Discover Southampton Nov/Dec 2014

Your FREE Neighbourhood Magazine

Southampton including SO15, SO16 & SO17

Christmas Cooking p12 Last Christmas Postal Dates p39 Gadgets - Ideal Gifts for him p28 What’s On This Winter p10 Local Pantos p43

Win £100 Leading the Way in Mobility Aids p2 This issue is sponsored by

Find the Hidden Symbol see p44

ec D v/ 14 o N 20

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ADVERTORIAL

New Mobility Store, Southampton Ableworld, the UK’s leading mobility company, is delighted to announce the opening of its latest franchise store in Southampton.

right solutions for the variety of customer’s needs they will face.

Ableworld Southampton is owned by local businessmen Jeff Newman, Steven Thompson and Chris Hewitt and is located at 42-46 Portsmouth Road, Woolston, Southampton, SO19 9AD. Ableworld is easy and convenient to reach with ample free parking.

From spacious premises, Ableworld offers customers a wide selection of quality mobility and homecare products. A local store, staffed by local people is often the place to go for the best service and that is certainly the case here, but Ableworld is also the place to find the keenest prices and enjoyable shopping experience.

The store stocks a very wide range of products including larger items such as mobility scooters, wheelchairs, adjustable beds and rise and recline chairs but also many smaller items to help with day to day tasks. They also hold a wide range of products to help with bathing, toileting and dressing as well as a range of continence care products.

Ableworld also installs stairlifts and service scooters. Whatever the product, the aim is to help people to lead easier, more comfortable and independent lives.

The directors of Ableworld Southampton are all local people who have significant

experience behind them. Jeff’s working history goes back over 35 years and includes retail, construction and hospitality.

His most recent role was as a local Franchised Milkman and was 2008 Southern area Milkman of the Year. Many of Jeff’s old customers are similar in age and needs to Ableworld’s core customers.

Steven and Chris have had a successful partnership for several years and bring their skills from construction and mechanical engineering into the business, something that will be particularly useful on the stairlift and scooter side of the business. All three directors have undertaken Ableworld’s extensive and rigorous training programme so that they can assess customers correctly and provide the

Jeff has a clear view how he and his fellow directors can help local people who need mobility equipment “Having had daily contact with elderly and disabled customers in my previous occupation, I witnessed several fall injuries and mobility complaints. With our store having good parking and being on several main bus routes I believe our highly visible and accessible superstore on Portsmouth Road, opposite the bus station, will fill a gap in the market and serve as a welcome benefit to the community.” Whatever your needs, you can be assured of a range of quality products from names you can trust.

Why not call in? Open 8.30 to 5.30 Monday to Saturday you can visit your new Ableworld store at 42-46 Portsmouth Road, Woolston, Southampton, SO19 9AD. Tel: 02380 440000.

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S OLULTAHNADMUPDTNOON AABBL L EE WW OO RR LD LD

42-46 Portsmouth Road, Woolston, Bryniau Road, West Shore, Llandudno, Southampton, SO19 9AD. Conwy LL30 2BL Now open

Tel: 023 8044 0000

Sunday Tel: (01492) 338549 10am-4pm Open 8.30 to 5.30 Monday Saturday Opposite Baptist ChurchtoOPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK info@ableworldsouthampton.co.uk Towww.ableworld.co.uk see more stores, please visit: www.ableworld.co.uk

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www.ableworld.co.uk Ableworld are the main mobility retailer in the area approved as a Community Equipment Dispenser

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It’s Behind You Hello readers

Main: 023 8026 6388 www.discovermagazines.co.uk ADVERTISING SALES Direct: Melanie Tinson 023 8027 6396 Email: melanie@discovermagazines.co.uk

ACCOUNT ENQUIRIES Direct: Tania Houston 023 8027 6361 Email: tania@discovermagazines.co.uk

Editorial ENQUIRIES Visit www.discovercommunity.co.uk and use the Editorial Form under Contact Us Email: editorial@discovermagazines.co.uk This edition of Discover is printed bi-monthly and distributed within SO15,SO16 and SO17 postcodes.

150,000 circulation 11 local editions

Alas, November and December are the beginning of the “silly” season. The run up to Christmas has started in the shops (there should be a law to stop decorations going up too early!) urging us to find that special gift “for the one you love”.

Melanie Tinson Our diaries fill up rapidly with church fairs, office parties and school concerts.

It’s a hectic time of year but what I look forward to most is the family outing to pantomime. Since adulthood my father has lived in America and every year he visits pre-Christmas to host this annual outing; even now when the youngest of his “flock” is 18! Modern pantomime is a uniquely British tradition; with only a handful of English speaking countries left where you will find panto on the What’s On listing (Quebec, Canada being one). So, to a non Brit (namely, my American step-mother) it was a complete mystery at first; men dressing up as dames, ladies playing young boys, smutty jokes “at a family show?” and spontaneous audience participation, “How do they know when to shout back, Melanie?” she asks… duh! I love it and can’t wait till I can take my grandchildren (no pressure, girls).

So, in this issue, to help with all the pre-Christmas madness, I’ve compiled a list of local pantomimes on page 43 and the What’s On includes a focus on street shopping opportunities such as the Winchester Christmas market, local church fairs and community craft shows. For those with a partner who’s difficult to buy for there might be something on page 28 to solve that problem. And if you’re first time hosts of Christmas dinner, the roast turkey recipe on page 12 is something to tear out and keep!

Melanie

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The Christmas Truce

by Alison Runham

Christmas Eve 1914. The Western Front. Weeks of rain have ended and mud is becoming ice. Despite calls for a Christmas ceasefire, fighting has continued throughout December, although today it seems half-hearted in many places.

Staff Sergeant Clement Barker is in his trench with his comrades.

Across No Man’s Land, the Germans are decorating tiny trees sent from home with candles as they sing Stille Nacht (Silent Night). “The trenches were a blaze of Christmas trees,” one Tommy recalled, “and our sentries were regaled for hours with traditional Christmas songs.” In some places, English troops decide that they “ought to retaliate in some way.”

“So we sang The First Noël... they all began clapping; and then they struck up another favourite of theirs, O Tannenbaum.”

At Barker’s trench, a German soldier appears. “He said that if (we) did not fire, they wouldn’t in the morning,” Barker wrote later. Next morning, Barker’s men cautiously venture out to retrieve and bury their dead. No shots are fired. Soon they’re shaking hands with the Germans and exchanging gifts, and then “a football is kicked out of our trenches, and Germans and English play football.”

German soldiers of the 134th Saxon Regiment and British soldiers of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment meet in no man’s land, December 26

Henry Williamson, who later wrote Tarka the Otter, also recalled football matches, but behind German lines; if British and German troops played together, he made no mention of it. However, despite the myths surrounding Truce matches between both sides, some are well-documented in letters. Two soldiers of the 6th Cheshires described a huge, free-for-all match in Wulverghem, Belgium, where No Man’s Land was less damaged by shell fire.

Williamson recalled the Germans singing Silent Night, too, before inviting the English closer. His unit suspected a trap. “We crept out... expecting any moment to fall flat with the machine guns opening up. And nothing happened.” Both sides were soon exchanging gifts and greetings, and similar scenes were occurring at many points along the Front.

Cigarettes, rations, uniform buttons and even addresses were exchanged. One English trench received a German chocolate cake, together with a ceasefire request and an invitation to an impromptu concert. “Just think,” wrote one soldier to his family, “while you were eating turkey I was talking and shaking hands with the very men I had been trying to kill a few hours before!”

The truce at Williamson’s position held for four days before orders arrived to end fraternisation, while the Germans were warned to expect visits from senior officers; they sent a message across, explaining that they would have to fire their machine guns, but would fire high to avoid hitting anyone.

For Barker, peace lasted a little longer too. “Night came and still no shots. Boxing day the same, and has remained so up to now,” he wrote a few days later.

