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solentlife.co.uk
MAY 2012
WIN
urs’ an ‘afterichkoet to family t life
Marwell Wild
Diamond Days Looking forward to Jubilee Celebrations
ART REVIEWS
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INTERIORS
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GARDENS
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HE ALTH & BE AUT Y
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COMPETITIONS
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W H AT ’ S O N
contents
welcome
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MAY 2012
Forget the wet and windy weather, forget the cutbacks and for a few weeks at least, put thoughts of a double-dip recession on the back burner and open your hearts and minds to a summer of celebrations, fun and achievement and fabulous flypasts. The first big event is of course the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee which will enable friends and neighbours to get together with street parties and cement that strong bond of community. In this month’s Solent Life, we feature the three Cunard Queens that will rekindle the glory days of Southampton as the gateway to the World and who will be joined in their pageant by the Red Arrows. We head down to the South Atlantic for a unique insight into life on the Falkland Islands as we are marking the 30th anniversary of the conflict there and also a ‘day in the life’ on board HMS Protector supporting the British Antarctic Survey. We continue in our build up toward the Olympics and the Portsmouth Air Festival and look towards spending the Summer in the back garden with a garden makeover feature. For the Royal Wedding last year, we visited some 15 wonderful street parties and met hundreds of our readers. If you are organising a Jubilee street party in June, please let us know, we would love to come along and meet you all, join in with your celebrations and take some pictures for our ‘Jubilee Special’ Out and About section. Be happy, stay safe and enjoy this wonderful summer. | MANAGING EDITOR
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in this issue… features 12… Spitbank Fort We visit Clarenco’s exclusive island retreat
28… Portsmouth Air Festival
contactus
The Director of Flying talks about his role
30… A trio of Queens
Solent Life Magazine Tel… 01489 583800 • Fax… 01489 564549 Online… www.solentlife.co.uk • Email… info@solentlife.co.uk WEBB HOUSE, 20 BRIDGE ROAD, PARK GATE, HAMPSHIRE, S031 7GE
The Jubilee meeting of the Three Queens in Southampton
32… A day in the life The first Officer of HMS Protector, the Antarctic survey ship
theteam
38… Life on the Falkland Islands Three decades after the conflict
Editorial
Dave Hill – Managing Editor Tel… 01489 583743 • Email… davehill@solentlife.co.uk David Rose-Massom – Senior Journalist Email… editorial@solentlife.co.uk Fiona Cooke – Contributing Writer Email… fiona@solentlife.co.uk
Advertising Sales Sarah Kent Tel… 01489 584010 Email… sarah@solentlife.co.uk Steve Walker Tel… 01489 584057 Email… steve@solentlife.co.uk
Janet Grimm Tel… 01489 583800 Email… janet@solentlife.co.uk Barbara Smith Tel… 01489 583719 Email… barbara@solentlife.co.uk
Design & Production David Ives-Farren, Joe Parker & Adam Barnard Tel… 01489 583718 Email… design@solentlife.co.uk // Deadline for advertising copy & editorial for next issue: 14th May 2012 Published by Living Coast Media. © Copyright Solent Life 2012. All rights reserved. No part of Solent Life Magazine can be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, either wholly or in part without the prior written permission of the publisher. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure all information is correct, the publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions contained within.
48… A Year in Office Fareham’s Mayor completes his year in service
regulars 06… The Walk
Noah Lake and the Alver Valley
08… Artist Review
Life on the ocean wave
46… Coast and Country The crowning glory of Stansted Park
54… Gardening Garden Makeovers, Green Fingers and Nature
62… What’s On
Reviews and theatre productions coming your way
MAY 2012 •
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01489 574465 | 07745 977960 4…
.co.uk • MAY 2012
OLD BOTTLES coins & medals Purchased
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PHONE GORDON ANYTIME on 01329 662331 OR 07903 237291(M)
RSPCA K9 Kapers Fun Dog Show in aid of the Stubbington Ark Animal Shelter
Saturday 5th May at 11am – 4pm REGISTRATION FROM 10.30am CASTLE FIELD, SOUTHSEA (HEAVY HORSE SHOW)
£1.00 per class
Call 01329 666916 for sponsor form and further details
Stubbington Ark Animal Shelter 174-176 Ranvilles Lane, Fareham, PO14 3EZ Regestered charity 205096 MAY 2012 •
.co.uk …5
solent | walk
soaring, swimming &
singing words & pictures by david rose-massom
Midway around the Alver Valley walk a pair of sturdy wooden benches sat upon a small hill and offered a perfect place to just sit awhile. A cooling breeze took the heat from the spring day sunshine and overhead a glider flew silently and lazily back toward the airfield at Lee-on-the-Solent.
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T
he white aircraft’s wings dipped and it turned to fly behind me and over the roofs of the newish Cherque Farm Estate. Over the trees in front of me, that stretched down through the shallow valley, a pair of buzzards soared and wheeled as a duet; almost as if giving lessons to the human aviator. In the distance the iconic landmark of the Spinnaker Tower could clearly be seen above the treetops. It had not been all quiet and tranquil during the early part of this month’s Solent Life walk; the sharp report of shotguns had echoed across the nature reserve as clay pigeon shooters with salvo after salvo rid the skies of small flying plates. The shoot was being safely held behind fences and high hedgerows with plenty of signage warning of the event, as if the sound of the guns had escaped our attention. The strange thing was that it did not spoil in any way the enjoyment of the walk, if anything the birds sung even louder to overcome the cacophony of the guns. There was one fat bumble bee that buzzed off into the distance, weaving as if evading the rapid fire. But now, on my hilltop, the guns had ceased as the sportsmen headed home for their Sunday lunch. Suddenly there was stillness and quiet and the reserve took on an eerie silence, the birds had also ceased their chattering for the time being. Back to the start of the walk though; it begins across a narrow stretch of scrubland, the largest grassland area in Gosport, where the footpath travels alongside Noah Lake. A tithe map from 1837 of the site named the nine acre field as Noah Field. The lake is reclaimed from quarry digging and also acts as a balancing pond to take flash water from the Cherque Farm Estate. In the midst of its calm waters there are two islands which
are a good nesting site for Coot, Moorhens, Canada Geese as well as Gulls. Often Cormorants can also be seen on the banks of the island drying out their wings. The ancient nursery rhyme claims ‘one for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl’, etc but I have no idea where it goes when around 30 magpies are dancing, squabbling and arguing in one mad black and white melee. It can be a Tittering, Tiding, Gulp, Murder or even a Charm of magpies apparently; whereas it should be a Racket or Commotion of magpies with the noise they make. The rhyme itself has its origins in the superstitions connected with magpies, I still salute a lone one, as they are considered a bird of ill omen in some cultures, and in Britain, and this goes back to at least the early sixteenth century. The rhyme was first noted around 1780. Continuing, the pathway, which is a hardcore surface and would be passable for a wheelchair, or easier walking for the less able-bodied, curves away from the lake and drops down into a marshy area, now dry due to our mild winter, and traversed by a short boardwalk and wooden bridge; a good place to stop for a bit of bird watching as many of the smaller birds seem to congregate down in that dip. A second lake, which I used to enjoy walking around because kingfishers could often be seen sitting on low branches and diving for small fish there, has now been fenced off for the use of an angling club who manage and protect the lake. A little way along the fence there is an opening where walkers can stand and admire the attractive expanse of water, so it has not been hidden totally from view. The pleasure of that opening was heightened when I spotted a Heron on the far shore, almost hidden in the reeds. The pathway continues on to the charmingly named Apple Dumpling Bridge, which we have visited on a previous walk, so I took a diversion up
over the hill which led to those wooden benches. All around me in the stubby growth of grasses, birdsong was heard from hidden birds and suddenly at my feet a beautiful, brown Common Lizard scampered by, far too quick for my camera lens to be aimed, then as I looked down at the lizard, a screech from a woodpecker made me look up again just in time to see one of the green variety as it zipped past in its familiar dipping and rising flight pattern. Why can’t nature just sit still now and again and let me focus my camera? Still, beautiful to watch none the less! Noah Lake and the surrounding nature reserve of the Alver Valley is a wonderful place to walk and to watch wildlife. Roe deer can often be seen, along with foxes and even the odd badger if you are lucky. It is a mixture of grassland, woodland and lake and there is much to be seen and enjoyed on the ground, in the air and on the water. l
The Lee resident’s website www.losra.org.uk/page67.html has details of the flora and fauna that make up this nature reserve. Directions From the M27 take exit 11 and follow the signs to Gosport. Once under the viaduct get into the right hand lane of the A32 and take the fork for Newgate Lane toward Lee-on-the-Solent (B3385). This road eventually becomes Broom Way and at a set of traffic lights by the entrance to the airfield the road turns left onto the Gosport road (B3333) this is alongside the Cherque Farm Estate and the small car park is by the roundabout.
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art | focus
surfsup... words & pictures by david rose-massom
“I love body surfing, my husband is a very keen surfer and my two daughters, six and two years old, have both got their own wet suits and over Easter we are all off on a surfing safari.” Karen Tyler’s inspiration as an artist comes from the sea, the pounding surf and the surfing lifestyle and when viewing her work it is obvious she has a great affinity with that world.
“We
lived in Australia for a long time but when our visas ran out we had to come back,” she continued. “But, much of my inspiration still comes from the photographs I took while we were there.” Sadly for Karen she cannot ride a board like her husband as a childhood illness left her with back and balance problems, but she still bodysurfs. Bodysurfing is the art and sport of riding a wave without the assistance of any buoyant device such as a surfboard or bodyboard. So not only is her art a reflection of her love of the sea and the surrounding lifestyle, but also her form of escapism from the disappointment of not being able to stand up and ride the waves. Before we take our chat with Karen any further, it is important to point out to the uninitiated how tricky it is to record the power of the sea and the waves. As an experienced photographer I have tried for many years to give due justice to this powerful force of nature and still cannot quite achieve it. Karen on the other hand,
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seems to be able to ‘read’ the sea in the same way as we would read the paragraph and page of a book. “I have always been fascinated by the sea, I recall standing on the North Shore of Hawaii and feeling the earth beneath my feet trembling as the waves curled and hit the shore; that sort of power is tremendous inspiration. “It is a complete fascination with a natural phenomenon – my husband has taught me to read the waves and the sea, something he has learned through his surfing, and if I can relay that through my painting it is a wonderful feeling.” While we talked at her Southsea home, her dust covered husband appeared from the loft where he is building Karen a new studio. “It will be magical when it is finished as I will be able to escape into my newly completed studio.” Painting has always been an escape for her. “I used to watch my granddad work; he was a professional graphic artist who also worked in water colours and he really inspired me.
“My love of the sea has also been there for most of my life but it was not until around seven years ago, when I became pregnant, that it gave me the chance to paint for any extended length of time.” Karen explained. “I knew then that what I wanted to paint was the sea and its waves; the nice thing was that I was getting some great feedback from people who saw my work and that encouraged me to move forward with my art. I am lucky in that people seem to like the images I paint, hanging on their walls.” So, how does she get that movement of the sea down onto canvas? “I sit by the sea with my sketchbook and watch as the waves curl into the shoreline, I then reflect that movement with a large brush onto
my page, as the wave curls so does my hand and brush; I follow the movement and sweep of waves; this puts the motion into my painting. Then back in the studio, from photographs, I add the colour, shading and light.” There is so much activity in Karen’s painting of waves, viewers get to follow the wave through its journey. In the bottom corner of the canvas the sea is drawn up into the curl, when it reaches the vortex there is a maelstrom of activity before the sea is thrown out into a pipeline of racing water and light. “The hard part as an artist is knowing when to stop; it is possible to totally overwork a piece and take away the raw energy. When painting the sea it has to look real and carry the power.” There is also a gentle side to Karen’s work as an artist, such as images of peaceful moments at the end of a surfer’s day being reflected by gentle sunsets, calm seas with ebbing tides and iconic camper vans sitting on cliff tops. As a diversion, but only a slight one, Karen is also producing great, fun cushions shaped like stuffed shirts and made from Hawaiian shirt fabric… “I have to be creative all the time or I would just go mad!” she said finally. l Karen Tyler’s work is also on display and for sale at White Dog Gallery, Lee-onthe-Solent and Hiscock Gallery, Southsea.
www.ki-art.co.uk www.boardshark.co.uk/ E-mail at: boardshark@hotmail.co.uk
ART FOCUS SPONSORSHIP HISCOCK GALLERY Our Artist Review is kindly sponsored by HISCOCK GALLERY 11 Stanley Street, Southsea Hampshire, PO5 2DS 023 9282 5330. Creating quality with style www.hiscockgallery.co.uk
HISCOCK TIP Placing a mount around a picture may seem just a matter of course when framing it, but there are many reasons why an image should be framed with a mount. Firstly, it keeps the artwork away from the glass. The hygroscopic quality of glass means that it attracts moisture and therefore placing your image directly onto glass could lead to damage. By positioning a mount you can “choose” which part of the image you wish to frame and also “choose” the size of your artwork - for instance cropping in close to the image. And the mount can “hide” any marks or blemishes too. Mounts should always be acid free ensuring you artwork is cared for and finally any mount will enhance your image, transforming it into a beautifully framed piece.
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KINDERTRANSPORT
An exciting new venture with The Bard in the Barn. A Festival of Shakespeare
OUR COUSIN WILL
Why Shakespeare was here in Titchfield, living, working and his relationship with his benefactor the Earl of Southampton. 23rd - 26th MAY (two shows on Saturday at 5.30pm & 8.30pm)
> 16th – 26th MAY
‘Through our children we live, that is how we cheat death.’ This moving play, inspired by the real life evacuation of Jewish children escaping from the horrors of Nazi Germany is doubtless worth two boxes of tissues. This dark often brooding story is told from the heart with love and poignancy.It is an exceptional piece of theatre… not to be missed.
