Isle of Wight To Fly The Flag
Dec 11th, 2008 | By Editor | Isle of Wight News From The Island Pulse
Thanks to the Isle of Wight County Press for bringing us the news: the Island will soon be flying high with our very own county flag.
Would you fly your local colours, or should we stick with the Union Flag and St George Cross? these questions no longer raise any burning issues, as the results now reveal a shortlist of four flags on which the public can vote and will be announced soon, watch this space…
For those not in the loop, the hunt began in early July this year with a competition organised by the IW Flag Committee and the IWCP to find a new flag design that Islanders could identify with.
Chairman of the Flag Committee, Derek Bean, explained:
On the Isle of Wight you will find that a high percentage of Islanders have a flag pole and fly either the Union or St George’s flag.
Through popular demand and with the agreement of the Island Council, we have set up an Island Flag Committee and in conjunction with the Islands County Press newspaper, held a competition to design a flag.
We have received around 100 designs which will be short-listed by judging panel and the short-list published in the paper for Islanders to vote on.
The flag will be launched with suitable celebrations towards the end of January.
The competition to design the Flag was open to all Islanders and after scrutiny by a panel of judges, the shortlist (to be announced) will be opened up for voting through the County Press.
Isle of Wight County Press Editor Alan Marriott said:
“I am delighted the paper is getting involved in this plan. Hopefully we will find commercial partners who will turn the flag into a range of products, which I believe would be a boost to the tourist identity of the Island.”
The Flag Institute, gave its support to the plan, as did Island MP Andrew Turner and the Isle of Wight Council confirmed its own flag is a council flag not a county flag. The Flag Committee comprising Mr Bean, David Green, Henry Wrigley and County Press editor Alan Marriott, are continuing to administer the competition, to unearth the suitable people’s flag for the Island.
History of the Isle of Wight Flag:
The flag of the Isle of Wight (as shown) is taken from the Isle of Wight Arms granted in 1938, the historical seat of many former governors of the island. The blue surrounding field and three gold anchors represent the Island status and maritime history.
As of 2005, the use of the flag was virtually limited to the buildings of local government with the St Georges Cross being used for representation of the island at events such as the International Island Games and the Union Jack also being flown for official purposes, including at the local government building where it is flown on a higher mast to both the flag of the Isle of Wight and the European Union.
Not to be confused with our article Isle of Wight To Fly The Union Flag? of which Paul Sturgess commented July 28th, 2008:
There is talk about a new Isle of Wight flag, but it seems to me that persons involved have over looked the fact that there is already a flag available on the net and has been for some time.
I have myself done some research and have discovered it is NOT any other Isle of Wight.
I have yet not discovered its history, but I do know there are many people who have it and are very proud of its old style. the flag I am talking about is green white green, like the Canadian Flag but without a leaf but of course green instead of red.
