Style scoop: our seasonal roundup of places to go, people to meet, and things to know

the Style scoop Team Style’s seasonal roundup of places to go, people to meet, and things to know across the Isle of Wight this winter.

‘Tis the season for…

Giving something back

Volunteers make a huge contribution to our Island community, and anyone can get involved, regardless of age, job status or skills. From long-term community projects to bitesize ‘microvolunteering’, there are many different opportunities to make a difference whatever your circumstances. Find out more at iwvolunteer.org

Putting pen to paper

Calling all Island-inspired authors: the first ever Isle of Wight Book Awards are now open until March 2022 for entries across three categories – fiction, non-fiction and children’s. For more information visit iowbookawards.co.uk

Image credit: Idil Sukan

BELLY LAUGHS

After the last couple of years we could all do with some light-hearted fun. TV favourite Ed Byrne brings his biggest tour to date – ‘If I’m Honest’ – to Shanklin Theatre on 22nd January. Join him as he takes a long hard look at himself and tries to decide if he has ANY traits that are worth passing on to his children.

Starting something new

Get a head start on all those skills-based resolutions and give skep-beehive making a go with Tiny Homes Holidays’ latest workshop, from 5th February. Available as a day guest or residential experience, you’ll go home with the tools, materials, know-how and skills to kickstart your skep-beekeeping journey. For more information visit tinyhomesholidays.com

Feel-good fiction

Need a new year boost? Lucy Davies at the Medina Bookshop recommends The Wedding Dress by Dani Atkins, which tells three women’s wedding stories – all connected by one extraordinary dress. An ultimately uplifting romance read, full of captivating twists. Meeting your heroes

Fans of The Gruffalo, Zog, Superworm, et al. will be as excited as we are about the Isle of Wight Story Festival’s headline act this year. Children’s illustrator Axel Scheffler will be performing and drawing about how he developed the look of some of his most famous characters on Friday 25th and Saturday 26th February at Quay Arts in Newport.

Celebrating light and colour

Welcome in the Year of the Tiger this Chinese New Year with a dazzling array of award-winning illuminations and entertainment from 18th - 26th February at Robin Hill.

BIG BIRTHDAYS

Happy 50th to iconic Isle of Wight family business AJ Wells – see page 18 for our special anniversary feature, celebrating half a century of Island innovation and engineering. Winning young writers

We were overwhelmed with the standard of entries to the Second Style of Wight Children’s Writing Competition. Exceptional creative talent and imagination clearly abound among young Island writers, and we are delighted to share the first of the four winning stories on page 32. Winning author Imogen Forsyth was inspired by the story of the Princes in the Tower and has woven a compelling tale. Visit our website at styleofwight.co.uk to discover more about how she developed her story.