The Brownhill surgery on Brownhill Road in Chandler’s Ford will be closing on 30th November 2017.
According to a letter dated 13th July, from West Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group, “The Brownhill Surgery will remain open and you can continue to access all of the same services until 30 November 2017, so please do not re-register with another practice at this stage.” [Read more…] about Brownhill Surgery will be Closing on 30th November 2017
Joan Goater writes on 15th September 1948:
A large green and black bodied dragonfly flew about under the yew tree opposite here, performing amazing feats of aerobatics. I agree with what Brian Vesey-Fitzgerald said recently on the wireless about this lovely creature’s misnomer. It is far too beautiful to be named “Dragon”, which one always associates with an ugly monster, but the repulsive “grub” is equally mis-named “nymph”, because one always thinks of a nymph as an exquisitely dainty creature. They should certainly bear each other’s names. [Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 21)
Image Credit: Many thanks to Janet Williams for taking the signing photos at the railway station. Like many women, I can multi task but there is a limit and even I couldn’t take a picture of myself signing a book!
Many thanks to all who came to my book signing at our lovely railway station on Saturday 8th July. Particular thanks go to Mark Miller and Nick Farthing of the Three Rivers Rail Community Partnership, Hilary Stone for “manning” the drinks and snacks bar, Janet Williams, Richard Hardie and Daniel Symes.
[Read more…] about Why have Book Signings? Report from the Station – Allison Symes
It’s August 20th 1948. A change of season is in the air and Gran writes, while blackberrying again in the woods opposite:
Again the fragrance of damp bracken and water mint mingled with the perfume of ripe blackberries to give that indescribable scent of the August woodland, and the tang of Autumn was heavy in the air… the birds were silent, save for an occasional “T’seet” from a Tit…”
Great, Blue and Coal Tits, together with several other small woodland species, I found difficult to identify by their calls when I started birding, and I remember asking Dad’s advice about how to tell them apart. His answer was, in a Mexican accent, “ eetz eazzy” (this being the call of all these birds) which we both found entertaining, but was of little help to me, as I did not find it easy!
[Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 20)
Here is a glimpse of some exciting events in and around Chandler’s Ford in the next few days / weeks.
Visit the Upcoming Events Chandler’s Ford page for regular updates. [Read more…] about Exciting Events in July in Chandler’s Ford
In the 1980s there were no fancy coffee shops in Chandler’s Ford. It wasn’t common for supermarkets to offer you ‘free’ coffee either. Many young mothers found themselves isolated at home with young children, and elderly people were struggling to meet someone for a friendly chat.
One person saw that acute problem in Chandler’s Ford and decided to do something about it, to change for the better.
Her name is Jane Archer. She has run the Coffee Room based at the Dovetail Centre at the Methodist Church on Winchester Road for 37 years. Many babies who had played at the Coffee Room have grown up to become parents themselves. [Read more…] about Jane Archer – A Simple Vision, and 37 Years Leading The Coffee Room at Dovetail Centre
Following the astounding success of The Arcade Youth Theatre’s first production, ‘Alice’ by Laura Wade, last year, which raised over £800 for the company, they will be taking to the stage again in the classic children’s tale, ‘Peter Pan’ by J.M Barrie.
With breathtaking flying sequences, intense fight scenes, and dazzling light dances, this show is stepping up to be their best yet! All of the creative direction has come from a collaboration with the cast, design crew and their 17 year old director and founder, Lewis Pickles. [Read more…] about The Arcade Youth Theatre: Peter Pan by J.M Barrie; 28th – 29th July 2017
By the time you read this, I will be coming to the end of a much needed break in stunning Scotland. (Sadly it’s not one I can write about for CFT as there’s no question of using our lovely railway station as a starting point!). [Read more…] about Signing at the Station by Allison Symes
We have some great news for fans of The Chameleon Theatre company and lovers of a Midsummer Night’s Dream might.
The Chameleons will be performing a couple of funny 10 minute sketches at Peter Green on School Lane, on Saturday afternoon 1st of July from 2pm to 3pm.
