Beacon Magazine

A new date for Walk the Wight 2021 has been announced.

Feel like you need a new series to get you through the next few weeks in lockdown? Here's the lowdown on six of the most talked about shows on Netflix this week.

Ex-England international footballer Steve Hunt, who has been living on the Isle of Wight for the past 20 years, has written an intriguing book about his amazing career in the game. 

The IW Story Festival, which took place over half term, attracted many hundreds of children and families from all parts of the UK and, indeed, the world – with participants coming from places as diverse as the Netherlands, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago and the USA.

As Lockdown across England puts an even greater emphasis on the health and wellbeing of older people in isolation, the Goldies Charity is increasing its weekly online content to include gentle chair-exercise at home.

In November 1897 a twenty-three year old Italian took up rooms at the Royal Needles Hotel overlooking Alum Bay. It was just out of season and Guglielmo Marconi's proposal to experiment from the hotel over the winter was welcomed by the hotel's proprietors. For the next two and a half years the world's first permanent wireless radio station would be operated from the hotel.

Around a half a kilometre of rope is now providing creature comforts for two Isle of Wight wildlife projects thanks to Wightlink.

Plant Heritage calls for garden enthusiasts across the UK to enter competition which celebrates rare and unusual plants.

Love exploring new places and really missing that sense of adventure in your life while we're in lockdown? We've found 15 fascinating places that you can explore from the comfort of your own home instead.

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation (HIWCF) launched the Surviving Winter 2020-2021 campaign to help tackle fuel poverty for older and vulnerable people struggling to keep warm at winter time.

It’s not easy to juggle fitness and home schooling during a lockdown – but according to Hanna Prince, by combining the two you can keep everyone happy.

New book, Rocking The Isle of Wight, by Alan and Tom Stroud focuses on the original Isle of Wight festivals that were put on by three Totland brothers, Ronnie, Ray and Bill Foulk.

In this travel history documentary, husband and wife team Greg and Felicity, from the Isle of Wight, set off across Romania in search of ‘Dracula’s Castle’, and a deeper understanding of the history and legend surrounding Vlad Dracula III of Wallachia, better known as Vlad the Impaler!

Despite a difficult year, the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary are ending on a high, after completing their first international rescue — ten donkeys from France.

A dog friendly, hilly walk with fantastic views along the way.

Make your Christmas Day a little easier by planning your cooking schedule ahead of time.

​​​​​​​Despite the official annual Santa Dash being cancelled earlier this month, Mountbatten nurses, volunteers and their families walked, ran, or cycled a combined total of over 90km to raise funds for the Island's hospice.

One place most of us are familiar with is Newport Quay. Perhaps we use the Quay Arts Centre or the Riverside Centre, meet at the Bargeman's or just saunter along the peaceful waterside.

Before the outbreak of coronavirus, we were already facing a loneliness epidemic amongst older people. But as a result of the pandemic, this crisis has intensified.

Enriching the quality of our daily lives, community wellbeing is all about building a vibrant and caring community in which we can all thrive and flourish writes Lisa de Silva

When it's cold and wet outside, we love to brighten a day stuck indoors with a few home comforts. How about these home-made Pork and Cranberry Sausage Rolls, served fresh from the oven.

Traditional pancakes with lemon and sugar are always a winner, but what about something a little different this year? We love thick, fluffy pancakes with fried banana and bacon, drizzled in maple syrup. Sounds so wrong, but we think it's so right!

February 12th marks the beginning of the Chinese year of the Ox! Why not celebrate with your family at home, by making and baking your own Fortune Cookies. After all, we could all do with a little luck in 2021!

These pretty cupcakes have a delicate lemon flavoured sponge with strawberry buttercream icing. They’re ideal for the kids to enjoy at home while the lockdown continues!

It's Friday — and while the pubs and restaurants might be shut, we won't be deterred from making the best of it. How about sticking some music on and becoming a mixologist for the evening. We recommend this recipe for Toasted S'mores Martini.

