Browsing Tag local

We have had two further sessions maintaining the station garden and have now replanted the boat as a ‘dry garden,’ with grasses kindly supplied by Honnor & Jeffrey.   We now look after the library garden and have used some of our funds to buy new plants this month.

Our Open Day was a success, despite the awful weather and a considerable number of Shanklin residents came to find out more about what we do and to offer to help.  We now have 20 volunteers for the Green Streets Scheme in which people undertake to spend a few minutes each week in keeping their own street clean.  Others have asked to help with beach cleans or have placed their orders for free trees in the autumn or want to attend a free talk on composting at Ventnor Botanics later this year.  Many tried the Interactive Recycling Game and had fun learning more about the new scheme.

On 26th May we did a special event, getting a team together to clear the beach from Luccombe Chine to Shanklin Chine.  Twenty three volunteers including Cubs, Beavers and pensioners spent two hours collecting nearly 1500 items.  This will be our entry for the Daily Mail ‘Spring Clean for the Queen’ competition and we hope to win money to be spent in the community.

Lesley Hampshire

Lesley Hampshire A retired science teacher and marine biologist, I taught for many years both in schools and prisons on the Isle of Wight. Green issues have always been an interest and now I'm involved with Green Towns Shanklin, along with a group of willing volunteers.  We need more! Hobbies include walking, cycling, writing and backpacking in faraway places.

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Just to give you a brief update: we did our quarterly beach clearance at Appley Beach (next to Shanklin Chine) all the way round to Luccombe Chine on 21st March with four volunteers. We collected 779 items of rubbish including two broken lobster pots and an oil drum. Most of the items we found were plastic which has worrying implications because of the very long time it takes to break down and even then it hasn’t ‘gone away.’ The results of the survey were sent off to the Marine Conservation Society.

The other news is that we’re having an Open Day at Falcon Cross Hall from 10:00am to 4:00pm on Saturday 28th April. There will be free refreshments and some hand-outs plus a chance to find out what we do and hopefully we’ll recruit some more volunteers. Everyone is welcome and there are even a couple of interactive ‘games’ for those who want to have a go.

Lesley Hampshire

Lesley Hampshire A retired science teacher and marine biologist, I taught for many years both in schools and prisons on the Isle of Wight. Green issues have always been an interest and now I'm involved with Green Towns Shanklin, along with a group of willing volunteers.  We need more! Hobbies include walking, cycling, writing and backpacking in faraway places.

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What’s it all about?

The idea behind Green Towns is to encourage people within the community to take positive action so that real environmental improvements can be achieved.  The Shanklin branch has been active for just over a year and is supported by the Town Council and Natural Enterprise.

We have a small Steering Group of local residents, including representatives from the Town Council, the Voluntary Youth and Community Club and the Community Police.  Regular meetings enable us to generate ideas which volunteers can then help to carry out.

Last year we organised many ‘quick response’ litter picks in various parts of the town, involving volunteers both young and old and we keep the theatre car park tidy. We have officially adopted Appley Beach, where we do quarterly beach cleans, sending the survey results to the Marine Conservation Society.

We distributed free water and energy-saving gadgets to help people consume less and save money and we obtained fifty small trees to give away to local residents and organisations.

We organised a visit to Ventnor Botanic Gardens for a session on How to Make Really Good Compost, with a free tea as well! Links with local schools and the Beavers were established and we plan to continue these.

In April we negotiated with Island Line to give the station garden a makeover and we now have regular gardening sessions and have added a boat and two lobster pots to enhance the appearance of the station. We’d be happy to maintain other planted areas such as the library garden but for this to happen we need plenty more volunteers.

One of our long-term aims is to improve the cycle track so that more people can use it year-round and we’re investigating grant funding in this respect. A Green Streets Scheme is something we hope to start this year, whereby residents volunteer to spend a few minutes each week to keep their street litter-free, using equipment we’d provide. We’re keen to establish links with local businesses too.

What can you do to help?

Become one of our team of volunteers!  It needn’t take much of your time but it will be rewarding and you’ll be helping to make Shanklin a better place in which to live, work or spend holidays.

Contact Us
Lesley on: 01983 868309 or e-mail: johnandlesley1@talktalk.net
Bridget on: 07792 174941

Lesley Hampshire

Lesley Hampshire A retired science teacher and marine biologist, I taught for many years both in schools and prisons on the Isle of Wight. Green issues have always been an interest and now I'm involved with Green Towns Shanklin, along with a group of willing volunteers.  We need more! Hobbies include walking, cycling, writing and backpacking in faraway places.

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In 1940 a very real possibility existed  that the Island would the first target for an invasion by the German Army and preparations were made for this eventuality. In Shanklin the Home Guard stood ready for an onslaught whether it should come by sea or overland. Short of guns and ammunition it certainly had enough to cover the approach from the South and as the picture shows, the rifle positions to cover this are still in existence close to St. Blazius Church.

