Issue 16 - The Isle of Wight Mail by Isle of Wight Mail

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BON VOYAGE BIRTHDAY SPECTACULAR WAS A BLAST

Garden & Mosaics Opening Event

Songs of the Sea and Shanties

Most Powerful Blade Finished

They promised you a 10th Birthday Spectacular and that’s exactly what happened! Four incredible days of unadulterated fun made their tenth Bestival the very best one yet. From the simply stunning new arena The Port and the madness of Lionel Richie’s inflatable head, to jaw-dropping headline sets from Fatboy Slim, Snoop Dogg and Elton John. See Page 2 & 3

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ISSUE NUMBER 16 13th September 2013

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

A BIG THANKYOU FROM HMS BESTIVAL We promised you a 10th Birthday Spectacular and that’s exactly what happened! Four incredible days of unadulterated fun made our tenth Bestival the very best one yet. From the simply stunning new arena The Port and the madness of Lionel Richie’s inflatable head, to jawdropping headline sets from Fatboy Slim, Snoop Dogg and Elton John, we’ve had the time of our lives aboard HMS Bestival and it’s all down to the fantastic crowd of seafaring folk we had with us, so we’d like to say a huge thankyou to each and every one of you that made it so special. Thankyou! Rob da Bank says, “Ahoy shipmates! Sadly it’s now time to disembark the good ship HMS Bestival and pack up The Port ‘til next year. Words fail us in the Bestival office as to how fantastic a crowd you guys were and what a spectacle you all made right across the weekend, so big up and respect to all of you. Thanks as well to Mother Nature for a nearly all sunny show and we hope you enjoyed all the amazing live acts, DJs, films, comedians, walkabout and actors as much as we did. A vintage year for Bestival and we owe it to all of you. We're off to wash our hair and think of a theme for Bestival 2014. Get ya thinking caps on”! There may have been a handful of showers, but they never dampened spirits and there was sunshine and lots of smiling faces every single day. Fatboy Slim raised the bar to new heights for Main Stage headline sets on Friday and told us that it was, “One of THE classic gigs of the year!” Bringing the show to a dizzying climax, the likes of which we may never see again, Elton John and his band, were life-affirmingly brilliant and it seems the feeling is mutual as (commenting on his set) Sir Elton said it was, “One of the best

evenings of my career... Amazing!” If you’re after lasting mementoes of two of the greatest sets in Bestival history then you’re in luck as both these headline shows were recorded live and are now available to buy, with proceeds from sales going to charity (including the Isle of Wight Youth Trust, which offers counselling, advice, information and support services to young people aged 25 and under on the Isle of Wight). Special guests Concert Live were aboard HMS Bestival and captured the party set of the decade from Fatboy Slim. Available for home delivery, you can also pre-order two versions of Norman’s new single ‘Eat Sleep Rave Repeat’, as part of an exclusive bundle offer with your copy of the live album or order the live 2CD individually. For more information or to pre-order this limited edition commemorative set, visit the Concert Live website. Elton John’s first live appearance at a UK camping festival since 1969 is also available from Concert Live. Available separately or as part of a special edition bundle offer (featuring a digital edition of Elton’s forthcoming album, ‘The Diving Board’) –Pre order the live recording via http://iow.me/s Finally, if you enjoyed our little trip aboard HMS Bestival as much as we did, you’ll be pleased to hear that Early Bird Tickets for Bestival 2014 (which takes place from September 4th – 7th 2014) will go on sale at 10:00am this Friday, 13th September and will also be available via our groundbreaking Payment Plan! Make sure you check www.bestival.net for the amazing photo gallery and YouTube films of an unforgettable weekend. And don’t forget to tag your tweets #hmsbestival.

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

10th BIRTHDAY SPECTACULAR WAS A BLAST

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

International Conference will focus on Dinosaur Island This September, Southampton University will be joining forces with Visit Isle of Wight to deliver a unique international conference that will bring together dinosaur palaeontologists from the UK and China to the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton and Dinosaur Isle on the Isle of Wight. The two-day Jehol-Wealden International Conference will be held on Friday, 20th September and Saturday, 21st September. The Isle of Wight and China are key areas for Cretaceous fossils, especially dinosaurs. Rocks on the Isle of Wight (the Wealden) and in northern China (the Jehol) contain many of the best fossils in the world of dinosaurs and other animals that are earliest Cretaceous in age (110 million years old). On day one (20th September), Chinese and UK vertebrate palaeontologists will present the results of their recent research at the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton, including keynotes from Chinese palaeontologists. On day two (21st September), the conference moves to the Isle of Wight where delegates will visit key dinosaur sites and network with tourism and business leaders. The conference, which is seen as a major coup by the Island’s tourism industry, will also include two Isle of Wight fossil walks and a reception at Dinosaur Isle. The Friends are asking their members and friends to bring plants, seeds, seasonal fruit, jams, chutneys and other baked goods for sale and chef, Martyn Cutler, will be donating some of his popular cakes. In addition, all the plants from the Ventnor Botanic Garden sales area will be offered and there will be some great bargains! There will also be a chance to talk to members of the Friends’ Simon Dabell, Chairman, Visit Isle of Wight, said: “We are delighted to support this significant international event. It expresses the Island’s position as the ‘Dinosaur Capital of the UK’ and helps us to build on our ‘Dinosaur Island’ brand with specially-

themed dinosaur events and exhibitions for visitors and local people”. The Jehol-Wealden International Conference is hosted by the University of Southampton Confucius Institute and Ocean and Earth Science with support from the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, the Isle of Wight Visitor Attraction Association and Dinosaur Isle Museum, Sandown. Dr Gareth Dyke, Senior Lecturer in Vertebrate Palaeontology at the University of Southampton, said: “The famous Iguanodon sacrum examined by Richard Owen and figured in 1849 was originally found at Brook on the Isle of Wight in 1825. This specimen is the iconic 'first dinosaur'. Participating delegates include Jeff Liston, Associate Professor at Yunnan Key in China, Zihui Zhang, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, Dongyu Hu, Professor at Shenyang Normal University, China, Hugh Torrens, Emeritus Professor of History of Science and Technology at the University of Keele, Darren Naish, British vertebrate palaeontologist and science writer, Pam Gill of the School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, and Steve Sweetman, School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Portsmouth. A complete list of speakers can be found at: http://iow.me/t All are welcome and there is no fee to attend the dinosaur talks at the National Oceanography Centre (lecture theatre) in Southampton on 20th September. The cost for those who want to attend the second day (21st September) of the conference on the Island is £50 per person. This includes two fossil walks, a reception at Dinosaur Isle, a ride on the chairlift and an evening reception at the Needles Park. For more information and to book a place, http://iow.me/u

Garden & Mosaics Opening Event

On Thursday 19th September at 10.00am the new Garden and Artworks at Seagrove ward, Sevenacres will be officially opened by Mark Edmond, Head of Mental Health Services, Isle of Wight NHS Trust. The replanting and redesign of Seagrove’s internal ward garden is to create a more healing environment for patients in its care. The Psychiatric Intensive Care Ward of the Isle of Wight NHS Trust, has commissioned the new garden with a grant of £5000 from the Friends of St. Mary’s and with a £2000 legacy held by Healing Arts. Guy Eades, Director of Healing Arts says “Through the generosity of the Friends of St. Mary’s and a legacy we have been able to transform the environment in the Garden at Seagrove Ward, Sevenacres so that it is now a healing environment for the Island’s acute mental health patients.” ‘CAR GARDENS’ led by Craig Ratcliff, in Ryde, Isle of Wight,

rejuvenated the poor soil, created a new central flower and herb bed, placed climbing wall plants around the perimeter, built a new garden bench and installed night time solar lighting. ‘SEAHORSES STUDIO’ in Freshwater and its team of skilled local volunteers led by artist Boris Moscoff were commissioned to make 4 mosaic wall panels to complement the planting and to provide all year round artwork for the garden. Guy Eades continued: “The work of ‘CAR GARDENS’ and ‘SEAHORSES STUDIO’ through their skill, imagination and understanding have made a Garden that can be enjoyed throughout the year and is enormously supportive of the healthcare delivered at Seagrove.” Photographs and a description of the Garden will be displayed on the News pages of the Healing Arts section of the IoW NHS Trusts website www.iow.nhs.uk/healingarts

Appeal after rider. is knocked off scooter in Brading Police in Ryde are trying to trace the owner of a white van who came to the aid of an injured scooterist in Brading last week The woman had been travelling along Downs Road in Brading at about 4.40pm on Tuesday, September 3, when a car is alleged to have knocked her off her scooter as it overtook. The 41-year-old woman described the vehicle, which failed to stop at the scene of the accident, as a Blue sports hatchback, possibly a corsa with a black wing, two men were in the vehicle at the time. Investigating Officer, PC Michael

Giddens of Ryde Safer Neghbourhoods team said: “We are appealing for any witnesses who may have seen this incident and we would like to talk to the man in the white van who came to the rider’s assistance.” “The woman was left very shaken by the episode and although she declined any medical assistance, she was left with grazes and bruising and her scooter was badly damaged.” Anyone with information can contact PC Giddens at Ryde Police Station by phoning 101 or calling Crimestoppers anonymously.

