Style of Wight Issue 75 March/April

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 75 MARCH / APRIL 2022

Adventure awaits

D E S T I N AT I O N

COWES Homes

I nter ior trends to l i f t you r mood

CHAFFINCH Fringilla coelebs

INTERVIEW

Materials: moss, wool, lichen, grass, cobwebs Lining: feathers, hair

lifestyle

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fashion

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health

with explorer CHARLIE HEAD

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beauty

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food

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home

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family

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art

L I F E S T Y L E

NEW STYLE, NEW YEAR! 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

Sold HELLO@SPENCEWILLARD.CO.UK

by

01983 200880

72

%

of sales have achieved the guide price or above

With the remaining

28

%

*Data taken from all office sales 01.01.22 – 17.02.22

of sales achieving within 5% of the guide price

CONTACT SPENCE WILLARD FOR SOUND MARKET KNOWLEDGE, ACCURATE ADVICE & AN EFFECTIVE MARKETING STRATEGY SPENCEWILLARD.CO.UK

@ s pe nc e w illa rd @ s pe nc e w illa rdiw

Cowes Seafront

Guide Price

£1,600,000

The Summer House is an attractive period home, situated in the prime position on Cowes seafront, with panoramic Solent views and a south-facing terraced garden. Plenty of off road parking. This substantial and unique home is one not to be missed.

Cowes

Guide Price

A beautifully presented 3 bedroom semi detached home located close to Cowes town centre with a modern and stylsh kitchen/breakfast room, 2 reception rooms, balcony, rear garden and with potential for off road parking. Viewing is highly recommended.

www.watersideproperties.com

£360,000

Lynda Blenkinsop

Paul Booker

Georgie McCarthy

T | 01983 300111 Island Harbour

Prices from

£395,000

We have a choice of two yachtsman style cottages situated at the idylic and popular Island Harbour. Each cottage has its own mooring, courtyard garden and parking.

Cowes

Guide Price

£450,000

Elegant townhouse within level walking distance to the town of Cowes, 4 double bedrooms, 2 receptions, a large kitchen/breakfast room and far reaching river views from the rooms at the rear. This well presented home also has a large enclosed rear garden and off road parking for 2 vehicles.

Farringford Cottage Freshwater £875,000

4 | EPC TBC

An idyllic stone cottage situated in a picturesque conservation area, complete with AGA and enjoying countryside views. Farringford Cottage believed to have been built in the 1700’s, a sizeable thatched cottage also benefitting from an outbuilding with potential for holiday use or annexe, subject to the usual consents. The current owners have added a hardwood conservatory and have historically been keen gardeners, tending the plot of 0.55 acres that is enclosed and dog/child friendly. A charming character home in close proximity of local amenities and located alongside land protected by the local Parish Council.

The Willows Arreton Guide Price £850,000

5 | EPC D

The Willows is conveniently placed and tucked away in the Arreton Valley, boasting holiday let accommodation/ annexe, land and countryside views. In close proximity not only to village life, walks and bridleways but also, Newport and main routes across the Island.

Situated on a level plot of just under 4 acres and enjoying the benefits of double glazing, gas central heating and a log burning stove in the lounge, double width garage and two conservatories.

This home has been upgraded in very recent times, the kitchen is newly fitted and the driveway offers parking for at least two cars.

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

CLASSIC

CONTEMPORARY

Westridge House Ryde £1,700,000

COASTAL

5 | EPC E

Accessed through electric gates, an exceptional south facing family home in an acre plot, set back from the road and taking the lion’s share of residential land on this popular road. Edwardian style and enjoying countryside views, Westridge House is set in mature well-established gardens. Extended and upgraded over recent years to incorporate a custom design snooker room and balcony to the rear that overlooks the gardens, swimming pool and countryside.

Warlands Farm Shalfleet £1,350,000

5 | EPC N/A

Dating back to the 1700’s a rare opportunity to purchase, a traditional stone farmhouse in the pretty village of Shalfleet. Sitting in its own plot that measures 1.45 acres with several outbuildings and an idyllic countryside backdrop. The main property has been extended over the years and now accommodates five bedrooms, boasts many original features and fireplaces, including an Inglenook to the sitting room.

Newport 01983 538090

Ryde 01983 617640

Bembridge 01983 875000

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

Designing with Nature's Colour Wheel

www.raineypetrie.co.uk

@raineypetrie

Cover Illustration by Susan Ogilvy See page 60

Editor and Creative Director Christian Warren christian@styleofwight.co.uk Associate Editor Jo Macaulay jo@styleofwight.co.uk Sub Editor Helen Hopper Production Assistant Hannah Wilson office@styleofwight.co.uk Contributors Lauren Fry, Dale Howarth, Tracy Curtis, James Rayner, Roz Whistance Design Laura Craven Photography Christian Warren, Julian Winslow, Megan Clarke Sales Christian Warren christian@styleofwight.co.uk Distribution office@styleofwight.co.uk 01983 861007

Note from the Editor Almost every Foreward or Editor’s letter at this time of the year will reference Spring arriving, unfolding, falling through our now open windows. And this one is going to fit right in too. How could it not with our stunning cover illustration by Susan Ogilvy?

Her book, Nests, that graces our cover has sparked a moment of clarity and inwardly reflective thoughts. How in nature we often overlook, brush past or step over the most beautiful and delicate forms, yet these items surround us, and upon a closer look, reveal many hours of hard work and toil, often in the most beautiful forms that only nature can produce. A naked singular twig when gathered with others, and treated with thought, knowledge, and purpose, join together to create a unique and quietly intense piece of nature – that is not only visually beautiful, but serves real purpose for the animals that will one day dwell here.

Look for the birds, notice the intrinsic wonder of nature. It is always here, but now more than any other time of the year, it warms our very souls.

“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.”

– Confucius “I find beauty in unusual things, like hanging your head out of the window, or sitting on a fire escape.”

– Scarlet Johansson “People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.”

– Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Christian Warren

Supported by Acclaim Logistics

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.

Winners at the IW Chamber Awards 2016

Get in touch

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

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.

March and April 2022

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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

Spring has sprung at Shorelines with Simon Drew humour and Jellycat cuddlies.

We bring you some Eggsalent Easter cards and Decorations from Gisela Graham, East of India and Rosie Made A Thing, we look forward to welcoming you.

109 High Street, Cowes

07368 841308

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Contents

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Issue 75: March and April 2022

REGULARS 14

16

18

114

FEATURES

The Style Scoop: Adventure into spring with a selection of inspiring products from local businesses Style picks: our seasonal round up of places to go, people to meet and things to know Lead interview: Circumnavigating the UK on a Paddle Board with Charlie Head Style speaks: to famous actress and author Celia Imrie

ART 24

PVA planets: with Lauren Fry

26

Meet the maker: Green woodworker Jim Bradley

30 34

Style spectrum: Christopher Cockroft Children’s Writing Competition winner: Isobel Baynham

42

Our new Biodiversity Feature begins with –

FASHION, HEALTH AND BEAUTY

56

Our wild haven: celebrating our Red Squirrels with Jen Parker

54

Celebrations: with Elaine Cesar

58

Playful squirrels: through the lens of Sienna Anderson

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Recovery: with Charlotte Hurley

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60

Nests by Susan Ogilvy

Embracing the fear: with Hattie MacAndrews

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Adventure awaits

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Spring trends: with Visual Impact

76

Making a scene: with Rowena Amos

HOME

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Destination Cowes

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84

The story of Caroline Goldsmid

Stimulate the senses and spirit this spring: with Studio Jute

86

Joy riding and fine dining

98

Get ready for the roses: with Busy Bee

88

Out on An Island: the Island’s LGBTQ+ history explored

102

Homes to Inspire

107

When house becomes home: with Modh Design

FOOD 38

Meet the chef: Matt Egan

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Sprouting this Spring

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Recipe: Asparagus and tomato frittata

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Recipe: Warm buckwheat and beetroot salad

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Seasonal vegetable: with Will Steward of Living Larder

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Recipe: Bacon and Sage Froise by James Rayner

BUSINESS 111

Spruce-up for Spring: with Hannah Lisseter

113

Motivated reasoning: with Dale Howarth

March and April 2022

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the Style

scoop

Team Style’s seasona l roundup of places to go, people to meet, and things to k now across the Isle of Wight this spring.

Into the garden Get creative in the garden with inspiration from The Isle of Wight Spring Art and Garden Fair, which returns to Northwood House on April 15th and 16th (Good Friday and Easter Saturday).

Sponsored by Red Funnel, exhibitors on the lawns will include garden and plant nurseries from the Island and mainland, and inside the house will be an exhibition of Island artists. northwoodhouse.org

Pa ra doxes at Quay A r ts You’re i n for a treat at Quay A rts, where there is a n ex h ibition of Contempora r y British Pa i nters that ru ns from 12TH Ma rch to May 7th. ‘Pa radoxes’ showcases a rt from 52 contempora r y British a rtists, i nclud i ng fou r g uest Isla nd a rtists: Jo Hu m mel, Cha rles Inge, Lisa Tra x ler a nd Ma rius von Brasch.

NATURE TRAILS AT MOTTISTONE W hy not ta ke you r k ids on a natu re tra i l at Mottistone Ma nor Ga rdens th is Easter Hol iday, w ith natu rethemed activ ities for a l l the fa m i ly, a nd a chocolate egg to col lect at the end? Natu re Tra i ls a re from Apri l 11th to 24th from 10.30a m to 5pm da i ly, w ith a £3 supplement per tra i l i n add ition to norma l ad m ission. nationa ltrust.org.u k /mottistonega rdens-a nd-estate

quaya rts.org

Yarmouth wins dog-friendly vote Daphne the rather cute sausage dog voted Yarmouth to be one of the top ten dog-friendly destinations, for Canine Critics. Daphne even brought a paddling pool to stay cool during her stay, and visited The Garlic Farm, Ventnor Botanic Garden and Godshill Model Village – perfect for dinky Daphne. caninecottages.co.uk/canine-critics

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I nd ia n theme for Di mbola Fol low i ng pa ra l lels between the work of pioneeri ng 19th centu r y photog rapher Ju l ia Ma rga ret Ca meron a nd the l ives a nd work of a rtists Jeremy Bea r, Su na ra Beg u m a nd Du nsta n Perera , ‘Creative Cross Cu rrents’ ru ns from Ma rch 26th to Ju ne 5th at Di mbola Museu m a nd Ga l leries i n Freshwater a nd has a n especia l ly Ind ia n v ibe. d i mbola .co.u k

Home-g row n Ja zz Accompl ished Ja zz si nger Ni na Ross, from Cowes, w i l l be perform i ng at Northwood House on May 13th w ith Jon T horne (from Yorkston /T horne/K ha n) on double bass, G eorge Bone on pia no a nd Ch ris Jones (from T he Plastic Merma ids) on d ru ms. n i na-ross.com

Record Store Day returns It’s Record Store Day at Ventnor Exchange on April 23rd with special new releases from all your faves to coincide with this annual event. Open from the earlier time of 9am, there will be DJs and live bands playing ‘in-stores’ throughout the day and their big RSD Quiz in the evening. ventnorexchange.co.uk/whats-on

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Freshwater Bay Paddleboard Co Find an adventure with your own Freshwater Bay Paddleboard Co SUP board from our very own home-grown stand-up paddleboard company based in Freshwater – we love the vintage-styled Freshwater Bay logo.

Freshwater Bay Paddleboard Co’s SUPs are “designed for both the serenity of flatwater paddling and the thrill of the surf”.

For more on paddleboarding see our interview with Charlie Head on page 18. freshwaterbaypaddleboards.co.uk

Style picks Bring adventure into your life through inspirational reads, dramatic one-of-a-kind furnishings, and all the kit you need to support life without limits...

Driftwood pendant light Get that adventurous vibe indoors, by bringing the outdoors in with one of these made-tomeasure pendant lights from Acacia Bay in Shanklin. Choose your own piece of New Zealand driftwood, and the number and style of light fittings you require, and Richard will make up your bespoke driftwood pendant light in his workshop. acaciabayiow.co.uk

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Huski cups Created from recycled rice husks, Huski travel cups are completely non-toxic and ideal for taking on any adventure. huskihome.com

Men’s Timberland original 6-inch boot Embrace Timberland’s iconic style because this boot was made for walking. Thick soles and a cushioned ankle make for a comfortable hike. visualimpact.com

Party Grill 200 The weather is improving, and soon we’ll be outdoors wanting that authentic outdoor-cooked food experience.

Take the mess out of the equation with the Party Grill 200 stove from Hursts. hurst-iw.co.uk

Rapanui women’s raincoat Weather the showers, on your spring adventures, in this sustainable raincoat from Rapanui. No plastic nasties here as it’s made from certified cotton canvas with a water-resistant coating that is PFC-free, and it has metal YKK poppers. Lined with super-soft organic cotton for a cosy layer to keep you snug in changeable spring weather. rapanuiclothing.com

‘Never Give Up’ by Bear Grylls The sequel to his bestselling autobiography, ‘Mud, Sweat and Tears’, this romp through Bear’s filming adventures — featuring lots of unpalatable food items — takes us from tackling a large goat’s testicle to eating ants with Prince George round the back of the Royal Yacht Squadron.

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STYLE | Interview

The call of adventure Charlie Head – explorer Explorer of the waters of the world, Charlie Head was the obv ious choice for our ‘Adventure Awaits’ issue of Style of Wight. From padd leboarding down the A mazon and the Blue Ni le, to circumnav igating the U K, solo, without a back up boat, Charlie is the very essence of a traditiona l explorer.

By Jo Ma cau lay

C

harlie’s small base in the West Wight is the very epitome of an explorer’s office. If Shackleton were alive today, he’d have an office much like this one, with maps on the walls, the tools of his trade hanging from the ceiling, bags of essential kit packed neatly on the floor and interesting objects from his travels strewn over any available surface.

Brought up on a boat in Cyprus during his early years, and later in Bembridge, it’s not surprising that seas and rivers have become Charlie Head’s passion and his go-to place. He began his romance with paddleboarding just over a decade ago and was the first person to paddleboard around the Island single-handed.

“That’s really when it started,” says Charlie. “I went round the Isle of Wight, that was my first tester, then it was the South Coast and I decided to do the Atlantic but then Red Bull came along, and they scooped me up to do the Amazon (in 2015), instead of crossing the Atlantic.”

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He went on to paddle the Blue Nile in 2017, but in between these adventures he began his next challenge to paddle around the entire coast of the UK, which he completed in September 2021.

A litany of paddleboarding ‘firsts’ During his navigation of Scotland, Charlie completed a remarkable firstof-a-kind overnight 104km nonstop crossing of Moray Firth. He paddled solo and unsupported in less than 24 hours, through two wind farms in 15 hours of darkness on November 20th, 2020. Then, on 10th December, Charlie rounded Cape Wrath, paddling east to west around the most north westerly point of Scotland; he is believed to be first paddleboarder to do so.

On 21st July 2021 Charlie crossed “The Minch” from Stoer to Lemreway, a 70km solo unsupported paddle in 18 hours, and on 30th July he crossed The Inner Hebridean Sea, an open water, one of a kind 82km feat solo from Lochboisdale on South Uist, landing on Tiree 15 hours later.

Friday 10th September saw a huge fundraising and endurance challenge to mark ‘The Last Stand’ of Charlie’s circumnavigation. Then, at 4am on 11th September, Charlie concluded the first unofficial official circumnavigation of the UK by breaking the world solo and unsupported distance record - 87.2 miles / 140.3 km / 75.7 nautical miles in 22.5 hours.

Setting Off When Charlie set off on his trip around the UK in June 2016, he had limited food supplies – just what he could carry on the board – and no money, relying on the generosity of supporters and strangers.

“I did the UK in three stages, Land’s End to London and then London all the way around to Land’s End,” explains Charlie.

“I went up the coast to Berwick on Tweed and across land on a little girl’s bike.”

A little girl’s bike?

“I chose the bike because it was about people supporting and helping me, and

Interview | STYLE

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STYLE | Interview

Charlie in Scotland

part of it was the spirit of adventure and having a laugh with it and raising money – I couldn’t sit down on it! So that made Scotland laugh and raised loads more money,” he laughs.

“Then I carried on and returned to Scotland, which was broken in half

by Covid. I did the West coast, and I crossed over to Lewis and Harris and did the arc of the Hebrides – I made a completely new path going round the outside of the Isle of Skye, then to Iona and Islay. It was something that other SUPS hadn’t done before – we can’t find anybody who’s ever paddled it before.

