review

Review: The 14th Eastleigh Scout and Guide Band St. George’s Day Concert 2016

April 26, 2016 By chippy minton 2 Comments

The 14th Eastleigh Scout and Guide Band (better known as The Spitfires) returned to Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church last weekend for a St George’s Day concert in aid of One Community.

As we have come to expect from a band of such high calibre, the concert showcased the musician’s skills and wide repertoire. We were also treated to a display by the band’s Corps of Drums, who had been busy with other scouting activities at the October concert.
[Read more…] about Review: The 14th Eastleigh Scout and Guide Band St. George’s Day Concert 2016

Tags: arts and crafts, Chandler’s Ford community, community, concert, Eastleigh, entertainment, event, Methodist Church, music, review, social, St. George's Day, The Spitfires marching band, Winchester Road

Watching the Detectives

April 15, 2016 By Allison Symes 11 Comments

I had the great joy last week of going to see An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley with a friend at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton.

My friend had seen the film which was why she was keen to see the play version. I love detective fiction and thought seeing one in a play format would be interesting. I was right – it was!
[Read more…] about Watching the Detectives

Tags: arts and crafts, books, culture, education, entertainment, event, history, memory, reading, review, storytelling, theatre, writing

Walk on the Isle of Wight

April 15, 2016 By Mike Sedgwick Leave a Comment

We were fortunate to pick two sunny days for a trip to the Isle of Wight.

During the trip down Southampton water we saw the Ovation of the Seas, a new 168,000 ton diesel-electric driven cruise liner She is undergoing inauguration event prior to her maiden cruise to China. She will operate between china and Australia. [Read more…] about Walk on the Isle of Wight

Tags: gardening, Isle of Wight, memory, nature, recommendations, review, Southampton, storytelling, travel

Coffee vs Discount in Eastleigh

March 21, 2016 By chippy minton 8 Comments

I had an eye test appointment last week in Eastleigh. This was the only reason I needed to go to the town centre, but while I was there I visited one of the many coffee shops for refreshment.

As I sipped my Americano I wondered why. Why had I decided to spend over £2 on a coffee that I didn’t really need when I was only a five-minute walk from home where I could have one for nothing. Why is a coffee stop now regularly included in a routine shopping trip? Why do we need so many coffee shops? [Read more…] about Coffee vs Discount in Eastleigh

Tags: books, Chandler’s Ford community, community, Eastleigh, Eastleigh Borough Council, entertainment, local businesses, local interest, memory, review, travel, viewpoint

Hiltingbury Post Office (and GoldDust)

March 15, 2016 By Janet Williams Leave a Comment

It’s rather unusual that you walk into a post office to buy curry ingredients.

But in Chandler’s Ford you can just do that.

The post office on Ashdown Road in Hiltingbury sells stamps, envelops, cards, soaps and scarves.

It also sells GoldDust Masala Blend. [Read more…] about Hiltingbury Post Office (and GoldDust)

Tags: Chandler’s Ford community, community, culture, Hiltingbury, Hiltingbury Road, interview, local businesses, local interest, review

My Favourite Short Walk – Itchen Navigation from Bishopstoke to Allbrook

March 12, 2016 By chippy minton 8 Comments

One of my favourite short local walks is the stretch of the Itchen Navigation from Bishopstoke to Allbrook.

It is a rural idyll, yet never more than a few hundred yards from the built-up area and/or railway yard. [Read more…] about My Favourite Short Walk – Itchen Navigation from Bishopstoke to Allbrook

Tags: community, days out, Eastleigh, local interest, nature, recommendations, review, Southampton, travel, walking, wildlife, Winchester, writing

As You Like It… and I Did!

March 11, 2016 By Allison Symes 3 Comments

I had the great joy of going to see As You Like It on Thursday, 25th February 2016 at Thornden Hall.

Having experienced the wonders of Shakespeare’s best known tragedy, Hamlet, late in 2015, I was curious to find out how I was going to get on with one of the Bard of Avon’s comedies. [Read more…] about As You Like It… and I Did!

Tags: arts and crafts, Chandler’s Ford community, comedy, community, culture, entertainment, event, local interest, National Theatre Live, review, social, theatre, Thornden Hall, Winchester Road, writing

It’s Not My Funeral

March 8, 2016 By Mike Sedgwick 5 Comments

News of the death of an old acquaintance or colleague reached me last week and raised some uncertainty about whether to go to the funeral or not. “Yes.” I said. “I knew him, once, a long time ago. Sorry to hear that he had a stroke and died.” [Read more…] about It’s Not My Funeral

Tags: community, culture, religion, review, storytelling, travel, viewpoint

National Theatre Live in Chandler’s Ford and Eastleigh Areas

February 26, 2016 By Allison Symes 4 Comments

In recent months it has been a great joy to watch three National Theatre Live productions at Thornden Hall – The Importance of Being Earnest with David Suchet as Lady Bracknell, Hamlet with Benedict Cumberbatch in the lead role, and Shakespeare’s glorious comedy As You Like It, which we just watched last night.

