knots.”

– Rob da Bank, Bestival

For more information about Platform One’s range of post-16 programmes for September 2021 entry – and popular Saturday Rock School for younger students – email study@platformone.org

Events | STYLE

All the Fun of the Fringe

Ventnor’s mu lti-awa rd-w i n n i n g a r ts festiva l is ba ck. Featu r i n g g i gs, comedy a nd perfor ma nces i n pop-up venues th rou g hout the tow n, the much-loved event retu r ns for a n ex tended 10-day ed ition f rom 23 r d Ju l y – 1 st Au g ust.

The circus at Ventnor Fringe

F

or many artists who attend, Ventnor has become an important testing ground for premiering new material in the lead up to the world’s largest arts festival, Edinburgh Fringe.

As always, the Ventnor Fringe line-up offers something for everyone. RuPaul’s Drag Race UK contestant Joe Black will be previewing new show ‘Decopunk’, a gloriously raucous gin-soaked musical cabaret extravaganza. Other ‘Work in Progress’ performances include comedians Lou Sanders (Taskmaster, Travelman, QI), Geoff Norcott (Live at the Apollo, Mash Report, Mock the Week), Tez Ilyas, musical comedy duo Flo and Joan, Gráinne Maguire (turn to page 114 to read our ‘Style Speaks’ interview), Catherine Bohart, Ahir Shah and more.

̔ ̔T h is yea r’s prog ra m me is the most d iverse, i nteresti n g a nd creative it’s ever been, a nd the celebration we a l l need a f ter 2020.”

– Ventnor Fr i n ge Co-Di rector, Ja ck W h itewood

Music fans won’t be disappointed, with the festival building on its reputation for showcasing some of the best new music around. This year’s programme will feature live shows with Indie favourites Gengahr, post punk, art rock trailblazers Do Nothing, the cumbia vibes of Los Bitchos, and outstanding breakthrough act Billy Nomates.

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK’s Joe Black

Families with younger children will be excited by a new ‘Mini Fringers’ event featuring popular TV presenter Andy Day with his ‘Dino Raps’ live show, and for the first time at the Fringe a visit from the Circus! Featuring circus favourites from acrobatics to trapeze, comedy to juggling, The Greatest Showpeople! will be heading to the Big Top in Ventnor Park.

Comedian Lou Sanders

Comedy duo Flo and Joan

All events are individually ticketed and available from Ventnor Exchange and at vfringe.co.uk July and August 2021

23

STYLE | Community

A hive of activity at Ryde School Ryde School is an independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 2 ½ to 18. Here, excellent academic teaching is complemented through a wide range of extra-curricular activities.

Alongside main sports such as netball, cricket, rugby and hockey, pupils can enjoy football, athletics, croquet and riding. Sailing, too, is built into the curriculum; with dinghy and keelboat sailing, RYA courses and elite pathway coaching all on offer, beginner to elite sailors thrive at Ryde.

Boarding pupils live in two new boarding houses within the school grounds; a beautifully renovated Victorian villa for the younger boarders or the new purpose-built boarding house, with stunning sea views, designed to prepare older students for university and adult life.

Weekends are spent learning to paddle

An

Weekend Activities

board, go-karting or simply enjoying long walks on the beaches with a boarding house dog. Barbeques and football are regular pursuits as well as cooking and now latterly bee keeping! The hives are situated in the gardens of the School and we’re looking forward to trying Ryde School honey.

To find out more, please contact admissions@rydeschool.net or summerschool@rydeschool.net

Summer School Ryde Summer School for children aged 5 to 13 years offers days packed full of activities and fun.

Sports, arts and crafts, games and many other activities are on offer for week, day and half day packages.

Island School with a GLOBAL Outlook

An independent day and boarding school for girls and boys aged 2 ½ to 18 2021/2022 OPEN MORNINGS Saturday 2 October 10.00am to 12.30pm and Saturday 5 February 10.00am to 12.30pm A Round Square, PSB and IB World School Excellent GCSE, A Level and IB results Wide range of extra-curricular activities including beginner to elite sailing Scholarships and bursaries available for entry into Years 5, 7, 9 and the Sixth Form FOR MORE INFORMATION Call +44 (0)1983 617970 or visit www.rydeschool.org.uk/open-days-and-visits Queen’s Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight, PO33 3BE

Art | STYLE

Last chance to enter the Style of Wight

Children’s Writing Competition It could be laugh-out-loud and feelgood, or have a strong environmental message. Maybe both! Your story, your way.

If you haven’t yet committed pen to paper – or idea to keyboard – now is the time!

Your story might be about unicorns or UFOs, narwhals or ninjas; it might take place on Mars or the Mottistone Longstone, the Serengeti or Sandown Bay. Alliteration optional.

Entries will be judged by a panel of publishing professionals, including award-winning Island author Kieran Larwood. Winning entries will be published in an illustrated anthology, with all profits going to local children’s charity the IW Story Festival.

You could cram an entire lifetime into 500 words or pen a 50-second stream of consciousness (ask your English teacher).

2021!

Stories to be sent via: snail mail – to Style of Wight, 8 Salisbury Gardens, Dudley Road, Ventnor, PO38 1EJ email – office@styleofwight.co.uk Good luck!

Categories:

7 to 11 and 12 to 16

Closing date: One rule only:

2nd September

500 words or under

Sponsored by: ROBIN MCINNES OBE

N 50 WI OR £

00 £1

e

ye

RK at O rm W nfo RT i A ore S IO for m UD te ST bsi N we PE r O ok o F O rbo a

Se

FRIDAY 16 - MONDAY 26 JULY LOOK FOR THE RED BUNTING

COME AND MEET THE ARTISTS FREE ADMISSION

n

io

OPEN STUDIOS

Get a taste of the wild

FIND OUT MORE AT

ISLEOFWIGHTARTS.COM

wildheartanimalsanctuary.org Visit us: Yaverland Rd, Yaverland, Sandown, PO36 8QB

STYLE | Feature

Increasingly, groups of people in strange, hooded shrouds can be seen on Island beaches, about to shed them to walk into the sea.

All year round. One such group began and grew out of tragedy to become a force for healing and joy.

26

styleofwight.co.uk

y l i a D Dippers G

etting the shoulders under.

That’s how it began. Two shoulders, belonging to one young woman. Now, every Sunday, Gurnard Bay sees at least 30 people in the sea, come sunshine, gales or showers. And they do it because it makes a difference, to themselves and to others.

By R oz W h ista nce Pictu res Ti m i Eross

fit in around work and my children.

Then I asked my friend Kim if she’d do the challenge with me.” Kim, it seems, was exactly the right friend to ask.

“It was a glorious August day! I thought this is so lovely, let’s do it every day!”

She adds, grinning: “I can’t say no to anything!”

The Dipping Society began in 2018 when a close friend of Madi Dew, who had been suffering with his mental health for some time, passed away. “I wanted to do something – raise awareness, raise money,” she says. “It had to be an actual challenge if I was looking for sponsorship, but it had to fit in with my life as a working mum with two small children.”

They admit it was really hard to do.

Both had young children, and both had jobs, Madi being a learning support assistant at the IW College and Kim working for Lloyds Bank. “Sometimes we just wheeled the prams onto the beach while we went in the sea!” says Kim. Her employer came on board, saying they’d match the first £500 they raised. It seemed a huge figure.

“I said ‘D’you think we can raise £500?’”

Late summer is a pretty good time to start sea swimming. The sun has warmed the sea all summer and the body can acclimatise as the days get shorter and colder. But while ‘shoulders under’ seems reasonable in September it’s not quite so inviting in a Force 9 gale with snow on the ground. “The coldest the water got was 5.2°C,” says proud mum Sue.

Her mum Sue – a serial marathon runner who’s not very keen on swimming – helped her hone her ideas. “I told her it would have to be something she’d want to do, and would be possible. She came back and said “A Dip A Day! – for a year.”

Madi is, she says, a sea person.

“I’d read about the benefits of sea swimming for your mental health, so that fitted. And a daily dip – ‘shoulders under’ was the rule – could just about

Madi and Kim started posting daft photos of their daily dips on social media, and money started coming in for Mental Health UK. The girls were approached by other friends wanting to join in, so Madi and Kim came up with the Sunday meet at Sue’s beach hut. “If it was the same place and time every week people could join in without having to commit to the whole year.”

Flasks of coffee appeared and home-baked produce too.

All ages – and sexes – arrive by the coloured beach huts at Gurnard at 9am, greeting one another with that special warmth that comes out of knowing you’re doing something a little batty. For while we all like a little bathe in summer, these people have been swimming – or dipping, to use their preferred term – all winter.

Feature | STYLE

A name for the group became important. “We called it The Dipping Society, because we’re not a swimming club, we’re a community created round dipping in. We advise people to go in slowly, breathe slowly etc., and to educate themselves through the Outdoor Swimming Society website, but we don’t take responsibility. It’s very much a social thing.” A graphic designer friend designed a striking logo, and Island firm Teemill undertook the production and distribution of Dipping Society tee shirts.

As each quarter year was ticked off, Madi and Kim posted a shout out on social media. Sue opened her beach hut on these occasions and produced sausage butties to warm the swimmers’ cockles (and those of their supporters). On the final day of the 365-day challenge they did a big pierto-pier swim. “The beach huts around opened their doors for people to change, there were tables out, we just asked for donations for food if people could manage that. Madi and Kim had JustGiving pages, but also several people gave us envelopes containing £365 pounds – a pound for each daily dip! It all went to Mental Health UK.” A Dip A Day raised around £4,000.

Since then, they have raised large amounts for Crisis, the homeless charity. “Now,” says Madi, “our fundraising still ticks over from merchandise sales and our collection box every Sunday.” Money raised now goes to The Isle of Wight Youth Trust, because it does so much to support the Island’s young.

July and August 2021

27

STYLE | Feature “Just going in for five minutes makes you feel so good, it helps physically and mentally. They’re a lovely bunch – they’ve helped me immensely. ” – Jill

“I came across this group two years ago, and went through the winter with them. Now I’m addicted!

I suffered from depression for years but I have no problem now.”

– Kay

“I have a busy life – I work in a secondary school – and the swim makes me slow down and connect with nature.”

– Kerry

While the Dip a Day challenge ended after a year, the Dipping Society goes from strength to strength. That will seem odd – really odd – to people who have never tried sea swimming in winter. But as a few random chats with the Dippers one Sunday morning shows, everyone has their own reason for braving the chill: Sarah: “I met Kim and Madi when they were doing their Dip a Day. I had just lost my brother, and my husband and I were doing a walk around the Island in his memory. I was inspired by the girls to add a daily dip to the daily walk. I wasn’t a cold water swimmer – but I can honestly say it was a gift, it made me feel alive. The last time I saw my brother it was when we were in the sea, and if he were here now he’d definitely have tried it with me. So rather than feeling sad, my swims make me think of him.”

Helen: “My brother had committed suicide, so I ended up off work for a whole year. I bumped into Kim one winter morning and hooked in with them. I started swimming every day through to summer. It is such a lovely group. All ages, all with their different stories. We don’t really have those conversations – we just go into the water together, and it’s special.”

28

styleofwight.co.uk

Follow The Dipping Society on Instagram @thedippingsociety

“I love being in the sea but I’m not a strong swimmer. I’ve been doing it for three years, through the winter. If I don’t swim I get withdrawal symptoms!”

Feature | STYLE

“You see, it’s not just women who do this! About a quarter of the Dipping Society are men – enough for you not to feel odd joining in.”

– Gareth

– Patsy

“Being in the ocean makes you feel like you’re a small part of something massive. I’m a teacher and find it so calming.

It makes me happy.”

– Kirsty

What Dipping

The benefits of cold water immersion are more anecdotal than scientifically proved. Yet . . .

• •

• • • •

Wim Hof, Dutch guru of the subject, credits cold water swimming with helping overcome grief, and control his immune system Cold water changes hormones and chemicals such as adrenaline, dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, throughout the body. These affect metabolism, boost white blood cell counts and over time can reduce inf lammation Cold water immersion has been used by TV doctor Michael Mosley to boost patients’ mood in his recent Channel 4 series ‘21 Day Turnaround’ Dr Alexander Van Tulleken has used it to help a woman with severe postnatal depression Dippers say they have fewer infections and body pain is eased Sufferers from depression have been known to no longer need medication

Can do

for You July and August 2021

29

STYLE | Feature

Tribe and tide

N AV I G AT I N G I S L A N D FA M I LY L I F E

By Em ma Elobeid Pictu res Ti m i Eross

Play is our greatest means of accessing delight. It is the oldest human impulse, and – as we discovered on a recent trip to Sandown’s Wildheart Animal Sanctuar y – one which we share with the animal kingdom.

W

e head first to the main tiger enclosure. Like many of the Wildheart Trust’s big cats who have been rescued from performance or illegal pet trade backgrounds, Natasha, Antonella and Zoppa had a less-than-playful start in life, having been born into a Spanish circus. Arriving at Sandown’s seaside sanctuary in 2018 via the AAP Primadomus rescue centre, much is done to enrich the cats’ daily lives through an ever-changing assortment of play-based challenges.

Despite their backgrounds, these girls just want to have fun. Animal carer Sandra Peelo explains how old beach buoys are spritzed with a rotating supply of donated “old lady perfume” to provide additional scent-based stimulation. For a minute, as she invites us to have a sniff, I fear I will recognise my own old favourite Coco Mademoiselle. Thankfully not; this one is Avon Attraction. Sandra expertly launches the ball shotput-style over the perimeter and into the cool water of the tigers’ Ranthambore pond, where it is swiftly pounced upon by Natasha, the youngest and most exuberant of the trio, before Antonella (whose capacity for sharing leaves a little to be desired)

30

styleofwight.co.uk

has a chance to stake her claim.

Like tigers, my two know that endless fun can be had with a ball and a willing buddy – double the fun when there’s water involved. As we watch, they bat, roll, pounce and playfight – always somehow ending up with an affectionate head rub.

Moving onto the meerkat mobs, it’s easy to make sense of their group name. These little guys and girls are feisty, full of fight and frolic. Animal behaviour research suggests that meerkats may use play as a way of recognising kinship. This makes sense: after all, the best kind of friendships start off side-by-side on the swings. They also, remarks my seven-year-old Star Wars enthusiast, make a noise when excited that is remarkably like communal, compulsive scavengers Jawas. Today’s meerkat madness involves brightly coloured ball-pit balls in repurposed coffee containers, concealing snacks such as beetroot and celery sticks.

Though said seven-year-old is not quite old enough to take part in the sanctuary’s meerkat experience, our photographer Timi is, and was treated to lots of cheekily-curious close-ups as coloured balls fly left, right and centre.

