Issue 39 - The Isle of Wight Mail by Isle of Wight Mail

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The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

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ISSUE NUMBER 39 Monday 25th Aug 2014

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The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

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Red Funnel Appoints a New Fleet and Technical Director Red Funnel has pleased to announced that it has appointed Mark Slawson OBE as Fleet and Technical Director with effect from 15th September 2014. Mark is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the Institute of Marine Engineers and was awarded an OBE in the 2013 New Year’s Honours in recognition of his achievements in improving technical training within the Armed Forces. His previous roles included Commandant of the Defence Technical College, the organisation responsible for UKwide engineering training, as well as 30 years of senior marine engineering experience with the Royal Navy. He acquired a high level of management experience as Commanding Officer of HMS Sultan in Gosport and as Head of the MOD’s Fleet Customer Support Team. Previous roles included Superintendent of Fleet Maintenance at HM Naval Base in Portsmouth and substantial sea-going experience as the Senior Engineer Officer on-board the Royal Navy’s warship HMS Ocean. Mark joins Red Funnel at an exciting time as the business continues to grow. His significant project management knowledge and experience in organisational development will be invaluable as the Company plans for future vessel and terminal upgrades. Kevin George, Red Funnel CEO commented “We are delighted that Mark is joining the team as his skills and experience will be invaluable in helping to improve both our operational efficiency and further developing our already high standards of service.”

Mark Slawson OBE

DUKE OF KENT TO PRESENT AWARDS TO ISLAND ORGANISATIONS His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent is to visit the Isle of Wight on Wednesday 17 September 2014. He will visit IFPL near Calbourne, an international product development company which specialises in tailored engineering solutions for the global inflight entertainment industry. The Duke of Kent will present the company with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade, which was awarded to the company in April this year. The Duke of Kent will also visit the Isle of Wight Society for the Blind where he will present the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. The award recognises the dedication of the charity’s volunteers who undertake a range of activities to benefit blind and visually impaired people on the Island. These include home visiting and befriending, social and activities groups, a weekly talking newspaper and an audio library. During the afternoon, the Duke of Kent is to visit Carisbrooke Castle where he will receive a tour of the historic site by representatives from English Heritage. The Duke will also tour Carisbrooke Castle Museum with its manager. The museum was

By Lisa Billard

founded in 1898 by Princess Beatrice in memory of her husband, Prince Henry of Battenberg, it is now an independent charitable trust. Finally, His Royal Highness will visit the Isle of Wight County Press, the Island’s weekly newspaper. The paper has remained in independent ownership since it was established 130 years ago, with members of the Brannon and Bradbeer families sitting on the board of directors throughout that time. The Duke of Kent will meet representatives from both families along with the team of staff responsible for compiling the newspaper each week. Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, Major General Martin White CB CBE JP, said: “It is wonderful that His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent is to present two Queen’s Awards to local organisations. It is a great opportunity to highlight the outstanding work that takes place on the Isle of Wight – both in business and the voluntary sector. I am very much looking forward to welcoming the Duke back to the Island.”

OPERA TOTTIE COMES TO VENTNOR Opera Tottie starring Carolyn Allen and Paul Smith are bringing their show ‘Shaken, Stirred With A Twist’ to the Isle of Wight. This is a classy, clever, stylish cabaret that spans opera to jazz. They promise a glamourous evening of warmth, wit and laughter in the luxury of Ventnor Arts Club. Carolyn may well be a familiar face to many of you given her many TV appearances playing Dennis Waterman’s ex-wife in New Tricks

By Laura Downton

and, memorably, Vonny, the sexy stripper and snake charmer, in Only Fools and Horses. Opera Tottie is a very different, friendly and engaging show bringing a little cabaret style glamour and sparkle from the West End to the Island - a bit of a theme at Ventnor Arts Club. There are two shows on Friday 29th & Saturday 30th August and tickets are available now, online via www.ventnorartsclub.com or at the club.

Second MP Discussion Group Date Set M

Andrew Turner's Office

The Island’s MP Andrew Turner has set up a second discussion group meeting following on from the first meeting held a few months ago at which employment was discussed. The meeting will be about the National Health Service and gives Islanders the chance to talk with him and other attendees about their ideas on policy and the future of the NHS. Positive points from the first discussion group included the constructive and informal nature of the debate and the opportunity for all those attending to speak and air their views in a relatively relaxed environment. The meeting will take place on Thursday the 28t of August at 6pm. It will again be in the restaurant of the Riverside Centre in Newport and will last for a maximum of 90 minutes. Mr Turner said: “I enjoyed the first discussion group meeting and had good feedback from those who attended, so have decided to build on that success. As before, people with any political views, and indeed none, are welcome to attend. “Places are limited so that everybody present can contribute; priority will be given to those who let my office know in advance that they wish to attend. The NHS is something that Islanders contact me about regularly and so this will be a great opportunity to debate a subject that I know is close to the hearts of many people.” “You can book a place at the meeting by contacting Mr Turner’s office on 01983 530808 or by emailing mail@islandmp.org.”

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The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

IOW NHS Trust is taking part in Cycle to Work Day and Britain’s Biggest Bike Breakfast M NHS IOW Trust

Isle of Wight NHS Trust is joining organisers of Cycle to Work Day and encouraging their employees to pledge to cycle to work on Thursday 4th September 2014. Last year’s event saw tens of thousands of cyclists taking part nationally. Over a quarter of a million miles were pledged, nearly 7,000kg of CO2 were offset and over 12 million calories were burnt. This is the first year that the Island’s NHS has taken part in this activity and it is set to be even bigger and better. Local NHS staff on the Island will be offered a free breakfast for those that cycle into work on the day. The breakfast will be available from the Full Circle Restaurant at St. Mary’s Hospital on production of ID and confirmation from their manager that they travelled in to work on that day on two wheels. Liz Nials, IOW NHS Trust Lead for Equality and Diversity, said: “We want to recognise the efforts of those staff who make the effort to

cycle to work on this day by offering them a free breakfast when they arrive. As a Trust, we support cycling to work throughout the year and offer a Cycle to Work Salary Sacrifice Scheme which is open to all Trust and Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) employees.” Britain’s Biggest Bike Breakfast is not just about rewarding those that cycle into work, there is also a benefit to not starting the day on an empty stomach, as British Cycling’s Coaching and Education Manager, Vinny Webb, explains: “A post-ride bite to eat, such as a bowl of porridge, is an important way to start the day and helps your body to refuel. That reenergised feeling you’ll get from cycling to work will help you to feel set for a day at work, not least because you’ll then be looking forward to a ride home that evening...” For more information on Cycle to Work Day, please visit www.cycletoworkday.org

FIRST SPORTING EVENT FOR ACTIVATORS TO BE HELD By Simon Butler M The first sporting event to be organised by the Isle of Wight Council's new community sport activators has been arranged. Earlier this year, the council secured £250,000 in funding from Sport England's Community Sport Activation Fund to set up a range of new physical activity events across the Island and employ two new staff to organise sessions. The idea behind the scheme is to encourage people of all ages to get active while also expanding the range of after school sports activities for young people. With the staff now in place, the first event they've organised is a free family day where participants can run, jog or walk either two and a half or five kilometres. The event is being held from 10am at Medina Leisure Centre on Sunday 28 September and is in conjunction with the Isle of Wight Athletics Club as part of the Run Wight initiative. Councillor Steve Stubbings, Executive member for community well-being, said: "Sporting activities are a great way to keep fit as part of a healthier lifestyle. "The council's new community sports activators have been tasked with creating opportunities across the Island because it is important there is a lot of choice for people of all ages. "This event on 28 September is a great way for all the family to get involved." To take part, booking is essential and a registration form is required. To request a form and book a place, email runwight2014@gmail.com

Absolutely fantastic results for Christ the King M

Commenting on the official announcement of the first ever A-Level results By Chris Whitehouse from Christ the King College, Newport, Cllr Chris Whitehouse (Newport West) who speaks on education for the Conservative Group of Isle of Wight Councillors said: “What absolutely fantastic results for Christ the King. They can be really proud that their first ever set of results see 100% of their university applicants being successful. Their sixth form is already outstanding and shows what our youngsters can achieve.” The councillor, whose ward of Newport West includes Christ the King added: “There has been blood, sweat and tears to get this sixth form launched. It was starved of resources by the previous administration and has not yet received any real financial help from the new Independent regime. Why such a successful school is not celebrated and supported with the finance it needs remains a mystery to me. Let’s hope this changes in its senior year every year since the College’s launch. He and his friends in the near future. “I have been intimately involved in Christ the King’s journey because my have worked hard to achieve their results and they can be proud as they son, Jonathan, has had the privilege of being a student there and has been leave the Island for university: they are our ambassadors for the future.”

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The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

Virtual Hospice UPGRADE FOR POPULAR for Children up PUBLIC ROUTE M for Award By Simon Butler

By IOW CCG

A unique service on the Island which has been designed to meet the immediate needs of its community in providing end of life care to children and young people has been shortlisted for a national award. In 2010 the Island’s Clinical Commissioning Group carried out a service evaluation and identified gaps in the local respite provision, specific psychological services and option of hospice care for children at end of life. The nearest palliative care provision for children is at Naomi House, Winchester. Although it is recognised as a fabulous resource, many Island families felt that it was too far, time consuming and expensive to travel. The ‘Virtual Hospice’ which has been set up by the Island’s NHS Children's Community Nursing Team, in collaboration with the Clinical Commissioning Group, offers support and care to families at a location of their choice following a devastating diagnosis. The term ‘virtual’ is used as the service does not operate from one location. The team work with families in their homes to develop individualised care plans and support through respite and work closely with the YMCA psychology service who work with families from the point of diagnosis through to bereavement. Becky Hepworth, Children’s Community Nurse Team Leader for the Isle of Wight NHS Trust, said: “Collaborative working and inventive thinking has enabled us to provide a service that was previously unavailable to families on the Island. The health- led respite, psychological services and alternative option for end of life care were non-existent before 2010 and the option for families was a long, expensive trip to the mainland. Becky continued: “The feedback we have received since we started has been overwhelmingly favourable. Families have said they feel supported and more able to cope with the tough times and to enjoy the good times. We are very proud of our achievements and the impact the service has already had and we continue to work with the Earl Mountbatten Hospice and local charities to expand provisions for children with lifelimited conditions on the Island. We are really excited to have been recognised by the Nursing Times Awards as a finalist.” Rachael Hayes, Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “For any service to be clinically effective and responsive to a family’s needs it has to be designed and delivered to respond to the immediate needs of its community; the virtual hospice gives children and families a choice of care at this difficult time. We are delighted for the Children’s Community Nursing Team to be recognised nationally and for Island families who are now benefiting from this unique service.” All finalists will find out if they have won at the Nursing Times Awards 2014 on Wednesday 29th October at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London. The majority of services provided by Isle of Wight NHS Trust are commissioned and funded by Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), NHS England and Isle of Wight Council.

