Here we hope you get to discover Chandler's Ford, through local stories, Chandler's Ford history, events, and reflections and debates of topical issues. How has Chandler's Ford shown community spirit? How are we connected? This tag invites you to explore and develop our community together.
By Emma Golby-Kirk
In these days when the roar of motorway noise disturbs the peace of the otherwise tranquil suburb of Chandler’s Ford, it is hard to imagine the excited anticipation with which residents awaited the building of the Chandler’s Ford by-pass back in the 1960s.
In December 1967 the Otterbourne-Chandler’s Ford by-pass was opened. This six-mile stretch of dual carriageway created a fast link from Compton to Bassett. It cost [Read more…] about A Playground Of Concrete And Cranes
Yesterday I left work early to attend the carol service of Age Concern Chandler’s Ford at the Methodist Church.
Thornden School Wind Band and Toynbee School Choir, with their youthful energy, enthusiasm and talents, impressed the senior members of our community, making the carol service a much cherished event. [Read more…] about Age Concern Chandler’s Ford Carol Service 2014
This evening, Fryern Arcade was filled with Christmas spirit.
Children from The Federation of Fryern Infant and Junior Schools were singing Christmas carols at the Fryern Arcade.
Santa also turned up. Shops opened late. [Read more…] about Christmas Arrives At Fryern Arcade
There was a time when there were no sweets. Adults used to talk about Mars Bars, Kit Kats, Gobstoppers and Acid Drops. I had no idea what these were but they sounded desirable.
During WWII there were no sweets.
If you were lucky and could put on a cough, there may be a few pence worth of cough sweets. There were like the Fishermen’s Friends you can get today but bigger. You could suck one or maybe two but no more. They were good currency in the playground, you could swap one for a cigarette card. [Read more…] about Sweets Glorious Sweets
Chandler’s Ford MDG Players put on a brilliant comedy, Ladies of Iniquity, last week.
The scene was set in the 70s, when power cut and strike were common, when telephone sitting in a dominant place in the lounge was still attached to a wire, and when neighbours could pop in through the backdoor unannounced. [Read more…] about Comedy Review: Ladies Of Iniquity By MDG Players
On one of my educational cruises we had three or four PE students with us to help conduct deck games when we were at sea.
On this day we were sitting in the shade enjoying a cold drink after visiting the pyramids: beside me one of the students a young lad of about nineteen, starting speaking. He didn’t realise he was expressing his thoughts aloud and his voice was filled with awe. [Read more…] about Travel Journal: Whereto next?
Christmas is approaching! This is very obvious when you visit a major shopping centre, watch adverts on television, etc. Indeed, the first invitation to buy Christmas cards came to me as early as September (or was it August?).
It’s understandable that businesses work this way, as Christmas sales contribute so much to their turnover. But, for those who don’t run businesses, weariness can set in, until Christmas becomes [Read more…] about Christmas Is Coming – But Not Just Yet
By By Dan Brain
Nobody wants to see cuts to services we value, but I do believe the tough times can actually present us with new opportunities to bring us closer together as a community.
With the backdrop of a slow recovery from the 2008 recession and the promise of more cuts to public spending, it is easy to despair at the proposed loss of local services we have come to value [Read more…] about Our Community: What Are We Passionate About?
On the first of July 1968, Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery visited Winchester and renamed Winchester County Secondary School for boys to Montgomery of Alamein School.
It was a significant event as it was the only Montgomery of Alamein school in the world.
Brian Green from Chandler’s Ford was a teacher at the school and witnessed the historical event. [Read more…] about Humorous Little Memory: Montgomery Of Alamein School
I have had the pleasure of interviewing Chandler’s Ford writer Allison Symes.
Allison Symes loves reading and writing fairytales.
Novels are her first love, though she also flirts with short stories, occasionally has a fling with poems and now writes radio scripts.
[Read more…] about Interview Chandler’s Ford Writer Allison Symes
By Susan Gulliver
Kenya Project UK is a small charity started because a couple of teenagers from Chandler’s Ford wanted to do something to help in a third world country.
In year 2000, Reverend Maz Allen from Chandler’s Ford United Reformed Church had a contact in Kenya and through that set up the first visit.
Since then [Read more…] about From Chandler’s Ford To Kenya, With Love
After Nick John’s post about the Hutments I made enquiries from a friend, Robbie Sprague, who was born and bred in Chandler’s Ford. He wrote to me as follows:
Photoblog:
What I appreciate about Hiltingbury is the beautiful wildlife and especially the comical Greater Spotted Woodpecker, who visits several times a day. [Read more…] about The Hiltingbury Woodpecker
I wonder if I could throw this topic out there in the hope that those people who have lived (or whose families have lived) in the Chandler’s Ford area for more than half a century may be able to contribute.
I was born in the 1950’s and my parents were at the time living in a development called The Hutments. [Read more…] about Do You Remember The Hutments?
So happy to report another Sold Out week last week when we staged The Ladykillers.
This classic 1958 Ealing comedy was adapted for the stage by Graham Linehan, who wrote Father Ted. His script was fabulous to deliver to our full houses each night.
It had its dark moments too when [Read more…] about Chameleons: From Ladykillers To Wizard Of Oz
I am no expert on WW1 and am therefore not in a position to provide a detailed account of the Gallipoli Campaign.
As I understand it, the idea had been to create a new front, as the war on the Western Front had become a stalemate, with troops from both sides staring at each other from a line of trenches which stretched from the English Channel to the Swiss border. [Read more…] about Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research: Part 5
On Saturday my parents and I forfeited Doctor Who (BLASPHEMY!!) to watch a local theatre performance by the Chameleon Theatre Company in Chandler’s Ford of Eastleigh.
It was a performance of The Ladykillers and, as a favour for my mum (not that I’d usually do favours for her), I’ll review it.
The story revolves around five bank robbers [Read more…] about Theatre Review: The Ladykillers By Chameleon Theatre Company
Eastleigh is to have a new housing development for the fields along Chestnut Avenue & Stoneham Lane. One thousand, one hundred dwellings on 62 hectares [a hectare is 10,000 sq metres] or 153 acres. That is 18 houses per hectare or 7-8 per acre.
What will it be like, this new development?
Of course it will have to have “affordable” housing [Read more…] about Houses For Eastleigh
Updated on 30th July 2017:
The Coffee Room will operate from the Purple Room from Monday 31st July until Tuesday 15th August 2017 while the Dovetail Centre is being refurbished.
The usual range of teas and coffee and biscuits will be available from 9.30 am to 12 noon Monday to Saturday. Access to the Purple Room is from the car park.
Follow the signs.
Below is the original post dated 28th Oct 2014.
My son and I visited the Coffee Room in the Dovetail Centre of the Methodist Church on Winchester Road yesterday.
I went there to buy some tickets for MDG Players’ upcoming comedy: Ladies of Iniquity.
Three things at the Coffee Room surprised me. [Read more…] about How Methodist Church Dovetail Centre Surprises Me
I am delighted to see WH Smith at the Fryern Arcade in Chandler’s Ford has started selling books.
Yesterday afternoon I saw a good selection of books at WH Smith. One book relevant to Chandler’s Ford is The Chandler’s Ford Story: From Earliest Times to the 21st Century, by Barbara Hillier and Gerald Ponting. [Read more…] about WH Smith Chandler’s Ford: Good Books In Community
