Estate Agents In Fareham Hampshire: 2009

Wednesday, 25 November 2009

Cultural Exchange

More local news from in and around the Hamsphire area from Dibben and Dibben as a Winchester school has broadened its horizons by hosting visitors from across Europe. Henry Beaufort School welcomed teachers and students from Czech Republic, France, Spain and Poland as part of a British Council-funded scheme. The Comenius Project encourages schools to strengthen European links and improve understanding of other cultures.

Visiting students, who lodged with families of Henry Beaufort pupils, spent a week learning about English schooling and touring both Winchester and London.

Head teacher Jonathan de Sausmarez said: "Links with schools across the world are so important as our young people prepare for a globalised world. Henry Beaufort is due to make a reciprocal visit to Spain in February and Poland in June next year.

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Tuesday, 24 November 2009

Hot Coals

More local news and events from the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as a Hampshire charity that helps care for older people is celebrating after raising £1,800 through a daredevil firewalk. Nine brave fundraisers, braved the hot coals in aid of Winchester based Brendoncare, which runs ten care centres and nursing homes, as well as 70 social clubs across Hampshire.

Fundraising manager Emma Digance said: “This was a great evening and we are so grateful to our nine walkers for their amazing support.

“They had a fantastic time, all putting in at least one repeat performance, and the large crowd watching showed their appreciation with cheers after each walk.”

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Monday, 23 November 2009

Azura

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as it has been announced that the ballet star Darcey Bussell will name P&0's newest ship Azura in a ceremony in Southampton next year. Ms Bussell, 40, is the godmother of the £350 million vessel and will star in the naming on April 10.

She is poised to become a familiar figure on TV by becoming a judge on Strictly Come Dancing from next month. More than 1,200 guests have been invited to the ceremony on the top deck of the 115,000 tonne ship just before its maiden voyage around the Mediterranean on April 12.

P&O Cruises managing director Carol Marlow said today: "Darcey Bussell epitomises glamour, sophistication and elegance, all qualities we have strived to achieve in Azura."

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Wednesday, 18 November 2009

Winchester Lights

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as Winchesr is set for much better Christmas lights, the Council was told. The 2008 display was beset by technical problems from the contractor working for the Winchester Business Improvement District.

This year BID is using the same contractor as the council and illuminating more streets, including St George’s Street, City Road, Station Approach and possibly The Broadway.

Council leader George Beckett said the better display was a success for the BID, which raises a levy for local businesses. Cllr Beckett said it was right that businesses should pay for the lights as they will benefit from the extra trade.

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Tuesday, 17 November 2009

Christmas Concert

More local news and events from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as the Waynflete Singers open their 40th anniversary season in Winchester Cathedral with a Christmas fanfare conducted Andrew Lumsden. The choir’s 120 voices will be joined by Fine Arts Brass, which has toured more than 60 countries and performed at many UK festivals.

The choir will open with seasonal works by three of the finest 17th century composers – Gabrieli, Praetorius and Schutz. It will include the eight-part setting of In dulci jubilo by Praetorius, followed by Naji Hakim’s Jesu Redemptor Omnium, which was originally commissioned by The Waynflete Singers.

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Monday, 16 November 2009

Turkeys Found

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as 7 rare show turkeys stolen from a farm in Hampshire have been found alive on a bridle way in Owslebury. Two Lavender turkeys and five Croellwitzer turkeys were taken from their sheds in Twyford, near Winchester, on 7 November.

Their owner feared the birds, which are bred for showing and not for meat, had been stolen for the Christmas trade. They were discovered on Sunday, 15 November, after being missing for more than a week.

PC Jon Radcliffe said: "This sort of theft is more common at this time of year and I would like to continue to urge farmers and owners to be extra vigilant and report any suspicious activity to us."

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Thursday, 12 November 2009

Fund Raising Duck

More local news and events from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as Crispie the feathered fundraiser has already appeared on calendars and Christmas cards sold in aid of charity. She has been raising money for good causes since she was adopted by the manager of an award-winning hotel in the Hampshire countryside.

Now the two-year-old Aylesbury duck is poised to help some of Hampshire’s youngest cancer patients.

Liz Cottingham, owner of The Mill at Gordleton, has now published a children’s storybook about Crispie, who lives with Terri Seabright and her husband Mike at their Holbury home. The book is on sale shortlyl. It will also be available at the Yuletide in Lymington event on December 9.

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Tuesday, 10 November 2009

Late Shopping

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as late night shopping will start this week in a north Hampshire village for the run-up to Christmas. From now until Christmas, a total of nine retailers in Hartley Wintney plan to keep their doors open every Thursday until 7.30pm.

The plan follows a six-week trial in the village in May and June this year. Parish council events manager Peter Fountain was quoted as say “Really, this is for the High Street. It is to boost village life, boost trade and get people to return to village shopping.Village events like markets attract a lot of people but they tend not to spend a huge amount of money in the shops. This will hopefully attract workers who are coming home.”

