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Diary 18 July: Isle of Wight Open Arts Studio Event We visited several studios and larger premises holding art exhibitions. All had been very well attended and the organisers seemed very pleased with the numbers. A very interesting mixture of talents with painting, photography, pottery, jewellery, sculpture and other skills demonstrated. A very enjoyable afternoon. 17 July: Royal Victoria Yacht Club, Fishbourne We were invited to attend the 30th open day organised by the club for people with disabilities and to give them the opportunity to get afloat. There was a good choice of craft available and the event was very well attended. The organisation and safety precautions were very efficiently handled. Everybody seemed to be having a really good time. Girl Guides Centenary Camp We were invited to the camp fire at the end of the day. The camp was in a beautiful setting in open countryside near Bembridge and about 200 guides and brownies from the Island were in camp under canvas and there had also been a number of rainbows but because of their age they are not allowed to camp. Unfortunately the coach company had rather let the organisers down and only with some hasty reorganisation were they able to get some of the girls back to camp, albeit over an hour late. The camp fire burnt very brightly and the singing and actions to the songs was very enthusiastic. It was very noticeable that having lit the fire the men let the ladies get the buckets of water for the fire precautions! We are very lucky to have so many enthusiastic guide, brownie and rainbow leaders on the Island and the benefit of camps such as this to the young people is enormous. 16 July: "Yafford International Airport" This day marks the centenary of the first aeroplane landing on the Isle of Wight. It landed near the Needles on the old golf links but the nearest place now available is the landing strip at Yafford. Unfortunately the high wind prevented any of the planes due to arrive to fly in. There was a good party in the hangar and made very special by the presence of the original pilot's daughter. Richard Holleyman had done a lot of research and had put together a most informative display of newspaper extracts, photographs and other information. Ironically the weather on the 16th July 1910 was also very windy. 15 July: High Sheriff Trust meeting Held in the Newport Police Station and with a useful discussion about various matters, including making some financial awards. Frustration was expressed about the attitude of the Charity Commission towards our attempt to update the Trust Deed. We are not giving up on this and a different approach will be taken. It was also a good opportunity to introduce Nick Hayward (in nomination for 2012/13). Lunch with David Ball, Chairman of Island Games Committee Having met with David at the Primary School Games, I arranged to meet him for lunch to discuss progress of the organisation for the Island Games on the Isle of Wight for 2011 and particularly to introduce him to Susie Sheldon who will be High Sheriff at the time of the Games which will be the largest multi-sport event in the country before the Olympics in 2012 and a very important event for the Island. 14 July: Albany Prison This was my visit to the third unit forming the Isle of Wight Prison and I was given a very informative visit. There is a very busy workshop producing all the furniture for prisons throughout the country and they are very well equipped. I was saddened to learn from the catering manager for all three prisons that none of the food is locally sourced. This is surprising in view of the attempt to reduce food miles and the prison has substantial greenhouses which are heated from the waste from the wood working shop and which could be used productively to produce food for the Isle of Wight Prisons. I understand that until recently most of the vegetables and meat were sourced from the Island but they are now provided from the mainland by a single central contract. I visited the new medical centre which is very well equipped and provides facilities for all three units on the Island. 13 July: Meeting of Crimestoppers Isle of Wight Committee The success of Crimestoppers is remarkable and with the anonymous nature of telephone calls the number of calls has increased and the resulting arrests has also risen. This is well supported by the police and other agencies. Meeting with the Probation Service I met with the manager of the Island Probation Service and a senior probation officer. We had a good discussion about their operation and their role in supervising released prisoners. From the discussion it seems that all the staff on the Island have large case loads. 12 July: In court with His Honour Judge Pearson An interesting day with several directions and time tables for trials set before the main trial started. Lunch at the Isle of Wight County Club. 8 July: Presentation of the Elizabeth Cross at Osborne House This award is presented to a close relative of a member of the armed services who has died from wounds received on active service. Two were presented by the Lord Lieutenant and these were the first to be presented on the Island. It was very well attended by representatives of the regiments of those who had died and the recipients were very proud to receive the awards on behalf of their family. As these were the first presented on the Island there was good coverage by the press and television. 7 July: Launch of the "Open Studios Arts Event" at the Quay Arts I was invited to the launch of this event and to say a few words to get it under way. This is an initiative by the Isle of Wight Council to promote local artists all round the Island. They are opening their studios to the public. A sample of work was on display. There is such talent on the Island. 6 July: Broadlea School, Lake We were invited to have a further visit to the school to watch the play that the pupils put on of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which included the extra character that had been created by one of the pupils and chosen by us. The whole school was involved and it was most enjoyable The nerves and the enthusiasm of all involved was very obvious. 5 July: Camp Hill Prison I visited the prison and was shown round and had the opportunity of speaking to some of the "inmates". This is a category C prison and the atmosphere is very different from Parkhurst. The gardens, tended by the prisoners, are beautiful. 2 July: Isle of Wight College Award Ceremony For the first time the College was having the Award Ceremony at the Yacht Haven in Cowes rather than the Minster Church in Newport. There was a wide range of achievements being acknowledged by certificates and I was asked to present a new award for the Isle of Wight College's Student of the Year. This person was chosen from all the award recipients and having seen his fantastic progress from redundancy to starting a degree course, it was very obvious why he had been chosen. It was also apparent that his choice was supported by the other students. 