Beacon Magazine

As a popular Isle of Wight business celebrates its 50th anniversary, its sole proprietor hands the keys to the generation below.

Pack up a picnic and find somewhere beautiful on the Island to enjoy it with family and friends.

East Cowes Town Council and Red Funnel have opened a new Community Orchard to Isle of Wight residents, after coming together to create a safe and relaxing space for members of the local community.

An iconic Isle of Wight landmark is set for upgrades later this year.

If you head to the Royal Victoria Arcade on Union Street this summer, you’ll discover a quaint little museum which pays homage to Donald McGill — the king of the saucy seaside postcard.

Put some homemade ingenuity into your pet’s mealtimes, with these freshly made fish dishes.

In events strikingly similar to those of late, in January 1901 the Isle of Wight was mourning the death of a Queen.

We've teamed up with Kings Theatre to give away a family ticket to see Cinderella next week.

Cowes Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society (CAODS) has been putting on shows for Islanders for more than 125 years — and this year’s Christmas pantomime certainly didn’t disappoint.

There are few amateur dramatic societies in the country which can boast such a long history of local activity but, just over 125 years ago, CAODS was founded in 1897, the year of the Diamond Jubilee of the reign of Queen Victoria.

A new festive fundraiser is coming to the Isle of Wight for Mountbatten.

As The Apollo Theatre celebrates its 50th anniversary, we look back at the history of this iconic building in Newport, dedicated to the art of performance.

After almost 40 years at the helm, the owners of the popular Freshwater Pet Store are bidding an emotional fur-well.

The winners of the inaugural Isle of Wight Book Awards were revealed at a charity lunch in Cowes yesterday (Wednesday).

Strictly Ballroom The Musical burst on to stage at Kings Theatre this week, in an explosion of glitz, glamour, drama and dance — under the iconic glitter ball.

As Cowes Week gets underway, here's a taster of what to expect over the coming week.

"Things are better, but a lot more still needs to be done" to take potentially malignant moles seriously, according to an Isle of Wight mother, who lost her daughter to skin cancer in 2020.

The Isle of Wight's Rhythmtree Festival is back at a new location from today (Friday).

Ryde Town Council and Ryde Library have announced a brand new collaboration to bring free reading to Ryde beaches.

The Isle of Wight's famous Billingham Manor is up for sale for £3.95 million.

This savoury scone recipe from Mary Goodsell works perfectly alongside a bowl of hearty soup, or simply with salty butter and a smear of marmite.

When Mary Goodsell was a young girl she was astonished that a vegetable could be made into tasty cake! Her traybake version couldn’t be simpler and can be made nearly all year round using British carrots

In celebration of Coronation Big Lunches taking place this month, The King and Queen Consort have shared a recipe for a Coronation Quiche – made with spinach and broad beans.

I’ve been planning some tea-time treats and decadent desserts. This easy seasonal rhubarb and ginger cake hits the spot on all accounts, it’s moist, not overly sweet and has a crunchy topping. The perfect crowd pleaser.

Back in 2020, Queen Elizabeth’s royal pastry chefs released the family’s sacred ‘Spiced Easter Biscuits’ recipe. What better way to honour her late Majesty, than by baking these delightful and delicious Easter treats?

This healthy take on the classic banana bread is definitely one to try if you're avoiding refined sugars or want to make a dairy free alternative to the classic!

Celeriac makes a wonderful potato alternative, and this rosti recipe by Mary Goodsell is really versatile. Cook them instead of hash browns with your Sunday fry-up, top with poached eggs and smoked salmon for a more decadent brunch.

As March celebrates British Pie Week, we’re bringing you a delicious recipe for Lamb, Red Wine, Garlic and Rosemary Pie, courtesy of Wilkinsons Pies, in Sandown.

Sometimes, a comforting bowl of pasta on the sofa is perfect for a winter evening. This pasta dish by Mary Goodsell is really easy to throw together, and it’s a seasonal sensation as UK grown leeks are readily available at the moment.

These no-bake chewy date bars are the perfect breakfast or afternoon pick-me-up to ensure you stay full throughout the day.

Pancake Day, also known as Shrove Tuesday, is a traditional Christian holiday celebrated the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of 'Lent'.

This Sunday (22nd) marks Chinese New Year. So we’re tucking in to a traditional Chinese dish, to celebrate the year of the rabbit!

Boost your immunity, digestion and get a good dose of antioxidants first thing in the morning with super easy homemade ginger shots by Mary Goodsell. These little shots of goodness can cost a fortune in the supermarkets, but they are really cheap and easy to make at home.

One of the many festive traditions writer, Mary Goodsell, looks forward is having a pot of mulled wine on the stove. Here’s are her three tried and tested versions that should keep you warm and merry throughout the festive season.

Late September/early October is the perfect time to start picking sloe berries and to get a delicious batch of Sloe Gin underway for Christmas.

Got some apples? Feeling creative? Impress your nearest and dearest while expressing your artistic side, writes Jo Grey.

The classic twist on the quintessential pavlova gets reimagined once again in this mouth-watering traybake by Adele Trathan.