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Monday, 9 November 2009

Kids Garden

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as broadcaster and naturalist Chris Packham officially opened a new vegetable garden, transformed by a group of students out of a patch of disused land. The project started life in a geography lesson in which students were studying land use in their local environment.

A grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund's Young Roots programme of £23,000 meant the dream could become a reality. The opening was the conclusion of 18 months of hard preparation work.

Having come up with the idea, working outside school hours, the young people quickly enlisted the support of a number of partners for the project; notably The Minstead Training and Study Centres, Totton & Eling Historical Society and Sunnyfields Organic Farm.

The project also involved researching the history of the site and the heritage of Hounsdown village as well as traditional methods of growing fruit and vegetables. They also learnt how to use traditional tools and to maintain traditional methods such as hurdling and pot throwing.

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Friday, 6 November 2009

Carnival

More local news and events from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as the weekend sees the Sandown Carnival. Sandown Carnival & Celebrations includes a magical parade featuring, lanterns, costumes, floats and bands parading through the town's streets, all lit with thousands of colourful lights.

Entertainment starts at 1800 when local band 14 Inch Remotes play on the Esplanade. The parade assembles at Grafton St, and moves off at 1830 accompanied by samba music. Also, catch the Fire Show on the beach opposite The Carlton Hotel with Ryde Extreme Performers.

The parade finishes at the pier with music and food and culminates in a spectacular firework finale from the pier at 2000.

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Thursday, 5 November 2009

Rose Bowl Revamp

More local news and events from around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as work has begun on a £48m revamp of Hampshire's Rose Bowl cricket ground, which would make it the second largest Test ground in the country. The wide-ranging improvements include new stands and enhanced access as well as a 175-bedroom hotel.

The ground's capacity will rise to 25,000, making it the largest Test ground in the country after Lords. The first stage of the project will see the construction of two new stands, either side of the existing pavilion.

The stands are due for completion in time for the start of the 2010 cricket season in April and will provide covered seating for a further 4,800 spectators.

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Tuesday, 3 November 2009

Charity Run

More local news and events from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as a local Hampshire man is taking on an iron man style challenge attempting to run 10km every day for ten weeks. Lee Wilson is running to raise £5,000 for Cancer Research UK in memory of his aunt, Diane Wegg, who died from the disease two years ago.

The 37-year-old will complete the 437-mile challenge while still going to work each day, taking on the challenge either before or after the day job. The distance is the equivalent of running from the centre of Edinburgh to central Southampton.

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Monday, 2 November 2009

Award For Former Coastguard

More local news from the Solent area from Dibben and Dibben as a recently retired winchman from the Solent Coastguard has been made a Member of the British Empire. Terry Short retired from helicopter search and rescue earlier this year at the age of 65 and was given the award for his public and voluntary service.

He has spent 21 years with the Leeo n - t h e - S o l e n t Coastguard after moving from Shetland where he performed similar duties.

The coastguard’s UK helicopter search and rescue manager Ian McLuskie said: “Terry was a stalwart figure in search and rescue work and a terrific example to others in the profession over his many years of service. This recognition is extremely well deserved.”

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Friday, 30 October 2009

Rise In Mortgage Approvals

More news from the UK property market from Dibben and Dibben as mortgage approvals rose to the highest level since March 2008 in September, according to the Bank of England. The number of mortgages approved for house purchase, but not yet lent, rose 3,000 during the month to 56,000.

Mortgage approvals are a good indicator of short term trends in the property market, and have risen this year in line with recovery in completed sales.

"Lending activity has recovered in recent months, when compared to the start of the year, as buyers and sellers tentatively return to the market," said Adrian Coles, of the Building Societies Association (BSA).

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DJ Degree

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire areas from Dibben and Dibben as Radio 1 star Scott Mills has already won a place in the hearts of millions of listeners, written a musical about his own life, and even become best of friends with the Hoff.

Now, the DJ, who grew up in Eastleigh, is following in the footsteps of Craig David, Shane Warne, Fiona Phillips and Charlie Dimmock by picking up an honorary degree from Southampton Solent University.

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Thursday, 29 October 2009

Charity Grant

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as researchers from Southampton have been given a $100,000 (£61,000) grant from Microsoft tycoon Bill Gates to develop lifesaving vaccines. The funding has been given to the University of Southampton to design inoculations to defend against bacteria that cause pneumonia and meningitis.

The money is one of 76 grants worldwide from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The researchers will work alongside universities in Liverpool and Bristol.

The team, led by microbiologist Dr Jeremy Webb, aims to create vaccines to stop bacteria ganging together and forming a defence layer - or biofilm - against antibiotics and the body's immune system.

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House Price Rise

More news from the UK Property market from Dibben and Dibben as House prices in England and Wales rose by 0.9% in September compared with August and sales also picked up over the summer, the Land Registry has said. The average home in England and Wales cost £158,377, the figures showed.

This was 5.6% cheaper than the same month a year earlier, but September was the fifth consecutive month when the year-on-year price fall has slowed. Sales were higher in July compared with July 2008, after months of lower year-on-year sales figures, it said.

