Winchester Gazette - August 2020

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Winchester CELEBRATING LOCAL LIFE & BUSINESSES LOCAL DIRECTORY Connect with businesses & service providers in your community COMMUNITY NEWS Building work begins on the new visitor experience at Winchester Science Centre REGULAR FEATURES Quirky Facts about Hampshire The Adventures of Daichi

AUG

Welcome to the

August edition of your local Winchester Gazette community magazine.

How are you? Are you managing to get out and about again after a few months indoors? How very odd these times are.

Since many of us have had summer holidays abroad cancelled, are you (like us), looking at the house and garden to see what needs mending, improving or changing? Here in your local Modern Magazine, there are lots of local trades and services to help with all of that. Why not give them a ring to see how they can help you? The advertisers would love to hear from you and don’t forget to mention us.

Sixteen years on and I still love to hear that you are backing up our local trades and services. It is very appreciated and a win win situation all round! Our community thrives on helping each other. Especially in these times. If there are any trades you need and cannot find here please let me know. I may be able to help you.

We do hope things keep improving. We have done a fabulous job, I believe, in keeping as many people as well as possible. It has been team work on a huge scale! If we concentrate on the positive, we will get even more positive results. Stay alert, keep cleaning and we will get through.

Have a great month of August!

Debbie, Stephen and all the Team at the Gazettes

Contact us Debbie: 01264 316499, e: debbie@mlggazettes.co.uk Emma: e: emma@mlggazettes.co.uk Website: www.mlggazettes.co.uk Like us on Facebook: @mlggazettesnews Follow us on Twitter: @mlggazettesnews

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What’s inside...

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Building work begins on the new visitor experience at Winchester Science Centre

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Quirky Facts on Hampshire

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Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust: Taking the sting out of nettles

12 Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance Doctor takes on Everesting cycle challenge 18 The Adventures of Daichi 22 World record SUP attempt 24 On your plot: Hoarding 26 Tim Jackson retires as Principal & Chief Executive of Sparsholt To advertise your business call our sales team on 01264 316499.

Advertisers have the benefit of our free in-house design for their advertisements by a professional artwork and graphics team.

Clients or agencies supplying artwork or images should send JPGs or PDFs, 300 dpi minimum if actual size, or at a higher resolution if smaller than the size required.

COPY DATE FOR NEXT ISSUE 10th August 2020

Our magazines are printed in a factory that is FSC® & ISO 14001 certified. Sustainable and environmentally friendly printing is part of our ethos.

Using vegetable-based inks and recycling nearly 100% of our paper waste means you can be confident that this publication isn’t harming the planet.

MLG Magazines Ltd reserve the right to accept or reject any article or material supplied for publication or to edit such material prior to publication.

The opinions expressed or advice given in this publication are the views of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the publisher.

Every care is taken when compiling this magazine, however we cannot accept liability for misprints or mistakes. Dates and information quoted are believed correct at the time of going to press, but are subject to change and no responsibility can be taken for loss, damage or omission of material due to error.

It is the client’s responsibility to ensure they have permission to use any artwork which they supply to us or request for us to reproduce. Unless prior consent of the publisher is given, no part of this publication is to be reproduced.

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Community News

Building work begins on the new visitor experience at Winchester Science Centre Last month was a big step for Winchester Science Centre as contractors have arrived on site to start the exciting job of constructing the Centre’s brand new visitor experience.

The complete transformation of the entire top floor of the venue includes installing an amazing new exhibition, nature-based experimentation zone and recombobulation room (a quiet room for people who need time away from the hustle and bustle of the centre), as well as refreshed welcome area, café and shop. To mark the occasion we are thrilled to release a new illustration showing the incredible sight visitors will be greeted with when the Centre reopens.

Themed around sound, hearing and vibration, the new exhibition will cover all aspects of STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths). Visitors will take a journey through six different zones covering things like the art, physics and biology of sound where many new and exciting interactive exhibits will bring it all to life. Visitors will be able to get hands-on with a mixture of giant installations, including a huge 10m long interactive guitar and distinctive sonic rocket, and smaller table top exhibits, such as tuning forks and pendulums.

designers Houghton Kneale Design Ltd (HKD), secured full funding at the end of 2019 thanks to a grant from the Biffa Award, a multi-million pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through awarding grants to projects across the UK. Support for the project has also come from Enterprise M3 LEP, Garfield Weston Foundation, Winchester City Council and Hampshire County Council.

The start of work on site truly is a milestone moment as it may never have happened. In March, as the country responded to the pandemic, the Science Centre was closed, and businesses, including the contractor TMP, furloughed staff and shut up shop. Thankfully, the Winchester Science Centre and TMP teams have been doing everything they can to get the project back on track and ready to open in time for October half term.

While the site is under construction, we have decided to remain closed and are working towards a provisional reopening date of Saturday 17 October.

