Island Magazines March 23 - Freshwater, Totland & Yarmouth area

much more than just a flower shop

Mother’s Day Flowers

Island and world wide delivery GIFTS, CRAFTS, HANDMADE CHOCOLATES (INCLUDING VEGAN & GLUTEN FREE),

Visit our website for more ideas

www.blossomsofyarmouth.co.uk

Exciting News

From 1st April we are opening a sister shop at 51 School Green Road, Freshwater. A mini Blossoms. 2 Martins House, Wheatsheaf Lane, Yarmouth. Tel 761888 or 07956 528862

earlybird window cleaning

Tel: 01983 754349

or 07788 792 009

Email: B59j5692@aol.com

Shops • Residential • Cladding

Solar Panels • Fully Insured

Who needs a window cleaner?

Are you looking for a reliable window cleaner who promises to turn up when he says he will?

You’ve heard the saying ‘the early bird catches the worm’, well in this case the early bird catches the window cleaner.

Brendon Bliss of Earlybird Window

Cleaning is based locally in the West Wight and is responsible for those clean windows, shop fronts, cladding and solar panels you have seen. He has 40 years’ experience in the cleaning industry after running a successful business in Herts before moving to the Island.

Offering a service to both domestic and commercial properties he will ensure your home and business stand out from the crowd. He is professional, friendly and reliable and offers a first-class service.

For more information see their main advert or call 01983 754349 or 07788 792 009 for more details.

Welcome and thank you for picking up a copy of your local community magazine.

The March issue signifies that Spring is on the way and the ‘spring equinox’ and official first day of Spring is Monday 20th March.

The Island is already showing us that warmer weather is coming with the unmistakable signs of daffodils and crocus emerging on hedges, gardens and local parks.

The days will start getting longer and the clocks go forward 1 hour at 1am on the 26th March. There is a lot to look forward to as the island will slowly start emerging from it’s winter cocoon and our dates for your diary section on page 7 will keep you updated on local events happening across the Island.

Another important date to remember is of course Mothering Sunday on the 19th March.

Inside this issue you will find your regular news updates and this month on page 13, Joy’s Humble Crumble Kitchen feature has some great air fryer recipes for you to try.

I hope you enjoy this issue and please get in touch by any means below if you have any information you would like to share or would like to advertise your business in the next issue.

Have a great month and I look forward to catching up with you again soon.

Totland Parish Council News

2023/2024 Budget

Residents have been speaking with the Clerk and it was thought this was worth mentioning again. In December Councillors met to discuss the budget for 2023/2024. It was resolved to continue supporting the West Wight Sports and Community Centre, the Community Connector and West Wight Nursery. The Beach Buoys would also remain at Widdick Chine and Colwell. Whilst slow the Church Hall is still going ahead and upgrading to the Colwell public toilets has been included for this year. The Responsible Financial Officer with Councillors worked hard to ensure there would be 0% increase and wanted to be able to do this during these tough financial times whilst still offering good value.

Annual Parish Meeting

This will be held in the Church Hall on Tuesday 28th March 2023 at 6.30pm. All Totland residents are welcome to attend this meeting.

Warm Spaces at the Memorial Hall

This has been well received and Councillors would like to thank the Memorial Hall and the Friday Market team for all being part of our Warm Spaces. This ended at the end of February but we will keep watching and listening to local needs and if necessary restart or try to help where we can.

Totland Cycle Skills

The open session in the Church Hall for the Totland Cycle Park was well attended with the majority liking the plans. The plan included a dog agility area and new toilets. This will now move to the next stage where we seek permissions and confirm costs with contractors.

Open Spaces

We have been working with the landowners and Rights of Way to remove the stones off the sea wall as Councillors are aware the area by the pier is difficult to pass.

Councillors have also engaged with Natural Enterprise who currently carry out the maintenance of One Horse Field, to work with the Council on Turvills Field. A management plan is being put together and we hope to have this agreed by 1st April.

