Equals IW in the Isle of Wight County Press
A Christ the King College student recently approached Equals IW seeking to produce an article on the work of the charity. The County Press is signed up to the Young Reporter Scheme giving young people including Lianne the chance to write for their local newspaper.
Lianne met with Mark, Niviera, Cece and Lauren to ask a range of questions. She gathered information supporting her research from reading about Equals IW on this website.
Equals IW is delighted to have supported an Island student with her studies and the Young Reporter Scheme with the County Press.
You can read the article produced by Lianne on the County Press website.
Equals IW Green Time Multiply at Firestone Copse
Nine Friends and Family group members joined Mark on Sunday 1st October 2023 to take a trip around two miles of Firestone Copse. They explored attractive English Oak and Ash trees as well as coniferous Douglas, Cedar and Scots Pine trees that provide evergreen year round interest.
The group took part in an Orienteering Multiply Challenge exploring different trails and pathways into the heart of the trees and woodland. With lots of laughter they developed their maths skills by completing a fun, enjoyable maths task at each of the six orienteering posts.
The afternoon finished in the picnic area sharing food and drink amongst the trees and enjoying each other’s company in the warm autumn sunshine.
Everyone is looking forward to the next Green Time activity that will be taking place in November 2023.
We took photos
You are welcome to visit our online album of these images.
Green Time Multiply Magical 9 - Explore Firestone Copse with a Splash of Maths started the new partnership programme between MCEnhancement, Equals IW and the Isle of Wight Council Adult and Community Learning and is funded to run up to July 2024.
Green Time - Multiply is a way of developing maths skills in a fun, informal way by using nature, crafts and arts to enhance positive emotional wellbeing, self-confidence, self-esteem and mental health.
EqualsIW at Ryde Illuminated Carnival 2023
The Land of Carnival Karnaba – Carnival – Carnaval
Our carnival entry welcomed a group of wonderful candidates from Asian Global UK.
They won a First and Second Prize at the Ryde Illuminated Carnival 2023.
The First Prize was the Jacob Challenge Cup for Best Floral Costume Entry for 2023 and the Second Prize was for the Ryde Carnival Spirit of the Carnival Award 2023 which came with a £50 prize.
Mark Cox who is the Green Time Project Lead said “Green Time – The Land of Carnival – Karnabal – Carnival – Karnaval, blends creativity, dance, the natural outdoors and friendship to enhance positive emotional wellbeing and mental health. This year was the first time 60 people from around the UK came together to create the carnival entry.”
As well as from Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight candidates were from
- Bradford
- Birmingham
- Bournemouth
- Kent
- London
- Oxford
- Reading
- Yorkshire
It was exciting to have Sinulog in this year’s carnival entry. They are a Filipino dance team consisting of dancers from around the UK. These amazing dancers performed beautiful, inspirational and fun dance moves from traditional Filipino to modern dances, dressed in stunning colourful cultural costumes.
It was a pleasure to have the Dinagyang Filipino Dance Tribe. These breath-taking tribal dancers are also made up of individuals from around the UK. They performed a spectacular, colourful and exciting-to-watch tribal dance as one of the best tribal teams from the Philippines in the carnival.
Ryde Carnival is the oldest carnival in the UK, dating back to the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887. The very last Islands carnival of the summer, Ryde Carnival's Illuminated Procession is a fabulous spectacle of light and music that rounds the Isle of Wight Carnival season off in style. It is normally the Island’s largest carnival and packed with thousands of spectators around the entire route and this year was no exception. The spectacle of colour and music with fantastic floats and flamboyant costumes made sure this year Ryde did itself and the Island proud. No wonder many consider Ryde Illuminated Carnival the biggest and best of all the carnivals on the Island
The Spirit of the Carnival Award was created by these local family-owned Island pubs working together to help support the traditional Island Carnivals.
- The Bargeman’s Rest, Newport
- The Spyglass Inn, Ventnor
- The Steamer Inn, Shanklin
- The Dairyman’s Daughter, Arreton
The pubs have jointly funded this initiative and enabled three cash prizes to be awarded for The Spirit of the Carnival Award 2023: 1st £125.00, 2nd £50.00 and 3rd £25.00.
Ben Matthews, judge for the award said “We are pleased to be able to support and encourage those participating in this much-loved tradition. I judged for the Spirit of Carnival, but I was looking for enthusiasm in participating in the carnival, costumes, and the way the group worked together and enjoyed being part of the carnivals."
Ben picked Green Time Land of Carnival for the group members’ enthusiasm and beautiful costumes, along with the impressive lighting and the way the group got so involved in the illuminated carnival. Ben hopes the Green Time – The Land of Carnival will come back bigger and better than this year.
