Discover Meon Valley January - February 2017 by Tania Houston

Y/ FEBRUARY AR 20 NU

Meon Valley Edition

I n cl u d i n

g B IS H O P N OW L E HASE | K ’S WA LT H A M | W C M A H T L A W | E I C K H A M | S WA N M O R

Jamie Raven

Britain’s Got Talent star on tour

New Year Tips

Healthy Eating, Declutter, Resolutions

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fieldstars presents jamie raven 4 February 7.30pm Ferneham Hall, Fareham Jamie burst onto an unsuspecting world during the 2015 series of Britain’s Got Talent. His magic amazed audiences and even made Simon Cowell exclaim, “I now finally believe in magic!”

Jamie has been perfecting his craft over the past 11 years working as a magician around the world and his ambition was always to take it to a wider audience and BGT finally gave him that chance. His online videos from Britain’s Got Talent have now been seen over 100 million times, making him one of the most viewed magicians in the world.

Since finishing BGT, Jamie has headlined in the record-breaking production The Illusionists at The Shaftesbury Theatre in London’s West End and is excited to present his own UK theatre tour in 2016 through to end of February 2017.

So, sit back, relax and let Jamie Raven show you some of the magic that he has astounded audiences with around the world. Ticket prices: £25, U16/O60 £18

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EDITORIAL/COMMUNITY NEWS editorial@discovermagazines.co.uk 02380 266388 option 4 This edition of Discover Magazines is delivered to a total of 12,000 homes in the Meon Valley. We distribute by Royal Mail so all homes in the SO32 postcode, and PO17 5, PO17 6 and PO7 4, will receive a copy. This includes Bishop’s Waltham, Wickham and nearby villages. We also have another 11 magazines in Hampshire: Locks Heath, Hedge End, Eastleigh, Salisbury East, Stockbridge, Romsey, Totton, Hythe, Southampton, Winchester, Chandlers Ford. It’s like having lots of children: we love them all, and whilst they look similar each has its own personality. Sometimes it’s difficult to remember all their names.

12 local editions 144,000 circulation STOCKBRIDGE SALISBURY EAST VILLAGES

WINCHESTER

ROMSEY

CHANDLERS FORD

EASTLEIGH

SOUTHAMPTON

TOTTON & ASHURST

HYTHE & LYNDHURST

HEDGE END

We all know that 31st December and 1st January are simply dates in a calendar and, in the bigger picture, both days are likely to be identical. Still, they do act as a marker, highlighting what we have and haven’t achieved in the previous year and what we intend to do in the following year. Health based resolutions are always at the top of the ‘most popular’ lists – give up smoking, drink less alcohol, lose weight. And a new one – cut down on screen time: particularly social media, but also TV. So far, so boring. Far more fun is the type of resolution that has you doing things: going on holiday, spending more time with friends and family, start a new hobby or improve your home. Yet, as any serial procrastinator will attest, the first list is much easier to get underway. You are already smoking/drinking/eating too much so all that’s needed is to do less of it. For the proactive stuff, before you know it, it’s spring and you realise you have missed out on the good holiday deal and the kitchen still needs doing. It often helps (well at least it has helped me) to understand why you procrastinate. For me, it’s because I’m an analytical thinker and want to look at all the options before making a decision. For an emotional thinker it might be because they’ve fallen in love with the unaffordable or impractical option and nothing else matches up. I don’t have an answer. But a good start is a book called ‘How to get things done (without trying too hard)’ by Richard Templar. Written in around 100 very short ‘lessons’ even someone with the shortest attention span can manage to read it. You have to get round to buying the book first though!

MEON VALLEY

LOCKS HEATH

Tania

Editor

Tania Houston

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Bishop’s Waltham Rotary Club Christmas Carols. BW Rotary club members were out in force in December with Roger, the colourful engine, playing Christmas carols around the district. This is part of our annual fundraising so thank you to everybody who donated. Day

Date

Where

When

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

5th 6th 7th 8th 9th

Horton Heath Fair Oak West Fair Oak East BW Christmas Market Wickham Square

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Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th

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Recent donations. As a result of moneys raised at the Carnival, we have been able to make quite a lot of recent local donations. These include a gift of £250 to Memory Lane Café, Waltham Chase.

Shine South 8

£150 gifted to the local Brownies for an adventure trip to Paris. £150 gifted to Kids Cancer Charity to support a local family recently referred to them to assist with respite breaks. £170 donated to Clic Sargent for Childhood Cancer Awareness, to be used for local families towards unexpected fuel costs and parking fees for hospital visits. £400 to Harmony Twirlers of Eastleigh to buy shoes for the team in competitions. Shine South is a local charity which provides help and support to children, young adults and families, who are affected by spina bifida: see the picture of Club President Maurice Tester and Mandy Tourle presenting a cheque for £500 towards their lodge in New Milton which provides a holiday place for families with children with spina bifida. The Men’s Shed movement has taken off around the world. A ‘Men’s Shed’ is a larger version of the typical man’s shed in the garden – a place where he feels at home and pursues practical interests with a high degree of autonomy. A Men’s Shed offers this to a group of such men where members share the tools and resources they need to work on projects at their own pace and in a safe, friendly and inclusive venue. They are places of skill-sharing and informal learning, of individual pursuits and community projects, and social interaction; a place of leisure where men come together to work. Pete Yeoman, Linda and Ian Treveil visited The Gosport Men’s Shed to present them with a cheque from Bishop’s Waltham Rotary Club for £200 to help with their running costs. They had a tour around their workshop and meeting room located in the grounds of St Vincent’s College, and met some of the 120 or so members.

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Gardening

Fighting the Frosts With frost, rain and perhaps even some snow, at this time of year our gardens can be in for quite a battering. Although most of your garden plants are probably fairly frost resistant, what can you do to minimise the damage to those which are not so hardy? It’s time to get outside and take some precautions. Plants in containers are particularly vulnerable to freezing or frosting as their roots are not protected beneath the soil, but are relatively exposed with just the container and a bit of compost to cover them. Thin-walled containers pose the greatest threat, especially those made of metal. Thicker wood or ceramic pots provide a little extra insulation, but even these may need a bit more. Where possible, plunge your pots by digging a hole in the soil and placing the plant in its pot into the hole. If it is too heavy to move then wrap it up well in several layers of bubble wrap, polythene or old curtains – it may not look pretty but it’ll do the job. If the container is in a very prominent position and you want it to look more appealing, buy some hessian and use lengths of this to create an outermost layer to hide the insulation material – it can actually end up looking rather nice! If very harsh weather is forecast or there has been a spell of mild weather which may have promoted some soft, new growth that will be particularly frost prone, drape a double layer of horticultural fleece over the top growth of the plants and anchor 10

it well. If you want to make life a lot easier then invest in some Easy Fleece Jackets: they come in three sizes and each one has a draw-string and toggle so that you can easily insert the plant and then secure it. You can find out more on my website www.pippagreenwood.com/products/protect-yourcrops. A double fleece layer can of course be used on plants in beds and borders too, or to protect slightly tender wall shrubs. Larger individual plants in borders, which are too big for even the large fleece jackets, can be given longer term protection with a home-made protective ‘cage’. Just use four stakes or sturdy canes to create a framework which you wrap with netting or chicken wire, then fill the central space around the plant with dry bracken, straw or leaves. Evergreens in containers and in open ground may suffer from drought as well as foliage or stem growth – during the cold weather they continue to need a fair amount of water and if this is frozen solid in the soil, they soon suffer. So it is essential

