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The best events from around the Island
OSBORNE HORSE TRIALS
New equestrian event at Osborne House sees Island success
RON BOWLER
28 years of Walk the Wight
ISLAND LIFE
Pick up your FREE issue! www.visitilife.com August/September 2018
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Check out our
website
visitilife.com
ISLAND LIFE
CONTENTS
AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2018
A WORD
FROM THE
EDITOR
It’s been one scorcher of a summer –
and if the weather forecasters are to be
believed, we still have plenty of sunny days
left to enjoy.
It’s been great news for event organisers,
who have benefitted from some bumper
crowds – and as for our local ice cream
makers and beach bar owners, well,
they’ve never had it so good!
Spending more time out of doors
provides a great reminder of just how
special the Island’s landscapes and
seascapes are.
There’s no shortage of talented local
artists who strive to capture those images,
and in this issue we meet one of them –
potter and ceramicist Neil Tregear, who
lived in San Francisco and trained in Japan,
but reckons there’s no place quite so
inspirational as the Ise of Wight.
We also talk to Jewson’s boss Ron Bowler
about a true Island institution – Walk the
Wight. It’s become the biggest sponsored
walk in Europe, but Ron tells us of its
humble origins 28 years ago, when it
began as a simple day out for a a small
group of workmates and their families.
We also have a personal reflection from
Nicky Hayward, MBE, on the iconic Royal
Isle of Wight County Show, which has been
attracting eager visitors since 1882.
Along with all your favourite regular
features, plus plenty of ideas for places
to go and things to do to make the most
of these last weeks of the summer, we
do hope you’ll enjoy your free magazine
and please continue to support our loyal
advertisers.
INTERVIEWS
p32 Ron’s boots are made for
walking: Ron Bowler
p41 Fashioning a life in clay: Neil
Tregear
p50 The Royal Isle of Wight
County Show: Nicky
Hayward
PROPERTY
p10 Featured Property: Swains
House
p14 Feature Property: Ivy Cottage
p17 New home, same place!
p23 Ideas for the Living Room
p29 The door to success
OUT AND ABOUT
p30 Sailing in sunshine
p38 Sea View Yacht Club
celebrates 125 years
p46 Island Sailing Club’s scorcher
of a race
p49 Jazz on the Quay
p56 Mardi Gras comes back to
Ryde
p66 Thousands flock to Festival
FEATURES
p60 A decade of Decadeance
COUNTRYSIDE
p73 Matt Noyce: Summer at
Quarr Abbey
p83 Sam Biles: Identity and the
Island
p84 Turn your garden into a
wildlife haven
p86 Countryside news: Tony Ridd
p89 10 things you didn’t know
about cuttlefish
p90 The Isle of Wight’s marvellous
marine wildlife
Jackie McCarrick, Editor
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p92
County Show 2018 - what a
scorcher!
p111
p112
Recipe: Coconut & Lime cake
Local producers
EQUESTRIAN
p75 A horde of happy hounds
p76 Equestrian goodies: Froghill of
Sandford
p77 Training Horses:
Robert Booth
p78 New Osborne event proves
great success
p115 Recipe: Pan fried fillet of local
Sea Bass
p117 Recipe: Roasted Guinea Fowl
p119 Recipe: Vegan Hummingbird
cake
AND MORE...
p6 Island Life Contributors
p82
Equestrian goodies: Trumor
p8
Notebook
Feeds
p62
Travel: A gem on our doorstep
HEALTH & BEAUTY
p97 Beauty market is blooming
p99 James Spence: The problem
with wisdom teeth
FOOD & DRINK
p68
p71
p122
p123
p127
Motoring
Auction news
Accommodation pages
Education
Legal: Unsolicited phone calls
p109
The food guide
www.visitilife.com 5
Island Life Magazine
Suite 2,
17 St Thomas Square,
Newport, PO30 1SL
01983 216111
email: islandlife@me.com
ISLAND LIFE
Contributors
THE ISLAND
LIFE TEAM
Editor:
Jackie McCarrick
Contributors:
Tony Ridd,
Terence Willey, Sam Biles,
Robert Booth, Matt Noyce,
Warren Riches
Terence Willey
Legal & travel
Warren Riches
Antiques
Graham Reading
Photography
Head of Sales:
Natalie Labelle
07814 723610
Accounts:
Carina Farrer
07933 360321
Design:
Colin Clarke
Distribution:
Steve Read
07894 738246
Photography:
Graham Reading
Jonathon Sheath
Martin Potter
Front Cover:
Sarah Holmes on Lowhill
Clover at Osborne Horse
Trials 2018.
Picture by Jonathon Sheath
View all our
back issues
from the last
thirteen years...
www.visitilife.com
Tony Ridd
Countryside
Robert Booth
Equestrian
Matt Noyce
Gardening
Sam Biles
Countryside
6
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notebook
Events from across the Island
Blackwater Mill Summer Fete
Wolverton Manor Garden Fair
The 19th Wolverton Manor Garden
Fair is taking place on Saturday
1st and Sunday 2nd September.
Set in the beautiful grounds of
the Jacobean manor house, there
is a huge variety of entertainment,
garden nurseries, arts & craft
stalls and exhibits making it a
great traditional family day out.
All profits support Age UK (IOW) and
several other local Island charities.
This August visit Blackwater
Mill Residential Home for
their Summer Fete! Taking
place on Sunday 19th
August, from 2 - 4pm, the
fete features live music, a
BBQ and fun and games
such as Hook a Duck, Tin
Can Alley, Nail Painting and
Guess the Teddy’s Name. All
are welcome so pop down to
Blackwater Road, Newport
for fun for all the family.
Opera in September
Project: Opera, the peoples’ opera company will be
holding events through the Autumn and Winter
to raise money for a host of good causes.
On Saturday 15th September they are holding Tea
at the Opera at Aspire in Ryde, starting at 7pm.
On Thursday 20th September, Annalisa Vaughan will
be showing a preview of the ‘A Day at the Bay’ event,
held at 7.30pm at the Earl Mountbatten Hospice.
Tickets for this are only available via the Hospice.
The last Project: Opera event in September will be
Opera against Homelessness, in aid of the Bus Shelter.
Held on Saturday 22nd September, from 4pm until
the evening at St Catherine’s Church, Ventnor, the
event will feature a mix of vocal and instrumental
music throughout the evening. Donations at the door.
For information and bookings call 07757 965339
or visit www.facebook.com/projectopera.
Autumn Plant Fair
Glamorous Charity Ball
A glamorous charity ball will be taking
place on Saturday September 22nd at
the Lakeside Hotel, Wootton Bridge.
Raising money for the Phoenix
Project, which offers services to adults
with learning diffculties, the ball will
include a three course dinner, live music
and dancing, a raffe and auction.
For bookings and more
information call 01983 615746.
IW International Scooter Rally
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Thursday 23rd August sees the
return of the Isle of Wight Scooter
Rally, with up to 5,000 riders of
classic scooters taking part.
The rally lasts until the 26th August,
for tickets visit the Bagel Wrap, IOW
Ryde Superbowl or Visual Impact.
The event includes live music
at Ryde seafront, starting at
noon and is free until 7pm and
ticketed after 8pm daily.
Eddington House Nursery is hosting their
inaugural Autumn Plant Fair, held over two days,
the weekend of 29th and 30th September.
Noel Kingsbury will be a headline speaker, along
with ‘Coastal Gardener’ Gerry Price. Entry is free,
with the fair open from 10am - 5pm each day, and
the main talks at 11am and 2pm on both days.
You can find the fair at Eddington House
Nursery, Eddington Road, Seaview, PO34 5EF.
Call 07837 589478 for more details or visit the
website www. eddingtonhousenursery.co.uk.
A decade of Decadeance
Upcoming events being held at
Seaview Art Gallery include : ‘Regatta
Week Showcase’, an exhibition that
runs from Tues 14th - Fri 24th Aug.
Featuring three popular and
accomplished artists. Shane Couch -
beautiful detailed local scenes, wave
studies and J Class racing, Ray Burt
- super realistic still life pieces in the
Chiaroscuro style and Fiona Moatt
NAPA - awe inspiring Impressionist
seascapes and skyscapes.
On Saturday 18th August Seaview
Art Gallery invites you to their ‘Meet
the Artist Event’ at the Gallery. Fizz and
Canapes, running from 6 - 8pm.
At the end of August the gallery will be
running a ‘Sun, Sea and Sailing’ exhibition
from Friday 25th August to Thursday
6th September. Featuring Rowena
Wright RSMA, accomplished artist with
Decadeance celebrates it’s 10th
year of partying with the annual
event taking place on Saturday
24th November at The Event
Centre, Cowes Yacht Haven.
The theme this year is reliving
all the previous themes, so as
usual dress to impress and let
the past inspire what you wear.
Featuring great music, a
casino, photo booth, cocktail
bar, face painters and plenty of
surprises on the night to make it
a decadant party like no other.
Tickets are available from Cowes
Yacht Haven, Master of Disguise, The
Bagel Wrap and The Party Shop, so
get yours now while they’re available.
August exhibitions at Seaview
‘Summer Wave’ by Fiona Moatt NAPA
a passion for the Island, and three new
artists: Julie Sajous - Semi abstract, Jewel
type works, coastal scenes with water
in mind. Kate Christie portrays the life
aquatic under sail. Mark Buck local scenes
with a rich, luxuriant colour palette.
For opening hours, online preview,
contact details etc. see seaviewart.co.uk
Harp on Wight 2018
The fifth annual Harp on Wight Festival takes
place in Ryde between 26th-30th October
inclusive. Leading international harpists will be
taking part in a series of concerts and teaching
workshops covering a diverse range of styles
including Classical, Celtic, Breton and Paraguayan.
There will also be opportunities to come
and try the harp for the first time. The festival
also includes a six-day course to make a
harp at Quarr Abbey and an exhibition of
harps made by national manufacturers
at Ryde Methodist Church in Garfield
Road which is the main festival venue.
For full details of the festival please visit
www.harponwight.co.uk
A Day at the Bay
Island musicians, storytellers and poets
are heading for Freshwater Bay.
A Day at the Bay, on Saturday 6th October,
offers 12 hours of live entertainment
to raise funds for local charities.
“This is our third year and we are really
motoring with this now,” explains event organiser
David Ballard. “There are three new charities, so
we expect even more people to come along.”
The programme starts with Morris Sides
at Freshwater Independent Lifeboat. The
afternoon’s entertainment includes Ollie Ducie
at the Piano Cafe supporting Kissy Puppy. In
the evening there is a Blues, Roots and Jazz
Party at Dimbola Lodge. Visit the website:
www.adayatthebay.co.uk for the full lineup.
What’s coming
up on the Quay!
At Quay Arts this summer they have a fun
packed programme with something for
everyone! They are taking full advantage of the
lovely weather and will be holding a BBQ on
their terrace every Sunday throughout August.
Plus great music not to miss out on with
sublime New York jazz guitar of Nate
Najar, much loved English songster Martin
Stephenson, and to top it all off a trio consisting
of the legendary multi-instrumentalist Kate
St. John, Roger Eno & Neill MacColl.
Not only that, but great comedy, theatre,
exhibitions & workshops all coming up at the
Quay. For more info please visit quayarts.org.
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Prestige property
FEATURED PROPERTY:
SWAINS HOUSE
An exceptional eight bedroom Bembridge house in a
commanding position overlooking the eastern Solent
and the sailing activities of Bembridge Sailing Club.
Swains House is an exceptional
property with one of the very
best sea views from any house in
the renowned sailing village of
Bembridge, at the eastern tip of
the Isle of Wight, in a commanding
position overlooking the eastern
approaches to Spithead and the
English Channel.
The property is an ideal permanent
base or second home. The grounds
and mature gardens include a longestablished
bowling green/croquet
lawn. They are of a suffcient size
(3.04 acres (1.234 hectares)) for a
tennis court and swimming pool. The
principal rooms of the house look out
over the Solent and the activities of
Bembridge Sailing Club established
in 1886 and one of the premier clubs
on the Island.
“The accommodation
is extensive and
adaptable, and
includes four
principal reception
rooms, eight
bedrooms in all, four
existing bathrooms
and plumbing and
space for one more.”
The accommodation is extensive
and adaptable, and includes four
principal reception rooms, eight
bedrooms in all, four existing
bathrooms and plumbing and space
for one more.
The house is within walking
distance of the village, with its
convenient and extensive facilities.
There is a private aerodrome on the
outskirts of the village.
The outbuildings lie to the north
and east of the house and comprise
outhouses, garages with a workshop,
a boat store, potting sheds and
a greenhouse. There is some
potential for the conversion of the
principal outbuilding to additional
accommodation, subject to obtaining
the necessary planning consents.
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Prestige Property
The grounds
The formal gardens lie to the south,
east and west of the house, and
comprise several lawns, including
an old croquet lawn, surrounded by
mature trees and shrubs.
To the east is a bowling green,
standing above a small cliff which
descends to a small bog garden
encompassing several ponds.
There are palm trees, and other
exotic shrubs; rock steps through
the garden lead to a gate opening
directly onto the beach.
The grounds to the west are
terraced, with a formal lawned
orchard avenue, a vine and a
kitchen garden.
Where: Bembridge
Agent: Biles and Co
01983 872335
Guide Price: £2,650,000
EPC: E
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Dedicated to selling the finest
property across the Isle of Wight
A charming detached four bedroom
thatched, stone cottage dating back to
1552 with a pretty cottage garden in a
beautiful rural location.
The property has a wealth of period features
including an inglenook fireplace, exposed
beams and an old bread oven.
A modern kitchen, bathrooms and recently
installed central heating have brought the
character home up-to-date.
Outside there is off road parking and a very
pretty cottage garden, partly walled with
pond, workshop and terrace accessed from a
large conservatory overlooking the garden.
EPC: F
CHALE GUIDE PRICE: £565,000 Sole Agents
A charming residential farm with three
bedroom period stone Farmhouse,
outbuildings (with potential)
gardens, workshop, 11 stables, large
storage barn, paddocks and fields.
Conservation woodland and wetland;
in all about 37.88 acres (14.37 ha)
available as a whole or in 2 lots.
The property is situated in a rural
setting with stunning views across the
surrounding countryside over the valley of
the Eastern Yar towards Brading Downs to
the North. Trees and fields with abundant
wildlife border the site and gives a
peaceful feeling to this idyllic position.
EPC: F
NEWCHURCH GUIDE PRICE: £675,000 - £1,020,000 Joint Sole Agents with HRD
Biles & Co | Estate Agents & Chartered Surveyors
The Estate Office, 13 High Street, Bembridge, Isle of Wight, PO35 5SD
Tel: 01983 527744 E: sam@bilesandco.co.uk
www.bilesandco.co.uk
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Prestige property
FEATURED PROPERTY:
IVY COTTAGE
Originating from the Victorian era, the house has been
extended over time and more recently refurbished to exacting
standards resulting in a wonderful family home, blending
period features with modern comforts and high-quality fittings.
The house is presented to an
unusually high standard throughout
with the stunning rear garden
forming the focus from the principal
living rooms, where there is a southfacing
terrace accessed from both the
garden room and sitting room.
In 2010-2011 the roof was refurbished,
and many windows replaced, whilst a
quality kitchen and bathrooms were
also installed. On the ground floor in
addition to open-plan kitchen/living
room, there is a study, garden room,
sitting room, cloakroom and utility
room whilst on the first floor there are
four bedrooms, three bathrooms and
a dressing room, which could easily be
converted in to a fifth bedroom.
“There is direct
access from the
property to some
of the Island’s most
scenic coastal and
country walks. Brook
beach and the
adjacent Compton
beach are popular
with swimmers,
surfers and kite
surfers and forms
part of the Island’s
Heritage Coastline.”
The property is situated in the
attractive and highly sought-after
village of Brook which itself is situated
within an Area of Outstanding Natural
Beauty, set between rolling downland
providing wonderful walks with Brook
beach being approximately 600
metres to the south.
There is direct access from the
property to some of the Island’s
most scenic coastal and country
walks. Brook beach and the adjacent
Compton beach are popular with
swimmers, surfers and kite surfers
and forms part of the Island’s Heritage
Coastline. The nearby village of
Brighstone (approximately 2 ½ miles
away) has a range of local facilities.
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Prestige Property
The grounds
To the front of the property is an
extensive gravel driveway with two
accesses on to the road. The rear
south facing garden is beautifully
planted and makes for a delightful
and secluded setting.