The £1.1m million development, which has been designed by internationally renowned exhibition and narrative

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QUIRKY

BY MICA BALE

As the year begins a new phase of life, Hampshire’s already fascinating history continues to write new chapters. From inspiring the mind of the literary genius who brought Lord of the Rings to millions of avid readers to an interesting connection with William the Conqueror, here’s five more quirky facts that have already been written in the county’s story.

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Did you know that William Gilbert Grace, arguably one of the most important and talented cricket players in history, once played a game in Appleshaw? The cricket legend was not only considered one of the very best players of the sport but was also fundamental in improving the game and applying different rules and even is said to have been one of the wealthiest cricket players despite being classed as an amateur.

Have you seen the statue of King Alfred in Winchester? Also known as Alfred the Great, the king of England played an important role in the early heritage of England and indeed of Hampshire. The statue was well placed in its home at Winchester, however despite the grandeur that is seen today, the structure had less than a kingly entrance. Rumour has it that as the grand pillar upon which King Alfred now stands was in fact placed upside down.

Some with eagle eyes have noticed that the pillar is noticeably wider at the top than at its base, adding belief that the pillar was indeed placed the wrong way.

Nevertheless, King Alfred still stands proud, no doubt fondly overlooking his old home of Winchester.

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KING ALFRED STATUE

As well as being a glorious Tudor mansion and former palace, the Vyne, located in Basingstoke, has a history of welcoming visitors whether they be royal guests or perhaps those with slightly humbler origins. One such visitor was J.R.R Tolkien who is said to have been inspired to write his famous Middle Earth stories by a particular Roman ring that had been uncovered in a field in the county. Tolkien had been welcomed to the house by the then current owner to comment on the find and its interesting inscription which spoke of a curse being put upon a man who had stolen the ring.

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THE VYNE Interestingly, Hampshire played a little-known role in the announcement that World War I had begun. The man who journeyed to the capital to make the memorable announcement was Sir Edward Grey and he had a country retreat at Itchen Abbas used predominantly for fishing. He would frequently visit Hampshire and was, in fact, a keen fisherman himself and even wrote a book on the subject, no doubt inspired by his experiences in Hampshire. It was at Itchen Abbas, in the beginning of August in 1914, that Sir Grey would spend the night prior to going to London to make what would be one of the most important announcements in British history.

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Another interesting snippet from Hampshire’s history comes from Fareham Creek. Aside from being one of the most picturesque areas in the town, it was

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FAREHAM CREEK

also said to have been the very site that William the Conqueror’s army landed and marched onwards to the important Saxon base in Winchester which was of course, then capital of the whole country. Of course the Saxons were noble and experienced warriors who had already endured much threat from invasion however, as the Norman conquest would testify, the rest is history.

Wildlife News 8

Taking the sting out of nettles Thanks to their sting and vigorous growth, stinging nettles are muchmaligned by many gardeners and visitors to the countryside. But it has not always been this way.

Historically, nettles were an important source of food, and they were also put to a great variety of other uses. They were used as an analgesic, an animal feed supplement, dye, cloth, and food wrap for cheese, fish, and meat. Even today you can find nettle listed as a key ingredient on the supermarket shelves on anything from shampoo, to cheese, to beer!

Young nettle tops (picked from early spring to early summer) really are delicious. Steamed or simmered, like any green vegetable, the taste and texture of cooked nettles is similar to spinach and they can be substituted for it in any recipe. Full of vitamins and minerals, particularly iron, nettles are a cheap and readily available “super-food”. True to the old adage, you just need a firm grip (or gloves!) to avoid the stinging hairs when you pick them, and the cooking process will do the rest so you can enjoy their taste and goodness without worrying.

You will need to pick a lot of leaves as, just like spinach, they reduce in volume when cooked. Only pick the young leaves at the top of the plant before it has gone to seed.

Stinging nettles support at least 40 different species of insect, including some of our favourite and familiar butterflies. Peacock, red admiral, small tortoiseshell, comma and painted lady butterflies all have caterpillars whose only, or main, source of food is the nettle.

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These caterpillars, along with the aphids and other insects that feed on nettles, sustain our woodland and garden birds throughout the spring and early summer.

Later in the year, small, seed-eating birds including chaffinches, bullfinches and house sparrows all benefit from the thousands of small seeds that each nettle plant produces. As well as giving these direct benefits to wildlife, nettles can be used by gardeners in the know to make their own nitrogen-rich nettle fertiliser. Simply half fill any watertight container with nettles, top it up with water, give it an occasional stir, and wait!

After a few days it will start “brewing” – try adding some rosemary to offset the offensive smell. After three or four weeks of bubbling, strain off the solids to the compost heap and dilute the remaining liquor at one part nettle fertiliser to ten parts water, and your garden plants will love it!

Find out more about your local wildlife at hiwwt.org.uk.

Alice Ashcroft

@mlggazettesnews

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Let’s talk about GOLD

In my line of work a common question I get asked is “Is now the right time to sell my gold”. Well, to be honest, if I could predict the gold price would I be writing articles in the Gazette? No, I would be driving a Bentley as a successful gold trader in London!

