Winchester Today December 2012

Cheriton - Romsey - Littleton - Alresford - Chandler’s Ford

The Christmas Story “Changes Lives”

As our first Christmas edition of Winchester Today focuses with a picture on the heart of the community – our Cathedral – the Dean of Winchester is urging us to heed the Christmas story as one that changes our lives.

The Very Reverend James Atwell says we can find a number of things to relate to in the story, not least hope for the future.

In a separate message to the congregation at the Cathedral, The

Dean has expressed his concern about the recent escalation of violence and tension in the Holy Land. He says it’s “all the more poignant” as he led members of the Winchester community on a pilgrimage there over the October half-term.

The Dean says the ‘pressure cooker’ environment could blow unless everyone concerned – including the USA – gives it full and immediate attention.

Read the Christmas message to all of us in Winchester from the Dean on Page 9»

New ‘Symondians Rugby Club’ launch in WinchesterSport ....................... 20

@winchestertodayMonthly • Issue 004 winchestertoday.co.uk

FREEDecember 2012

Marwell Wildlife keeper takes us through the steps Page 7

Calls for the development to be one of the best in the country Page 4

Barton Farm Latest

Inside

William Brougham moves from St.Peters-burg to MoscowEscape! ................... 14

Winchester Today - Your local FREE newsaper - out every month.

… and not forgetting Cheriton, Romsey, Stockbridge, Hursley, Kings Worthy, Littleton, Alresford, Chandler’s Ford, Micheldever, Bishop’s Waltham, and everywhere in between!

What it Takes...

Reflection on students’ trip to AfricaUganda ..................... 6

Merry Christmas!Fresh Efforts to Speed Up Rural Internet Access

Rural parts of Hampshire are a step closer to having faster broadband speeds by 2015.

Up to 115,000 households and busi-nesses are set to benefit from £10 million in funding for the scheme. To put that into some kind of perspective, that represents over 20% of premises in the county.

The plan is part of the Hampshire Broadband Programme which aims to provide better broadband across the county over the next three years.

The County Council and the Government are each giving £5 million to support the project and have started looking for a commercial provider.

It is hoped the money will help in predominantly rural areas where further investment is needed to reach more people – with the council saying internet users desperately want tech-nology that allows them to transform the way they do business and communicate.

A provider is set to be appointed by March next year and work could begin on delivering faster broadband speeds by the summer.

Residents and businesses can register their support for the project at:

www.hants.gov.uk/broadband-signup

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Welcome

News in BriefStories for the breakfast table.

WinchesterToday est.2012

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Letter from the editor

Well, since our last edition it appears the ‘turf wars’ over the Christmas markets between our own city and Salisbury have stepped up a gear since last year. We’ve got a poster advertising ours over there… and they have put up a poster near the railway station here in Winchester (pictured). And it all (apparently) has got to the stage where they are accusing us of nicking their shoppers.

Having lived in Salisbury for six years, here and in Bath (where they also have a Christmas Market), I personally find this absurd. The Cathedral Close in Salisbury is three times the size of ours (why on earth didn’t they put it there?), they have three or four times as many specialist shops as ours and they have a beautiful Market Square, their Waitrose is twice the size of ours... Bath has even more shops.

No. It’s how you do it that

counts. Personally, I sense a little envy and irritation of what we have managed to achieve here in Winchester over the last six years.

Above all, the story has made it to the Daily Mail. Er… so it must be important. More importantly, as the story has now reached a national level, it’s more great publicity for us – and you cannot put a price on that.

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our advertisers. We could not be here without them. There’ll be more than a few opportunities over the coming months to grab a bargain with them. Watch out for more in the Classifieds section of Winchester Today.

Have a peaceful and joyous Christmas!

Kevin Gover, Editor

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Your Winchester Today

Thanks to all these wonderful people who have agreed to stock copies of Winchester Today for their customers:

Halfords in WeekeFlower Pots Inn, CheritonThe Co-op, AlresfordCounty News, AlresfordPlaza Theatre, RomseyCheriton Stores and Post OfficeKeats, AlresfordMid-Hants Railway (Watercress Line)Tichborne ArmsSteve Brine’s Office, Stockbridge Road

Dever Stores, Sutton ScotneyThree Cups Inn, StockbridgeMarwell HotelPaul Hellard & Co, AlresfordAlresford Group SurgeryIVC (Itchen Valley Cars), AlresfordThe Sandwich Shop, AlresfordThe Winchester Book ShopNanoo of Stockbridge Road

Police in parts of Hampshire have done their level best this month to try to reduce Christmas tree thefts.

‘Operation Tinsel’ follows a number of thefts last year - including 49 Christmas trees from a nursery in Wickham, 50 from a compound in Fleet and 82 from a store in Sherfield-on-Lodden.

Officers have talked to retailers about marking Christmas trees with Smart Water or other security marking products to aide officers in tracking down the trees and linking them to the retailer, if they are stolen.

Trading Standards have received a number of complaints from people across Hampshire about fraudu-lent telemarketers who are making unsolicited phone calls to share-holders of well-known companies. They then promise to buy their shares from them, for much more than they are worth. The cold-callers claim that they are working on behalf of a client who is trying to increase their holding.

The businesses ask for the share-holder’s email address. If the consumer does not have an email, they have suggested using the local library’s fax machine. Individuals are then expected to collect the paperwork, complete it, and return it with a copy of their shares certificate.

Although it would appear that no money has yet been handed over to the businesses, Trading Standards and the Financial Services Authority are both warning that after building up a relationship of trust with consumers, the company may attempt to take payment, claiming that it will release the funds in exchange for the shares. Once a payment has been made to the organisation, the victims are unlikely to hear from them again.

This caution follows a recent warning from the FSA about a company based in the USA. Although at first, the company appears to be reputable and legiti-mate, they are not authorised to carry out regulated activities in the UK. Because of this, the FSA will not intervene in the event that money is lost.

Trading Standards are available via the Citizen’s Advice Consumer Service on 08454 04 05 06, and for more information about how to protect yourself against scams, you can visit - www.hants.gov.uk/tradingstandards/tradingstandards-scam

Christmas NewsTree Thefts

News A new investment scam appears to be tar-geting residents across the county.

They have also stepped up patrols around Christmas tree plantations and retailers throughout the festive season, and aim to prosecute anyone found to be selling Christmas trees illegally.

Sergeant Ally Hibberd says the bad weather across Europe is working in favour of the criminal: “There will be a decrease in the number of Christmas trees available for sale on the open market. The reduced supply may result in thefts of Christmas trees as offenders will see this as an opportu-nity to meet the seasonal demand.”

Ally says the traders want to know that they can be sure of success in catching criminals at the one time of year when they rely on a solid market:

“Stolen trees can cost law abiding retailers hundreds of pounds and have a serious impact upon their businesses. Some trees may be forensically or security marked, making it easier for police to trace them, and I would urge members of the community to ensure they are buying their trees from reputable retailers.”

News Movember

All around Winchester, men are back to looking themselves this month – with wives and partners extremely pleased! Yes, the moustaches have all come off!

However, let’s not forget the reasons why those wives and partners are ALSO proud of their other halves for taking part in ‘Movember’.

One of them was Jennifer Ferguson whose husband Simon has owned and worked in Rapport Hairdressing (formerly Simon’s Nut House) in Stockbridge Road, Winchester for 24 years.

Simon took part in ‘Movember’ by growing a moustache in order to raise funds and awareness for men’s health issues such as prostate and testicular cancer.

Simon decided to do this as he sadly lost his best friend Pete Eckton to testicular cancer in 1988 at the age of 24, just before he opened Simon’s Nut House. Simon’s moustache was removed at the beginning of the month by Simon and Jennifer’s son, Tobey, who is 7 years old.

Simon Ferguson and David Marangos-McEntee have both been raising money and awareness.

Money destined for Help for Heroes, school improvements and a staff party was taken during an early morning break-in at Bishop’s Waltham Infant school.

The incident occurred between 4.30am and 6.40am on Thursday, 29 November at the school in Oak Road, when entry was forced into the school and approximately £450 in cash stolen.

