Retail

D.Barker & Son

Sterling Silver bracelet by Ti Sento Milano - £229 40A West Street, Alresford Tel: 01962 732200 | www.dbarkerandson.co.uk

Ragamuffin

The Garden Bugs Cardigan by Frugi Organic - £32 from 0-12 months. 2 Bakehouse Yard, New Alresford, SO24 9AU Tel: 01962 734488 | www.ragamuffin-uk.com

on your highstreet

#shoplocal #supportsmallbusinesses

'A splash of colour'- enticing and eclectic items now available on your highstreet. Stay local and support your diverse retailers!

Alresford Beauty

4 throws in a basket, ideal for outdoor socialising - £79 24A West Street, Alresford, SO24 9AT Tel: 01962 735553 | www.alresfordbeauty.co.uk Fowler & Smith

Find this and other beautiful pieces at our new broadstreet shop and restaurant 32 Broad Street, Alresford Tel: 01962 734778 | www.fowlerandsmith.co.uk

Interior Style

Small Hand Blown white and black bottle - £40.00 29 West Street, Alresford, SO24 9AB Tel: 01962 736311 | www.interiorstyle.biz

Alresford Pet Company

Fish 4 Dogs - Perfect Protein from the sea™ Available from Pup to Senior - 4 West Street, Alresford Tel: 01962 732507 | www.design-realities.co.uk

Andrew Smith & Son

Classic & Contemporary Interiors Sale Wed 26th and 27th May and Monthly Antiques and Interiors Sale 15th May Tel: 01962 735988 | www.andrewsmithandson.com

Alresford Beauty

Shoulder and Shopping Bags with zip top - £12.95 24A West Street, Alresford, SO24 9AT Tel: 01962 735553 | www.alresfordbeauty.co.uk

on your highstreet

#shoplocal #supportsmallbusinesses

'A splash of colour'- enticing and eclectic items now available on your highstreet. Stay local and support your diverse retailers!

House of Gallet

Designer Wear (new & pre-used) - Open Tue Sat 9.30am - 4.30pm - 19 Broad Street, Alresford Tel: 01962 735362 | www.houseofgallet.co.uk The Alresford Gift Shop

Spring Millefiori necklace made in Wales - £25.50 10 West Street, Alresford, SO24 9AT Tel: 01962 732192 | alresfordgiftshop.co.uk

Dramatic reduction in light pollution in Hampshire during lockdown, nationwide Star Count reveals

Dramatic reduction in light pollution in Hampshire during lockdown, nationwide Star Count reveals

• Light pollution levels were much lower at the start of 2021 compared to previous year, finds CPRE, the countryside charity • Launched to mark International Dark Skies Week, CPRE’s annual Star Count shows a 14% drop in severe light pollution in

Hampshire compared to 2020 (nationally, the figure is 10%), and the largest percentage of truly dark skies since 2013 • In Hampshire, 374 star counts were made – a big increase of 280 on last year

A nationwide Star Count conducted in February has revealed a significant drop in light pollution levels across Hampshire and the UK. The annual citizen science project asks people to count the number of stars they see in the Orion constellation.

Nearly 8,000 counts were submitted between 6 and 14 February 2021 (5% of which were in Hampshire), with 51% of people noting ten or fewer stars, indicating severe light pollution. In Hampshire, 47% of star gazers counted ten or less stars. This compares to 61% in Hampshire and nationally during the same period last year. 30 or more stars indicates truly dark skies and were seen by 5% of participants - the highest figure since 2013. In Hampshire, 4% of those taking part enjoyed the sight of truly dark skies – up from 2% last year.

Lockdown is the most likely reason for this change, with reduced human activity resulting in quieter than usual urban areas. Similar patterns have been found with air pollution, which has also dropped across the country. CPRE’s interactive map shows the full set of results of the nation’s star counts.

The results have been launched to mark International Dark Skies Week, run by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDSA), which raises awareness on the impacts of light pollution. Light pollution can negatively affect human health and wildlife by disturbing animals’ natural cycles and behaviours. Badly designed, wasteful light also contributes to climate change and obscures our connection to the universe.

Therefore, CPRE and IDSA want to combat light pollution through strong local and national policies, while also protecting and enhancing existing dark skies. This involves putting the right light in the right places, such as LED lights that only illuminate where we walk and turning off lights in places like office buildings when they’re unoccupied.

CPRE and IDSA hope this fall in people experiencing the most severe light pollution - an unintended but positive consequence of lockdown - continues long after coronavirus restrictions are lifted so more people can experience the wonder of a truly dark sky.

Oakleaf Stationery Ltd

OPENING TIMES Mon-Fri 9am - 5pm Sat 9.30am - 1pm

A comprehensive range of all types of stationery – business and social Supplier of printer cartridges, art and craft materials, party and sewing items and a good selection of childrens stickers, colouring and painting books.

SERVICES WE OFFER...

Photocopying Laminating Document Binding Scan to Email Personalised Printing Agent Transfer to DVD Agent

We are also a UPS Access Point

Visit us at : 56 West Street, Alresford, Hants SO24 9AU 01962 736116 oakleaf.stat56@gmail.com

Citizens Advice Winchester District

Lesley Rose, Advice Services Manager for Citizens Advice Winchester District gives advice on how best to deal with your energy supply issues.

My energy bill really shot up last month. I don’t feel like I’ve been using any more heating or electricity than usual, so I’m worried I’m being overcharged. I’ve tried to contact my energy supplier for support, but no one ever answers the phone. I’ve waited on hold for nearly an hour several times before giving up. What should I do?

It’s normal for your energy bills to change depending on the time of year and how much gas and electricity you’re using. But if your bills seem strangely high, then it’s important to investigate why. Firstly, check your meter is working properly and your usage has definitely not gone up, even accidentally. Also, check what heaters you have and whether you’re using them correctly. Night storage radiators and immersion heaters in particular can cause very high bills if used incorrectly.

Secondly, check to see if your bill is an estimate. If it is, you need to give your supplier a new meter reading. If it’s not an estimate, check your last meter reading to see if it matches the one on your bill. If you still don’t have an answer, then check to see if your supplier has raised their prices.

Customer service varies between suppliers and unfortunately we hear of many bad experiences similar to yours. We also know the problem has worsened during the pandemic. If you’re struggling to get through to them, you could make a formal complaint. There is advice on how to do this on the Citizens Advice website. Citizens Advice also publish a comparison table every three months which rates suppliers’ customer service, based on things like telephone wait time, email response time and the accuracy of their bills. Have a look for yours to see how they fare against others. If they’re low on the list, consider switching to a different one.

For more information about an energy related issues visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply