June 2016

June 2016 FREE… and not forgetting Cheriton, Romsey, Stockbridge, Hursley, Kings Worthy, Littleton,

Alresford, Chandler’s Ford, Micheldever, Bishop’s Waltham, and everywhere in between!Issue 023 winchestertoday.co.uk @winchestertoday

Inside

Life changing Bathe in style!

How Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance saved a cyclist’s life

Pamper-mobile brings dog grooming to the streets of Winchester

Page 28 Page 12

Sunday 24 July1.30 & 3.30

Hairy MaclaryHairy Maclary & Friends

Hat Fair is back!

(Graham Barber)

Super spectacular!Mary Poppins blooms at The Mayflower...Page 12

Cutting the ribbonSchool opens state-of-the-art new building...Page 9

...and the organisers are promising FUN!

There’s not long to go before the Hat Fair takes over the city over the first weekend of July. Artistic Director Michelle Walk-er is promising a weekend of fun and told Winchester Today that favourites will be back along with a few surprises: “We have found hidden parts of the city that people might not know are there - or find-ing familiar places and getting people to look at them in a dif-ferent way and which we can show off in a new light.” The Hat Fair runs from 1-3 July.

Simon Eden has announced that he is leaving his role as Chief Executive of Winchester City Council after 13 years.The announcement was made after the City Council’s Cabinet meeting on 8 June.

Leader of Winchester City Council - Stephen Godfrey - says he’s saddened by the news: “For 13 years, Simon has served Winchester with

great distinction, always demonstrating the highest standards of integrity. He has handled the many challenges of his role with dignity and good humour, treating councillors, staff and the public with respect and kindness.

“The many different Leaders of both parties have been supported diligently and fairly by Simon, regardless

of whatever we asked of him. Simon has shown true leadership in transforming the Council into a much more flexible and responsive organisation, while still retaining the trust and support of the Council staff.”

Winchester Today understands that no immediate decisions will be made on filling the vacancy.

City’s Top Boss Quits

2 WINCHESTER TODAY JUNE 2016

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Almost 200 motorists have been caught using their mobile phone behind the wheel during an operation by officers across Hampshire. They were stopped by Roads Policing Officers from the Joint Operations Unit as part of a nationwide initiative to make our roads safer.The figure represents a 36

per cent increase compared to this time last year when 141 motorists were caught using their phones while driving. One driver was even stopped while on his way to a mobile phone referral course having been stopped already once before.

Hampshire Constabulary’s Road Safety Sergeant Rob Heard is dismayed by the news: “These results are disappointing as it shows too many people still do not understand the dangers of using a mobile phone whilst driving. The majority of people know they should not be using their phone whilst driving, but appear not to understand what a huge distraction it is.“This just shows the

reason why we need to run such campaigns and remind people of the dangers and prosecute those who feel it is still acceptable to take that risk.“My advice is to turn your

phone off whilst driving, put it out of reach and view, this way you will not be tempted to look at it and become distracted. It’s not worth the risk.“Distraction can be a

major contribution in collisions and by using your phone you are four times more likely to be involved in a collision as your reaction times can be around 50 per cent slower.”Of those stopped 83 per

cent were male, 81 per cent were over the age of 25, 70 per cent were car drivers and 25 per cent were van drivers. A total of 84 per cent were offered a referral course.

Crackdown on Motorists using Mobiles at the WheelDrivers stopped across Hampshire in ‘disappointing’ week-long operation

Sgt Rob Heard was dismayed by the news

Residents in Hampshire are being urged to be vigilant after a number of people were targeted in a scam.Fifteen elderly people, both men and women; two from the New Forest, two from Eastleigh, two from Fareham and nine from Winchester, were targeted as part of the scam on Tuesday, June 7.On each occasion the

victim received a telephone call from a person claiming to be from HMRC (Revenue and Customs). They were told that they will be arrested if they did not settle their unpaid tax bill.On some occasions the fraudsters asked the

victim to purchase iTunes vouchers and then pass the card details onto them.All 15 people knew it was a scam so refused to handover any money and reported the matter to the police.Detective Inspector Lee

Macarthur, says everyone saw sense: “Fortunately on these occasions the victims knew this was a scam and refused to hand over any money. They did exactly the right thing by reporting it to us immediately. Alternatively, these matters can be reported to Action Fraud.“However, too often

people do fall victim of

these types of scams and end up handing over thousands of pounds. These types of incidents are understandably very upsetting for the victims.“We want to warn

residents about these calls and urge anyone who receives a suspicious call to refuse to handover any money or bank details and report the matter to the police or Action Fraud immediately.“If you have elderly

relatives, friends or neighbours please make them aware of this scam and remind them not to give any details or money to unexpected callers.”

People are reminded to protect themselves using the following advice:• Never give out any

personal information about your bank account to anybody over the phone.• If the caller asks you

to ring them back so you can be sure of their identification, hang up and call the company they are claiming to be from using a different phone. If you can’t use a different phone, wait at least five minutes before calling back.• If you have given out

information which could compromise your bank account security in any way, call your bank up to

cancel your cards as soon as possible.• Never hand over money

to someone at the door to be sent off elsewhere.• If someone comes to

your door claiming to be from a company or organisation, always ask for identification and make a note of their identification number. Ask them to wait while you verify their identity. Close the door, find the number of the company they claim to be from, and call them to verify their ID.Anyone who is concerned

about similar incidents should contact police by calling 101. If a crime is in progress, please call 999.

Scam Alert!Hampshire residents warned about new scam

JUNE 2016 WINCHESTER TODAY 3

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Local members and supporters of environmental campaigning charity, CPRE, heard from their leader about the organisation’s unique role in defending the countryside at the Hampshire branch AGM near Winchester.CPRE Chief Executive,

Shaun Spiers, reflected on how there would be significantly less countryside without CPRE’s (Campaign to Protect Rural England) involvement and influence over its 90-year history.Speaking of

CPRE’s greatest and proudest campaigning achievements, he

highlighted National Parks and AONBs (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty), the importance of town and country planning and Green Belts. He said, “CPRE stands for getting the development the country needs without destroying the countryside unnecessarily and uneconomically. We have always argued that well-planned, carefully located housing and industry creates economic growth.”After a 20-year CPRE

campaign, National Parks gained legal status in 1949. They were dedicated to the memory of the War Dead and for the use and

enjoyment of the living for ever. The Town and Country Planning Act came into force in 1947 and achieved many of CPRE’s ambitions for planning in the countryside and laid the foundations of the planning system in use today.In response to CPRE

pressure in 1955, the Government accepted the need for strongly protected Green Belts around England’s largest towns and cities, and encouraged their establishment up and down the country.CPRE has also taken

the campaigning lead on climate change, brownfield development

and urban regeneration. It is now calling on a land use strategy for the country.CPRE Hampshire

Chairman is Dee Haas: “We work hard to save

our beautiful countryside for the enjoyment of all, and were active in the county well before we were

officially registered as an independent charity 50 years ago.We have embarked

on a major campaign to reinstate the 1960’s concept of a Green Belt for South Hampshire to prevent further expansion of all the Solent towns and cities, and are working on a strategic vision for rural Hampshire.”She questioned the

blind faith that is put into economic growth for its own sake: “What good is prosperity if we have no quality of life and our beloved countryside is lost forever? Balance is everything.”

What good is prosperity if we have no quality of life?

CPRE Chief Executive, Shaun Spiers centre, with Dee Haas, CPRE Hampshire Chairman and President, The Earl of Malmesbury at Littleton Parish Cricket Ground (Nicola Revolta)CPRE - defending the Hampshire

countryside for 90 years


Gardening June 2016 With The Veg Man.This month, earlier hard work in the year begins to pay off. Now is the time for harvesting what is ready but also to plan for the future. Growing crops in the same ground year after year is to be avoided. Disease builds up and nutrients become depleted. To get a proper crop rotation working well, needs care and planning as well as judicious seed sowing and planting.Many things like for example asparagus and soft fruit, tie up land for years, but good rotation requires several separate areas. It is particularly important to grow potatoes and brassicas on a four year cycle, to avoid fungus attack and club root disease.Several crops can be produced in the same ground each year, for example follow early potatoes with brassicas. Ground will soon

become available as onions and garlic ripen and broad beans are picked. Salad crops occupy the ground for little time and with regular successive seed sowings can be planted to fill in any gaps.Whatever it is decided to plant, try to ensure that it fits in with the long term garden plan. Brassicas and leeks for example will tie up land until the Spring.This is a good time to think of green manuring, ie. planting quick growing crops to fill in any gaps as they appear. These can smother out weed competition and enrich the soil. They can then be cut down and dug in as part of Autumn cultivation. There are several websites that give advice and many different kinds. The choice made will depend on the amount of time the land will

be available and it’s nutritional needs.Daily inspection of crops is needed to avoid insect and bird damage. I am not a committed organic gardener and as soon as blackfly appear on my broad beans, spray the colonies with insecticide, but it also helps to cut out the crowing tips.Climbing beans need a little help to grow up the right support and instead of making one big planting I always make a second and sometimes a third sowing of runner beans, to ensure a continuous crop of tender beans, until the first frosts.Look over any crops that need thinning to avoid competition, beetroot, parsnips, calabrese, fennel etc. need particular attention and in the summer months salads are better thinned

than being planted out, which can cause them to bolt. Above all sow seeds very thinly to avoid competition.For me one of the great joys of growing vegetables is sowing seeds and producing my own seedlings of anything that needs planting out. I only grow on what I need.These days garden centres produce [at a price] almost any

seedling, even spring onion and radish plants. This week I was appalled to see on sale mature tomatoes, peppers and chillies as well as strawberry plants in large pots, all ready for picking. These have obviously been produced in heated greenhouses, probably in Holland and I really doubt their value or viability. Time will tell, but I prefer to wait a little longer for my crops to appear naturally.

Things To Do This MonthCease harvesting established asparagus by mid June and allow to fern. Continue sowing salads, carrot, beetroot, calabrese etc., try some chinese cabbage and kohl-rhabi, prick out cabbage plants and cauliflowers and plant out when ready, but cover to prevent pigeon attacks. Water in dry spells until plants are established. Leeks too can

be planted out when the plants are large enough. Use a dibber to make the holes trim roots and water in well. Courgettes and marrows as well as sweet corn need successive planting. Try deep frying some battered courgette flowers, they are delicious. Support sprout plants and sprouting broccolli with stout sticks. Above all keep the hoe going and water if needed; potatoes particularly benefit from watering in dry spells.

Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine to take away. Call us now on 01962 859606Enjoy the hospitality of Shafi and all of the staff this Summer

Four organisations have been hard at work in Winchester to bring fresh impetus to a project which helps homeless people in the city. Winchester BID, Winchester City Council and two local charities, Winchester Churches Nightshelter and Trinity Winchester have all worked hard to refresh the project which was in need of a facelift and marketing boost. The team have redesigned the collection boxes, which are now an eye-catching red house and refreshed the branding.The project not only

collects money for the charities, who will ensure it is used in the best possible way to help homeless people in Winchester, but it

also encourages the public to give to the collection boxes rather than directly to people on the street. It’s fair to say that

Winchester does experience a problem with “professional beggars” who are people making a living from the public’s generosity towards them, believing they are needy and homeless (when they are not). By donating only to the Spare Change for Real Change boxes, the project insists that everyone can rest assured that their kind donation will be used to only help the people who really need it, rather than the few who are abusing the generosity of the public. Money collected is used to help the homeless in a number of ways, from

providing a warm bed and a place to stay, to serving hot and nutritious meals, to training courses which will give homeless people the helping hand they need to turn their lives around.MP Steve Brine attended

the Spare Change for Real Change launch to officially show his support for the cause.If you are a business

who would be interested in having a Spare Change collection box or “text to donate” sticker in your premises, please contact Amy Sheppard at [email protected] can text to donate to

this cause now: Text Real17 £2 / £5 / £10 to 70070*plus your standard

network charge

Spare Change for Real ChangeProject re-launched in Winchester to help city’s homeless


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Marwell Zoo has released to Winchester Today some incredible footage of endangered new born tiger cubs. The three cubs were born at the Zoo here in Hampshire with staff capturing their first moments on secret den cameras.

It has been 12 years since the zoo has bred Amur tigers and this is the first successful litter for Mum ‘Milla’ and Dad ‘Bagai’. The triplets were born to five-year-old Milla on Saturday May 21st in the privacy of a behind the scenes den.

Before Milla gave birth, animal keepers set up cameras inside the den so they could keep a close eye on Mum and cubs without disturbing her. So far keepers are delighted with the cubs’ progress, including Marc Fox, team leader of carnivores at Marwell: “We are over the moon that Milla has successfully given birth to three cubs. As it’s 12 years since we had tiger cubs this is particularly

great news for Marwell.“The footage allows us to keep

a close eye on Milla and it’s great to see her looking relaxed in the den. So far everything is looking very good and Milla is doing a great job at looking after them.”

Milla will stay in the den and will not be visible to the public until the cubs are fully vaccinated and it’s safe for them to venture out into their paddock. It is expected visitors to the zoo will be able to see the cubs in the summer holidays. Dad, Bagai can currently be seen in the main exhibit at the zoo.

Marc explained some of the reasons behind the video: “As the cubs won’t be visible for a few weeks we wanted to give the public a sneak preview of the cubs and share the good news. I’m sure guests to the zoo will be very excited to see them.”

You can see the video by going to our website: www.winchestertoday.co.uk

First look at new-born cubs

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I’m in the middle of Winchester with Bridgette from Paws Parlour and their superb mobile treatment centre that’s a total joy for your pet. I’m keeping the location and the name of the dog a secret though for his security. Bridgette says there are huge benefits to being mobile: “It’s saving time especially for busy professionals or housewives or people who work from home. It helps them by not having to do a drop off and a pick up at a salon. We are one to one - the dogs do not need to be crated. The dogs are put into crates until they are seen to in salons. If they are not trained it can be stressful for the dog. We are one to one with the dog. The owners can stand and watch; they can see them being treated nicely.

“It works well in Winchester because there are many professionals who don’t have the time to pick up and drop off. They allow us into their homes, so, they don’t have to worry about the weekend off etc.

“It’s not just about basic grooming; we really care about the dogs, their health and wellbeing. We help them relax by using aroma therapies if we can see that they might be stressed.”

I was certainly very impressed with the mobile facilities – everything was clean, calm, luxurious and sophisticated: “We

have special lighting, air con, heated towels for winter and everything our pets need, with the right equipment.

“Our first conversion cost £20,000. This one has cost £35,000. But this conversion will last about 10 years. This van won grooming van of the year – award winning! National competition – called Master Groom run by Colin Taylor. He works all over the world.”

I ask Bridgette how she thinks it helps the customer by being mobile:

“It saves time, they know their pets are safe if they are stressed by other dogs. We have a couple of disabled clients, it helps that we go to them. I chat to the elderly clients too. It’s a social thing and not just about the grooming, we have customers for life. We have customers elsewhere in Hampshire who pay extra for us to go there; they know that their dogs are safe.”

Although the dog I am with seems perfectly happy, I wonder how she deals with difficult animals: “For those which are challenged we work close with the owners, My husband and I are a partnership. One keeps the pets calm whilst the other one grooms, we take care of them as we are a team.

“We work closely with their vet

too, and we have a vet consultant if we have any questions with issues. We have a behaviourist who helps us. The animals may have had a bad grooming experience, and we work as a team to make sure the animals are comfortable. Cats are the feistiest!”

The animals who do like the treatments, what do they get out

of it? “With all of our animals, we have toys, if we have a bath for them we can play with them. They behave like puppies; they feel lighter fresher and excitable. I associate this like a spa. We have a hydro bath, it’s unique – it washes right through to the skin if they are double coated, and massages when they are being washed. Great for elderly and

arthritic dogs, it keeps the blood moving.”

Despite this last conversion costing thousands, it seems like Bridgette is on a mission: “We expanded so far in over a year. We are very busy and we want to build on our business. Our logo is very important to us. It’s unique; our customers can associate it with high-end brands. It’s a proper pamper for the dogs and cats. We sell our own signature smells – it smells like baby talc.

“The dogs receive a gift. I like them to be quite quirky – and that’s why they receive a bow tie! So they remember us. The owners love it.”

Bridgette tells me that she’s aiming high: “My ultimate goal

would be to start a training school. I’m a qualified teacher and so can teach students loads of tips and ideas. I want to pass on my knowledge. The second van is very busy already. We might look to buy a third van. Customer service is very important to us. My children have even come to work with me, because it’s great fun. It would be great to inspire young people.”

I like them to be quite quirky – that’s why they receive a bow tie

‘Paws’ for a PamperRachel Gover discovers how an air-conditioned customised mobile grooming unit brings VIP care right to your dog’s front door

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The Bishop of Winchester - The Right Reverend Tim Dakin - visited St Swithun’s Junior School in Winchester to officially open the school’s new building and state-of-the-art facilities. Bishop Tim presided over a dedication service at the school which marked the completion of the final phase of the new building’s development.During the visit, the Bishop

met teachers and pupils and dedicated the new school building before he was shown around the new facilities by headmistress Pim Grimes and some of the school’s pupils. The cutting edge new facilities offer specialist classrooms allowing smaller class

sizes, a library, a science laboratory, an art studio, a media and computing room, a new performing arts space and a gym. Students told the Bishop how the school day had been improved by the new building, which is much more open and easier to navigate than the labyrinthine complex of buildings which previously housed the junior school.The dedication service

took place in the brand-new performing arts centre, with children giving readings and three of the school’s musicians

performing instrumentals. It was attended by students, teachers and parents as well as the Mayor of Winchester and the architect and builders who constructed the new building. New specialised teaching rooms in the building offer students more focussed teaching by providing space for smaller class sizes, while the extra capacity also allows the school to expand to two form entry in every year group.The new school replaces

the former buildings which were opened in 1931. Pim Grimes, Headmistress

of St Swithun’s Junior School, said that it was a significant moment in the history of the junior

school: “We are delighted to welcome The Bishop of Winchester to dedicate our new school. It is important to remember today the

words of Miss Finlay, the then Headmistress of St Swithun’s, when the former school buildings were

opened in 1931; ‘On such an important occasion there are many things of which I might talk; our founders and benefactors, our beautiful surroundings or the many modern devices which we have around us. Instead I chose to speak to you of the spirit of the new school. The school finds its spirit in its members. Although the shell is beautiful, the spirit would not be so, unless we made it so. Our old school was loveable although the shell was ugly. It is for us to carry on the tradition. Let us remember that a building always takes its character from that of its inmates and once made, this is very hard to change. For this purpose I have chosen the motto for the year, ‘Serve God and be joyful’. If we keep to this

motto we cannot but make our new school loveable.’“These words still apply

today, the spirit of our school is beautiful and our school takes its character from its wonderful pupils, staff, parents and governors, or, to use Miss Finlay’s words, its inmates.”The Right Reverend

Tim Dakin, Bishop of Winchester, says he was

delighted to officially open the new junior school building and reaffirm the close relationship between St Swithun’s School and the Diocese of Winchester: “These new facilities offer an exceptional learning environment for students and will benefit the whole school community. During my visit I was greatly encouraged by the school’s commitment to the Christian values of compassion and mutual respect. The school’s pervasive atmosphere of spiritual and intellectual nourishment is a testament to the teachers, staff and parents of St Swithun’s and the new buildings will serve to enhance the nurturing environment this excellent school provides.”

The Future Is Here For Winchester PupilsState-of-the-art new building at St Swithun’s Junior School officially opened by Bishop of Winchester

(Burlison Photography at burlisonphotography.com)

Bishop Tim with pupils admiring the cake made by Year 1 teacher Jenny Hayden

An aerial view of the new St Swithun’s Junior School

From left to right: Rev’d Katrina Dykes (St Swithun’s School Chaplain), The Right Reverend Tim Dakin, Bishop of Winchester, Pim Grimes (Headmistress of St Swithun’s Junior School), Amari (youngest pupil), Evie (head girl)

The spirit of our school is beautiful

Pervasive atmosphere of spiritual and intellectual nourishment


Two pupils from St Swithun’s School, Winchester have attended a ceremony at Buckingham Palace to receive their gold Duke of Edinburgh award certificates - and even managed to get a word with the Duke himself. Lydia Robinson, aged 18

from Alresford and Jess Fennell, aged 18 from Romsey, completed their gold expedition in the Brecon Beacons in July 2015.The girls joined more

than 1000 young people at the event as part of this year’s 60th anniversary celebration of the DofE organisation. 60 celebrities assisted Prince Philip with handing out the awards and the girls were presented their certificates by former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond.The DofE awards were

initiated in 1956 by the

Duke of Edinburgh and as part of this year’s Diamond Anniversary Lydia and Jess took part in the DofE Diamond Challenge for which participants were asked to take on their own challenge and raise at least £60 for the DofE organisation. For their challenge Lydia and Jess competed in a 15km ‘Rough Runner’ obstacle course event at Bereleigh Estate near Petersfield.Lydia says it was a

fantastic experience “The whole day at Buckingham Palace was amazing as the weather was great, the gardens were beautiful and I managed to speak to Prince Philip albeit briefly”. Jess agrees: “Completing DofE gold was a huge challenge but incredibly rewarding and it was such a privilege to be invited to the Palace, probably a once in a lifetime experience”.

