Mackenzie Whittaker

Trainee journalist at News Associates

Leading lights in a silent crisis

In a conversation with Lee Wilcox, CEO and co-founder of On The Tools, he outlined the struggles involved with being at the epicentre of constructions mental health crisis. Wilcox said: "I don't know what the construction minister does if i'm being completely honest, they certainly don't have much breadth in construction let alone outside of it. The challenge we have is that we need more people outside of construction to care about it's problems.
"We create the best social m...
Isle of Wight News - Island Echo •

COWES MAN FACES WAIT TO FIND OUT IF XL BULLY WILL BE DESTROYED

The owner of an XL Bully who “didn’t know” his dog was a banned breed will have to wait until October to find out if the dog will be destroyed.
Liam Matthews, 23, of Spinnaker Close in Cowes pleaded guilty to possessing/having custody of a fighting dog when he appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court earlier today (Tuesday).
Skyler, the 3-year-old XL Bully, was seized on 15th April after members of the public raised concerns about a dog in the local area.Since the seizure, Skyler has been...
Isle of Wight News - Island Echo •

SPECIAL REASONS HEARING FOR DRINK DRIVER CAUGHT NEARLY THRICE THE LIMIT

A drink driver from East Cowes, who was caught 3 times over the limit, has claimed she was driving to save a friend in crisis.
Parisha Valjee, 54, of Cambridge Road, appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates’ Court and pleaded guilty to drink driving on Tuesday (19th August), after she was caught behind the wheel having consumed enough alcohol to put her almost 3x over the limit.
On 25th July, Valjee was stopped by police in her Porsche on Wootton’s Kite Hill. At the scene, a roadside breath tes...
Isle of Wight News - Island Echo •

ISLE OF WIGHT'S GCSE PASS RATE WORST IN THE COUNTRY 2025 DATA SHOWS

Ofqual statistics have revealed GCSE results on the Isle of Wight are some of the worst in the country.
In 2024, 59.5% of the 10,830 students who sat their GCSEs received a 4 (C) or above. However, this year, the Island saw a 1.6% drop in results to 57.9% achieving a 4 or above out of 10,855 students.
Comparison data from all subjects shows the Isle of Wight sitting below Staffordshire (60%) and Merseyside (60.4%), which have much larger populations at  107,075 and 134,790. The 2 counties have a...
Isle of Wight County Press •

'Recognition of hard work, professionalism and expertise'

Earlier this year, Meadow View Contractors won a site recognition award and entered the race for overall winner.

It scooped the 2024 award for Cordelia Gardens, which is a development off Place Road in Cowes, alongside Penwood Developments Limited.

Managing director, Roy Churchill, said: "We are delighted to win the Bricks Development of the year award.

"I am especially pleased for our staff working on the site, as this award is a recognition of their hard work, professionalism and e...
South West Londoner •

RAAC: Update on surveyed Richmond schools  

Seven schools in the Richmond borough have been titled RAAC-free by the council’s property team in the latest meeting with the Education and Children’s Services committee. 


With the start of the new school year approaching, Richmond councillors eagerly awaited Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) survey results to confirm five high-priority schools were safe for children. 


Buckingham Primary, Chase Bridge Primary, Lowther Primary, Carlisle Infant and Hampton Wick Infant were found...
South West Londoner •

Shepard’s Star launch third annual Christmas Holiday Box project

Shepherd’s Star, a Richmond based charity is asking locals to help fundraising for their annual Christmas initiative in partnership with achieving for children. 


It aims to produce 70 ‘Christmas boxes’ each containing enough holiday goodies for Christmas eve, the main event and boxing day. 


Each box is filled with Christmas essentials including traditional roast meat, seasonal vegetables, fruit, dessert, biscuits and the kids favourite – Christmas crackers.


The charity’s partnership wit...
North West Londoner •

Islington join Nature Neighbourhoods to tackle urban climate crisis

The Islington Octopus Community Network has received a New Nature Neighbourhoods initiative grant to create ‘people-powered plans’ for nature outside their front-doors.


Conservation NGOs the World Wildlife Foundation, the Royal Society of the Protection for Birds and the National Trust are the driving force behind the Nature Neighbourhoods initiative to support 18 community hubs.


For the Octopus Community development officer Fran Smith, the regeneration of contaminated soil containing high...