Immediately to the rear of the
house are two adjacent stone
paved terraces with outside power
and lighting facing south and
west, one with hardwood pergola
over, beyond which are lawns and
mature, well-planted borders, along
with a number of mature trees.
At the far end of the garden there
are views over the surrounding
downland, as well as a garden shed
and a more substantial secure
timber garden store.
Where: Brook
Agent: Spence Willard Cowes
01983 200880
Guide Price: £935,000
EPC: E
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Prestige Property
New home, same place!
When you want to move house but just can’t face the stress,
upheaval and cost, there is another option that’s becoming
increasingly popular, and that’s simply staying put – but
investing in a home improvement project instead.
The advantage of this approach is that
not only can you create a new home in
the old space, but also can potentially
increase the value of the property.
Currently the most sought-after way
of improving and updating a home is
by adding a dream kitchen, complete
with island working space and sleek
marble or granite countertops. Large,
open-plan designs are becoming
increasingly popular, removing walls to
create a smooth flow of space between
living, dining and cooking areas and
adding rooflights or bi-fold doors to
the garden for extra light and airiness.
Converting a basement or
attic can also add valuable
extra living space, and is a good
option for multi-generational
families where adult children or
grandparents share the home.
One of the easiest ways of
adding square footage has
always been a quick and
easy conservatory - but the
latest ones are a world away
from those old glass ‘bolt-on’
structures that could only
be used for a few of months
of the year. A good modern
conservatory has the potential
to be a fully functional extra
room that can be used all year
round as an offce, dining
room, gym or living space.
Similarly, a little-used garage
can be put to much more
productive use by being
converted to extra living space
– and with the advantage
of minimal build costs.
If it’s a tiny garden that makes
you want to move house,
there’s even a ‘stay put’ solution
for that: creating a roof deck
or balcony where you can
relax and grow your potted
plants from way up high.
“Currently the most sought-after
way of improving and updating a
home is by adding a dream kitchen.”
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Prestige Property
Moving made easy
Moving home can be a notoriously
stressful experience, regardless
of whether it’s taking you just
to the next village, onto the
mainland or further afield.
One way to lessen the stress is
to let a professional removals
company take the strain – and
they don’t come much more
professional or experienced
than Island-based firm Lacey’s.
This family-owned business
was established in Bembridge
in1924 and is now in the expert
hands of a third generation
of the Lacey family.
“We’ve always prided ourselves
on giving a prompt, reliable
and caring service to all our
customers, from start to finish”
says Amy Lacey, who adds
that this probably explains the
company’s high levels of repeat
business and recommendations.
As well as drawing on their
own years of experience in the
industry, Lacey’s also employs
only full-time staff who specialise
in the art of household removals,
fine arts and antiques.
They run a fleet of varyingsized
modern vehicles to cater
for all types and sizes of removal
job, including national and
European moves, and can also
arrange door-to-door worldwide
shipping services, or provide
containerised storage in their
own purpose-built warehouse.
To contact Lacey’s for a free
estimate call 01983 872663
or you can visit the website at
www.laceysremovals.co.uk.
You can find them at 42
High Street, Bembridge.
Re-styling your space
If you’re looking for
inspiration on restyling
or re-fitting
your home, offce or
boat, then there’s one
specialist Island-based
business that might
just be able to help.
PHG Cowes offers a
unique lifestyle service for any
interior, whether it’s domestic
or commercial, a primary or
secondary residence, a boat
or houseboat, or even a yacht
club – and whether it’s here on
the Island or further afield.
The company’s interior
design and decoration service
encompasses bespoke curtains,
blinds and upholstery, right
through to kitchens, bathrooms
and cabinet making, and it
also represents an innovative
local company specialising
in concrete surfaces for
counters, floors and walls.
PHG can also source vintage
pieces, lighting, furniture and
accessories, and design-led
products, and are stockists
for prestige brands including
Designers Guild, Cabbages
& Roses, Ralph Lauren,
Original BTC, Anglepoise, Ian
Mankin, and Skargaarden
outdoor furniture.
PHG founder Dawn
Townend and Caryl Terlezki
of Design Stuff UK, say:
“From decorating a single
room to a whole house,
or styling a property for re-sale,
no project is too small and will
always receive the same level of
care and attention to detail.”
Find PHG Cowes at 74
High Street, Cowes, PO31
7AJ, call 01983 506689 or
visit www.designstuffuk.com
and www.phgcowes.com.
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Prestige Property
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Prestige Property
The Wydcombe is a modern chesterfield style sofa range
featuring a tufted and quilted design with an eye catching slim
curved arm. This opulently designed sofa is upholstered in a
contemporary dark or light grey fabric. To view the Wydcombe
range visit Buywise Furniture & Electrical store in Riverway,
Newport. Tel: 01983 525252. www.buywiseforliving.com.
ideas for
THE LIVING ROOM
Recycled Aluminium Vase: Gorgeous
recycled aluminium vase with richly
coloured enamel finish. Hand made in
India and Fairtrade. Approx 22cm tall.
£22. Available at Daisy, Daisy, Godshill.
Tel: 01983 840913.
Elegant & contemporary 7” Mantel
Clock. Available in two finishes Pale
Soaped Oak or Grey Limestone.
£30. Available at Bayliss and Booth,
Newport. Tel: 01983 528600.
Artisan made tripod base floor
lamp. Available in Heritage Grey
or Antique Red. £195. Available
at Bayliss and Booth, Newport.
Tel: 01983 528600.
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Prestige Property
Island-inspired designs
When up-and-coming young textile artist Monique
Lucas launched her first collection of vibrant luxury
cushions, it was easy to see where her inspiration came
from – idyllic summers on the beach here in Seaview.
The bold and quirky handdrawn
illustrations featured
seaside motifs from crabs and
anchors to beach-strolling girls.
And that sunny marine
influence comes through just as
strongly in her newly-launched
collection of organic cotton
t-shirts, also inspired by happy
times spent on the Island.
“Essentially the Isle has a
very special place in my heart”
explains Monique, who lives
and works between London
and the Island. “It’s been
a happy place for me after
experiencing trauma, and
this brand has evolved from
regaining my strength.
She adds “l love the laid-back
attitude and calming pace here,
and in creating my designs I
like to put a strong focus on the
outdoors, and natural living”.
Each of her designs is
hand-drawn and tells its own
story, which makes this ownname
brand unique, in a
world of generic Photoshop
and Illustrator images.
Check out Monique’s designs
at www.moniquelucas.co.uk
Picture by Milo Hale
Double celebration at Number 66
A Ryde shop that
specialises in lovely cards
and gifts for special
occasions is due to
celebrate a special date
of its own in August.
Sue Macleod and her twin
sister Jane, who launched
Number 66 last summer, are
planning to mark the shop’s first
anniversary on August 17 with
birthday cake for customers.
“We love meeting people and
searching out unusual cards
and gifts, so for us this business
has been a dream come true”
says Sue, who has lived on the
Isle of Wight for 28 years.
Her sister, who moved to the
Island just three days before
the launch of Number 66 last
summer, had previously built a
successful chain of card and gift
stores on the mainland, while
Sue had worked in marketing.
The twins decided they finally
wanted to work together, and have
spent the last year developing
their shop’s unique offering of
hand-picked gifts and cards, and
work by local artists. There’s also
a tiny coffee bar in the window
area, offering Island Coffee, and a
perfect spot to relax and admire
the wide range of gifts on display.
Find Number 66 at 66 Union
Street, Ryde. Tel: 01983 616437.
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Prestige Property
The door to success
You may see it just as a strictly functional portal between
the outside and inside of your house, but it seems that
your front door is much more significant than that.
In fact, to practitioners of the
ancient art of Feng Shui, selecting
the right door colour according
to its direction can positively
optimize energy flow and good
fortune for the occupants.
If all that sounds a bit too
involved or a touch airy-fairy,
there’s still a lot to be said for
making sure your front door is
giving off the right signals.
If it’s dusty and uncared-for,
for instance, with cobwebs
and overgrown plants, peeling
paint and smeared windows,
it’s hardly going to lift your
spirits each time you turn the
key – and even less will it offer
a warm welcome for visitors.
According to the people at paint
company Dulux Weathershield,
we will make a judgement about
a person just 10 seconds after
seeing the colour of their front
door, and colour psychologist
Karen Haller says this isn’t
surprising: “The front door is
traditionally the first impression
the outside world gets, and
gives an insight into your life”.
It seems that the UK’s most
popular colour for front doors
is white, which we subliminally
associate with a calm and peaceful
home. It’s closely followed by blue,
which, depending on the shade,
is considered to be harmonious
and restorative, and favoured
by successful people who tend
to be a little conservative.
We associate people who
have red front doors with
passion and self-confidence,
whereas lilac suggests mystery
and spirituality, and purple is
associated with wealth and power.
People with black doors,
meanwhile, are considered to
be the most anonymous, and
therefore most mysterious,
and people with grey doors are
thought to be understated.
If you find your current door
colour doesn’t quite match
your personality, it might be
time for a new coat of paint!
www.visitilife.com 29
Out & About
Sailing in
sunshine
Making the most of the magnificent
weather, Cowes Week 2018 was
an exciting mix of sailing and
shoreside festivities, enjoyed by
both competitors and spectators.
Picture by Paul Wyeth
With live music, excellent food, a plethora of
stalls and street entertainment to accompany
the exciting spectacle of boats racing in
the Solent, a good time was had by all.
Picture by Tom Gruitt
Picture by Paul Wyeth
Picture by Solent
Creatives - Chloe Farrier
Picture by Tom Gruitt
Picture by
Tom Gruitt
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Out & About
Picture by Tom Gruitt
Picture by Paul Wyeth
Picture by Paul Wyeth
Picture by Paul Wyeth
Picture by Paul Wyeth
Picture by Paul Wyeth
Picture by Paul Wyeth
Picture by Tom Gruitt
www.visitilife.com 31
Interview
Ron’s boots
are made
for walking
After a long and productive working life, the Branch Director for
Jewson’s Isle of Wight stores, Ron Bowler, will be retiring from the day
job next year – but it’s unlikely to be a ‘pipe and slippers’ retirement
for this dedicated charity fundraiser. As he tells Jackie McCarrick, it
will just free up even more of his time to throw into his pet project
of the past 28 years, the now world-famous Walk the Wight.
It attracts thousands of people
every year to walk across the Isle
of Wight countryside and since
1991, has raised an incredible
£4.5 million to support the work
of Earl Mountbatten Hospice,
but few people know the
humble beginnings of what has
become an iconic Island event.
Ron Bowler, however,
remembers it distinctly.
At the time, he was admin
manager of the old-established
Island timber business Morey’s,
where the yard manager Bill
Bradley and colleague Frank
Stevens had been running
informal weekend walks for staff.
It was in 1991 that they decided
to organise walk from east to
west of the Island, Bembridge
to Alum Bay, and Ron agreed
to help marshal the event.
“On that first walk we
had 35 people, all Morey’s
employees plus some friends
and relatives, and it was done
really just as a bonding exercise
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Interview
Ron (right) with
Gareth Brailey at
Decadeance 2014,
www.visitilife.com letting his hair 33 down
Interview
“You could say it was
a baptism of fire!
It means I can file
with my eyes shut
now – and I never
save up filing for
anyone else to do.”
Ron at Walk the
Wight 2018
for the business” Ron recalls.
However, the following year, after the
wife of one of the company managers
died at the hospice, it was decided
to repeat the walk as a sponsored
fundraiser for the hospice and the
hospital scanner appeal, and on that
occasion, over 100 walkers took part.
Within a year, an MRI scanner had been
purchased - but by then, Walk the Wight
was effectively established as an annual
event, and is now offcially recognised as
the largest sponsored walk in Europe, with
up to 8,500 people pounding the route.
Recalling the early days when he was
one of the volunteers manning the
checkpoints, Ron says: “There were just a
few of us who used to drive around like
idiots to greet the walkers at the next
point! You couldn’t do that nowadays – in
fact we now have about 250 marshals
stationed throughout the course.”
The growth of the event is a source
of great pride to him and many others
on the Island, so it’s hardly surprising
that he intends to stay actively involved
with it – and other voluntary work
- after his retirement next year.
A passion for life
Never a ‘half measures’ type of
character, Ron has always been known
for enthusiastically throwing himself
into whatever he set his mind to. The
only child of Cowes boat builder Bill
and Nottinghamshire-born accounts
clerk mother Edna, he enjoyed a typical
rough and tumble childhood of Scout
camps, helping on a milk round with the
dad of a school pal, playing football in
the street (and later for Northwood FC
under the legendary Harry Cheek), and
supporting Nottingham Forest FC out
of loyalty to his mum’s home county.
He left the old Cowes Secondary Modern
School at 16 with no great academic
aspirations, but with “a love of numbers
and a logical brain” for which he reckoned
offce work would be a good fit – and a
solid work ethic inherited from his dad.
He successfully applied for a commercial
apprenticeship at the West Cowes
shipbuilding firm J. Samuel White and on
his first day, recalls being faced with three
desks piled high with purchase invoices.
“There was three months’ worth
of it to do, but it didn’t put me off”
recalls Ron. “You could say it was a
baptism of fire! It means I can file
with my eyes shut now – and I never
save up filing for anyone else to do”.
Within a few weeks of starting work,
the iconic Isle of Wight Festival of
1970 took the Island by storm with its
50-strong line-up that included The
Who, Jimi Hendrix, and The Moody Blues
– and for the 16 year-old Ron, it was
excitement like he’d never dreamed of.
“I just have a memory of there being
people everywhere. An older friend
of mine had a Mini van so about six
of us piled in and off we went. We
had no tickets but then there was very
little in the way of fences! The stage
seemed miles away but who cared?
This was our Island and everyone was
enjoying it. It was a completely different
world that we’d never seen before.”
However, there was trouble waiting
for Ron when he rolled home at
dawn – his worried father had been
out looking for him and promptly
grounded him for two weeks.
Cowes Week was another big source
of excitement for the young Ron and his
pals, and the year after the Festival, he
recalls the whole of Cowes ‘coming alive’.
“It was not the big corporate event it
is nowadays – Cowes Week somehow
felt more colourful and more exciting
back then, when you could see Brittania
with her guardship plus visiting
boats from many other Navies.
“A friend of mine had the use of an
inflatable for the week, and on one
occasion we went alongside an American
frigate and were invited on! Access was
by the scramble nets over the port side,
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Interview
Ron with Matthew
and Gareth,
circa 1994
Ron and Matthew at Colwell, circa 1985
“It was really a pleasure for me
going to work and dealing with
them every day, and I think I
quickly gained their trust, too.”
and once on board we had our own private
tour. I was a lot more agile in those days!
The 1970s were also the heyday of the
Island’s nightclub scene – and Ron and his
mates were just the right age to enjoy it all.
They’d start off at his local, The Horseshoe
at Northwood, for games of darts, jukebox
or piano music, and then the famous
‘meat draw’ - and then with an elected
driver, they’d head off for one of the
clubs, such as The Eastcliffe at Shanklin,
the Babalu at Ryde Airport (now a
McDonalds) or The Prince Consort at Ryde.
Working his way up
For all his outgoing social life, Ron also
had a healthy respect for his work. As
part of his apprenticeship, he attended
the local college as a day release student
for three years and immersed himself
in business studies. As he progressed
with the company, he took on sales
invoicing for all departments, took a
further course in accountancy, and ended
up after 11 years with the company
as Accounts Reporting Manager,
ultimately reporting to the Head Offce
in Pennsylvania after JS White’s was
taken over by Elliott Turbomachinery.
His opposite number in the States had
the unlikely name of Jerry Burger and Ron
admits he was somewhat ‘in awe of him’.
“We had a regular Friday catch-up
call and he’d tell me all about his
hunting, shooting, fishing lifestyle
while I told him about the football club
I was helping with and what seemed a
mundane social life in comparison”.
However, Ron’s Anglo-American alliance
was to come to an end when the US
company decided to pull out of the UK,
at which point, in 1981, he joined the
then local timber merchant H.W. Morey.
“I’d had a job offer in Basingstoke
as well but really didn’t want to
leave the Island” says Ron.
This was partly because by this time
he was married to Alana, who he had
met at work. Their marriage year,
1978, had been a good one on many
fronts, since his beloved Nottingham
Forest also won the Football League
and then the European Cup.