But gradually fighting resumed.

Captain J.C. Dunn’s account of resuming hostilities is poignant: “I fired three shots in the air and put up a flag with “Merry Christmas” on it, and I climbed on the parapet...[the Germans] put up a sheet with “Thank you” on it, and the German Captain appeared...

We both bowed and saluted... he fired two shots in the air, and the War was on again.”

Both truces (and football games) had occurred in earlier wars. So what makes the 1914 Christmas Truce especially memorable?

Perhaps because in a war that cost over 10 million lives, it was, as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle said, “one human episode amid all the atrocities.”

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Discover What’s On

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BURLESQUE AND CABARET 29 Nov, 7:30pm The Broadway, Winchester Join Hundred Watt Club for a rousing & rip roaring night!

Hosted by the ‘Songbird of Trafalgar Square’ vintage beauty LILI LA SCALA, with ethereal burlesque from Vicky Butterfly, Tabitha Taboo and Miss Glory Pearl! £15 + booking fee with unreserved seating. 01962 840 500 SOUTHAMPTON CONCERT ORCHESTRA 30 Nov, 7:30pm Thornden Hall, Chandlers Ford The orchestra presents their 50th Anniversary Year Final Concert. £15 (£12 concessions). 02380 246555 MUSIC MAKERS CHRISTMAS CONCERTS 1 Dec, 7:30pm, St. Mary’s Church, Southampton 13 Dec, 2:30pm & 7:30pm, Village Hall, Hedge End 16 Dec, 7:30pm, Fire & Rescue Centre Eastleigh Formed in 1970 in Hedge End the choir has grown in both numbers and musical expertise. tickets@newmusicmakers.com

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VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR 6-7 Dec, 10:15am to 4:15pm Tudor House & Garden, Bugle Street SO14 2AD Travel back in time to see staff in Victorian themed costumes,

book a slot to meet Father Christmas, kids’ arts and crafts to make and take away and try our festive mini-trail. There will be a small charge for some activities. Kids go FREE with a paying adult. House open 10am-5pm on both days.

Spaces limited. 02380 834536 COMEDY CLUB 4 KIDS 6 Dec, 2pm The Berry Theatre, Hedge End Cracking entertainment for everyone over six year’s old and under 400 years old. £8/£6.

023 8065 2333 VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS 6-7 Dec, 10am to 5pm Tudor House and Gardens, Southampton Deck the halls with boughs of holly.

Travel back in time to see our staff in Victorian themed costumes, book a slot to meet Father Christmas, kids’ arts and crafts to make and take away and why not try our festive mini-trail. There will be a small charge for some activities.£6 (B) 02380 834242 SANTA SPECIALS ON THE WATERCRESS LINE 6, 7, 13, 14, 20-24 Dec The Railway Station, Alresford See Santa on a steam train on a one hour round trip through the scenic Hampshire countryside.

Santa visits every child with a special gift. White wine and mince pies for the grown-ups, soft drinks for the children.

Depart from Alresford on a round trip to Medstead and back... or depart from Alton on a round trip to Ropley and back. Adults £18, 1-16 years £18, Under 1s £10. Prices are £1 more on 24 Dec. 01962 733810 (B)

THE LONGDOWN FARM CHRISTMAS BARN 6-24 Dec Ashurst, near Lyndhurst SO40 7EH Set among the twinkling lights and Christmas trees, excited chicks and favourite farm animals will be making an appearance. See the peaceful Nativity scene, watched over by real donkeys. Father Christmas himself will be waiting inside the Farmhouse Grotto to greet the children with a gift. Under 3s £4.50*, 3-14 years £6.50*, Adults £2. (*includes gift) 02380 292837

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FATHER CHRISTMAS SPECIAL 7 Dec, 11am to 4pm Bursledon Brickworks, Swanwick SO31 7HB A special visit to the museum to see Father Christmas in his workshop. The trip includes the museum, activities and refreshments.

Booking is essential for this event - we want to make it really special for you. www. bursledonbrickworks.org.uk (B)

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JACK AND HIS BEANSTALK 9-20 Dec, times vary between 7pm, 7:30pm, 9pm The Cellar, 78 West Marlands Road, Southampton SO14 7FW Strictly Adults Only Southampton’s naughtiest Panto presented by the Stage Door. Food and drinks packages available. Perfect for Christmas parties. £12/£10. 02380 710648 HILLIER GARDENS CHRISTMAS SUPPER 12 & 13 Dec, 7:30pm Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Romsey SO51 0QA Christmas Supper with seasonal entertainment from Miscellany.

Three courses, coffee & chocolates. £35 per person.

01794 369319 (B)

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FREE LUNCHTIME SINGING CONCERT 13 Dec, 1-1:50pm Southampton City Art Gallery Free. Just drop in and listen to the Southampton Voices Community Choir

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ALBION BRASS BAND CHRISTMAS CONCERT 13 Dec, 7pm Thornden Hall, Chandlers Ford £15 (£13 concessions) 02380 692679 ALICE IN WONDERLAND BALLET 16 Dec, 7:15pm Thornden Hall, Chandlers Ford SO53 2DW Presented by the Royal Opera House LIVE. £15 (£13 concessions) 02380 692679 CHRISTMAS WALKING SAFARI 17 Dec, 10am to 1pm Bolderwood Car Park (SU242086) 2 ½ mile gentle meander to get into the Christmas spirit.

Enjoy a glass of mulled wine at the end of the walk. Min. age 8 years. £5.50. 02380 283141 (B) BUDDY HOLLY – A LEGEND REBORN 19 Dec The Brook, Portswood SO17 3SD An authentic slice of rock ’n’ roll nostalgia that ensures Buddy’s incredible legacy of unforgettable hit songs lives on. £17 (£15 Concessions) 02380 555366 CHRISTMAS CHEERS 19 Dec, 7:30pm Thornden Hall, Chandlers Ford Presented by Pops Incorporated UK. £9 (£8 concessions / Under 16 £5) www. popsincorporated. co.uk. 01202 389793

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11 CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS AT BEAULIEU 20-24 Dec, 26 Dec - 4 Jan Beaulieu SO42 7ZN A range of magical events.

Palace House is magnificently transformed with Victorian-style decorations and children are offered the chance to dress up in period costume. Carol singing around the grand piano, hot fruit punch, and one of the largest outdoor Christmas trees in the New Forest. beaulieu. co.uk THE ALBION CHRISTMAS BAND 22 Dec, 8pm-11pm Hangar Farm Arts Centre, Totton Performing a mixture of seasonal carols, spoken word, humorous readings and dance, the show is the antithesis of the Christmas special shows filling television screens, reminding audiences of the simpler pleasures and values of a traditional Christmas. £17/£14.

02380 667683 MAGICAL CHRISTMAS SHOW 22 Dec, 11am and 2pm Hangar Farm Arts Centre, Totton Come and see the Magical Christmas Show with one of the South’s top children’s entertainers - Malcolm the Magician - as he returns one more to Hanger Farm with his captivating magic show!

A fabulous festive treat! £7/£5.

02380 667683 CHRISTMAS AT MARWELL 22-24 Dec Marwell Zoo SO21 1JH Take a magical journey through Marwell to meet Santa, Mrs Claus and their attentive elves.

Prebooking essntial (B) www.marwell. org.uk

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HOLIDAY BOXES 23 Dec, 1-2:30pm Tudor House and Gardens, Southampton SO14 2AD Try making a personalised gift box to give to a loved one or to keep your own trinkets in.

Cover a readymade box in festive themed paper and embellish with beads, sequins and buttons. All materials provided. £6 (B) 02380 834242

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WWII CHRISTMAS LEAVE ON THE WATERCRESS LINE 26-27 Dec The Railway Station, Alresford “We’ll Meet Again!” Experience the atmosphere of a WWII Christmas. Join civilian and military re-enactors in song, dance and festive merriment.

