If you are aged 19 and over and like to meet with other women in a safe environment join the Equals IW Ladies Group.
You can come along to our free sessions to just to talk over a cuppa and make friends, enjoy craft, art and other activities. You can also bring family members and friends.
We meet
- Fortnightly on a Tuesday
- From 10am TO 12pm
- At Energy Hub, Utilita Energy, 121 High Street Newport P030 1TP
To find out about dates and more please send an email to
We have a flyer for the Ladies Group (300kB)
We are delighted that Eden has taken up the role for a second year as the Equals IW Ladies Group Co-ordinator.
Eden has put her enthusiasm straight into action by organising a trip over the Solent to visit the shops in Southampton City Centre.
The Ladies Group invited sixteen friends, partners, husbands and family to the Cosmo All You Can Eat World Buffet in Southampton to celebrate the Chinese New Year. The group also took the opportunity to celebrate the birthday of Aireen, one of the group members.
We took photos
Background
Lunar New Year in 2024 occured on 10th February and was celebrated by millions of people around the world. It is also known by other names, including the Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Seollal and Tet Nguyen Dan.
Regardless of the name the Lunar New Year is one of the most important festivals for many people of Asian heritage. Red is the primary colour during the celebration and it is common to see many red decorations during this period. Red envelopes get passed around in a tradition used to send good luck and money to the receiver.
2024 is the year of the Wood Dragon Jiǎ Chén (甲 辰). It blends the heavenly stem of Jiǎ or Yang Wood and the earthly branch of Chén the Dragon. Wood is considered yang because it represents activity, growth, expansion, and outward movement. The Dragon is Yang Earth as its core with some Yin Wood and Yin Water. Earth is considered yang because it represents stability, nourishment, and solidity. The resulting combination means the Wood Dragon is powerful, endlessly energetic and full of vitality. A goal-oriented yet idealistic and romantic visionary leader. It knows exactly who they are and possesses the keenest sense of self among the 12 zodiac signs of Chinese astrology.
A group of friends from Asian Global UK recently spent a weekend on the Isle of Wight. During their stay with Aireen who is an Equals IW Trustee they took a trip to the Isle of Wight Pearl.
The group viewed the Equals IW Christmas Tree created by the Ladies Group for our entry into this years Brighstone Christmas Tree Festival.
The group loved the theme created by the Ladies Group and voted for our entry in this years competition.
They enjoyed taking time out of their busy weekend to show support for Equals IW community engagement projects on the Isle of Wight.
Asian Global UK looks forward to having opportunities to work in partnership with Equals IW in 2024.
We took photos
Isle of Wight Pearl is a family-run business that offers classic and unique pearl jewellery with a pick-a-pearl design studio and a view of the sea.
The final session of this year’s Green Time Multiply activities recently took place at Torwood in Bonchurch. The group of ten learnt what a fraction is by completing four interactive worksheets.
Mark led the session teaching the group members how to recognise and add simple fractions. They learnt how to read, write and compare quantities including halves and quarters. They covered how to read and write common fractions. Group members were each given a packet of M&Ms and followed a worksheet to count how many they had in total. After recounting for individual colours they created fractions for each and added the fractions together.
The counting brought about a lot of laughter, fun and chaos. This result was many group members having to recount their M&Ms more than once. Group members even found themselves rescuing M&Ms from the floor before Aireen’s dog Peanuts found them. Luckily all were found and returned to the table for recounting.
The group enjoyed homemade soup, bread and cake while having fun being creative by colouring or painting their own
- Christmas Card
- Christmas Stick Character
- Christmas Bag
- Christmas Stocking.
Alternatively the group had the opportunity to make a cross stitch card and select their own design of a robin, a Christmas tree or a Santa.
The Festive Crafts Workshop with a splash of fun maths let everyone taking part develop everyday useful maths skills. The time spent together was the perfect way to relax in friendship with other people. They all made a personalised festive item for use over the festive season.
We took photos
You are welcome to visit our online album of these images.
Coming Soon
Green Time, Green Skills Multiply developing maths skills in a fun informal way through the use of crafts and arts to enhance positive emotional wellbeing, self-confidence, self-esteem and mental health returns with a spring crafts workshop in 2024.
There will also be a special workshop whereby maths skills will be developed by making a different cake or pudding of choice from around the world. It will be combined with an Easter Bunny Drive charity fund-raising evening. Fun for all with a slice of cake and tea.
More details on both workshops can be announced In January 2024.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.