As we make our way around – the boys collecting stamps to be exchanged for much-coveted animal stickers at home time – we chat about what we have in common with each animal. Eightyear-old lion brothers Vigo and Kumba are admired for their brotherly bond; 34-year-old capuchin monkey Timmy for being the same age as mummy.

Physical similarities abound too as the boys scale climbing frames like spider monkeys and bounce around like baby wallabies. The wallaby metaphor doesn’t end there: I later read that these marsupials are crepuscular, meaning they are at their most active at twilight – a phenomenon otherwise known as toddler witching hour, when everything is Too Hot and they are Not Tired.

Meanwhile I am most taken by Michelle, the matriarchal ring-tailed lemur who can’t quite decide whether to keep all in check or close her eyes and let the evening sun wash over her.

Recognising these similarities makes us feel somehow more connected to these majestic (and in many cases mischievous) animals, and realise that – despite our distinct lack of fur – we have more in common than we might think.

Feature | STYLE

“Like tigers, my two know that endless fun can be had with a ball and a willing buddy.”

July and August 2021

31

STYLE | Art

Style spectrum

Vincent Dupont-Blackshaw A professiona l travel photog rapher, Vincent Dupont-Blackshaw splits his time between Paris and London. Though his work ta kes him across the world seek ing stories and spaces to share, the Isle of Wight – where his w i fe’s fami ly live – has a specia l creative hold over him.

32

styleofwight.co.uk

Art | STYLE

The Island, Vincent tells us, has been a particular source of inspiration to him during his latest visit – so much so that it has lasted six months.

“I look for moments that are quietly unique,” says Vincent. “Often an isolated thing or person in an environment that on first glance is ordinary, but on second glance tells a subtle story. I always strive to catch the essence of the place at that exact time. I am originally from a big city, so the quality of light here is something really worth capturing. The Isle of Wight’s spectacular coastline inspired this series, and the seemingly endless opportunities and pleasure it offers people who connect with it.”

Left: Minnie Mouse looks out over the sea at Ventnor Right: Sandown & Shanklin Independent Lifeboat ensuring the sea remains a safe water playground

Exhibited and sold worldwide, Vincent has won awards globally for his work capturing the incidental details of everything from high-rise Tokyo swimming pools to the lines of curves of a Toronto stadium track.

Instag ra m: @ v i ncentdupontbla ck shaw | Website: pa rlo.f r July and August 2021

33

STYLE | Art

The sea, the sea – a swimmer walks into the blue

34

styleofwight.co.uk

Art | STYLE

DISCOVER BRIGHSTONE’S HIDDEN GEM Ever Garden is a real treat for culture, history and garden enthusiasts alike, peppered with contemporary sculpture and art installations that respond to the site’s history and surroundings.

The project is a culmination of artist Ever Grainger’s – who was recently honoured as an elected member of the Royal Society of Sculptors – experiences exhibiting and curating both contemporary art and heritage archives in the UK and abroad.

In the garden, outdoor sculptures feature a mix of permanent and seasonal installations with a playful edge: a collection of old garden forks hold up a profuse rambling rose ‘Forks Lift’; and several towers of struts, brackets and pink plates

support double-flowered salmon-pink hollyhocks as the work ‘Meccano for Girls’.

Inside, the Grade II listed cottage – owned by the same local family for 100 years until Ever took it on – retains its original layout, fixtures and fittings.

Select pieces of furniture are still in place and artworks nestle on the shelves and dressers with names such as ‘Cheese from Chalk’ and ‘Spilt Ilk’.

Tucked out of sight just off the lane to the Brighstone village car park, Ever Garden is open to visitors through to the Autumn.

To find out more, visit evergarden.co.uk Instagram: @evergarden__ ‘Forks Lift’ at Ever Garden

Ever Garden Sculpture garden & 18th century cottage Brighstone

Entry to cottage & garden £5.50

Ever Garden, Warnes Lane, Brighstone, West Wight PO30 4BJ

www.evergarden.co.uk

Open: Wed, Thurs, Sat 10am-5pm Sun: 10am-4pm

STYLE | Art

FREEDOM! Quay Arts West Gallery

26th June – 29th Aug 2020 – FREE ENTRY

By Ia n W h itmore, Acti ng Visua l A rts Ma nager QUAY A RTS

I

t’s a complicated word that reads differently depending on context and perspective. Every two years Quay Arts holds a Biennial OPEN exhibition. Open to all, the only caveat for selection is that work should in some way respond to a pre-set theme, which for 2021 is Freedom.

The artists represented in FREEDOM have articulated their feelings in a variety of ways; from small scale and time-consuming stitched selfies to installations of modified toys and statuettes referencing refugees.

The artists have freely drawn inspiration from inner and outer landscapes that are real, remembered or imagined, incorporating printmaking, painting, bronze casting, textile and photography along the way.

Down to Earth by ladypat – The Isle of Why

The show is less generally focussed on ‘lack of’ Freedom(s) than might be expected and more an admixture of emotional responses ranging from frustration to joy and back again.

Complementing FREEDOM, the maverick ladypat presents a playful collection of eye-poppingly vibrant large format fuzzy felts exploring high and low mainstream culture in The Isle of Why. Best known for their digital output, ladypat has employed here, in their words, a ‘Kompute and kraft’ technique, creating physical versions of digital masters. In the words of Rozalla (and in a fair world); Everybody’s Free to feel good…

The Isle of Why, Quay Arts Café gallery, 19 June – 31 July 2020 – FREE ENTRY

Quay Arts, Sea Street, Newport Harbour, Isle of Wight, PO30 5BD | quayarts.org

36

styleofwight.co.uk

Art | STYLE

Medi na Bookshop

Su m mer book rev iews Rol l up and revel in these delightf u l summer reads, chosen specia l ly for Style of Wight readers by Lucy Dav ies at Medina Bookshop. From the playf u l to the poignant, there’s something for everyone.

Circus of Wonders

by Elizabeth Macneal (Fiction)

Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee (Non-Fiction)

Sorry Greatest Showman fans, the circus isn’t always as it seems.

Macneal takes you under the cloak of curiosity with this spectacular tale set against Victorian pleasure gardens and the Crimean War. We follow Nell, a young girl ostracised from society due to her birth marks, which earn her the name ‘leopard girl’, as she is sold by her father to Jasper Jupiter to be in his Circus of Wonders.

‘Joy isn’t hard to find at all. In fact, it’s all around us.’

Macneal’s mesmerising writing envelops you from the outset, but the real joy in reading this novel is in the diverse cast of characters, who all teeter on a tightrope of morality.

The plot beautifully questions if the world of Victorian circus empowers or exploits its performers. A true masterpiece of historical fiction.

Contrary to philosophical tradition, Designer Ingrid Fetell Lee shows us how easy and important it is to find joy in our own physical worlds, drawing upon psychology, neuroscience, art and design as part of her in-depth research.

She divides the subject into ten chapters, each focusing on a certain aesthetic. Full of interviews, studies and actionable tips, Fetell Lee takes a deep dive into the fascinating world of joy before concluding with a handy toolkit.

This book will have you reaching for your nearest notepad to make sure you remember all of its wisdom. As interesting as it is practical, you can’t help but feel good after reading this.

The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman by Julietta Henderson (Fiction) Best friends and dynamic comedy duo, Norman and Jax, are set to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe by the time they turn fifteen as part of their five year plan. That is until Jax suddenly dies of an asthma attack aged eleven. His death turns Norman’s world upside down, until he decides to write up a new plan…

A moving account of grief. Henderson brings you to tears on one page and then makes you roar with laughter on the next. You’ll fall completely and utterly in love with Norman Foreman and be rooting for him throughout.

Poignant and heartwarming, this story is the perfect tonic for these trying times.

Medina Bookshop. 50 High Street, Cowes. 01983 300044. medinabookshop.com Facebook @medinabooksiow Instagram @medinabooksiow July and August 2021

37

UNIQUE FURNITURE AND SCULPTURES ALL HANDCRAFTED FROM ISLAND TREES, WITH OTHER SUSTAINABLE HOMEWARES NOW AVAILABLE IN STORE

ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES

ANTIQUE & VINTAGE FURNITURE LIGHTING & INTERIORS JEWELLERY & CURIOS

Quality items bought Full and partial house clearances undertaken

1 GRAYS WALK NEWPORT PO301TD tel: 07585221034 email: hello@treclaimed.co.uk www.treclaimed.co.uk

BINNEL.AD.NEW.indd 1

telephone: 07943 139 562

email: hello@attacusantiques.co.uk 63 High Street COWES Po31 7Rl

24/06/2021 12:54

Advertisement Feature | STYLE

Blast Wall

L

isa Traxler’s art is all about making connections. Blast Wall, her exhibition at The Foundry Gallery, London, touring to The Bunker Gallery, St Lawrence, in August, is a drawing together of threads of outside circumstance – COVID and Lockdown – with personal happenings.

“I’d been awarded Arts Council funding to exhibit a follow-up to my heritage exhibition on dazzle camouflage.

Lockdown meant no access to the Imperial War Museum for research, so I prepared at home.”

Home for Lisa is a decommissioned Second World War radar bunker and with the sudden quietude of lockdown she dwelt on the very nature of ‘home’.

“Daily I’d look out on the bunker and its blast wall area, aware of its construction as a barrier against enemy action and a place of security, and how this chimed with now,” she says.

“I’d watch the geometry of shadow play across the concrete structure as lockdown kept us housebound.”

Blast Wall – Image Credit: Julian Winslow

A place of sa fety has never been more i mporta nt, as a rtist Lisa Tra x ler’s Aug ust ex h ibition explores More connections followed. “My family had rediscovered letters sent to my Gran from her brother whilst he was overseas during the Second World War.”

Artist Lisa Traxler – Image Credit: Julian Winslow

The conjunction of the lost letters with Lisa’s current project was striking, and she began to transcribe her great uncle’s words. “They were so lyrical.

Every time he wrote ‘home’ he used a capital H.” She adds: “It was clearly a yearning for his place of safety.”

Meanwhile her study of the blast wall, its shadows, material and dimensions crystallised her thoughts for the exhibition. “I wanted a set of tall structures that stood alone or within a group, their hand-painted surfaces referencing the bunker’s form, with a colour palette drawn from military camouflage and the Island’s landscape.” With their allusions to the defence architecture of the Bunker, and her great uncle’s history, these became The Ghost Sculptures.

Lisa Traxler, Blast Wall, August Bank Holiday, 27–30 August 2021, Friday 2pm to 7pm: Sat/Sun/Mon 11am–4pm.

The Bunker Gallery, Old Park Road, St Lawrence, PO38 1XR. lisatraxler.com instagram.com/lisa.traxler instagram.com/thebunkergalleryiow Also Open Weekend at Binnel Studios, St Lawrence. binnelstudios.com July and August 2021

39

STYLE | Art

Kids activity: merr y ma rionettes

Ma rk ma k i ng:

With Lauren Fr y, Arts Educator

T

here are few things more satisfying than taking a pile of odds and ends you have lying around your house, some basic art materials and a flash of imagination to create something you can bring to life through hours of make believe.

Playing with puppets opens up a world of imaginative possibilities in which carefully crafted card and string characters can develop personalities and feelings of their own – why not try exploring and expressing with your own marionette make!

40

styleofwight.co.uk

A marionette is a puppet controlled from above using strings or wires.

Is all about creating different patterns, lines, textures and shapes on a surface using any thing that leaves a mark.

It’s a great way of exploring materials and their endless possibilities by letting loose, going w ith the f low and seeing where the line takes you. In this marionette make we will use a range of patterns to create texture for our bird’s beautiful feathers.

Cross Hatch:

Cu r ved Scr ibble:

MATERI A LS

you w i l l need: Toilet roll Plain or coloured card/paper Scissors Glue/tape String/wool Stick/straw Colouring materials

St ra i g ht Scr ibble:

Da shes:

Art | STYLE

1. Col lect a l l you r mater ia ls toget her a nd cut a rou nd 1/3 of f you r toi let rol l so you h ave one la rge a nd one sma l l sect ion.

4. It’s time to bring your bird to life by giving it texture and character. Cut out feather shapes and then layer them onto the head and w ings. Cover some areas in patterned paper like the body.

2. Have fun creating marks and patterns in the colouring materials you have available, this may be felt tips, colouring pencils, paint or even a biro.

5. Once you r bi rd i s look i n g fabu lou s you ca n st r i n g a l l you r pa r ts toget her a nd att a ch t hem to you r st ick or st raw.

3. The next step is to make your bird’s main features. For the beak I have created a cone of paper that f its inside the toilet roll.

6. T i me to play!

Find out more about Lauren’s i l lustration work at stud iow ren.co.u k or fol low her on Instag ram @stud io_w ren July and August 2021

41

Immersion in excellence

STYLE | Art

Binnel Studios Summer Exhibition 28th — 30th August

Sue Paraskeva

The annua l chance to drop in on the world of artists of excellence at Binnel Studios is upon us again, and for the two painters, four potters and now a contemporary wi ld life artist there have been quite a few changes since last year.

C

elia Wilkinson has moved into the larger space vacated by veteran watercolourist David Firmstone, still very much part of the colony but now working at his home studio.

“I can feel a bit freer now,” says Celia, “I have more headspace.” Amanda Wheeler is also revelling in space to “throw some paint around”, while Matthew Chambers has a clear display room separate from his working area.

Such musical chairs has enabled Binnel Studios to welcome wildlife artist Jacob Light. However, physical changes to the studios are as nothing to the effects of reflection time brought by lockdown.

42

styleofwight.co.uk

Celia Wilkinson’s new studio gives a chance to go large – exciting for followers of her vibrant imagined landscapes, which somehow embed the viewer in their foreground while sweeping the eye to a broad landscape: “My rides out on horseback give me that perspective,” she says. During lockdown exhibitions went online, and now she is preparing for shows in Holt, Broadway and Bramley – culminating in an invitation to be part of the prestigious Florence Biennale this October.

Celia Wilkinson

Matthew Chambers’ labyrinthine sculptures are always hotly in demand, at home and internationally, but now he is striking out with new plans.

Art | STYLE

The newcomer to Binnel Studios is Jacob Light, a contemporary wildlife artist. Jacob specialises in meticulously drawn animals. “I enjoy drawing the natural world and animals because I find them incredibly beautiful.” Portraits of animals and birds, from life or from photographic reference, are intercut with some other work that explores a more symbolic meaning. So detailed are they that some pieces take a hundred hours or more.

