Here is a list of the activities involved with Mardis Gras costumes, there is a cost this year to attending the workshops and limited places.

Apolgies for the poor display of this table on a mobile phone. We are working to correct this.

For further detaills please contact Sandra Trigg by email at

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The next few meetings of the Equals IW Ladies Friendship Group are planned for

• 20th February 2018 at the WoW centre in  Newport 6pm to 8pm
• 21st February 2018 at the Cowes Scouts Hut 10am to 12pm
• 28th February 2018 at the Cowes Scouts Hut 10am to 12pm Mardi Gras Meeting

January's meeting covered mostly administrative and planning activities for the coming year.

The next meeting will be held on the Thursday 22nd of February at 6:30pm in the Police Station.

1 January – New Year's Day
2 January – Local Bank Holiday
3 January – Classes Resume
16 January – Trust Board Seminar to endorse LCB reco to be ratified at the Trust Board
27 January – Equals Committee ‘Oriental Night’
27 January – Holocaust Memorial Holiday

9 to 19 February Spring Half Term
13 February – Shrove Tuesday and Maha Shivaratri Hindu holiday
14 February – Ash Wednesday/Valentine’s Day
16 February – Chinese New Year

8 March – Women’s Day
11 March – Mothering Sunday
25 March – Daylight Savings Time starts
29 March to 16 April Easter School Break
30 March to April 7 – Jewish Passover

1 April – Easter Sunday

4 to 8 May – May Day Holidays
7 May – Monday Bank Holiday
25 May to 2 June – Summer Half Term holidays
21 May – Diversity Day
28 May – Spring Monday Bank Holiday

14/15 June – Eid al-Fitr Muslim Holiday
30 June – IW Mardi Gras Festival. The theme is Global Biospheres - ‘Connecting people with nature and cultural heritage’

21 July – UK Pride in Ryde
29 July – Asian Day 2018 at Arreton Barns

4 to 11 August – Cowes Week
18 August – IW Wildlife Themed Event for Kids
27 August – Bank Holiday
30 August – Main Ryde Carnival Parade

10 to 11 September – Jewish holiday
18/19 September – Yom Kippur Jewish fast day

24 October – United Nations Day
28 October – Daylight Savings Time ends

5 November – Guy Fawkes Day

2 to 10 December – Hanukkah
25 December – Christmas Day
26 December – Boxing Day

Equals IW committee meetings are announced on this website..

Food, Raffle and Entertainment

Please join us for a fundraising event

• When: Saturday, 27th of January 2018 from 6pm to 10pm
• Where: Wootton Community Centre, Brannon Way, Wootton Bridge, Ryde, PO33 4NW

Tickets cost £7 for adults, £5 for 6-12 yrs old and free for children under 5

For tickets and further details contact either

• Anna 07795578849
• Niviera 07807156229
• Cecilia 07885764727 or
• Aireen 07514805961

Here is our flyer (pdf) for the event

Come and Join our New Equals Men’s Friendship Group. Our next informal meet and greet session is on

• Monday 12th February 2018
• Time 19:00 to 21:00
• At the Isobel Community Centre Café, Furrlongs, Newport PO30 2AX.

Free parking front and rear of centre.

Come and find out how you can get involved with the following island events, Mardi Gras Parade, IW UK Pride and Asian Day and other group activities for men. We are particularly keen to have members coming from an ethnic background. You can purchase refreshments from the café throughout the evening.

To find out more or confirm you are attending contact

The Equals Men’s Friendship Group Coordinator Mark Cox

• Mobile: 07854 852518 
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/equalsmensgroup
• email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 
• email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Here is our pdf flyer for the current event.

Main points of interest

• For the 2018 Mardi Gras by the New Carnival Company, Equals Group has been allocated the theme of Unique Places - Komodo Island BR Indonesia.
• The Equals New Year’s Oriental Night Party will be a wonderful way to start the year 2018. We will hold the event on 27th Jan. 2018 from 6 pm - 10 pm at Wootton Community Hall. The tickets will be £7 for adult and £5 for children.
• The next Mens' Friendship Group meettingg is to be held on Monday15th January 2018, at the Isobel Community Café Furlongs Newport from 7pm to 9pm.

The Ladies' Friendship Group meetings are to be held at

• Wednesay 10th January 2018  in Cowes from 10am-12pm
• Wednesday 17th January 2018 at the WoW Centre Newport from 10am-12pm
• Wednesday 24th January 2018 in Cowes from 10am-12pm
• Tuesday 23rd January 2018 at the WoW Centre Newport from 6pm-8pm in the evening
• Wednesday 31st January at the WoW Centre Newport from 10am-12pm

Next meeting will be held on Saturday 20th of January 2018 at 2.30pm at Newportt Police Station

Main points of interest

• The next Ladies' Friendship Group meeting will be on the 29th December 2017 at the WOW Centre, 4-5 James Street, Newport PO30 5HE.
• The Ladies' Friendship Group has chosen Indonesia as their theme for the 2018 Mardi Gras Parade in partnership with the Mens' Friendship Group.
• A proposed celebration dubbed as ‘Oriental Night’ will be held from 6pm to 10pm on the 27th of January 2018 at a venue to be announced. While not a fund raising event there will be an entrance charge for attendees of £10 for adults and £5 for children.
• Two new members have joined the Mens' Friendship Group which will hold their next meeting on the 15th January 2018.
• Equals IW is seeking volunteers to act as Press Secretary and Fund Raiser.

Update

• The next committee meeting will be held on the Saturday, 30th of December 2017 from 14:00 to 15:30 at a Newport Police Station.

The Ladies' Friendship Group next meeting will be at WoW, Newport on Wednesday 22nd November 2017 from 10 am to 12 pm. This is partly due to difficulties getting to the Cowes Scout Hut following the suspension of the Cowes chain ferry.

Next year IW Mardi Gras will be on Saturday 30th June 2018 and the theme is 

Global Biospheres ‘connecting people with nature and cultural heritage’

The Official Launch Event for IW Mardi Gras 2018 will take place at Ryde Academy in their new studio/theatre on

Thursday 16th November at 5.30pm.

Due to extensive construction works still taking place at Ryde Academy the former main car park at front of school is not in use.

Please use the temporary car park at the far end of site where access is via Pell Lane, past main entrance to the junction with Mountbatten Drive. The Car Park will be on your left and the way to the Studio Theatre will be signed from there.

As the site is restricted please allow extra time for parking up and car share where possible.

We shall be serving teas and coffees from 5.15pm.

Read more: IW Mardi Gras 2018