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REPORTING ISLAND NEWSENTER OUR COMPETITION TO WIN CONCERT TICKETS FOR CLEO LAINE AND JOHN DANKWORTH. PAGE 11

NEWS

NEWS

FEATURE

THE GAZETTE: NOW ADVERTISING CLASSIFIEDS! PAGE 27

2

Friday October 9, 2009

Wandering Cat

Page 2

Cat returns home after epic 300-mile journey

Everest Challenge

Sandown pupils climb Everest to raise money for the Hospice

IW Marathon

Page 24

Good turnout for the annual IW marathon

THE HMS Ark Royal, a Brittany ferry and a MOD Police Launch unit were all involved in a sea search on Wednesday afternoon, after a mayday call was received from a man

claiming to have been separated from his canoe.

A massive rescue operation took place off the coast of St Catherine’s Point, after a call came through from a VHF radio.

The search was called off after five hours, and it is now thought that the call was a hoax.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesman, Fred

Continued on page 2

Supporting the Hospice on Go Yellow Day. See page 14 for the full story

SERIAL HOAXER STRIKES AGAIN

THE GAZETTE GOES YELLOW

MANY employees who survive the latest redundancy cull by Red Funnel Ferries will be told they will have to multi-task, The Gazette has learned.

More than 40 jobs will go throughout the four Red Funnel terminals in Cowes, East Cowes and Southampton. The company is hoping most of those who go will apply for voluntary redundancy.

But with so many jobs

having been lost on the Island recently – the majority at Vestas – this is just another blow for the economy. A source close to Red Funnel told us how employees were informed of the planned job cuts, and what the company plans for the future.

He said: “The directors are proposing a merger of workers at the call centre, marshalling yard and ticket office into one department. The idea is to

shed numbers from around 70 to just 37 permanent core staff. Basically it means multi-tasking.”

There are also plans for the Red Jet terminal in Cowes to become fully automatic after 8.0 in the evening, according to the source. He continued: “There will be an automatic ticket machine, and there is even talk that the vessels will dock automatically.

Continued on page 3

RED FUNNEL JOB LOSSES

www.iwgazette.co.uk The Gazette, Friday, October 9, 20092

NEWS

AN INTREPID cat has turned up in Aislaby, North Yorkshire, after going missing from his Island home - over 300 miles away!

Geoffrey somehow travelled from his home in Shanklin on the IW – a journey of 326 miles. The 15-month-old pedigree Bengal was found by 10-year-old Zac Archibald, (below) in a field in Aislaby on Saturday.

“He was in bad way,” said Zac’s mum Chris. “He was wobbly and thin. Zac looked after him. We put posters up and asked around the village, then, as a last resort, took him to be scanned.”

Sue Beck, practice manager at Beck Veterinary Practice used a microchip scanner and

rang the national database.

“I thought I was hearing things when they said he was from the Isle of Wight,” she said. “We have no idea how he got here, whether he jumped on a caravan or something.”

His owners were due to make the seven-and-a-half hour drive and ferry crossing to pick him up earlier this week. He had been missing from his home since Saturday September 13.

Owner Cindy Whitbread, a nurse, said: “He had his breakfast and went off. He usually goes to the park cafe, they feed him and make a fuss of him.

“When he didn’t come back,

we put up p o s t e r s . Then on M o n d a y we got a call from Beck’s to

say he had been found.

I’m very relieved. He doesn’t wear

a collar as he climbs trees and we worry he might choke,

so we had him chipped.“My sons Simon and Peter

have missed him. and so did his twin brother Oscar, as they normally snuggle up together on the sofa. Coach trips come and go from here; we wonder whether he jumped into the luggage compartment.”

Mrs Whitbread and her husband Tim were planning a weekend in London but will now come to Whitby.

“Geoffrey hates travelling; you have him in the car for about one minute and he cries. We are used to him wandering off for a day or two, but never this long,” she said.

“I had not given up hope, I knew somebody would have taken him in.”

RSPCA spokesperson Sophie Corless said: “Micro-chipping is recommended as an effective way of linking pets to owners, and increasing the chances of them being reunited if lost, stolen or they stray.

“Once you have had your pet microchipped you should register your details and keep them up to date.”

Mrs Beck said you can also chip other animals – rabbits, tortoises, even parrots.

INTREPID CAT TRAVELS 300 MILES

gazettethe isle of wight

REPORTING ISLAND NEWS

HOW TO CONTACTTHE IW GAZETTE AROUND 600 homes around

the Havenstreet and Ashey area were without power Thursday morning because of a ‘”fault in the overhead network” according to Southern Electric. Most homes had power returned by

lunchtime although around 100 were still off supply and due to be reconnected by mid afternoon.

The Niton area was also plunged into darkness at around 11pm on Wednesday evening when one of the

overhead network wires came down and tripped the whole area network. “Staff were on site working through the night to re-erect the wire as quickly and as safely as possible,” said a Southern Electric spokesman.

ISLAND BLACKOUT

Continued from front page

Caygill, confirmed to The Gazette that they believe the hoax call received by the coastguard may be one of many that has been made recently using a VHF radio.

“We think that the recent VHF Radio hoax calls are all connected, and that the person responsible is living on the Isle of Wight. There are plans to launch a sting operation working with Ofcom, to catch the hoaxer and bring them before the court,” said Mr Caygill. He also said that the cost of launching the coastguard

search and rescue helicopter was in the region of £35,000.

Bembridge, Ventnor and Needles Coastguard Rescue teams were also involved in the search along with a Lynx helicopter that refuelling on HMS Ark Royal, which was undergoing sea trials at the time. The Brittany ferry, Ponte de Aven, was drafted in to assist with the search as it was sailing near to the search area.

Bembridge lifeboat coxswain, Steve Simmonds was angered at the alleged hoax call. “As a rescue service we will always respond when called upon. However these mindless people must get

some sort of thrill when they pretend to call for help,” said Steve.

The cost of the operation runs into thousands of pounds. There was also disruption to the passengers on board the ferry whose trip has been totally disturbed, and to the HMS Ark Royal that was on sea trials at the time with all her crew, during the rescue operation.

Local fishermen also gave up their time, as well as the crews on board the lifeboats.

Steve added: “I just hope the caller doesn’t need help genuinely if we are already engaged on another’s false errand.”

HOAX CALLER PUTS PEOPLE AT RISK

Geoffrey safely back at home

YOUR NEWSAddress: Unit B18, Spithead Business Centre, Newport Road, Isle of Wight, PO36 9PH Tel: (01983) 409928 Fax: (01983) 404189 Email: [email protected]

YOUR WEBSITEVisit www.iwgazette.co.uk to view past Gazettes. A new website will be coming soon.

THE NEWS EDITORWrite to: Jason Kay, Unit B18, Spithead Business Centre, Newport Road, IW, PO36 9PH. Tel: (01983) 409928. Email: [email protected]

THE FEATURES EDITOR

Write to: Jo Macaulay, Unit B18, Spithead Business Centre, Newport Road, IW, PO36 9PH Tel: (01983) 409928

Email: [email protected]

OUR NEWS TEAMJamie White. Tel: (01983) 409928. Email: [email protected]

Richard Collins. Tel: (01983) 409928. Email: [email protected]

Peter White. Tel: (01983) 409928. Email: [email protected]

Penny Newnham. Tel: (01983) 409928. Email: [email protected]

OUR SALES TEAMSales Manager: James Rolfe. Tel: (01983) 402599 Email: [email protected]

Sam Smith. Tel: (01983) 402599. Email: [email protected]

Michael Paine. Tel: (01983) 402599. Email: [email protected]

CLASSIFIEDSTel: (01983) 402599. Email: [email protected]

OUR DESIGN TEAM

Colin Clarke. Tel: (01983) 402599. Email: [email protected]

Dean Chick. Tel: (01983) 402599. Email: [email protected]

Paul Mercer. Tel: (01983) 402599. Email: [email protected]

OUR SALES ADMINISTRATOR

Roxy Vaughan. Tel: (01983) 409928. Email: admin@iwgazette.

PUBLISHERThe Isle of Wight Gazette Ltd.

Supporting the Earl Mountbatten Hospice through your generous donations when you pick up a copy

www.iwgazette.co.ukThe Gazette, Friday, October 9, 2009 3

NEWS

Continued from front page

“Many employees are totally bemused by it all, especially at a time when Red Funnel are carrying more cars and passengers, although freight traffic is reduced because of the economic climate.”

Staff members who could be affected by the cuts were sent an email by James Fulford, chief executive of Red Funnel urging them to attend one of a series of meetings.

Our source said: “No one had any idea what was happening until the email arrived then we assumed it could be related to job cuts.”

The email read: “Dear All, Apologies for the short notice, however, I would like to bring to your attention that we have some information regarding the business to communicate to you. In order to do this (directors) Shirley Anderson,

Murray Carter and I will hold a number of meetings throughout the business and would like to strongly encourage as many of you as possible to attend.”

After revealing the times and venues of the meeting, Mr. Fulford continued: “If you can’t attend one of the above meetings don’t worry as written communications will be sent to all of you tomorrow. There will also be some other meetings set up across the business in the following days. Please could you pass on this information to any colleagues who do not have access to email. Regards, James Fulford.”

The company employs more than 400 workers, and it has been suggested some of those who are made redundant could return as seasonal staff next summer. Mr Fulford confirmed: “We have a core group of winter staff and a seasonal team

and I would be disappointed if staff didn’t return because they are highly skilled employees.”

Some staff, including shunters who load containers on to boats, and officer grade

staff, who are responsible for the safety of the vessels, will not be affected.

Our source added: “It was only at the beginning of last year that Red Funnel got rid of five employees – four

voluntarily and one enforced. You certainly would not expect it to happen again so quickly, and affect so many jobs. It just makes you wonder where it is all going to end.”

ONE OF WIghtlink’s new ferries broke down again on Saturday morning and one of the old FastCats had to be brought in as a replacement. Then on Tuesday evening two crossings had to be cancelled because of a problem with the generator on Wight Ryder II.

Wight Ryder II has broken down twice already and Wight Ryder I has also suffered problems. On Friday night her 7.15pm crossing from Ryde to Portsmouth was plunged into darkness and the television screens went blue. Power was restored and he vessel continued

into Portsmouth.Engineers have put the

problems with both down to ‘fuel contamination’ and are seeking to rectify the situation as soon as possible. A source within Wightlink speculated that it could be caused by ‘Diesel Bug’.

Diesel fuel has an inherent bacteria and when water is added this bacteria is able to breed. This ‘bug’ will form a layer between the fuel and the water and as it breeds it produces waste, which is usually evident as black or dark lumps.

Water can also encourage the build-up of microbes, algae and even

CAT-ALOGUE OF DISASTERSSaturday September 26 Saturday October 3

fungi, which can develop many types of sludge and residue within the fuel. This biomass may drop to the bottom of the tank or it may suspend in the fuel. Either way, it will clog up the filters and lead to expensive damage to equipment, with breakdowns in power supply. This is what is known as ‘Diesel Bug’.