They’d bought their first house in
East Cowes in April 1978, five months
before the wedding, but didn’t live
there until after they were married.
“Youngsters today can’t imagine that,
but it’s how it was then” he says. “There
were no lavish overseas trips either - our
honeymoon was a week in Torquay and
we saved our pre-decimal silver coinage
in an old cider flagon to pay for it”.
However, by 1980 they’d been thrifty
enough to be able to move from
their starter home in East Cowes and
take on a bigger mortgage on a large
Victorian house in West Cowes.
Within months of the move, though,
came the blow of redundancy from
Elliott Turbomachinery – happily, to
be closely followed by the relief of
being offered the job of General Offce
Manager at H.W. Morey and Son.
A new challenge
In 1981 Moreys was the only supplier
of imported timber on the Island ,
importing directly from Sweden and
www.visitilife.com 35
Interview
Finland. It arrived at the wharf in Cowes
to be brought up to the Trafalgar Road
yard on a series of hired lorries .
The business was made up of the main
timber and building material supply
business with branches in Newport and
Sandown, and it also ran a commercial
joiners shop which made bespoke joinery
for several projects across the Island.
As well as the Moreys business the
directors also ran Alexandra Sharp and
Co which was just opening a DIY centre
on the site where Curry’s is today, as
well as having a small branch in Ryde.
Ron says he loved Moreys from day
one: “The directors were very hands-on
and the builders and other customers
we dealt with were all very friendly,
down-to-earth and honest, so it was
really a pleasure for me going to work
and dealing with them every day, and I
think I quickly gained their trust, too”.
When in 1997 Morey’s was bought
out by the national chain Jewsons,
Ron was the branch manager at
Sandown. He’d moved into sales and
general management and effectively
improved profitability at the branch.
The following year there was more
upheaval in the Island’s building supplies
market when Sydenham’s moved to
the Isle of Wight and took on almost
of 40 Jewson’s staff but Ron decided
to stay and was offered the General
Manager role, with responsibility
for the Island’s five branches.
It’s effectively the role he still has to
this day, although the title has since
Ron and Alana in Kenya
“ There were no lavish
overseas trips either -
our honeymoon was
a week in Torquay
and we saved our
pre-decimal silver
coinage in an old cider
flagon to pay for it.”
Ron and dog Ruby
been changed to Branch Director
for the Isle of Wight Cluster.
He says he loves his job as much as
he ever did – but will look forward to a
change of focus when he retires next year.
He and Alana – who have two sons,
Matthew, 34, and Gareth, 28 – plan to
celebrate their upcoming milestone Ruby
Wedding anniversary with a three-week
holiday in Canada in June next year,
and no doubt he’ll have more time for
dog walks with the Jack Russell pup
they’ve recently bought (and named
Ruby in honour of their anniversary).
But there’s no doubt that much of Ron’s
retirement will be spent giving time to
the causes closest to his heart – chief
among them being Walk the Wight,
but also doing additional volunteer
fundraising for Mountbatten, as well as
for his local Rotary Club and giving time
to his local Northwood Village Hall.
He’s also keen to promote the
work of Mountbatten, which he
says a lot of locals “still don’t get”.
“What it does is so much more than
providing the 16-bed facility – it’s also
there for several hundred carers out in
the community and supports countless
families who are facing end-of-life care
for loved ones with a range of illnesses.
“One thing’s for sure – I may be
retiring soon, but I’m not going
to be at home much!”
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Local Scene
www.visitilife.com 37
Local Scene
Sea View Yacht Club
celebrates 125 years
The Anniversary Ball to celebrate 125 years
since the formation of the Sea View Yacht Club
in 1893 took place on Saturday 28th July 2018.
The party was held in the beautiful grounds of The Priory
Bay Hotel. Just over 470 members and their guests enjoyed
a champagne reception on the lawn, before moving inside
the marquee to dine on Isle of Wight lobster and fillet
steak. This was followed by a trio of delightful desserts.
After dinner, an additional 100 members joined the
celebrations to dance the night away. A wonderful time
was had by everyone, and it was agreed that it had
been a lovely way to celebrate a great occasion.
Pictures by Graham Reading
More pictures available to buy online
from our website: www.visitilife.com
38
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Local Scene
www.visitilife.com 39
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Interview
Fashioning
a life in clay
He studied his art in London, perfected it in Japan and has lived
the dream in San Francisco – but for ceramicist Neil Tregear
there’s no place quite like the Isle of Wight for sparking his creative
inspiration. So what was it that led him to settle and establish
his business here? Jackie McCarrick has been finding out.
It was 15 years ago that Neil made
his first trip across the Solent, to
attend a job interview with the
local education authority – and
he recalls it with all the visual
detail you’d expect of an artist:
“I absolutely adored the Island
from the first minute” he says. “It
was in the middle of a heatwave
and there was something about
it that reminded me a bit of
San Francisco - totally inspiring
with its amazing light, the
coastal views and the constantly
changing scenery. And then
there was also that feeling of
freedom you get from being
totally surrounded by the sea”.
However, there was to be
just one fly in the ointment,
and that was the job!
“I knew I’d found the right
place - it just turned out to be
the wrong job” he explains.
The job he took on involved
using his specialist skills in
autism, in an Island-wide
consultancy capacity, and was
a role he fulfilled for a year.
“I soon realised that my future
lay elsewhere, but I didn’t want to
leave the Island” says Neil, who had
quickly acclimatised to the lifestyle
and got himself involved with
the sailing fraternity at Wootton’s
Royal Victoria Sailing Club.
“After only a year I felt I already
knew both the interior and
exterior of the Island pretty
well, and knew it was definitely
where I wanted to stay”.
www.visitilife.com 41
Interview
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Interview
He and his wife Catherine have a
combined family of five children,
and at that time, the youngest
two were still at primary school, so
finding another job was a priority.
In the end, it was that pressing
need for a solution that brought
Neil back to his first love, pottery,
and it was the hours he spent
sailing around the Island that
helped the process along.
“My favourite position of all
on a boat is on the foredeck”
he explains. “It gives you
plenty of scope for looking at
the sea and just thinking.
What I increasingly began
thinking was: ‘I’m a potter – I
want to find a way of capturing
what I am looking at in a pot’.“
Which is why, gradually, this
previously successful ceramicist
started making pots again in his
garage, and in 2007 had enough
work to stage a solo show at Quay
Arts. It was a sell-out, and proved
a major turning point in his life.
“That was a major boost to my
confidence” says Neil, who was
suffciently bouyed by the positive
reaction on the Island that he
immediately began contacting
galleries around the UK.
Artistic Revival
This was a strategy that Neil had
already tried and tested during
his early years as a potter, running
his first successful business in
Oxfordshire in the 1980s - and
effectively, it was what brought
him full-circle in his artistic career.
So how did he get into
pottery in the first place?
The second of four sons of a
scientist father and social worker
mother, Neil recalls that early
on, he had been expected to
go into engineering, and in fact
harboured the idea that he’d like
to ‘build motorways and bridges’.
All that changed when
the family moved to San
Francisco when he was 14.
“It was a huge culture shock,
being there in the mid-70s,
among people who were living
so differently, in communes
and arts communities” he
recalls. “The sheer beauty I saw
in California led me to realise
that being an engineer wasn’t
everything, and that I somehow
had to find a way to be an artist”.
Neil opted to do pottery
rather than art at his school
in the US, and unlike many
of his fellow schoolboys, he
found the traditional subjects
of metalwork and woodwork
‘sharp and unforgiving’.
“On the other hand, I found clay
the most wonderful material,
with great flexibility combined
with strength. I liked the
fact that you could change it
halfway through the process.”
By the time his family moved
back to the UK three years later,
Neil was 17, and found himself
being taught and inspired by
a great pottery teacher at his
school in Oxford. Ultimately
he became the first student of
the school to study for A-level
Pottery, and then went on to
Banbury College of Art to continue
studying his new passion.
Finally, he graduated from
Middlesex Polytechnic with
an Honours degree in 3-D
www.visitilife.com 43
Interview
Design and Ceramics.
It was at that stage that he was
offered the chance of a lifetime,
thanks to his Aunt Mary, who
was the Keeper of Oriental Art at
Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum.
Her parents (his grandparents)
had been missionaries in China
and had even met the legendary
Chairman Mao, which meant she
was able to draw on influential
Far Eastern contacts to arrange
an Oriental trip for her nephew.
He was promptly packed off
to the Far East and lined up
with an apprenticeship with
Yamada Hikaru, a prominent
potter in Kyoto, Japan.
“I perfected the art of making
hundreds of tiny little porcelain
bowls, day in, day out” says
Neil, “and also travelled the
country quite a lot, visiting
other potters and kiln sites with
introductions from my Aunt.”
Back to earth
Having “lived and breathed” the
subject for a year, Neil came back
to the UK with a whole set of new
skills, working techniques and
aesthetics – and then
bumped up against
the reality of having
to make a living.
Having become a
first-time dad whilst in
Japan – to daughter
Lotte – he suddenly
found himself “very,
very poor” and living
in a rented room
back in Oxford,
working as a so-called
‘humper’ (loading
and unloading
lorries) at a theatre
in between doing his
pottery in a borrowed
garden shed.
This was the period
when he first began
sending slides of his
work to galleries and
shops – a process that definitely
worked for him, because by
the mid-80s, his creations were
being featured in a wide variety
of locations such as Liberty’s of
London and Leeds City Art Gallery.
However, he still wasn’t making
enough money to support a
family, so when in 1986 he was
approached by established
ceramicist Deborah Sears of
Isis Ceramics, he was
more than happy to
take up an offer to
collaborate with her
in creating a range
of reproduction
Delftware.
The classic
blue and white
tableware was such
a huge success
that Neil ended
up employing
four people
and Deborah
employed 12.
They were sending
work all over the
world, supplying
clients like Colefax
and Fowler interior
design and many big department
stores in New York and Japan.
“It was during that period that
I really learnt the professional
side of being a potter” says Neil,
“all the important stuff about
making a profit and employing
people as well as just making
the ceramics. I also realised that
quality and consistency are more
important than anything else.”
Typically, though, there came a
point where Neil had reached a
point of success financially and
business-wise – but was becoming
creatively ‘dry’ and worn-out, with
no time to produce his own pots.
“I’d sold my soul, but at
least I’d managed to buy a
new car” he jokes wryly.
It was around that time that the
UK recession of 1990 began to
bite, seeing off a large chunk of
the luxury goods market in which
Neil had been successfully trading.
“We as a business were
pretty heavily exposed to the
recession when it hit” he says.
“We were dealing in high-end
luxury items such as a dinner
plate that retailed for £30 even
then – goodness knows what
price that would equate to
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Interview
“I perfected the
art of making
hundreds of tiny
little porcelain
bowls, day in,
day out”
now – and people had been
buying entire dinner services.”
Changing course
Deciding to leave the pottery
behind was made easier
by the fact that Neil had a
new focus, following the
diagnosis of his second child,
Jan, with severe autism.
Having been impressed by
the teachers who worked with
his son, Neil promptly decided
to quit his business, hand over
to his assistant, and re-train
as a primary school teacher
himself. After graduating, he was
immediately offered a job at the
Chinnor Resource Unit for autistic
children, and dedicated himself
to teaching for the next 12 years.
He kept his hand in with
the pottery by teaching adult
education evening classes, but
effectively, he’d stopped producing
any original work of his own.
“Life just took me on another
course, as it sometimes does”,
says Neil, who, during that time
had met and married his second
wife Catherine, also a special
needs teacher, and was kept
busy bringing up their blended
family of five youngsters.
But life took another turn
in 2003 when Neil saw a job
advertised on the Isle of Wight.
“We felt ready for a change and
had considered moving abroad,
but that wasn’t possible because
of our children” says Neil.
And the rest, as they
say, is history!
After that initial show at Quay
Arts in 2007, and his subsequent
approaches to galleries, Neil
has never looked back.
In no time he was supplying his
work to big names in cities and
towns all over the UK – even while
still working out of his garage and
living room at home in Niton.
In 2010 he had a new exhibitor
stand at the British Crafts Trade
Fair in Harrogate and ended up
with a queue of buyers for the
whole three days of the show.
“I remember coming back
home in my battered old car
with 50 orders and my wife
was horrifed!” he laughs. “All
she could think of was ‘How
are you going to do that?’
That was the point where Neil
and Catherine had enough
confidence to launch out and
take on the lease of Niton’s old
butcher’s shop, which is where
they run their studio to this day.
Customers love being able to
see the potters at work – and
these days there’s a team of
them – Scarlett Felstead the
studio manager, Pete Avery
the technical manager, Tim
Alexander the pottery assistant
and Sarah Parker the apprentice,
along with Neil and Catherine.
Now supplying 70 shops,
galleries and interior design stores
around the UK, the business
has been growing at the rate
of 20-30% year-on-year.
Island customers also love the
distinctive marine-inspired designs
in relaxing, cool colours that
feature on bowls and dishes, mugs
and lamp bases, and enjoy being
able to see the making process.
“I was initially a bit worried
about opening the studio to
the public” says Neil, “but we
now really enjoy having people
around and seeing how interested
they are in what we do.”
And the teaching hasn’t gone
to waste either – because Neil
hops on the ferry once a week
to the Solent Academies Trust
in Portsmouth, where he does
a day of specialist teaching
in pottery and autism.
“As much as I love doing
it, I’m always pleased to get
back to the Island” he says.
“For me, the happiest place
in the world is my studio”.
www.visitilife.com 45
Out & About
Island Sailing Club’s
scorcher of a race
Island Sailing Club’s annual Round the
Island Race in early July, was deemed a
huge success with over 1,100 race teams
from all around the world taking part.
Despite being one of the slowest in recent years, with
light winds, a strong tidal stream and scorching heat that
combined, forced many to retire, a total of 659 completed
the 50 nautical mile, anti-clockwise race around the
Isle of Wight in exceptionally challenging conditions.
Ross and Sarah Applebey and team from Lymington
sailed their Contessa 26 High Potential particularly
impressively and, after over 11 hours of intense racing,
managed to secure the coveted Gold Roman Bowl.
The line honours prize for the fastest time round the
Island in eight and a half hours went to Tony Lawson’s
MOD70 foiling trimaran Concise Fling, while
Tony Langley’s TP52 Gladiator was first monohull
home. Langley said: “It was the longest one I’ve ever
done; nine hours on the helm which is plenty.”
Pictures by Paul Wyeth
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Out & About
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Out & About
Jazz on
the Quay
Over 350 hardy jazz enthusiasts
braved unseasonably cold June
winds to gather at Duver Marina
and enjoy the third Jazz on the Quay
event – made welcomingly warmer
thanks to Sydenhams, who loaned
two huge heaters for the marquee.
The all new line-up this year was kicked off by the
Jim Thorn Quintet with modern jazz classics from
the 1940s-60s, and followed by salsa and Latin Jazz
specialists Toca Bonito, whose fabulous sounds
enticed plenty of people onto the dance floor.
Angel in the Kitchen dished up their legendary
traditional Paella, while the ingeniously-converted
vintage horsebox - the Water Horse Box Bar - was
on hand to quench thirsts, and on-site Duver Cafe
stayed open late serving hot drinks and bacon
rolls. Meanwhile, brand new Island business Nice
Ice IOW brought along their converted vintage
bike, serving a variety of locally-made ice-creams.
To date, the event - in support of Island
charity The Sophie Rolf Trust – KissyPuppy
- has added a further £2,076.50 to
the Harbour’s fundraising total.
Pictures by Soul Photography
www.visitilife.com 49
Interview
The Royal
Isle of Wight
County Show
A personal reflection by
Nicky Hayward, MBE
As a born-and-bred Islander, I feel passionately
about the importance of the Royal Isle of Wight
County Show. The Agricultural Society, which puts
on the Show every year, was originally founded in
1882 and Queen Victoria was the first patron.
She was also a regular exhibitor
throughout her life, and a frequent
visitor to the annual Show. King
Edward VII followed as patron, with
Major Henry J Way becoming the
first honorary secretary, a position
he held for 24 years. The Show has
always taken place in or around
Newport, with the exception of
the years 1888 and 1897, when
the venue was Ryde. Historically
the Royal Family always took a
keen interest in the affairs of the
Society. On the death of Lord
Eversly, Governor of the Isle of
Wight, Prince Henry of Battenburg
succeeded as president. In 1885,
the date of the Show had to be
altered as it clashed with the
wedding of Princess Beatrice.