PC Jonathan Earnshaw from Bishop’s Waltham police station told Winchester Today that the children and staff were very upset by the incident: “This burglary has affected young children at the school and hard working staff. As well as the money raised for charity and for school improvements, the offenders also stole money for the staff Christmas party which has now had to be cancelled.”

At the time of Winchester Today going to press, PC Earnshaw was trying to identify two men that were seen smoking outside of the school at around 9.30pm on Wednesday, 28 November.

News Incident at Bishops Waltham Infant School sees charity and school money stolen

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Winchester Students Demonstrate in London

Thousands of students took part in a mass protest recently in London against tuition fees, unemployment and financial problems – many of them from Winchester. The demo was organised by the National Union of Students. Harry Stow is President of Winchester Students’ Union and explains why they wanted to go: “I took 140 students to the Demo making us the most represented University in the South. We left in the pouring rain but that didn’t faze our passionate and enthusiastic students, determined to march for the Education Sector.”

Harry says he knows why they got so many students to go: “Because many of them received or knew students who received EMA and felt that taking away such vital funding from students from low income families was unfair. To add to this, we have a large Primary Education department here; many of our students will be working in the education sector throughout their

careers, so it is very close to their hearts. The imbalance of expecta-tions has also been noted by students as we have students paying 3 times as much for the same programme and course content. Not only does this baffle students’ but it also puts immense pressure on staff to deliver an improved level of teaching which isn’t humanly possible.”

He says the whole day proved a point: “Winchester students behaved themselves impeccably making me very proud to be the President of Winchester Student Union. The students that attended are now more educated about the state of the education sector and are thinking about society more and more. Liam Burns (NUS President) mentioned that this demo would encourage activism and I certainly feel this has been achieved, as the students have been presenting some very good opinions on a variety of matters.”

Dispersal Notice Issued for Stanmore

Police in Winchester have granted a Section 30 dispersal order for part of Stanmore after ongoing anti-social behaviour in the area.

The order has been granted in consultation with Winchester City Council and lasts from now until the middle of May 2013.

Officers received 18 reports of anti-social behaviour in the area in October, and a further 14 reports during November (1st – 24th). This shows a sharp rise in comparison to seven reports in September, 10 in August and just three in July. Members of the public said they felt intimidated and harassed. The area covered is Wavell Way between Fox Lane and Stanmore Lane, Stanmore Lane between Eversley Place and Selbourne Place, Somers Close and the alleyway between Stanmore Lane and the recreation ground.

Care 2 Work Programme Aims to ‘Improve Opportunities’

Young people across Hampshire are welcoming Government plans to improve opportunities for them when they leave care.

Children and Families Minister Edward Timpson recently announced he wanted to build on the Care 2 Work programme which includes creating works placements and apprenticeships for youngsters.

The plan has the backing of Hampshire County Council and one person who has benefitted from the scheme is Joe, aged 20, who is in his final year at the University of Winchester studying Childhood, Youth and Community Studies.

He attended the summer schools run by the County Council and the University which help raise the aspi-rations of young people in care and now wants to become a youth worker: “I came into care aged 11 never imagining I would go to university. Attending the summer schools made

me realise I could go to university.”

As part of its improvements the government wants more authorities to operate a ‘Staying Put’ policy which supports young people leaving care in suitable accommodation.

Children’s Services spokesman Roy Perry points out that they are already ahead of the game with the ‘Children in Care Pledge’. Developed in conjunction with young people in Hampshire’s care it has been in place for the past four years.

But he says both he and his colleagues are not complacent - and says they are continually looking for new ways to enhance the support, opportunities and employment prospects of young people in its care.

This year the Council agreed a proposal to make its pilot initia-tive permanent which offers young care leavers internships. It provides opportunities for paid work place-

Pic: Winchester Students’ Union & Matt Boswood

ments within their premises, as well as opportunities to access relevant qualifications. Fifteen young people are currently taking part in the scheme.

21-year-old Michaela (pictured)

has also been a real boost. It is great to be working, to be earning my own money. I would definitely encourage other young people in care to get involved with the Internship Plus scheme.”

is also one of those who took part in the project and has been offered a job in the Trading Standards Department following her internship promoting the Council’s Buying With Confidence initiative: “Getting the job


Man With a Plan

Imagine in ten years from now, a film director stumbles on to the stage at the Dolby Theatre in LA as he’s awarded the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. During his acceptance speech he says: “I want to thanks the guys at the Art Café back in Winchester for giving me the moti-vation and opportunity when they awarded me ‘Best Young Filmmaker’ back in 2014…” – well, stranger things have happened.

But there’s no reason why it couldn’t happen. The recent short film festival downstairs at the Art Café in Winchester was an overwhelming success according to John Hayes, the curator at the Gallery and the man who put the festival together: “Part of this project is focusing on people and recognising that people are fascinating and have real talents. We provide a platform for their talent. Even the café is somewhere where you can walk in, talk to people and not feel odd.”

We’re sitting downstairs in the ‘projection room’. It’s kind of small! John agrees: “Yes, it was a very tight squeeze! There were a lot of entries, around 30… perhaps we need to be a bit more specific with the genres next time!”

John says the festival was really exciting: “We had three awards… one of them was aimed at those who had the right film equipment and who were able to shine. But one of the awards surrounded best impact, and you can do that on your iPhone. Most of these people were very humble and just want to be recognised. Hopefully we have given them some inspiration for the future. We’re a stepping stone.

We just want to help them. The prize was great too (mentoring for their next short film) and I think it was appreci-ated. The festival will be back next near, definitely… and for years to come.”

The Gallery and café is a three-man project between John, Chris Polatch from ‘English Naturally’ and James Dickens from ‘Computer Solutions’. Rather like Winchester Today, the Gallery and café started up in the middle of a double-dip recession. John laughs out loud when I remind him, but he still thinks it was the right thing to do: “Yeeeesss! Like all things in business you have to look around and balance things and judge it from your own strategy. Looking back on it, we may have done a few things a little differently, but the essence of the place: we’re fulfilling a dream as it was. Like the paper, there are ups and downs; we’re new – but we’ve got to dig in.”

John says one of the reasons for opening the Gallery was to offer space to art that’s a bit more edgy, a bit more risqué. The Gallery has already seen one artist (Mark Michael) go on to create big things in London. One of his pictures dominates the wall. It’s a bit crude in the language used across most of the picture, but it makes a point about life: “He’s a satire artist and this one is about how life affects people. It’s about a pregnant woman who’s been deserted by her partner. It picks up on the emotional whirlpools that we get sucked into. On one hand she hates him, but on the other she misses him. It’s a very powerful piece. And it’s very different.” Very different!

Man With A Plan:John Hayes - Art Café

BARTON FARM:THE OPPORTUNITYTO BE PROUDThree organisations call for development to be one of the best in the countryBy Kevin Gover, [email protected]

The new development planned for Barton Farm should be a development that Winchester will “always be proud of and an example that other areas will follow” – the view of three major organisations in the city. Their call came as a result of the meeting ‘Barton Farm – the opportunity’, which was convened jointly by the City of Winchester Trust, Winchester Action on Climate Change and Winchester Friends of the Earth.

The Trust’s Michael Carden says it’s not too late for the development to be a trailblazer: “Some things are fixed by the outline planning permission, but there is still plenty of room for discus-sion about how we can ensure that it is an attractive and distinctive extension to Winchester. The development will be on a special site at the entrance to the City with fine mature trees and vistas. It should enhance the character of the area while integrating with the City and reflecting Winchester’s existing housing.”

The 50 people at the meeting agreed that Barton Farm should rank with the very best of developments nationally. A mixed development was called for, which would provide quality homes

for people of all ages and different levels of wealth. More importantly, those there felt that it should also contribute to the vitality and sustain-ability of the surrounding neighbour-hoods; compact housing, with friendly streets, shared space and private gardens.

The meeting also called for the development to be designed for people on foot and bicycles to get about easily and pleasurably. Internal roads could be Home Zones, safe and friendly for children and elderly people. An improved network of pedestrian and cycle routes need to link the site with neighbouring communities and with paths leading into the countryside.

There were also calls for the devel-opment of the site to take place in stages, so that it grows as organically as possible and knits into existing communities along Andover Road.

