Following her work experience with On The Wight in the summer, journalism student Rosie Saban, returns for our 2012 recap. Ed
December took a chilly turn as icy conditions settled in, before the weather took a decidedly more wet turn and flooding took hold, causing serious trouble across the Island.
But the dampness of the weather could not fizzle out the Christmas spirit, and there was festive fun and frolics galore.
Another successful year for Christmas Tree Festival
Now in its 16th year, Brighstone Christmas Tree Festival made a welcome return with its craft stalls and impressive display of more than 130 theme decorated Christmas trees.
Passers-by enjoyed a shop window display like no other as Island band Hentai Babies got into the Christmas spirit with a free gig in Church Street Motorcycles window.
Young local carers got an early Christmas present when they went on a ‘dream drive’ in cars including TVRs, an Aston Martin DB9 and a restored Ford Consul.
Community spirit
Generosity was plentiful as the Isle of Wight Foodbank organised a food collection at Tesco in Ryde as part of the national ‘Feed People in Need’ campaign. A staggering one tonne of food was donated!
In a similar vein, new charitable facility Winter Warmers was set up to help keep Island children warm during the winter months by handing out donated coats, boots, hats, scarves and gloves to those in need.
Adding a touch of pizzazz, a phonebox in Niton got a Christmassy makeover; giving local residents a dash of festive cheer every time they glimpsed it.
Not forgotten
Gone but not forgotten, a peaceful march was held in support of the Dig for Damien Nettles campaign which hopes to put pressure on police to investigate three potential burial sites for the missing teenager. A stark reminder to think of those who are missing loved ones at Christmas.
Musical ambitions
Not one, but THREE Christmas music singleswere released from the Isle of Wight, all hoping to place high in the UK download charts.
And last, to round up December, and for that matter the whole year, one of my favourite non-events: the failure of the world to end as the Mayans predicted. I love history and all the light it sheds on the current world, but I think we are all grateful that this piece of history doesn’t appear to be as accurate as many fervent believers had held. On The Wight discovered what Islanders were doing on the harmless apocalyptical day of 21st December.