“Finishing it off going around Scotland was certainly the most spectacular – it was mythical, it was brilliant.”

For Charlie it’s not just about the journey, it’s about the people he meets and raising awareness of mental health, especially the charity Dare2Express, along with highlighting conservation and sustainability issues.

“That fuelled the journey. It was a social experiment that forced me to connect with people about mental health, ask for help, and explore the most vulnerable things about myself,” says Charlie.

“I learnt a lot about mental health, and organically connected with others, which helped me translate thoughts and feelings in ways I had never thought of before. Inspiring people and communities helped me do this, and it

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shows how large-scale adventures can be achieved, even with no budget,” he explains.

“A huge part of the journey was about taking responsibility over my life and my footprint. So, I would beach clean where I landed, and find ways to minimise my impact with my diet, clothing and waste. All these factors play a role in my mental health and living within a balance that I can morally afford.”

Facing fear on a brutal coastline “The coldest and hardest time, as the conditions weren’t good, was around December when I went round Cape Wrath on the northwest coast of Scotland. It was quite frisky, and I was quite cold, and as I came around the Wrath the whole coastline was lit up like it was on fire because there was so much spray from the waves, and I struggled to find a place where I could come in okay.

“Then I eventually found this tiny channel through the big breakers, and I managed to squeeze through it, but I was locked into this part of the country where there’s no access to people, no nothing…

“But I found a little rocky bothy on the shore, and I stayed in that for a couple of days until the weather changed.

I had all the food and bits I needed, and it was snowing, so that was a bit of a toughie. And then I did the most extreme beach clean in the world.

“Nobody can get there, so all the plastic there would stay there forever and there’s no one who would ever clean it.

So, I strung all the fishermen’s buoys together and strapped them onto the board and took them 20km to my next destination and sold them to a fisherman for 50 quid!”

Paddling across the mighty Moray Firth “The Moray Firth was 100 km, and 15 hours of darkness in November, dodging big boats and having to go quite hard.

“I’d get grief from some of the boats, so I’d go stealthily, because if the smaller fishing boats saw me, they would want to come and investigate and slow me down. But if there was a big tanker coming in my direction then I’d light myself up and if it was coming on my course, I would radio in to them and let them know that I was there, my course and my intention.”

Travelling light and fast When it comes to Charlie’s kit, planning is critical. “I have to strap down everything in bags – bags within bags.

Everything is acutely organised and accessible,” he says.

The speed achieved on a standup paddleboard can be variable.

“Anywhere from cruising at 5-6km per hour up to 15,16, 17 or even 20 if you’re on a down wind and catching swells.”

Interview | STYLE Where’s Charlie? Amateur trackers hunt the adventurer “There were times where people would be tracking me without me knowing it – like that game ‘Where’s Wally?’”

Laughs Charlie. “So they would test their navigation skills to know where I would be and at what time, and I’d arrive in some slightly hostile sketchy places and these people would pop up and go, “How are you doing? Do you want a cup of tea? Do you want to come and stay with us?”

The call of the sea “I have a very special connection with the sea and water generally, so that drives me, and the stories of rivers, the arteries of countries, the draw of all animals and mankind, the story of the river changes with altitude, and then the oceans – there’s nobody else out there except me, it’s beautiful.

“Because of the nature of what I’m doing I became like a mobile confession box. It’s a great opportunity because of the promise that I’m leaving, and they get reassured by the point of my story. It’s a great opportunity to open up and talk about stuff that otherwise they never would.

“A wise person once told me that I ought to put all my energy into one thing, because I was bouncing off the walls. I used to do stunt work for films (he was a pirate in Peter Pan with Hugh Jackman as Blackbeard), I loved every sport, I used to do this that, that, that, everything, everything, everything and so I took on this advice and thought “where can I take one sport and enjoy all the aspects of life around that one thing?”

“That was beautiful, because it was real and it was raw, and it was us, and they take ownership of me and my story as much as I did. They would find me, and they would empower themselves with the story with me, so it’s theirs. And when I go, it was shared.”

“I saw paddleboarding as a kind of gift to me really, to use it as a form of expression of myself. It’s a sport that really connected with me, and nobody had really done anything with it. I felt like I could take this to the hardest places in the world.”

Charlie on the Isle of Wight

Ex plorers Creed Ch a rl ie w i l l be r u n n i n g ex per iences t h rou g h h i s new ventu re Ex plorers Creed, open i n g up some spa ces for people to pa dd le w it h h i m. To f i nd out more about t h i s a nd to st ay con nected to Ch a rl ie go to: l i n k.ch a rl iehea d sup.com /si g nup

Rio Marañón, Peru/Brazil, 2015: Charlie and his production team made a historic first and last descent of the Rio Marañón, the primary source of the Amazon from high in the Peruvian Andes to Iquitos in Brazil. Hearing it was to be dammed, Charlie teamed up with wingman Rocky on a campaign to bear witness, protect the river, and spread the word, highlighting the environmental and human impact. In 2015 Charlie not only paddled this river for the last time but also captured the magic and beauty of the river by capturing raw and unedited aerial and POV footage on the way, in association with Red Bull TV.

The Last Descent, The Blue Nile, 2017: Charlie leapt at the last chance to paddle the Blue Nile River in its free-flowing state before the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam upstream, near the border with Sudan. Now completed, the essence of this river is changed forever by the dam. The reservoir is starting to flood 230 km of plains and valleys, including the lower part of the Grand Canyon section. Charlie and his team successfully descended this iconic river, honouring the river and telling her story in film and educational resources, before it was changed forever.

cha rl iehea dsup.com da re2ex press.org

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STYLE | Art

PVA planets Materia ls

E

With Lauren Fr y, Arts Educator

ncouraging exploration in children promotes curiosity and discovery.

It also helps to reduce the fear of failure, which increasingly hinders young people’s willingness to experiment. To inspire exploration there are few things more awe-inspiring and mind-blowing than outer space and the possibilities of unexplored galaxies, unidentified objects and unknown life forms.

PVA glue String and tin foil or round lids Watercolour liquid or powder, ink, food colouring, poster paint, glitter, googly eyes, chalks, pastels...the possibilities are endless.

White/silver pen (optional)

Art meets science with this extraterrestrial experiment of mixing colours into PVA and waiting with excitement for the results to be revealed. Last year saw colossal scientific discoveries in space including the sun reawakening, a new moon around Jupiter and a black hole called ‘the unicorn’. Who knows what phenomena are waiting to be discovered in 2022?

With a few simple art materials and a willingness to play, you can create stunning and mystical planets and celestial bodies that will inspire high aspirations and give form to the mantra of aiming for the stars.

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1. The first step is to decide what you are going to use as a mould. You could use a circular lid of a pot or create a mould by forming a circle of string on a piece of tin foil. Once you have selected your mould, pour in some PVA; do this slowly and carefully so it doesn’t overflow.

Art | STYLE

2. Now to add the colour. The key here is exploration and experimentation. You could add ink, paint, food colouring, glitter, pastel shavings… let your imagination run wild. I have added some googly eyes to create a mystical planet occupied by an alien life form.

5. Once dry you can peel your planets out of their moulds. It’s a good idea to keep them under something heavy for a few hours to help them remain flat. If you fancy creating different sized planets trim them down carefully using scissors.

3. Time to mix the potion and create the magic.

4. Leave your moulds somewhere flat and safe, but not too near a radiator.

Leave them for two to three days to dry.

6. As a finishing touch you could add some white or silver dots to represent far-flung galaxies of stars.

7. There are no rules on how to display your planets, you could make a small hole and hang them in a window so the sun shines through, or create a mobile to hang above your bed and inspire dreams of daring adventures in space.

Good luck brave art explorers!

Fi nd out more about Lau ren’s i l lustration work at stud iow ren.co.u k or fol low her on I nsta g ra m @stud io_w ren March and April 2022

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STYLE | Art

A growing passion Meet the ma ker Jim Bradley

By Jo Ma cau lay Pictu res Ju l ia n Wi nslow

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Some might say that Jim Brad ley is liv ing the dream. Thirty years ago, he and his fami ly planted a wood land with thousands of saplings of different native broad leaved trees, main ly oa k, hazel, si lver birch, wi l low and field maple. Then he waited…

Art | STYLE

O

ver the years he maintained and nurtured his woodland, and when the trees got big enough, he began to coppice them and to use the coppiced wood to create green woodwork items.

At first these were small items such as spoons, butter spreaders, coasters, coat hooks, thumb sticks for walking and coffee scoops. But as his confidence grew, he began to make more difficult items such as trinket boxes, vases (they have glass vessels inside them) and then coffee tables and children’s chairs. Jim now sells many of these lovingly crafted items at craft fairs and events across the Island.

“Sometimes at craft fairs people come up to me and say, ‘I think of you every

morning,’” says Jim. “It was a bit surprising at first, but I’m used to it now. It turns out they use one of my coffee scoops as part of their morning ritual!

“…wood is a very tactile material. It’s not like plastic or metal. People are drawn to it.”

“Coffee scoops are great as they never need to be washed up, and can be left in the jar,” he adds.

“Craft is art you can use, interact with, touch,” says Jim. “It’s lovely to think of people using things I’ve made. Many of us have a favourite cooking spoon or chopping board. Cooking is such a hands-on thing, and wood is a very tactile material. It’s not like plastic or metal. People are drawn to it. “‘Touch wood’ is one of our oldest traditions, I think. Handmade objects are special. I rarely make two things March and April 2022

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STYLE | Art

that look similar, and the grain of wood varies hugely. I love using fruit woods like cherry and mulberry, but hazel is also a favourite.

“Hazel has a subtle grain, is really nice to carve and has such gorgeous bark.

I use it for making spoons, egg cups, butter spreaders, chair and table legs, and ‘thumb sticks’ - walking sticks that are great as an aid for coping with slippery slopes.

“I grow lots of hazel. It’s a wood that coppices really well. You can cut it down to the ground and it zooms back up, with lots of straight stems.

Humans have been coppicing hazel for over 4000 years, using it to make fencing, baskets and even in wattle and daub houses. The trees actually live longer if coppiced.

“If you have a woodland, you divide it into sections called ‘coups’. You only ever cut some of these sections each year, so you always have wood at different stages of growth. Hazel is wonderful for wildlife. The woodmice and squirrels love the nuts, they’re a great early source of pollen for bees and various moth caterpillars enjoy the leaves.

“I’ve been carving spoons for about

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eight years now. It started as a hobby.

My first efforts took many hours and were pretty clunky. But with hours of practice, gradually developing skills and experience with different tools, I’ve got better, and quicker!

thousand pots are the worst’. I love this... It’s not saying you’ll be perfect after that particular number, just that you’re on a journey, you will improve, and it’s ok to not yet be great at something.

“Years ago, when I was an apprentice potter, frustrated at my own abilities, I was told a useful saying: ‘The first ten

“Throwing pots taught me lots of things that are really useful for what I do now.... to think in three dimensions,

Art | STYLE

the importance of curves and edges. I start with a fresh piece of wood, look at it and think about what it can be turned into. If it’s a spoon or scoop I start with a carving axe and rough out a basic shape. Then I use a wonderful old tool called a spoke shave to smooth the wood, and then straight and curved knives to finish.

“The wood is carved ‘green’ - fresh rather than dry. So, I then have to carefully dry the spoon before finishing it. This involves burnishing - rubbing it all over with a smooth pebble to compress the grain, and finally oiling.

out. I sell my work at craft fairs and events. It’s lovely meeting people and chatting, and it makes a change from being alone in the woods with just the squirrels and robins for company.... although that does feel like home.”

“It’s a magical moment when the oil goes on, as it really brings all the beautiful colours and patterns

jimswoodcraft.co.uk Facebook: @JimsWoodcraftIsleofwight Instagram: jimswoodcraft March and April 2022

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STYLE | Art

Style spectrum

Christopher Cockroft Christopher Cock rof t - an accountant from Havenstreet - used to play golf “very, very bad ly,” so took up photog raphy instead in February 2019.

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Art | STYLE

Opposite: Newtown, sunrise, March 2021.

Self-taught, Chris watched videos and tutorials on YouTube and learnt “on the fly,” quickly becoming “quite obsessed with it.”

“I developed a deep appreciation of the special landscape that is the Island, which looks even better under that lovely golden light at sunrise and sunset,” he explains.

Many of these shots were taken as part of a project to take 12 significant photographs of your local area, which you can find out more about at www.12significantphotos.com Chris currently has a Nikon Z7ii and previously used a Nikon D800.

It was really grey and overcast and then just before sunrise there was this amazing light.

I had to wait for the scene to develop as the light came up over the south of the Island. I love exploring around Newtown.

Above: Bluebells at Mottistone, May 2021.

The bluebells were late last year. I’d just gone to the Longstone and on the way down through the woods there was a slight mist forming. I had to wait for ages for the sun to cast light down through the canopy of the trees, which lifted the scene.

cjcla ndscapephotos.com | Fa cebook : C JC La ndscape Photos @ C JCIOW | Instag ra m: cjc _ la ndscapephotos March and April 2022

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Above: Brook Down, April 2021.

I got absolutely soaked getting up here, and the sun just broke through when I got to this point.

Right: St Helen’s Duver, April 2021.

This one was taken the same day as the boats in Bembridge Harbour. I knew about this spot, and had been thinking about it for some time, but I wanted that mist across the harbour. I love the little white spring flowers and the blossom starting on the hawthorn hedge.

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Art | STYLE

Above: Pepperpot, January 2021.

It was one of those very rare days on the Island when a very heavy frost was forecast. I got to the Pepperpot and it was thick fog, and as the sun rose the clouds parted and there was a fantastic view of the coastline. The Pepperpot seemed to be almost glowing, when ten minutes before you could hardly make it out.

Left: Bembridge Harbour, sunrise, April 2021.

I hadn’t planned to go there, but as I drove across the downs, I noticed the mist coming off the harbour.

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Style of Wight Children’s Writing competition winning story…

Lila and the Secret Rain

By Isobel R ay n ha m, aged 7 I l lustration Ju les Ma rri ner Dear Diary, I woke up, the sun was boi ling hot. The v i l lage was wa k ing up. I got dressed and rushed into the k itchen. I loved the smel l of panca kes being made. I sat dow n at the table and Mama brought the panca kes. The panca kes tasted amazing and y ummy. A f ter brea k fast I helped Mama carry a bucket of fresh, clean water home. Then I mi l ked the cow and made lunch. Then Mama said that the wel l was dry ing out. I stood near the door and listened. Mama said to her friends about the big, dry wel l that was dry ing out and that w ithout any water there wou ld be no li fe. I went to my old Grandad and asked him what to do. He told me to go to the highest mountain I cou ld find. So at daw n I started my journey to find the highest mountain I cou ld. Fina l ly I found what I was look ing for. I climbed and climbed unti l I reached the top. Then I told the mountain the saddest things I k new. Then it started to rain. I ran dow n the mountain as fast as I cou ld. W hen I got home the v i l lage was celebrating. Then Grandad gave me a k now ing smi le.

The rain lasted a month. Then we had plenty of water to last. Fina l ly the rain stopped.

Meet the Winner Isobel Baynham was living on the Island and attending Nettlestone Primary School when she wrote this story. As part of her home-schooling during lockdown, Isobel and her classmates were asked to read Lila and the Secret Rain by David Conway and Jude Daly, and to rewrite the story, to make it a diary entry in the first person and in the past tense.

“Both her teacher and ourselves thought she did a great job so we submitted it to the Style of Wight Children’s Story Competition,” says her mum Hayley.

Isobel had previously entered one of her poems into the Poetry Safari competition through her school, and had it published in the Poetry Safari compilation by Youngwriters. Isobel says she would like to enter more competitions with her stories and poems.

Isobel enjoys reading and drawing, especially animals and dragons. She loves to swim and can often be found out in nature looking for squirrels and creepy crawlies.

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STYLE | Advertisement Feature

IW Creative Network – Development Programme

By Georg ia New ma n

The Solent LEP has recently announced that “the creative industries are the fastest growing part of the UK economy, growing at 5 times the rate of the UK economy as a whole and employing more than 2 million people” and here, on our little Island, around 30% of people work in the creative industries.