The multi million pound ferries had only entered service on Tuesday September 29 in a fanfare of publicity. Delivered earlier in the year, the new ferries were deliberately withheld from service until after the Bestival amid fears that if there

had been bad weather the vessels would be soiled.

Luckily FastCat Ryde and FastCat Shanklin are still available as replacement vessels but they will be moving to Bristol in the spring to ferry passengers across the Bristol Channel.

Long suffering Kerry Jackson at Wightlink said: “Any ferry company will experience teething problems with new vessels and our crew and engineers need to gain further experience with the craft. Regrettably you cannot gain 10-15 years experience on a weeks (or 10 weeks in some cases) training and sea trails.”

WORKERS FACE UNCERTAIN FUTUREThere was more disruption at Red Funnel yesterday (Thursday) when the 12.30pm, 2.30pm and 5.30pm sailings from Cowes were cancelled along with the 11am, 2pm and 5pm trips from Southampton, due to technical difficulties.


NEWS

LOOK WHO’S BEEN READING THE GAZETTE KIDS RETURNHOME

H A M P S H I R E Constabulary have confirmed a 14-year-old girl and 13-year-old boy that were reported missing from separate addresses in Sandown last week have returned home safe and well. Police carried out an air and land search in the Sandown area for the pair, but they returned home to their respective homes.

POLICE are investigating the reported theft of a winch from a lorry parked at Arreton Barns Craft Village, Arreton.

A man parked his blue Leyland DAF Road Runner flat bed lorry in a field at the craft village, just off the main Newport to Sandown road, on Thursday, September 24.

Viewings of the vehicle took place on the same day as part of an auction, and the vehicle remained parked at Arreton Barns on Friday, September 25.

When the owner returned to the vehicle at 8.30am on Saturday, September 26, an 8500 Superwinch was missing. The winch had been bolted to the

floor of the lorry, and held with a thick metal cable.

The words ‘J F Abbott, Beechcroft, Calbourne’ are written on the side of the lorry.

Police are appealing for information from anyone who may have noticed suspicious activity at Arreton Barns craft village during Thursday, Friday or the early hours of Saturday morning last week, or anyone who is offered an 8500 Superwinch to buy second hand.

Anyone who has information can contact Newport Police Station by phoning 101 or 0845 045 4545 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

WINCH STOLEN FROM LORRY

BURGLAR FLEES AFTER ROBBERYHAMPSHIRE Constabulary has confirmed that detectives from IW CID are investigating a report of a burglary at an address in Apse Heath.

Shortly after 11am on Wednesday (October 7) a woman saw a man inside her home on Newport Road, near to the APse Heath roundabout. When spotted, the man ran away and was not seen again.

Nothing was reported stolen or missing from the home, and the woman was not hurt.

Police officers swamped the area with police vehicles and searched the surrounding areas including footpaths, fields and woods.

The man seen inside the house was described as white, aged in his late teens to early 20s, approximately 5ft 8” tall and of slim to medium build. He was wearing a cream coloured hooded top.

Police carried out house-to-house enquiries in the area, and are appealing to anyone who may noticed someone acting suspiciously in the Apse Heath area on Wednesday, October 7,

to contact detectives.Anyone with information

is asked to phone IW CID at Newport Police Station on 101 or 0845 045 4545. Information can be given anonymously to Crimestoppers by phoning 0800 555 111.

Send in your pictures of you reading The Gazette and see yourself in print in this spot. Email [email protected] or post it to us at B18, Spithead Business Centre, Newport Road, Sandown, Isle of Wight, PO36 9PH.

Members of the Wightlink Raiders Ice Hockey Team

A HOLIDAYMAKER caused a full-scale sea and air search costing around £25,000, after a dog walker discovered his lost bag on Compton beach, near Freshwater, on Tuesday.

Yachtsman, Edward Draper, from Exmouth, had been sailing on Island the previous weekend when he had lost the bag off the side of his boat.

The Freshwater and Yarmouth coastguard teams and the helicopter coastguard started a search just after 4.30pm on

Tuesday after the bag and the man’s wallet were found.

Police form Devon and Cornwall called at his home, to be told by neighbours that the man had been away for a few days. Officers called back to the man’s address again later in the day when his wife explained about the bag loss, and the explained that her husband was away on business in Sheffield.

Coastguard bosses said that the £25,000 operation could have been avoided if the man’s loss had been reported.

HOLIDAY CHAOS


NEWS

TWO RESCUED AFTER BOAT FLIPSSANDOWN & Shanklin Inshore Lifeboat (SSIL) came to the aid of a catamaran and it’s occupiers after it capsized half a mile off Sandown Bay.

The Inshore Lifeboat crew were tasked by Solent Coastguard after receiving a 999 call from a member of the public.

The team arrived on the scene, directed by the Ventnor Coastguard, and found a man and a woman on board who were very cold and had been sat on their capsized boat for

over an hour.Mark Birch, SSIL senior

coxswain, said: “Due to the strong westerly winds blowing at force seven further out to sea, the casualties were being taken further out and if no one had spotted this who knows what could have happened.”

The crew of SSIL righted the catamaran and towed the vessel, along with her crew, back to the lifeboat station.

The crew onshore then assisted in the beaching of

the catamaran, with others helping warm the casualties, whilst Ventnor Coastguard checked them over and interviewed them.

Mark added: “We managed to take them and their craft back to our station, where are shore crew warmed them up and the lifeboat crew got there boat on the shore.

“It was very lucky that a person spotted these people and did the correct thing by dialling 999 to report it to the Coastguard.”

FOLLOWING the dramatic rescue from the Solent by the crew of Sandown and Shanklin Inshore Lifeboat, The Gazette spoke exclusively to one of the people saved. Teenage sailor Christine Roman, after she became stranded off Sandown Bay after her catamaran capsized.

The 16-year-old Sandown High School student had only owned the boat for two weeks. Her mum bought it for her as a present, after she had finished her exams.

Christine, who has been sailing for just over four years, said: “We left Shanklin and had only been out for about 20 minutes. It was starting to get dark and the wind was getting stronger, so we thought that it best to start heading back to shore. But suddenly the boat nose-dived into the waves and just flipped over.

“We were thrown in to

the ice cold water and then started to panic. Somehow, Richard and myself managed to get on top of the overturned boat, and we started to discuss and consider what our options were. It was very scary, nothing like this had ever happened before.”

Christine continued: “We were going to swim back but that was out of the question because we were too far out. As the waves got bigger and we drifted further out we also talked about leaving the boat, so it would drift towards the cliffs and get into land that way.

“But we decided that if we waited for the morning, the weather and the sea would

be a lot a calmer because I checked the forecast, and we would have been able to right the boat on our own.

“We sat on the boat for what felt like ages. For most of the time we just sat on the hull of the boat hugging each other for warmth. I kept thinking about what are we g o i n g to do. R i c h a r d isn’t a sailor, and had never been out sailing before. Looking back at it now, we were both very silly as we only had one lifejacket on board.”

Christine went on to explain the moment that she saw the lifeboat heading towards her.

“We didn’t know anyone had raised the alarm. We were sat on top of the boat drifting, and saw these

lights but we couldn’t make out what was going as we were so far off land.

“We saw the boat heading towards us, but it went past us and carried on towards Shanklin. My heart sank when that happened.

“But then it turned around, and I realised it

had come to save us. I had a mobile p h o n e but it was in a bag tied to the boat and I

couldn’t get to it.“When the boat turned

back around, it was a great feeling of relief knowing that we didn’t have to stay out there. We had no idea that they had heard. It was just so great that the lifeboat was available to help us.

“When the lifeboat came they were really good, and

picked the boat up and towed it back to shore. They weren’t judgmental at all, and I have only got praise for them. I’m really grateful to the lifeboat crew they were really amazing. They are a brilliant bunch of people.

“When I got back home, I spent the night drying out and thinking about how lucky I had been.

“I want to go to university and study marine engineering, but I think after what has happened I might change my mind.”

“We were thrown into the ice cold water. It was very scary”

Richard Hunter and Christina Roman on their upturned catamaran Richard Hunter gives the thumbs up

Christina Roman

BY JASON KAY


NEWS

From left to right: Aisha Poffett, Michelle Townsend,Annie Martch and Debbie Ledicott

NEWPORT STORE STAYING OPEN

BLACKS in Newport were pleased to hear that they are not one of the shops to close in plans to close 89 stores nationwide. In fact the Newport store have been one of the top performing stores in the country.

Manageress Annie Martch said: “We’ve got a good team which is why we’re so successful. People know us by name and we have a good rapport with the customers. A lot of our customers have been disappointed that we might be closing and pleased to hear that we’re not.

“We have had a few customers who heard it on the national news and were asking for bargains. But I don’t think its affected business, although more

people have been coming in and asking questions.”

Blacks Leisure has announced plans to close stores across the group that have not “traded profitably

for years”. The firm, which operates Millets, Blacks and O’Neill shops, also said it plans to lay off 50 staff at its Northampton head office.

Last week, it called in administrators to its 11 O’Neill board wear stores - threatening 90 jobs. The

company did not give an indication of how many jobs would be lost by the store closures.

It described the closures and job losses at the head office as “highly regrettable”, but added that “both actions will ultimately strengthen the business and help ensure that a successful and profitable outdoor retailer emerges from the current restructuring process”.The group made a loss

of £6.8m in the year to February 28. It operates 256 Millets shops, 116 Blacks Outdoor outlets and 32 Free spirit stores. There are no plans to close the Millets store in St. James’s Square either.

“We’ve got a good team which is why we’re so successful”

FUNDRAISING BASH FOR RYDE RESCUE

THE CREW at Ryde Inshore Rescue held a charity auction at Appley Manor Hotel in a bid to raise funds for their Mayday Appeal.

Amongst the items auctioned were an aquarium with all accessories, a large bottle of whiskey, a cosmetic hamper, a fruit hamper, a signed photo from Liverpool Football Club, various beauty

treatments, f l o r a l displays a n d f i s h i n g tackle.

All the items and many more were donated by local businesses, and in total the auction and a raffle managed to raise almost £1,000 for the campaign.

Andy Parnell, from Ryde Inshore Rescue, said: “As an independent lifeboat station, we have to continuously strive to raise funds for operational expenditure, along with our current building campaign. If it wasn’t for the generosity of the local people and

businesses, we would struggle, and we cannot thank them enough.

“The staff at the Appley Manor were extremely efficient and helped to make the evening the success it was.”

Appley Café also managed to raise a further £326 for the Mayday appeal, which will go towards the new boathouse and training room.

FOLLOWING on from the decisions made in council last week, the new education ‘providers’ met earlier this week at Thompson House.

Secondary education on the Island will now be provided by three separate organisations. Christ the King is already run by a board of governors and is not included in the reshuffle.

The successful bidder to provide secondary education for Sandown and Ryde was AET (Academies Enterprise Trust) who will run both schools as academies. The group, who are based in Hockley in Essex, had bid to run all five new secondary schools.