Molly Attrill

Matthew Chambers

“I’m looking into bronzes, which are completely different from my layered forms, but still all about movement and rhythm.” Indeed a work in his new studio is so rhythmic it seems to capture music: another piece plays and sculpts with light. “In a dark room it looks as though the layers are floating.”

Parliamentary shenanigans gave potter Molly Attrill a compulsion to follow the age old use of satire in ceramics.

“There is a long tradition of decorating pots with satirical comment,” says Molly. Maiolica for our Times is a collection of plates decorated with oneoff designs: drawings of well-known political figures illustrating their actual quotes. The accompanying book is, like the plates, a collectors’ item in the making. “It’s proved very popular with people of all political persuasions,” says Molly.

Amanda Wheeler

Jane Cox is known for her sea-coloured brush-glazed ceramics, and for intricate black-onwhite designs.“I’ll show new shapes, and let more of the brushwork come to the fore,” she says – which will please those of us who cannot get enough of those colours. Unusually Jane mixes her glazes on a palette, like a painter: “Sometimes the turquoise goes slightly to the green, but it’s the subtleties that draws people to them.”

Painter Amanda Wheeler is relishing the opportunities her new larger studio will bring. “I just love that I can throw some paint around on really big canvasses,” she says. “I’ve noticed that since lockdown people want larger, statement pieces, particularly when it’s semi-abstract, which is what I do.”

A painting inspired by Freshwater Bay captures the turquoise sea and white rocks with their fascinating strata, but also somehow the excitement of just being there.

Binnel Studios Summer Exhibition, 28th to 30th August, 11am to 4pm each day.

Find out more at binnelstudios.com and on Instagram @binnelstudios Binnel Studios, Old Park Road, St Lawrence, Isle of Wight, PO38 1XR.

Fellow ceramicist Sue Paraskeva has achieved her ambition to build an outside kiln. The results celebrate the impossibly pure beauty of porcelain simply licked by fire and wood ash: “The ash blushes through the unglazed pots, creating its own glaze.” Some pieces bear the outline of seashells, traditionally used to separate items in the kiln, while others display dents and tears. Somewhat unexpectedly Sue explains: “I hit them with a stick.”

Jane Cox

Jacob Light

July and August 2021

43

STYLE | Interview

Raising the flags

By Emma Elobeid P ictu res Ju l i a n Wi nslow

L

iz Cooke is more often found quietly working in her off-grid studio than wrapped in a fivemetre-long heart banner atop a cliff overlooking St. Lawrence’s Woody Bay. In the panoramic portrait that photographer (and Liz’s good friend) Julian Winslow has wanted to capture for years, it’s hard to tell where Liz ends and the flag begins. Because for twelve years, Liz has poured parts of herself into her work as a festival flag maker.

The flags themselves have dazzled in the foreground of many a magical moment, and Liz – who is softly spoken and unassuming – is happy to let them shine: “It’s not about me, it’s about the work,” she says, explaining her characteristic reluctance for self-promotion. That this photoshoot

44

styleofwight.co.uk

(“there’s something about holding a massive flag that speaks to me on so many levels; it’s really powerful”) and interview is happening now, Liz explains, reflects her recognition of people’s desire to know more about how the art that sustained their spirits during lockdown-afterlockdown came into being.

A trained photographer, Liz’s background in the visual arts means that her eye-catching abstractions of colour, shape and pattern are those that get most talked about, most photographed, most admired. Inspiration is taken from a wide range of nature and spiritual sources, from sacred geometry to stained glass. And, though the sight of a freshly pressed flag lying flat on her three-and-a-half-metre-long

worktable is simply satisfying, each creation (Liz has lost official count, but there have been at least a thousand) seems to take on a life of its own once raised aloft and submitted to the sky.

In a light breeze they can appear ethereal, other-worldly; other times straining against the rig, fantastically full of power. Perfecting flight so that they look good in every turn of festival weather has taken over a decade; each tested in an iterative, old-school process of ‘Fly flag. Observe. Improve.

Repeat’ against the fury of Chale’s west wind tunnels. These days, Liz and her partner Joe Truman – who takes charge of the physical rigging – have the process down to a tee, leaving her to focus less on the mechanics and more on the meaning.

Interview | STYLE

“There’s something about holding a massive flag that speaks to me on so many levels; it’s really powerful.”

It is a meaning that has always been central to Liz’s work, but which she has only just begun to talk more openly about. Meaning that is constructed as she works – slowly, meditatively, by hand – from her off-grid, solarpowered studio. No matter whether the flag is destined for a Greenpeace recommissioned fire-fighting ship sailing the wild Sargasso seas or channelling a throng of happy human traffic through Strawberry Fields towards the main stage at the Isle of Wight Festival – it all starts here.

Inside a sensory cavern of colour more reminiscent of an Indian spice market than rural South Wight. Hot irons sit on a log burner, BBC Radio 6 Music the constant soundtrack, Liz stands and works to her own rhythm: imbuing – with each steady stitch, with each slow press of the seams – positive vibes and healing thoughts into the fabric. This, she tells me, is a form of Metta – a Buddhist practice of loving-kindness meditation. “I began meditating twenty years ago and became very inspired by the prayer

flags in India,” she says, as she relays the mantra that guides her practice: “May all Beings that come to these flags be Happy, may all Beings be Blessed, may they be at Peace.”

Whether you believe in its power or not (and Liz is pragmatic that the majority of those who commission her work are more focused on the immediate practicalities of price and product) isn’t really the point: the intention remains regardless.

July and August 2021

45

STYLE | Interview

Image Credit: Liz Cooke

The flags made by hand in Liz Cooke's off-grid South Wight studio have flown everywhere from festival fields to far-off seas

Her famous heart banners were designed as a very conscious rebellion against traditional flag iconography of flags as a symbol of division and conquest, tribalism and territories.

“Once you start making flags you see them everywhere: turn on movies and you see all these heraldic banners with people cantering on their horses going to war,” Liz says. “I like subverting the idea of a big battle and asking, ‘What if we were united with the idea of love?’

It doesn’t really matter to me if people think that’s corny or cheesy.”

For Liz, art and activism are one and the same: “Art has a huge role to play in changing hearts and minds: it’s a

46

styleofwight.co.uk

blueprint for action.” In 2019, she was commissioned by the Artistic Director of Greenpeace to make 24 festival-style flags for their Protect Our Oceans campaign: a year-long voyage from the Arctic to the Antarctic. “It was an immediate yes: protecting the oceans is massive for me. And then of course I go straight into problem-solving mode because the turnaround was super quick; we started talking in March and the first flags went out on the boat in April.”

The challenge of matching the details of Greenpeace’s’ existing graphics of endangered species and ecosystems into a workable (and flyable) design led

her to world-renowned sail makers Ratsey and Lapthorn, based in Cowes, who supplied Liz with end-of-roll fabrics and offcuts. “It had a really nice circular feel to it”, says Liz. “Not only because they are local but also because their whole business is based around the sea – it made sense.”

This summer, Liz is back in the studio, making a new set of flags for the much longed-for return of the Isle of Wight Festival. Within these four walls, much is the same – her kids’ old toy storage full of pick-the-rainbow offcuts, her pink pin-tin of Love – but the energy is changed. After twelve years of slow solo working and with her children

Interview | STYLE

Image Credit: Greenpeace

Bottom left: Big Little Lies actress and environmental activist Shailene Woodley holds Liz's sea turtle flag for Greenpeace

(at 18 and 14) almost grown, Liz feels as though she is ready for the first time to bring other people into the process, opening her work up to new collaborations and new channels of impact.

The Greenpeace project prompted a voyage of textile discovery, and Liz is currently working on a new local clothing practice – Stitch Department – that will be based in The Department, a brand new creative space in Ryde.

Though Liz is often approached by individuals for private commissions or wedding parties, she is more interested in accessibility and outreach. “I want to avoid people having to buy into my art,”

“May all Beings that come to these flags be Happy, may all Beings be Blessed, may they be at Peace.”

she says. Instead, it’s about scale: she talks with excitement of more pipeline community art projects that would see her flags fly outside of a festival infrastructure and into the very heart of our public spaces, from town centres to supermarkets.

Spreading love, creating joy, promoting peace has always been at the heart of Liz’s making, and there is much to look forward to in these new offshoots of that same mission. But first, Liz tells me, “I can’t wait to go raving in the Big Top again!”

Find out more at lizcooke.co.uk aor follow Liz on Instagram @lizcookeflags July and August 2021

47

STYLE | Feature

TORCHES AND TABLEAUX CARS:

The Origins of the Island’s Carnivals Words by James Rayner

Ryde. Friday, 17th August 1888. Flags f lew from the pier and f luttered in the breeze in the town’s main streets, shops decorated their frontages with bunting, crowds gathered, and an excitement started to build. As evening fell, strings of lamps illuminated the Esplanade Gardens, houses lit candles in their windows and many hotels placed coloured glass lanterns on their balconies. Meanwhile in Lind Street, a parade began to assemble including firemen holding burning torches and two hundred children carrying Chinese lanterns.

48

styleofwight.co.uk

T

his was the start of Ryde’s first ‘Grand Carnival and Torchlight Procession’ inspired by the carnivals of Venice, Nice and Mentone.

The idea behind it was to mark the end of the annual sailing regatta of the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, based in the Prince Consort Building in St. Thomas’ Street, and to replicate the successful parade held in the town the year before to mark Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. The plans were spearheaded by Mr William Gibbs, a chemist and senior partner in the firm Gibbs & Gurnell, with help and support from Gustav Mullins, the Jersey-born photographer who worked with Jabez Hughes at their Union Street photo studio.

As the carnival began, the procession weaved its way through the streets of Ryde, with an incredibly diverse mixture of costumes and performers including morris dancers, clowns, a beefeater

Feature | STYLE

“Well done Ryde! Go on and prosper.”

Images from left to right: The first carnival programme features some familiar Ryde names on the executive committee. The programme for Ryde’s 1936 carnival reflects some familiar themes. This merry pirate puts on a brave face for the carnival held just a few days before the outbreak of World War II. Ryde’s second carnival gains royal patronage as Queen Victoria’s carriage passes the parade. Floats of yesteryear were just as ambitious as those of today.

and a procession of British kings and queens mounted on horseback. There were carnival floats too, known back then as tableaux cars, featuring actors recreating scenes from Red Riding Hood and Shakespeare, as well as one with a working blacksmith’s forge. Once the parade had ended, a masquerade ball began at the Town Hall where dancing continued into the early hours of the next morning.

All in all, the Isle of Wight’s first carnival was considered a huge success and this new and exciting celebration didn’t go unnoticed over the water, with magazines like The Lady’s Pictorial praising Ryde for “her spirited attempt to follow Continental cities and introduce a little gaiety... Well done Ryde! Go on and prosper.”

Just a month later Shanklin held its own carnival, which was attended by over 3,000 people. The procession started from the train station, making its way through the town to the grounds of Rylstone Manor, lent for the night by Euphrosyne Spartali, wife of the Turkish-Greek businessman, Michael Spartali. Here the gardens were lit with lanterns, ‘coloured fires’ and ‘an almost continuous display of Roman candles’.

By 1889, just one year later, carnivals had already become a firm feature of Island life. Sandown and Ventnor held their first events, which included Spanish bullfighters and Italian peasant girls amongst their many costumed attendees; and Ryde’s second carnival was given the royal seal of approval

when Queen Victoria and Princess Beatrice came by to watch the proceedings.

Since then, over 130 years later, Isle of Wight carnivals are still going strong and are estimated to attract up to 40,000 spectators every year. Many of the processions have swapped from night to day, horses have been replaced with vehicles and new influences from the Caribbean, via Notting Hill, have shaped modern carnival costume.

Although the pandemic has led to a temporary pause in this long-running Island tradition, they’re scheduled to return in 2022 - no doubt with extra excitement and enthusiasm following their temporary absence.

Pictures reprinted for Style of Wight by kind permission of Historic Ryde Society.

July and August 2021

49

al

#su

p

SUNSETS & SEAFOOD

p

oc

com •

MORE THAN JUST A PUB

• ety af

STYLE | Food

tted to s mi

ortyour

l

GREAT SEAFOOD  DINING  COCKTAILS  VIEWS WE HAVE YOU COVERED!



Visit www.innsofdistinction.co.uk & select which pub you would like to visit Accommodation Reservations - Book Now 01983 873572 styleofwight.co.uk



Food | STYLE

Bring me the tacos. Balance + Glo’s cauliflower recipe is a great plant-based alternative – page 55

Ready, set,

Summer

All hail kohlrabi. The picnic-perfect summer side for every kind of grill, by Living Larder – page 53

Ma ke it a foodie summer to remember with our top picks for din ing out, sha ring at home, a nd Isle of Wight produce essentia ls. From rela xed and sunny weekend BBQs with fami ly and friends to lu xurious seafood dinners at the Island’s finest restaurants; you’ll find it a ll here.

Taste the summer Simply the best: Isle of Wight seasonal produce – page 65-67

A secret culinary cove. Discover the True Food Kitchen at Castlehaven – page 63

Style meets The Hambrough’s acclaimed new chef Matt Tomkinson – page 56-57

World’s Best Marmalade. Nine-year-old Flora Rider beats thousands to win – page 69

An Island in the Sun. Seafood (to dine on), Salsas (to share), Sunsets (to soak up) – page 60-62

July and August 2021

51

“If they gave Michelin stars for sausage rolls, this would have three!”

James Martin on “James Martin’s Great British Adventure”

BEMBRIDGE 26 High St PO35 5SE 01983 872717

NEWPORT 1 St. James Street PO30 5HE 01983 522392

Food | STYLE

Seasonal vegetable

By Wi l l Stewa rd, Liv i ng La rder

Kohlrabi

Q

uite possibly the most unusual looking of vegetables, kohlrabi is unmistakable. Grown on the continent as an alternative to turnip but in smaller numbers here, kohlrabi is mild flavoured and juicy, when grown correctly, and is best eaten in early to mid-summer, when the plants have grown quickly. Chopped and diced kohlrabi roasts or pan fries wonderfully, but for us its greatest pleasure is simply raw in a salad.

Sliced thinly through a mandolin and with a simple dressing at the end of a hot day, its juiciness is thirst-quenching and its crunch satisfying. Don’t be frightened to try.

Kohlrabi and Fennel Remoulade Ingredients 2 medium kohlrabi 1 bulb of fennel ¼ tsp fine sea salt ½ a lemon, juiced 2 tbsp of homemade or good shop bought mayonnaise 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp whole grain mustard 1 tsp of honey 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley Freshly ground black pepper Method Trim ends of the kohlrabi, and peel thickly (make sure you get rid of all the skin as it can be tough). Remove any tough outer layers of the fennel.