Adults £17, 2-16 years £9, Under 2s free. 01962 733810

What’s on at The Brook December Wed 3 SAS Band Fri 5 The Fortunes Sat 6 Ultimate Eagles Sun 7 Martin Smith Wed 10 The Sensible Gray Cells Fri 12 The Johnny Cash

Roadshow Sat 13 T. Rexmas with T.Rextasy Mon 15 Mostly Autumn Fri 19 Buddy Holly

A Legend Reborn Sat 20 Bon Jovi Experience JANUARY Fri 23

Sat 24 Fri 30

Dire Straits played by ‘Money For Nothing’ Atomic Blondie Fleetwood Bac

For further dates please visit

www.the-brook.com Box office 023 8055 5366

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Roast Turkey with Leek, Apricot and Chestnut Stuffing

Serves 8-10

Roasting the turkey in a ’tent’ of buttered foil will keep it moist and succulent. Always allow time for the cooked bird to rest in a warm place before carving.

IngRedIents: • 100g butter • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 leek, trimmed and chopped • 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped • 75g ready to eat dried apricots, finely chopped • 150g fresh white breadcrumbs • 100g cooked chestnuts, finely chopped • 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves • 5.4kg oven-ready turkey, giblets removed • 16 cocktail sausages • 4 rashers smoked streaky bacon • Fresh herbs, to garnish

Ready in approx 4½ hours, plus resting time

TIP

For a quick gravy, simmer the roast turkey juices with a splash of red wine and a couple of spoonfuls of redcurrant jelly.

Heat half the butter and the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the leek and shallots for 6-7 minutes until softened. Remove from the heat and stir in the apricots, breadcrumbs, chestnuts and half the thyme leaves.

Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper and leave to cool.

Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5. Line a large roasting tin with buttered foil. Use about one third of the stuffing mix to stuff the neck end of the turkey (press the rest of the stuffing in a shallow ovenproof dish to cook separately). Weigh the stuffed turkey and calculate the cooking time - allow 20 minutes per 450g plus 20 minutes. Place the turkey in the lined roasting tin and smear all over the skin with the remaining butter. Sprinkle over the rest of the thyme leaves and season.

Cover the turkey with a tent of buttered foil and roast in the preheated oven for the calculated cooking time, basting occasionally. Uncover the turkey for the last 45 minutes until the skin is golden and the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of one thigh. If the juices still run slightly pink return the turkey to the oven for a further 15-20 minutes then check again.

Leave the turkey, loosely covered with foil, in a warm place to rest for at least 20 minutes. Stretch the bacon rashers with the back of a knife and cut each rasher in half. Wrap the short rashers around the cocktail sausages, securing with a cocktail stick. Place in baking tray and cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden and cooked through. Drizzle a couple of spoonfuls of juices from the turkey over the stuffing in the dish and cook in the oven at the same time as the bacon-wrapped sausages for 20 minutes.

Serve the turkey on a large warmed platter with the bacon-wrapped sausages and garnished with fresh herbs. Serve the extra stuffing separately along with all the usual festive vegetables.

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HOME & INTERIORS

Give Your Walls A Facelift

By Katherine Sorrell

Not a fan of wallpaper but bored with paint? Use your imagination and ingenuity to create all sorts of interesting decorative effects on your walls, says interiors expert Katherine Sorrell

Terrific Tiles Hard-wearing, long-lasting, easy to clean and potentially highly decorative, tiles are often overlooked as a wallcovering other than for the inevitable bathroom or kitchen splashback. Yet they are available in as great a variety of colours and patterns as wallpaper, and can have just as much impact. They can be supershiny or matt and understated; sleek and machine-made or wobbly, rustic and hand-made; even and smooth, or knobbly and textured; even digitally printed with your own designs. Something to suit every style. Why not consider tiled walls for hallways, conservatories, laundry rooms and utility rooms? Given their fabulous decorative potential, they may also work as part of a living area, too.

Just how a tiled area looks – whether it’s a whole wall or a

small splashback – depends on a variety of factors. Their colour, pattern and texture are most important, of course, but size (from huge slabs to tiny mosaic) matters, too, while shape also plays a part. While most tiles are square or rectangular, other shapes are available, and can create complex patterns that have enormous impact. Your chosen layout also makes a difference, whether it’s a simple grid, an offset design (also known as brick bond), herringbone, pinwheel or random. Will you add borders or mix two or more patterns?

How wide apart will your tiles be spaced? And what colour grout will you choose? Tiling may not be as simple as it first seems – but it can certainly be rewarding.

Timber panelling Wood panelling keeps heat in and noises out, and is great for disguising wonky walls and. More than that, though, it has fabulous warmth and character. Choose fielded panelling for classic feel, or simple tongue and groove for that cosy, country look. Leave natural or paint to co-ordinate with the rest of the room – it’s up to you.

Mirror A wall (or a portion of it) covered with a sheet of mirror will reflect

Different tyPes of tiles

wwwwwwwww

Ceramic: relatively inexpensive, don’t need sealing or polishing and are easily wiped clean.

Mosaics: small ceramic, glass, stone, metal or even shell tiles, usually supplied on a backing sheet and employed for small areas of decorative effect.

Porcelain: heavier and harder-wearing than ceramic, and can often be used outdoors as well as inside. Surface effects include natural stone, metals, concrete, fabric, wood and leather.

Glass: clear, frosted and coloured, and have a lovely, translucent appearance.

Natural stone: includes limestone, marble, granite and slate. Can be porous, so check whether they need to be sealed before use. ...cont p16

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16 light around and instantly make the room seem bigger. The larger the mirror, the thicker it needs to be, so it’s often a good idea to get professional help to attach it securely.

Polished plaster A centuries-old Italian technique, also known as Venetian plaster, involves applying several thin coats of plaster and polishing with wax. The finished result boasts a lovely depth of colour and can resemble marble, stone or suede.

Fabric Choose your fabric, line it, stretch it, and staple it to battens fixed to the walls. There’s no way around it: this traditional technique is expensive. It looks amazing, however, and is helpful in insulating against cold and noise.

Composites and laminates They may seem dull, but in fact sheets of plastic laminate or solid composite have decorative potential. As they are waterproof and require few joins, they make an especially good choice for bathrooms.

Leather Costly but eye-catching and incredibly luxurious, leatherclad walls possess enormous character, while their patina, like that of a quality shoe, will develop over time. Apparently, they are even sound- and fireretardant.

Cork Cork sheets and tiles offer many appealing qualities, from being warm and soft to the touch to having insulating and soundproofing benefits.

What’s more, they are highly

environmentally-friendly. A range of modern colours, patterns and textures is available.

Sheet metal Fancy an unusual wall installation? Then opt for sheets of metal – steel, copper or aluminium, say. Finishes include different textures, laser-cut designs or even designer rust and, depending on their patina and arrangement, the end result could be either overtly industrial or sleek and upmarket.

Image: From the ancient designs of the star and cross to the modern take on MidCentury styling, these unconventional but graphically exciting Bazaar tiles are all made from more than 70% recycled materials. This Khamees design costs £3.35 per tile, from Fired Earth (0845 366 0400; www.firedearth.com.

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Starting at 1 and finishing at 34, track your way from one square to another, either horizontally, vertically or diagonally, placing consecutive numbers into the empty squares as you go. Some numbers are already given.