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Works to upgrade a well used public route near Ryde have been completed in partnership with Island Roads. Using money secured under the government's Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF), more than £130,000 has been spent improving the route that runs between Fishbourne Lane and Quarr Road, Binstead. It is part of the overall project to create a safe, traffic free and well surfaced route between Ryde and Newport. The old stone and gravel route has been replaced with a cement-bound base overlaid with a surface dressing that is in keeping with the rural setting of the area. The new route is now suitable for walkers, cyclists, horse riders, wheelchair users and people with pushbuggies. New gates at either end of the route have also been installed. With Quarr Abbey undergoing its own refurbishment recently, the council also worked very closely with the abbey and with Island Roads, which carried out the improvements on the route, to ensure any disruption during works was kept to a minimum. Councillor Luisa Hillard, Executive member for

sustainability, environment and public realm, said: "I am very pleased to see this latest shared route finished and it is a testament to the hard work done by officers. "With Quarr Abbey itself also recently undergoing refurbishment works using Heritage Lottery funds, the upgraded route from Ryde provides improved opportunities for visitors to the abbey without needing to use a car." Councillor Shirley Smart, Executive member for economy and tourism, added: "This route is well used and is popular with residents and tourists alike. The old route was in need of upgrading and I am delighted these excellent improvements have been carried out which means the route can be enjoyed by so many people including walkers, cyclists and horse riders." The Isle of Wight Council was recently informed its latest bid for funding under the government's next round of LSTF money has been accepted. The council will find out in the autumn how much it will receive, having put in a bid for just under one million pounds of revenue funding.

BORIS MOSCOFF AND MARTIN M EVANS PRINTS Andrew Turner's Office

An exhibition of prints by two leading Island artists are currently on display at the Full Circle Exhibition Space. The exhibition focuses on the personal artworks of Boris Moscoff and Martin Evans; two artists who have previously supplied artwork for public sites as part of St. Mary’s ‘Healing Environments’ programme. Prints by Martin Evans are inspired by the Italian Renaissance use of coloured woods to make marquetry panels for churches and furniture using different coloured woods or local stone and have been drawn and printed using an Apple Mac computer. Boris Moscoff has printed using the Giclee method which are signed limited edition prints of original paintings onto watercolour quality paper. Both artists are currently working on the new ‘Four Seasons’ garden at St. Mary’s Hospital which is an outdoor space for patients, who also happen to have dementia, to enjoy. Commenting on the exhibition and the artwork commissioned for the new Four Seasons Garden, Guy Eades, Healing Arts Director, said: “Boris Moscoff and Martin Evans are working closely with the Totland Alzheimer’s Café, Freshwater Memory Club and the Dementia Care team at Shackleton ward to design and make artworks for the new garden at St. Mary’s. This exhibition also gives the opportunity to see some of their own personal and original artwork and the diversity of mediums they use.”

Guy Eades, continued: “The Full Circle Exhibition Space is open to any artist who wishes to exhibit around the theme of ‘Health’ and we welcome enquiries.” Martin Evans runs the ‘GloryArtGlass’ studio in Sandown and is working on window designs and a glass sculpture for the garden. Together with his son, Edward, Martin makes a range of hand-blown contemporary glass and etched glass for buildings and also offers a range of educational /schools workshops. You can see other examples of their work at the Chemotherapy Garden and Seagrove Ward Garden at St. Mary’s Hospital or online at www.iow.nhs.uk/healingarts The display of prints at Full Circle Exhibition Space, Level B, St. Mary’s is open daily and free of charge.

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The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

DON’T WRAP KIDS IN COTTON WOOL

Green-fingered Islanders recognised in 2014 Wight in Bloom Competition The 2014 Wight in Bloom Awards Presentation took place on Saturday 16th August at The Parish Town Hall in Newport with the winners of the six categories announced by Jonathan Green, Red Funnel’s Marketing & Communications Director. Jo Cox from East Cowes was the overall winner and received a beautiful glass trophy whilst category winners were each given a Red Funnel short-break return trip for a car + 7 people. Those who came in second place received a £40 gift voucher. Northwood School also received a special prize of a return Red Funnel ferry trip for a whole class. Wight in Bloom is a much treasured competition which has been running for many years. It sees local communities work together to plant, prune and dress local gardens and communal spaces, ready to be judged by Peggy Jarman and her green-fingered team. This year’s competition had been in doubt due to lack of sponsorship but Red Funnel came to the rescue to ensure the Island kept hold of this horticultural highlight. Red Funnel’s sponsorship of Wight in Bloom enabled voluntary groups to buy plants for their

By Laura Downton

communities and gave Islanders a chance to display the Isle of Wight at its colourful best to the influx of summer tourists. Red Funnel has confirmed that it will continue its sponsorship of Wight in Bloom to help make next year bigger and even better. Jonathan Green commented: “It has been an absolute pleasure to sponsor Wight in Bloom and I would like to publically thank Peggy Jarman and her team of volunteers for organising such a fantastic competition. The standard of entries has been amazing and it has helped the Island look its very best this summer.” Peggy Jarman, Wight in Bloom organiser, said: “It was really tough to choose the winners for the competition this year, as there were so many incredible entrants. A new standard has been set for next year and we are thrilled to have Red Funnel on board once again.”

St John Ambulance is calling on parents all across the country to learn first aid, as new research shows that they would be more likely to let their children play outside if they felt confident in administering first aid. As the summer holidays draw to a close, the nation’s leading first aid charity is encouraging parents to learn these vital life saving skills so they can have the peace of mind to let their kids play outside at home for the rest of the break. New research from St John Ambulance shows that: ● 78% of parents are more likely to let their children play outside when on holiday than at home ● 67% of parents would be more likely to let their children play outside if they felt confident administering first aid The nation’s leading first aid charity has this summer launched a short spoof film, ‘Safety Suit’, sending up today’s ‘cotton wool culture’ in order to encourage parents to pick up potentially life saving skills online for peace of mind when children are playing outdoors. With 450,000 children attending accident and emergency departments in England every year[3], St John Ambulance is offering parents a solution that will allow children to have fun both on holiday and at home. In St John Ambulance’s short film ‘Safety Suit’ a young boy’s wellmeaning parents buy him a padded suit for his birthday that will allow him to play outdoors safely. But his parents’ dream of creating a safe world for him to play in soon turns into a struggle as he discovers that the bulky outfit makes even the simplest acts impossible. Sue Killen, CEO at St John Ambulance, said: ‘Safety Suit is a funny film with a serious message: you don’t need to wrap your children in cotton wool to protect them. Parents who learn first aid gain the peace of mind to let their children enjoy everything childhood has to offer, as well as the knowledge to look after them, whatever happens. Young people should be able to enjoy their summer holidays but should also be able to play outside when they’re back at home too – just taking a few minutes to learn some skills on our website will help make that a reality.’ St John Ambulance believes no child should suffer for a lack of first aid, and is calling on parents to visit www.sja.org.uk/safetysuit to learn how to help their child in an emergency. The website hosts free, simple, step by step first aid advice specifically for parents, and information on first aid courses taking place in their area.

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

Councillor: Island music centre as an "invaluable asset" M

By Chris Whitehouse

An Isle of Wight Councillor has described an Island music centre as an “invaluable asset” of the Island’s music education scene. Speaking on a visit to the Platform One College of Music, Cllr Chris Whitehouse (Newport West) who leads on education for the Conservative Group of Isle of Wight Councillors said: “This college really is an invaluable asset for Island music education. It has fantastic facilities including professional recording studios, performance rooms and IT equipment; and is able to offer a huge range of learning options from the Saturday Rock School for keen youngsters from all over the Island, through BTEC Extended Diplomas in Music, to a full time three year contemporary music BA (Hons) Commercial Music degree course backed by the University of Chichester.” The councillor visited Platform One to find out more about the quality and diversity of the courses they provide and the contribution they can make to driving up education outcomes on the Island through their focus and their forward thinking. “Frankly” added Cllr Whitehouse “All our high schools should be engaging with this fantastic local facility so that, particularly in the 16+ age group, students around the Island can be briefed on the tremendous opportunities the College offers for students who are certain that music is an industry in which they want to be involved.” The councillor also praised Platform One’s results saying “The College just seems to go from strength to strength, delivering excellent educational outcomes across the board, but particularly for those students who may have started more traditional AS levels in subjects about which they were not really passionate, only to underperform and then to come to the College a year late. I would confidently say to any parent that if your child has a gift for music and/or a desire to get into the music production industry, then Platform One is an option they should seriously consider.” Platform One receives extensive support from the leading music events on the Island with the Isle of Wight Festival’s John Giddings and Rob Da Bank of Bestival both serving as patrons. Speaking after the councilor’s visit, Platform One Director, David Pontin said: “It is always great to show people that Platform One is a serious choice for Post-16 learners. Platform One is not about creating pop stars - we are a serious college where young people can develop the essential employment skills and knowledge needed to work in this exciting and vibrant industry.”

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Cllr Whitehouse trying out the state of the art recording facilities at Platform One.

Rehabilitation Unit Summer Fayre M

IOW NHS

The Rehabilitation Unit at St. Mary’s Hospital, Newport, Isle of Wight is holding a Summer Fayre on Saturday 30st August between 1.00p.m. and 4.00p.m.. The event will be held in the garden area adjacent to the Rehabilitation Unit which is at the north or top end of the hospital site. The event will be signposted from the hospital duck pond and there will be free parking in a nearby car park. Sister Natalie Mew from the Rehabilitation Unit said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming the friends and family of all current patients and staff as well as those who have been rehabilitation patients or visited the Unit or worked on the ward in recent years. The funds raised will be used to help maintain our garden for the benefit of patients.” Activities planned for the event include: Irish dancing, a bouncy castle, Games, Face painting, Raffle, Refreshments andIce cream van The 26 bedded Rehabilitation Unit supports over 500 patients each year to achieve a full recovery following trauma, elective surgery or medical illness. If a full recovery is not possible the unit enables people to optimise their physical, mental and social potential in order to return home or to the most appropriate environment.

