IW Gazette 6

Supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Isle of Pink

ISLE OF WIGHT Friday October 10, 2008 *36,000 copies Islandwide

the gazette Helping the local

Earl Mountbatten Hospice

£40M

Curse of modern living OVERWEIGHT and obese people are costing the Island NHS more than £41million a year and it will be £46million by 2015 if no action is taken.

Nationally, 9,000 people are dying prematurely every year.

Island director of public health Dr Jenifer Smith said: “On the Island we know that 13.7 per cent of children in reception year at school and 23.7 per cent of adults are obese.

“It’s the curse of modern life – we eat too much and don’t take enough exercise to burn off the calories. That’s why so many people are overweight. We live hectic lives and don’t always have time to cook a healthy meal from scratch or take exercise everyday.

“After a busy day at work or school

we just want to sit in front of the TV or play computer games. And that’s understandable. But healthy eating and exercise don’t have to be hard and it doesn’t have to be expensive.”

Sheila Paul, St Mary’s Hospital chief operating officer, said it cost more to treat diseases related to being overweight or obese.

She added: “To provide services for larger patients we have had to buy a special wheelchair, powered beds and special mattresses, two special ambulances and even larger fridges for the mortuary. Moving larger patients around means that we have to ensure we have the right equipment such as weight bearing hoists to ensure that our staff can work staff can work safely.”

Continued on Page 2

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News Round-up

Contact Details tel: (01983) 402599 email: newsdesk@iwgazette.co.uk add: The Isle of Wight Gazette

£10,000 beach huts

EIGHT beach huts in Totland Bay being auctioned in London next Monday could fetch up to £10,000 each.

They have their own gardens and are being offered with a 125-year lease.

Unit B18 Spithead Business Centre Newport Road Sandown Isle of Wight. PO36 9PH

Super prison plan

sales: 01983 402599 Anne Bishop Alexander Leon Laura Webb

Published by: The Isle of Wight Gazette Ltd Editor: Brian Dennis Reporter: Jamie White, Peter White, Roz Whistance, Jan Toms Distribution: Isle of Wight Distribution Ltd. Design: Martin Potter, Colin Clarke, Richard Heaven.

Supporting the Earl Mountbatten Hospice through your generous donations when you pick up your free copy. * (Front page) Print runs may vary from issue to issue

Issue 6

October 10th 2008

Giant red squirrel joins Red Funnel TV PRESENTER and wildlife expert Chris Packham with the giant red squirrel, which this week has been collecting cash for the threatened species on Red Funnel car ferries.

It was part of national Red Squirrel Week. Protected by The Solent, the Island has no grey squirrels only reds.

Grey squirrels, brought here from America, outcompetes the red and they also carry the Squirrelpox virus, which

is fatal to red squirrels.

Southampton-born Chris said: “As the Isle of Wight is one of the few places in the UK where the red squirrel population is thriving, I’m delighted to be working with Red Funnel to promote Red Squirrel Week and raise awareness of these beautiful creatures.”

Money raised will be given to the Red Squirrel Trust and The Wight Squirrel Project.

Curse of modern life Continued from Page 1 “Last year the NHS invested £169,500 in new equipment and it cost an extra £85,000 to care for overweight and obese patients. At £1,585 per wheelchair, £1,345 per powered bed and £59,625 per ambulance, caring for the larger patient does cost more” she said.

“And this is all money that we could, with the help of Islanders taking more care of their own health, spend on providing more healthcare such as hip replacements.”

The figures are set out in a new Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: A toolkit for developing local strategies, available to all primary care trusts and local authorities.

How much raised so far?

We are glad to say that the readers of The Gazette have now raised approx £4,448.87 in total for the local Hospice.

Well done and thankyou for your support.

Competition winners The winner of the plane tickets from Bournemouth to Paris competition held in the last issue was Mrs Natalie King, of Castle Rd, Newport, Mrs C. Murphie, of School Crescent, Godshill and Mrs A. Walker of Clarence Rd, E. Cowes The winners of the Tamarind competition held in the last issue was Jan Tapp, of Fairlee Rd, Newport and Mr Alan Whitewood, of Clatterford Rd, Newport.

Send your news to newsdesk@iwgazette.co.uk or tel. (01983) 402599

ARKHURST, Albany and Camp Hill prisons could be merged and renamed. Suggestions include HMP Solent, Mountbatten or Vectis. One governor would be in charge. A Prison Service spokesman denied a Prison Officers’ Association claim that the move would put the public at risk and mean prisoners being locked in their cells longer.

Feeling the squeeze

DESPERATE callers to the Samaritans on the Island are increasingly threatening to take their own lives. A spokesman for the charity fears about the economy, high teenage pregnancy rates, more people using illegal drugs’ use as well as distress caused youths’ anti-social behaviour had all contributed to ‘an increasingly suicidal Island population’.

Team earns award

THE achievement of Ryde Inshore Rescue, which raised £60,000 in under 18 months towards a new lifeboat, has been recognized by the Charity Times fundraising team of the year award.

Best kept village

BRIGHSTONE has been named the best kept village of the year and Cllr Elizabeth Bright, parish council chairman, received the award from Alan Titchmarsh, the Island’s high sheriff.

Robbery tragedy

Island man was shot dead in a bungled robbery in the Argentinean city of Buenos Aires. Harry Christopher, 29, tackled two men on a motorcycle who attempted to snatch his bag and laptop computer.

180-strong team

THE Isle of Wight team taking part in next year’s nine-day Island Games on Aland, an Island between Sweden and Finland, will total 180 despite the high costs. Flights and accommodation will be around £500 per person and the cost of living on Aland is high. A total of 3,700 competitors and officials are expected to go.

Woman, 22, attacked

DETECTIVES have issued a description of a man who allegedly indecently assaulted a woman, 22, in St Mary’s Road, Cowes, on Sunday. He is described as: white, 5ft 11ins tall, medium build, in his early 20s. He wore a hooded top and blue jeans. The incident happened at 9.20am. Anyone with information, should contact DC Tony Hastings on 0845 045 45 45, or call the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Grand total

MORE than £8,500 was raised by 260 guests at a grand auction and autumn picnic for children’s charities supported by Ventnor Rotary and St Catherine’s, a national charity, based in Ventnor working with children and young people with communication impairments. Organisers thanked supporters and sponsors.

Poppy target up

A TARGET of more than £100,000 has been set by the Royal British Legion (RBL) for this year’s Poppy Appeal on the Island. Last year, a record £95,938.71 was raised making the Island the 16th most generous of the 98 counties in the country. To help reach the target the RBL has appealed for volunteers to ‘rattle tins’, call 523288.

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Summer Holiday read-in success A CHALLENGE to read six books during the summer holidays was answered by more than 2,400 Island children and over half of them were successful.

They were given gold medals and invited to review a book they read or draw a picture. Each library then chose their winner.

The Summer Reading Challenge is organised by the IW Council’s libraries service.

Cllr Alan Wells, Cabinet member for children and young people, said: “The majority of children who took part felt that they were better readers at the end of the summer than they were at the start, with many parents feeling their children had discovered a new enthusiasm for reading.”

Winners were: Bembridge Library, Sophie Atkin, aged six; Brighstone, Sid McLaren, nine; Cowes , Bethany Harvey, 11; East Cowes, Lauren Raymond, nine; Freshwater, Hugo Moore seven; mobile library, Emma Ostler, 4; Newport, Georgina Morris, ten; Ryde Grace Bolland, four; Sandown, Sophie Hookins, nine; Shanklin, Adam Gill, eight and Ventnor, Ebb Phillips, four.

More safer zones plan for schools

SPEED restrictions are to be introduced outside a further 13 schools across the Island as part of the IW Council’s package to improve road safety.

The latest proposals will bring in 20mph limits outside schools in Binstead, Cowes, Newport, Northwood, Shanklin, Ventnor and Wroxall.

This adds to steps already taken to lower the limits outside schools in Brading, Cowes, Newport, Ryde, Sandown and Totland.

The schools to benefit from the new proposals are Binstead Primary, Cowes High, Cowes Primary, West Wight Middle, Summerfields Primary, Newport C of E Primary, Nine Acres Primary, Hunnyhill Primary (also covers road leading to Kitbridge Middle), Northwood Primary, Sandown C of E Primary, Priory School, Shanklin, St Catherine’s, Ventnor and Wroxall Primary.

by Peter White

IW Council leader Cllr David Pugh said: “The council is committed to reducing the number of road accidents across the Island.

“We have already invested heavily in measures such as the installation of speed reactive signs which have had a major effect on reducing the number of speeding motorists.

“The safety of children and parents outside schools is paramount and we are confident these new limits will make a significant contribution.

These measures will also be supported by the work the council does with its partners in educating both pedestrians and motorists and by the other physical engineering steps we are and will be undertaking.”

The council announced a major raft of road safety schemes as part

of its One Island programme of schemes to make a positive difference to life on the Island.

Cllr Tim HunterHenderson, IW Council cabinet member for environment and neighbourhoods, said: “It is clear from consulting residents that road safety is a matter of huge importance as far as Islanders are concerned.

“The council shares that view and will continue to take steps, wherever possible, to help reduce the number of accidents on Island roads.”

The proposals can be found on the council’s website, www.iwight. com, and anyone wishing to make comments can send them in writing to Road safety and traffic management, Engineering Services, Enterprise House, St Cross Business Park, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 5WB no later than noon on Friday October 24.

Top garden tips

TOBY Beasley, head gardener at Osborne House, has joined The Gazette.

Toby will be keeping readers up to date with the latest developments in the gardens at Osborne House and will be passing on his hints and tips to keep your garden in trim throughout the year.

Look out for Toby’s first column in our next edition on Friday, October 24.

See pages 24 and 25

With our vision for public transport on the Island and a network of frequent, simple and direct bus routes, we are now looking to recruit people with enthusiasm and a passion for working with the public, who have good customer service skills, are reliable and highly presentable. You must be over 18 and hold a full UK or EC car driving licence.

If you think you have the right skills and experience to keep our customers happy - and fancy doing it from behind the wheel of our buses - then apply with a covering letter, together with your CV , by e-mail to t.simms@southernvectis.com or post it to T Simms (PCV Driver Application), Southern Vectis, Nelson Road, Newport, Isle of Wight. PO30 1RD Southern Vectis is an equal opportunities employer.

Send your news to newsdesk@iwgazette.co.uk or tel. (01983) 402599

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Friday OCTOBER 10 2008

gazette news “When we arrived there had been about 150 in one mountain region and the Turkish Army had had a big operation to clean them out. So there was quite a lot of fighting and people being killed.”

To advertise call 402599

Colin Boswell and Mehmet search on Iran-Iraq border.

Risking all IT SEEMS Colin Boswell’s fascination for garlic knows no bounds. That is why he was prepared to visit some of the remotest parts of Central Asia, risking terrorist attacks and even his life in his pursuit of the ultimate garlic plant.

Colin, who owns the Garlic Farm at Newchurch, has revealed how on a trip to Turkey’s picturesque but highly dangerous Eastern Anatolia

Send your news to newsdesk@iwgazette.co.uk or tel. (01983) 402599

By Peter White region, near the Iran-Iraq border, he finally discovered one of the ‘mothers of all garlics’ which is thought to date back an incredible 30,000 years.

Having found another original plant in Kazakhstan, near the China border, 12 months earlier, Colin set out with Turkish friend Mehmet to the Munzur Valley area on a ten-day trip that brought its reward but

not without a few scary moments.

