Hovertravel is adding the 8:30am hovercraft service from Ryde to Portsmouth due to popular commuter demand.

Neil Chapman, managing director of Hovertravel, said:  “We are always listening to the needs of customers so we can ensure that our services suit their schedules. Feedback over the last month has revealed that an extra service during the morning commuter peak period would make a big difference to our Island commuters.”

Hovertravel has seen growth over the last 6 months in travel from the Island. In particular the morning commuter period has a more concentrated flow of passengers during 7:15 and 8:45.

Neil Chapman continues, “Currently, Hovertravel has the biggest market share in our history. One of the areas of steady growth for us has been from regular travellers and commuters. This is why we have put in place initiatives for us to listen better to their needs through channels such as the Hovertravel User Group. The addition of the 8:30am hovercraft service is a great example of where we have listened and responded quickly.”

To ensure that Hovertravel develops in a way that benefits our customers, Hovertravel has been running a Hovertravel User Group (HUG). This group, made up of a small number of regular travellers, meets for quarterly meetings to voice issues and improvements direct with Hovertravel’s management.

Hovertravel has also launched a new appreciation voucher scheme as a small way of thanking their loyal customers. Those who purchase an Adult 6 month season card, Adult 250 travel card or Triple Term card can claim for 20 single appreciation vouchers that are valid for one single journey and can be transferred to friends & family. Customers that purchase an Adult 12 month season card can claim for 40 Appreciation vouchers.

For more information visit http://www.hovertravel.co.uk/

There’s more to Action Stations than you think…

Action Stations at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is now offering special interest tours focusing on the fascinating history of the historic building, Boathouse No. 6.

Lasting approximately two hours, the tours focus on the history of Boathouse No.6, from construction in 1848 until the installation of the present Action Stations attraction in 2001.

Boathouse 6 was designed by Lieutenant Roger Beatson, Royal Engineers, Portsmouth Dockyard’s Superintendent of Civil Engineering Work, and built between 1845 and 1848. It was used for the building, repair and storage of small ships’ boats. These were pulled up one of the three slipways outside the front of the building from the Mast Pond by hand using block and tackle, and then brought into the building through large wooden doors. Some of the rings used still survive along the front of the building and set into the ground floor. The building was in use as a boathouse until the Portsmouth Blitz in March 1941, when a bomb destroyed much of the rear part. A temporary patch was added to make the building serviceable and was not replaced until the conversion into Action Stations in the late 1990s.

All this history and more can be seen throughout the building and this specialist tour will encourage visitors to view Action Stations in a way they have never done before. They may also discover that walls really can talk and tell their own unique story…

Tours will begin in either Boathouse No.7 or the Mezzanine Café with a complimentary tea or coffee upon arrival before a guided tour of the building.

Special interest tours are priced at £7.50 per person (4-10 people) and £5.50 per person (11+ people). Alternatively, if looking for something a little more special, then Action Stations can provide exclusive evening tours at £10.50 per person, giving private access to the building after normal opening hours. All tours are a minimum of 4 people per tour and include entry to the Action Stations attraction.

Please note all tours must be booked a minimum of 72 hours in advance.

Some areas within the tour are not accessible by a lift.

For further details on the specialist tours or to book please contact the Action Stations Operations Manager on: (023) 9289 3318 or email: enquiries@actionstations.org

Also available at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is the world famous HMS Victory, one of the UK’s leading maritime museums – the National Museum of the Royal Navy, HMS Warrior 1860 – the first iron-hulled ship powered by steam and sail, the Mary Rose Museum[i] and a Harbour Tour. For further details, please contact 023 9283 9766 or visit the website www.historicdockyard.co.uk.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard has everything to keep you entertained this Winter

Christmas holidays at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard from Saturday 17^th December 2011 to Sunday 1^st January 2012 will offer the perfect opportunity for visitors to enjoy a day out with indoor activities for those cold winter days.

Visitors can take shelter below decks and discover history at the home of world-famous ships, HMS Victory and HMS Warrior 1860; walk through the fascinating exhibitions at the Mary Rose Museum and the National Museum of the Royal Navy; discover the sailor within at the indoor interactive Action Stations and take cover on a Harbour Tours boat as it sails around Portsmouth Harbour and Naval Base (subject to availability and prevailing weather conditions during the winter months).

Whether it’s climbing aboard a ship or up the tallest indoor climbing tower in the UK, devouring the fantastic collections in the museums or the food in the cafes, there is something to keep everyone in from the cold this winter.

During the Christmas holidays visitors can also take part in Tudor games and pastimes and especially for the festive season or enjoy a Family Christmas trail at the Mary Rose Museum.

For full details of ‘What’s On’ over the holiday period (updated daily), please look at the listings at the end of this release and for further information about the extensive year-round events programme please visit www.historicdockyard.co.uk/events.

