Merry Christmas and Happy New year to all our writers, readers, contributors, and friends ……
It’s a brief message – I want to thank you all for writing, reading, commenting, and sharing our articles. [Read more…] about Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Chandler’s Ford Today
As the government is in Brexit turmoil (‘near Civil War’, according to the BBC), we’re bringing you some stability here from Chandler’s Ford for a change.
The annual Chandler’s Ford Joint Charities Christmas Market brings the sort of stability, unity, and friendship that we all need at times of crisis. Last weekend I went to the market, as I had done so for many years, and felt warmth, joy, and a genuine sense of hope for the future. [Read more…] about Review: Chandler’s Ford Joint Charities 45th Christmas Market 2018
I walked past Chandler’s Ford war memorial this morning and saw this wreath:
[Read more…] about Chandler’s Ford War Memorial – In Loving Memory of William Joseph Tosdevine
There was a rainbow in the morning and the rain stopped for the Remembrance parade and services.
At the Chandler’s Ford war memorial, a crowd of hundreds – from veterans to youth groups, families, and people of different ethnic groups – all gathered to pay their respects.
Hursley Road looked like this in 1918 (peace day celebration), and 1989. [Read more…] about Remembrance Sunday in Chandler’s Ford 2018
Eastleigh is marking the 100th anniversary year of the end of the first world war today. The event pays tribute to Eastleigh’s role in the First World War.
In Eastleigh this afternoon, I visited a re-enactment of a field hospital, some vintage military vehicles, and have seen great displays by charities and businesses, such as Hampshire Scouts, One Community, Defense Medical Welfare Service, British Legion, Eastleigh and District Local History Society, Eastleigh Gurkha Nepalese Association, Royal Air Forces Association, the Rotary Club, Air Cadets, Peter Green, and local author Paul Nolan. [Read more…] about Eastleigh Remembers – Truly Memorable
This morning we joined our friends Mike and Alison Standing, together with Deborah Hockney (Alison’s sister) and her family on A Walk for Adam.
The walk aims to raise awareness of the high level of suicide that occurs in our society, especially amongst younger men, which seems to get hidden from view from the general public.
The 40-mile walk started from Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church this morning, and will spread over 4 days. Today we completed our first day’s walk and arrived at Winchester Cathedral. Friends and families will continue the rest of the journey over the next 3 days. [Read more…] about A Walk for Adam – from Chandler’s Ford to Winchester Cathedral
In 2016, I published an article about our 92-year-old War Veteran Frank Damerell from Chandler’s Ford.
Frank Damerell was a Night Fighter Navigator. The aircraft was the well-known Mosquito.
Recently, Frank was interviewed on BBC Radio Solent, talking about his Mosquito missions in World War Two on the Julian Clegg Breakfast Show.
Click the image to listen to Frank Damerell – the WW2 RAF Navigator remembering his beloved Mosquito (3 minutes’ long). [Read more…] about WW2 RAF Navigator Frank Damerell Remembers His Beloved Mosquito
Today’s Fryern Funtasia in Chandler’s Ford was fun, as usual, and it was very well managed. Congratulations! I heard a few children fainted due to heat, but hope they have had some rest and are now feeling better. The organisers deserve our praise – they have put in so much effort to make sure everything ran so smoothly. [Read more…] about A Great Community Event: Fryern Funtasia 2018
Congratulations to Caroline Husain from Chandler’s Ford, who has been named in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List 2018.
Caroline has been recognised for decades of ‘services to charity and the community in Chandlers Ford’ with a BEM (The British Empire Medal). [Read more…] about Congratulations! It’s a BEM for Caroline Husain from Chandler’s Ford
Last night I attended the Candlelit Carol Service at Eastleigh Baptist Church. My friends have recently joined the church and sang at the choir, so I went there for support and friendship.
The service was absolutely brilliant, uplifting, and enjoyable. It was beautifully intertwined with poetry, drama, and songs. There was a choir made up of adults and children, a top-class 4-people band, a modern drama (family got stuck on M25; a sulky teenager; train being late), a classical play (with costumes; tea-towel-headed shepherds that sort of thing), and Spoken Word. The Spoken Word was beautifully written: short passages in rhymes, and the narrators were passionate with their narration. To top that, both screens highlighted the keywords being read, so the visual impact was very powerful. [Read more…] about Beautiful Christmas Church Services 2017. How’s your Christmas Day?
This morning I attended the church service at the Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church.
The service was led by Rev Dr Howard Mellor. He is a great speaker and his speech was full of humour. He started off showing a blue and white t-shirt representing Huddersfield Town, as he told us he watched the match yesterday and he showed his support for the blue and white team!
