Island Magazines February 23 Freshwater, Totland & Yarmouth area

Email: wightmoths@gmail.com

Tel: 07528 586683

Following on from last month’s article, I hope as many of you managed to take part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch at the end of January. I am continuing the bird theme in February while the majority of our insects are still in hibernation, although you are likely to see a butterfly on a sunny day towards the end of the month. I would love to hear from you if you see one, especially if you get a photo.

As the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) Regional Representative, my role includes organising the national bird surveys on the Island and promoting the organisation’s events. We have a great event in February for you, the National Nest Box Week which runs from 1421 February.

Many of us are aware of how vital it is to feed our garden birds, but it’s also just as important that they have a suitable shelter and site for breeding. With natural habitats such as trees and hedgerows being lost to development and the increase in urban housing, some of our garden birds struggle to find a safe shelter to rear their young.

However, we can all do our bit to help so why not site a nest box in your garden or outdoor area, which will provide them with a clean, warm environment to lay their eggs and raise their chicks. You may find that birds use the box to roost in the winter.

There are some excellent bird boxes produced by CJ Wildlife who also have some great tips about where to install them and what type of box is best. www.nestboxweek.com

I am pleased to announce I have my first event of the year. The New Carnival Company are staging the IOW Dark Skies Festival at Isle of Wight Pearl on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th February from 3-8pm. The festival will feature, among other things, astronomy while I will be talking about moths, in my role as County Moth Recorder, and how the Island is a great place to see them with over 900 different species recorded here each year! Hope to see some of you there.

Do

Say Care Ltd

When you are finding any part of your life troublesome and you need assistance to have the quality of life that you deserve, then we can assist you to remain in control of your life by giving you some security.

We have genuine caring people who will give you a standard of care and support that can really make a difference to your life. You may be recovering from an operation or illness, or if you are a couple one of you may be struggling to care for the other. You may just be finding it hard to manage and need a little help.

Whether you require short or long term help, or just want to call us as and when you need help, we can tailor your needs to suit you.

Wow... we’ve made it past the worst month of the year! January seems to have 485 days in it so I am glad that we are now in February. I’m sure I’m not the only one that feels like this.

Weather wise there isn’t much difference between the two months - they are both usually wet, cold and windy. (sorry I tried to think of something positive to say here but I couldn’t find the words!).

This month I am looking forward to two events, the first being St Valentine’s Day, I will leave the obligatory reminders around the house for my hubby to remember. I never feel guilty eating the chocolates he buys as we all know when chocolates are a gift they are calorie free!!

The second event is on Tuesday 21st February and is of course Pancake Day... ahh pancakes, what’s not to love about them. I am a traditionalist when it comes to them, and I am very easy to keep happy with just some lemon and sugar. However, you like yours, savoury or sweet, I hope you enjoy them.

You will find this issue once again packed with information and news, local businesses advertising their services and of course the puzzle page and special features.

I hope you enjoy this issue and I look forward to catching up with you again next month when Spring will definitely be on the horizon.

I hope you all have a great February and enjoy your pancakes!

Never miss out on reading a copy of Island Magazines. If you can’t get out to pick up a copy from local distributors you can subscribe to either our ‘DIGITAL’ or ‘PRINTED’ edition each month.

For PRINTED subscriptions there will be a small charge of £1.20 per month payable 6 months in advance. Email islandmagazines@ gmail.com with your name, address and which area you would like or call us on 07880 587931.

For DIGITAL subscriptions please email freshwatermagazine@gmail.com

words ‘subscribe digital’ in the email, then sit back, relax

into your email inbox.

News Report from Brian Jacobs - Town Clerk

CHOYD, St James Street, Yarmouth, PO41 0NU

Opening hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays 10:30-12:30

Email: ytc1135@gmail.com

Following on from last month’s report regarding the battle to save the former Yarmouth CE School building and land as a community asset. As a result of the first public meeting on the 6th December, attended by over 150 residents, a steering group was formed to coordinate actions, and a further public meeting was held on 20th December, once again attracting similar representation from the Yarmouth community, at which much concern was expressed that the IWC had not been entirely forthcoming with information about the site disposal. Several items of interest came out of that meeting such as:

• The school premises are now registered as an Asset of Community Value, which effectively means that the community has 6 months in which to find a viable alternative for the site to selling it into private ownership.

