Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2017 | Page 6

Check out our website visitilife.com A WORD FROM THE EDITOR A belated happy new year, and welcome to your first Island Life of 2017. With the darkest days of winter now largely behind us, we can start looking forward to all those enjoyable festival days of spring – from Pancake Tuesday on February 28 through to St David’s Day on March 1, St Patrick’s Day on March 17 and Mothering Sunday on the 26th – which also happens to be the first day of Spring, so double cause for celebration! Springtime also means a growing availabilty of local produce – so be sure to get out and about and sample some of what our fabulous Island growers, producers and chefs have to offer. You’ll find features on some of these local food and drink heroes in this issue. For a longer and more leisurely read, don’t miss our interviews, which include a focus on the work of front-line firefighter Matt Sainsbury, and a humbling conversation with 91 year-old D-Day veteran and double amputee Roy Hayward, who talks with amazing good humour about his life before and after he lost his legs at just 19. We also talk to an ingenious mum of two in Bembridge who’s in business creating a trendy range of tote bags from what anyone else might see as just junk from the beach. And we take a closer look at a charity that has the support of lots of fund-raisers on the Island – the Naomi House and Jacksplace Hospices for youngsters facing chronic challenges to their health. So, plenty in this issue to enjoy, to celebrate and to make us all think – and be thankful. As always, we’d like to thank you the reader and the loyal advertisers who make each issue possible. Jackie McCarrick, Editor 6 www.visitilife.com C ONTENTS I SLAND L IFE FEBRUARY / MARCH 2017 INTERVIEWS p19 Iconic medal for the man of steel: Roy Hayward p30 Charity that’s close to the heart of Islanders: Mark Smith p44 A life on the line: Matt Sainsbury LOCAL SCENE p26 Foxhounds having a Ball! p34 In honour of the bard p40 Magic of the dance p50 Raising money at the Manor p55 A night to remember COUNTRYSIDE p67 Matt Noyce: Heading for Spring p69 Sam Biles: Man’s best friend p70 A host of golden daffodils p72 Tony Ridd: Countryside News p74 The mating season p78 10 things you didn’t know about woodpeckers EQUESTRIAN p79 Gemma’s life on Mars p83 Training horses with Robert Booth p84 Equestrian goodies HEALTH & BEAUTY p87 James Spence: Dentures to make you smile