Financially, the Society has faced
many crises, but because of the
loyalty of Islanders, it has always
managed to weather these storms.
The Society organised the
ploughing matches, and before
the formation of the NFU the
Central Chamber of Agriculture
was the national agricultural
forum. From 1909, Mr R.P. Mew
represented the Society at the
London meetings and reported
back quarterly to the members.
For many years, the site for the
Show presented a problem, first on
one field, then another. Eventually
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Interview
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Interview
“Through
determination and
dedication, not to
mention the hard
work of everyone
on the committee,
the Show was
totally revived.”
it came to rest on the Nine Acres
field in Newport, where it was able
to purchase the ground securing
a regular flat area with plenty
of room for the Show to grow.
In more recent times, too, the
annual event has had its ups
and downs. There was a period
when it fell into the doldrums
and was nearly ended. Then Amy
Willcock together with Graham
Biss came on board and, through
determination and dedication,
not to mention the hard work of
everyone on the committee, the
Show was totally revived. Graham
has been the chairman of the
Show Committee for the last five
years and with their collective
energy and enthusiasm, the
Show has gone from strength to
strength. It is now one of the best
one-day shows in the south, and
admired and supported both by
Islanders and mainland breeders.
It was almost inevitable after
selling the Seaview Hotel and
retiring, that my husband Nick and
I should end up on the committee
running the Members’ Area, and
in particular organising the lunch
for over 200 people, along with
a bar and light refreshments
served all day. All the delicious
food and catering is supplied by
David Rogers and his excellent
team at All About Catering. The
huge and beautiful marquee in
the Members’ Area, along with
hundreds of tables and chairs, is
supplied free of charge, by Coast
and Country. Peter Alexander
and his team from Thompson’s
Nursery produce the spectacular
floral displays, again free of
charge. Nick and I
find that pulling
together
the whole
Members’
Area,
with this
generous
and
professional
team, is
great fun.
For the last two
years we have
been able to supply
a further tented area for the
bar and light refreshments, thanks
to the sponsorship provided by
Ben Rouse of Rouse Ltd and
James Attrill of BCM. We needed
this extra space because while
many of the members like to enjoy
the formal lunch, some members
are exhibiting or taking part in
events and so are not always able
to get away. Also, we wanted to
encourage younger families to
become members to ensure the
future of the Show. So now there
is a less formal area where people
can dine, inside or out, in a more
relaxed atmosphere but still
enjoying the spectacle.
The Members’
Area is very much
the heart of
the Show. Set
right in the
middle of
the ground
between
the main
ring and the
show jumping
arena, it has
spectacular views.
Nick and I really
enjoy attending the monthly
meetings in the Hare and Hounds
with all the other volunteers on
the show committee. It is fun,
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Interview
through the long winter months,
listening to and contributing to the
plans. All the volunteers in every
area work so hard to produce
this special day, showcasing and
promoting Isle of Wight plc. It is an
incredible effort just for one day
but, under Graham’s
dedicated
leadership, it
has improved
and
expanded.
So we all
feel a real
sense
of pride
in laying
on this
unique and
spectacular,
truly local event. It
is quite right, bearing in
mind the long history and Royal
patronage, that it is called the
Royal Isle of Wight County Show.
Over the last five years the
Show has developed a wonderful
connectivity with the public.
Initially they came to see and get
involved in all that is good within
the Island’s rural community. But
it has now moved on from this and
there is a sense that everyone can
come and have a go, with young
people able to actually get in and
learn how to handle the animals
or taste the produce. From rolling
huge bales of hay around obstacle
courses to sheep shearing
competitions, or
celebrating the
best of Island
food, plants,
gardens,
stock and
riders. Not
forgetting
the
enchanting
and brilliant
poultry section
[my favourite
tent]. There is a
far greater focus on
sharing information, with huge
educational boards explaining
everything from the characteristics
of certain breeds of sheep to
exactly where our milk or eggs
come from. It has retained its
rural character and roots while
broadening its appeal to give the
whole community a feelgood
factor and a great day out.
Today, many locals do not
realise or know the history or
background to the event. Or, more
significantly, why it is important
not just to attend the Show but
also to become a member of the
Society. The Show is the highprofile
face of the Royal Isle of
Wight Agricultural Society. Its aim
is to showcase and promote the
rural sector and give Islanders a
sense of place and identity. It is
definitely not a private show just
for farmers, but aims to reach out
to all the Island and holidaymakers
too. Of course it has and continues
to hold onto its historic roots with
a large section devoted to livestock
and equine events, but now it
has something for everyone.
This year we have worked with
all the primary schools, inviting
them to come for a ‘Taster
Day” to see what goes on at the
Show. There was also a poetry
competition based around Robert
MacFarlane’s book, Lost Words.
This beautifully illustrated book
highlights the rural words that
have been removed from the
Oxford children’s dictionary. For
www.visitilife.com 53
Interview
example Acorn, was replaced with
the word App and Conker with
Chat-room. While the majority
of young people in urban society
may have stopped using words
Acorn or Conker, children in
rural communities, like the Isle
of Wight, have not. Thanks to
generous local donations 43
copies of the book were presented
to every primary school on the
Island. And a poetry competition
was held in the theatre at the
Show with entries from all
ages and the mainland too.
Along with the Show, the Society
also promotes the Wight Marque
for Island food, education and
the rural environment with the
schools and most important the
Rural Careers’ Fund. It is because
we believe in the importance of
this fund that Nick and I give up
our time every year to run the
Members’ Area. The fund helps
to ensure the Island has good,
well-trained young people able
to work in the rural sector.
Anyone under 25 years old
with a strong connection to the
Island can apply for a Bursary or
Scholarship of up to £3,000. This
adds value to the IW farming
and land-based industries and
ensures young Islanders gain the
relevant qualifications or skills.
We all know the future of
our beautiful island lies in our
young people and so helping
to enable them overcome
financial diffculties to train
properly is vital, especially in
these times of cost-cutting and
with the increased price of travel
to the mainland courses.
So I urge all of you to come and
join the Society. Membership
is only £28 a year on Standing
Order and includes free entry
to the Show worth £10, free
entry to the beautiful Members’
Enclosure in its prime location,
and special rates all year round for
members on Wightlink ferries.
So you get a huge number
“We all know the future of our
beautiful island lies in our young
people and so helping to enable
them overcome financial diffculties
to train properly is vital.”
of added benefits for your
£28 membership - but more
importantly, the money from your
membership is vital to ensure the
future of the Rural Careers’ Fund.
This year was particularly
challenging for the Royal Isle
of Wight County Show. Firstly
we had to move the date from
its usual slot at the end of June,
because it clashed, as a result of
the change of date, with the much
earlier IW Festival. Obviously the
two couldn’t happen on the same
weekend. So we moved to the 8th
July for 2018. This was not ideal
as it made it diffcult for some of
the regular participants. Then with
one of the hottest summers on
record it was testing setting up the
ground, especially with the rockhard
earth and sweltering heat.
Flowers, animals and people were
all wilting by the time everything
was ready and in place. Then
with the usual aplomb, the Lord
Lieutenant and the High Sheriff
were there to open the Show. It
was a glorious day, possibly too
hot, as many may have decided to
head to the beach. But in the end
the Members’ Area was buzzing.
The lunch for 200 was packed and
everyone had a great day out.
The committee will shortly meet
to review the day’s events, what
went well and what areas we can
improve. It is only by constantly
reflecting on and thinking
through the future of the Show
that it will be able to survive and
continue on into the distant
future for the benefit of us all.
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Out & About
Mardi Gras comes
back to Ryde
Mardi Gras took Ryde by storm once again this
year, with an overall theme of Global Biospheres,
leading to many colourful and exciting costumes.
The happy crowds enjoyed the sunshine
as the parade wove it’s way through the
streets of the seaside town. Supported by
schools and organisations from across the
Island, there was a tidal wave of colour and
energy, as the hundreds of participants
walked and danced down the road.
Pictures by Graham Reading
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Out & About
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Inside Business
A real destination store
A visit to The Old Smithy
at Godshill always makes
for a pleasant outing
for the whole family.
In fact, since it was founded
70 years ago, this family
business has steadily grown and
evolved to become a favourite
destination for generations
of Islanders and visitors.
The spacious coffee shop
is ideal for catching up with
friends for lunch, or perhaps
meeting up after a long walk
when you’ve worked up an
appetite for one of its famous
meringues or delicious cakes.
Meanwhile, the Style Interiors
section offers a wide range of
gifts for the home with on-trend
collections that are guaranteed to
make your home look individual
and stylish. At the back of
the shop is the very
pretty garden,
which is free
to visit, and
perfect for
children,
who can
walk
around the
miniature
Isle of
Wight and
see the fairies
and pixies at work.
For the grown-ups there’s
the the huge gift shop, full of ideas
and inspiration for those special
gifts for family and friends, while
the clothes shop has a great range
of styles to fit all shapes and sizes,
with collections from Masai, Gerry
Weber, Seasalt and Soya
Concept, plus an
extensive choice of
handbags and
accessories.
Open seven
days a week
and all year
round, and
with its
own large,
free car park,
The Old Smithy
is a destination
store that’s become
a real Island institution.
Find the Old Smithy in Godshill,
call them on 01983 840364 or
visit www.styleinteriors.co.uk.
The Brading Roman Bear Hunt
All through the Summer
Brading Roman Villa is
offering a whole host
of craft activities: mask
painting, mosaic coaster
making, as well as
dozens of free activities.
Come to the villa and go
on a Bear Hunt. Find the
parts for your bear and then
decorate him with glitter and
feathers, it’s free and it’s fun.
Until 30th September, Brading
Roman Villa will be hosting
a travelling exhibition from
Scottish Mask and Puppet
Centre. It is both engagingly
colourful and beautifully
varied. The puppets cover the
whole world from Indonesia
to Scotland and a staggering
breadth of time from ancient
India to more recent uses
on television. Come and
find out: how puppets are
made, how they are used
and then make your own.
Come to the café, with its
panoramic views of the whole
of Sandown Bay. Try the food,
freshly made by Big Ben and
our perennially favourite cakes,
made by their very own Nicky.
Iced drinks are always on offer.
You can find Brading
Roman Villa at Morton Old
Road, Brading, PO36 0EN.
Telephone: 01983 406223.
Visit the website at www.
bradingromanvilla.org.uk
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Feature
A decade of
Decadeance
It started simply enough in
2009 - as a one-off charity
dance party to celebrate
Island DJ Tony Martin’s
30 years in the business.
The event was a huge success,
selling out of all 500 tickets
and raising a total of £5,200
for two local charities, Barely
Born and the Earl Mountbatten
Hospice, which had cared for
Tony’s late mother, Eileen.
But the partygoers at that
first event relished the mix of
music, nostalgia, energy and
pure good fun and enjoyed it so
much that Tony was persuaded
it was a show that must go on.
Since then, DECADeANCE has
evolved into one of the most
popular annual events on the
Isle of Wight’s social calendar –
and the countdown has already
begun to party number 10,
happening in November.
Explaining the origin of the
event’s unusual name,Tony
explains: “It came from a mix
of decadence, as in ‘luxuriously
self indulgent’ which seemed a
good description of me playing
my personal favourites and
dance floor fillers from the
1960s up to present day – it
was a sort of decade dance!”
Partygoers were also encouraged
to dress to impress, and be
as decadent as they dared
to be with their outfits.
It proved such a heady mix,
that everyone wanted a followup
event the next year – and the
rest, as they say, is history. The
colourful, high-energy event now
caters for 750 people and always
sells out months in advance.
Meanwhile, it continues to
surprise with its decadent themes
– the most memorable of which
have been 007, Carnival and Spaceinspired
ones - while Tony has also
surprised partygoers on the night
with features such as pyrotechnics
shows, live Samba bands and an
ensemble of Star Wars characters,
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Feature
“It proved such a heady mix,
that everyone wanted a followup
event the next year – and
the rest, as they say, is history.”
amongst many others.
Most importantly, though, in the
past nine years a magnificent total
of over £56,000 has been raised
for Earl Mountbatten Hospice
(now Mountbatten) and the launch
of this year’s 10th Anniversary
event ‘A Decade of DECADeNCE’
is set to add even more funds
to that impressive figure.
Tony reflects: ‘ When I put on that
first party to commemorate my 30
years as a DJ, I could never have
imagined just how successful and
popular it would become. Once it
did take off, my challenge was to
make it more decadent every year
and bring a new ‘wow’ factor that
made people want to keep coming
back. The
effort by so
many people
with their decadent outfits every
year and their clear enjoyment
has continued to inspire me. After
the second year, I set a personal
challenge to raise £50,000
– and the fact that this was
surpassed last year is testament
to everyone’s help and support.
‘Some people have come along
every year and that’s incredible,
but without everyone’s support -
not just the paying guests but also
the many companies who provide
substantial discounts on services
- it wouldn’t have been possible
to raise the huge amounts
we have for Mountbatten.’
Tickets for a decade of
DECADeANCE go on sale on
August 10 and are unlikely to
hang around for long, so it’s
advisable to get in quick if you
fancy a decadent night out
on Saturday November 24.
Tickets are available from
Cowes Yacht Haven, Cowes,
Master of Disguise, Newport
The Bagel Wrap, Ryde and
The Party Shop, Shanklin. To
request tickets or more
info including limited VIP
table packages, e-mail:
decadeancenight@gmail.com.
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Travel
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Travel
A
Gem
on our
Doorstep
I have been fortunate enough to visit over 40
of the world’s capital cities in my lifetime, and
without a doubt in my mind, London would rank
as one of the best. It was the English writer Samuel
Johnson who in the 18th century declared: “Sir,
when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life,
for there is in London all that life can afford”.
By Terry Willey
In my view this quotation remains
just as relevant today, and
whatever your budget, London
still can offer you so many options
and at wonderful value. In
recommending it to my foreign
visitors over the years I am always
keen to learn of their specific
interests so that their time in the
Capital will hold a personal interest
and provide a lasting memory.
London has some of the finest
museums and art culture in the
world, and for any historian it
has a wealth of possibilities to
explore. Its history is unsurpassed,
which perhaps is why it attracts
so many fascinated visitors from
the world over. From the Tower of
London to our Royal residences
and Palaces, the City ‘opens it
doors’ for all. Whether you are
viewing them on foot or from an
open-top bus or a river cruiser, the
fascination is there to behold. You
could spend a year in London and
never see the entirety of it all!
Apart from the obvious
attractions that our Capital
city offers, there are so many
hidden secrets and eating
establishments that are not
obvious from street level. Many
of them date back to the time
of the Great Plague of London.
As competition is considerable,
eating in the Capital can be
relatively inexpensive, provided
you are prepared to shop around.
The shopping culture itself is
immense with millions of pounds
being ploughed into the City
each year from tourists, as well as
from our own nationals flocking
to some of the main shopping
areas around Oxford and Regent
Streets. The area surrounding
Covent Garden offers some of the
most talented street entertainment
and the London Underground
network offers a quick and
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Travel
effcient way to travel across and
through the City to the suburbs.
The network does not ‘stand still’
with extensive modernisation
and new lines opening. It is
worth picking up a free London
Underground Map to just take in
the sheer enormity of the network
and your options for travel.
With the Royal Albert Hall
offering regular concerts and
events, Covent Garden for its
music, ballet and opera along
with theatres offering some of the
finest shows in the country, your
entertainment options are endless.
As in every major city, there are
areas of London that are perhaps
less desirable, but for the greater
part “life” exudes from its very
heart each day. Having worked
in London for some years in
the early part of my career, I got
to know so many true London
individuals and some who still
remain friends. My late father
who was born in Fulham Palace
Road was proud to call himself a
Londoner – a claim that was only
possible to make if you were born
within the sounds of Bow Bells.
A ride in one of the iconic
London Black Cabs will often
yield plenty of useful insights
from the driver if he feels inclined
to engage with you. However,
the majority of the taxi drivers
have a wealth of knowledge of
the City and can often be very
useful in guiding you to your
destination or recommending
alternatives. There has always
been a genuine honesty from
the Cockney and in most cases
a willingness to welcome
people to their city with pride.
I shall never forget my organised
surprise visit for my family to take
them to see The Lion King musical
in the West End; having booked a
taxi from our early restaurant meal
to take us to the theatre, I was able
to mention quietly to the driver
upon his arrival that this was a very
special surprise for my family and
they had no idea which theatre
we were attending, or which
performance. Owing to serious
traffc congestion, the cab was late
arriving and I knew that the timing
would be very tight to arrive in
time for the opening of the show -
which in the case of The Lion King,
is something not to be missed!