Shortage of hand grenades did not prevent throwing practice and one group assembled in the upstairs rooms of the Black Cat tea rooms for a simulated attack on a passing lorry using swede turnips.

However it was realised that the Home Guard might not be enough to repel the advancing troops and plan B was prepared. Captain Dick Wheway, the local radio repair man, recruited a clandestine band of local men who were ready to operate as guerrillas should the worst happen. Their operations would centre on a secret underground cavern they had excavated under the cover of darkness in the America woods. In preparation it was stocked explosives and detonators and emergency supplies.

The local army units erected miles of beach defences consisting of a framework of scaffold poles which stretched from Yaverland to Luccombe. The pier was a possible landing point so a cunning strategy was put into action. A vast gap was blown into the pier deck and if a battalion should land there and try to march ashore, disaster would ensue.

After the war the breach in the pier was repaired with reinforced concrete. Ironically this was the only part of the pier to survive after the storm of 1986 when all of the iron structure was washed away.

ROB MARSHALL

Rob Marshall

My name is Rob Marshall. I spent my childhood in Shanklin and lived here until I joined the forces in 1942. Memories of the town in the first years of the war remain clearly in my mind. Although it was a difficult and highly dangerous time with frequent bombings  and the threat of invasion  it was an exciting time for young lads and the very thought of defeat did not cross our minds. I still live on the Island having spent most of my life as a teacher working for the Island Education Service.

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Hi, my name is Sunny, I am a 15.1 Piebald (black and white) traditional gypsy cob (for those of you not up to speed with horsey height and weight this makes me a big boy). I am nearly 4, which according to my owners makes me a baby but I am very brave and act really grown up most of the time. Until very recently I lived with my friend Lucy in Devon. It has been an unusual year for me, for a start I have been allowed to grow a very long hairy coat, normally I have a hair cut in the winter.

Then my friend Lucy left me. I am not sure where she went but she was quite old and poorly. Then my owners left me with new people, but luckily they must have missed me loads because after just Christmas they came back, that was when my biggest adventure began. I was very pleased to see my owners. The other humans were Ok they fed me every day but they didn’t take me out and I really do like going out and about.

When my mum and dad came they started doing something really weird. They started packing up all my stuff and putting it into my blue lorry. I was a bit worried especially when they put my food bins into the lorry. What if they are going again and taking the food and lorry with them? I didn’t need to worry because they came in the morning as usual to give me my breakfast and I heard them talking. My mum was saying I don’t think he is going to load into the lorry with all that strange looking stuff in it. Fancy her worrying about that. I knew the food bins were in there so I walked up into the lorry without hesitation like the big brave boy I am. Oooh, I knew it was a good idea, I got an apple.

I didn’t think it such a good idea later because I was in that lorry longer than I’ve ever been in it in my life. There was also a very unusual hour when the lorry seemed to be moving but the engine was off, not sure what was going on there! Then the engine started back up and we drove for a little while more.  They had given me hay in the lorry but I was starting to worry that I wasn’t going to get any tea, when suddenly the lorry stopped.

The ramp came down and my dad asked me to walk backwards down the ramp. Don’t worry, it’s not hard. I learnt to do it when I was little and I am an expert now. I was a bit sweaty (the lorry was warm and I will admit it had been a long journey and I had been worrying about my tea), so I got a lovely warm rug put on me. I had to wait around for a bit while the lorry was emptied but I didn’t worry too much because it meant the food bins were staying with me, Yippee! Then I was put in a lovely warm stable with, yes you’ve guessed it, my tea.

Oh yeah, I’ve also got new friends here (not as important as my tea but I do like a horsey friend to talk to). I had a lovely sleep in fact I was still asleep the next morning when my dad came to give me breakfast. Normally, I am up waiting for it ages before he gets here. I then went out into a great big field with 3 friends. One of them is the same age as me, so we ran around for ages. I didn’t even think about Lucy all day. I think this is my new home. It’s great; I think Lucy would have liked it here too.

Very soon I am getting new shoes from the farrier, then you might see me out and about in Shanklin. I pull a lovely red cart with my name on the back. If you see me, can you please slow down because although I am very brave sometimes fast cars scare me.

Part 2 - Sunny’s off to School

Hi again, well I am pretty sure now that the Island is my new home as I’ve been here for ages and they have unpacked all my lorry.

Lucy hasn’t shown up, I thought maybe she had moved here first to check it out but she definitely isn’t here. I missed her at first but there are loads of horses here they aren’t Lucy but they will do. Dolly lives next door to me and she is quite nice, when the humans are about she ignores me but when everyone has gone home she talks to me through the bars of the stable. I have my own field now, I used to share but we’ve had a shuffle about and now I have a field to myself, it’s great as no one else gets to eat my grass or hay. I have Lizzie and Treacle on one side and Sunny Bay and her friend on the other. I’ve met Michael my farrier but still don’t have shoes on so I can’t go driving on the road yet.

