Join the Equals IW Friends and Family Group with Kathy to explore and discover about life on the water’s edge. Your visit will focus on the dinosaur fossils and heritage of Compton Beach. 

• Saturday 29th March 2025
• 4pm to 6pm
• Meeting Point: Compton Beach Car Park, Military Road, PO30 4HB
• What3Words: loitering.estimated.error
• Free Parking

You will explore the natural resources of the beach, with a range of activities which may include

• Looking at rock pool creatures
• Finding dinosaur footprints
• Creating art in the sand using natural materials found on your visit
• Exploring geology and different pigments
• Sensory activities connecting with nature.

Exploring Compton Bay during a spring low tide will be an interactive and creative learning experience.

We will switch off, get up close and connect with nature and each other.

A perfect way to enhance emotional wellbeing and mental health whilst enjoying the coastline views.

Text or call Mark today and book your place on 0785 485 2518

We have a flyer. (pdf 240kB)

The Heritage Coast-to-Coast project (pdf  412kB) uses the great outdoors to enhance positive emotional wellbeing, self-confidence, self-esteem and mental health.

All are welcome to attend the Equals IW Annual General Meeting which will take place

• Medina Room, Riverside Centre, The Quay, Newport IOW, PO30 2QR
• Thursday 30th January 2024
• Starting 6.15 pm

A committee meeting will take place after the AGM which should finish by 9pm

Join the Equals IW Friends and Family Group for the Rookley to Roslin Walk

• Sunday 13th October 2024
• 2pm to 5pm
• Meeting Point:  Rookley Co-operative Food Store Car Park PO38 3NY
• Parking: Free. Hill Crest Road that is on your right just before store when travelling from Newport.
• Bus: Route 3 Bus Stops at Co-operative Food Store and the single Fare is £2.00 

Halfway round this walk there is a medium hill to climb that will take five minutes to walk up. There is a flat alternative route if preferred.

The walk has different underfoot surfaces therefore please wear good strong trainers, walking shoes or wellington boots and clothing suitable for the weather.

At the store car park Mark will guide you on this beautiful circular walk leaving Rookley Village to walk down Bunkers Lane and on through Bunkers Copse.

You will then cross the River Medina at the bottom of the valley to walk to Loverstone Farm. From here you will then climb the short hill to view the spectacular surrounding countryside while walking to Ramsdown Farm. Here you will re-join the country lane and walk to Rookley Farm taking the path back to Rookley Village.

This walk is open to children accompanied by parents, young people and adults, with no upper age limit. Dogs are also very welcome but must be kept on a lead at all times. This walk is not pushchair, child buggy, mobility scooter or wheelchair friendly. 

Circular Walk 4.6 miles –7.4km, 459 Kcal, 10,500 Steps

Green Time a fun, informal way using the great outdoors to enhance positive emotional wellbeing, self-confidence, self-esteem and mental health.

Join the Equals IW Friends and Family Group for a circular walk around the Redway Loop from Merston Station

• Sunday 15th September 2024
• 2pm to 5pm
• Meeting Point: Merstone Old Railway Station PO30 3DQ
• Route 2 Bus Stops at Station
• Free Car Parking

Join Mark at the far end of the car park at picnic tables just past the station platform to explore and learn all about the Community Orchard and heritage of the old railway station. The orchard is home to a range of wildflowers, fruit trees and the blossom also provides a great source of early nectar.

Mark will guide you on a beautiful walk taking the country lane and woodland pathway to Redway. We will walk across the country fields to Horringford then return to Merstone along the the old railway line which is now a hard-packed cycle track.  

There is an alternative walk along the cycle track which is pushchair, child buggy, mobility scooter and wheelchair friendly. You will meet the group members who are walking on the circular walk to return together.

You may find apples to be picked at the Community Orchard and blackberries to pick on route so remember to bring something to put these seasonal wild fruits in. Please bring your own snacks to eat, hot water will be provided to make yourself a drink at the end of the walk. Please wear trainers, walking shoes or boots and clothing suitable for the weather.

This walk is open to children accompanied by parents, young people and adults, with no upper age limit. Dogs are also very welcome but must be kept on a lead at all times.

3 .2 miles – 5km, 289 Kcal, 6,900 Steps

We have a flyer. (pdf 270kB)

Green Time a fun, informal way using the great outdoors to enhance positive emotional wellbeing, self-confidence, self-esteem and mental health.

Join the Equals IW Friends and Family Group to visit the The Garlic Farm for afternoon home made cream tea.

• Sunday 16th June 2024
• 2pm to 5pm
• Meeting Point: Garlic Farm Car Park – Mersley Lane, Newchurch, PO36 ONR
• Free Car Parking

The price is £4.50 if you have taken part in two Green Time activities between September 2023 and May 2024. otherwise the charge is £9.00. You must please book your place or places by 8pm Monday 10th June 2024. Text or call Mark on 0785 485 2518.

You will have an opportunity to explore the farm shop which is a treasure trove of garlicky goodness and local delights. There is a wide range of award winning garlic inspired produce from the family-run business. You can sample tasters to try some of the products before you buy.

Join Mark to roam and take the farm circular walk which is pushchair, child buggy, mobility scooter and wheelchair accessible. Enjoy the habitat and see how nature co-exists with farmed crops.

