Winchester Today - March 2014

March 2014 FREE… and not forgetting Cheriton, Romsey, Stockbridge, Hursley, Kings Worthy, Littleton,

Alresford, Chandler’s Ford, Micheldever, Bishop’s Waltham, and everywhere in between!

Monthly • Issue 012 winchestertoday.co.uk @winchestertoday

Inside

Escape: Paris with a difference... Page 12

Budding sports journalists from Peter Symonds share their skills Back Page

Gospel Choir to leave legacy in Winchester Page 15 EXCLUSIVE

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

Sunshine After The Rain?

MP chairs two vital post-flood meetings

By News Editor Kevin [email protected]

Following the worst winter on record, Winchester’s MP Steve Brine has held post-flood meetings with local constituents and experts to see how flooding could be prevented here in the future.

Steve told Winchester Today that residents have not only asked for help in fighting what was happening in February - but that they also needed reassurance: “They’ve also been looking to the future and asking what can be done to prevent it happening again. I will take what they’ve said back to the

councils and to government and see if we need any investment, where it needs to go and how much I need to fight for that money for our constituency.”

On their second set of visits to the rural parishes of the Winchester District to view the impact of the floods, the Mayor and Mayoress of Winchester paid tribute to the contribution of the armed forces.

Cllr and Mrs Ernie Jeffs were escorted on a five-hour trip to Twyford and Hambledon by the Deputy Leader of the Council, Cllr Rob Humby. Together, they viewed houses damaged by water and sewage and businesses which had seen regular trade fall by up to 50%.

Councillor Humby told Winchester Today that he was moved by what he witnessed:

“We see flood pictures on the television so regularly now that it’s easy to feel they are part and parcel of everyday life. But for those who have to deal with the aftermath of flooding, we are talking about months of cleaning up, insurance claims and redecorating. And on top of all that, there’s the emotional strain – worrying about money, about health and about whether this will all happen again in a few months’ time. I felt quite emotional by the end of the visit.”

Cllr Jeffs says he’s deeply impressed by the rallying-round:

“At a time when local people were beginning to feel really exhausted by the continued physical and emotional effort of fighting the floodwater, the armed forces have played a vital role in sustaining morale and confidence.

“The Winchester District has been extremely fortunate in having help from a number of regiments, working on innovative major projects like the Easton river barrier and also essential local activities such as manning the pumps overnight in Hambledon.

They have been well co-ordinated, genuinely keen to help and delightful additions to the local community. I would like to thank all those who have been involved.”

And at least somebody enjoyed the floods...

Main photo of daffodils struggling through in Hyde by Joe Low.

Photo of Lisa Faye and her dog Sam in Sutton Scotney by Matt Todd.

2 WINCHESTER TODAY MARCH 2014

The Salisbury International Arts Festival will be looking north in 2014 for its first year under new festival director Toby Smith.

There'll be an emphasis on Nordic lands of the midnight sun, exploring the tensions between light and dark, city and nature, land and sea in a region of contrasts where the endless darkness of winter gives way to a summer of constant daylight.

Some of the finest artists from the Nordic region will bring poetry, music, dance, photography, film and folk to the Festival, work is that is beautiful, expressive and quirky by turn.

The Festival opens in spectacular style with a Festival commission for a massed male chorus, Voices From No Man’s Land. More than 100 male voices will mark the centenary of the Christmas Truce between soldiers in World War One, in a special installation in the Cathedral Cloisters.

Close Encounters on the opening Saturday of the Festival (24 May), will continue the Festival celebrations. The day will feature free entertainment for all in Salisbury Cathedral Close, including the classic Festival Playday, a wide variety of new, world-class street theatre and installations, diverse food stalls and more.

The Fireworks will take place in the evening. The ever-popular Salisbury Live will host local bands in pubs throughout the city.

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Welcome

Letter from the editor

FlowersSpring moods are with us, even

if snow will continue to linger for another two months in other lands. Someone who has got in contact with Winchester Today is Elena Osokina who lives in the centre of Russia, in Bashkiria near the Ural Mountains.

She says it resembles a small Switzerland and is very beautiful.

Elena loves to paint flowers and hopes you enjoy this contribution!

The Big ReturnBy the time you read this, the pupils

of St Bede's Primary School will be back behind their own desks earlier than anticipated after problems caused by the flooding.