1 July: Hampshire High Sheriff's Reception We travelled with the chairman of the Isle of Wight Council to Bishops Waltham and were royally entertained by Alan and Ginny Lovell in the grounds of the ruins of the Bishop's Palace. We were entertained by the quiresters of Winchester College who had the most wonderful voices. A small section of the Hampshire Police Band also entertained us with some very good brass music. The weather was wonderful and we could enjoy the party in the open air, despite the two splendid marquees that had been put up in case of bad weather. 30 June: Visit to Parkhurst Prison Following from the visit I had to the Governor, it was arranged for me to visit the prison and after a meeting with the Director of Residence who explained the philosophy of the prison, I was shown round the prison by one of the senior prison officers. I had the opportunity of speaking with several people on the wings and also to the officers in charge of the wings, who explained how they are working with the prisoners to improve their lifestyles and hopefully to prevent reoffending. The attitude of all the staff that I met is very positive and they clearly understand and share the vision of the Governor as to how to reduce the reoffending rates. A very informative visit. 27 June: Pan Together – Soap Box Derby This is a community event organised by the residents of the Pan Estate. These community activities have changed the area dramatically over the last few years. In addition to the Soap Box Derby there were a number of stalls and displays by the police, road safety unit, advice about loan sharks, play organisations and by Barrett Homes who are now starting the development of the major scheme to build 850 houses and with a biomass heating scheme. There was a good number of soap boxes, although this is an unfair description of most of them as they are well designed and built carts. The course starts on a scaffolded ramp and the various carts get up to fairly substantial speeds. There were three spills but not too much damage done. It was a wonderful day and everybody seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Their enjoyment was slightly spoilt by the news relayed during the afternoon of the England Football Team's lack of success! 26 June: Primary Schools Island Games – Fairway Sports Centre Four hundred pupils from primary schools all round the Island assembled at the sports complex to take part in these games. The schools had been grouped together to form teams representing various islands who will be taking part in the main games next year. The enthusiasm from the young people was infectious and the opening ceremony was colourful and fun - a small taste of what is to come next year. There was good support from parents, many of whom were more nervous than their children! Not only was there 400 children there but 150 helpers as well. The weather was wonderful and we had an opportunity to visit many of the sports. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Armed Forces Day Parade at Appley Park, Ryde. I was invited to attend this parade and the Lord Lieutenant took the salute as a very impressive number of veterans marched past, led by three Chelsea Pensioners. After the veterans there was a parade of cadets, the army cadets celebrating their 150th anniversary this year. All were very well received by the crowd and there is no doubt that the people of the Isle of Wight support the armed forces. After the parade there was the presentation of awards by the Lord Lieutenant and this was followed by a reception and many photographs were taken. The parade seems to be growing as there were more participants this year. We were all very glad of the trees in Appley Park as the afternoon was very hot particularly for those in uniform. Not as hot as our forces in Afghanistan who are contending with temperatures of 50C and they have to be in full battle order – what right do we have to complain about being hot. 25 June: Island Games Reception The organising committee of the International Island Games has been visiting the Isle of Wight to inspect the facilities that will be used for the Island Games in 2011. They were entertained at the Royal Yacht Squadron to dinner and it was good to be invited. The chairman of the International Committee spoke very warmly about the facilities on the Island and was most amusing. We had dinner with representatives from St. Helena and also from Southern Vectis who are organising all the transport of competitors both from the ports of arrival and also during the competition – a very daunting task. 24 June: Community Action Awards Organised by the RCC and with the benefit of substantial sponsorship, the awards for works in the community were presented to first, second and third in each category. The judges had had quite a task in selecting from the many entries submitted and there was a very good explanation of the works undertaken by the recipients. The work in the community by so many volunteers deserves to be rewarded and the Island would be much poorer without all that they do. Besides individual category winners the judges made their task even more difficult by having an overall winner and runner up. The runner up was the Ramblers Association in recognition of their work to install gates to replace stiles, this making footpaths more accessible to wheel chair users. The overall winner was the Street Pastors in recognition of their contribution to the reduction of violence on the streets by those who are leaving clubs late at night. 23 June: Earl Mountbatten Hospice I was invited by the chief executive and the chairman of the trustees to visit the hospice and spent a very interesting afternoon with them. The development of their facilities continues and the rooms that are being refurbished are splendid. There is such a happy atmosphere in the building. It is very clear from our discussions that the trustees have a very well thought through development programme. This includes the purchase a redundant NHS building and its development into a day centre with facilities for treatments, counselling and support for both patients and their families. It is just as well that the hospice is so well supported by the people of the Island as they are dependent on charitable giving to raise two thirds of their budget each year. Medina Theatre – Ocean World. Some of the middle schools of the Island had come together under the direction of the Music Centre to put on a production of "Ocean World". This is a very challenging musical work which is also very thought provoking as it deals with environmental matters and the oceans. There were some very good photographs used to complement the music and the young people rose to the challenge. There was some splendid solo performances and we came away most impressed by the skills and dedication of the young people and their tutors. It is sad that there was not a larger audience on this first night but hopefully the house was fuller on the second night. 