What I do know is that gold is currently trading higher than the past five to eight years. This high price doesn’t just affect the bullion dealers but everyone who owns gold in any form.

A lot of people don’t realise that the gold price directly affects the amount you could get for gold items or Jewellery. Interestingly, gold prices seem to do well when the economy is not at its best, when the economy fixes itself, the gold price does not seem to perform as well.

Many people, including those reading this article, have gold jewellery at home that they will never wear.

Maybe it’s single earrings, tangled chains, or items that are no longer fashionable. These items could be exchanged for cash, and with the gold price being currently high, perhaps it is time to have a clear out of the jewellery box? It is a misconception that people only sell their items when they ‘need the money’. A lot of people sell what they no longer need or use and prefer to benefit from selling when the price of gold is high.

Selling gold items and jewellery is easy. From online companies to traditional Jewellers and Pawnbrokers and even cold callers knocking at your door; there are loads of buyers. Your main aim is to get the best price in the most convenient way.

Using specialist cash for gold companies may seem the easiest route, but research from consumer magazine ‘Which’, found prices offered by these companies compared poorly with that of high street pawnbrokers. Some Pawnbrokers offer postal and collection services, making it easier than ever to use a pawn broker today.

If you decide to use a cash-for-gold company, checking their reputation is critical; online forums or blogs tend to have honest feedback unlike paid advert reviews.

Be sure to get a valuation before sending gold off so you know the price to expect. A high gold price may also bump up the value of precious stones as well as old coins and medals. If you are not sure of the value of your items or whether they are worth selling, we will happily give our view, as will most pawnbrokers and even jewellers, so speak to us before disposing of anything that may be valuable.

Written by

Gary Dennis, Pawnbroker Ewe Cash Andover

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Community News

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance Doctor takes on Everesting cycle challenge for life-saving charity On Sunday 26th July, Doctor Jamie Plumb, a member of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) Critical Care Team, will be swapping rotary wings for bicycle wheels, as he gears up to cycle the height of Mount Everest in a single ride - over 250km - to raise money for the life-saving charity.

Doctor Plumb will be setting off on his Everesting challenge at 5.30am, departing from Northington and Swarraton Village Hall, Alresford, where he will be cycling up and down a 700-metre-high hill continuously, with an elevation gain of 49 metres, a total of 183 times.

Doctor Plumb has been flying on board the Air Ambulance since August 2019, working on the front line as a PreHospital Emergency Medicine Doctor, and as a Consultant Anaesthetist at University Hospital Southampton.

Doctor Plumb comments ‘When two of my young nephews completed very impressive lockdown challenges for charity, I knew I had to get involved myself. It’s going to be an incredibly testing day, but the support from my family and friends, who will be there to cheer me along the way, and the donations I have received, will keep me

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going through those mentally tough times, of which I am sure there will be plenty’.

Doctor Plumb adds ‘Having worked for HIOWAA for almost a year, I have seen first-hand the impact the service has on our community. Our patients and their families rely on us, and I am determined to raise as much money as possible to keep us on the front line, saving lives’.

To support Doctor Plumb on his Everesting challenge, please visit the HIOWAA website: www.hiowaa.org

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SELLING PROPERTY? TIPS FOR A SMOOTH SALE

The world has been turned upside down in recent months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nevertheless, work has continued on exchanging and completing sales and purchases throughout lockdown and particularly once restrictions were eased, where buyers and sellers were able to proceed. Concerns about risks of moving house have subsided somewhat.

Nonetheless, we do hear headlines that there could be local lockdowns going forward or even more widespread lockdown, perhaps later in the year. You may need or want to sell as soon as you can. This may be because you need to down size, change location or have found that your dream home is on the market. In ‘usual times’ transactions can start with a bang but then face hurdles during the process which leads to precious time lost due to lack of pre-market preparation.

On the legal side of things, the best prepared sales are ones where the sellers have worked with their solicitors beforehand to ensure there is nothing in the title which might make a buyer, or their solicitor, hesitate or delay matters with further investigation. Another cause of delay is where there are missing planning and building regulation consents, guarantees or other certificates. The best run sales are the ones where a planning history is complete, and the seller is completely on top of all detail. It also gives the best impression to, not only the buyer, but their solicitor that there is nothing else about the property’s history that has not been disclosed. During the early days of lockdown, there were many articles from leading Estate Agents talking of the ‘pent up demand’ for properties. At the time of writing, the residential property market has become busier and busier and

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there is much momentum to move transactions quickly as well as satisfactorily.

No one has a crystal ball and can tell what will happen going forward, not only in relation to Covid-19 but also our economy and not forgetting the possible impact of Brexit.

You do not want to miss the boat… Issues to iron out before a property is marketed include: • Boundaries Generally eg: Gaps ‘between the boundary of the property and the nearest public highway’.

• Sellers’ worries over what should be disclosed about troublesome neighbours or minor disagreements with them.

• Whether some restrictions in the title about matters such as building, need to be raised at the negotiation stage or not.

• What to do, if anything, where a seller thinks they may have breached a title obligation or restriction.