Completed sales have risen steadily each month since January 2009 when they stood at 26,662.

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Wednesday, 28 October 2009

Local Bookworms

More locals news and events from the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as bookworms from an Alresford school got the chance to meet the winning author of the Hampshire Book Award. Five students from Perins School met up with Craig Simpson who took part in a question and answer session and gave a talk about his book 'Dogfight'.

Linda Sheppard, library manager at Perins, said: "It's really good that the students have had the chance to meet Craig Simpson. They enjoyed being involved in the Hampshire Book Award and meeting the author they voted for seems a fitting reward for their hard work."

Last summer they voted his book as the best for enjoyment, engagement and enrichment out of a short list of six books. The Hampshire Book Award is organised annually by the School Library Service.

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Art Contest Winner

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as the winner of an Alresford painting competition has been awarded her prize. Jane Swan has scooped the Eel House Painting competition and David Woods, who heads the building’s restoration team, attended the October meeting of the Alresford Art Society to announce the winner.

Art Society members were invited to paint the building in any medium and eight paintings in went on display in the Old Fire Station and at the Eel House over the Heritage Open days last month. The public was invited to vote on their favourite and Jane came first with her watercolour. A total of 273 visitors casting their votes.

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Monday, 26 October 2009

Titanic Service

More local news from the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as the ashes of a woman who became the last survivor of the Titanic have been scattered following a memorial service. Millvina Dean was nine weeks old when the liner sank after hitting an iceberg in the Atlantic on its maiden voyage from Southampton on 15 April 1912.

Miss Dean died in a care home in Hampshire on 31 May at the age of 97. Miss Dean's ashes were scattered from a small launch on the water of berth 43/44 at Southampton Docks, the terminal from which the ship set sail.

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Mortgage Approvals Rising

More news from the UK Property market from Dibben and Dibben as the number of new mortgages approved by the main UK banks for house purchase is still rising, according to the British Bankers' Association (BBA). Banks, which currently account for most new mortgages, approved 42,100 home loans for house buyers in September, up from 40,100 in August.

Bank mortgage approvals are now 77% higher than a year ago. The BBA said approvals had now been "rising steadily" for the past eight months. It added that the number of new loans for house purchase was back to the level last seen at the end of 2007.

"Mortgage lending by the High Street banks is continuing to improve from the lows seen earlier this year and the number of house purchase approvals continues to recover," said the BBA's statistics director, David Dooks.

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Thursday, 22 October 2009

Great South Run 2009

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire from Dibben and Dibben as a record entry of 21,000 are going through their paces in the final run-up to this year's Great South Run. The event is Britain's biggest 10 mile (16 kilometre) road race and attracts elite athletes alongside celebrities, sports stars and thousands of club runners and fundraisers.

Millions of pounds are raised for good causes each year.The race has been held in Portsmouth since 1992 and the route passes many of the city's most famous landmarks.

The run takes place this weekend.

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Homes Sales Rise

More news from the UK property market from Dibben and Dibben as property sales in the UK picked up over the summer, according to figures from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). Sales rose from 80,000 in August to 82,000 in September. More significantly, sales in the third quarter of the year, covering July to September, were 11% higher than in the previous three months.

The figures on property sales from the Revenue chime with those published this week by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). They showed that total mortgage lending in the third quarter, including lending to people who were simply changing their mortgage deals but not moving, was 18% higher than in the previous three months.

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Dee Degree

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as the comedian Jack Dee has received an honorary degree in a ceremony at Winchester Cathedral. The 47-year-old comic, who grew up in the city, accepted the accolade from the University of Winchester.

The degree was in recognition of his outstanding contribution to comedy, drama and the performing arts. Veteran broadcaster Sir David Frost, who lives near Romsey, also collected an honorary doctorate at the ceremony on Wednesday.

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Wednesday, 21 October 2009

Matchstick Oil Rig

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as a man who spent 15 years making a model oil rig out of four million matches has broken the world record. David Reynolds, from Swaythling in Southampton, created a replica of the Brent Bravo oil rig in the North Sea, where he used to work.

Guinness World Records confirmed the model, the Cathedrals of the Sea, has broken the record with 4.075m matches, beating the previous record of 3.5m. The model is on display at Bursledon Industrial Brickworks Museum, Swanwick.

Mr Reynolds, who made the model in his spare time, said he was going to destroy it earlier this year because he had no where to put it.

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Tuesday, 20 October 2009

Jane Austin Quilt

More local news and events from around the Hampshire aread from Dibben and Dibben as a rare patchwork coverlet thought to have been worked by Jane Austen has gone on display in Winchester Discovery Centre. The major new exhibition ‘Quilty Secrets’ shows patchwork and quilting, historical and contemporary, from Hampshire County Councils Museum Service and private collections.