We took pictures
You are welcome to visit our online album of these images.
Asian Group UK have a Facebook group and by taking part in the Ryde Carnival have fulfilled the requirements to take part in an Asian Queen Pageant in London during October 2023.
Green Time - Karnabal - Carnival - Carnaval Midnight Walk September 2023
Forty Friends Reach the Isle of Wight’s Highest Point at Midnight
Green Time joined up with Asian Global UK to bring a brand new project to the Isle of Wight called Karnabal – Carnival – Karnaval.
The weekend from Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd September 2023 was packed with fun activities. From exploring nature and the natural beauty of the Isle of Wight to creativity, dance, carnival and healthy cultural food.
Friday night started with 40 friends from around the UK joining Mark for a guided midnight walk.
The group was in high spirits as they walked to the highest point on the Isle of Wight. First they climbed the steep grassy slope of Nansen Hill to see the spectacular night views out over Sandown Bay and the English Channel.
The group then walked on to climb St Boniface Down with its summit of 241 metres being the highest point on the island.
The island located in the south of England has dark skies with little light pollution. The group could star gaze at the Milky Way with Cassiopeia, Orion and the Plough. Jupiter was bright and the moon was very clear, dazzling in the ink-black sky.
While gazing at the stars across Shanklin Down the group took in panoramic night views from Beachy Head to the east, Portsmouth and the Solent to the north and the Isle of Portland to the west.
An ideal opportunity for night photos to be captured:
The history of Nansen Hill is available at the Gift to Nature website
Karnabal – Carnival – Karnaval blends creativity, dance, the natural outdoors and friendship to enhance positive emotional wellbeing and mental health.
Equals IW Green Time Brading Down Multiply Walk 2023
Green Time Walk
Fifteen people including two new friends took part in exploring Brading Down Nature Reserve and Kelly's Copse.
During the walk Rachel from Gift to Nature talked about the wildlife and plant life of the reserve.
With Rachel's and Mark's help the group correctly identified wild garlic while foraging for it in Kelly’s Copse.
They took the opportunity to admire the beautiful views of Sandown and Shanklin Bay.
Multiply Session
Mark lead the Multiply session to develop the group's maths skills in a fun informal way.
They learnt to make Damper Bread. This was flavoured to the individual’s taste from
- wild garlic
- cheese
- raisins
- sultanas
- currants
- chocolate buttons.
Toppings were chosen individually from
- red peppers
- cheese
- melted butter
- chocolate spread
- jam
- peanut butter
Group members worked in pairs following the recipe instructions. They used kitchen scales to weigh out ingredients and a measuring jug to add the correct amount of water.
All the group successfully cooked their Damper Bread (pdf) on a camping stove.
We took pictures
The walk was a lovely 2.5 miles round trip, took 5,600 steps, and burnt 234 Kcal.
Green Time - Multiply is a way of developing maths skills in a fun, informal way by using crafts and arts to enhance positive emotional wellbeing, self-confidence, self-esteem and mental health.
Changing Landscapes
A smaller group took part in the Equals IW Green Time Multiply 1.7 mile walk visiting three Gift to Nature sites
- Pan Country Park
- Shide Chalk Pit
- Pan Mill Meadows
They found out about Newport’s industrial past and saw how the landscape had changed over time. This walk was self-guided and needed individuals to read, follow and share a set of directions.
It was good to see different group members taking the lead with them all working as a team to find the direction to take.
While on the walk they took part in a quiz identifying dates and finding numbers to later complete a maths worksheet connected to history learnt on the walk.
The evening included a picnic break at Shide Chalk Pit to chat, relax and listen to the birds singing in the sunlight. The group developed their maths skills by carrying out calculations with and without the calculator on their mobile phones.They had to to add, subtract, multiply and divide, read and compare distance and extract information from a table.
This walk was part of the Changing Landscapes Isle of Wight Spring Walking Festive held between 13 and 21 May 2023.
We took photos
Equals IW Green Time - Multiply is a way of developing maths skills in a fun, informal way to enhance positive emotional well-being, self-confidence, self-esteem and mental health.
Merstone Station and Rookley Rambler Evening Walk July 2023
A Second Year of Success for Green Time Walk – Multiply – With a Splash of Fun Maths
On Thursday 6th July 2023 ten participants from Green Time joined Rachel from Gift to Nature and Mark for the final ‘Multiply’ activity from the current funding.
The group explored Merstone Station and learnt about the community orchard and heritage of the old railway station. The community orchard is home to a range of wildflowers, fruit trees and blossom providing a source of early nectar. There will be another opportunity to visit the community orchard in August or September for apple and blackberry foraging.
As the group explored the orchard they developed maths skills with Mark through some fun measuring tasks.