SEE OUR FULL SPRING & SUMMER LISTINGS…
> THE HISTORY BOYS by Allan Bennett
TITCHFIELD SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL
JULIET AND HER ROMEO The star crossed lovers as you have never seen them. 18th - 28th JULY And much more. For more information www.titchfieldshakespearefestival.com or www.shakespearewozere.com
> 13th – 23rd JUNE
> SMITH 10th – 12th MAY London in 1745, vagrants,thieves, pedlars soldiers, the underbelly of London is alive. Smith, a 12 year old pickpocket finds that one of his ‘actions’ leads him into a sinister and dangerous web of murder,intrigue and betrayal! A classic childrens story fit for adults told by children.
One of the finest plays written by Alan Bennett, packed with superb one liners, a play of depth as well as dazzle, intensley moving as well as thought-provoking and funny. DAILY TELEGRAPH
Shakespeare for Kids. TYT are running a Shakespeare Summer School for children. An exciting 2 week course culminating in a production of Romeo and Juliet For more information contact Julian Sluggett on 01329 556156
why not get a copy of our Theatre Calendar Card to remind you of what’s coming up. Just phone 01329 556156 and we will send you one free of charge.
WHERE: ST MARGARETS ARTS, ST. MARGARETS LANE, TITCHFIELD PO14 4BG. TIME: START AT 7.30PM. MONDAY TO THURSDAY – £9. FRIDAY & SATURDAY – £11. DISCOUNTS: £1 OFF FOR STUDENTS, SENIORS, UNEMPLOYED, PARTIES 4+ £1 PER TICKET DISCOUNT. BOOK 2 SHOWS OR MORE £1 PER TICKET DISCOUNT. SPECIAL RATES FOR SCHOOLS AND PARTIES OF 10+.
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solent | luxury
island of dreams It was built to repel the invasion forces of Napoleon III, it is where the expression ‘a Bolt Hole’ comes from; and now this circular Victorian island fortress with its 15 foot thick wall has truly become a bolt hole, for anyone wanting comfort, pampering and privacy – and a little bit of the WOW factor in their lives… words by david rose-massom The Departure Lounge, a fine prelude to everything that would follow, is akin to an old ocean liner’s lounge but this time it is situated in the converted wharf building at the water’s edge in Gosport’s Royal Clarence Marina. Solent Life had been invited along for a long dreamt of visit out to Spitbank Fort but this was not to be just a fun jaunt out on a boat and a history lesson – it was to be a step into luxury, into an afternoon of pampering in magnificent surroundings and to an experience that just left all of us with a feeling of being spoilt on our own private island; oh, and there was a bit of history as well! First a little piece of modern history. Mike Clare was the owner of a shop selling sofa beds, the first shop of its kind in the UK, and he called that shop Dreams. After many years as a successful businessman he sold, what had become, his chain of stores and decided to fulfil a few dreams of his own. Mike Clare wanted to purchase properties for his friends and
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family to hold private events and his years of dedication to his business had put him in a position to do this; and the property portfolio of Clarenco has become a collection of amazing retreats in spectacular locations. Then three years ago he dreamed of owning a Solent Fort, he now owns three and the first multi-million pound transformation is complete and he should feel very proud of Spitbank Fort, as it has now become an amazing island retreat. Life jackets handed out, safety instructions given, and a nip of Plantation rum to keep out the chill of a spring morning and we climbed aboard a powerful rib for the smooth ride out to the Fort. The boat skipped across the water of Portsmouth Harbour and out into the Solent, all the time over the pointy end of the boat the towering Fort came closer and closer, and higher and higher; it also became more of an imposing edifice. It was as if we were approaching a mystical castle.
For further information www.spitbankfort.com Email: info@spitbankfort.com or telephone: 01494 682 682 For other venues and destinations www.clarenco.com Email info@Clarenco.com
Stepping from boat to gangway was a slightly tricky moment, but the team from the Fort take great care of their charges and clients. From the top of the steps, and before ducking through the Victorian doorway, a moment to take in the first of the views, spectacular was soon to become an overused superlative! The lounge area with its cleverly lit, curved, brick, vaulted ceiling was stunning, a series of cosy areas furnished with historic memorabilia and comfortable furniture and at the far end, over the inset rails of the gun placements was the Laurent-Perrier Champagne bar, the blend of history and luxury defined in that one moment. Our host for the day, Mark, summed it up; “It was built as a fort, and it should remain a fort!” and, that is just what has happened. Rather than remove the history, owner Mike Clare and his team have added their own story to the most obvious of Palmerston’s Follies sitting out in the Solent for all to see. Quiet areas abound in which to sit and play the piano, read a book, or just sit and sip your Champagne as sunlight floods through and onto the antique leather wing armchairs. The eight bedrooms circle the fort, each of them decorated in almost decadent luxury and yet, that feeling of comfort and cosiness remains. Windows offer a magnificent view and on the wide sill are bottles of ‘Spit Water’; which strangely is the only part of France to have got past the walls of these forts. The tasty water is drawn from the Fort’s 400 foot deep artesian well, and
that water has none of the characteristics of local water and, in fact, comes up from the French water-table. At the moment the water is exclusively for the use of Spitbank clients but will soon be on offer at other local establishments. The Fort was built to house some 200 soldiers; it now hosts private parties for 60 guests with accommodation for 16 overnight guests in eight double rooms all with luxurious bathrooms. On the lowest level of the Fort, the historic aspects of this island have been retained and displayed. This is where we visited the ‘Bolt Hole’; something we, in modern times, have used to describe a place of safety, a refuge from danger; but who knew that this expression came from the middle of the Solent. It is a dark, confined tunnel that encircles Spitbank Fort and from where the nuts were removed that fixed the bolts that threaded through the 15 foot thick walls to hold on the exterior armour plating. When damaged the Victorian soldiers would enter the ‘bolt-hole’ and knock the bolts out through the holes – it was the safest place in the fort. As the spring sunshine warmed the day we took the spiral staircases up to the roof areas, where there was a sauna, with impressive views across the Solent and the city beyond, a large hot tub and outdoor areas to just stand or sit and watch the watery world pass by. Standing at the rail, guests look across to the newest of the Solent’s iconic landmarks,
the Spinnaker Tower, and the coastline of Portsmouth and Southsea almost within reach and yet on this fortress island you are far enough away that it cannot touch you. A superb lunch, which measured the quality of food on offer in this island hotel, was served just below the red and white striped lighthouse, in the penthouse lounge area that for views cannot be beaten anywhere on the Solent. As we ate, total strangers became friends, being on an island and being treated as if we were special had that effect of spreading bonhomie. Such was this unique destination that I could write double the amount of words in describing what we saw that day and what we experienced but suffice to say I would soon run out of superlatives, but I would never be able to tell the whole story because there is so much more to Spitbank Fort than its history and its modern place in the Solent as an exclusive, but comfortable and cosy, destination for corporate meetings, for special celebrations, and for a weekend that really does get away from it all. Our one day taster, the things we have to put up with for our Solent Life readers, has left us desiring a revisit or a journey to try out one of Clarenco’s other unique castles, converted monasteries or lodges. One thing is for certain, owner Mike Clare may have sold his original Dreams, but he is now bringing new dreams within the reach of everyone who wants to feel spoilt and pampered. l
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Southwick Brewhouse Older than the Palmerston’s Follys themselves stands the Southwick Brewhouse. In sight of Fort Southwick and just north of Portsdown Hill, it is home to the fantastic local ale of the same name. Whilst deliberately continental in style with its pale wheaty hue and taste, this remarkable blend of home grown malt, hops and famous quality wheat, creates a beer that suggests the spirit of both the land, the sea, a rich historical past and an exciting future. Wholly intact, The Southwick Brewhouse incorporates genuine Victorian know how, including the 170 year old working steam engine and museum, with a vast selection of up to 200 artisan brewed real ales from around the UK and beyond. Surely, something to please most discerning palates. A range of ciders and fruit wines also grace the shelves. To add to the experience of a visit to us, there is the Golden Lion pub next door which sells our Suthwyk Ales and serves some excellent food. The D-Day Map Room at Southwick Park is a must (booking essential ) and the ancient feudal village itself is well worth a stroll around. Brewhouse Opening Times are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday – Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4p.m. on Sundays and most Bank Holidays. For more detailed information see www. southwickbrewhouse.co.uk and maybe sign up for our newsletter. The very best of luck to the Spit Bank and Future Folly Projects.
AWARDED CURRY CHEF OF THE YEAR 2011 - 2012 It is the first award that Chef Kowsar Miah has won, and what a prestigious award to begin with; Curry Chef of the Year. The annual award is presented by one of the UK’s leading curry magazines. Kowser took over as chef from his father, who has successfully been in charge of the kitchens at MOWCHAK TANDOORI sine 1989. His speciality dish, of which he is very proud, is tandoori murgh masallam, which consists of chicken, lamb mince and egg. After receiving his award Chef Miah said he was very happy and that the award ceremony was a most interesting experience as he got to see how the other competitors prepared their dishes.
10% OFF ON PRESENTATION OF THIS VOUCHER (may 2012) OUTSIDE CATERING ALSO AVAILABLE, PLEASE CALL FOR DETAILS
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MAY 2012 •
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Freshly prepared food, a warm welcome and a relaxing atmosphere... The Harvester Port Solent is an ideal place for those seeking genuine value, whether for a family meal, relaxing drink or a bite to eat with friends. With our new Salad & Grill menu, you can enjoy great tasting grills including tender spit-roast chicken, succulent ribs with barbecue sauce, flame-grilled salmon or a grilled combo all with the signature salad bar. Our earlybird menu is also now available all day!
Port Solent Harvester, Portsmouth
15 The Boardwalk, Port Solent, Portsmouth, PO6 4TP
02392 201012 • www.harvester.co.uk
Miners Arms funtley road • fareham
Traditional village pub in the small local community of Funtley offering real ale and good quality food. Full menu available Lunch time & Evenings Live music in the afternoon on Sunday 3rd June
☎ 01329 232065 miners_arms@btconnect.com
wifi available
Famous Fish & Chip Restaurant and Take-Away Mother Kelly’s unique fish & chip restaurant and take-away is open 7 days a week 11.30am - 11pm. ● All fish skinned and boned ● Traditional grilled breakfast served daily 8am-11.30am
221 Southampton Road, Paulsgrove
Tel 023 9221 9149 20 North Street, Emsworth (Take-aways only)
Tel 01243 375859 Coach parties by appointment • Large orders up to 250 portions DELIVERED FREE
BUFFET CAR
EATERY
PAY US A VISIT & MEET UP FREE PARKING WHEEL CHAIR ACCESS DOGS WELCOME Enjoy a leisurely walk alongside the tranquil and unspoilt Fareham Creek and discover one of Fareham’s best kept secrets. Part of the stunning Cams Hall Estate set in acres of parkland, the Buffet Car Eatery is the ideal setting to relax and enjoy the array of home cooked foods. Parking is free and you can enjoy the sunshine with our outdoor patio, or come inside to warm up on cooler days.You can even feed the resident ducks! Open Monday to Friday 7.30am - 3.00pm.
Find us at: Home Farm, Cams Estate, Fareham PO16 8UT
Cars, cars, cars…
and a few celebrations
01329 829611
www. buffet-car.co.uk
featuring local car and bike clubs
Sunday 13th May 10am – 4pm Rain or shine it will be a great day and raise lots of funds to keep this old Brickworks alive! Admission Adults £5, Concessions £4 Family £12 or apply for annual membership now.
bursledonbrickworks.org.uk
01489 576248 16…
.co.uk • MAY 2012
[11]
A32 Sainsbury’s Fareham
M27 A27
BUFFET CAR Cams Hall Estate
• light lunches • Cream Teas • room hire close to Sainsbury’s Fareham
MAY 2012 •
.co.uk …17
charity | focus
care crossroads words by fiona cooke
When you take your wedding vows or have a child, part of the commitment you make is to care for that individual in sickness and in health. We all hope that our relatives will enjoy only the latter, but the reality is that children are sometimes born with a disability and people become ill or suffer accidents which have life-changing consequences.
I
n those cases it is often left to the family to provide care. Shockingly there are six million unpaid carers in the U.K., many of whom do not think of themselves as such, as they are simply doing what needs to be done and looking after a loved one who is disabled either physically or mentally, or sometimes both. The range of care needed is broad, but for many of these carers, their lives are taken over by the needs of the ‘cared for’ and the burden they carry can be immense and at times overwhelming. This is where the charity Crossroads Care comes in. This is a national charity that specialises in offering respite care for these carers. Solent Life spoke to Florence Gallien, the Marketing and Fundraising Manager for the South Central scheme, which has recently started operating in Hampshire. She tells us: “The word respite can be confusing, what we offer is a befriending and sitting service, with personal care. We focus on not only supporting but also enabling the carers to have a break from looking after their relative. Our staff are very well trained, professional and committed and do the work, not for the money but because they care. We work to build a rapport with the cared for by using the same member of staff, rather than different people, every time, and offer a flexible and comprehensive service. So we can take over for a few hours, whole days, nights, in emergencies or even for a week or two to allow the carer to go on holiday.” Florence adds “On average we give 3 or 4 hours care a week. Because we offer such specialised care we give the carers the peace of mind they need to take a break. We step into their shoes and allow them some time for themselves.” Crossroads Care has operated for many years in West Sussex, however they would frequently receive calls from people in Hampshire wanting to use their services, so have now extended their operation. Initially operating in East Hampshire they eventually will cover the whole county. Florence says “As we are just starting up in Hampshire all our clients are self supporting, but we are applying for grants and funding which we are hoping will enable us to offer support to those with reduced means. We are also
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.co.uk • MAY 2012
looking to work with other charities and organisations to try and offer carers different opportunities. The first of these was with Portsmouth Football club in April, who provided 30 tickets for carers and their friends to attend a match at Fratton Park.” The charity also aims to provide ‘Pop Up Clubs’, which are so successful in West Sussex. These are run on a weekly basis for the cared for and provide arts, crafts, games, activities, outings and guest speakers. Again, this allows the carers to have a break whilst giving the cared for the chance to enjoy new activities and meet other people. Surprisingly the charity came into existence because of one of the early soap operas on television. Some of you may remember the programme Crossroads, which was aired in the 1970s. It carried a storyline about a young man called Sandy who became paraplegic and required 24 hour care. In the course of exploring the problems faced by people with disabilities, the challenges faced by the carers were highlighted. Subsequently the programme makers made a donation for a pilot care scheme in Rugby and this grew into what is now a national charity that works with roughly 43,000 individuals and their families. This is what makes Crossroads Care different. The charity was created specifically to support the carers and to allow them to make a life of their own outside caring. They are not profit driven and recognise the burden that carers carry, and exist solely to help take that load, by fitting into family life, and being sensitive to the emotional pressures of caring. Unfortunately many carers do not realise that this help is there, and it can take a crisis before they discover that they could have received some support much sooner. Florence emphasises “We want people to know that we are here. Because we are new to Hampshire many people have not yet heard of us, but we are an established and professional organisation that can offer much needed help and support to Carers. We hope that people will get in touch with us as we can make such a difference to their lives.”●
To contact Crossroads Care South Central: Tel: 02392 892016 Email: admin@crossroadscare-sc.org Web: www.crossroadscare-sc.org
New Falklands Conflict exhibition opens at Submarine Museum To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Falklands Conflict, the Royal Navy Submarine Museum, Gosport in Hampshire has opened a new photographic exhibition - Falklands 30 – War Patrols. The exhibition highlights personal memories of a variety of submariners who served in the submarine fleet that supported the Royal Navy Task Force in 1982. Key events of the last major naval conflict of the 20th century are told from the personal view points of men of the submarine service and one woman, Lynne McClement, wife of Tim McClement, who at the time was second in command on HMS Conqueror, the submarine that sank the Belgranos.
