Some 30 years ago I found myself in Krakow, Poland, alone in a communist country with contact phone numbers that did not work and meet and greet arrangements that had gone wrong.
I had a day to fill and looked at the hotel tours of castles, lakes, mountains, ski centres, pretty villages or Auschwitz.
Auschwitz? Was that really a tourist attraction? Should I go there?
[Read more…] about My Poignant Visit to Auschwitz 30 Years Ago
Today Chandler’s Ford Today is going to honour one of our regular commenters with The Official Pedant Award.
The winner is Ruby.
Ruby has made 76 comments on Chandler’s Ford Today so far.
In the current Private Eye Issue (No. 1384, 23 January to 5 February 2015), Ruby (or better known as Ruby Barefoot) has made it to Pedantry Corner. [Read more…] about Ruby: Winner of the Official Pedant Award
BBC One’s Question Time moved to Eastleigh for last night’s programme, which took place at The Point theatre. Those taking part were:
Esther McVey MP – Conservative Employment Minister
Diane Abbott MP – Prospective Mayor of London
Paul Nuttall MEP – Deputy Leader of UKIP
Tim Farron MP – Lib-Dem spokesperson on Foreign Affairs
Amol Rajan – Editor of The Independent
Broadcaster David Dimbleby – Chairman [Read more…] about Review of Eastleigh BBC One Question Time 2015
I love travelling. I love seeing what’s going on around me and comparing different places with home.
But despite living near an airport, flying is the one major form of transportation I’ve never used.
I’ve travelled in many different forms, including having a donkey ride on a beach and a pony trek (when I was a child), but have yet to be above terra firma. [Read more…] about From Chandler’s Ford I Get around
Today, in Winchester, I came across this merry band of Greens.
They do not yet have a prospective parliamentary candidate but they assured me that there will be one for Winchester.
[Read more…] about Green Candidate for Winchester 2015 Election
BBC One Question Time is coming to Eastleigh on Thursday 22 January 2015.
BBC One – Question Time is The BBC’s flagship political debate programme presented by David Dimbleby.
To join the Question Time audience, you need to [Read more…] about BBC One Question Time from Eastleigh: Thursday 22 January 2015
This will be the last of my ramblings about what I felt on and after my various visits to Israel.
Firstly, I would like to consider my sole visit to the Upper Room, scene of the Last Supper.
This was something which I had approached with considerable anticipation. Unfortunately, I was not appreciative of what seemed more like a nondescript block of flats, with the upstairs room entered via a suspended walkway more suited to downtown New York. [Read more…] about Israel – Ancient And Modern (Part 4 of 4)
The Sea of Galilee – let this be the starting point for our wanderings around the land that was home to Jesus and his disciples.
Tiberias is the town from which most of today’s visitors make the start to their appreciation of the area. A short boat trip across the water to Capernaum is a high spot: half way over the skipper orders, “Stop engines.” You just drift in the intoxicating silence. [Read more…] about Israel – Ancient And Modern (Part 3 of 4)
Here are a few more recollections – secular and spiritual – about the land in which Jesus lived and which is now the focus of attention for an increasing number of pilgrims.
Nearly all of them arrive at Bethlehem in coaches which park in the large central square. The name of this square? You might think it would be something like Central Square or Bethlehem Square, but it is Manger Square.
[Read more…] about Israel – Ancient And Modern (Part 2 of 4)
I was fortunate in meeting with my local Councillor recently (Valley Park ward, Test Valley Borough Council) and in the conversation we touched upon the thorny subject of housing development.
Apparently, there is a proposed new development up in front of the planning committee currently which effectively tacks on around 300 homes to the edge of the Knightwood Park development as it borders Castle Lane – [Read more…] about Land Off Castle Lane – North Baddesley – Proposed Housing Development
Until fairly recently few people from Chandler’s Ford had visited Israel, but now there are some of our parishioners who have joined groups of pilgrims and flown to the Holy Land. Some had pre-conceptions, other had eyes and minds open, ready and willing to accept anything which would strengthen their beliefs.
Here are a few of my own observations – certainly not all with a religious connection – which I hope will bring back happy memories. [Read more…] about Israel – Ancient And Modern (Part 1 of 4)
Today, I’m going to say what I love about my home town. (Or I’m just doing it for my pocket money). So, here we go…
Easily the best thing about Chandler’s Ford is the library.
I love going there and read, whether it’s the film section or a fictional science fiction novel (99% of the time it’s Doctor Who. There are also a wide range of [Read more…] about Three Things I Love about Chandler’s Ford
On one of my educational cruises we had three or four PE students with us to help conduct deck games when we were at sea.
On this day we were sitting in the shade enjoying a cold drink after visiting the pyramids: beside me one of the students a young lad of about nineteen, starting speaking. He didn’t realise he was expressing his thoughts aloud and his voice was filled with awe. [Read more…] about Travel Journal: Whereto next?
By By Dan Brain
Nobody wants to see cuts to services we value, but I do believe the tough times can actually present us with new opportunities to bring us closer together as a community.
With the backdrop of a slow recovery from the 2008 recession and the promise of more cuts to public spending, it is easy to despair at the proposed loss of local services we have come to value [Read more…] about Our Community: What Are We Passionate About?
This post invites you to answer: How safe are the roads in Chandler’s Ford?
This week, 17-23 November 2014, is Road Safety Week. Chandler’s Ford Today wants to find out if you have any concerns about the safety of roads in Chandler’s Ford.
We’ll pass your feedback on to the Chandler’s Ford Parish Council.
[Read more…] about How Can We Make The Roads In Chandler’s Ford Safer?
Jesters are portrayed as fools but they are clever. They make us laugh and gasp at their cheeky and audacious remarks. Their humour is barbed and aimed at a person or persons in powerful positions.
A jester must have someone to jest about. In court they performed the important function of saying things to the King and Queen that no courtier dare speak. [Read more…] about Jesters, Mentors and Advocates
It’s Halloween! If you were any normal person my age, you will probably be counting down the hours until trick-or-treating. But, seeing how I’m the self-appointed “Scrooge of Halloween”, I’m not.
In fact I already expressed my reasons why I don’t like Halloween last year. [Read more…] about Halloween: Why Do People Like Being Scared?
We are not to have fluoridation in this part of the country. Southampton City Council is against it. We have to ask why and our leaders do not tell us.
There is no doubt that our dental health is poor and that fluoridation is a cheap and effective way of improving it. [Read more…] about Fluoridation – Have We Tripped Ourselves Up?
Eastleigh is to have a new housing development for the fields along Chestnut Avenue & Stoneham Lane. One thousand, one hundred dwellings on 62 hectares [a hectare is 10,000 sq metres] or 153 acres. That is 18 houses per hectare or 7-8 per acre.
What will it be like, this new development?
Of course it will have to have “affordable” housing [Read more…] about Houses For Eastleigh
By Stephen Dominy
Last weekend, I spoke at the Fairtrade event at St. Martin in the Wood Church about why we are passionate about tackling climate change. We also want to urge our politicians to act, to create a better, safer world.
We are collecting signatures from Chandler’s Ford to give to Steve Brine MP. We are raising our voices for the things we love. [Read more…] about Letters to Steve Brine MP: Chandler’s Ford Cares About Climate Change