to continue to water these, especially if they are in a spot where they are sheltered from a lot of the rain which does fall, or if the weather has been dry. A deep mulch applied to the soil or compost surface before the ground becomes frosted will help too. Once frozen, soil moisture becomes unavailable, so this mulch will help to keep the water available. Although most fruit trees - like apples and pears, cherries and plums - are hardy, they are also prone to damage. The main risk is to newly-opened blossom, though the buds themselves may be damaged too, with late frosts being the most harmful as by then the buds are further developed. If you are planting new fruit plants, it really pays to buy them from a specialist nursery and try to get late-flowering varieties where possible, as they are less likely to be flowering when there is still a risk of frost. Finally, don’t forget to use fleece to cover any seeds already sown out of doors. A double layer of well-anchored fleece or a fleece-covered pull-out EasyTunnel is quick and easy to install, and will help to provide protection and that bit of extra warmth for germinating seeds and any seedlings brave (or foolhardy) enough to poke their heads above ground before the cold weather is over! If you are planning on sowing any early varieties of crops such as broad beans or lettuce, then I’d also suggest that you cover the soil before you sow. A layer of well-anchored polythene will keep off excess rain and allow a little warmth to build up, so when you sow the seeds they won’t suffer from excess sogginess and won’t get such a cold shock.

By Pippa Greenwood

Visit Pippa’s website www.pippagreenwood. com and book Pippa for a gardening talk or peruse the really useful selection of Pippa’s favourite gardening items, including pop-up crop covers, SpeedHoes, SpeedWeeders, raised bed kits, fleece jackets for plants, pull-out EasyTunnels, ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ Gift Voucher cards, signed books and lots more besides.

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Review Of The Year 2016 1. After winning their first ever Olympic medal in 2016, which country's prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, announced they would no longer be progressing plans to change the country’s flag and that the union jack would stay part of it? 2. On March 1st, screenwriter Tony Warren died at the age of 79. Which longrunning TV show did he create? 3. Which three members of the Spice Girls reunited in 2016 and launched a new website called "The Spice Girls Gem"? 4. After a 12 year absence, which TV show returned in 2016 and was won by Apollo? 5. Words such as wondercrump, snozzwanger and scrumdiddlyumptious were included in a new dictionary that was compiled to mark the centenary of which author's birth? 6. Who was in the news in March 2016 for her use of meldonium? 7. In football, which Englishman refereed the final of Euro 2016? 8. Which country won the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest with a controversial song about Joseph Stalin's deportation of the Tatar people from Crimea in 1944? 9. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie separated in September 2016, with which one of the two filing for divorce? 10. In the week following the death of David Bowie, which five of his hit singles reentered the UK top 40 singles chart? Answers: Page 53 14

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Home Interiors

declutter for the new year What could be a better New Year’s resolution for your home than to eliminate mess, create space and generally have a good sort out? If too much mess and clobber has built up in your home over the past year, then it’s time to declutter your stuff and sort your storage, so that your home will be mess-free and super-stylish in time for 2017. First, grab some rubbish bags and a few boxes or baskets. Work methodically through each room and sort out obvious rubbish, things that can go to a local charity shop, items that could be sold second-hand, anything that needs mending, littleused things that can be put away in the garage or loft, and genuinely great stuff that you want to keep. Try to get rid of as much as possible, only holding onto things that you really need and/or love. With what’s left, it’s now time to work out where it will go. Label your storage if necessary, and 16

make sure the whole family knows what’s meant to go where. If you still need extra storage after your clear-out, look for all the areas where you could fit more in, whether built-in or freestanding: from backs of doors to under the stairs, tops of wardrobes to under the bed. Think racks, hooks and shelves as well as conventional cabinets and chests of drawers and, where possible, ensure they co-ordinate with existing furniture. You can also relocate some storage; for example by adding a storage unit in the living room to avoid having to tidy toys away upstairs every day. There are a few rules of storage that might be helpful. First, store like with like and match the size and shape of the container to what’s being kept inside (in other words, find small, lidded boxes for things like Lego and big squishy baskets for teddy bears). Store as much as possible near to where it’s most needed, but don’t store frequently used items below knee level or above shoulder height, especially if they’re heavy. Avoid storing things on surfaces such as tables or desks, and allow yourself room to expand – but only within reason. If you have allowed extra space, and then filled it… it’s time to start all over again.

Easy ways to banish clutter • Write a list of where you want to declutter.

• Have an intensive declutter workout and spend five minutes clearing as much as you can in one area. You’ll be amazed at the difference you can make. Repeat as often as you can.

• Hang your clothes up with the hooks all facing one way, and only turn the hook the other way when you wear something. After, say, six months, you can easily assess which items you never wear. You could try the same idea in the kitchen (turn mug handles in one direction, put glasses upside down, and so on), the playroom, the living room… • Make it a family competition with prizes. Who will be the fastest to find three things to throw away, three things to give away and three things to tidy away? • If what you need is some emergency decluttering, pop everything into a big box and hide it somewhere until you have time to go through it properly.

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Puzzle Page Pictograms

PICTOGRAMS

2 words

12356789 END

HIDATO Starting at 1 and finishing at 49, 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.

2 words

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EXIT ARM

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27 22

18 12 9 ©Puzzlepress.co.uk

Across 1. Saying: “He who pays the ___ calls the tune” (5) 4. Small nipple-like protuberance (7) 8. Everything (3) 9. Chronic drinker (9) 10. Mechanical devices used to prevent vessels from moving (7) 11. Abstract form of painting that produces dramatic visual effects (2,3) 13. Light brown sweetening agent originally from Guyana (8,5) 16. Country formerly called Dahomey (5) 17. Deal with in a routine way (7) 19. Person in charge of collecting and

cataloguing records (9) 21. Section of a play (3) 22. Manual dexterity (7) 23. Statement of beliefs (5) Down 1. Sign posted in a public place as an advertisement (7) 2. Officer of the law (9) 3. Powerful herbivore with a horned snout (abbr) (5) 4. Small area on the skin where an artery can be pushed against a bone to inhibit bleeding (8,5) 5. Excuses a mistake 12. Sum total of many or offence (7) miscellaneous things 6. Field suitable for (9) grazing by livestock 14. Position on a scale in (3) relation to others (7) 7. Broker (5) 15. Italian rice dish (7)

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General Knowledge Crossword

16. Component parts of a necklace, usually round in shape (5) 18. Relating to sight (5) 20. Billiards stick (3)

Answers: Page 53

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I LOVE WINCHESTER. I do hate parking there, it’s a logistical nightmare … but once I manage to park then I love going there for a fabulous shopping experience, a casual stroll along the river, a look around the imposing Cathedral and best of all … for food and drinks! Which brings me to the best news EVER. The quaint King Alfred pub and rooms at 11 Saxon Road is being fully refurbished and is due to have reopened by the end of October! I simply cannot wait to see the changes that Jayne from the Little Pub Group has in store for her new venue. She has turned many Winchester pubs around, including the now fabulous Green Man at 53 Southgate Street, the fun Mucky Duck at 84 High Street, St James Tavern at 3 Romsey Road and Corner House on Grove Road. Expect quirky, vintage and shabby chic furnishings, a cosy atmosphere, mouth-watering menus, a cool beer selection and fab wine list, friendly staff and The Westgate superb rooms.