Education at Medina High School and Carisbrooke High School will be provided by the Medina Innovation Trust (MIT) – shortly to be renamed the Island Innovation Trust (IIT). Both schools will be run as a foundation/trust school in a hard federation and there will be a head of each along with an executive head of both.

Successful bidder to provide education at Cowes High School was the Cowes Pathfinder Partnership (CPP) who will run the school

as a foundation/trust school.Also at the meeting were

the winners of the bid to run the new East Cowes primary school, the EWO Community School Group, who will run the school as a foundation/trust school.

There had been some controversy that Vestas had been involved in the bid by AET but Keith Triggs, CEO of AET said that although they had supported their bid they had not been involved financially. “Vestas along with other Island companies were supporting our bid but not involved,” he said. Other organisations who

supported AET’s bid were the Chamber of Commerce, Tourism and Industry and the IW College.

There was a consensus of opinion that the three secondary education providers would work together and not in competition to provide learning on the Island. “The authority is also expecting all providers to work much more closely with local industry and commerce,” said Keith Simmonds Assistant Director of ‘Children and Young People,’ with responsibility for the school reorganisation.

NEW ‘PROVIDERS’ OF EDUCATION


NEWS

WINTER GARDEN WOES

WHEN WILL OUR SKATE PARK OPEN?

YOUNGSTERS from Ryde are wondering when their skate park is to reopen. Despite over £80,000 having been spent on the design, construction and decoration of the new skatepark it is still not open for skateboarders or BMX bikers.

Island companies have donated materials or agreed to supply goods at cost price, local people have been involved in painting and finishing the ramps and various grants have been received towards the build.

Opening dates have come and gone and there is now a dispute as to how it is managed and insured. The IW Council doesn’t want the users group to manage it but instead wants the town

council to take it on. Cllr Edwards Giles, IW

council cabinet member for the environment and transport said: “The Isle of Wight Council has been fully supportive of the creation of a skate park in Ryde and as our contribution we’ve provided land, use of our Youth Centre, support and advice. It’s unlikely that we’d be in a position to make a direct financial contribution as well. As with most other skate parks on the Island, the local community is far better at managing and funding such facilities. We will, however, continue to provide strong support both via our youth service and parks and countryside team.”

OUTRAGED members of the public were vociferous in their condemnation of the Winter Gardens Committee at the latest meeting of Ventnor Town Council when it was discovered that Graham Perks had handed in his notice as concession holder at the venue.

Around 120 local business people and residents heard Cllr Perks give a resume of his reasons for leaving the business that he has built up over the past three years, which were all levelled at the current Winter Gardens Committee. His resignation puts the jobs of 20 full and part time employees at risk.

One member of the Winter Gardens volunteers said: “You’re going to be a great loss and I think it’s disgusting the way you’ve been treated.”

In the previous meeting on Monday September 21 the Mayor, Cllr Chris Welsford had stated that: “We’re not here to persecute or drive out Councillor Perks – that is malicious gossip.” He then took proceedings

to take Cllr Perks before an ethics committee for selling tickets for the forthcoming Cleo Laine and John Dankworth concert at the end of October.

“The crunch came when a few days after the last meeting a letter popped through my door saying I was being taken to the ethical standards

committee and that was the last thrust of the knife,” said Councillor Perks.

Cllr Perks also said that he felt he had been, “sidelined by the Winter Gardens Committee,” and that he was upset that certain members had referred to him as being a member of the BNP when the elections were held last June. He also expressed dismay at the fact that many of the bookings for the hall

had been cancelled. “We now find ourselves in a position where there are only three shows between now and Christmas,” he told the assembled crowd.

“As a licensee of 30 years standing I think they are putting my integrity at risk. I had no information about Robin McInnis’s art exhibition,” continued

Cllr Perks. T h e reception for around 250 people had been

held in the venue last Saturday, free drinks were given out to all those attending, and Cllr Perks had not been informed.

In a 15 minute opportunity to ask questions at the beginning of the Town Council meeting, tempers were frayed and voices were raised. The public and press were excluded from the decision making process to appoint a new town clerk, and when the meeting ended, Cllr Perks was given a round of applause when he entered

the bar.“I’m disappointed

because there’s still a lot of potential and I would have loved to see it through, but I won’t now. I’d like to think that the Winter Gardens Action Committee would get stronger and they can set up a proper set of trustees to look after the interests of the people of Ventnor,” said Cllr Perks who is intending to go back onto the Winter Gardens Committee when he finishes work at the venue.

“I was being taken to the ethical standards committee and that was the last thrust of the knife.”

Frustrated youngsters outside Ryde Skate Park


NEWS

GROUPS COME TOGETHER TO HELP ENVIRONMENT

DEPUTY Council head Cllr Ian Stephens joined local residents on Wednesday to begin work to help improve a small copse in Haylands known locally as The Dip. As a planned event for Red Squirrel Week which runs until October 11, Wight Squirrel Project, Haylands

Primary School and local residents have got together with the IW Council to improve this small copse for wildlife.

The copse will benefit from scrub clearance and tree planting with the aim of enhancing it for wildlife, including red squirrels,

hedgehogs and over 25 species of birds. The local schools can then use the area to study flora and fauna.

The trees have been funded by Wight Squirrel Project with a contribution from a mainland group of girls, the 2nd Radipole

guide group, who raised money to help red squirrels on the Isle of Wight.

Thanks go to Cllr Ian Stephens for his invaluable help in setting up the process, which is allowing locals to rejuvenate this copse.

Left to right: Lucy Kral, Phoebe Winbourne and Tyla Mahmad Abbie Pedferm (left) and Sasha Mart

The adults from left to right: Helen Butler,Cllr Ian Stephens and Kim Wheeler


NEWS

is determined to put a stop to illegal working on the Isle of Wight. Last week’s results seem to indicate that our message is getting through. We have very strict rules about working in the UK – if you don’t meet the requirements, you can’t get a job.

“Around 50 enforcement operations are being carried out every week in London and the South East, so if you’re working without permission, you’re likely to get caught and be removed from the country.

“If we find evidence that it’s the employers acting illegally, they face the threat of prosecution, a hefty fine or even prison.”

UK Border Agency officers are cracking down on illegal immigration every day of

the week, and rural areas are just as likely to be targeted as major towns and cities.

Lyn added: “With greater investment in enforcement, we are making more arrests,

sending more people to court and carrying out more removals. It is becoming much harder to get a job without permission and more and more illegal immigrants are getting sent back.

“We want to work with employers to help them understand what they need to do to prevent it, but crack down on those who are found to be flouting the rules. We are taking a robust approach to tracking down people who have no right to be here and removing them.

“We carry out intelligence-led operations every day to crack down on illegal working and to ensure UK immigration laws are not abused. Information from the public is always welcomed and can help us discover where illegal workers and the businesses which employ them are breaking the law.”

So any Island business employing illegal workers has been warned – The UK Border Force will be back!

THE UK BORDER Agency has warned there will be more raids, at virtually any time, on the Island over the coming months in an effort to stamp out the use of illegal immigrant workers.

The Gazette was given exclusive access to the previous visit by the Agency Force, which we highlighted in last week’s edition. The seven-strong team travelled over from the mainland and visited three food outlets on

the Island to check out staff and owners.

Although no arrests were made, officers handed out stern warnings to the owners of two of the premises, and also explained to several workers they could face hefty fines and be expelled from the country if they were caught working without authentic paperwork.

However, the Island search for immigrant workers, who are not only working

illegally, but could be exploited with low wages and sub-standard living conditions, will not end there.

Fines of £10,000 can be handed out to employers who take on illegal workers, and they would also face loss of business and the negative publicity that would inevitably come with arrests.

In the final part of our insight into how the UK Border Force works, and the potential penalties faced by anyone flouting the law, we spoke to Lyn Sari, the assistant director for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Immigration team.

Lyn warned: “Those who use and exploit illegal workers face severe financial penalties, over and above the loss of business and negative publicity that enforcement visits from UK Border Agency officers’ causes.

“We are happy to help businesses ensure the right pre-employment checks are carried out, but those intent on breaking the law should be warned that they will be found and they will be punished.”

Lyn continued: “Getting a job on the Isle of Wight is not a free-for-all. There are strict rules about who can and can’t work there. Companies abusing the immigration system will be named and shamed and run the risk of losing business from customers who don’t want to tolerate illegal immigration.

“The UK Border Agency

BORDER CRACKDOWN

“We are making more arrests, sending more people to court and carrying out more removals.”


NEWS

STAFF of Barclays Bank across the Island have completed series of fundraising events in aid of the Earl Mountbatten Hospice and the radiotherapy unit at St Mary’s Hospital.

Managers at the branch in Newport took part in one of the more painful exercises - by having their legs waxed.

Tony Hope, Local Business Manager for Barclays, said: “Dave Redstone, our Premier Manager, and Simon Cumpstey who is our Assistant Business manager all agreed that we would have our legs waxed. It was painful, but it’s for a very good cause.”

The week-long fundraiser reached its climax yesterday (Thursday) with a challenging 55-mile bike ride from Haslemere to Ventnor.

Carly Morris, who works at the Newport branch, said: “It was really hard work, but we were determined to finish. I want to thank everyone who took part in the cycle and

also thank everybody that sponsored us.”

It is hoped that around £5,000 has been raised by the staff, which will be matched by Barclays.

STUDENTS at Nodehill Middle School have been presented with their free ice skating passes after having 100 per cent attendance for the summer term.

The scheme, which is run between the IW Council’s education welfare service and Planet Ice, Ryde, rewards students who attend school while also helping crackdown on truancy figures.

The passes were presented to the pupils by Nicolas Crick, IW council head of targeted intervention, Lorna Cotton,

manager of Planet Ice, and members of the Wightlink Raiders ice hockey team.

Headteacher Mr Morris was delighted with the performance of the students, but also vented his frustration about the forthcoming closure of the middle school in conjunction with the council’s two-tier education plan.

Mr Morris was understandably frustrated that the school has been earmarked to close and felt that if councillors had

‘bothered’ to visit the school then they may have felt differently about closing it.

Over 100 pupils received free passes from Planet Ice, which entitle all of the family to a free skating session.

Lorna Cotton, Manager of Planet Ice in Ryde, said: “Planet Ice is pleased to be running the 100 per cent attendance scheme with support from the council. All of the students seem really pleased to be receiving the passes and it shows that the scheme is working.”

PASSES APLENTY FOR PUPILS

THE GRAND Auction and Autumn Picnic at Cowes Yacht Haven was another success this year, raising more than £10,000 for charity.

The event centre was the venue for the day, organised by Ventnor Rotary and St Catherine’s, on October 4.

The hammer fell on more than 30 once-in-a-lifetime lots, including a week’s stay at a plush villa in Barbados, backstage tickets to the West End production of Mamma Mia, and a wine tasting experience with the award-winning Head Sommelier at Hotel du Vin Winchester.

Major General Martin White CB CBE JP, HM Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, attended the event and all funds raised will

go to children’s charities, including St Catherine’s.

Cowes Yacht Haven’s Events Centre Manager, Ian Gregory, said: “We are delighted to have played a part in such a great event that has raised so much money for charity. We know that the funds raised from the auction and picnic will make a real difference to the

lives of people in need on the Island.”