There was a strong call for the development to be designed and built to minimise its greenhouse gas emissions. Professor Bob Whitmarsh is Chair of WinACC’s Science and Technology Advisory Panel, and says we shouldn’t forget that the houses will be there for more than 100 years: “By 2100, it will be a lot warmer in

the summer and at least as cold in the winter. So, keeping cool as well as keeping warm is vitally important for health and saving energy. This has implications not only for insulation, but means housing may require some shading. The development overall should use renewable materials such as sustainably sourced timber and recycled materials.”

Winchester Friends of the Earth Co-ordinator, Jemma Barter, agrees: “We see renewable energy as one of the easiest ways to cut our carbon footprint. All new buildings should be designed and built to benefit from renewable sources of power, including natural daylight, passive solar heating and integrated renewable technologies.”

Back in October, CALA Homes Group Land Director Robert Millar told Winchester Today that he was determined to work positively with the Council and local community “to deliver a high-quality development.” He also promised that the develop-ment would be a “significant contribu-tion to the chronic shortage of afford-able housing, enabling key workers and other local people to live in their own city.”


Team With a Dream

Team With a Dream:Friends of Osborne School

In our quest to quiz people in Winchester on their plans for a better life for themselves or for people around them, we’ve had Man with a Plan, we’ve had Dame with the Aim – and now we have a complete set with Team with a Dream!

Our team in particular fits most definitely into the category of trying to improve life for people around them – in this case the children at Osborne School by wanting to

create an outdoor classroom.

Our picture shows parent Alex McWhirter, the Chairman of Friends of Osborne School - Caroline Barnham - and Secretary of FOS Joanne Watson, who are all excited about the prospect of creating an outdoor classroom for the school.

Joanne says they would be making much more use of the space they have available:

“We are blessed, but it’s just one big field at the moment, and there are some areas where the children can’t play because it isn’t safe. So, if that was converted we could make a nature and a science area.

There would be a place where they could learn and have ‘calm time’ – but it would also be a shelter from the sun and rain, all of which they don’t have at the moment. There’s no special little space. It will be wonderful when it’s done.”

Alex says it would be vibrant and encourage use of their sensory needs: “It’s going to be part of a

bigger amount of work; it’s part of a jigsaw. It’s a glorious day as we speak and the classroom will be marvellous on a day like this.

But even on a dull day we will have some cover, and to have something like this in the future will be great for the children.

To have them access the environ-ment in all weathers will only help them in their education.”

Alex says there’s quite a sum needed to complete the project: “We’re looking for the £10,000 mark… if we raise more, that can only be good. Just trying to explain

to the parents about the benefits will hopefully get people to part with their hard-earned cash. But even £1 will help!”

The first deadline is for some work to start in the summer of 2013, but the team is going to take things one step at a time, and so is likely to keep fundraising for a time after that as well.

Winchester Today has played its part by donating £5 by text as requested. We found a fiver on the floor on the way to the interview, so we have handed that over too!

Winchester pays its respects to the fallen, Sunday 11

November 2012


Features - City Links With Uganda

Last month we brought you the first part of the ‘Wilderness Expertise’ expedition to Uganda for 11 team members from Peter Symonds College. The expedition looked at sustainable support for the community of Kanjobe. In this edition, we conclude with more of what life is life for children at a local school – and for the parents of those children.

Words by project leader Ruth Lee.

Day 5: The morning kicked off with a spot of communal hair washing! This was followed by an African start to the day – slow!

After the team had organised

their equipment and ideas we were escorted to Kyiebale primary school by the chairman of the parish and many local women from that village with drums, singing, clapping and shaking of bottoms. It was a magical procession and we all felt so privileged to be treated with such honour.

On arrival the road was packed with children chanting “welcome visitors” over and over; a very moving and unique experience for all those involved.

Kyiebale is the poorest school in the district. Many families struggle to send their children there due to needing them to work at home. The team was visibly shocked at the

mud wall classrooms, the number of children expected to squeeze into such small spaces, not enough benches and one textbook for a whole class of 50+, with no pens or paper.

An hour was spent T-Shirt painting with the two older classes and then balloon races were organised by the team, to play with the whole school.

We were then treated to singing, dances and speeches by the chairman, head teacher and pastor. The community is trying to build two extra classrooms but lacks funding so the team chose to donate their $30 per person project donation to help with this and donated some of their sports equipment they had brought with them.

That evening we had a review

More Wilderness ExpertiseWinchester Students conclude their lifetime trip

If we could reduce the world’s population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all existing human ratios remaining the same, the demographics would look something like this:

The village would have 61 Asians, 13 Africans, 12 Europeans, 9 Latin Americans, and 5 from the USA and Canada

50 would be male, 50 would be female

75 would be non-white; 25 white

80 would live in substandard housing

16 would be unable to read or write

50 would be malnourished and 1 dying of starvation

33 would be without access to a safe water supply

39 would lack access to improved sanitation

24 would not have any electricity (And of the 76 that do have electricity, most would only use it for light at night.)

8 people would have access to the Internet

1 would have a college education

1 would have HIV

2 would be near birth; 1 near death

5 would control 32% of the entire world’s wealth; all 5 would be US citizens

48 would live on less than US$ 2 a day

20 would live on less than US$ 1 a day

of our day and the things we had seen and how that had made us feel. It can be difficult to process days like that. Such smiles, laughter and celebrations contrasted with such poverty. It is heart breaking to see, but interesting and encour-aging that the team concluded that happiness can’t possibly come from financial wealth.

I conclude with some thoughts from familycare.org - obviously these statistics are not wholly accurate but do give a greater under-standing of the different cultures of our world. When considered from such a compressed perspective, the need for cooperation, tolerance and understanding becomes glaringly apparent.

It’s a Small World


Features

What it Takes…

…to be an animal keeper at Marwell WildlifeBy Annabel Radcliffe

[email protected]

Thanks to the double-dip recession, it’s safe to say a lot of the population have settled on jobs simply for money and security. Others are lucky - and it’s incredibly refreshing when you meet people who are truly passionate about their career.

Marc Fox is one of them; he’s been working at Marwell Wildlife for 14 years, working his way up to team leader of the carnivores. Over the years Marc has had to endure foot and mouth and the recession. There was park closure for weeks at a time during foot and mouth - and major financial issues as a consequence:

“It was scary, not just for the animals but also for job security.”

The majority of the park’s income comes from admissions despite being a registered charity.

Does the public appreciate how much Marwell relies on them to keep the place running? Perhaps not, but then you can’t blame them when the park looks so professional; the whole setting entices you to while away the hours watching the animals relaxing.

John Knowles bought 140 acres of land and the stunning listed building back in 1972. His one wish was to aid conservation and he jumped straight in at the deep end with big cats being one of the first animals to arrive.

Big cats can be difficult and expensive to start with when keeping animals in captivity. However this forward thinking paid off and the results are visible today.

During these early stages little was known about the conservation of rare breeds; it’s only been in our lifetime that it’s evolved to the current stage with studbook keepers controlling every animal that’s bred.

Initially it was a case of breeding as

much as possible, even from the same pair of animals - although this actually limited the gene pool and made it harder for cubs to be placed.

A perfect example of breeding in captivity is with Amur Tigers, previ-

ously known as Siberian tigers; their name was changed to be more geographically accurate. To date over 100 cubs have been bred at Marwell alone.

If you compare that with the number of tigers that are in the wild, currently 400-500, the breeding success seems amazing.

What is truly saddening is the fact that there are a total of 1000 Amur tigers in captivity, proving that the human race cause the problems by

poaching and destroying their natural environment.

I had to ask the question, have any animals ever escaped? Not so far, was the response - unless you count the runaway flamingo that migrated to Norfolk!

Marc told me that feeding and cleaning requires military precision: “We have a small team, it’s safer this way so no mistakes happen.” Dinner is a massive chunk of red meat the size of a Sunday roast joint sprinkled with vitamins. These are serious sized meals! Obviously Marwell can’t replicate the way big cats hunt in the wild and they need the strict feeding routine to help care for the big cats. Sadly they will never be released back into the wild; with no instinctive fear of humans and never having the need to hunt, they would be sitting targets to other animals and poachers.