• What to do if building works carried out without necessary planning permission, building regulation consent or conservation area consents and so on.

While it may be tempting to leave all these things until you have agreed a sale, it is very common for a solicitor acting for a seller, to receive calls at the point of negotiation, either from the seller or the Agents, asking for questions about matters such as listed above so that they can answer buyers’ questions.

This can sometimes cause the negotiations stage to falter which could be avoided, and time saved at the negotiation stage, if any potential issues have been considered well before the crucial negotiation stage. At Godwins, our Residential Property Team would be very happy to take a look at your title and accompanying documents and for a relatively inexpensive fee, we can provide an MOT with suggested solutions where needed.

To find out more, contact Clare Dove clare.dove@godwins-law.co.uk for an initial chat with you prior to you making any decisions about work you would like us to carry out.

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28/01/2020 15:13

Community News

Coronavirus helpline for shielding Hampshire residents declared a success The successful support line, which has helped thousands of frail and shielding Hampshire residents during lockdown and beyond, is scaling back its operations as life starts to return to normal.

From Saturday 1 August, the Hantshelp4vulnerable helpline, a collaboration between Hampshire County Council, the county’s 11 district and borough councils, and local voluntary and community sector partners, will revert to a weekday-only operation.

From this date, the helpline can be contacted on 0333 370 4000 during its new hours of 9am to 5pm weekdays, except Fridays, which are 9am to 4.30pm.

Graham Allen, Hampshire County Council’s Director of Adults’ Health and Care, said: “When lockdown began, we knew that there would potentially be a large number of vulnerable and shielding residents who did not have friends and family locally to support with essential supplies.

“In response, and working closely with our partners, we launched a seven day a week helpline to co-ordinate the delivery of essential provisions, medication collections and befriending

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for the lonely. At its peak, our helpline was making and receiving some 600 calls a day – with over 6,000 referrals for support made since early April.

Four months on, and with life returning to a ‘new normal’ for many, it is time to adapt the service in response to reducing demand.

“It is important to stress that we can increase the service to seven days a week again, should we need to. In the meantime, a huge thanks to everyone who has worked so hard over the course of the past few weeks to get the right support to the those who’ve really needed it – our job is not yet done, but for now, with the advice for those who have been shielding due to change, it is right that we scale our service back, albeit slightly.”

Any local resident who would like to find out more about the help and support available in their local area can go to Connect to Support Hampshire at connecttosupporthampshire.org.uk - a website and app that can be used to support independent living.

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Adventures of Daichi

The Adventures of Daichi For anyone new to these pages, Daichi, The Dashing Dude is our beloved Campervan. He is fun loving and adventurous and passionate about steering us to new places, to take us out as a family, exploring the coast and the countryside. He loves England and drove all the way from Japan to be with us, where he had a new suit fitted including fridge, cupboards, table, bed and a great new roof that lifts perfectly, giving us plenty of headroom inside.

This month he was shaking with excitement. Daichi had heard of the ‘Mummy’s Curse’, so when Stephen’s sister suggested we meet at Beacon Hill and celebrate Grandpa’s Birthday with a walk and a picnic, Daichi (and us) was raring to go. Beacon Hill, near the village of Burghclere and

The grave of the 5th Earl of Carnavon

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Socially distanced group selfie... complete with lockdown hair! overlooking the glorious Highclere Castle, better known as Downton Abbey, houses the grave of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, who died in 1923.

Highclere Castle has belonged to this family since 1679. The 5th Earl, an enthusiastic Egyptologist, is famous for his sponsorship which led to the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings in 1922. Howard Carter exposed the tomb which had lain silent for nearly 3000 years and was adorned with rich Egyptian artifacts. Carnarvon must have been delighted after years of donating, but the story goes that on arriving in Cairo he was fatally bitten by a mosquito, which became infected following a razer cut. Carnarvon died of blood poisoning. Thus started the famous and chilling tale of “The Mummy’s Curse” which has enraptured many a movie since. What do you think? To be fair Howard Carter lived until 1939 and died at the age of 64, but we rather like a good, scary tale. Daichi whole heartedly believes it. He loves those movies too!

Beacon Hill itself is pretty steep. Daichi took one look and gracefully declined, deciding he was better suited to the car park. I was pleased that during the

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Lockdown we had done many a walk around the forest, which meant I was much fitter than usual. Stephen’s sister and father are very keen walkers and Hayden and Stephen are far fitter than me. It is quite a hill. As the weather was dry it meant the ground was good for walking, but I would not recommend this on a wet day. The views are stunning. Glorious rolling hills, trees, blue sky and white / grey folded clouds.

You can’t beat an English panoramic landscape. It inspires the soul. We did stop a couple of times to catch our breath. Looking at the views was indeed a good excuse!