Peter Green will be hosting a fun afternoon to celebrate its 61st Annual Summer Sale, and the Chameleons have been invited to perform one of its popular plays, The Pocket Dream. [Read more…] about Peter Green: Mid-Summer Entertainment on Saturday 1st July
Gran writes on July 11th 1948, shortly after daughter Jane’s Confirmation:
Another cloudy dawn but fine enough for us to get to Compton Church for Jane’s first Communion. A Wood-Pigeon was softly calling in the opposite wood when I awakened at 6.15 and the Lark was already singing in the nearby field, or rather over what used to be a field, but it is now part of Hillier’s nursery, at 7.15 as we left home. …a Green Woodpecker flew over the church during the service uttering its strident alarm notes. The flowers on the altar were, as usual, beautiful and tastefully arranged.
[Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 19)
Gran writes on June 2nd 1948 (at a time, of course, before the introduced Grey Squirrel became such a confounded nuisance, and people’s attitude to it changed:
Cycling along a quiet lane I was startled when a Grey Squirrel leapt off a post almost into my lap, but my surprise was nothing compared to his. He lost his head completely, tried to regain the post but instead plunged into the wire netting beneath it, where he struggled desperately to get through. How I wish the little wild creatures knew that I would never hurt them!
[Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 18)
(Editor’s note: The Witness Appeal is issued by Hampshire Constabulary. However Chandler’s Ford Today believes the Hampshire Constabulary possibly meant ‘Hursley Road in Chandler’s Ford’, not ‘Hursley Road in Hursley’. Please read on despite this confusion.)
Officers are appealing for information following a burglary on Hursley Road.
The incident happened at around 5.35pm on Saturday, 10 June when the elderly residents were upstairs watching TV at their home on Hurlsey Road. [Read more…] about Hampshire Constabulary: Witness Appeal: Burglary on Hursley Road
By Karen Stephen
Sshh – do you want to know a secret about Chandlers Ford? You may not be aware that last year, we were thrilled and proud to publish a collection of short stories called “Secret Lives of Chandlers Ford” . Together with my writing chums, Maggie, Catherine and Sally, we spent a year researching, writing and publishing our first anthology of short stories: “Secret Lives of Chandlers Ford”. We wanted to write stories that were locally set and derived from the happenings and history of this lovely area. We also wanted to reflect Chandlers Ford modern and diverse characteristics. [Read more…] about Sshhh – Do You Want to Know a Secret about Chandlers Ford?
GoPhysio in Chandler’s Ford has begun fundraising to buy a defibrillator to give the local community life-saving equipment. With currently over 30,000 people suffering an out of hospital cardiac arrest in the UK every year, 90-95% of these people will die if immediate treatment is not given.
With very few in Chandler’s Ford which are available 24 hours a day, goPhysio felt it was critical for the community to have access day and night. It will be stored on the outside of the clinic meaning anyone can use it in an emergency (address: 11 Bournemouth Road, Chandler’s Ford, Eastleigh SO53 3DA). [Read more…] about Life-saving Defibrillator Fundraising For 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!
Who should I vote for in the forthcoming election? A person or party with political gravitas, one that shows qualities of statesmanship. Or should it be statespersonship? Where are such people? I only see squabbling fourth-formers exchanging slogans as if they embody the solution to the world’s problems.
Our politicians try to do their best but they are products of the system which seems to me to be flawed. But that is a story for another day.
[Read more…] about Who Should I Vote for?
Carl Maskelyne from Chandler’s Ford took these wonderful pictures of the Flying Scotsman when it came through Chandler’s Ford yesterday morning (Wednesday 31st May 2017).
These photos were taken at the new footbridge in Sutherland Way just down from Chandler’s Ford station (heading towards Flexford Road). There was around 50 people there and the Flying Scotsman came through at around 10:25am. [Read more…] about The Flying Scotsman in Chandler’s Ford
May 7th 1948:
In Kingsway the beautiful and unusual Adam Laburnum is just coming into flower. M. Adam, a French nurseryman in 1826 grafted a bud of Purple Laburnum on to a yellow. The hybrid tree produces three kinds of flowers, the yellow of one parent, purple of the other and the pink hybrid flowers. This is the most celebrated record of hybridization.
[Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 17)
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”
So, in two weeks time – and three years earlier than we expected – we have a general election to look forward to. Some people may have reacted to this news with “a chance to get rid of the current government”; others with “a chance to give the government a greater mandate”. But for many it is possibly “here we go again”. [Read more…] about General Election 2017