Using the julienne blade of a mandolin or food processor shred the kohlrabi and the fennel - or cut into matchsticks with a sharp knife. Put these into the serving bowl, sprinkle with lemon juice and salt.

In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustards, honey and pepper. Whisk with a fork to combine.

Pour over the kohlrabi and fennel, add the chopped parsley.

Serve cold or at room temperature as an accompaniment to grilled fish, shellfish or meat – perfect for picnics - we served ours with smoked mackerel tart.

Living Larder is a family owned, Soil Association certified Organic farm, supplying local fruit and vegetable boxes.

Visit livinglarder.co.uk for more information or follow on Instagram @livinglarder July and August 2021

53

Caffe Isola &

The

Chapel STreet

Roastery

Real food, fresh & fast

artisan cafe, roastery & independant retail 85a St James St, Newport

info@caffe-isola.co.uk Tel: 01983 524800 the home of

island roasted artisan coffee from the isle of wight

Take fresh yoghurt from Wiltshire...

A range of flavours...

Add a touch of love from our staff...

And indulge yourself in a...

French Franks fro-yo shake (available at all sites)

www.islandroasted.co.uk

Find us across the Island

NEWPORT • COWES • RYDE www.FRENCHFRANKS.co.uk

Food | STYLE

Cauliflower Tacos w ith a n avocado a nd cashew crea m

By Evely n Joyce, Ba la nce + Glo

The tea m at Isle of Wight on l i ne wel l ness platform Ba la nce + Glo a re passionate about sha ri ng thei r favou rite recipes to f uel outdoor adventu res.

L

ooking for a quick and flavourful plant-based meal, that looks great and tastes delicious? This versatile dish is equally tasty hot or cold; serve as a starter, midweek meal or jazz up your picnics and enjoy on the go. Alternatively omit the wraps and incorporate into a colourful Buddha Bowl.

Servings: Makes 6 tacos Ingredients 1 medium cauliflower (broken into florets) 6 tortilla wraps Spice mix 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp smoked paprika 1 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp garlic powder Pinch of sea salt Avocado cream 60g of cashew nuts (soaked in cold water for 1-2 hours)

Photo credit: Evelyn Joyce

The flesh of 1 avocado The juice of 1/2 a lemon 1/2 tbsp of olive oil To serve 3 tbsp of sweetcorn Fresh coriander 8 cherry tomatoes, sliced into quarters Fresh lime, sliced Sliced Jalapeños (optional) Sliced red onion (optional) Method Preheat the oven to 180C, fan setting.

Add the spice mix into a small bowl and stir until well combined.

Place the cauliflower florets in a large bowl, pour over the spice mix and mix well until everything is coated.

Place the cauliflower onto a baking tray and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes (turning halfway through), until the cauliflower is slightly softened, golden and crispy.

Whilst the cauliflower is cooking, make the cream. Place all the ingredients into a food processor.

Blend until smooth.

If you have time, I recommend lightly toasting the sweetcorn in a pan with a little olive oil for approximately 5 minutes, until it’s slightly charred.

Warm the tortillas through, add a dollop of the cream and spread with the back of the spoon, before loading up with the cauliflower and your toppings of choice.

July and August 2021

55

STYLE | Food

Meet the Chef MATT TOMKINSON, THE HAMBROUGH Words Ja mes R a y ner P ictu res Ch r i st i a n Wa r ren

P

erched on the edge of Ventnor, overlooking the sparkly blue seas of The Channel, is The Hambrough; a hallowed name amongst foodie visitors and Islanders in the know. As the doors opened this year for another season of hospitality and fine dining, someone new was at the culinary helm – Michelin-starred chef and Roux Scholar, Matt Tomkinson.

The awards might sound intimidating but, as Matt emerges from the aromatic steam of The Hambrough kitchen, you soon realise he’s one of the most humble, welcoming and relaxed people you could possibly meet and someone who still seems a bit surprised by their own success.

Back in 2005, Matt was awarded the coveted Roux Scholarship after a panel of judges that included Rick Stein and Gary Rhodes deemed him to be the most talented of the up-and-coming British chefs competing that year although Matt added: “it took me ‘till about 2009 to realise they’re not going to ask me to hand my badge back.” A few years later, whilst working at The Goose in Oxfordshire, he won his first Michelin star “by surprise,” followed by another shortly after at The Montagu Arms in Hampshire.

56

styleofwight.co.uk

Now he has taken up a new post as The Hambrough’s executive chef - a move which he says feels right for so many reasons. “When I moved jobs last time it was nice to receive a few good luck messages, but it was nowhere near the outpouring I’ve received this time. There seems to be so much love for the place – The Hambrough, Ventnor, the Island - and so many people have a connection with it.” This even includes Matt’s girlfriend Alex, whose great-grandmother grew up here.

Matt has brought his clean and simple food style with him, described as modern British with some classical French influences and a hint of spice too. From the latest menu you could opt for a slow-cooked red lentil dhal, spiced paneer and Isle of Wight tomato salad as a starter, followed by a roast rump of local lamb with rosemary fondant, potato spinach and Provençal courgettes for a main, rounded off by a pear sorbet and chilled Isle of Wight vodka to finish.

Joining Matt in the kitchen are local chef Craig (who returned from Warwickshire to work alongside him) and apprentice Franklin, as well as the warm and friendly front of house staff. “We’re a small team but they’re

fantastic. They just want to look after people. When you arrive, they’ll give you a drink, take your coat, that’s all really important to me.”

This relaxed, informal style of hospitality and care for every diner is a key component of Matt’s approach and something he’ll never lose sight of. He still remembers with warmth his first big competition when Michel Roux Senior took the time to make him a coffee: “Can you imagine how many people would make Michel Roux a coffee, and he’s there at the machine making us all coffees, and I just thought, yeah, that’s it, he’s being hospitable and he’s been successful doing it, you don’t have to sacrifice one to do the other.”

There are certainly exciting times ahead for Matt and The Hambrough; though his immediate focus is on understanding the clientele, discovering more local suppliers, and getting to know the Island better.

“It’s devastatingly beautiful; like Chale, no matter how many times you go that way it always looks different, it’s probably my favourite view in the world.”

Hambrough Road, Ventnor, PO38 1SQ Tel: 01983 856333 | thehambrough.com

Food | STYLE

Roast rump of lamb

New Forest Strawberry Sorbet

Roast rump of lamb

July and August 2021

57

at, drink, m�t friends and stay a while.....

Whether coming to enjoy a lunch, dinner, an overnight stay or a perfectly chilled glass of wine after a busy day, Albert Cottage is the place to be.

Always stylish and elegant, with a vibrant atmosphere and warm friendly service.

∑

Y O R K A V E N U E • E A S T C O W E S • P O 3 2 6 B D • 0 1 9 8 3 2 9 9 3 0 9 • A L B E R T C O T TA G E H O T E L . C O M

INTRODUCING MULTI-AWARD WINNING EXECUTIVE CHEF Matthew Tomkinson

LUNCH Wednesday to Sunday DINNER Tuesday to Saturday GARDEN Open daily subject to weather BAR

Open daily from 11am

Hambrough Road, Ventnor, PO38 1SQ Tel. 01983 856333 www. thehambrough.com

STYLE | Food

An Island in the sun

Salmon Tartare, The Seaview Hotel’s Aquitania Restaurant

Make it a foodie summer to remember with our top picks for the very best: • S EA F O OD – to dine out on • SA LSA S – to share at home • S U N S E TS – to soak up

60

styleofwight.co.uk

The Seaview Hotel’s Aquitania Restaurant Book a table at The Seaview Hotel’s Aquitania Restaurant, where its daily-changing menu showcases the very finest local fish and seafood. This deliciously cool, colourful and full-of-texture Salmon Tartare with avocado, seaweed and croutes is the perfect end to a hot day on sea or land.

Summer in the Edwardian resort of Seaview village has changed very little through the decades, with a delightfully nostalgic feel making it the perfect location for a post-dinner stroll down the High Street to await the setting sun.

Food | STYLE

The Boathouse Further along Seaview’s Springvale beach, you’ll find another Style of Wight favourite at The Boathouse. Here, Head Chef and Manager Joel Hopwood serves up a sensation of summer flavours in dishes inspired by his time in the South of France, where they strive for simplicity and elegance.

In this dish, Joel poaches hake in a light saffron-clarified butter to lock in the flavours; meanwhile the petits pois à la Française cut through the richness of the butter, producing a beautifully balanced dish. The Boathouse is the perfect spot to watch the world go by – and it’s now easier than ever to sit back and relax thanks to a new app that makes contactless ordering a (sea) breeze.

Sunset watch!

Seaview – watching the sun slowly dip behind the Solent forts is a summer experience not to be missed, heightened by the huge array of waterfowl, seabirds and marine wildlife that call this East Wight corridor home.

Poached Hake, The Boathouse

The Hambrough

Meanwhile in Ventnor, at one of the South Coast’s finest restaurants The Hambrough, new Head Chef Matt Tomkinson (read our interview on page 56) is busy developing his new menu. Here, customers can enjoy Matt’s highly acclaimed culinary creations with standout dishes such as Day Boat Cornish Stonebass, with Jersey Royals, lightly braised baby lettuce, cucumber and asparagus.

Sunset watch!

Ventnor – the entire sweep of this southernmost stretch (from Luccombe through to Blackgang) provides some of the most spectacular sunsets you’ll ever see.

Cornish Stonebass, The Hambrough

The Seaview Hotel’s Aquitania Restaurant, seaviewhotel.co.uk The Boathouse, theboathouseiow.co.uk The Hambrough, thehambrough.com

July and August 2021

61

STYLE | Food

Salsa Verde

By Seav iew Hotel Hea d Chef Bruce T heoba ld

62 60

Ingredients

Method

½ clove of garlic 1 shallot 3 anchovy fillets 1 tbsp capers 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp white wine vinegar 15g basil 15g flat leaf parsley 15g mint 4-5 tbsp olive oil

Mix oil, mustard and vinegar in a bowl. Roughly chop all the ingredients – or blitz in a processer – and add to the vinaigrette, mix well.

styleofwight.co.uk

Serve with Any grilled fish – mackerel would be magical – new potatoes and roasted vegetables.

feature advertisement

Food | STYLE

The True Food Kitchen at Castlehaven: a secret culinary cove …

D

Perched on the warm southern tip of the Isle of Wight, hidden dow n a meandering track, surrounded by cliff top meadows and end less sea , a delightf u l cu linary surprise can be found; the Tr ue Food K itchen at Castlehaven Beach Ca fé. gorgeous menu of fresh fish and seafood dishes, Hawaiian and Asian inspired salads and curries, as well as daily specials that combine the best Island produce from land and sea.

espite its hidden location, this secluded restaurant has quickly become known as one of the Island’s most beloved food destinations and the journey to find it is all part of the allure.

The track that leads down to the True Food Kitchen can be found on St Catherine’s Road, Niton. Parking on the road, diners stroll down the lane to the restaurant, taking in the gorgeous views of the lighthouse and ocean.

As they emerge from the tunnel of trees, the track opens up into a romantic, secret garden where wooden tables look directly out over the sea. Once seated, diners can enjoy a Provence Rose or a cocktail and choose from an array of mouthwatering Hawaiian, Asian and seafood inspired dishes. Some may even be lucky enough to spot a passing seal or pod of dolphins.

“There is no way you can’t feel inspired by this place,” smiles award-winning chef, Adam Fendyke. “Our customers love the food, they love our team and they love the natural beauty of the place. It’s a winning combination.”

Adam, who some may know from

Fun, quirky and relaxed is certainly one way to describe Adam’s latest creation, the infamous Monkdog. This much talked about dish is comprised of a brioche hot dog bun filled with Panco-monkfish, Isle of Wight crab, Jalapeno, chilli bacon, crispy onions and topped with yellow curry mayo and Yuzi chilli sauce. his previous venue Tramezzini, Ventnor, says that bringing the True Food Kitchen to Castlehaven has been a breath of fresh air.

“As soon as I got here I knew that this place was special. I instantly wanted to capture the wildness of the beach, the sub-tropical micro climate and our off-beat location into one underlying theme for the food.”

Served on plates and dishes reminiscent of shells and mother of pearl, Adam and his team appear to have done just that.

The True Food Kitchen offers a

“As far as dishes are concerned, it’s way off the beaten track,” Adam grins. “And speaking of beaten tracks, once you’ve finished your meal, if the prospect of walking up the lane to your car feels too energetic, one of our team will happily drive you in our in-house festival buggy.”

On the surface this place is a secret, idyllic cove but underneath there are strong currents of fun and surprises.

Whether you’re a beach lover, daydreamer, wanderluster, romantic or foodie, a trip here won’t fail to delight you.

Castlehaven Ln, Niton, Ventnor PO38 2ND | Tel: 01983 730495 | www.thetruefoodkitchen.com July and August 2021

63

Food | STYLE

Taste the summer Illustrations by Lisa Read

There’s no better time to enjoy seasonal Isle of Wight produce.

Here are just some of our favourite seasonal combinations: from best-dressed ripe red fruit to refreshing Island-made drinks to launch and lighten your days, plus all the sweet and savoury essentials in between.

Our favourite coffee, on ice In summer we like our caffeine cold. Ice cold – without compromising on quality or provenance.

At Caffe Isola, coffee aficionados and cold-drink devotees alike are catered for, using the V60 pourover; a brewing technique that extracts the perfect cup every time. Enjoy in the Newport café after a busy morning shopping, or pick up your own piece of Island-roasted kit and coffee to replicate at home on hot and lazy garden mornings. islandroasted.co.uk Instagram @islandroasted

Have a hot dog on us Is it even summer without twice-weekly BBQs? Whether you’re feeding a crowd or just the two of you, make sure you do it properly with only the finest local ingredients. At Bembridge Butchers W.W. Woodfords & Sons, we’re spoiled for sausage choice: from gluten-free to traditional pork chipolatas. woodfordandson.co.uk | Instagram @w.w.woodfords

Despite last year’s scandalous across-the-pond decree against ketchup by the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (only in America), the Isle of Wight knows that there must be tomato sauce. And that sauce simply must be Organic Isle of Wight Tomato Ketchup

by The Tomato Stall. Cooked in small batches, this classic condiment is bursting with tomato greatness. thetomatostall.co.uk Instagram @iowtomatoes

July and August 2021

65

STYLE | Food

Summer spoils ‘Tis the season for berries – and all the best kind, from sun-kissed strawberries to ruby redcurrants. There are many things you can do with a punnet (or five) of the Island’s best fruity finds from Farmer Jack’s Arreton farm shop; from triple-layered trifles to piled-high pavlovas and fools folded into a frenzy. But we think summer berry consumption should mean instant gratification. No need to be elegant: a nice thick cold dollop of award-winning Briddlesford Farm Dairy cream, lightly whipped and lovingly served, is about as perfect a summer afternoon pairing as you’ll find. farmerjacks.co.uk Instagram @farmerjacksfarmshop

briddlesford.co.uk Instagram @bluebells_cafe

Free Your Spirit This sweet and citrus Seaside Seltzer cocktail, smoothed out with a hint of salt, is the perfect Island sundowner.