Pictograms

answers on page 46

PICTOGRAMS

5 words

O + H2O 4 words

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40. LIF

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©Puzzlepress.co.uk

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE CROSSWORD bites animals, also known as a cleg (8) 26. Electrical power cord (4) Down 2. Indian side dish of yogurt and chopped cucumbers (5) 3. Look which is believed to have the power to inflict harm (4,3) 4. Garment worn to keep one’s foot warm (4) 5. One who pays for goods or services (8) 6. Adult female horses (5) 7. Edward ___, English composer (1857–1934) (5) 12. Adam’s wife (3) 13. Lucky type of clover (4-4)

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veterinary medicine (5) 15. Yoko ___, widow of 21. Bloodsucking insect John Lennon (3) parasitic on warm17. Officer of the court (7) blooded animals (5) 18. Collection of cakes, for 22. Group noun for quails instance (5) or larks (4) 19. Large pill used in

©Puzzlepress.co.uk

Across 1. Scottish hillside (4) 4. Type of tree (8) 8. Tropical plant with large brightlycoloured flowers (8) 9. Sound of a bell (4) 10. Cymru (5) 11. Adult male chicken (7) 14. Shrub with fruits similar to the grapefruit (6) 16. Special design or symbol (6) 18. Attack with artillery (7) 20. Sacred writings of the Christian religion (5) 23. Ring slowly (4) 24. Professor who is retired from assigned duties (8) 25. Large two-winged insect that stings or

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Hampshire Walks The Ramblers’ Association, Britain’s largest walking charity, has been working since 1935 to promote walking and safeguard footpaths and the countryside. There are at least 3 guided walks a week in Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, Sussex and the Isle of Wight. These range in length from starter walks of a few miles to all-day walks for the more experienced walker as well as the opportunity Here’s just a selection of local walks. Check out the websites listed below for even more: STOCKBRIDGE CIRCULAR 6 Dec, 1:30pm Starts at the White Hart Pub 7 miles/11.3 km - Moderate Moderate 7 mile walk. Route via Danebury Hill. 07500 947773.

Grid Ref: SU359351 TESTWOOD LAKES CIRCULAR 7 Dec, 2pm Start at Testwood Lakes off Calmore Industrial Estate Leisurely 4 mile walk. 02381 845991 Grid Ref: SU347153 EASTLEIGH CIRCULAR 11 Dec, 10am Starts outside Stoke Park Infant School, Abbotsbury Road Moderate 6 mile walk through woods, farmland, gently undulating terrain. 07751 213735. Grid Ref: SU475188 CHRISTMAS WALK BROCKENHURST 14 Dec, 10am and 1:45pm Start from Brockenhurst Railways Station Figure of 8 morning and afternoon walks. Optional festive attire and complimentary seasonal refreshments. Optional lunch from 12Noon in nearby

to explore long distance trails by coach trip. Or if you’d enjoy walking closer to home; give The Southampton Ramblers’ Association a try. Join them on any of the walks to see if it’s for you. Then it’s just a case of becoming a member. Please make sure you have the right footwear and clothing for the walk you want to do. If you’re unsure of your fitness level, try a short and easy walk first.

Rose & Crown Pub (SU303024) 02380 235669. Grid Ref: SU302020. Afternoon walk starts from Rose & Crown.

CHRISTMAS DAY WALK WINCHESTER 25 Dec, 10am Start at Chesil Street Car Park Moderate 7 mile walk. Optional drink and quiz afterwards at the Black Boy Pub. 07736731792.

Grid Ref: SU485291 BOXING DAY CIRCULAR – BISHOPS WALTHAM 26 Dec, 9:45am Park at Station Road to start by the railway gate Moderate 11 mile walk.

07561386286. Grid Ref: SU552172 NEW FOREST WALK 27 Dec, 1:30pm Starts in Boltons Bench Car Park, Lyndhurst Moderate 7 mile festive circuit of Lyndhurst. 01794 51299. Grid Ref: SU305082 NEW YEARS DAY CIRCULAR 1 Jan 2015, 10am Starts at car park opposite Beaulieu airfield Moderate 6 mile walk. 02381 845991. Grid Ref: SU351019

BRAISHFIELD (TEST VALLEY) CIRCULAR 4 Jan, 9:45am Start at pond in Braishfield, Moderate 12 mile walk finishing approx. 2pm. Car sharers meet at 9am at Southampton Central Railway Station. 01794 512999. Grid Ref: SU375252 LORDSDALE AND LORDSWOOD CIRCULAR 8 Jan, 10am Starts at View Pub, Thornhill Road Moderate 6.5 mile walk via Shirley Pond, Warhorse Memorial and Castle Hill. 02380 779999.

Grid Ref: SU409155 WARSASH HOOK CIRCULAR 10 Jan, 1:30pm Start at Car Park next to the One Stop in Warsash Brisk pace - 8.5 miles of varied terrain with resplendent scenic vistas of the Solent and IOW. 01489 573708. Grid Ref: SU489062 Give Southampton Ramblers’ a try with the Southampton, Totton and Waterside Group www. southamptonramblers.org.uk or www.ramblers.org.uk

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23

On The Stage

Your guide to Professional and Amateur productions close to you

BOX OFFICE NUMBERS Chesil Theatre, Winchester Theatre Royal, Winchester The Point, Eastleigh Titchfield Festival Theatre Hangar Farm Arts Centre, Totton College The Plaza Theatre, Romsey

RED NIGHT 20-29 Nov A gripping and deeply moving play to commemorate the Great War. Titchfield Festival Theatre WESSEX DANCE ACADEMY 27 Nov Graduation performance celebrates the culmination of 12 weeks hard work from their latest company of young dancers. Free but a donation is welcome. Theatre Royal Winchester STEPPING OUT - PETER PAN 27-30 Nov This spectacular production will certainly put you in the Christmas Spirit. The Point, Eastleigh LITTLE WOMEN 29 Nov-6 Dec The timeless and enduring classic about four sisters by Louisa May Alcott.

Chesil Theatre, Winchester DOGS DON’T DO BALLET 29 Nov Biff is a dog who loves tutus, tiaras and ballet!

Full of fun, magic and one very special dog!

Recommended Age: 3+. Theatre Royal Winchester THE WOMAN WHO COOKED HER HUSBAND 1-6 Dec Told through a series of flashbacks interspersed with the ‘last supper’, The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband is a highly entertaining exploration of the old adage “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”! Contains adult themes.

Not suitable for children.

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GREASE 4-6 Dec Debut Youth Theatre presents all the fun and fabulous music at the 1950’s Rydell High. Hangar Farm Arts Centre SCROOGE: POINT YOUTH THEATRE 4-5 Dec A brand new version of a Charles Dickens’ Christmas favourite. Full of ghost stories, funky Christmas carols and new characters. The Point Eastleigh PANTOLAND’S GOT TALENT! 11-12 Dec This talent competition mystery play features a cast of seasonal pantomime characters. There’s a magic act, a singing sweetheart, two evil judges and an audience vote. Hangar Farm Arts Centre, Totton TREASURE ISLAND 19-24 Dec Anchored at The Point for one week only, this swashbuckling novel comes thrillingly to life in all its sea-fairing glory. Perfect for scallywags aged 5 years and up. The Point Eastleigh DICK WHITTINGTON 8-11, 15-18, 22-24 Jan 2015 A traditional and colourful panto – with added rats – for all the family. Plaza Theatre Romsey PINOCCHIO 10 Jan Follow the astonishing adventures of an adorable puppet who longs to be a real boy. You’ll enjoy this very special performance, with no strings attached!

Hangar Farm Arts Centre, Totton

24

Finance

Using Christmas Money Gifts to Start a Savings Pot

By Ann Haldon Would you rather give and receive money at Christmas, or do you prefer traditional gifts?

People give money as a gift for various reasons. Maybe they’re not sure of the recipient’s taste, or particularly in the case of teenagers, think they might prefer to spend the money on something of their own choosing.

Christmas is an ideal opportunity to start a small savings pot for a friend or family member, using money that they might otherwise spend frivolously, or on everyday expenses such as food and petrol.

It shows thought and consideration and has the potential to grow over the years. It could provide funds towards a summer holiday, a new car, or something long-term.

Using the same reasoning it’s in your own best interests to save the Christmas money gifts you receive, rather than put them to one side to be swallowed up by everyday needs.

So what are the best options for starting a savings pot for a loved one, or saving your money gifts this Christmas?