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The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

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The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

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Red Funnel volunteers keep the island looking clean Staff at Red Funnel have been helping to keep the Isle of Wight spick and span by picking litter along the River Medina. A team of eighteen volunteers, made up of Red Funnel staff and their families, cleaned along the riverbank for a mile from the Folly Inn near East Cowes to the Island Harbour Marina. The clean-up operation was organised by Red Funnel as part of its drive to keep coastlines clear from rubbish, safe for wildlife and looking good for the 2.4million tourists who visit the island and boost the economy every year. Shirley Anderson, HR director at the firm, said: “It was fantastic to see people turning up to help with the

By Laura Downton

clean-up. Everyone put in so much effort; even our youngest volunteer who was only three! It was incredible to see how much of a difference it made to this part of the island.” The volunteers managed to collect around 20 bags of litter, which, as well as the usual cans and bottles, included stranger items like flowerpots and 10m of blue plastic piping. Shirley added: “This is something we’d like to grow next year, so we’ll be looking for more volunteers, including customers, to cover a larger area. We’ve seen what can be achieved when people pull together, and we

Andy Reed Photography

know we can make a huge impact to the natural areas on the island.” Red Funnel is aiming to hold the next clean-up in spring, to get the island ready for another busy tourist season. For further information and reservations please call Red Funnel or visit www.redfunnel.co.uk

#SeaChange M

Ben Cummings

2014 was the first year for Cowesbased youth charity, UKSA, as the official charity of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week. It was a week full of royalty, celebrities, racing, sending bosses 100ft up the mast of a yacht as well as plenty of activities for the public to get involved with. UKSA set a fundraising target of £35,000 – enough to give every Year 6 child on the Isle of Wight a session on the water with them at their Cowes campus. The total raised so far stands at almost £33,000 and rising with monies still coming in. During the week the charity took around 450 people out on keelboats to ‘Try Sailing’ and ran huge gutters full of water for regatta visitors to try miniature ‘gutterboat’ racing. Title sponsor, Aberdeen Asset Management, provided support for the charity by facilitating the design of an official charity t-shirt by fashion icon Amanda Wakeley (funded by the event’s family of sponsors) as well as by donating £2 each time a boat racing in the regatta passed the Aberdeen Alpha mark. UKSA also sent 15 'bosses' up the mast, hoisting them 100ft up on their 65ft Farr yacht in a fundraising spectacle which was successful in encouraging many generous donations. Among those to scale the dizzy heights were Nick Gill, Founder of the regatta’s clothing partner Gill Marine, and Burr Taylor, of Sturge Taylor, the leaders in luxury yacht insurance. Several celebrity skippers helped the charity reach the national press. Pippa Middleton joined UKSA’s young ambassadors for some sailing, accompanied by double Olympic gold-medallist Shirley Robertson. The charity’s Royal Patron HRH The Princess Royal raced her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence on UKSA’s identical Farr 65s on another day with the princess victorious at the helm. Also on board over the course of the week were UKSA’s ambassador, Paralympic gold-medal winning sailor Helena Lucas, as well as the Olympic silver-medal winning pentathlete Heather Fell, Olympic bronze-medallist hockey player Alex Danson and Bestival curator and well-known DJ Rob Da Bank. In addition, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh met UKSA’s young ambassadors during his visit to the regatta. Heather Fell said: “I was flattered to be asked to sail with UKSA. It’s a really cool charity to be able to support. I am such a believer in sport generally being a massive help to young people, especially outdoor sport, so sailing is just perfect. The more young people we can give the opportunity to sail to, the better, as it is a sport you can do at any level.” Alex Danson sailed with UKSA fresh from winning a silver medal in the Commonwealth Games. She said: “I think UKSA is a wonderful charity and my passion is young people too so I’m delighted to be involved.” UKSA’s chief executive Richard Thornton said: “This has been an incredible Cowes Week for UKSA. We made a real impact with the community and were able to spread the message that UKSA is a youth charity that does real good and achieves tremendous results.”

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The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

Edana Minghella presents Body & Soul A Tribute to Billie Holiday at Ventnor Arts Club September 12 th and 13th 2014

By Ventnor Arts Club

Much-loved Island-born jazz vocalist Edana Minghella presents a stunning jazz tribute to Billie Holiday at the sumptuous Ventnor Arts Club over two nights in September. Presented for the first time at Brighton Fringe Festival this year to a packed, highly appreciative audience, the show received a 5 star review. Billie Holiday was born into poverty in 1915 and died before her 45th birthday. With her unique voice and phrasing and her dramatic intensity, “Lady Day” became one of the most significant and best-loved jazz divas in history. “Billie Holiday was the first jazz singer I ever heard. She mesmerised me”, says Edana. “Her poignant voice, its fragility and its emotion, moved me utterly. Now, when I connect with and move my audience, it’s because of Billie’s influence. When I learnt about her life, I was determined to pay tribute to her in concert, and, I hope, in a special album coming soon.” Edana will perform a slightly different set each evening, interspersed with stories from Billie’s tragic, but inspiring, life. Expect to be captivated by a mix of emotional ballads and down and dirty blues from Billie’s vast repertoire, including the eponymous Body and Soul, a heartbreaking Don’t Explain and signature Lover Man, written especially for Billie and inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1989. Edana’s band features Mick Smith on piano, Pete Maxfield on double bass and, on alto sax, special guest Lee Goodall, who has performed and recorded with a galaxy of stars including Van Morrison, Steve Gadd and Dr John. Edana said: “I’m thrilled to be bringing this special show that means so much to me, to the Island, and especially to the intimate luxury of Ventnor Arts Club.” Accompanied by fine wines and cocktails, these will be moving, uplifting and highly personal performances of song and story that anyone who loves the power of the voice and the magic of jazz will not want to miss. Tickets for these very special evenings will be strictly limited and are available online now via www.ventnorartsclub.com

GCSE RESULTS M

By Simon Butler

Provisional GCSE results show a significant improvement for some schools on the Isle of Wight, although the overall proportion achieving five A* to C GCSE passes, including English and mathematics, has declined slightly from 2013. Results reported by the Island’s secondary schools show 47 per cent achieved five A* to C GCSE passes, including English and mathematics, almost two per cent lower than the 2013 result. Limited national information is available but in 2013, 60.6 per cent of students achieved the same measure. As has been widely reported there have been some major changes to GCSEs this year and while the overall impact on the national picture is unclear these changes have resulted in a 1.9 per cent decline in the A* to C national pass rate in English GCSE. Around 1,500 pupils on the Island sat exams this summer. The achievement of five or more A* to C grades including English and mathematics is the government target for pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 (aged 16) and achieving this prepares young people for their post-16 education. When the official results are published later in the autumn, schools will also be judged against some new targets including the progress children have made in English and mathematics and their performance in their 'best eight' subjects. Councillor Richard Priest, Executive member for children’s services, said: “All those who sat GCSE and vocational examinations should be praised for their achievements and we appreciate the work of parents in supporting them. “I am pleased that some schools have improved their results but we all must recognise that overall we still have a long way to go. When we entered into the partnership with Hampshire we did not anticipate major improvements in GCSEs in the first year. We have laid the foundations on which we are already building for the future. “The improvements we have already seen in primary schools are very encouraging and we anticipate the work we have done with secondary schools will bring about similar improvement. This is especially in light of the recent positive comments from Ofsted on the arrangements we have in place for school improvement.”

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The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

BESTIVAL

UNVEILING BESTIVAL’S

HIDDEN DELIGHTS

As you wend your merry way across Bestival’s Desert Island Disco, past the jaw-dropping brilliance of The Port, and through Bollywood’s exotic charms, out across the Stardust Field and beyond, far into the Grassy Hill, you might just be lucky enough to stumble across some of Bestival’s fabled jewels and hidden delights. Tucked away in unknown corners there are myriad pleasures to discover, and hours of enchantment and hilarity to unearth. Brimming with wondrous and unexpected raptures, Bestival is a gold mine of the preposterous; a demented kingdom of unanticipated folly in moonstruck fields of Elysium. Rob da Bank says: "I love all the music at Bestival, (obviously!), but one of the things I get most excited about every year is all the wildness and magical stuff you just fall into without realising what's happening. We've got some top notch line-ups for Club Dada, all the mad Polka stuff in the lovely Travelling Barn and Pig's Big Ballroom action that will make you dance all night long, so be sure to check them out. And keep on exploring - you never know what you might find". Side-stepping everyday affairs and lurching headlong into inexplicable territories, you may happen upon one of Bestival’s greatest hidden treasures, the absurdist utopia that is Club DaDa. Brought to you by Continental Drifts (the peeps behind Shangri La and London Remixed Festival) and DJ Chris Tofu, they’ll gleefully fill your brains with the finest swinging new music in a vintage remixed style, before sending you off, further into Bestival’s depths. Keeping everybody who’s stumbled upon this particular joy in previous years on their toes, our wildly unpredictable Polka action is moving to a brand new and brilliant wooden home called the Travelling Barn. Featuring an anarchic mash up of the best Balkan and Polka music and the newest young folk

Simon Blackmore

musicians and hoedown bands, it’s a whirlwind of sound and sensation, with nought but a fantastic Real Ale bar to keep you anchored in reality… Supercharging old school beats and throwing down some deliriously danceable treats, our paean to treasures of yore, Pig’s Big Ballroom, programmed by Greg of Greg’s Greats renown, always fails to disappoint on an epic scale, blowing all and sundry away with red blooded and vivacious melodic thrills from across musical hinterlands and decades. And this year they have the inimitable Mungo Jerry on board to take things to even greater new heights, too! And that’s not all; Ray-Ban will be on hand for the very first time to share The Order of Never Hide. Join the order online at their website Ray-Ban.com, and then visit their venue in the Magic Meadow to take part in a series of curious challenges soundtracked by our resident Bestival DJs. Onwards into the unknown, gazing into the heavens, Bestival are proud to present Oberon’s Observatory. Built by Dr. Oberon, the observatory is a ramshackle but beautiful edifice with a stargazer’s viewing platform, replete with bestiscopes for studying the curiosities happening across the festival and searching for the stars. And for those in the know, the Caravanserai troubadours have returned once again with a whole new bunch of performers from Cirque Bijou in their wake. Expect the same theatrical wonderstuff, trapeze and magic, an excellent menu at their side-show bar! Making exploring every corner of Robin Hill a must, don’t deny yourself the very real pleasures of Bestival’s hidden treasures. More Desirable Incredible Sexy Crazy Opinions:- www.bestival.net / Facebook / Twitter / Tumblr

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WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO BESTIVAL 2014 The IW Mail has teamed up with Bestival to offer a pair of tickets to their Desert Island Disco on the Isle of Wight this September.

With 10 fields of wonderment filled with amazing music, insane sideshows and magical happenings, Bestival 2014, taking place at Robin Hill Country Park from September 4th 7th, is jam-packed with party flavours and escapist action. This year’s gargantuan line-up features headline sets from OutKast, Foals, Chic featuring Nile Rodgers and Beck, plus live sets from Busta Rhymes, Disclosure, Paloma Faith, Basement Jaxx, Major Lazer, London Grammar, Sam Smith and Candi Staton among many others. There will also be DJ sets from Sven Vath, Annie Mac, Chase & Status, a Ram Records takeover, Skream, Derrick Carter, Eats Everything, Green Velvet, Boyz Noise, Jaguar Skills, James Blake’s 1-800 Dinosaur and lots more. And the Bestival Big Top hosted by BBC Radio 6 Music will see the cream of their presenter team introducing the likes of Bonobo, SBTRKT, Temples, dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip, Peter Hook & The Light and more. The music line-up might be massive but anyone who’s been to Bestival knows it’s not all about the music, there are incredible must-see attractions like The Port, the Wishing Tree, The Grand Palace of Entertainment, Come Dancing, Reggae Roots, Club Dada, The Ambient Forest, Caravanserai and the legendary Bollywood Cocktail Bar, offering out-of-this-world entertainment, all topped off with a truly mesmerising fireworks finale. For more information and to book tickets go to www.bestival.net or call 0844 888 4410 All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning a pair of Bestival Tickets is tell us what year did the port arrive at Robin Hill – Was it a) 2011, b) 2012 or c) 2013? Entries must be submitted via www.iwmail.co.uk/bestivalcomp. One lucky winner will be picked and announced on our facebook wall ( http://facebook.com/isleofwightmail) on Thursday 28th August 2014.

