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Contact
Island Stories
A podcast to discover the Island through those that call the Isle of Wight, home

Spence Willard are proud to be sponsoring the very first podcast series of
Island Stories with Harriet Hadfield

Whilst we all appreciate how wonderful the Island itself is, we are still frequently amazed by the many interesting and remarkable people and businesses that are here, or indeed relocating here. There are an increasingly diverse range of people and as such, opportunities on offer which is important to be shared and celebrated.

Tune in to a new Island Story each week…

Click to listen for free on your preferred streaming service:

Spotify    |    Apple    |    Amazon Music

Episode 1 | Rob da Bank
Our first guest on the podcast is DJ and Music Producer Rob da Bank, founder of the Bestival brand and a real force on the Island. We interviewed him at his amazing house near Yarmouth - right on the water. The first question on the podcast is always going to be the same: Why the Island? As we chatted - surrounded by memorabilia from his long career in the music industry he tells us: “Coming to live on the Island was a happy accident… It’s home and it’s perfect for us!”
Episode 2 | Lisa Henry
This week on the podcast we chat with film location specialist Lisa Henry who lives in Ryde, having moved here from London just three years ago. She describes her new life in Ryde as: “Absolutely brilliant - it's a really vibrant place… it’s got its own identity and - because it’s so easy to get to London - the vibe is so open.” She’s quickly made the Island her home, with an amazing network of friends and a new business ‘Lobster Locations’, specialising in finding fabulous spots for film production companies and photoshoots.
Episode 3 | Derek Sandy
We meet musical legend Derek Sandy - an Islander who almost needs no introduction. Having arrived here one winter 20 years ago from Trinidad and Tobago, Derek has established himself as the ultimate ‘party man’ bringing - as he puts it - Caribbean vibes to the Isle of Wight. Derek tells us how 20 years ago he battled drug addiction and had given up on music before arriving on the Isle of Wight - which saved him, handing him back his career.
Episode 4 | Dr Hayley Elsmore
This week on the podcast we meet Dr Hayley Elsmore who’s lived in the West Wight for 20 years and has recently opened a cutting-edge aesthetic medical clinic in Newport - described by one beauty blogger as ‘somewhere people in London would be jealous of!’ Well-known as a popular Island GP for more than 15 years, Hayley retrained a few years ago and has quickly built up a reputation as the go-to person for ‘tweakments’ and treatments on the Island.
Episode 5 | Alan Marriott
This week we meet the editor of the Isle of Wight County Press - who’s worked on the paper for a massive 37 year - not surprisingly then, he tells us the newspaper is ‘in his blood’. We talk about the Island’s big news stories, how much has changed here during his tenure and what big Island news stories he’s keeping an eye on for the future.
Episode 6 | Jo Grindley
Our guest this week on the podcast this week is Gurnard local Jo Grindley - a woman at the very top of her game in the world of professional sports marketing and management. She’s long been the commercial brains behind Sir Ben Ainslie and is now Chief Marketing and Commercial Operator of the British America’s Cup Team, as well as running her own sports marketing company, based in Cowes.
Episode 7 | Charlotte Legge
This week on the podcast we’ve been inland to Island farming country to meet Charlotte Legg - founder of Duxmore Botanics - a line of natural body care and botanical home fragrance products. Describing herself simply as a ‘farmers wife’ - our chat revealed she’s certainly that - and much, much more. Charlotte’s an Island girl, born and bred, and has only left to live on the mainland for a couple of years, before the coast and the countryside here called her home again.
Episode 8 | Robert Thompson
It’s the final episode of Season 1 of the podcast - and we’ve got a ‘Michelin-starred’ interview for you. Robert Thompson - chef and restaurateur - and now newly-minted Chef Patron at boutique hotel North House in Cowes. Robert has been on the Island since taking over as Head Chef at The Hamborough in Ventnor in 2008, earning a Michelin star for the Island one year later. We chat about his new venture at North House and his award-winning career as a chef.
Behind the Stories
Harriet & Alex
Broadcaster & Producer

A broadcaster and journalist for 15+ years, Island Stories podcast host Harriet Hadfield grew up on the Island and came home in June 2020 with her one-year-old son Jack and black Labrador Maud to live here full-time. She bought her Grandmother’s house on Seaview High Street and has since immersed herself in Island life, including publishing a weekly email newsletter 5-Stories. The difficult personal circumstances of her return and the sanctuary the Isle of Wight provided got her thinking: each and every one of us has an Island story. “I love chatting to everyone I meet on the Island”, she says, “So this podcast just feels like an extension of those conversations.”

Island Stories podcast producer Alex Warren, has lived here since the age of four – he’s a ‘true’ Islander and his love for the Island helped kickstart his career: in his teenage years he started uploading cinematic films to YouTube, showcasing the Isle of Wight’s natural beauty. His content caught the attention of the local press and that exposure helped him build a successful production company specialising in video and photography. Over the years, Alex has worked with a broad range of clients and says: “Having worked on a number of other podcasts it’s great to be a part of one about Island people – shedding a light on their unique stories that most people won’t have heard before.”

 
 
 
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