Tax-free savings are the obvious choice The old cash ISAs have now been replaced by NISAs (new ISA), and anyone over the age of 16 can deposit a maximum of £15,000

each year. This is a significant increase on the old cash limit of £5,600 although the interest rates may be lower, but this type of savings account is still the best option for easy access.

The Junior ISA is available to under-18s but can only be opened by parents or legal guardians, so if you’re giving money to a member of your extended family or a friend’s child, you’ll need to physically give them the money to pay in.

Each year from 6th April, you can open a new NISA with the same limit, so this is a great way to save long-term too. For those looking for an investment rather than cash savings, Stocks and Shares NISAs are also available.

Regular savings accounts As the name suggests, you’ll need to drip-feed these accounts on a monthly basis. Regular savers generally offer a much better interest rate than standard savings accounts, but tax may be payable on the interest depending on your circumstances.

Interest rates of around 6% are not unheard of, and some accounts may even beat the NISA for interest. Banks often offer regular savings accounts as a promotional tool, however, in the hope that you will take up some of their other products once you’re a customer.

Saving ad-hoc Not everyone is able to save on a regular basis, but a separate place to put spare cash as and when you get it is very useful. Standard savings accounts usually run alongside current accounts, making it easy to either pay in money directly or transfer it from the current account.

The Mason jar savings method Often started on the 1st January each year, this involves saving £1 the first week, £2 in week two, and so on throughout the year.

Although there’ll be no interest, it’s surprising how motivating it can be to literally see your money grow, and you’re still saving for a purpose rather than frittering it away.

So if you are offering money gifts for Christmas this year, it’s worthwhile giving a little more thought to how they are offered.

On the other side of the coin, receiving money for Christmas could provide you with the start of a useful nest-egg.

www.gov.uk/junior-individual-savingsaccounts/opening-an-account www.moneysavingexpert.com/savings/ junior-isa frugalbeautiful.com/blog/mason-jarmoney-method-start-1-save-1300-year/

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Hanover Buildings Southampton SO14 1JU Alterations and erection of an additional storey to the building and conversion of the upper floors into 12 flats (7 x 1 bed, 5 x 2 bed) with associated works.

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TECHNOLOGY

Images: iGrill Smart Thermometer; Mipow Playbulb Bluetooth speaker; LG Watch R; GoPro Hero 3 action camera

The Best Christmas Gadgets For Him Buying gadgets can be tricky: if you’re buying for a grownup there’s a very good chance that they’ve already bought the gadgets they want. But don’t despair, because it turns out that there are lots of gadgetrelated gifts you can buy for the man who has everything.

A good place to start is with a case. You can spend hundreds if you want something from a name designer, but firms such as TuffLuv make really nice vintage leather Kindle cases for around £40.

And of course you can get leather cases for other devices such as laptops and tablets too.

If he hasn’t already got a tablet, there are plenty of alternatives to the all-conquering iPad and iPad Mini. Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD (£89) is good for ebooks and movies, and a range of affordable Windows 8 tablets have been launched by the likes of Asus, Acer and Toshiba, all below £200.

If he fancies himself as the next Jamie Oliver, Belkin’s Chef Stand and Wand (£29) is a smart gift idea. It’s a tablet stand designed specifically for the kitchen, enabling him to see the recipe (or the tutorial videos if he’s using

cooking apps or YouTube) without getting it covered in food. If he’s more of an outdoor cooking type, iGrill’s range of smartphoneconnected thermometers (from around £34.99) give him a new toy to play with while he’s burning burgers.

One of the more unusual new gadgets we’ve seen is the PlayBulb, a bluetooth speaker that’s also an LED light bulb. The £59 device is controlled via an iPhone and Android app that enables you play music and, er, turn the light on and off.

For sporty types there are stacks of gadget gifts, such as the Fitbit Flex activity tracker (£75), the Zepp motion sensor for tennis players (£129), Garmin’s Forerunner GPS watches (£89) and the TomTom Multi-Sport GPS Watch (£149).

If you really want to delight a gadget fan, this year’s hot technology is the smartwatch - of which LG’s G Watch R is one of the nicest. The price hadn’t been announced as we went to press but the Androidcompatible smartwatch is likely to be keenly priced -

not least because Apple has its own smartwatch, which is likely to be a big seller this Christmas.

If he’s already shelled out for a smart watch, how about a drone?

Parrot’s AR.Drone 2.0 (£224) is a smartphone-controlled quadricopter, a flying drone that can stream high definition video back to the owner’s phone or tablet. There are drones to suit all budgets, from the £36 Quadricopter X4 to drones costing more than £600.

Many bigger drones are designed to carry GoPro cameras, which are small high definition cameras that can be attached to almost anything. Our current favourite video, a YouTube hit, was made by strapping a GoPro to a dog’s collar and then letting it sprint down to the beach for a swim, but we’ve seen GoPros strapped to bike helmets, to remote controlled cars and even to musical instruments.

Expect to pay from around £199.

You don’t have to spend lots of money for a great gadget gift, though. The excellent Aeropress coffee maker produces brews that rival the world’s most expensive coffee machines, and you can pick one up brand new - for around £25.

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Humphries win prestigious award Humphries Digital Aerials have won the prestigious CAI company of the year award.

This is awarded to the CAI Member Company (Nationwide) who gains the top marks during DM! Totton, Sep13 - FINAL_DMG! Master Layout (Jun13) 16/08/2013 18:55 Page 31 inspections, this award was presented on Saturday 27th September 2014.

Keith Humphries & Son was established in 1971 when Keith was working from his home in Woodlands. Keith’s wife Janet was taking the bookings at the time, and their youngest son Darren worked with Keith at every opportunity from the tender age of 6!

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Darren eventually joined the business full time when he finished school in 1987. In 2009 Darren took over the business while Keith started to step back in to semi-retirement and at that time Darren modernised the company name to Humphries Digital Aerials taking in to account the changes that were happening across the industry.

Now Darren’s partner Michelle takes the bookings and hopefully one day their sons will follow in their Dad’s footsteps!

Humphries Digital Aerials are also looking to recruit a trainee aerial/satellite engineer which would be an ideal opportunity for a school or college leaver. Applicants would be required to assist a Senior Engineer with general television, aerial and satellite repair and installations to both domestic and commercial properties. Full training will be provided.

34

YULETIDE SHOPPING Your guide to fairs and markets in the run up to Christmas

Winchester Christmas Market

WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL CHRISTMAS MARKET 20 Nov - 21 Dec, 10am to 6pm Winchester With the unique location, high quality exhibitors and bustling atmosphere, this is one of the best markets in Europe.

The pretty wooden chalets are situated in the Cathedral’s historic Inner Close surrounding an open-air real ice rink. All the exhibitors have been hand-picked for their interesting, high quality and unique products many of which can’t be bought on the high street.

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING AND INDULGENCE SHOW 7 Dec, 10:30am to 4pm Norton Park Hotel, Winchester Spoil yourself, friends & family in the run up to Christmas. Enjoy all the trimmings of The All Woman Show with a festive twist.

Free parking. Supporting The Katie Piper Foundation for burns sufferers. www.allwomanshow.com ST. PETER’S CHURCH CHRISTMAS FAYRE 6 Dec, 1-3pm Shakespeare Road, Eastleigh Father Christmas, Raffle, Bottle Tombola, Gifts and Toys, Family Tombola, Bric-a-Brac, Books, Homemade cakes and refreshments. All very welcome.

Free entry. 02380 364176

LIFE’S LITTLE LUXURIES 3 Dec, 6:30pm Guildhall Winchester Age Concern Hampshire and Little Forest Soap are hosting an evening of Christmas shopping and pampering. Arts and crafts gifts, local food products, luxury products and stands providing mini beauty treatments. www. ageconcernhampshire.org.uk.

01962 892449 CRAFTY WOMEN AT CHRISTMAS 6 Dec, 10am to 4pm Winchester Guildhall Local and contemporary handmade Arts & Craft Fair.