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 September 2013 Isle of Wight Mail â&#x20AC;&#x201C; February 2012 th

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

STEROID USERS AT RISK Men who inject anabolic steroids and tanning drugs are at higher risk of HIV and viral hepatitis. Men who inject anabolic steroids and tanning drugs are at higher risk of HIV and viral hepatitis, according to a landmark study from Public Health England (PHE) published in BMJ Open today (Friday September 13). The use of image and performance enhancing drugs has grown substantially over the last twenty years, but the risk of exposure to blood borne viruses among those who inject drugs to change their body appearance or improve their performance has rarely been studied. Researchers from PHE and Liverpool John Moores University surveyed 395 men using image and performance enhancing drugs and found: 1 in 18 injectors have been exposed to hepatitis C. 1 in 11 have been exposed to hepatitis B. 1 in 65 have HIV Overall 1 in 10 had been exposed to one or more of HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C, suggesting that the transmission of blood borne viruses is common in this group.

These infections can result from unsafe drug injecting practises or unprotected sex. Lead author Dr Vivian Hope, a PHE expert in infections among people who inject drugs, said: "Our study suggests that levels of HIV and hepatitis infection among men using image and performance enhancing drugs have increased since the 1990s. While we must be cautious in generalising these early findings, they are concerning and show that further research is required. "Use of psychoactive drugs like cocaine (46% had snorted cocaine, and 12% snorted or swallowed amphetamines) was also high among this population, along with sexual risk behaviours - only 20% of those having sex in the preceding year reported always used a condom." Dr. Fortune Ncube, Consultant Epidemiologist and lead for PHE on Injecting Drug Use, concludes: "These findings suggest serious health implications for users of image and performance enhancing drugs, but also for their sexual partners and ultimately the wider community.”

Sainsbury’s, Newport puts all store waste to positive use The Newport Isle of Wight Store situated in Foxes Road provides customers with in-store battery and plastic bag recycling banks. Sainsbury’s Store Manager Paul Dyer said: “Our recycling facilities are used every day by our customers and it’s great that they’re helping us to reduce our impact on the environment and send no waste to landfill”. Another star recycling initiative set up at Newport is through the store’s food donation partner scheme. Sainsbury’s has over 300 food donation partnerships in place and the scheme sees surplus food which is still healthy, nutritious and within its use-by-dates donated to charities and community projects across the UK. At Newport they’ve supported The Islands Owl & Monkey Sanctuary for 3 years and Seaview Wildlife for over 4 years, The Animal Attractions collects food twice a week and receives items including all fruits and vegetables. The donated food is used for feeding the

Lemas and Monkeys and Birds. The Newport Store also works with FareShare, a leading UK food redistribution charity, to help relieve UK food poverty. The partnership has nearly reached 20 years and Sainsbury’s provides FareShare with food from its stores’ back doors and depots. Isle of Wight Last October, Sainsbury’s second annual Million Meal Appeal food drive saw 4,000 meals donated to charities across England following food donations across one weekend from customers.

Police Appeal Following Assault Police are appealing for witnesses following an assault on a man near to the William Coppin Public House in Newport. At around 12.50am in the early hours of Sunday, 8 September, a 48-year-old man was attacked by the verge of the Coppins Bridge roundabout next to the pub. Investigating officer, Detective Constable Andy Cooper of Newport DCID said: “There had been a minor altercation inside the pub earlier in the evening. When the man left he was assaulted by another man who was with two women.

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“The victim was taken to hospital with serious injuries which included a suspected broken eye socket, bruising and swelling to his face. “There were a number of people in the area that night and I am appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident or who has any info to contact police” Anyone with information can contact DCCooper at Newport DCID by phoning 101. Information can be given anonymously by phoning the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

Songs of the Sea and Shanties kick off Festival of the Sea A day full of shanties and songs of the sea will be kicking off the new Festival of the Sea initiative on Saturday 14th at the Spyglass Inn, Ventnor. The Festival of the Sea is an Island wide event created by Visit Isle of Wight which aims to highlights the Isle of Wight’s rich maritime history, beautiful coastline and wonderfully fresh seafood. The support the event, the Spyglass Inn is holding a Songs of the Sea & Shanty Festival that will last from 12noon right through ‘till closing and feature a range of local sea shanty crews alongside local musicians to produce a day or maritime themed entertainment. Although this is the first of its kind for the pub, the Spyglass Inn has a long history of smugglers, pirates and characterful maritime events, making it the ideal venue for a Festival of the Sea event. The pub has been supporting local music for the past 25 years and welcome the opportunity to provide a full celebration of

traditional nautical music with a focus on the sea shanty, the humble sailor’s working song. Shanties have emerged and developed over the years in a variety of style, with influences from all around the world. The Spyglass is one of the iconic buildings in Ventnor on the Isle of Wight and has a reputation that is founded on good grub, great beer and fantastic atmosphere. The day will include a great array of music with a maritime theme throughout. The schedule includes performances from Guith, The Grimshaws, Second Time Around, The Crew and Beachcomber. Why not support your local maritime history and be part of the Festival of the Sea whilst enjoying true Spyglass Inn hositality, the extensive seafood menu and remember that “muddy boots and well behaved dogs are welcome”. More information and a full schedule of the event can be found on thespyglass.com

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

CUSTOMERS OF FIRM CALLED 'COSYFIRES' ASKED TO CONTACT TRADING STANDARDS The Isle of Wight Council's trading standards service is asking for any residents who bought a wood burning stove from a firm called 'Cosyfires' to get in touch. The service is investigating complaints about the installations of wood burning stoves carried out by the company this year. 'Cosyfires' was solely based in St Johns Road in Sandown but appears to have recently closed and is no longer trading. Amanda Gregory, Isle of Wight

Council regulatory services manager said: "We are currently looking into three complaints, each one relating to the safety of the installation of the wood burning stoves by Cosyfires. "If you did buy a wood burning stove from the firm and the company also installed it, please do not use it and instead contact the trading standards team." The trading standards service can be contacted on 823396 or email trading.standards@iow.gov.uk

Training Links launch brings bespoke training to Hants and IOW businesses Training Links, a new not-forprofit consultancy that offers bespoke training solutions to businesses is launching today in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and will invest 25% of all income generated back into the local community. Training Links offers a range of high quality tailored training programmes and differs from other training consultancies with its Link Pledge. This ensures that every £10 an organisation spends with Training Links generates £2.50 to fund a Learning Links community development programme of the organisations’ choosing. “The chance for businesses in Portsmouth and the IOW to help the communities they operate in whilst at the same time benefitting from bespoke training is a powerful one and one that I expect many to take up,” said Julie Perry, Delivery Manager, Training Links. Training Links works by carrying out an initial Training Needs Analysis (TNA) across all levels of an organisation to identify areas for development. Based on the issues identified – which can include cultural and institutional issues, health and safety, policy and procedure review or performance issues – Training Links will recommend a specific training programme to best suit an organisation’s needs. Training Links’ Delivery Manager Julie Perry has spent all her career providing training consultancy to businesses, charities and public sector organisations and believes that training can be an overlooked

aspect of business performance: “Training is often one of the first things to get cut if businesses are struggling, yet a lack of investment in staff development is often a contributory factor to an organisation going through tough times,” she said. “The key to our success will be the ability to design and deliver training that develops and enhances an organisation and help its bottom line. Our range of programmes can improve customer service, bring greater efficiency, increase staff morale and retention, lower sickness and increase sales and our Link Pledge allows businesses to give directly back to their local communities.” Training Links will be showcasing its services at Lakeside Business Centre on Friday 13 September. Guests will be invited to attend at 12.30 and there will be a light refreshments reception prior to the event. A guest of honour will get proceedings started and this will be followed by a short presentation. There will then be time to talk with Julie and her colleagues and to network with attendees. Training Links is a partner of Learning Links, the social enterprise with offices in Portsmouth and Newport. Learning Links celebrates its 15th birthday in November and during that time has invested £12.5million helping individuals and communities across the South East. For further information about Training Links and the event contact 02392 296 460 or enquiries@training-links.co.uk

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LOCAL SERVICES TO TAKE PART IN FIRST EVER 'FESTIVAL OF THE SEA' The Isle of Wight Council's library and museum service is putting on events as part of the inaugural Isle of Wight Festival of the Sea this month. Organised by Visit Wight, the Festival of the Sea takes place across the Island over nine days between Saturday 14 and Sunday 22 September. During the festival, libraries in Ryde, Newport, Cowes and Ventnor will host a seaside slide show. The displays have been created by the Isle of Wight Heritage Service and will include images of the Isle of Wight's seaside in days gone by. On Wednesday 18 September, Cowes Library is also hosting an evening of musical delight with the Brighstone Barnacles band, who specialise in a blend of funny and upbeat sea shanties. The evening is free and takes place between 7pm and 9pm. On Saturday 21 September, Cowes Maritime Museum and Cowes Library will host 'Pirate Island', which is a family fun day held between 10am and 2pm. Activities on offer include

treasure hunts, pirate stories and songs, making a pirate hat and a photo hunt. The event is also free and there is no need to book. The Isle of Wight Cycling Festival - which is organised by the council and takes place between 14 to 29 September - is also putting on two cycle rides with a seaside theme. The Festival of the Sea will feature a wide range of activities, events and promotions taking place, all revolving around the theme of the sea. These include musical events, beach art displays, fishing, cookery displays and tasting, open days and a kite festival. More information can be found at www.visitisleofwight.co.uk.