I’m glad to report there is not one but three nearby venues in Eastleigh borough which show National Theatre Live productions – Thornden Hall, The Point, Eastleigh and, a little further out at Hedge End, The Berry Theatre. [Read more…] about National Theatre Live in Chandler’s Ford and Eastleigh Areas

Tags: arts and crafts, Chandler’s Ford community, community, culture, Eastleigh, entertainment, event, local interest, National Theatre Live, review, social, The Point, theatre, Thornden Hall, Winchester Road

Review: Thornden School: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

February 16, 2016 By chippy minton 2 Comments

This year’s Thornden School GCSE production was The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, performed at Thornden Hall last week.

As expected from these talented pupils, it was a delight to watch and stretched the talents of the GCSE students – for both the Drama Acting and Drama Design and Technical courses. [Read more…] about Review: Thornden School: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Tags: arts and crafts, Chandler’s Ford community, community, education, entertainment, event, local interest, review, social, theatre, Thornden Hall, Thornden School, Winchester Road

Review of Aladdin by Chameleon Theatre Company

January 27, 2016 By Janet Williams 1 Comment

My husband and I went to see Aladdin, by Nigel Holmes, performed by the Chameleon Theatre Company at Ritchie Memorial Hall last Saturday.

I bumped into my neighbours at the hall. “How many are you here?” I asked.

Tags: arts and crafts, Chameleon Theatre, Chandler's Ford Good Neighbours, Chandler’s Ford community, community, entertainment, event, Hursley Road, local interest, review, Ritchie Memorial Hall

The Magic of Words: David Bowie and Alan Rickman

January 22, 2016 By Allison Symes 7 Comments

I’ve found one side benefit of being a writer is that I appreciate words more than I did before I wrote seriously. Writing short stories, novels and blog posts such as this have all given me a greater appreciation of how other writers work. But it also makes me aware there are several ways to work with words.

It is ironic then that two of my heroes, who worked with words albeit in different ways, should both recently have died of cancer at 69. [Read more…] about The Magic of Words: David Bowie and Alan Rickman

Tags: arts and crafts, culture, entertainment, film, music, review, theatre, writing

Sharing the Joy of Libraries

January 16, 2016 By Allison Symes 5 Comments

I love the word serendipity. It has a lovely meaning and a great sound.

This post, I think, can be thought of as being a case of serendipity.

I was planning a post about the joy of libraries for some time and then read Mike’s wonderful article from Sri Lanka about renovating the school library, which confirmed to me I should go ahead with this now. [Read more…] about Sharing the Joy of Libraries

Tags: books, Chandler's Ford Library, education, Hampshire, Hampshire County Council, library, literature, local interest, publishing, reading, review, writing

Should We be Charged for Visits to the GP?

January 9, 2016 By chippy minton 11 Comments

Should we be charged for visits to the GP?

I heard a report on the radio this week about an article in the British Medical Journal discussing the pros and cons of imposing charges on patients for visits to the GP surgery. [Read more…] about Should We be Charged for Visits to the GP?

Tags: Chandler’s Ford community, current affairs, health, news, review, science, viewpoint

Shakespeare Inspirations – Hamlet at Thornden Hall

January 8, 2016 By Allison Symes 1 Comment

I went to see the National Theatre’s production of Hamlet at Thornden Hall in October 2015 with Janet Williams and her son Ben.

Benedict Cumberbatch was superb in the title role.

I love the idea of being able to watch West End productions without having the hassle of going there. I’ve never been to a West End production and if I had the time to go there, possibly with an overnight stay, I should imagine that would be a wonderful experience. [Read more…] about Shakespeare Inspirations – Hamlet at Thornden Hall

Tags: arts and crafts, Chandler’s Ford community, community, culture, entertainment, event, local interest, National Theatre Live, review, social, theatre, Thornden Hall, Winchester Road, writing

10 Wishes for Chandler’s Ford for 2016

January 1, 2016 By Allison Symes 3 Comments

I’m not a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions. They usually mean giving up alcohol, which is not a huge problem for me as I don’t drink much, or chocolate and that is where I do run into difficulties!

However, I thought I would list some things I would love to see in 2016, all of which would benefit Chandler’s Ford and its residents.

Tags: Chandler's Ford Library, Chandler’s Ford community, community, Fryern Arcade, Hiltingbury, Hiltingbury Road, Hursley Road, library, local interest, review, road safety, train station, travel

My Year-End Review and Book Launch

December 18, 2015 By Allison Symes 4 Comments

I went to London on 5th December 2015 for the Bridge House Publishing/Cafelit joint book launch celebration. Naturally I left from Chandler’s Ford Station!

Though Bridge House published my first story in print, A Helping Hand in their Alternative Renditions anthology, this year I was going because my short story, The Magic Flute, is in The Best of Cafelit 4.

This was one of the books being launched, the other being Bridge House’s anthology for 2015 called Snowflakes. [Read more…] about My Year-End Review and Book Launch