Swarovski Crystal Jewellery, willow work, handmade soaps, chocolates, cakes, ceramics, paintings and more. Raffle in aid of BOAZ. 07981134767 craftywomen.mail@gmail.com ART, CRAFT AND GIFT FAYRE 30 Nov, 10am to 4pm University of Southampton, Staff Social Centre Something for everyone with over 125 stands. Crafts and gift products, cards, jewellery, pottery, paintings, prints, wood carvings and more. £2.00 under 10’s free. 023 8059 2832 BITTERNE MARKET Every Wed, 9am till 4pm Bitterne Village Precinct Clothing, shoes, produce, books, flowers, pet supplies, fresh meat,

flowers, seasonal items and more. 02380 694843 CHRISTMAS BABY AND CHILDREN’S MARKET 29 Nov, 2-4pm Romsey Community School, Main Hall SO51 8ZB Over 30 Stalls. To book a stall email kirstenmonro@ babyandchildrensmarket.co.uk.

Entrance £1, Kids Free, Free Parking.

YELLOW VINTAGE CHRISTMAS FAIR 30 Nov, 10am to 4pm The Ageas Bowl, West End Over 100 stalls selling a huge spectrum of vintage and retro items. Live music from The Cadettes, a war-time harmony trio and Lianna Haynes, a 50s and 60s songstress. Vintage caravans, Lambrettas and classic cars. Coles Funfair, Mucky Bucket Petting Farm, the Funky Playbus and vintage ice cream vans. £3 entry, under 12s free. 07515 175573 CHRISTMAS GIFT FAYRE 23 Nov, 10am to 3pm Careys Manor, Brockenhurst Shopping in preparation for Christmas or treat yourself from one of the exclusive stalls. £3. All proceeds to Autism Hampshire. 01489 880881

35 CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA 29 Nov, 10am to 2:30pm Underhill Centre, Hedge End Market on two floors. Lift available. Super gift ideas: hand painted china, preserves, Christmas produce, toys. Home cooked lunches available for purchase from 11.30am. Tea/coffee/cake. Entry 50p, Under 12’s free. If you require transport call 01489 783192 CHURCH XMAS FAIR Saturday 22 Nov 2-4 pm Immaculate Conception Church, 346,Portswood Road SO17 3SB. Proceeds to charity.

WANDERING WITCHES’ FAYRE 16 Nov, 10am to 3pm Waterlooville Community Centre Artists, artisans and craftspeople showing and selling their beautiful work. Demonstrations, costumes, live entertainment, refreshments, bar open from 1pm. Free Entry.

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36

GARDENING

I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas

by Pippa Greenwood handled – I think IWith love Christmas giving presents, whetherthe corner, just around thereweeders is always plentythey’re to do. indispensable. that a thingside of beauty or may be Truegift theisgarden of things a little less busy than usual, something totallyelse practical.

A few of vegetable seeds but everything seems With to be going intopackets overdrive. gardening as one of the nation’s are always appreciated and most top pastimes, here are a few ideas garden centres already have a I love giving presents, but only Weeding is always an issue so a for things which I am sure most good variety in stock. If you want when Ifingered think that the recipient hoe is useful or for smaller spaces green friends would bewill to spend a bit more, a heated really enjoy (such as in between plants, delighted toreceiving receive. it - whether propagator makes a fantastic that gift is a thing of beauty or in gravel, between paving, in gift. With tomatoes, peppers, If you know a newish gardener something totally practical.

With asparagus beds or to tackle aubergines and many of the weeds then the basic tools are always gardening as one of the nation’s within planters) try the hand to held fancier ornamentals needing be well received, especially if you top pastimes, I’m sure you’llones. know red-handled weeders – I put think sown soon, it’ll be a gift to use choose good quality, sturdy more thanfork, a few gardeners so here they’re indispensable. straight away.

So think spade and rake – are athey few are ideas for things which yes, difficult to wrap but Small but always appreciated Gardening gloves too are I am sure most green fingered worth the effort. gifts could we include a few packets something can always have friends would be delighted to more of. Some of the gauntlet For anyone gripped by the Grow of vegetable seeds.

Although receive. style perfect you Your Own bug you could give manygloves gardenare centres areifcurrently If you a newish have to tackle a pruning one of know my ‘Grow Your gardener Own withor crammed full of tinselly, job twinkly someone who has ‘recently taken on a thorny or one withmost Pippa Greenwood gift cards – items for theplant festive season, on a choose garden then thethey basic garden really rough leaves. of they the veg want already haveora sharp good number tools areand always wellthem received, Alternatively, there are many to grow I send out, at seeds in stock. especially if you good lower-priced the right time forchoose planting and Choose sometypes available with gripping pads on the fingers or accompanied weekly advice quality, sturdyby ones.

So think particularly with leather toughened strips and emails….it be fork,tips spade and rakecouldn’t – yes, they scrumptious across theofknuckles. Classic simpler!

Findtoout are difficult wrap but worth the varieties greens, ravishing more effort.at www. vegetables or for reds or funky florals, gloves are definitely not pippagreenwood. those who are For anyone gripped by the boring. com more concerned Grow Your Own bug and who’d about looks Birds in than the garden not only Weeding is aalways appreciate helping hand you keep pest numbers an issue soone a hoe taste,help how to about could give of my ‘Grow Your down, but they also add is useful or for some flamboyantly Own with Pippa Greenwood ‘ gift charm which everybody smaller spaces colourful flowers cards – they choose the veg they appreciates. (such as in between to brighten up theirA peanut want to grow and I send them out, feeder, nest box or perhaps plants, in gravel, garden?

If you want at the right time for planting and evenaabit bird table will attract between paving, to advice to spend more accompanied by or weekly in and there are many tackle weeds within and them the person and tips emails….it couldn’t be designs available from modern planters) try the loves growing simpler! Find out more at to from rustic. hand held redthings www.pippagreenwood.com

For thea ‘other who is less seed, heatedhalf’ propagator makes inclined to help with tomatoes, the tough a fantastic gift. With jobs in theaubergines garden, admit defeatof peppers, and many and give them a garden lounger the fancier ornamentals needingor even hammock. to be asown soon, it’ll be a gift put to use straight away. continues As container gardening to rise in popularity, another idea Gardening gloves too are is to give a few gorgeous looking something that any gardener containers - either empty for the can always have more of. friend or relative to decide what to Particularly useful are some of put in it themselves, or make them the gauntlet style gloves which into a complete gift by planting are perfect if you have to tackle them up with a selection of plants a pruning job on a thorny plant and under planting them with or one with really rough or sharp bulbs which you know will bring leaves. Totally practical, but extra delight next year. gauntlets can make even a really Finally, houseplants sucheasier as – I unpleasant job so much poinsettias, cyclamen, indoor even used mine to harvest holly azaleas and jasmines are last perfect for decorating the house for providingAlternatively, bright colourthere indoors Christmas. are at this time of year. But remember many lower-priced types of when you buy any indoor plant gloves available with gripping during cold weather, it is essential pads on the fingers or with that you protect it thoroughly on leather toughened strips across the journey from the shop to your the knuckles to make sure that car and from your car into your your hands don’t get house as even a tiny exposure to too much of a beating cold drafts and low temperatures while you are out in can cause damage. the garden. Classic greens, ravishing Visit Pippa’s website www.florals, reds or funky pippagreenwood.com for a Greatnot gloves are definitely Range of boring.

Gardening-related Gifts including stylish ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ giftand cards, Many gardeners Pippa’s non-gardeners favourite weeding tool, alike signed books and lots of seriously love having birds in the useful garden items for your friends garden.