This is the first time in its 200-year history that the ‘Jane Austen Quilt’ has ever left the Jane Austen’s House Museum at Chawton. The ‘Jane Austen Quilt’ is properly described as a patchwork coverlet, as it is not lined or quilted. It is made of printed cottons and chintzes pieced together in a colourful pattern of diamonds.

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Replica Palace of Versailles

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire from Dibben and Dibben as a man has recreated the Palace of Versailles inside his Hampshire council flat after spending two decades handcrafting elaborate wooden designs. The 59 year-old has spent 23 years recreating the palace by covering the walls and ceilings of his ninth floor, two bedroom, flat in his anonymous 1960's concrete tower block.

Despite spending hundreds of hours painstakingly working his magic on wardrobes, chairs and off cuts of wood rescued from skips, recreating his Southampton home it has not cost him much money. Some of the tables are made from discarded wooden salad bowls while detailing on the fireplace was created using the brass prongs from plugs. He did buy several of the pieces, however.

Now the grandiose design resembles the famous French Palace of Versailles which was built on the outskirts of Paris for Louis XV.

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Monday, 19 October 2009

Sailors Go Cycling

More local news from in and around the Solent area from Dibben and Dibben as local girls Cath Vise and Karen Fraser from Cowes and Southampton, who sailed around Britain with the Ellen MacArthur Trust as skipper and mate, are now embarking on a new challenge to raise more funds for the Trust. Having recently spent four months sailing around Britain with the Ellen MacArthur Trust you might have expected sailors Cath Vise and Karen Fraser to take the opportunity for a well earned rest.

Instead they have taken on a new challenge, cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats via the three peaks of Snowdon, Scafell Pike, and Ben Nevis, and climbing each one on route. By the time they have finished the challenge on 7 November Cath and Karen will have sailed around Britain, cycled the length of Britain, and climbed Britain’s highest peaks, all within six months.

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Emergency Services Rescue Foal

More local news from in and around the the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to rescue a foal stuck in a muddy river bank last week. Animal Rescue Specialist, Watch Manager Jim Green was alerted to attend the incident at Bridge Street, Titchfield, with supporting crews from Fareham and Havant fire stations.

The six month old filly, which weighed approximately 200kg, was stuck in the mud on the side of the river bank. The animal was in distress and not used to human contact or wearing a headcollar. Therefore, in the interest of the safety of the crew and the foal's own welfare a vet from Animed Veterinary Practice was requested to attend and sedate the foal before the rescue commenced.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service has a team of four Animal Rescue Specialists. The dedicated team are leading the way in animal rescue work in the UK, with other fire and rescue service's learning from their example. Their role is not solely responding to incidents, they are also heavily involved in education and the development of new rescue techniques, as well as promoting animal welfare.

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Friday, 16 October 2009

The Big Draw

More local events from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as Various venues are holding Big Draw events this weekend - part of the month-long campaign to encourage all ages and abilities to paint or draw.

Artist Heather Butler we will be exploring Andover Museum and taking inspiration from the pottery on display. At the Allen Gallery in Alton local artist Jo Carter is exploring themes associated with Charles Darwin and drawing animals.

And find out how to doodle and draw cartoons at Winchester Discovery Centre.

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School Holds Halloween Workshop

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as the annual Halloween makeover is being held on Saturday 31st October at Northern Junior Community School, to get the kids dressed and ready for the long night ahead. This fantastic workshop will look at the use of natural materials, with the added benefit of this year's event being on Halloween itself.

The children can have face painting makeovers and breeze away on a magical hand decorated broomstick, carve a crazy pumpkin or get creative making a host of crafts and accessories for that special night.

Executive Member for Community, Councillor Connie Hockley, said: "This annual event is great for the all the children to get ready so they can celebrate Halloween whilst having fun and getting involved with array of activities."

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Thursday, 15 October 2009

Jumping For Charity

More local news from in and around the Solent area from Dibben and Dibben as a brave volunteer from Winchester’s Citizens Advice (CAB) raised more than £3,000 for the bureau by jumping out of a plane. Ann Burr, who has been with the charity for the last 12 years, completed a daring skydive near Salisbury earlier this month (October).

She joined around 50 other volunteers from the organisation, who were undertaking the challenge to mark Citizens Advice’s 70th anniversary. She was quoted as saying “my one regret is that technology allowing paragliding and skydiving wasn’t around 30 years ago when I was young enough to really take it up.”

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Bats Could Halt Expressway

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as the construction of a £20m high-speed bus service in Hampshire could be halted if a High Court action is successful. A judicial review has started into plans by Hampshire County Council to build a Fareham to Gosport expressway.

The case has been brought by a resident who says the scheme to convert the disused railway is legally flawed. The court was told a small colony of bats living in a house close to the site crosses the railway line to reach a feeding area in a nearby wood. Damaging a bat colony is an offence under European law and the court must decide whether an assessment is necessary before work can continue.

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Wednesday, 14 October 2009

Hampshire Leads The Way

More news from the UK Property market from Dibben and Dibben as the September RICS house price balance recorded the highest figure since the onset of the credit crunch, according to the RICS UK housing market survey. The south east of England is leading the upturn in prices with the net balance of surveyors reporting rises rather than falls climbing to 52 per cent from 37 per cent in August.