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The King Alfred Talking about new management, the Westgate pub with rooms at 2 Romsey Road has also been refurbished, but this time by the City Pub Company, which also owns trendy Alfie’s at 157 High Street. I was amazed at the transformation. It is now much bigger than it used to be and so beautifully decorated. I love going there for a pint, so say hi to James from me, as he will help you chose a refreshing beer amongst his great selection of real ales – from local micro-breweries including Itchen Valley, Flowerpots and Winchester-based Red Cat – to drink alongside their new winter menu. Hold on, there is more … James made me swear to secrecy, but he’s in the middle of outsourcing 15 different styles of whiskies and gins … but sssshhhh, you didn’t hear it from me, ok?!

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Recipe

Squash and spinach lasagne

Serves 4 Ready in 1 hour 30 minutes

If you fancy a meat-free supper this week then try this delicious filling vegetarian lasagne. Serve with a crisp green salad and crusty bread. • 1 butternut squash, peeled and flesh diced

1. Preheat the oven to 200C, Fan 180C, Gas Mark 6. Place the diced butternut squash, onion, garlic and oregano in a large roasting tin and drizzle over 2 tbsp of the olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and toss to mix. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the squash is very tender. Cool for 10 minutes.

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

2. Transfer everything from the roasting tin (including any pan juices) to a food processor and process until smooth, adding a little hot water if needed to give the mixture a spreadable consistency.

• 3 tbsp olive oil

3. Steam the spinach for 1-2 minutes until just wilted. Place the lasagne sheets in a large shallow heatproof dish and cover with boiling water. Leave for 3-4 minutes to soften then lift out of the water and drain on kitchen paper. Mix together the ricotta and cottage cheeses in a bowl along with half the mozzarella cheese.

• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

• 1 tsp dried oregano • 200g baby spinach leaves

• 250g pack fresh egg lasagne sheets • 250g ricotta cheese

• 300g cottage cheese • 150g ready-grated mozzarella cheese • 25g pine nuts

• Green salad, to serve 24

4. Spread a third of the squash mixture in the base of a square medium-sized ovenproof dish. Top with a layer of wilted spinach followed by a layer of the cheese mixture and a layer of lasagne sheets, cutting them to fit if necessary. 5. Repeat the layers two more times, finishing with lasagne sheets and a thin layer of the remaining cheese mixture. Scatter over the rest of the mozzarella cheese and the pine nuts, and drizzle over the rest of the olive oil. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese topping is golden and bubbling. Serve with green salad.

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Hampshire County Council Leader Backs Plans To Secure Future Of Historic D-Day Map Room The Leader of Hampshire County Council, Councillor Roy Perry, has backed plans to secure the future of the historic map room located in Southwick House, Hampshire, which played a crucial role in the build-up to D-Day. Allied commanders led by General Eisenhower used a large floor-to-ceiling wall map at Southwick House near Portsmouth to plan and co-ordinate the Normandy landings, which were a crucial turning point during the Second World War. Over 70 years later, the map set to 0630 hours, D-Day H-Hour, 6 June 1944, has remained unchanged. The Ministry of Defence has recently announced their intention to sell the Grade II listed Southwick House as part of a larger sale, and concerns have been raised that the map could be removed. Councillor Perry has written a letter to support a request by Southwick & Widley Parish Council to Historic England, asking them to

change Southwick House’s Grade II listing status. The amendment would specifically include the map room and the map, to prevent any future risk of it being separated from Southwick House. Councillor Perry commented: “Acknowledging the historical value of this site is essential, as it tells future generations how people, events and aspects of past life are connected through a place, to the present. The D-Day beaches are important but so is the location where D-Day was planned. “It’s vital that the events of D-Day are stated in the listing descriptions and that the surviving features from this time, including the plywood map, are specifically mentioned. D-Day was an event of such significance for the Hampshire region, and the whole of Europe, that I strongly support the amendments to the listing of Southwick House to ensure its crucial role in history is protected for future generations.”

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And Another Thing...

Tom’s New year resolution by Tom Hughes January - a new beginning, a new start. Sarah, my Dearly Beloved, plonked a cup of green tea in front of me and announced: “Tom I have decided that 2017 is the year of change. I have new dreams for this family. But before I go on, I want to hear all about your New Year’s resolutions.” Replacing my copy of Diesel Injectors for Dummies on the coffee table, my thoughts turned for the first time to the impending twelve months. “Well for starters, I am determined to avenge Nigel for his 4-0 whitewash on the pool table in the bar of the Old Paraffin Lamp. But of course that means more practice, so...”

Apparently, my punishing training schedule on the threadbare green baize in the bar of our local was not the kind of resolution Sarah had in mind. A glossy tome was unceremoniously plonked into my lap.

“Welcome to Whitefield Gardens, your new Johnson Ian Home. What on earth is this?” “Come on, grab your coat - we’re going house hunting.”

Weaving the Mondeo around the exposed ironworks of an unadopted road, I eased my chariot into the visitor’s car park. Slaloming through a strange wrought iron maze, Sarah guided me into an office adjoining a newly constructed house. “This is the show home, Tom, isn’t it lovely?”

“The architect hasn’t half gone to town on the study hasn’t he? I could fit three desks in here.” A middle aged lady wearing an azure blue suit, sporting Shirley Temple curls and a face the colour of burnt ochre rose from behind her desk and 30

announced, “Sir, this isn’t an office, this is the garage.”

Wondering how easy it would be to smash the Mondeo through the double glazing, I followed Shirley Temple and Sarah through a white door into a white kitchen. I was about to step onto the shiny marble floor when our host span round and, holding up two blue plastic bags, requested that we put them on so as not to bring in any dirt into the show home. I dutifully complied and followed the two ladies towards the beautiful surroundings. As Sarah engaged Miss Temple in a conversation about light fittings, I decided to chip in with my twopenn’orth. “So how much is this pad anyway?” The two ladies turned to face me. Shirley Temple smirked, Sarah was appalled. “Tom, those blue covers are not for your head - take it off !” “Oh right, I wondered why I had two anyway.” “No, not on your hands, on your feet!”

Suitably protected, I popped my head into a cupboard under the stairs. “Someone’s left a toilet in here.” A stony-faced Miss Temple corrected me. “That’s the downstairs cloakroom, sir. And through here is the lounge.” I followed Sarah into a modern-day front parlour where I nestled into the soft furnishings. “This armchair is very generous, I bet with a squeeze we could both fit on here.”

“Tom, that’s the sofa. By the way I love the wallpaper.” Shirley Temple beamed. “Thank you! We’ve had the whole house dressed by our interiors team.”

“When are they going to finish it off ? What about the rest of it?”

“Tom - that is called a feature wall.”

