Latest news with #IsleofWight
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
'So depressing' - Dismay as 'yobs' trash park and gardens again
Residents in Cowes on the Isle of Wight say they are 'heartbroken' and 'depressed' after so-called yobs trashed their communal park - again. Arctic Park, off Arctic Road, Cowes, was found 'wrecked' this morning (Saturday). It's thought vandals targeted the gardens overnight. Passers-by discovered a picnic bench 'smashed up' and breeze blocks thrown around. Read more: Toby Lee talks touring lifestyle and Isle of Wight Festival debut Islanders warned of upcoming road and path closures There were also broken tree branches and litter strewn across the gardens. Bench smashed up at Arctic Park, Cowes (Image: Mark Young) Lin Hayward, who has helped to regenerate the park, said: "I wonder why we bother, at times. "After many hours of trying to regenerate this park, this morning Arctic Park is a site of broken tree branches and litter and the picnic bench has been wrecked by some morons. "What possible enjoyment do such idiots get from this kind of behaviour?" Posting on Facebook, fellow Cowes resident Mark Young said: "Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the yobs appear to have been at it again in Arctic Park." Brick strewn across the ground (Image: Mark Young) Residents say it is not the first time the park has been targeted. Town mayor, Cllr Stuart Ellis, confirmed he had alerted an environment officer at the Isle of Wight Council.
BBC News
17 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Meet the Isle of Wight carpenter behind rescued bears enclosure
The carpenter who built an enclosure for two "naughty" rescued brother bears says it feels "amazing" to see them Tweitman helped create the enclosure for Benji and Balu at Wildheart Animal Sanctuary on the Isle of has been almost a year in the making to create the enclosure for the bears, who were saved from a cage in Azerbaijan and released into the sanctuary on 4 Tweitman says it was "quite emotional" to see the bears splashing around in the water - even if they recently damaged part of their new enclosure. The bears were recently moved into a smaller pen while repairs were made to part of their new home, but have since been chief executive, Lawrence Bates, said they had a "notoriously curious nature" and jokingly called them "naughty bears" after they damaged a brick. Mr Tweitman explained the 3,500sqm (11,483 sqft) enclosure was made through "lots of recycling and re-using" to keep costs materials have been used to make the bear platform and the connecting ramp in the bears' new the local marina donated concrete boat floats to build the structure."Actually building an enclosure for bears - everything is supersized, super engineered and structurally a lot safer. There's zoo regulations to follow, guidelines and stuff so the bears don't escape," Mr Tweitman said."[There was] a lot of thought about putting in a rock slide to hang out on and sunbathe. All sorts of things that cropped up as we built, adding in extra mounds for privacy, hibernation holes." About two years ago, the bears were relocated by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources to a temporary had been previously kept in a cage at a restaurant in Azerbaijan to attract 2024, Wildheart Animal Sanctuary started a fundraising campaign to pay for the bears' transport and brand new home, with almost £218,000 raised. Mr Tweitman added: "We broke ground last August I think, obviously it was time critical getting the bears here."It's absolute madness really, to think the amount of work and effort that everyone's put in to this build for two bears."It's quite emotional just to see them splashing around in the water, just happy." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Small charities are 'lifeblood of community', says funder
Small charities are "the lifeblood of our communities", a foundation that provides grants for grassroots organisations has & Isle of Wight Community Foundation supports charities tackling poverty, isolation, mental health and unemployment across the two Scott, chief executive of the group, said small philanthropic organisations "know their clients and the people they work with incredibly well, and provide them with huge amounts of support".Her comments come during Small Charity Week in the UK - a national campaign highlighting the important, but often unsung, impact of small charities. Since 2002, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Community Foundation has awarded more than £16.5m of funding to local groups, distributing a share of 1 to 2 million pounds a year."We match their passion and what they want to achieve with their funding in the local community," Ms Scott said. Matt Foster, who started the Parenting Network in Portsmouth, is one of those to have benefited from grant organisation offers a range of free services and support to parents in Hampshire."Small bits of funding have big ripples and make big impacts for the families here," he admitted the group would not exist without that support and said being the founder of a small charity could come with financial pressure."You feel that weight on your shoulders," he said 'Lost without it' Mr Foster said the Parenting Network supported more than 12,500 families last said: "It's mixed feelings. It's really sad the stories that we hear but we are so, so lucky that we are here and we are the people that they are choosing to come to."A parent who spoke from one of the charity's sessions said: "Without it, without the support, without the groups, without the one-to-one chat that you can have, without anything, I think we'd all be lost."Another said the parents also enjoyed making friends and having a break. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Island triathletes secure place in World Championships
(L-R) Liz and Jan qualify for World Championships after tough Cardiff race (Image: Wight Tri) Two Isle of Wight athletes have secured a place in the 2026 World Championships. Jan Fletcher and Liz Dunlop, of Wight Tri, braved stormy conditions in the Cardiff Standard Distance Triathlon, marking the first GB Age Group qualification for the World Championships in Pontevedra, Spain. Advertisement Having enjoyed sunny weather on June 21, the duo faced a challenging race day with rough seas, strong winds, and difficult bike and run courses. Launching together in the female wave, Jan completed the swim in 29 minutes, and 39 seconds, with Liz following in 36 minutes, and 49 seconds. Both navigated Cardiff Bay's bike course, with Jan clocking one hour, 12 minutes, and 57 seconds and Liz finishing in one hour, 23 minutes, and 11 seconds. READ MORE: Final round of mountain bike race to be held on Island Despite a headwind, Jan crossed the line in a sensational two hours, 24 minutes, and 35 seconds coming fourth in the 50–54 category, just 16 seconds from the podium. Advertisement She finished 22nd out of 167 women overall. Liz, finishing in two hours, 52 minutes, and 58 seconds, secured fourth in the 65–69 category and 97th overall. Her upcoming move to the 70–74 age group has earned her automatic qualification for the 2026 World Championships. After two months of relentless racing, Jan and Liz will now take a break before resuming training.
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Isle of Wight bear brothers damage new rescue sanctuary
Two brown bears, saved from a cage in Azerbaijan and released into a reserve, have damaged part of the their new rescue Benji and Balu were released into the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary on the Isle of Wight on 4 June."The bears with their notoriously curious nature managed to dig a hole into these blocks and then proceeded to start sprinkling the polystyrene contents around their enclosure."; said the CEO Lawrence Bates The pair have been moved into a smaller enclosure while the concrete, used to repair the hole, dries out. Recycled and sustainable material was used to make the bear platform and the connected ramp in the bears new sanctuary told the BBC, the local marina donated concrete boat floats to build the Bates said; "We have had to close them into their small enclosure whilst we repair the bricks with concrete today with the hope that it will dry soon and we plan to have them back enjoying their enclosure again by Thursday this week!! Naughty bears!" About two years ago, the bears were relocated by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources to temporary shelter. A restaurant in Azerbaijan had kept them in a cage to attract customers. In 2024, Wildheart Animal Sanctuary started a fundraising campaign to pay for the bears transport and brand new home. Nearly £218,000 was raised. Their space measures 3,500sqm (11,483 sqft) is in-keeping with their natural their release, they were kept in a holding pen while they got used to their new environment. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