This increase is underpinned by a lack of supply in the market and contrasts noticeably with the national figure of only 21.5 per cent – showing that counties like Hampshire are driving the revival.

RICS south east director Peter Miller said: 'A lack of supply is still underpinning the rise in house prices with new instructions to estate agents only edging up very gradually.

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Hampshire Kids Learn Cooking Skills

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as school children in Hampshire are learning how to cook healthy dishes as part of an after-school scheme. Pupils at Marnel, Merton and Chineham Park primary schools in Popley are using the Cook and Eat programme to learn basic cookery skills and improve their diets.

Taught in a fun and informal environment, the six-week programme is delivered in each school by the school cook, usually from Hampshire County Council’s catering service HC3S, with a member of the school teaching staff.

Dishes whipped up by the youngsters include home-made bolognese, healthy pizzas and vegetarian curries, as well as low fat versions of family favourites.

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Monday, 12 October 2009

In Their Stride

More local news from in and around the Solent area from Dibben and Dibben as pupils and parents put their best feet forward as part of a walking initiative at a Hampshire school. Botley Primary School has introduced a new “Park and Stride” route to encourage parents to ditch cars in favour of walking with their children.

Now parents who live too far from school to walk the whole journey can park at the Botley Centre at the recreation ground and stroll the remainder.

The two-metre-wide Park and Stride path has been funded by the council’s Local Area Committee and Hampshire County Council’s safer routes to school programme.

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It Just Got Better

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as a Hampshire university was celebrating after being named the 95th best education facility in the world. The University of Southampton has moved up four places from its previous ranking of 99th in new league tables.

The new world ranking is yet another set of good results for the university, which was named the best in the UK for engineering in a separate league table earlier this year.

A spokesman for the University of Southampton, said: “Our position among the best of the world’s universities provides further evidence of the impact of our research and education, and the quality of our staff and students.”

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Friday, 9 October 2009

Royal Visit

More local news from in and around the Hampshire areas from Dibben and Dibben as The Princess Royal will be in Portsmouth, Gosport and Fareham to meet and dine with employees and leaders at six local establishments. She will be at HMS Victory in Portsmouth Naval Base on the evening of October 21 where she will join a Trafalgar Night dinner in keeping with tradition, and in her role as Commodore in Chief.

She will make the most of her time on the south coast, with five other official visits before and after the formal civil engagement. She will also officially open new facilities at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory on Portsdown Hill Road, Fareham and she will meet patients and staff at the official opening of the new Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham.

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Memorial Gardens Win Top Award

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire from Dibben and Dibben as a garden of remembrance has won top honours for the seventh year running in a horticultural competition.
The Portchester Memorial Gardens were awarded a gold medal at the annual Fareham in Bloom competition, as well as taking the title of best overall business premises.

The award follows a national honour where the gardens scooped the title for Best Garden of Remembrance at the 12th annual Cemetery of the Year Awards.

The six-acre garden, next to Portchester Crematorium, is privately-owned and independently operated and staff there work with individuals, families and funeral directors to offer a service for people who want to remember their loved ones there.

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Thursday, 8 October 2009

Autumn Pumpkin Festival

More local events from the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as this weekend see the Autumn Pumpkin Festival in support of the Jubilee Sailing Trust at Royal Victoria Country Park
Netley, Southampton.

The international chef and fruit artist David Loh is set to carve the biggest Pumpkin he has ever attempted at the festival. It's a whopping 1000lb and will take 3 days to carve culminating in a live performance at the Festival.

The Festival Activies include

* Pumpkin produce to sample and buy
* Big Draw art workshops
* Apple tastings, pumpkin wine tasting and beer tasting from Fullers - Honey Dew Beer
* Delicious food - including pumpkin soup and ‘Prince Consort pumpkin curry’
* Competitions, with prizes for junior and novice growers, for the heaviest pumpkin and the best pumpkin decoration
* Bring along a scarecrow for our Avenue of Scarecrows
* Storytelling, Knickerbocker Glory Appalachian Dancing and Irish Dancing and lots more!
* Live music from members of Hickory Junction
* Hive of Activity Marquee - all things bees, honey and beekeeping

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Hampshire Woman Gets Top Award

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as an Andover childminder has been named Childmin-der of the Year 2009 in a glittering ceremony hosted by early years publication Nursery World. Joyce Heard was nominated after being on the Hampshire Children Come First Network for her outstanding work as a childminder.

Joyce is now retiring having been a registered childminder for nearly 40 years. In that time she has devoted herself fully to caring for children and supporting their families. Her innovative ideas and approaches to enhancing children’s learning have been an inspiration to others.

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Wednesday, 7 October 2009

Signs Of House Price Rises

More news from the UK Property market from Dibben and Dibben as UK house prices rose for the third consecutive month in September and showed the first quarterly increase for two years, according to the Halifax. The average home rose in value by 1.6% in September compared with the previous month, to £163,533.