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

ONLINE HILLS KILLER REGISTRATION DEADLINE NEARS Time is running out for cyclists to register online for one of the Isle of Wight’s toughest cycling events. The Hills Killer Challenge takes place on Sunday 15 September and is part of the Isle of Wight Cycling Festival which begins on Saturday. The Hills Killer is the ultimate off-road cycling endurance challenge. Participants can register register on the day itself. The three hills killer costs £10 and is free for under 18s. The seven and fourteen hills killer events cots £25 on the day, or £20 if booked by Wednesday. For under 18s, the cost of these two events is £10. With a choice of three, seven or fourteen hills, the challenge combines orienteering, cycling skills and strength, in a race against the clock. Hundreds of competitors take part, ranging from beginners to veterans. Cyclists of all ages will take on 13, 26 or 52 mile off-road routes with everyone given an electronic timing device. This is worn around the wrist and inserted into the various checkpoints which are revealed on the morning of the challenge. Once all checkpoints have been logged, cyclists make their way to the finish line at West Wight Sports Centre, Freshwater, where

the times are collated. The Hills Killer is one of many rides for all abilities that make up the famous Isle of Wight Cycling Festival. There are dozens to choose from, including a fossil hunt ride, a trip along the Tennyson Trail and a 70 mile round the Island journey. There are also cycling workshops where participants learn all about how to look after your bicycle. Full details are available on the website or in the festival's programme which is available from council help centres and libraries.

Man's Body Identified By Police Hampshire Constabulary has confirmed the death of a 76year-old man whose body was found near the shoreline at East Cowes at 2.32pm on Thursday, September 5. He was identified as Roy Daish of Medina Park, Whippingham, Isle of Wight. The death is not being treated as suspicious, and a file has been passed to the coroner.

SSANGYONG APPOINTS NEW DEALER FOR THE ISLAND

The new SsangYong Korando crossover is now available on the Isle of Wight, thanks to the appointment of Staddlestones in Ryde. The dealership will operate the SsangYong franchise from its premises at Brading Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight. Welcoming the company to the network, Paul Williams, CEO of SsangYong Motor UK said: “We and our dealers are focused on giving customers great service, so whether buying a new or used SsangYong, choosing accessories

or helping to maintain their car in the years ahead, we are confident customers will appreciate the car, their dealer and the brand.” Chris Perkis, managing director of Staddlestones said: “We are delighted to have been appointed to represent SsangYong, and greatly look forward to playing our part in its success. The Korando is a great car, and with a very competitive price and 5 year limitless mileage warranty we believe it will do extremely well in our area, and have every confidence in its success.”

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

Sainsbury’s Newport gets it in the bag and supports their local community Sainsbury’s Newport Isle of Wight has presented its local Bembridge Angling Club with a Community Grant for £100.00 worth of Foods for their Charity BBQ Evening.celebrating their 50th Anniversary. With all proceeds going to the RNLI. This will help to raise funds for the local RNLI The donation came about after the local Bembridge Angling Club wished to raise funds for the local RNLI that provide a vital role for the Angling Club with rescue operations. Derek Ohren of Bembridge Angling Club said: “The event was organised by the Bembridge angling club to celebrate its 50th anniversary, it was decided to incorporate it with a fund raising event for the RNLI, also to organises a fund raising fishing competition for the club. “It was a great response from club members and family to support this event, with local brewery Yates, and many other local companies all helping to support this cause, it had a great turn out of over a 100 people with music from the 60’s,70’s,80’s, with the support of our main sponsors Sainsbury’s this was truly a success.” The Sainsbury’s Community Grant scheme, helping charitable groups in the local community, is

Left to Right: David Gawn (Bo'sun) Tanya Blake PR Ambassador Sainsbury's, John Burns (Vice Chairman).

funded by sales of ‘Bags for Life’. So for customers at Sainsbury’s Newport Isle of Wight buying a ‘Bag for Life’, this means that they are not only doing great things for the environment, but are also making a contribution to their

local community. Sainsbury’s store Manager, Paul Dyer said: “Our store is at the heart of the local community and it is important that we can do as much as we can to support it. When we heard about Bembridge Angling Club we were

MP welcomes possible Diplomatic Solution in Syria The proposal that chemical weapons in Syria should be handed into international control and destroyed has been welcomed today by the Island’s MP Andrew Turner. The suggestion was made by John Kerry, US Secretary of State and has been followed up through Syrian diplomatic channels by Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov. Mr Turner who voted against the UK launching military strikes said: “Military intervention in a foreign civil war always has consequences for one side or the other. If British bombs weakened President Assad they would strengthen the Syrian rebels’ position and some of those rebels support Al Queda; it is hard to see how it could be in the UK’s interests for them to get their hands on Assad’s chemical weapons.

That is why I was one of 81 Conservative MPs who wrote to the Prime Minister in June arguing against arming the rebels. “If this diplomatic solution can be achieved and chemical weapons destroyed it would be the best possible result that could be achieved from a difficult situation. It is likely that both sides have already used chemical weapons – and there is nothing to suggest they wouldn’t do so again. The Syrian people have suffered terribly for two and half years. The chemical strike on Damascus on 21st August is just a drop in an ocean of despair. More than 110,000 people have died so far in this civil war and more than 2 million refugees have fled the country – half of them are children. There are also over 4 million people who

have been displaced within the country. There will be no winners – only a least worst solution.’ Mr Turner welcomed the announcement of £52 additional aid from the British Government to support the Syrian refugees, taking the total to £400m “This is a humanitarian crisis on an almost unimaginable scale. It is not of our making but we must help those poor Syrian people who have been suffering for many months. They don’t need more bombs – they need shelter, clean water and food. I am proud that Britain is stepping up to the mark; we are the second largest donor in the region after the USA. Other countries should also do their part to save innocent Syrian lives.”

really pleased to be able to help out.” Last year alone the Community Grants scheme provided £135k worth of donations, nominated by store managers and colleagues from stores nation wide.

Firework put through letterbox Police are making a fresh appeal for information about recent criminal damage to property on the Isle of Wight. At about 4.30am on Thursday, August 29, a firework was put through the letterbox at an address in Maxted Close, Cowes causing some minor damage and burning the carpet. Around the same time Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue service were tackling a bin fire in Seaview Road at the junction of Maxted Close. In this case a number of domestic rubbish bags had been set alight. Investigating Officer, PC Matt Tasker of Newport DCID said: “We are appealing to anyone who may have seen or heard anything suspicious in the vicinity at that time. “Both incidents could have had far more serious consequences and it is fortunate that no one was injured.”

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

Bestival bounty for West Wight sports centre There was mutiny of the high seas for the first ever Row to Bestival. As the OARdeal crew from the Yarmouth Gig Rowing Club took to the Solent, a mutinous bunch of pirates boarded the Wightlink ferry. However, rather than being made to walk the plank, Bestival goers were treated to live music on deck by local folk band 'Charming'. Unfortunately the team from the Royal Naval Reserves had to pull out at the last minute, so the OARdeal crew travelled alongside the ferry from Lymington, before heading off to Colwell Bay. There they met up with the Swim to Bestival participants and enjoyed a well earned celebration on the waterfront. The row was raising money for the West Wight Sports Centre in Freshwater. "Our staff are always willing to volunteer to fundraise, but this was definitely a first for us" explains Clare Griffin, Centre Manager and captain of the pirates. "We all had a great time and are grateful to the OARdeal crew, Wightlink and the Bestival for supporting us." Watch the video courtesy of Krissy Lloyd from Little Lady Films http://iow.me/r

SAS Cold Water Beach Clean Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) believe protecting Isle of Wight beaches from marine litter needs year-round volunteer action. This Sunday the 15th of September sees the Cold Water Beach Clean Series, a new SAS initiative in collaboration with The Crown Estate, visit Grange Chine and Compton beaches. SAS are calling for IoW community volunteers to join the beach clean team from 10am – 12pm at Grange Chine and 2pm – 4pm at Compton. During the coldest months, marine litter accumulates in huge quantities on our coastline, threatening the safety and enjoyment of beaches by surfers, walkers and other sports enthusiasts during the winter months. The Cold Water Beach Clean Series will be at Grange Chine from 10am – 12pm and Compton from 2pm – 4pm this Sunday and volunteers can register by emailing dom@sas.org.uk. All volunteers will learn more about the threat that marine litter poses and will receive full beach clean equipment before heading out to clean their local beach. All those who sign in will also be entered into a draw to win a Finisterre Etobicoke jacket worth £160.

The OARdeal drew, along with pirates from the West Wight Sports Centre - Pirates - Rose Stanley, Krissy Lloyd, Clare Griffin, Crew - Martin Scotcher, Russ Waite, John Kerr, Ian Middleton, Sam Grist, Dave Coltman and Izzi Coelho

Be Clear on Cancer: Campaigns announced The next national campaign to raise awareness of cancer symptoms launches in February 2014 and will focus on breast cancer in women over 70. Be Clear On Cancer PHE, in partnership with the Department of Health and NHS England, has announced the next national Be Clear on Cancer campaign will raise awareness of breast cancer in women over 70. Early diagnosis can help improve cancer survival rates – catching cancer earlier generally makes it more treatable. The breast cancer in women over 70 campaign has been piloted at local and regional levels. A national campaign will run early February to mid-March 2014 and will feature TV ads to reinforce the message that 1 in 3 women who get breast cancer are over 70. They will also be running two regional awareness campaigns on ovarian cancer and

oesophago-gastric cancers between February and March 2014. Both regional campaigns will also feature TV advertising during the same period, with the ovarian cancer campaign being run in the North West and Border TV regions, and the oesophago-gastric cancers campaign in the North East TV region. The local ovarian cancer 50 years and over, focused on the key symptom of bloating,

encouraging women who experienced this for 3 weeks or more to tell their doctor. campaign, which ran early in 2013 and targeted women aged Similarly a local oesophagogastric pilot campaign ran in 2012, targeting men and women aged 55 and over and highlighted the key symptoms of difficulty swallowing and heart burn/indigestion for 3 weeks.