St Swithun’s School pupils win DofE Diamond and Gold

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60th Anniversary Celebrations shine bright for Lydia and Jess


We can hear you asking now – Delicious food grown at a train station? Fun, fresh vegetables bursting with flavour is available for free? The exciting news is – YES! Kevin and I took the opportunity to head to Winchester train station to see for ourselves.We are greeted by Clare

Shorter and Charlotte Bailey, the green fingers behind this wonderful idea. Both are volunteers for the group, there is an emphasis that Incredible Edible boxes are local people growing local food. It is clear that

Winchester station is very keen and supportive of the home grown edible boxes, with the manager a keen gardener himself.There are four Incredible

Edible boxes located at the station; three inside on the platforms and one by the entrance to the station. To make them more personal, each has been given a name.The idea behind the boxes

is to be able to grow and produce seasonal food, to make others aware of the

carbon footprint behind food and above all to share the joy that local home grown food can bring to those around getting on and off the train. An unexpected treat for those travelling to and from Winchester.The boxes are attended

to and cared for by Clare and Charlotte themselves and offer a scrumptious wide variety of herbs and

vegetables. These include Moroccan Mint, Borage and Calendula. Clare and Charlotte are certainly on hand to encourage those around to use the free produce. ‘When we find a crop is ready, we offer them to people when they come off the trains.’ Charlotte goes on to say that people will often

ask how to use the herbs and vegetables. ‘We offer advice to others how to use and prepare it all. I’m just going to give out some kale from the ‘Angelica’ planter on the London-bound platform.’Currently we are at the

‘Viola’ planter on Platform 2. Just listening to Clare and Charlotte, it’s obvious that

they certainly enjoy the work they do. Charlotte tells us the names of each planter: ‘The one at the other end of Platform 2 is called ‘Olive’ and just outside is the ‘Rosemary’ planter. Lots of people love the runner beans from the Olive planter.’ Clare wants to encourage those around to feel welcome to interact with the planters. ‘Many come up

and talk to us, but are not taking away the plants as food though, so we want to encourage this. They’re not just there to enjoy looking at.’ Clare explains the process behind each planter. ‘When

there is a green stick, the food is ready and passengers are free and welcome to take something for themselves.’So why at the train station?

Clare is keen to point out that ‘If you can grow food here, you can grow it anywhere! And we want to encourage others to do so.’ There are many benefits when growing your own produce. A main factor being the waste of food is reduced, less packaging is used and people around are encouraged to use compost. Composting at home cuts greenhouse gas emissions, as Winchester City Council does not collect food waste. The compost can be used to grow yet more plants. It is evident that anyone can be involved. The produce grown is bursting with flavour, is healthy and a sociable way to interact with others. UK farmers are supported through these changes.We are told that every UK

household wastes nearly £480 per year by throwing away food. Here are some tips how to get involved. It is best to start the process in spring; you will need a container with holes, soil or compost with seeds or small plants such as parsley or mint. It is suggested that runner beans, French beans, beetroot and tomatoes, carrots, courgettes... grow easily. The list is exciting and endless! There are great opportunities to own your own allotment in Winchester. Find out more at www.wnahs.org.uk.Incredible Edible welcomes

volunteers and can offer advice on starting a community garden. Email [email protected] or call 01962 827083 to get involved.

Mange Tout, Mange Tout!Rachel Gover finds out how the plant box now standing at Platform 1 is growing kale just for YOU!

Every UK household wastes nearly £480 per year

If you can grow food here, you can grow it anywhere!


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Mary Poppins floated in to The Mayflower in style before moving on to Norwich in this mammoth UK tour that started last October. Creators Cameron Mackintosh and Disney first staged Mary Poppins in the West End in 2004 where it ran for over 1,250 performances and won several coveted awards. Since then it spent six years on Broadway, toured internationally and has been seen by over 11 million people.

Fans of the 1964 Disney film with spit-spot Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke’s atrocious but infectious cockney accent, won’t be disappointed. All the songs and most of the characters – excluding the animated ‘chalk painting’ people and penguins who have been replaced by dancing statues and other colourful characters – are there and the story is largely untouched. There are additional songs and scenes but gone are any references to ‘Votes for Women’, Victorian roundabouts or a man with a wooden leg named Smith. I haven’t read the original stories but I am guessing that this stage version may be a little more faithful to them than the film, much loved by so many but far from approved of by the original creator of Mary Poppins, PL Travers.

The transition from film to stage wasn’t, according to Mackintosh, as painful as the original journey from Pamela Travers’ classic Mary Poppins novels to the Walt Disney version. The author says that was a ‘vulgar and disrespectful adaptation’. However when the frail but sharp 93-year-old agreed to Mackintosh’s stage version it was not without its provisos; for instance no American, or anyone

connected with the film (even the Sherman Brothers, writers of the original songs) was to be let anywhere near the production. Dear old Pamela really didn’t get on with Disney, did she!

Downton creator Julian Fellowes wrote the script and the Sherman Brother’s original songs have been added to by award-winning duo George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. A huge production team and no-expense-spared budget have contributed to create a truly major show.

The result is nothing short of spectacular – the ‘flying’ sequences are impressive, especially when Ms Poppins, in perfectly iconic pose with booted feet splayed and umbrella held aloft, slowly moves out of the stage area and through

the auditorium. Much faith in equipment and crew is needed when Matt Lee as Bert, walks up the side of the proscenium, across the top (upside down) and down the other side. Not a trick for those with vertigo, but one that holds children and adults spellbound.

Indeed the special effects, whilst not too showy, are very clever and have you asking yourself “How did they do that?”. The sets are delightful – quirky distorted perspectives that create illusions of space and grandeur, the Banks’ home that opens up

like a doll’s house, the kitchen, children’s bedroom, rooftop, park and animated projections are both realistic and fantasy. The way the set design, wow-factor lighting and costumes all seamlessly come together to create illusions is nothing short of stunning.

Casting is excellent. Zizi Strallen as Mary Poppins and Matt Lee as Bert (Australian Cockney accent marginally more authentic!), make a perfect matching pair and immediately fill their characters’ Victorian boots. Watching children’s faces in the audience is always a good gauge of how convincing actors are at playing certain famous roles and last night’s young audience certainly gave their seal of approval. A special mention for Rebecca Lock as Winifred, the Banks children’s mother, who is superb in a supporting/subservient role.

Jane and Michael, played in our performance by 11-year-old Maia West and 10-year-old Santiago Weston, are hardly offstage throughout. No cameo roles or weak links here, these kids give their all, are faultless and convincing. Interestingly, there are six Janes and six Michaels who make up the tour in total and when you see what is demanded of them you can understand why.

Choreography, especially the roof top sequence, ‘Step in Time’, is excellent and the dancing enthralling. There is everything from tap dancing to ballet and it all looks effortless. I guess it helps to know quite a few of the songs – old favourites like ‘A Spoonful of Sugar’ and ‘Let’s go Fly a Kite’ take on another dimension when accompanied by such creative and energetic movement.

Sound was a little problematic

for me – I know I’m a little deaf but try as I might, I missed a lot of what the cast was saying and the words they were singing. Difficult to put my finger on it and it might have been where I was sitting but the only voice I could hear (nearly) perfectly was that of Milo Twomey as George Banks. But the singing voices are pure, almost operatic at times and the 12-piece orchestra provide an unobtrusive but big, round, sound

to accompany them.My only other, very minor, point

is that such a lengthy show designed for kids of all ages could have started half an hour earlier. It was quite late when we left the theatre and there were a lot of rather tired, yawning but highly charged children clinging to their mums and dads.

Gosh, what a super (califragilisticexpialidocious) show.

Practically Perfect in Every Way!David Cradduck reviews Mary Poppins at The Mayflower

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The result is nothing short of spectacular


LifestyleYour monthly dose of travel, food, fashion and more

(PA Photo / Butterfly Conservation)

A Very English GardenHampshire’s Alan Titchmarsh on butterflies and pollination


Exhausted parents of babies and young children say they’d pay thousands of

pounds to end sleepless nights. But TV nanny Jo Frost insists they don’t need to pay a penny to get a decent night’s sleep - just stringently adhere to the routine of bath, book, bed with their child.Jo is supporting the new

BookTrust Bath Book Bed campaign to encourage the fundamental bedtime rou-tine, which will help all the family sleep well, encour-age a love of reading, and promote the bond between

parent and child.Jo found fame in TV’s

Supernanny, and says sleep deprivation is the most common complaint she hears from parents of young children: “Tired par-ents and tired children is a recipe for disaster.“But the solution doesn’t

need to be complicated regimes or expensive giz-mos. A routine as simple as bath, book, bed can get young children to settle so everyone can benefit from a good night’s sleep.”A survey of a thousand

parents with children aged three and under by the

reading charity BookTrust found 78% believe lack of sleep is the hardest part of being a new parent, with many claiming they’d pay more than £10,000 to put an end to sleepless nights.More than half of parents (60%) say they want guid-ance on having a consist-ent and successful routine to get their child to sleep at night, which prompted BookTrust to team up with Jo to launch Bath Book Bed.“Story time is an integral

part of a bedtime routine - it strengthens children’s vocabulary and literacy skills, and enables them to foster a love of reading.

Q: “My seven-year-old son still wets the bed, and now he’s getting invita-tions to sleepovers and is embarrassed because of his bedwetting. What’s the best way to tackle it, and shouldn’t he have grown out of this by now?”

A: Sharron Gibson, hel-pline coordinator for ERIC, the children’s bowel and bladder charity: “Bedwet-ting is very common at your son’s age - about 15.5% of seven-year-olds wet the bed. It’s part of some chil-dren’s normal development to take longer to get dry at night.“Bedwetting has many

causes, so there’s no single best way to tackle it. How-ever, it’s considered a medi-cal condition in children over five and there are sev-eral ways it can be treated.

“Firstly, your son should be seen by a health profes-sional, such as your GP, who can find out the cause and recommend treatment.“Bedwetting can be

caused by too much urine being made at night, a small bladder that can’t hold on to the urine, and an inabil-ity to wake to full bladder signals. Constipation can also cause bedwetting, as a full bowel pushes against the bladder and stops it stretching to capacity.“Check how much your

son’s drinking; he should have six to eight glasses of water-based fluid daily and should have his last drink about an hour before bed.”For more information

about bedwetting, visit www.eric.org.uk or contact ERIC’s helpline on 0845 370 8008.

Ask an expert

Parents think there’s some magic fairy dust that will help

Family

The three ‘B’s hold the key to sleeping tots

Lisa Salmon finds out the importance of maintaining a routine at bedtime

Family

(PA / Andrew Ward)


Balloon Night Light & Wall StickerA battery-operated LED night light is hidden in this silhouette of a child holding balloons, which sticks to the wall. £19.95 prezzybox.com

Anthony Horowitz’s new seven-part in-vestigative drama, New Blood, has

created a little bit of BBC TV history.The drama has been

scheduled to premiere exclusively on BBC iPlayer BEFORE its transmission on BBC One - the first primetime drama series to do so.Produced by Eleventh

Hour Films and directed by Anthony Philipson (Our Girl, Cuffs, 24 Hours In A&E),

New Blood is a bold and surprising crime series. It sets out to show a

unique side of modern London through the eyes of two outsiders, Stefan and Rash, junior investigators for the Serious Fraud Office and the police, who are brought together by two seemingly unrelated cases.