What better way to celebrate Burns Night on Monday 25th January than serving this tasty twist on the traditional Scottish supper.

Fancy something sweet to eat now the Christmas supply is long gone? There’s no need to wait until your next essential shopping trip, you can make this quick and easy Chocolate Mug Cake with ingredients likely to be in your cupboard already.

One mouthwatering meal which is guaranteed to give you your five a day is a Buddha Bowl. You can make these with anything you like really — the more colourful the better! But here we're making a healthy and flavoursome grilled chicken and rice Buddha Bowl, packed with fruits and vegetables.

Herbs are a great natural way to help beat stress, boost the immune system and get your skin glowing as local herbalist Sarah Hillyer explains.

Chinese Steamed Buns or Bao Buns take party food to a new level this New Year. And they’re surprisingly easy to make from scratch.

Don't throw out the leftovers from your Christmas dinner — use them to create this delicious pie.

Create your own winter wonderland with this gingerbread house recipe. It makes plenty of dough for a medium sized house and lots of trees. You can keep the decorations elegant and simple or go rather over the top if you wish, like I did! Whatever you do, it’s lots of fun for the whole family to get involved with over Christmas.

Nothing beats a warm mug of Mulled Wine on a cold winter’s day. And enjoying your own home-made batch is even better!

Chocolate truffles make the perfect homemade gift to give at Christmas, or to enjoy yourself while snuggled up in front of a festive film.

This is the ideal time of year to really get stuck into the festive cheese boards, paired with just the right wine of course. Peter d’Aguilar gives us a quick lesson

This gluten free carrot cake recipe by Jane Freeman uses honey in both the cake mix and cream cheese topping. Why not choose locally produced honey as it supports the local producers and reduces food miles

We've gotten pretty good at baking and making over the past year, so we're keeping the momentum going with another festive home recipe.

With much more time spent at home in the lead up to Christmas this year, why not revisit an old festive tradition — and bake a Christmas cake to share with the family on the big day. Nothing beats it!

Regardless of whether bonfire night goes off with a bang as usual this year, you can still celebrate November 5th with some snap, crackle and pop — with this seasonal recipe from 15-year-old trainee pâtissier chef, Imogen Palmer.

What better to eat in October than pumpkin soup? Seasonal and delicious, this bright and cheerful vegetable is at its best from October to December. You can have this soup either as an everyday supper, or to jazz it up for Halloween, it’s fun to serve it out of a pumpkin!

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.

There are some years you just never want to end. In my case, it was 2019. I became the grandfather of twin boys, was privileged to attend a Buckingham Palace Garden Party and had interviewed Dame Judi Dench live on stage, in the presence of the Lord Mayor of London. That honour led me directly to my last major interview of the year — Sir Ian McKellen.

On a cold January day I headed for Ludlow to meet up with Boycie, that notorious second-hand car dealer from Only Fools and Horses.

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.

As the first frosts of winter bring a chill to the darkness, Robert Veitch takes a look at some ways to bring a little light into your life this season

A selection of berried shrubs will bring colour to your garden during the dreariest time of year, writes Flo Whitaker

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.

In today’s climate, home offices have never been more desirable. We've got this advice for designing your own stylish workspace

Versatile and long-lived, no plants give better fiery autumnal colours than acers.

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

The right window dressing can transform the look and feel of a room without the need for a complete interior revamp. Take inspiration from the latest trends to redesign your window space,

Coming in every shade from darkest inky purple to purest white, no summer garden is complete without the extraordinary blooms of Agapanthus.

Hedging is an important feature in many domestic and agricultural settings, designating boundary, providing habitat for wildlife and privacy for humans, and actually being a thing of beauty. Peter Erridge tells us more

Add plenty of extra space to your home, with the addition of a light-filled garden room, conservatory or orangerie.

Were you gifted a houseplant at Christmas? Wondering what to do with it now? Hippeastrum (amaryllis) are extraordinary plants. Their huge bulbs can develop flowering spikes 60cms tall within six weeks. They are often sold as a kit, complete with flowerpot and compost.