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37

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T-SING Community Choir Every Thursday evening, 7:30 to 9:30pm Thornden Hall, Chandlers Ford SO53 2DW With over 150 people, T-SING is a non-audition based choir perfect for those that like to make “A joyful noise to behold”. They work towards at least two concerts a year. Follow the website for event information, or keep up to date with rehearsal progress including pictures and clips. www.thorndencommunitychoir.com 02380 2465555

Jubilee Brass

Tuesday evenings, 7:30 to 9:30pm Oasis Mayfield Academy SO19 9NA New members (Brass & Percussion) are always welcome to play a wide range of music that includes jazz, swing, pop, film and traditional brass band. Thanks to a generous lottery grant instruments that can be borrowed if needed. Ian Smith 07711203061. www.jubileebrass.org.uk

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ates D l a t s o P s a m t s Chri Last Post

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The Soundscape Project Brookfield Community School in Sarisbury Green has set up an incredibly exciting project and wonderful collaboration with Turner Sims Concert Hall and the University of Southampton.

The ‘Brookfield Soundscape Project’ has various phases in October, November, January, April and May. As part of Turner Sims’ 40th anniversary celebrations, Brookfield has devised a series of events and activities which explore sound in its widest context: from instruments, musical forms, workshops and concerts. The project will culminate in the Summer Term 2015 with a participatory project involving pupils from Brookfield and their six feeder primary schools.

The entire project is based around the concept of sound and embraces English, Maths, Science, Music and Technology and offers the chance of really strong learning outcomes for the Year 9 students. It is inspired by the famed acoustic properties of Turner Sims.

Phase One begins on 17 November with poetry writing about the ‘sound of place’ with students being inspired by Max West, the Southampton Poet Laureate.

Phase two will be launched on 27 & 28 November.

Dr Steve Dorney from the University of Southampton Engineering Department will

be inspiring students’ to think about acoustics and acoustic properties.

For a complete overview of the project and its various phases please contact Shaun Riches (Director of Learning and Teaching) at Brookfield Community School. s.riches@ brookfield.hants.sch.uk

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41

short story

The Last Present

By Jackie Brewster “I’ll lock up while you get the first round in”, Trevor told Barry, scratching his beard.

“Aren’t we changing out of our work clothes?” Barry said.

“Not tonight”. This was his Christmas Eve ritual, the pub regulars expected it. Once Santa and his elf arrived at the bar everyone knew Christmas had finally arrived.

Trevor had been the Santa at the precinct grotto for years. The kids he’d once bounced on his knee now brought their own kids to tell Santa what a good little boy or girl they’d been.

“Busy year”, Trevor said, “there’s only one present left, we were cutting that a bit fine”.

“What’ll happen to it?” Barry asked. He was new to the elf game, slightly scatterbrained, but good with crowd management Trevor thought.

“It’ll go in storage until next year”.

The grotto was no more than a shed decorated with tinsel, but for the last ten days over-excited kids had been queuing out the door.

“Off you trot now, mine’s a pint”, Trevor said switching off the lights.

Left to himself, Trevor locked the door and dropped the key in his coat pocket. A job well done he thought. As he turned to go he felt something pulling on coat.

“Excuse me Santa is the grotto still open?” a young lad said. He

was just a scrap of a thing, Trevor nearly tripped over him.

“Sorry lad, we’ve shut up shop”.

The boy’s bottom lip began to wobble.

and headed towards the pub.

There was a cheer from the regulars as he walked in. Barry was standing at the crowded bar looking sheepish.

“But I wanted to see Santa”. The boy whimpered. Just what I need, thought Trevor, a blubberer on Christmas Eve.

“Where’s my pint?” Trevor said.

“Well, you’re seeing me now aren’t you?”. Trevor said and ruffled the boy’s hair.

“We’d better nip back for it”, Trevor sighed, “I’ve got the key here”.

“And get a present”, the boy added.

He dug his hand into his pocket, and knew straight away what he’d done. The pocket was empty.

“Well you should’ve come earlier”, Trevor said gruffly. It was more than his job’s worth to let the lad into the grotto without his elf present; health and safety and all that.

“I did, but your elf said I had to pay and I didn’t have any money”, the boy said rubbing his eyes.

Trevor softened. Poor kid.

“Listen lad, don’t cry”. He crouched down, “tell me, have you been a good boy this year?”

The boy nodded uncertainly. Trevor chuckled. He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out all his loose change.

“Here, find yourself something nice with this”. The boy held out his hand and grinned, “Thanks Santa”.

Trevor stood up slowly, his old knees ached.

“Happy Christmas”. He waved,

“I left my wallet at the grotto”, Barry said. “There’s no pockets in these tights”.

“I’ve dropped a real clanger”. He groaned and bundled Barry out of the pub. The boss would have his guts for garters for this.

“Oh no!” Barry gasped as they reached the grotto. Trevor was afraid to look.

“You’ve left the key in the door”.

Barry panted.

“Did I?” Trevor could breathe again, “Must have been distracted by that kid.” He scanned inside the shed as Barry retrieved his wallet from behind the inflatable Rudolph.

“No harm done”. He smiled, putting the key safely back in his pocket.

He was ready for that pint. It was lucky, he thought, that his elf hadn’t noticed the pile of small change where the last present used to be.

42

“Oh yes it is! Oh no it isn’t!”

Pantos across the Region Image courtesy of Nuffield Theatre

THE SNOW QUEEN 27 Nov-4 Jan Nuffield Theatre, Southampton SO17 1TR A new, fun version of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, featuring new songs, spectacular set designs and an enchantingly humorous retelling of this timeless story that will melt your heart. Tickets £10£22. 02380 671771 SLEEPING BEAUTY 4 & 5, 10, 11 & 12 Dec, 7:30pm The Bench Theatre, Havant The classic fairy-tale as you have never seen it before... fun and laughter for all the family in a sparkling new Pantomime from the award-winning Bench team. 02392 472700 PETER PAN 6 Dec-4 Jan Bournemouth Pavilion BH1 2BU Blue Peter Presenter Barney Harwood will be playing Peter Pan, with Waterloo Road’s Mark Benton as Captain Hook. 0844 5763000 ALADDIN 9 Dec-4 Jan King’s Theatre, Southsea PO5 2QJ Traditional fun packed family panto! Antony Costa will be Aladdin while Marcus Patrick will star as the Genie of the Ring. www.kings-southsea.com

SLEEPING BEAUTY 9 Dec-4 Jan Theatre Royal, Winchester SO23 8SB Throw in live music, original songs and lots of audience participation and you have all the ingredients for another blockbusting family pantomime. £8.50-£21.50. 01962 840440

CINDERELLA – Pocket Panto 13-14 Dec Hangar Farm Arts Centre, Totton College A pocket-sized panto full to bursting with all the magic, mischief and mayhem you could possibly wish for from a family favourite fairy tale. 02380 667683

SNOW WHITE and the SEVEN DWARVES 11 Dec-4 Jan Princes Hall Theatre, Aldershot GU11 1NX An action packed pantomime that’s fun for all the family.

01252 329155

CINDERELLA 13 Dec-4 Jan The Mayflower Theatre, Southampton SO15 1GE Brian Conley stars as Buttons, joined by fashion expert, award-winning TV presenter, author and all-round national treasure Gok Wan as The Fairy Gokmother. www.mayflower. org.uk

JACK 12-24 Dec The Berry Theatre, Hedge End SO30 4EJ Fee Fi Fo Fum! Giving this classic tale a contemporary twist, this enchanting family show serves up a cheeky does of fun. Perfect for ages 4 plus and their grown-ups. 02380 652333 SNOW WHITE and the SEVEN DWARVES 12 Dec-4 Jan Ferneham Hall, Fareham Stefan Booth (Hollyoaks & Eastenders) stars as Prince Simon in this classic tale of Snow White and the 7 Dwarves.

01329 231942

TREASURE ISLAND 19-24 Dec The Point, Eastleigh SO50 9DE The Point Youth Theatre - The race is on to find Captain Flint’s buried treasure! Robert Louis Stevenson’s swashbuckling novel thrillingly to life in all its sea-fairing glory. Perfect for scallywags aged 5 years and up.