BESTIVAL

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

THE FEAST COLLECTIVE COMES TO BESTIVAL Since Bestival first began a decade ago it’s been our mission to ensure that all the grub we have on offer is utterly delicious, top notch fare imbued with edible excitement. So, for Bestival 2014 we are delighted to announce The Feast Collective, our brand new food lovers’ haven bursting with unforgettably sexy flavours. Destined to inflame your food affections, The Feast Collective brings together a truly mouth-watering array of provocative food producers, steamy street food wizards and intoxicating cooks in one exquisitely appetizing tent, replete with banqueting tables, music and, of course, the most seductive festival food you’re ever likely to taste. Bestival’s inaugural Feast Collective lineup features a host of carefully handpicked culinary artists who will shamelessly tease your taste buds and arouse your hunger, including the moist delights of the Cake Shop Bakery, unique Indian street food flavours from Rola Wala, BBQ ecstasy from Smokestak, New York inspired wieners from Big Apple Hot Dogs, a taste of sunny Folkestone harbour thanks to crustacean champions Crabbieshack, exotic patty piquancy from Bhangra Burgers, vegetarian and vegan joys from Wholefood Heaven, the essence of Asian street food via Dorset thanks to Dorshi and African taste explosions courtesy of Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen. We’ll also have none-more fashionable Raclette cheese action from Le Rac Shack, a fusion of Caribbean and Middle Eastern cuisine from Biblos, supernatural tastiness from Psychic Burger, hog genius from The Cauldron, melt in the mouth meatballs from Great Balls of Fire Bros, traditional butchers fare from Thoroughly Wild Meat Company, sausage roll sensations from Little Jack Horner, sushi from Happy Maki, freshly made juices and smoothies from the Elephant Juice Bar, and lovingly hand-made gourmet pies from Tom’s Pies. Making a triumphantly toothsome return to Bestival this year, The Surplus Supper Club, (the catering and events arm of the charity FareShare South West) will be serving delicious Sunday roasts – everyday at Bestival! All about taste and not waste, it’s sure to be a four-day roadblock, so make sure you book to guarantee yourself the restorative powers of a decadently delicious roast dinner. Once you’ve satisfied your feasting desires you’ll no doubt want to indulge in some tasty liquid refreshment and that’s where you’d be in luck, as we have a multitude of watering holes to quench your thirst. Brand new for 2014 is Josie da Bank’s Jam Jar Bar, featuring a generous selection of nature-inspired potions, with a decadent champagne garden to boot. Right next door is the trusty Pink Flamingo Cocktail Bar, which, as its name suggests, supplies cocktails galore. There are also drinkies to be had at bric-a-brac strewn Caravanserai and a brand new Rum Shack situated near the Reggae Roots stage! Guaranteed to ignite uncontrollable food lust and send your appetite into overdrive, make sure you dine in style in our festival paradise at The Feast Collective and the Surplus Supper Club.

MORE FOOD ADVENTURES IN A FIELD! FEATURING COOL CUISINE FROM: THE CAKE SHOP BAKERY / ROLA WALA / SMOKESTAK / BIG APPLE HOT DOGS / CRABBIESHACK / BHANGRA BURGER / WHOLEFOOD HEAVEN / DORSHI / ZOE'S GHANA KITCHEN / LE RAC SHACK / BIBLOS / PSYCHIC BURGER / THE CAULDRON / GREAT BALLS OF FIRE BROS / THE THOROUGHLY WILD MEAT COMPANY / LITTLE JACK HORNER / HAPPY MAKI / ELEPHANT JUICE BAR / TOM'S PIES PLUS

THE SURPLUS SUPPER CLUB IS BACK! AND COCKTAILS GALORE

JOSIE DA BANK’S JAM JAR BAR / PINK FLAMINGO COCKTAIL BAR / CARAVANSERAI / RUM SHACK

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

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The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

NEW JOBS CREATED BY SUSTAINABLE MARINE ENERGY AS IT DELIVERS NEW TIDAL ENERGY PROJECTS M By Christopher Barrass

The Isle of Wight’s innovative tidal energy firm, Sustainable Marine Energy (SME), is creating new jobs as it develops unique sustainable electricity projects – thanks to two of the area’s most important green energy funds. East Cowes-based SME has been awarded the grants by the IoW Council’s Solent Offshore Renewable Energy Consortium (SOREC) and Future Solent’s Green Growth Fund (FS GGF) for the development of PLAT-O – the company’s pioneering under water tidal turbine platform. SME’s PLAT-O system uses the flow of the tide to generate electricity for local communities and is capable of producing sustainable and predictable carbon-free electricity with zero emissions throughout the year. It is also unobtrusive as it sits underneath the sea surface. Growth for the Isle of Wight and Solent Economies: SME’s work is seen as particularly valuable to the IoW and Solent areas because of the contribution it is making to the emerging offshore renewable energy industry which creates not only sustainable power, but also new revenues and employment. Vision and Support: Jason Hayman (pictured), Managing Director of SME, says: “We are very excited to receive this funding, and extremely grateful to the Isle of Wight Council and Future Solent for their vision and support which ensure we can deliver key projects and employ more staff for the development of PLAT-O. “We are proud of the part we already play in the Isle of Wight’s thriving marine engineering industry as PLAT-O is being designed, built and tested on the Island. This new boost to our growth will also create a ripple effect of benefits for the specialist companies in the Island and Solent areas we use for the supply of parts, fabrication and expertise and so help grow the local economy.” IoW Council Delighted: Cllr Ian Stephens, leader of the Isle of Wight Council says: “We are delighted that the SOREC scheme, led by the IoW Council, has been able to help Sustainable Marine Energy in developing their innovative products for the tidal energy market. The offshore renewable energy industry is highly important for our Island’s economy and the five new well paid jobs that SME are creating, thanks to the SOREC grant, are evidence of the impact that can be made in this sector.” Chris Brammall, SOREC’s project co-ordinator, adds: “SOREC is an European Regional Development Fund* supported project, led by the Isle of Wight Council, that supports the offshore renewable energy industry in the South East of England. “SME are the first recipients of our grants aimed at small companies in this sector and we would welcome further applications at https://www.competefor.com/sorec/ ” Regional Growth: Richard Hall, programme manager for Future Solent, says: “Sustainable Marine Energy, with its ground breaking PLAT-O initiative, is exactly the kind of company that Future Solent was set up to help.” Future Solent brings together the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (Solent LEP), with the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH) and the Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, to help develop a low carbon economy in the Solent area which will help stimulate sustainable economic growth, create jobs, and reduce the area’s carbon footprint. It is supported by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund**. Future Solent’s Green Growth Fund is supported by Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, Eastleigh Borough Council (Accountable Body), Local First CIC, University of Portsmouth, University of Southampton and Southampton Solent University.

Jason Hayman, Managing Director of Sustainable Marine Energy which is creating new jobs thanks local green funding.

MAP TO GIVE LOCAL PLANNING INFORMATION

Trust Board Meeting M

IOW NHS TRUST

The next meeting of the Isle of Wight NHS Trust Board, is to be held on Wednesday 27th August 2014 at 9.30 a.m. in the Conference Room, St. Mary’s Hospital, Parkhurst Road, NEWPORT, Isle of Wight, PO30 5TG. Members of the public are welcome to attend and papers are available on the Trust’s website at www.iow.nhs.uk under the about us section. Mark Price, Company Secretary and FT Programme Director at Isle of Wight NHS Trust, said: “We encourage members of the Trust members, the public, staff and anyone with an interest in the Island’s health service to attend our Trust Board meetings to see how the local NHS is governed. Although this is not a ‘public meeting’ at which anyone can speak members of the public are invited to send questions in before the meeting to board@iow.nhs.uk.” The next meeting of the Trust Board following this meeting will be on Wednesday 1st October 2014.

A new online map has been launched by the Isle of Wight Council to help local communities look up and understand planning policies affecting their area. The facility on the council’s iwight.com website is interactive and searchable and brings together information from all the policies of the Island Plan – the Island’s guiding planning document. It also features information on flood risk areas, conservation areas, protected trees and the Island’s area of outstanding natural beauty. As well as being useful to local communities – including those looking to develop their own neighbourhood plans – the map can assist developers needing to understand policies before

By Dominic Hillyard

submitting their plans. The map can be found by visiting: http://bit.ly/1zoOahG Executive member for planning and regulatory services, Councillor Jonathan Bacon, said: “This new online facility is designed to provide readily accessible information for people interested in planning policies affecting in their area. “We hope it will assist in helping the public understanding both the policies and the process by which decisions are made for applications in their communities.”

NEWS

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

Specialist Chairs for Hospital Department

IMPROVEMENTS IN A-LEVEL RESULTS FOR ISLE OF WIGHT M

Six specialist hydraulic chairs purchased by the Friends of St Mary’s Hospital for £4,000 are proving to be popular with patients and staff in the Eye Department. The chairs provide access to specialist diagnostic ophthalmic tests for patients, who currently find it difficult to get up to equipment. Included among these are the elderly, those with poor mobility and some wheelchair users.

By George C

It is also of assistance to doctors doing tests, and reduces the chance of back trouble for nurses. Thanking the Friends, health care assistant Oliver Fletcher said, “The chairs are really helpful to us.”

Nominations are now open The third biennial Solent Design Awards are once again looking for stunning buildings, places or spaces across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight which have inspired, excited or uplifted their communities. Sponsored by Bouygues and organised by the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH), the Awards aim to encourage quality place-making schemes which create special places and spaces in which people want to live and work, and which add a special something to our ordinary daily lives. As Councillor Sean Woodward, PUSH Chairman, says: "It's not just iconic buildings and spaces that we're looking for. Our 2012 winners included Forest Park School in Totton, Sunfield Close in Andover and the Sea City Museum in Southampton. Our judges will be looking for buildings or places of outstanding design standards, which have a positive impact on their surrounding communities." As in previous years, the competition invites submissions in a number of

By Gloria Ighodaro

categories by designers across Hampshire. There will be a Quality Places Award for the best scheme, a new Best Urban Design Award, sponsored by the Urban Design Group, and a People's Choice Award which will be chosen by the scheme voted top by the public. Any building or development completed after 31st March 2012 is eligible and can be anything, from a public or commercial building to a housing development or street scene improvement scheme. These can be nominated by architects, contractors, clients or local authorities. You'll find full details at www.solentdesignawards.org.uk and submissions must be received by 4.00 pm on 30th September. The shortlist will be published on 8th October, with the Public Vote beginning on 13th October and closing on the 3rd November, in time for the Grand Awards Ceremony on the Mary Rose on the 20th November.