Suitably chastised we adjourned upstairs to a collection of pokey rooms, most of which seemed to contain toilets. “Look Sarah, there’s another loo in here!” “Tom, they are en-suites. I just love the way they’ve designed it all.”

“Bit cramped though isn’t it? Imagine shoehorning all our stuff into here?”

“Well that’s the whole point, isn’t it dear - we are going to have to declutter!” Miss Temple, irked at my candid remarks, through the most insincere of smiles said, “Maybe, sir, our Heritage Range of homes has not been aimed at people...like you.”

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Technology

New year, New tech, New you, The gadgets that can help you reach your New Year goals It’s that time of year again: gym owners rub their hands together in glee as the entire world makes New Year resolutions to sort out their health, their fitness or their looks. But while many of those gym memberships will turn out to be expensive mistakes as the initial fervour fades, a few well-chosen gadgets could keep you on the right track all year round. Health and fitness tracking is huge in technology right now, largely because it’s still a relatively untapped market: even the best-known fitnesstracking smartwatch, the Apple Watch, has only sold a few million units. That means there are plenty of firms hoping to win over everyone from casual dieters to mountain explorers. For the latter category, outdoor watches such as the Casio Smart Outdoor Watch are built to military specifications for toughness and deliver accurate GPS, as well as recording your hikes and climbs. If that sounds like overkill, and for most of us it probably is, the £170 Garmin Vivosmart HR+ is one of the best all-round fitness trackers for monitoring your heart rate, recording your activity and tracking GPS. It’s pretty, too - and the Misfit Ray is prettier still, resembling a bracelet rather than a watch. It’s half the price of the Garmin and offers good all-round fitness-tracking features. Over 2017 we’ll see a lot more wearable trackers, many of them odd: fancy a Welt, a sensor-enabled belt that tracks your steps for as long as you keep your trousers on? 34

If you’re more concerned about what you’re putting into your body than what you’re sweating out, smartphone apps offer all kinds of diet and lifestyle tracking - and increasingly those apps tie in with platforms such as Apple Health, WiThings’ HealthMate, Microsoft Health, Jawbone UP and many more. Platforms are designed to enable data sharing from multiple trackers, so for example Apple’s Health app can get data not just from the iPhone it’s on but also from the Apple Watch, from wireless scales and from a wide range of wired and wireless health-monitoring devices. If you haven’t already committed to a particular health-tracking platform, it’s a very good idea to check out sites such as Wareable.com to find out the latest news and rumours about the different manufacturers. For example, at the time of writing Microsoft has announced the end of its Microsoft Band tracking device, so if you buy one now you might not be able to get a repair for it or a replacement one if it breaks. It also means that if you want to upgrade from a Band 2, there won’t be a Band 3 to fulfil your wishes. Gadgets don’t just help you when you’re exercising or watching what you eat. They can help you when you’re asleep too. Many wearable devices such as the Fitbit Blaze and Surge, Fossil Marshal, Pebble Time and Apple Watch (via third-party apps) can monitor your sleep, gathering data to help you identify the triggers of a poor night’s sleep and the best times to set the alarm for, and the best times to head up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire. The data recorded does vary from device to device and some are more practical than others - wearing a smartwatch in bed all night means you’ll have to charge it in the morning - but the insights can be useful.

Family Law- Child Maintenance, The Nitty Gritty Child Maintenance is about providing help with a child’s everyday living costs, to include items such as food and clothes. It also includes helping to provide a home for your child or children. Child Maintenance is usually money that the parent without the main day-to-day care of a child pays to the other parent. That said, sharing the care of your children and buying things directly for them, school shoes and uniform being classic examples, can also be included in family-based arrangements (assuming both parents agree). The best option for separating or separated parents is for arrangements to be made on a voluntary basis. For example, when couples separate and the father (normally although not always) moves out of the family home, he could continue to pay the mortgage as an alternative to maintenance. The same could be said of school fees and household utility bills. But what is the correct amount? We look to the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) for guidance. This is a free service that provides impartial information and support to help separated parents make decisions about their child maintenance arrangements. A particularly helpful tool is

the online calculator (www.cmoptions.org) which assesses the paying parent’s liability. This takes into account factors including: • • • •

Your gross weekly income. The number of children you must support. Whether any other children live with you, perhaps children of a new partner for example. If your children stay overnight with you.

It is worth bearing in mind that where parents cannot agree the maintenance payments, the CMS will impose arrangements. And they charge for the privilege! There is an admin fee and the CMS adds 20% to the paying parent’s liability whilst 4% is deducted from the receiving party’s award. Surely this must incentivise parents to make arrangements directly if they can? Kate Stovold is an Associate at Trethowans LLP specialising in Family Law and would be very happy to assist with any queries in relation to divorce, financial matters or arrangements for children. To arrange a free initial thirty minute meeting at the Trethowans office in Hedge End, please call her on 023 8082 0511.

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GREAT ROAD TRIPS OF THE USA The USA continues to be a top seller in the UK tourist market and it is easy to see why. With stunning scenery, awe-inspiring canyons and some of the world’s most iconic manmade structures, holidays in the USA tend to be multi-centre itineraries, and one of the best ways to get around is by car. With the low cost of fuel, the plentiful supply of hotels and motels and reasonably uncongested roads, it all makes for a great adventure. Amity Travel find the most popular self-drive holidays to be to the canyon lands and National Parks of the Western States and the Pacific Coast. The bright lights of Las Vegas are a fun-filled way to start before heading off to the awe inspiring Grand Canyon National Park. The unique Bryce Canyon (Forest of Stone) is also well worth a visit and don’t forget Zion National Park, with its towering red granite walls and fantastic nature trails. You might catch sight of a skunk or ring tailed cat as well as peregrine falcons and eagles.

in the stunning views of the Pacific coastal road known as the Big Sur, and you will find yourself in California. Don’t forget to visit a winery or two along the way!

For something more unusual consider Death Valley, with its desert of streaming sand dunes, multi-coloured rocks and water fluted canyons, and the chance to join a ranger on a tour of the historic mining sites and sun drenched salt flats. Further north is Yosemite National Park and the legendary Giant Sequoias, with something for everyone, from stargazing and moonlight wildlife tours to rock climbing, rafting and mule ride adventures.

Amity Travel have been tailoring such holidays for many years, so they are experts in saving you time and money and they take away all the stress of arranging complicated itineraries. For the best of the west as well as ideas on east coast itineraries, USA Rail holidays, ranching holidays, and not to forget Florida, call the tailor-made experts at Amity Travel today.

Depending on time, the Pacific Coast line has much to offer, starting with San Francisco; home to the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, Alcatraz, Pier 39 and Chinatown. The drive south from San Francisco is along state highway 1, taking in Carmel, and the Monterey Coast, where humpback whales can be found from spring right through to autumn. Continue driving south taking

You may well be thinking that such a full-on itinerary doesn’t come cheap, but there are some great deals on flights and, with a mixture of 4* city hotels, National Park lodges and motel accommodation, it can work out to be very reasonable indeed.

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The Life List Vive la Resolution! (Even the ones doomed to failure.)

a hangover, you’d have accomplished that LAST year. Deduct points if your resolution list serves as a coaster to save getting lager on the tablecloth. Be kinder to my fellow human beings. You could try smiling at passers-by when jogging to the nearest Wi-Fi spot. But you’re more likely to stress about trying to be good and then have a meltdown in a shopping queue. Even when it’s online.

