Features

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.

Isle of Wight Truck driver, Jacob Benger-Pereira is planning to row from New York to the UK – retracing an iconic 3,200 mile ocean crossing from 1896 – in aid of two young people's mental health charities.

The owners of a holiday cottage in Bonchurch believe they’ve uncovered the inspiration behind the infamous Charles Dickens character, Miss Havisham.

An Isle of Wight man, who was born with Cystic Fibrosis, is taking on a 100 mile walk this month, to raise money for the hospital which gave him a new pair of lungs.

David Bowie and Freddie Mercury's costume designer is backing an ambitious project to bring live music back to the seaside on the Isle of Wight.

Ryde's Quarr Abbey is the feature of a new series which has aired on BBC One.

A six-a-side football programme that has already helped more than 6,000 men across the UK tackle obesity is set to kick-off on the Isle of Wight this month.

Santa Dash – Mountbatten’s annual festive family fun run – will return next month at a new venue.

In 1978 the Duke of Edinburgh said: "In conventional terms Uffa was eccentric." That was never better demonstrated than 100 years ago, when he ended up being sacked as the scoutmaster of Cowes Sea Scouts.

The history of Newport's town centre is being brought to life with a new interactive website, created by the partnership behind Newport High Street Action Zone.

Top entertainment and big stars return to the Isle of Wight this summer at Robin Hill’s new event, The Woodland Sessions.

The founder of the world-renowned Minghella ice-cream, Edward Minghella, celebrated his 100th birthday on June 21st.

Carnivals may not be taking to the streets as normal this year, but many Island schools will be putting on their own carnival events during National Children’s Carnival Week.

Nine gardens will be opening in St Helens on Sunday, one for the first time, allowing hundreds of visitors the chance to peek behind walls and hedges to discover the hidden treasures beyond.

One of the oldest buildings in Ryde High Street is celebrating its 175th anniversary.

Dating back to 1550, The Castle Inn is the oldest public house in Newport.

The Tapnell Trail runs through the middle of Tapnell Farm, on the outskirts of Yarmouth. It’s an incredibly scenic circular walk, which can be completed in sections, or in full at 6.5 miles.

Promoting the Island as a destination to film makers and supplying everything the production team need, Isle of Wight Film Fixers have a catalogue of properties, services and vehicles to hire.

A freelance writer and journalist with Cerebral Palsy is bringing his podcast to the stage.

Start in Godshill. If you're driving, you can park in the car park opposite The Griffin, or if you're coming by bus, there's a stop just along the High Street.

You may have seen offers to purchase DIY Wills either in stationery stores or online in the past and with the various lockdowns over the last 12 months you may even have been tempted to prepare one yourself, rather than getting in contact with a Solicitor as you would usually.

Enjoy a day in the exotic outdoors, with a trip to Ventnor Botanic Garden. Stroll around the garden's 22-acre microclimate with plant collections from South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, the Mediterranean Basin and Japan.

Want to enrich your daily walk or make your lunchbreak that little bit brighter? Here's a list of the best mood-lifting podcasts.

Wessex Cancer Trust is adding bubble fun to this year’s Rainbow Run — in celebration of the charity’s 40th birthday.

Local children’s author and illustrator, Peta Rainford, hopes her latest rhyming picture book, Crab, Dab & Blenny, which will be published tomorrow (May 4th), will not only be a big hit with 4-8 year olds, but will raise awareness of the issue of plastics in the ocean.

The West Wight Timebank is operating a delivery eco refill scheme in the Freshwater, Yarmouth, Totland, Shalfleet and Newbridge areas.

Employers across the Isle of Wight are offering 19–24-year-olds the opportunity to learn a new career and start a brand new job.

Residents of Inglefield Nursing & Residential Home have been so inspired by the huge effort the local communities have made to keep everyone safe, they wanted to give something back by creating an outdoor art project to cheer everyone up.

Fancy bagging yourself a £25 voucher to spend at either The Castle Inn, Newport or The Vine, St Helens?

The family of the late Ray Scovell — otherwise known as the Isle of Wight's 'Mr Athletics' have launched a fundraising appeal in his memory.

For almost 40 years, Mountbatten has supported our community through death, dying and bereavement. With a gift in your Will, you can ensure they will still be here for future generations of Island people.

Think you know the Isle of Wight like the back of your hand? We're going to put you to the test by giving you ten Isle of Wight road names to unscramble.

Shanklin Summer Theatre was constructed on the Esplanade in 1921 – opening later that year with the first Sunshine Concert Party, which went from success to even greater success.

A Totland woman is aiming to raise £2,000 for Wessex Cancer Trust by shaving her head on her 54th birthday on April 20th.

So why is there still so little awareness? Islander Georgia Day speaks out about her experience with this chronic illness, during Endometriosis Awareness Month.

Sensual and evocative, fragrance plays a powerful role in our lives. Lisa de Silva explains how nothing can stir senses and memories like fragrance, with its ability to take you back to another time, place or loved one.

March is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and Sara Whatley has been learning how we can all get involved in raising awareness and assisting with fundraising.

Island Line has said a final farewell to its Class 483 trains, ahead of a three month closure and £26million upgrade.

Happy World Book Day! To celebrate, we've brought you a list of our favourite children's books from Isle of Wight authors. Support local and enjoy a story with your little ones at the same time. Just click the link to find out where to buy it.

Sixty years after spending the summer season acting at Shanklin Theatre, Janet Sandys-nee-Derry returns as a guest.

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.

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.

St Vincent’s Retirement Home in Ryde has built a grotto for families to visit their loved ones over Christmas in a safe and secure way.