During the few hours I spent with Marc I would be lying if I said my head didn’t ache with all the infor-mation I was given! Marc knows his stuff: apart from a degree in animal management courtesy of Marwell he has years of experience and some up close and personal contact work with one of the big cats.

In 2004 when a tiger cub was rejected, Marc had to hand rear it. He makes it clear that this is a last resort and the best thing for any young animal will always be to be with its mother. Marc had no regrets; “It was an amazing experience to be that close to a tiger.”

Luckily for Marc, the tiger stayed at the zoo for a further 6 years before a call from the elusive studbook keeper meant she moved on to the next park for the breeding programme. BIAZA or British and Irish Association of

Zoos and Aquariums is the reason that workers at Marwell have no concern when animals leave; it’s an organi-sation that zoos and wildlife parks can belong to that all have the same standards, goals and seals of approval.

Not all species are struggling for survival. When I’m shown the Meerkats, I immediately want to bundle them up and take them home. These are the type of animal that are there more for attracting visitors than a necessity; they are undeniably cute and thanks to the well-known insurance advert, are now very popular!

Although Marwell presents a busi-ness-like public demeanour, their response to animals who get too old to breed is to let them live out their days at the park. I got the impression that Marc thought it would be seen as a disservice to move them on once too old to breed.

This helps to give the park an almost homely feel - rather like keeping an old pet comfy in their final years except that some of these ‘pets’ could potentially eat you!

Marc doesn’t have a favourite breed; he can recount stories and facts about each type and why they are so special. He knows all their quirks and takes obvious pleasure in seeing them content in the amazing enclosures.

Being on the same level as the big cats tallest platform in the trees makes you appreciate how powerful the big cats are. Marc warned me: “These are the most aggressive.” He didn’t need to tell me twice, as one leopard tried to eat us through the glass. They are the polar opposite to the cheetahs which are long and rangy, looking the epitome of cool.

Cheetahs aren’t classed as endan-gered, so don’t need to be on the breeding programme: “Any breeding is a highlight here, for the workers and the visitors,” says Marc. One of the ways you can tell if the animals are happy and well cared for is how well they take to breeding. Cheetahs normally only have 5-6 in a litter, at Marwell one once had a litter of 8 and all survived. This wasn’t a fluke; they must have been happy in their surroundings and well cared for, for this to happen.

My time with Marc soon flew by. We had toured the park for hours, but I felt I had only scratched the surface of what it had to offer.

Marc’s an inspiration; he has managed to find his dream job and succeed to the level he wants. If only we could all be as fulfilled with our jobs, I’m sure the world would be a happier and more interesting place.

Photos: Marwell Wildlife


Review

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From the pre-show announcement that ‘mobile phones and livestock’ were banned from the auditorium, the audience of the Cheriton Players’ opening night of Alan Ayckbourn’s Seasons Greetings knew that they were in for an irreverently enjoyable evening.

Following the usual four-day incar-ceration at home for Christmas, Ayckbourn’s farcical comedy is both laugh-out-loud funny, and full of pathos, as a family and assorted hangers-on struggle to get through the festivities.

Director Barbara Large must be congratulated for bringing out the ‘painfully witty’ writing by Ayckbourn (ironically the same description of one characters’ book review) with the cast enthusiastically getting the pace spot on and nailing moments of high drama.

Despite some interesting casting choices (the existing cast could easily be re-cast to form rather more plausible pairings), there were very good performances; Caroline Holley’s Belinda made every exchange with her neglectful husband Neville, ably portrayed by John Weston, fraught with repressed frustration – never has the endearment ‘darling’ been so barbed! - whilst Phyllis (Helena Gomm) imbued her few scenes with a marvellous, tipped-over-the-edge battiness.

No wonder, then, that the arrival of the dashing yet insecure writer Clive (a fine performance from Charlie Hellard) lights the proverbial touch paper, resulting in a literally explosive finale with David Cradduck’s acerbic Harvey, played with perfect comic

Review: Alan Ayckbourn’s

Season’s GreetingsCheriton Players, Cheriton Village Hall - 28th November 2012

Reviewed ByEleanor Marsden

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timing and a suitably homicidal glint in his eye.

The audience very much enjoyed Richard Perkin’s bumbling, out-of-touch Bernard, whose puppet show performance of The Three Little Pigs - ‘and their wives and families, of course’ - had the audience almost literally rolling in the aisles.

Excellent attention to detail had been taken over props and authenticity, although scene changes, which were in effect only prop changes, could be sped up.

The cast used their skills to act successfully in three rooms on a tiny stage; only the front two struts of the walls impeded the set which was otherwise very well-conceived for the space. Plaudits must also go to the costume team, for a suitably terrible Christmas jumper, and undoubtedly the most memorable appearance of a ‘onesie’ in a comedy.

There was certainly something for

Review: Windmill Theatre Production

Radio TimesTheatre Royal, Winchester - 26th November 2012

In 1940, radio was King.

There was no TV, having been shut down for fear of compromising defence. Hitler’s bombs rained down in London. Keeping the nation’s morale and spirits high through this horror was sustained in comedy and variety in theatres and through the radio. Alongside a comedic love story, ‘Radio Times’ recreates the kind of performance that would have

been staged in the Criterion Theatre in Piccadilly during World War II.

‘Radio Times’ was only first performed just over a year ago, but is so slick, beautifully crafted and polished that you feel it is ‘up there’ with shows that have been with us since the 1980s. In the early days of rehearsal at the Windmill, Gary Wilmot (Sammy Shaw) gave his thoughts on the production: “I’m old enough to remember the kind of comedian that Sammy Shaw was! There were lots of them, like Frankie Howard, Tommy Trinder and Jimmy James, who all had their own radio shows, and so my character is quite a generic version of them. I didn’t really feel I needed to do research.”

The Criterion had been requi-sitioned by the BBC for live and recorded shows, mainly because the theatre was underground and the audience could have felt rela-tively safe during the Blitz. What WOULDN’T have been safe though is the script! Back in those days, everything in the show had to be cleared by the Ministry. It had to be carefully prepared in advance. No ad-libbing! Much of the show

everyone to relate to, from tots with ‘santaphobia’ to unsuitable presents, drunkeness, family tensions, and the inevitable toll taken by the festivi-ties: ‘At the moment, the leg of lamb is looking the fresher of the two,’ comes the report from the kitchen on Phyllis’ cooking efforts. As each underachieving character makes their way through the festive season, their failings become all the more obvious. Harvey’s assertion that he goes to church ‘once a year’ to ‘keep me options open’ sums up nicely how the characters are all searching for something - but are never entirely sure what…

It takes skill to perform farce well, and the Players have risen to the challenge. Clearly, cast and crew have enjoyed creating this show and the audience could not fail to respond to their enthusiasm.

Images: Robert Day

revolves around this issue – and what a show!

I think we had the first joke within 90 seconds – and there was a good joke almost every 30 seconds there-after. Even the ones that made you groan were delivered in a way that created a genuinely warm atmos-phere. The songs… ah, nostalgia! Most of them were written by the genius Noel Gay. We all sang along

to ‘Run, rabbit, run…’ but even the ones you didn’t know, you felt as though they had been part of your life forever.

The costumes and lighting were beautiful; the staging and props faultless, the choreog-raphy a delight. The most amazing thing is that the entire band is on stage

too helping to re-create the story. But hold on… they’re also dancing AND they’re singing! You’re left wondering: are these wonderful musicians who can also dance, sing and act? Or are they wonderful actors who can also play an instru-ment? Tremendous.

For the first time that I have reviewed a show, I actually feel that it would be absolutely unfair to single out people, because everyone on stage helped create a warm and well-received show. So, take a bow - take praise EVERYONE! This is exactly the kind of show that Winchester enjoys. When the lights came up at the end, the woman in front of me turned to her neighbour and said that the show was the “best thing she’d seen” – testament to a fantastic evening. I loved it.By Kevin Gover

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞Photos:Craig Robertson


Christmas

The Dean’s Christmas Message

Hello,

The Christmas story is one that changes our lives.

It arouses joy, wonder and hope for the future in equal measure: “Unto us a child is born”. It shapes our sensitivity to the poor and the marginalised: “Because there was no place for them in the inn”. It raises the question of a particular destiny belonging to the Christ-child with ‘Royal David’s City’, the Wise Men from far away and even a cosmic dimension with the star.