Ingredients 25 ml Mermaid Salt Vodka (an essential for any well-stocked Isle of Wight bar, with a delicate hint of sea air) 100 ml Watermelon juice 20 ml Lime juice 10 ml Agave Pinch of salt Soda water Method Shake with ice, strain into an ice-filled glass and top up with soda Garnish with a slice of watermelon and a sprig of mint isleofwightdistillery.co.uk Instagram @mermaidgin

66

styleofwight.co.uk

Food | STYLE

Cheers to Summer!

The Isle of Wight knows its drinks. From old favourites to new entrants, here are just a few: Island Time is one of three 2019 vintage Grazed Knee ciders. Made with apples (including ‘Isle of Wight Pippin’ and ‘Bembridge Beauty’) grown in their Shanklin orchard, and cavecrafted under St. Boniface Down, this sparkling cider has a soft fizz and the taste of freshly mown orchard.

It’s also, to paraphrase the Ciderologist, “Bloomin’ lush”.

Arise, Wight Knight – strong, refreshing, full of body and amber in colour. This beer represents the very best of English Ale, brewed at Island Brewery’s thirdgeneration family-run site at Dinglers Farm, Shalfleet.

Bright blonde Ale of Wight has delicate citrus notes, a fragrant hoppiness and long lemongrass and grapefruit scented palate. A refreshing real ale, born and brewed – from Island-grown barley to Knighton spring-water – in the beautiful surroundings of Barnsley Farm.

Made with fresh Wight Crystal spring water, this Traditional Lemonade is a simple summer classic that takes us right back to childhood.

100% pure Isle of Wight cherry juice, grown and handpicked on the southern slopes of Godshill Orchards. Full-bodied, fabulous, and utterly irresistible.

Bring on the scoops (and make ours a triple) The Isle of Wight is an ice-cream lover’s (that’s everyone, then) paradise.

With so many Island-made options, choosing one is almost impossible.

Luckily, at Bliss ice cream parlour on The Parade in Cowes, you can enjoy three of the Island’s best-loved brands – all made using Isle of Wight milk – in one stupendous sundae. From Mr. Minghella’s (who has just celebrated

his happy hundredth birthday) Famous Vanilla Bean to farm-made artisan clotted cream indulgence in the form of Calbourne Classics’ Orange and Grand Marnier (both Gold Great Taste Award winners) and the Isle of Wight Ice Cream Company’s fairgroundsweet ‘Unicorn’, with marshmallow and bubblegum ripple.

Instagram: @blissicecreamparlour

July and August 2021

67

STYLE | Food

www.tryHURSTfirst.co.uk

styleofwight.co.uk

Food | STYLE

Image credit: Hermione McCosh

A little pot of sunshine Nine-year-old Flora R ider from Chi l lerton has beaten thousands of entries from across the world to be crow ned the World’s Best Ma rma lade Ma ker.

A

first-time marmalade maker, Flora was inspired to get creative in the kitchen during the winter lockdown – with phenomenal results!

Tweaked from a traditional recipe, Flora’s winning entry used a simple four-ingredient base with Organic Ave Maria Seville oranges and NielsenMassey orange blossom water from Waitrose East Cowes to create a fine cut, light in colour marmalade. Bowling over the judges with its fresh citrus notes and bright honey-like flavour, the decision was unanimously declared – not just in the children’s category but overall.

Flora’s winning marmalade has now been carefully replicated in small batches by artisan producers Thursday Cottage, and sold through Dalemain Mansion and in Fortnum & Mason’s iconic Piccadilly store, as well as online.

50p from the proceeds of each jar will go to Hospice charities, including the Island’s Mountbatten Hospice.

Flora says: “I really enjoyed making marmalade for the first time back in January. It was such a fun activity to do during lockdown. I enjoyed shredding the peel and filling the jars but best of all I enjoyed eating the finished marmalade! I liked the thought of

Order Flora’s award-winning marmalade from www.dalemain.com and fortnumandmason.com

adding flowers to my marmalade and so using orange blossom seemed like a good idea. The taste of the marmalade was very nice with a lovely floral and honey flavour. It made me feel happy and my marmalade looked like a little pot of sunshine. I’m so excited to have won the Marmalade Awards and help raise money for Hospice charities.”

Flora’s mother Zoë added: “Flora really enjoys making marmalade and experimenting with new flavour combinations. And, as a family, we love eating it! It’s great to be part of the drive to revive marmalade, which is a quintessentially English preserve.”

Flora’s marmalade pairs perfectly with breakfast pastries or dolloped atop fresh yoghurt.

July and August 2021

69

• Coffee

• Smoothies

• Waffles

• Artisan Sourdough

• Themed Milkshakes

• Bagels

• Panini

• Belgian Hot Chocolate

• Donuts & Cakes

• Large Vegan & GF Offering

NEWPORT COFFEE HOUSE

Open Mon to Sat 8am til 4pm 59 Pyle st, Newport, PO30 1UL (01983) 559000

EAST COWES COFFEE HOUSE

Open Mon to Sat 9.30am til 4pm York Avenue Garage, York Avenue, East Cowes, PO32 6PH

comicoffee.uk

[Waffles, Shakes & Hot Chocolate]

Feature | STYLE

Destination N E W P O RT

The Isle of Wight is in the enviable position of having a central town that is truly central – perfectly positioned for residents and visitors alike to shop, eat, and play.

N

estled within the Medina valley and surrounded on all sides by Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, rolling downs and large open parkland, Newport offers within its neatly contained boundaries a plethora of historic streets and happening haunts to meander and mooch around at leisure.

Join us for a stroll (or, to use the Isle of Wight term, a ‘dimble’) around our Island’s county town as we take in

the shopping sights and soak up the summer sunshine in a celebration of the people and places that make Newport the perfect day-trip destination.

Over the following pages we’ll bring you the high (fashion) points, the lowdown (on lesser-travelled side streets) and plenty of quirky coffee-and-cake pit stops to keep you fuelled along the way.

Museum of Island History, Newport Guildhall Image credit: Julian Winslow

July and August 2021

71

STYLE | Feature

Colourful canaries, Pets with Hart

Lemon bottles, Hurst

I

f you’re the kind of person that needs a conscious or concrete reason to enable your wandering, you’ll find it on Holyrood Street.

From hardware and haircuts to pet food and presents, Holyrood has it all.

For those who walk up from the direction of Newport Harbour, Hurst’s flagship store will often be your gateway to the town centre.

Which is appropriate, because Hurst has long (since 1886 to be precise) been central to the Isle of Wight shopping experience. In fact, whatever your list looks like – from butter knives to decorative neon signs (check out Rachel Savage’s interior design tips on page 92) – you can pretty much guarantee to find it here. Hurst has long held a special place in every Islander’s heart, and after the remoteness of recent times it feels even more of a joy than ever to support. Life given you lemons? Find a pretty glass bottle to decant it into at Hurst! Chant it with us now – “Try Hurst First!”

Diagonally opposite, at 17 Holyrood Street, is Pets with Hart – familyowned and run with the kind of personal service and care that feels more valuable now than ever. Owners Sharon and David Groves are both recognised pet prescribers, and together have a wealth of animal knowledge, from furry

72

styleofwight.co.uk

Bowls, Hurst

friends to the smallholding-sized.

Inside, the store is an Aladdin’s cave of creature comforts across a huge range of high-quality food, treats and accessories – from harnesses to hamster homes. Right at the back, we were particularly taken with their colourful canary companions.

Stuart Pointing owner, The Barber Cube

Lockdown hair still a thing? Finding a barber whom you can rely on is worth their weight in gold. We’ll let you into a Style secret: you’ll find him in the black and white beamed building over the road. Stuart Pointing, owner of The Barber Cube, has been cutting Newport hair for a total of 35 years

Hollyrood Street. Image credit Julian Winslow.

Feature | STYLE

Mugs, Adrienne Wroath Jewellery

Adrienne Wroath

The chair at The Barber Cube

Stephen Buckley, Visual Impact

From hardware and haircuts to pet food and presents, Holyrood has it all.

– and here, at 27c Holyrood Street, where each of his three children have done their respective time as Saturday helpers, for 14 of those.

After leaving the Isle of Wight college

Unique shaped mirrors, Adrienne Wroath Jewellery

in the hairdressing heyday of the 1980s, Stuart trained with Jack Plucknett on St. James’ Street before cutting his teeth in bustling Bournemouth. Though the pandemic has meant that Stuart operates on a mainly appointment basis, he is still available for walk-ins. He has a “sizeable flock” of regulars – many of whom have been coming for 27 years.

Join the flock and never look back.

Meanwhile, non-barbering partners/ friends/shopping assistants can nip next door but one into one of Newport’s most delightfully delicate spaces, Adrienne Wroath Jewellery. Though Adrienne’s effortlessly wearable contemporary jewellery pieces (for more of which, turn to page 84) are of course the main attraction for all who enter here, there are trinkets and treasures galore too: from sun and moon wall mirrors to a bespoke range of AW candles, soap and lip balm.

Behind the counter, Adrienne – whose hometown is Newport – and her partner Tom can be spied at

their workbenches in the open studio at the back, giving the shop space an intimate and authentic feel.

Next, cross over again to the other side of Holyrood heaven to the twin territories of Visual Impact, who have been dressing the Island in quality and style since 1985. In Ladieswear, you’ll find summer fashion galore (for a sneak peek, head to page 80). Over in Menswear, manager Stephen Buckley is leading the way for men’s fashion, from suits (wedding season heads up: check out their collectionof Marc Darcy kids’ three-piece sets) to streetwear.

Time to say farewell to Holyrood, as we take a shortcut under the quirky skyway of Watchbell Lane. By this point, it’s surely time for coffee. Or milkshake. And maybe a small smackeral or something to eat too?

We head to one of Newport’s best kept secrets on Pyle Street, tucked away yet right in the heart of Newport.

July and August 2021

73

STYLE | Feature

Ammonite, Treeclaimed

Comicoffee owner Matt

At Comicoffee, it’s always sunny: founder Matt and his family of friendly staff provide a warm welcome at the Island’s first café to blend comic and coffee culture. Serving Island Roasted coffee (expertly made by a team that knows their barista and their Batman stuff), themed shakes, American waffles and a large vegan and gluten free food offering, there’s something for everyone. Seated in a cosy booth, our eyes dart from detail to detail: from the Spiderman figures swinging above the latte steam to the very cool Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cushions. Good coffee, good times.

Strawberry banana bagel, Comicoffee

“It’s got a really friendly feel to it, we all help each other out” – Sam, Treclaimed Emerging from Comicoffee’s side exit onto Gray’s Walk, your eye may be drawn to a green plaque proffering a snippet of local history. For it was here that the tragic death of young Newport chimneysweep Valentine Gray resulted in the passing of the ‘Climbing Boys Act’ in 1840, preventing employers from using children as chimney workers.

Pickle Stitch owner Carli and the coloured threads for her handmade creations

74

styleofwight.co.uk

Sam from Treeclaimed

Suitably caffeinated, we head next to Pickle Stitch – housing a wonderful array of baby, children and adult clothes, all handmade by owner Carli Newnham. A Newport girl, Carli is so lovely and friendly: the very epitome of why it feels so good to Shop Local.

The shop itself doubles as a working space, as she stitches and seams at her in-store sewing machine. Some of her seriously cute childrenwear includes colourful CBeebies-inspired Bing Bunny playsuits and ‘The Happy T-shirt’ in smiley face rainbow print. It’s not just clothes; Carli offers a shop space for other local makers on her craft shelf, where you will find everything from teacher thank-you presents to new baby gifts.

Next door, Sam from Treclaimed is part of the Grey’s Walk micro-community.

“It’s got a really friendly feel to it, we all help each other out,” she says. It’s a beautiful corner spot, with a light and airy feel inside; the perfect minimalist space to allow the natural beauty of their handcrafted furniture and pyro-patterned accessories to breathe.

Feature | STYLE

Prawn cocktail baguette, French Franks

Get in there early to miss the French Franks queue

Each piece – made from locally sourced reclaimed Island wood – speaks for itself, but our eyes are drawn to an impressive oak ammonite carving, an example of the intricacy with which timber artisan Rich approaches his work.

Up ahead, your eyes can’t fail to be drawn to the stunning fairy-tale dresses in the window of Newport’s best-loved bridal boutique. For those planning a wedding, an appointment at Gems Bridal light and airy space is absolutely essential.

Island brides will be treated to the friendly and professional service from Kayla and her team as they dedicate

Kayla, Gems Bridal

Cake! Richmonds Bakery

their time to finding the perfect dress for your style, shape and budget.

As we loop back around from Scarrots Lane and our dreams of white satin towards St. James Street, you may well have weddings on the mind. Weddings, and then cake.

Cake! And there it is: as we turn the corner, newly opened in the building of the empty ex-Starbucks (and many years before that, the upper brickwork declares, Woorman & Sons Cabinet, Upholstery & Polishing Works) site, is Richmonds Bakery.

This is owner Immy Bawdon’s second Island bakery; her first, in Cowes, having gained a reputation across the Island for its delicious range of cakes and treats – baked from scratch each day using fresh ingredients. “We had customers coming over from Totland and Freshwater just for cakes in Cowes, so it’s lovely to be able to offer somewhere a bit more central.

I was really attracted by the upstairs space here, and I’m really excited to offer cake-making parties and breadmaking workshops on site in the future.”

It’s lunch time, and Newport-goers are spoilt for choice; two of the best daytime eateries – French Franks

Immy Bawdon owner, Richmonds Bakery

and Caffe Isola – have been regulars of the Style team’s working lunch circuit for several years now.

French Franks is, of course, an Island institution: if you know, you know – and if you don’t, you really should. Head back around to the pedestrianised St. Thomas’ square, which always has a great street-café atmosphere, to sample some of our favourite regulars. From classic prawn cocktail to ‘Moo & Blue’, plus Isle of Wight signature filling ‘Island Nammet’ – their baguettes are legendary. This is real food, fresh and fast, and throughout each busy lunch shift, the friendly and hardworking team always have time for a smile.

Inside, their flagship Newport café has been recently refurbished with smart metro tiles for a contemporary feel.

