An elderly man has gone missing from Ryde and the police are concerned for his welfare. If you have seen him please contact either Ryde Police Station or Crimestoppers on the numbers shown...
http://ventnorblog.com/2010/02/28/missing-person-appeal/
(article includes photo).
Sunday, 28 February 2010
Thursday, 25 February 2010
The Isle of Wight Festival - should IOW residents get discounted tickets?
As every Island resident will know the Festival returned in 2002 after a 32-year layoff. The Who, the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, REM, The Kaiser Chiefs, Neil Young and Razorlight are just a few of the names who have crossed the water to play.
For those who don't appreciate the music the whole experience is just a whole lot of noise and a whole lot of inconvenience, with closed roads, congestion, queues for everything and full ferries. Those who do don't really mind the noise, but the inconvenience caused by some 50,000 visitors arriving from the mainland all at once remains the same.
Residents of the Island who actually attend the Festival get hit twice. Not only do they have to fight their way through the invading hordes but when they arrive at the event they find themselves at least £130 lighter - £150 if they intend to pitch a tent. That is the adult price and for the purposes of the Festival it would seem an adult is anybody over the age of twelve.
Perhaps not surprisingly, an enterprising group of young people from the Island have set up a Facebook group called Join if you think Isle of Wighters should get cheaper festival tickets.
So, should they?
Not everybody who has posted on the group's page agrees. Tickets are even more expensive at Glastonbury, it would seem, and there are no local discounts there. On the other hand the Rugby Football Union routinely makes 1,100 discounted tickets available to local residents for summer concerts held at Twickenham Stadium.
Personally I admire anybody who makes a stand against the rip-off culture which seems to predominate these days. I wish the campaign every success.
For those who don't appreciate the music the whole experience is just a whole lot of noise and a whole lot of inconvenience, with closed roads, congestion, queues for everything and full ferries. Those who do don't really mind the noise, but the inconvenience caused by some 50,000 visitors arriving from the mainland all at once remains the same.
Residents of the Island who actually attend the Festival get hit twice. Not only do they have to fight their way through the invading hordes but when they arrive at the event they find themselves at least £130 lighter - £150 if they intend to pitch a tent. That is the adult price and for the purposes of the Festival it would seem an adult is anybody over the age of twelve.
Perhaps not surprisingly, an enterprising group of young people from the Island have set up a Facebook group called Join if you think Isle of Wighters should get cheaper festival tickets.
So, should they?
Not everybody who has posted on the group's page agrees. Tickets are even more expensive at Glastonbury, it would seem, and there are no local discounts there. On the other hand the Rugby Football Union routinely makes 1,100 discounted tickets available to local residents for summer concerts held at Twickenham Stadium.
Personally I admire anybody who makes a stand against the rip-off culture which seems to predominate these days. I wish the campaign every success.
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Message from New Zealand
Hi from New Zealand
Here's a photo of my car and it's personal plate. It's "world famous in New Zealand".
You wouldn't believe the number of people who come up to me and ask - and then they launch into a blurb about going on holiday to Shanklin several years ago!
I keep "IOW" going from car to car - fond memories, etc., lived on the Island for 15 super years (1974-1989), the kids were born there and it's only the winter climate that keeps us from returning.
Keep up the good work.
Cheers
David H
Here's a photo of my car and it's personal plate. It's "world famous in New Zealand".
You wouldn't believe the number of people who come up to me and ask - and then they launch into a blurb about going on holiday to Shanklin several years ago!
I keep "IOW" going from car to car - fond memories, etc., lived on the Island for 15 super years (1974-1989), the kids were born there and it's only the winter climate that keeps us from returning.
Keep up the good work.
Cheers
David H
Sunday, 21 February 2010
Campaigning for equal access on the Island
By Alan Davies
I regularly hear, I regret to say, of inadequate provision made by suppliers of goods and services here on the Isle of Wight.
As a person with a disability it is important to get the most out of local services you use most often. It is a good idea to talk to the service providers you use most often, like your local doctor's surgery or a shop you use a lot, and explain exactly what your needs are. This will help them understand what adjustments they might need to make to the way they provide their services.
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) gave disabled people important rights of access to everyday services. Service providers have an obligation to make reasonable adjustments to premises or to the way they provide a service. Sometimes it just takes minor changes to make a service accessible.
Under the DDA, it is against the law for service providers to treat disabled people less favourably than other people for a reason related to their disability. Service providers have to make "reasonable adjustments" to the way they deliver their services so that disabled people can use them. Examples of reasonable adjustments include: installing an induction loop for people who are hearing impaired, giving the option to book tickets by email as well as by phone, providing disability awareness training for staff who have contact with the public, providing larger well-defined signage for people with impaired vision, putting in a ramp at the entrance to a building as well as steps.