May your worship at the Cathedral this year help you to draw on the power of the Christmas story.

May your Christmas celebration bring a blessing to you, your family and all with whom you share it.”

Joking aside from the apparent annoyance from other cities about how we are snitching their customers, the Christmas Market within the grounds of Winchester cathedral reminds us once again that the Christmas season is here.

It means it’s time once again to wrap up warm, try the mulled wine and then not embarrass yourself by falling flat on our backs on the ice rink.

You wonder at the same time just why it is that your six-year-old can fly around the rink with no problem

Merry Christmaswhatsoever, while you cling on to the handrail for dear life, advancing one foot at a time – and neither foot wants to go in the same direction.

Continental-style Christmas markets are abound in towns and cities around the country, adding colour and spice to the run-up to the festive season.

But is there any city that does it better than our own?

Now in its seventh year, the market and ice rink in Winchester have developed from quite simple beginnings to a spectacular array of

Christmas chalets. 300,000 people visited last year. 300,000 people. That figure is, quite simply, astonishing.

But why does it work in Winchester and leave others irritated?

Those in charge at the Cathedral believe that since its launch in 2006, the Winchester market has always tried to do something a little bit different.

The market has an emphasis on quality and variety; it has also become renowned for having British crafts in a contemporary craft village setting.Words & Pictures Kevin Gover

A message at Christmas for all of the readers of Winchester Today from the Dean of Winchester Cathedral, the Very Reverend James Atwell:


Christmas

Gale-force winds and torrential rain had already seen many other events across the South and West called off. But the traditional lantern parade through the streets of Winchester went ahead – along with a few screams from the children as the winds did their level best to set the lanterns flying!

Hold On To Your Hats!

Even Ben and

Vivien Foster’s

snowman wants

to smile for the

camera!

are 29 candlelit carol concerts just in the city centre over the Christmas period. We sing the carols and we light the candles, but actually behind all the singing, there’s a chance to pause – I hope with some awe and some wonder.”

He pauses himself before talking about distractions: “It’s a time that can become very commercially driven. Sometimes I think Winchester is more interested in the footfall on the High Street than the quality of the human experience of its residents. But behind all the commercial activity you can unearth a yearning for something that is deeper than simply the gratification or entertainment in the present. Where do I really belong? Is there a story that is bigger than my own story that I can connect with? Is there meaning beyond what’s just in front of me? Ironically, that is actually the Christian message about Christmas; that God stepped in to share our life. In the midst of all the parties and celebrations I think there are real opportunities as the year draws to a close to say ‘what is it really all about’.”

ChristmasDECEMBER 2012 WINCHESTER TODAY 11

David Williams has more reason than most to remember Advent and the Christmas time of the year with some affection – because it’s at this time of year that he joined Christ Church in Winchester 11 years ago. He’s recently been made an Honorary Canon having been asked by the Dean and Bishop at Winchester Cathedral, so now has an extra reason for remembering!

David says Christmas is amazing: “It’s the one festival of the year when people can really focus – they do it in all kinds of ways and it’s a time of celebration and a time of party. It’s the time that people make a real effort to reconnect with the people that really matter – and the time to reconnect with relatives that perhaps you’re in danger of losing touch with. It’s the time that we do gather in our communities and in our homes, so I think the sheer sense of celebration is really good news.”

He looks at the list of what’s going on this Christmas. “There

It’s Christmas time – and a good reason to remember…

Where do I really belong? Is there a story here that is bigger than my

own story?

David says there’s more of a reason to connect with those who are lonely at Christmas: “Those who are estranged or separated from people they have shared their life with in the past – for whatever reason – feel that very acutely at this time of year. Whether it’s a Christmas meal put on specifically for those who are lonely, or just a general movement, I think households could look out beyond their immediate family. Who else can we invite to our celebration? Who else can we include? Who else can we invite in?”

For the long-term, David says he particularly wanted to make the Church committed to the well-being of the surrounding community: “I think there’s an ability to forgive – an opportunity for the community to be more generous, particularly towards those who don’t have a strong voice. The community becomes more generous; it’s about looking out for people who are around you.”

One of the benefits for David of having such a large congregation is that the church can have a broad appeal: “One of the things I am interested in is that a small child can come here and has a chance to grow spiritually. Equally though, a mature adult can experience the same – and so can a frail member of the community who perhaps is experiencing loneliness for the first time. Whatever their background, they have a chance to flourish.”

“ “

Christmas12 WINCHESTER TODAY DECEMBER 2012

Christmas viewing and listening

Radio 4’s Today Show Announce Guest Editors

Make the most of the current series of Merlin on BBC One as it reaches a spectacular conclusion this Christmas, as it will be the last. The epic family fantasy drama will bow out with a special two-part finale, as the unique re-telling of the Arthurian legend reaches its natural and dramatic end.

Merlin has been enthralling audiences on Saturday nights over last five years, consistently attracting an average audience of over six million viewers.

Co-creators and executive producers, Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy, confirmed the current series will be the last: “This is the series where the storylines truly reach their apex. We always felt the story of the legend was best told across five series, leading to a spectacular finale that draws on the best known elements of this much-loved story and brings to a conclusion

the battle for Camelot.”

Colin Morgan (Merlin) says he thinks the show has run its natural course: “The show has grown and grown each year and now we’ve arrived at its strongest point and we’ve achieved what we set out to do… I know this is the end, and I know this is goodbye, but thank you for being there on the journey with us because it has been a lot of fun!”

Bradley James (King Arthur) says the Merlin years have provided him with fond memories, great experi-ences and beloved friends: “All the while we were supported by a devoted fan base who made the show a unique, surreal and special experience. My words won’t do justice to the honour of being King Arthur so I shall just say that it has been an exceptional one and that knowing the show has been a part of so many people’s lives, has been humbling.”

BBC Radio 4’s Today has announced the five guest editors who will take over the programme this year between Christmas and New Year. Scientist Sir Paul Nurse, busi-

Merlin

photo: BBC

nesswoman Melinda Gates, journalist Dame Ann Leslie, writer and poet Benjamin Zephaniah (pictured) and comedian Al Murray will all be let loose at Broadcasting House between Thursday 27 December and Monday 1 January.

In his programme, Benjamin Zephaniah celebrates the UK’s range of accents and asks whether poetry has the power to steer young people away from trouble: “I want to mess around with the Today Programme in a nice way, a positive way. I want to bring new voices to the listeners, I want to bring new listeners to the programme. Most of all I want to impress my mum. She thinks I’m not working hard enough.”

Al Murray says he’s looking forward to guest editing the programme, even though it means he’ll have to get up early and listen to the first hour.

Sir Paul Nurse will talk to novelist Ian McEwan about how fiction tackles scientific fact and take John Humphrys on a tour of his laboratory in an attempt to explain why good science deserves good journalism.

Ann Leslie’s programme will explore whether the mobile phone holds the key to women’s emancipa-tion around the world and if faith can

survive war reporting.

Melinda Gates will talk to Warren Buffet about the fine art of philanthropy and profiles individual women across Africa, Europe and the Americas who she believes are changing the world for the better.

Today’s Editor, Ceri Thomas, says the guest editors have been respon-sible for some remarkable radio jour-nalism over the years.

“They often surprise us with their interests and ideas and this year’s line-up should be no exception. Once again, we have a fascinating group of individuals who will bring their own unique expertise to the programme.”

The guest editors take responsi-bility for around a third to half of the programme’s output, with the support of Today producers and reporters to bring their ideas to air.

The usual day and night editors are on hand to make sure that the material is newsworthy and meets the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines.

Previous guest editors have included Jarvis Cocker, Lord Coe, Professor Stephen Hawking, Zadie Smith, PD James, Bono, Yoko Ono, Dr Rowan Williams, David Hockney, Thom Yorke, Tracey Emin and Sir Richard Branson.

The Fifth Series is on throughout December on BBC One and BBC Three


Property

We are told that retailers in the UK are struggling and people are cutting back on spending as wage freezes and rapidly rising living costs bite into family budgets.

