Ventnor Blog

Seeing a photo in the County Press today of the hole in Gills Cliff Road, reminded us of our walk up there on Monday when we took some photos.

The initial hole didn’t look like much, but once the workman started to pull away the top layer, it revealed a huge cavity underneath.

The engineer who was sitting in the mini digger directly above the cavity, was in our view, a very brave man.

Thanks to Don for giving us the heads up that Ventnor celebrity gardener, Simon Goodenough will be on the Alan Titchmarsh Show on at 3pm today.

All you have to do is switch on the TV at 3pm and tune into ITV to see him in action.
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Whilst we were at the sew-a-thon in the RNLI window on Saturday, we spotted a couple who were looking on at the sewing with a glint in their eyes.

We grabbed a quick interview with them to understand why they liked it.

Separate to this, we also learnt that the woman we chatted to, runs her own knitting blog, so details of it may appear there too!

Following the recent floor warnings on the Island, we thought this press release from Andrew Turner might be of interest to many of you. Ed

Following the floods that swept across the country last summer, your MP, Andrew Turner, is encouraging residents to act now to protect themselves from the threat of flooding.

However, it is not just those who live in the floodplain that need to be prepared. Two-thirds of the properties that flooded last year were damaged because drains and sewers were overwhelmed.
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Just heard on IW Radio of the mystery oil spill that has affected wildlife between Grange Chine and St Catherine’s Point.

According to the IW County Press, the Environment Agency, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the IW Council have been working together to find out the extent of the pollution and the source. As of yesterday, around 60 birds had died and some were being cleaned and cared for at the RSPCA centre in Sandford. (more…)

Good to hear that the message of the Isle of Wight becoming the Eco Island is spreading far and wide.

Island Chief Exec, Joe Duckworth, has been busy delivering the message around Europe this week.

We hear that not only did a delegation from the French Embassy pop over to the Island near the start of the week to get genned up on how plans are coming together, but major German magazine, Der Spiegel (with a weekly print run of more than one million per week), have been in touch to find out more as well.

All great stuff. Go Joe!

Well done to Angie for getting the Ventbag site up and running.

It’s got information for shoppers who want to stop using plastic bags, as well as background for the traders and business that look to make the change.

If anyone else feels the urge to start a blog, do get in touch with us and we can help you through the process and possibly host it for you too.

Ventbag site

THE ISLE of Wight Council has taken a double step towards its vision of becoming a carbon-neutral and fully sustainable Eco Island. (more…)

If you’re a regular listener to Isle of Wight radio, you will have noticed that the first item on the hourly news all day has been the story about Ventnor going plastic carrier bag free by September 2008. They got in touch with organisers of the scheme after reading the story on VentnorBlog on Tuesday.
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There are a number of meetings planned as part of the Transition Island roadshow which formed recently.

They kick off this Friday (30th) with a public meeting in Downside Middle School in Newport.

This has been arranged with the Pan Neighbourhood Partnership, and runs between 7 - 9pm.

If you want to get involved, or just interested to hear what it’s all about, make your way over to Newport this Friday night.

Details of meetings to be held in January and February to follow soon.

There has been a lot of talk about Permaculture in recent months (and years) on the Island, but if you have no idea what it actually means, why not book this date into your diary?

On Sunday 16th December there will be a meeting of the Ventnor branch of the Permaculture Group.
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Back in August, we ran a piece about the possible tidying up and ongoing maintenance of the wonderful Flowersbrook area.

Since then, the Ventnor 2007 team have met with Matthew Chatfield, Parks & Countryside Manager who is keen to support the project, as are the Ventnor Enhancement Fund. (more…)

Following the initial Transition Island meeting held back in September, Dave and Vav Simon are pleaased to announce the first public Transition Town Meeting to be held as part of the Transition Island Roadshow.

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We’re delighted to welcome children’s author, Bethan Christopher on board as a contributor to VentnorBlog.

She popped along to have a chat with Jan Harper of Earth Trinity Essences to find out what it is, that so very special about the trees on the Wight. Ed

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THE MATS impregnated with disinfectant that were rolled out by the IW Council at ferry ports last month as a foot and mouth precaution have been taken up.
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This Saturday over in Freshwater, The League Against Cruel Sports will be putting on a day of wildlife education, looking at newts, badgers, bats, ferrets and many other animals.