What is considered a "reasonable adjustment" for a large organisation like a bank may be different to a reasonable adjustment for a small local shop. It is about what is practical in the service provider's individual situation and what resources the business may have. They will not be required to make changes which are impractical or beyond their means. Failure or refusal to provide a service that is offered to other people to a disabled person is discrimination unless it can be justified.
If you find it difficult to access a local service - for example, you cannot use a local takeaway or sandwich shop because the counter is too high - you should contact the organisation and let them know. It is in their interest to make sure everyone can use their service. It is best to offer constructive suggestions as to how the service provider could improve the way their services are provided. Explain the difficulty you have in accessing their service and give examples of how other businesses have solved the problem, if you know of any. If the service provider agrees to make an adjustment, ask if they can put it in writing. This will help you follow up your request if the service provider does not keep their promise.
You may find it useful to refer service providers to the Equality and Human Rights Commission website for more information about making their services accessible to disabled customers. You could also tell them that the Equality and Human Rights Commission can advise service providers about their responsibilities under the DDA and how they can meet them. The document "Making access to goods and services easier for disabled customers" is a useful guide for service providers to their responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act. It was published by the Disability Rights Commission, which was replaced by the Equality and Human Rights Commission on 1 October 2007.
Please join Alan's Facebook group Diversi-TIES. Or visit the group's Diversti-TIES website.
I regularly hear, I regret to say, of inadequate provision made by suppliers of goods and services here on the Isle of Wight.
As a person with a disability it is important to get the most out of local services you use most often. It is a good idea to talk to the service providers you use most often, like your local doctor's surgery or a shop you use a lot, and explain exactly what your needs are. This will help them understand what adjustments they might need to make to the way they provide their services.
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) gave disabled people important rights of access to everyday services. Service providers have an obligation to make reasonable adjustments to premises or to the way they provide a service. Sometimes it just takes minor changes to make a service accessible.
Under the DDA, it is against the law for service providers to treat disabled people less favourably than other people for a reason related to their disability. Service providers have to make "reasonable adjustments" to the way they deliver their services so that disabled people can use them. Examples of reasonable adjustments include: installing an induction loop for people who are hearing impaired, giving the option to book tickets by email as well as by phone, providing disability awareness training for staff who have contact with the public, providing larger well-defined signage for people with impaired vision, putting in a ramp at the entrance to a building as well as steps.
What is considered a "reasonable adjustment" for a large organisation like a bank may be different to a reasonable adjustment for a small local shop. It is about what is practical in the service provider's individual situation and what resources the business may have. They will not be required to make changes which are impractical or beyond their means. Failure or refusal to provide a service that is offered to other people to a disabled person is discrimination unless it can be justified.
If you find it difficult to access a local service - for example, you cannot use a local takeaway or sandwich shop because the counter is too high - you should contact the organisation and let them know. It is in their interest to make sure everyone can use their service. It is best to offer constructive suggestions as to how the service provider could improve the way their services are provided. Explain the difficulty you have in accessing their service and give examples of how other businesses have solved the problem, if you know of any. If the service provider agrees to make an adjustment, ask if they can put it in writing. This will help you follow up your request if the service provider does not keep their promise.
You may find it useful to refer service providers to the Equality and Human Rights Commission website for more information about making their services accessible to disabled customers. You could also tell them that the Equality and Human Rights Commission can advise service providers about their responsibilities under the DDA and how they can meet them. The document "Making access to goods and services easier for disabled customers" is a useful guide for service providers to their responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act. It was published by the Disability Rights Commission, which was replaced by the Equality and Human Rights Commission on 1 October 2007.
Please join Alan's Facebook group Diversi-TIES. Or visit the group's Diversti-TIES website.
Thursday, 18 February 2010
Isle of Wight Review - it's here for you!
Sorry we've been a bit inactive over here lately but recently I've been working on the blog's Facebook account in the hope of bringing IOW Review to the attention of a wider audience.
I want this blog to become a resource for businesses and individuals based on the Island, to tell us what's going on over there right now and let us know if there is any activity going down that ought to be reported.
If you are from the Island and would like to contribute to these fine columns, please e-mail us at isleofwightreview@live.co.uk and let us know.
To link up with us at Facebook, please click here. We are also on Twitter and would love you to follow us.
I want this blog to become a resource for businesses and individuals based on the Island, to tell us what's going on over there right now and let us know if there is any activity going down that ought to be reported.
If you are from the Island and would like to contribute to these fine columns, please e-mail us at isleofwightreview@live.co.uk and let us know.
To link up with us at Facebook, please click here. We are also on Twitter and would love you to follow us.
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