**** NEW Emailing List ****

Councillors are building an emailing list for Totland residents in order that we can communicate with you quicker. Information will only ever come from Totland Parish Council and no junk email will be involved. If this is something you would be interested in joining, please email totlandmail@gmail.com with your name, address and postcode.

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

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 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 - 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 non-competitively.

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

Wednesday 1st and Saturday 18th March – Community Beach Clean at Freshwater Bay. Meet 11am at the shelter on the prom. Bring gloves and something to collect litter in. contact fbra@stayfreshwaterbay.co.uk

Monday 6th March - Isle of Wight Family History Society open meeting. The history of tuberculosis on the Isle of Wight – talk by Dr Paul Bingham at Arreton Community Hall, Main Road, Arreton. Doors open 2pm talk starts 2:15pm. Members of the Isle of Wight FHS £1; non-members £2. Everyone welcome.

Saturday 11th March – Newchurch Drama Group Spring Quiz at All Saints Church Hall, Newport from 7pm – 10pm. £6 per person. Maximum of 4 in a team. This is a fun, friendly quiz with prizes for the winning team. Raffle on the night but bring your own refreshments. Call 07811 690462 to book your table.

Saturday 11th March - Jumble sale in aid of the Isle of Wight Parrot Rescue at Freshwater Parish Hall, Victoria Road, Freshwater from 10.30 – 3.30. Come along and grab a bargain.

Sunday 12th March - Charity Antiques and Collectors Fair (in support of the MNDA) at Northwood House, Cowes from 10am – 4pm. Visitors can expect to find a great variety of local antique and collectable traders in the function rooms of Northwood House. Refreshments, tea, cakes and sandwiches available through the day for exhibitors and visitors. Admission is £3 per adult or £5.00 per couple on the gate, with accompanied children free.

Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th March - The Island Car Centre Sandown Sprint will return to Culver Parade. The Sandown Sprint will involve 100 cars competing on a specially constructed circuit, at Sandown’s Culver Parade, with the start in Fort Street and finishing in Yaverland. Spectator numbers will be limited, so motor racing fans are advised to book early. The cost of admission has been held at £10 per adult, with concessions. Further details on the Sandown Sprint and tickets for the event can be found via the website isleofwightspeedtrials.co.uk

Sunday 26th March – Isle of Wight Spring Boat Jumble at Northwood Park, Cowes from 10am – 3pm. Entry is free for buyers on foot, but a parking fee of £2 per car will be requested for buyers using the event field to park. Tea, coffee, cakes and hot refreshments will be available on the show field, with toilets available in the Northwood Park next to the tennis courts. All proceeds go to Northwood House Charitable Trust for ongoing restoration works and community projects in Northwood Park.

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

Jim Baldwin

Tel: 07528 586683

The warm spell in mid-February was a great tonic to us all, with the first signs of spring accompanying it. Crucially, for me, it coincided with the first appearance of my beloved butterflies from hibernation. Four species of butterfly hibernate during the winter as an adult: Brimstone, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Comma. Red Admiral also overwinters as an adult but does not enter a dormant state and can be seen on sunny days throughout the winter. Of all the butterflies, it is the Brimstone which is synonymous with early spring. Keen butterfly observers note the date of their first Brimstone sighting and this year on the Island, it coincided with Valentine’s Day.

The male Brimstone matches the colour of sulphur perfectly and emerges from its slumbers dashing off in search of females. However, the paler female emerges later so its early pursuit is in vain. They can survive until the end of May, having the longest adult stage of the UK’s butterflies. Brimstone is among the oldest butterfly names, being established in the 17th century. Because of its colour, there is even the suggestion that the Brimstone was the original butterfly but this has yet to be proven.

Brimstone can be seen anywhere although the early records come predominantly from woodlands. Firestone Copse and Parkhurst Forest are two sites where you are likely to see one. If there is a cold spell in March, Brimstone will return to its wintering quarters and hibernate until the warm weather returns.