In early February, a decision was made by the County Council and the head teacher to part-close the school as a significant proportion of the drains were full of floodwater and the playgrounds were not safe for children to use.

As a result, many of the toilets were not functioning and some of the emergency escape routes were compromised by the flood water.

Hampshire County Council worked closely with the head teacher and staff at the school to minimise disruption to the pupils’ education, and plans started immediately for around 330 children from Reception to Year 4 to relocate to temporary classrooms sited at Henry Beaufort Secondary School.

While the temporary classrooms were being set up, The Westgate School provided temporary teaching accommodation for Year 3 and 4 pupils and Kings’ School provided classrooms for Year 2 pupils. Generous offers of help were also made by Winnall Primary School, Winchester Discovery Centre and Winchester Area Community Action.

Councillor Peter Edgar is Hampshire County Council’s Executive Member for Education: "I'm extremely pleased that we are able to re-open the school sooner than anticipated, which will allow the children to return to their education as normal.

“We are happy with our decision to create temporary classrooms at Henry Beaufort Secondary School as it was the right thing to do given the uncertainty of the situation at St Bedes. These classrooms will be kept for the foreseeable future in case the exceptional wet weather returns and flood waters rise again.

"The head teacher and staff at St Bede have been working extremely hard in difficult circumstances and are to be commended for their commitment and resolve. Importantly, the children deserve praise too for the way they have coped remarkably well.

"I would like to once again thank everyone involved, especially the head teachers at Henry Beaufort Secondary School, The Westgate School and Kings’ School for their co-operation and agreement to provide temporary teaching accommodation.

“I would also like to thank the County Council’s contractors and removers who stepped in at short notice to make all the emergency arrangements possible. They have worked tirelessly with us and the school to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the children is

maintained.”

Louise Fitzpatrick is Head Teacher at St Bede and says it's good to be back: I am delighted that we are able to re-open the school sooner than expected. Our priority during the floods has been to maintain the children’s education with as little interruption as possible, while ensuring their health and wellbeing.

“I am very grateful to the County Council, Henry Beaufort School, The Westgate School and Kings’ School for coming to our aid, as well as to the staff and parents who have been so supportive during this challenging time."

Following the foods in 2000, Hampshire County Council invested around £2 million to refurbish St Bede School and, in particular, raise the floor level sufficiently to protect the building from future flood damage.

In spite of the unprecedented volumes of rainfall, rising ground water and river levels, the school buildings have remained dry.

A charity golf day is taking place at Bramshaw Golf Club, Brook just off the M27 on Friday 9th May 2014 in aid of a local children's cancer charity, The Joe Glover Trust.

The Trust was formed in 2007 following the death of 8 year old Joe Glover to Non Hodgkins Lymphoma. The Joe Glover Trust gives grants to help relieve some of the financial pressures families are facing when a child is diagnosed

with cancer.

Teams are being invited to sign up for the event, which will begin with a shotgun start. After 18 holes of golf, teams will enjoy a two-course lunch and prize-giving ceremony.

Entry for each team of four is £260. For information or to book a team call Victoria Stevens on 07745708152 or [email protected]

The letter is very short this month, and hopefully to the point.

Some years ago, tankers which had long pipes attached to them used to come round every few weeks and unblock the drains. Not once a year if we're lucky... every few weeks.

This drain (pictured) in Winchester is blocked. Rainwater runs straight over it. Others nearby are the same.

Houses further down the road

are flooded. It's not rocket science.

Unless I'm missing something...

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MARCH 2014 WINCHESTER TODAY 3

Jail For Chandler's Ford Bank Robbers

Four men from the London and Kent area have been sentenced to a total of 23 years imprisonment by Winchester Crown Court for their roles in a conspiracy to rob security staff outside banks across the South of England.

Two of the men had been members of a gang who went to prison after attacking guards at exactly the same locations just five years earlier. During the last of those attacks, at Chandler’s Ford in September 2007, another two of the robbers had been shot dead by police.

The four were convicted of conspiracy to rob G4S guards including the Robbery at HSBC, Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire, on 24 November, 2011.

A total of £100,000 cash was stolen and no money has so far been recovered.