As we all climbed into the cab,
there was an air of excitement and
guessing going on as our journey
began. However, the time was
passing quickly and I could see
that we only had five minutes to
the opening of the show, so I said
to the driver “are we nearly there?”
to which he replied “Don’t worry
Guv I can see the lion from here!”.
This caused great humour inside
the cab and my secret was blown
away – at which point the cab
driver suddenly realised what he
had said and apologised profusely.
Yes, Samuel Johnson was
right: in London there is “all
life can afford” and whether
you are visiting for the first
time or making a return trip,
you are rarely disappointed!
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Travel
Snapshot
“Apart from the
obvious attractions
that our Capital
city offers, there are
so many hidden
secrets and eating
establishments that
are not obvious from
street level. ”
www.visitilife.com 65
Out & About
Thousands
flock to Festival
The 2018 Isle of Wight
Festival once again delivered
an amazing weekend, with
Islanders standing alongside
tens of thousands who flocked
from over the water.
Headline sets included Kasabian, Depeche Mode
and The Killers, as well as a performance from Liam
Gallagher – a line-up that lived up to the festival’s
famously eclectic reputation. Other artists who
appeared on the stages scattered throughout the
site included The Script, Nile Rodgers & Chic, James
Bay, Blossoms, Manic Street Preachers and Travis.
Music aside, the Isle of Wight Festival is about so
much more. Once you’re through the festival gates,
there’s something different around every corner,
with a smorgasbord of food, stalls, fairground rides
and more. The huge crowds prove that the Isle of
Wight Festival is seen by many as one of the biggest
and brightest jewels in the Festival calendar.
Pictures by Graham Reading
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Out & About
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Motoring
Driving down prices
After 20 years of working
in the motor trade, Paul
Nixon reckoned it was
time to follow his dream
and launch out into
business on his own.
Two years later, and now at the
helm of a busy garage operation
in Newport, Paul says it was the
best decision he ever made.
Working along with equally
experienced fellow mechanic Sean
Skinner, Paul can offer a friendly,
personal and cost-effective
service for motorists, whether
their car needs a regular service,
a repair job or fault diagnosis.
He says his customers at Nixon
Automotive Services like the
fact that they actually get to
speak to the person who works
on their vehicle – unlike many
of the bigger garage set-ups
where information is relayed
through a reception desk.
Keeping the business small also
means that customers benefit
from keener prices, and there are
regular offers such as the current
summer deal of 10p per gram of
refrigerant on air-con recharges.
Nixon Automotive is also
the only garage on the Island
that offers professional DPF
cleaning for diesel engines.
Visit Nixon Automative
Services at Unit 6, Riverway,
Newport, PO30 5UX or call
them on 01983 522033.
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AUCTION SUMMARY
ASK THE EXPERTS:
AUCTIONEERS CORNER
The June sales saw bidding
soar high along with the
weather. A beautiful clock
retailed by Tiffany & Co was
contested via three phones,
live internet and room bidders
past the expected £4,000-
6,000 to over £10,000,
eventually selling for £14,800.
The sale was very busy, with
over 300 live online bidders
waiting to pounce!
Managing Director Warren
Riches said “Yet again the
audience online, which is
worldwide, provide over 32%
of our sales total – this shows
how a good auction rooms,
which has invested in the
latest live bidding technology,
competes easily with the
London Rooms.
RECENTLY SOLD ITEMS
Warren Riches writes “Rex and I have been auctioneering and
valuing for over 60 years between us, and over those years
have seen sea changes in buyers tastes. We strongly believe
the value now that “brown Victorian/Georgian” furniture
represents is outstanding.
“It is all a matter of taste, todays markets for such furniture
has steadied out, and it will always find a home. People have
needed to readjust their hopes and accept the new normal
price for a mahogany chest of drawers or Grandfather clock.
In the same light a Victorian pine chest of drawers has
probably increased three fold in value, so it’s always swings
and roundabouts.
“My advice now, as always, is if you buy for investment and
returns, spend that little bit more on that item. It shouldn’t let
you down – quality will always come through.”
Antiques & Collectables
Modern & Vintage
Brading Auction Rooms
Quay Lane, Brading, Sandown
Isle of Wight, PO36 0AT
T: 01983 402222
E: brading@hrdauctionrooms.co.uk
Fine Mantel Clock
Sold for £14,800
Claret jug
Sold for £650
Chinese plate collection
Sold for £1,900
Binocular Microscope
Sold for £1,100
Extensive glassware
Sold for £500
Chinese low table
Sold for £1,700
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Gardening
SUMMER AT QUARR ABBEY
by Matt Noyce, Head Gardener at Quarr Abbey
While perhaps stating the obvious - that
we have been blessed with such an
unprecedented start to the summer -
we humans might have had it good,
but extra watering for certain crops has
been high on the agenda.
The grass has quickly turned to hay and the landscape
looks somewhat parched. The warmth has sweetened
fruits and the mulberries have never tasted so good.
Although the gardens have suffered somewhat, we
have had to be savvy with the watering regime. At
times like this we must all use water responsibly and
sparingly. That said, the raspberries, gooseberries
(goosegogs as I call them) and blackcurrants have
had unprecedented long hours of sunshine to
ripen, and where the season began slowly because
of the snowy start, they have now caught up and
are cropping profusely. The loganberries have been
left until they go a rich, dark colour and on most
occasions we have beaten the birds to them. The
majority of the soft fruits are safely secured within
soft fruit cages, away from eager beaks.
A certain amount of our home-grown produce
will be used in Quarr Abbey jam and chutney
production, while the apple crop is being turned into
our own still and sparkling ciders which are available
in our farm shop.
The wildflower meadow and large grassy areas at
Quarr are buzzing with the sounds of crickets and
grasshoppers. They are a great habitat for so much
wildlife. The meadow was sown some time ago, but
still benefits wildlife as a sanctuary for creatures
ranging from bees to butterflies and mice to buzzards.
Surprisingly, wildflower meadows aren’t as
maintenance-free as you might expect: they require
timed management to create the best habitat possible.
The Quarr Abbey hives and Isle of Wight Beekeepers
Association Quarr teaching apiary hives are doing
well. We are currently ‘spinning’ honey from the hive
frames - a sticky, but rewarding task. Out in the field,
we have had to watch out for swarming bees, but as
one appears it can be swiftly dealt with and put into a
suitable hive to create a new colony.
We are all now looking forward to more of the
summer crop of honey, ready to drizzle over a nice big
bowl of ice cream.
Pictures by Matt Noyce.
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Local Scene
A horde of
happy hounds
The Isle of Wight Foxhounds were blessed with
glorious sunshine at their annual puppy show at
the Kennels in Gatcombe on Saturday 30th June.
The kennels looked impeccable
and the hounds were shown by
Mr Keith Blaydes, the huntsman,
ably assisted by Mr Jack Kingswell.
At the puppy show, last
years puppies are judged on
their conformation. They are
judged initially to find the
best bitch and dog hound and
then the champion hound
is chosen from these two.
This year the champion
hound was Partridge, walked
by Mrs Anne Ely and the best
bitch was Pamper walked
by the Waghorn children.
After judging everyone was
treated to a scrumptious
tea of homemade
sandwiches and cakes.
The two judges this year were Mr
Stephen Coates and Mr George
Milton who are both experienced
Masters from mainland packs.
www.visitilife.com 75
Equestrian goodies
Ariat Cruiser
Castaway Deck Shoe
Classic leather or suede boat shoe
silhouette with the updated colour
and texture combinations and
built-in comfort of the Cruiser.
Mountain Horse
Breeze tech singlet
A women’s tech singlet made from a fabric that
is quick-drying and leads moisture away from
your body. Knitted rib collar and cuffs. Soft and
quick-drying fabric for great comfort during
high activity. Two-toned pattern fabric makes
a sporty look. Elastic rib at sleeve for good
comfort. Slit at the sides. Tailored fit MH logo
at chest and back. Hidden zippers at front.
Ariat Emma
Reversible Gilet
Cosy, cute and like having two
vests in one, this reversible layer is
insulated for warmth and resistant
to the elements so they’ll be comfy
whether on horseback or at play.
Ariat Heritage Elite
Full Seat Breech
Premium four-way
performance stretch
fabric and performance
mesh calf panels for an
unparalleled ride. The
Heritage Elite delivers
technical performance in
a traditional package.
All this and more is available in a variety of colours from Froghill of Sandford, Godshill,
PO38 3AN. Tel: 01983 840205. www.froghillofsandford.co.uk
76
www.visitilife.com
Equestrian
TRAINING HORSES
with Robert Booth BHSI
For once, nobody
can say we haven’t
had a summer
this year!
Whilst I do like the hot
weather, it also can
become a challenge
to keep going with the
horses and business.
The fields are like
concrete, so we are
having to limit the turn
out, but thankfully
we have a surface to work and
exercise on, and we are lucky that
our covered yard is cool and shady
with good ventilation during the
day, to give at least some respite
from heat and flies.
Working the horses to keep their
fitness and training up is tricky
and you don’t have to do too
much before they start to sweat.
It is natural for them to sweat, as
it is how they regulate their body
temperature and with regular rest
periods to allow them a breather,
we manage to get some work
done. The important thing is to
get their body temperature back
to normal straight after work, with
cold hosing - and not just a wash
off, they need a good dousing to
reduce the overheating and then
left to relax in the shade. They lose
a lot of fluids through sweating,
Training your horse:
Finding your balance
so good nutrition and
lots of fresh water
is a must and I feed
some electrolytes to
encourage them to
drink more. I’m dreading
our next water bill!
Teaching in the
hot sun can also be
exhausting and with
riders opting for early
morning and late
evening slots to avoid
the hottest part of the
day, this makes it a long day. Again
it is important for riders to keep
well hydrated for their own health.
My way of surviving is lots of water
- or I should say, coffee and a quick
trip to Colwell Bay for a muchneeded
dip in the sea.
Robert Booth is an equine trainer
for Rodgebrook Horses. Visit
www.rodgebrookhorses.co.uk or
telephone 01983 521870.
A common fault in jumping
occurs when the rider is behind
the movement and is relying on
the reins for balance.
This can prevent the horse from
using itself properly and give an
uncomfortable jump.
A good exercise I use, especially
in gridwork, is when approaching
the jump and once the horse is
straight and focused on the jump,
place the reins in one hand and
put the hand on top of your head.
This teaches you to feel the
movement and find your balance
without holding on.
RODGEBROOK HORSES
Excellent purpose built facilities,
Newport area for full, breaking,
schooling, sale and competition
preparation livery.
Tuition by Robert Booth BHSI
experienced Accredited Professional
Coach. Group or individual lessons
on your own horses here or your
home, all levels and disciplines.
Regular courses
throughout the year
Tel: 01983 521870
www.rodgebrookhorses.co.uk
www.visitilife.com 77
Equestrian
New Osborne event
proves great success
A two-day event in late July saw
the ‘best of the best’ compete
in the inaugural Osborne Horse
Trials, sponsored by London
Capital & Finance PLC, in the
spectacular surroundings
of Osborne House.
This is the first time such
a high-profile equestrian
event has ever been held
here on the Island.
The event saw some fantastic
action from some of the top
event riders including the world
number one, Oliver Townend,
along with Island-based event
rider Sarah Holmes. Sarah
had three horses in the event,
finishing a respectable 6th, 9th
and 10th and was the only rider
to go clear with all her horses
in the show jumping phase.
The cross country phase saw
the riders gallop right pass the
front of Osborne House, which
gave the spectators assembled
on the terrace an amazing view.
The event finished with
Oliver Townend winning
the Victoria Bowl and Albert
Bowl and Ludwig Svennerstal
winning the Warrior Bowl.
Pictures by Graham Reading and Jonathon Sheath
More pictures available to buy from our website: www.visitilife.com
78
www.visitilife.com
Equestrian
www.visitilife.com 79
Equestrian
80
www.visitilife.com
Equestrian
www.visitilife.com 81
Equestrian goodies
Barrier Natural
Revitalising Wash
Barrier Revitalising Wash is a
light, soothing, low lathering, no
rinse formula equine body wash
that refreshes and removes heavy
perspiration with ease.
Dodson & Horrell Ltd
Electrolytes
Replaces
those
essential
nutrients
lost through
sweating
and work.
Silverfeet Hoof Balm
A unique blend of
natural ingredients
and silver complex
which has been
shown to prevent the
growth of common
equine hoof microbes
which can lead to the development
of thrush and white line disease.
Carr & Day &
Martin Fly Gard
Insect Repellent
spray
A gentle yet effective, long
lasting, summer spray.
This water based formula
contains citronella oils for
long lasting protection during
the summer months.
Flygard also contains
added coat conditioners to
promote a healthy, shiny coat.
Recommended for horses
that suffer from sweet itch
or are irritated by flies.
All this and more is available from Trumor Feeds. You can find them at Forest Road,
Newport, PO30 4LY. Call 01983 521690 or you can find them on Facebook as TrumorFeeds
82
www.visitilife.com
Country Life
IDENTITY AND THE ISLAND
By Sam Biles, Managing Director of country Estate Agents Biles & Co
Sam Biles takes a look at how living on an island creates an identity
It is interesting, but perhaps
inevitable, that we Islanders refer
to the Isle of Wight as ‘the Island’.
This is not a new phenomenon.
Jane Austen, the famous Regency
novelist, published Mansfield
Park in 1814, and in it there is an
oft-used quotation: “She thinks of
nothing but the Isle of Wight as if
there were no other island in the
world”.
In fact, this quotation is spoken
by one cousin expressing her
frustration about the ignorance of
another who has stated that the
best route to Ireland was to cross
first to the Isle of Wight! – but there
it is in black and white from two
centuries ago: ‘the Island’.
It is something that seems to
slip off the tongue so easily for
us Islanders, but to those from
elsewhere in the UK, it can sound
or read very oddly. As part of my
job, I draft the text for property
brochures. When we are doing
these on our own, I happily put an
upper case ‘I’ when referring to the
Island but if I am producing a very
high-class brochure or doing one
in conjunction with a mainland
firm, then proofreading by others
is often involved. Inevitably my
text is returned as ‘island’ instead
of Island. If I find any resistance to
this pedantry, I quote Jane Austen
to them and then normally, if not
always, get my way.
My wife and I were recently
lucky enough to have a holiday
with an old friend who lives on
Bermuda – another British island,
approximately half the size of the
Isle of Wight and with about half
the population. Whilst we were
there, we met a lot of his friends
and they of course referred to
Bermuda as ‘the Island’. That was
fairly easy to follow, but when my
friend was talking about ‘the Island’
he slipped easily between meaning
his childhood family home - the
Isle of Wight - and his current
home, Bermuda. Things became a
little confusing on more than one
occasion!
People are instinctively tribal,
and living on an island enables a
sense of identity that is both clear
and easy to affrm. This must be
more so than in areas such as West
Sussex or that amorphous sprawl
that is Greater London, but whilst
to us ‘the Island’ will always be
the Isle of Wight, there are many
islands scattered across the globe
and on each one ‘the Island’ will
mean something quite different –
although equally clear and heartfelt.
COUNTRYSIDE TIP
It may seem obvious to say, but
anything that you happen to
be doing with animals in hot
weather which is likely to exert
them – do it at the cooler start
of the day: whether that be
riding a horse, walking a dog or
handling/moving cattle. If you
leave it till the middle of the
day when temperatures have
risen, the animals can easily
become stressed and distressed.
www.visitilife.com 83
Country Life
wBy the Hampshire &
Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
Turn your garden into a
wildlife haven
There are around 16 million gardens in the UK, and each one
has huge potential for wildlife. Together they form a verdant
patchwork across the landscape, linking urban green spaces
with nature reserves and the wider countryside. If we manage
our gardens for wildlife, we can help reverse the decline of
many species suffering from habitat fragmentation.
Photo: Gardening with wildlife by Tom Marshall
84
www.visitilife.com
Country Life
Habitat fragmentation is a big problem
for wildlife – just like we need roads and
pavements to get from one place to
another, wildlife needs connected green
spaces, and a lack of suitable habitats has
contributed to the decline of a number
of species including hedgehogs, song
thrushes and stag beetles.