You can learn about

• The history of the farm
• How garlic came to the Isle of Wight
• How to grow garlic
• Archaeological finds
• Other facts and related folklore

This activity is open to children accompanied by parents, young people and adults, with no upper age limit. There is a large grassy lawn with play equipment for young children with lots of space for running, rolling and playing.

Well-behaved dogs are very welcome in all outdoor areas, in the conservatory area of the restaurant and in the Allium Café but must be kept on a lead at all times.

We have a flyer. (570kB)

Green Time a fun, informal way using the great outdoors to enhance positive emotional wellbeing, self-confidence, self-esteem and mental health.

All are welcome to attend the Equals IW Annual General Meeting which will take place

• Medina Room, Riverside Centre, The Quay, Newport IOW, PO30 2QR
• Monday 29th January 2024
• Starting 6.15 pm

A committee meeting will take place after the AGM which should finish by 9pm

The Ladies Group rounded off another successful year of meetings and activities by welcoming all to a light lunch at GG’s Restaurant. Friends came together to have a lovely time sharing a very large pizza and celebrating a recent birthday. 

During the light lunch a special thanks was given to Eden who has been the Ladies Group Co-ordinator for 2023.

As Chair of Equals IW, Mark paid tribute to Eden’s voluntary contribution as the Ladies Group Co-ordinator and her participation in the wider Equals IW Friends and Family Group.

Mark shared

"Throughout the year Eden provided excellent support to the Green Time Project by helping to organise and cheerfully motivate people on many occasions. She also organised group activities for the women including two types of bag making, teapot cover making and crocheting.

So a big “thank you” Eden. A really much appreciated “thank you” is also given to all that have taken part in a wonderful range of activities this year with Equals IW and helped make the year a success. It was enjoyable and on many occasion a great time was spent in laughter. Words often heard throughout the year were lovely, wonderful, amazing, such welcoming friendly people.”

We took photos

The year 2024 starts with the Equals IW AGM and Committee Meeting in early January 2024. This will give us the chance to put into place a further selection of different activities that will hopefully be well supported by all. If you would like to help expand any of the current Equals IW projects and develop further partnership working please feel welcome to get in contact via the website.

Equals IW consist of two groups

• Friends and Family Group – All are welcome to join activities from babies, children, teenagers, adults to grandparents. Everyone.
• Ladies Group – We welcome new friends to attend group sessions but only women aged 18 and over.

Equals IW Partnership Programmes at present are

• Green Time Health Wellbeing Programme
• Green Time Multiply – With A Splash of Fun Maths
• Bay 2 Bay Project
• Carnival – Karnabal – Karnaval

The last Ladies Group session of 2023 took place at Utilita Energy Hub in Newport on the Isle of Wight with a good number of friends bringing homemade food to share.

The group plans to start meeting again on 9th January 2024 continuing each

• Tuesday from 10am until 12 noon
• Utilita Energy Hub,
• 121 High Street, Newport PO30 1TT.

The current group project activity is learning to make a crochet bag.

You can read more about the programmes that took place during 2023, including the Green Time Project, on this website.

Equals IW Annual General Meeting. 

• Date: Tuesday 7th February 2023
• Time:  6.30pm – 7.30pm
• Location: Torwood, The Pitts, Bonchurch Village, PO38 INT

Anyone can attend our AGM but you are asked to contact our Secretary should you wish to do so.

The AGM will be followed by a Committee Meeting from 7.45pm to 8.45pm.

May I take this opportunity to thank Aireen for enabling Equals IW to host both meetings at Torwood, Bonchurch Village this year.

Mark Equals IW Secretary

EqualsIW shares the sadness expressed by the nation, commonwealth and international communities on hearing that Queen Elizabeth II has died.

Read more: In Memory of the Queen

The Green Time Queens Pageant Walk is taking place in Bonchurch

• Sunday 24th July 2022
• 10am to 1pm
• Meeting point:  Bonchurch Village Pond

Free Parking is vilble in the surrounding road such as Bonchurch Shute, Trinity Road or St Boniface Road.

Please allow 15 minutes to walk to Bonchurch Pond from where you have parked.

At the start of this walk you will learn about the famous people who have lived in Bonchurch Village. Then walk on into the Landslip which is a large area of woods and jumbled paths between Luccombe and Bonchurch village. It features remarkable land forms such as  cliffs, boulders and tree canopies. Plenty of  photo opportunities.

We will stop at the Wishing Seat also known as the Wishing Stone. This is a large moss-covered rock by the path and tradition has it that if you sit on the Wishing Seat and make a wish it will come true.

The walk continues to the Smugglers Haven Tea Gardens with stunning sea views and free refreshments. Afterwards we will walk through the Devil's Chimney to the beautiful Monks Bay. The final part of the walk takes us past the attractive water stream which falls to Monks Bay and Old St Boniface Church back to Bonchurch Pond.

Please wear trainers or either walking shoes or boots as summer footwear is not allowed on this walk. Please wear clothing suitable to the weather and sun-cream, and bring plenty of fluids to drink on the way. There will be free refreshments for all when we stop at the Smugglers Haven Tea Gardens.

This walk is open to children accompanied by parents, young people and adults, with no upper age limit. Dogs are also very welcome but must be kept on a lead at all times.

3.5 miles round trip, 8,000 steps, 325 kcal