30%! This astonishing fact is also peppered with the realisation that freelance Art Workers have been some of the hardest hit by the pandemic.

O

ver the past two years I have been gathering information from Isle of Wight Artists and Creatives to find out what they need in order to help sustain their creative practice, and to find out how best to provide a Creative Development Programme to support those living on the IW working in the Arts and Creative Industries.

Well, I’m absolutely thrilled to announce that Arts Council England and the IW Council are funding the IW Creative Network Development Programme!

Launching in mid-February this year, it will support so many creatives on the Island, whatever stage they’re at, background, or discipline and allow for a real opportunity for creatives to thrive, by offering learning and networking opportunities, resources and visiting new spaces.

The programme will include online creative sessions via Zoom throughout the year by professional creatives, mentors and artists. Speakers will provide talks on building your business through social media, motivation & productivity and goal mapping. Experts in arts fundraising will discuss their stories on navigating arts funding, and there will also be talks on artist collectives, DIY initiatives, utilising your practice to create workshops, community projects and creative

are some in-real-life opportunities, networking events at cultural venues will be arranged throughout the year, as well as away days and site visits to other creative networks and studio spaces in Southampton and Portsmouth, with free ferry travel provided by Wightlink and Red Funnel.

projects linked to the Island’s UNESCO Biosphere status.

Those joining the network will be able to apply for further opportunities such as: 1-2-1 creative business mentoring sessions; 1-2-1 creative portfolio advice; photo shoots of their work, as well as bursary grants to help develop their creative practice. A new website will launch later in the year, profiling individual members. This creative directory will also include profiles of exhibition spaces, studios and coworking spaces, cultural venues and creative facilities on the Island. It will be your one-stop, creative shop featuring news and opportunities, as well as a resource area and an extra membersonly area with all of the recorded creative Zoom sessions - so members can access them at anytime.

And that’s not all! To ensure there

Join now – visit iwcreativenetwork.com or search for ‘IW Creative Network’ on Facebook and Instagram.

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With no creative professional development programme existing on the IW for over 15 years, this pilot programme will bring artists, makers and creative professionals together and help develop their business and creative skills. You might be an artist working as a school teacher but not sure which way to take your own creative practice, or you might be creating new work but don’t know how to photograph it. Or maybe you’re making work but lacking a bit of confidence in closing down sales or approaching clients, or you might want to connect with other creatives and find out what else is going on culturally on the Island and across the Solent.

Whatever stage you’re at, there will be something for you to help develop your talent, grow your creative business and refine your artistic voice! So what are you waiting for?

To become a member, just sign-up to the development programme by midMarch via the website.

Advertisement Feature | STYLE

Embracing unique Laura Holme, a professiona l photog rapher for over 20 years, is embracing her uniqueness to help others do the same.

A

mother of three boys aged between ten and 17, it wasn’t until Laura hit 40 that she began her own journey.

“My turning point was when I hit 40. I thought, “I’m 40 and I’m going to live my life!” I wasn’t just a wife, a mother, I was a woman who wanted to do things,” explains Laura. “It was an opportunity for me to find out who I was, and once I had, I wanted to help other people to feel the same.

“Working as a photographer I would often hear the phrase, “I hate having my photo taken.” “Television, magazines, media all portray the perfect image, and the pressures of everyday life for women mean that they don’t appreciate who they really are, including me.”

Embarking on her own personal discovery of herself, she found Burlesque after covering a burlesque event as a photographer “seeing girls of all shapes and sizes, and loving life whilst dancing was inspirational,” she explains.

“When you’re in that space, with other women, embracing their figures, it’s very empowering, and is an integral part of my body confidence journey.”

Going to classes, and becoming more confident, has culminated in her becoming a burlesque instructor with Steph (her partner) for Starlesque UK. Her classes, ‘Teasers’, train in Ryde and Havenstreet.

Inspired by seeing others grow in themselves and going on to train as a Body Confidence and wellness coach, Laura could empathise with why women especially didn’t love the skin they were in and knew that with the right approach she could really make a difference. And Embracing Unique was created.

Specialising in creating natural images of mainly women, Laura has an inspiring and caring personality and takes the time to listen and help clients to see themselves in a more positive way.

“For me it’s not just about taking photos, I’m passionate about giving my clients an experience, it’s part of a journey to loving who they are. It’s about accepting, and being, the person you are, and celebrating that.”

“I help women embrace and love their uniqueness through the power of photography, so that they feel confident and happy in their own skin.

Clients say...

“Du ri n g the shoot Lau ra soon put me at ease, I a ctua l ly enjoyed mysel f, the ti me went rea l ly qu ick ly.

W hen I got the photos, I loved them. My body wasn’t as aw f u l as I thou g ht it was. I felt rea l ly good about mysel f, I wou ld def i n itely recom mend a body con f idence shoot to a nyone especia l ly i f you hate you r body.” - Katheri ne x “Unti l Lau ra took photog raphs of me, I was conv i nced that no matter what I wore or how much ma ke up I appl ied, I wou ld si mply look aw f u l i n ever y i mage.” - Steph x x “ I a ctua l ly felt beauti f u l today, the f i rst ti me i n a ver y lon g ti me” – Ja de x

To start your journey to becoming more confident, contact Laura on 07811 289526 or visit embracingunique.co.uk.

March and April 2022

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Caffe Isola &

The

Chapel STreet

Roastery 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

www.islandroasted.co.uk

Food | STYLE

MEET THE CHEF MAT T EGAN

By Ja mes R ay ner Photog raphy Ch r istia n Wa r ren

I

n Ventnor, on a tranquil woody ledge between the chalky hills and lapping waves of the Channel, surrounded by palm-filled gardens, lies The Royal Hotel. For almost two hundred years, it has been establishing a reputation for unbeatable fine dining and top-notch hospitality – from the days when Belgian hotelier Hubert Cloots hosted his elegant banquets here in the 1890s, to the day Queen Victoria stepped through its doors. Now, with new Head Chef Matt Egan taking the reins in the Royal’s kitchen, this reputation is not only in safe hands, but on track to reach new heights.

Matt first donned his apron after being hired by the Inns of Distinction, soon being taken on board

by Tim and Emma of the Three Buoys at Appley – and by 22 he was already their Head Chef. A year later, his passion and dedication won the Three Buoys their first AA Rosette – a coveted award that recognises a chef’s quality, skill, and precision.

Making the move south to Ventnor, Matt’s seemingly unstoppable rise has continued at the Royal, going from saying “yes chef” as a Junior Sous Chef, to top dog, giving the directions as March and April 2022

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head of the brigade. In at the deep end, taking up the new role wasn’t without its challenges.

“Soon after starting, within three days I was hit with both the annual environmental health inspectors and then the AA inspectors too,” Matt recalls.

Although, needless to say, he passed both with flying colours.

As the tablecloths are laid and cutlery is positioned, anticipation builds - there’s clearly a good reason why 98 percent of the hotel’s guests choose to dine in every night. The first plate to arrive is the Isle of Wight Gallybagger Cheese soufflé served with an onion velouté and black onion seeds – a firm favourite on the Royal’s menu and a dish which Olive Magazine described as “so light it evaporated on the tongue” (followed by the advice: “miss no opportunity to eat soufflé here!”)

“My style is modern with some unexpected twists”

Even from this dish alone, it’s clear to see Matt’s passion for quality local produce, supporting small-scale suppliers and minimising food miles.

Regularly pulling up to deliver at the kitchen’s back door are the Tomato Stall, the Isle of Wight Cheese Company, Will from Living Larder (bringing heritage carrots and rainbow chard) and local Ventnor fisherman Justin (with fresh fish and lobster).

Back at the chef’s pass, plating continues, and the stunning dishes keep coming – some Left: Beef Fillet, Shin Ragu with Heritage Carrot, Shortcrust and Cabernet Sauvignon jus

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Food | STYLE

decorated with edible flowers grown in the hotel’s very own garden. “My style is modern with some unexpected twists,” Matt explains, “like adding tarragon to a dessert pastry for example”.

Or, as an alternative, Matt’s pineapple brûlée with Thai green crème pâtissière (yes, really!)

Alongside him is a core team of talented cooks, many of them former colleagues from his time at the Three Buoys, all working together to keep pushing the boundaries of what the Royal’s kitchen is capable of.

Although Matt has barely been at the helm long enough to settle in, plans are already forming for the future and the direction he’s looking to take things. He aims to make The Royal Hotel into a real foodie destination – an evolution that is already underway – and to do the same for the town itself too.

“The Ventnor scene is really taking off at the moment, when you see what’s happening with The Hambrough and The Smoking Lobster. I think The Royal will definitely be a part of that too,” he says.

So, with eyes firmly set on the future, we can’t wait to see what will come next from Matt Egan and the team but, in the meantime, you’ll have to excuse us - we’ve got a delicious torched mackerel with pistachio and yoghurt to finish.

Top right: Seabass Supreme, with a Thai Green Sauce, Gnocchi, Pickled Chilli And Pak Choi Milk chocolate. Right: Cremieux With Sea Salt, Blueberry and Vanilla

March and April 2022

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Sprouting this Spring the latest in Isle of Wight Food a nd Drin k

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Food | STYLE

Duck to water P u l led i n by the mag netism that is chef Matt Tom k i nson’s wa rm a nd welcom i ng hospita l ity, we’ve fou nd ou rselves at a table for two i n the w i ndow of T he Ha mbrou g h. T he spri ng menu has been u nvei led – w ith a fresh repertoi re of h is sta nd-out d ishes, usi ng top-qua l ity produce, a nd presented i n h is usua l pa red-back m i n i ma l ist style.

One plate that’s top of the recom mendations l ist is the honey-roasted duck w ith Jerusa lem a rtichoke pu rée a nd a n ora nge-g la zed wh ite ch icor y ta rt – made w ith free-ra nge Merri f ield Fa rm duck a nd loca l ly g row n baby ka le (from A rreton). It’s a nother exa mple of what Matt does best – combi n i ng British cu isi ne w ith classica l French i n f luences, usi ng the f i nest i ng red ients a rou nd. A nd, from a chef who has a l ready got T he Ha mbroug h a mention i n the nex t Michel i n Gu ide, we wou ld n’t ex pect a ny th i ng less.

The Hambrough, Ventnor thehambrough.com Instagram: thehambrough 01983 856333

Spring tides and Salty vibes Beh i nd the sl id i ng tea l-colou red doors of Sa lty’s i n Ya rmouth’s Quay Street, fresh ness on a plate is the order of the day. T hei r h ig h-qua l ity gou rmet offeri ng has been evolv i ng a nd developi ng i n exciti ng new d i rections si nce the appoi ntment of Head Chef Tom A x ford i n Apri l last yea r ( he’s w idely tipped by loca l food ies as someth i ng of a risi ng sta r).

Ask the Sa lty’s tea m for thei r recom mendations a nd one d ish i n pa rticu la r seems to be a f i rm favou rite w ith them a l l: the Isle of Wig ht tomato a nd bu rrata sa lad, d rizzled w ith a frag ra nt splash of basi l d ressi ng. Described as “bu rsti ng w ith f lavou r a nd su nsh i ne” it’s just the seasona l a ntidote we need a f ter a w i nter f u l l of g rey sk ies a nd ch i l ly w i nds.

Salty’s, Yarmouth | saltysrestaurant.co.uk Instagram: @saltysbarandrestaurant | 01983 761550 March and April 2022

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Brew it yourself Fa ns of the satisf y i ng wh i rr of a Nespresso coffee mach i ne w i l l certa i n ly be welcom i ng the latest news com i ng out of New port’s Ca f fè Isola. T hei r i n-house coffee label – Isla nd Roasted – w i l l soon be add i ng to thei r ra nge a new set of specia l ly com m issioned biodeg radable espresso pods, made w ith thei r ow n fresh ly g rou nd, a romatic coffee.

Compatible w ith a ny Nespresso mach i ne, it mea ns you r work from home ca ffei ne h it ca n sti l l be loca l, as wel l as eco-friend ly a nd delectably satisf y i ng too. Due to h it the shelves i n the com i ng weeks, we’d recom mend keepi ng those m i l k frothers at the ready a nd a n ea r to the g rou nd for the lau nch date.

Caffè Isola, Newport | islandroasted.co.uk | Instagram: @caffeisola | 01983 524800

Fresh from the dairy

Dow n on the fa rm – Br idd lesford Lod ge Fa r m to be precise – the new sou nd of cl i n k i ng g lass h i nts at a n exciti ng development.

T he Gri ff i n fa m i ly’s 140 -strong herd of wh ite a nd ca ra mel colou red Guernsey cows has been produci ng top-notch da i r y products si nce thei r a ncestors were f i rst broug ht over to Isla nd shores i n 1923.

Now, helpi ng loca ls to reduce, reuse a nd recycle, thei r rich a nd crea my m i l k ca n be boug ht i n g lass bottles once aga i n, a nd these ca n be retu rned to the fa rm for steri l isi ng a nd ref i l l i ng.

Not on ly that, i f you prefer you r m i l k bottles to ma ke thei r ow n way to you r doorstep, home del iver y ca n be a rra nged th roug h the Isla nd Da i r y Ser v ice ( just send them a qu ick ema i l at isla ndda i r yser v ice @aol.com to set it a l l up).

Briddlesford Lodge Farm, Wootton | briddlesford.co.uk | Instagram: briddlesford_farm

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Food | STYLE

A matcha made in heaven

With the weather on the tu rn, why not l i f t you r spi rits w ith a fresh ly sha ken cock ta i l at T he Dr u n ken Lobster i n Ventnor. T h is Japa nese-style iza kaya ba r ca n rustle up f i nely cra f ted a rtisa n d ri n ks (as wel l as some tasty sma l l plates), i nspi red by the ow ners’ love a nd appreciation for Pa n-Asia n cu isi ne; from A ma retto Wasabi Sou rs to Cherr y Blossom Pi n k Lad ies. For those steeri ng away from the strong stu ff, there a re mock ta i ls too – i nclud i ng a refresh i ng T ha i Lemonade made w ith a l mondy Orgeat sy rup, kombucha , ch i l l i, l i me, a nd a sprig of fresh coria nder.

Feel i ng adventu rous? T hen leave the choice to the i n-house m i xolog ist. On a recent v isit, we were presented w ith a Lychee Cucu mber Ma rti n i made usi ng lychee l iqueu r a nd Rok u Gi n – a Japa nese spi rit blended a nd d isti l led i n Osa ka w ith si x d i fferent bota n ica ls, i nclud i ng sencha tea a nd sa k u ra f lowers.

Drunken Lobster, Ventnor Town | drunkenlobster.co.uk Instagram: @drunkenlobsterbar | 01983 852500

It’s a date Sa i l i ng i nto the Fishbou r ne I n n th is spri ng is a new season of exciti ng events a nd cu l i na r y celebrations. Visitors pu l l i ng up a ba r stool on the 17th or 18th of Ma rch w i l l be welcomed by a St. Patrick’s Day menu of Irish-i n f luenced del ig hts – i nclud i ng celeriac soup w ith a bacon cru mb a nd soda bread, or pork chop w ith a n Irish wh iskey crea m sauce.

We’d a lso recom mend ca l l i ng to book a table (on 01983 882823) for the hotly a nticipated Meet the Chef on the 1st of Apri l, w ith k itchen head chef Ja rek Koza k . For one n ig ht on ly, he’l l be cook i ng a specia l th ree-cou rse menu of the d ishes he’s most passionate about, i nclud i ng entici ng Pol ish specia l ities from h is Centra l Eu ropea n homela nd.

Other dates for the d ia r y i nclude Nationa l Pie Week (7th - 13th Ma rch) featu ri ng homemade pies a nd triple-cooked ch ips; a nd Fishbou rne’s Beer Festiva l (8th - 10th Apri l) w ith a ha ndpicked selection of the f i nest Isle of Wig ht a nd south coast rea l a les.

Fishbourne Inn, Wootton Bridge | innsofdistinction.co.uk Instagram: @innsofdistinction | 01983 882823 March and April 2022

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Food | STYLE

WARM BUCKWHEAT AND BEETROOT SALAD Ingredients 400g roasted buckwheat 3 large beetroots 50g baby spinach 2-3 large mushrooms 1 red onion, diced ½ leek, white and green part, sliced 2 large garlic cloves, finely diced 1 tsp dried rosemary 1/3 tsp coarse sea salt black pepper 2 tbsp hazelnuts, chopped 3 tbsp olive oil 1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar fresh parsley, to serve Method Heat the oven to 200°C / 395°F. Peel the beetroots and chop them into large dice. In a pestle and mortar, make rosemary salt by pounding dry rosemary and sea salt until you get a fine powder. Place beetroot chunks in a bowl. Coat in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and season with rosemary, salt and pepper. Bake for about 40 minutes, until tender. Meanwhile put the buckwheat into a small pan with a glass lid and add 720 ml of water, cover with a lid and bring to the boil.

