Isle of Wight Ambassador Blog

If you go down to the woods today....

Ian Boyd Island 2000 — 2008-01-09T09:38:10+01:00

Wouldn't you love to do this - sit on a big toadstool and pretend to be a pixie? This is the marvelous Ganoderma - a big and very sturdy bracket fungus eating away the insides of the beech tree it's sprouting from. It's also called the Artist's Fungus or even better, the Artist's Conk! It's called this because if you scratch a pattern on the underside it stays there permanently (a conk is the fruiting body of a parasitic fungus, nothing to do with noses). The Island is amazingly rich in mushrooms and toadstools and the public walks that are laid on in autumn to search Island woods for the most fascinating specimens are hugely popular, try the IOW Council Countrysuide Section for the latest walks and events http://www.iwight.com/just_visiting/walking/default.asp and and also the excellent IOW Natural History Society http://www.iwnhas.org/).
The pixie used here for display purposes is Jerry Boyd, aged 3 and a half.

Why people are relocating to the Isle of Wight??

Cathy Tutton — 2007-12-18T12:11:13+01:00

When I talk to prospective clients I ask them why they want to come to the Isle of Wight and very often they say something along the lines 'Because it’s England as it used to be’.

This is not surprising to those of us who live here, enjoying some of the most unspoilt countryside and coastlines in Britain, where neighbours stop and chat, but what IS surprising is that these comments are not coming from people wanting to retire here, but those in their 30s, 40s and 50s bringing their work with them.

The Island is fashionable now, a far cry from the times over the last 20 years when it was so far off the map that it was impossible to get a London agent to come down to value a house, let alone market it – now they’re fighting for instructions and I get regular calls from London agents for information and comparables.

I was asked by one today what my typical client is like. I thought for a while about the wide variety of people I have found homes for over the last few years. There is no typical client, that’s what makes the work so enjoyable. The search can take anything from a week to two years, their budgets range from £50k to £5m, their ages range from 20 to 80, they are moving up, down and sideways to permanent or holiday homes in all parts of the Island. We laugh a lot, the variety is endless, every day is different, and every day i talk to people wanting to live here...
Cathy Tutton, Relocation agent

Be Kind to Toads

Ian Boyd, Island 2000 — 2007-12-12T14:22:52+01:00

Here you can see a rather pitiful little toad we rescued from a concrete bunker into which it had presumably fallen and become trapped. It was terribly thin but still active, so we released it onto some nice wet and wormy ground where it might feed up in peace. But the sad thing is that it isn't just this unfortunate individual toad that's having a hard time - it's all of them. Back in the summer there were revisions made to something called the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP) and in particular to its list of species of conservation concern - in other words the plants and animals in decline across the country. There are a few shocks in it. The once familiar toad as we've said, but also Hedgehogs, Starlings, House Sparrows and Eels. Creatures we think of still as familiar and even common-place (whether we've seen them recently ourselves or not) really aren't anymore. There's a great deal we can all do though to help, perhaps at or in our work, certainly at home in our gardens, and more generally in the way we respond to what we see going on in the world around us. We are very lucky here on the Island to share in an environment so well-blessed with wildlife, truly a refuge for so many species in serious decline or even now extinct elsewhere across the south. But that doesn't happen by accident and it's neither a given nor a guarantee for the future. There's an awful lot of hard work going on out there to protect and conserve wildlife - not just because it's 'green' but because the natural world is a part of our daily lives and a part our wellbeing. Without it around us even the shiniest of nice new technological marvels is a pretty dull thing. So be kind to toads please.

The Real Hogwarts

Ian Boyd, Island 2000 — 2007-12-12T14:22:16+01:00

Guess what this is. Yes, obviously it's a stick, but what is it for? What if I were to tell you that it's a Magic Wand? Once you'd stopped laughing hysterically you might be surprised to learn that that's exactly what it is (probably). It comes from the extraordinary Alverstone Dig - a vast archaeological discovery we accidentally made whilst creating a big pond for wildlife down in the Yar Valley in 2005. We had unwittingly uncovered a beautiful Roman road overlying a set of Iron Age timber walkways and overlain in turn by Saxon tracks, making Alverstone one of the most important wetland archaeological finds in the country. In amongst it all our team found coins, nails, spears and axes, knives and buckles, deer bones and teeth, ancient hazel-nuts nibbled by ancient dormice - all of this between 2500 and 1500 years old! We're still working with experts on the painstaking analysis of all the bits - the timber, pottery, metal, glass and bone, and to try to understand what it was that made Alverstone such an extraordinarily busy and important place for so many hundreds of years.

Quite a few of the knives and spear heads that we found from the site had seemingly been bent or broken before being thrown into the marshes around the causeways and it is this that has got folks thinking about the ceremonial and religious significance of the site. So when a curious pointed wooden stick, about 40cms long and with diamond patterns cut into it, appeared in the Saxon layers of the dig collected minds naturally began to conjure with the wonderful idea of a wand. And so I sit here writing this with the box of artefacts from the dig beside me thinking that in it lies an object that might last have been brandished by some bearded and gloriously raving druid on a dark and stormy night in old Alverstone. Somehow it makes most of my other work seem rather dry.
I know what you're thinking: 'Has he tried it out?' Yes, of course I have. And has it worked? Well that would be telling, but you might want to look out for the rather nice new fleet of Island 2000 Bentleys here and there about the Island. (As if we'd actually wish for anything so mundane when we could have wings, or invisibility, or both!)