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The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

Wightlink Services - Death by a Thousand Cuts Following the news that Wightlink are set to cut sailings on its new Fast-Cat timetable in September, Andrew Turner, the Island’s MP has announced plans to work with other interested parties to ask the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to look at this decision to make further cuts to services. In 2009 the OFT carried out a detailed market study on crossSolent ferry services, and although it found that some elements of the market were not working competitively, they decided not to refer the issue to the Competition Commission at that time, as they found ‘limited evidence of actual consumer detriment’. In response to the allegation made by Mr Turner that services were affected because too much had been paid for the companies, the OFT said that it was ‘too early to tell what repercussions there will be, if any, for service levels and fares in relation to current levels of debt’. It was stressed that the decision made then did not prevent them from looking at the issues again if necessary. Mr Turner said “For the Island this is death by a thousand cuts. Once again Wightlink have

cut important services with no reference to, or consultation with their passengers. This follows cuts to car ferry services in January – also made without consultation. Hovertravel recently consulted on changes to their services - when they learnt of the impact it would have on their customers they decided not go ahead with them. Red Funnel has maintained services through the night. Taking those factors into account I believe the time is right to ask the OFT to look closely at Wightlink’s decisions, and in particular to consider now whether there is evidence that high debt levels have played a part in them. As time has passed there is now much more evidence available on this aspect of my original complaint. “However, it became apparent when dealing with the OFT last time that the full support of the Council, as the Island’s transport authority would be extremely important. I will therefore be seeking an urgent meeting with Council group leaders to see if we can make a joint, cross-party submission to the OFT asking for their intervention. That would be far more powerful than acting alone.”

New code of conduct for green schemes The Isle of Wight Council is progressing one of its key priorities by supporting a new government initiative which requires large energy companies to fund energy efficiency improvements to domestic properties through the Energy Companies Obligation (ECO). The obligation states that companies must promote the insulation of solid wall and hardto-treat cavity wall properties, connection to district heating systems and promotion of micro generation technologies in rural areas or those with low income, and promote ways of reducing heating costs by, for example, repairing and replacing inefficient boilers. Supporting high quality ECO schemes on the Island is important, not only to assist residents in making their homes more energy efficient, but also to support the local economy through the use of local energy assessors, surveyors and installers. Councillor Luisa Hillard, Cabinet member for Sustainability, said: "Our code of conduct will help to ensure that our residents can feel confident that they are receiving a quality product and service. This is

particularly important in a scheme that is intended to benefit elderly or vulnerable residents. "It is my hope that this will be a positive step in addressing the issue of fuel poverty and will leave those who receive the free installations with a few more pounds in their pocket at the end of the month, particularly as the weather becomes colder. It is important that those who are eligible apply - it costs you nothing to take advantage of these schemes." The code of conduct will safeguard residents from pressure selling techniques and misleading or confusing marketing materials. Companies who sign the code of conduct will also be required to sign up with the council's Buy With Confidence scheme. Trading Standards will check the trading practices and customer services procedures of all applicants. Following approval at the council’s Cabinet meeting on Tuesday 10 September, the code of conduct will be brought into use, with the first schemes intended to assist residents over the coming winter months. The Isle of Wight Energy Companies Obligation Code of Conduct can be viewed here: http://iow.me/q

Hope for Drill Hall after Ministerial Meeting The case for Island cadets to retain the use of the Drill Hall has been forcefully put to the Armed Forces Minister, Andrew Robotham MP. The Island’s MP Andrew Turner, the Chairman of the Isle of Wight Council Cllr. Ian Ward, and Territorial Army (TA) Reservist Tony Marvin met the Minister yesterday, following the announcement in early July that Island-based members of the TA are to be relocated to the mainland because the unit is well below strength. The meeting was organised by Mr Turner following an exchange in the House of Commons Chamber immediately after the news was announced. Mr Andrew Turner said: Drill Hall and Jersey Camp, the TA facilities on the Isle of Wight, are shared by our very strong cadet forces, who number more than 200. Given the unique transport challenges facing the island, the loss of those facilities would be a terrible blow to those young people.

Will my right hon. Friend meet me and a group of constituents to discuss the matter? Mr Hammond: I sense that the Minister for the Armed Forces is anxious to meet my hon. Friend. I can say this: if the facility has 200 cadets, the vacation by the reserves will not make any difference to the cadets’ continued use of it. It will remain in use by the cadets, as will be the case for a significant number of the bases being vacated. Cllr. Ward, a retired Major said : “I felt we put forward a very strong case to retain the Drill Hall for continued use by our cadet forces. We pointed out the lack of alternative facilities on the Island and the time and expense that would be involved in travelling to the mainland. We have a vibrant and enthusiastic cadet force on the Island and we were able to give the Minister plenty of detail about how often those youngsters use the hall and what they use it for. I was very pleased that the

Minister confirmed that Jersey Camp will remain open; it is an important facility and also very well-used. “We have reinforced the point put by Andrew back in July and supported it with plenty of hard evidence. I am very hopeful of a positive result.” Tony Marvin, who was an officer in the Regular Army and more recently, as a Regular Reservist has completed

three tours of Afghanistan commented: “It is very sad that we currently have only 13 Islandbased Territorials who because of the nature of the unit travel to the mainland to train. The Minister explained that with the planned locations of the new Army Reserve we would need to have many more potential Territorials before a separate unit would be viable.”

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

JACKSON LIVE IN CONCERT STARRING BEN & HIS INCREDIBLE LIVE BAND & DANCERS Michael Jackson is fondly remembered as one of the most profoundly influential artists of all time. His impressive career spanned almost five decades, and he was continually at the forefront of popular music, being crowned as he is now, the undisputed King of Pop. Jackson Live in Concert sees long-time fan and hugely talented Ben recreate the Michael Jackson experience with his stunning rendition of all his favourite songs. Ben says “From as far into my childhood as I can remember, I have always been obsessed with Michael Jackson. Everything about the King of Pop mesmerized and enchanted me. I used to spend hours pouring over album covers, photographs, interviews, videos and anything I could find that was about

Michael. Even my 7th birthday party was Michael Jackson themed! I always loved to dance and began copying Michael’s signature moves as I dreamt of being a performer just like him” Ben’s portrayal of Michael Jackson has to be the most vocally and visually accurate tribute to the King of Pop to have ever toured UK theatres. Ben is joined on the stage by his incredible live band and amazing dancers who work their way through all of MJs hits with impeccable precision. Ben’s got the look, the moonwalk and the voice and his renditions of Thriller, Beat it and Billie Jean are truly sensational. Jackson Live in Concert features all-live vocals and music, fabulous costumes, and of course all the signature dance moves associated so fondly with the undisputed King of Pop. Pure MJ!

JACKSON LIVE IN CONCERT Shanklin Theatre Saturday 28th September 2013 7.30pm Tickets: £18.50 01983 868000 www.jacksonliveinconcert.co.uk

T*Rextasy - I Love to Boogie Tour live on stage at the Shanklin Theatre T* Rextasy who will be bringing their I Love to Boogie Tour to the Shanklin Theatre on Friday 4th October 2013 On 8 September 1972 a record that would inspire future generations was released by the one of the most flamboyant and charismatic bands of the original glam rock era. Marc Bolan and T.Rex stormed the charts with one of his most memorable and distinctive songs of that decade – Children of the Revolution. 40 years on the song has become iconic and legendary, along with Bolan’s other best selling anthems of that year that included, Metal Guru and Telegram Sam. T*Rextasy are the only band to have been authorised and endorsed by Marc Bolan’s Catalogue Management and are officially recognised as the worlds' No. 1 group dedicated to the greatest glam rocker of them all, Marc Bolan of T.Rex.

With their uncanny doppelganger lead singer and lead guitarist, Danielz, TRextasy perform a powerful and mesmerising presentation of Mark Bolan’s rock and pop anthems. T* Rextasy have now been performing around the world for 20 years, a career that ironically out lives Marc’s very own T.Rex. The band has been described by many as “beyond the boundaries of tribute” and are respected in their own right. Truly a rock’n’roll concert for all ages If you would like to know exactly what a Marc Bolan concert was like in the 1970s, this show is for you!

Shanklin Theatre Friday 4th October 2013 At 7.30pm Tickets: £18.00 01983 868000 www.trextasy.com

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

HMRC launches Alternative Dispute Resolution service A way for small businesses and individuals to resolve disputes with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has been launched after a successful trial. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) uses independent HMRC facilitators to resolve disputes between HMRC and customers during a compliance check. It aims to find a fair and quick outcome for both parties, helping to reduce their costs and avoid a tribunal. It follows a two-year trial and extensive consultation with professional bodies and the voluntary sector. Richard Summersgill, HMRC Director of Local Compliance,

said: “I am delighted to announce that Alternative Dispute Resolution for small businesses and individuals has entered mainstream HMRC business. “We know that taxpayers like the speed and flexibility of Alternative Dispute Resolution, and evidence has shown that by using the simple service, many disputes can be significantly shortened and resolved without recourse to Tribunal.” ADR is available to small business and individual taxpayers where a tax issue is in dispute, whether or not an appealable tax decision or assessment has been made by HMRC.