Newport’s newest hangout, Richmonds Bakery

July and August 2021

75

STYLE | Feature

The Burgess family, Caffe Isola

Mediterranean lunches, Caffe Isola

Back at St. James Street (85a) Caffe Isola – with its bright yellow brick walls – is a destination that bridges shopping, coffee, and food. One of Newport’s most unmissable venues, the former church lecture hall was lovingly turned into today’s artisan roastery/ retail space by Dan Burgess and his family in 2017. With coffee at its core, the close-knit Caffe Isola team know their foodie stuff too. Co-owner Viviana’s Mediterranean roots are evident in the light and locally sourced lunch menus: from Italian summer salads served with Sicilian lemonade to satisfying doorstep sandwiches. Also head upstairs to the mezzanine level to shop the beautiful range of local Isle of Wight gifts.

Doorstep Sandwich with a Sicilian Lemonade, Caffe Isola.

76

styleofwight.co.uk

The Sweet Charlie’s team

Julie Jones-Evans, DragonFly Emporium

St. James Street is one of the most diverse shopping streets in Newport, full of Independent Isle of Wight character and local produce; a place where greengrocers and mountain bike repair shops co-exist. It’s also where you’ll find DragonFly Emporium. If ever the phrase ‘Treasure Trove’ was invented for a shop, this is it. Run by Isle of Wight Councillor and Cultural Regeneration lead Julie Jones-Evans’ family for over 40 years (her mum still lives upstairs) here you will find everything from essential oils and spell candles to specialist spiritual books and unique gifts and jewellery. Top tip: ask for a demonstration of the Tibetan singing bowl and note how the vibrations in the air change – perfect for clearing space in a Feng Shui home.

Kinder Hippo extravaganza, Sweet Charlie’s

We’re almost at the end of our walking tour. As you head back into the central town square and back towards Newport’s historic Guildhall building, you can’t help but be drawn by the smell of freshly cooked waffles drifting up from 21-22 High Street on the warm summer breeze. Recently opened by husband-and-wife team Charlie and Dave, this pretty-as-a-pastel-picture dessert paradise is sure to give you the sugar-stacked treat you need after a busy day. Inside, Sweet Charlie’s is a fabulous space: featuring high ceilings and a retro vibe (excellent soundtrack!) and super-friendly staff serving up delicious treats, like this Kinder Hippo extravaganza. Let the fun times roll!

Possibly the largest selection of incense on the Island at DragonFly

Quality & Style Since 1985 RALPH LAUREN, BARBOUR, TED BAKER, PART TWO, LEVIS, FRENCH CONNECTION, DIESEL, GANT, NUDIE JEANS, LYLE & SCOTT, PRETTY GREEN,YAYA, FRED PERRY, NYDJ, SCOTCH & SODA, NICCE, TAMARIS, HUDSON, SHOE THE BEAR, LOAKES SHOEMAKERS

Setting the standard in Barbering in Newport Town for 25 years! #A safe pair of hands!

Ladieswear

3/4 Watchbell Lane Newport I.O.W. PO30 5XU telephone 01983 525665 Menswear

21 Holyrood Street Newport I.O.W. PO30 5AZ telephone 01983 821908

Holyrood Street NEWPORT, PO30 5AZ OPEN TIMES Tues / Wed / Fri 9am til 5pm Thurs 9am til 1pm Saturday 9am til 4pm

BOOKINGS ON 07988 027601

www.visualimpact.co.uk

(walk-ins welcome)

STYLE | Business

Gems Bridal Wear

Showcasing exclusive designer ranges and bridesmaid dresses to match your themes and choose from our bridal accessories to finish your look.

Stockists of Top Designers Maggie Sottero, Romantica, True bride, and more including NEW in at Gems the MORILEE COLLECTION! Working by flexible appointment times so please enquire for a perfect time that suits you to find your dream dress.

9-13 Scarrotts Lane, Newport PO30 1JD Tel. 01983 529429 www.gemsbr i da lw ea r . c o . uk styleofwight.co.uk

Business | STYLE

S H A P I N G N E W P O RT With T he Isle of Wi g ht Cou nci l

All over the country, high streets and market towns are changing to come to terms with the new way that people like to shop – and Newport is too. The Isle of Wight Council is investing in regeneration across the Island, and as a part of the Shaping Newport partnership there has been a focus on our county town. The pandemic has seen changes happening faster than expected, with many new venues opening up, largely supported by local businesses and entrepreneurs.

The revitalised Saturday market, run by Market Days CIC, has been a great example of how regeneration is improving conditions for small traders in Newport.

The biggest story in Newport right now is the successful bid for High Street Heritage Action Zones. Funded

by Historic England, this four-year programme of activity will help restore and regenerate Newport town centre’s heritage, with a similar programme being delivered in Ryde.

The Newport project is a partnership between Historic England, Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council and the Isle of Wight Council, and will see £1.3m invested in the town centre.

There will be work on the restoration of historic shopfronts, bringing unused spaces back into use – including encouraging more accommodation above shops – and improving the

Jules Marriner’s colouring sheet

pedestrian environment in the High Street and St James’ Square. A further grant of £90,000 has recently been secured to support cultural activity, delivered by Newport organisations, including setting up new creative hubs in the High Street.

For more information and to download Isle of Wight illustrator Jules Marriner’s heritage colouring sheets, visit www.iwhaz.uk/town/newport or follow Shaping Newport on social media @shapingnewport

NOW OPEN

Book tables via our Website

Dragonfly – family run lifestore established in 1979 in the vibrant Nodehill area of Newport.

fly Dragon ing Wellbe pp ga shoppin to le availab d a downlo

Specialist store for aromatherapy, crystals, incense, spiritual gifts and tools, ethical clothing, tarot and oracle cards.

A late night soul food cafe serving

CREPES, WAFFLES, ICE CREAM, COFFEE AND GIFTS OPEN TIMES Sunday to Thursday 10am til 10pm Friday and Saturday 10am til 11pm

80 Upper St James's Street, Newport PO30 1LG Tel 01983 523278 | dragonflywellbeing.co.uk

22 High Street NEWPORT www.sweetcharlies.co.uk July and August 2021

STYLE | Fashion

Here comes the fun!

By Ursu la Br u netti

The sun is finally here and with it the chance to brighten up our wardrobes and embrace a more playful approach to our clothes.

Get ready to wear summer on your sleeve with our fashion edit.

Organic Cotton two-piece pyjama set £36, Hunter+Boo

Organic Cotton Navy Marl Sleepsuit £28, Hunter+Boo

When they’re all tired out from their daytime fun and games, this super comfy sleepsuit in navy marl is lovely and soft against delicate skin.

PL AY TIME Let the little ones run wild in style with these play-proof pieces from organic children’s wear brand Hunter + Boo. hunterandboo.co.uk | Instagram: @hunterandboo

Organic Cotton Frill Dress £38, Hunter+Boo

We love this roar-tastic leopard print vest and leggings set, perfect for letting your littles get in touch with their wild side – as if they need encouraging!

80

styleofwight.co.uk

Girls will love running riot in this easy breezy sleeveless print dress, made with organic cotton – ideal for beachside adventures.

Fashion | STYLE

GROWN UP GIGGLES Style yourself happy with these retro and colour-pop faves from Visual Impact. visualimpact.co.uk | Instagram: @visualimpactiow

Glowing Colours Embrace Pantone’s colour of the year in this beautiful buttercup dress which will have all eyes on you.

Bucket h from £ ats 22, Visual Impact

Nineties Revival Turn back time by re-embracing the classic bucket hat.

Totally on trend and officially cool again.

Yellow dress £179, Visual Impact

Shirts available from £75, Visual Impact

Pop Culture Retro colour pop stripes can easily brighten up your look.

This Ben Sherman mod-inspired short-sleeved tee looks great paired with chinos and trainers for off-duty cool.

Leg Room Keep things low key and own your brand of laid-back cool in these loose cut Levi jeans that don’t take things too seriously.

Levi Loose Cut Jeans, £100, Visual Impact July and August 2021

81

An independant womens boutique specialising in branded clothing and accessories.

Ethical • Sustainable • Modern Baby + Kids' Wear from 0-5 Years hunterandboo.co.uk @hunterandboo

Island based - Free UK Delivery

stockists of SEASALT CORNWALL . MAT DE MISAINE THOUGHT . POMODORO . ROBELL

COWES

15 High Street PO31 7RZ tel 01983 290500

new wardrobe...new season...new you

ryde cowes online ryde 63 union street

63 union street

tel. 810581

123 high street

tel. 292966

www.mia-uk.com

newport 20 st. thomas square

Fashion | STYLE

Crowning Around With Sa ra h Matthews Flowers a nd Styl i ng

Remember the last time you threaded flowers through your hair? Us neither! Here are five blooming good excuses to wear a floral crown and embrace your inner flower child.

Birthday Bohemia

Crown Competition

Birthday girls and boys can take the spotlight with an elaborate flower crown on their special day.

Make flower power the new dress code for your next barbeque or go one further by setting a competition – may the best headdress win!

Afternoon Tea A delicate halo of fine flowers like gypsophila will look delicate, refined and suitably chic. Wear yours with a side of scones.

Hen Party Halos Hen parties are back: what better way to bond with the girls than by crafting your own flower crowns.

Olympic Games The ancient Greeks created the laurel wreath to be worn by champions, making them ideal for celebrating sporting triumphs at this year’s Tokyo Olympics.

Flower Crown Workshops Detail: Minimum of six people Venue: Our Rectory Mansion Studio, Nunwell House in Brading, or hosted at home.

Price: From £50 per person for 2-3 hours Visit sarahmatthewsflowers-styling.co.uk for more information

Image Credit: Becca Tapert, Unsplash

More stylish floral inspiration: @sarahmatthewsflowers @sarahmatthewsflowers.styling

July and August 2021

83

STYLE | Fashion Moon Jellyfish Earrings Shimmering blues and iridescent pinks that are sure to make everyone jelly. £55, Tatty Devine

Treasure Island From precious gems and playful pearls to whimsical smuggler-worthy trinkets to have, hold and wear – here are some of our favourite Island-inspired jewellery pieces this summer.

Morganite Alchemist Pendant

Bespoke Skull Pendant

Beach Candy Rocks Bracelets

This triangle morganite pendant is said to cleanse your aura, leaving you lighter and brighter.

This bespoke skull pendant is a real conversation starter.

Inspired by the candy necklaces and bracelets of childhood, these sweet bracelets are adorned with precious stones.

£50, Spike Rocks

84

styleofwight.co.uk

POA, Honeybourne Jewellery

£40, Spike Rocks

Fashion | STYLE

Little Sun Pendant Live life in the sun lane with this cute Little Sun Pendant in sterling silver. £75, Adrienne Wroath

Isle of Wight Pendant Necklace These iconic pendants are ideal for anyone with an Island shaped soft spot. from £46, Honeybourne Jewellery

Lapis Hoops For a blue as deep as the ocean, it can only be Lapis Lazuli. £85, Adrienne Wroath

Russian Doll Charm Bangle We love these bright enamel colours and cute design. from £30-58, Honeybourne Jewellery

Urchin Pendant Memories of days spent rockpooling can be kept close to your heart at all times with this sweet sterling silver pendant. £65, Adrienne Wroath

Rising Sun & Moon Pendant Play peekaboo with this double-sided Rising Sun and Moon pendant, in-laid with Mother of Pearl. £100, Spike Rocks

For more inspiration: Adrienne Wroath @adriennewroath | Honeybourne Jewellery @honeybournejewellery Spike Rocks @spikerocksjewellery | Tatty Devine @tattydevine July and August 2021

85

Jewellery creations from Serendipity Diamonds Bespoke Halo Ring Featuring a natural fancy intense yellow diamond surrounded by smaller yellow and white diamonds set into platinum.

Lord of the Rings Inspired Wedding Rings Bespoke three-stone Ruby Ring Handcrafted in yellow gold with three equally-sized rubies. Ruby is the birthstone for July and a perfect way to celebrate 40 years of marriage.

Both rings include a custom engraving applied in Elvish with a flush set diamond. Available from our bespoke wedding ring service.

Silver Starfish Necklace A simple starfish design, including an adjustable chain. Available from our ready-made showroom collection, also available online.

Price £35.00 in store.

Ruby and Diamond Halo Necklace Oval Ruby set within a halo of natural white diamonds. £435 available from the showroom collection. Supplied with an 18 inch adjustable Venetian Box chain.

Yellow Gold Ruby Swirl Earrings Delightful yellow gold and ruby swirl earrings accented by single-cut natural diamonds. £360. Available online or from our showroom collection.

Eleanor Halo Engagement Ring August’s birthstone Peridot makes a centrepiece for the Eleanor halo ring, handcrafted in Platinum, encircled by natural brilliant-cut diamonds. Available with full customisation through our bespoke jewellery service.

Specialists in jewellery remodelling and custom jewellery design Independent family jewellers on the Isle of Wight since 2007 www.serendipitydiamonds.com/uk chat online or call 01983 567 283

STYLE | Health and Beauty

DIG FOR VINTAGE

R

Offering monthly painting technique Vintage lifestyle through Find out more in-store the decades, fashion, iconic workshops. and on our Facebook page. furniture, fabrics, The ceramics, Colonnade, Lind Street, art and classic books.

Book a painting Ryde, Isle of Wight, PO33 2NE

D IG F O RV I N TAG E . C O. U K

Everything you need to create 01983 a gorgeous vintage look for your home.

The Colonnade Ryde PO33 2NE

719433

experience with us today!

Luxury flower deliveries Wedding flowers Flower arranging workshops Venue dressing, floral styling & decor hire Order flowers online-

www.sarahmatthewsflowers-styling.co.uk

07967 808275 / 07557 147116 Rectory Mansion, High Street, Brading. PO36 0DQ

T 01983 719433 E info@digforvintage.co.uk

hand crafted on

The Isle of Wight

for women who rock! ‘beautiful jewellery to help you stay connected, grateful and in the moment’

www.spikerocks.co.uk

Health and Beauty | STYLE

GET THE SUMMER GLOW

WELLBEING & MEDI SPA

Time to Revive, Refresh & Refocus

By Ca rol i ne Hu rley W EL L BEI NG PR ACT I T ION ER , BECA LMED W ELLBEING & MEDI SPA

At this time of year, we all want to look our best. Here are some of my favourite summer glow suggestions: Body Brushing

New for 2021 - The Natural Approach Facial Using Natural, Organic, Vegan Products from ESPA, we have created a wonderfully luxurious bespoke treatment to achieve beautiful skin, naturally.