He explained: “The aim was to go to Turkey to try to find a very rare garlic.

Mehmet, who works in the West Country selling garlic, came with me.

He is ex-Turkish army special forces, and knew his way around the area.

“The first thing we did when we got there was to pick up two Kurdish brothers as guides because it is a bit of a ‘hot’ area.”

As the party began their

trek through the mountains they knew they were putting themselves at huge risk from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party – known as the PKK – one of 12 known terrorist organisations operating in Turkey.

Colin continued: “Generally the people who live there are warm and very charming but the PKK are found in the mountains, bringing in drugs from Afghanistan.

“When we arrived there had been about 150 in one mountain region and the Turkish Army had had a big operation to clean them out. So there was quite a lot of fighting and people being killed.”

As they made their way along one remote road, Colin and his helpers found their way blocked by huge stones and boulders.

“We found out that they had ambushed and shot two people there the previous week, and when I said I wanted to stop and take a photograph my travelling companions got into a bit of a state,” smiled Colin.

“In fact, the first day we were in the area, I was told by one of the guides that whatever we had discussed over breakfast, the PKK would know about up in the mountains inside five minutes.

“At one stage we left Mehmet down by the car while we went in search of the garlic. Two PKK men went up to him and asked who I was and what was I doing

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Colin at his Garlic Farm Shop in Newchurch.

for garlic there. When he said I was a garlic farmer from the Isle of Wight, they looked bemused and said they didn’t believe a word of it.

“We tried to explain and thankfully they didn’t kidnap us. But about a week later they did kidnap three German tourists in the same region and kept them for six weeks.

“They killed three people the first day we were there, and two the

second. They are quite active!

“When people heard I was making the trip I had a lot of volunteers saying they wanted to come with me. But when I told them of the dangers and the fact they could be shot, a lot of them changed their minds.”

Colin and his colleagues eventually found their ‘holy grail’ of garlic.

He explained: “All garlic is descended from the two I found

on my separate trips.

The Munzur Valley one is called allium tuncelianum, and the other from Kazakhstan is allium longicuspis.

“Garlic then started to move around from those regions to cover the rest of the world. That was probably anywhere between 15,000 and 30,000 years ago. It moved because, when people moved out of the area, they wanted the garlic which made food

taste better and was good for their health as well.”

During the Turkey trip Colin met some tribal women who were part of a UN project to cultivate the wild garlic and his company is now helping fund their operation.

So why was this discovery so important to the man who got into garlic after his mother grew some in the kitchen of their home back in 1976?

He said: “We are not into genetically modified things, but we are working to find the DNA and the very background of garlic. I work closely with a French company of plant breeders, who work especially with garlic.

“They haven’t got anyone travelling and finding stuff like we do, so they tend to rely on me to get them the raw material. Then they start to work on it and this can take up to five years to get anything out of it.

But for them it is very exciting.”

He added: “One day I want to go back to both Turkey and Kazakhstan, because there is always going to be more to find.

“There are hundreds of different types of garlic, but these are the areas where you can find the closest you will get to the original.”

Left, Colin on horseback in the Munzer Valley where he tried to find very rare garlic.

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gazette news

For those in peril on the sea...

WHAT does a builder, mechanic, window cleaner, solicitor, hotelier and care worker working in Sandown have in common?

Answer, they are all members of Sandown and Shanklin Inshore Lifeboat crew. Cox’n MARK BIRCH tells PETER WHITE how the operation costs £12,000 a year to run and how the next big target is replacing the 20-year-old lifeboat.

Membership of !

N I W Cloud 9 health club CLOUD 9 Health Club in Shanklin is offering the chance for two lucky readers to win a month’s free membership in November, worth £50.

THEY come from virtually any walk of life.

But, when they work together, they work as one, saving lives and averting disasters around the Island coastline.

Inshore lifeboat crews are a special bunch – all volunteers ready to put their lives at risk to help others.

Throughout the summer the crews at Bembridge and Sandown and Shanklin have been on constant alert. Both stations are on course for a record year of call-outs.

The Sandown and Shanklin crew is based just a couple of hundred yards from Sandown Pier, and when coxswain and operations manager Mark Birch summons the help of his colleagues the scramble begins and every second counts.

“We have 16 crew members here, ranging from a builder, mechanic and window cleaner to solicitor, hotelier and care worker.

“There has been an independent station in Sandown Bay since the beginning of the 1800s.

Cloud 9 is a spacious, bright and airy fully-equipped gym with equipment to work every muscle group. There are plenty of fitness machines as well, including treadmills, cross-trainers, rowing machines, bikes and steppers. Cloud 9 has a friendly atmosphere and everyone is welcome.

To enter the competition, answer the question below. Fill in your details and send your entry to: Cloud 9 Competition, Unit b18 Spithead Business Centre, Newport Road, Sandown, PO36 9PH. Question: In what month can you claim your FREE membership prize?

Answer: Name

LOYAL EVE INVITED TO CUT RIBBON FOR NEW-LOOK SUPERMARKET

Address

Tel no: The prizes will be awarded to the first correct entries opened after Monday, October 20, 2008. Terms and conditions apply. Employees and their immediate families of Cloud 9 and The Gazette are not allowed to enter.

The editor’s decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into.

Please return your entry to: The IW Gazette Unit 18B, Spithead Businees Centre Newort Road Sandown. IW. PO36 9PH

EVE O’Neill, the longest-serving staff member at Freshwater Somerfield was delighted to be asked to open the newly refurbished store.

She cut a ribbon in the company colour of turquoise and gold and the £500,000 upgrade was revealed.

To applause from the workforce and

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curious bystanders, Eve, who worked in the store from 1989 until 2006 received a bouquet from Chris Hayward, the area manager.

Pictured right: Eve with the bouquet she received.

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Four of the crew :from left Stephen Woodhams, Mark Adam-Rose, Richard Chantler and coxswain Mark Birch

“This one has been here 35 years but was re-built 25 years ago when it was South Wight Rescue. After a cliff fall it was rebranded and renamed Sandown and Shanklin Inshore Lifeboat,” said Mark.

So what makes a good crewman?

Mark explained: “If people come along and say they are interested you know they are half way there. “ I always say you might know loads about the sea and boating but might not be able to be a crew member.

“By the same token someone might know nothing about boating but gets on as a crewman. You are better off training someone from scratch, because it is all about team work.”

There is a two-month probationary period and if volunteers show they have what it takes they are voted on by the rest of the members.

“That is when we start spending money on them, with certification courses from first aid to sea survival,” said Mark.

“The rest is done with experience. I usually take people out on the boat for a ‘taster’ during their probation period. It gives them the incentive to keep going.”

The operation costs around £12,000 a year to keep running, much of which is raised by the

Fairway Caravan Park, Sandown.

Donations go straight into the coffers with no administration charges.

But costs continue to escalate and, although Sandown and Shanklin now has permission to build a new station next to its existing one, the £180,000 needed means it is likely to be at least a three-year project.

Chairman Ron Teasdale pointed out: “We pull the boat out on Sundays for fund raising, because the £12,000 a year it takes to run is without major breakdowns.

“The average guy sitting on the boat is wearing around £1,200 of kit, such as dry suit, helmet, life jacket and has to, for obvious reasons.

“We are currently running a fundraising competition to win a motor scooter as first prize and a plane trip for four around the Island for the runner-up.

“If we had the funds we could start building the new station tomorrow. But it always seems to be two steps forward and one back because of the cost of replacing equipment.”

The lifeboat is 20 years old and the crew cover an area from Culver Bay to St Catherine’s Point but often go beyond in the call of duty.

Mark recalled a couple of the

recent call-outs.

“Two guys about 40 got caught on rocks around Culver. They were clinging on for dear life.

“I went in head on to them and could easily have smashed our boat on the rocks. We managed to get a line to them, we threw it out to them and pulled them on to the boat.

“They were exhausted and, by the time we got them back to shore, they were on their knees in tears as the shock set in.

“I’ve seen quite a few grown men cry in this job. So caring doesn’t stop after you rescue them. We try to keep them occupied, it tends to calm them down.

“Once I had to put the boat on to the cliffs to rescue one lady who was in trouble. We somehow wedged the boat on to the cliff and got her on to it. We got her back on shore and kept her warm until the coastguard arrived.”

Mark added: “It has been a busy summer. If someone sees an incident they usually phone 999.

“I will then be paged and, in turn, page the crew. Our record time from call to launch is fourand-a-half minutes but we average around 10 minutes. That is from the time the guys drop whatever they are doing at work, get here, and we are out on the water.”

...and on the beach COXSWAIN Mark Birch has been involved in countless emergencies but vividly recalls the time when he and his crew didn’t have to launch to go out on a job – it came to them.

He said: “I was working on the boat one day when I heard this

strange noise that sounded like a giant motorised skateboard falling off the revetment. Then I realised a plane had crashed just in front of the station.”

Ivan Allen from London was competing in the Schneider Trophy when his plane skimmed Sandown

Pier and crashed in a metre of water on the edge of the beach.

“All the emergency services said they were first here, but we had the guy out and sitting up here before anyone else arrived.

‘He gave us a generous donation for helping him,” added Mark.’

Send your news to newsdesk@iwgazette.co.uk or tel. (01983) 402599

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Guides enjoy Hospice top view with news cups of coffee Palliative care

a human right

World Hospice Day

AIM high, that was the target for Island members of Girlguiding when they took part in the Macmillan’s Big Coffee Morning.

They chose the Crow’s Nest of the Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth. It was a double occasion for Amy Locke, a guide from Newport, who made her guide promise, becoming a member of a worldwide organisation for women and girls.

Carisbrooke and South Wight chose St Boniface Down, Ventnor, for its coffee morning. Keen walkers attended, enjoying the coffee and cakes on a very sunny Saturday saying how they had enjoyed their cuppers and hoping that Girlguiding members would be there every week.

Other events across the Island were held at Newport, Brighstone, Ryde and Shanklin, where, as well as coffee, fashions from Bon Marche were on sale.

Overall several hundred attended and around £900 was raised for Macmillan with more money to come in.

The girls who went to the Spinnaker Tower, also enjoyed was a visit to the bridge of the Wightlink ferry, giving the group as high a view as possible of the Island and mainland shores.

Girlguiding IW would like to thank Wightlink and Spinnaker Tower for their sponsorship of the visit.

Picture at top of Spinnaker Tower: From L: Josie Baker, Amy Locke, Stevie Cuthbert, Justine Watson, Deborah Meadows,Island commissioner, Louisa Tagart, Jessica Coleman, Hollie Dunston.

Council seeks public help to fight fraud PEOPLE who suspect someone of making false insurance claims against the Isle of Wight Council are being encouraged to call a confidential, new fraud hotline.

The aim is to catch people who, for example, claim to have tripped on uneven pavements or whose vehicles have suffered excessive damage in potholes.

The Insurance Fraudline number is 0800 328 9270.

A spokesperson said: “Last year over 200 claims were made against the council. Although the vast majority of claims are fair and genuine, the council does receive false claims.”

Rod Warne, council senior risk management and insurance officer added “Fraudulent claims drain substantial funds from the public purse and it is unfair for honest taxpayers to subsidise those who choose to defraud the system.

“The council has a robust investigations team in place but we are hoping the new free fraudline will encourage people to report those breaking the law.”

