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.

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.

TWM Wildlife & Nature Isle of Wight

News Report by Julie Jones-Evans. Tel 521068 or 07886 437688 E: julie.jones-evans@iow.gov.uk

T: @juliejonesevans F: Julie Jones-Evans

Newport and Carisbrooke Community Council has confirmed no increase in the precept, which is collected via our council tax bills. Many town and parish councils across the island have raised their precepts in order to provide more services and projects. I’m pleased to report that Newport Youth Cafe was successful in getting some funding along with the Youth Trust to help young people in Newport.

As I reported last month, NCCC did not support a funding bid for a free community event for the Coronation on May 6th. However, Shaping Newport has taken it up as a project and one of the partners, Newport Business Association, has applied for some funding from the National Lottery to put on an event. We will know in a few weeks if the application was successful, but meanwhile we are preparing for an event in St James’s Square and a market in St Thomas’s Square. We aim to close the square and have music, entertainment and stalls and show the coronation in London live on a big screen. I’ll keep you informed of the progress and fingers crossed the lottery say yes!

The work at 64 High St, the old Edinburgh Wool Mill, which has been bought by NCCC are going well, on schedule and on budget, which is great news. The target for opening is May this year and we are currently working with IW Council to create a co-working space in the building, as a spoke from the main hub at Building 41 in Northwood. Building 41 has just opened as a modern co-working, office and event space, using the last of EU funding to come to the island. It’s proving very popular and we have every confidence that 64 High Street will be an asset for small business and entrepreneurs, alongside the “shoplets” we have that will be available for pop ups, serving as business incubator units.

We hope to be able to move the plans for a new cultural centre on Newport Harbour forward with a feasibility study, including more advanced architectural drawings and most crucially also producing a funding strategy. The vision is for a new county records office, museum, gallery, new library, theatre, restaurant and bar. It is envisioned that it will be a high building looking right across Newport, on the footprint of the Riverside Centre. The function of the Riverside Centre is very important and will be reprovisioned. The whole project will take a few years and millions of pounds to complete, so it’s important we take steady steps along the way, ensuring its right.

We are still facing very high energy costs and the recent cold weather hasn’t helped the situation. Please remember there are many “warm spaces” in Newport covering every day of the week, where a friendly face and a hot drink are freely available to anyone. The list is updated weekly and can be found here www.islefindit.org. uk/advice/the-west-and-central-warmhubs. The Isle Find It website also has information on financial help.