ROBBY RECOMMENDSEVER since Bestival set its fancy-dressed foot on the IW, the Island has always been an integral part of all our plans and decisions and I think its one of the most beautiful places in the UK for kids to grow up — even if they don’t realise it at the time!
I have met so many schoolchildren and teachers in the last seven years and I’m always really fired up after meeting them. And as a patron of two schools on the Island (St Catherine’s and Platform One), I know the future is bright for generations to come.
The Bestival has contributed a lot to the Island economy and businesses but we collectively wanted to do something direct with the future of the Island. I really hope our Adopt A Bottle project, run in conjunction with Ray Harrington-Vail and Leah Rumble at The Footprint Trust, makes school kids and their parents and families think about water conservation.
We wanted to contribute to the Island, do something nice for the children, deliver an eco-friendly message and also open up the debate about water.
Water is a topic the Island is consistently in the news about.
From Cowes Week to Ellen MacArthur, from Wightlink and Red Funnel to the Red Jet and the Hovercraft, to the stunning beaches and our lovely river, water is around us the whole time and we have to take greater care for its future. The Island is in a unique position to make positive change for our future.
This topic is only going to get more crucial in the future and this is our contribution to educate in a fun and simple way.
Saving water at home and at events is very important to us. Are taps left running or dripping, are sprinkler systems left on, are there wasteful leaks? We encourage our crew to be vigilant in water saving, for ecological and financial reasons. Even our Pamper Lounge, run by Island ladies, has come up with an innovative new water-filter system to make sure it doesn’t use too much water on site.
Thanks for letting us come to the Island every year with Bestival and let’s all keep it as beautiful as it is.