Aimee Steward, from St Catherine’s, said: “It has been a pleasure working with Ventnor Rotary and the day’s success demonstrates how two charitable organisations with friends and supporters can truly make a difference for children and young people.”

AUCTION RAISES £10,000

PEDAL POWER FOR BARCLAYS STAFF

Simon Cumpstey


NEWS

WIN!

Question: Where will the concert be taking place?

Answer:

Name:

Address:

Tel no:

The prize will be awarded to the first correct entry opened after Wednesday October 22nd, 2009. Terms and conditions apply. Employees and their immediate families of Sigma Event Manage-

ment and The Gazette are not allowed to enter. The editor’s decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into.

Tickets to see Cleo Laine and John Dankworth

in Concert!

THIS ISSUE, thanks to Sigma Event Management, we are giving you the chance to win a pair of tickets to see Jazz musicians Cleo Laine and John Dankworth, plus friends, in concert at Ventnor Winter Gardens on October 30 or 31st.

Musicians with a long and varied musical history, Cleo and John are not to be missed.

To find out more phone 856206/856200 or visit www.sigmaeventmanagement.co.uk.

It’s so easy to enter, just answer the question below, then send your entry to: Jazz

Competition, IW Gazette, Spithead Business Centre, Sandown, IW, PO36 9PH. The closing date is October 22nd 2009.

POLICE have come in for criticism after deciding to no longer enforce an order to disperse groups involved in anti-social behaviour in Ryde.

The scheme has proved a huge success, and the decision to suspend it has been described by Evelyn Gooch, Ryde Town councillor for South Ward as “totally daft.”

Tim Wakeley, chairman of planning for Ryde Town Council, has also expressed his disappointment at the police move not to maintain Section 30 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act, 2003. Both councillors spoke openly to The Gazette about the controversial issue, but made it clear they were personal views, and not connected with their council duties.

Between April and September this year, the number of reported crimes dropped dramatically the Ryde town area, compared to the same period last year.

It coincided with Hampshire and IW Police

using the Section 30 dispersal order. But now police have taken the brave decision to suspend the order, hoping the recent crackdown means it will no longer be necessary to implement it.

Their decision comes even though Section 30 proved an invaluable tool during their mission to tackle anti-social behaviour with high profile and plain-clothes officers combining with the council in Operation Inferno.

Councillor Gooch said: “I just cannot understand the reason behind this decision – it is totally daft. The reason crime figures in Ryde have gone down is because of the use of Section 30. It was proving very successful, so I just cannot understand this decision – it is incomprehensible.”

Councillor Wakeley said: “If the local Police Community Support Officers no longer have powers under section 30, it means they may have to call on a full-time police officer, who could be diverted

away from a more important task.

“By taking powers away from the PCSOs I feel it could open them up to ridicule because it leaves them powerless. Maybe Section 30 in not used all that frequently, but when it has been it has proved very effective in defusing potentially difficult situations. I am disappointed at this decision.”

Between April and September this year there were around 100 fewer crimes in Ryde, compared to the same period last year. The Anti-Social Behaviour Act was used to remove a man from the town after he was involved in vehicle wheel spinning, while other motorists were issued with warnings that vehicles could be seized if they were involved in similar offences. Some were given warnings for the use of loud car stereos and speeding.

The use of Section 30 also helped curb anti-social behaviour among

pedestrians, with people reported for rowdy or drunken behaviour moved on. Searches also led to alcohol and cannabis being seized from people involved in anti-social behaviour.

But Hampshire Constabulary’s IW Deputy Commander Superintendent Norman Mellors has defended the move to no longer use Section 30, at least for the time being. He explained: “Hampshire Constabulary is obliged under law to routinely review the use of dispersal orders.

“To renew this dispersal order, police would require evidence that other longer-term policing methods were not working, and that complaints of anti-social behaviour and crime remained high. Hampshire Constabulary’s assessment is that this is not the situation. There were over 100 fewer reported crimes in the Ryde Town area between April and September 2009, compared to the same period in 2008.

“Police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) on the Isle of Wight have experience and expertise in using a range of legal powers and tactics to reduce crime and disorder by working with partner agencies and the local community.

“Hampshire Constabulary is never complacent, and would consider reinstating this section 30 order

dispersal order if necessary and proportionate to any increase in the amount of crime and disorder reported in the Ryde Town area in future.

“Co-operation with the community is an essential part of successful Safer Neighbourhoods policing, and we will continue encouraging people in Ryde to report anti-social behaviour.”

GROUP ORDER AXED

C H R I S T O P H E R HAYTON, a 35 year old man from Newport, is planning a sponsored swim in aid of Children in Need. Staggered over four weeks, Christopher will be flying through the water at The Heights Leisure Centre, Sandown, hopefully dressed as Superman.

Christopher has lived on the Island for four years, after moving from Surrey with his

parents, and is an ex care assistant. Despite being unemployed, and no doubt feeling the credit crunch, Christopher has decided to try and raise £100 for his chosen charity.

This is the third year that Christopher has supported Children in Need with a sponsored swim. Last year he raised £102 and in 2007 he raised £76. This year should see ‘The Man of

Steel’ clear his 5,000m target – assuming there’s no kryptonite in the pool!

If you would like to cheer him on - the super swim is scheduled to begin at 10am on Tuesday October 20.

Still short of his goal, Christopher has so far received £66 in sponsorship. Any support/donations can be taken into the Heights Leisure Centre in Sandown.

SUPERMAN SWIMMING FOR CHILDREN IN NEED

RYDE Inshore Lifeboat’s busiest ever year continued after they were called out to reports of a sinking vessel in Ryde Harbour.

After having spent most of Tuesday evening on station carrying out a tour of the facilities for a local Guide Company, the crew’s pagers were activated around 1am on Wednesday morning.

The team from Ryde Rescue 2 were tasked to attend a vessel that was taking on water. The Fire Brigade were first on the scene and had pumped most of the water out of the vessel, but the coastguard units on site had some concerns that there would be more water ingress.

The original idea was to request Ryde Rescue 2 to tow the boat the short distance to the slipway, in order to pull the vessel out of the water. However, the owner of the vessel was traced and was able to start his own pumping system, so the removal of the vessel to the slipway was not required.

The crew were released from the scene by the coastguard and returned to station.

“Although our prime objective is to save lives at sea, we obviously will help to protect property where it is at risk. We also have to consider the environmental implications of any boat sinking which has fuel on board,” said Ryde Rescue’s Andy Parnell.

NO RESPITE FOR RYDE INSHORE RESCUE

THE IW council’s community safety services will be visiting various places in the south region of the Island on Saturday October 24, offering low-cost dog chipping and free security marking for bicycles.

Council dog wardens and environment and neighbourhoods officers will be at Chale Green from 9am-10.30am before moving on to the Methodist Hall in Niton from 11am-12.30pm.

From there, the team will be based at Godshill in the scout hut from 1pm-2.30pm before moving onto the final stop at Wroxall Community Centre between 3pm-4.30pm.

Microchipping will cost £10 per dog while there is no cost for bicycles to be security marked.

CHANCE TO GET YOUR DOG

CHIPPED


NEWS

STUDENTS TAKE ON EVEREST

A GROUP of pupils from Sandown High School have been to ‘the top of Mount Everest’ without even leaving the Island.

But their efforts have raised over £600 for the Earl Mountbatten Hospice, because rather than travelling to Asia to climb the world’s highest mountain, the students scaled their 12ft spinnaker climbing wall at school an incredible 1,472 times - the equivalent of climbing up Everest twice!

The challenge was organised by 14-year-old, Amy Tillett, who wanted to raise money for the hospice, after her father passed away earlier this year. Amy explained: “My father was cared for at the hospice. I really like climbing and I wanted to do something to try and help raise money for them, so I spoke to my PE teacher Mr Ostler, and he said he would help me organise the climb.

“We both agreed that to do some kind of climb would be great to raise money, and hopefully we will have raised a few hundred pounds.”

In total, 16 students and nine members of staff took part in the challenge, which was spread over 24 hours, by taking turns to scale

the wall. One student, Maria Snow, sprained her ankle and had to retire early but returned the following morning on crutches with her £67 sponsorship money.

Matt Ostler, Head of Physical Education at Sandown High School, said: “Each pupil was been sponsored to complete the challenge. We got a real good mix of students taking part as well, which is great to see.

“The climbing wall has been at the school since 2006, and hopefully this fundraiser could be a platform

for other events to take place using the spinnaker climbing wall. It would be great to get more people climbing and learning new skills.

“We get people from outside the school using the wall for activities as well, including disabled groups, which is great

and we would encourage more people to give it a go.

“I want to say thank you to everyone who was involved in the Everest challenge and we hope to do it again next year.

“It would be great to get more people climbing and learning new skills.”

Dan Bell

Stuart Lown

Luke Kirvan

Amy Tillet

BY JAMIE WHITE


FEATURE

LAST weekend’s Ma mmoth Jumble Sale at Shorwell Village Hall raised nearly £2,000 for the Earl Mountbatten Hospice.

The huge jumble happens twice a year, and although there weren’t quite as many people as usual there was £1,960.68 taken over the three-hour period from 11am till 2pm.

Inside people queued to get up on to the stage area with its tables of bric a brac i t e m s , b e l o w hundreds of buyers, who had all paid

20p entrance, fought over clothing, duvets and bedlinen.

Outside were the furniture donations and tables of children’s toys, adult and children’s shoes and more rails of clothing. People were very generous in their donations and volunteers came from all over the Island to help run the event.

Starting as a fundraiser for Macmillan nurses the Mammoth

Jumble Sale has raised

o v e r £ 8 0 , 0 0 0 since it started.

‘THE LIKES OF US’ FOR SHANKLIN THEATRE

MAMMOTH SUCCESS WONDERYEARS AT WINTER GARDENS

THE Island is in for a treat on October 17 when the Wonderyears choir presents their evening of hits at the Winter Gardens in Ventnor to raise money for the Earl Mountbatten Hospice. The 24 strong ensemble have an average age of 70 and have been playing to packed audiences, raising thousands of pounds for charities around the country.

Following inspiration from a Channel 4 documentary about the Massachusetts based Young@Heart Chorus, Dave Thomas formed the Virginia

Water based Wonderyears in 2007. Blending songs by everyone from Snow Patrol to The Rolling Stones, the Wonderyears present an inspiring show

about age, memory and the power of music.

Made up entirely of amateur singers and musicians of a certain age (the average age is 70, the oldest is 85), the extraordinary Wonderyears choir backed by the Wonderyears Band, make their first visit to the Isle of Wight with their new show at 8pm on Saturday October 17 at the Ventnor Winter Gardens.

Tickets priced £8 from the Winter Gardens Box Office 01983 857581

South Wight Youth Theatre with Martin Pitman and Diane Boxall

Not many people will know that the very first musical written by Andrew Lloyd Webber was The Likes of Us and it was based on the life of Dr Barnardo, the evangelical philanthropist who set up the children’s homes bearing his name.