£1 billion to help A&Es and NHS staff access medical records The government and NHS will join forces to invest £1 billion in technology to improve patient care and ease pressure on A&E departments. The money will form part of the government’s long term solution to pressures on A&E by freeing up doctors, nurses and care professionals’ time to care for patients and cut down on paperwork and bureaucracy. This new funding will help deliver the government’s commitment to allow everyone to book GP appointments and order repeat prescriptions online by March 2015, as well as give everyone who wants it online access to their GP record. One of the key things the money will be spent on will be systems which allow hospitals, GP surgeries and out of hours doctors to share access to patients’ electronic records, which means: Doctors, nurses and social care professionals providing emergency care will be able to access patients’ complete medical details routinely across the country for the first time, so will be able to give them personal and effective treatment with full knowledge of their medical and care history; Health and care professionals will have this information at their fingertips so can spend more time seeing patients and less time filling in paperwork; and Errors will be reduced, as it will stop drugs being prescribed incorrectly because patients’ paper notes have been lost.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: The public are rightly sceptical about NHS IT after the disastrous waste that happened in the past. But we can’t let their failure hold patients back from seeing the benefits of the technology revolution that is transforming daily lives. It is deeply frustrating to hear stories of elderly dementia patients turning up at A&E with no one able to access their medical history, and for their sakes as well as all NHS users we need to put this right. That’s why I’ve set the NHS the challenge of going paperless by 2018. But rather than imposing a clunky one size fits all approach from Whitehall, this fund will empower local clinicians and health services to come together and find innovative solutions for their patients. Technology is key to helping our A&E staff meet the massive demand they face as the population increases and ages. Paperless systems help staff in Accident and Emergency departments by helping them manage patients and giving them instant access to a patient’s medical notes and care records. That means patients can avoid going through lots of unnecessary diagnostic tests - and even being admitted to hospital overnight because A&E staff don’t know the background and history of the patient in front of them. And it means patients are less likely to be given the wrong medication, or something they might be allergic to, because clinicians don’t have access to the right info

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

Kindling Wood raises over £838 at EMH Wootton Shop Tim Blake has been providing the Earl Mountbatten Hospice Wootton Shop with kindling wood since its opening in 2010. During this time, the much in demand wood, has raised over £838 and continues to be prebooked during the winter months by regular shoppers. Tim spends all summer in his shed cutting his kindle wood to the correct size to make sure the shop is equipped with sufficient stock to meet demand. Karen Bloomfield, Wootton Shop Manager, said; "This is a fantastic example of how individual Islanders support our local Hospice and goes to show, whether people decide to do something big or small, it all adds up and can raise an amazing amount of money. "The shop never goes without; as Tim makes sure plenty of kindle wood is steadily supplied to the shop for the customers. He has managed to make this a family

event, involving members of his family to help bundle up the kindle wood, which has taken over many of their evenings in the past. When ever we run out Tim is always ready and willing to deliver more to us, nothing ever being too much trouble for him." This amazing support is a fantastic example of how people's continued efforts help us to provide patient care for those who really do need it.

Vectis Radio Secures Funding to help unemployed Vectis Radio has secured the funding for unemployed people to create their own 30 second commercial to help them get that much needed job. If you are unemployed and want to get your ‘CV’ out there to prospective employers come into Vectis Radio, Riverside Centre and record your commercial. Station Controller, Ian Mac, said “This is a fabulous opportunity for Vectis Radio, a community radio station to help those in the community who are looking for work. Not only will it showcase

their talents, but will also help to build confidence and increase their chances of gaining employment.” You will get all the help you need to write your 30 second commercial and showcase your talents, and tons of help with the recording. Take up this FREE offer today. It is really simple and effective. Contact Ian Mac, Vectis Radio either via email at ian.mac@vectisradio.com or through the Vectis Radio website www.vectisradio.com. What do you have to lose?

CHRIS BARBER STILL BLOWING STRONG AFTER 60 YEARS The Big Chris Barber Band - one of the greats of British Trad Jazz - will come for his "60th Anniversary Tour" to Medina Theatre on the 14th September. Chris Barber OBE this year celebrates his Diamond Jubilee as leader of his band on a fulltime professional basis. In fact his career began even earlier - in 1949 – when he started his first amateur band which included Alexis Korner on guitar. Little could either Chris or Alexis have known that they were destined, in their respective ways, to become major figures in bringing blues and gospel music to audiences of the UK and Europe. That first band, known as Chris Barber’s New Orleans Jazz Band, gave way to Chris Barber’s Jazz Band who played their first professional engagement in December 1953 following a spell when known as Ken Colyer’s Jazzmen. This ‘co-operative’ band gave it Ken’s name because he had gained publicity by jumping ship in New Orleans to play his trumpet alongside many of the local pioneers of the music. A policy disagreement led to the band ‘voting out’ Ken and he was replaced by Pat Halcox who remained with the band until his retirement in 2008. By 1954 Chris Barber’s Jazz Band was performing at major concert venues such as The Royal Festival Hall and their first LP ‘New Orleans Joys’ included a skiffle track, ‘Rock Island Line’ featuring their banjoist Lonnie Donegan. Released as a single, it topped the charts both sides of the Atlantic and paved the way,

not only for Lonnie Donegan’s solo career, but also for USA concert appearances by Chris Barber’s Jazz Band. So, as we can see, Chris Barber’s Band were ‘taking coals to Newcastle’ several years before The Beatles were acclaimed (and honoured!) for similar achievements. Chris Barber, from out of his own pocket, financed the introduction to the UK and Europe, of numerous American artistes. The UK promoters weren’t interested because the band was selling out “without the need for guests”! The first visiting artistes to appear with Chris Barber’s Jazz Band arrived in 1958 in the form of Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee. Sister Rosetta Tharpe followed shortly afterwards. Tommy Tucker, Alvin Alcorn, Professor Alex Bradford, James Cotton & Dr John are just a few examples of U.S. artistes introduced to Europe by Chris Barber in the ensuing years. Saturday 14 September, 7.30pm MEDINA THEATRE Box Office: 01983-527 020 www.medinatheatre.co.uk

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

Rheumatoid arthritis patients supporting each other The Isle of Wight group of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society is hosting a meeting on Thursday 26th September for anyone affected by rheumatoid arthritis to come along and find out more about the disease and the care and support available. The meeting will be at the Laidlaw Day Hospital at St Mary’s Hospital Campus on Dodnor Lane in Newport, starting at 7pm. An estimated 1,400 people on the Isle of Wight live with the disease, many of whom are young people, still in the prime of their working life or with a young family. Onset normally occurs when people are between the ages of 40 and 60 so it is not the old age disease that many

people assume it to be. “As rheumatoid arthritis is a lifelong condition it is important for those affected by the disease learn more about it and try to understand it better and that is what these groups aim to achieve. By bringing people together so they can share their experiences, it enables them to take ownership of the management of their disease” said Ailsa Bosworth, Chief Executive of NRAS, and herself an RA patient. The Isle of Wight NRAS group is part of a network of 40 support groups located across the country, members of which all have rheumatoid arthritis so understand exactly what it is like to have the condition.

The Isle of Wight High Sheriff Visits Age UKIW

Letters for missing deadline

Isle of Wight High Sheriff, Mary Case, spent Thursday morning (05/09/13) visiting Age UKIW at their offices in Pyle Street, Newport. During the visit the High Sheriff spent time with each of the many departments and services provided by the charity discussing with staff and volunteers the work they carry out across the Island. Age UK IW is an independent local Island Charity founded in 1973. It’s purpose is to ensure that the needs of individuals aged 50 and above living on the Isle of Wight are recognised, highlighted, celebrated and supported either through direct service provision or by working in partnership with others. The High Sheriff said, “I had no idea Age UK IW offers such a diverse range of schemes to help make life easier for the older

residents of the Island. They have a trusted and caring army of volunteers across the Island who help with all manner of tasks to make life easier. Age UK IW makes a positive difference to the lives of many hundreds of older Islanders, congratulations on your 40th Anniversary this year.” Age UKIW Chief Officer Jo Dare said, “ It was a lovely visit which our staff and volunteers enjoyed very much. The High Sheriff took time out of her busy schedule to spend the whole morning with us to find out what services we provide.” Age UKIW relies heavily on volunteer support to provide services and outreach to older Island residents. If you are interested in finding out more information about volunteering opportunities with the charity ring 01983 525282.

More than 1.6 million employer PAYE schemes, covering over 40 million individual records, are already reporting in real time since the launch of new reporting requirements in April, and any employers who have failed to follow the new process have been urged to act now by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Employers or agents (acting on behalf of their clients) who have set up unused PAYE schemes should contact HMRC to close them. This month, around 167,000 employers who have missed one or more deadlines for reporting PAYE will receive a letter. Employers need to act now and start reporting in real time. If employers have not reported because they don’t pay anyone, the PAYE scheme has closed or it is no longer operating, they still need to let HMRC know by calling our Employer Helpline. More information can be found at: www.hmrc.gov.uk/actnow HMRC’s Director General for Personal Tax, Ruth Owen, said: “Over 85 per cent of employers

are now reporting PAYE in real time but our records show that 167,000 employers have yet to send us a PAYE submission. Reporting PAYE in real time makes it easier for employers to pay HMRC the right amount and avoid late payments and penalties. “If agents have set up, on behalf of their clients, PAYE schemes that have never been used - or their clients’ PAYE schemes have now ceased they should call HMRC to close the scheme.” PAYE information reported in real time is already being used by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to calculate Universal Credit amounts paid to people in its pathfinder pilot in the north west of England, ensuring the amount of benefit accurately reflects their level of income.