Once the water comes to the boil, turn the heat down to low and cook until all the water has been absorbed (to check, leave the lid on and tip the pot to see if water is coming out from underneath the buckwheat).

Once the water has been fully absorbed, rest the pot for another 10 minutes (with the lid firmly on) so that the buckwheat finishes cooking in its own steam. Heat the remaining olive oil in a pan. Add the leeks, garlic and mushrooms and fry until cooked.

Season with salt and pepper and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.

Allow it to cook out. Add spinach and allow it to wilt into the salad. Finally add the cooked buckwheat and mix well. To serve, top with roasted beetroot chunks, red onion, hazelnuts and some fresh parsley.

ASPARAGUS AND TOMATO FRIT TATA Ingredients 6 large free range eggs 2 tbsp whipping cream 1/2 tsp salt plus a pinch 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 tbs olive oil 1 tbsp Briddlesford Farm butter 12 oz Isle of Wight asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-2 inch pieces 8 Tomato Stall Piccolo tomatoes, halved Salt 85g Briddlesford Farm Cheddar cheese, grated Method Preheat the grill. Whisk the eggs, cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend. Set aside. Heat the oil and butter in a 9 inch-diameter

ovenproof frying pan over medium heat.

Add the asparagus and fry until crisptender for about two minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high.

Add the tomato and a pinch of salt and fry for two minutes longer. Pour the egg mixture over the asparagus mixture and cook for a few minutes until the eggs start to set. Sprinkle with cheese.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the frittata is almost set but the top is still runny, about two minutes. Place the frying pan under the grill (be careful to avoid burning the handle). Grill until the top is set and golden brown, about five minutes. Let the frittata stand for two minutes. Using a rubber spatula, loosen the frittata from the pan and slide it onto a plate.

March and April 2022

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al

#su

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SPRING

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com •

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MORE THAN JUST A PUB

NEW THIS SPRING N E W M E NU S ~ NEW W IN E & DRIN K S LISTS N E W & E XC I T I NG ISLA N D PRODU C E

thefishbourne.co.uk 01983 882823

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Visit our website www.innsofdistinction.co.uk

theboathouseiow.co.uk 01983 810616

Accommodation Reservations Book Now 01983 873572

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Food | STYLE

Ingredients 700g cups strong white flour 1 sachet fast acting yeast 150ml Briddlesford Farm milk 150ml water 1tsp salt 1tbsp brown sugar 100g wild garlic, finely chopped in a food processor 1 spring onion, finely chopped 100g grated Briddlesford Farm Cheddar 2tbsp crispy onions Method In a bowl add the flour, salt and yeast on the opposite side of the bowl, then add the milk and water. Mix together, then add the garlic, cheddar, spring onion and crispy onions and mix into a soft dough (you may want to add some more flour or water).

SAVOURY CHEDDAR AND WILD GARLIC HOT CROSS BUNS Be adventurous with a savoury version of the classic Easter Hot Cross Bun. Head out into the countryside to forage for the wild garlic that blends so beautifully with cheddar.

Let rise for one to two hours until doubled in size then tip out onto a floured surface and cut into eight. Roll into balls and place on a lined baking sheet and leave to prove again for one hour.

Heat the oven to 200˚C. Brush the buns with a beaten egg mixed with 1 tbsp milk.

Mix some flour and water together so you have a thick paste and tip into a piping bag with a small opening.

Then pipe on a cross.

Bake for 25 minutes in the oven.

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INTRODUCING MULTI-AWARD WINNING EXECUTIVE CHEF Matthew Tomkinson LUNCH DINNER GARDEN BAR

Wednesday to Saturday Tuesday to Saturday Open daily subject to weather Open daily from 11am

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

Seasonal vegetable

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

RED RUSSIAN

R

ed Russian is a heritage kale that dates back to the late 1800s and originates from Siberia. Red Russian is extremely frost hardy and performs late on in winter and in early spring. It has a particularly sweet taste and a much more tender texture than the more commonly grown kale varieties. Red Russian is easily recognised by its red stems and jagged leaves. Over recent years Red Russian has become widely available in garden centres and nurseries. Whilst young Red Russian makes an excellent baby leaf salad, when left to grow on and given space it rewards with a long-lasting crop.

Red Russian is particularly high in vitamins A and C.

KALE AND ORZO BAKE Ingredients 150g kale 500ml Milk 12 whole black peppercorns 3 garlic cloves - flattened 200g Orzo (or other similar small pasta) 200g grated parmesan Method Preheat your oven to Gas Mark 6/200˚C. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, put your kale in the pan and blanch until wilted – a minute or so.

Remove the kale from the hot water (keep the water to cook the pasta) and

plunge the kale into cold water, drain and try to squeeze out most of the water. In a small pan bring the milk to the boil with the peppercorns, add the garlic and remove from the heat. Boil the orzo in the water you used to cook the kale, until cooked, and then drain.

Put the kale, garlic, milk (remember to remove the peppercorns) and parmesan in a blender, whizz until smooth. Stir the kale sauce through the cooked pasta, season well (add more parmesan if you wish) before placing in an oven-proof dish and baking for 20 minutes until browned.

Enjoy.

Living Larder is a family-owned, Soil Association certified Organic farm. livinglarder.co.uk | Instagram: @livinglarder March and April 2022

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SMOKING LOBSTER 2 0 2 2

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Food | STYLE

Ingredients 225g self-raising flour, sifted 250ml whole milk 40g butter, melted 1 medium egg Vegetable oil for frying Streaky bacon Clary or sage leaves, finely chopped Lemon wedges, to serve Method

BACON & SAGE FROISE Words a nd photog raphy Ja mes R ay ner

The History Hundreds of years ago, Brits up and down the country were cooking a distinctive type of thick pancake known as a froise, fraise or froyse, the name – according to dictionary writer Samuel Johnson – stemming from the French verb froisser (meaning ‘to crease’ or ‘crumple’).

The most common version was the bacon froise. This was made by frying small pieces of streaky bacon in a pan

and, just a minute or two before they’re ready, pouring a thick pancake batter over the top. Another version, mentioned in a recipe book of 1739, is the clary froise which had finely chopped clary leaves in the batter (a herb from the sage family) and was served with slices of lemon.

Here, we combine the two to make a bacon and sage variety, enlivened with a citrus zing and made to fill the full size of the frying pan (as was the custom in Essex up until the 19th century).

Make a well in the middle of the sifted flour and add the melted butter, whisked egg and half the milk. Mix together, slowly adding more milk and the finely chopped sage leaves, to create a smooth, thick batter.

Lightly oil a frying pan and cook small pieces of streaky bacon. Roughly one to two minutes before you think the bacon will be ready, pour enough of the pancake mixture over the top to cover the pan.

Shake the pan occasionally to stop the froise from sticking. Once the underside is ready, carefully turn the pancake over (ensuring it doesn’t crack or bend) to fry the other side.

Garnish with more sage leaves and a squeeze of lemon to serve.

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Celebrations with Elaine Cesar Heading towards the promises of spring, and anticipation of a great summer, we are moving to arguably the most romantic time of the year, when love is in the air. Are you thinking of planning your wedding ceremony, that special milestone celebration, or a renewal of vows? Have you welcomed into the world that gorgeous new baby and are looking for an alternative to a Christening? So why not have a baby naming ceremony? Well… let’s talk!

Have you your favourite location in mind for your magical wedding? Is your dream a beach, or a romantic cosy cove? Perhaps a stately home, or rural manor, a woodland setting, or against a backdrop of stunning cliffs and countryside on the Island, mainland or abroad.

The Island has so much to offer you – many great venues and locations – and I am here to help you.

Together, let’s weave some magic into your bespoke ceremony, and make it a memorable day which will be remembered by you, your family and guests for a lifetime.

I am a calming influence, reliable and have a great passion for people. I just love telling stories – let me tell yours! I am a great storyteller, and all ceremonies are made from the heart. I will be with you every step of the way and will create with you a perfect celebration which reflects your personal individual story and dreams.

Wedding & Events

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Aqua Marine with Vintage Corner

Together, we will form lasting memories; a ceremony to remember for a lifetime, created with so much love and understanding. We can make it fun, and get the children and family involved, including poems, readings, and even some wonderful rituals, such as a rose ceremony, sand ceremony, handfasting and many more.

With regard to funeral ceremonies, these are more of a celebration of life. I work closely with the family with great empathy, bringing to life memories of their loved ones with care and tenderness; creating a ceremony to be remembered. If fitting, humour can always be added to uplift the service at this emotional time. Together, we produce a ceremony suitable for your loved one, making your final farewell more compassionate.

Aqua Marine gifts and cards with Vintage Corner.

Including cards for all occasions, beautiful gifts, souvenirs, Island made products. Everything you need to host a vintage afternoon tea, for sale or hire.

Service always comes with a smile.

49 High Street Cowes PO31 7RR Phone: 01983 303050 @AquaMarineGiftsAndCards

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STYLE | Feature

BIODIVERSITY Introducing a new regular Style of Wight feature on our biodiverse Island. The Isle of Wight was made a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2019, so what is it that makes us so special and so biologically diverse?

Who better to introduce our new biodiversity feature than our unique red squirrel population.

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Feature | STYLE

Our wild haven

I

Words a nd i l lustration Jen Pa rker

t’s hard to say for sure, but I think it’s the ear tufts, isn’t it? Those little tufts add a whole new dimension to our native squirrel’s charming character.

The red squirrel is the UK’s only native squirrel; it is simply good luck that the species is so much cuter than its easy-to-demonise grey cousin. It sure helps its plight though – who wouldn’t want to fight on behalf of such a sweet, shy little underdog?

On the off-chance that you haven’t heard the whole juicy story, here’s The History of Britain’s Favourite Rodent in brief: Red squirrels were once a common sight and could be spotted prancing from tree to tree around the UK’s woodlands (and those in Europe and northern Asia – right over to northwest China). They were living the high life here until the arrival of the invasive grey squirrel in the 1870s. I don’t like to point the finger but, well, the fact is, we wouldn’t be in this mess if the owners of stately homes didn’t think it would be a great idea to decorate their grounds with invasive American rodents.

Besides being objectively less cute, grey squirrels have caused a stir because they carry a nasty squirrel disease – a Parapoxvirus – that doesn’t affect them but can be fatal to red squirrels. They also out-compete the smaller reds for food (eating green acorns before they are ripe enough for reds to enjoy) and generally stress red squirrels out, which suppresses their breeding. According to the Woodland Trust, the red squirrel population has dropped from 3.5 million

to somewhere between 120,000 and 160,000 individuals, and as few as 15,000 individuals in England.

Having evolved over many thousands of years in British woodland, red squirrels are harmless mammals that have adapted to play a significant role in seed dispersal (especially for pine seeds).

They are important because they belong here, and they are important because they are adorable. Yes, genuinely. The red squirrel is a flagship species for British wildlife conservation: by being adorable and having an interesting plight, red squirrels grab people’s attention and impel them to learn more about (and contribute to) wildlife conservation close to home. There is no doubt that saving red squirrels has also helped to protect swathes of native woodland here in the UK. The species is holding on in Scotland, Northumberland, the Lake District and Wales, but as greys continue to expand their range, islands like ours have become havens for red squirrels.

On the mainland, ‘buffer zones’ are necessary to prevent the migration of greys into the protected reds’ territories, where grey squirrels are regularly culled.

Fortunately for us, the Solent does a great job at fending them off without harm.

It might seem obvious, but it has to be said that being surrounded by water is beneficial when it comes to wildlife conservation. Did you know that UK Overseas Territories – mostly islands, located all around the world – are home to 94 percent of the known British

endemic species? Although islands make up only around three percent of the world’s surface, they accommodate a great proportion of Earth’s biodiversity because of their high levels of endemism (where a species is found naturally only in one particular area of the world – like an island).

In cases like the red squirrel’s, islands are extremely useful for protecting vulnerable wildlife from invasive species that have stormed the mainland – a common problem around the world, especially with the expansion of global trade. It can be an impossible task to remove an invasive species from an area once it has become established, so islands often represent the last remaining sanctuaries for animals and plants impacted by these alien newcomers.

With defined borders, high levels of biodiversity and islanders’ broad sense of pride around their native species and ecosystems, islands like ours can be brilliant hubs for wildlife conservation.

They are places of optimism and innovation, where conservation techniques – old and new – can be set into action in a naturally defined space, at a manageable scale, and where communities rally with a shared enthusiasm, born from their love for their island and its extraordinary nonhuman residents, to push conservation efforts forward. We must embrace our unique position and champion the preservation of our rare habitats and species – starting, of course, with our Island’s tufted conservation champion.

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STYLE | Feature

Sienna Anderson on

squirrels The cute little red squirrels that v isit photographer Sienna Eve A nderson’s garden are to be the stars of a chi ldren’s story, ‘Be K ind’, to be published in the autumn.

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“The squirrels were already visiting the garden,” explains Sienna. “I decided to put a few props out for them. It’s important to keep as still as possible whilst the squirrels are around.

“It was my love of photography and nature that inspired me. I posted a few images and people were just loving them; it went from there.

“The first prop I used was an old toy Tonka truck. I put a hazelnut on it; the squirrel happily picked it up and sat there quietly nibbling away.

“Initially I used items I had at home, and then people offered me more unique props to use.

“A very kind lady said she had a large bag of hazelnuts from a tree in her garden and would I like them?

“I like to keep it as simple as possible.

My favourite squirrel picture is the one where he looks like he has a frown. If he gets wet, it accentuates it. I call him Little Red.

“I went out into the garden with a basket of the hazelnuts and the squirrels went mad for them.

“There are two darker ones, and one has a white stripe on his tail, and I call him Gizmo. He’s really confident and was the

Feature | STYLE

first one to climb my leg whilst I was taking photos.

“I believe there are about eight or nine of them and they are most active at first light.

“It was just over one evening that I started putting the words to each image. It felt so right and a natural continuation. I asked for publishing advice on social media and was approached by a publisher a few days later.

and belief. It’s the sort of book a parent would read to a small child, it is fun and interactive.”

Sienna shot these photographs on her Sony A7Riii and more of her work can be seen at siennnaeva on Insta or Sienna Eve Anderson on Facebook, where news on the book will be posted.

To see the squirrels trying to steal hazelnuts from Sienna’s pocket go to our Facebook page: Facebook.com/ StyleOfWight

“The book is about being kind, and it has gentle references to looking after the environment, nature, also of self-worth March and April 2022

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Feature | STYLE

Avian Architecture

N E S TS W I T H A R T I S T S U S A N O G I L V Y

S

usan Ogilvy started painting bird nests almost by accident.

One day, while tidying up her garden after a storm, she found a chaffinch nest — a strange, sodden lump on the grass under a fir tree. She carried it inside and placed it on a newspaper; over the next few hours, as the water drained out of it, the sodden lump blossomed into a mossy jewel. She was amazed and dropped everything to make a painting of the nest at exact life size.

This was the start of an obsession; Susan has since painted more than fifty bird nests from life, each time marvelling at its ingenious construction. Every species of bird

has its own vernacular, but sources its materials — most commonly twigs, roots, grasses, reeds, leaves, moss, lichen, hair, feathers, and cobwebs; less usually mattress stuffing and string — according to local availability.

Susan would, of course, never disturb nesting birds. Instead, she relies upon serendipity, which is why all her nests have either been abandoned after fulfilling their purpose or displaced by strong winds.

As a botanical illustrator, Susan made a point of only painting from life, never from photographs, so the collection in her book is entirely due to chance. Word got around that she was painting nests, however, and family and friends brought

her finds of their own. Then she met Deon Warner, who has carried out the British Trust for Ornithology surveys for the part of Somerset where she lives, and he was a great source of inspiration and knowledge (and nests) for the book.