This October half term Sandown based South Wight Youth Theatre will be performing the musical in Shanklin Theatre following the decision by Andrew Lloyd Webbers’s Really Useful Group, in conjunction with the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA), to release the musical to amateur theatres across the region.

The Likes of Us is the first

show that Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote together in 1965. It never made the West End stage and received its world premiere in 2005.

Tony Gibbs, chief executive of NODA, said: “The Likes of Us is truly unique and we’re delighted that South Wight Youth Theatre has secured the rights to perform it, and that audiences across the Isle of Wight will have the opportunity to see this wonderful performance.”

During rehearsals Martin Pitman, Barnado’s Chief Community Fundraiser for the South of England, treated the Youth Theatre group to a useful history lesson. Mr. Pitman used the actor Bertie

Everson, who is playing Dr Barnardo, to illustrate his talk and profile the man at the heart of this musical. Dr Barnardo set up children’s homes in the east end of London following the cholera outbreak in the nineteenth century.

As part of the morning a special award was given to Diane Boxall, the youth theatre’s wardrobe mistress, in recognition of her 25 years of involvement and support of Barnardos.

Isabel Favell, Director of South Wight Youth Theatre said, “We are delighted; the music is absolutely stunning and the members rehearsing are enjoying it and are thoroughly motivated by it.”

Barnardos no longer runs children’s homes but manages around 400 projects across the UK (of which one is based in Ryde), which includes counselling for children who have been abused, fostering and adoption services, vocational training, child poverty and disability groups.

The Likes of Us will be presented at Shanklin Theatre on October 29, 30 and 31 at 7.30pm.


FEATURE

“Hospice Go Yellow Day” – here at last!

THAT’S right, today, Friday October 9, is our first ever “Hospice Go Yellow Day”.

There’s a whole raft of different events taking place all over the Island, from Yellow Ice Creams for donations from The Ice Cream Plaza in St James Square to the 101 Pints of Yellow Jelly Challenge at Mansell Construction’s office in Ryde, and everything in-between!

Isle of Wight Radio will be broadcasting from Southern Vectis’ ‘Old Girl’ all day as they tour businesses & schools ‘Going Yellow’ for the Hospice. If you see them on the road give them a wave and listen in for updates on their adventures throughout the day.

Have a great “Yellow Day” everyone.

The Wonderyears Choir in Concert

THE WONDERYEARS Choir will be bringing their inimitable take

on rock classics to the Ventnor Winter Gardens on Saturday October 17 in support of the Earl Mountbatten Hospice.

With an average age of 70, the Wonderyears Choir, backed by the Wonderyears Band, is made up of local senior citizens who will be belting out old, and new, favourites from the rock ‘n roll catalogue and making them their own.

Tickets are £8 each and are available from the Winter Gardens Box Office on 857581. The show starts at 8pm.

The Newquay Male Voice Choir in Concert

THE NEWQUAY Male Voice Choir is singing at a special concert at St Marys Church in Cowes on Saturday October 17 in aid of the Earl Mountbatten Hospice.

The repertoire of Newquay Male Voice Choir is varied and includes 4-part male voice harmony, Barbershop Music, traditional arrangements of Choral and Operatic tunes and the choir has developed an enviable reputation for singing “Songs

from the Shows” and other popular music.

Tickets are £5 each and are available from the Hospice Fundraising Team on 528989. The show starts at 7pm.

Barton Manor Open Day

BARTON Manor will be opening its doors for the last time this year for our Annual Christmas Fayre on Sunday October 18.

There will be numerous Christmas Gift Stalls and Ideas, our Boutique Charity Shop, Hospice Gifts and Christmas Cards for sale and the faithful BBQ run by Vectis Sunrise.

There will also be music from Castle Jazz, Harvie Sharp’s Reel Tyme Ceilidh Band, Vectis Corps of Drums and Lonesome Valley Boys.

For more information please call Fundraising on 528989.

Hospice NewsHospice Fundraising: Tel - 528989

AND IT’S ALL YELLOWTODAY (Friday) marks the first ever ‘Go Yellow Day’ in aid of the Earl Mountbatten Hospice.

As many of you may already know The Gazette supports the hospice. Rather than putting a cover price on the paper, all we ask is that you put a few pennies in the box on the stand that you get your Gazette from. And as a show of support for ‘Go Yellow Day’ we have turned our header yellow on the front page and added some yellow on a few of our headlines.

There are a series of events taking place today across the Island including the making of yellow ice cream by Plaza ice cream, and a money trail, fancy dress and a raffle at Froghill Tack.

Members of staff at WP Recruitment dressing as bananas, Wight Cable are dressing in yellow and IW Radio’s Michael Coombes is sitting in a bath of custard and Paul Topping is scaling the climbing wall at Sandown High School.

Other events include coffe and

cake mornings at Hunnyhill Primary School, IW Textiles and Abbeyfield in Ryde.

Staff at Mansell Construction Office are doing a 100 pints of yellow jelly challenge between 10am-4pm, and The Real Island Food Company are decorating their vans in yellow and making a donation to the hospice for any order that they receive.

Hundreds of businesses, schools and other organisations are all getting in on the act to support and raise money for the hospice.


FEATURE

DAME Ellen MacArthur has a new passion in life, and it’s not sailing. It’s sustainability. Living within our means. Conserving our natural resources. She basically wants us all to use less – particularly less oil.

This may seem like an unpopular viewpoint and, perhaps, an uphill struggle to get it across, but Dame Ellen is no stranger to succeeding at tasks that might have seemed impossible to many other people. And she is passionate about this project – spending the past three years researching the subject in depth, she is now taking the first steps towards taking her message to the world.

An illustration of Ellen’s tenacity would be the story of how she saved for her first boat. After first trying sailing at the age of four on her Aunty Thea’s boat, Ellen was hooked and from the age of eight she ate only mash and beans for her lunch at school, saving the change towards her first boat. It took ten years to save up enough, and

at age 18 she bought a little red boat in which she sailed around Britain.

Five years later, with all the funding in place and in a new boat, Kingfisher, which she helped design, Ellen became the first woman to circumnavigate the globe single-handedly. “Imagine what it felt like at 22 years old to realise you were in the design meetings for a boat I was going to sail around the world,” she told the audience at Gurnard Pines.

Dame Ellen then went on to complete a nonstop round the world trip in a multi hull, 60ft trimaran.

“I sailed past Marin Island and I thought how wonderful it would be to stop there,” she said and she was straight back onto a 120ft boat sailing to S. Georgia within ten days of finishing the trimaran trip on a mission to study endangered species.

It was during this trip that Ellen became aware of the unsustainability of our lives. In South Georgia she saw the towns that were built solely around the whaling industry, now deserted as

the whales were all killed off. “As humans we can go somewhere and strip all the resources away and then leave,” she explained. “It made me feel differently about life. I didn’t really understand it – but I wanted to.

“On a race, on a boat, you take the minimum and you mange those resources. You

never left anything running that you didn’t need. I had only 400 litres of diesel. I took 13 rolls of kitchen roll and I didn’t use the perforated lines – I just took exactly what I needed.

“How much oil do we have? I read reports. I read that a guy called Hubbart had predicted peak oil – a point at which the oil supply

begins to fall. At the time he was regarded as a crank but we now know differently. We have 40 years left and each day we use 4.4 litres of oil each. Our dependence on it frightened me.

“The last three years of my life have been put into researching it and it comes down to one thing: It’s unsustainable. It can’t

continue. It has to change. I thought it was 200 years away but it’s a lot nearer.”

Ellen drives an electric Kangoo from Renault, which will drive 60 miles on one full charge. “There’s no noise when you start it or drive. I even fitted solar panels to charge it but it took two days of bright sunshine to charge,” said Ellen who is also building a home on the Island with many green features.

“My family used to run a windmill and it still grinds corn today,” said Ellen. “When it was built did local people say; “We don’t want that windmill on our hill?” We finished the houses of parliament before oil was even taken out of the ground. We can’t print more oil like we’ve printed more money to solve the credit crunch.”

“I’ve seen things in a different way. I wanted to learn and get the facts straight and I’ve decided this is what I want to concentrate on,” she said. “We have no option other than to change.”

NEW DIRECTION FOR ELLEN

Dame Ellen MacArthur and her electric car


FEATURE

HM LORD LIEUTENANT’S ANNUAL AWARDSMajor General Martin White, the Lord Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, was at the Drill Hall in Newport this week to give his annual awards along with The High Sheriff Mrs Gay Edwards and The Chairman of the IW Council, Cllr Arthur Taylor.

“Keeping Up Appearances”

and “Heartbeat” actor, Geoffrey Hughes, who has become a popular Island resident, was presented a commission to be Deputy Lieutenant. Mrs Anne Longford and Dr Charles Mobbs were also awarded Deputy Lieutenant commissions.

Corporal Lovewell has been a member of the TA for over 37 years. He started as an Infantryman and achieved the role of Section Commander, he has spent most of this time as a chef, serving in six different units. He has attended camps and training across the United Kingdom and in several countries overseas.

Highly respected, his performance as a chef has been truly outstanding. He is regularly involved in the mentoring of new recruits

and in supporting the unit’s staff, showing the immense wisdom and professionalism that he has gained over his service. He gives up much of his own time to maintaining the history of the units that have been based in the Drill Hall and their representation, around the bar.

For his loyal service and exemplary performance over many years, Corporal Lovewell was awarded the Lord-Lieutenant’s Meritorious Certificate.

Peter Scott formerly joined the Sea Cadets Management Committee as a Trustee in December 1994 although he had been involved in helping them over many years. He heads the three-man team looking after the unit’s boats.

He has raised over £100,000 for the Unit’s new building project, cycling from Lands End to John O’Groats after recovering from back surgery and participating in the London, Paris and New York marathons.

In addition he spends

two nights a week assisting staff with cadets and maintaining the unit building and boats and resolving problems in every aspect of the unit’s activities.

He is the epitome of a voluntary helper and fund raiser, without whom, the unit could not function. His support over many years has been truly outstanding and we are pleased to recommend him for the Lord-Lieutenant’s Meritorious Service Certificate.

Anne Longford

Geoffrey Hughes

Dr Charles Mobbs

Terry joined the police on 1979 following a career in the Army’s Royal Engineers.

He has had numerous commendations - latest for bravery in rescuing

a young boy from a burning building. He has also started numerous initiatives to help young people, e.g. Blue Light Day, for which he received congratulations from the

Chief Superintendent, letters of thanks from the Ryde carnival committee, Royal British Legion Armed Forces Day, praise from local councillors, and letters of thanks

from the IW Chamber of Commerce. He also teaches the Domestic Violence Perpetrators offender management and education program on the Island.

PS 5200 Terry Clarkson

Corporal Lovewell

Peter Scott


FEATUREJames Wallace transferred to the 2nd Ryde Sea Scout Group,as a Cub Scout of the Silver Leys Scout group in Bishop Stortford, in 2001. After gaining several proficiency badges, he moved up to the Scout troop at the age of 11 continuing to gain proficiency badges along with several challenge awards and taking part in many activities within and outside the group, including night hikes, camping, pioneering, orienteering, and boating, gaining canoeing and sailing qualifications.