22 June: Buckingham Palace Garden Party We were honoured to be invited to a garden party and enjoyed a wonderfully sunny afternoon in the splendid gardens of the Palace. Her Majesty and His Royal Highness Prince Phillip spent over an hour in the heat greeting their guests. We met a number of people from the Island. The traffic to and from London was awful and made us so glad we lived in such a peaceful and beautiful place. Much of the delays seemed to be caused by road works but we did not see anyone doing any work. 21 June: Armed Forces Day Flag Raising With the Lord Lieutenant, Chairman of the Council, Member of Parliament and the President of the RBL, I attended at County Hall when the flag was raised to mark the beginning of the events to recognise the service provided to the nation by our armed force, both now and in the past. Canon Jim Buckett said prayers and the specially designed flag was raised. 18 June: Our Reception at the Farringford After a wonderful spell of warm weather we had some rain in the afternoon but fortunately the weather improved our guests were able to enjoy the wonderful outlook from the Farringford garden. From all the comments that we have had after the event everyone enjoyed themselves and were very complimentary about the "eats". It was only sad that the evening was not warmer. 17 June: A day with the Police Inspector Treagus had arranged for me to have the opportunity of visiting a number of departments at the Headquarters at Newport and also to visit the Traffic Division in Shanklin. I learnt a great deal from all of those that I visited and there is so much more that goes on that the public would have no idea about. In the domestic violence unit I learnt that they are extremely concerned about the continued provision of the refuge, the funding of which is understood to be at some risk. It would be a major problem if this facility ceases to exist on the Island. After the visits to the departments I spent part of the afternoon out with one of the specialist traffic officers and was very impressed with the way that he dealt with the only one person that we stopped. 16 June: Shanklin C of E Primary School I was invited to launch the reading scheme at the school that the Extended Services Manager had organised to encourage reading and parental involvement. Unfortunately the headmaster was not present but there was a good number of pupils and their parents. The programme was aimed around "Charlie Cook's Favourite Book" and the story teller told the children the story. I am not sure how enthusiastic the school was about the programme and we received a very lukewarm welcome. It is a shame as the children only get one go at education and their enthusiasm needs to be sparked at an early age which is what Helen Abbs is seeking to do. 12 June: Brading Haven Yacht Club We were invited to take part in the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the Club. I had been there before to give some professional advice and it was nice to be able to go back and help the celebrations. There was a sail-past of representative boats used by the club, followed by a very interesting talk with some old photographs about the history of the club, its founding fathers and development. The Commodore, Bryn Davis, also spoke about the club's activities with young people and the coaching and training that goes on and the development proposals that they have to replace some of their older buildings. After this we were entertained to a delicious lunch. The spirit in the club is obviously very high and we had a very enjoyable day. 11 June: St. Catherines School Ventnor We were invited to visit and to learn about the school. We were greeted by the head, the chairman of the trustees and governors and the fund raiser. The school has very ambitious plans for redevelopment and a very active programme to raise the funds is in place. We were shown the designs of some of the buildings that they would like to have and we also discussed the teaching and developmental programmes that they have for the students who are mainly from the mainland and who come with communication and language difficulties. We were shown round the school and had the opportunity of seeing some of the classes which are small with very enthusiastic staff helping to develop the potential of these young people. Part of our tour took us into the chapel which is regularly used and the local vicar, Graham Morris, takes services. The altar frontal is absolutely stunning. After our tour we had school lunch – delicious - and the opportunity to talk to some of the young people. A very enjoyable and informative day. 10 June: Vectis Radio at Quay Arts This is a comparatively new on-line broadcasting station and I was pleased to visit and to be interviewed. It is remarkable how the broadcasting can be undertaken from a very small room and largely with just three computers. An interesting interview with Ian Mack who is very keen to get the views of young people and I promised that I would pass this information on to organisations dealing with young people. This I have done since my visit and I hope that he will have some success. 8 June: Isle of Wight Crown Court I sat with the Registrar, Mr. Draycott QC. After some legal discussions about the availability of counsel, the jury was empanelled. The case was anticipated to last until Friday with Counsel for the defence having to be in the Court of Appeal on Wednesday and therefore the case would be part heard and continued on Thursday. I learnt some interesting language and an insight to the lifestyles of some younger people, which are very different from those that we had when we were younger. Mr. Draycott and I had lunch in the Isle of Wight County Club and I was able to show him some of the records of the club. 4 June: Old Gaffers Festival Gill and I were invited to attend the opening ceremony for the ever popular Old Gaffers Festival. I was invited to say a few words before the official opening. The hard work of the committee was very well rewarded by the number of old gaffers attending, well over 100 boats in the harbour all dressed overall. The weather forecast for the weekend was good and Friday was hot and sunny. I do not think that I have seen so many people in Yarmouth for the opening and the street entertainment, stalls, etc. were well supported. Very kindly Gill and I were entertained to lunch at the George Hotel. 