Each nest in her book is accompanied by the common name of the bird who made it and a short description of the bird and the type of nest it builds. A few birds have more than one nest featured — the house sparrow for example has two nests painted; one somewhat scruffy and from a nesting box, a second, which was much taller, was retrieved from a terracotta pipe, and included large pigeon feathers.

Opposite: Illustration of a Goldfinch nest. Above: Susan Ogilvy. Photo credit Stuart Simpson.

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The blackbird has four different nests in the book, each one similar and yet slightly different from the next and always cemented by mud. One has a food label incorporated into its structure, and another includes pieces of plastic sacking — a sad reminder of the spread of our waste and plastic into the natural environment. The song thrush has three nests, all easily recognised by their wood pulp-lined interior, made into an immaculate cup by the breast of the female thrush.

The wren, not surprisingly, has four nests featured — the cock wren will build between three and eight ‘cock nests’, all complete but unlined, and the hen will pick the one she prefers and line it with feathers. One was built between two bales of straw and another between ivy branches.

Perhaps the most well-known of all the British birds, the robin, also has four different nest pictures; one in a smart rose pot, another in a box, and two that were from bushes or trees. Robins are well known for building their nests in strange places, such as tea pots and the pockets of old coats.

Six of the pretty little nests of the goldfinch appear, all with an

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overabundance of fluffy white feathers, and one with a perfectly formed bowl, again lined with feathers. Bright bluegreen baler twine is woven into one, and one appears to be made from an old chair, with kapok, polyester wadding and coir or jute fibres in its construction.

There’s only one painting of a spotted flycatcher’s nest and it appears within the book and on the cover. Luckily, we also get the story of this nest as Deon found it in a pile of logs, stacked in woodland. There were two adults and three youngsters in the patch of dead elm, which provided a good hunting ground, and he watched the three fledglings catching insects and returning to the same branches for more insects.

Chaffinch nests are created from moss and lichen, held together with cobwebs, and lined with feathers and hair. Sometimes lichen is added for camouflage, according to the location of the nest. The first of the two illustrations in the book is the one that began the adventure that absorbed Susan for the next five years, and culminated with this beautifully illustrated book.

When researching the subject, Susan found no modern books specifically on the subject of birds’ nests.

Her father was a lifelong lover of birds and among his old books she found Charles A. Hall’s Birds’ Eggs and Nests, published in 1932, which seems to be the last book published on the topic.

Her eldest son later gave her British Birds’ Nests by Richard Kearton, dating from 1895. By this time, she had painted about ten nests, and it was dawning on her that eyes needed to be opened to these wonderful works of avian architecture – and that perhaps she might even produce a book of her own.

Nests by Susan Ogilvy is published

by Penguin Random House 2021 ISBN: 978-0-241-48171-4

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Illustration of a Wren nest March and April 2022

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Let us help you refresh and revive

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Health and Beauty | STYLE

R E C O V E RY

By Ca rol i ne Hu rley I.I.H.H.T. A RT( R eg) W EL L BEI NG PR ACTITION ER AT BECA L M ED SPA A N D H EA LTH W EL L SOLU TIONS

H

ave you ever felt like you are struggling to keep up with daily tasks and deadlines? Sometimes life can feel overwhelming, leaving you little time for rest. The human body is built to thrive on series of short sprints followed by rest, so ignoring this basic requirement will be detrimental to your health.

Some of the physical benefits of massage and myotherapy include: reduced muscle tension, improved circulation, stimulation of the lymphatic system, reduction of stress hormones, relaxation, increased joint mobility and flexibility, improved skin tone, improved recovery of soft tissue injuries, heightened mental alertness, reduced anxiety and depression.

The amount of rest will vary from one person to another, but it is still an essential part of each day for everyone. Adequate rest will help your body activate its inner healing and return you to a balanced state. When you are resting, this is the time your body can repair itself.

As the speed of life becomes ever more chaotic, mindfulness and inner calm play an important role in maintaining equilibrium for both physical and mental health. With this in mind, we have recently introduced a new massage called ‘Inner Calm’. A deeply relaxing and balancing aromatherapy treatment for mind and body, the Inner Calm Massage uses a specially selected blend of oils specifically tailored to help you find your inner calm. Using guided inhalation and breathing techniques to help slow breath – releasing stress and anxiety, mind and body are brought back in balance. With the body relaxing into a warm neck pillow, an eye pillow is placed over eyes before a full body massage begins for a state of complete relaxation. A calming scalp massage follows before Rose Quartz Crystals are gently massaged over the third eye and forehead to rebalance the body, restore a sense of focus, and create inner calm.

At BeCalmed, we know that massage is an important part of many people’s lives, helping them relax and rest. Massage therapy can help the body in many ways. Massage can relax muscle tissue; improve circulation; lower the heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure; boost the immune system; and generally decrease the physical effects of stress.

One of the immediate benefits of massage is a feeling of deep relaxation and calm.

This occurs because massage prompts the release of endorphins – the brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that produce feelings of wellbeing. Levels of stress hormones, such as adrenalin, cortisol and norepinephrine, are also reduced. Studies indicate that high levels of stress hormones impair the immune system.

It is key to your health that you allow yourself time in the day to rest, unwind a busy mind, and let anxieties slip away for a renewed sense of positivity.

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STYLE | Health and Beauty

Embracing the fear:

H O W TO M A K E F E A R L E S S D E C I S I O N S

By Hattie Ma cA nd rews Con f idence a nd Mi ndset Coa ch

Acknowledge the fear So what exactly do I mean by fear?

What does fear look like, what does it feel like? How does it show up? That’s really up to you. For some, the idea of dining alone feels horrifying, let alone travelling or exploring solo. Some thrive on mountain climbing and long hikes, while for others the mere thought of going to an exercise class alone is enough to break into a cold sweat.

Fear is relative. It comes in many different forms and there are a multitude of ways in which you can begin to overcome it.

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For many, being fearf u l is the antithesis of being con fident. It’s black or white – you can either feel one or the other. As a con fidence and mindset coach, I can con firm that this is absolutely not true. In fact, I have found more of ten than not that fear and con fidence go hand in hand, and quite nicely too.

What does fear look like to you, and how does it impact your decision making? I suggest starting with a list of decisions you are feeling stuck on, then all the possible outcomes that you might be afraid of. These might include: fear of failure, rejection, not being good enough, not being taken seriously or perhaps a fear of the unknown.

acknowledge your fear, you can start to look at ways in which you’re able to move through it, and finally learn to embrace it.

Once you have acknowledged that you are afraid, you can start to challenge your mindset. Start by asking yourself “how likely is it that x will happen?”.

Once you begin to recognise and

Adventure can be thrilling, terrifying, exciting, scary, overwhelming and breath-taking – all at once. Adventure can make you feel alive, truly alive, and bring on that glorious rush of

Confront the fear There are a million different ways in which you can begin to confront the fear, but my personal favourite? Good old-fashioned adventure.

Health and Beauty | STYLE

Find your comfort zone, then step out of it endorphins we so constantly seek.

Once you’ve returned safe and sound from your adventure, you very quickly realise that you had nothing to be afraid of in the first place. Hence the fear has been confronted and is no longer there.

When you think about being “adventurous” – what does that mean? Is it planning to summit Kilimanjaro or is it adding an extra chilli to your curry? Working out your own boundaries and limitations when it comes to being adventurous is the first step. At what point do your ideas cross the line from exciting to scary, safe to unsafe?

Find the balance and begin to tip the scale. If you’re not sure where to start with adventuring, then start small. If you could take yourself on one mini adventure that feels (a little) scary, what would that be? It could include going for a longer walk than usual, embracing the cold-water swimming craze, or taking on a new challenge at work. Find your comfort zone, then step out of it.

Embrace the fear So now you have acknowledged what it is you are scared of, and

you have pushed yourself out of your comfort zone in one way or another. It’s now time to embrace the fear.

A simple shift in your perspective is the simplest way to start. Once you have built up your catalogue of adventures (big or small!), you will start to appreciate, and embrace, the feelings of fear you had initially. If you weren’t terrified of stepping into a cold shower, would the aftermath be so thrilling? If you weren’t a little apprehensive about pitching to a new client or presenting a new idea at work, would the sense of achievement be so great?

Embracing the fear is an opportunity to embrace the lows, as well as the highs. You can give yourself a pat on the back for doing whatever it was you were scared of, and know that you can achieve whatever you put your mind to.

Fear builds confidence. Fear feeds confidence. It’s not always linear, and it’s not always simple to see, but try stepping out of your comfort zone using this process and see what happens. You never know, you might be off on a solo holiday sooner than you thought!

Mount Kenya

Fuelling fea rlessness As an incredibly stubborn and independent person, my idea of being fearless is doing things that scare me, completely alone. I love an adventure and enjoy the process of pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I have climbed mountains, travelled and dined alone in all sorts of situations – and the more I do it, the more I love it. Here’s a list of things I have done recently, all by myself, that have made me stronger and more confident as a result: Climbed Mount Kenya alone Taken up Pole Dancing lessons and Mountain Biking Woken up at 5am and drove to Wales to climb Mt Snowdon (on a whim)

Climbing Mount Kenya

Went to Ireland for a week hattiema caon ndholiday rews.com I nsta g ra m: hattie_ ma ca nd rews March and April 2022

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STYLE | Fashion

SPRING TRENDS Something exciting is coming into your wardrobes. It’s time to add colour, try bold shapes and have fun! Visual Impact share with you their latest arrivals and how to create the look.

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Fashion | STYLE

FIND YOUR HAPPY COLOURS These six colour trends are it for Spring 2022

There are a lot of happy moodbusting hues on the horizon: think juicy and interesting combinations such as bright berry shades and sea blues, mingled together to delicious effect.

Or, if this feels like too much like hard work, wear one colour head to toe and own it.

The return and reinvention of tailoring

Enjoy the might of all white

Just when you thought it was out, it comes right back in.

Tailoring fell out of favour pretty hard when sportswear took over your wardrobe.

Here’s at least one for the minimalists: a shock of bright white, worn head to toe, will be feeling fresh and clean for spring. Try crisp white cottons mixed with distressed white denims, or silky dresses matched with white tailored jackets. Just don’t spill your coffee!

Team blazers with dresses It’s as easy as it sounds. Simply pair a tailored jacket with your favourite dress and you’re already one step ahead for spring.

We love the idea of this chic and hugely wearable combination.

It gives you the confidence-inspiring cut guaranteed by good tailoring, plus the feminine ease of a flowy dress.

Utility That trend reaches its natural conclusion this season with utility wear, which sees practical militaryinspired clothes reimagined as designer gear.

C o mp l e t e t h e l o o k f r o m t h e c o l l e c t i o n i n s t o r e o r o n l i n e a t : Vi s u a l I mp a c t L a d i e s we a r a n d M e n s we a r 21 H o ly r o o d S t r e e t , New p o r t | v i s u a l i mp a c t . c o . u k | @ v i s u a l i mp a c t March and April 2022

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E R U T

N E V D TS

I A W

New opportunities and discoveries on our Isle Oceans of opportunities Are you aged 14-17 and enjoy adventure and being outdoors? Would you like to learn more about working in watersports or the yachting industry? If so, the UKSA Sea.Change Foundation Programme could be just right for you. You don’t need any special knowledge or experience; you just have to be excited about learning something new and meeting lots of likeminded new people.

The five-day Sea.Change programme introduces you to a wide range of fun activities including paddleboarding and dinghy sailing, power boating and yachting. They know that these sports might be totally new to you, so don’t worry, UKSA’s experienced instructors will

be there to support you every step of the way.

Charlotte, Sea.Change Foundation student, said: “Before the course I thought I would have to go to university to start a career within the maritime industry. I have now learnt that I can come to UKSA straight after my GCSE’s and do a wide range of courses.”

There are courses running in February half-term, Easter and the summer holidays. Visit uksa.org/seachange for dates and availability. Spaces are limited and offered on a first come, first served basis. careers@uksa.org | 01983 203038

SPECIAL OFFER: 50% of course fees paid for all Isle of Wight residents which means you pay only £225 for the five-day course including food and accommodation.

Quote code STYLE2022 when booking, valid for all bookings made by 31.03.22

March and April 2022

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Briddlesford Farm fun When you visit Briddlesford Farm at Wootton you just know you are on a real working dairy farm.

The smell of the cows’ tasty food (silage) is in the air, and you can see cows and calves from the car park.

If you arrive after 3pm you can even watch the cows being milked in their new parlour, from a viewing point by the cow shed.

The farm is home to a herd of beautiful, pedigree Guernsey cows. They give delicious golden milk and cream which is pasteurised, bottled, or made into butter and five different cheeses in the processing dairy on site.

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All these delights can be sampled in the Bluebells Café, which also has a tasty menu for children. Alternatively, buy some to take home and enjoy – perhaps on a spring picnic – from the well-stocked farm shop.

Baby calves, in pens next to the café, are always waiting to be petted and, on weekdays in the school holidays, Welly Wednesdays take place between 2pm and 4pm when you can enjoy a guided tour of the farm.

Telephone 01983 882885 to book and visit briddlesford.co.uk.

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Burn off energy rain or shine at JR Zone Looking for a day of fun for the kids? JR Zone is the Island’s largest indoor soft play and laser arena. On the outskirts of Newport, there is ample free parking, free Wi-Fi and it is a disabilityfriendly facility.

Whether it’s tumbling through the netted and cushioned playframe, or zooming down the multilane Astro Slide, your kids will love the indoor adventure playground at JR Zone. Their Laser Storm Parties are ideal for family and friends to have some fun and a bit of competition!

Rain or shine, open seven days a week, JR Zone has you covered during your holidays, or on a visit to the Island. Book your session and watch your kids let off some steam, while you sit back and relax with a selection of hot or cold beverages and snacks available at the café on site.

55 Manners View, Newport, PO30 5FA 01983 559272 info@jrzone.co.uk

The ultimate Island ‘escape’ After being ‘locked down’ throughout most of 2020 – and part of 2021 – you may think that the last thing you want to do is run the risk of being locked up… forever. But for anyone who likes a challenge or to try something new, a visit to the Lost Crypt Escape Room is well worth it.

This year, bring together your best thrillseeking friends, your family or work colleagues, and head underground to take on one of the Island’s most exciting and atmospheric experiences.

The Lost Crypt is no ordinary Escape Room. For starters, it’s one of only two Escape Rooms on the Island, but it’s also the UK’s first live Escape Room set inside a real church crypt. Escape Room settings don’t get much more enticing than this.

the 60-minute timed game is suited to both first-time and avid players. Two or more players are required to take part, with four to six players recommended.

The game is family-friendly but, because of its complexity, it is only suitable for children aged eight and above, who can play if accompanied by two or more adults.

The Lost Crypt Escape Room was primarily devised as an income generation tool, to drive some revenue for Aspire Ryde’s charitable activities.

So, by playing The Lost Crypt, you are also supporting other people to escape from some of life’s more serious problems, as all ticket money and profit goes directly back into areas of vital need.

Book your place: thelostcrypt.co.uk

Players need to ‘unlock’ a series of historical puzzles and clues, based on a unique real-life mystery, within Aspire Ryde’s historic church building – ‘Holy Trinity’. As the timer counts down, players need to keep their wits sharpened and work collaboratively to solve real life puzzles and challenges to break free… or risk being stuck underground forever.

Deemed a ‘must do’ Escape Room, March and April 2022

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MAKING A SCENE There’s a bit of a buzz i n the a i r i n Ventnor. Post lockdow n, there’s now a renewed creative opti m ism. Ad m itted ly, the tow n has a lways been a ma g net for the a r t crowd, but i n the past weeks the energ y seems more v ibra nt, more a l ive. With even Bol ly wood here f i l m i ng th is yea r, it seems Ventnor is becom i ng a hotspot for ma ny T V a nd f i l m productions, a nd now a new loca l production tea m is a lso ma k i ng a n i mpression.

9 of Cups Productions made their first short film during last year’s restrictions.

Their short supernatural thriller, called ‘Strange Waters’, was filmed on location in Ventnor and on Spitbank Fort in the Solent. The finished short, which is a teaser for the full-length feature film, is now headed for the international festival circuit.

Top: Actress Bryony Tebbutt on set.

Above: Official poster for Strange Waters.

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Writer and Producer, Rowena Amos, probably better known for running ‘The Cabin’ on Ventnor seafront, says: “This project felt blessed from the outset, literally everything fell into place. Andy is a fantastic new director, plus we secured our first choice of actors. All the crew were immensely talented, and everyone got on really well together on set, which is rare! We actually all

met during the first lockdown through Director’s Cut Theatre company in London and had been working together over Zoom for just over a year. When we saw each other for the first time it was like, ‘hey you have a body!’”

