Island Update: October 2025

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

Carnival Celebrations 

Vecta House Care Home in Newport was filled with the vibrant spirit of the carnival Sunday, as the community came together to enjoy a spectacular indoor celebration. Despite the gloomy weather, the home was transformed into a tropical paradise with bright decorations and a festive atmosphere, bringing immense joy to residents, their families, and staff. 

The event, now in its second year, began as an idea to bringthe excitement of the Isle of Wight carnival to residents who might notbe able to attend the main parade.

The celebration last year was a great success, thanks to the support of Ann Abe – the dancing instructor for Dance Vibez and a committed member of Isle of Wight carnival community. This year, with performers and decorations, the tradition continued, much to the delight of everyone involved. 

Residents were welcomed with beautiful floral garlands and the highlight was a breath-taking performance by members of the Isle of Wight carnival community, who showcased their incredible, creative costumes in an unforgettable show. 

“It was truly a heart-warming day, seeing everyone singing, clapping, and having a wonderful time,” said the homes Lifestyle Leader Tanya Everson. “We are so grateful to Ann Abe and the entire Isle of Wight carnival community for helping us make this day so special.” 

Arts Award 

Tide Nor Time Players CIC is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a £300 grant from the Arts Society Isle of Wight to support the development of A Clockwork Heart an original queer, steampunk stage musical written and composed on the Isle of Wight by local writer and artist Paul A.T. Wilson.

A Clockwork Heart tells the story of Florence, a reclusive inventor, and Rose, the clockwork woman she brings to life. Set in a richly imagined steampunk world, the musical explores themes of love, transition, identity, and acceptance. 

With moments of humour, heartbreak, and hope, the production offers a powerful allegory for self-discovery and the courage to embrace who we truly are. Everyone involved in the production is part of the LGBTQIA+ community, ensuring that authentic voices are placed at the centre of the show’s storytelling. 

The piece is being developed for staging at the 2026 Ventnor Fringe Festival, following an initial workshop and performance at The Magazine, Bembridge Fort, for Pride Month 2026.

Tide Nor Time Players CIC would like to thank Glenys Williams, Chair of the Arts Society Isle of Wight, and the whole society for their generous support in championing new creative work on the Island. 

Explorer Scouts Get Recycling 

In a creative and sustainable collaboration, Isle of Wight Explorer Scouts (Xtreme ESU) have transformed retired rubber from Hovertravel’s hovercraft skirts into functional fire beaters. In just one evening, the Scouts experimented with various designs, built over a dozen beaters, and conducted controlled tests to confirm their effectiveness.

This project adds to recent Hovertravel initiatives to repurpose used skirt rubber under its Hover Green initiative. Loretta Lale, Head of Marketing at Hovertravel, said, “At Hovertravel, we’re proud to champion sustainability through our Hover Green initiative. From recycling skirt rubber with specialist contractors to crafting eco-souvenirs with local artists, we’re committed to giving used materials a second life. It’s fantastic to see the Explorer Scouts repurpose skirt rubber into practical fire beaters – combining circular economy goals with innovation and youth skill-building.”

The evening session saw Scout teams testing different handle types, rubber thicknesses, and shaping methods. After refining their prototypes, they evaluated the effectiveness of each beater in controlled drills, ultimately demonstrating a practical tool built from recycled material, and gained their Scout’s ‘Earth Tribe’ award. 

World Record Row 

A 24-hour rowing challenge, in support of Mountbatten Isle of Wight, smashed a world record and pushed Islander Max Fallone to the edge of his endurance. 

He burned 17,000 calories and has so far raised an amazing £4,891.13. “I am really happy with that,” he said. “A world rowing record is cool, but that’s for me. The money is for other people and my goal was £300!” 

Max’s challenge saw him row non- stop for four hours, before he earned a fifteen-minute rest. “During my rests, I was laying on the floor being spoon-fed rice with soy sauce and getting massaged,” he laughed. “When I needed a boost while rowing, my girlfriend put a melted ice lolly on a spoon. I sipped from it when I rowed forward.” 

Max rowed from midday to midday and said the hardest stretch was midnight to 4am. “Watching the sun go down was strange but watching it come up was great,” he said. “I would not have been able to do it without everyone around me – my friends and girlfriend, who stayed up all through the night to feed me and keep me on pace. It was a real team effort and I feel super-blessed for the support.”

To donate visit: www.justgiving.com/page/max-fallone-1 

WightAID Garden Party 

That’s what we call a garden party – this was the message from WightAID after it celebrated with a fundraising event in the garden of Geoff and Amy Underwood. 

On the day, more than £40,000 was raised for the charity, which has given out more than £700,000 worth of grants since it began. Guests enjoyed music from The Optimists and Oli Rivers and presentations from First Act, Daisy Chains and Alzheimer’s Café – three organisations who told partygoers how WightAID had supported them. 

The three groups were further rewarded with new donations from WightAID that were presented on the day by businesses who are long-term supporters of the charity. 

Deon Redpath, of WightFibre, one of the companies who made the presentations, said, “We hope our WightAID mission can continue to make a huge difference, and although we may be the ones behind the emails, we as a community are WightAID, changing lives together.” 

Geoff Underwood, WightAID founder, said, “It was lovely to see so many friends old and new at the party, raising an incredible sum to enable us to keep supporting good causes across the Island. Thanks go to all those who provided support for the party and to those who dug deep in their pockets on the day.”

Join WightAID at: www.wightaid.org/donate 

Mental Health Fundraising 

This September, two Isle of Wight men went north on extraordinary challenges to raise awareness and funds for Men Only IOW, the Island’s grassroots mental health organisation. 

Aaron walked more than 350 miles from the Isle of Wight to Newcastle United’s St James’ Park. Battling through rough nights and sore legs, every step he took shined a light on the daily struggles people face with mental health, addiction, and isolation. And Dave cycled from Ryde to Sheffield. His ‘Big Ride’ was no less demanding – a test of stamina and determination in support of the same worthy cause. 

Both men are raising vital funds to help Men Only IOW keep its doors open at Rodger & Steve’s Place, a safe space in Ryde where men and women can find support, friendship, and understanding. 

Karl Hart, Managing Director of Men Only IOW, said, “Aaron and Dave are doing something remarkable, not for medals or applause, but to show what men are capable of when they push forward together. Their journeys remind us that mental health is not a private battle – it’s something we can face as a community.” 

Donate to Aaron’s Walk: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/qr/BWdqg0vn? 

Donate to Dave’s ride: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/qr/aWg4zjDn? 

Town Tidy Up 

Around 40 people of all ages from the East Cowes community gathered for the latest Rubbish Networking event recently, organised by NOSY Creative Agency. The group cleared litter from the beach, streets, town centre and community spaces, filling multiple bags of rubbish. 

“We organise these events to show how small environmental actions can add up to a much bigger impact,” said April Turner, NOSY Operations Director. “It was great to welcome lots of families with children and by the time we had finished, the town looked much cleaner. 

“It’s about connecting people, building community pride, and making a positive change to where we live, so a big thank you to everyone involved.” 

Betapak Ltd supported the event by providing the equipment and ensuring all the rubbish was disposed of responsibly. 

East Cowes town councillor Cameron Palin was among those who joined in. “It was a great experience to meet with so many like-minded people, the rare opportunity to network outside of the ‘normal’ networking events,” he said.