Latest news with #IsleOfWight
Telegraph
a day ago
- Business
- Telegraph
I've lived happily on the Isle of Wight most of my life – the second home tax will change everything
Over the years, I have rarely been able to answer the question 'where are you from?' without the response falling into three common categories. I'm asked if you need a passport to get there (no); they tell me how nice it must be to not pay tax (wrong); or someone says fondly that they 'simply love the island' (they've only been to the boujee restaurant The Hut, or a music festival). The follow-up question is usually about what it is like to live in a holiday hotspot such as the Isle of Wight. The answer is, of course, brilliant. My home town is bustling with funky boutique shops and exciting restaurants, crime rates are low and the sheer number of brilliant attractions means that as a family with a young child, we are rarely short of things to do. This is before you even begin to talk about the great outdoors. There is an underlying trepidation, however, that the way the Isle of Wight ticks along is going to change. That the current balance of tourists and residents, and the money that they spend here, is going to shift. That soon, the independent shops, family restaurants and tourist attractions that we love may struggle. Since April, local councils have had the power to charge a council tax premium on second homes. In England, the maximum is 100pc, and the Isle of Wight council has opted for the maximum. It means that second home owners will pay between £3,155 and £9,500 a year in council tax for their properties.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
Island man tells of bravery of parents both awarded MBE in Far East
A RETIRED engineer could well be the the only living Isle of Wight resident whose parents were both awarded the MBE for their bravery and work during and just after the Second World War. Don Webber, of Bembridge, who spent most of his childhood in Malaya, is set to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VJ Day this summer and has shared his parents' stories of bravery in the Far East during conflicts. His parents, Donald and Patricia Webber, were rubber planters in colonial British Malaya, during a time when the Japanese began advancing into the peninsula before war broke out. After hostilities in the Far East began against Japan, Don's father joined the Malay Regiment as a second lieutenant, but was captured at the fall of Singapore in 1942. Patricia Webber was awarded the MBE in 1953, after being named on the newly-crowned Queen Elizabeth II's first birthday honours list. (Image: Don Webber) He became a British prisoner of war (POW), on the infamous Burma-Thailand Railway, nicknamed the 'Death Railway', at Nakom Nayok Camp in Thailand, between November 1942 and August 1945. His mother, an ex-nurse, managed to escape, with six-month-old sister Anna, on one of the last ships to leave Singapore before its fall, ironically named The Empress of Japan. The ship, bound for Liverpool, was targeted by Japanese bombers, but somehow managed to evade being sunk. Both Donald and Patricia received the MBE after the war. Patricia Webber with baby Anna after arriving at Liverpool, having taken one of the last ships out of Singapore two weeks before the surrender to the Japanese army. (Image: Don Webber) Don said: "My father, emaciated during his time in a POW camp, was reunited with my mother when war ended. "He weighed only five stone when he got back to England. It took him months to recover." Despite the grim, harsh conditions, Don's father bravely managed to run a secret radio in the POW camp, which he used to keep fellow prisoners informed of the news. Don added: "With my uncle Max, an intelligence officer, they ran a secret radio. It was a beheading offence if caught. "But sharing news gave fellow prisoners a feeling of morale. Bembridge man Don Webber as a child growing up in Malaya (Image: Don Webber) "Bits and pieces of radio were found, on their marches up to the POW camp, which were carefully secreted away in a water bottle." In a recording held by the Imperial War Museum, Don's father spoke of his actions in the camp. He said: "After two or three days, we got the radio going and, from then on, Max and I distributed the news throughout the camp and others along the railway. "In all, we managed to produce 703 news bulletins — but security had to be better than better. The Japanese were very strict on searches." His father was awarded the MBE in 1946 from King George IV, for his bravery during the war. Bembridge man Don Webber could be the only Islander whose parents both received the MBE (Image: Don Webber) After the war ended, Don's parents returned to Malaya to continue their work on a rubber plantation, with his father managing the estate for British company, Guthrie's. Don's mother also received the honour in 1953, in recognition of her public service in Malaya. Read more: Nuclear weapons test vet Ron to attend Island Remembrance Service with new medal "I'm still going" jokes war hero Alec at huge 100th birthday bash Last of Isle of Wight VJ Day servicemen Harry Aitken remembered Patricia was on Queen Elizabeth II's first birthday honours list after her coronation. "She was known for her cheerfulness and in her helping the locals on the estate. Being an ex-nurse, she would dress wounds," said Don. "She worked for the police while the 'Malaya Emergency' was going on." The family lived near the jungle, close to where communist insurgents were active and murdering people, during the Malaya Emergency uprising in 1948. Rubber plantations and police stations were targeted during that time, bringing Don's parents right into the firing line. Donald said: "My mother was attacked twice. "On both occasions, while being transported in a car, she was shot at, but survived both attempts, uninjured." Don spent his childhood in Malaya until 1960, before moving to the Isle of Wight 25 years ago. When he was aged 16, Don joined the army's Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers as an apprentice in electronics. Don went on to teach electronics and spent 14 years in the army, rising to the rank of staff sergeant. He spent his career in the UK, Germany and also Libya, in the days before dictator, Col Gaddafi, came to power. Don went on to run a recruitment agency for electronics and computer engineers, then retired to the Island. "I brought my wife Gill to the Island to look at the place — and she fell in love with it," said Don. "I decided to take early retirement and make the move to Bembridge, where I've lived ever since." Gill died in 2016. Don plans to mark this year's VJ Day in remembrance of his parents' bravery in the Far East. VJ Day is celebrated nationally on Friday, August 15.
