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Island Life August/September 2018

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SNAPSHOTS

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

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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

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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

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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

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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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

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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”.

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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

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Interview

example Acorn, was replaced with

the word App and Conker with

Chat-room. While the majority

of young people in urban society

may have stopped using words

Acorn or Conker, children in

rural communities, like the Isle

of Wight, have not. Thanks to

generous local donations 43

copies of the book were presented

to every primary school on the

Island. And a poetry competition

was held in the theatre at the

Show with entries from all

ages and the mainland too.

Along with the Show, the Society

also promotes the Wight Marque

for Island food, education and

the rural environment with the

schools and most important the

Rural Careers’ Fund. It is because

we believe in the importance of

this fund that Nick and I give up

our time every year to run the

Members’ Area. The fund helps

to ensure the Island has good,

well-trained young people able

to work in the rural sector.

Anyone under 25 years old

with a strong connection to the

Island can apply for a Bursary or

Scholarship of up to £3,000. This

adds value to the IW farming

and land-based industries and

ensures young Islanders gain the

relevant qualifications or skills.

We all know the future of

our beautiful island lies in our

young people and so helping

to enable them overcome

financial 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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“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

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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

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Country Life

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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


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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

www.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

stay@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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ISLAND LIFE ISSUE 81 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

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