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
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
The Fryern Funtasia is a community event organised by local volunteers and businesses, with the support of the Chandler’s Ford Parish Council. The Fryern Funtasia has become one of the most popular local community events in recent years, and it is in its 6th year.
Today the event was officially opened by the Mayor of Eastleigh, Councillor Des Scott. [Read more…] about Chandler’s Ford Fryern Funtasia 1 May 2017
This afternoon I bumped into Dom Hooley, joint manager of Eastleigh Basics Bank, at the Fryern Arcade of Chandler’s Ford.
Dom told me that Waitrose rang him yesterday and said it would be donating their food to Eastleigh Basics Bank tomorrow. [Read more…] about News from the Fryern Arcade: Waitrose; Waffles and Cream
Last year, I endured an internal crisis. I could no longer cope with the daily news about the war ravaged Middle Eastern region. The images of suffering got unbearably graphic by the day. When I thought I had seen the worst, another scene would break my heart in two. Existential questions such as ‘Can I really call myself educated when I ignore the suffering around me?’ troubled me. But then, I do have a family to look after and a hefty mortgage; responsibilities that limit most of us. [Read more…] about Building Bridges through Volunteering
I love Christmas, most of it anyway. I would love to see more goodwill being shown by the Christmas shopping crowds as we all try to buy presents and so on but that’s another story.
Being a Christian, the Christmas story and services have special resonance of course, though I know all would welcome the idea of goodwill to all men being practised by ourselves at all times of year (despite mankind failing on this count miserably so often, just look at the news for the proof, but the goodwill idea is a sound one and we shouldn’t give up on it. I don’t think it’s been given a long enough trial period!). [Read more…] about What I Like (and Dislike) about Christmas
I have just returned from a trip of a lifetime – a visit to an Emperor Penguin colony on the frozen Weddell Sea within the Antarctica Continent.
Yes it was a bit of a hike to get there. It took me a couple of days to travel to the gathering point in Punta Arenas, Chile. [Read more…] about Trip of a Lifetime – My Antarctic Trip
We don’t normally see the name ‘Chandler’s Ford’ being mentioned in the national news (ok, the HSBC armed robbery on Bournemouth Road in September 2007 was an exception: “Two armed robbers were shot dead by police”).
However today, ‘Chandler’s Ford’ is mentioned all over the media, from The Times, Daily Telegraph, The Sun, Mirror…, and on the BBC radio programme. [Read more…] about Roger Clark’s Quest to Antarctica to Photograph the Right Penguins
This morning I went to the Joint Charities 43rd Annual Christmas Market at Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church.
I love this annual tradition – as it kicks off my internal clock for Christmas. It reminds me that I need to start pick up a pen, write a few Christmas cards (while adding names or crossing names off my Christmas card list as well).
This morning, former Eastleigh Mayor Councillor Jane Welsh opened the 43rd Christmas Market. [Read more…] about Review: Joint Charities 43rd Annual Christmas Market Chandler’s Ford 2016
Another first for me this year has been to visit the Fryern Funtasia on Bank Holiday Monday, 2nd May 2016. How to tell it is a Bank Holiday Monday? Because the weather closes in!
The weather held off long enough to not get in the way of a good show at the Fryern Recreation Ground. Nor did it stop the youngsters having a wonderful time on the bouncy castle, the bouncy slides, the pony ride, go kart track and so on. [Read more…] about Fun Day – Fryern Funtasia 2016
I was on board Lord Nelson ship at the Seed2Sailing – the launch party for this year’s Jubilee Sailing Trust Autumn Pumpkin Festival and Scarecrow Avenue, which will take place on Saturday 8th Oct 2016.
“I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;”
Sea Fever by John Masefield
[Read more…] about Life aboard a Tall Ship: Jubilee Sailing Trust’s Ship Lord Nelson
Music. Food. Ponies. Dogs. Games. Stalls. Friends. Queen.
Fryern Funtasia this afternoon on the Fryern Recreation Ground was enjoyable.
It’s the 5th Fryern Funtasia event in Chandler’s Ford. The Fryern Funtasia is a community event organised by local volunteers and businesses, with the help of the Chandler’s Ford Parish Council. [Read more…] about Chandler’s Ford Fryern Funtasia 2016
The Friends of St. Anne’s Hospital, Liuli, is a charity that was set up 21 years ago to support the work of and send donated goods to a hospital in a remote area of Tanzania.
In that time 20 containers have been packed and dispatched from Chandler’s Ford via Southampton Docks. [Read more…] about The Friends of St. Anne’s Hospital, Liuli
A choir of girls was scheduled to sing carols in the foyer of a new five-star hotel here in Kandy. As some of the girls attended the school where my wife Brenda has worked, we went along.
I expected to see a crush of proud parents but there were none. [Read more…] about An Unusual Carol Concert in Sri Lanka
Yes, I know that when it comes to Christmas, I am a miserable old fart.
This year I will be 7,000 miles from Chandler’s Ford; will I be unhappy because…? [Read more…] about Christmas in Sri Lanka: 9 Things in England I’ll Miss This Christmas
St. Boniface Church throws open its doors for a Christmas Tree Festival.
Twenty imaginatively decorated Christmas trees now adorn the Parish Church of Chandler’s Ford, on Hursley Road, SO53 2FT. [Read more…] about Christmas Tree Festival at Chandler’s Ford St. Boniface Church
It’s the Charity Christmas Card week, from 15th – 22nd November 2015.
Deputy Mayor Eastleigh Councillor Des Scott opened Chandler’s Ford’s 42nd Joint Charities Christmas Market last Saturday (14th November 2015). [Read more…] about Uplifting: Chandler’s Ford 42nd Joint Charities Christmas Market 2015
This post reviews Station Walks by Dr. Clare Diaper. I discovered this book thanks to an earlier Chandler’s Ford Today post and am glad to say it is a delight to read and a greater joy to use.
The book is supported by the Three Rivers Community Rail Partnership, My Journey and Transition Southampton. Their details are given at the front of the book. [Read more…] about Review: Station Walks Book
We have a friend, let’s call her Betty, who is fit but cannot use her legs so she lives her life in a wheelchair. Many people treat her in a “does she take sugar?” fashion. She can answer for herself, she has a PhD, but she has to put up with being treated as an idiot. [Read more…] about Life in a Wheelchair
Marie Curie has been shortlisted to be Charity of the Year by Sainsbury’s Eastleigh.
As Chairman of Eastleigh and Chandler’s Ford Fundraising Group for Marie Curie, I hope you could support us.
I recently made a presentation to their staff and we are on their short list of 3. [Read more…] about Marie Curie and Sainsbury’s Eastleigh