However, if we manage our gardens
sympathetically for wildlife, these
creatures and many more will feel the
benefits. So give it a go and watch as
wildlife brings colour, movement and
beauty to your garden.
Photo: Honeysuckle
Here are five simple ways you can
turn your garden into a wildlife
haven.
• Butterflies bring beauty to
any garden. Attract them with
nectar-rich flowers like verbena,
scabious and ice-plant. Go for
plants with simple flowers that
make it easy for butterflies to
get at the nectar; many cottage
garden flowers are suitable.
Plant in a sheltered sunny spot
and don’t forget to provide food
plants for caterpillars too, such
as nettle.
• You can have an attractive and
productive garden without
using chemical fertilisers and
pesticides. You can make and
use your own compost and
encourage insect and slug
eating creatures. Gardeners’
friends include frogs and toads,
birds, and small mammals
like bats and hedgehogs – all
of which eat insects or slugs.
Ladybirds, lacewings and
hoverflies feast on aphids.
• Make your own natural fertiliser
by composting garden waste
and vegetable kitchen scraps in
a home-made box or bought
compost bin. If you have limited
space, you can still make
compost in a small ‘worm bin’ in
your house or back garden.
• Climbing plants on fences and
walls make nesting and roosting
sites for birds, and a haven
for insects and small animals.
Choose plants like quince
and honeysuckle which have
nectar-rich flowers followed by
fruit. Make sure you have some
evergreens too; ivy is especially
valuable.
• Different species of birds eat
different things in different ways
and places. Provide nuts, seeds
and fat in feeders, trays and on
the ground. Insect eaters will
appreciate mealworms sprinkled
on the ground or in fat. Move
feeding places from time to
time to guard against predators,
disease and unwelcome visitors
such as rats. Remember that
water is vitally important, so if
you have a bird bath or pond
keep it topped up.
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife
Trust, working for a better future for
wildlife and wild places in Hampshire
and the Island.
Phone: 01489 774 400
E-mail: feedback@hwt.org.uk
Website: www.hiwwt.org.uk
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife
Trust, Beechcroft House, Vicarage Lane,
Curdridge, Hampshire, SO32 2DP
Join us today and enjoy the benefits of being a member of
the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust:
• Unlimited visits to 57 wildlife reserves in Hampshire and the Isle
of Wight and 2,500 reserves nationwide.
• A welcome pack when you join.
• Wildlife, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust’s magazine,
delivered to you three times a year.
• The chance to take part in local group and community activities,
offering you a variety of opportunities to be involved in. More than
350 walks, talks and events throughout the two counties.
• Join by Direct Debit & receive your FREE full colour Local Wildlife
Reserve Guide.
www.visitilife.com 85
Country Life
Countryside news
By Tony Ridd
Give a hedgehog a home!
Last year, Hedgehog Street
launched the first-ever Hedgehog
Housing Census, which looked at
how, when and why hedgehogs
use either homemade or artificial
hedgehog houses in gardens
across Britain. Between August
and October 2017, over 5,000
people responded. A year on,
the secrets behind what makes
a perfect hedgehog home have
been revealed, and the results
show that:
• Hedgehogs prefer homemade
houses, but artificial houses
are still a good alternative if they
have the right features.
• Hedgehogs need time to get
used to a new house before they
use it.
• Feeding hedgehogs, putting
water in your garden and
providing bedding (such as
dry leaves, pet straw or both)
increases the chances of a
resident hedgehog moving in.
• Hedgehogs prefer houses found
in back gardens, in shaded areas.
• Pets or badgers don’t appear to
put off a ‘hog from moving in.
The Hedgehog Street team - run
by wildlife charities the British
Hedgehog Preservation Society
(BHPS) and People’s Trust for
Endangered Species (PTES) - is
urging people to help hedgehogs
by building them the perfect home,
providing a safe haven that’s cool,
cosy and comfortable during this
hot summer weather. Building your
own hedgehog home is fun and
easy to do. To download a PDF with
Picture by Hedgehog Street
Picture by Bob Webster
simple instructions on how to build
two different types of hedgehog
house, visit: www.hedgehogstreet.
org/housingcensus.
Emily Wilson, Hedgehog Offcer
for Hedgehog Street explains:
“These results tell us that ‘hog
houses are helping hedgehogs find
a place to rest, hibernate and even
breed. We can use these results to
help conserve these animals and
give the most accurate advice to
anyone wanting to provide shelter
for wild hedgehogs through our
Hedgehog Street campaign.
Picture by Angela Hodge
Hedgehogs seem to prefer houses
that have been in a garden for
some time, but we hope that
people won’t be disheartened if
they have a newer hog house - it
just means hedgehogs need a little
time to get used to it. If hedgehogs
are provided with food and water in
the garden (especially during this
unusually hot weather), and the
correct bedding in the house, this
really encourages hedgehogs into
your area, and they could become
regular night-time visitors.”
86
www.visitilife.com
Country Life
Nature strolls for all...
Picture by Kathy Grogan
Memories of the Sea
Do you have a maritime story to tell or memories you
would like to share?
Oral history is all about recording the memories of
older people and storing them for future generations.
Down to the coast, working in partnership with
Carisbrooke Castle Museum, would like to talk to
people who have made their living from the sea and
can share how maritime heritage has changed over
the last 70 years.
We are interested in memories relating to all things
maritime, from fishing and boatbuilding to bucket
and spade holidays. If you are someone (or you know
someone) who enjoys talking about times past and
would like to share their memories please contact Lisa
Kerley on 01983 523112 /lisa.kerley@hotmail.co.uk
who can tell you more about what is involved.
The Footprint Trust charity is keen to encourage
everyone to get out and enjoy their local environment.
They have two free gentle summer strolls, suitable
for people with mobility restrictions, including those
who use wheelchairs or pushchairs. Run by trained
walk leaders from The Footprint Trust, and supported
by grant funding from the East Wight Landscape
Partnership, they will be held this August.
The walks are around places of interest such as
Sandown Community Orchard and the River Medina,
and they are accessible for all. The Trust is also
producing maps of six local strolls, which will be put
on their website footprint-trust.co.uk in the near
future and will also be given to local libraries. For
further details or to book a free place, please contact
The Footprint Trust on 01983 822282 or email ray@
footprint-trust.co.uk
Wild events
Wildplay at St Helens Beach - Hants & IW Wildlife Trust
• Under 5’s, Wednesday 22nd August, 10 - 12 noon.
• 5-12 year olds, Wednesday 22nd August, 1 - 3pm.
All children to be accompanied by an
adult. For more information contact Kelly on
07825212473 /kelly.wetherwick@hiwwt.org.uk
Wild about Wight Bat Walks - Vectis Housing
• Sandown Los Altos. 23rd August, 7.30 - 9.15pm.
Meet at Sandown
Heights car park.
All walks are FREE.
Book a place on
07710 363446
or email claire@
vectishousing.co.uk
LANDSCAPE
THERAPY
Bare-rooted tree and
shrub nursery. Fruit trees,
tree guards, canes and
stakes. Woodland and
hedgerow planting and
management.
LANDSCAPE &
COUNTRYSIDE
SPECIALIST
Tel: 01983 760011
Mob: 07966 292334
www.visitilife.com 87
Country Life
A year of Colourfence
By Carole Dennett,
Colourfence
It’s now almost a year
since the ColourFence
product, with its 25
year guarantee and its
practically non-existent
maintenance, was
brought to the Island.
So how has it fared against
its wooden competitors in
the fencing market?
I’m pleased to say that we
now have over 65 installations
under our belt, and, as more are
installed, so the interest grows.
Clients are delighted with both
the look and the high quality of
the fence itself - and it’s catching
on that we also guarantee the
product to withstand winds of
up to 130 miles per hour.
The fact that the product never
peels or warps and never requires
painting is the big selling point.
After our glorious summer,
when fence replacement might
have seemed a distant priority,
lots of potential customers
have decided that they had
better prepare for the winter
storms, so our installation
timetable is extending rapidly.
So don’t delay - for a troublefree
fence to grace your
garden, contact us for a free,
no obligation survey and
quote. You will not regret it.
See below for contact details.
88
www.visitilife.com
Country Life
10 things you didn’t know about
Cuttlefish
1. With eight arms around its
mouth, two tentacles, and
W-shaped eyes, the cuttlefish
resembles a mysterious
creature from an alien world.
Their bodies shimmer and
pulse with beautifully-coloured
striking patterns.
2. The cuttlefish of the Solent
have camouflage skills that
are so highly developed that
if a checkerboard were placed
beneath one, it would assume
the same pattern.
3. Cuttlefish are colour-blind -
they are able to camouflage
using their enhanced
perception of contrast and by
detecting the polarisation of
the light waves entering their
eyes.
4. Cuttlefish have three hearts.
5. Cuttlefish are sea royalty – they
literally have blue blood!
6. During the spring cuttlefish
swim to shallower waters like
those in the Solent to breed,
often in fragile underwater
meadows of sea grass.
7. Amazingly, they can see
backwards, as well as forwards.
8. Cuttlefish are active predators –
they will feast on crabs, fish and
even smaller cuttlefish.
9. Their eggs are dyed black
with cuttlefish ink and are
sometimes called “sea grapes”.
10. Cuttlefish normally live for 2
years and die after they have
bred. When cuttlefish die, their
large, chalky internal shells,
known as cuttlebones, often
wash up on the beach.
Discover more with your local
Wildlife Trust: www.hiwwt.org.uk
www.visitilife.com 89
Country Life
wBy the Hampshire
& Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
The Isle of Wight’s marvellous
marine wildlife
The Isle of Wight is home to some spectacularly rich marine
environments. With thriving wildlife communities and
ancient underwater cliffs, Yarmouth to Cowes is an exciting
ecological and archaeological treasure trove.
Photo: Seahorse and seagrass by Julie Hatcher
90
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife
Trust, working for a better future for
wildlife and wild places in Hampshire
and the Island.
Phone: 01489 774 400
E-mail: feedback@hwt.org.uk
Website: www.hiwwt.org.uk
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife
Trust, Beechcroft House, Vicarage Lane,
Curdridge, Hampshire, SO32 2DP
www.visitilife.com
Join us today and enjoy the benefits of being a member of
the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust:
• Unlimited visits to 57 wildlife reserves in Hampshire and the Isle
of Wight and 2,500 reserves nationwide.
• A welcome pack when you join.
• Wildlife, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust’s magazine,
delivered to you three times a year.
• The chance to take part in local group and community activities,
offering you a variety of opportunities to be involved in. More than
350 walks, talks and events throughout the two counties.
• Join by Direct Debit & receive your FREE full colour Local Wildlife
Reserve Guide.
Country Life
This area has some of the best
peat exposures in the region,
notably at Bouldnor where an
underwater peat cliff rises up nine
metres from the seabed. This cliff
is thought to be 8,000 years old.
Before it was submerged by sea
level rise, it was inhabited and is
rich in archaeology.
In Thorness Bay, clay exposures
form ledges at low water and
expose the holes of piddocks:
molluscs which use their serrated
shells to excavate protective holes
in soft rock. Sheltering under
the many limestone boulders
at Thorness are thriving wildlife
communities, which include
porcelain crabs, sea squirts and
sponges. Newtown Harbour is one
of the few locations for estuarine
rock in the region.
Hosting a greater number of
habitats and species eligible for
protection than any other site, the
Bembridge area is the biodiversity
jewel of the South-East. The area
is a national stronghold of the
peacock’s tail seaweed and one
of only two sites in the South East
where you can find both British
species of seahorse, the spiny
seahorse and the short snouted
seahorse. The kaleidoscope stalked
jellyfish has also been found
here: one of only two locations
in the region which supports this
beautiful and delicate species.
We have been campaigning
to make these areas Marine
Conservation Zones (MCZs), which
would afford them the protection
they desperately need. MCZs are
places at sea that are recognised
by government as needing a
special plan to make sure that
they are managed to allow nature
to recover from damage and be
restored. They are managed for
the benefit of conservation, while
allowing economic and leisure
activities like fishing and yachting,
as long as they are sustainable.
The government will be
announcing whether or not these
precious habitats will be given
the protection they deserve in
the coming months, so keep an
eye on our website or sign up to
our e-news for updates. In the
meantime, there are many ways
you can help protect your local
marine environment.
Beach cleans are one of the most
simple and satisfying ways that
you can help, and being part of a
small island community puts you
in a great position to organise your
own; you have plenty of coastline
to work with and it’s only a stone’s
throw away!
You could also explore the
shoreline and identify all the
different creatures you find
along the way. By submitting
your recordings to our online
database you will help build a
more complete picture of the
species inhabiting our local seas,
informing our conservation efforts.
You can record your species
sightings on our website: www.
hiwwt.org.uk/submit-speciesrecords.
Photo: Piddocks
www.visitilife.com 91
Country Life
County Show 2018
- what a scorcher!
This year’s Royal Isle of Wight County Show
was one of the hottest ever experienced.
No fear of rain but extra precautions taken to ensure
the animals were kept in prime condition and did
not adversely suffer from the high temperatures.
The attendance and entries unfortunately did suffer
on the hottest day of the year so far, but the new
additions to the show, alongside the traditional mix
of animals, large machines and family entertainment
still resulted in another successful show.
Great thanks goes to all the sponsors, supporters and
volunteers who helped to make the event a true County
Show and one which we hope the Island is proud of.
Wellies on for 2019!
Pictures by Graham Reading
More pictures available to buy online
from our website: www.visitilife.com
92
www.visitilife.com
Country Life
www.visitilife.com 93
94
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Country Life
Top specialist vet now on Island
Ian Nicholson, recognised
by the Royal College
of Veterinary Surgeons
as a Specialist in Small
Animal Surgery, is now
working out of Island
VetCare (the Island’s
newest, independent
veterinary practice) in
Brading Road, Ryde.
As well as continuing his work
teaching qualified vets, vet
nurses, and students, to improve
their surgical skills, Ian offers
the highest level of Specialist
care to all pets on the Island.
Previously, pets needing expert
or major surgery would have been
sent by their vet to a mainland
Ian Nicholson
referral centre for treatment.
Now, if your pet needs surgery,
your vet can refer you directly to
Ian. This is a huge benefit for the
Island and, more importantly,
this service dramatically reduces
the stress and cost of mainland
trips for both you and your pet.
Since Island Referrals first
set up earlier this year, Ian has
already helped many pets from
across the Island, some just with
expert advice, and others using
a variety of procedures including
cruciate (knee) surgery, fracture
repair, key-hole shoulder surgery,
and liver cancer removal.
If your pet is ever unfortunate
enough to become ill or injured
and you would like specialist
assessment or treatment, it’s good
to know that a friendly expert is
now available on the Island – and
all you need to do is ask your vet to
refer you for an initial consultation.
For more information please see
www.islandreferrals.co.uk or call
Island VetCare on 01983 214747.
www.visitilife.com 95
96
www.visitilife.com
Fashion, health & beauty
‘Posture perfect’ is the goal
At Cowes Chiropractic Clinic
we see many children from as
young as just a few hours old,
and upwards. From day one, if a
little one is comfortable in their
body, then we believe they can
start this journey of life well.
In newborns, postural problems
can develop from day one. For
instance, a newborn who is
continuously holding its head
to one side can have diffculties
latching onto its mum when
breastfeeding. A baby that is
unable to settle on their back
to sleep, or who is generally
unsettled might also be an
indicator of a potential problem.
With a toddler, if
developmental milestones
have been a challenge and
the diffcult sleep patterns or
behaviour continues, these
by Rebecca Taylor,
Practice Principal
individuals can become
over-stimulated and overtired
and, as a result, can
find a learning environment
more of a challenge.
Even in a teenager, postural
patterns can develop when
using smartphones, tablets
and laptops when learning.
Carrying heavy books and
paperwork can also have an
effect on their posture and result
in discomfort in their bodies.
To book a free chiropractic
assessment, call Cowes
Chiropractic Clinic on
01983 282810. Find them
at 24 - 26 Birmingham
Road, Cowes, PO31 7BH.
Beauty market is blooming
Despite the doom and
gloom on the British high
street, it seems that at
least one sector - health
and beauty – is positively
glowing, thanks to our
looks-obsessed culture.
In fact it’s expected that UK
consumers will be prepared
to spend even more on
looking good over the next
few years, with annual spend
per head forecast to rise by £73
to £487, and the market reaching
£26.7bn by 2022 according to
GlobalData, a leading data
and analytics company.