We must have passed Beacon Hill on the A34 hundreds of times and had never thought to stop and look, let alone climb to the top. The hill is 261 metres high. My fit bit watch told me that I had climbed the equivalent of 37 flights of stairs. Not bad for my day’s exercise. The hill is actually the remains of an Iron Age Hill Fort, allegedly built in 1000 BC, housing 2000-3000 people. It is good to stand and imagine what it would have been like all those years ago and what families would have been doing and creating then. How times have changed. Now with all our gadgets,

Daichi does Downton!

Going down was far easier... cars, machines… and then with sickles, pruning hooks, ploughs and iron axes.

It was a pretty violent time too, so maybe there are benefits to our more modern age. All food for thought.

Talking of which, the picnic at the foot of the hill on the two conveniently placed picnic tables, provided wellearned refreshments. Rachel had baked some delicious sausage rolls as well as cupcakes, so we were very well catered for. A harmonious rendition (that maybe a bit generous) of “Happy Birthday” to Grandpa signalled the close of a wonderful walk. Daichi had kept the food perfectly cool in his little fridge… he also looked rather cool and contented with himself as we drove away all smiles. I wonder if there were any ‘Mummies’ lurking in the trees, watching us?

Before driving all the way home, we did stop off at Highclere Castle, also known as Downton Abbey. It was open! That is a trip for another day.

Daichi loves Downton, so there is a good chance he will take us. Will that be next month, or somewhere else?

You will see…

By Debbie Corney

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We are a stockist for Cosyfeet, makers of extra roomy footwear, socks and hosiery. If you have swollen feet or problems finding footwear to fit, we can help you find a suitable and comfortable solution. We hold a range of shoes, slippers and socks at our shop and can place special orders on request.

Daily Living Aids

We hold a mixed range of products to make your day to day living a little easier. We stock household & kitchen solutions, pillows & cushions, helpful products for the bathroom and incontinence care.

Walking Aids

Keeping you active and mobile is priority but should you need a little extra help while out or even within your home, we stock a large range of Classic Canes walking sticks, 3 or 4 wheel indoor/outdoor rollators and walking frames.

Service and Repairs

We can book services for your wheelchair/scooter/powerchair at reasonable prices and if your product requires any repairs or parts, we will let you know the overall cost beforehand. We arrange a day and time suitable to you and even come to your home so there is no waiting around.

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We keep a varied range of 4-6-8mph scooters in stock, from pre-owned to the latest models. Whether it’s a boot scooter, folding or to use solely on the road, our prices suit every budget and we can also offer interest free finance. *These items require a suitability test first and also qualify for a free home assessment

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For the more high end user, we can provide a wide range of indoor/outdoor powered wheelchairs with multiple functions, these will also have prescriptive seating options and cushion/fabric types made especially to fit the customer to ensure it will suit their daily needs perfectly. *These items require a suitability test first and also qualify for a free home assessment

*Wheelchairs

We have a selection of everyday/occasional use wheelchairs at our shop which are lightweight and small enough to fit easily into a car boot and can also carry out assessments for bespoke wheelchairs for heavy continuous use which will be totally tailored to the customers’ requirements. *These items require a suitability test first and also qualify for a free home assessment

*Rise and Recliners

We have demo Rise and Recline chairs in our shop to try for size which can be ordered in with either a single or a dual motor function (the back rest and footrest can be operated separately).

These can be completely made to measure and available in a wide range of fabrics to suit your existing home furniture and personal needs. *These items require a suitability test first and also qualify for a free home assessment

5 Swan Court, East Street, Andover, Hants. SP10 1EZ E: info@dfmobility.co.uk T: 01264

339678

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21

Community News

World Record SUP Paddle Attempt

On the weekend of the 26th July 2020, Jordan Wylie (36) from Blackpool, Lancashire will attempt to be the first person in the world to Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP) around Great Britain, a complete circumnavigation of over 2,000 miles of paddling.

This is a feat that has been attempted previously in recent years, but to date no person has been successful in achieving this highly ambitious endeavour, due to the extreme physical and psychological barriers, combined with the relentless and unpredictable British weather system all year round.

Jordan, who is no stranger to risk or danger, served in the British Army for 10 years, and ran through the 3 most dangerous countries in the world in 2018, which was also the subject of his latest book; Running For My Life. Last year he completed another world first when he rowed across the perilous Bab El Mandeb Straits, the gateway to the pirate infested Gulf of Aden, coined the most dangerous

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stretch of water on the planet.

This year he was scheduled to run marathons in the 10 coldest places on earth but having completed Siberia, Yukon, Alaska and Iceland, his plans came to a grinding hold on his way to the North Pole when the world went into lockdown as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Jordan will return to his polar running challenge in December by heading to Antarctica, however in the meantime he has come up with a new challenge in his mission to inspire young people around the world using the spirit of adventure in his role as the UK’s national ambassador for Army Cadets with The Great British Paddle.

Jordan, who is also one of the stars of Channel 4’s BAFTA nominated and award winning shows Hunted and Celebrity Hunted, is on a mission to inspire young people by building a school for refugees on the Horn of Africa that have been displaced by the conflicts in Yemen and Somalia. He hopes The Great British

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Paddle can contribute towards the £100,000+ he has already raised in the last 12 months to finish the school build which is now well underway.

