IOW Festival of the Mind 2021

We are very pleased to announce that the IOW Festival of the Mind will take place on Sunday 10th October 2021 at the YMCA Centre Shanklin. Watch this space for news and updates. Many thanks to WightAid, the sponsors of The Isle of Wight Festival of the Mind 2021.

The Festival of the Mind brings together old friends.

In 2018 I was invited as a spinner/weaver to participate in the Festival of The Mind at the Aspire in Ryde. As a therapist I was delighted to participate in such an event.  I thoroughly enjoyed the day meeting lots of lovely people, both, those who like myself were demonstrating diverse, fun ways of attending to our mental wellbeing and members of the public coming into the venue to explore what was on show.

The highlight of my day was a woman from Cygnus Cafe (Cygnus Cafés are dogma-free zones for Cygnus Members & friends to share their feelings, thoughts and journeys with others) who came to chat to me.

She was an old friend who I had not seen since 1972 when we served together as military nurses in Germany. I have no idea what the odds are of two women originally from the mainland Midlands who nursed together in Germany ending up at the Festival of The Mind, Ryde. However, I am grateful that we found each other again and we have both agreed that we both benefit greatly from our now regular contact.

Sadly, this year’s IOW Festival of the Mind is cancelled

It is with great sadness we have to announce that the Festival of the Mind this year is cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing social distancing measures.

We are planning to hold the Festival next year and the date will be announced early in 2021.

The two Sandys, Helen and Malcolm would like to thank everyone for their support and hope we can all come together again next year to enjoy what has become a very popular and helpful event on the Island.

Thank you

Thanks so much to everyone who came to the IOW Festival of the Mind and helped us make the event such a positive event! Thanks to those who ran workshops and attended them, to those who ran stalls, entertained us, fed us, directed us to the right places, kept track of who was coming and going, took photographs and video, cleaned up afterwards, or simply came and had a look round … and to whoever arranged for the sun to shine so brightly throughout.

Raffle Prizes

We have the most amazing raffle prizes this year:

  • Voucher for 4 free Tai Chi Classes kindly donated by Cliff Bromfield
  • Voucher for Half Hour Massage for Women kindly donated by Ela Kujawska
  • Voucher for Half Hour Massage for Women kindly donated by Ela Kujawska
  • Voucher for 4 free Spring Chicks or Woolley Jumpers keep fit classes kindly donated by Alice Blue
  • Floral Art Display kindly donated by Julie Richardson
  • Book – ‘Travelling the Alphabet Emotionally’ by Sylvia Clare kindly donated by Sylvia Clare
  • Aloe Vera Pamper Session kindly donated by Sue Barker
  • Voucher for a Gong Bath session kindly donated by Serenity Sounds
  • Voucher for a free Havening treatment (value £150) kindly donated by Julia Laurson
  • One complementary session of relaxation at the Heights, kindly donated by Bev Barber

The Collective Canvas from last year will be raffled as a separate prize. So if you would like to own this beautiful piece of art work please buy the appropriate ticket.