It’s all happening over at Freshwater Memorial Hall and the programme starts at 11am (doors open at 10.30).

There’ll be an update on the League’s snaring campaign, the Bat Man will be talking about work going on at the Bat Hospital and bats in general around the Island. Learn about the newt conservation project and hear a talk from the RSPCA’s local inspector.

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IT SOUNDS like something out of Star Trek but the IW Council is currently grappling with its own episode of Gribble Trouble.
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Those busy bees at Aldermoor Farm in Ryde have another great weekend of rural learning coming up on Saturday/Sunday 27th & 28th October.

This time they’ve organised a weekend workshop with Rob Buckley who is Director of the Dorset Centre for Rural Skills who will teach you a building method that is very quick, very cheap and lots of fun to do.

In the construction of houses, straw bales can create extremely useful & artistic buildings (as pictured). They have good fire resistance & insulation properties and come from sustainable, ecologically sympathetic sources.

Tickets for the weekend course are £125 per person which includes a fabulous organic lunch.

Please book on 01983 566009. More details on the Website.
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Pirates navigated by the stars and maps marked with an X to find treasure. Now, the Isle of Wight Geocaching Project, which is part of Isle of Wight Council’s Parks and Countryside section, is embracing 21st century technology to do the same.
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Just how resilient is the Island to Oil Shortages? Do you grow your own Vegetables? Do your commute to the Mainland? Are you concerned about Climate Change and Peak Oil? Do you Recycle? How many cars does your family have?

All of the above and more will be discussed at the TRANSITION ISLAND INITIATIVE LAUNCH tomorrow night.

Have your say. Ask questions. Help prepare the Island for the Peak Oil changes.

Documentary Film Show: “The Power of Community” records how Cuba coped when it was forced into an artificial ‘Peak Oil’ situation when Russia stopped exporting oil to them.
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Vav Simon, elder & practitioner of “The Old Way” will this Saturday be running another of her ‘Food from the Land’ courses.

Pray for good weather as you walk the land to find food to eat. You’ll learn what is available in each season and where to find it, as well as what to avoid.

Vav goes on to say that with respect for the land, its plants and animals, you will learn codes of conduct and afterwards sharing a firepit meal and reflecting on what you’ve learnt.

Step into the footsteps of our ancestors and learn about their hunter/gatherers skills, tools and diet. Share a fire-pit meal.

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Here’s one for all your nature loving types. At the end of the month, Aldermoor Farm plays host to a workshop run by Glennie Kindred, a gifted writer and artist living in Derbyshire.

The workshop seeks to reconnect you to the understanding of trees and to deepen your bond to the healing properties of native trees.

She will develop your inner listening abilities and intuitive communication skills to choose, make, dedicate and decorate your own healing wands and touchwoods.

Why not enjoy a peaceful weekend of nearness to nature.

Aldermoor Farm, Upton Road, Ryde Tel: 566009
Further details.

Many thanks to Debby Robinson for sending in this review of the recording of Gardener’s Question Time at the Ventnor Winter Gardens a couple of months ago. Ed

Back in the summer (the bit before you blinked and it was autumn) Gardener’s Question Time came to Ventnor’s Winter Gardens to record two shows for Radio 4.

Since 1947, GQT has been pulling the crowds, making it the longest running gardening programme in the world. A gratis plug in the local press guarantees a hoard of middle class, well-behaved, articulate folk - all eager to please and all absolutely for free and for nothing. These enthusiastic volunteer performers require no make up, no lights, no set and, amazingly, no run through. Four experts up on stage, a handful of sound crew and away you go.
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As part of the Ventnor 2007 survey that is in full swing at the moment, a discussion was started on the forum a couple of weeks ago.

One suggestion to come out of the survey was to tidy up and enhance the FlowersBrook area. Forum member, Matthew Chatfield who is also Parks & Countryside Manager for the IW Council came on at the end of last week and posted this message …
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Many thanks to Peter Stephenson for his report on activities down at Binnel Bay back in May and again, last weekend.

St Lawrence … always a beautiful place to be … Beach Cleaning 2007

About 70-80 residents of St Lawrence gave up their time to collect over 100 bin bags of non bio-degradable rubbish from the beaches at Woody Bay and Binnel Bay St Lawrence this Spring and Summer 2007.

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