2 June: Citizenship Ceremony, Northwood House, Cowes The Lord Lieutenant, the new chairman of the Council and I attended this at which seven people became British Citizens. As always a very interesting group of people who came from several different countries. It was good to be able to talk to them over a cup of coffee afterwards. 1 June: Freshwater Mothers' Union I was invited to address the Mothers' Union and to explain to them the role of the High Sheriff and its history. After a short service and the formal business meeting of the Mothers' Union, I spent nearly an hour explaining the background, history and the modern role. After I had finished speaking there were a number of questions and comments that have been made subsequently indicate that many people were surprised that there was no state funding and all admitted that they really did not know much about the High Sheriff's role. The meeting was very well attended including visitors from the mainland and some husbands. 30 May: Wessex Cancer Trust Garden Fete in the grounds of Freshwater Court I was asked to open this and originally it was supposed to take place on Saturday 29th but in view of the very bad weather forecast sensibly the organisers postponed it for a day. They were quite right to do so as at the time the fete should have been opened it was pouring with rain. The 30th was bright and sunny and, possibly due to the publicity given to the change of date on local radio stations, attendance was very high. The Wessex Cancer Trust does a great deal for Island residence suffering from cancer and the volunteers work really hard raising funds. The fete was very successful and produced a record result. 28 May: Probation Service Lunch The Hampshire Probation Trust had a information lunch at the Quay Arts to which I was invited and attended with Susie Sheldon (in nomination for 2011/12). This was an opportunity for the Trust to explain their change of working on the Island and also to deal with many queries. They stressed that community pay back and being on probation is not a soft option. Mottistone Church Flower Festival I was invited to open the Flower Festival and to say a few words. The monies raised are to be split between the church funds and the Army Benevolent Fund, the Soldiers Charity. Mottistione is a beautiful, traditional country church and the flowers were exquisite. Mottistone with Brighstone are sad parishes at the moment following the sudden death of their very popular vicar. Unfortunately I was not able to stay as long as I would have liked as I had another engagement. Street Pastor Commissioning I was invited to attend the licensing of Street Pastors for Newport which took place in the Minster Church. Street Pastors were introduced in Ryde last year and this has resulted in a dramatic reduction in violent crime and criminal damage. The police attribute this in no small measure to the Street Pastors. Fifteen new pastors were commissioned together with their prayer partners and they will be working in Newport on Friday and Saturday nights. The service was really uplifting and the enthusiasm of all involved is infectious. The service finished with the newly commissioned pastors leaving the church to start their work amidst much applause and cheering. It is hoped that they have as successful results as the Ryde group. The pastors go out into the towns, armed with chocolates, water and flip-flops. The chocolates to facilitate chatting to the people on the streets, water to dilute the alcohol they have consumed and the flip flops to enable them to walk home! During the service we were told of individual successes where people's lives have been turned round after the loving care of a street pastor. A true example of Christianity in action. 27 May: Crown Court I arranged to sit with Mr. Recorder Blair but the trial that was scheduled for five days had collapsed and the next trial was going to be too long for it to be considered by Mr. Blair and therefore was deferred to a later date. Nevertheless I had a very interesting morning with Mr. Blair and we discussed various matter relating to trials in general, especially as he is a part-time judge and the rest of his time is spent as a barrister practising in the criminal courts. After lunch at the County Club Mr. Blair and I separated and I then spent the afternoon in the Magistrates Courts and learnt a lot. 26 May: Youth Inclusion Forum I have been asked to chair this during my year of office, following Gay Edwards' chairmanship during her year. This is a very interesting group and we had three applications for funding, all of which were well discussed and for worthwhile projects but in some cases more detail is needed before we can make a final decision. All involved in the forum are focussed on diverting young people from going off the rails. 25 May: Broadlea Primary School Following from our previous visit, when "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" was read and followed by workshops based on the story I received the entries for three competitions, one for the reception class who had to create a new sweet, one for years 1 & 2 who had to create a new character and one for years 3 & 4 who had to create a new character and write a piece amalgamating that character into the original story. We had to choose a winner for each category and an overall winner. The overall winner's character is to be incorporated into a play to be produced towards the end of term. The standard was generally very high and it was quite difficult to choose the winners. Each winner received a "goody bag" containing various items of stationery and a book token. 24 May: Albany House, HQ of Isle of Wight Prisons I had a meeting with Barry Greenbury, the governor of the Island Prison which is now a single unit amalgamating the three prisons on the Island. I learned a lot about the bringing together of the three prison units and how management changes are being achieved. We also had a very interesting discussion about the aims and objects of imprisonment and how they are working with the prisoners to seek to prevent re-conviction. I have been invited to attend management meetings and of course to visit the three prisons which I intend to do. 23 May: RMT Union District Secretaries' Conference I was asked to attend the opening of the conference at Yelf's Hotel, Ryde and to say a few words about the Island. This I did and they very generously gave me a donation for the High Sheriff's Trust funds. 