When is Christmas coming? In Chandler’s Ford, it’s when the Selwood Christmas tree is up.
The Selwood Christmas tree has been lighting up Chandler’s Ford since 1953. It’s been 70 years. Thank you Selwood for doing this every year, and keeping this wonderful tradition alive for the joy of the local community. [Read more…] about 70 Years of Selwood Christmas Tree in Chandler’s Ford
There has been quite a lot of changes at Fryern Hill. Banks have disappeared, shops are closing, businesses are moving elsewhere……Here are just a few examples.
Card Gallery
The former Barclays Bank
Has it ever crossed your mind that a lot of waste is not needed? Well, obviously it’s not needed; that’s why it’s waste! I don’t mean that. What I mean is that it wasn’t really needed in the first place.
Take tea for example. Loose or bags. It comes in a carton, but when we get it home from the supermarket, we pour it into a caddy and throw the carton away. It’s served its purpose; it is of no more use to us. It doesn’t even have cards for us to collect any more.
Or liquid soap – and other cleaning products. When empty, we replace with a new bottle, and throw the old one away. OK, we’re careful to put it in the recycling bin, but that still uses energy. And you can’t recycle the trigger mechanism.
Wouldn’t it be so much better if we could just refill our tea caddies and soap dispensers, and cut out the unnecessary packaging? [Read more…] about Reducing Waste – local zero-waste shops
Hello again, thank you for all the lovely compliments I received for my first Chapter.
This is not Chapter 2 as promised but more Part 1: Andy’s Story – Part 1: Early Years, Hiltonbury Farm, and… My Old Morris as I have just returned from a visit to Devon where my older sisters Jennifer and Janet live and in conversations with them I have more to add to part 1.
My Father’s Mother died quite young. Jennifer thinks she died in the Sanatorium, a TB hospital in Chandler’s Ford just off Cuckoo Bushes Lane. It has been knocked down and the area is all houses now.
My Father’s Father was the gardener at Hiltonbury and my Father’s mother married him and it was terrible to marry beneath her. It seems that all the family except her Brother George Beattie disowned her but Uncle George was very kind to her.
Uncle George was the Farmer at Hiltonbury, who took my Father in after both my Father’s parents died and brought him up as his own son, sending him to Peter Symonds School in Winchester.
Father used to ride there every day on his bike all the way from Chandler’s Ford to school, and that’s about seven and a half miles. I agreed there was no traffic in those days but all the same fifteen miles a day and the roads were not up to much either.
I presume he would cycle up Hursley Road to The Pound, go right through Hursley, past his Cousin’s Norman Coopers place – North End Farm, and along through Standon to Winchester, then Chilbolton Avenue to Bereweeke Road and so to College.
What an achievement, rain and shine, hot and cold, along, not roads as we know them today but probably tracks some of the way. Amazing. You would not get the youth of today doing that. It’s even a long way to go in a car, probably take as long today with all the traffic as well!
Now back to Cantley in Wokingham where I was born, there are a couple of fuzzy photographs of me in a pram and sitting on the lawn having something to eat, also a photograph of Mr Watson who was the owner of the farm where my Father was the bailiff / manager.
[Read more…] about Andy’s Story – Part 2 – Stories from Beechcroft
Having been asked to write some articles for Chandler’s Ford Today I thought for ages where to start and what to tell.
My Mother and Father had got married in around 1938 and my sister Jennifer was born on the 6th of Feb 1939, followed in 1941 by Janet, then the son that they craved (or so I was informed) dutifully arrived on 6th April 1943. I am told there were air raids while in the nursing home and I was shoved under the bed in a basket a number of times it seems.
Not that I am into the stars but it reports that people who are born on the 6th of April in 1943 have an astrological sign of Aries ♈. Aries’ life pursuit is the thrill of the moment and a secret desire to lead the way for others. People of this zodiac sign like taking on leadership roles, physical challenges, individual sports and dislike inactivity, delays, and work that does not use one’s talents. The strengths of this sign are: courageous, determined, confident, enthusiastic, optimistic, honest, passionate. OK on most of that but not so sure about the physical challenges bit!! [Read more…] about Andy’s Story – Part 1: Early Years, Hiltonbury Farm, and… My Old Morris
Update: This business has now closed.
Today (in year 2021) I visited the newly opened Suki Asian Shop on Winchester Road. I’m quite impressed.
I asked the young lady Annabelle what ‘Suki’ meant. She told me it meant ‘customers’ in the Philippines. She told me her mum Jemelle ran the shop. [Read more…] about Suki Asian Shop Open – Winchester Road, Chandler’s Ford
The mighty oak (Quercus rubor), the one in the centre of our garden is due for a haircut, we decided. Visitors comment on our lovely garden – but such a shame about the oak tree – all that shade. If they lived here, they would chop it down, except that it is subject to a tree preservation order.
If the tree was chopped, there would be an open space. The summer sun would beat relentlessly down, and an umbrella would be needed. I would miss the sturdy black limbs etched against a grey winter sky with the playful skitter of squirrels among the branches. I would miss the birds, there are two magpies in the branches as I write, and hundreds of others birds visit to feed on the myriad of insects living in the nooks and crannies of the bark. Blue tits nest in the attached birdbox and tree creepers and the nuthatch hang, head down, to feed.
The Selwood Christmas tree has been lighting up Chandler’s Ford since 1953. Look at this stunning tree!