With butterflies starting to appear, now is a good time to register with Butterfly Conservation’s Garden Butterfly Survey. If you do not have a garden, you can still take part at an allotment or community space. You can survey your site throughout the year recording the species you see and enter your sightings online. You can find out how to take part at www. gardenbutterflysurvey.org

Recording butterflies is so important. The recent State of the UK’s Butterflies 2022 report has just been published and revealed the alarming news that 80% of butterflies in the UK have declined since the 1970s.

Don’t forget to record the butterflies you see out on your walks. There is an excellent iRecord free app which you can download to your phone. Enjoy your butterflies and let me know what you have seen.

‘Brimstone’

‘Brimstone’ Male chasing a female mid flight

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We can visit you to discuss your requirements and plan a no obligation way forward suits your requirements.

Word Ladder

A word ladder is a sequence of words formed by changing just one letter each time. Can you find the missing words? Use the clues if you get stuck.

FREE DIGITAL SUPPORT SERVICE FOR ISLAND RESIDENTS AGED 50+

Age UK Isle of Wight is providing digital support in your area. We provide help for those who are new to accessing digital services, as well as helping people get on-line who currently do not have any internet access.

We can loan you a smart tablet or phone (with data included) and provide one to one tuition to get you started online, safely and confidently.

If you are interested in finding out more about our digital loans scheme, please contact our Digital Support Office on (01983) 301693 or email digital@ageukiw.org.uk.

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

In Yarmouth, the hot topic continues to be the fate of the former Yarmouth school premises. A meeting of the School Site Steering Group took place on 23rd January, and again on 3rd February to inspect the empty school premises, which were found to be in quite good order.

The Group had sought disclosure from IWC about the School closure and sale process in December under the Freedom of Information Act, only part of which the IWC responded to, and is actively reviewing suggestions for the site. In addition, Yarmouth Town Council has sent out a newsletter to all residents asking what they would like to see the site used for, and an online survey has been set up on the Yarmouth Town Council website – go to www.yarmouthtowncouncil.co.uk to find the link.

The site has not yet been officially marketed, but undoubtedly will be offered for sale shortly – Yarmouth Town Council has registered its interest in the property in order to comply with the ACV (Asset of Community Value) process.

In other news around Yarmouth and Thorley, the Community Hall, CHOYD, was closed for several weeks in February because the cold weather caused water pipes to burst. This was rather ironic, as CHOYD had been participating in the Warm Spaces scheme which aims to provide a comfortable environment for people afflicted with high energy bills.

YARMOUTH Town Council

The annual pancake race took place on 21st February, and that will be followed on the 6th May by the annual Duck Race on the Yar.

Yarmouth Harbour Commissioners are carrying out a number of improvements to the Harbour including upgrading the Pink Pontoon, installing a Waiting Pontoon for the Bridge and various improvements south of the Bridge.

From joy’s humble crumble kitchen

We are still working on ideas to help make the budget go that bit further, last month was slow cooker recipes, this month using an air fryer that enables the air to circulate to help cook the food quickly while retaining crispiness on the outside and juiciness on the inside.

COURGETTE FRITTERS - Children will love these!

2 medium courgettes - grated - hand squeeze the liquid out

60g seasoned flour • 100g cheddar grated • 1 egg

2 cloves garlic - optional

• ½ onion grated - optional.

* Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

* Make 8 patties with the mixture. (place in the freezer for 5-10 minutes) to keep the shape.

* Put courgette patties in the air fryer at 180 °C for 5-10 minutes, leaving space between each then flip the patties over for an additional 5-10 minutes or until brown.

Use as part of a meal, a side dish or on its own with a dipping sauce.

CRUMBED CHICKEN FILLETS - 4 servings - Air fryer 180 °C

640g mini chicken fillets • 1 large egg • 150g dry bread crumbs

2 tbsp veg. oil • seasoning

* Whisk the egg in a small bowl

* In a second bowl mix the breadcrumbs and drizzle oil over - mix to together and season

* dip each fillet into the egg, then dip into crumb mixture until evenly covered.