21 May: Church View Day Centre, Ventnor Invited to attend their open day to see what services are provided for people with mental health problems. We were able to talk to a number of clients, all of whom benefit greatly from the services provided and there were displays of some of the crafts that are produced. Much of the craft work is of a very high standard including pottery, quilting, photography, needlecrafts and creative writing and other skills. The staff and clients were very welcoming and they wanted to explain exactly how the clients benefited and how much it would be missed if it was not provided. So many people wanted to talk to us that our visit was longer than anticipated, resulting in a parking ticket!! I hope that the council will be kind as I was on official duty. 19 May: Isle of Wight first Council meeting This was a short meeting of the Council, at which the new chairman of the Council (Ian Stevens) and the Vice Chairman (David Williams) were elected. Tributes were paid to Councillor Arthur Taylor and his wife Doreen for their outstanding service to the Island over the last two years. This was followed by a buffet supper. 18 May: Portsmouth Mayor Making As I did not want to travel on the ferry in court dress, I was able to change in the Lord Mayor's Consort's rooms in the Guildhall. Very comfortable. After coffee we were ushered into the main Guildhall for the election of the new mayor and deputy mayor for the year 2010/11 and to hear a resume of the activities of the outgoing mayor who had been extremely busy. It was also the 60th anniversary of the twinning of Portsmouth with their German twin town, Duisberg, and the mayor of that city and several other notables were present. Also present was a representative of the French twin with Portsmouth. The Royal Marines provided fanfares and music. After the Army had returned the keys of the city to the mayor for safekeeping, the Royal Navy presented a ceremonial sword to the mayor for the first time. Both these presentations were done with great ceremony and splendid military precision. The new mayor presented awards to members of the public who had done much for the community of Portsmouth over many years. This was a very splendid occasion with a large number of guests, including mayors from nearby towns, together with the Vice Lord Lieutenant and the High Sheriff of Hampshire. 16 May: Walk the Wight I was invited to present some of the medals to those completing the 26 mile walk from Bembridge to the Needles. This is held annually to raise funds for the Earl Mountbatten Hospice and is a major fund raiser for them. There were nearly 12,000 people who had entered they streamed into the Needles Pleasure Park, some with sore feet but all with a great smile and feeling of achievement. Many of the people to whom I gave medals had completed a good number of these events. It is for raising funds for the Hospice and is very well supported by business sponsors. In addition to the business sponsors, there is huge support from the Rotary Clubs of the Island. The involvement of so many volunteers is further evidence of the general support for the Hospice that exists. Isle of Wight Radio devoted the whole day to covering the walk. The Hospice is very important to people on the Island and the work that it does is greatly appreciated and this is reflected in the support that this event receives. 13 May: Young Chamber Awards Evening Held in the Events Centre of the Cowes Yacht Haven which was very attractively decorated and laid out. The Chamber of Commerce has encouraged Young Chamber Councils in all the High Schools and the Young Chamber events are well sponsored by leading Island firms. The sponsors were invited to present awards for the schools that they sponsor. There were presentations by two schools on what they had done and are proposing to do. The enthusiasm of the young people is infectious and there is no doubt that they are gaining hugely from the experience. After the presentations Saria Khan, the runner up in the first of the Apprentice series on television, gave an inspirational talk, partly explaining how the Apprentice series is filmed but mostly encouraging the young people to be positive about themselves and to make sure that they have something which makes them stand out when completing their CVs. She made the point several times that whatever you do make sure it is to your best ability. We left feeling quite uplifted about the young people that we had met. 12 May: Citizenship Ceremony at Northwood House Peter Grimaldi DL representing the Lieutenancy, Ian Stephens the Vice Chairman of the Isle of Wight Council and I were present when ten people took their oaths and became British Citizens. Five were from one family. It was good to be able to talk to them over coffee afterwards. Scout Annual General Meeting. Held in the Newport Scout Hall and attended by scout leaders from all over the Island. The President, Sir Guy Acland took the first part of the meeting before handing over to the Chairman. Interesting reports from the Chairman and from the Hon. Treasurer. After the formal part of the meeting there were a number of presentations for long service, which I was asked to participate in. After the presentations, Challenge and Adventure gave a presentation on their proposals for a relocation from their existing premises to Corf Camp. This led to a few questions being raised but the general consensus was that the two organisations could mutually benefit from the proposal. 10 May: Portsmouth Legal Service Over by car ferry to Portsmouth and walked to the Cathedral for the service, conducted by the Dean. An impressive procession of judges, lawyers, magistrates, Hampshire High Sheriff and the Vice Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire. The choir was superb and a very thought provoking sermon by Bishop Selby who has retired to Freshwater. After refreshments in the Cathedral lunch in the Highbury College restaurant and walked back to the ferry through the sunshine. 9 May: End of the Cadet 150 Relay The end of the relay was organised to be in Sts Thomas' Square, Newport at 4 pm and we arrived just before that. The cadets who had taken part in earlier legs were formed up in front of the War Memorial. At exactly 4 o'clock the final squad marched into the Square at the end of the last seven miles. They were greeted with much applause. I had been asked to present medals to all the cadets who had taken part but before doing so said a few words and in view of the sad death of the young sea cadet last weekend we had a minute's silence in his memory. I then presented the medals and had a brief word with all of them. Having presented the cadets with their medals, one of the instructors, Flying Officer Attrill, was presented with a special award as he had accompanied the cadets for a very large part of the relay and had walked 33 miles. His award was specially prepared by Thorntons and he was told that he should not eat it! At the end of the proceedings the cadets fell out and proceeded to the Drill Hall for much deserved burgers and chips. It remains to be seen how much money they have raised but it makes you proud to meet these well motivated young people. Guides' 100 walk. I was invited to join the guides on the last leg of their walk that went through each guiding area of the Island and joined them at 6 o'clock in