The sentences ranged between five and six-and-a-half years, and took

into account time they had already spent on remand in custody awaiting trial and sentencing.

Two were served with Serious Crime Prevention Orders which restrict their access to phones, computers and other communications devices, and vehicles, and require notification to police of their whereabouts once released.

The charges were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service, and followed a protracted investigation led by the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit.

SEROCU is based in Sussex, and comprises police officers and staff from the forces of Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, and Thames Valley and works in conjunction with UK Border Agency, HM Revenue and Customs, and the National Crime Agency (NCA) to combat cross-border organised crime.

SEROCU officers, with extensive and armed support from NCA officers, worked closely with forces in the areas involved to investigate the attacks and after intensive enquiries over several months caught three

of the men as they lay in wait for a security van in Gloucester in April 2012.

Detective Superintendent Steve Black says that by working with the Metropolitan Police Flying Squad and police forces across the region they identified the pattern of these robberies: “ It became clear that the same locations were being targeted. However the ones involved this time were only six amongst 18 across the whole of the south of England which had been attacked in 2006/7.

“Our operation therefore also had to spread across Suffolk, London, Wiltshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex and Leicestershire, and involved many long days of patient intelligence gathering and assessment to ensure public safety.

“In the previous series the robbers had used firearms so we had to be prepared for that eventuality too, and the NCA firearms teams were a vital part of the operation. This time round the robbers did not carry weapons but that was not clear until they were arrested.

“But they were also ruthless in their

assaults on the guards, putting them and bystanders in great fear. One elderly man who bravely intervened with his walking stick in the Bath incident was pushed to the ground by one of the attackers, thankfully sustaining only minor head injuries.

“However thanks to the co-operation of G4S, forces in Avon & Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire and Thames Valley and elsewhere, and the NCA, we were able to bring the series to an abrupt halt without any other injury. This was an excellent example of police cross-border co-operation in very testing circumstances and we are grateful to all involved for their support.

“I would also like to give credit to the work of the Senior Investigating Officer and team for bringing these offenders to justice.”

[email protected] News

Ever considered fostering… but thought you wouldn’t qualify?

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Time To ReviewResidents in Bishops Waltham are being

urged to review their home security after a number of burglaries and incidents.

In the first, an attempt was made to gain access to a house on Cranford Close in Shedfield while the occupant was away. No entry was gained.

Then, items of jewellery including a gold charm bracelet and gold rings along with a set of car keys were stolen from an address on Winchester Road in Waltham Chase shortly after.

Damage was caused to a house on Merlin Close in Bishops Waltham after entry was forced to the property. The offenders left empty handed.

An attempt was also made to gain entry into a house on Chase Grove in Waltham Chase.

Inspector Jon Turton says we should all keep an eye on things: “This is a very safe area in which to live but I would urge residents not to be complacent.

"Please follow our crime prevention tips to ensure your home and outbuildings are as secure as they can be and keep an eye on your neighbour’s properties.

“If you spot anything suspicious in the area report it to the police."

So, bearing Jon words in mind, here's some crime prevention advice – for free!

Shut all windows and lock them when you are not using the room, at night and when you leave your property

Lock all front and rear doors at night and when you are out. If you have a UPVC door with a multi-point lock ensure you lift the handle and lock it with the key.

Put all car keys and other keys out of sight and not in reach of windows and letterboxes. It doesn't take much for the keys to be hooked through the letterbox.

Leave a light on so your home looks occupied if you are going out for the evening. If you head out while it is still daylight and won't be back till after dark then a timer switches (available from most DIY stores) can be useful in turning your lights, radios and other appliances on at a set time before you get back.

Ensure side gates are locked to prevent access to the rear of the property.

Place all tools and garden equipment in locked sheds and garages..

Have an intruder alarm system installed by an approved contractor. Ensure a visible alarm box is attached to the outside of your home. Also consider fitting security lighting.

Use door chains and spyholes to give you extra security if someone knocks on your door. Never be afraid to turn people away. If you have concerns about anyone who has come to your door call the police.

If you are going away from your property for an extended period, try to make your home look occupied - cancel deliveries, get a friend or neighbour to collect your post and draw your curtains and use timer switches to turn the lights on in the evening, move valuables such as laptops, games consoles etc out of view.