Get fit. Is that Wii Fit, or actually fit? As in visiting a gym or a footpath? You could try the free WiFi challenge (cafes don’t count!) and with any luck it’ll be a hundred yards to your next hotspot.

Spend less time on the web. That’s a good quote to tweet or to add to your new blog. Alternatively, you could spend less time on the web in restaurants, at christenings and while having a conversation.

Eat more healthily. Right after you’ve finished off all the food you over-ordered for Christmas and New Year. Apart from the fruit and veg that died of neglect.

Spend less money on unimportant things. Like resolutions, perhaps? Or unachievable goals? Or attempts at seasonal behavioural modification?

Drink less. Clearly, we’re talking happy juice here (or sad juice, depending). If cutting back were as simple as writing down the intent in the throes of

Keep up my resolutions. If you’ve created a spreadsheet, added activity symbols, subtasks and milestone dates...none of that counts.

Above all, keep your resolve in 2017! By Derek Thompson www.alongthewritelines.blogspot.co.uk

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Everetts Hedge End Store Has Had A Makeover!

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Pictured (Left to Right) Tim Baker (Superintendent Pharmacist), Caitlin Webb (Sales Assistant), Gro Fisk (Dispensary Assistant), Gerald Foley, Anna Parrott (Sales Assistant), Nicky Billingham (Pharmacist Manager), Claire Watson (Sales Supervisor), Colin Baker (Managing Director).

Friday saw the completion of Everetts Hedge End store refit. And they marked the occasion with a fun filled open day. The store was officially opened by their eldest known customer; Gerald Foley, who is 100 years of age and has been a customer of the Hedge End store since he moved to the area 19 years ago. 4 generations of his family live locally and they all attended the event. The event was well attended by the local community and as well as entering a prize draw, guests were treated to goodie bags, and the children had their faces painted. The refit gives the store more space and a new and bigger consultation room. Pharmacy Manager Nicky Billingham said ‘The refit gives us a much better and larger space so we are able to offer the best possible service to our local community and it will hopefully help us to achieve our long term goal of becoming a Healthy Living Pharmacy in the future.’ 39

Life Begins

Do You Let Your Age Do The Talking? The invitation arrived via social media: “A group of us are going to Glastonbury Festival for the day. Do you fancy coming along, too?” I’d loved going to Glastonbury when I was young - the mud, the dodgy burgers from a van, the opportunity to bond with thousands of other young music fans, but now, at the age of 56, I just couldn’t see myself fitting in. Almost without thinking, I replied that I would be busy on the day my friend had suggested, but as I pressed ‘send’, I immediately regretted my decision. My husband and I have watched Glasto on TV many times in recent years and each time we’ve seen people older than ourselves in the crowd. This reaction made me realise that since turning 40 I have begun to censor everything I do, looking at life through an ‘age appropriate’ lens rather than thinking about what I really wanted. It was a sobering thought, but within ten minutes I had come up with a list of things I could do differently in future: Mum and Dad Dancing The jokes about “Dad dancing” have no doubt been 40

responsible for millions of older men making an excuse to visit the loo as soon as the music starts playing at a family wedding. We’re all probably a little self conscious when it comes to dancing, particularly if our kids are watching, but provided you’re not planning to moonwalk or point at the ceiling, Saturday Night Fever style, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t strut your stuff on the dance floor. From now on, although I may not be the first on the dance floor, I certainly won’t be the last. Don’t be an age-conscious shopper Worries about not dressing appropriately for our age can hold us back when choosing what to wear. We opt for ‘safe’ styles that often have the effect of making us feel even older than we are. It may have been different in the Seventies and Eighties, but these days you’ll find a real crosssection of ages browsing through the clothing rails. Short skirts, revealing tops, body-hugging clothing and huge heels will still be out for me, but I’m giving myself permission to drop into some of the more youthful stores I used to shun, just in case there’s something that catches my eye.

You’re never too old for adventure We may be less physically able than we once were, but this doesn’t rule us out from ever enjoying another adventure. Nowadays we may be more inclined to stay in a hotel than camp out at a music festival, but at least we are still taking part. Next time I receive an invitation from friends to go somewhere unusual, I won’t come up with the kneejerk response of saying (or thinking) “I’m too old for that.” Don’t disappear into the crowd A lot of my older friends complain about feeling invisible, and that’s because they’ve lost confidence. Their body language says “don’t look at me, I’m not worth your attention”, so it’s hardly surprising that people no longer notice them.

I’ve decided to join a local yoga class that will not only help me with my posture, but keep my body flexible. As older people we have surely earned our place in society? That means we have every right to enjoy life and express ourselves without fear of an adverse reaction. Teenagers are blissfully unconcerned about the views of their elders, and recently I’ve come to the conclusion that older people should take a leaf out of their book. I’ve decided that even if I live to be 100, nothing can stop me from living my life to the full.

A long, hard look in the mirror at home showed me that I was beginning to slouch - shoulders rounded, tummy sagging, head down – but when I lifted up my head and straightened my shoulders, I seemed more alert, more engaged with the world and – dare I say it – more youthful.

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Robert Kenny talks to

MELANIE C

Ex-Spice Girl Melanie C has wowed the critics with a brand new album this year – and with it, something of a new sound. She also became The Breeze’s latest recruit as a guest radio presenter! Robert Kenny caught up with her ahead of the show.

Do you enjoy doing things like this that are different to the day job?

Yeah - I think I try to keep everything within my comfort zone. So when I worked TV, I did a wonderful show called ‘Finding Jesus’ with Andrew Lloyd Webber which led on to playing Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar so that was incredible – it was a lovely experience. And musical theatre has always been a love of mine since being a kid, so it’s been quite nice. I don’t think I ever go too far away from performing and where I feel comfortable. Music will always be your first love?

Yeah it is. Absolutely. And you know, over the years, I have done lots of different things but I always come back to wanting to make my own music and go out on the road and tour with my band. Tell us what’s going on with the new music. There’s a new album, right?

Yeah - ‘Version Of Me’. I’ve been working on it for three years so it was about time I got my bum in gear and got it out there. And it has been really fun because I work with lots of songwriters and I’ve had great relationships with them for years but it was nice to introduce some new people into the studio, both in a writing capacity and productionwise and it’s helped make the album. I think (it’s) really current – they’re younger guys than I’ve worked with in the past – and it’s just been nice, that collaboration. It’s quite unique, a bit Melanie C, a bit the new people I’m working with – so I’m excited about the album. 42

I heard somewhere that it took you from studios in Los Angeles to a garden shed in London? It’s true. I love this story! It has quite a diverse life, this album. I was over in L.A. In a very swanky studio. I was working with Olly and Gale from Turin Brakes, and we’ve done a song called ‘Something For The Fire’. It started life as a gorgeous acoustic track in Olly’s garden. Down at the bottom of his garden, he has a summerhouse which contains his studio so we demoed it in there. But then one of my songwriters and producers on the album, Tom Wilding, actually lives in a yurt in a field in Bristol. So I’m hoping all those different scenarios have helped to make something very interesting. So you’re hosting your own show on The Breeze. Are you looking forward to it? I’m very excited – and a little nervous. It’s something I’ve not really done before. But you know, a challenge is good. Don’t be nervous. It’s easy.