• The Isle of Wight is charged to seek best value, not necessarily best price.

• Both IW Councillor Spink and Yarmouth Town Council have made applications for non-disclosed information under the Freedom of Information Act, particularly in relation to restrictive covenants which were known to exist on the property, but which no longer appear to be in existence.

• The title to the school premises was transferred to IWC from the Diocese on 31/8/22.

• The mobile classrooms, funded by £20K raised by the Yarmouth community, were originally leased while the new Freshwater School was being built and have now been removed.

YARMOUTH Town Council

• It was pointed out that, as the site was originally gifted to the Yarmouth community, it was ironic that the community should need to raise funds to buy it from the IWC.

The site is now being actively marketed by Hose, Rhodes and Dickson, and the Steering Group is reviewing suggestions for community uses for the site.

At its January meeting, Yarmouth Town Council had a presentation by the Chief Executive and Operations Manager from Wightlink about the Yarmouth-Lymington route, which has been the source of numerous complaints over the last year. The CE apologised for the outages and explained that most were caused by the temporary unavailability of ship’s masters. He assured the meeting that these had now been resolved and Wightlink not only promised a better service in 2023 but intended to promote trade for the crossing. He also agreed to look at the current restrictions on passenger numbers on the popular 1105 daily crossing which was caused by the recently-introduced MCA classification of empty fuel tankers as ‘hazardous goods’.

West Wight Villages Residents’ Association also made a pitch against the controversial proposals for a new solar farm at Thorley. The group raised a number of objections to this development mainly associated with environmental impact and conservation. A full account of this presentation and that of Wightlink can be found on the Yarmouth Town Council website, along with latest developments on the Yarmouth School site campaign.

Open your doors to staycations, all year round

Isle of Wight Hideaways is looking to expand its portfolio of self-catering holiday properties.

Our portfolio is made up of properties with something a little bit ‘special’, whether it’s a breathtaking location, centuries of history or a touch of luxury. From stylish hideaways oozing with coastal chic to real-life lighthouse cottages; from pretty bungalows to stately homes, and everything in between – we pride ourselves on offering some of the very best quality holiday accommodation available.

To meet the ever-increasing demand from our guests for characterful holiday homes, we’re always looking for new properties to join our portfolio – and letting your holiday home has never been easier. As a local, friendly and enthusiastic team based on Ventnor High Street, Isle of Wight Hideaways are well placed to make the process of sharing your holiday home easy and enjoyable. We are passionate about the island and pride ourselves on the services we can offer to meet your individual needs at competitive rates, be it a Marketing or Marketing and Managed service; and we offer flexibility to our owners on the use of their properties.

With tailored services to suit your needs, you can be involved as much or as little as you like, knowing that you and your guests are well looked after. We can take care of the day-to-day things for you, or if you’d prefer to look after things yourself, that’s fine too.

Perhaps you’re starting from scratch and looking to buy, already own a property or maybe you’re with another agency and are looking for a change? Whatever the reason, with Isle of Wight Hideaways, you can relax in the knowledge that we deliver excellent occupancy levels and manage all of our properties with the same care and attention as if they were our own, so you know you’re in safe hands.

We are part of the Hideaways Holidays Group Ltd, which not only includes eight regional brands but also runs alongside Rural Retreats, a long-established luxury holiday letting agency with a nationwide portfolio. Being a part of this family means there is the potential to market your property not only through Isle of Wight Hideaways, but also to a much wider audience via our other brands.

With no joining or annual fee and competitive commission rates, we have so much to offer our valued homeowners and we delight in providing the very best service to both guests and owners. We’d love to hear from you, so, don’t miss the opportunity – find out more about letting with us today.

And, as a special offer to Island Magazines readers, we are offering a £250 M&S gift card as a thank you if you join our portfolio by 30th April 2023 for a minimum of one calendar year.