MAY 2012 •
.co.uk …19
solent | business
Southampton family business double in size!
ANDY FINDLAY FROM DYNO ROD AND DAVID FROM CHAMBER COMMUNICATIONS SHAKING HANDS
Andy and Jo Findlay took over the Franchise of Dyno Rod, Southampton in 2011, which was a big step for the family which consisted of husband & wife team Jo and Andy, 3 children and a dog. 11 years after this move the business has doubled in size. “We have worked hard to achieve our success said Jo Findlay, however, it was also in part due to the business securing the contract from Southern Water and also we are one of three suppliers to Wessex Water, this was a huge win for us”
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.co.uk • MAY 2012
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ndy Findlay said “Most people
tend to look at Dyno Rod and think of blocked drains at home but we do so much more. The list is too long to go through in this editorial as we really do such a lot. A typical example would be a restaurant that needs fat grease removal or a business that has a bothersome tree root that needs to be removed, right through to Tanker services such as grease trap and septic tank emptying. All our work is guaranteed and we have recently acquired ISO14001 accreditation which we are very proud of as only 4000 companies in the UK hold it”. Said Andy – “We not only fix emergency problems, which is one reason why we needed a telephone system that could cope with calls, we also have maintenance contracts to fulfil. Because of our expansion we needed a new telephone system and one that was future proof with room to grow and adapt. We had trust issues, following a bad experience with another company in the past which is why we went to the Chamber. As members we trust that they would partner us with a reputable company that we could trust. Chamber Communications working with Peach are able to supply every product from systems to calls/lines, broadband and mobiles on one bill”.
Andy is very pleased that DynoRod now has a future proof system with room to grow. Their VM engineers can leave messages so office staff can deal with more calls during busy times. Instead of office staff trying to call engineers to leave messages, they can email them so they could pick up message on their smart phones. The office has headset compatible handsets, freeing up staff to use both hands to complete their work and provide faster response times. The system will allow divert to mobile and mobile extension which means each engineer’s mobile can become an extension of the system enabling seamless communication between office and on site engineers. l
“WE TRUST THE CHAMBER”
words by kevin whatton
To join the Chamber of Commerce telephone 0844 4990446 or visit our Web site www.hampshirechamber.co.uk
Do you provide unpaid support to a relative, friend or neighbour? We are a charity who provides support to unpaid carers: • Care at home • Befriending and sitting service • Social activities
“Thanks to Crossroads, we can forget we are carers for a few precious hours a week” To find out more, contact Crossroads Care South Central: 02392 892016 admin@crossroadscare-sc.org www.crossroadscare-sc.org Charity Registration No. 1127236
Registered in England No. 0668265 MAY 2012 •
.co.uk …21
travel | feature
tailor-made
adventure words by ambassador travel
At Premier Holidays we have just celebrated our 75th anniversary and have been arranging unforgettable tailor-made holidays around the world for many years. By working together with Ambassador Travel, a leading independent travel agent, we are able to offer some of the most amazing holidays at fantastic prices!
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e negotiate the best rates and added-value extras so you can get great value on your holiday without compromising on quality. Our expert Travel Consultants work together with Ambassador Travel to tailor-make your holiday to perfection. We are not tied to offering set durations or charter flights so you can decide how you travel, how long you stay and what you do while you’re there. We feature accommodation and holidays all over the world so whether it’s an exciting USA city break you’re looking for or a Far Eastern beach retreat we are confident we can find your ideal holiday at a price that suits.
To book your holiday please contact our Lee On Solent branch of Ambassador Travel: E: lee@mytravelambassador.com T: 02392 290480 W: www.ambassadortravel.com
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.co.uk • MAY 2012
See the iconic sights of New York and Vegas, relax on a beach in Thailand after taking a tour of the best bits, embark on a South African Safari, put your feet up in the Maldives or the Caribbean, explore North America’s hidden gems, be amazed by Canada or see the world’s biggest cities in style! If that’s not enough we also offer holidays close to home with the feeling of being miles away; Jersey and Guernsey are just a short flight or ferry ride away and offer amazing value (with no Euro)! Fly direct from Southampton with the Channel Islands experts! Whatever you look for from your holiday, we’re here to make sure it’s nothing short of perfection. Take a look at some of our top offers for travel this year or contact Ambassador Travel to start tailor-making your next adventure. The opportunities are endless l
meet the ambassador travel team:
Chris Dewey Manager
Catherine Wassell Assistant Manager
Karen Fisher Senior Travel Consultant
MAY 2012 •
.co.uk …23
photography April’s winner… paul stone
indoor
portraits words by John Dallimore
Arguably not the time to be indoors with summer upon us but with the increased light levels, this can be a good time to experiment with natural light. Shooting with natural light will also help avoid the harsh shadows caused by flashguns. Point and shoot digital cameras can get some great images but as always, a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex or one with an interchangeable lens) gives you the benefit of more control. When using a modern digital compact camera, it may well have ‘scene’ modes in the menu. Within this mode there is usually a portrait setting which is normally depicted by a head-wearing-hat symbol. This mode can also be found on a lot of DSLR cameras. When posing your subject, keep an eye out for distracting background objects such as light switches or picture frames. Planning and thinking about a shot will often enhance the result. Think about the position and height of your subjects, and whether or not you wish to include the sofa or coffee table in the shot! In Fig. 1 & 2, I used a kitchen stool to help level the head-heights. Both shots were taken against a plain wall with a sofa against the wall (which I avoided FIG 2
.co.uk • MAY 2012
competition
2013
24…
If you would like to learn more about aspects in photography we run photographic tutorials in the Fareham branch of London Camera Exchange. Please contact us on 01329 236441 for details. Mention Solent Life and this article to receive a discount on our Tutorials.
PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION SPONSORSHIP Our Calendar competition is kindly sponsored by the LONDON CAMERA EXCHANGE FAREHAM & NIKON 135 West Street, Fareham. T: 01329 236441. E: fareham@lcegroup.co.uk
FIG 3
photo
FIG 1
getting in the frame). They were both taken on a compact camera in portrait mode. I hope that this highlights the fact that compacts can return good results with minimal planning. The DSLR user can benefit from finer control over depth of field (this is the distance of sharpness in front of and behind the subject. If you look at Fig. 3, the background is completely blurred. This is because I used a large aperture (Image taken on a Nikon D200 + 50mm f/ 1.4 - at f/ 2, 1/160th sec, ISO 800 and f2.2, 1/200th sec). When using a wide aperture, be aware of where the camera is focussing. For an engaging portrait of people or animals, try to get eye-contact and focus on the iris. Fig.4 and 5 shows how the colour balance can be affected when using artificial light. Daylight and flash both give a relatively natural colour balance when compared with light-bulbs or fluorescent lighting. I personally like the warmtone effect created by artificial light. Reflectors are a useful tool for bouncing light back into the darker areas of a picture
(eye sockets and under the chin are good examples). Starting at around £15.00 they provide a versatile bounce card with up to 5 different colours from gold to silver. These different colours will change the quality of light. For example, silver can give a harsh reflection, whereas gold lends a warm or golden hue to your subject. The great thing is that they can enhance most photos and are a relatively inexpensive way to improve your shots. There is a lot more to indoor portraiture but experimentation is the key to getting good results. When shooting portraits, keep it light hearted but plan your composition and think about your lighting. l
THE RULES: All images must be taken by the named photographer and the photographer should not be a professional (eg earning the bulk of their income from photography). Images should be ‘landscape’ in format, saved as Jpegs and named for their location. Images should then be sent via email as high resolution and accompanied clearly with name, address and a contact number. The judges decision each month and for Photographer of the Year is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Send your entries to calendarcompetition@solentlife.co.uk DON’T FORGET THAT THIS YEAR we have an extra prize of The Young Photographer of the Year. Our thanks for the continued sponsorship from the London Camera Exchange, Fareham branch.
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MAY 2012 •
.co.uk …25
road | test
above
class
Over the past months in Solent Life, we have tested a good variety of cars and each one driven is usually the latest generation in the evolution of the model. With each evolution, with each new model, I am astounded by the relentless march of innovation and improvement that manufacturers find and year on year, everything we touch, seems to take another step further in terms of comfort, economy and performance.
T
words by dave hill & janet grimm his is true of the very latest BMW 3
series; the sixth generation of 3 series since its introduction in 1975. I think I am right in stating that from the previous version there is no new radical individual feature, but more like a thousand smaller improvements – the sum of which makes a significant difference. We tested the latest 320d Sport, not hugely different at first glance, but really you need to drive it to understand what this car has to offer. Minor styling revisions such as rear light clusters and various trim variations don’t immediately jump at you; the fact that the car is a few inches longer and a little wider would also probably go unnoticed at first glance. However, the benefit of these dimensional changes manifest themselves as additional head and knee space for rear passengers and a larger boot space – and quite a generous space it is too. The first striking feature is the front sports seats; not only deep and comfortable but the seat squab length is also moveable to provide full support right to the back of your knees. In addition to all of the usual seat adjustments, the lateral supports can be optimised for both comfort and effective control of side to side movement. So, when you slide into the driver’s seat, you do feel part of the car, difficult to explain – but you are not just a passenger or accessory – you do feel that it has been built around you and this is quite satisfying. Every part of your body in the seat is supported and comfortable. This is as good a seat as I have ever driven in and would love the opportunity to try it on a long journey of several hundred miles to see if it really is as comfortable as it seems. Having said all that, I have only got as far as the front seats and there is so much more; so what next – how about suspension? My favourite key feature to make or break a car and this suspension is excellent; firm without being hard, handling performance is really nice with very little body roll. Steering is precise with reasonable feedback and when driven with those sports seats, one does feel very confident about the cars manoeuvring capability; it is entirely without drama. For those interested in the technical bits, the engine is a two
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litre four cylinder diesel with BMW Twinpower technology which produces 184bhp and 380Nm of torque. The consequence of that is a 0-62 time of 7.5 seconds, a top speed of 146 mph and a claimed combined fuel consumption of 61.4 mpg. Who remembers past days of motoring when they had an original Mini Cooper S or a Cortina GT, with claims to have impressed everybody; so stunning was its performance – and yet they were scary (if not dangerous) to drive quickly, and in reality achieved half of this performance at best and barely returned 30 mpg – haven’t things moved on? And, we refer to them as ‘the good old days’ – yeah right! There really is too much in this car to talk about each and every feature. There are so many more options available to enhance every element of its technology, performance, driver aids – it goes on and on. The brochure makes interesting reading and is a technocrats dream (or is that a technophobes nightmare). However, the basic car is extremely good, it is hugely comfortable, it has excellent handling and performance characteristics; these lists of options just allow you to add a selection of features that will customise it exactly to fit your desires. I have sadly noted with a previous BMW that perhaps its perfection in the way that it delivers everything makes it, well, a little clinical – without character or personality. This model though is totally different; the fact that you feel part of it now makes you relish that perfection in delivery. l
HIS VERDICT Has BMW thrown down the gauntlet again to provide the class standard? You betcha! It’s right up there; try it, you will see for yourself.
S
hortly after completing this
month’s test drive my family and I set off for a holiday in Scotland. At the best part of 500 miles, it is a lengthy drive and although our own car is a comfortable German model I found myself longing for the BMW 320d. How I coveted those incredibly comfortable, supportive, soft leather seats that Dave has already enthused about. Most of all I longed for the fantastic fuel economy delivered by this luxurious car. I think my bank manager might well have appreciated less frequent stops at service stations along the M6 too! The BMW 320d is not a cheap car to purchase, and the friendly sales team at Scotthall Hampshire will do nothing to try and convince you that it is; but when you climb inside the tastefully styled, refined saloon it feels expensive and well built. The value in the BMW comes from living with it every day. The fuel consumption is excellent, emissions technology means that road tax is low and servicing costs are excellent value for money also. So the initial purchase price is not the whole story, when taken as a complete driving package the BMW 320d proves to be a great value car to live with. At your fingertips you have everything
you need to ensure that driving this car is an easy and pleasurable experience. Our test model was finished in a lovely rich red colour and made a bright change from the popular but rather drab colours so prevalent in the new car showroom. I particularly like the fact that you sit right down inside this car, it feels solid and secure and unlike so many modern cars the view through the windscreen is of the bonnet stretching away – lovely. Like many of the cars we have driven recently the 320d has several different driving modes. I felt that the engine lacked the torque I expected from a diesel engine when driven in the economy mode but that is a small price to pay for the fuel economy, and every mile per gallon saved is displayed clearly on the dashboard, especially as diesel prices hit an all time high. In the other modes the BMW delivers as much performance as you could possibly desire – whatever your driving style. I wondered if I would just leave the car in one mode if I drove it every day but I believe that the difference in performance and ease of selection would ensure that any driver would use the modes to sometimes enjoy maximum performance or the efficiency options with ease. The saloon model we tested was really spacious and the boot was plenty big
enough for holiday luggage. An estate version would be perfect for my family with plenty of room for the children and the dogs, Bear and Amber. The seats are just so comfortable for driver and passengers; it has great performance, and great fuel economy. I would love to return to beautiful Scotland very soon and when I do I’d like to make that journey in this car. l
HER VERDICT A fantastic all rounder perfect for everyday family driving and longer trips too.