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

‘Challenging and Inspiring Ideas’

£17k worth of drugs seized at Bestival Tens of thousands of people attended the music festival at Robin Hill Country Park between Thursday, September 5 and Monday, September 9, 2013. Analysis of overall crime levels is continuing, but provisional figures so far include the drugs search operation at Bestival’s entrances, which resulted in 295 searches and 106 seizures of suspected illegal drugs worth £17,000. > 13 arrests were made on suspicion of possessing drugs with intent to supply. > There were two reports of physical assaults. > There was one report of indecent touching on a woman aged in her 20s, for which two men from Manchester were charged. > No stranger sexual assaults were reported. > 45 thefts from people and 144 thefts from tents have been reported so far. Police are investigating a number of suspects linked to tent thefts. One 16-year-old boy from Manchester was arrested and bailed until November 2013 on suspicion of theft and possession with intent to supply crack cocaine. Hampshire Constabulary’s Bestival police operation commander, Superintendent Paul Brooks said: “There was a friendly, relaxed

mood, which is what we’ve come to expect from Bestival each year. “Levels of crime remained low thanks to the vast majority of people enjoying the event responsibly and the relentless work of organisers, police and all agencies before and throughout the event. “Police officers and security staff worked well together to identify and target suspects linked to thefts on the campsites. “Bestival showed the real difference that simple precautions can make to solving crime. People remembering to turn on ‘find my phone’ apps on their mobiles enabled us to track lost or stolen phones and reunite some of them with rightful owners.” Anyone with information about property stolen at Bestival can contact Hampshire Police by phoning 101. Superintendent Brooks added: “The commitment and cooperation between Isle of Wight Council and all agencies on the Safety Advisory Group delivered an effective traffic management plan. Our Roads Policing Unit performed a key role in keeping road users safe, informed and on the move by anticipating issues and responding promptly to any issues.”

Further details have been released about the meeting organised by Island MP Andrew Turner on 27th September. Two speakers from the New Economics Foundation (nef) will be addressing businessmen and others, about how we can build on the Island’s strengths to support our economy. Mr Turner has organised the meeting to ensure that the Island doesn’t miss out on the benefits of the UK economy returning to growth. The meeting, to be held at the Riverside Centre at 11.00am, will be followed by further discussion over a buffet lunch. Mr Turner said : “At times our Island economy can seem fragile, if the UK sneezes then we catch the cold. But there are certainly things we can do to help ourselves. We can work together and be alive to the opportunities and the advantages we have. I want to help our business community develop an approach to stimulating the Island’s economy that can generate immediate, as well as longerterm benefits. I believe the priority areas are:

Keep it ‘on the Island’ – The longer money circulates on the Island the more good it does. It can seem like plugging a leaking bucket, but every small repair makes a difference. Nurture investment – Not only securing a fair share of public sector investment but creating a positive climate for private sector investors. Deeper understanding – Recognising the advantages we have geographically and socially, as well as being realistic when we are disadvantaged commercially due to our separation from the mainland. The meeting will be followed by a buffet lunch including local produce at a cost of £7.00. There is no charge for attending the meeting alone but places must be booked in advance by calling Mr Turner’s office on 530808 or by e-mail to mail@islandmp.org.

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

WARMING UP FOR AUTUMN Ventnor High Street has quietly but stylishly upping its game over the few years and is now a continuously improving destination for everybody from coffee cognoscente and foodies to vintage fans and culture vultures. New eateries such as Hillside Bistro & Cantina, bakeries like At Sarah’s House, the award winning Oh So Vintage shop, galleries with paintings, prints and photography, and a swish new arts club have established themselves. All more reasons to visit the town centre this autumn. One of the latest additions to the town is right at its heart. Ventnor Arts Club has restored the art deco bank building to offer its members and guests luxurious spaces in which to relax, eat, drink and mingle. But it also offers a diverse and exciting range of entertainment and interesting events including twice weekly films, live and original music, talks, cabaret and a space for people who have creative ideas they wish to present. As the summer turns to fall, the Club has begun to publish its programme heading towards Christmas on its website. It includes regular Jazz night hosted by Jim Thorn and an assortment of friends; blues duo Beeno, who have rapidly grown a fan base over the last year. In addition to the local talent, the club is hosting events that feature performers and experts from the mainland and overseas; some returning by popular demand and others for their debut on the island. “We’ve seen many people enjoy independent and world cinema presentations unavailable at the multiplex and in many cases unknown to our guests before we

scheduled them.” Says Stephen Izatt. “And audiences have been completely taken by the talent and stagecraft of some of our visiting singer songwriters from as far afield as Oregon of whom they had never heard. “ On the Club’s calendar (Coming Up page at ventnorartsclub.com) are wine tastings, a Q&A with the producer of outstanding films like Atonement and Anna Karenina, a musical historian speaking about Mozart the story behind a particular period in his career, the return of a Madam JoJo chanteuse who on her last visit had people trailing a conga around the club, and an array of talented musicians. Among them is Mary Spender, an award winning singer songwriter who plays amazing guitar riffs and loops to accompany her carefully crafted songs. Sherika Sherard comes from South London to deliver gritty, soulful songs about her experiences in life with amazing wit and precision. Daniel Zappi, an Italian /English self-proclaimed travelling minstrel makes a stop on the Island and Sam Holmes, who has enjoyed album success and extensive radio play, visits from the Midlands to woo us with her tunes. So as the autumn days begin to require a light jacket and the nights draw in, head to Ventnor town centre for a warm welcome and a growing number of choices.

WANTED!

WHITBREAD INN SIGNS

--------------------------------SINGLES, FULL SETS, OR COMPLETE COLLECTIONS

TELEPHONE 01424 838301 ---------------------------------

Mary Spender

Sherika Sherard

Car collides with Garden Wall Police are appealing for information to identify a vehicle which is believed to have collided with the garden wall of a property in James Avenue, Sandown sometime between 12 and 11.30pm on Saturday, August 31. The wall, belonging to a woman in her 80s, was completely knocked down. A red coloured grille was left at the scene. Police community support

officer Jacqueline May said: “We are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the incident, repaired the bodywork of a red vehicle recently, or has any other information which could help us identify the driver to contact us.” Anyone with information should contact PCSO May at Shanklin police station on 101. Alternatively contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

Crackdown on Tax Evasion A new crackdown on tax evasion will make information on all credit and debit card payments to UK businesses available to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for the first time. Under new powers, HMRC can now access information from the UK’s merchant acquirers – the companies that process card payment transactions – to find out the number and value of transactions completed by a specific trader. No personal data identifying the card owners or card numbers will be obtained, but this data will be used to ensure that traders have correctly accounted for all taxes due – levelling the playing field for all businesses. Announced in the same week as it launches a tax evasion advertising campaign, HMRC estimates that this information could reduce fraud by over £50 million per annum. Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke said: “Tax evasion and the hidden economy cost the taxpayer £9 billion a year. While the majority of traders are honest, they may find themselves undercut by the minority who seek to lower prices by cheating the tax system. “The Government has given HMRC nearly £1 billion to tackle fraud and evasion, and

these new powers give HMRC an extra tool to ensure a level playing field between businesses, and also reducing opportunities for those who try and cheat the system.” The legislation allows HMRC to obtain data on card payments to all UK businesses for the previous four years. The first requests for the data will be sent to merchant acquirers this week and from next year this will be an annual request. HMRC will analyse the data using its sophisticated risking system, Connect. This crossreferences and compares the data with what the tax authority already holds. The process will allow HMRC to identify fraud and evasion. HMRC has worked closely with international tax authorities – many of which have already had great success in reducing evasion, from access to such data. HMRC is launching the second stage of an evasion publicity campaign, through a series of targeted advertisements including radio advertising and over 3,000 billboards in public areas. The campaign works alongside existing compliance activity such as data collection, Taskforces and enforcement to raise awareness among those breaking the rules that HMRC is closing in on undeclared income.

UB40 FORCED TO CANCEL UK TOUR AFTER INJURY TO DRUMMER UB40 have been forced to cancel their forthcoming UK tour dates due to their drummer, Jimmy Brown, suffering from RSI (repetitive strain injury) in his wrists. The dates affected are the Sky Dome Arena, Coventry (13th September), and the Planet Ice Arenas in Peterborough (16th Sept), Ryde, (18th Sept) and Cardiff (20th Sept). A statement from the band’s management said, “UB40 are deeply sorry for the inconvenience this will cause their fans. The band had been looking forward to these shows all summer but, as his treatment continues, Jimmy has been advised not to play for the foreseeable future.” On Monday the band released their new album, ‘Getting Over The Storm’, which is set to enter the album charts this weekend after receiving rave reviews and

being chosen as BBC Radio 2’s ‘Album of The Week’. For all ticket holders that purchased tickets from a Planet Ice venue box office, refunds can either be claimed in person by visiting the venues box offices or by postal application when a cheques will be issued. Postal applications should be addressed as follows: UB40 Ticket Refund Application, Isle of Wight Arena, Quay Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight. PO33 2HH Planet Ice apologise for any inconvenience this has caused to their customers and rest assured if the event is re-booked with them they will inform you as soon as it’s announced.

People aged 70 and 79 years offered shingles vaccine

People aged 70 and 79 will be offered a shingles vaccination this year, as part of a vaccination programme to reduce the incidence and severity of shingles disease in older people. Shingles, or herpes zoster, is an infection of a nerve and the area of skin around it. In serious cases, it causes a rash of very painful, fluid-filled blisters on the skin that can burst and turn into sores that eventually crust over and heal. A catch-up programme to protect those aged 70 to 79 years will also be rolled out over several years, starting with those aged 79 years on 1st September 2013. It’s estimated 800,000 people in the UK will be eligible for the vaccine in the first year. Dr Paul Cosford, Director for Health Protection and Medical Director at PHE, said: Shingles is caused by the same virus that

causes chickenpox. When you recover from chickenpox most of the virus is destroyed but some survives and lies inactive in the body in the nervous system. It can then reactivate later in life when your immune system is weakened by increasing age, stress or treatments that reduce your immunity. It is most common in people aged over 70 years, but by having the vaccine you will be reducing your chances of developing shingles by more than a third. Health Minister Lord Howe said: Shingles can be a nasty disease for older people and can lead to long term health problems for around 14,000 people each year. This new vaccine can prevent some of the most serious cases, giving people the chance to live without the discomfort and pain that shingles causes.