“Kids need to feel safe and secure when they sleep, and when you spend quality time reading stories to them, you wind your-self down as well as your children through the love of storytelling.“It can be tactile too - you

play with their hair and rub their back, they turn the pages.”She explains that the safe

feeling provided by the rou-tine not only helps children get to sleep, but relaxes them enough to give them a sound night’s sleep and helps prevent night waking.“The routine helps them

wind down, and there are

fewer interruptions during the night because there’s less anxiety as parents have given them their lov-ing time before they go to sleep, and the child feels settled.”Jo advises parents to

read to babies as soon as they’re born, because the rhythm, tone and repetition helps establish a healthy routine and love for read-ing straight away: “Once they’ve had that from such a young age it becomes an enjoyable part of their life,“Parents think there’s some magic fairy dust that will help kids sleep, and there isn’t - what you need is bath, book and bed. En-couraging parents to do it is a big deal.”The research also found

that 71% of parents with children aged three and under feel they have a shorter temper when tired and it affects their family

life: “You’re more irritable because you’re exhausted, and you’re almost feeling despair. The way to break that is through routine.”She stresses that bedtime

shouldn’t be about TVs and tablets: “It’s not the same as having the reassurance and safety, security and comfort of their loved ones around them to nurture and look after them.“It’s my hope that families

understand the enormous impact they can make in their children’s lives with a few minutes of fun reading each night.”

The routine helps them wind down

Bedtime shouldn’t be about TVs and Tablets

Horowitz makes history with iPlayer exclusive

Modern London through the eyes of two outsiders

TV

FamilyFamily


What’s new?

Volvo’s XC90 has been around for a little over a year, but in that time, it’s already se-

cured a stack of awards and is proving hugely popular with buyers too. It mixes sensible design with attractive looks and is even more spacious and practical than the old car.

But now the crowing glory of the XC90 range has arrived in the shape of the T8 model. Combining a 2.0-litre petrol engine that is both turbo-charged and supercharged, with an electric motor and battery pack makes the T8 a plug-in hybrid, and one that has the potential to deliver some impressive performance and economy figures.

Only the keenest of eyes will be able to distinguish the T8 from its conventional sib-lings. Chiefly, it is the discreet badges front and rear that are the most obvious changes, but also the additional filler

flap on the front wing which gives access to the charging connections. This car then doesn’t make a fuss about its capabilities; it is as discreetly handsome as all the other XC90s you can buy.

That’s no doubt part of the reason why it holds so much kerb appeal. Where much of the competition has decided that bold or even brash is the way to design a large SUV, the more subtle Volvo approach is welcome.

It’s not just a pretty face however, as the XC90 is even more of a family wagon than before. Up front there’s acres of space, even with the wide transmission tunnel, the sec-ond row is comfortable and spacious too while the third row is one of the more use-ful in the class and is easy to access too. The boot is useful in seven-seat mode and huge in five-seat configuration, and plumping for the air suspen-sion means you can raise and lower the rear end for easier

loading.Once installed in that at-

tractive cabin, there’s little to tell you that the XC90 T8 has a significantly different powertrain. It has four modes to marshal what’s available; hybrid, where the car sorts out the best use of energy for itself, pure which uses electric only, power modewhere both petrol engine and electric motor work at the same time to give four-wheel-drive and finally save mode, where the battery’s charge is maintained until you choose to use it.

In hybrid mode, the petrol engine is dormant at low speeds and while the bat-tery is charged, but should you prod the accelerator hard enough, it chimes in seam-lessly. As with a regular hybrid you can add charge back into the battery by careful use of

the brakes, helping it to reach the claimed electric-only range of 27 miles.

On the flip side, in power mode the T8 is something of subtle rocket ship. There’s 401bhp available with both engine and motor combined, enough to propel it to 62mph from rest in only 5.6 seconds. Using it this way means higher fuel consumption of course, but the official NEDC combined figure of 134.5mpg and 49g/km of CO2 means it qualifies for the Government grant.

Value for money...There’s no doubt the T8 is

a relatively expensive car - £60,455 in Momentum guise as tested here - but if it suits the way you need to use your car, it also has the potential to be very cheap to run. The specification is also quite

lavish; satellite navigation on the large 9-inch touchscreen, powered leather seats, aluminium trim, 19-inch alloy wheels and a power tailgate to name just a few.

If you have almost any com-bination of kids and adults, the XC90 T8 can cope with it, making it a superb family vehicle. On the other hand, if you have to commute into a city, having that saved elec-tric mode is a handy bonus, especially as you can relax in the sumptuous cabin while you do it. It’s a luxury car for sure, but one that justifies the expense. This car summed up in a single word: Capable.

If this car was... ...Like a stereo, it would be

tasteful, capable of incred-ible sounds, but also smart enough to cut your electricity bills at the same time.

Facts at a glancePrice: £60,455

Engine: 2.0-litre petrol unit and elec-tric motor producing 401bhp and472lb.ft of torque

Transmission: Eight-speed automat-ic gearbox driving all four wheels

Performance: Top speed 140mph, 0-62mph in 5.6 seconds

Economy: 134.5mpg combined

Emissions: 49g/km of CO2

Motoring

Matt Joy gives his verdict on the latest model from the Swedish motoring giant

First Drive: Volco XC90 T8

Motoring



In his Hampshire garden, green-fingered guru Alan Titchmarsh has swathes of butterfly and

bee-friendly plants - from buddleia and verbena to catmint, cosmos and cone-flower.He has created wildflower

meadows, a wildlife pond frequented by dragonflies and damselflies and, as vice president of the char-ity Butterfly Conservation, bangs the drum for benefi-

cial insects.He spearheads the char-

ity’s Plant Pots for Pol-linators campaign: “One carefully planted, well-positioned pot or container can make a huge differ-ence to butterflies, moths, bees and pollinating in-sects that need nectar to fuel their work.”The project is encourag-

ing householders to plant a pot with nectar sources such as Shasta daisy, oregano and catmint. His own private plot may seem to be on a grand scale compared to most of ours, but he says anyone can do their bit for pollination with a patio pot full of suitable specimens: “This country is an enormous patchwork quilt and if everybody looked after their little square, tiny as it is, we can make an enormous differ-ence.”

So, what sort of plants should we be choosing? “You should be looking at single flowers with decent nectaries (nectar-produc-ing tissue). The big double ones tend to have replaced their nectaries - which bees love - and their pollen with more petals so they are less useful.“Daisy-type flowers with a

middle are good, but also things like lavender. There are oodles of plants that bees and butterflies love and it’s just a case of doing your homework and finding out which ones you like.“I don’t have a lot of dou-

ble flowers in my garden, apart from one or two double-flowered climbing roses on the wall.”Alan says colour combi-

nations in pots can create a wonderful impact on patios and beyond: “Pur-ple and yellow are always

good, or blue and white work well. If you look at the colour wheel, opposite colours work well together.“I’d certainly go for lav-

ender in the middle, which bees would love, and osteospermums around the edge of it.“Purple and yellow? I’d go

for yellow bidens round the edge and perhaps purple petunias in the middle.”Those who prefer perma-

nent plantings in patio

Hannah Stephenson gets some top gar-dening tips from the best in the business

Hampshire’s Alan Titchmarsh champions Pots for Pollinators

This country is an enormous patchwork quilt

Every butterfly has its own preferred plants

Garden


pots also have a wealth of choice. Lavender will last a few years in a pot before it goes woody, while perenni-al coneflowers should also return year after year.“There are some great va-

rieties of choisya - Mexican orange blossom - which you could plant in a really large pot. They have fabu-lous white-scented flowers that bees love.”As a nursery site for

egg-laying, the foliage is as important as the flow-ers: “Every butterfly has its own preferred plants. The holly blue lays its legs on ivy, while on nettles, you’ll get painted ladies, small tortoiseshells, red admirals and peacocks. Grasses are a great host forbutterflies.”Use a John Innes mix of

compost, preferably No 2, if you are planting a per-manent container, because it’s less likely to shrink than multi-purpose compost if it gets dry. “And remember your front gardens too. You can bring colour and life to your doorstep with a pot for pollinators. Persuade your neighbours to do the same and the street where you live could become a flowery super highway for butterflies and moths, helping them move through built-up areas to find suit-able breeding habitat.”

Tortoiseshell Butterfly (PA/Sarah Walters)

Coneflower Cechinacea purpurea (PA/Freia Turland)


Nepal is a country so beautifully understated. A country that is peace-ful; a place that offers

escapism and serenity. It is hard to comprehend that a little over a year ago; this country faced an earthquake so devastating that locals are still coming to terms with the aftershock. The mag-nitude of the earthquake, also known as the Gorkha earthquake, reached a destroying 7.8 - more than 8000 lives were lost and more than 16,000 were treated for serious injuries. Serious after-shocks hit the valleys all around and killed a further 200 people.

I arrive in Durbar Square, Kathmandu. Durbar Square is a historical landmark, home to the old royal palaces and stunning architecture. The buildings, once so beautifully carved were now held up by strong wooden beams to support their fragility. There are visible cracks, climbing like snakes all throughout the brick walls. The atmosphere is poign-ant as it’s hard to believe nature can be so cruel. The square is alive and full of people. Locals crouch on the floor, selling their homemade items to passersby. The incense offers a quietness as the smoke fills the air around. Some sleep on the corner sides, surrounded by those clanging their pots and pans. Women sit with their children and braid their hair in excitement. Locals and tourists gather inside the court-yard of Kumari Bahal in hope to catch a glimpse of the Raj Ku-mari. This translates to a young female, chosen through his-torical selection in which she will become the incarnation of the Hindu mother goddess, Durga. Throughout religious festivals, her status is worshipped but will rarely make a public appearance.

Home to over 35 ethnic groups, the city is full of colour as festi-vals take place all around. Vibrant flags paint the town and little orange flowers, which have fallen from their garlands, litter the town a beautiful colour. There is unity throughout, but within there is tiredness. You can feel it in the air, feel it in your soul; in the eyes, and in the smiles. People are still recovering, the buildings have collapsed and there is still rubble at the side of the roads. Nepal is a country to thrive on tourism, yet there are few tourists around. It is understandable, but there is little reason to be afraid to travel here.

Nepal will be a country which will firmly remain on bucket lists across the world. It is easy to forget just how small we are in the world, and Nepal’s stunning mountain range reaffirms this. Within the Annapurna Range, there are numerous hiking trails for all abilities. Climbing over 2000 metres along the Ghandruk

trail, it is hard to believe that these landscapes exist here on Earth. Mountains cascade down the valley, the weight of our ruck-sacks were soon forgotten about as we were lost in our thoughts. Snowy mountain peaks were the backdrop to our daily hikes. Fel-low hikers and locals would stop and greet you with Namaste. The Nepalese greeting translates to ‘I salute the God within you’.