The idea for the film itself was born out of the pandemic situation. Rowena continues: “The story has themes of isolation and suspicion, a reflection of how the collective was feeling, but we also wanted a project that would be fun to make. I think everyone is ready for a bit of fun.”

The film is Andy McLeod’s directorial debut, although he is by no means new to the industry, with fifteen years as an established actor in shows such as

Feature | STYLE of tunnels that were once used by the former Victorian tuberculosis hospital.

Some shots for the interior of the fort were also re-created in Ventnor Arts Club.

Many of the cast and crew are based here on the Isle of Wight. Tim Rowe, who plays Vince, and Kevin Early, the Director of Photography, are based out in West Wight. Four of the team graduated from Portsmouth University in the same year, although they only met during the filming. Stills photographs on set were taken by local photographer Gianpaolo Giancovich and renowned local musician Angelina Grimshaw joined the crew as wardrobe and continuity; some may not know Actress Lydia Cashman getting ready on set.

The Beast Must Die, Eastenders and Stephen Merchant’s The Outlaws. Andy comments: “Lockdown did pose some big challenges for the shoot. We had to use Zoom for the pre-production meetings, limit the amount of people on set and test daily. I think we were all praying that no-one became ill; thankfully we were lucky.”

Many of the shots were filmed on the historic Spitbank Fort itself. Rowena adds: “I was looking for a totally original setting for the story, so when we passed the fort on the ferry one day I shouted ‘that’s it!’ Obviously everyone thought I was a bit crazy as it’s in the middle of the sea. The logistics of filming at sea are not easy. On researching the fort, I discovered it has a facinating history and is actually built on a fresh water well that, ironically, links to France. To be honest I was pretty astounded when the owner Mike Clare said we could use it, and we owe an equally big thanks to his son Edward who helped practically to make it all happen.”

Director Andy enthuses: “The fort is an amazing location, it’s living history.

I believe we are the only narrative film to shoot on it. There was a fair bit of me and the director of photography going deep into the bowels of it to get the best, creepiest shots possible.

It’s pretty damp and dark down there but was worth it for the footage! The

Actors Tim Rowe and Yinka Awoni on location in the VBG tunnels.

“The story has themes of isolation and suspicion, a reflection of how the collective was feeling.”

Writer and Producer Rowena Amos external shots were taken with a drone, and we had to make sure we kept it in range whilst getting all the intricate angles we needed; it really kept us on our toes. At one point we couldn’t get the drone back on the boat due to the high wind, that was a bit hairy for a while. It could have been very costly!”

The film also shot locally in Ventnor Botanic Gardens, down in the network

that she holds a fashion degree from Cheltenham Schoot of Art. Her brother, accomplished Island musician JC Grimshaw, composed the score for the film. Rowena comments: “We wanted to create an original sound on real intruments. JC composed the music while watching the finished edit so we could get the exact timings and interpretation. He and Kathy then March and April 2022

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From left to right front row: Lydia Cashman and Mark Joseph. Left to right back row: Rowena Amos, Angelina Grimshaw, Tim Rowe, Andy McLeod, Richard Topping, Gianpaolo Giancovich, Kevin Early.

recorded the score on piano, mandolin and violin. JC adds: “I tried to keep all the sounds real and organic to enhance the nautical theme of the story. It’s a bit of a departure from my usual method of songwriting, but I really enjoyed the challenge of this project.”

The film also includes the sea shanty ‘Roll the old Chariot’ – otherwise known as ‘A Drop of Nelson’s Blood’ – sung by New England baritone singer David Coffin. Rowena discovered a clip on YouTube of David singing entitled ‘Portsmouth Festival,’ only to later realise it was in Portsmouth, Massachussetts! However, when they approached David in the US he was keen to be part of the project.

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Filmwight, the Island’s official film office, also helped support the project.

They organised locations, arranged discounted ferries and even provided transportation during the shoot. Film Officer, Dave Russell says, “the Island has so much to offer, with such a wealth of locations in such a small area.” The Island also boasts a lot of TV and film expertise, for example the BBC’s Silent Witness and ITV’s The Larkins are both edited here.

A private screening of ‘Strange Waters’ is due to be held at Ventnor Arts Club this month, with general release later in the year after the festival circuit has completed. Their next film project is already in the pipeline for this year.

Local musician JC Grimshaw.

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DESTINATION

COWES

Cowes is a shining example of how the high street can thrive, and there’s a real sense of community in the town. It’s easy to spend a day meandering around the fantastic independent shops, eateries, galleries, and watching the boats go by.

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very establishment we visited strives to show customers something special and different, with owners and employees proud and passionate about what they provide. We also discovered that once you step inside, you’ll almost always find more than you’d expect.

Birmingham Road, at the southern end of the high street, is home to BeCalmed. Customers can invariably expect a warm welcome from spa manager Claire Bannister, and leave their stresses at the door to relax in this tranquil space for some well-deserved pampering.

Therapist Ginta Courtney, one of several team members who’ve recently completed ESPA training to become qualified skincare specialists, says, “A lot of people had forgotten they used to take time for themselves, so it’s lovely to see people now getting back into a routine of self-care, and to start feeling like themselves again.”

New treatments include the Genie Take Ten Facelift, a completely

Spa manager Claire Bannister and therapist Ginta Courtney make BeCalmed the home of wellbeing in Cowes

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Relax in comfort at BeCalmed

Seafood heaven at the Smoking Lobster

natural facial using electric current giving instant results, and an Inner Calm Massage, with aromatherapy body oils personalised to your physical and emotional needs. You can even start with a relaxing infrared sauna, to relieve your tension. Their ESPA range of skincare uses the highest quality natural ingredients and essential oils from around the world, with most products being vegan too.

A bustling gateway for visitors from around the world, Cowes Yacht Haven is at the heart of sailing in Cowes, and is now owned by Cowes Waterfront Trust, a charity dedicated to investing money into the local waterfront to improve the area for all. It’s always

Cowes Yacht Haven’s stunning events venue

Spring palettes lift the spirits at Mia

worth taking a short detour off the high street just to see what’s going on.

chilli squid ink bao sliders, with a tasting menu also available.

This prestigious waterside events venue will be opening its Terrace bar soon. With stunning harbour views, it’s the perfect venue for a chilled sundowner, private parties, and lazy champagne afternoons. Tasty fresh food can be found at pop-up restaurant Pontoon View, which returns from April to September. The impressively large events centre is available for corporate or private hire, hosting everything from sailing regattas to boxing, balls and children’s events. For sailors, the Marina offers fully serviced berths, and the boatyard provides storage and launch services.

Book for Mother’s Day and receive a free yuzu gin, coconut and physalis sour cocktail for mum. You can also take advantage of the set lunch menu at £20 for two courses, or £25 for three courses, available until the Easter holidays.

With plenty of fantastic eateries to choose from in Cowes, one of the current hottest venues has to be Smoking Lobster. Owner and chef GC Giancovich, along with sister Cinz Reckitt and team, showcase delicious traditional Japanese cooking using locally sourced sustainable produce.

The new menu features mouthwatering seafood dishes packed with Asian flavours, and every plate looks as good as it tastes. Tempting choices include Yuzu Miso black cod, hijiiki salad and tempura asparagus, Koji aged fillet of beef tartare, or Tempura lobster, fermented lettuce relish and

Spring is in the air at fashion boutique Mia, where clothes are presented in complementary colour palettes; stylish bags, shoes and accessories are displayed alongside fresh cut flowers, and friendly staff are on hand for any advice you need. Owner Maria Guy began working in fashion aged 18,

Owner Maria Guy

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Seeds for spring sowing at Hurst’s

Shorelines of Cowes has gifts galore

rising to head of buying at House of Fraser before establishing Mia. Her wealth of experience and constant research to select pieces she knows her customers will love has ensured Mia’s success. The boutique is all about individual styling for all ages.

Cowes branch manager Elaine Slade and team will happily spend however long it takes helping customers find what suits them, with no pressure. “We love helping customers play around to see what styles work, and we’re always honest – if doesn’t look right we’ll say.

We want customers to leave feeling confident, and for people to admire what they’re wearing.”

Hurst’s is one of the best-known local

Hurst’s is an Island icon

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stores, first trading as an Ironmonger in 1859. Selling almost anything you need for the home and garden, the Cowes branch also offers niche products, like fixings and shackles for running repairs on boats. You can always rely on fantastic customer service, and shop manager Adam Wright and his team will go out of their way to help. Whether you want a gift, a screwdriver, wine glasses, a barbecue or a USB charger, every shelf is packed with useful things; and if they don’t have what you want, they’ll try to get it for you.

Drawing you in with bright greetings cards strung up in the windows like bunting, Shorelines of Cowes is filled with a diverse array of gift ideas.

Shop assistant Paula Rowlings says, “We’re part of a strong community in Cowes, and local shops put effort into selling things that others don’t stock.

You’ll find plenty of interesting shops like ours, all trying to be different.”

The eclectic stock includes a huge collection of soft, quirky Jellycat toys, Chilly’s innovative water bottles in a rainbow of colours, and luxury Turtle Doves recycled cashmere fingerless gloves and accessories. Find pictures by local artists, cards from local suppliers, and they also offer key cutting, engraving, and a bespoke framing service for pretty much

Old-world charm at Aqua Marine

anything you wish to frame.

Eleanor Olson promotes upcycling and sustainability in Aqua Marine at 49 High Street, with all manner of gift ideas and pretty things wherever you look. We discovered the gorgeous colourful jewellery range is handmade

by Eleanor herself, often by recycling old pieces, and she also transforms leftover beads into pretty charms for zips and phones. You can commission her to make jewellery in the colour and style you want, with no obligation.

Vintage tea sets and tableware — perfect for an Easter tea party or special occasion — are available for sale or hire, and Eleanor recycles any broken crockery to create decorative

Salty’s

Eleanor Olson at Aqua Marine

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Lose yourself in literature at Medina Bookshop

Refuel and relax at Manny’s Baguette’s

mosaic pictures. There are eco-friendly cards for all occasions, with giftware including organic perfumes from India and travel towels made from bamboo.

The shop also serves as the Cowes Tourist Information Point.

Right next door, Medina Bookshop is a treasure, and it is clear that customers love spending time here. The wellstocked shelves carry a bespoke selection of books to browse, from romantic fiction to thrillers, speciality maritime books and an Isle of Wight section. Book seller Paul Armfield says, “We really benefit from being a small, independent bookshop, because we can choose what we think are good books. We’re happy

Book seller Paul Armfield at Medina Bookshop

to give recommendations, and if customers can’t find what they want, we’ll order it in.” This cosy bookshop has also become quite a community hub, where people can gather to listen to talks from authors, buy evening tickets to music Mondays, children can read in their own little tepee, local artists exhibit on the walls, and it has a successful publishing side too, recently launching ‘Out on an Island’, documenting local hidden LGBTQ+ history.

Near the end of the high street you’ll find Manny’s Baguettes, home of owner Manny Coelho’s famed ‘Pasteis de Nata’. We devoured these delicious Portuguese custard tarts fresh from the oven, and they didn’t disappoint.

Manny originated from Madeira, and his sunny disposition makes this a welcoming place to stop for a chat, or to simply watch the world go by.

The menu includes freshly made baguettes, salad bowls, tasty specials, and Manny also produces celebration cakes and cupcakes to order.

Maritime charity UKSA is just 10 minutes from the high street, and will be running a variety of courses for young people during the Easter Holidays, which may provide the perfect opportunity for parents to drop off the children, and enjoy some quality time to themselves in town.

Explore life afloat at UKSA

UKSA’s fun days offer children aged 8-15 the perfect introduction to a range of on-the-water activities, with safety equipment and packed lunch provided.

Dinghy sailing courses for all abilities are available, and the residential Sea. Change Foundation Programme gives 14-17 year olds five days of various water-based activities and classroom sessions to explore career options in the maritime sector. At open days on the 19th March and 23rd April, prospective students can meet the team, tour the waterside campus and learn about the training courses available.

UKSA offer fun days out on the water

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FROM ALMOND CAKES TO ALMERIA GRAPES

The story of Caroline Goldsmid: Ryde’s exotic fruit pioneer Words Ja mes R ay ner I l lustration Ju l ie Sajous

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tanding outside Number 2 Union Street in 1857 you might have noticed a new sign above the shop door, announcing the arrival of C. Goldsmid (from London), Fruiterer, Confectioner, and Italian Warehouse.

This new retailer, like a number of Ryde businesses at the time, was Jewish-owned (curiosity dealer Moses Solomon and tailor Samuel Moses were both just around the corner) however, unlike the others, C. Goldsmid was run by a woman.

Her name was Caroline, the daughter of Lamert Goldsmid, an ‘orange merchant’ living in Newington Causeway, South London - a man whose origins, despite conflicting paperwork, seem to have been in Central Europe. In her midthirties, Caroline left the family home and set sail for the Isle of Wight, taking over the keys to Number 2 Union Street, Ryde, and opening the doors of her new enterprise.

Inside, shelves were lined with almond cakes, macaroons, orange and lemon chips, bottles of British wine and flasks of Florence oil (a prized olive oil from Tuscany); and fresh desserts could be

made to order - nothing too unusual for the town’s Victorian inhabitants.

However, within months of the till beginning to ring, Caroline must have sensed an opportunity, quickly restyling herself as a specialist ‘foreign fruit dealer’. Soon her stock included peaches, apricots, greengages, and hot-house grapes as well as Lady Apples shipped over from America and pineapples and pomelos from the West Indies. At any one time, she could have as many as six different types of orange, including blood oranges, egg oranges, tangerines and Seville oranges picked from trees in Malta, Spain, Italy and Portugal. She marketed well too, creating a buzz by printing notices in the local papers announcing her exciting new deliveries, such as her ‘new importation’ of Chinese lychees - a ‘deliciously aromatic fruit’.

Whilst risky, her new niche paid off, and far from being too soon for Islanders of the 1850s, it seemed to be exactly what they were looking for. The business thrived, and Caroline thanked locals for their ‘kind patronage that has hitherto been so liberally bestowed on her’.

By 1862, the shop windows were still filled with everything from pods of Brazil nuts to Cadiz melons and preserved ginger, but the business now traded under the name E. Goldsmid (probably her brother Edwin) and would only last a few more months before all records disappear. Two years earlier Caroline had married a French-born British Jew named Samuel Harris who worked as a carver and gilder.

With pregnancy on the horizon and a relocation to Southampton and later Newcastle, this was to be the end of her entrepreneurial adventure.

However, just before leaving the Island in October 1863 Caroline gave birth to her only child, Lillie Harris, at Ventnor and it seems some of her mother’s drive and independent spirit would rub off on her daughter, too. Lillie became a published author by the age of 13 with a book entitled Mama’s Fairy Tales and would later take the role of investigative journalist - even reporting on the Jack the Ripper murders.

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Joyriding and fine dining LeBlanq, curators of intimate weekends of cycling and gastronomy, held its first ever luxury joyriding weekend on the Isle of Wight on 17th to 19th September 2021. A team of some of the world’s most iconic cyclists, including Sir Bradley Wiggins, Sean Yates, Joanna Rowsell and Adam Blythe, joined a group of leading chefs, including Claude Bosi, Francesco Mazzei and Ashley Palmer-Watts, to host a weekend to remember.

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pon arrival at The Royal Hotel, Ventnor, a fleet of Aston Martin cars whisked guests to Ventnor Botanic Gardens for pre-dinner drinks, followed by a five-course celebration dinner prepared by two of the Island’s best chefs: Adam Fendyke of Castlehaven and Nick Dobson of The Royal, in collaboration with Ashley Palmer-Watts. Dishes featured some of the very best produce from across the Island, with drinks pairings provided by the Island’s own Mermaid Gin and Laurent Perrier’s Master of Wine, David Hesketh.

On Saturday, groups of varying abilities were challenged by itineraries that took in the best roads and views across the Island. The 60 guests rode alongside ride leaders including Sir Bradley

Wiggins, Adam Blythe and Sean Yates, while Aston Martin and Michelin support vehicles showed the way.

For Saturday’s dinner, Claude Bosi – known across the Island for his collaborations with The George – prepared the ‘Tour de Feast’ as the culinary culmination of the weekend.

