Isle of Wight News on Ventnor Blog

Looking for a little project over the weekend?

How about getting your brain around how the heck you would go about making a pop-up book made out of Lego?

Crazy, crazy project.

Get ready to have your chin hit the table, after the jump.

(more…)

On 24th October disco group, Supernature will be boogie-ing across the Solent for a live show In Ryde.

The Black Sheep Bar is the venue hosting the event and will feature authentic disco from between 1973-1983. As well as vinyl selections, there will also be a live performance from Supernature.

It’ll only cost you £3 to get in and goes on til late.

(more…)

Today is a special day for us here at VentnorBlog.

Can you guess what it is?

Because we think you’re so fab, we’ve decided to award the first person who correctly guesses the answer with a prize.

Step forward this fabulous original iPod Shuffle – boxed, unused and brand new!

Being the original model, this is fast becoming a collector’s item as Apple release a new version every five minutes, so if you’ve already got one yourself, it would make a great present for a loved one.

Check out this classic moment of British comedy below for a sneaky clue and leave us a comment with your guess as to why today is so special for everyone at VB.

(more…)

We are in no way fans of bull fighting, so this video is a definite win.

Kraftwerk headlined Saturday night at Bestival. It was a gig of a lifetime – and we loved it. Amazing, amazing, amazing.

Why so much enthusiasm? Well, Kraftwerk’s influence is hard to over-estimate.

If that’s news to you, here’s a little background.

It’s arguable that if Kraftwerk hadn’t ever existed, over half of the bands that played at Bestival might not have existed or sounded like they do today.

(more…)

If you’re heading off to Bestival today or tomorrow you won’t need much to help build your excitement levels, but if for some reason you still need motivation, check out these two VB films from previous years.

First up is our good friend, Lucho Limpo’s film from 2007.

Lucho’s film is a perfect window into the wonderful world of Bestival and a lovely stumble down memory lane for those who’ve been up close and personal with the Best Medium Sized Festival going.

Videos after the click.

(more…)

It’s not at all like us to repeat articles, but with the sun shining and the excitement building for Bestival 09, as soon as we put on Lucky Elephant’s new album Star Sign Trampoline this morning and heard the opening cords to ‘Lucky Elephant’ we just had to share it with you, dear reader.

We defy you to listen to this track below from Lucky Elephant and not feel happier by the end of the song.

(more…)

Yes folks, it’s that time of year again when a dozen or so individuals brave one of the busiest shipping lanes in the UK to swim across to the Solent and help raise cash for charity.

This year, the Swim to Bestival team features twelve swimmers who will make the journey across the water to raise cash for Ventnor’s very own St Catherine’s charity, Christopher’s Smile and with continued support for African charity Imibala.

(more…)

Watch this short piece of footage shot by Alpha (the nine year old member of the VB team), of Richard passing Ventnor. It’s a bit wobbly at first, but gives you a small slice of Richard’s achievement.

This guy is seriously fit, but he should have kept this particular move in the gym.

Don’t try it at home (or on the street).

They don’t make them like they used to!

This is quite possibly the most amazing piece of Lego animation ever.

The word is that it took over 1,500 hours of patient micro Lego block movements to create this video – that’s over half a year of eight-hour days!

Such devotion to the cause indicates a serious love of 8-bit video games.

Once you’ve taken your jaw off the floor, which old video games can you identify?

Every now and again we’ll be dropping in a bit of fun for you, so you don’t get too bored from the lack of VB-ness.

Those cheeky boys at Basement Jaxx monkeying around.

After a busy morning down in Ventnor, yesterday afternoon found us making our way towards the Hover Travel terminal in Ryde to join some 80+ Morris Men for a very exciting trip to the middle of the Solent to visit Bramble Bank.

If you’re a sailor, you’ll know Bramble Bank, or the Brambles, as a place to avoid. It’s a sandbar in the Solent that is so high that it’s exposed by low water spring tides.

The Men of Wight Morris dancing side, collectively being slightly mad, thought it would be a great idea to visit the Bramble Bank with visiting Morris sides from around the UK for a dance or three. Happily Hover Travel thought it sounded fun too, so donated the use of one of their hovercraft and the crew gave their time.

(more…)

Local music duo, Me and My Sister, have been in touch to tell us about their recent audition on GMTV’s search for the UK’s No. 1 Family.

They successfully made it through the long list of entrants to being one of the lucky bands picked to audition.

We understand that the audition took place yesterday at the sunny London Excel Centre and they were particularly chuffed as they were asked to perform their exclusive GMTV jingle live on air.

Through the powers of YouTube you can recapture that moment below and we’re sure you’ll join us in wishing the girls the best of luck in the rest of the competition.

(more…)

We showed Andrew Turner’s press release to the Vestas protesters who had made their way over to his constituency office to speak to him, finding it shut unexpectedly.

As they hadn’t see it before, on of them read it out loud to the rest of them and we recorded their reaction (audio below).

One of the ex-Vestas workers, Phil, gave us a reaction.

(more…)

Having found that MP Andrew Turner’s office had been closed for the day, the Vestas protesters raised a banner across the door and stuck a few messages on to the nameplate outside.

Here’s the video of it, live as it happened.

(more…)

Having recently left the roof at Vestas East Cowes roof sit-in, Martin Shaw was the person nominated the group of Vestas employees and climate change protesters to knock on the door to go and see Andrew Turner to ask the MP about his position on wind turbines on the Island.

Here’s the video, as it happened and his reaction on finding the whole office was closed.

Video after the jump
(more…)

As reported earlier, it was the intention of those protesting against the job losses at Vestas to make their way to Island MP Andrew Turner’s office to talk with him during his surgery this afternoon.

When they arrived at the offices, they discovered that the doors were shut and the office closed for the afternoon.

In a statement regarding the visit from Vestas workers, Andrew Turner said

(more…)

Island film-maker John Cattle of Wight Trash Films has been doing his bit to document the protest at Vestas over the last three weeks.

John has produced a great piece of footage and editing with his latest film covering the eviction of protesting workers at the Vestas Blade Plants in Newport that took place last Friday afternoon.

The film takes those not able to attend the eviction on a journey through the various stages of events.

(more…)

There were many speakers at the Save Vestas rally in St Thomas’ Square in Newport on Saturday afternoon, one of which was Mike Bradley.

Mike was one of the original workers who occupied the management offices of Vestas Blades on Monday 20th July.

He gave an impassioned speech to onlookers gathered in Newport on Saturday about how Islanders can support the workers who have lost their jobs due to the closure of the wind turbine blade plant.

He echoed the call for a Day of Action and also urged the Government to nationalise the factory.

(more…)

If you want to check up on the video that we shot today at Vestas we’ve gathered some of them together below for you to have a little look through.

Click on them to watch them, them come back to this page to see the rest.

Have fun.

(more…)

The last four to exit the Vestas Sit-in were Justin Moody, Mark Smith, Dave Arbuthnott and Jaymie Rigby.

When they had been gathered together by the security people from the balcony and the bushes below (!), they were escorted off the Vestas site to the awaiting policemen for processing and release.

Below is the video of them being taken out.

(more…)

Mark Flowers was one of the two who decided to abseil off the balcony, in a rather dramatic fashion.

Luckily his exit from Vestas was more subdued – getting in a car and driving away.

Video after the jump

(more…)

Mark Smith, one of the Sit-in Six at Vestas was keen to get back to his family after he left the building.

See his videos after the jump …

(more…)