East Hill Road, Ryde for the fairly gently walk down to the LA Bowl where the walk finished. There I signed the Friendship Scroll and a "team photograph" was taken. I understand that something over 400 members of the guiding organisation had taken part, including one girl who was only just 5 years old. The guides and their leaders are so welcoming that it is always a joy to meet with them. 8 May: Cadet 150 Round the Island Baton Relay A specially commissioned baton was presented to the cadets by Gay Edwards and me, which meant that we had to be on Cowes Esplanade at 6.45 am for the cadets to start their round the Island relay at 7.00. A group of enthusiastic young people arrived from the Sea Cadets and set off on the first stage. After a very good breakfast at the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club we caught up with them at Jersey Camp where the first change over was to take place. The cadets doing the second leg were in camp for the weekend and were looking forward to their stint from Porchfield to Yarmouth. Later in the morning we saw the third leg as they passed through Freshwater and they were all amazed at the generosity of the donors. As they went round they were collecting for "Help for Heroes" and SAAFAS, two very worth while charities helping service personnel and those who have served in the armed forces. Despite the weather forecast, the stages that we saw were dry but it rained later in the day. Isle of Wight Music Centre Summer Concert. A splendid concert was put on by the young people from the Isle of Wight Youth Orchestra, The Isle of Wight Youth Choir, The Music Centre Brass Band, The Music Centre Wind Band and the Music Centre String Orchestra. This was presented in St. Mary's Church Cowes, which was absolutely full. The enthusiasm of the musicians and their conductors and tutors was very apparent and we were given a wonderful varied selection of music. Most of the music had people's feet tapping and the skills of the tutors of bringing out the talent of some very young people was a joy to hear. We will make sure that we get to hear the musicians from the Music Centre again. 6 May: Election Day Having voted, we set off around the Polling Stations, trying to get to as many as possible. We managed 25 out of 71. We tried to get to a mixture of those in major urban areas and the smaller rural places. All reported that there had been a very good turn out and that, in many cases, people were waiting on the doorstep for opening at 7 am. Many of the presiding officers also reported that there had been a good number of young people voting, many for the first time. After a short break at home it was off to the Medina Leisure Centre for the count. When we arrived there was an air of quiet expectancy and we were able to chat to everyone on the counting tables before they set to work. The first boxes arrived shortly after 10pm and with a steady flow thereafter. Once all the boxes had been verified a short break took place with delicious refreshments and another opportunity to chat. The hall was laid out to allow the candidates and their counting agents to get round to all the tables to see what was going on but they were not allowed to touch anything. There was quite a crowd of them. When the formal counting of the candidates' votes started there was an air of quiet efficiency and the system worked extremely well. The count finished just before 2 am and then the candidates and their agents were invited to examine the "rack". As there were eleven candidates this took some time and it allowed me time to get into court dress. There were a few queries raised but nothing major. I made the declaration at about 3.15 am which was earlier than forecast, especially as the Isle of Wight has the highest number of registered voters and also had the highest number of candidates – eleven. After the announcement each candidate made a short speech and after I had signed the warrants and certified who had been elected, it was time to leave. Home to bed at about 4.30 am The dawn chorus started shortly after! It was a great experience and the smooth organisation was very impressive. 5 May: Breakfast at UKSA Breakfast was to introduce a new scheme designed to provide mentors and tutors to people who are in need of help to keep on the straight and narrow. Those in attendance included the head teacher of Carisbrooke and acting head of Medina High School, the head of Cowes High School and a good number of other interested parties. The mentors will be provided by Vestas and while, of course, it is designed to help to generate self worth, it is also very good for the mentors as well as they learn skills that they take back to their company. The benefits of mentoring were outlined by one of the speakers and Superintendant Norman Mellors gave a very informative talk with some good news about the decline of reported crime on the Island, down by about 20% but he also pointed out that crimes of domestic violence had remained stubbornly unaltered. This scheme is going to be run through the UKSA who find that taking people out on the water is a very good way of teaching people to cope for themselves and thus improve their self reliance. However, as always, the scheme needs sponsorship. They are funded for 2010 but need financial backing for 2011. After the breakfast and presentation John Ely gave me a quick tour of the facilities of UKSA and his enthusiasm is infectious. As I left I noticed that there were a number of name badges on the table for people who were obviously expected but had not turned up. It is a shame that they missed a very informative couple of hours and a delicious breakfast. 2 May: Commemoration Service for the ORP Blyskawica in Francki Place, Cowes This commemoration marks the defence afforded to East and West Cowes by the crew of the Polish destroyer Blyskawica in 1942, when they broke admiralty rules as the ship was in dry dock for re-fit at J S White, the yard where it had been built. They provided anti-aircraft fire to help repel the German air attack on the towns. Not only did they use their guns to great effect but those members of the crew not involved in the firing were active ashore in helping to rescue the people affected by the bombing. Although it is 68 years ago the debt that East and West Cowes owes to the ship is well remembered and marked. There is a close liaison with the ship which is now a museum in Poland. The weather was awful, wet, windy and cold but there was a good turnout of people huddled under umbrellas. In view of the recent air crash that killed the president of Poland and most of the leaders of the armed forces and many other dignitaries, the event started with the laying of a wreath and a minute's silence. The events of 4th/5th May 1942 were recounted by the mayors of East and West Cowes and by the chairman and vice chairman of the organising