Skincare is forecast to
be the fastest growing
sub-sector out to 2022, rising
27.9%, with much of this down
to product innovation in both the
mass and premium markets. Skin
preparation products such as masks,
serums and primers are expected
to be the big outperformers.
Kate Ormrod, Lead Analyst at
GlobalData, commented: ‘Consumer
appetite for new cult products is
expected to grow over the next five
years, providing retailers and brands
with license to push the boundaries
and introduce new innovative items
to their ranges to drive impulse
purchases and spend per head.’
High Street chain Boots is expected
to remain the market leader, with a
20.5% share – although its slice of
the market has notably been eroded
by price pressure from general
merchandisers and discounters.
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Fashion, health & beauty
The problem with
wisdom teeth
James Spence from James Spence & Colleagues Dental
Surgery in Ryde discusses wisdom teeth.
Wisdom teeth are usually
normal-sized teeth, but
many people simply have
no room, or restricted
room for them to erupt,
and this can sometimes
be a problem.
8
7
6
In a 2011 audit of young
adults we found that 60%
had four wisdom teeth, 25%
had only three, 10% had
two, and 5% had none.
It is possible occasionally to
have one - or sometimes, even
more than four wisdom teeth.
However, it is not always possible
to be sure if the wisdoms are
there until the age of about 14.
Due to guidelines from NICE
(the National Institute for Health
and Care Excellence), in England,
dentists are not really allowed to
remove wisdom teeth routinely,
but are encouraged to wait until
several episodes of pain and/
or infection have occurred.
However, by waiting until this
happens, other teeth and/or
the supporting bone itself can
be damaged or destroyed.
The example shown in the
radiograph is a 2015 case where
we extracted the Upper Right 7
tooth in an 18 year-old having
predicted a 95% chance of
eruption of the wisdom tooth
into its place. The patient had
complained of a single episode
of pain and it was decided
to surgically intervene.
All went well, and the photo
shows the damage done to the
Upper Right 7 by the erupting
wisdom. The two radiographs
show the outcome, where the
prediction was indeed met,
with the #8 replacing the #7,
and closing the gap effciently.
If you want to discuss wisdom
teeth, we offer a full consultation
for a fixed fee of £110 including
x-rays. Contact James Spence
and Colleagues Dental
Surgery on 01983 615108.
2015 radiograph
8
6
2018 radiograph
7
The removed tooth
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Fashion, health & beauty
Before
“Karen, I love love love my
eyebrows. It’s an absolute joy
not having to pencil in every
morning. All thanks to you!
I highly recommend your
work. Professionally carried
out in a lovely manner.
Sue C, Shanklin”
After
Unhappy with
your brows?
Microbladed and Permanent Make-up Brows have become
one of the fastest-growing areas of personal enhancement
in the lifestyle market today - and for good reason, as this
can really make a big difference to the way you look!
• Thin or missing eyebrows? Save time
by never having to pencil again!
• A beautifully placed arch in your
brows will take years off your face!
• The natural hair-strokes look so
real - only you will know the secret!
• Short-sighted or wear glasses?
Never worry about applying your
brow pencil properly again!
Worried it might hurt? Or you’ll
end up with a really unnatural result?
Don’t just take my word for it...
Phone me for a FREE, No-obligation
consultation on 07511 398797. Visit
the website at carefreebeauty.co.uk
for FAQs & more.
By Karen Douglas-Bhanot,
Microblading & Permanent
Make-up Specialist
Carefree Beauty Studio,
East Cowes
“Hello Karen,
I just wanted to thank you so
very much for my ‘eyebrows’.
They were settled properly
by last weekend and they’re
now fading and looking
more natural. I am so happy
with them, always felt my
face looked so unbalanced
without them, and for
someone who has never
really wanted to bother with
make-up, to not feel the need
to draw them in every day is
fantastic. The initial thought
of something so permanent
was scary but it’s really a relief
not to even have to think
about make-up any more,
unless I want to of course.
Also you were so gentle and
professional and undoubtedly
it was your experience that
made me feel secure to go
ahead. I hope you and the
family are all well and no
doubt you will be seeing
me next year sometime.
Kind Regards,
Deborah F, Freshwater”
“I am very pleased with my
‘new’ eyebrows which look so
natural. You take great care
in perfecting the line. One
less thing to worry about!
Thank you so much...
Jean N, St. Helen’s”
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Fashion, health & beauty
A new store with
the Italian Touch
The Italian Touch has arrived in Wootton Bridge! The
store, a favourite haunt for many of the Island’s more
discerning fashion-lovers , has moved from its home in
Ryde to new, bigger premises that offer much more.
Sharon Hinallas,
owner of the Italian
Touch said: “We loved
being in Ryde, but we
needed somewhere
bigger where we could
offer our customers
a more comfortable
experience. In the new
store there’s more
space to browse, room
for new collections
and less worrying
about parking!”
As well as a larger,
air-conditioned shop
floor, the new store
also boasts more
changing rooms,
a private viewing
room and even a
comfortable ‘man
cave’ area for patient partners!
The move has also made it
possible to extend opening
hours to a late-night (7.30pm)
finish on Wednesdays and offers
more scope to stage exclusive
events, such as fashion shows
and collection previews.
Sharon explains further:
The new Italian Touch store is offcially opened by
Gillian McGregor, who was named as the Island’s most
glamorous lady in a competition run by Age UK last year.
“My aunt passed away recently
and left me a legacy that has paid
for all the building work. I think
she would be proud and happy
to see what we have achieved.
“I was very keen to support the
local economy - after all, we are
part of it! So all of the contractors
and materials were sourced from
the Isle of Wight and, although we
are not quite finished
on the outside, we
should be looking
fabulous by the end
of the summer.
“We thought long and
hard before moving
from our home on
Union Street in Ryde
- and some would
say we were mad to
move, but we truly
believe that we made
the right decision.”
Italian Touch
provides exclusive
international
collections of
ladies’ clothing
and accessories,
in sizes 8-22.
Join the mailing
list to get invitations to our
exclusive events by visiting the
website, giving the shop a call,
or popping into the new store.
Find the new store on the
High Street, Wootton Bridge,
PO33 4PL, visit the website at
www.the-italian-touch.co.uk,
or call on: 01983 882 468.
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Fashion, health & beauty
Regular hearing checks
keep you healthy,
happy - and hearing!
As Colin Stockdale from Shanklin-based hearing specialists
Wight Sound Hearing explains, it’s not just your eyes that need
looking after regularly. Are you neglecting your ears?
For many of us, our hearing
health is not at the top of our list.
Yet it’s so important as a part of
maintaining an overall healthy
lifestyle - not to mention keeping
us happy. That’s why annual
hearing checks are as important
as our visits to the optician.
Maintaining your hearing
makes a big difference in your
life and your enjoyment of social
situations. Hearing loss can shift
your listening from second nature
to feeling like hard work – and
result in you wanting to avoid
noisy social events and other
activities that make it diffcult to
understand what you are hearing.
If this sounds familiar, you’re
not alone, says Colin:
“As your local qualified,
independent hearing healthcare
provider, we are inviting you
to make an appointment with
us. Look upon this as your first
step in making a commitment
to your hearing health. Why not
benefit from a complete hearing
screening and consultation? And
there’s no waiting for the results.
We will share these with you at
the appointment. We can also
demonstrate some of the latest
hearing technology if needed.
“Using state-of-the-art testing
and assessment technologies, our
qualified audiologists will ensure
you receive the highest standard
of care. At Wight Sound Hearing,
we know from experience just how
important it is to offer an excellent
consultation and aftercare service.
And you would be amazed
at how powerful and discreet
hearing aids are nowadays.
“Put your ears first and make
an appointment today!”
* Make an appointment
today and discover the very
latest in hearing technology.
You can also discuss your
hearing needs with specialist
audiologist, Colin. Call the
friendly team on 01983 865959
to book your appointment.
Find Wight Sound Hearing
on 12 High Street, Shanklin,
or call 01983 865959.
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The food guide
Food & Drink
Your brief guide to a variety of places
to eat and drink on the Island
The Old Fort
The Old Fort in the small
sailing village of Seaview is
located in an enviable position
overlooking the Solent.
Family owned they have
recently undergone a major
renovation which has had
fantastic customer feedback.
A full varied menu using
locally sourced produce and
meat is offered. Full bar with
a wide range. Also serving
Lavazza Coffee, a selection
of teas and hot chocolate.
Family friendly establishment
providing free WiFi and outside
dining. The Old Fort crew look
forward to welcoming you!
Baywatch on the Beach
Situated at the waters edge
on an unspoilt beach with
spectacular views of the Solent
and English Channel from both
the sun terrace and restaurant,
Baywatch specialises in fresh
seafood, steaks and gourmet
burgers. There’s also breakfast,
great coffee, car parking, free
mooring buoys and Wi-fi.
Listed by Condé Nast Traveller
magazine as one of Britain’s
top 40 alfresco tables; 10 best
cafés by the beach - Telegraph.
Come down and see for
yourself, you can be sure of
a warm welcome and great
food! Open 9am till late daily.
The Aqua
The Brasserie Restaurant
offers diners a delightful New
England style setting with
comfortable seating, modern
tabling, cooling ceiling fans
and lovely wide aspect windows
allowing views of the sea.
Our waiting staff provide
full table service with
complimentary chilled water &
pre-dinner nibbles and we have
a varied menu to suit all tastes
together with a daily specials
board for even more choice.
We take great pride in the
quality of our menu ingredients
and always endeavour to
give first class service.
The Salix
You can enjoy a warm welcome
at The Salix, the licensed
beachside café in Shanklin.
Named after a willow tree,
The Salix is a cosy location
to enjoy freshly cooked food
and Island roasted coffee.
Need a break while walking
your dog? Pop in for a
tasty treat for both yourself
and your canine friend.
The Salix is open seven
days a week, 9am - 5pm
every day. You can also hire
The Salix for private parties,
they are licensed for alcohol
until midnight and have
no neighbours to annoy!
The Old Fort, Esplanade,
Seaview, PO34 5HB
Tel: 01983 612363
www.theoldfort.co.uk
Baywatch on the Beach,
Duver Road, St Helens,
PO33 1XZ
Tel: 01983 873259
The Aqua, 17 The Esplanade,
Shanklin, PO37 6BN
Tel: 01983 863024
www.aquahotel.co.uk
The Salix, Small Hope Beach,
Shanklin, PO37 6BQ
Tel: 07772 056204
www.thessalixcafe.co.uk
/theoldfortinseaview
/baywatchonthebeach
/theaquashanklin
/thesalixcafe
/baywatchonthebeach
/thesalixcafe
Vernon Cottage
Beautiful Vernon Cottage in Old Shanklin is
renowned for its ‘fabulous home-made food’.
Delicious meat, fish and vegetarian dishes
using fresh local produce - including its
signature ‘Old Shanklin Pie’ made with
succulent slowly roasted Lamb – plus lovely
light bites, baked potatoes and baguettes.
Enjoy its scrumptious unique ‘Isle of Wight
Shaped Scones’ freshly made daily and
gorgeous home-made cakes. Or relax with
a coffee, glass of wine or share a jug of
Pimms in the lovely sunny ‘Wight In Bloom’
Award winning Tea and Beer Gardens.
Vernon Cottage, 1 Eastcliff Rd, Shanklin, PO37 6AA
Tel: 01983 865411
www.vernoncottage.co.uk
/ Vernon-Cottage-Tavern
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Food & Drink
COCONUT & LIME CAKE
Recipe by Richmonds Bakery, Cowes
Ingredients
Method
The Cake
14oz Stork margarine
14oz Caster sugar
14oz Self-raising flour
7 Eggs
4 tsp Baking powder
Zest of two limes
The Buttercream
8oz Butter
1lb Icing sugar
A splash of coconut milk
Desiccated coconut, to garnish
Lime zest, to garnish
1. Preheat oven to 160ºC and line
two 8-inch circle cake tins.
2. In a bowl, add all the
ingredients together and mix
on high for 3-5 minutes until
pale in colour.
3. Divide mix evenly between
both tins, and bake in the
oven for 35-40 minutes until a
skewer inserted in the middle
of the cake comes out clean.
4. Place cake on a cooling rack
and allow to cool.
5. Once the cake is cooled, slightly
soften the butter and add to a
bowl and mix on high for 3-5
minutes until pale and fluffy.
6. Add the icing sugar and a
splash of coconut milk and mix
until incorporated.
7. Add a splash of milk as desired
until it is the consistency of
whipped cream.
8. Sandwich the cake together
with the buttercream, and
spread the buttercream around
the sides and top of the cake.
9. Use the flat side of a knife
to gently press into the sides
of the cake to get the lines
running through it.
10. Garnish with desiccated
coconut and lime zest. Enjoy!
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LOCAL PRODUCERS
TIPSY WIGHT
Tipsy Wight is an award winning
producer of quirky and delicious
vodka liqueurs made entirely
from natural ingredients
grown on the Isle of Wight.
We harvest fruits, flowers
and berries that each season
provides and now have
nineteen flavours all beautifully
presented to capture the English
countryside in a bottle.
To find out more visit
www.tipsywight.com
Tel: 01983 299088
@tipsywight
#tipsywight
J. WILKINSON’S PIES
Various pies, pasties and slices
made by hand on the premises
and sold in our shop to the public
as well as to various restaurants,
cafes and other shops. Orders
taken please phone for details.
Tel: 07716 106926
Address: 1 High Street,
Sandown, PO36 8JW
THE BORNEO PANTRY
Est 2011 in Brunei, Borneo,
now handmade on the Isle of
Wight. Specialising in Chutneys
and Pickles, producing an
extensive range to suit all
taste buds. Uses are only
limited by your imagination.
Tel: 07809 707837
Address: Unit 19, Faulkner
Lane, Sandown, PO36 9AZ
Web: www.borneopantry.com
E: theborneopantry@gmail.com
PHILLIPS FINE FOODS
Phillips Fine Foods offers a wide
range of whole and filleted fresh
fish, such as Cod, Haddock, Hake,
Salmon & Trout to name but a few.
We source from local and national
markets up to five times a week to
meet the demands of the chefs.
The business also operates
two retail shops, one on Cowes
High Street and the other in
Northwood, selling a wide range
of fresh, frozen and smoked fish
and seafood direct to the public.
We can offer cooked crab and
lobster, subject to landings, and
for a special occasion why not try a
poached and decorated Salmon?
Tel: 01983 282200
Address: 339 Newport Road,
Northwood, Cowes, PO31 8PG
Tel: 01983 245247
Address: 111 High Street
Cowes, PO31 7AT
Web: www.phillipsseafoods.co.uk
FARMHOUSE FAYRE
Farmhouse Fayre, growing on
the Island for the Island. We are
now the third generation farming
at Ash Hill farm. Locally sourced
produce wherever possible.
We stock IOW free range eggs, cheese,
milk, garlic, tomatoes and vegetables.
Also in the shop we have the finest
fruits from all around the world.
Visit our shop and be welcomed
with our personal touch.
Tel: 01983 525836
Address: 85-86 Upper St James
St, Newport, PO30 1LG
farmhouse.fayre@btconnect.com
VENTNOR BOTANICAL GARDEN
Ventnor Botanic Garden reintroduced
hop growing on the Island back in 2009.
Our Original Ale is a light golden colour,
punchy and earthy with a hint of apricot
fruit. Our Pale Ale combines green
Sovereign Hops with dried Cascade and
Admiral Hops. The latest addition is our
Botanic Lager with a hint of Eucalyptus.
Innovative, yet totally refreshing.
Come to our Hops Festival on Sunday
16th September.
Tel: 01983 855397
Address: Undercliff Drive,
Ventnor, PO38 1UL
www.botanic.co.uk
Facebook: /ventnorbotanicCIC
BROWNRIGG’S
Selling our own free-range eggs
and quality meat all reared on our
family farm. Well stocked with
Gluten free, Vegetarian, Vegan
and local produce. Café open
daily from 9am till 2pm serving
our Farmers’ Breakfast and hot
home-made food.
Tel: 01983 840191
Address: Brownrigg’s, Newport
Road, Godshill, PO38 3LY
www.brownriggfarmmeats.co.uk
ISLAND ROASTED
Island Roasted have been
producing the Island’s finest
hand roasted artisan coffee
for wholesale and retail since
2010, sourcing direct trade
coffees where possible ensuring
ethical and sustainable trade.