And prices in the three months to September increased by 2.8% compared with the previous quarter.

The Halifax, now part of Lloyds Banking Group, said that increased demand and a lack of supply were key to the rise.

However, both could change and "constrain" prices in the coming months given the economic climate, said Halifax housing economist Martin Ellis.

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Aliens In Winchester

More quirky news from in and around the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben Winchester councillor Adrian Hicks is on the search for an alien dressed like a ballerina that he spotted five years ago. as Visible only to the chosen few, the pretty blonde female UFO interloper is said to shuffle along the pavement in a penguin-like walk, wearing only a white ballet outfit and broad smile.

She had very large oval eyes and was twirling her hands in a circular motion. She was laughing and seemed to be enjoying herself. She was human enough to get away with it,' he added.

And the intrigue doesn't end there. Mr Hicks, who has spent £400 perfecting an artist's impression of the alien, believes she is linked to covert US and British military operations at a nearby base.

'UFOs are flying in and out of the military base – Winchester is the UFO capital of Europe,' he added.

Hmmmmm

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Monday, 5 October 2009

Bar Spook

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as a pub landlady is calling in an exorcist to get read of a ghost which she claims is topping up regulars' pints.Janice McCormack says the spirit is costing her a fortune as it tops up beers. Mrs McCormack, 60, said: 'I know it sounds very strange. But it happens when customers pop to the toilet or put their pint down for a second or two, and when they turn around there is an extra inch of beer.'

She has nicknamed the ghost 'Reedy' after legendary actor and drinker Oliver Reed and said he has been haunting the Apsley House in Southsea, Hampshire, after she took over the lease ten years ago. Since January the generous ghoul has been mysteriously re-fuelling regulars' glasses.

Mrs McCormack, who runs the pub with husband Patrick, said: 'My regulars love it but it is costing me because people are drinking less.

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Pint Pulling Vicar

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as local customers at a Hampshire pub will have their pints pulled by an unlikely bartender over the next few days. The Reverend Gary Keith, of All Saints Church in North Warnborough, has come to the aid of a pub landlady after she won a cruise in a church raffle.

Jo Fairhurst, who runs the pub, nearly gave up the prize because there was no one to run the pub while she was away. Mr Keith said working behind the bar would help him build relationships in the community.

He said: "The role of the parish priest is to serve the community and I'm always looking for new, innovative ways of doing that.

"The whole business of Christian ministry is about building relationships and one way of doing that is to get out in the community and talk to people. This is providing a great way to do that."

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Friday, 2 October 2009

Sailing Fund Raising

More local news from in and around the Solent area from Dibben and Dibben as Cruising and racing yachtsmen and their crews from the Royal Southampton Yacht Club are planning to sail across the Solent this weekend for supper in Yarmouth . . . and anticipate raising at least £1,500 for the RNLI along the way.

The race-cum-rally on Saturday starts in the central Solent and is expected to take three hours. Destination is the Royal Solent Yacht Club at Yarmouth, Isle of Wight. There will be two handicap classes.

Sailing secretary for the Royal Southampton, Cathy Crawley said: 'The race/rally is open to RSYC members and their guests only and three quarters of the entry fee are donated to the RNLI. For those making their own way to Yarmouth, member Brian Hinde has devised a quiz to while away the journey.

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House Prices Back To 2008

More UK Property News from Dibben and Dibben as UK house prices have now recovered to the same level as a year ago, according to the latest Nationwide figures. The average price of a home last month rose by 0.9% to £161,816, almost identical to September 2008. The building society said house prices had now risen for the fifth month in a row.

However, the nation's homeowners continued to pay off more of their mortgages between April and June, according to the Bank of England.

A further £7bn was added to people's equity in the country's housing stock, as homeowners accelerated the repayment of their home loans, or put down bigger deposits when taking out a new mortgage.

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Thursday, 1 October 2009

Operatic Society seeks New Members

More local events from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben Winchester Operatic Society is holding an open rehearsal for any new members that might want to join the group. They are looking for extra singers, along with people to run the backstage operation and even trainee directors.

The society tackles a range of works, with several performances to choose from each year ranging from stage musicals to opera.

Its next project will be a double bill of two one-act pieces, Cavalleria Rusticana and Trial by Jury. Performances are due to take place at the Theatre Royal in Winchester from Tuesday, November 10 to Saturday, November 14.

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Churches Saved By Singing

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as historic Hampshire churches are throwing open their doors to join in with a unique public singing event. St Mary's church in Ashley and Holy Trinity church in Privett are both at risk of closure, and are cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust.

They are taking part in Birthday Song, an event which will see 40 choirs performing in 40 of the most nationally significant historic churches. This is to celebrate the Churches Conservation Trust 40th birthday. The weekend of singing takes place on 3 and 4 October 2009 and aims to also provide local people with an opportunity to rediscover these magnificent buildings and the stories behind them.

