The Cowes community got back together once again for a giant “Picnic in the Park” to celebrate the Queens Platinum Jubilee on 5th June 2022.
Equals IW Friendship Group for Women were delighted to be part of the royal celebrations held at Northwood House.
People visiting the colourful stand talked with the Equals IW team and read displays about
- The current Green Time Programme
- The Friendship Group for Women and Friendship Group for Family and Friends
- Equals IW past and present community events and activities.
A good number of people visited the sand throughout the afternoon.
Visitors were offered the chance to buy or make their own Butterfly Feeder. This was popular with children and adults. A good range of beautiful designs were painted on wooden flower heads. The team of four Equals IW friends were kept busy all afternoon.
Pictures from the day
It was a lovely happy atmosphere, what better way to celebrate 70 years of Her Majesty the Queen's time on the throne?
Thank you for the generous funding from Cowes Town Council and the various local organisations for organising the day.
Photos to follow..
The June Green Time Walk is taking place at the Eastern Yar Valley on
- Sunday 26th June 2022 at 1pm to 5.30pm
- Meeting Point: Sandown Railway Station Car Park - £2.00 fee
However car parking is free in the surrounding roads of Station Avenue, Melville, Nunwell, Leed Street, Hill Street and Grove Road.
The walk is a seven and a half mile trip typically 16,000 steps and 700 K calories.
The gentle walk leaves the car park to explore Sandown Community Orchard. Then it joins the dismantled railway line alongside the Eastern Yar River on the Red Squirrel Trail. We will then leave the river at Alverstone Village to explore the rich habitats of Newchurch Moors Nature Reserve and mixed woodland of Martin’s Wood Nature Reserve. We will head back through Alverstone Mead Nature Reserve to view and listen to the visiting kingfishers, herons, great and blue tits. We will then walk through the raised walkway just beneath a canopy of surrounding trees looking out for red squirrels. From there we return back to Sandown railway station.
Please wear either walking shoes or boots and clothing suitable to the weather. It is a good idea to bring sun-cream, plenty of drinks and some snack refreshments.
This walk is open to children accompanied by parents, young people and adults, with no upper age limit. Dogs are also very welcome.
Green Time Walk Your Way To Health - The Natural Way to Good Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Heath
Useful Links
- Please read the safety sheet before joining the walk.
- Our flyers for other Green Time June activities.
Brading Down Walk
The second walk took place on Saturday 21st May 2022 with a three and a half mile round trip with 7,960 steps achieved and 341 K calories burnt.
The group enjoyed a gentle walk across Brading Down to view Sandown and Shanklin Bay and the Arreton Valley. They crossed over the main road to walk along Nunwell Down and view the Solent. Heading through a copse group members were able to stop and watch a red squirrel in the trees.
The Seek Nature App was used throughout the walk to identify and learn about the plants and flowers discovered along the route.
Brading Down is one of the Island’s most popular sites for recreation, picnicking and wildlife watching. It offers panoramic views, a wealth of habitats to explore and opportunities for everyone to enjoy the countryside. It lies at the eastern end of the Island’s iconic central chalk ridge and is within the Isle of Wight Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Brading Down Local Nature Reserve extends both sides of the main road running along the ridge, and the views both ways are equally stunning. The reserve is worth a visit to see chalk downland flowers, butterflies and birds of prey. Bulleys Quarry is a peaceful retreat to have a barbecue away from the crowds.
We were joined by members of the Asian Group UK who were visiting the island from the mainland, as well as Rachael Ardley who is the IW Gift to Nature Engagement Officer.
Rachael is developing reasons for visiting the great outdoors including outdoor events, activities and trails at the Gift to Nature sites. She enjoyed meeting everyone and is keen to join future walks and to develop working with the Green Time programme.
Pictures from the day
Natural Enterprise
Natural Enterprise is an Island-based charity delivering a range of activities to support the local rural economy and natural environment. It includes the Gift to Nature initiative. Gift to Nature maintains about 30 green spaces around the Isle of Wight, caring for the Island’s wildlife while encouraging people to explore our wonderful countryside.
Green Time walks have visited Gift to Nature Sites and the walk next month also visits one of their sites.