Yet it seems, at least in Winchester and across Hampshire, that there are plenty of people taking advantage of discounts on the high street to carry out renovations or repairs to their home.

Tradespeople across the county are being kept busy indeed, much to the frustration of some homeowners. The recent heavy rains and stormy

weather, which has wreaked havoc across the country have also no doubt added to the problem – with flood damage, leaking rooves, fallen trees and so forth.

“We are currently taking bookings for jobs in March”, one builder told Winchester Today. Others seem to feel that answering the phone at all, or returning messages, is pointless given the volume of work available.

Likewise, local hardware and homewares stores never seem short of customers roaming their aisles, and if

All change - Skips and scaffolding are common sights across Hampshire.

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Our Property Editor Adam Zuchetti asks:

“Where have all the builders gone?”

[email protected]

you’ve been to IKEA in Southampton recently, you’ll know not to hold your breath for car space.

As well as purchasing new furniture and materials, locals are disposing of plenty of old ones. The waste manage-ment centre at Bar End, for instance, is packed most weekends – even in spite of the recent downpours.

The risk, of course, is that home-owners attempt to take shortcuts in order to get the works completed sooner. This could be hiring someone unlicensed or without a solid reputa-tion, or potentially even carrying out the repairs themselves.

While there are many things you

yourself. For others, there may be the expectation of a sale at some point in the future, so the work needs to appeal to prospective purchasers too – or at least not act as a deterrent.

One final point to consider is insurance. If you are having work done to your property as the result of storm damage, check your insurance policy to see if you will be covered for the cost of repairs, and also for temporary accommodation should the repair works – or the damage – leave your property uninhabitable.

Do you want to feature your property? Have an issue to raise about property in your neighbourhood? Be Bold! Let us know! Email [email protected]

can do yourself to save time as well as money, such as painting, patching holes in walls, installing new floors and re-tiling, major building works, electrical repairs and significant plumbing works should always be carried out by a qualified contractor.

There are safety and legal issues you must adhere to when making such repairs or alterations, and you don’t want to be held liable should an unqualified contractor be injured while carrying out the work on your property.

You also need to think about the quality of workmanship. You might be planning to stay in the property forever, and want it looking good for

It is also inexpensive to use.

On arriving in the city centre you are greeted by beautiful buildings such as the Bolshoi Theatre which is the home of the Bolshoi Ballet. If you wish to see a performance it may be worth queuing up at the box office, as tickets are often cheaper than on the internet.

From there we made our way to Red Square passing a souvenir market selling everything from Russian army hats to Russian dolls. Do not be afraid to haggle for bargains but we found some better value souvenirs in the shops at the Metro stations so try there too.

Red Square is magnificent. On one side you have the large GUM depart-ment store which was rather empty; on the other you have the State Heritage Museum, on the other Lenin’s Tomb and then St Basil’s Cathedral. It marks the centre of the city and was built in the 16th century on the orders of Ivan the Terrible to commemorate the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan. The design has to be seen to be believed. It looks like something out of a fairy tale. The cathedral is majestic to look at. Its many colourful towers put Disney’s magic to shame. Inside you will find lots of small rooms and narrow chambers to explore.

A word of warning: Russia loves its national holidays and many of the

Escape!14 WINCHESTER TODAY DECEMBER 2012

Winchester Today’s Deputy Editor William Brougham flies East to discover the beautiful city of [email protected]

William Brougham continues his mini-tour of Russia by moving on from St Petersburg to the capital, Moscow:

We arrived at Moscow’s Leningradsky station in style aboard the Sapsan express train following a four hour, 800 kilometre journey from St Petersburg. Indeed the whole expe-rience certainly gave similar services such as Eurostar a run for its money. We enjoyed an affordable service, with free Wi-Fi, spacious and comfort-able seats, friendly and efficient staff and delicious food. The scare stories I had been given by various friends and acquaintances were just not adding up.

When we initially told people we were going to the Russian capital we encountered three main responses. The first was genuine interest, the second was “why would you go there?” and the third was shock. The latter two were the most common. We heard we would have problems arranging visas; it would only be a matter of time until our passports would be stolen or we would be pickpocketed by thieves or hassled by hostile police. None of it was to be true of course - or perhaps we just got lucky? Even the beggars were polite and left us alone once we politely declined their kind offers to offload our burden of money.

Everything went smoothly and I can honestly say I felt safer in Moscow than I have in many other European cities. There is also a large visible police presence which offers some reassurance and nobody caused us any difficulties. The only difficulty we had was with the language but that is not uncommon in Russia. It always helps if you learn a few basic words and even recognise a few symbols of the Russian alphabet. Some restaurants, for instance, will also have menus in English.

1 Have a list with the Russian alphabet and common words with you at all times, as it will be of great use.

2 Do not carry your passport around, but have a photocopy of your visa/photograph.

3 Try and organise most travel – including trains – ahead of your trip.

4 Most museums and cathedrals will charge a small extra fee for taking photos or videos. It is worth paying.

5 Make sure you take the good value and efficient Metro and enjoy the grand designs inside as you marvel at the many grand mosaics on the floors, walls and ceiling not to mention exquisite chandeliers. Some of the most beautiful stations include; Mayakovskaya, Elektrozavodskaya and Komsomolskaya.

6 Look around for souvenir bargains by avoiding some of the main markets. We found

excellently priced Russian dolls and other souvenirs in the subway and Metro shops.

7 Buy lots of hand painted miniature Russian dolls for friends and family. They are light, inexpensive and do not take up much room in your suit case.

8 Make sure you visit one of the city’s spectacular circuses such as the Old Moscow Circus - great fun for children and adults.

9 Moscow has many good restaurants. It has everything from Russian through to Italian and Japanese food. You can find many tasty and good value restaurants.The Moo Moo restaurant serves delicious Russian and Eastern European food at very affordable prices for instance.

10 Moscow enjoys its public holidays so make sure there are none when you are travel as many visitor attractions will be closed.

Escape: Top 10 Mocow Tips

Pictures by Rie Natalenko Centre, 14: St Basil’s Cathedral, Red Square Top Right, 14: Tzar Canon, Kremlin Top, 15: Statue of Marshall Georgy Zhukov outside the Red Square Lower, 15: Cathedral of the Assumption, Kremlin Main: Lenin’s Mausoleum

We navigated the Moscow Metro and made our way to our hotel about 15 minutes from the city centre. The Hotel Sovietsky has to be seen to be believed. This once glamorous hotel is situated in a less than glamorous suburb of the city. We had to walk across a rather shady park and under two underpasses to get there but we never felt unsafe. It was opened under the orders of Stalin and has appar-ently had many famous guests stay there or eat at its restaurant including King Juan Carlos of Spain, Margaret Thatcher and the best known of them all Chris de Burgh. I knew we were in good company.

The hotel is still grand but you can see it has had better days. It is like going into a Soviet era time warp; mazes of long corridors adorned with huge chandeliers. On one of the floors we found a grand piano without a player and on another a large aquarium. The walls are adorned with painting of previous heroes of Russian history such as Lenin and Stalin. The rooms are large with ever so slightly squeaky wooden floorboards and the smell of hardwood. And, quite possibly, the largest bedroom door I have ever seen.

However, what makes this hotel truly stand out is the breakfast. There are not many hotel restaurants where I have been for breakfast where you have a pianist or harpist who would not be out of place in the Royal Philharmonic performing for you. It has to be one of the tastiest breakfasts I have had - though a few of the dishes seemed out of place, though still delicious. I had one dish that I really enjoyed but tasted familiar. It took me three days for me to realise that it was rice pudding.

We took the metro to the city centre and that is an experience in itself. There are wonderfully grand and clean stations with mosaics and chandeliers. The trains are regular and run on time.

attractions close on these days. We had the misfortune of being there on National Women’s Day. One of those casualties was the Heritage Museum but I am assured that it is definitely worth a visit. The museum contains many exhibits from relics of the country’s prehistoric tribes to priceless artworks from the Romanov dynasty.

Lenin’s Mausoleum is a ‘must-do’ visit. Yes, there is a long queue - but there are not many places where you can see the preserved body of a former Russian leader. Just remember there is strictly no photography or filming and men must remove their hats. Oh yes, no hands in pockets or smoking either. Very important.