Information about false and exaggerated claims will be reported to the police if sufficient evidence is found.

Send your news to newsdesk@iwgazette.co.uk or tel. (01983) 402599

A BIG thankyou from the Earl Mountbatten Hospice to everyone who has helped, supported and contributed to the care we have given to Island patients during the last 25 years.

Our hospice now cares for over 800 patients every year through the hospice and the Hospice@Home Team.

Not every country is so fortunate, however, so World Hospice and Palliative Day tomorrow (Saturday) was started and launched by Princess Anne and Archbishop Desmond Tutu in 2005 to celebrate the success of hospices and to raise awareness of the issues. This year events are planned in at least 70 countries around the world.

The Island’s hospice will be holding a Christmas Fair at Barton Manor, East Cowes this Sunday, October 12, to celebrate the event.

The theme for World Hospice and Palliative Care Day this year is Hospice and Palliative Care: a Human Right, highlighting that without access to the care they need, people suffer horrific and unacceptable levels of distress that amount to a violation of their human rights.

Christmas fair

Get your Christmas gifts and cards early at Barton Manor this Sunday, October 12th, 10am to 4pm.

Lots of Christmas gift ideas, stalls and the gift shop, food and music from Sam’s Lively, Castle Jazz and Unity Stompers.

Hospice quiz

Last year over 80 teams took part and had a great night out. IW Radio’s Ian Mac is at it again. The date is Thursday, November 6, and the questions start at 7pm. It only costs £20 for a team of four.

Parlex are kindly organising the event again, so to enter visit www.iwhospice.org or ring 526535 and ask for Ian Taylor.

Muddy good fun

Thanks to the Island’s 4X4 Club for organising an open-day for anyone to get experience offroad. Over 25 cars took part in a wet and muddy day at Knighton Gravel Pit and the proceeds are going towards patient care at the hospice.

Hospice fundraising: 528989

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Left to right: Martin New, Sue Wilkins, Cllr Dawn Cousins, Trevor Price and Peter Pusey.

INDIVIDUALS, businesses, attractions and schools have been tickled pink to support breast cancer awareness month.

Throughout October the charity Breast Cancer Campaign wants to make the Island the Isle of Pink.

And the idea appears to have caught the imagination of many people – the IW Council has even turned its logo temporarily pink.

Hovertravel, Wightlink and Southern Vectis have all entered into the spirit with vessels and vehicles sporting pink banners.

The St Clare ferry, the largest in Wightlink’s fleet, will carry an exhibition promoting the Isle of Pink to passengers on the Fishbourne to Portsmouth route.

The Solent Express hovercraft supporting the Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Think pink takes off on Island Dinosaur Isle staff in Sandown are sporting pink uniforms throughout the month while they hold pink fossil walks and treasure hunts and IW Zoo will be giving pink treats to their animals.

Other activities include a five-mile ‘Friendship Walk’, taking place as part of the council’s tenth anniversary walking festival weekend on October 25.

Cllr Dawn Cousins, council Cabinet member for health, housing and community wellbeing, said: “I am sure the campaign will be hugely successful in raising funds for valuable research.”

Friday October 31 will be wear it pink day when it is hoped people all over the Isle of Pink will wear an item of pink clothing and make a donation to the Breast Cancer Campaign.

Isle of Wight Studio Glass is offering people the opportunity to blow their own pink bubble. A percentage of all pink products sold will also be donated to Campaign. Open 9.30am to 4pm weekdays.

Butterfly World will hold pink activities throughout the month including a raffle of pink items.

Flamingo Park will have half-term pink activities for all the family from October 24 to November 2.

Amazon World is encouraging visitors to wear it pink to the park this half-term week and take part in its pink games and activities to raise funds between October 25 and 31.

Pink Fossil Walks explore the pink rocks of Brook Bay and find dinosaur footcasts. Meet at 1pm at the National Trust car park in Brook Bay October 27 and 28.

For information on how to take part in an Isle of Pink event or how to organise your own call 020 7749 3708 or visit www.breastcancercampaign.org/isleofpink

Photo: Right Jayne Duke and left Sue Beck

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Knit-in for charity IT’S that time of year again to get your knitting needles out for the sponsored ‘knit-in’ supporting the Isle of Wight branch of the British Red Cross.

Around £500 was raised last year on the Island, with many groups and individuals taking part.

The event was deemed a great success with many knitted items, including teddy bears and layettes, given to the Mother Teresa charity, for orphanages in Africa.

If you would like to take part in this year’s sponsored ‘knit-in’ contact Lesley Insley (pictured above) on

537816 for more information and sponsorship forms.

According to Knitting magazine knitting, which went out of fashion in recent years, is enjoying a revival.

One of the earliest known examples of knitting was a pair of finely decorated cotton socks found in Egypt and probably made towards the end of the first millennium.

The invention of the knitting machine then gave a new dimension to knitting, but the traditional way, using two needles, is still the most popular.

Pharmacies to Interchange help children plans clear with asthma vital hurdle

THE Island has been chosen to trial a scheme in which pharmacists offer help and advice to children with asthma.

It will help parents and carers ensure that their child’s asthma medicines are safely, appropriately and effectively used.

At present pharmacists can only offer this free, appointment-based service to adults with asthma. It has helped them to better understand and manage their condition.

Parents can make appointments in the trial scheme, which starts this month, in 11 participating local pharmacies.

They are: Regent Pharmacy Shanklin; Blakely’s Pharmacy Ryde; Boots, Ryde; Boots, Sandown, Your Local Boots, Cowes; Your Local Boots Bembridge; Day Lewis Pharmacy Shanklin; Day Lewis Pharmacy, Cowes, Gibbs and Gurnell, Ryde; Lloyds Pharmacy, Newport and Lloyds Pharmacy Ventnor.

There are 9,262 people with asthma registered with Island GP practices or 6.8 per cent of the population.

THE delayed Ryde Gateway project, a public transport interchange at the landside of Ryde pier, has been given the money it needs to get started.

The IW Council’s Cabinet agreed to allocate a further £1.5 million.

It means preparatory work can begin on the project to take up planning permission that would otherwise run out in December.

Before construction work can begin, however, some outstanding contractual issues must be agreed.

Cllr Tim Hunter-Henderson, IW Council Cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “We now have a clear way forward and a determination to move ahead with a project that is of tremendous value not just to Ryde but to the Island and its economy as a whole.”

He said while it was disappointing there have been delays it was essential to the scheme is delivered in the correct and proper fashion.

The interchange will provide an integrated transport hub for Southern Vectis.

Paramedics learn skills at university

THE Island has two new paramedics following a trailblazing degree course set up by the ambulance service and Portsmouth University.

Hilary Tomlinson and Fiona Parrott, who started in the patient transport service, joined the existing team of 43 paramedics after the

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part-time three-year course, which earned them a foundation degree in paramedic science.

Chris Smith, performance and resources manager for the Island’s top-performing ambulance service, said: “We see this course as a very important step forward in provid-

ing support, training and development for staff who want to take their careers to another level.”

Hilary joined the service six years ago and Fiona seven.

Another four students are in year two of the course and two more in year three.

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Ventnor Winter Gardens Bars and Catering 853336 – Home cooked Lunches and Dinners @ sensible prices – Balcony & patio areas for ‘Probably’ the best sunsets on the Island

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A CREW from Ryde Rowing Club has completed a charity crossChannel row, believed to be the first time a crew from Ryde has achieved this feat.

The four oarsmen and female cox left Dover at 8.22am on Sunday, September 28, and 20 miles and three hours and 26 minutes later arrived in Sangatte, just South of Calais at 11.48, after crossing the busiest shipping lane in the world.

The attempt was delayed 24 hours because a north easterly wind that had been blowing for the previous few days had begun to drop the pilot felt that it needed a further day for the swell to settle.

The crew were all club’s senior oarsmen - Chris Walker, Matt Bull,

Lee Bennett and Ashley Maitland with cox Penny Glazzard from Southampton Coalporters’ Amateur Rowing Club. Penny is a very experienced cox and senior oarswomen who would have been capable of taking over from one of the crew if the need had arisen.

They hope to have raised at least £2,000 for the Naomi House Children’s Hospice, near Winchester and it is not to late to make a contribution via the “just giving” web site which can be found at: http:// www.justgiving.com/crosschannelrow The hospice provides care and support through good days, difficult days and last days to children and young people and their families

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from the Isle of Wight and six other counties.

Thee club has a strong tradition of charitable fundraising and every year one charity is chosen. Naomi House was picked because of the support it provided for a club member’s child.

The club has already raised several hundred pounds for the hospice at the annual dinner and the regatta.

The crew thanked support staff Sarah Morris and coach Steve Bull, who transported the coastal four used for the crossing, club sponsors, Wightlink, which provided free transport, and Dover Rowing Club which has a wealth of experience in cross-Channel rowing.

Above: The Ryde R. C. Crew in mid channel.

Bow - Chris Walker, 2 Matt Bull, 3 - Lee Bennett, Stroke - Ashley Matinland, Cox - Penny Glazzard.

Left: The Ryde. R. C. Cross Channel Crew: L to R: Chris Walker, Lee Bennett, Penny Galzzard, Cox (Southampton Coalporters A. R. C), Ashley Maitland, Matt Bull.

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Fuel spill blamed for chaos

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The scene in Brading High Street which was shut most of the day Wednesday last week.

Workman spread tons of sand to soak up the diesel spill.

Inset:The ruptured fuel tank on the lorry involved in the incident.

TRAFFIC on roads around Brading ground to a halt after more than 300 litres (66 gallons) of diesel spilled from a lorry’s damaged fuel tank on Wednesday last week.

The High Street was closed from 8am to mid afternoon after a Southern Vectis bus and a lorry were damaged negotiating roadworks.

Hundreds of people were caught up in the jams as roads were closed.

The bus driver, unaware his tank was punctured, drove on to Shanklin, spilling some 130 litres (28 gallons) of fuel on to the road.

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tons of sand on roads in a major clean-up operation.

A Brading resident told the There were several minor accidents Gazette he heard vehicles crossing as a result as vehicles slid on the the plate all night and then, somefuel. time before 8am he heard two loud No injuries were reported but ‘crashes’. police used local radio to advise “I called County Hall but it does motorists to avoid the area.

The fuel tanks are thought to have not open until 8am.”

At first it was feared the diesel been damaged when a metal plate, covering a hole, lifted when the bus had flowed into the drainage system but the Environment Agency later and lorry drove over it.

Southern Water contractors set up said there had been no contamination. the roadworks.

IW Council teams spread several

by Jamie White

Friday OCTOBER 10 2008

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Alan Titchmarsh, the Island’s high sheriff, raises the green flag above cheering children at Barton Primary School, Newport. Also in the photograph is Cllr Alan Wells, Isle of Wight Council Cabinet member for children.

Fourth school earns eco-friendly status

BARTON Primary School, Green Street, Newport, is the fourth primary school on the Island to earn a Green Flag award. The so-called Eco-Schools project is a national drive to make schools more environmentally friendly.

On the Island, 32 schools are cur-

rently involved in the Eco-Schools project.

Most have been given bronze and silver awards but those that achieve the highest results receive a Green Flag.

Nodehill Middle, Newport Church of England Primary and

Northwood Primary are the other schools on the Island to have achieved a Green Flag since the scheme was launched in 2006.

Alan Titchmarsh, high sherrif, gave Barton School its flag recently.