Rice is an important crop within Nepal. Within the monsoon sea-son, the surroundings are breath taking as the fields tumble all around. Depending on the sea-son, the fields can be a luscious green, through to a golden yel-low. As we climb, there are small villages surrounding us, in which children run to and from each other. Mules carry heavy loads up the mountain side as locals fol-low in tow. The children who live

here often walk for miles before reaching school in the morning. The locals are keen to interact with those around and inform us that children will often travel abroad to higher their education, whereas the elder generation will settle in homes dotted along the mountain side. Both women and children wash their utensils and shower in the running local water. It is a unique experience to witness home life within the vil-lages as we trek past day by day. Within the mountain range, there are opportunities to purchase handmade woollen pieces for gifts. These are all made locally, a real source of income as this is a community who rely so heavily on business within tourism.

To conquer the four-day trek, I have joined a small group, associated with G Adventures. Monica, who is our group leader, welcomed us into her home the previous day. Her mother per-formed a spiritual blessing and paints our foreheads a beautiful deep red colour. In an envelope, we are offered a small donation of money, along with flowers for our hair and a nutritional piece of fruit. Monica’s mother is dressed head to toe in red with green beads hand sewn into her sari. Women wear shades of red as a sign of marriage. The women here radiate beauty, affluence and colour. We are taught how to make the local delicacy Momos, a Nepalese style dumpling with a vegetarian mix as a base. Monica and her family go on to tell us

how they were affected by the earthquake. She quotes – ‘The aftershocks made us feel unsafe and we had to stay in tents out-side our homes for a month. We could go inside our house and feel scared.’ Monica continues to say how her job has been af-fected. ‘We hope that tourism will revive again. I was unemployed for months, I pray for everything to be settled again.’

At the time we were in Nepal, the country experienced a petrol crisis. Kathmandu came to an ab-solute halt and there was chaos everywhere. Men and women were sat on top of the lorries and drivers hung out of their windows to see what was happening in the queues to the petrol station. These could last for days. Others would get out of their vehicles to take photographs, to make sense of the crowds. It was apparent here that Nepal was struggling. I am in the middle of a crisis, it is happening all around.Shortly after the mountain trek, we head to Pokhara, being the second largest city of Nepal. Due to the petrol crisis we are very aware how little petrol we have in our possession. It takes a little over a day or two to arrive at our des-tination. Boy, did we find heaven on earth. Just a few metres away from the hotel, down the stone path, there is a bank which over-looks the Phewa Tal Lake.

Nepal: A Real Heaven on Earth

Rachel Gover shares her experiences of a country that should be at the top of every-

one’s bucket list

Weight of our rucksacks were soon forgotten

Travel


There is a stillness in the water. The mountains are shades of purple against the bright blue sky, with multicoloured boats lighting up the water. There are people paddling by in boats but still do not disturb those around. There are many outdoor activities to engage with when in Pokhara. These include paragliding, row-ing and hiking. Hippy style bars lace the side of the bank, offering massages, smoothies and local produce. It’s a place to escape, a place to call home. Around the centre in town, there are many opportunities to support locally made products. Sex trafficking and child marriage is an enor-mous problem within Nepal. But one that is often kept hidden. There are ways in which to help provide care and support for women and children around. I bought two handmade cashmere scarves, supporting a business which helps them to grow in independence and skill.

Within the week, I was fortunate to work on the farm in a nearby village. I paid the fund $5 which is donated to the village. It was a unique and exciting experience both for me and the locals. As I arrived to start the morning, the girls were giggling and laughing. The guide who had directed me to the village explained that it is very rare for a tourist to want to come and work with them in the

fields. The two girls were keen to show me the correct way in planting and growing potatoes

and collecting the rice wheat within the fields. The work was gruelling in the warm sun; I was encouraged to wear a head scarf to protect me from the heat. Not much older than 20, I learnt that the girls had not been to school before.

It is common in a local commu-nity for children to work along-side their parents on the farm, later to take over the business. It is the biggest source of income for the family. The surroundings are rich with life as the fields are endless with colour. Elephants roam the streets alongside those working in the village. Work-ing with the community not only provides us with a cultural experience but allows others to earn money from tourism. NEXT MONTH: The trip to Nepal contin-ues with more trekking and taxi hire for £30 a day!

A place to feel peaceful, a place to feel love

Nepal: A Real Heaven on Earth


SUDOKU CROSSWORD

1. Diversify (4)

3. Muster (8)

9. Generous (7)

10. Lock (5)

11. Break up (12)

13. Pang (6)

15. Strip (6)

17. Temporariness (12)

20. Tapestry (5)

21. Object (7)

22. Mirth (8)

23. Narrate (4)

1. Ratify (8)

2. Gowns (5)

4. Vendor (6)

5. Exorbitant (12)

6. Respire (7)

7. Simple (4)

8. Sinner (12)

12. Airy (8)

14. Depraved (7)

16. Collision (6)

18. Recess (5)

19. Scourge (4)

ACROSS DOWN

EASY

LADDER

Shopping centre

Factory

Gentle

Brain

Peel

RING

CALL

Using the clues provided, fill in each step of the ladder with a new word, changing one letter at a time.

Each number from 1 to 9 represents a different letter. Solve the clues and insert the letters in the appropriate squares to discover a word which uses all nine letters.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

626254 gives an Italian painter;3795 gives a Spanish painter;8711242 gives an Italian composer.

NINER

Complete the grid so that every row, every column and every 3 x 3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9.

CODEWORDThis puzzle has no clues. Instead, every number printed in the grid represents a letter, with the same number always representing the same letter. For example, if 8 turns out to be a V, you can write in V wherever a square contains 8. Using your knowledge of words, complete the puzzle.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 A C

A B C D E F G H IJ K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

DI A

E

MSE

TF

WORDWHEEL

How you rate 15 words: average 20 words: good

25 words: very good 30 or more: excellent.

You have 10 mins to find as many words as possible using the letters in the wheel. Each must use the hub letter and at least 3 others. Letters may be used only once. You cannot use plurals, foreign words or proper nouns. There is at least one 9-letter word to be found.

Scribble pad

HARD

A H C S E I A R W I L A J F CR M A G U L T I N O S T N R AL E E N J E R O N E L H U C NO I R I T A G T R N A E H I SN L H C B E E H E D X E L A DH E A R O R T E B A N B A L RE H T D R N T H R H N I E K AA R I S K O T G U A C I N O LG T H A H R O N C E U D A P EE N G N G E N I L B O A P A OR T C L I F I E L E K R T N NO S A E D O M W F O U D E O B

O R C M W E L M W A A C E O FL E R O C S L A I L L T A N AI V R A A U H O L L I T O A R

PATHFINDERBeginning with the top highlighted letter, follow a continuous path of words associated with the given subject. The trail goes through each letter once, twisting up, down and sideways, but never diagonally.

MILITARY LEADERS

Solutions: see Classifieds Page at the back of the newspaper

COFFEE BREAK PUZZLES

Solutions on next page


Coffee Break SolutionsSudokuEasy

Hard

Across: 1 Vary; 3 Assemble; 9 Liberal; 10 Tress; 11 Disintegrate; 13 Twinge; 15 Divest; 17 Impermanence; 20 Arras; 21 Article; 22 Hilarity; 23 Tell. Down: 1 Validate; 2 Robes; 4 Seller; 5 Extortionate; 6 Breathe; 7 Easy; 8 Transgressor; 12 Ethereal; 14 Immoral; 16 Impact; 18 Niche; 19 Lash.

Crossword

Call, Mall, Mill, Mild, Mind, Rind, RingLadder

SIGNATORY

Niner WordwheelDEFEATISM

1=L, 2=Y, 3=W, 4=F, 5=A, 6=Z, 7=K, 8=M, 9=N, 10=X, 11=D, 12=T, 13=I, 14=P, 15=U, 16=V, 17=H, 18=S, 19=J, 20=C, 21=B, 22=Q, 23=R, 24=O, 25=E, 26=G

Codeword

Oliver Cromwell, Horatio Nelson, William Wallace, Attila the Hun, Joan of Arc, Francis Drake, Napoleon Bonaparte, Duke of Wellington, Robert the Bruce, Boudica, Hannibal, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Charlemagne, Richard the Lionheart, Genghis Khan, Geronimo, Fidel Castro.

Pathfinder

1

8

12 13

16 17

15

19 20 21

25

18

23 24

22

26

27 28

2

7

11

3 4 5

9 10

14

6

ACROSS1. Famous opera house in Milan (2,5)4. Deceased jester in Shakespeare’s Hamlet (6)7. Ottorino, composer whose works include Fountains of Rome (8)8. A false god (4)9. Vegetable used as an emblem of Wales (4)11. American marsupial with a prehensile tail (7)12. The Greek god of love (4)14. Spirit flavoured with juniper (3)15. A short musical piece (5)16. A large, light-coloured antelope (5)19 and 2. An opera by Verdi (3,6)21 and 27. Area in the East End of London, bounded on three sides by the Thames (4,2,4)22. One who is inclined to disbelieve (7)23. The fifth satellite of Saturn (4)25. Greek god identified with the Roman Mars (4)26. A sweet-smelling plant used in perfumes (8)27. See 21 Across28. Name by which Sir Henry Percy is known (7)

DOWN1. The leader of the rebellion of the angels (7)2. See 19 Across3. Greek island associated with Sappho (6)4. Semi-liquid food made from fermented milk (7)5. The corncrake, for instance (4)6. Fabled sea monster believed to dwell off the coast of Norway (6)10. Marx’s collaborator in the writing of The Communist Manifesto (6)13. The royal family of the Netherlands is the House of --- (6)17. Vaulted recesses in a room (7)18. Important mineral in rock formation (7)19. Swift, bright blue and silver sea-fish (6)20. Work room of a sculptor, painter, etc. (6)21. The son of Daedalus, who flew too near to the sun (6)24. A high adult male voice (4)

For the chance to win £50, send your answers to Winchester Today, Suite 123, 80 High Street, Win-chester SO23 9AT by 5pm, Tuesday 21 June.