By Simon Butler

Post 16 students studying in the Island’s sixth forms have been successful this year in national A-level examinations and vocational qualifications. During the 2013/14 academic year, 715 post 16 students have been working towards A-level and equivalent advance level qualifications in the college, school sixth forms and training providers on the Isle of Wight. Early provisional results provided by schools and colleges indicate that students have been very successful with 98 per cent achieving the target of two A* to E passes at A-Level, or their vocational equivalent, a seven percentage point improvement on the 91 per cent result in 2013. Limited national figures are only available so far for 2014 but the Isle of Wight results compare favourably with the national picture compared to 2013 where 92 per cent achieved against the same measure. Results also show that 17 per cent of A-level passes on the Island were at A* or A, an improvement of one percentage point from 2013. The overall A-level pass rate has been maintained at 97 per cent (A*-E). This compares to a national pass rate of 98%, a decline of one percentage point from last year. The Isle of Wight Council, working in partnership with Hampshire County Council, retains a responsibility for the outcomes achieved by young people to the age of 18 (age 25 for young people with learning disabilities), and supports the Island’s post-16 providers in continuing to offer a wide range of education and training opportunities. As well as A-level and vocational diplomas, students studied for a range of other qualifications including AS level and Foundation Level qualifications. Councillor Richard Priest, Isle of Wight Council Executive Member for Children’s Services, said: “I would like to congratulate all post-16 students on their achievement. These early provisional results suggest that we can celebrate a good year for post-16 outcomes on the Island. “The qualifications achieved today in both academic and vocational subjects will support more young people to take the next step in their careers whether that is to progress to university or into employment, including the increasing number of apprenticeships available on the Island that are so valued by employers. “This summer’s results are a reflection of the hard work of students and the work of those providing education and training to the post-16 sector. I also wish to acknowledge the support students are given by the teaching and support staff, as well as the students’ parents and carers.” The Isle of Wight Council’s participation team offers independent and impartial support to all young people during the exam results period. The team can be found at 29 High Street, Newport, P030 1SS and can be contacted on (01983) 525927. The team operate a ‘drop-in’ service where no appointment is necessary. The opening times are Monday to Thursday 9:30am to 12:30pm then 1pm to 4pm and Friday 9:30am to 12:30pm then 1pm to 4pm. A qualified participation advisor will meet with students in a safe and confidential environment and help them to explore the full range of options that are open including further and higher education, as well as training and employment opportunities. If students are not returning to full-time education or training, a dedicated adviser can work with them and can then be contacted directly either by phone, email or by visiting the centre. The service can also make referrals to a wide range of training providers, employers and other agencies.

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The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

Government enthusiasm for fracking must respect property rights, says CLA The CLA has accused the Government of having too little regard for property rights and long-term liabilities to meet the demands of energy industry investors in its enthusiasm to realise shale gas extraction. The Association has submitted its response to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) Consultation on Underground Drilling Access which proposes removing the need for landowner consent for underground works associated with oil, gas and geothermal heat exploration. CLA President Henry Robinson said: “The CLA is not opposed to the development of the UK’s shale gas and geothermal resources, but as an organisation dealing with land ownership and property rights we have serious concerns with these proposals. The consultation is extremely one-sided, squarely aimed at meeting the demands of the energy industry while disregarding the rights and concerns of UK property owners. “Large-scale shale gas development is new to the UK and the long-term implications are relatively unknown. There is currently no clear system in place to protect landowners from any ongoing liability should problems occur once a well has been abandoned. This is a major concern for our members and a glaring omission from the consultation. Land and property owners must be

By Isobel Shayle

protected before further development takes place.” CLA South East Regional Director Robin Edwards added that no real consideration had been given to alternative means of gaining the underground access required. He said: “The Government wants to streamline the existing system of access but we see no reason why the fracking industry should be entirely absolved of its duties to identify and agree access with landowners as other profit-making industries do. “Many of the proposals seem to be aimed at reducing the upfront cost of exploration, but we have seen no evidence to suggest that access is anything more than a tiny proportion of the total development cost for a well. There are other ways to deliver the access required without the need for legislation.” Mr Edwards added that the voluntary community fund included in the proposals is an incentive for the local community, but misses the point in providing compensation to those whose rights are infringed. He said: “Where property rights are infringed it is only fair that owners themselves are appropriately compensated.”

By Simon Butler

The Isle of Wight Council has published the findings of a voluntary corporate peer challenge into its overall leadership and governance, how it works – and its capacity to deliver and meet future challenges. The peer challenge report concludes that the council has made sound progress over the last year, but that the council recognises it is in transition and is presented with significant challenges. It states: “Pride of place is very evident in the Isle of Wight and is reflected in the work of elected members who are ambitious for the council to deliver for the best interests of residents and businesses.” It adds: "The new administration was described by staff and partners as a 'breath of fresh air'." The peer challenge - at the request of the council - was carried out through the Local Government Association (LGA) in April this year, and was conducted by councillors and officers from other councils as well as the LGA. The team undertook a review of council documentation and carried out a four-day visit, holding focus groups and meetings with staff, senior officers, councillors and partner organisations – as well as feedback sessions. The report’s recommendations cover issues including: * management and political leadership; * alternative delivery models; * economic growth; * financial planning and viability; *capacity; *governance and decision-making. (Peer challenges are not inspections, but designed to help councils further their

French Yacht Towed to Safety by Cowes Lifeboat A 46 foot French yacht was towed to safety by Cowes lifeboat on the 17th August after radioing that it had engine trouble. The man and woman on board the Patou, had planned to sail from East Cowes to Yarmouth but then, off Gurnard, changed their plan because of the strong westerly wind. When however they attempted to motor back to Cowes harbour they could not start their engine. The lifeboat, launched at 5.55pm, towed the yacht to Trinity Landing. The couple hoped to sail to the boat’s home port, St Malo, once a repair had been carried out.

George Chastney

Hope for Vodaphone Customers The Island’s MP is encouraging Island Communities concerned about Vodaphone coverage to apply for the Rural Open Sure Signal Programme. This is a new scheme being rolled out by Vodaphone, targeting rural communities where mobile phone signal is particularly bad. The scheme will deliver Vodaphone 3G signal to 100 rural communities across the UK. Many customers on the Island have experienced problems with the Vodaphone coverage in recent times and this scheme has the potential to benefit local residents and businesses by providing good quality mobile phone signal and internet connections. A “village champion” is needed for each area applying for the scheme to spearhead local efforts. Mr Turner said: “The current poor service from Vodaphone on many parts of the Island is unacceptable and I am following this up with the company on behalf of Islanders who have contacted me. However I would encourage communities who think they could benefit from this new scheme to look into applying. I would be happy to support any applications from the Island to be a part of the scheme.” More information and application forms can be found at www.vodafone.co.uk/rural; the closing date is 14th October.

NEWS

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

Red Funnel encourages the next generation of engineering talent STAFF from Red Funnel have shared their expertise with children across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight this summer as part of a drive to develop the next generation of engineers. The Isle of Wight ferry company has taken part in the Go4Set Mentoring Scheme, which links year 8 and 9 pupils with companies and universities to offer a 10-week science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) experience. Staff from Red Funnel worked with pupils at the following schools over the summer to help them take part in Go4Set’s countywide competition ‘My School is an Island’: : Sandown Academy, Isle of Wight (mentored by deck officers Matthew Parker and Jodi Le Breton) : Quilley School of Engineering, Eastleigh (mentored by deck officer David Faulds) There was victory for the team from Sandown Academy as they picked up the prize for the most innovative entry in the competition. ‘My School is an Island’ saw youngsters brainstorm and tackle

Laura Downton

the issues they would face, for example transport and resources, if their school were an island. Matthew Parker, a First Officer with Red Funnel said: “As we operate 30,000 sailings each year to and from the Isle of Wight we were in a unique position to be able to regale the children with some real-life examples. We were really impressed by their ideas and there are definitely some future engineering stars among them.” Shirley Anderson, HR director at Red Funnel, said: “As a local business that relies on engineers, we were delighted to donate our time to show the next generation how rewarding a career in science and engineering can be. We hope the project will encourage even more young people on the Isle of Wight and the mainland to study STEM subjects.” For further information and reservations please call Red Funnel on 023 8001 9192 or visit www.redfunnel.co.uk

SEND US YOUR NEWS press@iwmail.co.uk / 01983 898 838

We need our crutches back… no questions asked! Have you been issued with a set of crutches and not returned them? Island residents are being asked to search their homes and return any pairs of crutches or any other items of NHS equipment that is no longer needed, such as zimmer frames and any other support aids. The Isle of Wight NHS Trust is spending thousands of pounds every year on replacement crutches. For every 50 pairs of crutches that are issued to patients only 10 pairs are returned. Brian Martin, Integrated Community Equipment Manager, said: “Crutches and other walking aids are provided on a short-term loan basis to NHS patients and should be returned when they are no longer required so they can be refurbished and reissued to others who need them.

IOW NHS TRUST

“There are currently 7,935 pairs of crutches which have been issued and not returned. If the majority were returned when no longer required it would drastically reduce the numbers of new pairs purchased every year to meet people’s needs. “More than £10,000 has been spent purchasing new crutches over the past year and this is money that could be spent on other front-line services. Usually it is just a case of forgetfulness but we really need to have them back.” Equipment can be returned to the Emergency Department at St Mary’s Hospital or to the Community Equipment Service located at 19 Barry Way, Newport Business Park.

Open Air Dining

Patients and staff are able to now make full use of the sunshine when taking meals at the Full Circle Restaurant. Thanks to a Friends donation of nearly £1,700 the hospital is able to purchase five eight-seater heavy duty picnic tables for the restaurant’s lofty lawn.

“We are very grateful to the Friends, and I am sure they will be well used when the weather allows,” said Mark Isaacson, a member of the catering team. He is pictured at one of the tables, flanked by fellow team member Dave Sheppard and Friends volunteer Geraldine Phillips.