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Friday OCTOBER 10 2008

gazette news

‘Terrifying’ walk to new school A WALK by parents to test the feasibility of the site of a new merged school used teddies instead of children – because it was considered too dangerous for children to be involved.

Parents of children from Yarmouth Primary school staged a walk from Yarmouth to Shalfleet Primary school to highlight the consequences of the proposed merger of the two schools. They pushed pushchairs and buggies for the three miles along the Forest Road to raise awareness of the danger involved, as well as the financial and environmental implications.

The two schools are set to merge following the IW Council’s planned reorganisations and, at present, the Shalfleet site is favoured for the combined school.

But Yarmouth parents are reluctant to see the school move out of its community to a site they consider dangerous.

Owen Toms, father-oftwo, said: “It fronts the main road and, as we’ve demonstrated, that road is no place for pedestrians. At that site you have to drive, yet there is no car-park. There is a huge car-park at Yarmouth, where there is also an off-road cycle or walk way running directly behind the school.”

Mrs Sue Hinton, a parent who organised the walk, which took about an hour, said: “We were trying to demonstrate the difficulties and dangers that would be faced if we want to walk our children to school in the future and I think we have done that.”

She pointed out that Walk to School Week last

By Ros Whistance year was taken up by 95 per cent of the children at Yarmouth School and that initiatives such as this and Cycle to School Week were led by the IW Council. “To move a school which is at the heart of the community, where parents can and do walk from their homes pushing younger siblings in buggies, makes no sense. The council last year staged its eco-Island conference, claiming its aim was to make the Island carbon-neutral.

Yet they will force many more people on the roads.”

Mrs Hinton claimed the council’s proposal to provide busses for the children was “untenable”. “It is ridiculous to suggest that parents should stick four-year-

olds on a bus to school.

Young children need mum or dad by their side until they are settled into the classroom.”

Other parents on the walk claimed siting the school three miles away would discriminate against the less well-off.

To accompany a child on a bus a parent will have to pay £2.50 each way for each journey. “I don’t drive and I can’t afford that,” said motherof-two Lisa Hutchins. “I would have to apply for a council house nearer the Shalfleet site.”

She had been “terrified” at times on the walk that morning. “On two occasions we had to move out of the way of speeding cars, and we had to lift our buggies into the brambles so lorries could go past. Imagine if we had real kids with us!”

Parents with their pushchairs carrying teddies because it is too dangerous for children to take part

Putting their lives on the line the walkers hug the grass verge as lorries speed past

Council admits dangers INFANTS who have just started school are being taught road safety as a priority by IW Council.

The local authority is visiting Island primary schools with its on-road pedestrian training courses for Year 1 pupils, teaching them how to cross roads safely.

Cllr Alan Wells, Cabinet member for children and young people, said: “National figures show that every day 26 children aged seven to 10 are injured on the UK’s

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roads.

“It is a very traumatic experience for children to be involved in a road accident, and for their parents and the driver concerned.

“By showing children at a very young age how to cross roads safely goes a long way to preventing accidents.”

Schools can book a course of four one-hour lessons, with around 15 pupils at a time taken out and shown the key skills that form part

of both the Highway Code and Green Cross Code.

Demonstrations include how to find safe places and routes to cross; how to cross safely between parked cars; crossing safely at junctions and how to use zebra crossings properly.

Each session is co-ordinated by council highways officers and supervised by at least four or five adults.

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Trade suffers as barriers go up in heart of town BUSINESSES in Shanklin are suffering after the first phase of essential, major gas works began in the High Street.

Shopkeepers, hoteliers and restaurant owners are all feeling the effect of diversions and road closures and they have been warned that things could yet get a lot worse.

Part of the High Street is set to be closed for the next two months.

But the problems will not end there. Although maintenance will stop over the Christmas and New Year period, it is due to begin again in January and will continue through until April.

Commuters travelling into Shanklin from Ventnor are being diverted along Grange Road and Florence Road and back into Victoria Avenue. It means many businesses in the area of Shanklin Old Village are not getting the passing trade they rely on so heavily.

Michelle Challice, proprietor of Legends Restaurant, summed up the mood: “Our trade is down, and we have had to close in the daytime and just open in the evening. There is just no-one walking down here. Our advertising boards attract a lot of our trade, but people on the buses and using the dotto train aren’t seeing them at the moment so things are quiet.

“The gas engineers have said they are working weekends, which isn’t good for us because that’s when we are usually at our busiest.

“We don’t see why they couldn’t have waited until after Christmas and the New Year to get all the work done at once.”

Jon Gilbey, owner of the Paramount Café, said, ”It’s really bad down here at the moment. I am surviving because I have many good locals who come in.

However, a lot of the workmen who used to come in, are unable to, because they have nowhere to park.

I am losing a minimum of £100 a day at the moment and that is a massive hit to take. I have lost all my walk-by trade. I have been here for 17 years and this is the worst it has been.

“How many High Streets on the mainland would you know that could close for at least seven weeks? It’s just madness.

There was even a gas leak on Tuesday evening, the smell was just horrendous and you could see the pavement bubbling. We had to call the emergency engineers to come out, and I think a couple of restaurants had to be evacuated.”

David Bartlett, manager of Daish’s Hotel, added: “The engineers are doing all they can to help us but the work is still causing major problems. We have

By Jamie White three coach loads of visitors every four days and at present the coaches are having to reverse up the High Street and into our car park.

“They are just about squeezing past the works, but we have been warned that the situation could get worse before it gets better. There is a lot of disruption, but we have just got to get on the best we can.”

Below: A bus negotiates the diversion

Sad monument receives facelift WANDER through Church Litten, Newport, and you may notice an unusual glow from the stonework, writes Jan Toms.

Island Stone Conservation have just given both the monument to Valentine Gray and the gateway a new lease of life.

The monument to young Valentine was erected by public subscription in response to outrage when the ten year-old boy was found dead in Scarrots Lane in 1822. A chimney sweep’s apprentice, he had been beaten to death. Both Mr Davies, his master, and his wife were convicted of manslaughter. It was not until 1875 that the practice of sending children up chimneys was outlawed.

Church Litten was once an Elizabethan graveyard for plague victims. The headstones were cleared away and, in 1930, it was opened as a public space.

A plaque marking the occasion has been refurbished and Hayley Elliot of Newport devoted her day off to painting the lettering in a regal shade of blue.

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Friday OCTOBER 10 2008

gazette news

Sweet five days of foo IF YOU like your food and drink then there was no better place to be than the Sweetcorn Fayre at Arreton Barns.

For five days, hundreds of visitors were treated to a celebration of all things culinary with the emphasis on Island produce.

On Sunday there was the sweetcorn eating competition with prizes for the people who could eat a cob the fastest.

It was won by Stuart MacIntosh in 33 seconds, outside the record time.

The sausage making contest was popular with Afton Park emerging winners with its pork and apple sausages.

Hamilton’s won the alternative sausage title with lamb and rosemary sausages.

Other events included a children’s food festival, which gave them the opportunity to meet real live farmers and learn about local, seasonal food and healthy eating while enjoying games and food tasting fun.

There was a beer festival at the Dairyman’s Daughter – with more than 40 English ales on offer – an auction of farm equipment, farmers’ market, Island chefs creating recipes, falconry display, a dog show and a barn dance.

Designed as an integral part of British Food Fortnight , the event was sponsored by Wightlink, who will launch its own free Eat Wight! recipe booklet at the festival.

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Friday OCTOBER 10 2008   

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od and drink

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Activity day a success for all ages A CONFIDENCE-building day for 75 people housed and supported by the South Wight Housing Association, was a big success.

Together with 50 staff, they enjoyed abseiling, archery, fencing, trampolining and rides on a giant swing at Little Canada, Wootton.

Aged between 16 and 86, they joined people with learning disabilities, mental health problems to learn adventure skills.

Margaret Wright, executive director of the association, said the day helped people reach their potential, develop their confidence and make new friends.

She said: ““It has been a rewarding experience seeing people enjoying themselves and taking on the challenge of a new activity,” she said.

The housing association provides supported care housing and community services, for more than 500 residents on the Island. They are: Three sheltered schemes for young people;

One housing scheme for young mothers and their babies; One homeless families’ scheme; Ten sheltered housing schemes specifically for elderly people; One care home for the elderly; Four supported schemes for people with mental health issues; Six supported schemes for people with learning disabilities; One care home for people with

learning disabilities; Community support service for people with mental health problems and older people living in their own homes.

After the adventure day the association held its annual residents’ conference at the Riverside Centre, Newport, at which residents raise issues and influenced the services they receive.

It was a day for teambuilding, having a good time and making friends

A JAB IN TIME

FLU vaccinations are available for the over 65s at the Brookside Health Centre, Freshwater, on consecutive Saturdays, October 18 and 25, from 9 to 11am.

The vaccinations are available for those at risk from diabetes, chronic heart disease and chronic respiratory disease.

For more information or to book a home visit for housebound patients, call 0844 815 1428.

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LOOKING BACK

BEMBRIDGE Camera Club is holding a nostalgiathemed final exhibiton in Bembridge Library, until the end of October.

Organisers hope to include prizewinning prints by past and present members.

The exhibition will be open during normal library hours and entrance is free.

The club was disbanded in June.

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Reconciled, faith schools which once did not speak

WEST WIGHT DISCO

Christ at the centre: Teachers and guests gather for the opening ceremony attended by pupils wearing the purple blazers of the new school

AMID a resplendent sea of new purple uniforms, the lighting of a candle marked the historic creation of a new school for the Island, Christ the King College.

The ecumenical significance of the amalgam of former Church of England middle school Trinity with its Roman Catholic equivalent Archbishop King was marked as much by the warm banter between the respective bishops as by the symbolic ceremony.

Guests, including IW Council leader David Pugh, were welcomed by college principal, Mrs Pat Goodhead, as children from the school orchestra played in the warm September sunshine.

“We have arrived at this celebration

Something different

AN energetic and vibrant evening is expected when Adriano Adewale, the effusive Brazilian percussionist and his group, perform at Quay Arts, Newport, on Saturday, October 18.

For this performance Adewale’s vocals, vibrant composition and extremely versatile percussive palette is enhanced by the delicacy of Senegalese Kadialy Kouyate playing on kora and vocals. Adriano Adewale was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Formerly Adriano Pinto he changed his birth name after rediscovering his roots on a visit to Africa, Nigeria and Benin Republic.

the two faith schools would not speak to one another.

The ceremony that followed was due to the inspiration, hard work therefore all the more poignant. and dreams of many people,” she Each bishop held a lighted candle said. and, after a little difficulty due to The Rt Rev Dr Kenneth Stevenson, the breeze, the flame from each lit a Anglican bishop, addressing the candle held by Mrs Goodhead. parents and children, pointed out “The one flame reflects the strength that the cross he wore around his that Christ the King College neck was identical to the one worn possesses. The flame serves as a

by Bishop Crispian. The serious beacon to show how the college point of unity was made but the will shine more brightly in its children were delighted when he future because of its past.” added: “Bishop Crispian won’t tell Pupils performed a dance repme how much he paid for his. I’m resenting new beginnings, and hoping I got mine cheaper!” balloons were released to suggest THE Rt Rev Crispian Hollis, “prayers, dreams and hopes soaring Catholic bishop, described a time for the future”. when, 40 years ago, the pupils of

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Help for buyers to realise a dream FIRST-TIME home buyers who want to know more about grants that can help them are being invited to IW Council roadshows.