Ideally, we should be body brushing all year round, but it is easy to forget during the winter months, so now is the time to get into good habits.I personally find this is best done first thing in the morning, and it has so many benefits: 1. Increases the circulation to the skin helping reduce the appearance of cellulite.

2. Sheds dead skin cells encouraging cell renewal helping give your skin a healthy glow 3. Improves vascular blood circulation and lymphatic drainage.

4. Rejuvenates the nervous system by stimulating nerve endings in the skin.

5. Helps with muscle tone and gives you a more even distribution of fat deposits.

Helping to improve your Health and Wellbeing.

Our experts will focus on restoring you to optimum skin health and body wellness.

Come and experience our tranquil oasis in the heart of Cowes

01983 296655

Another way to exfoliate is by using Exfoliating Body Polish from ESPA, a cooling and revitalising body scrub to refine, smooth and refresh skin, while helping to boost hydration.

Follow with Optimal Body Tri-Serum which helps to strengthen the skin’s natural moisture barrier to rediscover that all-important glow. To help slow down the signs of aging, try Lift and Firm Body Butter, with hydrating Larch and Pumpkin Seed Extract to help nourish, smooth and tone.

As well as taking care of ourselves externally, it is also important to remember that hydration is the most important of all human survival needs. As well as making sure I am drinking enough water, nothing makes me feel as good as a paddle in the sea and being in contact with this vital element that keeps us alive.

8 Birmingham Road • Cowes • P031 7BH info@becalmedincowes.co.uk www.becalmedincowes.co.uk July and August 2021

89

90

styleofwight.co.uk

People with style

IZZEY HUNG Words: Jo Ma cau lay Pictu re: Ch r istia n Wa r ren

Izzey Hung didn’t intend to have a shop, as her business XV Stripes is online, but the lease came up on her bijou ‘showroom’ in Wheatsheaf Lane, Yarmouth, and it is now adorned by her beautiful sea-themed bedlinens, cushions, throws and wallpapers.

“I couldn’t have done this business unless I lived here,” explains Izzey.

“The Island has really helped me breathe again and be me. Before I moved here my whole house was grey,” she laughs. “I would never have gone for blue! The Island, and one or two island friends, have helped me to come back to me again.”

July 1st is XV Stripes’ first anniversary. The company was named after the total number of stripes (15) in Izzey’s first bedlinen set, with its stunning wide blue and white stripes. Made from jacquard woven 100% sustainable cotton, you can see a bed made up with her eye-catching duvet and pillowcase sets in the showroom – each with their cute toggle fasteners, made from island driftwood, which means they are fully washable.

“All fabrics are sustainable or recycled or are eco fabrics, such as throws made from bamboo,” says Izzey. “The white fabric woven into our throws is made from recycled plastic bottles,” she adds.

“The Cardinals range features Solent cardinals, which are navigation markers or buoys in the Solent. We chose the ones that are the most familiar to people.”

Other ranges include the ‘Cowes’ collection, with the Gurnard inlet, complete with boatshed and rowboats, ‘Racing in the Solent’, ‘Old Gaffers’ and their Signature ‘XV Stripes’ Oxford cushions. The beautiful drawings are all done

by Izzey’s business partner in XV Stripes, Vicky Saunders.

Izzey also has a ‘Bespoke’ range, and Vicky has recently completed a commission to draw a client’s boat on six cushions to go onboard their yacht.

Each are on a background nautical chart – again chosen by the client.

Made to measure curtains and roman blinds are all made on the Island, and more recently Izzey discovered that Ravenprint in Cowes could print wallpaper for her – and that it could be printed to fit the customer’s walls, made to measure. So ‘Made For You’ was launched, for which she has partnered with Paul, of Paul Walden Interiors in East Cowes.

“Paul said it was some of the best wallpaper he’d ever worked with,” says Izzey.

“I’m trying to use as many Island people as I can, and otherwise we have a UK preference,” she adds. “Candles are made by Duxmore Botanics and go with each range.

“It’s been an interesting journey, but at the end of the day it comes down to quality,” she states firmly. “We do not scrimp on that.”

Style is…

What you make it, be yourself What does Island living mean to you…

Inspiration, gratitude, freedom, time to breathe, community. It’s changed my world for the better, I’m so lucky to be here.

Icons or inspirations?

Ralph Lauren, and my uncle.

Blunders and what you learned?

Whether it be corporate life or developing XV, never make assumptions that the other side knows what you mean. Always confirm back everyone’s role, expectations and understanding, then document it. Ask me about our just stripes range, these came out of something we learnt.

Top tips?

If you can dream it, you can do it - Walt Disney. Believe in yourself, don’t expect others to do this for you, it starts with you. Always be grateful and say thank you, every day. Negative things happen, that’s life, just don’t dwell over spilt milk, acknowledge it and move on with positivity. I would highly recommend having a mentor; I’ve been lucky enough to have a few and they have guided and asked the questions you don’t always want to answer.

Facing the future?

Rome wasn’t built in a day.

The Island brings inspiration every day, and I’m excited about the next journey.

July and August 2021

91

STYLE | Home

A Happy Home As an Interior Desig ner, it is my job to g ive clients the con fidence to go w ith a colour pa lette they love, inspire them w ith ideas and schemes they might not have thought of themselves, and empower them to live in a space that ma kes them tru ly happy.

By R a chel Sava ge Interior Desig ner, R ACH EL SAVAGE ST U DIO

There is plenty of psychology – and some science – around the concept of colour, but sometimes the best way to choose a palette you love is simply taking time to notice those colours you are naturally drawn to. In my own home, you’ll find optimismsignifying orange on my favourite dining-room rug and the cushions on my newly restored tan leather sofa. Here are some of my favourite playful touches to help you embrace colour in your happy home.

Rainbow fixtures Spectacular staircases

Adding a bright stair runner can really lift what are otherwise minimal, neutral spaces. Abbotts Flooring has a great range of options.

92

styleofwight.co.uk

For something truly unique, why not consider a powder-coated fixture such as this electric blue kitchen mixer

by Arne Jacobsen. The more colour confident might opt for a coloured basin – not to be confused with the avocado bathroom suite – such as these lovely hand-poured concrete basins by London Encaustic.

Home | STYLE

Make woodwork pop Skirting, door frames and cabinetry don’t have to be white.

Lately, we’ve been painting woodwork to match walls to make them disappear, but why not get playful with some Annie Sloan paint – available at Dig4Vintage in Ryde – for a fresh, personal take?

We also love browsing Islandbased WJH Carpentry’s Instagram page (@wjh_carpentryltd) for joinery inspiration.

Up the neon Is there anything more fun than a neon sign? It is such an easy way to add a bit of quirk into your home. We adore Islander Kez’s Neon Junki’s (@neon_junki) bespoke neon signs. The only question is – what would yours say?

Image credit: Unsplash

Rachel Savage Studio offers colour consultation packages starting from £99 to help you compile a cohesive palette that is perfect for you and your space. For more information visit Instagram @rachelsavagestudio or rachelsavagestudio.com July and August 2021

93

STYLE | Home

Carnival of Colour Styling by Susie Herbert-Light Photography by Holly Jolliffe

Bringing hedonism home: roll-up, roll-up (and relax) with high-summer heat, technicolour textures and pitcher-per fect patio par ties Parasol £350, Acacia Bay. Rug £80, This and That, Victorian toy, NFS. Emerald velvet cushion £29.95, Bayliss & Booth. Wine carafe £16.50, This and That. Feathers £8.75 each, This and That. Garlic Rasp £7.99, This and That. Bowl £24.99, This and That. Small jug £8.99, This and That. Large jug £18.99, This and That. Postcards, Acacia Bay. Vintage Chianti bottle £135, Attacus Antiques

94

styleofwight.co.uk

Home | STYLE

Vintage French café table and chair, £45 Dig 4 Vintage. Sheepskin £55, Acacia Bay. Fabric necklace £12, Dig 4 Vintage.

Colourful ceramic bowls £5.99 each, W. Hurst & Son. Paper straws £2.20 a pack, W. Hurst & Son. Bottle of matches £14.99, Bayliss & Booth. Dinner candles £1.50 each, Bayliss & Booth. Candle holders £3.50 each, Bayliss & Booth.

Bunting, Stylist’s own.

July and August 2021

95

STYLE | Home

96

styleofwight.co.uk

Home | STYLE

Hand painted decorative fairground signs £100 (Coconut Shy) and £125 (Helter Skelter), Attacus Antiques Beautiful blooms , thanks to Sarah Matthews Flowers Left: Parrot, Stylist’s own. Wooden seagull £20, Attacus Antiques.

Blue/White stripe duvet set (King) £255, XV Stripes. Ocean Sunlight throw £120, XV Stripes. Vintage shopping basket £24.50, Dig 4 Vintage. Vintage scarf (yellow) £14, Dig 4 Vintage. Vintage suitcase £120, Attacus Antique.

Vintage Indian fabric Ox £45, Attacus Antiques. Chair £65, Attacus Antiques. Sheepskin £55, Acacia Bay. Stripe cushion £45, XV Stripes. Vintage ‘Fiji’ scarf £12.50, Dig 4 Vintage.

July and August 2021

97

YARMOUTH GALLERY nd us in the high street, off the main square

CONTEMPORARY

ART & CRAFT

by Artists from the Island and around UK

OPEN DAILY

��a�great�l��le�car���ho�

SUMMER

www.yarmouthgallery.com

Art | STYLE

Yarmouth Gallery Plays its Cards Right Anne Toms’ Yarmouth Gallery is celebrating this summer, having reached the finals of the UK Greeting Cards Retailers Awards (The Retas) 2021. The popular West Wight gallery has been recognised for its extensive range of art greeting cards on offer featuring the work of both local and national artists.

Here, customers can browse through a wide range of styles, from abstract expressionism to modernist screenprints and Island-inspired landscapes, including Freshwater-based artist Linda Beale, whose limited edition prints and

cards are a bestseller. From July, ten of Anne Toms’ own original oil-painted seascapes – photographed and reproduced for print on recycled card

by David Whistance – will also join the extensive collection.

Owner Anne Toms says: “Being shortlisted right out of the blue has amazed and excited us because it really is a tiny space – though stuffed full of artists’ cards we love.”

Images from left to right: Linda Beale ‘The Warren’, Sonia Coode-Adams ‘Roses in the Abortoreum’, Moira Wills ‘Raindance’, Angela Brittain ‘Girl Power’

Anne Toms ‘Oystercatchers at Compton Bay’

www.yarmouthgallery.com

CARPET | VINYL | LAMINATE LUXURY VINYL TILES SAFETY, CONTRACT & COMMERCIAL FLOORING

WWW.ABBOTTS-FLOORING.CO.UK

STYLE | Property

telephone email website

A BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED HOME IN A TUCKED AWAY LOCATION This home, situated in Shanklin, has been fully renovated to a very high standard throughout. The proper ty is naturally bright and airy, with spacious accommodation, plentiful parking, a garage and gardens wrapping to all sides.

A generous entrance hall gives access to a large front aspect sitting room, an open plan kitchen and dining room and 3 bedrooms. There is a wonderful sun room which has sliding windows opening onto the front garden, whilst from the 2nd bedroom there is balcony which also overlooks the secluded front garden. The open plan kitchen/ dining area provide a great sociable space which is perfect for enter taining and has bi-fold doors leading out onto the sun terrace. The 3 bedrooms are served by an en-suite shower room to the main bedroom, a “Jack and Jill” family bathroom and a W/C. A lower ground floor area is currently used for storage, but subject to the relevant consents could provide additional accommodation, office space or a games room.

01983 874777 info@turnbullandmaton.co.uk turnbullandmaton.co.uk

Salu, Shanklin £775,000

The house sits nicely within its plot, with mature lawned gardens wrapping to 3 sides which are planted with a variety of shrubs and fruit trees. Parking for several vehicles, a garage and additional areas which could be for the storage of a boat or motorhome.

This is a fantastic oppor tunity to purchase a home which is literally ready to move straight into and star t enjoying life, from the beaches and countryside walks to the shops, restaurants and pubs.

BEMBRIDGE OFFICE 3 Foreland Road, Bembridge PO35 5XN styleofwight.co.uk

Property | STYLE

Light and Space PINE TREE CLOSE, COWES

Enjoy space to breathe in this conveniently located Cowes home Beautifully presented and well maintained, this four-bedroom detached house is nestled within a cul-de-sac just off Baring Road.

A sought-after location and only minutes from local amenities, waterfront and Red Jet. Built at the turn of the twenty-first century, this property is ideal as a ‘lock up and leave’ bolthole or as a spacious family home.

A newly laid decked area to the rear, flanked by trees and shrubs, is the perfect spot of an evening for a BBQ. The main garden is situated to the side of the property and is predominantly laid to lawn, with plants and shrubs bordering and giving privacy.

Clockwise from left: The house has a New England aesthetic and is situated in a quiet culde-sac. A well-planned garden offers space to entertain. An airy living room offers space to unwind with access to the garden.

The perfect bolthole or a spacious family home.

Viewings with Hose Rhodes Dickson – The Collection, on 01983 538090 July and August 2021

101

Chilly’s Bottles e Jellycat t Keepcup u Gisela Graham j East of India v Carrie Elspeth Three Rivers Hamper Company n The Holiday Shop London 2 Marmalade of London

Lily-Flame 6 Emma’s Soaps 0 Popshots - The English Soap Company

Beach art Glass [ Stubbs Mugs a Solmate Socks

109 High Street, Cowes 07368 841308

PREMIUM DECORATOR AND LEADING INSTALLER OF WALL-COVERINGS ONLY YOUR IMAGINATION SETS THE LIMITS! T:01983 475738 | M: 07812 951145 | paul@paulwaldeninteriors.com | www.paulwaldeninteriors.com

Property | STYLE

Downland Delight C O U T H Y B U T T S FA R M , S T C AT H E R I N E ’ S D O W N

Go off-grid and enjoy your own corner of beautiful Island countryside on this rural farm This unique property and surrounding land offer the purchaser the chance to truly embrace rural life. Set amid downland, much of which is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the cottage is thought to date from the Georgian era and has been subject to sensitive modernisation including rethatching in the last ten years.

The cottage comprises a good-sized lounge and kitchen, together with three comfortable bedrooms. Exposed stone and brickwork add to its character and rural views abound. Outside, the lawned garden surrounds the cottage and leads to a natural pond to the south. The land available totals around 40 acres, including unspoilt downland and mature woodland which are a wildlife paradise.

The cottage has a planning restriction for holiday use only, so cannot be used as a principal residence. It would make a wonderful retreat from the bustle of town life.

This property is available as a whole or in two lots

Clockwise from left: A tranquil oasis amid rolling downland. Eaves and exposed brickwork bring character.