NEWS

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

Island Roads launches charitable foundation providing grants to support community projects M

By Claire Robertson

Island Roads has launched a new charitable Foundation and an annual grants scheme to benefit community projects working to tackle social exclusion across the Island. The Isle of Wight Foundation will make a number of awards each year to charity and not-for-profit organisations and groups on the Island to help fund new projects or initiatives that help fight against social exclusion. This year, awards will be made of between £3,000 and £16,000 per project to help the Island community. Island Roads has studied local data and sought the input of community representatives to understand some of the key issues on the Island to ensure the Foundations grant scheme reflects local need. As a result, the following key themes have been identified for the Foundation’s first year of support: ● Projects which provide people with better chances to access training and development to improve their life skills and opportunity for employment ● Projects that help to build stronger communities with more active citizens working together to minimise social exclusion. In addition to the financial help on offer, Island Roads employees will also be able to provide additional support projects through a staff volunteering scheme which gives employees a number of paid working days per year to volunteer for community projects and a chance to lend practical support and expertise to the selected projects. Island Roads is part of a wider network of companies within the world’s leading construction and concession company – VINCI. VINCI established the first VINCI Foundation in May 2002 as part of its determination to form lasting partnerships with the local community and support those who live and work in areas where the company operates. To date there are nine VINCI trusts/foundations all over Europe which have collectively supported over 1200 projects and helped make social cohesion a reality in its local communities. Phil Jackson, Chair of the Isle of Wight Foundation board said, “Whilst Island Roads’ focus as a company will always be on the work we have been tasked with – improving the Island’s roads - we recognise, through the work we do and the people we employ, that as an Island company we will be a prominent part of Island life for a 25 year period. As such, we want to be able to help the community in other ways, by enabling our staff to take time to volunteer and to fund projects that benefit the Island community.” Applicants from the charity, voluntary and not-for-profit sector on the Island are invited to submit applications with details of their projects before the deadline of 12 noon on Sunday 12 October. These will then be shortlisted and visits undertaken to discuss the projects in more detail before the final grant awards are determined in December. The financial support provided must be able to be used within 12 months of the award. The Foundation prefers to provide financial support for ‘capital’ projects rather than ongoing running costs. For more details on the Isle of Wight Foundation, the areas of support, key criteria for applications and to apply for a grant contact 01983 822440.

VISIT ISLE OF WIGHT LAUNCHES NEW INITIATIVE TO TARGET EVENT ORGANISERS Event organisers are being targeted by Visit Isle of Wight (VIOW) in their latest bid to attract new visitors. With its unique environment and reputation for hosting a range of cultural, outdoor and family events, the DMO (Destination Management Organisation) feels the Island is an attractive proposition to organisers of events, or those looking for inspirational scenery as a rich backdrop for meetings or conferences. The new initiative was launched at the C&IT (Conference & Incentive Travel) Agency Forum this August. Destinations from across the UK attended the C&IT Agency Forum and representatives from VIOW were hoping to gain substantial new business for the Island. The forum, which took place at Warner Studios, The Grove Hotel and Wembley Stadium in London, provided significant access to senior UK Agency event buyers in a relaxed and intimate environment. Katie Jones, Sales & Events Manager for VIOW, said: “The C&IT Conference is the UK’s annual gathering of the most influential agency buyers with a minimum of £500,000+ budget to spend on events. “We had over twenty individual meetings with major events agencies offering a wide range of experiences from a one-day team building event through to corporate activity weekends and weeklong conferences. Delegates were looking for something different to offer their clients and we were able to demonstrate that the Island is the perfect place to create inspirational incentive programmes and events for their guests.” A new publication designed to create interest in the Island as a prime event location has also been produced by Visit Isle of Wight (VIOW). Using the tagline, “Let’s get this party started”, the new guide targets the business events sector (meetings, incentives, conferences and events) which the DMO believes offers considerable opportunity to develop the Island as an area with an all year-round worldclass calendar of events and festivals. In the new guide, promoters of high-profile events including the Isle of Wight Festival and Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week talk about their reasons for being here from ease of access from anywhere in the south east to great infrastructure

By Sue Emmerson

including hotels, restaurants and hospitality. David Thornton, CEO, Visit Isle of Wight, said: “Local and regional events, including business events and conferences can increase visits and expenditure, reduce seasonality, encourage repeat visits and heighten regional awareness. “The Isle of Wight has an incredible heritage hosting some world-famous events, but we want people to know about the depth and variety of venues on offer. This new initiative will help us to achieve this as we move towards our overall target of an extra 300,000 visitors within 5 years. “We are grateful to Wightlink who have funded half of the cost of Katie’s role here at the DMO this year.” VIOW now plans to offer a range of professional services, including location and venue sourcing, familiarisation visits and logistical and marketing support. Leads generated can then be shared with the tourism and business sector, with the aim to convert interest to actual business.

NEWS

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

Emma Cotton becomes a Local Hero M

By Tanya Blake

Emma Cotton a colleague from Sainsbury’s, Newport Isle of Wight has given up her time to volunteer as part of the Local Heroes scheme. Sainsbury’s encourages colleagues to volunteer with a charity or within the community and donates £5 to the charity or community group for every hour spent volunteering. Emma Cotton has been helping the British Red Cross IW Branch by has been volunteering at the Newport based charity’s office since September last year, and has been helping to raise funds for the ‘Wheels Appeal.’ The scheme is now in its second year and has raised over £130,000 in additional donations. Paul Dyer Store Manager, said: “It’s amazing how many colleagues give up their own time to help so many great causes. The Local Heroes scheme recognises the hard work and dedication our colleagues have for their local community”. The scheme recognises volunteering including School Governors, Scout and Guide leaders, Sports Coaches and charity event helpers.

Sleepless Lullaby Cowes lifeboat was called out to a yacht that had run aground on a new man-made shingle bank at the entrance to Cowes Harbour. The shingle, which had only been disgorged from a large ship over the weekend, was part of the preliminary work for a new protective breakwater. The small yacht, Lullaby, with one man aboard, had come to grief when it was on its way from the Solent to a mooring up the River Medina. After the lifeboat crew deployed a steadying anchor for the yacht the man was taken ashore to await the next high tide. He apparently managed to return to the yacht in a dinghy in the early hours of the morning and continue up the river. People on The Parade at Cowes were treated to the unusual sight of a man walking on the bank at the next low tide later in the morning.

www.fb.com/isleofwightmail

BARNARDO’S LAUNCHES CHARTER TO SUPPORT LOCAL CHILDREN WITH A FAMILY MEMBER IN PRISON On Monday 11th August, children and criminal justice services across the Isle of Wight joined together to launch a landmark ‘charter’ to support children with a family member in prison. Children who have family members in prison are some of the most overlooked and isolated in the UK, and have disrupted childhoods that can ruin their life chances. Nationally it’s estimated that 200,000 children have a parent in prison. On the Isle of Wight, of the 1200 children born each year, 84 will experience the imprisonment of a parent during their school years – around 7% of all children. Barnardo’s Community Support for Offenders' Families (CSOF) has been working with over ten local organisations and services, from schools to the Youth Offending Team (YOT), to develop a charter to support these families. The charter commits organisations to undertake ‘hidden sentence’ training* and appoint a staff member to ‘champion’ the needs of these vulnerable children and their families. Barnardo’s Chief Executive, Javed Khan, on launching the charter at Newport Congregational Church: “I’m delighted to be launching this landmark charter that will help ensure children with parents or family members in prison will be

By Nicola Shirley

recognised and supported. “Children with a parent in prison have done nothing wrong, yet they can be left feeling like they are serving a sentence themselves. They are the innocent victims. “We hope every agency on the Isle of Wight that works with families and young people - or within the Criminal Justice System - will sign up and commit to helping these marginalised children so they can be protected and their needs addressed”. The Barnardo’s CSOF supports children and families where a family member is involved in the Criminal Justice System. Their work includes signposting parents to advice agencies, help with visiting arrangements, advice on ensuring a successful prison visit, a chance to talk confidentially about any concerns and direct family support work. The charter will help support children and young people who have a close relative in the Criminal Justice System. For further information, www.barnardos.org.uk

please

visit

COUNCIL SUCCESSFUL IN NEW BID FOR SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT FUNDS The Isle of Wight Council has been told its bid for funding under the government's latest Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) has been successful. The local authority will now find out in the autumn how much money it will receive under the scheme, having put in a bid for just under £1 million. LSTF is a scheme that promotes the use of green and sustainable transport, such as improving cycling facilities, reducing carbon emissions from vehicles and increasing the use of public transport. Having successfully been awarded funding under the previous LSTF scheme in 2012, a number of schemes have been carried out using the money. These include upgrading several cycle tracks and bridleways across the Island such as the Cowes to Newport cycle track, and making community grants available to allow businesses to install cycling facilities including bike racks and shelters. Other schemes include converting a number of buses to carry bicycles, increasing the profile of events such as the Isle of Wight Walking and

By Simon Butler

Cycling festivals, improving access to the Island’s coastal path, and establishing the ‘Bicycle Island’ marketing campaign in conjunction with Visit Isle of Wight. Councillor Luisa Hillard, Executive member for sustainability, environment and public realm, said: "The success of this grant application shows how committed this council is to developing more sustainable forms of transport. "The first LSTF grant was focused on promoting car-free tourism but our plan under the second grant from the LSTF is focused on helping residents get to school and work without using petrol or diesel cars. "We will be working with our partners to run various schemes and projects aimed at making long-term changes as part of our commitment to being a sustainable Island."

COMMUNITY

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

COMMUNITY RESEARCH AND INFORMATION INTO EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS 29

VectisWeather Research into Extreme Weather on the Isle of Wight

WE JUST CAN'T DO THIS ON OUR OWN DONATE FROM £1 & BE PART OF THE LIGHTBOX PROJECT

projectlightbox A Public Lightning Detector for the IOW Can you help us kick-start this project? “The Lightbox Project is a crowd-sourced venture to raise funds for a long range lightning detector.”

Project Expenses: NEEDED: Lightning Detector £1,000 NEEDED: NexStorm Software £100 NEEDED: Local Background Maps £100 FUNDED: Website Design &Hosting £500 FUNDED: High Speed Broadband £800 FUNDED: Personal Lightning Detector £180 FUNDED: 2 HD Streaming Cameras £700 FUNDED: Computer Hardware £450 FUNDED: Android App Development £100 “We currently monitor lightning strikes within a 40 mile radius of the Island. With your help we can extend that to 300 miles and publish the real-time data online”

We’re hoping to raise enough money to purchase the Boltek 350 that will not only benefit the Island community and surrounding areas, but also provide the opportunity to expand on the current educational offerings and provide a look into atmospheric sciences using real, live weather data. For more information about our weather station and the equipment we currently use visit http://cowesweather.co.uk.

Follow @iowpl on twitter for all the latest updates http://www.twitter.com/iowpl

For more details please email vectisweather@gmail.com

VectisWeather and our affiliated websites are set up as non profit projects. We don't make any revenue from them and we don’t intend to. Make a donation today and help us get the project to the final stage.

●

Data provided from the lightning detector will be made publicly available in real-time for the Isle of Wight Community to use.

