Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2015 | Page 53

FEATURE
£240,000. And we spoke to local
businesswoman and charity fundraiser,
the late Gloria Minghella, who paid
tribute to her late son, the Oscarwinning film producer Anthony.

2009

T

his was a right royal year for the
Island, with a visit by the Prince
of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, as
well as a separate visit by the Countess
of Wessex to St John Ambulance. We
spoke to Martin White, the Island’s Lord
Lieutenant, about his role in fine-tuning
the visit of the Prince of Wales, and
making sure all ran smoothly. We also
met up with Dick Taylor, of 60s band
Pretty Things – and discovered he was
still playing with the outfit, and still
passionate about his music.

2010

V

icky Baker lifted the lid on life as
a prison governor – and showed
how a sense of humour has helped her
in an undoubtedly tough career. On
a different note, amateur actor Simon
Dabell told us what it’s like to work in his
family’s business at Blackgang Chine,
whilst globe-trotting fashion designer
and horsewoman Debbie Cotton told of
her passion for the Old Gaffers Festival in
her Yarmouth home town.

2011

O

pera star Lesley Garret told us
how it was a case of ‘love at first
sight’ when she visited the Island, whilst
former newsreader, the late Kenneth
Kendall talked about his triumphs and
traumas at the BBC. Another subject
in this star-studded year was actress
Celia Imrie, who told us how she fell in
love with the Island years ago on a visit
to Bonchurch, and now enjoys every
minute of her time spent at her second
home in Cowes.

2012

I

n the year of the Olympics, we
interviewed Cowes-based sailor
Shirley Robertson, OBE, the first British
woman to win gold medals at two
consecutive Olympic Games, in 2000
and 2004. We were allowed behind
the walls of Quarr Abbey for a rare and

exclusive interview with Benedictine
monk Father Luke about what it’s like
to live in the cloistered community.
There was also an Island visit by HM the
Queen, on the occasion of the opening
of the new RNLI station at Cowes, and
we spoke to ex-senior politician Virginia
Bottomley about her love for the Island.

2013

W

e enjoyed a cuppa and chat with
Sam Twining, ninth generation
family member of the world-famous tea
company, and met up with Island-born
TV personality Phill Jupitus, who told
us he likes to escape back to the peace
and tranquillity of his native island as
often as he possibly can - and revealed
that he’d love to live here full-time
eventually. There was also a chat with
top plastic surgeon Anthony Cook, who
told us of the many lives he had saved
in a 40-year career.

2014

W

e caught up with another
entertainer who’s made the Isle of
Wight home – the popular TV and stage
actor Melvyn Hayes at his home in Ryde.
And also chatted to Sally Grylls, mother
of Bear Grylls, who told us about her
involvement with Dementia UK charity
and her spearheading of the Admiral
Nurse Appeal for the Island. We also
discovered how it was a serious illness
that helped David Firmstone MBE to
become a successful artist, and caught
up with World Champion windsurfer
Ross Williams to hear how his passion
for riding the waves started as a toddler
on Isle of Wight beaches.

2015

W

e talked to Wave 105 DJ Rick
Jackson about his passion for
old buses, discovered how our familiar
Hovercraft came to be invented, and
chatted to Bonchurch pub owner
Nino Besozzi about his days on the
Orient Express and his meetings with
pop stars and Royals in glamorous
1970s London. We also heard from
Island magistrate David Wood about
his unlikely past training performing
chimpanzees, and talked exclusively to
Bestival founder Rob Da Bank about his
unique approach to festivals.
www.goilife.co.uk

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