02380 652333 DICK WHITTINGTON 8-11, 15-18, 22-24 Jan 2015 The Plaza Theatre, Romsey A traditional and colourful panto – with added rats – for all the family. 01794 512987

43

Health & Wellbeing

Stroke Support Group Meets on the last Thursday of every month.

Velmore Community Centre, Chandlers Ford SO53 3GY. Contact Mike Scrivener 07976 630764.

ChandlersFordSSG@stroke.org.uk

Southampton Quitters Every Friday, 9:30am to 12:30pm Bitterne Health Centre A free NHS Stop Smoking Service offering friendly support. This drop in session meets every Monday. 02380 515221

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44

WIN £100 Find the hidden symbol competition

J Lawrence & Sons (Undertakers) Ltd

Serving the families of Southampton and Solent area for 145 years

All you have to do is find the reindeer hidden somewhere within one of this issue’s advertisements.

How to enter Online: www.discovercommunity.co.uk Text: 07702 567811 You must state the following details: 1. Which advert featured the symbol 2. Your name 3. Your postal address 4. Your email address 5. And most importantly, when you received your copy of Discover

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Useful Numbers and Local Information

For more visit www.discovercommunity.co.uk

Transport Solent Blue Line Buses Bluestar Buses Community Transport, HCC National Rail Helpline Uni-Link First Bus

023 8061 8233 023 8061 8233 01962 846785 0845 748 4950 023 8059 5974 0238 0224 854

medical services NHS NHS Blood Service Hampshire Dental Helpline Travel Health Clinic Southampton General Royal Winchester County Royal South Hants Princess Anne

111 0845 7711711 0845 0508345 023 8063 1922 023 8077 7222 01962 863535 023 8063 4288 023 8077 7222

local councils Southampton City Hampshire County

023 8022 3855 01962 841841

civiC services Household Waste, SCC Hants Constabulary Southampton Planning Trading Standards DVLA

0800 5191919 0845 045 45 45 023 803 2603 01962 833620 0870 2400009

your local mp For Southampton Itchen including Bargate, Bitterne, Bitterne Park, Harefield, Peartree, Sholing, Woolston and parts of Bevois and Swaythling.

John Denham (L) 023 8033 9807 john@johndenham.org.uk For Romsey and Southampton North including City wards of Bassett and Swaythling.

Caroline Noakes (C) 020 7219 7218 caroline.nokes.mp@parliament.uk For Southampton Test including Coxford, Freemantle, Millbrook, Portswood, Redbridge, Shirley and parts of Bassett, Bevois and Swaythling.

Alan Whitehead 023 8023 1942 alan@alan-whitehead.org.uk

Schools JUnIOR & PRIMARy SCHOOLS St James CE Bassett Green PS Highfield C of E PS St Denys PS Portswood PS Swaythling PS Banister Nursery & Primary School

023 023 023 023 023 023 023

8090 8067 8055 8055 8055 8055 8039

0995 6262 5793 6982 5095 2252 3313

SECOnDARy SCHOOLS St Anne’s Catholic School Upper Shirley High School St George Catholic College Cantell

023 023 023 023

8032 8032 8032 8032

8200 5333 2603 3111

SIXTH fORM COLLEGES Barton Peverill Peter Symonds City College Totton College Itchen College Richard Taunton St Anne’s Sixth Form College

023 8036 7200 01962 857500 023 8057 7404 023 8087 4874 023 8043 5636 02380 514704 023 8032 8200

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS All dates taken from www3.hants.gov.uk/ education/schools/schoolholidays Christmas Holiday Mon 22 December 2014

to Fri 2 January 2015 Spring Term Mon 5 January 2015 Spring Half Term Holiday Mon 16 February

to Fri 20 February Easter Holiday Fri 3 April 2015

to Fri 17 April 2015

emergency numbers Gas Emergencies Southern Water Hampshire Fire & Rescue British Transport Police Childline Crimestoppers Samaritans Electric Power Cuts Floodline Domestic Violence Police Non Emergency

0800 111 999 023 8066 7929 023 8064 4000 0800 40 50 40 0800 11 11 0800 555 111 08457 90 90 90 023 8066 7929 0845 988 1188 0808 2000 247 101

46

ADVERTISER’S INDEX

Live Local Think Local Buy Local . . .

Local businesses are part of your community Appliance Repair JP Appliances 17 Builders Brian Loades Builders 25 Cleaning Services Little Miss Maids 26 Oven Wizard 26 Watersonic Blind Cleaning 4

Computer Services For-Matt 19 Home Computer Help 19 RSJ Computer Services 19 Widenet Computer Services Ltd 19 Confectioners Cakecraft 13 Curtains & Blinds Solent Blind & Curtain Company 15 Waterside Blinds Ltd 5 Dancewear Ballet Pointe 13 Dance Classes Shona Hagan Bellydancing School 13 Education Barton Peveril College 16 Southern Education 21 Wessex Swim School Ltd 21 Electricians Ampfield Electrical 17 EEC 247 17 Fencing & Gates Colourfence 37 Fires & Fireplaces Stoves & Fireplaces 29 Funeral Services J Lawrence & Sons 44 Garage Doors Fix Quick Garage Doors 17 Handyman Services Houseworx 16 Quite Contrary Handyman 17 Health Debbie Nixon 43 Hampshire Hearing Ltd 43 Kitchens Dream Doors Southampton 8 Re-Nu Kitchens 25 The Makeover Centre 15 Local Radio The Breeze 23

Every issue of Discover is full of interesting articles, useful information and fun stuff too, delivered through your door free of charge, made possible by the financial support of its advertisers.

Please support local businesses who promote themselves in Discover. They are ready to serve you and they want your business. We’d appreciate it if you’d mention Discover when contacting advertisers from this issue.

Locksmiths Hampson Locksmiths 13 Lockright Security Ltd 35 Loft Conversions Loft Services 35 Mobility Able World Southampton 3 Carefree Living Ltd 7 Elite Lift Solutions Ltd 7

Motoring Independent Car Sales & Servicing Ltd 40 Tyre & Auto Centre 27 Moving Home Barratt Homes 48 Opticians Hampson Opticians Ltd 43 Plasterers AY Plastering 16 Plumbing & Heating Ace 30 Aquatec Plumbing & Heating 31 First Call Heating Ltd 47 Five Star Gas Services 30 G James Plumbing service 33 Gair Gas 31 GE Harding & Sons Ltd 29 Heatworks Heating & Plumbing Ltd 32 M Brierley Plumbing Limited 33 NHP Romsey 32 T P Watts Plumbing 29 Printing Services Warwick Printing 44 Roofing Direct Industrial and Maintenance Ltd 33 Prestige Property Services 35 Soft Furnishings Pont Furnishings Ltd 7 Tree Surgeons Arbor Call 37ECF Tree Surgeons 38 Evergreen Tree Surgeon 38 Neil Richmond Tree & Hedge Services 38 TV & Aerial Services Keith Humphries & Son 33 Windows & Doors Britannia Windows South East Ltd 25 Cloudy2Clear Southampton 9 Hampshire Window Surgeon 25

Puzzle Answers General Knowledge Crossword Across: 1 Brae, 4 Sycamore, 8 Hibiscus, 9 Ring, 10 Wales, 11 Rooster, 14 Pomelo, 16 Emblem, 18 Bombard, 20 Bible, 23 Toll, 24 Emeritus, 25 Horsefly, 26 Flex.

Down: 2 Raita, 3 Evil eye, 4 Sock, 5 Customer, 6 Mares, 7 Elgar, 12 Eve, 13 Four-leaf, 15 Ono, 17 Bailiff, 18 Batch, 19 Bolus, 21 Louse, 22 Bevy.

Pictograms 1. Blood Is Thicker Than Water 2. Life Begins At Forty 3. Back To Basics

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