* lay the chicken in the air fryer basket in an even layer and cook for about 10-12 minutes

STUFFED PEPPERS 4 servings - 180 °C

4 large bell peppers • 500g mince beef • 1 tsp. oil • 1 small diced onion

2 cloves garlic - grated • 1 tin chopped tomato - drained

good squeeze tomato sauce • 1 tbsp - oregano • 200g cooked rice

100g grated cheddar - or parmesan or a mix of both.

* Cut the peppers in half - scoop out seeds

* Stir fry the mince, onion, garlic in a little oil (cook until mince is no longer pink). * Remove from heat - add the chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, seasoning and oregano - add the cooked rice - mix well together

* Stuff the peppers with the mixture and place the peppers in a single layer in the air fryer basket

* Cook at 360 degrees for 10 minutes. Top the peppers with the cheese and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes (until the cheese has melted)

Swap the beef mince for minced turkey or chicken.

Parish and IW Council budgets have dominated discussions over the past month with consultations for each.

It’s always a struggle to encourage residents to partake in consultations but essential that we do. Local participation in decision making is at the heart of our democratic system and everyone must be given every incentive to do so.

My own Parish of Totland held a consultation on a cycle facility, well discussed locally, and with very divergent views. Perhaps 50 residents or a little more responded either everyone in with the for or against extends and no one in between. On the one hand this indicates people have considered the proposal and made up their minds, on the other it represents a very small minority of the community, and we should be careful not to give this undue weight.

Freshwater Parish also undertook a consultation on their options for raising the local precept. Of the 100 or so residents and Councillors that expressed an opinion, the overwhelming majority went for 55% increase. Again, the number attending and voting was very small and although heralded as a mandate, it’s true value is far from representing all local opinion.

The third substantial consultation has been on the overall IW Council budget. This has been a key topic in my ward surgeries for many weeks and also a topic when ‘stopped on the street’. Over the past years we have sought to engage with as

many as possible and efforts have paid off - the number responding has grown from around 500 to over 1100. Still small compared to our Island population but a healthier representative sample.

It is often said that you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink. I suspect consultations are similar and local voices often echo that they are boring, overly detailed and at times confusing.

We must all strive to communicate such as to maximise audience participation, using terminology that promotes feedback rather than discouraging it, and ensuring all channels of engagement are open including those without the latest iPhone!

The views and opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers are their own and do not reflect the views of the Editor or Island Magazines unless stated otherwise. Island Magazines reserves the right to refuse or alter material where necessary.

As Mad as a March Hare

A BIG thank you TWM Wildlife & Nature Isle of Wight for providing us with this month’s front cover picture.

TWM Wildlife & Nature Isle of Wight is the making of two well know local photographers – Tramp Woods and Warren Mason and if you’re on Facebook or Instagram you will probably have seen some of their wildlife pictures already.

Warren Mason is a very accomplished professional photographer with many years of experience! Having pictures in major magazines and publications. Tramp Woods is a very keen wildlife photographer, with published content in papers and magazines, and achieving many awards.

They have teamed up and started wildlife photography workshops, for those who struggle with this very difficult genre of photography, from complete novices and upwards. They have been giving up their time to teach others new skills in obtaining better pictures through understanding how to not only set up their equipment but understanding how to use their cameras in a better way, giving people tips and ideas on how to improve their photography.

All

Domestic and Commercial

Design / Installation / Improvements

Home Automation

Inspection & Reports

Fault finding & Repairs

All Types of Lighting

THIS SIZE ADVERT COULD BE YOURS FOR JUST £14 For more info email islandmagazines@gmail.com or call 07880 587931

They’ve had a massive response and held a few workshops in let’s say difficult conditions. The response from those who have attended has been amazing and they have now set up a dedicated Facebook group, not only for them to give out information, but it’s there for anyone to join, and post pictures or leave comments, or just look at the fantastic pictures posted.

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. and 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 March 11 th March 25th please ring us to book.

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