He progressed to Senior Scout and in order to remain in

Scouting as Young Leader at 2nd Ryde, with the Scout section he was given permission to carry out this role for a trial period. By gaining the acceptance and respect of his previous troop members, he proved this could be done.

James now continues as one of the Leadership team, passing on his experience and setting an example in his appearance and attitude, truly a scout who lives up to the scout promise and has always observed the scout laws. The Lord-Lieutenant was pleased to appoint James Wallace as his Cadet.

The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen & Families Association (SSAFA) Forces Help is the national charity helping and supporting those who serve in our Armed Forces, those who used to serve, and the families of both.

Each year SSAFA provide a reliable, caring and trusted service to more than 50,000 people

through a network of professionally trained staff and volunteers. Here on the Island that support is delivered through a team of volunteers drawn from within the community. In grateful recognition of 15 years devoted work among the ex service community, Mr Jim Paul was awarded the Council of SSAFA Forces Help certificate.

Leading Cadet Daniel Jeffers is a member of Ryde Sea Cadets.

He has served as the Mayor of Ryde’s Cadet and accompanied him to various Civic events. The Mayor of Ryde was very complimentary about his attention to his duties and his appearance.

Throughout his time with the Sea Cadets, he has always been keen to

volunteer help with any fundraising or other activity.

His outside interests include rugby, tennis, mountain biking, rock climbing and kayaking. He is also a keen sailor, both competitively and for fun.

The Lord-Lieutenant was pleased to appoint Leading Cadet Daniel Jeffers as his Cadet.

Cadet Sergeant Alex Morley who attends 3 Troop ‘C’ Company at Sandown’ has progressed through the ACF Army Proficiency Certificate from Recruit to Master Cadet Course. He has attended several Ministry of Defence sponsored and County level courses including ACF Cookery, Cadet Signals and Drill Course. He has represented the county at the Nijmengen and Arnhem Marches and is a key figure in the support that 3 Troop give to the Royal British Legion, especially for the Poppy

Appeal. He has attended

Adventurous training in Scotland, is part of the county shooting team, assisted with Recruit training and passing out parades. He was nominated this year for the Duke of Westminster’s Award in recognition of his BTEC Public Service project work, making the final shortlist from all Services nationally.

The Lord-Lieutenant was pleased to appoint Cadet Sergeant Alex Morley as his Cadet.

Deborah was introduced to Brownies at the age of six. She was a Guide and a Ranger before obtaining her first leader’s warrant on Thinking Day, 22nd February, 1970.

She was responsible for coordinating the International Duke of Edinburgh Award for many of these girls, including organising expeditions in their resident country.

She then moved to Haslemere where she became a District Commissioner, followed by Hampshire North, where she was county treasurer and county advisor for science.

When she moved to the Island to teach, she set up 2nd Ryde Brownies, and has just completed a very successful five year term as Island Commissioner, leading Girlguiding Isle of Wight up to its centenary celebrations in 2010.

Marion was introduced to Brownies by her daughter, becoming a leader on 1st March 1979.

She was with 11th Newport Brownies for most of her 30 years as a leader, and as such has had a positive influence on the lives of hundreds of girls on the Island. So great is Marion’s commitment that she was also involved

with every other section of Girlguiding from Rainbows through to Rangers.

Marion held a trainer’s license for twenty years, and for several of those she was the only trainer on the Island.

Her support for Girlguiding Isle of Wight both with girls and leaders over the last 30 years has been exemplary.

Valerie was a Brownie and a Guide in the East End of London.

She moved to the Island in 1974, and became a unit helper in Fairlee district, and then a Rainbow Guider and Assistant Brownie Guider. She was a Rainbow Guide Advisor, and organised the 10th anniversary celebrations for Rainbow Guides.

In an executive capacity, she has served as programme and training chairman, registrations secretary and CRB co-ordinator.

She gained her training

license in 2001, and has trained extensively within the south west region and beyond, including for British Guides Overseas, most recently in Cyprus.

She is now joining the group of retired trainers who assist at the Hampshire training centre, Foxlease, and elsewhere.

Her long and distinguished commitment to Guiding has benefited from the unstinting support of her husband, with whom she celebrated her 46th wedding anniversary on Wednesday

Linda Dowden is collecting the award on behalf of the Riverside Centre’s eco-Island project. Linda and the team of disabled, and non-disabled, gardeners and environment workers transformed derelict land near to the centre to create a green space and reflective garden

for centre users and the local community.

The team also developed an accessible green allotment and innovative recycling projects, initiatives that users of the Centre have been able to contribute towards, in turn benefitting the local community and other Island charities.

Valerie Diebelius

Cadet Sergeant A J Morley

Cadet Daniel Jeffers

James Wallace

Linda Dowden

Deborah Meadows

Marion O’Nions

Jim Paul


FEATURE

It’s this time of year that we begin to spend more time indoors and can look around and find we’re unhappy with our interiors. Also it’s a very good idea to paint the exterior of your building now – as a buffer against the winter weather on the way.

Consider any work you want to have done before painting. For example, do you want to replace or repair moldings, patch damaged drywall or hang new doors?

Next decide what colours and paints you want to use. You can get paint charts for all major brands and the painter you hire may also have suggestions - take

these seriously.Contact several painters.

Ask friends, neighbors, builders and designers for recommendations. Have the painting contractors inspect the site and quote a price for the job. Make sure the contractors are quoting on the same specifications - areas to be painted, number of coats and so forth.

Ask the painters for references and contact them. Were the customers happy with the job? Did the painter complete the project in a timely and professional manner?

Execute a contract specifying the work to be

done, total cost, payment schedule, start date and estimated completion date. Make sure the contract includes the paint brands and colors to be used in each location, as well as the number of coats.

Make sure the contract specifies that the painter is responsible for cleanup and the removal of paint from all surfaces (windows, floors).

Remove all furniture and other movable items before the painter is scheduled to begin. Anything not removed should be piled together in the center of the room and thoroughly covered with dust sheets.

IMPROVE YOUR PAD


FEATURE

Students of music will find Becketts of Southampton a treasure trove for any kind of instrument you might like to learn, along with all the equipment you’ll need to learn one.

Take the free bus from the Red Jet terminal to the station, walk across bridge and you’ll be at the shop at 56 Commercial Road, not far from the Mayflower Theatre. The shop moved here 21 years ago but the business has been in Southampton since 1946 when Mr Beckett came back from the war.

Becketts come to the Island once a year for the education open day at Medina and offer three different options for pupils wanting to learn an instrument. You can buy VAT free if you can prove your child is in full time education, you can hire your instrument and then if you wish to later purchase it half of the first term payment will be deducted from the price or you can buy the instrument with the proviso that Becketts will buy it back for 2/3 of the original price within the first year. Ideal for beginners who might not be sure about their choice of instrument.

Bands on the Island have accounts with the shop for instrument repairs and will pick up and drop off repaired items at the ferry terminal to save you the cost of coming over.

You always know you’re in good hands if you’re dealing with music lovers and all of the staff at Becketts play at least one instrument and are active in music. Owners Steve Jones and Dan Redhead have forty years experience in the business between them. See their range online at www.beckettsmusic.co.uk

pic1

There has been a lot of talk in the press recently about the shake up of education on the Island and the closing of all of our middle schools. But this will not affect over 136 children on the Island because their parents are educating them at home.

The Learning Zone is the umbrella organisation on the Island for

home educators and it has been going for around ten years. Set up to allow people to get together to pool resources and ideas, the Learning Zone now has 61 families as members on the Island.

Susan Gibson from Cowes has three children of 13, 11 and seven and none of them have ever been to school. The two eldest children are studying for their maths GCSE,

taking their first exam this November and her youngest is really interested in the Romans at the moment.

“We like home educating because children can learn at their own pace and be enthusiastic about it,” said Susan. “We felt that state education was too prescriptive at too young an age.

“We do it because it works and because they have never stopped being interested in learning. My middle daughter has just written a play for puppets, made the puppets and the scenery and filmed it,” she added.

Linda Nicholls from Gurnard has twin daughters, Tegan and Jamie, but decided to take Tegan out of school when she discovered she was dyslexic. “I did it because the school’s have limited funds and cannot deal with individual cases satisfactorily,” said Linda. “Tegan’s self esteem was falling drastically.”

At home Tegan has lessons in the morning, including Maths and English exercises in her Kumon books. She and Jamie also attend Kumon sessions once a week at Cowes Primary School after school hours, where they get next week’s work set. “Not many home educators use Kumon but is a good foundation,” said Linda.

“I think it’s really good being taught at home but I can get lonely sometimes. It’s fun because after I’ve done my work I can play,” said Tegan. “We have a horrible science kit. You can make bogies and yesterday we made fireworks that explode in water. We also made a lava lamp but it didn’t work very well.”

“We were learning about the density of liquids,” said Mum Linda. “The council have an education person who is the liaison with us who is very helpful,” she added. “She’s given us tips for different teaching methods for

dyslexia and lots of maths games.The Learning Zone has been

great,” said Linda. “People will come up with an idea and see who wants to join in like ice skating or camping. They do two camps every year, one at Corfe and one at Parkhurst. The last Corfe Camp was absolutely phenomenal. The weather was good, the kids were good and it worked wonderfully.”

The Isle of Wight Music Centre at Medina is popular with home educators too and many children take up a musical instument. Tegan learns flute with the Foundation Wind Band.

LEARNING AT HOME CAN BE AN OPTION

INSTRUMENTS FOR EVERYONE

Tegan Nicholls


NEWS

V BAY weekend is getting closer and closer and the buzz throughout the town is getting louder and louder. This new festival is to be held over the weekend of 23, 24, 25 October and promises to showcase the talent of Ventnor.

The festivities begin at around 4.30pm on Friday when the town mayor, Chris Welsford, will launch V Bay balloons from the Winter Gardens. Each balloon has a ticket attached and the one that travels the furthest will win a weekend in Ventnor.

On Friday night a Speakeasy hits town – a night of cabaret and casino games at the Winter Gardens. Local magician Aaron Isted will be amazing everyone with his illusions and magic and fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe, comedienne Hannah George will entertain all with her stand up routine.

The Wight Barbershop Singers will provide deft harmonics and the Phoenix Jazz Ensemble will feature the vocals of Nette Robinson. A fun casino with croupiers and prizes will also be offered and the dress code is “cocktail with an art deco twist,” in keeping with the style of the building.

Saturday will have loads of kid’s activities with a pirate theme both in the town and on the seafront. A pirate themed treasure hunt will happen in the town and there will

also be treasure to find on the beach. The esplanade will be closed to

traffic during daylight hours and traditional games for children will be on offer such as fishing for ducks. The Spyglass will be lending their pirate boat float to the festivities too.

In the town there will be art exhibitions and workshops at various venues and lots more for kids to do – check the big notice board in Bizzy Lizzy’s shop window for details nearer the weekend.