Love the Island, Love the Food!

Judi Griffin — 2007-11-26T09:32:53+01:00

On our Island we have so much to shout about. The people who produce the food – the farmers – are no longer content to allow the supermarkets alone to sell their produce. The range and quality in farm shops and farmers’ markets is evidence of this. Farmers and growers have made the countryside of the Island as beautiful as it is, and are now getting out there to show off their goods in the stylish manner they deserve.

The award winning pedigree herd of Guernsey cows at Briddlesford Lodge Farm, Wootton, is just one example of how taking care of animals to the highest welfare standard can enhance the countryside of the Island.

As you drive along Briddlesford Road, you will see them grazing contentedly. OK, there are not many out at the moment – it’s too wet and uncomfortable, and they do prefer their warm straw beds in the barn!

Then go into the Farm Shop. There’s easy access, and plenty of parking, and there for all to see are the baby calves, kept close to the shop and farmhouse, where they can have constant attention from farmer and public.

The shop, in the converted milking shed, is quite stunning in its layout, and in the range of goods for sale. It’s the inspiration of my daughter, Louise, who previously worked for Colin Boswell at the Garlic Farm, and World Cruising in Cowes. Before that, she had spent a year on another Island, Martinique in the West Indies.

There are literally hundreds of high quality products on sale – about 50 from Island producers! Then there are the regional products, as well as some of the best British speciality foods.

Bestival goers discovered us when they were gridlocked in the road – we’re on the way to Robin Hill!!
Louise has a licence so ‘Rumpy Pumpy’ Godshill cider went down a treat, as did Minghellas and Brighstone ice cream, on that wonderful hot weekend.

But the unpasteurised milk is something else. Now that really does have the ‘oooh’ and ‘aaah’ factor.

Just come and try it. It’s just one more reason for loving the Island.

Speed Network the Island - When School met Business

DAVID FAWCETT — 2007-11-20T15:34:55+01:00

November 13 2007 saw the Young Chamber event "When Schools met Business..." at Cowes Yacht Haven,Isle of Wight. The event in partnership with IWEP Inspire and Aim Higher was a chance for students from across the Islands High School and College to have real conversations with business.

Young Chamber is all about opening up the world of work to young people. This event enabled students to meet business up close and have one to one conversations with them. The day started with a "Business Breakfast" where business leaders such as David Pugh ,Leader of IOW Council and Andrew Willson, MD of Wightlink discussed careers,work and the economy with students over their sausage, bacon and eggs!

This was followed by a speed networking session where the sixty students met 30 business people in three minute bursts. Questions such as "How did you get where you are?","What skills are needed to do what you do?" and many more were asked. The business people were left exhausted after an hour of quick fire questions whilst the young people had learnt an amazing amount of information.

The final part of the day saw inspirational speakers jellyellie and Jake Meyer telling their stories to the students The event finished with lunch and a final chance to question business and find out more about enterprise and the world of work.

The feedback was all about "Lets do this again soon" from both business and schools. What is definately going to happen is Young Chamber will continue to work with schools through their Young Chamber Councils to bring business and schools closer together.

For more information on Young Chamber on the Isle of Wight contact David on 01983 554548.

What a view!

Jo Grindley — 2007-11-15T15:23:13+01:00

It’s just two years since I moved from working out of my front room in Gurnard to start Into the blue, so I can’t say how excited I was to finalise the purchase of and move into our new shiny office on Cowes Parade which is part of the prestigious One the Parade development. I’m sure lots of people will have differing views on the new development, but we love it...and what a view!

There’s a bit of a white leather fetish theme throughout the new office with white Barcelona chairs in the reception area and white leather chairs around the shiny new white boardroom table! Well we do undertake quite a lot of PR so I guess we’ll be forgiven.

The new office definitely gets the vote from my two children Ella (5) and Millie (3) who beg daily to come to work with Mummy in the new office, I don’t think it has much to do with spending more quality time with me, much more the Volvo C70 pedal car that resides in the boardroom, and the natural race track we unwittingly designed around the office!

Working on the Island is no longer an obstacle, we’ve recently filled a graduate position and we’re really pleased with the calibre of applicants we received, even an Oxford graduate. There’s something about Island life that brings out the creative side of people, so much so that we’re finding since moving our clients (who are all bar one based on the Mainland) prefer to hold meetings in Cowes.

Into the blue continues to flourish and I look forward to going to work everyday.....I know strange but true!!!!

Jo Grindley

Managing Director

Into the blue

www.intotheblue.biz

Island racing squad receives top award

Ben Willows, UKSA and GBR Yacht Racing Academy Manager — 2007-11-15T12:03:49+01:00

Last night I went with some of the GBR Yacht Racing Academy squad and sponsors Peter Harrison and Andrew Palmer, to the Royal Thames Yacht Club in London, where we were awarded ‘Best Royal Thames Boat for RORC Racing Series’. We also collected prizes for wins in Skandia Cowes Week and the RTYC Channel Race and I was so thrilled that we were presented with the additional award.

