This Christmas I spent an enormous amount of time doing something rather strange.
I found myself ‘defending Eastleigh’ a lot to my family.
The problem was that I started reading Bill Bryson’s new book, The Road to Little Dribbling, on Christmas day, after gift-giving, and before mother-in-law’s turkey was ready. This book has now topped the UK hardback charts for the third week. [Read more…] about Read Bill Bryson’s Portrayal of Eastleigh Town. Do You Agree?
The Eastleigh Fusion Choir Christmas Charity Concert at Chandler’s Ford United Reformed Church last weekend (19th December 2015) raised over £830.
The concert was performed to a packed house and it was a wonderfully uplifting experience.
Father Christmas made a guest appearance to conduct the Twelve Days of Christmas and the Choir delivered a fabulous night to remember. [Read more…] about Eastleigh Fusion Choir – Christmas Charity Concert 2015
Just for fun, I thought I would share a few Christmas linked short stories (the famous 100 worders) and limericks.
I also share a couple of my family traditions at Christmastime. [Read more…] about Christmas Stories, Limericks and Traditions
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
Eastleigh Fusion Choir will be performing this Saturday on 19th December 2015 from 7.30pm at the United Reformed Church on Kings Road.
The full Christmas Charity Concert by Eastleigh Fusion Choir will be raising money for Crisis, the national charity for single homeless people, and the Kenya Project. [Read more…] about Christmas Charity Concert with Eastleigh Fusion Choir at United Reformed Church
Thank you to all of those who came last night to see Far from the Madding Crowd at The Hilt. A good ol’ romantic to finish the season. Yes, I did notice the afterglow as you exited :-).
We have really had some good Movies this year with an average audience of about 80. The Imitation Game was the most highly attended with 124. [Read more…] about When a Curtain Closes Another One Opens
A warm welcome to everyone to the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in St. Boniface (CofE) Church in Hursley Road on Sunday 20 December at 6.30pm.
The service is designed to last about an hour, and includes most of the best-known carols for the congregation and choir to sing, plus five short pieces for choir only, and the traditional Christmas readings. [Read more…] about The Nine Lessons and Carols Service at St. Boniface Church: Sunday 20 December 2015
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
The Point theatre will be celebrating its milestone 20th anniversary in 2016 and is looking for stories and memories from the public to help with its year-long birthday celebrations.
Having already kick-started the celebrations with a radical redesign of its foyer and bar area, [Read more…] about Join The Point and Share Your Stories for its 20th Birthday Celebrations
When you travel along Bournemouth Road to or from Southampton, you pass on one side Keble Road and on the other Keble Close, in Chandler’s Ford.
Both were called after the Rev. John Keble (1792‒1866), vicar of Hursley from 1836 until his death (and briefly curate there in 1825‒1826). [Read more…] about John Keble: Keble Road and Keble Close in Chandler’s Ford
I was in Eastleigh for a couple of hours today, and guess who I met?
First I was greeted by an emu, then I bumped into Mayor of Eastleigh Councillor Jane Welsh. Christmas must be around the corner as I think I also met one of the Wise Kings (in November)! [Read more…] about Eastleigh’s Christmas Lights Switch on – 21st November 2015
Dear Moviegoer,
I mentioned a few months ago that Nigel and I would be retiring from running Movies @ the Hilt from the end of this year. We had thoroughly enjoyed providing this service but we both had reasons for freeing-up our respective personal time. [Read more…] about From Movies at the Hilt to Movies at the Hall
A new Piano Sonata by Hugh Benham, Director of Music at St. Boniface Church of England Church, Chandler’s Ford, was recently performed in a concert at St John the Baptist’s Church, Wimbledon by the pianist Michael Higgins. [Read more…] about A New Piano Sonata by Hugh Benham
The Spitfires – the 14th Eastleigh Scout and Guide Band performed an all new concert at The Methodist Church in Chandler’s Ford on Saturday evening, 17th October 2015. “All new” in that all the pieces were being performed by the band for the first time.
A church may seem an unlikely venue for a band concert, but the Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church proved to be an excellent one. [Read more…] about Review: The Spitfires in Concert – the 14th Eastleigh Scout and Guide Band
There will be a spectacular charity concert on Wednesday 28 October at Chandler’s Ford Methodist Hall from 7pm, in aid of the assistance dog charity, Canine Partners.
The concert is organised by Rotary Club of Chandler’s Ford and Itchen Valley to raise money for Canine Partners. [Read more…] about Rotary Club: Charity Concert in Aid of Canine Partners
Some of the great joys of writing for Chandler’s Ford Today are in meeting new people and going to events that are new to me.
The recent Hiltingbury Extrav was the first I’d visited despite living in Chandler’s Ford for over 25 years. So I thought I would look back at it as we leave the summer season with its shows and fetes behind. (If anyone is in any doubt we are in autumn now, the recent wild weather should dispel that!). [Read more…] about High Jinks at the Hiltingbury Extravaganza 2015
I went to Hiltingbury Recreation Ground at 3pm yesterday with my son, and local writer Allison Symes.
The Hiltingbury Extrav 2015 was in full swing. The event took place from 12.00 noon till 5.00pm.
We were first attracted by some classic cars. We spotted Chandler’s Ford Today writer Mike Sedgwick there admiring the vehicles (and checking the engine stuff). [Read more…] about The Hiltingbury Extrav 2015
This morning we went to Eastleigh and spent two hours there.
An event called Eastleigh Mardi Gras took place in the town centre – a day of live music and entertainment with a post-war theme: “The war is over! It’s time to party!”
I discovered the event by chance last year, and wrote Eastleigh Mardi Gras 2014: Fun, Joy, Charities for Community.
There seemed to be 3 things happening in Eastleigh town today: [Read more…] about A Very Eastleigh Festival: Mardi Gras and Vintage Market 2015
That most certainly was entertainment. A gala of dance at Thornden Hall on Sunday evening 26th July. [Read more…] about That’s Entertainment – Parkewood School of Dance