At low tide, the sea off the coast of Ryde is nearly half a mile away. Though its proximity to Portsmouth makes it the shortest Solent crossing — so in times gone by, the inconvenient half mile slog across the sands was seen as a price worth paying.

Looking for something special for your other half this Christmas? Check out our picks for the festive season, as well as a few for yourself...

A local funeral co-ordinator is hoping to rally the community spirit to help families in need of support this winter.

Cowes Floating Bridge has been a hot topic of late, so we've searched our archives to bring you this great history piece, by John Medland, which delves into the life and times of the Floating Bridge and its many predecessors.

Winter can be hard on skin, with cold winds and the drying effects of central heating leading to a dull and dehydrated complexion. Yet maintaining a healthy glow is possible with a few small changes to your skincare regime, writes Lisa de Silva,

Looking for some great discounts ahead of Black Friday? Amazon are offering deals on a range of products all week until Monday November 30 - here's our picks for you...

The prestigious Royal Hotel, in Ventnor, was built more than a hundred and fifty years ago as a coaching house to accommodate both travellers and people who had come to Ventnor for the sake of their health.

On Remembrance Day we honour the lives lost and human sacrifice of war. Here, Ruth Lawrence discovers how animals also played their part working alongside soldiers and civilians.

Following a popular Endangered Advent campaign last year, where she produced an imaginative, festive-themed wildlife illustration each day in the lead-up to Christmas, island-based artist Jen Parker is starting a new advent series in December – this time focusing on British wildlife in collaboration with People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES). The original illustrations will be sold and all profits donated to PTES. 

With another lockdown currently upon us, it's not particularly nice having to stay at home all the time. But there's no need to live in discomfort, with plenty of options to enhance your home, especially as winter approaches. Here's our picks to get the perfect set-up...

From cubs in the caravan to strolling with snakes, the Corney family have lived a unique family life, surrounded by exotic animals.

Now’s the time to support local shops and eateries, when independent businesses need our custom more than ever before. Despite many having to close their doors throughout November, lots of local businesses are offering home delivery and collection services throughout their temporary closure. We find out how you can still shop local throughout lockdown...

The Island is blessed with an abundance of exceptional youngsters — and Isle of Wight Radio’s Child of Wight Awards recognise their wonderful achievements.

With many public firework displays set to be cancelled this year due to Covid-19, and the likelihood that more people will host private displays in their back gardens, Dogs Trust is issuing top tips to owners to help their dogs cope with these potentially distressing events.

Can you believe it's nearly Christmas?! And after the year it's been, it seems like we all deserve a treat. Here's our picks for the best gifts on offer for your children this year...

The team at Beacon Magazine and their families have been carving pumpkins ready for Halloween this weekend...and we’ve decided to get you lot involved. So we’ve teamed up with Eat Street IOW to give one lucky winner a £20 voucher to spend on their DELICIOUS takeaway street food.

We take a look at all things pumpkin, its origins and its surprising number of uses.

A mysterious and seductive colour, Lisa de Silva tells us why black remains one of the most popular choices in the fashion world.

A few months after Bob Dylan performed at IW Festival 1969, American musician Gene Vincent performed for one night only at the Island’s Royal York Hotel in Ryde.

Originally built as a private residence in 1845, Freshwater Bay’s Alexandra House has been in the hands of the Orchard family for more than 150 years.

West Wight Nursery manager Kim Tyrell has raised an incredible £1,274 for the nursery, having had her head shaved on the school/nursery playground earlier this month.

We find out more about the Isle of Wight Public Green Spaces project, supported by the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and The Southern Co-op.

We look at the coming season’s makeup trends to enhance your features.

Brown’s Golf Course was created in 1931 by Alexander Kennedy and his wife Violet Kennedy, the owners of a chain of successful south London sausage and pie shops.

Hanna Prince shares the challenges — and the unexpected rewards — of home parenting during lockdown.

‘Wight Spirit’ marks the 50th anniversary of the 1970 IW Festival with new sculptures, a feature length-documentary and never-seen-before photographs.

A new book based on the diaries of a police officer who served in the earliest days of policing is being published by award-winning police volunteer, John Greenfield.

We note some of the great items to buy locally, at a time when independent businesses need our custom more than ever before.

Zesty orange, sherbet lemon and exotic saffron: we go through the essential colours of the season.

When the lockdown was announced earlier this year, Solicitors all across the country were hard at work, writing Wills for people who, fearing the worst, wanted to make sure their affairs were in order should they fall ill.

First opening its doors in 1936, The Commodore in Star Street, Ryde has had a fascinating past.

With years of festival experience behind him, building bars at festivals across the world, landlord Jay Chapman decided that to survive post-coronavirus, he needed to come up with something completely new, using the space that they did have. And so, the Olde Village Inn Backyard Fest was born.

Some advice for those who may be facing work struggles during these uncertain times

As the global Covid-19 pandemic means many Brits may be hesitant to travel abroad, ‘staycations’ are set to become even more popular.

Direct cremation is an affordable alternative to a traditional funeral. The cremation takes place without any service at the crematorium, and without mourners or a minister present.

A striking new mural named ‘Less Flapping, More Flying’ has been painted at The Sundial Cafe, in memory of Norman Abram, who died in 2017.

The Isle of Wight has one of the oldest carnival traditions in the UK. Ryde Carnival began in 1888, and chances are you’ve seen or taken part in at least one of the many colourful and uplifting parades that bring our streets to life every year.

Elizabeth Missing Sewell was born on Newport High Street on the 19th February 1815. ‘Missing’, a rather odd choice in middle name, is said to have been her godmother’s surname.

Filmmaker Bill Bristow has teamed up with a wealth of local talent to produce a documentary about the incredible history of the Isle of Wight.