<Laughs> Yeah that’s what you say!

You can listen again to Melanie C’s show at thebreeze.com and her new album is out to buy now. Robert Kenny can be heard 10am –3pm, Monday to Friday on FM and online at www.thebreeze.com

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Bordon Future Skills Centre Taking Shape Top-quality technical training for students aged 16 and over is a step closer in Whitehill and Bordon, as Hampshire County Council celebrates fixing the final ‘golden’ bolt in the structure of the new Future Skills Centre in Bordon. Councillor Keith Mans said: “This new centre will be integral to the regeneration of Whitehill and Bordon. This flagship facility will offer young people, employers and the wider community the skills necessary for the jobs that will be created by the regeneration, and improve the area’s economic prosperity.” Councillor Peter Edgar, Executive Member for Education, said: “This is great news for young people in Whitehill and Bordon and beyond. A

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range of technical training options will be on offer, in a purpose-built, well equipped, modern facility. Students could be developing skills in brickwork, carpentry, plumbing or electrics, and potentially contribute to the building of their new town.” The Future Skills Centre is located in the former Louisburg Barracks, one mile north of the new town centre. The new centre is one part of the master plan to extend and regenerate the town following the departure of the Army training facilities in 2015 and closure of the Bordon Army Garrison - the principal employer in the area.

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Motoring

GOLF GTI CLUBSPORT S What is it? It’s the fastest front-wheel-drive car around the Nürburgring, a stripped-out hardcore celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Golf GTI and a limited edition collector’s piece all in one.

The Golf GTI Clubsport S is the result of asking engineers to do what they can to cement the GTI’s name in the hot hatch pantheon. What’s under the bonnet? Lifting the Golf ’s bonnet will reveal the same twolitre, turbocharged petrol you’ll find elsewhere in the Golf range – notably the Golf GTI and Golf R. In this application it’s been tuned up slightly, producing 306hp – broadly similar to the Golf R’s output but with a different exhaust system freeing up a couple of horsepower. That’s paired with the six-speed manual gearbox for weight purposes, as the extra few kilos of the dual-clutch gearbox (DSG) would work against the weight-saving nature of the Clubsport S.

What’s the spec like? The GTI Clubsport S is a top-specification Golf and it comes with the appropriate bells and whistles. The infotainment system is Volkswagen’s Discover Navigation with a 6.5-inch colour screen - but you 46

By James Baggott

can upgrade to the Discover Pro for £1,325, which adds a larger screen and DAB radio. You’re missing one or two things – not least of which are the rear seats, replaced with a faux strut brace and cargo net. Cruise control is absent, unusually, leading to an oddly sparse suede steering wheel. What’s it like to drive? It drives exactly as you’d expect the car that set the fastest front-wheel-drive lap of the Nürburgring ever to drive. It’s really very savage in a straight line, barking through the exhausts with every upshift, and scrubs off speed no less impressively. The sticky Michelin Pilot Cup tyres offer huge amounts of grip, too.

On the mixed and drying roads we used, the Clubsport S exhibited a little torque steer if you gave the car some stick, but far less than you might expect. Otherwise, it’s a very neutral car to drive on the road.

What does the press think? AutoExpress reckons that the Clubsport S has ‘even more involvement and surprising refinement’, while Autocar thinks that it’s ‘by a nose, the very best fast Golf you can buy’.

What do we think? It seems odd to turn a car with such broad credentials into a two-seater sports car, especially as the rear compartment trim is still present, but you can’t really ignore the way it drives. The Golf R might be a safer bet for all-weather performance, but the Clubsport S makes a great case for itself on dry roads and doesn’t feel as wrung out as other front-wheel-drive offerings of similar power outputs. Losing the rear seats makes the Clubsport S a bit of a tough sell when silhouette rivals retain the family usability and two-seat competitors are commonly less expensive, but as all of the UK’s allocation of 150 have already been sold, it’s almost a moot point. Target buyers The performance car enthusiast who loves the Golf but wants a sports car. The rivals Honda Civic Type R, Porsche Cayman, Ford Focus RS Key selling points 1. Limited edition cachet 2. Unflappable cornering manners 3. Usable real-world performance Deal clincher It’s no harder to live with than any other Volkswagen Golf

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LOCAL CLUBS & GROUPS HOBBIES

Boarhunt Blues Club 3rd Friday of every month. Check our website. www.boarhuntblues.com All welcome. MEON VOICES choir Bishop’s Waltham We meet every Monday evening 7.30-9.30 September –April at Bishop’s Waltham United Free Church, Basingwell Street Bishop’s Waltham to practice for our two concerts at Christmas and Easter. All singers are welcome. No audition. Further information call Phil Coundley 01489579078, email Coundleypj@ yahoo.com or @Maureen buckland 01489 890335 email alan@agbuckland. plus.com JUBILEE WRITERS Thursday (Twice Monthly) 2pm – 4pm Stables Hall, Bishops Waltham Elizabeth Watt 01489 892224 Swanmore Amateur Dramatic Society We meet on Monday evenings at 7.30pm in the Village Hall, Swanmore from January until our Spring Production, first weekend in May, then from September for our Christmas production , first weekend in December. New members welcome for all tasks vital to a production. We also have social events and theatre visits. Check us out on www. swanmoreamateurdramaticsociety. co.uk or contact Carol 01489 894955. DRAMA GROUP Every Monday at Jubilee Hall 4pm to 5:15pm ages 7 to 12, £60 per term. Call Ryan on 01962 844 600 ext 208 or ryan. jones@theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk 50

Curdridge Amateur Drama Productions are twice a year – spring and autumn. Rehearsals – Mondays 7.45pm and Thursdays 7.30pm at the Reading Rooms, Curdridge. From time to time we run workshops and other social events. Phone Steve on 01489 690345, email stephen.n.long@ ntlworld.com for more information. www.curdridgedrama.co.uk UPHAM PLAYERS DRAMA Rehearsal Monday eves and Sunday afternoons at the Upham Village Hall. Also social events during the year. Mo Peters on 01489 891307 or mo_peters@o2.co.uk. www. uphamvillagehall.org.uk/uphamplayers Bishops Waltham Photographic Society All photographers welcome from beginner to advanced. We meet 1st Thursday in the month at St Peters Church Hall, Bishops Waltham. Please contact Dawn Blight 01489 691155 or dawn.blight1@ntlworld.com MEON VALLEY FLOWER CLUB Demos, workshops at Meonstoke Village Hall. Ann Hammant 01730 829469 WICKHAM SPINNERS & WEAVERS Mon 11- 3pm, Wickham Church Room Learn the ancient craft of spinning yarn. Our members also do other crafts, and you would be welcome to bring your own craft if you don’t want to spin. Georgina (01329 833422), Alison (01329 281407) or Val (01489 896140) GARDENING CLUB Memberships only £6 call Keith Fry 01489 893755