Steaming coffee and the aroma of freshly baked bread does not guarantee a sale, considering that the majority of buyers will view several properties, every little bit counts to help your's fall top of the shortlist.

Garden centres are gearing up for the great seed-sowing season, but there are so many different types of seeds to choose from. What to buy? Flo Whitaker explains...

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.

Colder weather and longer nights make Adele Trathan long to cosy up at home and shut the world away. Some animals don’t have quite the same luxury and must hibernate during winter. Adele suggests some ways we can help these creatures survive, to emerge again in the spring

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.

Things seem to be heading back to a sense of normal for ‘Them Indoors’, but there’s only one thing on Teddy’s mind: getting a decent haircut

What may seem to us to be natural waste, could be an invaluable asset for a whole range of garden species and benefit the natural environment.

Teddy may be starting to look like a Wookiee on a bad hair day, but it hasn’t stopped him from staying positive during lockdown. His human interpreter writes his account of life at home and the reality of spending more time with ‘Them Indoors’.

A beautiful story about a feisty 86-year-old, desperate to embark on one final great adventure.

There's plenty of TV drama to get stuck in to while we're indoors this winter. Here's our list of what's on and when.

Over Christmas, due to the lack of a Sky subscription and the need to find out what was getting everyone so worked up in the office, I devoured the book behind HBO's latest television thriller, The Undoing.

Want to keep the kids entertained during lockdown? Hanna Prince offers some suggestions with these family-friendly indoor activities.

You may remember Beacon Magazine running a feature on Island author, Crawford Ivin, at the launch of his debut novel The Story of Four Islands.

Find out the answers to last month's Spot the Difference competition — and check whether you're one of our lucky winners!

In need of a little light-hearted humour to pass the next few weeks? Then grab a copy of Bits and Blogs by Island author, Poppy Fields.

Looking forward to December? Get the fire going, pour yourself a hot chocolate and curl up with these festive favourites...

Earlier in the year, I switched over from a manual bike to an electric, not really knowing what to expect.

With current restrictions in place, it may be more difficult to get out trick and treating with the family this year. So make sure you get on the sofa with the blankets ready to hide behind, and check out these classic shows and films as the haunting hour approaches...

You might be feeling disappointed at the recent temporary closure of Cineworld, but don't forget you can still head over to Ryde and support your local independent Commodore Cinema, or snuggle up at home for a family movie night.

We give our top tips on the colours to wear for the season ahead.

Find out the answers to last month's Spot the Difference competition — and check whether you're one of our lucky winners!

We’re making the most of this beautiful Island by getting out into the great outdoors. And what better excuse could there be to gather up the family for a crisp winter walk, than having a finish point with a cosy fireplace, a list of real ales and roast dinners. And this Island has them in abundance.

This one starts with a leaving party. Irritatingly perfect Eloise is leaving the bright lights of the London she loves to move to Dartmouth.

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. 

Safe to say it’s been a strange few months. Locked down, unable to see friends and only able to exercise for an hour a day on your own, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

You can now enjoy a range of interactive puzzles online! Test your brain with fun equalisers, crosswords, crosscodes and sudoku regularly...

Find out the answers to last month's Spot the Difference competition — and check whether you're one of our lucky winners!

Whether they're acclaimed classics or brand new arriving this autumn, these are the shows you need to be viewing (and where you can find them) as the darker nights draw in...

Test your expertise on the Island with this fun quiz! How much of an expert are you?

We're teaming up with the Bluebell Vineyard to talk about all things wine, including pairing cheese with the grape...​​​​​​​

With Spring on the horizon, we've compiled our favourite articles from our gardening expert to bring you a year-round calendar of gardening advice and features, with each piece covering a month of the year...

Would you love to treat your partner, a friend or family member to a beautiful vineyard tour? Tell us why they deserve a treat and you could win this luxurious prize!

Master the basics of skincare and makeup with this free course!