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COFFEE BREAK SOLUTIONS


‘Cash on Delivery’ by Michael Cooney will be the autumn production from 23-26 November – and actors and backstage crew are now required.As a complete contrast

from the spring play - A Month of Sundays - the next production is a farce, written by Michael Cooney, son of Ray Cooney who has penned many a trousers-round-ankles, doors-opening/shutting, mistaken-identity comedy.Unbeknown to his wife

but with the aid of his equally unprincipled uncle, Eric Swan has collected thousands of pounds by making fraudulent benefit claims on behalf of an army of fictional lodgers. He eventually decides it has all got a bit out of hand and tries to cancel the benefits by telling the DSS that his various tenants have died. However, he only succeeds in being awarded more benefits in terms of bereavement counselling and funeral grants. It all starts to unravel when Norman, the lodger who is supposed to be dead, opens the door to a DSS inspector!This fast paced production

will need a large cast: six men and four women of varying ages – so if you fancy coming along to the reading and casting meetings, you will be most welcome. These are, respectively, on Wednesday 13 and Monday 18 July at Cheriton Village Hall at 7.30pm and are always informal and good fun. The director is Helena Gomm, who has appeared in many a production at Cheriton and who has previously directed at West Meon Theatre.If you would like more

information about the play or how to join Cheriton Players, or if you would like to be considered for

a part and cannot make the read-throughs, contact them through the website or email [email protected]. Meanwhile, put these dates in your diary:Cash on Delivery by

Michael CooneyFirst read-through

Wednesday 13th July at 7.30pm in Cheriton Village HallFinal reading/casting

Monday 18th July at 7.30pm in Cheriton Village HallProduction Wednesday

23rd - Saturday 26th November 2016Also in Spring 2017, the

dates have been confirmed for another Great Cheriton Variety Show.“Colourful, bawdy and

ever-so-slightly bonkers”...This was how Winchester

Today described last year’s Great Cheriton Variety Show, which delighted audiences with a mix of songs, sketches, playlets, ploughman’s suppers and licensed bar. The same reviewer (that’ll be the Editor then!) also said, along with loads of others, that it ought to happen again, so the Players are delighted to announce that next spring – Wednesday 22nd - Saturday 25th March 2017 – will see the return of this popular show format, with Paul Hellard at the helm and Sue Alexander at the keyboards.If you fancy taking part,

contact the Players who would be delighted to hear from you.Part proceeds from this

show will go towards Village Hall funds – the village is in a position to buy the freehold of the hall, thus securing the future and those of many hall users for many years to come.The mailing address is: Cheriton PlayersCheriton Village HallCheritonAlresford, Hampshire

SO24 0PZ

Two businessmen have been prosecuted for dumping commercial waste in the Droxford area of the South Downs National Park.The prosecution followed

a tip-off from a member of the public who found the waste and reported it to Winchester City Council, which is determined to tackle fly-tippers in the countryside.Two separate fly-tips were

found on a bridleway near Cott Street, a previous target

for fly-tippers. Follow-up investigations identified the individuals concerned and prosecutions followed.Frank Pearson is the city’s

environment spokesman: “Winchester City Council takes a dim view of those who fly-tip because their actions are a blight on society and a drain on the public purse.“Wherever possible the

City Council enforcement officer will work with other services across the Council to take robust action

against those identified as the perpetrators. This can sometimes include working with neighbouring local authorities to bring the perpetrator to the courts as the Council believes that authority boundaries should be invisible for this type of offence.”Anyone who witnesses

fly-tipping should contact the City Council on 01962 840222 or via the online reporting system and app: www.winchester.gov.uk/report

Fly-tipping leads to court appearance

News From Cheriton PlayersCooney’s ‘Cash on Delivery’ chosen for autumn production


Isle of Wight tomatoes, Swanmore apple juice, Lyburn cheese and Test Valley chalk stream hot smoked trout were all on the menu at Bishop’s Waltham Junior School, although not as a school dinner. During a special workshop run by local Home Economist, Davina Tibbetts and supported by The Southern Co-operative, Year 5 and 6 pupils were given the opportunity to try a variety of locally grown and produced food.

Year 5 teacher, Mrs Peach was understandably impressed when her class was willing to try some of the more adult flavours such as goat’s cheese, mackerel pate and smoked trout. There was no hesitation from any of the pupils when offered the chance to sample an English strawberry, donated by the local green grocer Hylands.

As well as the tastings, the children explored food miles, comparing the distance travelled

by a Brazilian pineapple to that of a strawberry from just along the road in Durley. They also discovered what impact food miles could have on the environment as well as the benefits of supporting local producers.

Kate Hibbert is Local Sourcing Manager for The Southern Co-operative’s Local Flavours range:

“This is a great way to introduce children to the fabulous food that is grown and made here in Hampshire, inspiring them to learn to cook and gain an important life skill too; something we fully support and want to encourage.”

Another aim of the workshop was to inspire the children to design a “salad in a jar” as part of a cookery competition. Working in pairs, the children will decide on the ingredients, draw their salad, and come up with an idea for a savoury bread to accompany it. Two

pairs from each year group will be shortlisted and asked to make their salad and bake their bread at the competition final at Swanmore College. To get ideas for their menus the children have been encouraged to go into Bishop’s Waltham High Street and find out what is on offer in their local shops.

Davina says it’ important to encourage ideas: “It’s all about inspiring young people to explore food, where food comes from, and give them the opportunity to taste food that is grown and prepared right here on their doorsteps.”

The scheme has been supported by The Southern Co-operative through a grant awarded to Winchester City Council’s Market Towns Development project. It forms part of a wider programme of activities designed to encourage local people to use their local shops and increase visitors.

Yummy!Bishop’s Waltham children get a taste of local produce

Davina Tibbetts talking to Tamarind Class at Bishop’s Waltham Junior School

Davina Tibbetts with several Year 5 pupils who attended the workshop holding their favourite tasting


This year’s Winchester Festival of the Arts returns for its 19th year from 1 – 9 July, and promises to live up to expectations with another varied programme from across the genres of the arts, which includes a range of events which will entice and entertain. The festival is renowned

for its speakers, and this year is no exception, with an impressive line-up of personalities from across the worlds of history, politics, entertainment and broadcasting.First up is bestselling

author, Antony Beevor, who casts his critical eye on Hitler’s last gamble, the attack he launched in December 1944 in the Ardennes (Saturday 2 July, Theatre Royal). On Monday 4th anthropologist and popular historical broadcaster, Alice Roberts, brings The Celts to the Guildhall and, on Tuesday 5th, author and journalist Kathy Lette will be Courting Trouble in the same venue.Something of a change of

tack next as Sandy Toksvig will be at the Guildhall on Wednesday 8th in conversation with John Lloyd. With Sandy Toksvig’s experience of Call My Bluff, Whose Line is it Anyway?, QI and, of course, the BBC Radio 4 News Quiz, and John Lloyd’s background of being producer of Blackadder, Spitting Image and Not the Nine O’ Clock News it promises to be an

entertaining, and perhaps feisty, evening.To politics next. As part of

a distinguished career as an MP, Vince Cable served as Business Secretary from 2010 to 2015, just at the time of the global economic crisis. He will be talking about his book, After the Storm which, as the title suggests, takes a look at the post-crash global economy. Vince Cable is renowned for his plain-speaking but entertaining way of expressing things and it is worth being at the Guildhall on Thursday 7th for that.Two very famous names

next. Dame Esther Rantzen, although perhaps being best known for presenting That’s Life is, of course, a highly-respected campaigner for the vulnerable, having founded ChildLine and, in later years, The Silver Line, the difference being obvious! She gives personal reflections on all of this in her appearance at the Guildhall on Friday 8th. Then, at 8pm in the Theatre Royal, distinguished actor Robert Hardy will be in conversation with fellow actor James Murray. Although well known for his appearances on stage and screen he is also an inveterate expert on one of his most famous characters, Sir William Churchill and, in this evening’s event, he remembers Churchill’s Wilderness Years.Michael Morpurgo has

written over 130 books, mostly for children and young people, many of which have actually found their way into their parents’ bedrooms at some stage! His story War Horse was adapted by the National Theatre and then turned into a film by Stephen Spielberg but, on this occasion, the master story-teller aims to enchant as he shares the inspirations for his stories and how he writes. This memorable occasion rounds off the series of speakers for this year at the Theatre Royal on Saturday 9th.

A Feast of Speakers for 2016 Winchester Festival

EVENT LISTING The full programme is available from: www.winchesterfestival.co.uk

Friday July 1

7.30pm: Waynflete Singers - Ca-thedral Nave Saturday July 2

3.00pm: Venus and Adonis - St Lawrence’s Church

6.00pm: Antony Beevor - Theatre Royal

8.00pm: Ashton Singers - St Cross Church

8.00pm: Twelfth Day - Prior’s Hall

Sunday July 3

3.00pm: Venus and Adonis - St Lawrence’s Church

3.00pm: WSO Young Soloists - New Hall

Monday July 4

1.00pm: Siriol Jenkins - St Law-rence’s Church

6.00pm: Alice Roberts - Guildhall

8.00pm: Winchester Music Club - Winchester College Chapel

Tuesday July 5

1.00pm: Jenny Whitby - St Law-rence’s Church

6.00pm: Kathy Lette - Guildhall

8.00pm: Sansara - Cathedral Quire

Wednesday July 6

1.00pm: Rachel Leigh - St Law-rence’s Church

6.00pm: David Cawston - Discov-ery Centre

8.00pm: Sandi Toksvig / John Lloyd - Guildhall

Thursday July 7

1.00pm: Giacomo Pozzuto - St Lawrence’s Church

6.00pm: Vince Cable - Guildhall

8.00pm: Red Priest - St Cross Church

Friday July 8

1.00pm: The Trout Quintet - St Lawrence’s Church

6.00pm: Esther Rantzen - Guild-hall

8.00pm: Robert Hardy - Theatre Royal

Saturday July 9

5.30pm: Michael Morpurgo - Theatre Royal

7.30pm: Noye’s Fludde - Cathe-dral Nave.


The 5th annual

4-12 NOVEMBER 2016Submission deadline: 1 October 2016Early Bird deadline: 31 July 2016For more information please visit: winchestershortfilmfestival.comOr follow: /WinchesterShortFilmFest @WinchesterFilm @_wsff_Image courtesy Rupert Cresswell, Dir. “Charlie Cloudhead”, 2015 WSFF entry

Now open for entries!


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In September last year, Barbara Robson had a cycling accident that changed her outlook on life. Prior to her accident, Barbara would have described herself as a healthy, physically active 59 year old. Her main exercise and passion was enjoying the countryside; both walking her dog and cycling. She was an experienced rider, having cycled in all weather and road conditions for seven years, including in the dark winter months during her commute to and from work and her weekly mileage was more than one hundred to two hundred miles a week. Barbara had always wanted to share her passion for cycling with others, and six years ago she and her husband became two of the four founder members of a social cycling group. They called themselves the Oakley Pedalers and their goals were to encourage local cyclists to

get out on their bikes, get fit, and learn about local routes and how to ride safely in groups. Oakley Pedalers has grown from a small group of ten to over one hundred and fifty members with forty plus riders joining one of the three ride options available every Saturday. Barbara has been a regular ride lead for the Foundation Level ride, a forty mile ride ridden at a steady 13.5-14.5 mph pace.

On September 19th 2015, Barbara was ride lead for the Foundation Ride and was leading a small group of five cyclists. Before setting out she reminded the group of the route directions published in the weekly ride email, and due to the heavy rain fall on the previous two days, she advised them that they would be cycling at the slower end of the Foundation average speed, and to take particular care on the country lanes.

Barbara repeated her instructions at the start of the three to four mile section of a single track narrow lane. She recalls that the group were riding an appropriate mixture of two abreast and single file. These back roads have very light traffic, and up until the collision the group had only met cyclists riding in the opposite direction. She remembers feeling quite relaxed and had no overriding concerns regarding safety.

The collision happened near to the end of this three to four mile stretch, where the road had become a Restricted Access road and at a sharp right bend where, for some reason, none of the group had heard the approach of a car. The front cyclist was able to avoid the car by veering off into the roadside ditch, but Barbara was close behind, riding alongside another rider and there was very little

News From Our Charity PartnerNow and then we will be bringing you stories on how patients have been helped by our charity partner - the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance. This is Barbara’s story.