The Great British Paddle will be supported by an experienced team of world class professionals including world record breaking sailor Alex Alley who will skipper the support boat and act as the overall project manager. Adventure psychologist and polar explorer Paula Reid will head up the onshore team and former military adventurer turned film maker James May will be documenting the official Guinness World Record attempt for the world to share in, as well as local Andover based business Mye Prints and Bear Behind who will be managing a website, social media and press enquiries.

This incredible British expedition has been kindly sponsored by Angel Call Handling, a local Andover based business which is where Jordan resides these days. The company, which is owned by Sarah and Angela, provide

professional business support services and have a reputation for excellence across Hampshire. Jordan stated “to work with Angela and Sarah is a real honour, these lovely ladies and their business have so much passion, positive energy and drive and these are all traits I will need to be successful in The Great British Paddle.”

As well as Angel Call Handling, Jordan’s full time exclusive sponsors, Eton Harris and Chartercross Capital Management based in the UAE will be supporting the project after the COVID-19 pandemic delayed all the plans to head to colder climates throughout 2020. Jordan said “I am super grateful to the team at Eton Harris and Chartercross. They have been like a family to me and the fact I get to work with them every day is a real privilege. They are the reason I am able to visit so many schools, cadet units and youth organisations and share my experiences to help others. I will fly their flag proudly as always.”

There are many other companies and organisations that will be supporting the expedition through kit and equipment suppliers and even a support boat sponsor too. This is a challenge like no other and Jordan will be giving it his best shot as always.

To advertise, please call 01264 316499 or email enquiries@mlggazettes.co.uk

23

Gardening Tips

On Your Plot If all has gone to plan (that’s a big if!) then August should be a very sa sfying month on your plot, with your hard work being repaid by ample harvests of a good range of fruit and veg.

The reality tends to be that the excitement of seeing your crops grow and ripen is ini ally followed by much enjoyment of the first fruits of your labour which can soon be replaced by a panic stricken ‘What the heck do I do with all these’! Certain crops (courge es and tomatoes spring to mind) can almost guarantee this sequence of events!

Sharing with friends and neighbours is great but very o�en they will have a glut of exactly the same thing at just the same me. What is called for are some simple ideas for storing and preserving your produce. It may be a long me before you are harves ng fresh peas or raspberries again but that doesn’t mean that you can’t be enjoying your home grown produce throughout the winter - it just takes a li le planning and now is the me to do it.

Onions (and garlic) that have been li�ed and le� to dry can be plaited and hung in a cool, dry place. Net bags, or ghts, also work if you don’t fancy plai ng. Potatoes can be stored in boxes A good freezer is a real for but making or papersize sacks in a dark, dry boon building you the most of your should check themproduce. regularly,Blanching removingand any then that freezing works for loads show signs of ro翿� ng. of vegetables.

A good size freezer is a real boon for making the most of your produce. Blanching and then It’s hard to remain excited when you’ve had courge e at every meal for a week, and marvellous though raspberries are there is a limit to just how many you can eat at once. Take a bit of me to store your harvest and you can be enjoying home grown right through the winter.

• Water regularly - try to water either in the evening or early mornings.

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Hoarding freezing works for loads of vegetables. Key to success is to cool quickly a�er blanching so have a bowl of cold water at the ready and don’t forget to label what you are freezing!

Another op on, and one that can work well for all those tomatoes, is to find a good recipe that you can cook, freeze and use later (how about a wonderful pasta sauce with your own tomatoes and home grown basil?). Even ‘difficult to freeze’ veg such as courge es can either be incorporated into a sauce, or blanched, frozen and then added to a stew at a later date.

Cooking and freezing can work well for fruit too - apple or rhubarb are good stewed and frozen all ready for use in a crumble or pie. If you have a truly wonderful fruit crop then why not arm yourself with a good recipe book and get started on some jam making? It’ll be delicious on your toast in the morning, and what be er gi� than a pot of homemade raspberry jam?

It’s amazing how many books there are that tell you how to grow your fruit and veg, but how li le informa on there is on just how to store it all! One wonderful li le book, that deals with just this ques on is ‘How to store your garden produce’ by Piers Warren. It’s packed. with informa on about how to store just about anything and a great addi on to any gardeners library.

Happy harvesting!

JOBS FOR AUGUST • If you are growing main crop potatoes, watch out for signs of blight. Brown patches on the tops and edges of leaves are usually a first sign.

• Pinch out the tops of runner bean stems that are outgrowing their supports.

• Sow turnips and oriental salad plants such as Pak Choi and Chinese Cabbage • Strawberry runners that were po ed up in June to produce new plants can be planted out now.

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advertorial

Cloudy2Clear Announce Trusted Trader Partnership Consumer champions Which? have now joined the thousands of customers who recognise that Cloudy2Clear Windows really are a business that you can TRUST. The company which specialises in repairing windows which are steamed up, broken or damaged by replacing the panes – not the frames has received the coveted ‘Which Trusted Trader’ status after going through a rigorous accreditation process entirely focussed on customer service.