SOCIAL ZERO 4 PROBUS CLUB Retired and semi retired professionals meet 11am at the Masonic Centre, Botley on the third Monday of each month for a talk, lunch and good company. 01489 891875 zero4probusclub.weebly.com Hampshire and Wight Christian Walkers Like meeting new friends and enjoy walking? join us on Saturdays and midweek for walk of between 4 and 12 miles. www.hantswightwalk.org.uk BW YOUNG FARMERS CLUB 14-26 yrs – Thurs Anne 860236

Social Lunch Club Swanmore Village Hall, every Wednesday at 12 noon. Contact Marlene King 01489 892581. LUNCH CLUB Every Monday Jubilee Hall 1 - 2pm Christine Argyle 01489 894054 Thurs Gill Stainer 01489 893384 LUNCH CLUB 11:30am Wed, Church Room, Wickham Centre, www.wickhamcentre.org THE MONDAY CLUB 3rd Monday of each month The Wickham Centre, Mill Lane PO17 5AL Fun activities & quizzes for the over 55’s. Socialise with friends, listen to guest speakers and enjoy a 2-course lunch for £4. www.wickhamcentre. org.uk Swanmore Baby & Toddler Group Every Tuesday (term-time only) 10am11.30am. Swanmore Village Hall Contact Zoe Smart 07788987212, Swanmoretoddler@gmail.com or find us on Facebook UNIVERSITY OF THE 3RD AGE Tuesday twice monthly 1.30–3.30 Wickham Community Hall Contact 01329 833384 Bishops Waltham Gateway Club 1st & 3rd Monday of each month, 7pm to 9pm (exc. Aug/BHols) St Peter’s Church Hall, Free St, SO32 1EE We are a social club for people, over the age of 16, with learning disabilities in our community. We work under the umbrella of MENCAP. Our aim is to provide a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities for our members such as arts and crafts, discos, games, skittle and pub evenings, panto outings and beach discos. www. bwgateway.org or call call Vee or Brian on 01489 895767.

SUPPORT MACULAR SUPPORT GROUP 2nd Mon of every month 1pm to 3pm United Reformed Church, 18 Osborn Road South, Fareham PO16 7DG Providing friendship and support for sufferers of macular disease, the treatments and services available and ways of coping. Sighted spouses and carers also welcome. 01329 231356 david. fb.kett@talk21.com

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www.skandoor.co.uk Home Start Mother & Toddler Friday 9am to 12pm Wickham Centre, wickhamcentre.org.uk Meon Valley Carers Group Support group for the carers of people with Dementia. We meet every month for a pub lunch and also for a support group meeting. Cared for are welcome. Phone Margaret on 01489 895444 Monday between 9.15 & 13.15 for details.

SPIRITUAL

THE HEALING TRUST Healing Centre, Wickham Community Centre, Wickham. Every 4th Saturday of the month 10am til 12.30pm noon. Marjorie Nutland 01329 832637 Positive Living Law of Attraction Group First Wednesday of every month. 7-9pm. Curdridge. Contact Carolyne 07825 727331. £8. www.carolynebennett.com

FOR CHILDREN

SOUL CONNECTIONS – SPIRITUAL GROUP Priory Park Hall, Bishops Waltham. 3rd Sunday each Month, £5 Sue Murray 01489 799740 www. suemurrayhealing.co.uk

SCOUTS www.meonvalleyscouting.org.uk Beaver Scouts 6-8, Cub Scouts 8-10, Scouts 10-14, Explorer Scouts14-18, Scout Network 18-25, plus Adult volunteers (18+) are always required as supporters. For further info please contactus@meonvalleyscouting.org.uk

WICKHAM WEEKLY HEALING CLINIC Thursdays, 2pm to 3:30pm The Community Centre Spiritual health is a complementary (not alternative) natural treatment. We are not associated with any particular religion and respect individuals own interpretation of the natural healing source.

MEON VALLEY GIRL GUIDING Rainbows aged 5 to 7 years, Brownies aged 7 to 10 years, Guides aged 10 to 14 years and Senior Section aged 14 to 25 years. Anyone interested in joining or volunteering. Visit www.girlguiding. org.uk/interested or call 0800 1 69 59 01 for details of venues near you.

COMMUNITY CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERING A friendly team of volunteers meet every other Thursday at 10am and some Saturdays to carry out conservation activities on countryside sites around Bishops Waltham and Wickham. We complete projects such as coppicing, pond clearance and fencing. 023 9247 6411. Promoter: Hampshire County Council

DO YOU RUN A LOCAL GROUP? This section is free for charitable, free or very low cost groups and just £8 a month for commercial groups (highlighted entry). Add your details to our next edition (going to 10,600 Meon Valley homes) by going to www.discovercommunity.co.uk and use the editorial form under Contact Us. 51

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AERIALS Pure Digital Aerial & Satellites 18 appliance repair JP Appliances 23 appliance store DeLonghi Group 25 architectural services DM Adams Design 11 Bathrooms See Plumbing beauty Spire Cosmetic Surgery 43 Blinds & CURTAIns Solent Blinds 23 Waterside Blinds 7 Builder R & G Gamblin General Builders 21 BUSINESS SERVICES Adams & Co 43 Canopies & Carports Aliport Structures 45 car / Van Hire Practical Car & Van Rental 47 carpenter JT Carpentry & Building 31 CARPET & FLOORING Floor Coverings Southern 21 Titchfield Carpets 19 Chimney Sweep Pebble Beach Sweeps 23 Toast Chimney Lining & Sweep Specialist 13 CLEANING SERVICES Dixey Clean 45 Computer Services For-Matt 41 Home Computer Help 35 doors GS Windows 2 Double GlazinG Inst/Repairs Britannia Windows 28 Cloudy2Clear 15 GS Windows 2 drainage Direct Drains 27 Electrician Assure Electrical Ltd 27 B.Privett Electrical Ltd 18

Fencing Colourfence 9 furniture Alresford Interiors 32 Garage doors/REPAIRS Meon Valley Garage Doors Ltd 48 Skandoor 51 Garage Services Boarhunt Group 47 Garden Design & ServiceS Arbor-Call Tree Surgeons 12 Colourfence 9 Formpave Drives & Patios Ltd 13 Helyers 56 J.B Treecare Garden Services 11 Jon Curtis Tree Surgery & Garden M. 23 Neil Richmond Tree & Hedge Services 14 South WIcks Garden Rooms 9 Woodleigh Landscapes 12 HEALTH & FITNESS Head To Toe Pilates 39 Slimming World 49 health services Everetts Pharmacy 39 Three Oaks Residential Care Home 41 KITCHENS Alresford Interiors 32 Dream Doors 33 Kitchen Living 17 legal services Eric Robinson Solicitors 38 Thy Will Be Done 5 Trethowans Solicitors 35 lofts & Conversions Loft Services 25 LOGS Ash Farm Logs 9 Fair Oak Logs 11 music tuition Garden Music School 43 painter decorator Brush Up 25 pharmacy Everetts Pharmacy 39 PLASTERER Plasterforce 23