Working in small groups members were able to
- Use a tape measure to read scales and record measurements
- Work out the perimeter of simple shapes
- Find the perimeter of a compound shape.
Group members completed a range of simple calculations with and without a calculator as they completed their worksheets. While sat at the orchard tables they enjoyed some tasty home cooked Indonesian and Filipino food. Birds were in full evening song in the beautiful sunshine.
The group then joined Mark and Rachel on the Rookley Ramble Walk to Rookley Village Green and back to Merstone Station. During the walk the group admired the wild flowers, plant and wildlife taking notice of the stunning views of the surrounding countryside. The group noticed Godshill Church in the distance and how it stood out in the evening sun against the backdrop of the lush green hills.
Mark has created a further year’s programme of activities and he will find out at the end of July if ‘Multiply’ will continue to build on two successful years of delivery.
We took pictures
Rookley Ramble Walk is a beautiful 4.13 miles, 6.65 kilometres, 9,000 steps 400 calories summer’s evening walk.
Green Time - Multiply is a way of developing maths skills in a fun, informal way by using crafts and arts to enhance positive emotional wellbeing, self-confidence, self-esteem and mental health.
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Biosphere in the Bays Walks 2023
Forty people recently came together to enjoy the Biosphere in the Bays creative Walk event at Culver Down and Yaverland Beach. Sixteen people took part in the Tuesday evening walk and a further 24 people took part in the Saturday afternoon walk.
Participants from the general public and Equals IW joined Mark and Sara for the two walks. They explored the landscape and seascape of Culver Down and Yaverland Beach experiencing the Biosphere of the Sandown Bay Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (ANOB).
They undertook a number of creative activities during the walks linked to the environment. There was an opportunity with Sara, a visual artist and illustrator, to capture the sights and colours through pencil art at the Earl of Yarborough Monument. Helping them to connect creatively to the natural environment while enjoying its sounds and aromas.
Stopping at the Yarborough Monument participants were given sketch books and pencils to draw what was around them. This activity helped them to closely look at the places around them while exercising their creativity. On Saturday some members of the group spotted places they didn’t even know were there namely Bembridge Windmill and parts of Sandown and Brading.
Sara offered guidance with composition by looking at the shapes rather than the actual objects. Members of the group produced fantastic drawings. Even those taking part who originally said that they could not draw in any way, shape or form.
Tuesday
On Tuesday the time was more limited as it was an evening walk finishing quite late. Sara wanted the participants to really look at the place they were in so after the walk they went down onto Yaverland Beach. They split into smaller individual groups to paint what they could see.
While on Yaverland Beach they had the opportunity to be creative by learning to make pigments from natural materials collected on the walk. These natural paints were created from the clay in the cliffs on Yaverland Beach mixed with seawater and safe wash poster paints.
Sara asked them to put energy into their paintings looking at the shapes and colour to help make their paintings interesting and vibrant. Everyone got involved creating paintings of the beach, the groin and the sea.
It was an opportunity to be creative and yet playful. Something as adults we rarely enjoy doing. This is so important for our imagination, emotional wellbeing and mental health, especially as many of us lead such busy and hectic lives.
Saturday
On Saturday we had more time for a creative activity plus the sun was shining. Sara asked the group to have a go at sun printing also known as cyanotype printing. This activity had the participants looking at the vegetation and grasses around them on their walk. They collected and used these for printing back on the beach. This activity also needed everyone to think about the composition of the piece of artwork they were to produce.
Sara chose cyanotype printing as it is a fun activity with quite varied outcomes that can seem quite random. Plus it is environmentally friendly which meant we would again leave no toxins on the beach when finished. Water is required for the process so we used the natural resource of the sea. The outcome was beautiful and varied with each cyanotype print personalised by the individual.
Sara enjoyed the activity as the small squares of blue print were representing the bay, the walk and the participant’s personality. Everyone seemed interested in the printing process and were asking questions about how to develop this activity further. It tapped into their creativity and had them thinking further than just about the activity they were doing. It helped having more time and light to complete the creative activity on Saturday afternoon compared with Tuesday evening.
With Mark everyone took part in a one hour thirty minutes exhilarating clifftop walk up and over Culver Down. Taking in the sweeping views of Sandown and Shanklin Bays, the splendid views of the Bembridge coastline with panoramic sea views of the Solent and Spinnaker Tower Portsmouth. Mark described the heritage of the Yarborough Monument. Including that from the time of the Napoleonic War to the Second World War Bembridge Fort and Culver Downs were long used for military purposes.
They viewed the Coastguard Cottages that still remain and were able to watch buzzards, kestrels and peregrines in flight as they hunted along the cliffs. The chalk soils of Bembridge and Culver Downs provide an ideal habitat for blue butterflies. Chalkhill, Common, Small and Adonis Blues were seen on the Saturday walk flitting about among the grasses and flowers.