To request your Free Property Letting Guide or to talk to one of our Property Managers, please call us on 01983 897 604 or email newowners@isleofwighthideaways.co.uk

News Report from Cllr Chris Jarman - Totland & Colwell

Tel: 07905 002834 E: ChrisJarmanforTotland@gmail.com

It’s an intense time for all Town, Parish and Community Councils as well as the IW Council as we all plan our budgets for the year ahead. The real-value cuts from central government, utility cost increases, above planned pay awards, growing demands of adult social care and children’s services and of course inflation have all combined to make this year a significant challenge. It cannot simply be another year of across-the-board cuts as many are at their statutory minimum and we need to make choices that are legal and ethical. Not a pleasant job but better those of us with community spirit undertake the work than it be left to the central government to appoint commissioners.

To some extent Totland, Freshwater and other West Wight Parish Councils have a considerable advantage in that they have greater latitude as regards borrowing and can focus on very specific local undertakings and requests for assistance from their communities. Like all though, they do need to have regard to their ability to fund the cost of borrowing and to retain sufficient reserves for the (now upon us) rainy days. My grandmother’s adage of “cut your cloth…” comes to mind.

Many locally will now be aware that the parcel collection point at our Totland Post Office is no longer available. It is a sad reflection of the continued decline in local services. Instead, those that missed a delivery will either need to reschedule or endure the journey to the Royal Mail collection depot on the industrial estate outside of Newport where there is no bus

service and where the pickup car park is always full, even if no one is actually picking up parcels….

In the West Wight our voluntary sector have redoubled their efforts providing both practical support with spare food distribution in Colwell and at Freshwater Parish Hall, continuation of the singing and other support services for our not-soyoung population and now with our own designated warm place at the Memorial Hall on Friday mornings. We are eternally thankful to the army or volunteers that assist in the various ventures and to those generous businesses that provide donations in support.

This month I must single out Juan Vincente of Isle of Wight Deer Farm who has, with extraordinary generosity, donated several whole Venison carcasses which, with equal generosity, our Island butchers in Newport, Cowes and Ryde have been preparing. Our West Wight Timebank and other providers of local free meals will be happy recipients of his excellent venison as will other support groups across the Island such as Pan Together.

Solid examples of the true depth of our community spirit in these adverse times.

Things to look forward to...

February is the last month of winter and is usually still very cold and wet but it’s not all doom and gloom as it has two special days to celebrate, Pancake Day and St Valentine’s day. Here are a few interesting facts about both these events.

Shrove Tuesday – more commonly known as Pancake Day, or Pancake Tuesday, is celebrated every year to mark the first day of Lent. This year this flippin’ tasty day is on Tuesday, 21 February 2023

The largest ever pancake was made in the UK and had to be flipped using a crane! The largest pancake was created in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, in 1994, by the Co-Operative Union, Ltd. It was 49 foot (ft) wide and one inch (in) thick. The pancake weighed three tonnes.

In the US, Pancake Day is commonly known as “Mardi Gras,” which is French for “Fat Tuesday.”

The second side of a pancake takes half the amount of time to cook as the first – a good tip to remember.

Valentine’s Day, also called Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14

Ikea Australia gave away a coupon for a free crib for babies born on the 14th November, which is exactly 9 months after Valentine’s Day. The coupon & proof of birth has to be shown.

Teddy Roosevelt’s diary entry for the 14th February 1884 reads: ‘The light has gone out of my life’. His mother and wife both passed away within hours of each other on that day.

Valentine’s Day is said to be the second most popular day to send cards, after Christmas!

St. Valentine’s holy duties are not limited to interceding in loving couples and marriages. He is also the patron saint of beekeepers, epilepsy, plague, fainting and travelling.

Source thefactsite.com and historyhit.com

Totland Parish Council News

Warm Spaces at the Memorial Hall – small hall

Totland Parish Council have teamed together with the Memorial Hall and the Friday Market to offer a Warm Space between 9.00am and 12 noon. There will be free tea, coffee and biscuits available in the small hall and comfortable seating. You will also be able to charge your phone, relax and have a chat with us. The West Wight Community Connector, Adam, will attend most weeks between 9am and 10am also to help with problems you may have. Please also remember the Food Bank at Colwell Baptist Church hall is also open on Fridays only.