Hampshire Housing Associations step in to offer pay day loan alternatives

Three Hampshire based housing associations have hooked up to give their customers on low incomes a different approach to door step lenders and pay day loans.

First Wessex, Radian and Sentinel Housing Association have joined forces with My Home Finance – a not for profit social business offering loans and related services to people excluded by traditional high street lenders.

Sentinel’s operations director Julian Chun, explains why they wanted to tackle this issue together: "It gives us more clout and it’s great news for our customers. Nationally payday loan companies issue around 10,500 short term loans a day - charging sky high interest rates with an average APR of 272% rising to as much as 5000%. There’s never been a greater need for a responsible alternative.”

First Wessex Director of Operations, Carol Williams, says it was important to do something: “We know from working with our customers that people often don’t realise the cost of the money that they’re borrowing or feel that they don’t have any other choice.

"This new initiative will offer a safer alternative to door-step lenders with more affordable repayments alongside offering other valuable help with finances, such as bank accounts and budgeting.“

My Home Finance typically charge an APR of 69.5% and work with customers to make sure they can afford the repayments without having to rob Peter to pay Paul. They don’t exclude people who are unemployed or on benefits even if they have a poor credit history.

Helen’s a Sentinel customer and explains how she’s been affected:” I know from personal experience how easy it is to borrow money from doorstep lenders and for it to get out of control. I had no idea what I was letting myself in for when I took out my first loan.

"I thought I could easily afford the weekly repayments so I didn’t check the APR at the time. I couldn’t believe they were charging me a whopping 399%".

Customers of First Wessex, Radian and Sentinel can apply on 0845 094 3259 - or for more information check out www.myhomefinance.org.uk


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What Future Awaits Winchester's NHS?Winchester & Chandler’s Ford

MP Steve Brine will chair a meeting this month which will give people a chance to learn more about possible changes to the NHS locally. The meeting was originally set for February, but had to be postponed due to the flooding. It will now be held on the evening of Thursday 27th March.

Proposals currently being discussed could see major service changes at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester and a new acute hospital built between the city and Basingstoke. Last month, lead GPs and managers from Hampshire Hospitals Foundation Trust (HHFT) outlined their plans ahead of a possible formal consultation this Spring.

Steve says no-one should be in any doubt as to his commitment: “I am a passionate supporter of the NHS but we should be honest in saying it is far from perfect, locally as well as nationally, and I think we will need to change things sooner or later to make it a world-class public service for the long-term

that delivers better outcomes when we fall ill.

“The clinicians have come forward with these plans so we must hear their rationale and have the opportunity to be fully informed as the future of stroke, emergency and especially maternity services are discussed.

"Despite spending more time trying to understand the huge complexities of modern acute medicine than anything else in recent years it is still the subject which worries me most and I know many people share my anxiety. I hope this meeting will allow the clinical case to be put and give my constituents the chance to put their questions.”

Clinicians and managers from HHFT will be attending as well as leading GPs from the West Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group.

Steve Brine’s ASKtheNHS meeting will be held in Winchester on Thursday 27th March 2014. The event is free but you must register to ensure a safe event via [email protected] or by calling 01962 791110

New Boss At Chamber

Stewart Dunn's become the new CEO of Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, following the announcement earlier this year that Jimmy Chestnutt was stepping down to take retirement after being in position for nine years.

Stewart says he's really pleased to be taking up the role: "It's a very exciting time for the organisation as Government recognises, through the Heseltine report, that the Chamber is the first choice for helping to deliver business growth for the region.”

Outgo ing CEO J immy Chestnutt says he ful ly

supports the appointment: "Stewart will bring a wealth of business and media experience to the Chamber which will be invaluable in supporting the Chamber’s initiatives for business growth in the months ahead.”

Stewart is well known to the Chamber having been a former President of Southampton and Fareham and a director of Hampshire Chamber. He was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2011 by Southampton Solent University for his contribution to the media industry.

Hampshire Chamber of Commerce is one of the largest regional business networks in the UK.

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2014 Floods: For The Recorda look at what happened, with your pictures and our own...

As we write these words well into the first week of March, well after the flood crisis was stood down, the rain is still pouring. Many are wondering if the floods will return. Or when.

The water under the temporary ramp on Andover Road is still there. So are the sandbags.

