the gazette isle of wight
FREE! Please take one
Your great local read every fortnight
Street pastors go on patrol
Dinosaurs on the Military Road!
Page 14
Page 15
More support for domestic abuse victims Picture by Elace Images
PLANS to provide better support and protec- By Peter White tion for victims of domestic abuse on the Constabulary, Her Majesty’s Courts Service Island have been unveiled. The scheme is also being aimed at helping (HMCS), magistrates, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the witnesses in such cases Probation Service, the as well as encouraging IW Women’s Refuge, more consistent senWitness Support and tences for offenders. IW Council have all The new special signed a protocol for domestic abuse court the SDAC. (SDAC) has been set The launch took place up at a time when crime at Northwood House figures are already in Cowes, where guest falling on the Island. speakers included two Now it is hoped the people whose lives system that will deal have been affected by with some of the most domestic abuse. Frank delicate and complex Mullane’s sister and cases will bring further nephew were murreductions in offences. dered in a domestic Partner agencies abuse case in Berkshire on the Island are in 2003, and Helen Frank Mullane at the launch working together on Nelder, a theatrical the project, and a writer and director, dedicated session now hears domestic abuse wrote the play ‘Worn’ about domestic abuse cases every Monday in the courts buildbased on personal experience. ing at Quay Street in Newport. Hampshire Mr Mullane said: “The authorities must see domestic abuse through victims’ eyes. For my sister, it was a form of ‘coercive control’. If we see domestic violence from the victim’s perspective, we will begin to understand the compromises and choices they are faced with each day. Don’t give up on the victim please. You might be the only group of people with an opportunity to prevent abuse, serious injury and murder.” Helen Nelder said: “It’s difficult to imagine how it feels to experience domestic abuse. My sense of self was eroded through psychological and emotional torture, it was very hard to make rational decisions under the circumstances and I didn’t know where I could go. This court is a fantastic step forward towards eliminating discrepancies in sentencing, and creating a better understanding of the complexities surrounding domestic abuse.” Inspector Owen Kenny, who leads the IW Continued on page 3
Friday May 15 - Thursday May 28 2009
A hole in one – at eight years old! Back Page
In Lifestyle: Sandown and Lake special Picture by OnEdittion
If you can, please make a donation to the hospice
Ellen’s voyage is just capital! DAME Ellen MacArthur has talked to The Gazette about the ‘fantastic response’ she is receiving during her Skandia Round Britain Voyage of Discovery. The round-the-world yachtswoman, who is based in Cowes, set out on her latest – and very special – adventure earlier this month. Having set off from Cowes, Ellen and a host of volunteers are sailing with 85 young people in recovery from cancer on 17 different
legs around Britain. They are sailing the 48ft yacht ‘Scarlet Oyster’ 2,000 nautical miles on a journey that will take four months to complete. And as Ellen puts it: “We have just one aim – to inspire young people’s cancer recovery through sailing.” She and her band of young shipmates, who take it in turns to sail one leg of the journey, have now reached London – despite a few mishaps caused by adverse
Gateway Club can only wait AN ISLAND club for people with learning disabilities has been anxiously waiting to hear whether an IW Council partnership grant will save it from permanent closure. John Phillips has been voluntarily running the IW Gateway Club for the past 14 years in Newport and Ryde, but was forced to close the doors because of a lack of funding. Now Mr Phillips is waiting to hear whether an application for a £10,000 donation has been successful. The money, if granted, will give the Gateway Club a reprieve, although Mr Phillips claims the whole operation costs around £50,000 a year to run and extra revenue will still be urgently required.
weather conditions. Before sailing up the River Thames and under Tower Bridge, Ellen gave us an insight into the journey so far. She said: “All the feedback I’ve had from the five young crew on board the first leg has been fantastic. “I know that a few of them were seasick due to some very bumpy weather conditions on the way to Dover, but all of them recovered in Continued on page 2