I was settling into my lazy life just nicely when my mum said that I was going into the school. I am 4 now and I think I remember humans talking about children starting school at 4. I wasn’t looking forward to it because I have heard children talking about it and they never seem impressed about having to go there. The school day arrived and mum gave me some breakfast she said so I could concentrate instead of worrying about my tummy, I don’t know what she means? My teacher arrived her name is Jo Hogan and we are doing something called Natural Horsemanship. Sounds interesting right? I was a bit worried because I haven’t got any shoes on but I didn’t have to worry because the school is a fenced square and it has lovely soft sand, I quite like sniffing it, sometimes it goes all over my muzzle, I did try eating it but it doesn’t taste very nice.

I didn’t need to worry about not enjoying it; as it was really funny watching my mum try to talk in horse language. She is really clever at English although I think it’s a bit of a weird language, but she is not very good at horse language, unlike Jo who I could understand perfectly. I really like Jo not only can I understand what she is asking me to do (without that stupid English being spoken at all) but she thinks I am very clever knowing what she is asking, I didn’t tell her my horsey mum taught me when I was very little. I wonder if she realises its horse language she is speaking. We play loads of games, the friendly game is the best as mum rubs and scratches me all over and I stand perfectly still. Why they would think that would be difficult is beyond me, if you scratch me I will stand still all day.

The only thing that wasn’t great was Jo pointed out to mum how I had trained her to let me do what I wanted when I wanted, I had a little tantrum when mum wouldn’t let me go the way I wanted instead of the way she wanted but it got a bit boring when they both just stood there quietly so I just did it properly and guess what I got a lovely scratch again. Anyway I’ve realised the school thing is for mum not me as I know it all and she has to learn how to ask me properly, I thought she was a bit old for school, but I am happy to help her if that’s what she wants. During the week mum takes me once or twice to practice her Natural Horsemanship, she is getting the hang of it slowly.

A couple of weeks go by and mum buys me a saddle, ooh it’s quite nice it has the new Cair system so it is squidgy on my back and doesn’t create pressure points (whatever they are). Then mum says we are going to the school again but this time she puts a saddle and bridle on me. The bridle is different to the one I wear for driving. The driving one has blinkers over the eyes so I can only look ahead and can’t see behind me. Mum thought I’d be scared without my blinkers (and you can see loads of things without them) but I’ve been to and from the school in just a head collar so I didn’t let it phase me.

Mum did the funniest thing she only climbed up on my back, I turned my head and thought what is she doing up there. I’ve seen mum sitting on Lucy’s back, they used to go out together all the time and Lucy didn’t seem to mind so I wasn’t too worried. I have a different teacher for the whole mum on my back thing her name is Martine Harper and she is lovely. She tells mum what to do and every time she speaks I stop to listen (it’s only polite right) well mum isn’t very polite because she asks me to keep walking.

It’s really quite difficult as mum keeps squidging me with her legs so obviously I go faster but then she asks me to slow down. I don’t think I understand what she wants me to do; I think mum should sit on the cart as I am brilliant at that. I heard mum and dad talking the other day and I am going to have shoes on and go driving with my lovely red cart soon, maybe mum understands more than I think. I haven’t been driving for 8 months but I know I am brilliant at that so I am looking forward to it, I will let you know how I get on.

Bye for now

Sunny Jim

Mandi O Reilly

My name is Mandi O'Reilly and I manage the Plough & Barleycorn in Shanklin.
I have been a pub manager for several years and have recently moved from
Devon with my husband Tony, horse Sunny and two Jack Russels Cai and Kelly 
to this beautiful Island.

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Sunny Shanklin seems to be getting quite the reputation as a place to retreat to, if the rumours of Johnny Depp ordering a pint in the Fisherman’s bedecked in a low hat and adopting a dodgy English accent are to be believed. Mr Depp is far from the first famous name to visit our idyllic seaside locale. Indeed centuries ago none other than Charles Darwin, a man who changed our understanding of where we came from, stayed for a while in Norfolk House Hotel, better known nowadays as The Waterfront Inn.

The author of ‘On the Origin of Species’ visited Shanklin and stayed a “short time for health sake” as he wrote in one of several letters sent while on holiday between 17 July and 13 August in 1858. Well within season then! Despite the timing, it would appear that the Darwin family were far from your typical holidaymakers. Indeed, they were actually visiting the Island as an escape from Scarlett Fever “which caused the death of our poor dear little youngest child & was very bad in the village.”