On Saturday evening the Winter Gardens will host a celebration of 50 years of Motown with DJ Tim Booglaoo, Kaftan and Taf and guests. Comedienne Hannah George and magician Aaron Isted will again be performing and the Hillmans blues band will be playing in the main bar.

Sunday is V Bay’s music day with live local musicians at loads of the pubs, bars and restaurants throughout the day and into the evening. There will also be a fancy dress swim in aid at midday starting from the pirate boat.

At 2pm the grand fancy dress vehicle rally will begin on the seafront, sponsored by Bamboo engineering who are presenting the cup and prizes. Any small, manually driven or lightly powered electrical vehicles can attend, so long as they are cleverly disguised in some way and are not planning to go faster than about three miles an hour.

Soapbox carts, sit-on lawn mowers and mobility scooters are largely the expected attendees, but V-Bay would love to see any small vehicles turn up – the stranger the better!

Along with the games on the seafront an antique fair will be held in the Winter Gardens and many of the shops in the town will be open. Boat trips will be available from the haven to see the smuggling and pirate coves along the coast.

“The whole idea is to get Ventnor working together,” said Jackie Milne of the Ale and Oyster, who came up with the idea of staging the festival. “I went to the Ventnor Business Association with my plan and they have been an umbrella for the organisation.”

Linda Chester, Chair of the Ventnor Business Association said: “The Ventnor Business Association would like to thank everyone who is contributing to and supplying this weekend. It will be a real showcase of the extraordinary and diverse talent of this vibrant community which is Ventnor.”

Although there will be many local charities and volunteer organisations who will be raising money throughout the weekend the named charity for the event is PATCH (People’s Approach To Cancer Help) which helps local people undergoing cancer treatment.

Got a story for the Gazette?Call our newsdesk now on 409928

VENTNOR BUZZING FOR V BAY


NEWS

Photos courtesy of Barbara Roscoe


FEATURE

VEGGIE SUCCESSFUL GODSHILL SHOWLast weekend saw the autumn horticultural show at Godshill Village Hall with the room packed with fruits of the season along with wonderful crafts and artistic endeavours.

Pumpkins were, of course, in evidence and winner of the heaviest specimen was Dave Johnson. Winner of the best pumpkin cake was Alice Hilton.

Chairman William Curwood won the first prize for his parsnips and

best onions in the show were won by Eddie Floyd.

In the crafts section Marion Baudrey won first prize for her necklace and her husband Eric came in second with his hand crafted wooden gate. Lesley Wayne won a prize for his little blue car.

Clothing was another section and was won by Jacky Johnson.

The children’s entries were particularly good with best fruit

necklace being won by Natasha Lord, a first prize to Joshua Herman for his dinosaur and second prize being awarded to Toby Hilton for his yoghurt boat.

“People from all around come in for a cup of tea and it’s nice for the village to get together,” said Chairman William Curwood. The judges commented on the surprisingly high quality of the vegetables given recent weather conditions.

Eric Baudrey with Dave Johnson’s pumpkin

Eric Baudrey, Carol and William Curwood

Clothes by Jacky Johnson

Car by Lesley Wayne, Class 220

Boat by Tobby Hilton

Fruit Necklace by Natasha Lord

Pumkin cake by Alice Hilton


FEATURE

FASTEST DUSTMAN ON THE ISLAND

Isle of Wight Marathon 4th October 2009Men’s Result

Race No Time Name Club POS M SM V40 V50 IW

146 02:50:38 CAMERON, Paul ISLE OF WIGHT ROAD RUNNERS 1 1 1 IW 186 03:01:10 MORTON, Steve NEW FOREST RUNNERS 2 2 2 187 03:08:45 AMBROSINI, Will WEST WIGHT ROAD RUNNERS 3 3 3 IW 132 03:10:22 HOLMES, Nicholas FLEET & CROOKHAM A.C. 4 4 1 133 03:10:51 TYLER, John HAVERING 90 JOGGERS 5 5 1 IW 183 03:13:31 BACKHOUSE, Stuart UNATTACHED (NITON) 6 6 4 IW 181 03:13:32 SMITH, Eric UNATTACHED (NEWPORT) 7 7 2 IW 124 03:18:19 TAYLOR, Ian BUNGAY BLACK DOG R.C. 8 8 3 32 03:21:19 WILLETT, David UNATTACHED (PORTSMOUTH) 9 9 5 127 03:21:35 RICHARDS, David UNATTACHED (PORTSMOUTH) 10 10 4 191 03:23:21 FEDDEN, Lee UNATTACHED (LONDON) 11 11 6 111 03:25:30 NICHOLSON, Kris UNATTACHED (PORTSMOUTH) 12 12 7 65 03:26:50 BRUCE, Richard ISLE OF WIGHT ROAD RUNNERS 13 13 5 IW 177 03:28:27 MCCARTHY, Kevin ROAD RUNNERS CLUB 14 14 6 170 03:33:47 NEUMANN, Lee CHICHESTER RUNNERS 16 15 7

Last Sunday The IOW Marathon saw 118 runners finish, with first place being taken by Paul Cameron of IOW Road Runners in 2 hours, 50 minutes and 38 seconds. First woman runner was Sandra Goldsack from London in three minutes, 28 minutes and 36 seconds.

Second and third men were Steve Morton of New Forest Runners and Will Ambrosini of West Wight Runners. Second woman was Mary Norman of Ryde Harriers and third was Helen Wuidart from Shillington.

Paul Cameron, winner of the marathon, was going back to work the next day as a dustman on the Island. “This

is the fourth time I’ve done the race. But there’s not a chance in hell of me doing it again,” said Paul. “Beaper shute really got to me. I felt a bit tired but my legs are starting to ease up now. It was very tough and this one out of all of them had to have been the toughest. I’ve done three other races on the Island but this was the only one that I hadn’t done. This was the first time running in this race but I’m definitely not going to be doing it again. I have raised about £500 for the autistic society. I have got some blisters. I had to carry on for the money for the charity. Someone cycled by and said that I was eight minutes in front.” Sandra GoldsackPaul Cameron

One runner takes a well earned break


FEATURE

FASTEST COOK ON THE ISLAND

Isle of Wight Marathon 4th October 2009Women’s Result

107 03:28:36 GOLDSACK, Sandra UNATTACHED (LONDON) 15 1 1 195 03:34:09 NORMAN, Mary-Louise RYDE HARRIERS 17 2 2 IW 151 03:40:55 WUIDART, Helen (SHILLINGTON) 22 3 1 153 03:47:44 SIDDONS, Jan ROYAL MANOR PORTLAND R.C. 29 4 1 178 03:57:58 OLSEN, Ulla Solholm AARHUS 1900 37 5 1 70 04:01:33 BROWNE, Sarah UNATTACHED (COULSDON) 44 6 2 184 04:02:47 BULEY, Rona ROAD RUNNERS CLUB 46 7 3 160 04:04:50 CARTER, Lorna (WATERLOOVILLE) 50 8 2 71 04:06:29 O’CONNOR, Sharon UNATTACHED (CHIPSTEAD) 54 9 4 166 04:09:54 BARON, Lorraine RYDE HARRIERS 56 10 5 IW 45 04:22:53 TAYLOR, Kate (BRADFORD) 71 11 6 131 04:24:44 RASHLEY, Amelia (WROXALL) 73 12 3 IW 140 04:24:44 LUCY-ANN, Rashley (VENTNOR) 74 13 7 IW 11 04:25:00 BIRCH, Coleen ISLWYN RUNNING CLUB 75 14 4 172 04:25:46 WATERS, Anne-Marie (PORTLAND) 76 15 3

Race No Time Name Club POS W SW V35 V45 V55 IW

Kim and her son Nathan were at the start of the race with a large number of members of the charity Brainwave to cheer on James Brock and Mario Antunes from Worthing, who were competing on behalf of the charity. “Brainwave helps children

with neurological problems. My son Nathan was born with cerebral-palsy,” said Kim. “He had a brain bleed at seven hours old. We go down to Brainwave every six-months and they build an exercise plan for Nathan. They’re very good. We’ve raised about £1200.”

First woman, Sandra Goldsack, was more upbeat about the experience: “I wanted a pretty race to run,” said Sandra. “I have done ten marathons over about five years. This is my first one on the Island this year and I have really enjoyed it. The hardest bit was the last two or three miles. It was great. Loads of fantastic people who I didn’t know where cheering us on, it was really good. I have never won anything before and I have certainly never won a race. I feel great. I might do the Great South Run this year. I have go the day off on Monday, but I am back to work

as a hairdresser on Tuesday. The hardest part is always at the end!

Mary Norman from Ryde, who was second woman, runs for Ryde Harriers. “I have done 10 runs in a row. I only missed one because I had one of my children. The running was really hard but the kids kept me going. I train all year round. My husband also runs as well. The last couple of miles were the hardest. I work at East Cowes Primary School as a cook. My husband couldn’t run this year because he had injured himself. The six kids have very good grandparents who look after them whilst we are running.” Mary Norman with her children


JOB SEARCH

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Previous experience of paid employment in a domestic environment is preferred. Position is working within an ancient listed building so must be sensitive to this type of environment.

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Previous experience within a similar role is preferred, but not essential as full training will be given

Applicants must have an NVQ in Beauty Therapy. Will work in the following disciplines: real and artifi cial nails, pedicures, waxing, lash and brow treatments and ear piercing.

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RFM/5942. Visit www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk or call 01983 276803 to speak to an adviser quoting the reference number





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FEATURE

BRIDES-to-be are expected to flock to Cowes Yacht Haven on Sunday, October 18 as the venue hosts Gems Bridal Show.

More than 50 Island and mainland businesses from the wedding industry will set up shop at the events centre, which itself is a popular wedding venue, to showcase their wares to happy couples. Among the companies expected to attend are hoteliers, photographers, entertainers and suit hire firms.

The day will feature catwalk shows from Gems Bridal Wear and Sugar and Spice at 12 and 3pm and beauty demonstrations from Lakeside

Spa. All brides will get a free goodie bag, including garter, courtesy of Gem’s Bridal Wear.

The show, organised by Gems Bridal Wear, based in Newport, will be raising money for a worthy cause as a raffle takes place in aid of the Earl Mountbatten Hospice. Staff at Gems Bridal Wear were keen to raise money for the charity after it supported their good friends Dave Ricketts and Phil Legge, who sadly passed away earlier this year.

Entry to the event, which runs from 11am to 4pm, is free. For more information on the exhibition and weddings at Cowes Yacht Haven visit www.cowesyachthaven.com.

A GEM OF A SHOW

www.iwgazette.co.uk

MOTORINGThe Gazette, Friday, October 2, 2009 29

ADVERTISING can say a lot about a car that the manufacturer doesn’t actually want it to. If you cast your mind back to the launch of the current Fabia, Skoda spent a rumoured £500,000 on the TV commercial in which some cooks produced a life size car in the form of a cake. Now if I were Skoda I wouldn’t want my latest, greatest product advertised as being a bit of a sponge.