For the record, here are some words and images in a four-page special to show just how bad it got in Water Lane, Park Avenue and round the back of Bishop's Palace.

Hampshire County Council bolstered its frontline response with staff even being moved from their normal day jobs to provide additional capacity.

Pictures from: Kevin Gover, Steve Brine, Environment Agency, David Cradduck.


2014 Floods: For The Record It wasn't just Winchester that took the force of the Itchen, as these pictures left and below from David Cradduck show in Cheriton. The source is only half a mile or so away on the Kilmeston road. The river splits in two through the village. One half runs through the green, the other half in front of David's house. The latter was the part that burst its banks in places.


2014 Floods: For The RecordDavid says that just as important was the fact that the ground water level was so high that it's came up through the ground. The field behind the church is nowhere near the river but all the water off the fields near the pub settled at the lowest point, creating a lake across the field. Right and below: cycling is the only way through to The Weirs, sandbags at Park Avenue, diverting the river, a new route north of Andover Road.


One man that this newspaper would like to single out for being in the right place at the right time is our local MP. Whatever your politics, you cannot deny that Steve Brine showed himself to be a shining example of what to do in a crisis.

He listened, he cajoled, he appeared live on Sky News in a lengthy interview and told the country what we were facing.

We know that Steve spoke passionately in the House on Wednesday 26th February, as he in turn praised the work of so many constituents, and warned the crisis on the ground is far from over.

Speaking of the inevitable comparisons with the 2000/2001 floods, Steve gave the House a full and frank account of the situation faced by residents in Kings Worthy, Headbourne Worthy, Sutton Scotney, Hursley, Littleton, the city centre and Twyford.

He also praised the ‘phenomenal’ work of members of the community, including David Sullivan and Angela Forder-Stent of Twyford parish council and the rest of the team, parish clerk Sue Hedges and Cllr Stephen Godfrey in Sutton Scotney, and Harry Whorwood and Giles Vigor-Robertson in Headbourne Worthy, who he said had basically given up work over the past few weeks to protect their communities.

Steve told the House why he was name-checking those people and talking about their community spirit: "Because it shows the response that communities can give to the devastation that flooding can bring, which many Members have described.

"The stoicism and pragmatism that I have seen have been remarkable. From the constituents I have met over recent days, I would say that the older they are, the greater their stoicism and pragmatism is, because they have seen it all before.”

Steve went on to discuss the multi-agency approach in Winchester, and the excellent work of Winchester City Council, Hampshire County Council, and even the Army.

While the boss of the Environment Agency bore the brunt of the anger from the media and locals elsewhere in the country, Steve singled out the LOCAL Environment Agency: “Mike O’Neill deserves a mention. He even went door-to-door with me in parts of central Winchester to talk to and reassure residents. He deserves

great credit for that.

“At one point, water was flowing down the appropriately named Water Lane in Winchester, which the River Itchen runs past, at 12,000 litres per second—very fast—towards the ancient city mill. That was terrifying for residents.

"However, the multi-agency working and the good thinking of the Environment Agency prevented flooding in hundreds of homes. It deserves our thanks. The agencies have played a bad hand very well.”

He went on to describe the huge ‘roll of the dice’ in the lowering of several hundred 1-tonne bags of gravel into the River Itchen from the

bridge of the M3 motorway to restrict its flow, which slowed the Itchen, flooded upstream farmland in Easton and saved Winchester, a process that had never been done before.

In closing remarks, he expressed his concern

about the bids that the Environment Agency has asked Hampshire county council, as the risk management authority in the area, to put together for the six-year plan for 2015-16 to 2020-21, and in particular the feeling that this was far too rushed, and was putting the council under incredible pressure: “We need time to get this right. Of course we do not need to drag it out through the whole year until next winter comes around quickly and we are back in this situation again.

"However, my constituents want to know that proposals that miss the deadline because of proper consideration of what we need following the floods will not miss the boat, and that we will not be told that they have missed out as a result.”

As we move into the recovery stage, Steve says he will be speaking to the heads of all the agencies involved, as well as parish and district councillors.

Steve is very keen to collect as much feedback from local people as possible. Tell Steve your story, and give him your thoughts, via [email protected]

In praise of...