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Hundreds of unvetted staff in Hampshire police, report says
A police force has 362 workers who have not been properly vetted, a report has and Isle of Wight Constabulary, which employs nearly 6,000 people, has been ordered to improve its vetting procedures by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS).The cases involve existing staff whose vetting has expired or who have been promoted without higher level clearance, the report force said it had recruited a further 12 staff to make checks and had "robust processes" to identify unsuitable new applicants. At the time of the inspection, the force vetting unit did not have enough staff to meet demand, the report analysts and three senior staff were working on 223 applications, with a further 462 cases pending, it a review of vetting decisions on new joiners, inspectors agreed with 18 out of 25 outcomes but said some risks were not force was rated as "requires improvement" for vetting, but "adequate" for other integrity standards including challenging misconduct and tackling an HMICFRS review of 40 cases identified three where potential crimes were missed. These included an officer who tested positive for drugs and one who sent misogynistic, homophobic and racist later resigned, but the report gave no outcome for a third case involving an allegation of aggravated a statement, Acting Chief Constable Sam de Reya said she welcomed the added: "We had already recognised and responded to the challenges around our vetting arrangements, particularly around ensuring we had sufficient resources to meet demand. "Our ambitious recruitment programme to increase the number of police officers within the force required us to also bring in more staff to carry out vetting checks."The report recognised our efforts to increase capacity within the team, and we have recruited a further 12 staff since the inspection."Importantly, our robust processes ensure that only those who are suitable for policing are able to join the force."The senior officer added that the force's internal investigations had been found to be "good", with "proportionate, consistent and fair" outcomes. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Love Island drops first series 12 trailer - as smouldering Maya Jama promises 'a summer full of twists and turns' to mark ten-year anniversary
A first look at the 12th series of Love Island has dropped - and host Maya Jama has promised 'a summer full of twists and turns' to make the show's 10-year anniversary. The last season of the ITV dating programme - which was the second All Stars version - wrapped up in March. Fans will be happy to know that it's not long before they will get their Love Island fix. On Monday (26 May 2025), a trailer was dropped ahead of the series. Maya is seen in a boardroom called Love Island HQ and says: 'Right, this year Love Island needs something bigger, something bolder. 'I want ideas.' To the hottie this may concern, As per the last 11 Series we're staying loyal to the entertainment and levelling up the twists. The stakeholders are aligned, the Islanders will be laying it on Factor 50, and we're on track to hit our KPI on drama. It's time to crack on and… — ITV (@ITV) May 26, 2025 One person asks: 'Move it to the Isle of Wight?' Another asks: 'What if we turn it into musical?' 'Why?' Maya sassily asks. Another says in Japanese: 'Love Island, on ice?' to which Maya replies: 'Never!' Unhappy with all the suggestions, Maya pushes the paper off her desk and shouts: 'No!' She adds: 'This year I want more drama, more bombshells, more break-ups, more make-ups. 'I want more twists. I want more twists than ever.'
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
Islander purchases fake mummy from Cairo and more in the County Press archives
The Isle of Wight County Press has been bringing the news to Islanders since 1884. We've delved into the archives to find out what was happening in days gone by. 125 years ago, in May 1900: Cowes infants celebrated the relief of Mafeking, a breakthrough in the Boer War, by dressing up in warlike garb and marching in procession to Holy Trinity Vicarage and on to St Mary's Vicarage, where they sang the National Anthem. Some £45 worth of gold was stolen from a property in Dodnor Lane whilst the owners were out celebrating the relief of Mafeking. Read more: 'Worst ever" Cowes Week firework display and more in days gone by Landlords of popular pub to step down after two years Captain Seely was returned to parliament as the Island's Liberal MP. An Islander travelling in Çairo purchased a 'genuine' mummy, and for £20 was able to transport it home. But on closer examination, the so-called artefact contained copies of 1898 newspapers, stones and copious quantities of bullrushes. 100 years ago, in May 1925: The 124-year-old ketch, Bee, had made 40,000 trips between Southampton and Cowes. A proposition to save the crumbling cliff path between Sandown and Shanklin by employing a series of groynes was put before Sandown District Council. 75 years ago, in May 1950: Wartime radio traitor Gerald Hewitt was released from Parkhurst Prison after serving a sentence for making broadcasts on behalf of the Germans from Berlin and Paris. Yarmouth police went to the rescue of two runaway boys from London, who telephoned them saying: "Please, we want to give ourselves up." They had run away that morning, and after spending the night in the care of the police, were put on a train home. A witness at the County Petty Sessions at Ryde swore that the evidence he would give "might be the truth", amid much laughter. 50 years ago, in May 1975: Sixteen-year-old Janet Rann was the latest member of the magical Randini family to be accepted into the International Brotherhood of Magicians. She had been assisting her father, John, since the age of nine. 25 years ago, in May 2000: Six Southern Vectis vehicles were withdrawn from service after pupils completing their GCSEs vandalised them, mostly with flour and eggs.