Plumbing Services (including bathroom installation and gas and boiler services) see also Property Maintenance J. & D. Humphrey Ltd 12 Mark Oliver Plumbing & Heating 29 Medway Mechanical Services Ltd 26 TP Watts 21 Printer Warwick Printing Company 35 Property Maintenance County Block Paving Ltd 3 Dixey Clean 45 Formpave Drives & Patios Ltd 13 JT Carpentry & Building 31 Loft Services 25 Prestige Property Services 45 R & G Gamblin General Builders 21 South Hants Roofing Ltd 44 The Chimney Man 18 Wildstone Property Maintenance 13 residential care Three Oaks Residential Care Home 41 roofing Prestige Property Services 45 South Hants Roofing Ltd 44 The Chimney Man 18 Wildstone Property Maintenance 13 rubbish clearance First Choice Rubbish Clearance Specialist 27 Rubbish Clearance & Waste Removal 14 solicitors Eric Robinson Solicitors 38 Trethowans Solicitors 35 Storage Barn Store 18 TRAVEL/holiday Amity Travel 37 Go Cruise 31 Tree Surgery See Garden Design & Services waste First Choice Rubbish Clearance Specialist 27 Rubbish Clearance & Waste Removal 14 WINDOW REPAIR Cloudy2Clear 15 Wine school Hampshire WIne School 22

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Puzzle Answers General Knowledge Crossword Across: 1 Piper, 4 Papilla, 8 All, 9 Inebriate, 10 Anchors, 11 Op art, 13 Demerara sugar, 16 Benin, 17 Process, 19 Archivist, 21 Act, 22 Sleight, 23 Credo. Down: 1 Placard, 2 Policeman, 3 Rhino, 4 Pressure point, 5 Pardons, 6 Lea, 7 Agent, 12 Aggregate, 14 Ranking, 15 Risotto, 16 Beads, 18 Optic, 20 Cue.

Pictograms 1. Foregone Conclusion, 2. Organised Crime, 3. Out On A Limb

Quiz - Review Of The Year 1. Fiji’s, 2. Coronation Street, 3. Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton and Mel B (“Gem standing for the first letters of their first names”), 4. Robot Wars, 5. Roald Dahl’s, 6. Maria Sharapova (after failing a drugs test), 7. Mark Clattenburg, 8. Ukraine, 9. Angelina Jolie, 10. Heroes, Life On Mars, Starman, Let’s Dance and Space Oddity,

Hidato

Izzy Ewen Editorial Manager editorial@discovermagazines.co.uk 023 8001 0222

Kevin Houston Distribution

What’s On INDOOR CARBOOT SALE 7 Jan, 9.30am Lockswood Centre, locks Heath Shopping Centre SO31 6DX

Indoor Carboot Sale 1st Saturday of the month Sellers 8.45am set up in peace Buyers 9.30am – 12noon 07901 501509

advises businesses. www. southernentrepreneurs.com BLOOD AND ICE 21-28 Jan Chesil Theatre, Winchester SO23 0HU

Top wedding suppliers on every level of the tower. £1.50pp (children free). 07816 911310

Four young romantics compete to write a spine-chilling tale. Two of them are England’s greatest poets, the third a rebellious runaway, and the fourth, free-thinker, Mary Shelley. When events are overtaken by tragedy, the shadows consume Mary and give birth to the most famous Gothic horror of them all. www.chesiltheatre.org.uk/

CHARMED WEDDING FAYRE AT GROUNDLINGS 8 Jan, 11am 42 Kent St, Portsmouth PO1 3BS

TRUNKWELL WEDDING FAIR 22 Jan, 11-3pm Trunkwell Mansion House, Beech Hill Rd, Reading, RG7 2AT

SPINNAKER TOWER WEDDING FAYRE 8 Jan, 11am to 3.30pm The Spinnaker Tower

Entry is free and free goodie bag for the first 100 brides. 01329 835599

SCHOOL EXPERIENCE TASTER DAY 16 Jan, 8.45am to 2pm Wildern School, Wildern Lane, Hedge End SO30 4EJ

A placement day for eligible applicants looking to teach Art & Design, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, English, Geography, History, French, German, Maths, Physics or Spanish. (B) Wildern Partnership SCITT:01489 779458 NETWORKING - WINCHESTER 17 Jan, 6pm to 8pm Basepoint, Winnall SO23 0LD

Guy Hanson looks back over a 35year career in newspaper and magazine advertising and 54

To feature your event email editorial@discovermagazines.co.uk

All the needs of your special day under one roof. Cars, Cakes, Menswear, Bridalwear, Photographers, Entertainment, Jewellery, Hair & Make Up, Stationery. Free Entry. 0118 988 3754 ART SHOW CABARETS 25 Jan, 7pm to 11pm Mettricks Guildhall SO14 7DU

The first ever Southampton Fringe with over 260 artists, 33 venues over 14 weeks. 07957 318604 southamptonfringe.com BURNS NIGHT 27 Jan, 7.30pm Botleigh Grange, Grange Road, Hedge End SO30 2GA

Enjoy a wee dram of the fine Scottish Whisky to the sound of bagpipes and prose.01489 787700

FAREHAM CAREERS FAIR 27 Jan, 10am to 3pm Ferneham Hall, Osborne Rd PO16 7DB

Free to attend. 01489 441833

APPRENTICESHIP OPEN EVENING 1 Feb, 5-7pm Fareham College, PO14 1NH

Fareham College welcomes attendance from potential students and employers to discuss the variety of apprenticeships, traineeships and work experience opportunities. 01329 815200 CATS PROTECTION QUIZ NIGHT 18 Feb, 7:30pm HEDCA, Coombe Road, Gosport PO12 4JB

Gosport Cats Protection are holding another of their popular quiz nights. A fun and friendly evening with a prize for the winning team. £5 per person, pay at the door, maximum of 6 people on a team. www.gosprt.cats.org.uk HAMPSHIRE CRAFT & GIFT FAIR 18 Feb, 10.30am to 2.30pm Main Hall, Lockswood Community Centre SO31 6DX

Sellers must pre-book 07841 660177 hantsevents@yahoo.co.uk THE BIG BURFEST 25 Feb, Midday to 11pm Bursledon Village Hall, Long Lane, Bursledon

Music festival raising money for Naomi House Childrens Hospice. Live music, home cooked food. Tickets £10 or £18 for a family. Buy online. http://www. thebigbursfest.btck.co.uk/

Bishopstoke Players

MUCH

ADO

PANTO! Riverside, Bishopstoke, SO50 6LQ WED 25th - SAT 28th JANUARY 7.30pm (& 2.30 Sat) TICKETS £8 (£6 under 16) ONLINE buytickets.at/bishopstokeplayers E-MAIL boxoffice@bishopstokeplayers.uk PHONE (07871) 006551 WWW.BISHOPSTOKEPLAYERS.UK

PLEASE USE CODE: DIS12 TO RECEIVE OFFER

Design and Landscaping Services E S TA B L I S H E D 19 9 3

WINTER OFFER!

10%

WHEN YOU BOOK YOUR FREE GARDEN DESIGN IN DECEMBER OR JANUARY FOR DISCOUNT * A MARCH 2017 INSTALMENT

Wishing all of our customers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for 2017 Proud members of

www.helyers.co.uk

landscaping: - design/construction driveway services fencing, brickwork and boundary services grounds maintenance

01489 619141

email: info@helyers.co.uk

The Helyers Group | 6a Fort Fareham Industrial Estate | Fareham | Hampshire | PO14 1AH *Terms and Conditions apply