JANUARY/FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009

The Isle of Wight is approximately a mile-and-a-half off the coast of southern England, opposite Portsmouth and Southampton. It is a Unitary Authority so that the Island is governed from the centre at Newport but also there are a number of Parish and Town Councils. The population totals 126,000 ( census 2001). The Island is approached by car/passenger ferries operating from Portsmouth to Fishbourne, Southampton to Cowes, or Lymington to Yarmouth. Southampton and Portsmouth both have additional fast foot-passenger-only ferries, and a Hovercraft runs from Southsea to Ryde. There is a County newspaper‘The County Press’. An Island wide magazine ’The Beacon’ and a few smaller town publications. Isle of Wight Radio is the commercial station and Meridian is the ITV Channel.

We currently have 300 members spread over the length and breadth of the Island and they attend a variety of groups. Most of these meet in the homes of members.  Contact is maintained by the regular issue of a newsletter and now by the introduction of this website which will be updated on a regular basis with information about activities . It is believed that at least 25% of members have access to the internet .