Moscow would not be Moscow without a visit to the Kremlin which is the historical complex next to the Red Square, and the pretty Alexander Gardens overlooking the Moskva River. Get there early to avoid the massive queues and make sure you deposit any bags or cameras with a long lens in the cloak room. One of the most popular attractions inside the Kremlin is the Armoury for which you will have to buy separate tickets. Here you will find lots of fascinating Russian treasures including a collec-tion of exquisite Faberge eggs.

The Kremlin is dominated by Cathedral Square which unsurpris-ingly includes three cathedrals. The Cathedral of the Dormition, for instance, was where many of the country’s monarchs were crowned and leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church were buried. As you leave the Kremlin, make sure you pay your respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Here you should be able to catch the impressive changing of the guard every hour.

I have already talked about the places to buy souvenirs but you will find many shopping centres to buy clothes, etc. They contained many grand stores though we found them largely empty. Prices are often rather expensive but there was one shopping centre that was busy and reasonable affordable and that was the Okhotny Ryad shopping mall on Manezhnaya Square. It is right next to the Kremlin and Red Square and you will find everything from clothes stores to elec-trical stores and restaurants.

Eating out is not a problem. You will find plenty of good restaurants and cafes. We also found a surprising number of excellent Sushi restaurants. Like many businesses in Moscow, we found that the restaurants employ a rather large amount of staff in compar-ison to the number of people eating in them. In one Italian restaurant we found three people were employed just to take our coat. Muscovite staff are rather serious and not exactly a

Winchester Today’s Music Editor Rebecca Rayner meets:

Gavin Butler of ‘The Blackout’

South Wales nu-metal band ‘The Blackout’ have been prominent players and long-time favourites in the UK rock scene since their formation in 2003.

Whether it’s their catchy guitar riffs or the perfect balance of Gavin Butler’s angelic vocals and Sean Smith’s spine-tingling screaming there is something magical about what the music they create. Their new material is no exception.

Their fourth studio album, ‘Start The Party’ is

due for release in January with singles ‘Start the Party’ and ‘Running Scared’ already released and favoured by Radio One DJ’s such as Fearne Cotton.

I caught up with lead singer, Gavin Butler, at their Bournemouth show which was part of their pre-party tour, giving fans the opportunity to see them before their new album tour kicks off next year.

“It’s all about partying,” says Gavin when asked about the new upcoming album ‘Start the Party’: “It’s basically the same song repeated 11 times!” By the sounds of it he couldn’t have been more sarcastic. The first single of the album, also named ‘Start the Party’ is loud, it’s full of energy, it screams every ounce “party till you die” with lyrics including “don’t stop - you can sleep when you’re dead” summing up the song perfectly.

In complete comparison to this is the new single ‘Running Scared’ which could easily be the theme tune of a 1970s cop drama. For the most part, Sean Smith swaps his trade mark husky screams for melodic vocals which perfectly complements Butler’s choirboy-like voice. The question is: why has the band decided to write an album about partying? “We’d come back off our ‘Hope’ tour on a high, we enjoyed ourselves and literally spent most of it partying, so that shaped what we ended up doing for the record.” So are ’The Blackout’ complete party animals? You would think so, watching their new music videos set in Ibiza but the answer is in fact no. “It’s all a mask, we don’t really party, we’re all just sitting around drinking cups of tea.”

So what was the idea behind holding the pre-party tour? “Basically Christmas is coming up and we’re all skint!” jokes Gavin. But the real reason is that the album was set to come out in November so they had dates pencilled in already. Due to setbacks every-thing got pushed back to the other side of

Christmas so the band decided that instead of sitting back and doing nothing they would have a small UK pre-album tour.

‘The Blackout’ pride themselves on being a great live band, so it means a lot to them to play to a crowd of people; it’s part of who they are as people. “The last show we played before this tour was Reading and Leeds Festival so it’s been a while. I’ve gone slowly insane just sitting around the house doing nothing.” The Blackout has also lined up a string of DJ sets in clubs up and down the country including a date at Southampton club ‘Unit’.

Renowned as having a good sense of humour I decided to ask Gavin a few questions verging on the more ridiculous side. Noticing the band, in particularly him, had a huge love of cats I asked him if he would say he was obsessed with the furry animals? “I wouldn’t say obsessed... mildly interested,” he said with a cheeky grin on his face. Tell me your funniest joke? “Two fish in a tank, one fish says to the other how the hell do you drive this thing?” A moment of awkward laughter follows.

Knowing how much the band like zombies, I asked what his plan would be in case of a zombie apocalypse. Sounding glad the question came up, he revealed to me their plan: “We’ve got this nailed down; we’ve had this conversation during our long hours driving in the van.” He proceeded to tell me about an island in a reservation in Merthyr which was bordered up where they would hide out. They would go to a super market to gather supplies then go to a local farm to steal some guns then go and live on the island until it all blows over.

Being in a band always up for a laugh must bring many a special moment over the years. I asked Gavin what moment stands out for him as being the best part of The Blackout’s journey: “It’s hard to narrow it down to one thing really. If it were just one thing it wouldn’t be a moment - it would be the fact that we’re still making music.”

Well, they’ve been around for nine years now, and instead of fading away like other bands they have known they seem to be more prominent than ever before.

Tickets for the ‘Start the Party’ Tour are on sale now.

Become a “friend”

Enjoy benefits including 5% off drinks and food and personal

invitations to events.

Great coffee - snacks wines and beers

Spaces for hire for your meeting or party

Cutting-edge exhibitions downstairs in the Jewry St Gallery


Turn it Up!

barrel of laughs but they are very efficient. Sometimes too efficient. We found that within five seconds of finishing a course our plate would be taken. In our hotel restaurant, staff would try and collect our plate every time we would put our knife and fork down. It can feel like you are being watched and the staff want to be seen to be busy but after a while you just have to turn a blind eye to it even if at one point I found myself snatching my plate out of an overly eager staff member’s hand.

There are a few things I would defi-nitely recommend you do. The first is to try and see the Bolshoi Ballet in its home theatre. The second is to watch a traditional Russian circus. We attended a show at the Old Moscow Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard and it was truly spectacular. We have never seen a performance like it and despite my mixed feelings of animals performing in circuses it was quite amazing seeing the tricks that the likes of the lions, chimpanzees and bears performed. It put this year’s Britain’s Got Talent winning dog act in the shade. The clowns were pretty impressive too. From talented pianists at breakfast to breathtaking clowns it seems that Moscow does nothing in moderation.

It was certainly one of the most enjoyable trips that I have experienced and one that I suggest you combine with a visit to another Russian such as St Petersburg (you can check out our visit to St Petersburg at issuu.com/winchestertoday/docs/november2012). Spend three or four days in each and you will have an extraordinary and unforgettable break. I can’t wait to go back.

William flew Rossiya Airlines to St Petersburg from Gatwick (£178 appx) and Aeroflot from Moscow to London Heathrow (£208 appx).The Express train tickets from St Petersburg to Moscow are 78 x 2 = £156.Transfer from hotel in Moscow to the airport is £50Sovietsky Historical Hotel: From £121 per night for a standard twin.

Photo: Robert Graver

Letters to the Editor16 WINCHESTER TODAY DECEMBER 2012

Allbrook Good Companions Club (Eastleigh)St Peter’s Church Hall, Shakespeare Road, Boyatt Wood, Eastleigh SO50 4FP2nd & 4th Tuesdays, 2pm-4pm

Badger Farm Friendly Club (Winchester)Badger Farm Community Centre, Badger Farm Road, Winchester SO22 4QBAlternate Thursdays, 2pm-4pm

Romsey CompanionsCrosfield Hall, Broadwater Road, Romsey SO51 8GLAlternate Mondays, 1.30pm–3.30pm

Romsey Tuesday LuncheonAge Concern Centre, 24 Linden Road, Romsey SO51 8DBEvery Tuesday, term time, 11.30am-1pm

Weeke Gaiety (Winchester)St Barnabas Church, Fromond Road, Weeke, Winchester SO22 6DYAlternate Fridays, 2pm-4pm

Would you like to join a friendship club for people in the South?Brendoncare Clubs are devoted to giving older people the opportunity to meet new friends, take part in activities and enjoy club outings. Here are the clubs running in your area. Why not come along and try out one of the activities and see how you can become a member....we’d love to welcome you there.