The car tested was a… BMW 320d Sport. OTR price £29,080 and was kindly provided to us by Scotthall Hampshire For more information: Scotthall, Chestnut Avenue, Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, SO53 3YU 023 8068 9800 www.scotthallhampshirebmw.co.uk
MAY 2012 •
.co.uk …27
air | show
plane sailing EVENT PARTNER
portsmouthairfestival.co.uk
It takes a certain kind of experience to have the confidence to take control of the pilots and aircraft in the flying displays of an Air Festival; that is why Portsmouth’s inaugural flying extravaganza has been put in the hands of Commander Ric Fox OBE RN, a Fleet Air Arm helicopter pilot of 32 years standing… words by david rose-massom
W
For more information on the work of the Royal Navy & Royal Marine Charity please visit the website www.rnrmc.org.uk
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.co.uk • MAY 2012
hen the first aircraft flies low over the Solent to signal the beginning of the Portsmouth Air Festival, in front of the crowds lining the shore at Southsea, the amiable and smiling Ric Fox will have retired from Navy flying. “I am a helicopter pilot by trade, with a long background in rotary flying with the Navy’s Fleet Air Arm,” he told Solent Life. “I began in 1978 flying Westland Wessex HU.5s in the Falklands; I have flown Wasps off the back of ships, flown Sea Kings and learned to do things the Navy way – such as flying from the back of ships in the middle of the night; not easy!” He is back on flying duty at the moment after several desk jobs, including Commander (Air) at Yeovilton. “It is that posting which qualifies me to organise the flying displays at the Portsmouth Air Festival,” Ric continued. “That and 32 years experience of flying. “Air shows are well constrained by appropriate rules and regulations so we have to conform to ensure the safety of crowds and participants, these conditions apply to all air shows. The risk assessments are taken from previous air shows and born from experience so for us it is a relatively straight forward affair.” The planning for this year’s show is still a work in progress, but everyone involved is working to one end – a great and successful show. “Because there will always be sailing traffic on the busy Solent, despite having a clearly marked no-go zone for the displays, we will probably lift
the minimum flying heights. The planning from all parties is still in progress and will probably go on right up until the day itself. “The whole event also has to be organised in conjunction with all the rescue services,” Ric continued to explain in a clear and confident manner. “We have to take on board other happenings within the overall festival; there is a great deal more to control and support other than the flying, and as an organisation we have to ensure everyone’s safety at all times, so it is vital we work closely with the police and other emergency services.” It seems that there are many differing bodies Ric and his team will have to deal with. “Of course, we must liaise with the Civil Aviation Authorities (CAA) to get the airspace, and they are being very helpful and very pro-active. My experience to date is that everyone is being supportive and on-side from the beginning to ensure the Festival is a safe and successful event. The other important thing for a festival being run over the sea is working with the Harbour Master, especially because of ferry movements across this busy stretch of water.” Once everything has been organised who looks at the aircraft and pilots? “All pilots and aircraft get scrutinised by a committee of experts who look at their paperwork, their planned routines etc and that committee works under me. As the Director of Flying I have total control over the displays and I call in the experts that are needed around me.”
I am an aviator; its part of my blood. Flying, even after all these years, gives me a thrill and I will always want to fly.
Ric explained that his centre of operations during the day of the Festival will be at Southsea Castle because of the superb views from the structure. “It has yet to be confirmed but it does look as if it is the best vantage point for us.” He said. As Commander (Air) at the Royal Navy Air Station at Yeovilton Ric is very familiar with the role of Air Display Director and he is also used to being in charge and under pressure. He was former Chief of Staff at the Commando Helicopter Force and involved in the withdrawal of the Force from Iraq and its re-deployment to Afghanistan and other front-line operations. In the 2010 New Year’s Honours List he was awarded an OBE for his outstanding achievements. With many of the displays still to be confirmed, Ric and his crew have a job that will keep them busy; but has he any real fears for the event and what would be his ideal event? “The biggest fear of course is the weather, we will have liaison with Southampton Air Traffic Control who will keep us advised but mostly it will be down to visibility and cloud height and there is a minimum weather window within which we can work,” he
explained. “The best scenario will be to get through the weekend with everyone having a good day and it all being safely achieved – it is what we are all doing it for!” So why is Ric doing this? “I am an aviator; its part of my blood. Flying, even after all these years, gives me a thrill and I will always want to fly. I am an instructor now teaching other young men to fly and I still get that thrill, you never stop learning and when flying there is always something different happening – it is a 3-dimensional thing. With driving you only have the two dimensions; with flying you get all three. Why am I doing this for the Portsmouth Air Festival? Simple, because they are partly doing it in aid of the Royal Navy & Royal Marine Charity.” SOLENT LIFE would very much like to thank Cmdr Fox for coming to Portsmouth and breaking a hectic schedule to talk to us.
PORTSMOUTH AIR FESTIVAL 18th August 2012 For the latest news go to www.portsmouthairfestival.co.uk
MAY 2012 •
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solent | history
a trio of
Queens words by david rose-massom
With all three Queens in the Cunard fleet about to sail through the Solent together and into Southampton water, accompanied by a display from the Red Arrows, it is a time to reflect on the links between our long-serving monarch and the great and iconic cruise ships.
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A
s Princess Elizabeth
ascended to the throne in 1952 it was a time of change for cruise liners. During the war years the Queens carried over two million servicemen and Churchill estimated that the two Queens in the Cunard fleet, the Queen Elizabeth (named after the Queen Mother) and the Queen Mary, helped to shorten the Second World War by at least a year due to the large troop-carrying capacities. Following the war Cunard battled to regain its position as the largest Atlantic passenger line and by the mid 1950s; it was operating twelve ships to the United States and Canada but toward the end of that decade transatlantic passenger ships were again in decline and becoming increasingly unprofitable because of the growing popularity of air travel. The Queen has had links with the famous shipping company for much of her life and she is the only person to have attended the naming of all three Cunard ‘Elizabeths’, beginning in 1938, when she was just 12, with the original Queen Elizabeth, then 1967 when she launched Queen Elizabeth 2 and finally in 2010 when she named the newest of the ships to carry her name, Queen Elizabeth.
Now in celebration of her Diamond Jubilee the three current ‘royal’ liners will be sailing in together for the first time and it promises to be the most spectacular event outside of London. The Cunard fleet of the Queen Mary II, the Queen Victoria and, of course, the Queen Elizabeth would have brought excitement enough to the Solent and Southampton Water with crowds of onlookers guaranteed to be lining the shores, but Cunard have now announced that the world-famous Red Arrows will be an extra highlight of that Three Queens Diamond Jubilee Event by performing their first-ever display over Southampton. It will be a fitting finale to the celebrations of the extended bank holiday weekend when all three ships of the Cunard fleet sail through the Solent in formation soon after first light on the morning of 5th June, sailing in single file, with a flotilla of small boats expected to welcome them in. Southampton is, of course, Cunard’s homeport and the skyward part of the displays will be focused above the Marchwood area of the City’s docks. The Red Arrows part of the display will begin around six o’clock in the evening. As Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria tie up at their berths, Queen Mary 2 will follow on, turning in the upper swinging-ground and then passing each ship in turn, with
crews lining the foredeck of all three vessels, and the ships’ whistles sounding in salute of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee. As darkness falls, the celebrations will culminate in an evening spectacular where all three ships will be brought within close proximity of each other, and a fusillade of fireworks and special effects will light up the evening sky beyond them. Queen Mary 2 will then lead Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, in single file out of the Solent as the three ships set out on their celebratory Diamond Jubilee voyages. Mayflower Park will provide the best vantage point for those interested in seeing the arrival of the fleet, the fireworks, and the departure of Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria. For the Red Arrows display, Hythe Marina and Town Quay will also offer good viewing. With the Queen’s lifetime of links to Cunard it seems to be a fitting way of celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of her ascension to the throne and offers the people of the Solent Life area an amazing opportunity to share in that celebration. For many of course it will also bring back those glory days of the ocean liners when Southampton Water and the Solent would truly be the Gateway to the World as liners almost queued to get into the busy passenger terminals of the docks. l
MAY 2012 •
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day in the life
numbers all about the
º
words by Commander Don Mackinnon
Minus 5, minus 15 and 8… it’s the numbers that stick in your head. It’s 7.45am on a cold morning in Antarctica and a bright red ship stands out in stark contrast against the brilliant white vista. HMS Protector’s Command team are beginning the morning brief for today’s operations… and as usual, its the numbers that stick in your head; outside air temperature minus 5 degrees centigrade, with wind chill, minus 15 degrees centigrade; and the all important one, 8, the maximum number of minutes someone is likely to survive in the water… in Antarctica, these numbers rule the day. Commander Don Mackinnon Royal Navy Executive Officer HMS PROTECTOR
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H
MS Protector is the Royal Navy’s Ice Patrol ship. Her role is three-fold: providing a UK presence to support the Antarctic Treaty; supporting the British Antarctic Survey (BAS); and finally conducting hydrographic survey and oceanographic research. Today is day 21 of a four-week patrol. The ice concentration is moderate and the ship is threading its way through drift ice to land a small scientific team ashore. With one of Protector’s three qualified, Royal Navy ‘ice pilots’ on the bridge, the ship glides through the water at a modest 5 knots, or around 6.5mph. Where a path, or lead, through the ice is not apparent, the ice pilot needs to assess the thickness of the ice and whether or not the ship can ‘break’ its way through. Coming to a decision the pilot steers the ship towards what appears to be the thinnest section, carefully gauging the underwater ‘foot’ of the icebergs around, allowing him to see, through the clear water, how thick the ice below the surface is.
As we close, the view of the ice shelf disappears as it passes under the bow, and the bridge team wait for the, hopefully gentle, impact and the expected splintering of the ice; but it does not come. Instead there is heavy vibration and the ship rises onto the ice sheet, accompanied by a groaning from the hull and the whole ship slides to one side before coming to a halt…the ice is thicker than expected and it has defeated the ship’s first attempt. The ice pilot backs the ship off into the open water astern, noting as he does that ice is already closing in behind the ship. Here, ice is constantly moving so if the ship stops it quickly begins to coalesce around the stationary hull…in the ice, perpetual motion and momentum is everything; even in the 21st century a modern icebreaker can become beset in the ice. So, having backed off, the ice pilot quickly adjusts the angle of the bow to aim for a slightly more promising lead and applies forward power, as Protector literally ‘takes a run’ at the ice. Impact! The ship physically rises up again onto the ice shelf…for a moment nothing happens, everyone waits…then the reassuring crack and splintering noises of ice breaking under the weight of the bow, the ship drops down, surges ahead…and we are through. Ice breaking takes the rest of the day; in a long twelve hours the ship has covered just forty miles. It has been a day of intense concentration on the bridge as even a single misplaced approach or unexpectedly thick ‘bergy bit’ or ‘growler’ – small free floating ice – could damage the ice-strengthened hull if hit too fast or at the wrong angle. But of course the rest of the ship has been busy too; naval chefs have prepared lunch and then dinner for 80; sailors have been shovelling snow off the deck, and the never ending routine business of administration, maintenance, cleaning, and training goes on. By the time we approach the landing site that evening, logisticians have completed a monthly muster of provisions, the fire party have put out a ‘practice’ fire, engineers have finished an overhaul on a generator, and the doctor has given a lecture on how to deal with a casualty recovered from the freezing water. Routine business…but now it is time to put the team ashore before the light fades and temperatures fall further in the evening. You might be surprised just how much equipment a team of four needs for just four days…over a metric tonne and a
half. But in Antarctica, everything must be taken ashore with you, and nothing must be left behind…the unofficial motto here is ‘…leave nothing behind but footprints.’ So the team need food, a shelter, toilet facilities, water, medical supplies, scientific equipment, rescue and emergency equipment and of course personal gear… a weekend camping expedition this is not! The first task is launching a small boat, with some of the ship’s Royal Navy surveyors on board, to assess the approach to the beach and choose a landing site. Having sent this boat on its way Protector’s deck team now turn their attention to the far larger work boat that will take the scientific team, and all their equipment, ashore. Lifting this boat from its position on the deck with the main crane is a complex, but often practiced, task and is quickly achieved. With the boat in the water alongside, the crane is unhooked and returns above the deck to lift stores into the boat. The final task is the embarkation of the landing party, down the ship’s side by ladder, into the boat. This has all taken an hour by now and the last of the light is beginning to fade. Time is getting tight, but with the beach survey complete, and a landing site chosen, both boats head off into the twilight to set up camp ashore. An hour later it is now dark; lights bathe the ship in a halo of artificial light as we await the return of both boats. By radio the BAS team, together with our own Royal Marine cold weather experts in support; have reported they are safe and well. In the gloom, picking a way through the drift ice surrounding
the ship, the spotlight of the workboat becomes visible and before long the boats and crews are all safely back on board. It is time for the Command team to discuss the intention for overnight. The weather forecast is not good so the decision is made to stay close to the landing site in case the weather turns for the worst. Decision made, the team stand down for a late dinner and the overnight watch keepers take the burden around the ship, as everyone else settles down for a little relaxation in a couple of hours before bed; a DVD, a game of cards, or for some, a good book. Although the ship never truly ‘sleeps’, the core working day is over… until tomorrow, and tomorrow’s numbers… because it’s the numbers that stick in your head, and tomorrow’s numbers might be quite different. l
HMS Protector is still down among the ice packs and Solent Life would like to thank Commander Mackinnon and the Royal Navy for their help with this feature.