Due to how the bank holidays work out this year and the additional one for May, we have a change of meeting dates. The April meeting will be the 1st Monday and there will be no May meeting. The Annual Parish Meeting will be Tuesday 28th March 2023 in the Church Hall.

We are looking to build a team of volunteers for our planters around the village. We currently have a few who do a great job and we would like to add to this. We have 4 troughs outside the Parish Office and if you would like to look after 1 please pop in and have a chat to the Clerk.

The Car Boots for 2023 will be advertised shortly with some changes to the host. This has become very popular over the years and Councillors would like to give other Totland charities a chance this year. They will continue to run every Saturday.

Recycling: Afton Marsh Recycling Centre – This is open and you can now take household rubbish, however, you MUST

book a time online or over the telephone. You cannot just turn up; you will be sent away.

CONTACT DETAILS: Parish Clerk – Mrs Helen Gibbs - Telephone 01983 756028

Totland Parish Council, Winchester House, The Broadway, Totland Bay, PO39 0AX. The parish office opening days and times are: Monday – Thursday 9.30am to 12.30pm.

Email: clerk@totlandparishcouncil.org. uk or follow the Clerk on Twitter @ TotlandClerk. The parish council also have a Facebook page which is updated regularly.

Ward Councillor Chris Jarman – email: chris.jarman@iow.gov.uk Telephone 0790 500 2834

Ward Councillor Surgeries are held in the office on a Thursday between 9am and 10am. Please check in advance to ensure this is going ahead should you wish to talk with Councillor Jarman.

Your Parish Councillors are: Chairman Jan Cave, Vince Fennell, John Howe, Steve Blamire, Helen Wood, Gareth Wyre, Hilary Benns and Chris Jarman.

761888 or 07956 528862

dates for your diary

Every Tuesday - Badminton at Yarmouth Sports Hall. From 2pm to 4pm. Beginner’s welcome. A fun, social place for noncompetitive games. £1-50 per session. Please contact Den 07539 066672 for further details.

Every Tuesday Morning – Coffee Morning at the Community Hall of Yarmouth and District (CHOYD), St James Street from 10.30am – 12.30pm. Everyone welcome.

Every Wednesday - Mahjong at Freshwater Library. From 10am to 12pm. Turn up and give it a whirl. Participants are beginners and intermediate players who ultimately have fun together.

Every Wednesday – Duplicate Bridge at 2pm at the Community Hall (CHOYD) in Yarmouth. For a partner, please ring Dave on 761394

Every Wednesday - Social Bridge at West Wight Sports & Community Centre. From 2pm to 4pm. Turn up and play for £2. Participants are learners, intermediate

and experienced players who play noncompetitively.

Every Thursday - Beginners Bridge, with tuition and supervision, is played at 2pm at Green Meadows, Colwell Lane. For details, please phone Philip on 07712108645

Every Friday - Freshwater Market from 8.30am-12noon at the Memorial Hall.

Tuesday 7th February – CAMEO (Come and meet each other) 10am – 12 noon at Calbourne Recreation Centre. There will be a session on mindful pebble decorating/ painting and tea/coffee and biscuits. All welcome. If anyone requires transport to the Recreation Centre, please call 07944031888

Friday 24th February – Fun bingo Evening with a meal. Tickets £7 to include your food at Newport golf Club, St Georges Lane, Newport at 6.30pm. £2 per card to play. Raising funds for Vectis Radio. Tickets from tickets@vectisradio.fm

All event information was correct at time of print but could be subject to change at any time.

From joy’s humble crumble kitchen

Slow cookers make light work at dinner time and are energy efficient - great on the pocket as well! Assemble your dish and allow the gorgeous flavours to come together over a low heat. Here are a couple of recipes including a vegetarian stew - All recipes can be batch cooked, shared and frozen for another day.

SLOW COOKED SAUSAGE

CASSEROLE

serves 4 - 6

1lb/450g sausages • variety of vegetables 1 tsp mixed herbs and 2 garlic cloves crushed 400g tin chopped tomatoes • 400ml beef stock Method

1. Fry the sausages in a little oil - drain - add to the slow cooker.

2. Add any choice of diced vegetables, 1 onion, 3 carrots, 1 celery stick, 1 red pepper, 1 courgette, a bit of butternut or leek, plus the herbs, garlic and tin tomatoes

3. Pour over the beef stock - mix well together. Cook for 4 hours, take out sausages and slice - return to slow cooker. Add gravy granules to thicken if desired about half an hour before end of cook time. Great with mash!

SLOW COOKED CHICKEN CURRY SERVES 4

SLOW COOKED VEGETARIAN DUMPLING STEW

2 tbsp oil • 1 lge onion - diced

2 garlic cloves - crushed

2 carrots - 1cm rounds 300g mushrooms - sliced

3 tbsp plain flour

1 tbsp tomato puree

2 x 400g tins green lentils - drained 700ml veg. stock 150ml red wine thyme plus 1 tbsp marmite - opt. Method

1. Heat oil, gently fry the onion for 10 minutes. Add garlic and tomato puree

2. Add the flour to coat the onion mix - season

3. Add red wine, stir well to prevent lumps forming - transfer to slow cooker

8 skinless chicken thighs • 2 tbsp butter • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 onion - diced • 3 cloves garlic, crushed • 2 tbsp tomato puree • 2 tsp curry powder • 2 tsp tandoori masala • 1 tbsp curry paste • 400g coconut milk • 245g low fat plain yogurt. Method

1. Heat butter and olive oil over low heat. Add the chicken, onion, garlic and curry seasoning and stir fry gently for 10 mins.

2. Put mix into a slow cooker, add the tomato puree, coconut milk and yogurt and mix well together. Cook on ‘auto’ for 4 - 6 hours or on ‘low’ for 6 - 8 hours Serve with basmati rice and warmed naan bread

4. Add carrots, mushrooms, lentils, stock, thyme & seasoning. Slow cook ‘auto’ for 4 hours.

DUMPLINGS - 100g SR flour • 40g butter or vegan spread • 1 tsp thyme. In a bowl rub the flour, butter/vegan spread, until you have breadcrumbs using finger tips. Add thyme and seasoning. Sprinkle 2-3 tbsp. cold water and mix until it comes together - make 8 balls. Add dumplings 1 hour before end of cook time.

Volunteer for FYTbus

Evenifyoucan’tdriveyoucanmakearealdifferenceasa volunteerPassengerAssistant.PAsarethe“cabin-crew” for FYTbus on our scheduled week-dayservicesandtheirrole includeswelcomingpassengerstothebusandhelpingwith theirseatbeltsandanyluggage(orshopping).Theonly thingmissing isthatthere’snodrinksserviceonboard! PAs alsocollect fares anddonations andassistthedriver withpick-upanddropoffpoints.

FYTbus Community Bus Services

Our scheduled weekday morning services can be used by anyone. The standard adult fare is £2.50 but travel is free if you have a concessionary bus pass. If you have a FYTpass , available at our office, your fare will be just £1.00. We will help you on and off the bus with your shopping.

Medical Trips are available to help you reach appointments in Newport (£15.00) or at Brookside Health Centre, (£7.50) and can be booked via our website or by phoning the office.

Our wheelchair accessible car can convey a disabled passenger, and their carer if required, on medical trips in their own wheelchair.

Saturday shopping trips to Newport are available at two-weekly intervals to the Newport shops and Waitrose at East Cowes. This month’s door-to-door shopping trips will run on February 11th and February 25th. Please ring us to book.

To Volunteer or to book medical or shopping trips call us on 01983 752917 on weekday mornings.

Wight Community Access - FYTbus, Winchester House, The Broadway, Totland Bay. PO39 0AX Web: www.fytbus.org.uk Email: info@fytbus.org.uk