Schools are now open, so we've brought you one of our favourite lunchbox recipes, enjoyed by kids and grown ups — simple Lunchbox Lasagnes!

With summer in full swing, Gillian Reay-Young shares this recipe for Gin and Tonic Sorbet to enjoy in the sun.

Put a little zing in your hot cross buns with Adele Trathan’s twist on an age-old recipe

Back in 1981 when Bergerac first came to BBC TV, it was no surprise when John Nettles received sack loads of fan mail. I, like millions of other men, rather fell for the more rubenesque charms of the Bureau receptionist Charlotte, played by the gorgeous Annette Badland.

There are days in your life that you will never forget. One of mine was September 26th, 2006, when I met up again with Jane McDonald. Her welcoming hug and comforting words were just what I needed

Fifty one years after I first saw Bill Wyman appearing at a Rolling Stones concert at Ryde Pavilion, I finally managed to meet him.

Back in 2001 I took an exciting 21 hour day trip to Weatherfield. I was expecting to undertake a couple of interviews with two of Coronation Street’s lesser known characters. Thankfully, it didn’t go to plan. Once the two interviews were completed and the press office girls had left, I was told to sit tight for a few minutes and see who might come in. Over the next hour, six of the most famous faces in Britain came in and were all eager to chat.

Saturday June 30th, 2012, was rather special in my 47 year career as a showbiz writer and broadcaster. I still call it my Sheridan Smith day.

Back in 1988, John Hannam interviewed Barbara Windsor – and this was long before Albert Square.

When Shaun Williamson was filling shelves in a Maidstone supermarket his ambition was to be like Richard Burton. Eventually, via Pontins in Wootton, 1986, he became Barry Evans, who for eight years was one of EastEnders’ most popular characters.

Life has been wonderfully unpredictable for Scottish actor Joe McFadden. Before winning Strictly Come Dancing in 2017, he’d been a rock star in Sex, Chips & Rock ‘n’ Roll, cast as maverick cop, Joe Mason in Heartbeat and surgeon Raf di Lucca in Holby City.

Gwen Taylor is one of those actors known for a wide variety of names — Amy Pearce from Duty Free, Barbara Liversidge in Barbara, Heartbeat’s Peggy Armstrong, Rita Simcock from A Bit Of A Do or even murderer, Anne Foster, from Coronation Street.

Over the years, top actors like Celia Imrie, Benedict Cumberbatch, Penelope Keith and Geoffrey Hughes have all fallen in love with the Island. The latest to join them is David Calder, whose credits include The World Is Not Enough, The Hatton Garden Job and The Lady In The Van.

During the final ten days before the lockdown, I’d been lucky enough to have pre-arranged five interviews. It was in Guildford on a very wet and miserable March day. Would she be like Raquel in Only Fools And Horses or Mrs Maguire in Grantchester?

John caught up with the star of stage and screen, who talks of recent film projects and fond memories of when the Island was her home.

Famous radio DJ Annie Nightingale has helped numerous popstars enhance their careers by playing their music.

On July 7th, completely out of the blue, I received an unexpected email from a guy called Neil Chandler, the venue and artistic director of the Fairfield Halls in Croydon, which was re-opening following a £42 million redevelopment.

Helen George has millions of fans as Trixie Franklin in hit television series, Call The Midwife. She's just been seen in the show's Christmas Special and is all set to appear later this year in the ninth series.

Back on Sunday, February 17th 1991, I had the thrill of having the Beverley Sisters live on IW Radio's John Hannam Meets. At the end of their slot, I asked them to choose a record by their favourite current singer. In total harmony, they all said Marti Pellow and predicted a long and successful career for him. At that time he was the lead singer of Wet Wet Wet. How right they were.

Nothing evokes summer more than the scent and taste of strawberries. Their botanical name is ‘Fragaria’ – how utterly perfect, writes Flo Whitaker.

The trend for upcycling raw materials into garden furniture is coming to a back garden near you.

Having a creative Christmas at home is about more than just a tree and a few bits of tinsel.

Some plants have got the lot – they look good and do you good. Flo Whitaker recommends planting some handsome vegetables in your flower borders.

He’s a brilliant presenter, accomplished gardener, talented novelist and all-round horticultural inspiration. This month, Alan Titchmarsh talks about the most common mistakes we make in our gardens.

This month, Alan Titchmarsh discusses the changing seasons, and why he ventures out into his garden in any weather.

This month, Alan Titchmarsh discusses the next generation of green-fingered gardeners.

Got a shady garden? Assume you can’t grow anything interesting? Not so, says Flo Whitaker. Many plants prefer life in the shade.

If you think you suffer from the heat as far as summer goes, think how that sun-baked fares without even so much as a dash of sun lotion.

There’s a secret universe right underneath our feet. Welcome to the magical, wonderful world of soil, writes Flo Whitaker.

If you’re looking for easygoing, heat-tolerant plants with a long-flowering season, (and who isn’t?) you can do no better than salvias, writes Flo Whitaker

Towards the end of August, on the lawns of the Isle of Wight an inconspicuous species of wild orchid, the last British orchid of the season, appears for just a few weeks, heralding the end of the summer.