Tel: 01983 857670
info@islandroasted.co.uk
Website: www.islandroasted.co.uk
BEAU’S ICE CREAM
Beau’s Ice Cream handcrafts
luxurious vegan artisan ice
cream using only the best natural
ingredients.
We have a
full menu
of exciting
flavours which
provide the
delicious,
creamy taste
of traditional
ice cream
without the
dairy, all made
locally in our 100% vegan facility.
All our ice cream is lovingly made
to order, and we also offer bespoke
guest ice creams for any occasion.
Tel: 07507 814458
Email: info@beaus-icecream.com
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Food & Drink
A cup of vintage charm
For those who like
their cuppa a bit
more sophisticated
than a tea bag
dunked in a mug, a
quaint and quirky
new vintage-themed
tearoom in Newport
is bound to fit the bill.
As its name suggests,
the Vintage Rose Tea
Room in Pyle Street is decorated
in a shabby-chic floral theme
and the teas and coffees come
elegantly served in traditional
china pots with cups and saucers.
Opened on July 30 by husband
and wife team Paula and Tony
Griffths, the 34-seat tea room
quickly created a flurry of
interest and some early satisfied
customers, who took to social
media to praise the ambience, the
service and the delicious homemade
cakes, teas and lunches.
Open Monday to Saturday from
9am – 4pm, the tea room
has a daily specials board
as well as a regular menu
of jacket potatoes, paninis,
salads, pancakes, soups
and all-day breakfasts.
Paula and Tony are also
offering to host baby
showers, hen parties and
birthday celebrations,
for which they will
open on a Sunday for
parties of 20 or more.
“The early feedback
has been great” says Paula.
“People love the fact that
we are so different.”
Find Vintage Rose Tea Rooms
at 115 Pyle Street, Newport,
PO30 1JW. Tel: 07562 980 745.
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Food & Drink
Pan fried fillet of local Sea Bass
With marinated fennel and samphire salad, pea puree and local picked crab
Recipe by The Portland Inn, Gurnard
Ingredients
1 fillet of fresh sea bass
portioned to approx
120g.
1 bulb of fennel
Small handful of picked
samphire
200g garden peas
50g picked crab
Pea shoots
Lemon juice - teaspoon
Salt
Olive oil
Small amount of butter
Method
The salad
1. Cut the fennel in half and remove
the core, thinly slice (use mandolin if
you have one) and place in a bowl.
2. Remove the stalks from the
samphire, mix with fennel with
lemon juice, salt and splash of
olive oil.
Pea puree
3. Cook peas to 70°C (don’t overcook
or the peas will lose their colour).
4. Blitz peas in food processor and
place over a bowl of ice to prevent
the puree from discolouring.
Sea bass
5. Cook the sea bass in a non stick
frying pan at medium heat with skin
side down until the fish is almost
cooked now flip over and add a
teaspoon of butter.
6. When the butter has started to
colour add the lemon juice and
baste the fish gently.
7. Remove the fish from the pan and
now you are ready to plate up.
8. Place the fennel on the plate with
the sea bass skin side up and spoon
over the pea puree.
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Food & Drink
Roasted guinea fowl
with beetroot, ginger and thyme
Serves 6
Ingredients
100ml Olive oil
1 Free-range guinea
fowl
4 Beetroots
2tbsp Red wine vinegar
5 Sprigs of fresh thyme
200ml Water
Salt
Pepper
1tsp Fresh ginger,
grated
Method
1. Start by pre-heating the oven to
200˚C/gas mark 6.
2. Cook the beetroot by wrapping
in foil and placing in the oven
for 45 minutes or until tender, or
alternatively you can place in a large
pot of boiling water with a dash of
vinegar and simmer until tender
3. Remove the beetroot from the oven
or water and allow to cool slightly.
While still warm peel the beetroot
and dice into 1cm cubes.
4. Joint the guinea fowl into breast,
thigh and drumstick, or ask
your butcher if you do not feel
comfortable with this.
5. Heat half the olive oil in a large oven
proof fry pan and sear the guinea
fowl joints for 4 minutes on each
side until golden brown. Add the
beetroot, vinegar, thyme, ginger
and season generously with salt and
pepper. Place the pan into the oven
for 30 minutes.
6. Remove the pan from the oven and
use a slotted spoon to lift out the
guinea fowl pieces, allowing all the
juices from the bird to drip back in.
7. Place the pan back onto a high heat
and reduce for 2-3 minutes. Add
the remaining olive oil and a pinch
of seasoning and serve with the hot
guinea fowl.
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Food & Drink
VEGAN HUMMINGBIRD CAKE
Recipe by Gladys May Cakery, Ryde
Makes 2 x 8“ round cakes
Ingredients
The cakes
300g light brown sugar
360g plain flour
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
1tsp ground cinnamon
200ml vegetable oil
3tbsp ground/milled flaxseeds
9tbsp warm water
50g chopped walnuts plus
extra to sprinkle on top
3 ripe bananas, mashed
Small tin of pineapple chunks
in juice
The frosting
75g vegan butter/spread
400g icing sugar
Vanilla extract
Method
The cakes
1. In a small bowl, combine the
flaxseeds and warm water and
mix together gently, set aside for a
few minutes to thicken.
2. Combine the sugar, flour, bicarb,
and cinnamon and mix until
incorporated.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, beat
together the bananas, pineapple
chunks (including the juice),
oil and the thickened flaxseed
mixture.
4. Add the dry mix to the wet mix, as
well as the chopped walnuts, and
mix gently until combined.
5. Divide the mixture between the
two lined cake tins and bake at
175°C for approx 20-25 minutes
or until golden and a skewer
comes out cleanly when inserted.
6. Leave to cool.
The frosting
7. Beat the vegan butter until soft,
then fold in the icing sugar and
vanilla extract and whisk until light
and fluffy (it may appear too dry
at first, but continue to whisk and
the mixture will soften).
8. When the cakes are completely
cooled, spread the icing between
the layers and on top, then
sprinkle chopped walnuts over the
top to decorate.
9. Enjoy!
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Food & Drink
Olde-Worlde
pub with 21st
century twist
It’s been three years
since brothers Tom and
Matt Axford took over
a run-down, empty
pub in Brading and
embarked on a dramatic
transformation.
These days the Kynges Well is
a world away from its former
incarnation, with fresh bright
décor, a relaxed ambiance and
appealing gastro-pub menus.
The venue has become popular
for its monthly live music and quiz
nights, as well as the delicious
menus devised by chef Tom. In
fact, weekends are so busy that
these days, it’s always advisable
to book to guarantee a table.
The character pub appeals
equally to tourists and locals,
with a changing menu
featuring local, seasonal
produce, and local real ales.
Tom, 30, who was previously
chef at a number of popular
Island venues, had always wanted
his own place to showcase his
own style of menu – classic
dishes with a modern twist.
Going into partnership with his
older brother Matthew - who lives
on the premises and runs the bar
side of the operation – has proved
the ideal solution for both of
them, and certainly seems to have
hit the spot with their growing
band of regular customers.
Find Kynges Well at 10 High
Street, Brading, PO36 0DG.
Tel: 01983 408776. Visit the
website at www.kyngeswell.co.uk.
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ACCOMMODATION
VICTORIA LODGE
HOTEL
WIGHTBAY HOTEL
THE LECONFIELD
Situated in a rural location one mile from
Ventnor and two miles from Shanklin with
a stop on the main No 3 bus route outside.
You can enjoy panoramic sea views
from most rooms, the breakfast
room and conservatory.
We are an idyllic base for walks on
coastal paths or St Boniface Down
without the need to use the car.
Contact us or book online via:
T: 01983 852196
85 Leeson Road, Upper Bonchurch,
Ventnor, PO38 1PU
Facebook/Theleconfieldhotel
www.leconfieldhotel.com
MEDEHAMSTEDE
HOTEL
GRACELLIE HOTEL
The Victoria Lodge hotel is open
all year round to offer you a warm
welcome. Ferry deals are available,
contact for details. Offering
evening meals. Both pets
and children are welcome.
T: 01983 862361
5 Alexandra Rd,
Shanklin, PO37 6AF
INGLEWOOD
GUEST HOUSE
Friendly family run guesthouse in
prime location 200m from
Sandown beach. OPEN ALL
YEAR. Delicious breakfasts.
Eight comfortable guestrooms.
Call for our best prices.
T: 01983 403485
15 Avenue Rd, Sandown,
PO36 8BN
www.inglewoodsandown.co.uk
THE WHEATSHEAF
An excellent venue for your next
event. With 40 en-suite Guest
Bedrooms, the Hotel features
a large restaurant and lounge,
with a 100 guest capacity.
Full catering, bar, free WiFi.
Parking available for 20 vehicles.
Evening meals available
to non-residents.
2018 dates available. Contact
us now for full details.
T: 01983 402518
2 Royal St, Sandown, PO36 8LP
www.wightbayhotel.com
THE CALEDON
GUEST HOUSE
A warm welcome awaits you,
only minutes from Shanklin town
centre, sea front and ‘Old Village’.
On-site restaurant and bar with
entertainment most evenings, Wi-Fi
throughout. Call for discounted
ferry tickets with your room.
T: 01983 862101
9 Queens Road Shanklin, PO37 6AR
www.medehamstede.co.uk
Grange Farm sleeps eight, with two ensuite
bedrooms and family suite. Includes
two sitting rooms and large kitchen diner.
Large garden & 50 acres woodland.
Red Squirrel Lodge is a new three bedroom
build with facilities for the less mobile,
kitchen / living area & covered veranda.
Amenities include off road parking,
a cycle store and drying facilities.
Please visit the website for more
information and booking.
T: 01983 882147
Grange Farm, Staplers Road, Wootton
Bridge, PO33 4RW
www.grange-farm-holidays.co.uk
Receive a warm welcome at the
Gracellie Hotel, with modern
en-suite rooms and plenty of
amenities. Start the day with a
traditional English breakfast, and
enjoy a varied dinner menu in the
evening. Free WiFi access.
T: 01983 863243
25-27 Hope Rd, Shanklin, PO37 6ED
www.gracelliehotel.com
GRANGE FARM BED AND BREAKFAST
The Wheatsheaf can be found
in St Thomas Square, Newport.
Original features. A top-notch
dining experience for breakfast,
lunch and dinner. Cosy en-suite
rooms and a very warm welcome.
T: 01983 530777
16 St Thomas Square, Newport,
PO30 1SG
www.thewheatsheafhotel.com
HEWITT’S HOUSE
Offers contemporary dining
and a bar with free Wi-Fi. The
rooms are festooned with
period charm and each benefits
from either an en-suite or
private external bathroom.
T: 01983 822994
33 Lugley St, Newport, PO30 5ET
www.hewittshouse.com
info@hewittshouse.com
The Caledon Guest House
in Cowes, is a peaceful,
welcoming B&B. It is beautifully
decorated with spacious
rooms and amazing views.
Enjoy a great breakfast with
locally sourced produce
and friendly, helpful
service with a smile.
The Caledon is conveniently
located only a short walk from
the heart of West Cowes and
the Red Jet ferry, but far enough
away to enjoy some peace
and quiet during your stay.
A real home away from home.
T: 01983 293599
59 Mill Hill Road,
Cowes, PO31 7EG
www.the-caledon.co.uk
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Education
Ryde School’s still a hive of activity
The children’s Summer School
and new Island Pony Project
(a riding and activities weekly
summer course) at Ryde School
are proving extremely popular,
both with local and international
children, with activities such as
water-sports, cooking, games
and day trips among some of the
summertime options available.
Children, both local and from
overseas, are also staying at the
School’s boarding houses for
the duration of the Summer
School, which means they
get to enjoy even more
fun in the evenings
with barbecues, beach
excursions and games.
Meanwhile, on-site,
teams are hard at
work improving and
adding to the School’s
facilities, aiming to
create three newly-fitted
science labs, two in the
Senior School and one in
the Junior School, a newly
refurbished and re-designed
wellness centre and generally
preparing the School for the new
academic year in September.
If you are interested in hearing
about and seeing what Ryde
School has to offer, the next
Open Morning will take place
on Saturday 6 October. Visitors
can take part in a series of
experiments, activities and
demonstrations, there will
be information available on
scholarships and bursaries, and
a complimentary family lunch
will be served in the dining hall.
For more information,
contact Mrs Becky Craik on
01983 617970 or email
admissions@rydeschool.net
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Education
The smart way to study
towards your degree
The Isle of Wight
College offers a
range of courses
in partnership with
the Universities
of Portsmouth
and Chichester.
Higher National
Certificates are equivalent
to the first year of a full
degree. Higher National
Diplomas and Foundation Degrees
are both equivalent to the second
year of a full degree and will
guarantee Island students a place
at the associated university to top
up to a full degree by attending
university for only one further year.
If you are over 19 and want to
go to university, but don’t have
the entry requirements, The
College offers Access to Higher
Education courses, which are
recognised as an alternative to A
Levels and take only nine
months to complete.
Those aged under 24
who don’t already have a
Level 3 qualification may
get the fees fully funded.
Others can apply for an
Advanced Learner Loan
which does not need to
be repaid until earnings
rise above £25,000.
Student Finance
England will ‘write off’ any
outstanding Advanced
Learner Loan balance you
owe for an Access to HE course,
once you complete a higher
education course - which means
it does not need to be repaid!
Visit www.iwcollege.ac.uk
to learn more.
Fully-funded further education
UKSA offers exciting
practical outdoor
education courses
for 16 - 19 year olds,
incorporating work
experience opportunities
leading to employment
in the watersports
industry and a pathway
into higher education.
The BTEC Sport &
Physical Activities
Level 3 is a two-year
advanced programme
which is ideal for
those with a love for watersports
or outdoor education. Qualify
as a Watersports Instructor or
Sports Coach, and you could
begin a career in this sector
or use your UCAS points
towards Higher Education.
Stand up paddleboarding at UKSA
Not academic, but passionate
about watersports? The
Watersports Instructor Traineeship
is a one- year programme leading
to Instructor qualifications in
Dinghy Sailing, Windsurfing,
Stand Up Paddleboarding and
Kayaking. You could work in the
UK on graduation and abroad
from the age of 18.
Ali Nolan, BTEC Level
3 graduate, comments.
“I didn’t want to stay in
mandatory education
for another year and
had absolutely no clue
what to do next. My life
changed when a visit
from UKSA opened up
the opportunity to do
something active on the
water to complete my
secondary education.
I gave the course
my best shot and loved it.”
Ali is now a Lead
Watersports Instructor for
school groups at UKSA.
Call 01983 203038 to find out
more about the vocational training
options available at UKSA.
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Local Scene
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Legal
Unsolicited phone calls
By Terence Willey of Terence Willey & Co
A question that I am frequently asking
myself these days is: how many people
will have to be inconvenienced, upset
and financially deprived by means of
unsolicited phone calls, before we see
the introduction of strict regulation?
Over the years as a Practice we have encountered
numerous serious circumstances where individuals
have been lured into taking on financial obligations
that are either fraudulent, illegal or just simply hard-sell.
I was bemused recently to hear a particular financial
services advertisement on the radio, inviting the
listener to listen to two approaches for the sale
of financial services and decide which one was
fraudulent. Obviously this particular company’s
selling pitch was to point out the difference between a
respectable approach and one to be wary of. It is awful
that such sales calls are now increasing at an alarming
level and affecting more and more people. I suspect
if you ask any of your friends or acquaintances if they
have recently received a call about internet issues,
accident claims or financial planning, you would find
that this is extremely common.
One particularly worrying aspect of all this is that
some companies are targeting the elderly and
vulnerable who get lured into Agreements and, in
some cases, these companies then pass on details that
should be kept private. I have written many times on
this subject generally and the ‘golden rule’ must always
apply: if you receive any telephone call, internet enquiry
or the like, do not agree to anything. Simply say that
you are going to take advice before proceeding. If the
enquiry is genuine, such a response will be respected
- but you will probably encounter a great deal of
pressure to make a decision ‘on the spot’.
I earnestly believe that this problem could be
quickly dealt with by strict regulation and control
and involving fines to companies and individuals
where there is non-compliance. In other words,
it should be illegal for such direct advertising to
individuals to be undertaken without a Licence to
do so. It is not surprising that any such suggestions
have been rebuffed by companies, which will see
their own genuine trade policies prejudiced by such
strict regulation. I think we would all agree that we
have now reached a time where Government should
intervene in what is becoming a very troubling issue.
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