So Charles and the family came seeking the curative powers of the sea, a common idea in Victorian society. However, in a letter to his friend J.S. Henslow, dated Aug 4th Darwin laments “As yet the sea has not done much for us.” A little more than a week later he returned home, with his wife and children following
shortly thereafter.

So, what does a Victorian scientist, perhaps the greatest of his generation, get up to while he and his family are convalescing in sunny Shanklin? He works of course. During this time Darwin was considering whether to publish his magnum opus, and it would seem he wrote at least some of the ‘abstract’ for that work while staying in the comfort of Norfolk House. Certainly he kept very busy, remarking in another of at least five letters sent from Shanklin “I have just finished “variation under domestication” in 44 M.S. pages & that would do for one evening.” A clear demonstration of Darwin’s dedication to his life’s work, 44 pages in seemingly one evening, and of course this was all before the advent of a
word processor!

Adam Link

Adam Link, 26, Shanklin Adam was born in Aylesbury and after spending four years in Germany returned to Buckinghamshire to study GCSE’s and A-Levels at the Royal Latin Grammar School in Buckingham. He then went on to a BA (Hons) course in Creative & Professional Writing with English at the University of Wolverhampton. An illness prevented him from completing the course but he has maintained a keen interest in the written word in all its forms. Adam moved to Shanklin in July of 2010 to become a barman and waiter at The Waterfront Inn. In December of 2011 he left that position in order to pursue his lifelong ambition of writing professionally.

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Shanklin Theatre has been revived and has its doors open to welcome top acts and audiences as it has done for over 130 years.

During World War Two the Theatre was used for dances and other kinds of entertainment.  The Theatre seated more than 700 people but when it was used for dancing, the seats would be moved to the side to leave a large dance floor.  In the basement of the Theatre is the lower room, this was used for meetings and a bar until about 2005.  The Bar has now been re-installed and is currently open before shows and during the interval. Also down there, the old Wartime Control Room, strengthened by large steel girders in case of bombing.

Many famous acts have appeared at Shanklin Theatre in the past such as Matt Monro, Arthur Askey, Charlie Chester, The Beverley Sisters, and more from Semprini to Clinton Ford, Arthur Lowe to Jimmy Tarbuck etc. etc.

The Theatre was threatened with closure and possible demolition, when in 2008 the Isle of Wight Council decided that the Theatre was no longer a financially viable proposition and gave notice it would close. A group formed The Friends of Shanklin Theatre to fight the closure and talked with Shanklin Town Council on forming a Trust to take the Theatre over. Now sporting a Grade II Listed Building Certificate, the Isle of Wight Council negotiated a transfer of operation and in April 2010 the keys were handed over. Both the very experienced Sound and Lighting Technician and the Stage Manager were also transferred, thus the Theatre continues to serve the audiences and the community. With the installation of the latest technology in the Box Office and a first class on line booking facility, Shanklin Theatre was now ready for the future.

Since that time, volunteers have done much to improve the Theatre, from painting the Dressing Rooms, installing outside lighting and adding to the sound system. 2011 saw such acts as the Moscow Ballet, Al Murray, Chas and Dave, Showaddywaddy, Joe Brown, Gareth Gates, Jethro, Joe Longthorne, Rick Wakeman, Joe Pasquale, Acker Bilk and Jenny Éclair.

A new Matrix Seating System was installed in 2010. This increased the capacity of the Theatre. The system enables the level auditorium to have the seating rearranged to suit the mode of entertainment, such as installing a Wrestling Ring where part of the audience normally sit or adjusted for Wheelchairs as and when required. Many of the acts that the Theatre has seen in 2011 have so enjoyed their visit to the Isle of Wight and many of those listed will be returning in 2012 when they will find an increased capacity of 615

Shanklin Theatre and all of the volunteers, under the full time Theatre Manager and Assistant Manager, offer a warm reception to both the audiences and the Acts them. Enquiries are always welcome and for further details contact Vic Farrow, Bookings Manager on 01983 862739 or bookings@shanklintheatre.com or visit our website www.shanklintheatre.com

Capt. Mike Crowe

Came to the Island with my parents in 1947 when they bought an hotel. Chose not to follow that line so trained as a Marine Electrical Engineer. Served two year National Service in the Royal Navy. Married and settled in Leicester and retrained as a Telephone Engineer. Returned to the Isle of Wight in 1972 as a Telephone Engineer. Wrote a City and Guilds Course for the Home Office for use in Prisons and prisoner training. Had my own business until 1986, then returned to Marine Electrical Installation and Design at FBM Marine at Cowes. Designed the Electrical Installation of the first Red Funnel Red Jets. 4 children long since flown the nest, 2 on the North Island, 2 still remain here and one grandson. Now retired spending time with The Friends of Shanklin Theatre and involved with ex Royal Navy Associations.

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