The free presentations will be at the Broadway Centre, Sandown, on October 14 and Riverside Centre, Newport, on 15 October 15.

Most first-time buyers are eligible for a grant of between 15 and 50 per cent with the Government’s Open Market Home Buy Scheme.

It includes all public sector key workers, housing association tenants, as well as people on the housing waiting list as long as their overall household income is below £60,000. The scheme can also help people who previously owned their own home and who are now not able to buy again.

Dawn Cousins, Cabinet member for health, housing and community wellbeing said ‘We know that for many Island residents the dream of buying their own home can be something beyond their realistic reach.

“Open market homebuy is a scheme specifically designed to give them a chance to buy a home share where otherwise they would be unable to.”

Roadshows open at 7pm . Entry is free.

wedding To see your wedding in The Gazette call 01983 402599

Muncaster & King

Images: Jason Harris of Chiquephotography.co.uk

A HONEYMOON in a five-star hotel in Dubai followed the wedding of East Cowes couple, Ben Muncaster and Emma Denise King.

The bridegroom, a personal fitness instructor at the Medina Leisure Centre, is the son of Ian Muncaster.

The bride is the daughter of Alison Poppleton and she is a beauty consultant branch manager for Virgin Vie cosmetics.

Best man for the ceremony was the groom’s brother, Gavin Muncaster.

The bridesmaid was Kelly Pointer.

The bride was given away by her son, Morgan Jackson, with Mitchell Jackson, the bride’s other son, acting as pageboy with Morgan.

The ceremony took place at Northwood House, Cowes, and a casino-themed reception took place afterwards

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gazette news

david holmes

reports

Your taxes will line my pocket I’VE always been a businessman. I started aged ten emptying trays from bread vans on Saturday afternoons, charging 10 or 20p a go. Hardworking but exhausted delivery drivers were happy to pay after completing their heavy bread rounds. I subbed out the actual graft to a few other lads hanging around the bakery.

Unlike me they were too shy to make their sales pitch directly. I turned my first profit from cheek.

I had all kinds of enterprises; from around 14 I was missing school to earn money. Since then I’ve earned and spent a small fortune, run multi million pound ventures. In my career I’ve taken more risks than a demutualised building society.

After all that graft, work and ‘elf n safety’ I’m now looking for some real easy money and I think I’ve found it. Believe me, in the current economic climate it wasn’t easy.

The money I stand to make is the best kind. I do no work at all, nothing, zilch. I spend the next 25 years on the golf course. Best of all there’s no risk. Future governments guarantee the cash rolls in. Too good to be true? Nope, but If I tell you what I’m about to do you have to promise not to steal my idea. Deal?

I’m going into the ‘greenergy’ business; it’s the new gold rush.

Giant wind turbines will make me a packet.

Be honest, who really cares about wind turbines? Sure, a few posh people out in the West Wight kick up a bit of a fuss but the rest of us? Nah, they’re green innit, they must be a good thing? Well, I think they’re a very good thing, although they aint pretty.

I’ve seen them in California and Scotland. The one by the M4 in Reading is definitely ugly even for Reading. For some reason it never seems to be turning when I’m passing, maybe it’s windier down here?

Our Island turbines will be far larger than any I’ve seen so far, bizarrely that’ll help me get them through planning. Bigger means ‘research’ and possible ‘job creation’, magic words to planners.

The planned Cheverton turbines are so vast it’s hard to imagine just how big, this confusion helps too.

No-one apart from David Bellamy seems absolutely sure if giant turbines chop up migrating birds. Nor do most people know if they make

IN just under 30 years, Rotarians worldwide have all but made polio a memory in most countries.

In 1979 there were 125 countries where polio was endemic, now there are only four. In 1979 350,000 children were affected now there are fewer than 2,000 a year.

In 2002 polio was eradicated from Europe.

Jannine Birtwhistle, district ‘polio plus’ officer, said: “ This will remain so if we continue to ensure that our children have the vaccine.”

She was speaking to Vectis Sunrise Rotary Club, which was joined by members from Rotary Clubs of Cowes, Ryde and Shanklin.

Speaking passionately on her subject, Jannine said the world was on the verge of eliminating

poliomyelitis.

“So how is Rotary achieving such success? By carrying out a massive immunisation programme worldwide and especially concentrating on those areas of the world most affected: Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan.

Jannine went on: “Children in some parts of these countries need the polio vaccine every month for the first five years of their lives because they are constantly so ill.

“It leaves little to the imagination to realise this means providing ongoing practical support and finance to the dedicated team of 650,000 volunteers who deliver this lifesaving support every day of every year.”

Rotary has been joined by the World Health Organisation,

UNICEF and the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in the cause. Recently Rotary pledged to match a $100,000,000 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates’ Foundation over the next three years. All of this is dedicated to Polio eradication.

A spokespersfor Vectis Sunrise Rotary Club added: “One pound raised by Rotary means six more children can be vaccinated in some of the poorest countries on earth.

“This disease is not beaten yet but, because of Rotary’s efforts, it is on its knees. If you would like to help eradicate polio completely contact Vectis Sunrise Rotary Club on 539530, or e-mail maire.m.reeves@btinternet.com

the gazette

your letters

What are the alternatives? a racket, but if you’re not living too close who cares?

I’m a little concerned about what planners normally call ‘visual intrusion in an area of outstanding natural beauty’ and I’m the kind of man who thinks 747 airplanes are pulchritudinous. At 350ft tall our wind turbines would be bigger than any jumbo is long or wide.

They’ll be visible from the M3 and every corner of the Island. I’m a bit peeved that, like you, I’ll have to look at them for the rest of my days.

They could easily still be there in 25 years time even if I’m not.

As with Britain’s redundant nuclear power plants, removing turbines when they’re proven to be useless will probably cost too much, but maybe they’ll become rusting tourist attractions. Think ‘Angel of the North’.

I know you’re dying to know much they’ll make? Cash, not electricity.

Well, thanks to EU targets, prudence Gordon and his ludicrously generous subsidies, just a single two-megawatt turbine will make me £450,000 a year.

Labour’s ‘renewables obligation’ means they want you to think they’re saving the planet in plain English.

An average turbine makes £230,000 in electricity and £218,000 in subsidy. It’ll be you lot who’ll pay me this fortune, through higher electricity bills and taxes.

I’ve got to hurry though, OFgem wants the subsidy removed. If it succeeds all that cash will be lost to me and my partners. Now I just need to buy the land and get my scheme past the planners.

A piece of cake I think, much easier than unloading bread trays.

If you agree or disagree with David Holmes then write to dholmes@ iwgazette.co.uk

Rotarians scent polio victory

YET again, a group of very vociferous and ill-formed protestors are trying to thwart laudable plans for clean energy production on the Island.

Other areas of the country have already willingly embraced wind farms. Yet, every time such a development here is proposed, up jump this band of hotheads, reciting their tired dogma.

What alternatives do they have to counter the danger of nuclear fuel plants or replace pollution from coal-

fired generators?

Better still, perhaps they would like to come clean and explain to us all just what their hidden agenda is.

Do any of them have a vested interest in companies that would rival Vestas blades for business, I wonder?

Alan Whitewood, Clatterford Road, Newport

What the Gazette says Where’s the logic?

AT A meeting of Yarmouth Town Council on Tuesday night, IW Council leader Cllr David Pugh revealed: “More than 50 per cent of all the responses to the consultation (about school reorganisation) across the Island have been to do with Yarmouth School.”

Not at all surprising really, when you consider how much this school means to the community and how parents fear having to get their children three miles down a busy main road without pavements to neighbouring Shalfleet School.

To illustrate the perils, a group of parents wheeled pushchairs containing teddies between the two schools.

It was hairy experience and quite rightly, they did not take any children.

What is puzzling about all this is the IW Council’s apparent contradictory ideas about road safety and children.

The council is offering

road safety to infants in Year 1 classes and introducing 13 more 20mph zones outside schools, both of which are laudable intentions.

Cllr Alan Wells, Cabinet member for children and young people, said: “National figures show that every day 26 children aged seven to ten are injured on the UK’s roads.

“It is a very traumatic experience for children to be involved in a road accident and for their parents and the driver concerned.

HMP Solent, Mountbatten or Vectis.

This is October, April Fools’ Day is a long way off so this is not a Civil Service joke.

If the prisons are merged what is wrong with Parkhurst Prison? It is a proud name, associated across the country with the Island.

And think how much A MERGER, of could be saved if all the Parkhurst, Albany and road signs, stationery Camp Hill prisons is and anything else with being considered and sug- ‘Parkhurst’ on it did not gestions for a name for have to be changed. the ‘new’ prison include “By showing children at a very young age how to cross roads safely goes a long way to preventing accidents.”

If that is true, Yarmouth School should remain open.

They can’t be serious

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www.wightfrog.com phone (01983) 409520 email info@wightfrog.com Everyone can advertise properties for sale or rent for FREE on wightfrog.com All the properties advertised on this page are by private sale of the owner. For more information or to arrange a viewing on a property, call the number on the advert.

Wootton – £399,950

Shanklin – £164,950

Wootton – £179,995

Bembridge – £275,000

Ryde – £139,950

Ryde – £86,500

Spacious older style 2 bedroom semidetached house with some original features. There is a lawned garden to the front. tel: 07968 876963

Detached bungalow with 2 bedrooms, mature gardens, garage, double glazing & gas fired central heating.

Upgraded 3 bedroom detached property offered chain free. Gardens to the front & rear, garage & summer house.

2 bedroom top floor apartment with allocated parking being offered for sale chain free.

tel: (01983) 526096

tel: (01983) 875974

tel: 07796 324610

A well maintained 1 bedroom top floor flat located in Ryde. The property has allocated parking & is offered chain free. tel: (01983) 565856

Bembridge – £175,000 guide price

Ryde – £249,995

Wootton – £489,000

Ryde – £334,950

Ryde – £299,950

Totland Bay – £220,000

An opportunity to purchase a waterside plot with the remainder of a 99 year lease, close to Bembridge harbour. tel: (01983) 856656

Modern style 4 bedroom house located on the outskirts of Ryde. There are gardens to the front & rear and off road parking. tel: 07813 176777

Detached 4 bedroom house with a 2 bedroom annexe. The house has rural views, a double garage, central heating & double glazing. tel: (01983) 884205

3 bedroom detached house with garage & views, being offered for sale chain free. Would consider possible part exchange. tel: 07776 444740

Victorian style house with 4 bedrooms, 3 reception rooms, utility room, gas central heating & double glazing. Off road parking & garage to the rear. tel: (01983) 811913

Semi-detached 3 storey house with 3 bedrooms plus a study, central heating, double glazing & off road parking. tel: (01983) 756525

Wootton – £115,000

Wootton – £245,000

Sandown – £320,000

Shanklin – £367,500

Cowes – £215,000

Cowes – £125,000

4 bedroom detached house situated on a corner plot. Benefits include double glazing & a detached garage.

Spacious older style semi-detached house with 6 bedrooms, 3 reception rooms, garage & off road parking.

tel: (01983) 884536

tel: (01983) 408091

Spacious 4/5 bedroom three storey house with off road parking & courtyard garden. In need of some upgrading. tel: 07815 717754

Ground floor 1 bedroom flat with an allocated parking space being offered for sale chain free.

tel: 07855 459021

Spacious detached house with 4 bedrooms & 2 reception rooms offered chain free. Will consider a part exchange. tel: (01983) 861370

Wootton – £340,000

Sandown- £170,000

Gurnard- £119,950

Gurnard- £119,50

East Cowes – Price on application

Sandown – £139,950

Modernised 3 bedroom semidetached house with off road parking & a detached garage.