Over £1 – Feel good knowing you’ve helped us research extreme weather conditions on the Isle of Wight Over £5 – Get your name/company listed on the website supporters page (links to a website if required) Over £10 – Get your name/company, logo and website listed at the top of the supporters page Over £50 – Get your name/company, logo and website listed at the top of the supporters page. You’ll also receive a ‘rotating banner’ on the side of the website Over £100 – Get your name/company, logo and website listed at the top of the supporters page. You’ll also receive a ‘static banner’ on the side of the website Over £200 – Get your name/company, logo and website listed at the top of the supporters page. You’ll also receive a ‘fixed banner’ on the front page of the site, a ‘rotating banner’ on the side of the website and a half page advert in the Isle of Wight Mail for 12 Issues Over £300 – Get your name/company, logo and website listed at the top of the supporters page. You’ll also receive a ‘fixed banner’ on the front page of the site, a ‘rotating banner’ on the side of the website, a half page advert in the Isle of Wight Mail for 12 Issues., a link on our twitter description and a tab on our facebook page

BE PART OF LIGHTBOX PROJECT: www.vectisweather.com/lightbox

ADVERTISE IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT MAIL Visit www.iwmail.co.uk/advertising to see the new summer 2014 rates, sizes and special offers. Call our sales team today on 01983 242095 / 07413 599 446 or email us via sales@iwmail.co.uk

NEWS

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

Neil Pennycook appointed as Engineering Manager at Hovertravel M

By Stephen Forster

Hovertravel has announced the appointment of a new Engineering Manager. Neil Pennycook joined this month, completing the management team. Neil Chapman, Managing Director of Hovertravel, adds: "Over the past three months we have been looking for an engineering manager to add to our management team so we can focus on the transition to our new craft which are scheduled to be in service during winter 2015/2016. Neil's expertise and experience will be invaluable as we enter the sixth decade of operations at Hovertravel." Neil is a professional engineer and has been providing engineering consultancy expertise to the public sector recently. Following an initial spell in the banking sector after leaving school, his career in engineering started in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, where he spent over 20 years rising from junior rank to senior management positions. He has been involved in diverse equipment ranging from airfield fire engines to main battle tanks. He left the Army in 2005 to take on the role of engineering manager in a company providing bespoke solutions to military operations worldwide with projects ranging from field kitchens to complete engineering workshops. The last nine years has seen Neil develop his managerial experience in a number of roles working alongside both private industry and government departments. Neil Pennycook explains, "To be able to join the team which operates the only scheduled passenger hovercraft service in Europe is a thrilling opportunity. The challenge of introducing new craft which comply with highly complex regulations is exciting and I am looking forward to be a part of the next phase of Hovertravel's long and unique history.'

‘Teddy Bears’ Tea Party’ to celebrate neonatal babies M

IOW NHS TRUST

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St. Mary’s Hospital invite all babies, past and present, that have been cared for by the unit, and their parents and siblings, to come along to their ‘Teddy Bears’ Tea Party’ on Sunday 31st August between 2-4pm at St. Mary’s Hospital. Neonatal Intensive Care staff would also like to invite past NICU staff members to join them. The Tea Party is an opportunity to bring together families which have been cared for by the unit. It is also to raise awareness and support for Layla’s Trust, which seeks to provide support for bereaved families and to families who have disabled or terminally ill children and Pop “N” Grow, a local Children’s Charity which offers baby-grows for neonatal babies. Megan Turner will be ‘guest of honour’ at the party. Megan was born at St. Mary’s Hospital on 6th May 1998 at 24 weeks gestation, weighing just 1Ib 6ozs. Megan was cared for at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for the entire duration of her hospital stay and became affectionately known as ‘Micro Meg’. She was discharged at 115 days old on 28th August 1998, the actual date she was due, and so the tea party will celebrate this special day. The ‘Teddy Bears’ Tea Party’ is being held in the Maternity Courtyard which can be accessed from the main Maternity Corridor. Refreshments and cakes will be provided. Contributions of cakes and biscuits will be gratefully received on the day. Don’t forget to bring along a picnic blanket for you to sit on and, of course, a favourite teddy. The majority of services provided by Isle of Wight NHS Trust are commissioned and funded by Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), NHS England and Isle of Wight Council.

NEWS

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

Train Story Welcomes Its 25,000th Visitor M

Local Member of Youth Parliament to take part in UK's largest youth consultation Will Matthews an elected Member of the UK Youth Parliament (MYP) from the Isle of Wight, is taking part in the annual Make Your Mark ballot, the largest consultation of young people in the country. In a ballot beginning 12th August and running till 10th October, young people across the country will be asked what issues matter most to them, in order to determine what is debated by the UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) in the House of Commons on 14th November. Voting takes places both online and through ballot papers issues in schools and youth centres. Ten topics will be available to choose from on the initial Make Your Mark ballot paper, with the five most popular topics among young people going on to be discussed by MYPs in their November debate, chaired by the Speaker of the House of Commons Rt. Hon. John Bercow MP and broadcast live on BBC Parliament.

By Will Matthews

Last year, the Make Your Mark ballot surveyed the opinions of over 478,000 young people, making it the largest youth consultation of its kind in the UK. This year, MYPs have set themselves a target of getting 1,000,000 young people to take part. Fifteen year-old MYP Will who will be running the Make Your Mark campaign on the Isle of Wight, said: “Make Your Mark is a fantastic opportunity for young people to get their voice across. This year we are trying to capture the voice of one million young people, to show everyone that our opinion matters. We can do this together, so get voting!” To vote, visit www.mi-voice.com/mym/

Island MP says ‘Vote for Bob’ Andrew Turner, the Island’s MP is the first Member of Parliament to sign up to support the RSPB’s new campaign putting nature at the heart of the political agenda. The ‘Vote for Bob’ campaign seeks to raise the issue of disappearing wildlife; for instance since 1977 house sparrow populations have declined by 64% and the number of hedgehogs has halved. It also highlights the decline in natural habitats, the majority of flower filled meadowland has been lost, taking bees and many insects with it. Bob, the campaign’s mascot is a red squirrel, he is encouraging people to stand up for nature and our natural world. MPs are being asked to sign up and support the campaign, signalling that they understand the importance of nature to our lives and that they will work to protect the natural environment. Andrew Turner signed up today and was the first MP to do so. “I am very pleased to give my support to this very worthwhile campaign, particularly as Bob is a red squirrel and the Island is one of the final strongholds of our native red squirrels. Nature

Andrew Turner's Office

is absolutely vital to every one of us, without bees, butterflies and insects to pollinate plants we would have no future at all. The natural world is a delicate balance of many parts, and we should value all of them as they are often interdependent in ways that we do not fully understand. We are simply custodians for future generations so we must all play our part in protecting it.” The campaign website is www.voteforbob.co.uk

By Stephen Oates

A family holidaying on the Isle of Wight from Romford in Essex received a special surprise on the 8th August as they crossed the threshold of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s new Train Story Visitor Centre and, between them, took the total number of visitors to Train Story (which only opened in April) past the 25,000 mark! Sian and Barrie Underwood and their two children Rhys, aged 7, and Phoebe, aged 4, were enjoying a day-long visit to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway when, after a trip on the steam train and a spot of lunch, they decided to visit Train Story. Upon entering they suddenly found themselves the centre of attention and being greeted by Train Story volunteer Guide Roger Fruen and Steam Railway General Manager Peter Vail. “We were monitoring the visitor count throughout the morning and knew the 25,000th visitor would be likely just after lunch”, said IW Steam Railway General Manager Peter Vail. “Sure enough, as the Underwood family from Romford stepped through the doors we passed through the 25,000 mark and we were able to make a special presentation to them!” The occasion was marked by a presentation to the Underwood family with a bouquet, a bottle of bubbly and a whole package of goodies including IW Steam Railway Gift Vouchers. As first time visitors to the Steam Railway, Sian Underwood said they had thoroughly enjoyed their day at the Railway and commented that they were ‘pleasantly surprised’ by the whole experience of the new Visitor Centre. “It wasn’t what we were expecting to find at this type of Heritage Railway,” she said. “But it’s been a fantastic way to find out some really interesting history and the children have really enjoyed it.” Youngsters Rhys and Phoebe were particularly impressed by the model of the Railway’s flagship locomotive ‘Calbourne’, where Rhys dressed-up as an engine driver and enjoyed putting the ‘coal’ in the boiler! “This is a significant milestone in the development of this major new attraction for our Railway, said Peter Vail. “We quietly opened Train Story just sixteen weeks ago in mid-April without too much fanfare, as some external work needed to be completed during the summer months. So to have already welcomed 25,000 visitors is really gratifying”. Asked to sum up their visit Mr. and Mrs. Underwood said that the whole day had been a real treat and fantastic value, with the lovely bonus of the surprise presentation! The £1.2 million Train Story project was built with the aid of a £970,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) together with funds raised from supporters of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. The discovery centre has an interactive gallery and two exhibition halls of historic locomotives, carriages and wagons. Train Story is a short stroll from the centre of Havenstreet Station and, on the way, visitors pass through the carriage and wagon workshop and loco yard, where the historic trains are restored and cared for. “Inside the discovery centre a timeline and interactive screens tell stories of the Island’s railways and how they have been restored”, said Chris Tagart, Interpretation Commissioner from the Steam Railway. “And along the walkway to Train Story is an unrestored carriage body which had a second life as a holiday chalet at Thorness after its working life on the railways came to an end in the 1930s”.

NEWS

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

Local Councillor joins Healthwatch Isle of Wight board Lake Parish Council chairman Dave Hardy has been appointed to the board of local health and social care watchdog Healthwatch Isle of Wight. Mr Hardy, who has played an active role in serving the Island community since his move here six years ago, will take up the post of Executive Director for Citizens Advice Bureau, one of the three organisations involved in Healthwatch Isle of Wight, following the departure of former post holder Janet Parry. Dave is a firm believer in forming strong ties with the community having served as a local Lake councillor for five years and is currently Treasurer of the Isle of Wight Association of Local Councils and a Trustee of Isle of Wight Citizens Advice Bureau. He has also played an active role in his spare time on the Shanklin Carnival Committee. He said, “As a user of the National Health Service on the Island, I feel strongly that the services provided by all of the elements of the NHS should be of the highest level and quality and I hope in my role at Healthwatch Isle of Wight that I can help in our drive to achieve this for the Island community.” Chairman Dominic Crouch said, “We are extremely grateful to Janet for the invaluable work that she has done for us, particularly in the formative stages as we established Healthwatch on the Island, and we wish her all the best as she takes a step back now to spend more time with her family.

By Claire Robertson

“We are delighted that Dave has agreed to join us to fill this role. So much of our work is about representing and engaging the community and Dave’s skills and experience will stand us in good stead as we continue to work with the Island community to influence and improve health and social care services for Island residents.”