Dinosaurs ate them, and the Victorians obsessed about them; ferns are astonishing survivors from the prehistoric world and still have the power to enchant us, writes Flo Whitaker.

Property, equity and retirement can be a complex topic, so we asked Peter d’Aguilar to shed a little light on some of the options currently available

In the UK right now the average house price is estimated at just over £245,000 (as of February 2021). But that figure obviously varies from region to region. So if you're a first-time buyer or looking to move to pastures new, which areas should you be looking at to get the best value for your money?

Nothing says ‘summer’ more than home-picked fruit. Raspberries are easy to grow — and now’s the perfect time to plant them, writes Flo Whitaker.

It’s all go on the veg patch this month. Sow hardy winter greens and plant garlic for a tasty crop later in the year.

There’s a lot more to holly than spiky green leaves and a few red berries. Peter Erridge explains all things historical and prickly.

January doesn’t have to be gloomy after the Christmas decorations come down, it can be the ideal time to revamp the home as Adele Trathan explains.

The euonymus genus contains over 150 varieties in the form of shrubs and trees, so there should be one type available to brighten every garden throughout the year.

To celebrate its 10th birthday, nationwide campaign, Hedgehog Street, is asking members of the public to do 10 things to help hedgehogs throughout 2021. The campaign launched by wildlife charities People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) aims to encourage people to make their gardens more hedgehog friendly, in order to help stop the ongoing decline of Britain’s favourite mammal.

The UK’s biggest citizen science project has been recording the winners and losers in the garden bird world for over four decades with the help of half a million people, and now the RSPB is counting on Island residents to join in too.

A new review outlining the impact of road mortality on native European hedgehogs has been published in the online scientific journal Animals.

​​​​​​​Wightlink’s oyster nurseries are already proving a haven for rare marine wildlife.

Wildlife charity People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is, for the first time, running its Living with Mammals survey during autumn, from Monday 31st August until Sunday 29th November.

A flock of wheeling long-tailed tits capture this author's imagination as she takes a stroll in the countryside

Sparrowhawks are now fairly common throughout the country and more of us can enjoy the breathtaking sight of these spectacular, small birds of prey.

For March, Adele Trathan has selected four new book releases that will entertain, engage and heal the soul.

Here are the solutions to the Puzzle Page problems in the March edition of the magazine – how well did you do?

This month, we’re taking advantage of the promise of sunshine – and heading down the seafront in East Wight!

We take a look at four books that will weave a fictional spell this month...

Dating is not easy, and even when you think you’ve found the right person, trying to organise the perfect first date to sweep them off their feet can be a stressful ordeal.

There's two great new movies coming to your tellybox this weekend. Here's what to watch and where to watch it...

Audition applications are now open for the 2023 Easter production of ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ at Kings Theatre.

Here's the latest movie and TV releases coming to a screen near you in the next few days...

This gentle riverside walk is perfect for a Sunday afternoon — finishing with a warm drink, or pub lunch at the newly renovated Folly Inn.

Christmas hasn’t officially begun until you’ve been to panto – and Pompey knows how to do pantomime in style. 

Join Tapnell for Spooky Farm Fun this October Half Term...with additional fun activities in the Farm Park to keep your little ones entertained.

Following the success of their first Isle of Wight show earlier this year, My Darling Clementine is coming back to the Island by popular demand.

Harp on Wight have announced a very impressive line-up for their ninth annual festival — which returns this weekend.

Nothing says autumn better than stomping through crunchy leaves on a walk around your local forest.

As part of its ongoing commitment to make the theatre available and affordable to everybody, The Kings Theatre has released 16,500 seats for the Christmas pantomime “Cinderella” at just £10 each and this comes in addition to the launch of The Kings Theatre Arts Academy and a £25,000 Scholarship Scheme.

A tragic tale from 1916 war-torn France, combined with a modern day love story — The Girl You Left Behind is like no book I’ve ever read before. 

Fancy a movie night? How about one of these popular new releases, available to watch via most streaming services.

As the Isle of Wight Walking Festival makes its autumnal return, we’re bringing you details of their fascinating history walk inspired by The Lost Crypt Escape Room, Aspire Ryde.

First Dates favourite, Grant Urquhart, has joined the cast of Kings Theatre's upcoming and 88th pantomime, to star as the handsome Prince Charming.

This circular walk along the River Medina can be joined at any point along the route.

Back for another year, we've got a pair of tickets worth over £250 to give away to this exciting, vibrant and unique Sussex festival this summer!

A stunning piece for your home, this beautiful LED mirror is worth nearly £250 and could be yours...

It’s Cinco de Mayo on May 5 and this Mexican celebration is the perfect excuse for some tequila cocktails!

In the lead-up to Father's Day, we've got a crate of beer and a gold membership to this bespoke brewery up for grabs, with membership including a range of tours, freebies and tasting events...

With nine exciting events across the Island, this summer sees the return of this fantastic Island sporting event - and we've got a number of pairs of tickets to give away for our Hidden members for the elite rugby...