A modern style 3 bedroom semidetached house with double glazing, central heating, gardens & parking.

‘Kingfisher’ holiday bungalow was built in 2003, and benefits from having double glazing & central heating.

tel: (01983) 247248

tel: (07913) 331628

‘Skylark’ is an attractive 2 bedroom holiday bungalow with central heating, located at Gurnard Pines Holiday Village. tel: (01983) 731761

tel: (01983) 731761

2 bedroom ‘park home’ located on Medina Park. It has gardens, central heating & double glazing. There is an age restriction 55yrs & over. tel: (01983) 200655

A spacious 2 bedroom split level ground floor maisonette with off road parking. Beneits include rear garden, double glazing & central heating. tel: (01983) 407831

Ventnor – from £184,500

Sandown - £99,000

East Cowes - £210,000

Ryde - £165,000

Wroxall - £174,950

Shanklin - from £159,950

New development of 3 bedroom terraced and semi-detached houses with allocated parking & 10 year NHBC warranty. tel: (01983) 852525 or 07976 823222

A 2 bedroom ground floor flat with central heating & double glazing.

There is an allocated parking space for the flat. tel: (01983) 406553

Well presented 2 bedroom top floor apartment offered chain free. Benefits include views of the marina & a private residents gym. tel: (01983 408913

2 bedroom semi-detached house with excellent energy rating & off road parking for 2 cars.

A spacious 3/4 bedroom detached property with double glazing, central heating and courtyard garden.

A range of new 2 & 3 bed terraced & semi-detached houses with fitted kitchens, parking & gardens.

tel: (01983) 617736

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tel: 0207 486 1992

Fully refurbished 4 bedroom detached chalet bungalow with views. Benefits include central heating, double glazing & gardens. tel: 07815 680469

An end of terrace one bedroom house with its own private garden & allocated parking area

Send your news to newsdesk@iwgazette.co.uk or tel. (01983) 402599

tel: (01983) 291250

Friday OCTOBER 10 2008

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Bubblegum, & Cheese Disco Party! with Alex Dyke

Remember to pick up your copy of the Gazette every two weeks

Newport Football Club Saturday 15th Nov 2008 Tickets £7.50 Available from: IOW Radio, Newport, County Press Shop, Newport, Newport Football Club, Gladrags Ryde, Shanklin News Cash Donation to Earl Mountbatten Hospice

Follow the frog online Buying and selling your property on wightfrog.com is easy.

Here is a quick guide on how to use the site.

If you want to advertise your property for sale or for rent Once you have logged on to wightfrog.com, click on the ‘Buy, sell or rent your property’ option.

This will take you to the wightfrog.com property section.

Click the large green box titled ‘click here to sell or rent your property’.

You now need to register your details, which can be done by clicking on the word ‘register’. This will take you ton the sign up screen.

Now type your details in the boxes to register.

Your name, postal address, phone number and email address (this will not be used on your advert). You must also create a password that is unique to you. This will be your ‘Log in’ details.

Tick the box titled ‘unlimited listings’ and then ‘complete sign up’.

You are now ready to start putting your property on to wightfrog.com.

Once you have registered with wightfrog.com each time you log in you can, edit your profile, look at your property, add another property, enquire about advertising, see the properties you have put on your shortlist or logout. All these options will be available once you have logged in.

Adding your property Click the ‘Add Property’ heading and add your details and photographs. Once you have done that, select the grey box at the bottom of the screen that says ‘Add Property’. You can then

input as much information as you like, and up to 4 photos of your property.

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If you want to search for a property The Internet has made searching for a property much easier over the last few years, and now buying, selling or renting your new property on wightfrog.com is even better!

Once you have logged on to wightfrog.com, click on the ‘Buy, sell or rent your property’ option. You are now on the wightfrog.com property section.

Select the ‘Area’ of the Island you want to search, then the ‘Location’ (select ‘All Locations’ if you want to see all of the properties in the area you have selected).

Now you’ve selected the area and location, choose the price range you are searching in and the property type.

If your happy with the selections you’ve made, click ‘Search’ and the properties will appear.

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If you have a reference number of a property you wish to look at, enter it in the ‘Property Reference’ box and click ‘Search’ and those property details will appear.

It’s as easy as that!

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Albert’s Osborne Gardens will be as he planned

Photo: Jamie White

By Peter White IT IS the ultimate gardener’s challenge on the Island, but one that Toby Beasley is relishing.

Toby (pictured) has been appointed head gardener at Osborne House and will be in charge of helping to restore the near 300-acre site at East Cowes back to how it might have looked when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert used it as their Island retreat.

Although Queen Victoria is synonymous with Osborne House and died there in 1901, it was her husband, Albert, who was responsible for much of the design and planting of the spectacular gardens that stretch down to The Solent.

He worked tirelessly, first designing the new Osborne House and then for years on the gardens until his death in 1861.

Toby, 38, helped renovate the famous walled garden at Osborne from 2000 to 2002. Now after a spell in charge of gardens at Down House in Kent, the former home of Charles Darwin, he has returned to oversee English Heritage’s latest exciting project.

He said: “Just walking in the gardens of Osborne House is so impressive and makes you feel you want to work here. Every tree has a story behind it. Many of them were planted by dignitaries and royal families from around the world when they visited here.

“Before Victoria and Albert came here, this was an estate in a bit of a decline really. The ground wasn’t particularly well suited but Albert was the driving force behind it all.

“After all the grassland was drained he began the process of planting trees using a very unusual method.

“He would stand near the top of one of the towers on the house and use semaphore to direct the gardener to plant the tree in the right place. He would wave his semaphore flags so they knew the exact spot he wanted the tree.

“I think Osborne House is far more about Albert than Victoria because he puts his thoughts and energy, and loads of innovation into the grounds.

“The reservoir that was there basically for any firefighting for the house was used to gravity feed all the fountains in the grounds.”

Toby’s love of gardening began at a very early age because his mother was a garden centre manager, and he lived on a nursery when growing up. After spells at college, in Torbay and Bristol, he was in charge of the 35-acre estate at Down House, which employed one other full time staff member and had 25 volunteers.

In sharp contrast he is now in charge of eight staff at Osborne and up to 35 volunteers help with the upkeep of the huge estate, of which around 50 acres are open to the public.

He explained: “The overlying principle of the project is to try to present the gardens as they would have been in Victoria and Albert’s time. Since 1993 there has been ongoing restoration here. The terraces were restored in the mid 1990s, and the walled garden in 2000.

“A lot of the gardens have already been restored, but

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there is some refining to do and we need to look at the trees. We have a fair collection of trees from Victoria and Albert’s time, but we also have catalogues of other that have been planted over the years.

“We have also started managing the woodland area better now and we are opening up views that Victoria and Albert would have had as they walked around the grounds down towards Swiss Cottage.

“We are also discovering ornamental trees that Albert planted in commercial woodland and caused quite a stir at the time.”

Toby added: “Albert was the first president of the Royal Horticultural Society so he was obviously a very keen gardener.

“English Heritage has laid out the policy of trying to restore the gardens to how they were at the time of Victoria and Albert. But basically we are trying to follow what Albert was up to all those years ago, so I suppose he is our ultimate boss.”

Look out for Toby’s new column in the next issue of The Gazette.

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Classic day out SO MANY vintage and modern-day classic cars turned up for the Earl Mountbatten Hospice Classic Car Run there was not enough room at the check for them all to park on Cowes Esplanade.

More than 70 vehicles, some from the mainland brought over on a Red Funnel special fare, took part in glorious sunshine. Enthusiasts drove to The Needles Park, enjoying a buffet lunch before motoring back to Brown’s at Sandown for tea

and cakes.

There were one or two breakdowns among the convoy, which included a 1928 Bentley, Chevrolet, Mini Moke, 1974 Lancia Strato rally car and a 1931 Austin opentop tourer, but all made it home, even if it meant a tow.

The run raised around £1,000 for the hospice and among them was a donation of his wages for the day from Simon Kefford who opened

the garage near Grange Farm on the Military Road especially on the Sunday so those who needed it could get fuel.

Large crows admired the vehicles wherever they stopped and a spokesperson for the hospice said the day was a great success thanks to the many people who took part, the attractions supporting the run and the many generous people who gave donations.

A replica Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a familiar sight at Island events.

David Cheek (left) chief hospice fundraiser and IW Radio presenter Alex Dyke (second left) admire a classic Jaguar salon

Just the car for a sunny days drive, an Austin sporty number.

Travelling in style in a four door Austin.

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Two famous names perform at Island theatre

Following father’s lead

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country, Spain.

“It’s the lull before the storm,” he said.

“Nothing to do for a few weeks and then IN 1959 unknown singer Terry Parsons everything comes at once.” recorded a number of demo songs in Starting a 33-date tour at the Wyvern London. The singer, a bus driver at the Theatre, Swindon, Matt will swing into time, went on to become Matt Monro town in November. who sold over 100 million records “My music is the special love I have worldwide. for a great man whose contribution to Now his son, Matt Junior, continues the music industry leaves a legacy of the legacy. Having joined his father on excellence behind him,” he said with stage at the tender age of 13 for a duet, deserved pride. he knew what he wanted to do with his “I am in a unique position of being life. Unfortunately, it was the one and only time the two Matts shared the spot- able to combine my own type of music light and not until 1986 that Matt Junior with that of my father’s,” said Matt.

This was no more evident than with was noticed. his 2005 concert tour The Legend Lives It was while performing at The On. Not only did it give him the chance Grosvenor House Hotel that broadto travel the country, but also an opcaster David Jacobs proclaimed, “a new singer has emerged” and prompted portunity to work with his dad’s musical director, Colin Keyes. The 40 venues songwriter Don Black to call him, “a visited was a great experience. As Matt chip off the old block”. put it, “music is able to touch millions An appearance on Bob Monkhouse’s of people irrespective of age, gender, Opportunity Knocks led to three years race or religion”. on the circuit, touring with the likes of A little coincidence does exist between Cannon and Ball and Hinge and BrackMatt Junior and myself. The pianist on ett. It also gave him a chance to “keep the original demo recordings his father my father’s name alive”. produced in 1959 was my dad, Frank Now the 2008 version of the show Wheeler, himself going on to contribute continues, and is to pay a visit to the greatly to entertainment on the Island.

Island. Having recently returned from Matt Monro Junior can be seen at The singing in the Philippines, Matt has been preparing for the tour in his home Medina Theatre on November 6.

By Simon Mark Leigh

Matt Monro Jnr appearing at the Medina Theatre next month.

Another singing Osmond

By Simon Mark Leigh THE Osmond Brothers have been performing in front of worldwide audiences for decades. They have practically lived on a stage, thrilling many millions of people with their brand of entertainment.

This November Osmond ‘mania’ will be coming to the Island in the form of Jared, son of Virl and nephew of Donny and Marie.

There has been an amazing buzz created from the concerts Jared has given over the past few years. His fusion of jazz, folk, classical and contemporary music has given an individual songwriting style that produces music to inspire.

His great voice and disarming stage presence give a powerful yet emotive performance.