Barbara’s Story


escape verge available to her. Neither she nor the driver of the car were able to stop in time, or get out of the other’s way. She hit the car head-first on the passenger side of the windscreen.

Thankfully, a series of interventions had been put in place which helped to save Barbara’s life. Most importantly, her husband had recently replaced her four year old cycle helmet with a new helmet. The helmet was of good quality and without it, she could have suffered a fatal head injury. Her bike also had a quality titanium frame which absorbed the impact of the collision and broke in one place only which prevented injury to her lower limbs. Coincidentally, there was a trained nurse on the ride; Belinda Woodley. Belinda was not a regular Oakley Pedaler rider, but had joined the group as she knew that Barbara would be keeping the ride pace steady. Belinda applied some immediate medical interventions once she had established that Barbara had stopped breathing and gave clear instructions to the rest of the group with regard to calling the emergency services and getting help from the nearby house-occupants. Belinda’s husband Steve, who called the Ambulance, was an Ambulance volunteer for North Hants and so was able to provide essential information to the 999 call handler and to calm and assist the two other riders. Finally, the driver of the car was able to help in a very practical

way by providing warm clothing for Barbara and the other Lycra clad cyclists and so preventing ‘shock shake’.

The Air Ambulance and Land Ambulance services arrived in good time, the Air Ambulance landing in a nearby field, approximately 400m from the scene of the accident. In the meantime, Belinda held Barbara close to her, talking to her throughout the wait to ensure that she stayed with her, in her semi-conscious state. She and the other riders were extremely concerned about Barbara, as they could see that she was seriously injured. Belinda told us; “The prompt arrival of the Air Ambulance, and the treatment that they gave her at the scene had a major life saving impact upon Barbara. The crew were brilliant; they kept us informed and included, which was very helpful as there is a certain amount of feeling helpless in incidents such as this.” Barbara’s husband, Kenneth, was also very grateful for the clear and calm manner of the Air Ambulance crew and how they kept him updated via mobile. This reassured and calmed him and allowed him to be with his wife without any delays that might have caused further anxiety.

Barbara herself has no recollection of the accident; her mind is a blank from about five minutes prior to the time of the collision until she was brought out of an induced coma the following day.

Due to the suspected nature of

her spinal injuries, Barbara was taken to the specialist spinal injury unit at Southampton General Hospital, rather than to the North Hants Basingstoke Hospital, which was much closer.

At Southampton General she was able to get the help that she needed and several teams began working on her including: Maxillo-Facial, Orthopaedic and Neurosurgical. Her injuries were substantial and included a fractured spine C1 /

T5 / L1-3; eleven cracked ribs; a lacerated and broken nose and a long and deep leg wound. In addition she had bitten off the end of her tongue, lost her four bottom jaw incisors and had lacerations on her lips.

During the four weeks that she was confined to a hospital bed, Barbara often saw the Air Ambulance in action, as she overlooked the helicopter landing roof. “The service they provide is amazing”, she told us, “I will always be grateful to them for what they did for me”.

Three months later, most of Barbara’s injuries have healed, but she continues to have outpatient care problems with her vertebrae injuries. Her T5 vertebra was imploded, rather than fractured, and there is a risk that it might not regain full strength and healing. She currently has a lot of nerve tingling as well as muscle ache. She has been told that it will take a long time for her tongue to heal and she plans to have titanium implants to replace her lost incisors, so that she can enjoy

food again.Whilst no-one else of the cycling

group was physically injured, they have all suffered emotional and mental trauma, due to the graphic visual memories. Most of all, they thought initially that the accident was fatal as Barbara was not breathing. However, she has kept active contact with them all and they have been able to witness her recovery. Three months after her accident, on her 60th birthday, she walked to the Oakley Pedaler Ride meeting point without neck or body braces and was able to hug the riders and see them off on their annual Christmas ride. This has helped them tremendously to get closure on their memories and mental pictures.

Neighbours and friends have shown great kindness to Barbara and provided willing practical support to her husband during the early days of her home recovery. She continues to make slow, but steady and positive progress and she hopes that she will soon be able to resume

her normal day to day life, as well as cycling and gardening; her favourite activities. She wants to give back in a practical way once she is better and is currently investigating becoming a hospital dog visitor with her gentle Vizsla dog through ‘Dogs for Therapy’ charity.

At their Annual General Meeting earlier in the year, the Oakley Pedalers voted to make a donation of £500 to HIOWAA, as their way of saying ‘thank you’ for what they did for Barbara. On the last weekend in January, a small gathering of those involved on the day of Barbara’s accident came together for a Tree Planting ceremony, 50 yards from the collision. A Maple tree was planted, as its leaves change colour in September, together with a beautiful oak sign with the hand carved inscription ‘In Celebration of Life’.

A few words from Barbara: “Having experienced a ‘Twilight Time’, during which I was held and then carried back to the physical world of the Intensive Care Ward, it is hard to find the words to describe my new awareness of the life-giving energies that we can’t physically see or touch, but which are real and powerful. I also am so grateful for the daily pleasures of the breeze on my face; my ability to walk; the countryside; my family and knowing that I am deeply loved by my husband. I have a quiet confidence that my physical strength and stamina will return to me in time.”

With thanks to Melissa Hare.

The crew members were brilliant. They kept us informed and included

Barbara’s Story


What’s On - July 2016Rachel Gover brings together the best of what’s on near and far. Publicise your event - free - by dropping a line to [email protected]

June 28th – 3rd July The Gruffalo’s Child. Nuffield The-atre, Southampton. Times Vary. £12Friday 1st. Tibetan Monks

of the Tashi Lhunpo Monas-tery and Ngawang Lodup. The Anvil, The Haymarket, Basing-stoke. 7.30pm. £18, Conces-sions £16Friday 1st. Bog Rolling

Stones, Mick Slacker and Co. The Brook Theatre, South-ampton. 8pm. £10 in advance, £12 on the doorFriday 1st. Supremes Trib-

ute. Botleigh Grange Hotel and Spa, Southampton. 7pm. £39.50Friday 1st. Sarah Millican –

Outsider. Portsmouth Guild-hall, Portsmouth. 7.30pm. £27 - http://www.portsmouth-guildhall.org.uk/events/sarah-millican-outsiderFriday 1st – 2nd. Blissfields

Music Festival. Woodmancott, Winchester. Entry from noon. From £50-£110 – www.bliss-fields.co.uk/tickets/Friday 1st – 2nd. Peter Pan

– The British Musical. Kings Theatre, Portsmouth. 7pm. £11.50. Concessions £9.50Friday 1st – 3rd. Fleet Car-

nival. Calthorpe Park, Fleet. Times vary. FREEFriday 1st – 3rd. Winchester

Hat Fair. Jewry Street, Win-chester. Times Vary. FREEFriday 1st – 3rd. Tiddler and

Other Terrific Tales. Corn Ex-change, Newbury. Times Vary. £11Friday 1st – 3rd. Lights Alive

Summer Weekend Festival. The Lights, Andover. Times Vary. Full Weekend ticket - £20. Other tickets available. Tickets available here - http://www.thelights.org.uk/What-sOn/details/1205Saturday 2nd. Marwell’s

Sunset Party in the Park. Colden Common, Winchester. 6.30pm. £16, Child £12Saturday 2nd. Love Revisit-

ed. The Brook Theatre, South-ampton. 8pm. £16 in advance, £18 on the doorSaturday 2nd. Anthony Bee-

vor, bestselling author. Win-chester Festival, Theatre Roy-al, Winchester. 6pm. £14Saturday 2nd. South-

sea Skatepark Roller Disco. Southsea Skatepark, Ports-mouth. 7pm-10pm. £5, £2.50 to hire skatesSaturday 2nd. The Kings

Theatre Tours. Kings Theatre, Southsea. 10.30am. £6, Child £1

Saturday 2nd – 3rd. Cheese and Chilli Festival. London Road, Basingstoke. Times Vary. £5, Concessions TBCSaturday 2nd – 3rd. South-

ampton Thai Festival. May-flower Park, Southampton.

Times Vary. £2Sunday 3rd. Romsey Farm-

ers’ Market. Alma Road, Rom-sey. 10am-2pm. FREESunday 3rd. Hampshire

County Youth Orchestra. The Anvil, Basingstoke. 6pm. £12, Concessions £8Sunday 3rd. An Evening with

Aggers and Tuffers. The May-flower Theatre, Southampton. 7.30pm. £26. Tickets available here - https://www.mayflower.org.uk/Whats_OnTuesday 5th – 9th. Joseph

and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Joe McElderry stars. The Mayflower Thea-tre, Southampton. Times Vary. £18.50 – £36.50. Tickets available here - https://www.mayflower.org.uk/Whats_On/Joseph2016

Tuesday 5th – 9th. The Fly-ing Lovers of Vitebsk. Nuf-field Theatre, Southampton. 7.30pm. £10 - £25Wednesday 6th. Winnall

Rock School. Theatre Royal, Winchester. 7.30pm. £5

Wednesday 6th – 9th. All or Nothing, a musical celebrat-ing The Small Faces. Kings Theatre, Southsea. 7.30pm. £26.50. Concessions, £23.50Thursday 7th. Live: Romeo

and Juliet. Corn Exchange, Newbury. 7pm. £14.50, Con-cessions £12.50Friday 8th. Four Weddings

and a Funeral. Film on a Farm, Manor Farm, Southampton. 7pm. £15.Friday 8th. Edinburgh Pre-

view: Hardeep Singh Kohli & Myra Dubois, Comedy Act. Corn Exchange, New-bury. 8pm. £13, Concessions £10.50Friday 8th. Actor Robert

Hardy, Q&A. Theatre Royal, Winchester. 8pm. £20, Con-cessions £17

Friday 8th. Soul Legends. The Kings Theatre, Ports-mouth. 7.30pm. £23.50 FULL PRICEFriday 8th. The Small Fak-

ers, Small Faces Tribute. The Brook Theatre, Southampton.

8pm. £10 in advance, £12 on the doorFriday 8th – 10th. Stonema-

sonry Festival, Carving Com-petition. Winchester Cathe-dral, Winchester. 3pm. FREESaturday 9th. Alton Craft

Market. Market Square, Alton. 10am-3pm. FREESaturday 9th. Jongleurs

Comedy Club. Corn Ex-change, Newbury. 7.45pm. 18+ only. £15, Concessions £13Saturday 9th. The Zom-

bies, Pretty Special II. Iconic 60s band. The Brook Theatre, Southampton. 8pm. £22.50 in advance, £25 on the doorSaturday 9th. Michael Mor-

purgo, Introducing new book ‘Such Stuff.’ Winchester Fes-tival, Theatre Royal, Winches-

ter. 5.30pm. £14Saturday 9th. Cancer Re-

search UK’s Pretty Muddy. Southsea Common, Ports-mouth. 11.15am-1.30pm. Entry price £19.99. http://raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.

org/choose-your-event/ports-mouth.htmlSaturday 9th. Fair Play Per-

forming Arts Summer Show-case. The Lights, Andover. 6pm. £10Saturday 9th. Lion King.