Useful Links
- Seek Nature App for Android and Apple phones by iNaturalist
- Gift to Nature
- Brading Down Nature Reserve leaflet (pdf)
- Brading DownGift to Nature web page including leaflets
- Brading Down fauna and flora (pdf)
- Everyone taking part in the Green Time Walks is asked and encouraged to read the Safety Brief, Countryside Code and Dog Walking Code.
The Cowes community is getting together for a giant "Picnic in the Park" to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
Equals IW is delighted to be part of the royal celebrations being held at Northwood House and Park between
- 12pm to 5pm on 5th June 2022,
Come along and visit the stand and join in the dancing sessions with the Friendship Group for Women.
You can also make your own butterfly feeder for £2.00 with more to see on the stand.
What better way to celebrate 70 years of Her Majesty the Queen's time on the throne.
Thanks to generous funding from Cowes Town Council and various local organisations.
EqualsIW and Green Time will be supporting the Countryfile Children In Need Ramble 2022.
You can register your interest and purchase a bobble hat from the Children in Need web pages.
The Ramble is on Sunday 9th October starting at 11am with location details to be announced soon.
We want to help tell older people’s stories.
EqualsIW is encouraging older Isle of Wight residents from ethnic minority communities to join a project looking at their experiences on the island.
If you join you will be provided with a camera to take pictures that help tell your story about ageing on the Isle of Wight. You will meet with other residents in the spring and summer to identify important issues to address, to discuss your stories with others, and to help plan the communication of these stories.
If you or someone you know is 60 years of age or older, resides on the Isle of Wight, is a member of a minority community (for example: African, Polish, Chinese, Filipino, Arab, etc.), and is interested in taking part, please contact Dr Witcher
Presentation
All are welcome to a presentation about the project at
- The Riverside Centre, Newport
- 5 May 2 - 4pm
Can you help us learn more about your experiences as an older adult from an ethnic minority community on the Isle of Wight?
Study Details
Dr Chad Witcher from the University of Portsmouth and others want to learn more about ‘age-friendliness’ on the Isle of Wight.
The study is an opportunity to tell us your experiences by using a digital camera. You can discuss your views in a group with other older adults from ethnic minority communities. This follows work completed on the Isle of Wight by Age UK Isle of Wight.
What are we trying to do?
This is a small-scale study intended to reach older adults who may not have shared their experiences about an ‘age-friendly’ island. Often, members from ethnic minority communities are under-represented in research and we would like to encourage your participation to learn what may be missing from plans to support all older adults on the Isle of Wight.
Am I eligible to take part?
To participate in this study, you must meet the following criteria
- Age 60 years or older
- Identify yourself as a member of an ethnic minority community for example non-British which would include Polish, Filipino, African, Arab and so on
- Understand and communicate in English or be able to provide an interpreter.
What do I have to do?
If you decide to participate you will be asked to take part in several group discussions that will each last about two hours. You will be given a digital camera and asked to capture images that represent ‘age-friendliness.’
Your participation is entirely voluntary, and you have the right to withdraw at any time. Prior to providing your consent to participate, you will be given an information sheet which provides the full details of the study, and a consent form.
You will be able to discuss the study with the chief investigator Dr Chad Witcher .
To join the study please
- email
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or - telephone 023 9284 5194 asking for Chad Witcher.
A group of 12 people came together on Easter Saturday to take part in the first Green Time Walk Your Way to Health with the Equals IW Friendship Group for Friends and Family. A four mile round trip of 8,500 steps and 345 Kcalories.
The group started with a gentle walk from Quarr Abbey to visit Binstead Wood and Dame Anthony’s Common. Stopping to explore Play Lane Millennium Green and pond they found a fallen tree for a group picture. Some delicious homemade Spanish bread and cakes were enjoyed by all underneath the big oak tree in the centre of the Millennium Green.
The group headed back through Ladies Walk and Binstead Golf Course, stopping to learn about the Holy Cross Church in Binstead and to take photos under the blossom tree in full bloom. The group walked past Quarr Abbey and read the information board before returning back through the Abbey's Woodland Walk. The walk finished with refreshments in the garden of the Abbey Café. Mark talked with the group about chapels you can visit and the grave yard behind the main Monastery building.
The Abbey of Our Lady of Quarr is well worth a visit with a Visitors Centre, farm and book shop. You can tour the grounds and step inside the Monastery admiring the art on display.
We hope you enjoy a small selection of the photos from the walk
Why not look at our Green Time flyer for the Saturday 21st May 2022 walk