committee. Wreathes were laid in commemoration by several representatives including one on behalf of the Isle of Wight Council by the Chairman of the Council, Councillor Arthur Taylor and one by the daughter of the captain of the Blyskawica, Janina Doroskowska. The service of remembrance was led by the Rev. David Hinks and Father Michael Purbreck and music provided by the Royal British Legion Band. After the formal part of the proceeding was over we repaired to the British Legion Club in Cowes for refreshments. The Sea Cadets were all seen to be drinking hot chocolate – they needed it to warm up. 1 May: Little Canada, Wootton We were welcomed by the Manager of Little Canada and Guiders Sue Berry, Janet Lovell and others who had organised the "Great Guide Getaway" for 700 guides and their leaders from all over the British Isles as part of the Centenary celebrations of the Girl Guiding movement. The guides had been divided into "teams" with only one or two from each unit in each team to encourage them to make new friends. This was obviously working. There was a wide range of activities available including quad biking, dragon boat racing, zip wire riding, abseilling, a climbing wall and assault courses. The full time staff at Little Canada were very skilled in bringing out the best in their "charges", with much encouragement, gentle teasing and laughter. We were very lucky with the weather and after walking round all the activities we were entertained to tea and delicious cakes. This gave me the opportunity to speak with the leaders and their drive and enthusiasm is obvious. The prospect of organising an event for 700 from all over the country must have been very daunting and required a great deal of time and effort but there is no doubt it was very successful. I was told that with more voluntary leaders there would be more guides as there is always a waiting list, I did not realise that there are 10 million guides throughout the world. One of the people we spoke to had undertaken some amazing trips and challenges which had had a great affect on her life. One of the many things I will remember is watching Hannah nervously climbing a vertical pole about 30' high and rocking in the wind. She had to get to the top and stand on a tiny platform. After much encouragement by her team mates and leaders she made it, much to her joy and great relief and applause from everyone else (she was of course on a safety harness). It was wonderful to see an obviously very nervous girl overcome her fear and we were all shaking with her! 29 April: Broadlea Primary School, Sandown I was asked to launch their programme based on "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" which is going to encourage reading and creative writing. The fairly new head teacher met us and explained with great enthusiasm what was intended. I had been asked to attend in court dress and to say a few words about how important it is to read books or to be read to as it encourages imagination – unlike the television. As usual the sword was of great attraction as were the buckles on my shoes. There was a good number of children and their parents present together with older children from the Middle School. The Story Teller had us all enthralled as she gave a very exciting rendition of the story, interspersed with songs. After this the children and adults broke into groups where they took part in relevant activities, eg chocolate or biscuit decorations, sweet bag decoration, puppet making and hat making. Every child went home with something edible and a balloon. Before I could go round the workshops I was interviewed by three pupils from the middle school who were doing a project for their school newspaper. The next stages are for the younger children to make a new sweet, the middle ones to think of a new character and the eldest to write a new scene incorporating the new character and sweet. The enthusiasm was infectious and we look forward to returning to do the judging and to seeing the play as a result. 26 April: Shanklin Rifle & Pistol Club AGM We were invited to attend the AGM and to present the prizes. A very well attended meeting and many prizes awarded. Yet another well-kept secret of the Island in that the Club has at least two members shooting at international standard, one of whom is hoping to be selected for the England Commonwealth Games Team. After the formal part of the meeting Gill and I were shown round the range and given the opportunity to shoot. We fired both air rifle and air pistol. I outscored Gill with the rifle and she substantially outscored me with the pistol. We both thoroughly enjoyed the evening – success breeds enthusiasm! 25 April: St. George's Day Parade for East Wight District Scouts To St. Saviours Church Shanklin to take part in the St. George's Day Service. The scouts had marched through the town to the church and paraded their banners. There was about 250 people in the church and the beavers, cubs and scouts reaffirmed their promises. The Vicar, Father John led a very informal service which included the dignitaries leading the singing of "Puff the Magic Dragon" – all had been issued with sock puppets of dragons. The young people obviously enjoyed themselves as it was good to be able to talk to a few afterwards. The number of scouts has increased during the past 12 months and if more leaders could be found even more young people could join this very worthwhile organisation. 24 April: St. George's Day Celebrations To Northwood Park, Cowes for the opening of the celebrations organised by the Rotary Club of Cowes. There was a very good parade from East Cowes, led by a band and carnival procession following on. After words of introduction the event was formally opened by two presenters from Isle of Wight Radio. A wonderful site, well supported and brilliant sunshine. Induction of new minister to Castlehold Baptist Church After a period without a pastor, the new pastor, the Rev. Adrian Redfearn was welcomed and inducted into his church. A good number of dignitaries present and a very uplifting service. The singing and music was superb. The new minister was suffering from a bad back having hurt himself playing football with some of his new congregation. After the service we were entertained to a superb tea and had the opportunity to look round the wonderful facilities that the church enjoys. 23 April: St. George's Day Concert To the Memorial Hall, Freshwater for a concert by the Slipshod Singers reinforced by a superb Polish pianist, soprano, jazz group and string quartet. The music was very mixed from Chopin to modern jazz but the 150 people present all thoroughly enjoyed it. The evening resulted in substantial funds being raised to be shared by the RNLI and Freshwater Lifeboat. 