Group Managing Director Marcus McGee believes that Which? have endorsed Cloudy2Clear’s long standing

company policy of delivering the highest standards possible at all times. ‘Our service is simple. If your double glazing has misted up we can replace the glass at a fraction of the cost of a new window, in any type of frame, and with a new 25 year guarantee. But it’s not just about saving people money, although that obviously helps. Whilst a number of tradespeople perhaps don’t focus on customer care as much as they should do, we make sure we turn up when we say we will, do the job the customer requires and leave their house as clean as a whistle.

Locally Cloudy2Clear service the Winchester area and

manager Justin Friel agrees that this approach is a major factor in his success. ‘The truth is that it’s not just the personal satisfaction that I get from doing a good job but also it makes good business sense. I get a huge amount of business from friends and family of people I’ve done work for, which just goes to show how much a little bit of effort is appreciated as both my customers and, obviously a body as nationally important as Which? now recognise.’

So, if your windows are steamed up, broken or damaged give Justin a call for a free quotation on 0800 61 21 118 and he’ll be happy to help!

Cloudy2Clear GUARANTEE All Customers That An Average Quote Will Take No Longer Than 20 Mins!!!

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25

Community News

Tim Jackson retires as Principal & Chief Executive of Sparsholt College Group After 22 years as Principal and Chief Executive of Sparsholt College Group, 34 years at Sparsholt College and 38 in Further Education in total Tim Jackson will begin a new stage in his career this summer. Julie Milburn who has been Principal Designate for over a year will take up the Principalship on 1 August.

Tim has been a member of staff at Sparsholt College since 1986 when he was recruited from his previous position teaching agriculture at Warwickshire College of Agriculture to become a tutor and course manager for the Diploma in Agriculture. After progressing to various Management positions, including Head of Faculty and Vice Principal, Tim accepted the position of Principal in 1998 which coincided with a period of considerable course expansion and building projects at the college, with an Outstanding designation being awarded by Ofsted during Tim’s early term of Principalship.

In 2007, Tim spearheaded a merger of Sparsholt College with Andover College. The merger is one of only a very few in Further Education which have been successful over such a sustained period. Tim comments that, whilst agriculture and the huge diversity of other plant and animal science-based subjects are very much his personal interest, one of his proudest achievements has been Tim Jackson

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re-establishing a very high quality Sixth Form and Technical curriculum at Andover College which saw its student enrolments double and the college now going from strength to strength with its very personalised approach and high performing team.

Neil Hopkins, Chair of the Board of Governors, remarks on Tim’s national reputation gained for championing Further Education and, in particular, its land and environmental sector and his commitment to inspiring students from all backgrounds to recognise and achieve their full potential.

Neil says, “I see at close hand just how much time, energy and dedication Tim has put into his role at Sparsholt & Andover. He has a national reputation, far beyond Hampshire, and is rightly seen as one of the foremost leaders of Further Education in this country.

His leadership and his vision for the college have been, quite simply, excellent. Many, many students past and present owe him a great debt.”

During his career, Sparsholt’s campus has seen the expansion of state-of-the-art landbased facilities, including rebuilding much of the college farm which provides applied learning and work place simulation on technically high performing enterprises, the Aquatic Research and Conservation Centre, the Salmonid Rearing and Trials Centre, the Motor Vehicle Engineering Centre, the Sir Mark Todd Rider Performance Studio with Racewood Simulator, the Indoor Rifle Range in addition to a 100m Full Bore Outdoor Rifle Range (opened in 2019) and the Game and Wildlife Centre. A new Technology and Future Skills Centre also opened on the Andover campus in 2016.

Under Tim’s leadership Sparsholt College’s largest course area to date, the Animal

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& Zoo management department, based in the Animal Management Centre, was launched. Tim oversaw the establishment of the country’s first nationally recognised zoo keeping qualification, the Diploma in the Management of Zoo and Aquarium Animals (DMZAA), developed in collaboration with the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), and in 2018 the National Zoo Academy. This legacy continues to grow, with current redevelopment of a £2 million Animal Health and Welfare Research Centre underway on the Sparsholt campus.

Higher Education has been offered at Sparsholt since the late 1970s, and under Tim’s leadership Sparsholt has established itself as one of the top land-based universities in the country, with University Centre Sparsholt recognised for its high quality teaching, specialist links to the industry and level of employability students gain – achieving Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Gold in June 2018 by the Office for Students (OfS).

Tim commented “I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of a college which is comprised of employers and businesses, who are so supportive and my colleagues who I have had the privilege to lead and who, through their dedication, innovation and passion, inspire and support our students to transform their own lives and go directly into great careers or higher study.

Before his career at Sparsholt, Tim’s background as an Applied Biology graduate and work with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food provided a grounding in applied agriculture before training and qualifying with a Post Graduate Certificate to teach in Further Education.

Tim has received many plaudits for his dedication and innovation in land-based education and was presented by Winchester City Council with the Millennium Egg in 2013 in recognition of an outstanding contribution

to the economy of the Winchester District and, most recently, presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Education Award at the Hampshire Education Awards 2019. In 2006, Tim declined to accept an OBE, declaring he did not feel he’d done enough at that time to warrant such recognition.

Alongside his career at Sparsholt College, Tim is also the founding Chairman and now Board member of Landex (Land Based Colleges and Universities Aspiring to Excellence), the Chairman of the Hampshire Principals’ Group and a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies and past President of New Forest Show. Tim has also been a Board member of the EM3 LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership).

Stepping into the role of Principal and Chief Executive of Sparsholt College Group, Julie Milburn has been understudying Tim since 2018. She says: “I have had the privilege of working alongside Tim for the past two years and observed first-hand his outstanding approach to leading such a diverse organisation with great success.”

“His levels of energy and high expectations, set for both staff and students, has been an inspiration to us all and the Senior Leadership Team look forward to maintaining this continuous pursuit for excellence that Tim has embedded within the fabric of this College.”

From everyone at Sparsholt College Group, we wish Tim the best in his next endeavours.

To advertise, please call 01264 316499 or email enquiries@mlggazettes.co.uk

27

Continued support from Hampshire Mobility Services It’s clear that we have all had to make changes to the way we live, travel and interact with each other over the last few months. Adapting to a new normal for the foreseeable future so that we can continue to beat the virus.

From our experience maintaining independence for people with mobility problems is vital. Stairs are often the biggest obstacle faced whilst remaining at home during these difficult and challenging times, Stairlifts can be the answer for many.

Through the many years of engineering and technology advances, stairlifts are far more versatile on even the trickiest of staircases. We strive to provide the best products and advice face-to-face working with experienced stairlift manufactures, customising each lift on an individual basis. We have also adapted our surveying techniques to now include videocall type surveys, still giving a personal quotation based on the user’s needs not just the one brand they sell.

Hampshire Mobility Services are proud to be an independent stairlift company employing trusted experts in producing high quality stairlifts for many years to suit both straight and curved staircases. Our team of

engineers could provide a solution to solve straight stairs the next working day* and ensure some safety when moving up and downstairs.

Over these recent pressing times we have kept the shop open, carried out all the maintenance and installed many stairlifts to relieve the pressure in hospitals and bring clients home, we have safely delivered vital items to those who have shielded or were unable to make a visit to the shop during lockdown.

We are now in a position where we are returning to a more familiar place of work, We’d like to thank all of our supportive customers for maintaining your trust in us, because of this and in return we’d like to offer a summer promotion you or your family find useful.

Every new stairlift installed in August will have the standard 2-year warranty and servicing and we will add a 3rd service free of charge*. All new mobility scooters purchased in August will have 1 year’s free insurance.

We continue to have a wide range of mobility aids, rise and recline chairs, wheelchairs and walking aids on show in the shop, so please come and visit us for advise and guidance.

01794 515602

INFO@HAMPSHIREMOBILITYSERVICES.CO.UK

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To advertise, please call 01264 316499 or email enquiries@mlggazettes.co.uk

29

Index of advertisers

Your quick guide to everyone and everything in your Directory...

Bathrooms Ocean Bathrooms................................. 20 Blinds & Curtains Hampshire Blinds & Curtains................ 29 Building & Landscaping Supplies Sydenhams........................................... 5 Cameras Rocky Rock Cameras............................. 20 Carpenters Input Joinery......................................... 32 Community News Building work begins on the new visitor experience at Winchester Science Centre.................................... 4 Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance Doctor takes on Everesting cycle challenge................. 12 Tim Jackson retires as Principal & Chief Executive of Sparsholt College.... 26 World record SUP attempt.................... 22 Driveways County Block Paving............................. 13 Hampshire Resin Driveways................. 15 Features Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust: Taking the sting out of nettles............. 8 On Your Plot: Hoarding......................... 24 Quirky Facts on Hampshire................... 6 The Adventures of Daichi...................... 18 30

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Garage Doors Fix My Garage Door............................. 28 Garolla.................................................. 13 Skandoor............................................... 9 Garden Services Wayne & Sons...................................... 9 Jewellers David Mellor......................................... 29 Mobility Products & Services DF Mobility........................................... 21 Hampshire Mobility Services................ 28 Pawnbrokers Ewe Cash.............................................. 11 Plumbers No1 PHD............................................... 31 Roofing Services Roof Right............................................. 20 Solicitors CGM Solicitors...................................... 5 Godwins Solicitors................................ 15 Valeters & Detailers Konings Detailing.................................. 17 Windows, Doors & Conservatories Cloudy2Clear Windows......................... 25 GS Windows......................................... 3 @mlggazettesnews

CALL 01962 707183 To advertise, please call 01264 316499 or email enquiries@mlggazettes.co.uk

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Input Joinery - Portrait ad 2015 - outlined.indd 1

04/11/2015 09:18

@mlggazettesnews The www.mlggazettes.co.uk Winchester Gazette • www.mlggazettes.co.uk