The Churches Conservation Trust is the national charity protecting England's historic churches which are no longer needed for regular worship. They care for over 300 churches - nine in Hampshire. Their aim is to bring them back into the heart of community life, ensuring their future survival by opening them.

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Tuesday, 29 September 2009

Megatrain Takes On The Greyhound Coach

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire areas from Dibben and Dibben as Stagecoach has responded to the launch of FirstGroup's Greyhound express coach service between London and Southampton/Portsmouth by doubling the number of low cost Megatrain.com seats that it has available on its competing South West Trains services.

Stagecoach's Megatrain offers budget travel on parts of the South West Trains, East Midlands Trains and Virgin Trains networks. Travellers can use Megatrain to book tickets on selected SWT services between London and Southampton/Portsmouth

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New Sculpture For Southampton

More local news from in and around the Hampshire from Dibben and Dibben as a giant aircraft sculpture may be erected in waters off Southampton's Town Quay. Consultants suggested moving the 160-tonne model of a Spitfire from its intended location on the quay because of doubts over the quays ability to handle such a load.

The stainless steel sculpture, which will be around 60 metres tall and have a wingspan of 34 metres, has been designed by artist Ken Potts. Alternative waterfront sites on land are still being sought, however, because of the high cost of building suitable underwater foundations.

The Spitfire Tribute Foundation hopes to unveil the Spitfire Tribute sculpture during March 2011 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the first flight of the Spitfire from Southampton.

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Monday, 28 September 2009

Property Asking Prices Rise In September

More news about the UK property market from Dibben and Dibben as Latest report published by the British property company – Rightmove – suggests that British property asking prices increased as a result of improved market confidence of home sellers and decreased supply of marketed properties.

According to a report published earlier, an average asking price of a traditional British home rose by 0.6% to a level of £223,996, which figure compares to a 2.2% fall registered in August this year. It should be noted, however, that rises of asking prices were mainly seen in London, East Anglia and the southwest of the UK, while the rest of Wales and England saw slight decreases in asking prices.

The report as showed that asking prices for UK property increased by 0.9% in London, by 1.5% in the southwest, and by 8.4% in East Anglia, while an average decline was noticed in Yorkshire and Humberside with an average house price falling by 3.6%.

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Havant Literary Festival

More local events from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as the Havant Literary Festival takes place between 25 September and 4 October 2009. Havant Literary Festival celebrates the 150th anniversary of the birth of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle with a superb programme of events dedicated to his life and work, including talks and an exhibition on loan from Portsmouth City Museum.

The ten days of the Festival will offer all the usual Festival fare –theatre, signings, children’s events, poetry, talks, street entertainment, art, school’s activities, exhibitions, workshops, walks, film, music, readings, a Book Fair, a Ghost Walk and a debate: ‘This House Believes the Book is Dead’!

The objective of Havant Literary Festival is to establish a celebration for the written and spoken word in the Borough of Havant.

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Friday, 25 September 2009

Scarecrow Festival

More local events from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as a full size scarecrow of children’s favourite the younf wizard Harry Potter complete with his own flying broomstick is hovering in a sleepy Hampshire village. The straw-stuffed character is among 24 standing guard in front gardens, sitting on shed roofs and perched up ladders for a scarecrow festival in Micheldever.

Other corny characters include three Michael Jacksons, Biggles, a vicar with a “not bothered” teenager, fiddler on the roof, Wee Willie Winkie and a clown. This years festival hopes to build on the great succcess of last years. The scarecrow festival is now a feature of many small Hampshire towns and run from mid summer to autumn.

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Sensory Garden Opened

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as Inspirational Woman of the Year Sylvie Silver was guest of honour at the opening of a sensory garden at Sanctuary Care’s Ashley House care home in Bordon, Hampshire. Earlier this week Sylvie, Director of the National Association of Providers of Activities for Older People (NAPA), a voluntary organisation committed to increasing the profile and understanding of the activity needs of older people, officially opened the Breath of Fresh Air garden.

The garden has been specially designed for residents with dementia. There is a galvanised porch roof with fibre optic stars so they can sit and listen to the rain, a stunning waterfall with lights so that it can be enjoyed by people inside the home and a traditional telephone box and bus stop to encourage reminiscence.

The garden was named after NAPA’s Breath of Fresh Air competition, which encourages homes to think of creative ways to bring fresh air to residents

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Thursday, 24 September 2009

Local School May Get 6th Form

More local news from in and around the Southampton area from Dibben and Dibben as a bid to add a £6m sixth form to a Southampton school was set to get the green light from council chiefs. If approved, it would make Bitterne Park Secondary the first mixed-sex state school in the city offering education from the age of 11 through to 18. With funding for the new building already secured from the Government, the 180-place centre could be offering specialist performing arts courses as soon as September 2011.

The city currently has two dedicated academic sixth-form colleges – Taunton’s and Itchen – while Southampton City College also offers vocational courses and apprenticeships. Bitterne Park is now entitled to bid for post-16 provision because it is a higher-performing specialist school.