But, it seems that for once the advertisement was cunningly accurate as the

new Fabia, to use a culinary term, is a bit of a dog’s breakfast. The problem is largely caused by the fact that these days Skoda is a small cog in the vast VW machine.

This means that underneath, the Fabia is virtually identical to the old VW Polo, not a car known for its road holding prowess or its blistering performance. Skoda has then had to come up with a body shape that fits the chassis they have been given to work with, and the engine and drive train and the interior.

To be successful, the Fabia needs to compete in the most ferocious market segment of all, the Super Mini class. Dominated by cars like the new Fiesta and the chic FIAT 500, the Skoda doesn’t have the looks to compete with the Ford or the road manners to challenge the cheeky cinquecento.

Power, in the car I tested, was provided by a 3-cylinder 1.4-Diesel unit which, despite its claims to be environmentally friendly, will do little to help your hearing. At low speed you

will find yourself looking to see where the cement mixer making all the noise is. On the motorway it is unnoticeable, but this is because the road noise which floods the cabin is deafening and drowns out the engine. And the stereo. And any conversations, even when shouted.

At this point it is easy for you to say that I, as a road tester don’t like the Fabia because it is a small car and I would prefer to spend my time in the company of something with a six-figure price tag but I assure you

that is not the case. The best car I have driven in the last twelve months was the new Fiesta and it’s this car that shows so well where Skoda has gone wrong. The Fiesta handles beautifully, has a great line-up of eager engines and you can cruise the motorways in a cabin as comfortable as you find in its big brother, the Mondeo.

Now, If the Fabia was competitively priced I could forgive it, like the Hyundai i10 which is basic but at least its cheap, but if you go a decent spec’d Fabia you’ll

find yourself with a bill for around £13k when you’ve finished ticking the options list. For that money you could buy an admittedly slightly smaller but much better equipped FIAT 500. Even better, owning the FIAT means you won’t turn into what I call a ‘Skoda bore’. This is someone who repeatedly tells anyone willing to listen how Skoda are now a reputable brand that ‘has come a long way’ and repeats as long as it takes for them to believe it themselves!

NOT SO FAB FABIA

Got a news story for the Gazette?Call our newsdesk now on 409928

By Mark D’Apice


31

SPORT

The inaugural Westridge Golf Centre Pro-Am took place

with 48 amateurs playing with eight professional

golfers, including a former European Tour professional and European seniors’ tour professional.

The pace of the greens was something many golfers found difficult but enjoyable, and to add more spice to the day, a hole in one on either the first or tenth hole was rewarded by a seven night break for two half board at Paradise Park Resort & Spa, Tenerife.

Unfortunately, this was not achieved, but the standard of golf matched the fantastic weather throughout the day and the prize was donated to a charity auction and raised £400 for the hospice.

The professionals found the course tricky in the morning with Michael Lord, a member of the

European Seniors Tour, heading the field with a score of 61. This inspired his team of David Goodey and his 9-year-old son Joseph, and junior teammate Matthew Mew to lead the way with a 14 under par 110 in the two from four-medal format. This score was closely followed by two teams, again father and son Roy and Justin Clayton with David Street just edging out Fay Seabourne, Chris Deacon and George Beardsmore on the countback method with scores of 111.

This gave Michael Lord a two shot lead over late replacement Jon Waring, with Tony Lloyd a further shot adrift. In the afternoon round with the wind stronger than the morning, Lord shot a two under

par 29 front nine holes to increase his lead and finished with great composure to take victory by four shots over Waring, finishing with totals of 123 and 127 respectively.

The afternoon scores continued the father and son theme with the team of Malcolm Hawkins, his son Dan and Vic Farrow with professional Tony Lloyd, registering a fantastic score of 107 to take the overall prize by 3 strokes, this completed a father and son top 3.

Malcolm Hawkins said: “It was fitting that the competition had such a family theme. Westridge is a family run centre which is very accommodating to all, and I regularly come down with my 3-year-old grandson as well.”

IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR AT PRO-AM

Shanklin & Sandown Ladies won the Corhampton Foursomes Eclectic in beautifulconditions. Stephanie Hart & Lorrie Hawkins got the team off to a terrific start with a great morning round of 92, and Kath Harding & Christine O’Brien improved the total score by seven shots in the afternoon. Their excellent nett score of 64 topped the field.

DELIGHT FORLADIES TEAM

Dan Hawkins, Malcolm Hawkins, Michael Lord Professional Winner, Vic Farrow , Tony Lloyd Professional team winner

The Veterans’ Monthly Stableford at Freshwater Bay Golf Club saw 18-handicapper Trevor Philcox taking the honours on 39 points, with Allan Cooper (28) finishing second with 38 points. Third place went to Barry Hunter (14) on count back from Jim Payne (23) with both players returning 37 points.

The scores on the day go through to the year-long Ogle Tankards with a new leader coming through in the shape of Dennis Smith on 213 points with only one more round to count. In joint second place are Peter Marsden and Jim Payne three points behind on 210 while this month’s winner Trevor Philcox has leapt from 15th to fourth place with a total of 207 points. Still within the magic ten-point striking distance are Ray Cooke and Graham Ellis in fifth and sixth places respectively.

PHILCOX JUMPSNINE PLACESNETBALL GRANT

FOR SOLENTYoungsters aged between 8-11 are soon to get the opportunity to play netball at Solent Netball Club, after it received support from the IW council and Sport England.

‘High 5’ Netball is being set up by the club which ran taster sessions for young people earlier in the year. Following the success of the sessions, Solent chose to create a weekly club for both boys and girls interested in taking up and progressing their netball skills.

High 5 Netball is a slightly modified version of netball, designed for children to get the most out of the game and quickly develop skills.

Chris Grimes and Linda Morris are leading the project for Solent Netball Club. Chris said: “This is

the first step into this great game that is specifically developed for girls and boys to participate in a team game together.

“Following on from the taster session earlier in the year we entered a tournament on the mainland during the summer and came away as overall winners of the tournament not losing a match. The day was exciting for the children and for the parents and the club.”

Linda added: “Following the success of the tournament and seeing the opportunity and enjoyment on the faces of the girls and boys participating in High 5, we wanted to extend the junior section of the club and offer a new time slot.”

Cllr George Brown, IW

council cabinet member with responsibility for leisure, said: “The council’s sports unit works closely with both Sport England and local clubs to secure funding to create opportunities for young people to get involved in sport.

“High 5 is just the latest in a number of initiatives the council has been able to assist in developing as part of its work to encourage people to lead healthy lifestyles and take part in sporting activity. We are delighted we have been able to assist Solent Netball Club and hope the new section proves very popular”

The new section of the club will be based at Ryde Sports Centre and takes place between 5-6pm every Tuesday.

With a large crowd assembled, Sandown and Shanklin entertained Winchester in what turned out to be a tough fixture.

Skipper Edmonston won the toss and decided to kick up the hill in to the very strong wind and this decision proved right as the home side defended superbly, as Winchester camped themselves in the home side’s half for most of the first period.

The visitors concentrated on running the ball through the centre’s channel with ex Hurrie Steve Healy working over time.

Solid defence from the centre partnership of returning Al Morey and Jo Dove pushed the away side back, and with the pace of wings Josh Wetherick and Luke Chandler, the Hurries always looked dangerous on the break. Winchester only managed a single try and this came from a scrum close to the home line.

The second half was a different story with the home side using the conditions to their advantage, and their first try eventually came from a scrum 30 metres out when Andy Gough picked up at the scrum and raced away to score in the corner.

The Hurries continued to apply the pressure, forcing the away side to concede a penalty that Edmonston stroked over to make it 8-5.

The Sandown outfit then scored two quick tries, first with BJ Meats man of the match Nick Heelan crashing over, and then full back Steve Routledge joined the attacking line and scoring his first for the club, Edmonston converted one and missing the other.

The Hurries then lost the impressive veteran Andy Fletcher with a bad cut to the head and he was replaced by Jo Rees, who was very lively for the final 20 minutes. The final scores came from wing Dan Muir who streaked away twice to touch down with Edmonston converting both.

This week sees Sandown and Shanklin travel to Andover in what is set to be another tough encounter in the Senior Merit table.

STRONG HURRIESKEEP BATTLING

(L - R) Tabitha O’Hearn, Laura Morris, Grace Morris, Maddie O’Hearn, Anna Bamber and Daisy McVicar.

Photo: courtesy of IW Council


32

SPORT

Sportthe gazette

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Ryde Rowing Club has a long tradition of rowing the 58 miles around the Isle of Wight.

Since 1880, 14 crew boats – and one single sculler have completed the row and they hold the fixed seat for record of eight hours six minutes in set 1965, the fastest time in a Coastal Four of seven hours 57 minutes set in 1995 and the single sculling record of seven hours 52 minutes set in 2005 by Nick Pike. The club were the first to complete the row in a Coastal Four in 1979 and had the only all Ladies Crew to complete the row in 199 and the youngest ever crew,

with an average age of eighteen, in 2003.

The plan this year was to be the first club to complete the row in a coxless, coastal quad. The crew for the challenge was Veteran Scullers – Mike Jenner, Russell Page, Nick Pike and Ian Hayden – all very experienced, with a number of Hants & Dorset ARA Championships between them. The Boat used - called “Pat” and was named after Pat Sherwin, MBE, who among his many achievements in the sport, had also rowed around the Island several times.

With the competitive coastal season over the window of

opportunity to complete the row was identified, and it was then just a matter of waiting for suitable weather conditions.

The chosen start point was Bembridge Lifeboat Station Pier, where the crew left at 6.15am, to make the most of the tidal flow and headed towards Ryde, where a safety boat met them to circumnavigate the Island in an anti-clockwise direction.

Although there was a slight offshore breeze the conditions were very calm and the crew made good headway, stopping briefly every ten minutes to take on fluids. They were caught by a large wash from a

passing tanker just off Fishbourne, which they had to ride out having taken on some water but they still arrived off Cowes after an hour and a half’s sculling and on schedule for a record breaking row.

The good conditions continued through to the Needles, reached in three hours 23 minutes – but with little tidal flow to help and this was down on a record breaking schedule. Rounding the Needles conditions began to deteriorate and the crew, without a coxswain, had difficulty holding their course.

They arrived of St. Catherine’s Point at 11.37am, after five hours and 22 minutes sculling. Having

coped with the tidal race off St. Catherine’s they headed for Ventnor in improving conditions. Passing Dunose Point and heading across Sandown Bay they were making good time.

There was just enough water to scull over Bembridge Ledge although the safety boat had to go out to sea – meeting them again at the Bembridge Lifeboat Pier where they completed the row in a time of seven hours four minutes – just 16 minutes outside the record – but establishing a record for a coastal coxless quad, setting a new record for a four and beating all previous times by the Ryde club.

RECORD ROW FOR RYDE

The Coxless Coastal Quad approcahing the Needles during their record breaking row

Ryde Rowing Club’s Round the Island Coxless Coastal Quad Ian Hayden, Nick Pike, Russell Page, Mike Jenner

IW Gazette 36

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Transcript of IW Gazette 36