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solent | education
field of dreams words by david rose-massom
Sparsholt may have more than a century of teaching and learning in its history but Tim is a firm believer that excellence is still available in a contemporary context. “I think there is a sense of continuity in the experiences being delivered to the learner but now we put it into place on a contemporary basis. Even a few years ago it would not have been possible to send students off to work on their course in Scotland or Ireland say, but such is the way the courses here are designed olent Life recently spoke to today, that students can go where they can best the Principal of Sparsholt College, learn and we can support that learning outside of the Tim Jackson. “Inevitably you have college confines. We can deliver learning to suit the to liken the college to a business current lifestyles. with a £30m annual turnover, and “We have a superb National Aquatic Centre here at every cost centre and investment is Sparsholt, but a few years ago it was Guernsey cows accountable as we have no local authority grazing in a field on that same site. The species may to fall back on – we can go bust if we get it have changed and the technology that supports it but wrong!” he explained. it is still about the student’s learning experience and that Tim Jackson is an instantly likeable man is always top of the agenda.” with a wealth of experience. “I took over as Tim talks of the series of leisure based programmes to Principal in 1998 but I had been a course attract and involve the community with things such as tutor in agriculture since 1986. Then of artisan food production of meat and sausages for course we also took over what was known example, or dog agility as well as a host of other things as Cricklade College in 2007 and that is to serve that community that he feels so involved in, but now Andover College and very much part of the the true pride during his tenure as Principal comes from college organisation. the reinvestment. “With the careful management and “Sparsholt has two personas if you like; it is a specialised the reinvestment into the facilities here over the years further education college with a local and national it is something I am particularly proud of with my reputation for excellence, but we are also a specialist contribution.” higher education supplier in applied science of land, There is still much to do and with Tim at the helm, both environment and sustainable resource management.” Sparsholt and Andover College can only go from Tim went on to explain that much of what he achieves is strength to strength. As we spoke, the first passion successful because of delegation; to that end his staff all seemed to return to what the college is best known for worked together to come up with a core belief of what – its agriculture and horticulture. “There is a real shortage the college was about. “The staff came up with eight of agricultural workers and there are more jobs out there words that summed up what we are doing here and than we can produce students. There is a belief that the what we needed to believe in; they are: Excellence, industry is a poorly paid one but a Head Herdsman can Passion, Teamwork, Integrity, Innovation, earn upward of £30,000 per annum and have a cottage Sustainability, Supportiveness and finally, Value of and vehicle thrown in – agriculture can be well paid and Others.” Tim explained, “We also spent a long time yet we cannot keep up with the demand for an ensuring we understood those beliefs and making sure educated and experienced workforce. we put them into practice. “As a college we are comparable to any university with “Beliefs should form the way we do things around here the diversity of courses and our core purpose is always and we need the consistency of those beliefs. It is like to inspire learners to achieve their full potential.” holding a mirror up to ourselves whether we are Tim concluded. l students or professionals. That way the students develop the soft skills needed in the workplace and that is something that employers value,” he added. www.sparsholt.ac.uk
Sparsholt College Hampshire has been established for over 100 years, and has a very wide expertise and experience in the land-based sector. Over the years, the breadth and diversity of the subjects have widened, student numbers have grown significantly and the College has evolved into one of the largest land-based colleges in the country. In addition, Sparsholt College Hampshire merged with Andover College in August 2007, providing students and the regional community with an even greater range of subjects.
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There’s still time to apply for a course at Fareham College. With exams fast approaching, many school students may be worried that they haven’t applied for a college place. If you’re thinking about the next step of your education, then find out what Fareham College has to offer. If you’re academic and want to go to university, but are unsure of what direction you want to go in, then A-levels are a good choice. You can study 3-4 at a time and choose something new that you haven’t done at school. These are taught in our purpose-built Sixth Form Centre with its own Study Centre, in addition to the Learning Resources Centre which all students use. If you’re thinking about university but don’t like doing exams, then BTEC courses are practical and hands-on with no exams. A Level 3 course equates to 3 A-levels and such courses include Childcare, Fashion, Music and Performing Arts. NVQs are vocational qualifications which are taught in industry standard facilities to prepare you for employment. These are jobspecific and incorporate subjects such as Hospitality and Catering, Motor Vehicle and Motor Cycle and Hairdressing. Whatever course you choose, you are sure to be supported by our Student Support Team who have been graded ’Outstanding’ by Ofsted in May 2011. You have two tutorials a week – one for academic work and one for pastoral care. This ensures that all students feel supported in all aspects of their life. To find out more and to take the next step in your education, visit www.fareham.ac.uk, call (01329) 815200 or find us on Facebook and Twitter.
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COLLEGE GETS £1.5m BUILDINGS BOOST St Vincent College has received a £1.5m grant from the Government to continue its ambitious buildings improvement programme over the coming 12 months. The Mill Lane campus has already been transformed by a similar grant last year, which has enabled the college to re-furbish its main building with cladding, new windows and energy-efficient insulation. And now that work can be extended to the eastern side of the building. In addition, the college has been able to convert a previously derelict studio into a state-of-the-art hair salon (pictured). Principal Di Lloyd is delighted at the news: ‘Everyone who has visited the site has remarked at the transformation in our main building and the news we have been allocated further funding is yet another boost for the college and the young people of Gosport. ‘It is our 25th anniversary this year and by the end of it, once this additional money has been invested, I am confident we will have a college campus to be proud of,’ she added. As well as completing the refurbishment works, the college also plans to reconfigure its sports hall building to provide purposedesigned classrooms for the PE department. People can come and see for themselves the changes going on at the college at a special 25th anniversary open day organised for Saturday June 30 (11am-4pm). For more details visit www.stvincent.ac.uk
Boundary Oak Celebrates a Year of Success! Boundary Oak Prep School, Fareham celebrates its most successful year to date. A new pupil and parent survey has shown the school to be the overall leading Co-Educational Prep School in Hampshire. If you would like to more information on this survey, please visit www.independentschools.com/uk/ With the Summer Term now in full flow, children from Years 4-8 are looking forward to exciting PGL residential trips away and importantly the Year 8’s are gearing up to sit their Common Entrance exams that will see them move on to their chosen senior schools. Scholarship success has already been celebrated with a number of awards being given to Year 6 and Year 8 pupils by their first choice senior schools. Drama is big on the curriculum and last term saw an amazing show of Pirates and the Curry Bean (PIC). The lead role was played by Redmand Rance (Year 7) who has now left to star in the West End productions of Singing in the Rain and Billy Elliot. Sporting success has been celebrated too with the Under 10’s remaining unbeaten and more wins gained for other year groups than seen for many years. If you would like to come to discuss how your child will flourish here please visit us on our Open Day on 11th May or call the Registrar on 01329 280955 to arrange a tour with the Headmaster.
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solent | history
30
years on interview by dave hill
It is hard to believe that it was 30 years ago that the Falkland Island conflict changed life forever for the Islanders. There will be much written about the events of 1982 and that, without doubt, will lean toward a military view. We aim to mark the anniversary with a view of what it is like to be an Islander, and how life has changed as a consequence of those events of three decades ago.
Here at Solent Life we wanted to bring an understanding of the life in a remote overseas territory and we posed our questions directly to an Islander and spoke to Sharon Halford, a Member of the Legislative Assembly, to get a rich and wonderful insight into life there and how things have changed.
How has life changed on the Falkland Islands over the last 30 years? Life has really changed dramatically. Before the conflict, our economy was almost entirely reliant on wool exports, prices for which were in decline. In the late 1980’s we designated our Fisheries Zone, and the advent of commercial fishing in our waters changed everything. It gave us the economic security to invest in infrastructure, communications, education, health and other development. We have been able to build roads all round the islands; we have modern communications with the majority of our homes having broadband internet access, even on our remote farms; many more of our teenagers are now sent abroad for further and higher education and our health service continues to grow with much emphasis being on prevention. We were able to diversify our economy, and now export high quality meat products to the EU. The Falkland Islands are now a modern, financially self sufficient and forward looking society, and we enjoy an excellent quality of life. How has it changed as a direct consequence of the conflict? If it hadn’t been for the conflict, it is difficult to imagine that we would be where we are today. Throughout the 1970s, our economy and our population were in decline, the latter were leaving
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as they did not see much of a future for the Falklands at that time and did not want to be handed over to Argentina. Life was very hard. The development of the past 30 years would not have occurred, or at least not to the same extent, if it had not been for the conflict. Whilst the events and terrible loss of life in 1982 can never be justified, in a very strange way it gave us a future we might not otherwise have had. Our success today is the legacy of the sacrifice made by those brave men and women who liberated us 30 years ago, to whom we are eternally grateful. Where do your everyday supplies come from – are they shipped direct from mainland UK or imported from closer countries? Our everyday supplies come from a variety of sources. We are highly self sufficient, and enjoy excellent local produce. Our fish, lamb, beef and pork is some of the best in the world. Root vegetables are grown locally, and a local business has a hydroponic garden enabling us to enjoy fresh vegetables most of the year round. Soft fruits and things like bananas come in every Saturday as cargo on the Lan Chile air link with Chile. Things like tinned and frozen food and other domestic goods come by ship from the UK. We have Waitrose and Sainsbury goods on the shelves – to most people the range of goods on the shelves wouldn’t seem dissimilar to a UK supermarket.
After the conflict it was reported here that there were many mines left and there were efforts made to clear them – have they all gone now and is everybody happy to let children run and play where they want or are there still areas where it is felt that danger remains? After the conflict numerous minefields, booby traps and unused or unexploded munitions were left by the defeated Argentine forces. The British military, at great personal risk, fenced and marked these areas, they also embarked on an educational process in the schools to make children aware of the dangers. Thanks to their hard work and bravery, no civilian has ever been harmed by landmines in the Falkland Islands. All the minefields are incredibly well marked. As the British Government signed up to the Ottawa Convention on Demining they are obliged, under that Convention, to clear all the landmines in the Falklands. In 2009/10 the British Government paid for the clearance of 3 minefields in the vicinity of Stanley, including two by one of our popular beaches. This year, a further very large area of land was released back to the community having been thoroughly investigated and made safe. These areas are still fenced, and marked as cleared minefields, but are regularly accessed and are perfectly safe. According to the Island’s website it seems to suggest that the population generally is quite young – why is that? This is incredibly difficult to answer, but is likely to be a combination of factors. It may have something to do with the fact that other small communities may tend to lose their youth who may leave in search of work, adventure or a better quality of life. This is not so here; whilst nearly all our students study in the UK at some stage, the vast majority come home. Falkland Islanders feel an incredibly close bond with their home and their community, and for many there is no other place they would want to live. Falkland Islanders feel an incredibly close bond with their home and their community, and for many there is no other place they would want to live.regularly accessed and are perfectly safe. Is there a traditional or signature dish enjoyed by islanders, or a special recipe? Yes, at Christmas the traditional dish is roast baby lamb. Other than that there is not a
“national dish” to speak of, but we all enjoy, and are very proud of, our fantastic local produce. Our lamb, beef and fish would not be out of place in the finest restaurants in the world. Traditional Falkland’s cuisine unsurprisingly utilises this local produce, and could probably best be described as great farmhouse cooking. regularly accessed and are perfectly safe. What is the best thing about being a Falkland Islander – what is the worst? The best thing is probably the sense of community, and the feeling of belonging plus the lack of serious crime, the wide open spaces, fantastic beaches, plentiful wildlife and general tranquil surroundings. The Islands are very much our home, and as with many small communities we are resourceful and self-reliant. We look after each other, we know each other and the sense of community spirit is incredibly special. The worst thing is undoubtedly having to live with the constant harassment from the Argentine Government. Whilst little they do has any tangible result, it is a constant irritation. All we ask is to be left in peace to choose our own future, and responsibly develop our home for our children and generations to come. Do you have a variety of Pubs, clubs, restaurants etc that allow an active night life? We do indeed. Stanley has numerous pubs, ranging from the more traditional British style pub to those with dance-floors and music. Our restaurants and hotels are of extremely high standard. We have a gym, sports hall and swimming pool, and Stanley has its own golf club. We are a very social people, and if we aren’t out in one of the pubs or restaurants meeting friends and family we are round at each others houses. People living in the rural areas also have clubs and lodges where they can enjoy evenings out. Memories of World War II in Britain are now more confined to history and with a knowledge that it happened, but not necessarily impacting on everyday life. Is it the same with the conflict of 30 years ago – has it now slipped away to being a history item, or is it still very real and has an impact on everyday life?
It is a common misconception that the Conflict drew a line under the issue. Would that it had done so, we would have been able to move on. Unfortunately, despite having no grounds to claim our home, and having been roundly beaten 30 years ago, Argentina has not dropped its spurious claim. More recent Argentine actions – such as attempts to ban our ships from entering South American ports, Decree 256 which seeks to restrict innocent passage of vessels transiting to and from the Falkland Islands, the banning of charter flights in support of our tourism industry, laws taking sanctions against companies involved in peaceful commerce in both countries – all point to a desire by Argentina to frustrate our international trade and an attempt to isolate us. We live under constant threat and harassment from Argentina, and are currently experiencing its attempts at an economic blockade. Because there are many young people that may not have a direct memory of the conflict, is it kept alive for them by those that lived through it – or something that happened in the past? Both really, the constant sabre rattling from Argentina ensures that our younger generations remain painfully aware of a perceived threat and because we are a small community, we all have friends and family members who lived through and were affected by the invasion and occupation. We all know brave veterans of the Falkland Islands Defence Force, normal members of our community who were deployed on the night of the invasion to defend their home and slow the Argentine advance. Three Falkland Islanders were killed in the conflict. Every year we welcome returning British veterans back to the Islands, who come to remember their fallen comrades. Our entire community, including our young, have profound respect for, and owe a debt of gratitude to those who liberated us.