Jared is touring with

Blackheart and will be at the Medina Theatre, Newport, on November 11.

For Jared, growing up as an Osmond in Utah was challenging to say the least. Most of his brothers, sisters and cousins have expressed the frustration of constantly answering the same questions: “How are Donny and Marie’ or “how are you related”? But he admitted: “I am really proud to be an Osmond.

The family is kind and very supportive of each other.”

Because they share a common bond the family has remained close.

Jared said: “The real difference for me was that we always stayed together and watched over each other.

“I have learned that sometimes friends are

only temporary and that family is forever.”

A father of four, with daughters Alexis, Paige and Jocelyn, and son, Landon, confessed: “Having children of my own is a real wake-up call. I never knew that love could be this intense and that the worry could be this intense either.”

He calls them “the greatest accomplishment of my life” and this is reflected in songs such as My little boy and Innocent ones.

Jared has also used his family name to raise the profile of a charity in America, the Division of Child and Family Services, which fights child abuse and helps with their welfare.

The proceeds from his new CD, Innocent Ones, will go towards this charity.

“I am really passionate about this - it’s not

Jared Osmond, nephew of Donny and Marie.

your typical album.”

A hidden track on the album proclaims, “I used to believe that the last thing the world needed

was another singing Osmond.” But I’m sure one more Osmond will be accepted.

David Cassidy on Island to greet fans SEVENTIES megastar David Cassidy will be on the Island next month meeting fans who have paid almost £300 for the privilege of meeting their idol.

Described as a once-ina-lifetime experience, the organisers, an Island based company, will not reveal in advance where David will be for security reasons.

For their money, fans will meet him have an autograph opportunity, have their photograph taken with him, take part in a question and answer session.

JSK Entertainments added: “Who knows, he might even sing to us.”

David starred in the hugely popular TV programme The Partridge Family for five years

from 1970 and he was the world’s highest paid solo performer. He had hits in every decade since and his fan club was bigger than those of the Beatles and Elvis Presley.

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Photos left to right: Dave doing his show on the Ryde Queen in 1980 - Dave had just finished painting the Ryde Queen 1981 Dave pictured with Derek Hockley (1970) at the Whitecroft Social Club - Below: Dave pictured today 2008.

Still spinning after 40 years

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Dave Cannon is unique in the Island’s music business. He’s a record breaking DJ with 40 non-stop years to his credit and it only began by accident when he took his own records to Ryde’s legendary nightspot, La Babalu, just to hear them on bigger speakers. Now five decades later he is still working six nights a week at various locations and, amazingly, can produce any Top Twenty record from 1948 to the present day by the touch of a button.

Paul Anka’s Diana was the first record he ever bought back in 1957 – and he still plays it at gigs. Then he was purely a music fan and like so many of his generation listened under the bed clothes to Radio Luxembourg. Later it was the pirate radio ships with non-scripted DJ’s like Tony Blackburn and Kenny Everett that changed his life.

Always keen to help, Dave was a regular at the Royal York’s 69 Club where he saw many of Britain’s top groups including the Moody Blues and Amen Corner. On the night American rock ‘n’ roll idol Gene Vincent played the Ryde hotel, Spike the Mike, the resident DJ, didn’t have any of his records.

So Dave ran home to collect his own and Spike played them and got them all signed. He can also be clearly seen in the rare film footage of the night shown on BBC2 television.

Dave’s local DJ hero was the inimitable Malc Lawrence who was worshipped by hundreds who attended the Babalu.

There are so many amazing stories about his antics – like running up Beaper Shute naked – and they’re all true.

Just a few weeks after taking his rock ‘n’ roll records purely to listen to on their sound system Dave had his own Tuesday night spot, thanks to Malc Lawrence who asked him to talk about the

25 High Street, Shanklin tel: (01983) 863063

Dave with Screaming Lord Such in 1991

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records he was playing.

“It was a great time for me and they also had live Saturday night music with bands like the Five Alive and Joe Bear. I also learnt such a lot from Malc Lawrence, who was a great inspiration for me,” said Dave.

A quick learner, Dave bought his own equipment in 1970. What a bargain!

He bought Solent City Sound, founded

by Derek Hockley, who was about to emigrate to Australia. The amazing £100 deal included the unit, two speakers, all the records, a Morris 1000 van and a slide projector. Solent City Sound is still going strong and Dave plays for holiday hotel audiences and at weekends for private parties and functions. Over the years he’s employed a team of DJs to help supply the demand.

In 1979 Dave Cannon took a gamble and left his day job at Clark Masts to go fully professional. He even met his supportive wife Julie at a Whitecroft Social Club disco.

The Ryde Queen nightspot, on the eastern bank of the River Medina, near Binfield, took him on as a DJ and maintenance man and he had three nights a week as the boat’s resident DJ. He also found time to paint the famous paddle steamer.

During Dave’s early career he worked for Island promoter Wilf Pine, particularly at Ryde’s seafront Oasis Ballroom. The visiting pop stars included Jimmy Helms, Sweet Sensation, when they were actually number one in the charts, Edwin Starr and Sheer Elegance.

During his spell at Ashey’s Ponda Rosa cabaret club he worked with Herman’s Hermits and Airborne.

Dave Cannon rues the passing of the vinyl 45 rpm singles and he’s still got every one he ever bought. Downloads do not hold the same magic.

“When I used to go and buy a single for about 6/8d (less than 40p) you would read the label and find out who wrote it and produced it and sometimes the B sides were better than the A side. It doesn’t seem to matter anymore.

“The 70s were full of great records to dance to but a change came in the late 80s and it all became throwaway music and records only lasted about three weeks.”

On the night of August 16, 1977, when Elvis Presley died, Dave was working at the Whitecliff Bay Holiday Centre and it was a night he’ll never forget. The following evening he was appearing at a public gig at the Redcliff Bars, Shanklin, and word got around that he was likely to do an Elvis tribute show. He did and the venue was packed out. Dave even had some silent Elvis movies on the home movie 8mm gauge and projected excerpts on to a screen.

Dave has also enjoyed a passion for the music of the late Joe Meek and has virtually every record produced by him, which includes one or two by former Island singer Pat Reader. There is now a new movie called Telstar, which is the eventful life story of Joe Meek.

These days Dave Cannon is very high tech and his shows also include video clips of stars from the 40s to today.

Punters request their favourite records and past stars and on most occasions Dave can produce a clip to go with it, much to the surprise of his audiences.

They also love his unique collection of every Top 20 record since 1948. You may wonder just how this is possible as the first British chart was in November 1952, when Al Martino created history by being the first number one. For the previous four years the sales of sheet music constituted the most popular records of the day.

Dave has also recovered from cancer and has raised a lot of money for this particular charity and several others.

How will Dave Cannon celebrate his first 40 years of playing music to the Island?

What a surprise! He’s holding a gig at the Ryde Castle on November 8 from 7-30 until 1am in aid of the Earl Mountbatten Hospice. The memories will come flooding back – particularly when he plays Paul Anka’s Diana – and this time not on a 78.

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Wild West on camera

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“PHOTOGRAPHERS HAVE a lot in common with fishermen,” smiles David Whistance. “They’re always talking about the one that got away.”

When you look at the images he is hanging at Dimbola Lodge it’s hard to imagine the pictures he didn’t manage to capture. The photographs are almost otherworldly. Wild swirling shapes in colours, which seem to glow – they seem almost painterly rather than photographic. They appear to be abstracts, yet the photographic detail seems to reach out from the print.

The exhibition, which he calls Rocks and Sticks, result from a three-week trip, with two friends, to Utah in the USA. The amazing detail in the prints, some of which he has made as large as 24inx30in, comes from using a large format camera: the bigger the negative the more accurate the reproduction.

Now, without wishing to get too technical, the clue about large format is in the name. The camera is not small.

David’s is a rather quaint wood and brass affair and to take a picture he disappears under a black shroud for quite a while, while adjusting the concertina bellows. The point is, it isn’t something that strikes you as overly portable – yet carry it is exactly what he did. Hence the one that got away: “We were in the middle of Coyote Buttes South when our vehicle got stuck in deep sand. We had to walk for almost 15 miles through soft sand and the tragic thing was we couldn’t allow ourselves the time to stop and set up for photographs as we had to try to catch the last people leaving the more popular Coyote Buttes North for the 55-mile lift

back to civilisation and a tow truck.”

The overall theme to the 25 images on display is reflected light and David points to one which glows with the remarkable hue of sunlight on the rocks.

“I’d made that image and packed the camera away while waiting for my friend Alex to finish. As I watched, the afterglow developed into something amazing. But it was too late to get out all the equipment again.”

For all those that got away, there are plenty which didn’t escape the eye of the lens. One taken at Antelope Canyon shows solid rock which seems to fold like paper, revealing layers of colour. In another, which seems totally abstract, it is the reflection of the sky in a puddle that causes the vibrant blues. Perhaps one of the most remarkable is a yellow tree with red grass.

Many have questioned the veracity of the colours – but David says if anything the prints are less vibrant than his original slides. “I chose a film known for its saturated colours and certainly didn’t enhance them.”

He is quick to insist he is not a professional photographer. He doesn’t deny, however, that he is an expert printer.

His business, West Wight Giclee, prints images for other photographers – one exhibition he printed recently was held in the Oxo Tower on London’s south bank. He also photographs and prints reproductions for an increasing number of Island artists. “I seem to get work through word of mouth,” he says. “So I must be doing something right.”

Rocks and Sticks by David Whistance at Dimbola Photographic Museum, Freshwater Bay, until November 2.

NO IFS AND BUTTS ON ISLAND STREETS IN a move to reduce the increasing number of cigarette ends thrown on Island streets, more litter bins have been introduced with purpose-fitted stubbing plates.

An IW Council spokesman said since the public smoking ban was introduced last year there has been a notable increase in the level of butts being discarded in our streets.

It is estimated that around 200 million are thrown away in Britain each day, and each one takes 12 years to degrade.

Mike Rowlands, one of Newport’s town centre managers, said: “The majority of cigarette litter is generated in the evenings when people are out socialising.

We are already seeing the positive impact the new bins are having on the town’s streets.”

Send your news to newsdesk@iwgazette.co.uk or tel. (01983) 402599

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30

Friday OCTOBER 10 2008

gazette news

Best foot forward

wedding

THE Isle of Wight walking festival celebratorary weekend takes place on October 24 to 27. Earlier this year a record number took part in the IW walking festival and the October event is a new venture. These walkers are pictured earlier this year enjoying a stroll through the woods with their pets.

To see your wedding in The Gazette call 01983 402599

Adams & Dexter THE wedding of Mark Adams and Angela Dexter, who first met at Chicago Rock, Newport, nearly didn’t take place due to extreme weather conditions.

Northwood Church flooded on the evening prior to the day of the wedding and it needed the Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue service to pump out the water.

Once this ‘minor problem’ was dealt with, Mark, who is the son of Richard and Pat Adams, and Angela who is the daughter of Barry and Linda Dexter, could go on to treasure their special day.

Best man was Richard Adams, with the bride having Tracey, Grace and Daisy Jones as her attendees.

The reception was held at The Holmwood Hotel in Cowes.

The groom, an agricultural engineer, and the bride, a dental technician went on to enjoy their honeymoon in Australia and New Zealand.

They are making their home in The Shide, Newport.

Photograph by Elace Images.

Great start

Result Ventnor 2nd XV 51 – Millbrook 2nd XV 12

Ventnor 2nd XV gained an extremely encouraging win in their first Merit Table 3 match against Millbrook 2nds.

Playing excellent rugby throughout, Ventnor built momentum after an even first 20 minutes. The pack gained dominance in the set piece and, especially, in the loose phases when their support play was exceptional.

Try scorers were Lewy Morton (2), Tom Engelgardt, James Bexon (2), Andy Walton, Louis Vernassche, Edwin Bodros (2). Three conversions

by Warren Riches.

Wightlink Man of the Match – Lewy Morton.

Team: M Flanagan (capt), A Walton (R Engelgardt), G Ball, L Vernassche, L Morton, J Franklin, J Bexon, W Riches, A Morton, B Glover, T Engelgardt, E Bodros, A Fradgeley, J Owen.

Basketball on the up

To feature your wedding please call us on 01983 402599

A former England u-16 basketball player is giving Island youngsters the chance to follow their dreams in becoming basketball stars Rachel Almond, 21, had a basketball scholarship in America and has also played in Australia.

Rachel has been coaching basketball since she was 13, and is now working at Carisbrooke High School, teaching the sport.

She said: “I am looking to develop the sport on the Island, as I have realised that there are limited opportunities for young people to learn the sport.”

Coaching sessions will be taking place on Tuesday evenings at Carisbrooke High School. Call Rachel on 01983 299091 or email RachelAlmond@carisbrookehighschool.co.uk

Send your news to newsdesk@iwgazette.co.uk or tel. (01983) 402599

A meal for four at !

WIN the Four Seasons The Four Seasons in Wroxall has teamed up with The Gazette to offer a lucky reader the chance to win a meal for four people and a complimentary bottle of wine. You can enjoy a full varied international menu with all dishes cooked to order.

To enter the competition, answer the question below. Fill in your details and send your entry to: The Four Seasons Competition, IW Gazette, Unit B18 Spithead Business Centre, Newport Road, Sandown, IW, PO36 9PH. Question:

In which village will you find The Four Seasons?

Answer: Name Address

Tel no: The prize to a maximum value of £100 will be awarded to the first correct entry opened after Monday October 20, 2008. Terms and conditions apply. Employees and their immediate families of The Four Seasons and The Gazette are not allowed to enter. The editor’s decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into.

sport

Friday OCTOBER 10 2008

the gazette

31

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the gazette

Speedway team confident of win DESPITE the horrendous weather earlier in the day, the Wightlink Islanders speedway team were in action at the Wave 105 Smallbrook Stadium on Tuesday night when they entertained the Sheffield Tigers in the first leg of the Young Shield quarter final clash.

And they established a more than healthy 21 points lead to take with them to the Owlerton stadium last night (Thursday) thanks to a 57-36 win.

Before last night’s return leg, co-promoter Dave Pavitt was confident that skipper Jason Bunyan and his men can would go through to the competition’s semi-finals.

“We know Sheffield will come at us with all guns blazing,” he said, “but the pressure is very much on them before a wheel is turned tomorrow for we have the points in the bag following an excellent display on Tuesday night.

“They have to beat us by 22 points or more whereas we don’t even have to go there looking to win given the fact that a 20 point defeat will still do as far as we are concerned.

‘LIKE REAL PROS’ A JUNIOR diver recently completed his scuba diving training, to earn his advanced open water diving certificates, at Vobster Quay in Somerset.

Johnny Whitehouse, 12, (pictured) lived up to his nickname of ‘hardcore’ diving in to water temperatures of just 9c with fellow diving student Ciprian Zolotar.

The pair were supervised by Aquarius Diving Club instructor Jamie Sprake.

“The water temperature and depth made the dive very challenging, but Ciprian and young Johnny handled themselves like real Pros and completed all the skills required”, said Jamie.

Johnny’s father, Chris, also got the scuba diving bug and recently completed both his open water and advanced open water dive courses.

Both students said it was very cold, but the course had been great fun, with Ciprian already planning his next diving course later this month.

Johnny, who lives in Totland, has got the considerably warmer waters of the Egyptian Red Sea to look forward to, with the father and son team heading there in a few weeks time.

Excitement at Somerton

Mature people make the best lifeguards A TRAINING course for lifeguards will be held at West Wight Sports Centre from October 20 to 25.

Centre manager, Clare Griffin is looking for responsible people with a reasonable swimming ability and a ‘decent level’ of common sense.

“Some of our best lifeguards have tended to be slightly older people, possibly looking for a career change or something to keep them busy in retirement.

People who have their own children usually make good lifeguards - they seem to see danger much more readily.”

Clare added that if people showed some commitment to working part-time at the centre she come to an arrangement regarding payment for the course. Call her on 01983 752168.

Club winners on and off field

New jumps were constructed to test the competitors at the team two-day event at Somerton Farm, recently and it seems that people are getting braver as several riders decided to move up to a bigger class. The IW Hunt Supporters’ Club spent weeks checking, renewing, painting and building the course.

Peter Butler, IW FA council member, presents the award to Rod Mc Carthy

12 year old sets club record

DANIEL Philbrick created history when competing at the Ryde Golf Cub Championships.

Daniel, 12, and a member of the club for only 18 months, won the O’Donohoe Trophy and was runner-up in the Whirlwind Trophy to become the youngest-ever member to achieve the feat.

The ‘O’Donohoe’ Trophy is awarded for the best scratch score and the Whirlwind Trophy - part of a helicopter jet engine – is handed to the player with the best handicap score for players with handicaps 19 to 28.

Daniel, who lives in Ryde, plays off 21.

The 36-hole event is divided into two sections: one for handicaps up to 18 - the championship itself - and one for handicaps 19 to 28.

The competitions were played in excellent weather following their postponement from the previous weekend due to torrential rain.

A total of 55 took part in the event, 37 in the championship and 18 in the Whirlwind & O’Donohoe Trophies.

The overall results were: Scratch championship: 1 Richard Harrison

(5) 141; 2, Matt Barnicoat (4) 146; 3 Peter Dyer (6) 152; 4 Spencer Simpson (8) 155; 5 Mark Simmonds (13) 159.

Handicap Championship: 1 Richard Harrison (5) 131; 2 Mark Simmonds (13) 133; 3 Barry Englefield (16) 135; 4 Paul Moreton (12) 136; 5 Matt Barnicoatt (4) 138.

O’Donohoe Trophy: 1 Daniel Philbrick (21) (Junior) 182; 2 Tim Bone (20) 184; 3 Martin Dover (23) 185.

Whirlwind Trophy: 1 Martin Dover (23) 139; 2 Daniel Philbrick (21) 141; 3 Phil Boxall (23) 145.

AN ISLAND football club has earned a prestigious award from the Football Association.

Whitecroft and Barton have been awarded the FA Charter Standard Award, which goes to clubs run to a high standard and providing a safe and effective environment for players and volunteers to develop their skills and continue their involvement in football.

The club also has a child welfare officer, qualified FA coaches who are all CRB checked and who give their time for free, which all counted towards achieving the award.

Originally two clubs, Whiteroft and Barton Sports, merged in 1983. In 1996, the club bought their ground from the former Whitecroft Hospital. With the help of dedicated committee members, the football and cricket clubs were able to have a new clubhouse built.

The new club house was opened on in May 1997,

by Bruce Charman, who is an ex-player and life vice president of the Isle of Wight FA. The club runs two adult teams, with the first team playing in the IW League division 2, and the reserve team in Combination 1.

There are five youth teams within the club, consisting of two u-9s, two –u-10s, and one u-13 team.

The youth section of the club welcomes any young players to their training sessions. For information you can call 01983 532344 or 01983 559365.

Send your news to newsdesk@iwgazette.co.uk or tel. (01983) 402599

sport 32

the gazette

Friday OCTOBER 10 2008

Somerton page 31

the gazette

Sky-high thrills at Bembridge BEMBRIDGE will host Britain’s first ever Kiteboard Park ‘Jam’ this weekend, October 11 and 12.

It will be staged on the country’s first purpose-built kiteboard park, comprising a series of ramps, rails and obstacles. Some of the best kiteboarders around will display their skills and tricks, including jumping, sliding and grinding.

Island kiteboarder and Liquid Force team rider Chris Burke, who competes semi-professionally in the sport, built the park and organised the event and he will represent the Island.

He said: “The Island is such an amazing location for kiteboarding.

There are several places where it could of taken place and we have chosen Bembridge.

“Kiteboarding originated in France and has developed so much

them.

The ‘Jam’ event will comprise of four main disciplines, Kicker, over recent years. It is a really Slider, Rail and freestyle tricks with popular sport in America. We are competitors judging each other to now trying to take the sport in a decide who has performed the best. new direction here in England.

The winners of each discipline are “It has been a lot of work to then decided by a points system. develop the temporary park and If the winds are too light, Chris’s it wouldn’t have been possible employer, Headfirst, has put on without sponsors Headfirst, Liquid standby a Seadoo boat and several Force, NPX and Island Surf. This is jet-skis so some action can still an amazing opportunity to put the happen.

Island on the kiteboarding map.”

Chris is expecting around 40 Chris has built the obstacles out competitors many of them with of a wooden framework and coated international experience, coming them with a surface which boards from all over the country slide over when wet. The obstacles The Kiteboard Park Jam will be are carried out into shallow water taking place on the Bembridge to form the water park and then Harbour at around 10am and you riders use their kite to power themcan watch for free. selves towards the ramp before skillfully sliding up and along

By Jamie White

Chris Burke organiser of the first Kiteboard Park Jam

Drive to be best golf club on south coast AMBITIOUS plans have been revealed by Ventnor Golf Club to transform the course into one of the best in the south of England.

The £2.9million development will see the building of a new 18-hole course to county standard with the potential to host regional competitions.

A new clubhouse is also planned as well as the first wind turbines on the Island, subject to planning permission, to help fund the project.

The club has announced a planning application for three 30-metre high wind turbines has been lodged with the Isle of Wight

By Peter White Council.

The installation of the turbines would underline the club’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and will ensure the club is carbon neutral within the next three years. It would make Ventnor the first carbon neutral golf club in Britain.

It is estimated the turbines would generate enough electricity to provide energy for 600 homes – equivalent to the size of Upper Ventnor, including the two schools.

Club manager Stewart Blackmore said: “This is

a very exciting time for Ventnor Golf Club and for golf on the Island. We aim to be one of the best golf clubs on the south coast. We believe the project will not only take Ventnor Golf Club into the 21st century but it will also provide Ventnor and the Island with a much-needed major attraction.

“The golf club is fully committed to the ecoIsland vision as outlined by council leader Cllr David Pugh, and his deputy, George Brown, who are both enthusiastic supporters of our plans.

“The whole project has been planned to fully

support the eco Island vision, providing employment, tourism, education and sustainability both environmental and financial.

We believe that we can become one of the first truly carbon neutral golf clubs in the UK.” The golf club has the backing of Ventnor Town Council and is in talks with all stakeholders to ensure that the development remains sympathetic to the surroundings and the Downs landscape.

Ventnor also plan to build a new modern carbon neutral club house, training facility and banqueting suite,

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which would be available for external functions.

There would also be the facility of 15 luxury fourbed pine lodges.

Established in 1892, Ventnor is the oldest golf club on the Island. It currently has around 200 members, who play on a

12-hole course on Rew Down. But it is hoped the new development will give the area a boost.