If you enjoy meeting new people and would like to know more about joining as a member or helping as a volunteer, we look forward to hearing from you. For more information, please contact Norma, Clubs Administrator on 01962 852133 or visit www.brendoncare.org.uk

Registered Charity No: 10913454

We really enjoy our weekly meetings, this club is great and we thank Brendoncare for making it possible.Margaret Townsend

Letters to the Editor

I have really enjoyed reading through the November copy

of Winchester Today. It really has achieved a very personal

feel.

I have earmarked the St Petersburg article for my husband

who visited St Petersburg and watched the filming of a

tv programme that he wrote starring Brian Cox called

‘Grushko’ - a few years ago now!

For my son, the article on ‘Skyfall’ which he is watching

tonight in Leicester Square with Q and A with the director

afterwards!

Very pertinent articles!

Regarding Barton Farm, it puts me in mind of the Trump

documentary about the coast of Scotland. Barton Farm

may not be in the same rare category status but local people

have said ‘no’, but have still been ignored by outside, more

powerful forces that care nothing for local opinion.

What is the point of setting up local councils if we really

have no say!

Really enjoyable read! Many thanks to you all!

Mandy Mukherjee.

Proof that we had some beautiful autumn days – with the colours pictured here outside the Trout Fishery in Kings Worthy on a glorious November morning.

Hi Kevin,Just wanted to say thank you for

the article about ‘City links with Uganda’ in the current edition. I organised the expedition so I have distributed copies of the newspaper to the students and they are thrilled to see themselves in the press.Many thanks,Lauren

Lauren LewisHead of Geography,Peter Symonds College


Answers to St.Cross-word 003:Across: 2.australia 8.loofah 9.litmus 10.state 11.nosey 13.odd 15.pop 19.curse 20.cabin 22.rustic 24.drapes 25.wisconsin Down: 1.pullman 3.unfeted 4.tahiti 5.able 6.arm 7.sassy 11.nip 12.sip 13.oar 14.due 16.origami 17.ulysses 18.warden 19.cargo 21.ac dc 23.sew

The new ‘Prize Crossword’ will return after the Christmas break!

Classifieds18 WINCHESTER TODAY DECEMBER 2012

Classifieds

SudokuDifficulty: Medium Hard

Classifieds

In Town?Want to place a classi-

fied ad in the next issue of Winchester Today?

Easy!Just drop in to see our

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Mail Boxes Etc at 80 High Street

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Book a classified ad by downloading the form from winchestertoday.co.uk!

Help us with your time, skills and

friendship

To find out more about volunteering please contact

Volunteering Manager Julie Lamont on 01962 857097 or visit www.brendoncare.org.uk

Registered charity number: 326508

Buy a coffee and get one free!

(so drink 2 - or come with a friend!)

2 De Lunn Buildings - opp Theatre Royal

onLY WItH orIgInaL of tHIS ad

Becky’s Jewellery BoxHandmade quirky jewellery. Love

sweets, you’ll love what we make! Jammie Dodger necklaces, Oreo

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Visit the refurbished Trout at Itchen Abbas

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Bit at the Back

Interested in becoming a sport contributor? Drop us a line to [email protected]

Bit at the BackThe reader-requested section featuring a look back at the forgotten past

Here’s the part of the paper where we re-discover the vinyl that’s stuck in a box upstairs in your attic when it should be being played at full volume in all its glorious sound on your turntable.

This month we go back to the Autumn of 1980 and Kate Bush’s first no.1 album – and indeed the first by any solo female UK artist to top the charts – Never For Ever.

THE DISC: Never For Ever

By Kevin [email protected]

Welcome to the Bit at the Back - notes and memories for boys and girls of a ‘certain age’. I hope that some of you will go “wow” when you see what I have in store here over the next few editions. If not… well, you’re probably not of that ‘certain age’. Nevertheless, you may want to bear with those of us who are – and discover what we are re-discovering! If indeed your memory has been stirred, please do get in contact and tell us what you think.

Book of the MonthThe Small Car Handbook (1921)

This gem was discovered at Stokes in Stockbridge whilst we were working on another feature. You will know that Stokes used to be a garage before it became a café and restaurant. Lots of car manuals and books now make up part of the décor – including this one.

The Small Car Handbook looked at cars, parts and the cost of motoring after the Great War – and indeed how

difficult it was to travel abroad. France, Italy and Spain are all mentioned as being places where petrol was ‘scarce’ and dear. France particularly had problems with the quality of roads because of the War.

Car adverts include the Zebre and the AC Light Car (pictured). It’s a fascinating read of a life long gone but fondly remembered.

RELEASED: 1980 on EMITHE DEAL: Recorded between

Autumn 1979 and June 1980 with 3 successful singles. Certified Gold. One of the first albums to feature the now-vintage digital sampling synthe-sizer ‘Fairlight CMI’.FEATURES: Babooshka, Army

Dreamers and Breathing.WHY: Bizarre art judged as the

best album cover of 1980 by Record Mirror, beautiful stereo sound, impec-cable production after the best part of 10 months and 33 musicians.WHY NOT: Bizarre art… FOUR

pictures of Kate as a bat on the back?!

Box in the Attic

First year Sports students at the University of Winchester have been able to hear first-hand about the athlete experience of coaching from England Rugby International Emma Croker.

Emma took time out of her busy

training schedule ahead of the International Series to reflect upon her experiences - both good and bad - and to talk about her career.

Richard Cheetham is the programme

leader in sports coaching and devel-opment and an experienced coach educator for both London South and Hampshire Rugby Football Union. He says visits from people like Emma really do enrich sport teaching at Winchester: “Students are able to hear real life stories from elite athletes, helping to bring to life their studies about current methodologies and practices within sport.”

During the visit Emma outlined

the highpoints of her career. These include scoring a try at Twickenham to achieve Sevens’ victory over New Zealand, along with the 2010 World Cup final. She also talked about tours to Canada, Madrid, Dubai, San Diego and Amsterdam on England duty.

Sp

ort

Emma Croker Visits Students

Sport20 WINCHESTER TODAY DECEMBER 2012

Inside: Classifieds, Christmas Specials, News & More

Symondians Are Here

Hampshire’s newest rugby club gets off the mark

Symondians Rugby Club was offi-cially launched at Newbury Rugby Club on 14th November, following the Peter Symonds 3rd round Daily Mail cup match against Portsmouth Grammar School. Having received the green light from Hampshire RFU in mid October, the founding members are hopeful that over the next seven years the club can establish itself by providing playing and development opportunities, as well as, a little extra competition across the County.

Whilst there is an inevitable link to Peter Symonds College,

Symondians is not an exclusive “Old Boys” side and all players, whatever their playing back-ground, will be warmly welcomed. However, the club intends to work closely with and provide support to the highly successful college sides. Symondians will play some friendly and charity matches, whilst the medium and longer-term develop-ment plans are devised.

Founder member and club Chairman Allan Farrington says the College has around 90 players actively involved in rugby: “Often, less than half of these players continue in Rugby after College or University. The Symondians Rugby Club was conceived to try and

reach out to those who drop out of rugby, by offering a totally different approach to that of traditional rugby clubs, and understanding the requirements and constraints of such players.

The club’s aim is to develop a culture that promotes a competitive and fun environment where players can experience the challenges that rugby offers, in a way that is suited to them.”

Symondians Rugby Club feel that these are exciting times. With the Under 21 team winning a National Tournament (Cronk Cunis) at the first attempt and with tours planned to the Netherlands in 2013, as well as an ambitious tour to Australia

in 2014, there is already growing momentum behind the aims of the club.

The club would like to thank the college, Hampshire RFU and club and team sponsors - Universal Marine Medical and Kiwi Fencing Ltd - for their support in getting them off the ground.

--

For further information and if you are interested in playing for Symondians or involving yourself in any other way with the club please contact [email protected] or go to www.symondiansrugby.com

This Issue:

Bit at the Back

Box In The Attic:Kate Bush

Book of the Month

Just turn the page!

Continues!

Documents

Winchester Today December 2012