Editors Note: It has been a real pleasure to chat with the Islanders about life after the conflict and as a magazine, Solent Life would like to thank them and wish them a happy and peaceful future.
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homes
Kitchen & Bedroom Transformations Steve and Gill Hudson have been running Kitchen and Bedroom Transformations since the beginning of 2005. A solid client base has been built so that now a large proportion of work comes from referrals, or customers returning for another room to be ’transformed’. Steve and Gill are focused on providing a personal, friendly service that meets your needs and your budget. From changing doors or worktops, through to complete new kitchens or bedrooms, visit their showroom or contact them for honest advice and pricing –you will be very pleasantly surprised at what can be achieved with your budget. Kitchen and Bedroom Transformations provides a personal service, individually tailored to your needs. Steve Hudson says “Our customers really are the heart of our business and we will do our utmost to make all jobs, small or large, run as smoothly as possible”. When having work carried out in your home, what do you expect? A company who do what they say, when they say? Advice and professional guidance, but your point of view listened to? You, the customer, to be considered as an individual? Fitters who are professional, courteous, take pride in their work and respect your property? ● A local company with a reputation they care about very much and where you can talk to a real person at the end of the phone? ● A company with customers happy to recommend family and friends?
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charity | focus
TwoSaints
words by janet grimm & images by two saints
Over the last few months Solent Life and Two Saints has introduced you to Neil, Catherine and Bill. Their stories represent the success that people who are homeless can achieve with just that little bit of extra help and support on their journey towards becoming fully functioning members of society.
Y
ou can help Two Saints and ensure that we are able to bring you a new success story every month! The best way to help someone without a home get back to a normal and rewarding life is through real opportunities in training, education and employment. Two Saints rely on the generosity of the public through fundraising and there are many ways to contribute. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture, it could be a coffee morning or cake sale. Something a little more active, like the IOW Randonnee cycling event that we mentioned a couple of months ago. If cycling is not your thing then perhaps you might like to run the Bupa Great South Run for Two Saints. There is a slightly less taxing 5km or the full 10km courses to choose from. Contact Two Saints via their website www.twosaints.org.uk for more information on entering.
Rainbow Guides and recently the girls of the 6th Hedge End group, all aged between 5 and 7, achieved a special ‘Chocolate Challenge’ badge by holding a sponsored 7-day chocolate amnesty with all money raised going to Two Saints. Not only did they earn their badges, but they also raised a whopping £532! Their leader Joanne told Solent Life, “I was both astonished and humbled by how hard the girls worked on this and also the generosity of their friends and families. They really want to do more to help people who are homeless during the year which just goes to show that our motto really works, ‘Think of others before yourself and do a good turn every day’ ” ●
Two great examples of putting the FUN into FUNdraising. This year is both the Olympic and Jubilee year and the locally based surveying company, Rund partnership are also celebrating their 25th anniversary. To mark the occasion and to raise funds for Two Saints, more than 15 of the partnership are taking part in a sponsored 2012 event. They aim to complete a total of 2012 miles and raise a minimum of £2012 by running, cycling, swimming and even rowing. Perhaps a team from your company would like to complete this challenge. Also celebrating their 25th anniversary this year are the
For more detail on how the staff at Rund Partnership, the Rainbows at Hedge End, and many others are helping to make a big difference, and how you can get involved please visit www.twosaints.org.uk or call on 01329 234600
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coast & country
crowning
glories Shortly before they travelled up to London and took their place among the royalty, Lords, Ladies and gentry from around the world, the 9th Countess paid a brief visit below-stairs to show the servants the ermine trimmed robes and coronet she would be wearing for the Coronation. This was not a case of showing off but a moment to allow the servants to be a part of the amazing celebrations.
T
hroughout June, and as part of the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations,
words & pictures by david rose-massom
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.co.uk • MAY 2012
Stansted House is pulling out all the memorabilia, newspapers and clothing that have been tucked away in storage and displaying them in the upstairs and downstairs parts of the house. Janet Sinclair is part of the team that run and operate this historic house under the Stansted Park Foundation, a charitable trust. “The ermine trimmed robes would have already been in the family but the coronet was especially made for the occasion of the Coronation and her parading the full outfit in front of the staff would have been very much about making them a part of the event.” Janet told Solent Life as she showed us around below stairs as the House prepared for the new exhibition. Stansted Park is a house we have often visited over the years and as a regular visitor there are two parts that have become favourite focal points, the magnificent and comfortable Library, where we later took tea and chatted, and the ‘below-stairs’ which are a fascinating insight to how the housekeepers, footmen, valets, cooks and butler lived. On the website for the house and grounds Stansted Park is thus described; ‘It all began with a hunting lodge in the forest 800 years ago. After several owners and a disastrous fire in 1900, the present mansion was rebuilt on the ‘footprint’ of a 17th century house and the estate became the home of
the Earls of Bessborough in Through this year and the 1924. The ancient chapel of St Jubilee celebrations it is the Paul now stands on the site Ascension to the throne of of the first great house. Lord Queen Elizabeth we remember, Bessborough’s book “The the Coronation did not take Enchanted Forest” tells the place until June 2nd 1953 but story of Stansted Park since the as the events are inextricably 12th century. The house was linked, Stansted are using all of enjoyed by the families of the their memorabilia to celebrate 9th and 10th earls throughout the momentous event. their lifetimes and is presented “While some of the staff would to visitors as a family home, have been taken to London, with splendid family portraits back in the house those that and contents. The downstairs remained would have still been servants’ quarters are a unique a part of the day, although there and evocative experience. was TV then, the staff would Since 1983 the House and more than likely have been Estate have been owned by gathered around the radiogram Stansted Park Foundation, listening to the events unfold.” a charitable trust set up Janet said. “Bunting would by Frederick, 10th Earl of have been strung around the Bessborough.’ servant’s quarters and there It was an important event would have been a real party for the entire household and atmosphere with family, friends for the invitees there was a and children all in attendance.” strict pecking order in a list During the search and research of importance; the Earl and for Stansted’s Jubilee display Countess were sent invite one brown-paper wrapped number ‘105’, well up the list parcel was uncovered and among the 8000 or so invitees. unwrapped. “It was a huge 11’ by “The coronet would have 6’ Union Jack made especially been made especially for the to fly from the flagpole that event and would have been stuck upright from the dome on carefully positioned upon top of the house. The pole is no the Countesses’ head and longer there and so we do have held on with special in-built a problem of where, and how hair clips.” Janet continued best, to display the massive to explain. “There would have flag.” also been a tiara for later Now safely wrapped in acidin the day but during the free paper to protect the coronation ceremony, as Queen delicate historic object, Janet Elizabeth was crowned by the carefully unfolded the great Archbishop of Canterbury, the flag. It was like no other flag princes and peers gathered I have seen and it can only be would have all lifted the crowns surmised that the flag was and coronets from their heads made from remnants. It is not and shouted “God save the made of the heavy canvas-like Queen!” at the exact moment cloth normally recognised with St Edward’s Crown touched the flags but it is a light and thin monarch’s head; then, whilst cheesecloth type material and they were replacing their regal made up of strange off-cuts headgear, a 21-Gun Salute was stitched together. fired from the Tower of London.” “It is easy to forget they were
difficult years then it was following the war when materials were not readily available.” At this point Janet showed us the red gilded book that was the Order of Service and Guest list for the Coronation, it was quite simple and yet still regal. Another shown to us was from a previous coronation and this was ornate and coated in twisting, artistic gold leaf designs. “Stansted is a house where things can be touched and examined; it is only the valuable that is kept behind glass and protective casings. During the celebrations this would have been a house filled with merriment and fun and we want to reflect that in the exhibition.” There are two other objects, that although simple to look at, the story is as strange as any during the opening months of the Queen’s reign. “In the hallway are the two Coronation chairs; the very ones that the Earl and the Countess were sat on during the ceremony. It was a sort of 1950’s goody-bag, in that they were allowed to keep the chairs they occupied that day. The Abbey had been opened at 6am, and everyone had to be in their seats shortly afterward and so they were sat in them for sometime in all their regalia. We must assume they actually purchased them, but outside of Westminster Abbey, following the day’s events footmen and chauffeurs could be seen racing back to their cars carrying a pair of chairs. It must have been a very strange sight!”. l
The House and Grounds are now open to the public and used for events, weddings, and exclusive corporate functions. The tearooms have recently been extended and the complex maze has now grown into a great topiary puzzle. Attractions at Stansted also include a miniature railway and extensive garden centre. There is also now a wonderful new Farm Shop that stocks a great range of local, seasonal produce, including venison from the Stansted Estate. Please see our advert on page 40 for details Please check the website www.stanstedpark.co.uk for opening times.
Turn Back the Clock – Diamond Jubilee 4th to 27th June Royal Coronation memorabilia Upstairs, the Housekeeper’s accounts and celebration memorabilia in the Servants Hall Below Stairs. The exhibition is also on during the very popular Garden Show. The Garden Show at Stansted Park – Friday 15th to Sunday 17th June 10am-5pm See www. thegardenshowonline. com for contact details and more information about exhibiting, ticketing and group bookings.
MAY 2012 •
.co.uk …47
solent | society
a year in
office words by david rose-massom
appearance. Throughout the festive season I think we also attended something like 14 carol concerts. “While serving as Mayor I have attended, on average, something like five appointments a day and I truly hope I have been a good mayor. Although I am not a man to blow my own trumpet, the feedback received has been that I have done a good job.” He said. “I would not have been able to do that without Ruth, apart from being by my side all the time she has also found time to write somewhere in excess of 300 personal thank-you letters. She has also been invaluable with the fund raising as she has sat on the Mayoral charity committees for the last eight years. “When my term in office comes to an end in May I will miss the appointments and I will miss meeting so many wonderful people. However, there is still a lot I want to do in the community, so after a brief holiday with Ruth when I am no longer Mayor, there is still plenty for me to do.” Three hundred years ago it would have been the Mayor’s job to put people in the stocks, for this Mayor his job has been to represent the town of Fareham as its First Citizen, which he has done with grace, charm and vigour, and in the process raised a staggering amount of money for local good causes – an amazing feat when it has been through a period of tough economic times. The new Mayor has a great deal to live up to and a hard act to follow! l
It has involved everything from tea parties in the Parlour, flicking the switch to brighten Fareham with Christmas Lights and raising in excess of £30,000 for local charities but it has also taken a great deal of energy, commitment, thousands of handshakes and even more broad smiles to be the Mayor…
C
ouncillor Trevor Cartwright has been the councillor for Warsash ward for the past twelve years and it was there that Solent Life first met him in his capacity of Mayor of Fareham when he helped celebrate the official first chimes from the repaired tower clock that is once again a landmark in the village. He invited us to take tea with him and chat about his year in office in the Mayor’s Parlour at the town’s council offices that have spectacular views across the borough. He took early retirement from a senior position in a local company after 41 years service, and was awarded an MBE for services to the Defence Industry in 1996. He has lived in the area for the past 21 years with his wife, Ruth and they have three grown up children, two grandsons and two granddaughters. With an even broader smile and offering superb support, his wife Ruth was there at all the events with equal enthusiasm and charm. They have made a formidable partnership as ambassadors for Fareham. Trevor Cartwright was elected as Mayor on 12th May 2011 and has supported local charities that are important to him and his family. “My choice of charities to support was a fairly easy decision. Out of the many I could have supported,” he continued. “Cystic Fibrosis because Ruth and I have a niece who suffers from it and we have been raising funds for 30 odd years, so that was an obvious choice; then because I sail, and have involvement with the armed forces, Toe-in-the-Water was also an ideal choice.” Cllr Cartwright
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.co.uk • MAY 2012
is being a little modest when he says he enjoys sailing as he is a past member of the British sailing team in Tornados, the Olympic sailing class catamaran. “The third charity had to be in my own ward where I serve as a councillor and I have been involved with Warsash Wasps for a number of years. The Wasps were first formed to provide local children with a football team but now have grown to 28 different teams for all ages and there are even six girls teams.” As would be expected of any incoming Mayor he was almost besieged with requests from charities hoping for his support. “They are all worthy causes and it was tricky to pick; but once we had chosen, much of the work was down to the efforts of the volunteers without whom we could not have raised so much money.” “One of my hobbies is riding my bike and we took 40 people on a bike ride around the Isle of Wight as one of our charity fund raising events,” the Mayor explained as tea was served in his parlour and we looked out of the window across Fareham Creek. “As an ex-director of Human Resources at Vosper Thorneycroft I am used to dealing with people and have always found meeting them fascinating, so when I have hosted tea parties for Fareham residents here in the parlour or been speaking at a full-blown Naval dinner it has been a lovely experience. Typical of the Mayor’s, and Ruth’s, dedication to their task was Christmas Day, when his own family celebrations took second place. “On Christmas Day we attended three different Christmas lunches, not to eat at each of them as the Vicar of Dibley did you understand, but it was important that we make an
The prime duty of the Mayor is to chair meetings of the Full Council and in this, and all other duties, it is the convention that the Mayor does not display any political allegiances. As Mayor it is also a responsibility to represent the Council as the Civic Head of the Borough at official functions and attend approximately 400 other events during the term of office. Each Mayor adopts the charities which he or she supports by organising various events to raise funds throughout the Mayoral Year.