Film on a Farm, Manor Farm, Southampton. 7pm. £15Saturday 9th. Let’s Rock,

Family Friendly 80’s Festival. The Common, Southampton. 12pm. £45Saturday 9th. Motown Sum-

mer Soul Spectacular. Sir Har-old Hillier Gardens, Romsey. 7.30pm-9.30pm £14, Con-cessions £10Saturday 9th. The Lion, The

Witch and The Wardrobe. Jun-ior, Middle Youth Goup. Shin-field Player’s Theatre. 6.30pm. £8. Concession £6

Friday 8th – 10th. Stonemasonry Festival, Carving Competition. Winchester Cathedral, Winchester. 3pm. FREE


Saturday 9th. Romsey Beg-gars Fair. Cornmarket, Rom-sey. Times Vary. FREESaturday 9th – 10th. Amaz-

ing Thailand Christchurch festival. Quay Park, Dorset. 11am. £2Sunday 10th. Cancer Re-

search UK’s Race for Life. Southsea Common, Ports-mouth. 9am-1.30pm. Entry Price £14.99, Child £10. http://raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org/choose-your-event/ports-mouth.htmlSunday 10th. Picnic day at

Jane Austen’s House Muse-um. Winchester Road, Alton. 12 noon – 3.30pm. FREE with Museum AdmissionSunday 10th. Around the

World, Classique School of Dance. The Kings Theatre, Portsmouth. 6.30pm. £16.50, Concessions £13.50Sunday 10th. Port Solent

Waterside Market. The Board-walk, Portsmouth. 11am – 5pm. FREESunday 10th. Simply Bikes

at Beaulieu. Brockenhurst, Hampshire. From 9.30am. Riders - £10 on the day. Visi-tor prices will vary.Sunday 10th. Themed Bak-

ing Demonstration. Winches-ter City Mill, Water Lane, Win-chester. 11am – 3pm. FREE. Admission Applies.Sunday 10th. Winches-

ter Farmers’ Market. Middle Brooke Street, Winchester. 9am – 2pm. FREEMonday 11th. Touch to See.

A morning get-together for blind and visually impaired residents of West Berkshire. Corn Exchange, Balcony Bar, Newbury. 10.30am. FREEMonday 11th – 17th. Farn-

borough International Airshow. Farnborough Aerodrome, Hampshire. Tickets available through - www.farnborough.com/publicTuesday 12th – 16th. The

Last Tango. Strictly stars pre-pare their last dance. The May-flower Theatre, Southampton. Times Vary. £19 - £35.Wednesday 13th. Space

Lectures, Winchester Science Centre. Telegraph Way, Morn Hill, Winchester. 10am open. £12. Concession £9.60Thursday 14th. Murder on

the Terrace at Mottisfont. Nr Romsey. 7pm – 9.30pm. £16. Child £8Thursday 14th. Ronnie

Scott’s All Stars. Kings Thea-tre, Southsea, Portsmouth. 7.30pm. £23.50

Thursday 14th. Leonardo Di Vinci: The Genius in Milan. Corn Exchange, Newbury. 7.30pm. £14.50. Concessions £12.50Friday 15th. Dire Straits by

“Money For Nothing”. The Brook Theatre, Southampton. 8pm. £11 in advance, £13 on the doorFriday 15th – 17th. Real

Ale, Cider and Music Festival.

Pennington Sports and Social Club, Lymington. Times Vary. FREE ENTRYSaturday 16th. Rhythm of

the Dance. Traditional Irish band and dance. Corn Ex-change, Newbury. 7.45pm. £25, Concessions £23Saturday 16th. Beatrix Pot-

ter : Play and Childhood Exhi-bition, Mottisfont, Romsey. 11 am – 5pm. FREE. Admission Applies.Saturday 16th. Atomic

Blondie, Celebrating over 30 years of Blondie. The Brook Theatre, Southampton. 8pm. £10 in advance, £12 on the doorSaturday 16th. Ginchester

Revisted. Green Man, South-gate Street. Winchester. 6pm – 8pm. £41.99Saturday 16th. Southamp-

ton Mela Festival. Hoglands Park, Hampshire. 12pm – 9pm. FREESaturday 16th – 17th. Bas-

ingstoke Academy of Danc-ing. The Anvil, Basingstoke. 7pm. £16, Concessions £8Sunday 17th. VanityBMW at

Beaulieu, Home of the Nation-al Motor Museum. Hampshire. 10am – 5pm. £12. Child £7.50Sunday 17th. Vintage, An-

tique, Collectors and Craft Fair. Winchester Road, Alton. 10am – 3.30pm. FREESunday 17th. Gulliver’s Trav-

els. Open Air, Avington Park, Winchester. 2pm, 7pm. £13.50Monday 18th - 23rd. Thriller

Live. Taking you through 45 years of Jackson’s legendary music. The Mayflower Thea-tre, Southampton. Times Vary. £19.50- £32.50. Tickets avail-able here - https://www.may-flower.org.uk/Whats_OnTuesday 19th. Winchester

Ghost Walk Experience. Roy-

al Oak Passage, Winchester. 8.30pm – 9.30pm. £6Tuesday 19th – 20th. Into

The Woods, Junior. Theatre Royal, Winchester. 7.30pm. £12, Concessions £10Wednesday 20th. Easy

Stars – All Stars. Celebrating 10 years of RadioDread. The Brook Theatre, Southampton. 8pm. £17.50 in advance, £20 on the door

Thursday 21st. The Pasade-na Roof Orchestra. The Kings Theatr, Portsmouth. 7.30pm. £23, Concessions £21Thursday 21st – 22nd.

There’s a Zombie Outside, Community Event. Theatre Royal, Winchester. 6pm, 8pm. £12, Concessions £10Friday 22nd. Hi-On Maid-

en, Iron Maiden Tribute. The Brook Theatre, Southampton. 8pm. £10 in advance, £12 on the doorFriday 22nd. Rob Beckett :

Mouth of the South. New The-atre Royal, Southsea, Ports-mouth. 9pm. £13.Friday 22nd. House of Bur-

lesque. The Kings Theatre,

Portsmouth. 7.30pm. 14+. £18, Concessions £16Saturday 23rd. One Night

in Vegas. Relive the King’s legendary music. The Kings Theatre, Portsmouth. 7.30pm. £23.50, Concessions £21.50Saturday 23rd. The Boss

UK, Springsteen Tribute. The Brook Theatre, Southampton. 8pm. £12 in advance, £14 on the doorSunday 24th. Hairy Maclary

and Friends. Children’s Event, Theatre Royal, Winchester. 1.30pm, 3.30pm. £13, Con-cessions £11.50Monday 25th. Memory Cafe.

A get-together for people liv-ing with dementia and their carers. Corn Exchange, New-bury. 10.30am. FREETuesday 26th – 28th. The

New Forest and Hampshire County Show. Brockenhurst, Hampshire. 8am open. £20. Child £7.Thursday 28th. Groundlings

Theatre Tours. Kent Street, Portsmouth. Times Vary. £5Thursday 28th. Dinosaur Zoo, back by popular demand. Corn Exchange, Newbury. 1.30pm, 3.30pm. £13.50Thursday 28th – 30th. High

School Musical. The Anvil, The Haymarket, Basingstoke. 7.30pm/2.30pm. £15, Con-cessions £13Friday 29th. Abba Fever. The

Brook Theatre, Southampton. 8pm. £13 in advance, £15 on the doorFriday 29th. Edward Craw-

ford: Magic of the Mind – Din-ing Event. The Mayflower The-atre, Southampton. 7.30pm. £40. Last few tickets available here - https://www.mayflow-er.org.uk/Whats_On/Magi-cOfTheMind2016Saturday 30th. Jazz Satur-

day at Hinton Ampner, Bram-dean, Alresford. 12pm – 3pm. FREE. Admission Applies.Saturday 30th. Only Fools

and Three Courses Dining Event. The Mayflower Theatre, Southampton. 7.30pm. £65. Last few available here - htt-ps://www.mayflower.org.uk/Whats_On/OnlyFoolsJul2016Saturday 30th. Junior Dra-

ma Taster. Corn Exchange, Newbury. 1.30pm. 7-10 years. £4Saturday 30th. Youth Drama

Taster. Corn Exchange, New-bury. 2.45pm. 11-14 years. £4Saturday 30th. Johnny Cash

Roadshow, The Man in Black. The Brook Theatre, South-ampton. 8pm. £16 in advance


An endangered four day old Grevy’s zebra has taken its first steps into its new home in Wild Explorers at Marwell Zoo.First-time Mum Nafessa

gave birth to the new arrival on Friday, June 3 at around 6.30pm.The little foal is the first

animal to be born at Marwell Zoo’s £3.6 million pound exhibit Wild Explorers, which opened last summer.Ian Goodwin, Collection

Manager for hoofstock at Marwell spoke about the new arrival: “Nafessa is looking after her new young foal very well; she’s attentive, protective and the youngster is feeding well. It’s great to watch the foal finding its feet, running around and exploring its new surroundings.“Wild Explorers is our

newest exhibit and highlights the conservation work we carry out in Africa, so it’s fantastic to have a new animal born here, especially as it’s such an endangered species.”In the late 1970s there

were 15,000 Grevy’s zebra in the wild. Today there are estimated to be fewer than 2500 remaining. The Grevy’s zebra has suffered one of the most drastic population declines of any African mammal because of climate change, habitat

loss and competition with increasing livestock numbers.Ian also spoke about

important partnerships: “For two decades Marwell Wildlife has been working with partners in northern Kenya to conserve wildlife in the area. We employ a team of conservation biologists who work out in the field and they have been instrumental in helping to create a national conservation strategy for the species.“Marwell also manages the

International Studbook and the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) for Grevy’s zebra.”Grevy’s zebra are an

integral part of their wider ecosystem. If the Grevy’s zebra became extinct

it could weaken the ecosystem and its ability to support other species, and the people that depend on previous natural resources. People would also lose the social and economic benefits that Grevy’s zebra can bring through community conservation initiatives and alternative forms of income like eco-tourism.This summer Marwell

Wildlife launches ‘Marwell’s Zany Zebras’, a spectacular art trail which not only raises the awareness of Grevy’s zebra and their plight in the wild but will also raise funds to conserve Grevy’s zebras and other wildlife, and to support communities living in the arid rangelands of northern Kenya.

Grevy’s zebra - Fast FactsThey are the biggest and most distinctive of the three species of zebra found across Africa

Following birth, Grevy’s zebra foals can stand af-ter just 6 minutes and run after 45 minutes!

Grevy’s zebra is only found in the dry rangelands of Ethiopia and northern Kenya, and is specially adapted to these harsh conditions. They can go for four or five days without drinking.

Marwell Zoo Welcomes New Zebra The little foal is the first animal to be born at Marwell Zoo’s £3.6 million pound exhibit Wild Explorers

(Jeremy Landey)

...and finally

June 2016

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