Head teacher Susan Trigger believes the new centre represents a major opportunity for education in Southampton, because it would broaden the range available.

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Army Hero Saves Girl

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as An Army officer about to deploy to Afghanistan was hailed ''a hero'' and ''an angel'' for saving the life of a Hampshire girl involved in a serious car crash. Captain Dominic Masters had only just completed a military first aid course when he witnessed a Renault Clio swerve and overturn into a ditch on the A303, outside Amesbury, Wiltshire.

Capt Masters immediately put his recently-learned battlefield casualty procedures into practice and stabilised her before the paramedics arrived.

The soldier then stayed inside the car, giving Megan oxygen, while the fire brigade cut her free. Megan was then flown by helicopter to Salisbury District Hospital and then on to Southampton.

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Tuesday, 22 September 2009

Mortgage Approval Increase

More news from the UK property market from Dibben and Dibben as mortgage approvals have rose to an 18-month high as the UK housing market springs back to life. Data from the British Bankers Association (BAA) show 42,000 loans were taken out last month. The encouraging numbers fuel hope that banks are finally moving back to borrowing and that the fall in house prices are over.

Howard Archer, Chief Economist at forecasters IHS Global Insight, said: "Buyer interest has been lifted by the fall in house prices and reduced mortgage interest rates. This is gradually but steadily feeding through to lift housing market activity."

Until now first-time buyers have been frozen out of the market because banks demanded huge deposits and charged through the roof for home loans. And millions of people were refused mortgages because of minor blips in their credit history.

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Southampton Film Week

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as Southampton, Winchester and Portsmouth are celebrating the "big screen" with a series of very special events and film showings from the start of October 2009. Southampton Film Week is co-ordinated by community filmmaking resource City Eye and celebrates the city's diverse film culture with events across the city.

This year's festival line up includes special screenings, workshops, masterclasses, guest speakers and a massive film quiz. All kinds of genres are being featured including comedy, drama, documentaries including several locally-produced films and some popular blockbusters shown as part of a "drive-in" movie weekend.

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Monday, 21 September 2009

Mary Rose Closure

More local news from in and around the South Hampshire from Dibben and Dibben as this weekend see the last chance to visit Henry VIII's warship the Mary Rose, before the exhibition closes while a new museum is built. The ship will away from public view for three years until the new museum, housing the vessel and its artefacts, opens at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded £21m to the Mary Rose Trust, which itself raised nearly £10m towards the project. The new museum is being built alongside Nelson's flagship HMS Victory. It will contain galleries running the length of the vessel to imitate the missing port side.

The trust aims to complete the work by 2012, in time for the Olympics. The ship will continue to be sprayed with preserving polyethylene glycol, a water-based wax solution, before being carefully dried.

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Surveyors Report Price Rise

More news about the UK property market from Dibben and Dibben as more surveyors said UK house prices were rising in the three months to September than those reporting falling property values. The proportion turned positive for the first time for two years, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors' (Rics) survey found. The change was driven by price rises in the South East of England and shortages of homes for sale. The government's own figures showed a 1.4% rise in prices from June to July.

The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) said that first-time buyers had returned to the market, followed by home movers. Families wishing to upgrade or young couples needing a bigger house to raise a family were active in the market again, according to NAEA president Gary Smith.

Sales were highest per surveyor in the East Midlands and West Midlands, with the lowest number of sales per surveyor reported in London.

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Saturday, 19 September 2009

Boat Show Success

More local news from in and around the Hampshire area from Dibben and Dibben as the 41st Southampton boat show continues this weekend with businesses from across the South vying for trade in the last two days of the event, which is the largest of its kind in Europe. By the end of the week, it is expected at least 130,000 people will have been on site to see the 1,000 boats on display and to buy anything from sailing clothes to an £11 million super-yacht.

With ticket sales approximately 23% ahead of last year the organisers think that that this year's Southampton Boat Show may mark the beginning of the much-needed upturn for the industry.

Both large and small exhibitors at the show are demonstrating their increasing confidence by launching 65 new products this year, which is a significant increase on recent years.

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Charity Boost

More local news from in and around the Solent area from Dibben and Dibben as the Hampshire based sailing charity the Jubilee Sailing Trust is celebrating after being given a £20,000 cash boost. Members of the Freemasons sailed into the PSP Southampton boat Show to present the Woolston-based charity with the cheque.

The money will be put towards a £275,000 refit of the trust’s 140ft tallship Lord Nelson, one of the stars of this year’s boat show.

Brian Bellinger, Provincial Grand Master of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Freemasonry, said: “One area of support is for vulnerable people and so we are pleased to make this grant of £20,000 to the Jubilee Sailing Trust to contribute towards the refit of the Lord Nelson and to assist the trust in its outstanding work which reflects and supports our nation’s maritime heritage.”

The donation from the Freemasons will contribute towards replacing decking, main generators and lifts and refitting the accommodation.

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Tuesday, 29 September 2009

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Friday, 25 September 2009

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Saturday, 19 September 2009

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