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health & beauty
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MAY 2012 •
.co.uk …51
money | matters
pension reform set to have
major impact words by justin stevens
New rules designed to resolve the UK’s pensions savings crisis are set to have a major impact on employers and employees alike when wide-reaching reforms take place later this year. With people living longer and facing the possibility of funding a retirement that could now last 20 years or more, the Government is getting employers to enrol their workers automatically into a workplace pension to make it easier for people to start saving and not rely solely on the state pension. This automatic enrolment will allow people to decide whether to stay in or opt out of a workplace pension. It will begin in October, starting with the largest employers, and workers will automatically join and pay into their employer’s staff pension schemes which could be an existing or new scheme to which the employer and the Government will contribute too by way of tax relief on personal contributions unless they specifically opt out. Smaller employers and newly formed businesses will have until 2016/17 to comply. It is all designed to reinvigorate pension saving in the UK, create a simpler system to help people make better informed decisions about how much they need to save privately, and make it easier for them to plan for their retirement. Minister for Pensions Steve Webb has described the new reforms as “the start of a much-needed seismic shift in pension saving in this country” (Source: Department of Work & Pensions press release 1st February, 2012). The reforms follow the failure of stakeholder pension schemes, which foundered because they required no contribution commitment from the employer and excluded many smaller employers. Automatic enrolment
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.co.uk • MAY 2012
recognises that the solution lies in private provision and compels all employers to enrol eligible jobholders in a workplace pension scheme, unless they are already a member of a qualifying scheme. Contributions will be collected and paid to the scheme by the employer through the payroll system. For automatic enrolment, employers will have to choose a pension scheme, perhaps an existing one or a scheme set up with a pension provider. Information from the Pension Regulator will be available to help companies make this decision later in the year. A fundamental principle is that the jobholder must be enrolled and will then be able to opt out. The success of the proposals will be largely due to apathy - jobholders not getting round to opting out. Employers will be banned from incentivising opt-outs. ‘Another option open to employers is the National Employment Savings Trust, or NEST, a centralised pension scheme being run by a Government agency (NEST Corporation) to ensure that employers, including those employing low to medium earners, can access pension saving and comply with their automatic enrolment duties NEST has a public service obligation which requires it to accept all employers who apply and offers a range of funds and fund managers designed to meet differing member needs, and to offer a default fund. As a registered pension scheme, NEST enjoys the full range of tax reliefs as well as being a qualifying scheme. It is intended as a low-cost option but does
come with some restrictions. Pensions can seem a confusing subject, full of financial jargon and complicated rules, and the new reforms provide much food for thought. Certainly for employers, a proper strategy is going to be essential and most large scheme advisers consider that planning should already have started. The project will require an accountable manager and team. Employers should be mindful too of the requirements and restrictions of the Financial Services Act. They may invite an adviser to present to staff, and there is no problem in giving staff information that includes no recommendation or advice. In addition, there is no problem recommending that employees join a scheme to which the employer contributes. It is vital that the employer informs the employee that advice is available from a financial adviser, and the employer should take no financial reward for establishing a scheme. For employees, it is important to remember that your life in retirement is going to be very different from your working one, both personally and financially. Outgoings are likely to be lower, but you may want to spend more money on leisure activities. Retirement is like a holiday – but every one of your retirement years has to be paid for. That is why it is essential to seek professional advice and start planning for retirement now, whatever your age, to provide an income that is going to see you through potentially many more years than those enjoyed by previous generations. l
To receive complimentary information on your Wealth Management, Retirement Planning including your Options at retirement or Inheritance Tax Planning needs, produced by St. James’s Place Wealth Management, contact Justin Stevens, Partner of St. James’s Place Wealth Management on 01489 790797, by email justin.stevens@ sjpp.co.uk or visit www.justin-stevens.co.uk
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to WIN a family visit to Marwell Wildlife after hours or even a behind the scenes experience. June 1st will be party night at Marwell when the park will re-open from 6.30pm for an evening of live entertainment, animal talks and lots of fun to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Marwell Wildlife. To coincide with the celebrations a new ‘behind the scenes’ experience has just been launched with the chance to meet and feed some of the animals and help prepare food, muck out their enclosures and see what its like to be a zoo keeper.
The specialist team at the Hampshire Hypnotherapy Centre will show you the secret to easy, lasting, weight loss with the unique ‘EASY LOSS PROGRAMME’ or ‘VIRTUAL GASTRIC BAND SURGERY’ “If you’ve decided that you want to lose weight, then you’ve
For your chance to win a place on a ‘behind the scenes’ experience or to win a family ticket to ‘Party in the Park’ for two adults and two children answer this simple question:
come to the right place!” says Sue. “We will help you lose the
What was the name of the collapsed giraffe at Marwell in 1977? Was it…
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MAY 2012 •
.co.uk …53
garden makeover
grow? how does your garden words by fiona cooke
One of the great delights of having a garden that is less
neighbours and friends; but when it comes down to it, it seldom looks as imagined. Do we want formal or exotic, bold architectural plants, or cottage garden borders? Swathes of colour or shape and form? Should it be low maintenance, high maintenance, decking or grass? What about height, ground cover and soil type and north facing corners? The list and therefore the planning can go on and on, bringing hours of frustration until someone points you in the right direction. Then there are the names! Am I alone in going to bed and wondering what are Black False Hellebore, Woolly Willow, Dazzling Phormium and Golden Feverfew? The names alone are enough to make me want to have them in my garden. I don’t care what the plant looks like; I just want to be able to mention in passing that my Cootamundra Wattle is in flower! Do you ever wonder why we garden? It is more than just creating an outdoor space that pleases us, it is a matter of personal pride. Even after the experts have gone, and cleaned up the mess, there are still lovely hours to be spent pottering in the garden to allow us to forget the timetables of daily life, and immerse ourselves in a world outside of our everyday life. One which brings pleasure from small things such as the early blossom in the spring, the heavenly scent from a bed of Lavender and Iris, or simply pausing and watching a bumble bee as it meanders from flower to flower. The heat of the sun on your back and the sound of birdsong and leaves rustling in the breeze can bring a feeling that all is well in your world and if it happens to be pouring down with rain, as it has done this spring, then enjoy it all within the protection of the conservatory. Gardening is a never ending love affair. Once you discover its joys you are hooked. Whether it is discussing with your planner how to transform a rectangle of grass or adding a new border, the part-time gardener longs to be out there, watching the professionals creating a space that is individual to you, the owner. Gardening is about instinct and knowledge gained over the years; you cannot rush it (unless of course you are trying to cut the grass before the heavens open.) You have to take your time, observe, see how things grow and adapt, the garden demands respect and a willingness to allow things to take their own course; so if you do not have that experience to hand – find a man, or woman, who does! I think the garden brings us back to our true selves; beings that are part of the cycle of life, that are meant to be at one with nature, to enjoy it’s fruits but also to recognise that we are powerless to change it… as much as you might wish otherwise, sometimes you just have to accept that the your Argyranthemums really do need well drained soil! l
than perfect is that you can dream about improving it. Some just need to be tweaked; a pergola here, an award winning clematis there, whilst others cry out for a complete makeover. Then panic strikes at the heart as the realisation hits that work and family commitments once again stop you spending time in your beloved sun trap and getting the work done so as to enjoy the fruits of your, or somebody’s, labours…
T
herein lies the challenge; to get the garden to a place of enjoyment and sanctuary but without the time to design, plan, plant and tend. If it was a new fitted kitchen needed you would bring in the professionals, other than for the placement of the toaster, but for the garden many just tinker and trim lawns. So you need vision, you need to be able to see how it will all come together in five or ten years time and you need someone to chat with about how your vision will become a reality. If you don’t have the time, or in many cases the patience, then call in the professionals, and rely on them to include your wish list of bowling green lawn, hot tub, year round colour and interest, outdoor lighting and heating, well stocked pond with split level waterfall, barbeque, space for the children’s trampoline, a patio area that will accommodate family and friends on those few summer’s evenings when it is clement enough to sit outside and sip cocktails, AND make it all look pleasing to the eye. Unless you are a confirmed DIYer or a builder by profession would you attempt to design and build the conservatory or garden room? Then why, unless you are a passionate gardener with time and designs at hand, would you struggle to transform the biggest ‘room’ in your home, the outdoors. Alas most of us are limited by time, and many of us just do not have the required green fingers, so we have to do things in stages; a new lawn one year, a patio the next, and then looking at your work and thinking, ‘that’s not level’! We can gaze at our outdoor space and imagine it transformed, a gazebo in the corner, a swing set for the children and, of course, where to safely put the Barbie without risking the fencing and the shed! We can pore over garden design books and plant catalogues, and watch Monty, Alan et al. We can play pick and mix at the garden centre and steal ideas from
54…
.co.uk • MAY 2012
MAY 2012 •
.co.uk …55
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solent | nature
events… at Farlington Marshes Wildlife Reserve… Bird Watch Farlington – The Official Tour Sunday 6th May, 11am A leisurely 2.5 mile guided walk around the sea wall at Farlington Marshes, looking at the birds and other wildlife on the marsh and in the harbour. A great way to learn about the wildlife/management of the reserve and the history of Langstone Harbour. No need to book. Parking off the Eastern Road (A27/A2030) roundabout (Map ref. SU 685 045). For further details contact Jamie Marsh, Solent Reserves Officer, on 01489 774429. Suggested donation £1.50.
MAY
wildlife Spring is now in full flow and one of nature’s daily miracles is coming to its climax. The dawn chorus has slowly been building over the last month or so as our resident bird species have joined by the return of the summer visitors. It’s rather like an orchestra starting of a few soloist and then instruments being added one by one, until the orchestra is complete and the full performance can begin. words by nikki magee image by david kilbey
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et the alarm clock early one morning and pay a visit to your nearest wood or park. You will be amazed at the clarity and volume of sound produced by the birds in the neighbourhood. Many of these birds weigh little more than a few one pound coins, but belt out a crescendo of sound that fills the calm air of a wood in early morning. The majority of the birds that sing are male, either proclaiming their stake on a territory or trying to attract a mate. Typically, birds such as the blackbird, robin or skylark are among the first to strike up, and the dawn chorus begins in earnest as the sun rises, usually between 5am-5.30am in early May. However not all the birds sing, great spotted woodpecker drum out their ‘song’ on a hollow tree trunk - it can sound like a short burst of machine gun fire echoing around the trees. The common blackbird is more musical with its mellow but tuneful song familiar in all urban gardens and parks. The real stars of the singing world are the warblers,
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small dull brown birds that sulk around in bushes and so are often not seen. They make their presence felt through they melodic song. Why not look out for dawn chorus events in your local area. You don’t have to recognise the different voices of the many birds you will hear. Just listen to the whole glorious chorus and celebrate the return of spring. ●
Your local Wildlife Trust The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust works to create a better future for wildlife and wild places in Hampshire and the Island. As the leading local wildlife conservation charity, it looks after 61 wildlife reserves, has 27,000 members and 1,000 volunteers. The Trust manages its own land and advises other landowners how to manage their land with wildlife in mind. Staff and volunteers also carry out surveys and gather data to monitor how our local wildlife is doing. Find out more at www.hwt.org.uk
Can you help? We need help checking the cattle that roam the marshes. It is very simple, can be done as part of a walk around the sea wall and you do not need to get too close to the cows. If you can spare a few hours, please call Jamie Marsh on 01489 774 429. Visiting Farlington Marshes Wildlife Reserve Farlington Marshes is 125 hectare of coastal grazing marsh situated south of the A27 between Portsmouth and Havant. The reserve is managed by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust on behalf of its owners Portsmouth City Council. How to get there Rail: Hilsea train station is 1.5 miles from the reserve with trains from Fareham and Portchester every 30 minutes. Bus: 21 between Havant and Portsmouth Harbour. Closest stop is at Farlington Sainsbury’s, 15 minute walk to the reserve. Service is hourly Monday to Friday with a reduced service at weekends. Road: The car park is off the Eastern Road roundabout (A27/A2030).
Join us today …and enjoy the benefits of being a member of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. For more information contact our membership team on 01489 774408. • Unlimited FREE visits to over 55 wildlife reserves in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and 2,500 reserves nationwide. • A welcome pack when you join • Hampshire and Isle of Wight Natural World, the Wildlife Trust’s magazine, delivered to you (or your partner three times a year). • The chance to take part in local group and community activities offering you a variety of opportunities to be involved in more than 400 walks, talks and events throughout the two counties. • Join by direct debit and receive your FREE full colour Local Wildlife Reserve Guide. Visit www.hwt.org.uk and discover your local Wildlife Trust.
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solent | gardening Win £500 It’s scarecrow building time at Garsons Garden Centre in Titchfield, so get your entry form in before the 31st May deadline. There are £1,000 of cash prizes to win, including £500 for the best scarecrow. Get your form at the Customer Service Desk or on the events page at garsons.co.uk.
green fingers May
words by anne watson
April showers have watered the garden but it’s been an otherwise dry start to the year, so follow our tips to help keep your garden looking fresh right through the summer. Mulching Add a layer of bark chippings around your plants. It helps suppress weeds, keeps moisture in the soil for longer and it looks good!
Be water-wise Install a water butt wherever you have a gutter downpipe. You can even have one next to a garden shed. Re-use clean house water for patio plants close to the kitchen. If you water later in the evening, it’s absorbed before evaporating. However, if a plant is wilting, give it a drink immediately. It makes sense to move container plants to a shady spot during hot spells and water them daily. Love your lawn Mature lawns are fairly drought-resistant and bounce back in the autumn. Here’s how to keep yours in good condition: l Raise the height of lawnmower blades and don’t cut your lawn too short in summer. This makes it dry out even faster. l Cut the lawn less frequently than usual. l Scarify in spring and autumn. A buildup of thatch can prevent water from penetrating into the soil.
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l Aerate soil with a fork to help water get to the roots of the grass.
Hanging baskets and containers l Add water-storing crystals to reduce watering by up to four times. One application lasts all summer, and they can also be used around annual plants. l Add rolled-up newspaper to the base of your containers and crops that require lots of watering to helps retain water. l Water spikes are a great little product if you’re away for a few days. Fill a water bottle with water, screw on the water spike and push into your containers or next to plants in the borders. Look out for the EcoCharlie Aqua Drip.