The ticket for Portsmouth Historic Dockyard includes entrance for 1 year. Tickets cost adults £21.50, seniors £18.35, children £15.80, students £18.35 and a family ticket costs £62.15 (up to 5 members of the same family with a maximum of 2 adults or seniors). Entrance to the Historic Dockyard is free for those wishing to visit the retailers, cafes and Antiques Storehouse.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard also offer gift vouchers, so if you need a new present idea for a loved one this Christmas, why not buy them some vouchers, so they too, can enjoy the Historic Dockyard? Call 023 9272 8060 to purchase the vouchers

The attractions open at 10am everyday throughout the year, except when closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day

2 Family Tickets to be won for the  ‘Santa Special’ at Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Soak up the festive atmosphere at Havenstreet Station with a visit to Santa. Stroll through the sparkling Winter Wonderland before meeting Santa who’ll have a  gift for every child. Settle back and relax with a cosy ride on the steam train through the Island’s winter country side, and enjoy free entertainment for the children.With seasonal fayre in the Refreshment Rooms and a shop packed with Christmas gift ideas, a visit to Santa at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway is a very special day out for all the family. Santa Specials - 3^rd, 4^th, 10^th, 11^th, 17^th, 18^th, 21^st, 22^nd, 23^rd, & 24^th December

For full details please contact: 01983 882204 www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk

To win a  family tickets simply answer the following question:

Q. What is the first and last date of the Santa Specials ?

Please remember only one entry per child is permitted .By the 13 th December. You can enter the competition if you visit www.thefamilydirectory.co.uk All winners will be notified by phone and by post. If you enter the competition your details will not be passed on.

The Earl Mountbatten Hospice 2012 Calendar The Earl Mountbatten Hospice is the only Hospice on the Island caring for over 1300 patients a year. In order to give this special care to our patients we have to raise over £2 million each year. We are continually fundraising and one way is by selling a Hospice Isle of Wight Calendar. The Isle of Wight Photographic Calendar 2012 is now available, with stunning Island views taken by acclaimed local photographer Chris Boynton. Chris has worked with the Hospice for many years raising thousands of pounds for our patient care by producing a yearly calendar and donations from the sale of his Photo cards. This year’s calendar has been redesigned for 2012 with larger photos and a lot more writing space. These beautiful calendars are priced at just £4.50 each and are available at many retail outlets across the Island including the Hospice Charity Shops in Newport, Cowes, Wootton, Ryde, Freshwater and Ventnor and the Hospice fundraising office on 528989.

Pamela’s Swimming School is a friendly, well established swimming school with an excellent reputation for delivering high quality lessons that see children gain in confidence and ability. Class sizes are small, typically between 4 and 6 children, and lessons run for half an hour. All teachers are experienced and fully qualified to ASA Level 2. One to one lessons for children and adults are also available – please enquire. All swimmers progress by ability rather than age and the approach is one that mixes teaching with fun activities, particularly among the younger pupils. We are an Amateur Swimming Association school and pupils are encouraged by gaining the Amateur Swimming Association’s National Plan awards.

We teach all four strokes, personal survival and a wide range of water skills from non-swimmer to advanced.We offer lessons after school on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at the UKSA pool in Cowes. Please enquire about session times.For more information and to talk through your child’s swimming needs, please contact Pamela Ainslie on 01983 294014 or 07732 641125.

References and testimonials are available on request.

Welcome to Snowy Letter From Santa Would your child or children ,nephew or niece, grandchild or any friend or family like a personalised letter from Father Christmas or Santa. Our Santa letters are made to a high standard using premium stationery which features our own exclusive Santa design; we have 3 types of letters to choose from. Each letter includes free wish dust added by Frosty the Snowman, before being posted with our Post Office – North Pole” postage stamp and on the reverse of the envelope each letter is sealed with Santa’s own monogram red wax seal.www.snowyletterfromsanta.co.uk Order your letter today for just £4.99

Capture that special memory of a moment in time with our wonderful Family Photoshoot package – £27.50…that’s a saving of £72.50! Top photographer Debs Allan of http://debsallan.co.uk/ will spend one hour with you at an Island location of your choice. The package includes: * An Hour-long Family Photoshoot – at an IOW location chosen by you * Your choice of how you want the session to be staged * Either One A2-sized Photo or Two 10″x8″ Photos of your choice from the session This is a fabulous opportunity to treasure a keepsake of those who mean the most to you. Normally costs £100.00 Buy now @ www.thepriceiswight.co.uk

“Priory School is delighted to be able to confirm it will move to Whippingham at Easter 2012 to occupy the school there which was founded by Queen Victoria in 1864, to the designs of Prince Albert, who wished to build a school to educate the children of those who worked on the Osborne Estate.

This move will allow Priory School to enhance significantly the education it offers, with the much greater facilities, purpose-built classrooms, playing fields in the grounds, and central accessibility this new site offers.

Priory School’s ethos of addressing the needs of each child with a combination of academic rigour (as shown by its GCSE results this year with 100% of Year 11 gaining 5 or more GCSEs at A*-C) and pastoral care matches that original concern that led to the founding of Whippingham School, where the welfare and education of the pupils is paramount.

Priory School is committed to this ethic of “the good of each child” and looks forward to continuing and contributing to the long heritage of education that has been sustained on this historic site, and of playing its full part in the life of the community in the area.  ”To contact the school please call 01983 86122 or website www.prioryschool.org.uk