Below: The Royal Signals dropping off a quantity of 1000 sandbags on Lovedon Lane, just outside the King Charles pub in Kings Worthy


"Simply Stunning" says our reviewer David Cradduck:

Given that five million people have seen War Horse on stage around the world since its launch some six years ago, every possible word, every adjective, every passage of praise that could be spoken or written about it has already been said.

Lucky for me then, that apart from its awesome reputation I didn’t have any preconceived expectations about what I would witness on stage at The Mayflower. I haven’t even seen Spielberg’s 2011 film.

I knew it would be good, I had heard the puppetry was clever and I was warned to take a fresh handkerchief.

So I really was stunned by this amazing piece of theatre; two and a quarter hours flew by in a whirlwind of light and sound, projected imagery, breathtaking simplicity and a gut-wrenching storyline.

Take a bare stage – so black it is ink-black. Add a huge piece of torn paper on which to project animated sketches, lighting and sound that bombards the senses and contrast it with a single pure male folk singing voice and you have the backdrop for this story and the most stunning puppetry on a grand scale that I have ever seen.

Designer Rae Smith along with the lighting, sound, video designers have

created a visual masterpiece and the music and sound by Adrian Sutton and Christopher Shutt complete the picture.

Michael Morpurgo’s now famous book, on which the play is based, is a simple enough story – the First World War seen through the eyes of a horse, Joey, as he is raised on a Devon farm before being drafted into the front line, along with Albert Narracott, his young owner and thousands of others.

It is, inevitably, a reflection of the futility of that war which saw ten million fighting men – 800,000 of them British - killed in appalling circumstances. It is as importantly an eye opener into the plight of the million horses that were also sent to fight for their country in France. Only 62,000 of them returned.

To relay such intense emotions as such a sad chapter in the world’s history evokes, requires gravitas and feeling, sympathy for those who suffered so horribly and for those they left behind.

And yet War Horse has some extremely touching, funny, laugh-out-loud moments that reinforce the comradeship and bravery behind the horror.

The cast, led by Lee Armstrong as Albert, is faultless in delivery and characterisation. The innocent pre-war Devonians, French victims trapped in a battle zone, the Tommies

with their idiosyncratic Britishness whatever the circumstances (“Je suis un sod” says the Sergeant), the Germans who, underneath it all were human and vulnerable too. And the real stars, the horses.

As to the puppetry, it is mind-numbingly clever. The three puppeteers operating each of the two lead equine roles become invisible.

After the first minute or so you don’t see them any more, just the horses they are playing. This is acting at its finest - and without a word uttered. Every twitch of the ears, snort and hoof scrape is so convincing you forget these are puppets, not real

animals. So much so that Joey and Topthorn, as the equine characters they have become, take their own curtain call. How real is that?

First premiered at the Olivier Theatre in October 2007 before transferring to the West End and then to Broadway, Toronto, North America on tour, Australia on tour, and now the UK and Ireland on tour, it is no wonder that so many people have been privileged, like me, to witness this incredibly powerful piece of theatre.

But even then, all those people in all that time still only represent half the number of men – and horses – that perished in the ‘war to end all wars’.

PREVIEW: The Lion To Roar At The Mayflower

The award-winning production of The Lion King will play the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton from Friday 11 July 2014 for nine weeks as part of the show's record-breaking tour of the UK and Ireland.

Four years in the making, the production brings together a cast of over 50 actors, singers and dancers, from 18 different countries, supported by a backstage team of over 100 people.

The touring production is the biggest musical production ever to tour the UK, with hundreds of masks, puppets and more than 700 elaborate costumes representing 26 different types of animal.

23 giant trucks are used to transport everything across the country. In total, the touring production will visit 11 cities across the UK & Ireland over two and a half years, with further dates and locations to be announced.

Fiona Thomas, Vice President of Live Entertainment for The Walt Disney Company EMEA, says the company can't wait: “We continue to be delighted by how much audiences enjoy The Lion King in London and we look forward to sharing Julie Taymor’s legendary production with audiences in Southampton.”

The show is based on the Academy award-winning animated film which was entrusted to Director and Co-Designer Julie Taymor to adapt the film for the stage.

Taymor brought a vast array of disciplines which draw upon her experience of various theatrical styles and cultures to tell the tale of Simba as he journeys through life and struggles to accept the responsibilities of adulthood and his destined role of King.

