On 1st December, it was my great joy to travel to London once again to meet up with fellow Bridge House Publishing/Cafelit/Chapeltown Books authors at the annual celebration event. On the way up by train, I enjoyed my usual routine of writing stories on my phone app and getting quite a bit of work done by the time I got into Waterloo. [Read more…] about Celebrations, Crackers, Chapeltown, and Cafelit – London 2018
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BBC Radio Solent: Christmas Carol Concert at Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church
Christmas is almost here. This afternoon BBC Radio Solent was recording the annual Christmas carol concert at Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church. This festive event was hosted by Tim Daykin, and it also featured the Otterbourne Brass Band.
The church was packed with 400 people this afternoon. Were you one of the 400 people there as well? If so, please kindly share your experience with us. [Read more…] about BBC Radio Solent: Christmas Carol Concert at Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church
Chandler’s Ford Saturday Guessing Game (21)
(Sorry for being one day late this week of this popular Saturday Guessing Game series. It takes a lot of time to obtain photos from various sources, while also trying to untangle Christmas lights, get a friend to jump start our car – thank you chippy minton for your help, and send out Christmas cards that sort of thing. We hope you enjoy the photos today.)
Our loyal reader Mary Peterson sent us these images which she took in September 1984. Thank you Mary for these great photos. [Read more…] about Chandler’s Ford Saturday Guessing Game (21)
Scrumptious Cooking, Charity, and Barbara Large
There are many ways to raise money for charity and often people will do something extraordinary like bungee jumping or having a parachute jump etc (though it is not a good idea to try the pair of these at the same time!). All kudos to those who are brave enough to have a go but this kind of thing is definitely not for me.
The idea of writing a book for charity is much more up my street and this is what Barbara Large, MBE, has done recently. Barbara was the founder of the Winchester Writers’ Festival (formerly the Winchester Writing Conference), which is one of the major writing conferences in the country. Barbara has also run creative writing classes, including at the Dovetail Centre. [Read more…] about Scrumptious Cooking, Charity, and Barbara Large
Christmas – A Time for Families?
This article is written by David Gurr, of St Francis Church, on behalf of Chandler’s Ford Churches Together (CFCT). You can find Church Services in Chandler’s Ford for Christmas 2018 on the CFCT page.
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As Christmas approaches there is often a debate in our communities about the place of religion and faith amidst all the presents and feasting. Central stage for Christians is the birth of Jesus into a family with Mary and Joseph. Also central stage is the conversation piece of “are the family coming for Christmas?” or “are you going to the family?” [Read more…] about Christmas – A Time for Families?
Chandler’s Ford Saturday Guessing Game (20)
In today’s guessing game, we are asking you to identify
1 – a bus and its surrounding area
2 – an upcoming event in Chandler’s Ford
3 – a local business in Chandler’s Ford [Read more…] about Chandler’s Ford Saturday Guessing Game (20)
Review by Ben Williams: A Christmas Carol by Chandler’s Ford MDG Players
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is one of the most iconic stories of all time. Centered on the miserable and rude Ebenezer Scrooge, the book – oh who am I kidding, everyone knows the story. There have been countless adaptations of the story and everything from The Muppets to Blackadder to Doctor Who have tackled it. [Read more…] about Review by Ben Williams: A Christmas Carol by Chandler’s Ford MDG Players
A Christmas Carol – The MDG Players – Review by Allison Symes
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is amongst my favourite stories, as I’m sure it is with many of you. It is ultimately a tale of redemption and also a cracking ghost story.
My favourite versions of it (and there have been many produced over the years) are The Muppet Christmas Carol (Michael Caine playing Scrooge) and the version starring Patrick Stewart. It is a question of getting Scrooge’s hardness of heart right without it spilling over into melodrama, something both knights of the realm did fantastically well. [Read more…] about A Christmas Carol – The MDG Players – Review by Allison Symes
Chandler’s Ford Saturday Guessing Game (19)
The photos in the past two weeks focused on Hursley Road. Today’s photos are slightly different.
1) Where was this?
Clue: Letters [Read more…] about Chandler’s Ford Saturday Guessing Game (19)
Review by Hazel Bateman: A Christmas Carol by Chandler’s Ford MDG Players
I enjoyed a very entertaining evening yesterday when I went to watch A Christmas Carol by the Chandler’s Ford MDG Players. It was held in the Dovetail Centre of the Methodist Church, and this venue facilitated an intimate theatre experience.
