Island Update: August 2025

Your community news, achievements and feel-good stories. Please do continue to send them in to editorial@iwbeacon.com

Cowes Fringe Donates £5,000 

Cowes Fringe is proud to announce a donation of £5,000 to Mountbatten Isle of Wight, raised during this year’s vibrant and community-driven festival and the fundraising gala held at Commodore’s House on the 25th of May starring Sinatra Raw. The cheque was presented by Cowes Fringe Founder, Sara Blackwell, who said, “I’m absolutely overwhelmed and thrilled to present £5,000 to Mountbatten on behalf of Cowes Fringe. In just our third year, it means so much to the entire team to be able to contribute to a charity so vital to our Island community. Mountbatten’s compassionate work touches so many of our lives, and we’re incredibly proud to support their mission.” 

New Island Publication 

Congratulations to Island author Francesca McLinden whose book Toddler on Tour: Viva España was published in June. Francesca lives in Ventnor with her husband and two children, and as well as writing she is a psychotherapist, a pianist and has just started a choir called The Lantern Ladies inspired by Niton and Ventnor’s nautical history including the smugglers and pirates. 

Francesca’s book is a travelogue, but not as you know it. “It’s written from the point of view of the toddler (hence Toddler on Tour). But it is good fun, witty and informative,” she said. 

Ventnor Cricket Match

As part of their 175th anniversary celebrations, Ventnor Cricket Club is delighted to announce the return of the Lashings World XI to Steephill this season. 

The much-anticipated T20 fixture will take place on Friday 15th August at 3.30pm. The Lashings team has yet to be announced but among the likely eleven will be Courtney Walsh, the legendary West Indies fast bowler; Sir Gordon Greenidge will receive a warm welcome in his ambassadorial role while the one and only Henry Blofeld, the retired BBC Test Match Special commentator, will be on the microphone! 

www.ventnorcc.co.uk 

Supermarket Summer Vouchers

Aldi has launched a new voucher support scheme to help families on the Isle of Wight and across the country with the added costs of looking after kids during the school holidays. 

Parents on the Isle of Wight are urged to apply to the Summer Support Scheme, which will see vouchers given away for Aldi shoppers to spend in stores every day over the respective six-week break across July and August. 

Families will be able to use the vouchers to stock up on whatever they need in store – from healthy snacks and cupboard essentials to toys and garden activities. 

To apply for the scheme, shoppers simply need to submit their name and email address to SummerSupportScheme@aldi.co.uk, with one family chosen at random every day of July and August to receive a £50 voucher to redeem in store. 

Operation Geranium Update 

Operation Geranium has once again launched the social prescription which sees hundreds of geraniums delivered to older residents – to share the joy of gifting plants, the kindness of strangers, promoting good health and friendship. 

Operation Geranium was launched at plant nursery Care In The Garden C.I.C in May 2020. The plants were nurtured by local people that are challenged by lifelong disabilities, learning and support needs, who have been given the right to work and enjoy opportunities. 

In mid-May, 400 plants exited the nursery, and were delivered by green transport people-powered pedal bikes, the Keert.co.uk on their Cargo Bikes to bring joy and smiles to people across the Island. This year the plants were delivered to nursing homes, hospices, libraries, museums, and community hubs; a total of 21 outlets across the Island. 

Operation Geranium is also working with 11 lsland creatives, to design and publish 50,000 free postcards to distributed across the Island. “Operation Geranium is the Art of Giving – because people have more in common than the things which divide them, and we are those people,” said founder Steve Double B.E.M. 

Award for Merriebank Lettings (IOW) 

Dean and Sophie Faulkner have received a ‘Business Leader Award 2025 for Father and Daughter Partnership’. Sustained excellence is difficult to achieve in any industry but it’s something that the owners/business partners of Merriebank Lettings (IOW) have managed to achieve with quite remarkable consistency in recent years. 

Also, Dean was recently awarded ‘Property Professional of the Year 2025’ and Sophie received ‘Influential Women in Business Award for 2025’, something they are both very proud to have achieved in a competitive industry. 

The Business Leader Awards celebrate visionary leaders across various sectors, recognising innovation, resilience and industry impact. This prestigious award highlights outstanding achievements in business leadership and Dean and Sophie are thrilled to be recognised for these assets. 

Fundraising Walk

Local resident Caroline Linton recently walked the Island’s 70- mile coastal path to raise vital funds in aid of the research charity Cure Parkinson’s. Caroline, who lives with Parkinson’s, has completed the walking challenge for three consecutive years and has no plans to stop this annual fundraiser anytime soon. 

Caroline was inspired to take on this annual walking challenge by Cure Parkinson’s late co- founder Tom Isaacs, who set off on a year-long, 4,500-mile walk around the coast of Britain in 2002. 

Caroline said, “Soon after my diagnosis five years ago I stumbled across Tom Isaacs’s book, Shake Well Before Use. I was inspired by his story of determination, perseverance and optimism. I decided the least I could do was to walk the Island coastal path – if Tom Isaacs had done the entire British coastline. I decided I would do this every year until I couldn’t.” 

cureparkinsons.org.uk/get-involved/walk-to-cure/

Award-Winning Island Pub

The Old Fort, Seaview, has been crowned Isle of Wight County Winner at the prestigious 2025 National Pub & Bar Awards – for the second consecutive year. 

The awards celebrate the very best in hospitality across the UK. The Old Fort’s repeat victory recognises its consistent excellence in atmosphere, service, food and drink quality, and guest experience – placing it firmly among the south coast’s standout hospitality destinations. 

“To win this award again is a real honour and testament to the hard work of our amazing team,” said Will Simonds, Co-Owner and Proprietor. “A heartfelt thank you to the judges, our incredible hosts at Big Penny Social, the sponsors, and of course, our loyal customers. This kind of recognition helps independent pubs like ours thrive.” 

Ticket to Ryde 

Situated along the seafront just a stone’s throw from Ryde’s golden sand beaches, this free community event provides a rich mix of bank holiday entertainment for both local people and Island visitors. 

Feel-good live music will be provided by The Baggywrinkles Blues Band, The Mix, The Resisters, Simon Ledger plus an opportunity for upcoming new local talent to take to the stage. There will be a real ale bar, hot food, market stalls selling vinyl records, hats, sunglasses and collectables, and children’s activities. 

Taking place during the International Scooter Rally, the event embraces the 60s and the mods - providing Islanders with a taste of the scooter weekend. With a lovely atmosphere and laid-back family- friendly vibe, it’s the perfect way to enjoy a lazy bank holiday weekend!

27-29th August, Eastern Gardens, Ryde