Appeal to join the fight against organised crime and terrorism People living or working on and around the UK’s coastline and waterways are being asked to report suspicious or unusual activity as part of a multi-agency law enforcement campaign. There are nearly 20,000 miles of coastline, and a complex network of estuaries, navigable rivers, coves, inlets, ports and harbours, all of which can be exploited by criminals and terrorists. Project KRAKEN – a joint initiative now being delivered by the NCA, Border Force and police forces – aims to increase public reporting and strengthen the general maritime industry’s response to the threats. Maritime communities are being targeted as part of the new-look campaign as they have the expertise and local knowledge to spot anything out of the ordinary. Reporting channels have been simplified to make it easier for people across the country who live or work near the coastline and waterways, or who take part in waster-based activities. They can contact either the police through the 101 number or Crimestoppers anonymously. David Armond, Director of the NCA’s Border Policing Command, said: “Information from the public could be crucial to helping us fight organised crime. People who are often in and around the coast and waterways will know unusual and suspicious behaviour when they spot it. “If you see something that doesn’t look quite right, let the police or Crimestoppers know. It could help police deal with crimes such as thieves stealing your boats or outboard motors, just as much as it could prevent a terrorist, drug or people smuggling plot.” Detective Chief Superintendent Scott Wilson, from the National Counter Terrorism Policing HQ, said: "We welcome Project KRAKEN which, in addition to tackling organised crime, also addresses the threat from terrorism which is real, unpredictable, and constantly changing. "The UK is a highly attractive target for terrorists and, therefore, it is vital that people support police efforts by reporting any suspicious or unusual activity at waterways or ports across all parts of the country. "I would urge people to let police know immediately if they see anything which arouses their suspicions or seems out of place." Sir Charles Montgomery, Director General of Border Force, said: “Security of the UK border is our priority. Securing the support of the public provides us with an essential source of intelligence and further strengthens our ability to tackle threats to the border. “Border Force’s fleet of cutters, supported by its dedicated surveillance aircraft, operates 24 hours a

STAFF MEMBER PRAISED

By Richard Sellors

day 365 days of the year and can be deployed to shores across the UK with 30 minutes notice, allowing us to be flexible in deploying to areas of greatest risk and threat. “This campaign builds on those capabilities and further assists Border Force in detecting illegal immigration, disrupting serious and organised crime and helping to prevent the threat of terrorism.” NCA, Border Force and Hampshire Police officers are carrying out public outreach activity at Cowes Week, meeting competitors and visitors and sharing key messages of the KRAKEN campaign. Similar activity will be carried out around the country. Information sought as part of the campaign includes: ● Crew who show signs of nervousness or a lack of maritime awareness. ● Vessels showing signs of unusual modification or minor damage. ● Increased activity at isolated coastal locations or at unusual times of the day. ● Any attempts to signal to vessels offshore or guide them into an unusual landfall. ● Strange patterns of payment, such as large amounts of cash. ● People testing site security or an abnormal interest in site structures and wharfs. ● Activity at unusual times of the day. ● Anything that would help identify the people, vessels or other vehicles involved. The campaign directs people to report anything suspicious or unusual to either the police through the 101 number, or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, quoting “KRAKEN”.

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By Simon Butler

A customer at Westridge Leisure Centre has thanked a member of staff for helping save his life after he suffered a heart attack. Andy Parnell has just finished a workout in the Tone Zone gym on Wednesday 30 July when his chest tightened and he had a sudden aching feeling. Recognising he did not look well, duty manager Lizzie Phipps took it upon herself to ensure that an ambulance was called straight away and that Andy was made comfortable and in the least amount of pain he could be. Andy commented: "I had just finished my workout when I felt a sharp pain in my chest, however I carried on not thinking it was serious. "Lizzie recognised I did not look well and told me to sit down, take it easy and wait for a paramedic. I initially said I was fine and wanted to drive home, but Lizzie basically told me to stay where I was until the paramedics arrived. "It was the best thing she could have done, because unbeknown to me at the time, I was having a heart attack and I dread to think what could of happened had I driven home. I may not even be here." Andy was taken by ambulance to St Mary's Hospital where he was then flown to Southampton General for specialist treatment. He has since been discharged and is recovering well. Andy added: "The paramedics in the ambulance and the crew on the helicopter said had it not been for Lizzie and her help in recognising the symptoms and helping me, I may not have survived. I owe Lizzie an awful lot and will be forever grateful. "I also did not realise I was in trouble, and it goes to show that whenever someone says you do not look well, you really should listen. It may just save your life" Andy paid a visit to Westridge early on Wednesday 6 August to surprise Lizzie with a bunch of flowers and to thank her for her help. Speaking after seeing Andy again, Lizzie said: "I do not feel like a hero, I was only doing what anyone else with my training would do. "I saw Andy did not look well and my first aid training kicked in. I wanted to do everything I could to make sure he was ok before the ambulance arrived. "Thankfully he listened to me and I am very pleased he is making a good recovery. His surprise visit to thank me was very overwhelming and made me quite emotional.” Shirley Smart, Executive member with responsibility for leisure, said: "All our leisure centre staff are given first aid training and I am delighted Lizzie saw there was a problem and was able to help Mr Parnell when he was in difficulty. There is no doubt she helped save his life. "On behalf of the council, I want to thank Lizzie for her actions."

NEWS

Wight Building Materials Opens New Asphalt Plant Friday 1 August 2014 saw the official opening of the eagerly awaited new asphalt plant at Blackwater Quarry, St George’s Down, a joint venture between Aggregate Industries and Eurovia. Officially opened by Andrew Turner MP this £3.5 million new state-of-the-art low emissions plant will produce quality, high performance products and innovative long term sustainable solutions for the Island’s public and private highways network for now and the future. Not only will the asphalt produced from this plant service the needs of the 25 year PFI but it will also supply asphalt for a variety of exciting projects across the Island, as we exit the recent recession, providing our important customers with the products they need. And of course, it has allowed us to secure the future of this site and the jobs for employees at St George’s Down. With permission to produce 24/7 if there was a need, the new plant has doubled the hourly capacity of the old plant, so we can look to boost production to catch up on the first year delays to the surfacing works on the PFI and the deliveries to our existing Island customers. Also within the site, there is a recycling facility which will allow us to maximise the use of planings and therefore minimise the use of virgin aggregates within the asphalt and reduce imports on to the island. Andrew Turner, MP for the Isle of Wight, said: "The original location proposed for this apshalt plant was on the banks of Medina. That suggestion was very controversial and I vigorously opposed it so it is very gracious of Scott [Wardrop from Eurovia] to have invited me to open the new plant today. Whatever differences are behind us and I'm pleased that eventually, the right solution was found. It was important we reached this point because this plant is absolutely vital to the future success of the PFI." Philippe Frenay, Wight Building Materials Board Member, said: “This plant will play an important part in

By Joanne Barnett

the local economy, employing 40 people on site and providing plenty of opportunities down the supply chain.” Simon Willis, Chairman of Wight Building Materials, said “Wight Building Materials now has a modern, low emission plant capable of providing quality, high performance products to meet the needs of our customers.”

CHARACTERS ENCOURAGE FAMILIES TO GET ACTIVE M

OFSTED PRAISES 'EFFECTIVE' SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT School improvement arrangements on the Isle of Wight have been praised by Ofsted following a recent inspection. Services which were found to be inadequate in June 2013 have now been judged as ‘effective’ after a rigorous inspection which took place between 23 and 27 June this year. Inspectors praised the partnership between the Isle of Wight Council and Hampshire County Council, especially the close working between elected members and senior officers which has resulted in strong leadership and established ‘a clear, coherent strategy for improvement which is understood and supported by all schools, including academies’. Since the partnership with Hampshire County Council began in July 2013, rapid progress has been made in school improvement which is showing positive results: ● The predicted results for 11 and 16 year olds in 2014 show clear improvements since the last inspection and are moving closer to the national averages for 2013. ● The proportion of primary schools judged as good by Ofsted is now in line with the national average. ● In all schools that were identified as requiring intensive support from the council, the quality and teaching and pupils’ outcomes have improved. ● There has been significant improvements in attendance for both primary and secondary. The report highlights the authority’s positive relationship with schools, which it says is a significant contributor to the recent improvements. The report says: ‘The headteachers who spoke to inspectors were of the unanimous view that local authority officers are skilful, credible, have the appropriate expertise and are successful in striking the right balance between challenge and support.’ An important part of the improvement work has been to gather reliable pupil performance data from schools in order to identify schools most in need of support. The

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail – Monday, 25th August 2014

By Anna Price

report says the authority has ‘established a coherent and well-understood system for identifying and intervening in schools that are causing concern or require improvement’ and plans for improvement are ‘clear, ambitious and firmly based on a detailed analysis of local circumstances and national priorities’. Improving educational attainment is a key priority for the council and it has shown its commitment to school improvement by allocating additional funding to this area. The lead member for member for children’s services, Councillor Richard Priest, was praised for his ‘passion, commitment and ambition to spearhead the raising of educational standards on the Island’. The report goes on to say ‘he has an accurate understanding of strengths and weaknesses of schools across the authority’ and ‘provides sensitive and clear leadership and works effectively with officers’. Commenting on the report, Councillor Priest said: “We have made significant progress over the last 12 months and I would like to thank headteachers, teaching and support staff, pupils, parents and governors, as well as officers, for their hard work and continued support as we drive forward the school improvement programme. “Raising standards in schools is a priority for the administration and thanks to strong leadership on both sides of the Solent we have been able to make swift progress in turning our educational standards around. It has not been an easy journey and there is clearly more work to do, but it is a real boost for everyone involved to receive such an overwhelmingly positive report from Ofsted.” The report can be found on Ofsted’s website here: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/local-authorities/isle-of-wight

By Simon Butler

The Isle of Wight Council's public health service is encouraging families on the Island to get active as part of a national scheme. The government's Change4Life project has launched the '10 Minute Shake-up' scheme which aims to encourage children to get 60 minutes of physical activity each day by taking part in fun games that last 10 minutes each that all the family can take part in. Free accessories including a stopwatch, activity cards featuring characters from Disney’s Frozen, Monsters, Jungle Book and Fairies, and a Disney-themed wall chart and stickers are available. These can be ordered by logging on to www.nhs.uk/change4life or by picking up a leaflet from leisure centres or children’s centres and filling out the form at the back and sending it via Freepost. Suggested fun themed activities include a Toy Story balloon rodeo and a Mickey Mouse water race. Councillor Phil Jordan, Executive member for public health, said: "It is very important children are active as part of a healthy lifestyle and the Change4Life 10 Minute Shake-up is a great way to make physical activity fun and enjoyable. "Giving the scheme a Disney theme is also good as it will encourage more people to take part. "It also shows you can do these activities in the comfort of your own home, so children can enjoy the activities in a familiar environment." The Change4Life website also has a number of healthy recipes for the family to enjoy as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Safety operations in the Gulf M

By Steve Saywell

A sailor from the Isle of Wight is helping improve maritime security and cut down on piracy in the Gulf region. Leading Seaman (Above Water Warfare) Zachary Newnham, 26, from Newport on the Isle of Wight, joined HMS Defender, the fifth Type 45 destroyer, when she entered Service in 2012. Having sailed from her home port of Portsmouth on 2 June she is now working in the Gulf region on her maiden operational deployment. Zachary joined the Royal Navy in 2007 after attending Sandown High School. It was a decision he took after listening to his grandfather Andrew Newnham’s stories of his career in the navy. On board Defender Zachary’s primary role is a skill at arms instructor, which involves training members of the ship’s company how use to use small and medium range weapons. Additional roles include being a divisional leading hand which means he looks after colleagues’ professional development in their chosen trade.

The Isle of Wight Mail | Friday 2 May 2014 Isle of Wight Mail â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Monday, 25th August 2014

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