Parts of Bembridge and Culver Downs support a range of chalk grassland flowers. On the walk they could see Thyme, Bee Orchids and the eye-catching Bird’s Foot Trefoil that covers the down in a carpet of yellow at certain times of the year.
Overall
All forty participants rated the walk as either good or excellent with many enjoying the views of the Island and the Solent. On both walks they enjoyed having the views explained and felt the fun activities let them connect with the natural environments of both the countryside and the beach. Many of those taking part felt energised and well exercised, calm and relaxed.
Feedback captured how fun and enjoyable the activities were and how happy everyone was on each walk.
Many commented on the exceptional friendliness among the participants and how they felt a positive sense of connection with other people and the natural environment.
It was lovely to walk and be creative with like minded people and for some to be able to make new friends.
A sense of community spirit was apparent on both of the walks. Some felt motivated to do more exercise and although being tired and exhausted that they would love to do more activities like this.
Many would like to see the toilets at the Yaverland Car Park open later in the evening and felt the area should have a nice picnic area.
Participants wanted time to visit and read the noticeboards found in different locations on Bembridge and Culver Downs. They would also liked to have had more time to learn more about the local wildlife.
Some shared how they felt the overall activity could be developed further. It could be extended to include more time to relax. Have time for an ice-cream on the walk and perhaps include a visit to a pub or have time for a picnic together after the creative activities on the walk.
Many commented on the great leadership and organisation of the entire experience. They felt inspired and enjoyed being surrounded by good company, amazing weather and beautiful scenery.
We took pictures
Many thanks to Mark of MCEnhancement and Sara for helping make these walks so appreciated.
Biosphere in the Bays promotes the importance of green time through walks that enhance emotional wellbeing and mental health by the use of creative art activities.
Equals IW Green Time Planters and Maths March 2023
Another very successful workshop recently took place whereby the Equals IW Friends and Family Group joined Mark for this fun craft session. Those taking part developed creative skills by making a wooden planter out of recycled wood. The atmosphere was friendly and positive with people happy and relaxed in each other’s company. They had fun using various templates to create, draw and paint decorative designs to personalise their wooden planter.
The wooden planter can be used to grow herbs, various plants or flowers and is ideal for a window sill, perfect to be placed on the balcony or in the garden.
The Multiply Maths Skills covered
- Demonstrate safe and correct use of a tape measure when measuring the length and width of pieces of wood being used to make a wooden planter.
- Recognise imperial scale and metric scale of a tape measure and convert measurements.
- How to read a tape measure scale for metric units, measure centimetres with the longest markings and use each of the smaller marks to find the length in millimetres.
- The best way to read scales for imperial units using the longest marks to measure inches and using the next longest lines for ½ inches, the third longest for ¼ inches.
Each group member brought food for sharing together over lunch. Two special guests came and talked to the group
- Janet Owen, Executive Director, The Island Collection
Janet talked about culture and diversity on the Island and the Isle of Wight Council Cultural Strategy. She is keen to learn more about Equals IW and aims to join future activities.
- Chad Witcher, Senior Lecturer in Psychology of Physical Activity, Portsmouth University.
Chad talked about a project re-searching how older people spend their leisure time post-employment.
Creative Crafts with a Splash of Fun Maths
These Equals IW Green Time sessions enable you to increase your confidence with numbers through creative craft activities. Join in and you will be developing maths skills in a fun informal way and enhance positive emotional well-being, self confidence, self esteem and mental health.
Good maths skills can help you in everyday life such as budgeting money. Multiply is a new government funded programme to help adults improve their numeracy skills.
Next session will be in April 2023 and you can find out all about the details soon right here.
Of course we took photos
Green Time Green Skills Multiply: Creative Crafts with a Splash of Fun Maths
Equals IW Groups
As part of the aim to support equality and diversity on the Isle of Wight, Equals IW offers a Ladies group for women including women of ethnic backgrounds.
For a real cultural diversity experience come and join our Ladies Group. The group provides a welcoming place to women of both minority and majority ethnic background. Come and make new friends, get advice and find support. You can take part in fun activities and maybe participate in some training.
Equals IW also offers a Friends and Family Group which is open to adults of all ages, children accompanied by parents or responsible adult, family members and friends. Some this groups activities will be open also to the general public..
The groups have taken part in
- Carnivals and arts parade
- The Kite Festival
- Cultural and Diversity Events
- Art and Craft fun Activities
- Information Technology Training
- Food Hygiene Training
- Cooking Courses at the Isle of Wight College
- Culture Kitchen
- Back to Work Training
- Private Swimming Sessions
Please
Updated February 2023