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After working in several top London restaurants, and alongside renowned Chef Marco Pierre White, Tim brought his dream of owning his own restaurant back to the Isle of Wight in 2006 to open Morgans Restaurant in Shanklin High Street. Morgans pride themselves in using the finest quality produce, sourced mainly from the Island, and alongside the extensive menu is a daily special board which…

Originally a coaching inn dating back to the 17th century; The Wheatsheaf Hotel is situated in the centre of Newport on the beautiful Isle Of Wight & is currently receiving a much needed touch of TLC. It boasts beautiful original features, traditional top-notch dining experiences for breakfast, lunch & dinner, with quirky & cosy rooms & a very warm welcome. This will be a quintessentially English…

Jack and his alter-ego just keep “Carrying on”…

The hand of fate was at work when comedian Jack Douglas stepped off the Isle of Wight ferry in 1996 to appear in the stage show “Me and My Girl” at the Shanklin Theatre. Little did he know it then, but his leading lady in the show, Vivien, was destined to become his wife – and the bewitching Isle of Wight, his home. Stage and screen veteran Jack, whose memorable twitchafflicted character Alf…

Firefighter: A life on the front line

He admits it wasn’t his first choice of career, but as soon as he got his first taste of being a fireman, Matt Sainsbury was hooked  – which is why, 39 years later, he’s still doing the job he loves. The firefighter role has changed beyond recognition though, as he explained to Jackie McCarrick. It was the dramatic national strike by firefighters back in 1977 that indirectly led Islander Matt…

Capturing the beach in a bag

Some people get into business purely to make money – but  that could hardly be said of Georgia Wyatt-Willsmore. What drives her is a hatred of waste, which is why she uses her arts training to create stylish products out of what other people might see just as junk from the beach. Having spent seven years plugging away at her quirky seaside-infused bags, suddenly her signature  Wyatt and Jack tote…

Charity that’s close to the heart of Islanders

Islanders are known for their big-heartedness when it comes to charity fund-raising – and one of the causes that has benefitted from this generosity over the years is the Hampshire-based children’s hospice Naomi House and its adjoining unit for young adults, Jacksplace. While the name may be familiar, the work of the hospice is perhaps not quite so well known here on the Island, so we asked  the…

Iconic medal for the Man of Steel

Picture by Michael Dunkason Losing both legs is a catastrophe that’s almost impossible to imagine – particularly when it happens to a fit and active, sports-loving young man of 19. But an incredible 72 years after suffering just such a blow, Roy Hayward is the inspiring, living proof of the steel that can shine from the human spirit. In December Roy, now 91, was one of a small number of surviving…

How drink damages your skin!

Before you go and enjoy the Christmas and New Year think before you drink! With the party season upon us, hair and beauty salons will be working overtime to preen, pluck, primp and polish us all into our best vision of beauty. The irony is that many of us will then go out on the town and do the absolute worst thing for looks – by overindulging in alcohol. So – at the risk of sounding like a party…

During my many travel experiences, I consider myself fortunate to have come across, almost by accident, the beautiful Swiss village of Kandersteg, which lies close to the borders of the Kanton Valais, writes Terry Willey. Some 15 years ago, I had decided to book a holiday to Switzerland to see the New Year in with my family, and while we had no particular aspirations to ski, it was perhaps for…

Building a future on gems from the past

He’s weathered everything from early family break-up to homelessness, struggled with dyslexia and survived a tough six years in the Army – but Peter Smith is finally following his dream and running his own business – Shanklin Antiques. He tells Island Life how he got there, and his vision for the future. Life couldn’t be looking more rosy for Peter Smith at the moment.  Happily settled with his…

Paramedic: 25 Years in the job

From Saturday night cliffhangers on the BBC’s Casualty to the more gritty real-life rescue programmes and fly-on-the-wall documentaries – it seems that Britons have become obsessed with viewing scenes of life in the emergency services. But one man who knows all about it from the sharp end is former Island paramedic Steve Goodchild.  Here he tells us about his 25 years in the life-saving service.…

Groom Catherine plans for a more stable future

After a high-profile career that’s involved travelling the world, working for Royal riders and successful polo players and showjumpers, and generally hob-nobbing with the equestrian elite, top people’s groom Catherine Owen is back on Island soil – and working as a freelance groom. Turning 40 proves to be a milestone for many of us: an  age when our life path often calls for change. That was…

Remembering the Battle of Trafalgar

Guest writer Mark Fox continues with his series looking at different places of interest on the Island On the duver at St Helen’s stands the tower of St Helen’s Old Church. At about eye height near the base of the tower is a smallish plaque. It reads: ‘On Saturday 14th. September 1805, Admiral Lord Nelson boarded HMS Victory lying anchor off St. Helens near to this spot. HMS Victory with HMS…

Living the Dream as a Racehorse Owner

Many people dream of owning a racehorse – but then bump up against the reality of the bank manager, or perhaps a partner who’d prefer to spend the money on a new conservatory or hot tub – before agreeing to invest in a four legged lawnmower.  Vectis Racing, a small consortium of Island people, have got together and made owning a racehorse a reality that’s affordable. Glenn Morley an Isle of Wight…

A Wheely Good Time Had by All!

The Isle of Wight Scooter Rally was another roaring success this year, attracting over 5,000 scooters to the event. Amongst the thousands of devoted scooterists were retirees Roy and Carol Eales, who travelled almost 250 miles to the Island from their home city of Sheffield, Yorkshire. Not that the couple drove the scooter all the way from Sheffield – they sensibly brought it on a trailer! We…

A View of Life Behind the Lens

As a regular diary photographer for OK! Magazine, Graham Reading gets to see celebrities up close and personal – even if it’s sometimes through the end of a zoom lens. Which means that an hour spent chatting to him will have the conversation peppered with anecdotes featuring well-known names, from Mick Jagger and David Beckham to HM The Queen and Shirley Bassey. Graham, a regular contributor to…

Gail Middleton: Talking Books

Gail Downey-Middleton’s approach to running a bookshop is distinctly different. In fact, with its welcoming blend of coffee, cake and conversation stirred into an eclectic mix of old and new books, gifts and cards, her award-winning emporium is more community hub than retail outlet.   But then this former model and fashion designer has made a habit of doing life differently, as Jackie McCarrick…