Vehicles Damaged in Lake Police are appealing for information following reports of damage to a number of vehicles in Lake. The incidents all occurred in the early hours of Sunday, September 9, when cars and scooters were left with scratches, broken aerials, slashed tyres and slashed seats. Investigating officer, PC Nick Massey of Shanklin Safer Neighbourhoods Team said: “Whoever was responsible has damaged vehicles in Denness Road, Heath Road and Heath Gardens. “We are asking anyone who was in the area at the time and saw or heard any suspicious behaviour

to contact the police.” If you witnessed the event or have any information please contact PC Massey at Shanklin Police Station by phoning 101. Information can be given anonymously by phoning the independent Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

Cabinet approves scheme to provide superfast broadband for 96 per cent of Island homes The Isle of Wight Council Cabinet has agreed to appoint BT as the preferred supplier to put in place Next Generation Access (NGA) infrastructure to deliver superfast broadband to an estimated 20,000 premises in a mainly rural ‘intervention area’ across the Island, where there is no commercial case for the provision of such infrastructure. In its decision to appoint BT, the Cabinet set out stringent requirements to be met in the final contract and to be achieved by September 2015: * 99% of Island premises to have NGA infrastructure. * 97% of premises in the intervention area to have an NGA connection of at least 30mbps. * 87% of premises in the intervention area to have immediate access to superfast broadband speeds of 24mbps post project. * 96% of Island premises to have immediate access to superfast broadband speeds of 24mbps post project. Once the infrastructure is in place, Island residents will have access to the full range of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) with the potential for at least 60 ISPs to be available to residents. Among the benefits the project is expected to provide for businesses and communities in the designated areas, are: * to help increase productivity through enabling more flexible working; * to make these areas more attractive for inward investment to the Island; * to make it less costly to start new businesses in these areas, by enabling remote working; * to assist businesses to access new and different markets through the growth of eprocurement activities; * to help communities communicate more quickly with public and other services. Councillor Shirley Smart, cabinet member for tourism and economy, said: “This project is crucial to the future economic wellbeing of the Isle of Wight if we wish to be seen as a place where new businesses can be established, existing businesses can grow and to make us an attractive place for inward investment.” Previous reports on the economic impact of next generation access broadband have suggested that

approximately 1,100 jobs could be created or safeguarded in the seven-year period following installation on the Island. It will be a specific requirement of the contract that there will be a robust protocol between the council, BT and Island Roads to avoid unnecessary digging up of the highway more than once which will also help to save cost for all parties. In 2010, the government set a target that the UK would have the best internet coverage and speeds of any country in Europe by 2015. It set aside £530 million to ensure the delivery of next generation access across largely rural areas where there was no commercial case for telecom providers to invest in the infrastructure. The government established Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) to work with local authorities to deliver the projects. In April 2012, the council submitted the Isle of Wight Broadband Plan to the government for approval and provisionally secured £3.09 million of match-funding. The choice of BT as the preferred supplier on Tuesday, follows a formal procurement process and comes after a decision was deferred at a meeting of the council’s Cabinet in August. The decision to defer was so the council could receive more information on the proposals and impact of the bid. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport - which is responsible for the match-funding grant – was among those who provided additional information. Separate from the mainly rural infrastructure scheme, particularly in more densely-populated parts of the Island where investment is more commercially-viable, BT Openreach has been upgrading its telephone exchanges and other parts of the infrastructure - so residents and businesses can benefit from higher broadband speeds. Of the approximately 72,000 premises on the Island, 52,000 are planned to be covered by commercial deployments such as those of BT Openreach. The remaining 20,000 homes and businesses, with no next generation broadband access, fall under this mainly rural areas project

Campaigning Councillor welcomes broadband deal Commenting on the Isle of Wight Cabinet’s decision to appoint BT as the preferred supplier to roll out superfast broadband to 20,000 homes and business in the rural Isle of Wight, Central Wight Councillor Bob Seely, said: “This is the right decision by the Cabinet, and I am delighted for my residents. It is good news for rural areas and good for the Island as a whole. “We have had a month of delay, so now let’s get on with it and get the infrastructure installed that will deliver higher broadband speeds. “For flexible working, working from home, setting up

businesses and for education and social use, this is really going to help my ward and rural communities. “I am sorry that Island contractors were not in the mix. In future I would welcome any plans to help Island companies get Island contracts. If the Council officers and elected leaders had said that there was an Island option, I would have jumped at the chance. However, the time for the Cabinet and the Ruling Group to have considered an Island option would have been in spring or summer, not the month that contracts need to be signed.”

Appeal for witnesses following serious injury collision in Shanklin Police are appealing for witnesses to a serious injury collision in Shanklin on the morning of the 5th September. Officers were called at around 11.33am to reports that a car was in collision with a pedestrian on Languard Manor Road. The vehicle, a red Renault Megane cabriolet was traveling towards the High Street in Shanklin when it collided with a man. The pedestrian, a man believed to be in his 80s, suffered a serious head and chest

injury and was taken to hospital by ambulance. He is currently in a stable condition. Police would like to hear from anyone who witnessed the collision or saw either party prior to it. Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Chris Powling at Roads Policing unit at Fratton by phoning 101 or the anonymous Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111. Minicom users should contact 01962 875000.

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

Ventnor Botanic Garden launches VBG:Lecture Series Ventnor Botanic Garden is delighted to announce it is launching a new programme of events to be known as VBG:Lecture Series. Each month, a different speaker will be at Ventnor Botanic Garden delivering a talk or lecture on their specialist subject. Topics will be anything from art to the environment, with all speakers providing a new and interesting perspective. It is hoped VBG:Lecture Series will bring together many different people to learn and share knowledge whilst enjoying the surroundings of the Botanic Garden. These events will be free, with any donations received being given to the VBG Friends’ Society. Kicking off the lecture series in September, Professor Robin McInnes OBE FRSA will be at the Garden on Wednesday 18th, delivering his illustrated lecture, ‘Art, Landscape and Environmental Change in the Isle of Wight Undercliff’. The lecture will take place in edulis restaurant, on the lower floor of the Visitor Centre and will begin at 7pm. Professor McInnes, author of ‘50 Years Along the Undercliff of the Isle of Wight’ has lived in the local area for some time and is a good friend of the Garden, and so was the perfect choice to help kick off the new programme.

John Curtis, Director of the nonprofit making Community Interest Company that now manages the Garden said, ‘Following the success of a lecture presented by Dr. Susanne Etti in July, we wanted to increase the Garden’s ability to teach, as well as its ability to be a hub for all different areas of the community to enjoy and make use of. We hope VBG:Lecture Series will be able to deliver something new and interesting on a whole host of different subjects and there will be something in there for everybody whether they know the subject well, or if they are just looking to explore further and learn about something new.’ Following the launch in September, the next event is confirmed for Wednesday 16th October when Tanja Rebel will be presenting her talk on the topic of Eco-Philosophy. VBG:Lecture series shall be taking place every month and potential speakers are encouraged to get in touch if they would like to be part of the programme. Entry to these events is free, but it is recommended seats are booked in advance. Please contact info@botanic.co.uk or call (01983) 855397, option 3 for more information or to book seats.

Television broadcasting in courts Live television broadcasting in courts, for the first time, is one step closer after receiving final approval in the House of Commons. From next month broadcasting will be allowed for criminal and civil cases in the Court of Appeal, where filming will be allowed of the legal arguments and the final judgment. Courts Minister Helen Grant said: ‘Justice must be seen to be done, that is why we are introducing limited television broadcasting in courts from next month. ‘We are opening up the court process to allow people to see and hear the judges’ decisions in their own words, but we will also ensure that victims and witnesses will not be filmed and will remain protected.’ The Government then intends to extend filming to allow the

broadcast of sentencing remarks in the Crown Court. However victims, witnesses, offenders and jurors will continue to be protected, and will not be part of broadcasts. The proposals will now be debated in the House of Lords prior to coming into effect in October Proceedings in the country’s highest court, The Supreme Court, are already streamed live on the internet.