21 April: Northwood House Citizenship Ceremony Geoffrey Hughes DL, Councillor Arthur Taylor chairman of the IW Council and I were all present at the ceremony when four people became British Citizens. They have all had to work very hard to pass the necessary tests and probably know more than most of the rest of us about the British Constitution, etc. 20 April: Ocean Youth Trust 50th Anniversary Lunch After the opportunity to have a good look round the John Laing and to learn from the skipper all about the various groups that they take sailing we had a very good lunch in the Royal London Yacht Club. I was the third speaker and could reflect on the way the world has changed in the 50 years since the Trust started. They do a wonderful job taking people from all sorts of backgrounds and "challenging them". The skipper explained just how this helps the young people to develop. Ryde Sea Scouts Naval Inspection Every two years there is a formal inspection of this unit and this year it was undertaken by a Major of Marines. The cadets from the rawest recruit to the most senior cadet were all on parade and put on impressive displays, including relay races, involving knot tying and concluding with arms drill. The inspecting officer was most impressed. They obviously are a very enthusiastic group. 17 April: Isle of Wight Radio 20th Anniversary Went to the studios where they were marking the 20th anniversary with a party. Fundraisers were there from the Hospice encouraging people to sign up for "Walk the Wight". A very good barbershop quartet singing live on the radio and very interesting conducted tour of the studios by John Hannam who has been presenting a programme since the station opened. A brief live interview for me and even briefer for Gilly. Very well attended and a great atmosphere. Trefoil Guild AGM and Lunch To Hasely Manor for the AGM and lunch of the Guild. A very happy atmosphere and a commendably brief but very well run Annual General Meeting. The Chairman's report made it clear just how much activity takes place and with obviously huge enthusiasm. After a splendid lunch a very amusing talk from Ann Chance on how she learnt to fly after she had done a sponsored parachute jump. It is wonderful to see the continued comradeship that exists. The meeting concluded with the singing of "Taps" which was quite moving. 16 April: Isle of Wight Council Chairman's reception to mark Cadet 150 A good gathering at the Seaview Yacht Club to mark the 150th anniversary of the Army Cadets. A lot of support from the mainland as well as from the Island and apparently a rare opportunity for all the leaders of the various units on the Island to get together. The Chairman of the Council, Arthur Taylor, made a short speech in which he emphasised the importance of the discipline that is taught to the young cadets and how important that can be for the rest of their lives. 15 April: High Sheriff's Trust meeting Held in the police station but due to holiday and other commitments we were only just minimum quorum. An interesting discussion about the success of the High Sheriff's Award evening. A bit worried about the shortage of funds and the principle agenda item for the next meeting must be how we can improve our financial position. Despite the low balance we still managed to make some small but meaningful awards. 13 April: Election Writ To County Hall by 9 o'clock to receive the special delivery of the Election Writ. Very impressive document which has to be guarded with care. I will have to complete this with the name of the successful candidate and it then gets returned by the same special messenger to Westminster. Discussed the process of the election with the Council's officer and learnt a lot. He has warned me that it is likely to be a very long night on the election day. Crimestoppers Attended a meeting of the Crimestoppers board held in the RCC offices. Very interesting meeting and with a lot of very good ideas to help people provide confidential and anonymous information. This has resulted in quite a high rate of success in the detection of crime. 8 April: Isle of Wight Radio In a response to an email that I had received, we called in to the radio station at about 12 o'clock. They were very enthusiastic and greeted us warmly. Gilly was shown round one of the studios while I gave a recorded interview. They are getting very enthusiastic about their 20th birthday party on the 17th April. Isle of Wight Society Invited to attend the Isle of Wight Society's awards evening at the Brading Roman Villa. As I had known and worked with Tommy Bodycomb who had been a leading light in the organisation from its inauguration, I was asked to say a few words about her and to present the prizes awarded in her memory. The chairman introduced all the entries for the Conservation Awards with a very interesting presentation and good photographs. Vice Lord Lieutenant, Sir Guy Acland, presented most of the prizes. The enthusiasm of the Society is infectious and it is very good see the superb work that has been done to restore many old buildings that without the attention they had received would have been at severe risk of getting beyond repair. 7 April: Fishbourne Sailability Club Reception to mark their move to the UKSA from The Royal Victoria Yacht Club. I was asked to name their new rib "Zebedee" which will be a safety boat to their specially constructed boat "Dougal" which is designed to take people in wheelchairs. A double first. My first engagement and the first time that I have named a boat. Being a RIB we did not break the bottle on it and I probably poured too much precious champagne over the bow. It was good to meet some of the people who go out on the boats and to hear from them just how much pleasure they get from being afloat. The Club and UKSA seemed very enthusiastic about their move. 6 April: Declaration Day
Met with the press at 9.45am and gave a quarter of an hour interview to the reporter. Those involved in the Declaration assembled at 10 o'clock in the Unity Hall for coffee. Those involved: Processed across St. Thomas' Square, through the Tuesday market with some interested parties looking on. Photographs in the west porch of the Minster and then in to the church. Just over 100 people present. Sir Christopher Clarke gave a very interesting introduction and explained the historic role of the High Sheriff before the Reading of the Declaration by me. It went well with no stumbles. John Matthews made his declaration as Under Sheriff. I then said a few words about my hopes for the coming year. Proceedings finished with very thoughtful prayers from the Chaplain. Processed to the County Club for coffee and cakes. Quite crowded but I think everyone enjoyed themselves, the grandsons were a great help handing round the refreshments. Traffic in Newport very bad and everyone delayed getting out of car parks etc. Back to the Royal Solent Yacht Club at Yarmouth for lunch for 25 guests. A very jolly affair and the Yacht Club did us proud. |