Hanging baskets and containers l English lavender l Rosemary l Trees and shrubs l Geraniums l Lilacs l Ornamental alliums l Pelargoniums l Petunias
Top of the list is lavender, a favourite of butterflies and bees. Being Mediterranean, it’s hardy and tolerates drought and difficult conditions. Favoured for its aromatic foliage and displays of flowers, it suits most situations. Two of the best loved and hardiest lavender varieties are hidcote and munstead. They produce fragrant flowers and are at home in garden borders or containers. They prefer a sunny position and in a cold winter would benefit from being in a sheltered spot. Lightly prune established lavenders around now to keep them looking neat.
Other jobs for your garden l Deadhead daffodils and tulips, allowing daffodil foliage to die down naturally. Applying a liquid fertiliser will encourage next year’s flowers. l Once the frosts are over, prune shrubs by cutting back dead and untidy branches, keeping new shoots and buds. l Give shrubs, climbing plants and roses a feed.
Enjoy the outdoors and until next month, happy gardening!
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Events across the Solent region.
what’s
PREVIEW
The Point, Eastleigh 02380 652333 Chichester Festival Theatre 01243 781312 Salisbury Playhouse 01722 320333 Mayflower Theatre 02380 711811 Theatre Royal Winchester 01962 840440 King’s Theatre Southsea 02392 828282 Tower Arts Centre, Winchester 01962 867986 Ferneham Hall 01329 231942 Ashcroft Arts Centre Fareham 01329 310600 The Concorde Club 02380 613989
If you have anything going on, tell us here at Solent Life and we will include it in our feature. 01489 583800 editorial@solentlife.co.uk
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the garden show at stansted park 15th to 17th June
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ART, DESIGN AND YOUR GARDEN ighteen years ago the Garden Show at Stansted was launched to celebrate the joys of the garden and create a forum for innovative businesses. Set within Stansted’s spectacular parklands and with the backdrop of the stunning country house this accessible event is a great opportunity to find everything you need to update and even recreate your garden and home. Solent Life are regular visitors to the show and we said of one visit; ‘During our visit to The Garden Show at the beautiful Stansted Park on the Hampshire Sussex border; people’s faces beamed as they strolled round in glorious June sunshine while in the shade of the trees there were owls and hawks from a local conservancy, wandering minstrels stopped amid shoppers and played cheerful tunes and visitors made several trips to the cars carrying a mass of purchases. ‘To say it was a happy show would be an understatement and we could see nothing but smiles on the faces of everyone there. As the catering areas began filling then people took to the steps of the house to sit and enjoy lunch while others spread themselves on the green lawns and picnicked. The youngsters were all well entertained and therefore they too were happy and were not left to run amok among the weary visitor. It was a great day out and an excellent show; and then there was the gentle added bonus of the jazz.’ Visitors return each year to meet growers and producers with a passion for gardening, to buy beautiful plants, gifts, art, crafts and sculpture; to sample delicious country foods and wines and to indulge in relaxing complementary therapies; plenty everywhere to tempt everyone!
The popular Plant Doctors will be back again to solve any gardening problem and as always there will be a diverse selection of workshops, talks and demonstrations – learn lessons from the land: find out how to create garden containers out of recycled waste, about the principles of good garden design, the best drought tolerant plants, how to transform garden herbs into useful balms and creams or how to stretch those gardening aches and pains right out of your body! This year some of the sculptures from the Better Tomorrows’ Sculpture Challenge will be exhibited in the parklands and another challenge will be to play Giant Chess on the lawns. This is a great day out for the whole family with the chance to explore and relax in stunning Stansted Park, its house and chapel. There is plenty of action and fun for the children too, with rides on the model railway, games with marionettes, jugglers and magicians or why not get lost in Stansted’s confusing maze? It is a real family event. THE GARDEN SHOW Stansted Park, Rowlands Castle, Hampshire, PO9 6DX Open 10am - 5pm daily. Adults: £8 | Concessions: £6 Children: £5 | Family: £24 Tel: 01243 538456 www.thegardenshowonline.com Stop press! A new Garden Show, modelled on Stansted’s success will take place at the beautiful Loseley Park, Nr Guildford, Surrey on July 20-22.
Music, Comedy, Events & TheatreChildren JOOLS HOLLAND Boogie-woogie piano master Jools Holland is set to take his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra with Roland Gift, Fine Young Cannibals frontman as special guest, on the road once again for what has now become one of the UK’s most popular annual tours. The 34 date tour will bring Jools’ famous ‘bigband’ sound and the ultimate party experience across the length and breadth of the country, with some very special guests to accompany him; a foot-stomping show-stopping performance that never ever fails to leave the audience wanting more. Jools will be at The Mayflower Theatre Southampton on Sunday 11th November at 7.30pm Tickets are on sale at mayflower.org.uk or Mayflower Box Office tel: 02380 711811, and in person at the Mayflower ticket south shop in The Mall (Marlands). ENGLAND v USA POLO In the Fifth Annual St Regis International Cup, Cowdray Park Polo Club will host this first senior international of the UK polo season on Saturday 19th May when England takes on the USA in a test match to be played for The St. Regis International Cup. Earlier in the day Young England will face Young South Africa in the John Cowdray trophy making for a full day’s international sporting action. The ticket price is £15 per person, under 12s free, and includes parking. Prime pitchside picnic spots are available at £150 which include tickets for 8 adults and guarantee the perfect position for viewing the high-octane action. A shopping
village, funfair, food and bars add to the attractions. COWDRAY PARK - to book tickets online please visit the website www.cowdraypolo. co.uk or call the Polo Office on 01730 813257. BLUE APPLE THEATRE PRESENTS HAMLET In a bold new adaptation by William Jessop, Blue Apple Theatre reinvents the world’s greatest play in a fresh and powerful adaptation using Shakespeare’s original language. Blue Apple Theatre tour Shakespeare’s most famous play and bring the talent of learning disabled artists to audiences and stages around Hampshire throughout spring and early summer. Come and discover Hamlet as he has never been seen before! Blue Apple Theatre is an award- winning inclusive theatre company which promotes the talents of actors with learning disabilities. Hamlet features Tommy Jessop in the title role. Tommy, who has Down’s syndrome, is a founder member of Blue Apple Theatre and has numerous stage and screen credits. www. blueappletheatre.hampshire. org.uk The Berry Theatre, Hedge End, Thursday 10 May at 7.30pm. Thurs 10th 7.30pm Tel 01489 799499 theberrytheatre.co.uk Forest Arts, New Milton. Fri 18th 7.30pm, Tel: 01425 612393 forest-arts.co.uk Theatre Royal Winchester, Thurs 28th - Sat 30th 7.30pm Tel: 01962 840440 theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk (full company gala production). BEAULIEU SCULPTURE TRAIL One of the largest exhibitions
of sculpture in the country will open on 24th May at Beaulieu, creating a stimulating Sculpture Trail that will lead visitors from the world famous Motor Museum into the enchanting gardens that surround Palace House and Beaulieu Abbey. The sculptures have been carefully selected from the works of over 300 Surrey Sculpture Society members - from talented amateurs to the artistry of top professional sculptors - who come from all over the South of England including a number from Hampshire. The exhibition runs from 24th May until the 2nd September from 10am daily. For further detailed information about the exhibition visit www. surreysculpture.org.uk As well as admission to the 13th century Beaulieu Abbey and Palace House and Gardens, visitors to the Sculpture Trail will also be able to enjoy all of Beaulieu’s many main attractions. For information call 01590 612345 or visit www.beaulieuevents. co.uk ALZHEIMER’S SUMMER BALL Organiser Samantha Feerick said of the event, “I made a decision late last year to arrange a charity ball in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society, a cause very close to mine and I am sure many other people’s hearts. Everyone will enjoy an evening of great music, get to dress up and have fun whilst raising some money for a truly amazing cause. Millions are affected by Alzheimer’s, I am sure your readers all know someone, that will compel them to spend £55 on an evening of food, drinks, music and dancing, while helping others fight back from this, or even better
avoid our parents, children and grandchildren ever suffering from it themselves. DE VERE GRAND HARBOUR HOTEL, Southampton on 14th July. Tickets £55 – E-mail ascharityball@googlemail.com or call 07917 354 645. KEN DODD By jove! How tickled you’ll be!! Don’t miss a truly “tattifelarius” evening of laughter and songs with a comic genius and showbiz legend. Enjoy a funfilled variety show for all the family with guests, jokes and songs celebrating more than 50 hilarious years of ‘Happiness’ with The Squire of Knotty Ash! KINGS THEATRE, Southsea, 3rd June at 7.30pm Tickets £19.50 - £18.50. Box Office 023 9282 8282 www.kings-southsea.com SENSE AND SENSIBILITY The summer season programme at Theatre Royal Winchester contains a feast of treats for drama lovers of all tastes and ages, and starts with a visually rich costume drama Sense and Sensibility (10-12 May) featuring six actors and an original score. The show is a clever adaptation of the classic novel by one of Winchester’s most celebrated former residents, Jane Austen, with themes that are as relevant today as they were over 200 years ago in this tale of two sisters and their search for love in a society bound by financial fortune. THEATRE ROYAL, Winchester; For full details of the new Summer season and all it offers in Winchester or to book tickets, please call the box office on 01962 840440 or book online at www. theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk MAY 2012 •
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solent | community
Your essential guide to all the local news and events in your community. Teenage Cancer Trust are holding a Golf Day at Southampton City Golf course in aid of the Southampton hospital Teenage Cancer Trust appeal for 18 teams of 4 with many other golf related activities going on during the day. The event begins at 11 o clock in the morning and is followed by a prize giving and barbecue between 4 and 6 o’clock in the afternoon - a great way to end the Queen’s Jubilee week! The price is £160 per team which includes a breakfast roll and the barbecue. The barbecue is open to all at a cost of just £12.50 per ticket for adults £5 for children. To book a team (or part team) or purchase barbecue tickets for this beautiful venue please contact Jacqui Ellis 01329 319989. DISABLED PEOPLE SAILING AGAIN Mike Wood, aged 65, disabled and confined to a wheelchair, has raised over £2,000,000 for disabled sailors and over 30,000 disabled people have sailed in two wheelchair accessible yachts he built. His amazing catamaran the Spirit of Scott Bader, the worlds only wheelchair accessible catamaran, while leading its class in the 2011 ‘Round the Island’ race and travelling at nearly 20 knots, appears to have hit a submerged object, which resulted in her capsizing in shallow water, breaking her mast and destroying her brand new sails. The yachts insurers, Bishopsgate and AXA and a number of charitable trusts have helped
get the cat back in to service and she is now sailing again and has a list of over a 1000 people waiting to sail her with some of the first being children from Hampshire schools taking part in the Rotary Clubs Kids Day Out in Chichester Harbour and the Portsmouth ‘Whizz Kids’ a club for seriously disabled people. JUBILEE GLEE Our Queen has served us well for 60 years and the MGC Choir and Hants Police Band want to pay tribute to her at a grand concert “Music for a Jubilee” that will take place at Portsmouth Guildhall on 20th May at 3pm. The afternoon will be filled with well-known favourites from royal occasions, movies and shows and will include some contemporary pieces. The MGC Choir is a registered charity that continues to bring affordable live music to this part of the south coast. The Hants Police Band has a slick and professional style which is not surprising as many of their number are ex Royal Marines bands-people. The Rowan’s Hospice will be the beneficiary of the funds raised from the concert. The usual family atmosphere will be in abundance and everyone will be assured of an afternoon filled with musical performances of excellent quality. Tickets from £7.50 to £12.50, kids a quid on selected seats when with an adult, £2.50 car parking cards available when purchasing tickets. 023 92431198 or www. miltongleeclub.org/
For You and You An evening of poetry with Harry Haines on Thursday 24 May 7.30 to 9pm. A selection of poems read by popular poet Harry Haines and friends. Now in his 93rd year, Harry’s poetry has been read on BBC Radio 4’s Poetry Please, and widely published in magazines and books. His latest collection ‘For You and You’ celebrates 60 creative years of his most significant work to date. Tickets £2, concessions £1 Gosport Discovery Centre, High Street, PO12 1BT Please book 023 9252 3463 www.hants.gov. uk/gdc 1952 A New Beginning/ A New Queen/ and a New Kind of Music... Friday 25 May 7.30 to 9.30pm. To celebrate our “Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee” the Band ‘Solent Sunrise’ perform hot songs from the 50s and early 60s! Clap your hands, stamp your feet and sing-along to some of the most memorable songs that the Queen would have heard on the radio in those early days of her reign... for Rock and Roll, Swing, and Skiffle had arrived! Tickets £5, concessions £4 (Please bring your own refreshments). Gosport Discovery Centre, High Street, PO12 1BT Please book 023 9252 3463 www.hants.gov. uk/gdc HMS COLLINGWOOD OPENS ITS GATES On Saturday 26th May the most spectacular event will take place at HMS COLLINGWOOD, Fareham, when the establishment opens it gates for the annual Open Day featuring the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC) Field Gun Competition.
IF YOU HAVE A LOCAL EVENT Let us know at info@solentlife.co.uk
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The Field Gun competition will feature 22 crews from across the UK and Gibraltar competing for the coveted Brickwoods Trophy. The competition is fast and furious and requires 18-man teams to run, dismantle, reassemble and fire the gun in the shortest possible time, traditionally in heats of 6 crews at a time. Strength, stamina, and team work are essential in this challenge, and the crews begin the physical training this month, training with the guns in April. During the Open Day there will be attractions, entertainment and displays designed to capture the imagination of everyone from 8 to 80. There will be FREE BUSES running to and from the event from Fareham Train Station and Gosport Ferry stopping at various places en-route. Gates open at 0930; discounted tickets are available from Gosport and Fareham News offices and Tourist Information or on the gate. www.royalnavy. mod.uk/Collingwood-Openday Fareham West Townswomen’s Guild meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month in St John’s Church Hall, St Michael’s Grove, Fareham at 2.15pm. The next meeting will be on 16 May when the speaker will be Miss Doyle talking about a “Maid at Stanstead”. Also many coffee mornings, outings and various events and they also have art, craft, gardening, singing and scrabble groups. Visitors are very welcome. For more information please call Jackie Walker on 02392 298768