Richard Bright, 1st Chairman at Workdry International Limited (Selwood & Siltbuster) said, it’s always a pleasure to bring this tradition to the local community.
To friends of Chandler’s Ford, what does this Christmas mean to you? Please leave a comment below. We wish you all safe and well.
Richard has also given us more details about the tree this year.
Richard said, “The tree is meant to be 35ft but I think it’s slightly taller this year… I usually tell by comparing it with the flag poles 😊. we used to get it from Longleat as part of a forest management scheme but that has since come to an end so we have sourced it from a plantation off the A303 the last few years. We try to get it as local as possible to keep it “green” as I know a lot of large trees are imported from Norway, which I can’t bring myself to do due to the huge environmental impact.”
We are beginning to think of ending the lock-down. How different will it be afterwards?
That little strand of RNA wrapped up as COVID-19 has altered our behaviour. It has shut our institutions; schools, universities, travel, industries, retail and the legal system. Health, policing, food and pharmacy remain active with some local travel.
Some of us have been able to work from home and found it satisfactory. A friend is wondering why he keeps a London office; a weekly meeting in an office hired for half a day may be sufficient. Others strive to work amid the domestic activities of children and housework. The fashion for open-plan living areas in houses has not helped.
Last weekend I bought some minced pork and local eggs from Charles Baynham, our finest butchers in Chandler’s ford.
I used the minced pork to make some Chinese dumplings for the Chinese New Year (yes it’s the Year of the Pig, as I heard you asked!)
Charles Baynham has run this friendly, traditional butcher for 40 years in Chandler’s Ford. [Read more…] about Charles Baynham in Chandler’s Ford
Dear readers, please be assured that I’m not mad. It’s only January and I’m talking about Selwood’s Christmas tree – their bright, stunning tree that gives us a glimmer of hope on those endless cold, dark evenings.
While I processed a backlog of my Chandler’s Ford Today emails today, I came across an email from Richard Bright, the owner of Selwood. [Read more…] about Why am I Talking about Selwood’s Christmas Tree in January?
by Lionel Elliott
Hidden away in the Chandler’s Ford Central Precinct is a Club that aims to be the place in the Chandler’s Ford area to meet up with friends, to relax and unwind, and to have some fun. It’s the Chandler’s Ford Central Club. [Read more…] about Chandler’s Ford Central Club – Something for Everyone
Last month we shared a video Welcome to Hiltingbury, Chandler’s Ford. The video was created by Jack Smark, a 13 year old Year 9 pupil from the Toynbee School.
Today I found Jack’s new video, named South Millers Dale. Jack is the founder and creator of Tondore Productions. He is an aspiring cinematographer and would love to film movies and film documentaries. [Read more…] about New Video: South Millers Dale
I came across a short YouTube video a few days ago about Chandler’s Ford and Hiltingbury.
“Welcome to Hiltingbury, Chandler’s Ford”
I’ve watched the video a few times, and found it rather pleasing as it captures the key scenes in Chandler’s Ford well: estate agents, outstanding schools, Hiltingbury Lakes (and men fishing), shops in Hiltingbury (Andersons, Marshalls Bakery…), charity shop on Hiltingbury Road, The Picture Framing Shop, the Hiltonbury Farmhouse, wildlife, Tesco, the Hilt, the tennis courts, and dogs playing on Hiltingbury Recreation Ground. [Read more…] about New Video: Welcome to Hiltingbury, Chandler’s Ford
On Monday morning 5th June 2017, I, along with my wife Val, my sister, Heather Witham (Nee Vining), my brother Simon Vining and his son Bob Vining met with Rob Preston to see what progress had been made in the refurbishments of Hiltonbury Farmhouse since I was last there a couple of weeks ago.
It is certainly a “Proper” Building site now as it was a requirement for all of us to sign the visitors book and that we all wore high viz jackets and proper boots or to use the technical term we all had to wear “PPE” Personal Protective Equipment. [Read more…] about The Vinings Invade Hiltonbury Farmhouse!
On 22nd May I went to my old home Hiltonbury Farmhouse to meet Rob Preston the new tenant who is planning to open this wonderful old Farmhouse as a restaurant in early July this year.
Rob is a great entrepreneur who has been in and around the wine and drinks industry all his working life but always wanted to work on “The other side of the bar” as he put it and open a family restaurant setting a high standard for good food and excellent service. [Read more…] about A Special Visit to “Hiltonbury Farmhouse”
By Caroline Tilley
After 29 years, Janet and Fred are saying Goodbye to Nightingale Pets today!
Fred’s been finding the dusty, seedy atmosphere, caused by the birds in particular, just doesn’t do his chest any good, and Janet is sure that the right thing to do is to stop while they are fit and able to enjoy life, travelling, cycling, motorcycling, gardening and enjoying themselves and their family. [Read more…] about Janet and Fred Saying Goodbye to Nightingale Pets After 29 Years
I shared some news from The Central Precinct in the past before.
Today I took some photos from a few shop windows to keep you up to date with the changes in our local area. [Read more…] about Some Changes at The Central Precinct and Bournemouth Road in Chandler’s Ford
Yesterday, following recommendations on Chandler’s Ford Today, my husband and I visited this small but interesting local market held in the Age Concern hall at the top of Brownhill Road.
This market is carefully managed, with the needs of regular local stallholders in mind, and features around 12 stalls selling locally-produced food and crafts (no traders). [Read more…] about Review: Chandler’s Ford Produce and Craft Market
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