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

PAPAL AWARD FOR COLLEGE PRINCIPAL The Principal of an Isle of Wight College is to be honoured by The Pope who has also agreed to pray for the College. Mrs Pat Goodhead, Principal of Christ the King College, Newport, is to be made a Dame of the Papal Equestrian Order of Saint Gregory the Great in recognition of her service to the Catholic Church. The Award will be presented at the College later in the term by the Catholic Bishop of Portsmouth, Bishop Phlip Egan, and is one of the highest Awards given by the Catholic Church. Such Awards are made only on the personal authority of His Holiness Pope Francis and are seldom made to those who are not themselves Catholics. Bishop Philip Egan says: "I am absolutely delighted at the Award the Holy Father has given to Patricia Goodhead. This is surely a recognition of the wonderful service she have given to education on the Isle of Wight, and also of her care and support of all Christians, not least to the Catholic community on the Island." David Lisseter, the Chairman of Christ the King’s Governing body, adds: “I would like to express my delight at the award and its recognition of the work and dedication of Mrs Goodhead as leader of our now nationally respected College”. Mrs Goodhead responded to news of the Award saying: “It is a great privilege to be the recipient of such a prestigious award. The news came as a complete surprise, rendering me unusually speechless but deeply grateful to those who deem me worthy of this honour. However, this is much more than a personal achievement; it is really a tribute to all those who have worked, and continue to work with me, to secure Catholic and Christian Secondary Education on the Isle of Wight. I count myself blessed to have such a wonderful job working daily with young people, and I would like to thank everyone who has supported me in the journey to achieve faith based education for current and future generations.“ Island MP, Andrew Turner, who knows the College well, sent his own message saying: “I am delighted for Pat. This is welldeserved. The work she has done at Christ the King College has transformed the chances of many Island youngsters.” Cllr Chris Whitehouse (Conservative, Newport West) who is a parent of children at Christ the King and is the College’s local

councillor, added: “By force of personality and sheer determination Mrs Goodhead has driven forward Christ the King to be the top performing state school on the Island, spiritually, pastorally and educationally, often in the teeth of determined opposition. I salute her on this splendid recognition of her contribution. I had the privilege of being invited to attend on Sunday (1st September) a Private Audience with His Holiness Pope Francis in the Vatican. I was astounded to be presented to him and have a few quiet words. I thanked him for the award of this honour to our Principal and asked him to pray for the College’s continued flourishing: Pope Francis agreed and asked in return that the College pray for him, which I am confident they will do with gusto!” Father Gerard Flynn, parish priest of St Thomas of Canterbury Credit IsleNewport, of Wight Council Church, a Governor of the College, says: “Christian and Catholic education on the Isle of Wight is affirmed in this welldeserved award to Mrs Goodhead who exemplifies many hard working and faithful professionals in our schools. They are striving to help our pupils know the reality of Christ’s promise that ‘I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ Well done, Dame Pat!” Father PJ Smith, parish priest of the South Wight, also a Governor of the College, added: “Mrs Goodhead works tirelessly for the good of the community of Christ the King College. She has not just led our college to be a beacon of excellence, but also, a beacon of Christ's light here on the Isle of Wight - I am delighted that this light has been recognised by our Holy Father.“ Cllr Richard Priest (Independent, Shanklin South), who is the Cabinet Member for Schools on the Isle of Wight Council, endorsed the award, saying: “This award recognises the contribution that Pat has made to the lives and learning of children over many years, as well as the commitment and dedication she has given to the community she serves.“ Fraser Norris, who lives in Ryde and is a sixth form student at the College, says: “I am sure I speak for all the students when I say congratulations and well done to Mrs Goodhead. She has been a strong and visible leader of our College community and this news is simply fantastic. She even gets to wear a cloak; it’ll be just like Hogwarts!”

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The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

BAILIFFS CHASING WORKING PARENTS FOR DEBTS More than 1 in 5 people who have a bailiff problem are working parents, reveal new figures from Citizens Advice. The national charity also finds that parents are more likely to have bailiffs knocking at the door chasing debts than any other household. New figures show that half of people who get help about bailiffs are families with dependent children. There is little divide between in work and unemployed families as 46% have jobs compared to 54% who are unemployed. The Citizens Advice Bureau dealt with 38,262 people with over 60,000 bailiff problems between April 2012 and March 2013. The study also uncovered a North-South divide when it comes to the scale of bailiff problems. ● The North East accounted for a sixth of all bailiff problems handled by Citizens Advice Bureaux across England and Wales. ● One in 25 problems handled by CABs in the North East are to do with bailiffs compared to just 1 in 100 in the South West. ● More than half the people in the East Midlands who have a bailiff problem are a family. Isle of Wight Citizens Advice Bureau sees people with a range of debts that are being chased by bailiffs, from council tax arrears and unpaid parking fines to loans and credit cards. Our figures show 50% of the people we see are now for council tax arrears. A bailiff threatened to bring the police to the home of a single parent, and her two children, to take away her goods despite agreeing a

repayment plan for her £1,200 debt. The mother had struggled to manage the family finances ever since her partner, who was the main breadwinner, left some years ago, resulting in longstanding council tax debts. The new findings are from an in depth analysis of 13,444 people who came to Citizens Advice between January and March 2013 with a bailiff problem. The findings reignite Isle of Wight Citizens Advice Bureau’s concerns that a shift from council tax benefits to localised support schemes could see more families struggling to pay their bill, meaning bailiffs come knocking. It’s not just the debt that is the problem. Evidence from CABs has found private bailiffs frequently overstate their powers, act aggressively and bump up debts by levying excessive and illegal fees and charges. Lee Hodgson from the Isle of Wight Citizens Advice Bureau: “With many family budgets stretched to breaking point some are finding their debts are being chased by bailiffs. This can be a really frightening experience, particularly if there are children at home. If you have received a letter from a bailiff or they have turned up on your doorstep you can get help from the Citizens Advice Bureau on what to do.” Earlier this year the Government announced plans to clamp down on rogue bailiffs from April 2014 which includes banning bailiffs from entering homes at night or when only children are present. Citizens Advice is keen to see the changes implemented but is concerned they do not get to grips with the fundamental flaw of a lack of proper controls and consequences for bailiff firms.

Woman assaulted in Elm Court Police continuing their investigation of an assault on a woman in Ryde are issuing an appeal for information. The attack occurred in the early hours in the area of Elm Court in Great Preston Road. Between 2.00am and 3.00am on Tuesday, August 27 a 42year-old woman was set upon by several other women, which led to her receiving treatment

at St Mary’s Hospital for a serious facial injury. The three of the four women were said to be in their 20s, whilst the forth was described as in her late 40s. If anyone saw or heard this disturbance during that time please contact DC Katy Lee at Newport DCID by phoning 101 or by anonymously calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555111

A Pirate-Themed Open Day

As part of the finale of the inaugural Isle of Wight Festival of the Sea, Hovertravel have introduced a pirate-themed Open Day. Hovertravel's pirate open day is on Sunday 22 September between 13:45 and 15:30. This open day will give people the chance to come and meet a pilot for briefings, join in a question and answer session with an engineer and take a tour of the craft, including the flight deck and enjoy a special 20 minute pleasure trip across the Solent. As well as

learning about the current operation, guests will also hear about the history of this iconic form of transport. Guests can expect to see pirates amongst the Hovertravel crew and there will be a prize for best dressed visiting pirate. The Hover open day is a great chance to see behind the scenes at Hovertravel and seats will be limited so it is best to book in advance to avoid disappointment. Call into the terminals at Ryde and Southsea or phone 08434 878887 for ticket sales.

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 13 th September 2013

Most powerful blade in wind industry finished Vestas has produced the first prototype 80 meter blade for the V164-8.0 MW - the world’s most powerful offshore wind turbine - at the R&D centre on the Isle of Wight. The blade will now undergo an extensive testing regime to ensure total reliability. The 80 meter blade is the longest ever produced by Vestas and uses the structural shell design, a proven concept in which the loads of the blade are carried in the shell, rather than using a spar at the centre of the blade. The length of the blade is the equivalent of nine double decker London buses and the swept area of the rotor will be 21,124m2, larger than the London Eye. In order to validate the strength and reliability of the blade it will be tested to its limits for six months, reproducing the challenging wind conditions of the North Sea over a simulated 25 year lifetime. Chief Technology Officer Anders Vedel explains the tests will provide certainty to customers looking to make large investments in offshore wind. “Test and verification of the blade is a critical stage of the development of the V164-8.0 MW,” he says. “Moving as much of the verification process as possible into our state of the art test centre ensures the blade, the bearing and other components perform to the high standards our customers expect.”

WARNING OVER FAKE NOTES Police are warning shop keepers and the general public to be vigilant following a report of counterfeit notes being circulated on the Isle of Wight. Officers have already advised island Shopwatch members about the fake £20 notes, but would like to raise awareness to members of the public to check any banknotes they receive in change. If you suspect a note is not genuine please take it to your local police

station as soon as possible. It is a criminal offence to hold onto or pass on counterfeit notes. The Bank of England website offers general guidance on how to spot a fake from the real thing. http://iow.me/p. Anyone with information can contact DS Simon Driver at Newport DCID by phoning 101. Information can be given anonymously by phoning the Crimestoppers charity 0800 555 111

HILL FARM STABLES Riding School and Pony Club Centre 01983 752502 or 07748 253899 www.hillfarmstables.com

Conmen took £80 Cash From Newport Pensioner Residents on the Island are being warned to be on their guard following a theft incident in Fairlee Road, Newport At about 2.30pm on Tuesday, September 3, two men tricked a pensioner into giving them money after they called at her home offering to do some gardening work. The conmen originally quoted a large sum of money to remove some garden refuse and when the victim, who is in their 80s, told them she only had £80 in cash in her purse, they took the money and left without taking away the rubbish. Investigating officer, Detective Sergeant John Walton said: “We believe these conmen are travelling across to the island and targeting elderly and vulnerable people. “They are offering to buy items, which end up being stolen or

offer services in exchange for what is often a disproportionate amount of money. “I would advise home owners to always check the credentials of unknown callers and contact police immediately if they receive a suspicious caller or see any suspicious vehicles in the area. “We understand that sometimes people feel embarrassed to get in touch with police after being tricked or duped, but we would urge anyone who has been a victim of a distraction scam to get in touch with us by phoning 101.” Anyone with information can contact DS Johh Walton of Newport DCID by phoning 101. Information can be given anonymously by phoning the independent Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

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