Chandler's Ford Today

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Review: Joint Charities 43rd Annual Christmas Market Chandler’s Ford 2016

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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

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The Writing Life – Barbara Large, Part 2

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This is Part 2 of my interview with Barbara Large, MBE, founder of the Winchester Writing Conference as it was known.  Now known as the Winchester Writers’ Festival, it is recognised as one of the major writing events of the year.

Despite stepping down from running the conference in 2013, Barbara is as busy as ever running workshops, leading tours around the CPI production plant at Chippenham for those interested in self-publishing and having her own creative writing consultancy – Creative Words Matter. [Read more…] about The Writing Life – Barbara Large, Part 2

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The Writing Life – Barbara Large, Part 1

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I had the great joy of meeting Barbara Large at the Winchester Writing Conference (as it was known) many moons ago. Now known as the Winchester Writers’ Festival, this three day writing event was started by Barbara in 1980. She led the conference until 2013.

Barbara is as busy as ever and runs workshops. [Read more…] about The Writing Life – Barbara Large, Part 1

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What Makes a Good Writing Conference?

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I regularly attend the Winchester Writers’ Festival, which was originally the Winchester Writing Conference started by Barbara Large, MBE.

I am glad to say I will be interviewing Barbara soon. Her help and encouragement to so many writers over the years, including me, has been phenomenal and much appreciated. [Read more…] about What Makes a Good Writing Conference?

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The Poetic Life: Sharing the Muse – Sandra Gordon

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Last week’s interview into the poetic life with successful local poet, Sandra Gordon, showed her sharing her thoughts about poetry and naming some of her favourite modern and classic poets.

I loved discovering the Poetry Foundation website as I researched some of those Sandra named.  I hope to make great use of this given the site gives biographies of poets and shares samples of their works. It could be a great place to go to if you wanted to read more of a poet’s work but weren’t sure where to begin.  The Poetry Society website is also full of useful information. [Read more…] about The Poetic Life: Sharing the Muse – Sandra Gordon

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The Poetic Life: Interview with Sandra Gordon, Part 1

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Sandra Gordon, near neighbour and local poet, has recently performed some of her poetry at the New Forest Folk Festival as part of the Lines and Squares Poets.

She has also received the exciting news her work will be published in The North magazine in July. [Read more…] about The Poetic Life: Interview with Sandra Gordon, Part 1

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Interview: Jacci Gooding – The Writing Life

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Further to my interview with Jacci Gooding last week which focused on her adventures in self publishing, this post now looks at Jacci’s writing life.

She also reveals what she looks for in a good story as she prepares to launch her own short story collection, A Collection of Unsettling Short Stories.  The anthology will be available as an ebook, as a paperback and in audio formats. [Read more…] about Interview: Jacci Gooding – The Writing Life

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Interview: Jacci Gooding – Adventures in Self Publishing

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One of the things I love about writing for Chandler’s Ford Today has been the chance to interview fellow authors, to share news from the publishing world and so on.

Today I talk to Jacci Gooding, who I met at the Winchester Writers’ Festival. As well as learning a great deal from talks at conferences like this one, the other big joy has been making friends with other writers and knowing you are not alone out there. Mike Sedgwick touched on this theme recently with his post about the Secret Lives of Chandler’s Ford anthology. [Read more…] about Interview: Jacci Gooding – Adventures in Self Publishing

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Away Days from Chandler’s Ford Station: York

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One great thing about living in Chandler’s Ford is the transport available given we are near the motorway network (without living on top of it). Then we have the railway station, a bus service and we are not far from the ferries.

I often use these links. For example I went a couple of years ago to the National Railway Museum in York, which has recently been in the news because of its restoration of The Flying Scotsman. [Read more…] about Away Days from Chandler’s Ford Station: York

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Uplifting: Chandler’s Ford 42nd Joint Charities Christmas Market 2015

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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

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Where is My Tattoo? By Jean-Louis Bravard

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A good friend of mine has recently been diagnosed with colon cancer in January this year.

Jean-Louis Bravard is partly retired now, but works with Boris Johnson promoting London, still runs his own consulting company, and at one time he was the MD of J P Morgan bank.

Jean-Louis has written a short story called “Where is my tattoo?”. This is an account of [Read more…] about Where is My Tattoo? By Jean-Louis Bravard

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Heart-warming Chandler’s Ford Joint Charities 41st Christmas Market 2014

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(Update: Uplifting: Chandler’s Ford 42nd Joint Charities Christmas Market 2015)

The 41st Christmas Market by Chandler’s Ford Joint Charities today was magnificent.

Many local people visit the annual Christmas Market in Chandler’s Ford every year, as it is considered the best, and the most meaningful Christmas Market. [Read more…] about Heart-warming Chandler’s Ford Joint Charities 41st Christmas Market 2014

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Lisa Clark’s Legacy

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Twenty years ago, our daughter Lisa was studying at Charing Cross Medical School. She once wrote a letter to say that she had just been to an oncology lecture and was very alarmed by the high incidence of women’s cancer and at a relatively low median age.

In the letter, she said she looked around the lecture theatre and wondered who would not be around at the age of 40. Prophetically, and bitterly sad, but [Read more…] about Lisa Clark’s Legacy

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Richard Stock: Fundraising for Ovacome

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I’m pleased to tell you that Richard Stock completed the London Marathon in just over 4 hours yesterday.

This is a remarkable achievement for somebody who had never run a full marathon and indeed had never run over 20 miles!

Richard ran the marathon to raise money for Ovacome, in memory of my daughter, Dr. Lisa-Jayne Clark, [Read more…] about Richard Stock: Fundraising for Ovacome

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Linda Read: Fun, Passion, Living Life To The Full

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Linda Read from Chandler’s Ford never stops doing crazy things.

What has she done in the past 15 years? Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, a 100-mile trek along the Great Wall of China, parachute jump, flying a microlight plane, paragliding off a mountain in Turkey……

In March – April, Linda will be trekking to Everest Base Camp. [Read more…] about Linda Read: Fun, Passion, Living Life To The Full

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