Hundreds of people indulged in a great day at the fourth Fryern Funtasia this afternoon at Fryern Recreation Ground.
Fryern Funtasia is a community-led event organised by local volunteers and local businesses, with support from Chandler’s Ford Parish Council.
Fryern Funtasia is a fusion of village fete with funfair atmosphere: [Read more…] about Build a Community We Are Proud of: Fryern Funtasia 4th May 2015
This is a new Do you Remember series. You’re invited to share your fond memories of Chandler’s Ford.
Is there a particular shop, a person, or a service that you remember and want to share?
Today I start off this series with my favourite gift shop, The Precinct Gift Centre, which closed in February 2006.
The Precinct Gift Centre was a precious gift shop at the Central Precinct of Chandler’s Ford. [Read more…] about Do You Remember…The Precinct Gift Centre?
Gill James and I met at the Isle of Wight Writers’ Conference, which was run by Felicity Fair Thompson from 2000 to 2005.
This was a weekend conference based in Shanklin or Sandown with guest speakers. There was a special speaker after the main Conference dinner on the Saturday night. David Nobbs (Reggie Perrin) and Raymond Allen (Some Mothers Do Have Them) were just two of the after dinner speakers who entertained us all. [Read more…] about Life as a Small Publisher: Allison Symes Talks to Gill James
Last Friday in Chandler’s Ford, there was a fashion show of a difference.
The Fairtrade Fashion Show brought many residents to St. Martin in the Wood church, where we learnt about the importance of buying Fairtrade products, and had a chance to appreciate and buy a wide range of beautiful Fairtrade clothes, jewellery and accessories, toys, cards, and gifts. [Read more…] about Fairtrade Fashion Show: Who Made Your Clothes?
St. George’s Day Parade in Chandler’s Ford took place this afternoon at 2.30pm.
In last year’s parade, Carolyn Darbyshire MBE retired as District Commissioner.
In today’s parade, we met Chandler’s Ford’s new District Commissioner John Leeks. [Read more…] about St. George’s Day Parade Chandler’s Ford 2015
Wednesday was the first showing of the Chameleon Theatre Company’s Fawlty Towers.
I got to see it on Tuesday night at a free “press screening” and a special night to entertain the elderly from our local nursing homes in Chandler’s Ford.
Here is my review of the show. [Read more…] about Review: Fawlty Towers by Chameleon Theatre Company
St. George visited Eastleigh early this year.
Yesterday Eastleigh town centre celebrated everything about old England with an enjoyable family fun day – celebrating the Patron Saint of England, St. George who apparently single-handedly slayed the Dragon. [Read more…] about St. George Visited Eastleigh – Who is St. George?
One of the great joys of stories is that there are so many formats in which to enjoy them. It is far easier now to have stories on demand especially via laptop, tablet or mobile. The Banbury Cross lady had music wherever she went but I’d rather have stories wherever I go!
There are flash fiction stories, standard length stories (usually up to 2000 words) [Read more…] about No Books = No Movies?
This is the second article in our series about the important community works by Lions Club of Eastleigh.
The first in the series is Eastleigh Lions: Champions Of The Blind.
Since writing on Chandler’s Ford Today, I have met some incredible Lions, and Devan Kandiah is one of them.
Devan Kandiah told me a great deal about Eastleigh Lions – [Read more…] about Article Series: Eastleigh Lions: Message in a Bottle
Have you heard of the Society of Authors?
Congratulations to local writer and regular contributor to Chandler’s Ford Today, Allison Symes, who has been elected to become a Full Member of the Society of Authors.
Update on 1st May 2015: Gibson’s Card Gallery reopened two weeks after this post was first published.
The owners of Gibson put a note on the shop window about its brief closure for 2 weeks: “Please use us or lose us!” [Read more…] about What’s Happened to Gibson’s Card Gallery at the Mall?
One hundred years ago, on the battlefields of Flanders, lay a young officer of the Royal Horse Artillery. He was wounded, presumed dead.
Twice more during WWI he was wounded and recovered. He was awarded the Military Cross.
After the war he was able to pursue his dream and study forestry at Cambridge. [Read more…] about A Hero of Trees – Richard St. Barbe Baker
I’ve loved Doctor Who since I was a child. I was gripped by the stories, terrified by the Daleks (while at the same time enjoying every moment of being terrified!) and couldn’t wait to tune in to the following week’s edition.
As I was growing up you had one story spread over several parts and it seemed an age before I was to find out if Tom Baker, “my Doctor”, was going to pull the leads apart that would lead to the destruction of the Daleks in Genesis of the Daleks. [Read more…] about The Doctor Who Experience by Allison Symes
By Reverend Tim Searle
There’s no doubt about it: the death of Jesus was unexpected, and although he gave quite a few hints that it would happen, the disciples either didn’t believe him, or just didn’t want to.
And when it did finally happen, it left the disciples in a state of shock and dismay that they wouldn’t have recovered from had it not been for what happened next. For if Jesus’ death was unexpected, his resurrection was doubly so … or was it? [Read more…] about Minister’s Letter – Easter 2015
Did you know that Eastleigh held its 250th parkrun last weekend?
We’re a quarter of the way through the year. How are you getting on with that New Year resolution to take more exercise? You didn’t make such a resolution? No, neither did I, but let’s just pretend that we did.
If, like me, you are not a runner, [Read more…] about Eastleigh: 250th parkrun
Just after recent solar eclipse was over, the first verse of an Easter hymn by Charles Wesley came into my mind:
Love’s redeeming work is done;
Fought the fight, the battle won:
Lo, our Sun’s eclipse is o’er!
Lo, he sets in blood no more.
Chandler’s Ford MDG Players successfully performed yet another comedy, Worth a Fortune, to a packed audience at the Methodist Church, from 26 – 28 March 2015. My son and I watched it last night and we were hugely impressed.
Hiltingbury resident Tom Whyte sent me his review of the comedy Worth a Fortune:
“With my wife and a couple of friends went to see the production of Worth a Fortune performed, to a packed house, by the MDG Players at the Methodist church in Chandler’s Ford. [Read more…] about Comedy Review: Worth a Fortune by MDG Players
About the author: Dave Key is the voluntary archivist and historian at Hursley Park. He is trying to locate as many ex-Supermariners, or their relatives, as possible in order to record their stories. Could you help?
In September 1940 the Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Woolston & Itchen workshops were bombed, forcing the complete dispersal of Spitfire production around the south of England (principally Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire). [Read more…] about History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park: Can You Help?
I met Richard Hardie, walking Benji, whilst walking my first dog, Gracie, in the Hiltingbury Recreation Ground. Not only did we have dog walking in common, we soon discovered we shared a love of books, especially Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, and creative writing.
Richard and I have work in The Shambelurklers Return, which is raising money for the National Autistic Society and is available in W.H. Smith in the Fryern Arcade of Chandler’s Ford. [Read more…] about An Interview with Author Richard Hardie by Allison Symes
While I was interviewing local author, Richard Hardie (author of Leap of Faith and Trouble with Swords), we discussed favourite books and writers. Then came the sad announcement of Sir Terry Pratchett’s death after a long battle with a rare form of Alzheimer’s.
Richard and I share a huge admiration for the Discworld novels. [Read more…] about Sir Terry Pratchett 1948-2015: An Appreciation from Chandler’s Ford