With a menu created as a sevencourse homage to Sir Bradley Wiggins, the two Michelin-Starred chef of London’s Bibendum conjured delicious dishes, each accompanied by drinks paired by Laurent-Perrier.

Sir Bradley Wiggins, Tour de France winner and one of Team GB’s most decorated Olympians, was on the Island for the first time. He said, “It’s beautiful; I never knew it was like this.

It’s joyriding at its best”.

Top left: Sir Bradley Wiggins soaking up the sunshine. Below left: Claude Bosi. Top right: Ashley Palmer-Watts & Ewoud Dudok de Wit.

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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

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@MERMAIDGIN

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OUT ON AN ISLAND the Isle of Wight’s hidden LGBTQ+ history February was LGBTQ+ History Month. Out On A n Island celebrated w ith the release of its book, published by Med i na P ubl ish i ng

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elivered by StoneCrabs Theatre and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Out on An Island is the first ever project dedicated to Isle of Wight LGBTQ+ history. The book shines a light on the stories of struggle and truth shared through recorded oral histories, unearthing a public history and cultural heritage hidden for over a century.

Franko Figueiredo, Artistic Director for StoneCrabs, explains that “the book is a collaborative effort among LGBTQ+ staff and volunteers. It was created in remarkable circumstances, and the result is an inspiring collection of interviews from LGBTQ+ people concerning their lives on the Island.”

Franko Figueiredo

Caroline Diamond

The oral histories are shared in a matter-of-fact style, with accounts of

homophobia, rejection and exclusion peppered with moments of joy and celebration. From beginning to end the stories stand as powerful testaments to human endeavour. While some of the LGBTQ+ community were proud to call the Isle of Wight their home, others feared discrimination, and were desperate to escape.

Asked to comment on the book, human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said, “Out On An Island is a brilliant oral history of LGBT+ communities and culture on the Isle of Wight: the persecutions, campaigns, defiance, solidarity and triumphs. Inspiring!” and novelist Patrick Gale thought it was “hugely impressive”.

The book holds a wealth of fascinating information. It reveals the fruits of research into Isle of Wight LGBTQ+

A selection of Islanders were involved in the creation of this book and some of them are pictured above. Left page clockwise from top left: Robin, Julian, Robert, Callum, Joanna, Karl S, Jude, Sydney. Right page clockwise from top left: Melissa, David, Karl L, Michelle, Rosa, Lucy, Anon, Caroline.

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people and places from the last one hundred years, contributions of personal stories and poems and stunning interviewee portraits by photographer Jon Habens. You can read about Virginia Woolf, Fergusons Gang, Joe Carstairs and Algernon Swinburne and the Island locations that connect them from Dimbola Lodge to East Cowes Classic Boat Museum.

“It was like lifting up a large rock on the beach, we had no idea what would wriggle out from underneath,” says Project Manager, Caroline Diamond.

Through the Out On An Island project, StoneCrabs aims to continue supporting LGBTQ+ people of all ages across the Isle of Wight to build bridges and reduce discrimination in the hope that everyone is treated with unconditional positive regard.

Accompanying the book is an exhibition displaying many of the project findings at Carisbrooke Castle Museum, daily from 19th February - 1st August 2022.

The book can be ordered at medinabookshop.com

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Driving ambition There’s of ten a feel i ng that the stretch of water sepa rati ng the Isla nd from the ma i n la nd washes away a mbition a nd d rive i n the Isla nd’s youth. Lu ke Ba i ley, 17, is prov i ng th is ver y w rong.

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“I’m very fortunate to be racing with mechanic Dave of DG Racing. We’ll walk the track to find the braking points, points that mark where I start to ease the throttle on again.” Such fine-tuned preparation is essential: “There’s maybe half a second’s difference between me qualifying in ninth position and the guy who won.”

ast month Luke made podium in a national Karting championships – a marker that he is taking a boyhood fun sport to the next level. “That was in a Top Novice competition. I’ve been karting for about seven years but it’s only in the past eight to nine months that it’s gotten serious,” he says. “Now I’m competing at a regional/national level, at club championships around the country.”

Any sport that requires travel becomes expensive – but as Luke explains, the cost of karting can be stratospheric.

“You’ve got to transport your pod, you need to build your team, you’ve got travel costs,” he says. “I’m really lucky that I’ve got some sponsorship from my physiotherapist, Dan Noyes, and my gym, Evolution in Ryde, where I see my trainer Michael Cooper of Push Fitness.”

You might wonder why a young man driving a GoKart should need personal training and regular physio. “It’s a very physical sport. You get up to 2.5g

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Luke with his trainer Michael Cooper

through some corners, your kart weighs 177kilos, so that’s 2.5 times its weight on your body. That’s a lot of force.”

The karts are as skeletal as they look.

“The pods are thin plastic on a metal structure - a very basic chassis. There’s maybe half an inch between your seat and the ground.”

Luke is exhilarated by the speed – he’s recorded up to 90mph – but also loves the technical aspect of the sport.

Now he’s started on the serious road of motorsport, there seems no limit to his ambition. “I love Karting but I want to be going on and up, into the Feeder Series and into British Formula 4 – single seater car racing. I want to race in the European Le Mans series, or the World Endurance Championships.”

The only thing standing in his way will be lack of funding, and so when he isn’t at college, where he is studying graphic design, or at Ryde’s Evolution Gym or having his body rebuilt by Dan the physiotherapist, he researches sponsorship avenues. Clearly nothing is going to stand in the way of Luke’s ambitious drive to the top.

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“That is one good thing about this world... there are always sure to be more springs.”

L.M. Montgomery

STIMULATE SENSES AND SPIRIT THIS SPRING

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Stud io Jute is an Isle of Wight based Interior Desig n practice specia lising in creating timeless interiors.

Their holistic approach covers concept to completion, w ith desig ns that support the client’s li festyle and have a positive impact on wel lbeing.

here is nothing like the arrival of spring to lift the spirits. Shoots bursting through the ground, new animal life beginning, longer, lighter days – all a distinct reminder of the wonders of the natural world as it seemingly starts afresh around us. This energy is contagious; spring represents new life, new beginnings, and the opportunity to try something new. Stepping outside into the first of the spring sunshine, we experience its wonderful sensory qualities. The scent of bulbs blooming, the sound of birds singing, the feel of soft grass underfoot, all these small sensations can spark memories and associations long forgotten.

After months of gloomy days and less time spent outside, we all look forward to throwing the doors open and letting spring envelop our homes. Aside from a refreshing spring clean, how can we bring a little piece of the moodenhancing impressions of spring into our homes?

Think about all the senses, not just the visual. In interior design we often start with a mood board – not just a pretty picture board, but an important tool in communicating the feeling we want to achieve. What will the space feel like to touch? What will the soundscape be?

How will the light move around? Can we improve the air quality? Even what we would like it to smell like and why!

When we begin to dig a little deeper into our wants and needs and how to achieve them, we create a space we feel fundamentally connected to, and when we feel connected, we feel at ease and happier in our surroundings. This sense of belonging and contentment positively impacts our wellbeing, leading us towards happier and more fulfilled lives.

Here are some ideas on how you can refresh your space to appeal to your senses.

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SIGHT Biophi lic desig n is a g reat way to connect your interior to the exterior. Uti lising natura l moti fs and shapes promotes a sense of wel lbeing found when in nature.

Simple repetition, sy mmetry and organic forms are a l l g reat ways to introduce natura l elements into man-made env ironments. Using natura l, organic, and recycled materia ls w i l l en hance the benefits of this method.

William Morris Acanthus fabric, ANNE GINGER SOFT FURNISHINGS. Nature-inspired accessories, ACACIA BAY. Carving Tom Ball, YARMOUTH GALLERY. Spring Greens on canvas, CELIA WILKINSON. Light fitting, ACACIA BAY.

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SOUND Acoustics play a big part in how com fortable you feel using a space. Sof ten hard surfaces w ith curtains, rugs, and wa l l coverings. Innovative use of natura l materia ls, such as linen wa l l coverings; they not on ly look beauti f u l but create a cocooning effect. Layer wool carpets, seag rass rugs and f u l l-leng th curtains to absorb sound waves.

Wool carpet, ABBOTTS FLOORING. Vescom linen wall covering, PAUL WALDEN INTERIORS. Linen curtains, ANNE GINGER SOFT FURNISHINGS. Nature-inspired accessories, ACACIA BAY. Seagrass rug, ABBOTTS FLOORING. March and April 2022

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SCENT Not to be overlooked, our olfactory system enables us to reca l l memories more clearly than those not lin ked to scent.

Create your ow n bespoke frag rance by layering your favourite scents, burn clean soy cand les a longside loca l ly blended essentia l oi l reed di ff users. Cleanse the air reg u larly w ith the clever Maison Berger lamp, sit this a longside air puri f y ing plants such as Peace Li lies to ensure a hea lthy env ironment.

Essential oil reed diffusers, WIGHT APOTHECARY. Lamp Berger aroma lamp, BAYLISS & BOOTH. House plant, THE FLOWER GARDEN. Soy wax candle, WIGHT APOTHECARY via WIGHT ORIGINALS. Plum & Ashby candle, THIS & THAT.

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TOUCH Textures are so important for ma k ing a home feel a live.

Create variety and tension by mi xing rough w ith smooth, hard w ith sof t, heav y w ith light.

A beauti f u l linen sofa w i l l a lways be a delight to sin k into.

En hance the ex perience w ith a fabu lously upli f ting and env ironmenta l ly friend ly throw. Tacti le accessories, such as handmade pottery, loca l ly sourced and car ved wooden trin ket boxes, a l l connect us to nature each time we use them. Don’t forget other surfaces – a coat of lime wash paint adds depth li ke no other. studiojute.co.u k Oak table, hand carved trinket box and utensils, JIMS WOODCRAFT via WIGHT ORIGINALS. Ocean sunlight throw, XV STRIPES. Handmade stoneware vase, TREGEAR POTTERY. British made sofa, BAYLISS & BOOTH. Autentico lime wash paint, BAYLISS & BOOTH. March and April 2022

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GET READY FOR THE

ROSES There is no flower that epitomises the English garden more than the rose, and now is the time to get your roses into your gardens, for a stunning summer show.

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oses can be stand-alone shrubs, low bushes for ground cover, tall standard roses, grouped together to form rose hedges, or climbers and ramblers that will scale houses or decorate obelisks, archways and other garden furniture. There’s literally a rose for every garden, and every function.

Roses have been around forever – fossil evidence suggests at least 35 million years. Today there are over 30,000 varieties of roses worldwide and every year new roses are bred and named, often to celebrate anniversaries and significant events.

David Austin is one of the best, most well established and prestigious breeders of roses in the UK and they are now stocked at Busy Bee, just outside Ryde. The crème de la crème of roses, winning many awards, David Austin Roses has been breeding exquisite English Roses for almost 60

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years and they are renowned for their beautiful, often many petalled, repeat flowering blooms and enticing, rich fragrances.

of lemon, which becomes sweeter and stronger with age. It forms a bushy, nicely rounded shrub with arching branches and rather shiny foliage.

Roses from David Austin that are currently in stock at Busy Bee include The Pilgrim, The Poet’s Wife, Silas Marner, Gentle Hermione and Boscobel.

Silas Marner is a shrub rose of soft mid pink, the petals are pale on the reverse and fade at the edges creating a gentle quality. Held on red stems, the mediumsized cupped blooms have relaxed, almost ruffled petals which are set around an attractive button eye, with a medium-strong Old Rose fragrance with accents of fruity lemon, green banana and apricot. A very healthy medium-sized shrub with glossy dark green foliage and wide, arching growth.

The Pilgrim is a particularly beautiful soft yellow climbing rose, with petals that pale prettily towards the edges.

The buds open to reveal many petalled cups, which gradually form large, flat rosettes and have a medium strength fragrance, which is a perfect balance of tea and myrrh. It will quickly reach some height and still produce flowers and leaves lower down the plant.

The Poet’s Wife is a shrub rose that bears rich yellow flowers, which pale over time, and have a neat outer ring of petals enclosing an informal group of petals within. There is a strong, wonderfully rich fragrance with a hint

Gentle Hermione has perfectly formed, shallow cups of pure light pink, paling to soft blush on the outer petals. This shrub rose has a strong, warm myrrh fragrance, and forms an attractive, quite broad shrub, with slightly arching stems. The leaves are tinged red at first, later turning green.

Advertisement Feature | STYLE

TOP TIPS FOR ROSES Container roses are a great for novice gardeners because they’re easy to plant and establish quickly.

Plant your roses when climate conditions are ideal - preferably a cool and cloudy day, rather than in full sunlight.

Make sure that your rose has some sun, ideally at least four hours of sunlight a day, preferably more, and they need rich soil with plenty of organic matter (roses love well-rotted horse manure). In a garden that gets a lot of frost, plant your rose bush next to a south or west-facing fence or wall to minimise winter damage.

Ensure the rose has enough space, so that the roots do not suffer from intense competition from neighbouring plants, including trees and hedges.

Boscobel boasts red buds that open to beautifully formed, upward facing, coralpink rosettes. Small petals of varying shades mingle to provide a most pleasing effect. The myrrh fragrance has delicious hints of hawthorn, elderflower, pear and almond. It forms an upright shrub.

Busy Bee also stock Harkness roses, who have been breeding and growing over 200 varieties of exquisite British Roses for more than 140 years. This year they have introduced a rose for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee called

the Queen Elizabeth II rose, with £2.50 going to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust for every rose sold, and these are in stock at Busy Bee. Queen Elizabeth II Rose has large classic shaped flowers which combine elements of soft pink light amber gold and cream, and strong sweet rose scent. The plant is strong and robust with big dark green leaves that have a good disease resistance. Use in beds, borders or hedges, large patio containers and for cutting.

Busy Bee is your first stop for top quality roses – pay a visit to see their extensive range.

Brading Road, Ryde PO33 1QG | t: 01983 811096 OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm Sundays 9am to 4pm

The planting hole needs to be deep enough and wide enough to accommodate the plant’s roots, and needs to have good drainage, since roses don’t like wet feet.

The soil should be kept evenly moist throughout the growing season. For an impressive show of flowers, a rose bush needs to be fertilized regularly.

Blackspot on your roses is one of the curses of living in the beautiful clean air of the Isle of Wight. Keep your roses clear of this fungal infection by spraying them with a sulphur dioxide-based spray twice a month in the growing season, as they do at Busy Bee.

busybeegardencentre.co.uk March and April 2022

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ed v r e

Blanchard Fields

s

e %R

Brighstone

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• Mixture of Bungalows, Chalet Bungalows and Houses • Situated in a picturesque village location

• Fitted Kitchens

• Patio and Turfed Garden

• 10-Year LABC Warranty

• Site visits available by appointment only

• Off-Road Parking

• Brochure and Price List available upon request

For more information or to book a visit to the site please contact our New Homes Department on 01983 538080 or email newhomes@hrdiw.co.uk

GreenMeadows Independent Island Living

BRAND NEW EXTRA CARE DEVELOPMENT

All residents can be supported by the Wellbeing Team who are there to help everyone feel settled, supported and safe; this unique Wellbeing service can respond to your needs 24hrs a day on an unplanned care basis, enabling you to live independently in your own home.

To feel part of a community, there is access to facilities such as:

• Minibus outings • Scheme shop • Hairdressers

, OVER 55 EW BRAND N E AR EXTRA C SHARED HIP OWNERS S ENT APARTM

• Activities and Lunch club • Mobility scooter store with charging points • Communal lounge • Laundry room • Dining room All apartments are built and equipped with emergency pull cords which connects you to 24 hours a day staff on site who can respond in a serious emergency for your peace of mind.

In Partnership with

RESERVATIONS BEING TAKEN NOW COLWELL ROAD WEST WIGHT

For more information regarding older persons shared ownership please phone:

0808 1699788 or email newhomes@hrdiw.co.uk

Advertisement Feature | STYLE

BREAKWATERS

Culver Parade, Sandown

Breakwaters is a brand-new development of apartments, duplexes and houses that graces the seafront location of Sandown Bay. Occupying a prime position opposite an award-winning beach, the properties benefit from panoramic sea views across the bay and far-reaching views to the Culver Cliffs coastline and countryside. Find your perfect property within this development of luxury homes that are stylish and modern.