The production followed Charles Dickens’ famous story using acting, narration, carol singing and audience participation for the sound effects, which was great fun! The play was brilliantly adapted by James Reynard. [Read more…] about Review by Hazel Bateman: A Christmas Carol by Chandler’s Ford MDG Players
The Light Fantastic
I love autumn, as I’ve mentioned before, but must admit I do dislike the earlier and longer nights.
I like lighter evenings. They make it easier to spot my black collie, Lady, for one thing. At the moment we have to put one of the click on lights on her collar from early evening so she lights up the world like a little fairy light! She isn’t impressed by this but it does make her easier to spot. Walking around Hiltingbury at this time of year, you get to spot a few of these lights and the full on illuminated coloured collars. There are some well lit up dogs around here! [Read more…] about The Light Fantastic
Chandler’s Ford Saturday Guessing Game (18)
Today we continue to share a few precious images collected by Andy Vining’s family. Andy’s family farmed the North and South Millers Dale and surrounding areas for over 100 years, living in Hiltonbury Farmhouse until 1976.
These images may not be very clear, but we hope you get a sense of what the area was like in those days. We hope these inspire your memories and you can share what you remember with us. [Read more…] about Chandler’s Ford Saturday Guessing Game (18)
Time Management and Time Travel
I don’t know about you but time management is one of those things I always seek to get better at, given there is plenty I’d like to do (especially in writing) but there are still only 24 hours in any one day!
I like my lists, my calendar has plenty of notes scribbled all over it, and by the end of the week, I’ve usually achieved a reasonable amount of what I set out to do. I’ve learned to carve up bigger tasks (like editing my novel) into smaller chunks and accept there are simply some tasks that can’t be done all at once, no matter how much I’d like to do so! [Read more…] about Time Management and Time Travel
Review: Chandler’s Ford Joint Charities 45th Christmas Market 2018
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
Chandler’s Ford War Memorial – In Loving Memory of William Joseph Tosdevine
I walked past Chandler’s Ford war memorial this morning and saw this wreath:
In loving memory of my great great grandfather
[Read more…] about Chandler’s Ford War Memorial – In Loving Memory of William Joseph Tosdevine
Remembrance Sunday in Chandler’s Ford 2018
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
Chandler’s Ford Saturday Guessing Game (17)
Andy Vining’s family farmed the North and South Millers Dale and surrounding areas for over 100 years, living in Hiltonbury Farmhouse until 1976. Last week Andy dropped off a pile of old photographs of Chandler’s Ford for us to share with readers.
These photos have been organised systematically by Andy’s family – comparing old and new scenes at roughly the same location.
You can click to enlarge the photos to get better views. [Read more…] about Chandler’s Ford Saturday Guessing Game (17)
The Importance of Memories
This is an appropriate topic as we approach Remembrance Day and Armistice Day and also after my review last week of The Chameleon Theatre Group’s excellent performance of Blackadder Goes Forth.
Why do we need to remember? To be grateful to those who made so many sacrifices, in too many cases the ultimate one, so we can live as we do now. To be grateful to these unknowns who gave up their fathers, sons, brothers, husbands, wives, sisters, daughters and other family so we do not have to give up ours. [Read more…] about The Importance of Memories
Margatet Doores: Love’s Greatest Gift – Remembrance
In the late spring of 2014 I read with interest of the national plans to commemorate the fallen of WW1. It was accepted that these commemorations would not in any way be an attempt to glorify war but were to be an acknowledgment of the great sacrifice made by so many.
It was also decided that these commemorations would continue until November 2018. It was suggested that researching the names on local war memorials could be an appropriate way of doing this. [Read more…] about Margatet Doores: Love’s Greatest Gift – Remembrance
Review: Fairtrade Evening in Chandler’s Ford 2018
I felt privileged to help with the fantastic Fairtrade evening at St Martin’s on 2 November.
Items for sale included crafts from Leprosy Mission, Eastleigh’s Shop Equality (my husband couldn’t resist buying a baby wooden duck to go with his collection), fairly traded clothing from Nomad, beautiful jewellery made high in the hills in Guatemala and a huge Traidcraft stall. [Read more…] about Review: Fairtrade Evening in Chandler’s Ford 2018