The country kitchen is well-appointed.

Viewings with Spence Willard, on 01983 200880. Visit spencewillard.co.uk July and August 2021

103

B A Y L I S S

B O O T H

SS21 LI N TOE RVI O RES

Relaxed Country Luxe MID-CENTURY

@baylissandbooth

SKANDI

FRENCH CHATEAU

VINTAGE FINDS

01983 528600 B AY L I S S A N D B O O T H . C O . U K

LUSHINGTON HILL WOOTTON PO33 4RD

OM O R G W NIN O SH OPE OON S

The Glass Architects From splashbacks to sliding doors, balustrades to bi-fold doors, architectural designs to aluminium windows we realise the true potential of glass.

185 High Street, Ryde Isle of Wight PO33 2PN Tel:01983 640 908 | Email:info@1st-affordable.com | Web:1st-affordable.com

Property | STYLE

On the Water TIDES REACH, COWES

Balconies with marina views and a private mooring – it’s all on offer with this opportunity to purchase one of two mews cottages These Cowes cottages are perfectly positioned in a peaceful gated development with just a short walk to town. Whether you prefer to travel by land or sea you have options - the property benefits from both a shared pontoon mooring and a hugely sought-after private parking space - as well as easy access to the Red Jet to Southampton for hassle-free commuting.

The versatile accommodation in each cottage is arranged over three floors and includes two good size balconies from where you can enjoy fantastic views of the marina and the sea.

There is a spacious open plan living area, kitchen, 3 bedrooms (principal with ensuite) and the added benefit of owning a share of a private pontoon, entitling an owner to up to 6 metres mooring space.

Accessed from Birmingham Road through an archway and double gates leading to the parking areas. The properties are priced from £550,000.

Clockwise from left: Set in a secluded sunny spot, Tides Reach is a haven from the bustle of Cowes. Soak up marina life with access to your own pontoon mooring. Light, spacious rooms maximise the potential of the beautiful outlook.

Viewings with Waterside Properties, on 01983 300111. Visit watersideisleofwight.com July and August 2021

105

Business | STYLE

H O W T O L O O K F O R WA R D WITH CONFIDENCE

By Lisa Butler ROUSE LTD

Y

es, It’s been rough but we’re always on guard to guide you through the turmoil – because this is the heart of what we do, says Lisa Butler, Office Manager at Rouse Limited.

It was life, but not as we know it During the past year our lives went into a kind of weird suspended animation: the country came to a grinding halt but somehow still functioned. This limbo living wasn’t entirely comfortable and the financial markets reflected our collective unease.

Everyone’s experience has been different though and as is always the case, some have fared better than others.

Reflect, regroup, renew

Now that the country is waking up it’s important to recognise what we’ve all been through and to take a moment to reflect and consider how we all want to return to our lives. As Independent Financial Planners we are guardians of your financial wellbeing and our holistic, long-term approach means we take time to get a full picture of your life.

In many ways the world was forced to take time out and, for us, 2020 was a year of reinvention and adaptation. We had already taken steps to improve the way we work both in the overall service we offer and the way we communicate so when the pandemic forced a change in everyone’s lives, we were able to respond rapidly and appropriately to our clients’ needs, helping them to chart a course through a very stormy period.

Cybercrime has increased enormously as more people started to communicate online, and ensuring the security of our clients’ data is paramount. Our updated personal finance portal, Nutshell, and our secure online communications solution are innovations we were improving and developing for a while. These vital innovations allowed us to continue to provide a seamless service to our clients throughout the lockdowns, while maintaining data security. As a professional hub we work with trusted partners, such as solicitors and accountants, creating a beacon of security and support and providing a safe haven throughout any life turbulence.

We’ve got your back One of the key benefits of using a qualified Independent Financial Planner is that we will always be there to guide you. We’ve all learned now that life can be random; we also know that forward planning is key to managing our money.

You can’t plan for every twist in life but a plan that allows for adjustment can help smooth things out.

Facilities such as lifetime cash flow forecasting allow us to create the broadest picture of your existing financial situation and project it into the future. It can help you see how much you need to live on and how to prepare for the ups and downs of life.

So, however you plan to re-emerge into your world, we can be with you every step of the way.

Rouse Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Ou r Mission To change lives for the better.

This is the anchor for everything we do. It is what we measure any suggestions or management decisions against, always keeping our clients at the heart of the process.

July and August 2021

107

Handmade with love

by Island Artisans

Unique Art, Gifts, Food & Drink All in one place… ready to send to you

wightoriginals.com

Business | STYLE

Find your perfect Islandmade gift with Wight Originals

A

new online marketplace has just launched which champions Island-made gifts and artisan items in one convenient platform across an extensive range of home, art, food and drink. A percentage of all sales will support a range of Island charities, starting with the Wight Squirrel Project.

Karen Webster-Dunn conceived and developed the idea using her 25 years of marketing experience to bring the website into being with the help of Miles Bullock, of Ryde-based website design agency Dataviu, and Claire Speight Design on branding.

The world of Wight Originals is made up of a 45 artisan-strong vendor community from all walks of Island creative life, from bakers to basket weavers. For some, selling their products online is a brand-new experience; others already sell through global online marketplaces – all are excited about the opportunities this new platform will provide.

Win

Style of Wi g ht h a s tea med up w it h Wi g ht Or i g i na ls to br i n g you a T rea su re Chest of Wi g ht Or i g i na ls g i f ts a nd good ies wor t h over £300 i n a beaut i f u l wh ite w icker h a mper.

For your chance to win visit www.styleofwight.co.uk

Karen Webster-Dunn

In a single online destination, you will find everything from photographic prints and pebble art to metalwork and mosaic. “We have some wonderful products available and are looking to grow the selection even further, ensuring we continue to provide great support of our vendors and a fantastic experience for our customers,” says Karen.

To find out more, visit www.wightoriginals.com or follow on social media @wight_originals July and August 2021

109

STYLE | Business

112

styleofwight.co.uk

Business | STYLE

P L AY H A R D , B U T P L AY S A F E

By Ha n na h Lisseter DI RECTOR , GL A N V I L L ES

With lockdown after lockdown, and numerous restrictions in place over the last few months, there has been little opportunity for the type of leisure activities we are normally used to.

For the lucky ones, an outside space has been an advantage, and many families have turned to traditional play, like board games, to manage the boredom and social isolation.

Many of us have done more exercise with running, cycling, and walking being amongst the most popular activities.

We have all got to know our local environment a little bit better and going forward it is hoped that this will lead to a greater appreciation of nature and a sense of community spirit in tackling the issues facing our corner of the world. As the country opens up it is time to put into practice the lessons we have learned from a slower pace of life.

For many there has been a sense of frustration at being prevented from doing the things they love. This may translate into a huge demand for

activities as adventure centres re-open and enthusiasm for an adrenaline rush abounds. In the heat of the moment it is easy to throw caution to the wind and take chances with our own safety.

If the pandemic has taught us anything it is that life is precious, and we can’t take it for granted. So, as we embrace our new freedom, let’s make sure we stay safe and take measures to protect the things we love.

Hannah Lisseter is a Director specialising in Wills, Probate, Powers of Attorney and Court of Protection matters. Email: hannah.lisseter@gdlegalservices.co.uk Tel: 01983 527878.

To s p e a k t o o n e o f o u r e x p e r t s p l e a s e c a l l u s o n 0 1 9 8 3 5 2 7 8 7 8

Island knowledge, national expertise At Glanvilles Damant, we are committed to achieving the highest standards and the best results for our clients. We pride ourselves on putting the needs of our clients at the heart of

The Courtyard, St Cross Business Park Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 5BF

t: 01983 527878 f: 01983 821629

DX 56352 Newport IW e: hello@gdlegalservices.co.uk

www.gdlegalservices.co.uk

July and August 2021

113

THE BUSINESS O F I M A G I N AT I O N w ith Ma r n ie Ja nawa y BR A N D DE V ELOPER , RETA I L M EN TOR , BUSI N ESS CONSU LTA N T

I’m excited to be helping Vicky Wells and Emily Henson of Wonderfell Theatre Company grow and develop their innovative theatre workshops designed to awaken the senses and creatively engage young minds.

Vicky and Emily’s aim is to reimagine the delivery of the primary curriculum as an exciting, empowering learning journey. As parents, they share a wealth of experience across performing arts and live event production as well as primary and secondary education, understanding first-hand how music and drama can influence how children observe the world.

And where do I come in? Vicky and Emily already have the basics – knowledge, passion and commitment – covered. I help bring their ideas to life through effective business planning; giving focused, practical advice to build their ideas in a sustainable way.

Having a strong foundation built on sound planning leaves you free to enjoy running your business, creating a buzz and sense of fun that radiates out to clients and children.

Testi mon ia l “We are very passionate about helping children through creative workshops – Marnie is really focusing us on the fundamentals of the business; a great practical sounding board as we grow.”

– Vicky Wells and Emily Henson, Wonderfell Theatre Company Find out more at wonderfell.com or on Instagram @wonderfell_theatre_co

Whatever stage your business is at, I am here to spark ideas and make your journey forward as smooth as possible.

To book a free initial consultation email marnie.janaway@iwchamber.co.uk or call 07770 796524. Web: marniejanaway.com

Wight Gift Card

With a :LǨKW *LIW &DUG, give the gift of the Isle of Wight’s bestknown brands and producers

t Card

Wight Gif

For full list of retailers and to buy your Wight Gift Card visit wightgiftcard.co.uk

4775RGN 12/20 CJ

Sponsored by

Business | STYLE

SELLING I S A N A RT

By Da le Howa r t h BUSI N ESS M EN TOR , SPEA K ER A N D CPD TR A I N ER

T

he disruption of the last year has enforced the use of new sales tactics.

Changes in selling that business would normally expect to effect over years have taken place in weeks and days.

With the new reality of remote selling and building customer relationships virtually, different sales tactics are now having to be adopted, as the focus shifts to strengthening customer relationships and Customer Lifetime Value. Although the crisis was unforeseen, the changes that sales professionals are making are not completely new.

When it comes to selling there are those that believe it is all about a slick pitch and a winning personality, to push your product and close the sale by persistence and countering any objection along the way. This simple form of selling is known as the 5P model (Product Pushing through Personality, Persistence and Price) or Closing Sales Model, and was born in the 1950s but is still used today in high-pressure sales environments.

However, this isn’t the only way to get your product into your customer’s hands. It’s worth considering some of the many selling models that exist, as this may help you to put a name to your current method or discover a new model to deploy as you drive your business forward.

Which and how many of these models you use will depend on your product or service and the types of objections you receive from prospective customers. There are many models, but here are six of the most commonly used.

Value-Added Sales Model – a strategy that emerged to help overcome price objection.

Here, once price is raised or anticipated as a barrier to selling, a value-added incentive is introduced to increase the value vs price proposition. Often used in conjunction with the 5P and Closing Sales Model.

Relationship Sales Model – based upon building a relationship by engaging with the same prospect repeatedly and over an extended period of time. It involves getting to know the customer (and them you) at both a professional and often personal level. Key to this is to understand the customers’ business and personal boundaries to avoid violating them.

Personality Style Model – based on recognising that different personality types prefer their own particular style of engagement; providing structure and enhancing the Relationship Sales Model. Making the relationship more valuable through personalisation and attention to detail.

Problem-Solving Sales Model – here the sales professional asks both open and closed questions, probing for problems to solve and ‘hot buttons’ to press. Once these are discovered, you can present solutions that resolve the problem or help to achieve the customer’s goal.

Consultative Sales Model – this model requires you to have a proven track record and strong indepth knowledge of your product or service. With this you can work to more fully understand the customers’ business needs, goals and aspirations.

From this point a more optimised solution can be defined and presented to meet this need.

Partnering Sales Model – a strategic collaborative model. Here you partner with another business, typically where your products or services are complementary, and collectively add value for the customer to strengthen your joint proposition. Whilst partnering is not a legal agreement, it does require a high degree of trust and a balanced return that does not significantly favour one partner over the other.

Selling is an art and being a Sales Professional is something to admire. Like most things it is a skill learnt and honed over time. Those that do prosper, as do the businesses that recognise and reward this talent.

Dale Howarth is a Business Mentor, CPD Speaker and Accredited CPD Training Provider. Working with individuals and companies to make the business leaders and businesses successes of tomorrow.

To find out more visit dalehowarth.com.

July and August 2021

113

Interview | STYLE

Style speaks to comedian and comedy writer

Gráinne Mag uire and being silly and ridiculous onstage, feeling carefree and stupid, feels like a goddamn victory!

On the Island I absolutely love the Isle of Wight. It feels like an immersive Enid Blyton experience, without the problematic bits. The first time I was here I bought a Russ Abbot record in a charity shop and gave it to my friend for her birthday and it was the best present I’ve ever given anyone.

On show business and sparkle I am a simple showgirl because I love all the razzledazzle of show business.

I really love old school comedians who’d start their show with a song and could tap dance, I’d love to bring that back some day.

On joy and joining in Joy for me is the snap crackle and pop when an audience connects with something you say and we all have the brief collective release. Life is ridiculous but people are, by and large, great. I think we all appreciate each other and time we have together even more now.

On sea-swimming (no) and shade-sipping (yes) I have a horror of the sea.

Don’t trust it, don’t like it.

Growing up near the sea in Ireland I had a horror of the huge jellyfish the size of tractor tyres that washed up on the beach. We are exactly opposite Sellafield and I’m convinced they were mutated. The sea is creepy, smells awful and is full of creepy animals that look like night horrors. What I love is cafés by the sea. They are my delight.

Ventnor has those amazing cafés and

114

styleofwight.co.uk

See Gráinne at Ventnor Fringe

Image credit: Idil Sukan

bars by the beach where I can sit in the shade and pretend I’m in a 1950s British comedy. They are the best.

On play and performance It’s really important to keep your stand up playful - you’re there ultimately to entertain people and give them a break from the real world. Getting back to performing feels really magical.

Everyone has been through so much

Gráinne Maguire, writer for The Last Leg, 8 out of 10 Cats, and heard on 5Live returns to her favourite Island paradise Arts Festival, Ventnor Fringe, this summer. On 26th and 27th July she will bring all the bottled-up thoughts, joy and nervous energy of the past 18 months to the Comedy and Cabaret Tent in Ventnor Park. Mainly she’s just really excited to be out of her flat.

Tickets at vfringe.co.uk

HAND-CRAFTED ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT

FREE YOUR SPIRIT I S L E O F W I G H T D I S T I L L E R Y.C O M | +4 4 (0) 1 9 8 3 61 3 6 5 3