I don’t know anything about football, but his introduction using football seemed very well received. [Read more…] about Christmas in Chandler’s Ford 2017
This morning, veterans and a few hundreds people commemorated those who lost their lives in the two World Wars and later conflicts, at the Chandler’s Ford war memorial.
Remembrance Sunday, which falls on 12 November in 2017, is a day to remember and honour those who have sacrificed themselves to secure and protect our freedom.
A two-minute silence was held across the country and wreaths were laid at memorials.
In Chandler’s Ford, people old and young were gathering at the war memorial, outside the St. Boniface Church on Hursley Road, including 93-year-old war veteran Frank Damerell, Night Fighter Navigator (the aircraft was “The Mosquito Night Fighter”) during the Second World War. [Read more…] about Remembrance Sunday in Chandler’s Ford 2017
Once a year I go to the Joint Charities Annual Christmas Market in Chandler’s Ford to buy a few Christmas cards (I don’t have that many friends to send cards to) and use it as a chance to catch up with friends, and also have my coffee morning with friends at the Dovetail Centre Café. [Read more…] about Review: Chandler’s Ford Joint Charities 44th Christmas Market 2017
Last month we shared a video Welcome to Hiltingbury, Chandler’s Ford. The video was created by Jack Smark, a 13 year old Year 9 pupil from the Toynbee School.
Today I found Jack’s new video, named South Millers Dale. Jack is the founder and creator of Tondore Productions. He is an aspiring cinematographer and would love to film movies and film documentaries. [Read more…] about New Video: South Millers Dale
Yesterday morning, a few of us from Chandler’s Ford Today attended the unique ribbon-less re-opening ceremony of the Dovetail Centre at the Methodist Church. It was a warm and friendly place as usual, buzzing with excitement.
It was certainly a day of celebration, and also a day of reflection on the problem of loneliness in our community, and how we could all reach out to support one another. [Read more…] about Re-opening of the Dovetail Centre: to Engage and Share, and Fight Loneliness
I came across a short YouTube video a few days ago about Chandler’s Ford and Hiltingbury.
“Welcome to Hiltingbury, Chandler’s Ford”
I’ve watched the video a few times, and found it rather pleasing as it captures the key scenes in Chandler’s Ford well: estate agents, outstanding schools, Hiltingbury Lakes (and men fishing), shops in Hiltingbury (Andersons, Marshalls Bakery…), charity shop on Hiltingbury Road, The Picture Framing Shop, the Hiltonbury Farmhouse, wildlife, Tesco, the Hilt, the tennis courts, and dogs playing on Hiltingbury Recreation Ground. [Read more…] about New Video: Welcome to Hiltingbury, Chandler’s Ford
Yesterday afternoon I had a rather good time at Hiltingbury Extravaganza. There were quite many people and lovely animals (pigs, horses, dogs, owls…). Musicians, dancers, writers, volunteers, and many businesses all helped to make this special event remarkable.
Credit to The HCA (Hiltingbury Community Association) at The Hilt for its organisation for another fantastic Extravaganza community event on the Hiltingbury Recreation Ground.
The Hiltingbury Extravaganza was officially opened by Steve Brine, MP for Winchester and Chandler’s Ford. [Read more…] about Hiltingbury Extravaganza 2017
Do you know there is a Rev. Wilbert Awdry Bridge in Chandler’s Ford?
The Rev. Wilbert Awdry (15 June 1911 – 21 March 1997) was an Anglican minister who created Thomas the Tank Engine (and other engines). In interviews he said his son Christopher (aged 3) had measles, so he came up with stories to amuse him. [Read more…] about Rev. Wilbert Awdry Bridge in Chandler’s Ford
A few weeks ago, I went to the Gift Day at the Dovetail Centre of the Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church. The purpose of the day was to raise fund to refurbish Dovetail Centre, one of the most popular community centres in the heart of Chandler’s Ford.
It was a happy morning. We were sitting at the delightful Dovetail Centre, chatting to old and new friends, and were all excited about the new project. [Read more…] about Refurbishment for a Modern and Contemporary Dovetail Centre at the Methodist Church
In the 1980s there were no fancy coffee shops in Chandler’s Ford. It wasn’t common for supermarkets to offer you ‘free’ coffee either. Many young mothers found themselves isolated at home with young children, and elderly people were struggling to meet someone for a friendly chat.
One person saw that acute problem in Chandler’s Ford and decided to do something about it, to change for the better.
Her name is Jane Archer. She has run the Coffee Room based at the Dovetail Centre at the Methodist Church on Winchester Road for 37 years. Many babies who had played at the Coffee Room have grown up to become parents themselves. [Read more…] about Jane Archer – A Simple Vision, and 37 Years Leading The Coffee Room at Dovetail Centre