It has made me really proud of all the guys and girls!! Most of the crew are under the age of 21, and it’s such an amazing achievement because before they became part of the Yacht Racing Academy most of them had very limited yacht sailing experience – so to achieve these results in under a year is fantastic.

The GBR Yacht Racing Academy develops and supports the lives of young people through yacht racing. Each year 45 young people aged between 18 and 25 are selected from hundreds of applicants to join the Academy and race aboard the two Farr 52’s, Bear of Britain and Chernikeeff 2. Academy trainees are provided with 1:1 mentoring, on the water coaching, fitness training and leadership and teamwork development to enable them to race at the highest level and grow and develop as individuals.

We're really excited because Shirley Robertson OBE will be officially launching the recruitment campaign for the 2008 squad on Friday 30 November at the Whyte and Mackay Earls Court Boat Show. Applicants will be invited to take part in the Lewmar Winch Challenge on UKSA’s stand, a test of fitness and stamina. But anyone interested can also apply online at www.uksa.org/racing

Ben Willows, UKSA, GBR Yacht Racing Academy Manager. Isle of Wight Ambassador.

Jurassic Island

Ian Boyd, Island 2000 — 2007-11-13T17:10:43+01:00

That should be Eocene Island really for this little beauty. It's a 'scute' - a piece of body armour from a 35 million year-old crocodile called Diplocynodon! It only measures 3x2 cms and looks like burnished brass. It's absolutely beautiful.

I found it amongst the seaweed and flint (actually my youngest son found it having much sharper eyes and being much closer to the ground) whilst beach-combing down on the shoreline at the end of Fishbourne Lane on Sunday; Martin Munt, the Island's palaeontology expert from Dinosaur Isle, kindly identified it for me. I just love the fact that you can wonder around the Island's fabulous coastline and not only enjoy the view, the sea, the wildlife and the pubs, but actually stand a pretty good chance of picking up a bit of dinosaur, a prehistoric shark tooth and even some ancient crocodile skin!

Ian Boyd, Island 2000. Isle of Wight Ambassador.

A busy year.....

Shirley Robertson OBE — 2007-11-09T09:30:54+01:00

It’s been a busy time since the launch of the Ambassador’s scheme this summer. I’d just arrived back from 8 months based in Spain and Portugal training for the Olympic trials and had definitely begun to imagine myself on Compton Beach every day with babies in tow. Alas it wasn’t to be; firstly our house was still behind schedule and still being renovated (aren’t they always late and over budget?) so we had nowhere to live and I found myself commuting between Cowes and Belfast where granny was holding the fort. Secondly I was lucky enough to skipper one of the Extreme 40’s at Skandia Cowes Week (you might have seen them causing chaos up and down Cowes Green), then onto Amsterdam in rather cramped docks. The Extreme 40’s are the flying catamarans, quite scary at time and a whole world away from what I’m used to. It gave me an opportunity to honour a promise I made to Mark King of Level 42 fame at the Ambassadors reception. I said I would take him sailing for free, if he might consider playing at a charity event for The Ellen Macarthur Trust! He left with a red face from too long in the sun and slightly wet, but had an amazing ride.

The catamarans are a great vehicle for corporate hospitality, everyone grins and are a spectacular billboard for sponsors. Claire Locke (another IOW Ambassador) also steered one very admirably around a very busy pre Cowes Week Solent. In the morning we go joy riding with guests desperately trying to give them a thrill without giving us too much of one. In the afternoon we were racing, the rules require you to take one guest on board per race. They all got to experience the stress and chaos first hand.

Since then it’s been non-stop presenting for CNN Mainsail. We’ve covered the Rolex Fastnet, TP52’s in Sardinia, interviewed the Aga Khan. (He asked about the new Squadron dock, of which he allegedly contributed). Then onto Shenzhen in China for mainland China’s first ever-big boat regatta, and have just come back from Barcelona, covering the Barcelona World Race, which is run by Cowes firm OC Group. All are very different areas of the sport, the most interesting being the rapid development of sailing in China. The event is small in numbers by our standards (70 boats), but the organisers are investing heavily by purchasing ten Beneteau 40.7’s, spending $2 million dollars on fireworks and the prize being shown live on TV for two hours. Undoubtedly there were difficulties; immigration was long and challenging as was the lack or media ribs and drivers, however you got the feeling that it would be sorted by next year. For those that can afford it the culture is very inspirational, the women were always beautifully dressed in designer wear, the cars European, the development of the marine industry for sure is on the same roll. They do however still serve chickens feet at the cocktail parties…yuck!

Back in Cowes now for a while, finally in our house (which is nearly finished!), my little girl’s first word was Red Jet, which tells you something about the view. Her second was digger which tells you about the outside mud garden which seem to be continually arranged into new piles, any garden designers in the ambassadors programme………

Shirley Robertson OBE, Isle of Wight Ambassador.