T

he luxurious feel continues throughout this complex with the properties being built to a high standard. You can personalise your home by choosing from a range of fitted kitchens and worktops to suit your style. Appliances will be integrated in the kitchens and underfloor heating comes as standard throughout. Safety and convenience has been recognised, as the properties have secure entry systems, allocated spaces and visitor parking bays. The apartments boast plenty of space, with a variety of sizes ranging from 72 square metres to 140 square metres Gross Internal Area within. For a real coastal feel, they benefit from balconies and/or terraces for al fresco dining. For peace of mind,

these properties also benefit from a 10year Q Assure Warranty.

and one of only 76 beaches across the country to hold the status.

Sandown Bay was voted the Best British Beach and described as a ‘traditional bucket and spade beach on the east coast of the island with miles of golden sand, pier and eclectic seafront – and just a short walk to peace, fossil-rich cliffs and stunning coastal wildlife’ in BBC’s Countryfile online poll.

Just half a mile along the seafront is Yaverland beach, which allows dogs all year round and is the perfect place if you have a pet that needs to stretch their legs. Sandown Beach, directly in front of the development, is dog friendly in the winter months.

In 2021 this prestigious coastline was awarded ‘Blue Flag’ status, meaning it is recognised for its high safety, facilities, cleanliness and environmental considerations. Although three other beaches on the Isle of Wight won a seaside award, Sandown was the only beach to win ‘Blue Flag’ Status as well,

Currently over 50% of these properties are reserved, with only one seafront-facing apartment remaining available for reservation at the time of writing. If you would like further information, please contact Loren Allen at Hose Rhodes Dickson Shanklin on 01983 866000 or lorenallen@hrdiw.co.uk.

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HOMES TO INSPIRE So rare, so stunning, so special…

If you’re looking for the perfect property in the Cowes area, for seaside and sailing, then take a look at these three stunning homes, each with their own wow factor. These are rare, unique, and unusual properties that are seldom seen on the market.

From a Victorian property with grandstand views of yacht racing in the Solent, to a modernised and extended Georgian cottage in Gurnard, and finally a cute beach house just a stone’s throw from Gurnard beach and sailing club.

Only a few minutes from central Cowes, just a short way along Princes Parade, The Summer House has its formal reception rooms on the first floor, ideal for making the best of its breathtaking Solent views.

This attractive home has an array of period features, but also the advantage of a largely open-plan kitchen/living room on the ground floor which opens to the south facing flagstone paved terrace gardens. This floor also has two ensuite double bedrooms, each with wide bay windows to the sea views.

The elegant drawing room on the first floor has double doors to a Juliet balcony and fabulous sea views over the Solent. There are three further bedrooms on this floor, along with a bathroom and study.

Remodelled in 1998, and given a rear extension in 2006, this property is a sympathetic marriage of the Victorian period with 21st century comfort. Three cars can be parked on the block paved frontage of the property, which opens onto Cowes seafront and beach.

Viewings with Spence Willard on 01983 200880 or Waterside Properties on 01983 300111

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But if you’d like to be closer to Gurnard Sailing Club then 20 Shore Road is literally a stone’s throw away from this popular club, and Gurnard seafront with its iconic vintage green beach huts.

This quirky seaside home has a definite nautical feel, from its white wooden-clad interior to its porthole windows in the doors. It would be an idyllic seaside bolthole.

The accommodation is modern, light and has been designed to make use of every available space. Each room has tongue and groove panelled walls, double glazed windows and clever storage areas and hanging space for clothes in the bedrooms. It has three bedrooms that can each sleep two people, open plan living space with wonderful sea views, fantastic landscaped outside space with three tiered decked terraces, a galley style kitchen and shower room.

Viewings with Waterside Properties on 01983 300111

Modern is the name of the game at 39 Worsley Road in Gurnard, which has had an imaginative extension and reconfiguration to this original brick-built Georgian cottage. Principally on a single storey built around a central courtyard, the main rooms and landscaped gardens make the most of the distant westerly views.

This is the perfect home for entertaining, with large open plan living spaces that have a series of bi-fold doors, opening to both the courtyard and the garden.

Most of the extension is built

under a series of Standing Seam aluminium mono-pitch sloping roofs with all new wooden doubleglazed windows throughout the entire property.

The bedrooms are mainly in the original cottage and the master bedroom occupies the entire first floor. The kitchen has an island unit and breakfast bar with quartz surfaces to match the extensive cupboards, and a double Franke sink with Quooker tap and integral appliances.

Viewings with Spence Willard on 01983 200880 March and April 2022

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The Isle of Wight's bookshop on The Green.

Here for the love of reading for over 35 years.

NEWLANDS HOUSE LOWER GREEN ROAD ST HELENS, RYDE ISLE OF WIGHT, PO33 1TS

thegoosebooks.com | @thegoosebooks

WA L K T H E W I G H T The iconic flagship fundraising event is back on Sunday 8th May, and you can help make this year really special This year Walk the Wight is also going green!

Photo credit Paul James

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ush, green countryside, historic villages, famous landmarks, majestic chalk cliffs and coastal views with shimmering blue seas – Walk the Wight has all this and more!

There are different walks to choose from, it’s not just the full 26-and-a-half miles from Bembridge to Alum Bay. Of course, that is one many people like to tackle, often in memory of a loved one or simply to tick it off their bucket list.

However, there are many options, including walking either the first or second half of the main route, or the eight-mile Flat Walk along the cycle path from Sandown to Newport, which is particularly popular with those who want a gentler version.

helping Mountbatten ensure it can be there for people who we know need its care across the Isle of Wight.

Like many things, Covid has had an impact on Walk the Wight, and this will be the first time in nearly three years Mountbatten can stage a ‘normal’ version.

Financially, the fundraising capability of Walk the Wight makes it so important because it has previously raised as much as £300,000.

More focus has been placed on making the event environmentally sustainable.

Recyclable water bottles, recycled medal lanyards and less paper waste have all been introduced and Mountbatten is working with Island-based sustainable clothing brand, Teemill, as its official t-shirt supplier.

It is equally important to bring the community together in support of the cause, as it is truly an Island event, for the Isle of Wight, supporting the Island’s hospice.

All the walks offer the chance to socialise with family and friends and to share experiences with others.

“We need a big effort to get Walk the Wight back to its best,” says Nigel Hartley, Mountbatten CEO. “The money raised makes a huge difference, and the opportunity to bring people together is so special.

Whatever the motivation, if you sign up, you will be playing a big part in

“Please join us on Sunday 8th May and Walk the Wight with Mountbatten.”

Photo credit Paul James

S U N D AY 8 T H M AY

S I G N U P AT M O U N T B AT T E N . O R G . U K March and April 2022

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DIG FOR VINTAGE

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Anne Ginger soft furnishings

With 40 years experience Anne Ginger and her dedicated team are happy to assist in making the right choice of soft furnishings for you, from helping you choose the perfect product through to installation.

Our service is based around giving excellent advice combined with quality products. Come and see us and turn your dream into reality.

Offering monthly painting technique Vintage lifestyle through workshops. Find out more in-store the decades, fashion, iconic DIG F ORV I N TAG E .Facebook C O.page.

UK and on our furniture, fabrics, The ceramics, Colonnade, Lind Street, artRyde, and classic Book a719433 painting Isle of books.

Wight, PO33 2NE Tel. 01983

www.anneginger.co.uk

experience with us today!

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

The Colonnade Ryde PO33 2NE

Due to Covid-19 the showroom is operating Monday-Friday on an appointment service so please call to book. info@anneginger.co.uk tel. 01983 407730

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T 01983 719433 E info@digforvintage.co.uk

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Home | STYLE

WHEN HOUSE BECOMES HOME In our September-October 2021 edition, we briefly visited one of Modh Design’s recently completed projects. Since then, the client has taken possession of the property and settled into their new home. Now that the client is safely installed, we asked Modh to tell us more about how a new house becomes a home.

Photo credit Steve Thearle

“It is always exciting for the keys to be handed over to a client and to see how the house you have spent considerable time imagining, finally becomes a home. It’s at this point, where we as designers relinquish all control and watch from the side lines for the first time, as the client starts to animate and live in their home, beginning the process of really making it theirs.

“Whilst some clients require full interior packages, others have very strong ideas on how the interior spaces are going to manifest and, whilst we may share their vision, they carry it forward on their own and occupy the spaces as they have planned from the very beginning.

“Over the years, the Howgate clients have acquired many possessions, March and April 2022

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Photo credit Holly Jolliffe

some of which have been handed down through the generations. One example is the light fitting outside the scullery, where a drum light from the 1930s originally hung in Lucinda’s father’s nursery. These personal quirks cannot help but raise a smile when you hear the story behind them. Many objects the pair own have been brought from places they have lived and visited around the world, from US thrift shops to estate sales and everything in between. This eclectic mix of objects and styles, each with a story and evocative of a shared memory, has been an integral part, from the very beginning, of our clients’ original brief, which focused on “1930s strippeddown classicism, with a touch of Oscar Niemeyer”.

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“However, the architecture that we have spent time cultivating together, was never meant to become a static museum for their collections; their objective was to create a home. I think the house has delivered on its promise and there are ample opportunities for the pair to adapt the interior architecture to suit their individual interior design requirements. Mostly this can be put down to a floor plan that deviates from what is leaning towards the new norm of completely open plan spaces.

“What has been created instead is a series of spaces that, along with furnishings, allow for distinct zones with privacy and separation whilst not being cut off completely, maintaining a clear flow throughout the home.

“As designers, this client has been such fun to work with. They brought their own ideas to the table and challenged us to deviate from the tried and tested methods of design, broadening our approach to experiment with new ideas and sometimes embrace the unconventional. That being said, with all the eccentricities and plays on convention, there is something deeply effortless and easy about the spaces and how the couple have chosen to live in them.

“Having the ability to juxtapose the precision and balance of the architecture, with the freedom and individuality of interior preferences with objects they own, has created an extremely unique and wonderful home.

This project really is a reflection of the

Home | STYLE

Photo credit Holly Jolliffe Photo credit Steve Thearle

saying ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’.

On approach to Howgate, one would assume the inside furnishing is minimal and contemporary, much like the exterior, but when inside, the mix of new and old with modern and classic blends seamlessly. It’s a true of example of showing that there really are no rules when it comes to new build homes and styling, it’s down to the intention behind the design and why we choose the items we do.”

Run by husband-and-wife team Colman and Emma Cotter, Modh Design is an award-winning RIBA Chartered Architectural service based in Calbourne. Offering services from collaborative creative concept through to full project management delivery, Modh are passionate about creating inspiring spaces for every client.

Modhdesign.co.uk Instagram: @modhdesign March and April 2022

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Business | STYLE

S P R U C E - U P FO R S P R I N G

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

Spring is finally here, and the daffodils are bringing some much-needed brightness to the landscape.

It’s that time when we start to think about having a good tidy up of the garden in the hope that the days will soon be warm enough for sitting out.

Although the advice is to wait until temperatures are regularly above 10 degrees centigrade, we can still have a tidy up without disturbing the wildlife in the fallen leaves such as millipedes, woodlice, spiders and beetles, which are all essential for the garden ecosystem. The best way to achieve this is to move leaf litter and debris into a corner, rather than putting it on a bonfire or taking it to the tip. Solid

stems can be used as stakes around the garden or made into wood piles.

If you have cut down hollow stems, these can house insects, eggs and larvae. They can also be used to make a bug or bee hotel.

I also feel more enthusiastic about having a declutter inside the house too – I love watching programmes like ‘Filthy House SOS’ with the kids, as it makes them want to join in too! It is a good reminder that material things really don’t matter, and we should make sure that wherever possible we look after our environment by recycling. There are so many amazing charities on the Island that we can support by donating good quality

items that we no longer need.

For most of us this is an achievable goal, and can even be made into a fun experience with the family. However, we often see homes where this has not been possible, usually due to the ill health of the resident. If this sounds familiar, then we can help. Whether that is by signposting you to local services, or by coming out ourselves to help when someone has gone into care, or sadly passed away. There is help out there and together we can make a positive difference.

At Glanvilles we offer a free initial consultation to guide you as to the next steps and offer support should you need it. Call us on 01983 527878 to see how we can help.

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

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Handmade with love

by Island Artisans

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

wightoriginals.com

Business | STYLE

M OT I V AT E D R E AS O N I N G

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

The front page and social media test There has been significant research that shows we are more considered in the decisions we make if we thought those decisions may go public. So, ask yourself. “Would I be comfortable having this decision published on the front page of a local newspaper or broadcast across social media?” This makes you step back for a moment and be more critical of your thinking, before you move forward and make a decision you may regret.

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otivated reasoning is a phenomenon studied in cognitive science and social psychology that uses emotionally biased reasoning to produce justifications or make decisions that are most desired, rather than those that accurately reflect the evidence. It’s something we experience every day.

In business it can result in owners and managers over-emphasising the importance of information and making decisions that simply align with their pre-existing beliefs. This can result in plans and actions being driven through regardless and the discounting of any evidence or voice to the contrary in the process. Of course, in business we have to make decisions all the time, but you can understand how this bias has the potential to undermine a business and place it at potential risk.

The fact is that motivated reasoning happens all the time and is something we will never eradicate.

But we can learn to spot it and understand when it is happening, allowing us to guard against its worst effects. But intellectual courage is needed.

Here are four methods you can use to help avoid the bias that motivated reasoning brings:

Don’t be vague Motivated reasoning thrives when information is unclear, and details are blurred. Instead, reflect on recognised standards and best practice. Make sure that the principles that support the decision you are looking to make can be easily understood by those that will have to implement it. If information is too general, clarify and establish more detail.

Take counsel from others It can be difficult to see and accept motivated reasoning in ourselves, but it can be easy to recognise it in others. Make sure to discuss and review any important decision with others whose judgement you trust. Listen to their comments.

It can help validate your decision and even improve it.

Accept Criticism We can often be ‘touchy’ when it comes to criticism and receiving comments that we don’t agree with. So, when you take counsel from others and receive feedback you’d rather ignore, slow down, pay attention, and consider how their feedback can help you reach the right decision.

Motivated reasoning thrives when you surround yourself with ‘yes people’, so seek out people that will challenge and at times play ‘devil’s advocate’.

It will make your decision the right one and you a better person.

As J.P. Morgan once commented: “A man has two reasons for doing anything. A good reason and a real reason.” - think about it!

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 www.dalehowarth.com.

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Style speaks to actress and author

Celia Imrie On writing her next book…

Beginning a new book is a bit like putting on your boots at the starting slopes of a mountain.Yes, I have another planned and I am a quarter of the way up ‘the climb’ so far…

On the adventure of writing her new book ‘Orphans of the Storm’...

It was an extraordinary adventure of discovery.

Luckily, while writing, I had the invaluable contribution of Fidelis Morgan’s meticulous research.

Together we went to the archives in Nice and uncovered bare facts that completely turned the given story of the Orphans on its head.

On the possibility of making Orphans of the Storm into a film…and if so, the character she might play…

Of course, I would adore my book to be made into a film, and The Titanic seems to have an endless fascination world-wide. Madame Magail is who I would like to play as she is a wonderful mixture of steel and velvet.

On her favourite character in the book...

I think possibly Madame Magail. She was Marcela’s (mother of the two infants) Aunt Therese. Firm but fair, yet like a lioness, fiercely protective of her family.

On the adventure of moving to Nice in France...

Daring – I went out to the shops for a baguette and came back with a flat. It has been a glorious adventure.

Nice is a truly welcoming and ravishing city.

On Isle of Wight adventures...

My most memorable event on the Isle of Wight was the birth of my wonderful son Angus. Very happy memories when I bought my first house in St Mary’s Road and my second next door, for my darlings Mother and Nanny.

Yes, I miss the mad and marvellous parties we used to have during Cowes Week, when once the young musicians in the street came to play in

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Photo credit Chris Floyd

my garden for my guests. Riding my bike to Gurnard to the quizzes at The Woodvale. And glorious sunrises and sunsets over The Solent.

On returning to the Island recently for her book launch...

The Sunday travelling on the train wasn’t the best adventure… but returning with Fidelis to give a talk about my book ‘The Orphans of the Storm’ to a full house at The Island Sailing Club was very flattering and very good fun.

Orphans of the Storm by Celia Imrie, published by Bloomsbury Publishing, can be ordered at Medina Book shop in Cowes, online and at other bookshops.