The stage adaptation of Disney’s 1994 film was first seen on Broadway in 1997, where it recently became the highest grossing show in Broadway history. The production has now been seen by over 70 million people across six continents.

In addition to the record-breaking productions in London and New York, the show can currently be seen in Tokyo, Hamburg, Madrid, Sao Paulo, Brazil and on tour in the US, UK and Japan. The production has also recently opened in Sydney, Australia.

To date, this new touring production has enjoyed sell-out, record-breaking

seasons in Bristol, Manchester, Dublin, Birmingham and Edinburgh.

Review

REVIEW: War Horse, Mayflower

Cheriton Players Update:Rehearsals are well underway for

the next production, which is Oh Clarence! by John Chapman.

The comedy is based on one of PG Wodehouse’s most famous characters, Lord Emsworth, the dreamy peer of Blandings Castle. The delightful Earl, as vague as ever, wants nothing more than to be allowed to potter around Blandings, tending his roses and prize pig, the Empress.

But his sister, Lady Constance, has other ideas and arranges a house party into which bursts Dame Daphne Winkworth, whom the Earl is urged, much against his will, to marry.

He is further plagued by his vacuous son Freddie Threepwood, Rupert Bingham, a clumsy love-lorn curate and his arch enemy Sir Gregory Parsloe-Parsloe, from whom Lord Emsworth unwittingly steals a priceless Egyptian scarab.

Cheriton Players say they are delighted to welcome no less than four new acting members to the cast for the production which takes place 11-14 June at Cheriton Village Hall.

thecheritonplayers.org.uk


The Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and a leisurely cruise along the River Seine are some of the images that first come to mind when we think of Paris.

However, there is another intriguing side to this lively city which is not as morbid as we may think. It is a chance to pay homage and come close to our favourite authors, artists, composers and singers. No extended trip to the French capital should be without a visit to at least some of its cemeteries and even more intriguingly its catacombs.

For me the cemeteries are not just about the people buried there but also their fascinating stories and the beauty of some of the intricate

designs of the gravestones, tombs, buildings and sculptures. Thankfully many of them are in good condition and have not been vandalised.

There are three main cemeteries in Paris that are well worth a visit but be warned some good walking shoes, water and even a snack are certainly in order as you could be on your feet for some time. Always check the map at the entrances to the cemetery or you may be able to buy one or get one for free as these vast mazes and labyrinths can be easy places in which to lose yourself. The good news is that visiting the graveyards will not cost you a penny though you may wish to pay extra for a guided tour. The catacombs will

cost you money to visit but it is well worth it.

The three cemeteries that we will look at are still working cemeteries and people continue to be buried there though there are strict regulations. These include the fact that anybody interred there must either have died in Paris or lived there. It is even harder to be buried somewhere like Père-Lachaise because there is a long waiting list.

The three main cemeteries are in the east, north and south of Paris outside the city’s main precincts because many of the more central cemeteries in the French capital were

seen as overcrowded and considered unsanitary from the end of the 18th century.

The best place to start is with the city’s largest cemetery Père-Lachaise in the east of the city which is home to at least 300,000 graves with two million visitors annually and is arguable the most visited cemetery in the world.

This is the place where those walking shoes will come in particularly handy and it is recommended you get to know your bearings first and what graves you would like to visit.

The cemetery is huge and despite its popularity you can explore your surroundings without bumping into crowds of your fellow tourists. But if you have a few hours to spare you could make a day or so of it as there is so much to see. It also provides a wonderful escape from city life as you find yourself in the trees and beautiful parkland. It is a haven for nature enthusiasts as well as history buffs. The cemetery is built on a hill that also offers impressive views of Paris.

Père-Lachaise was named after the confessor of Louis XIV and was opened in 1804. There are so many famous people interred here that it is easy to get star struck. Well-known names include author Oscar Wilde, singers Jim Morrison and Édith Piaf, composer Frédéric Chopin, actress Sarah Bernhardt and mime artist Marcel Marceau.

For many years the large tomb of Oscar Wilde was covered in the lipstick stains of his many admirers who could not resist a kiss with their hero. It has recently been cleaned up and a sheet of perspex surrounds it to protect it from

unwelcome and unrequited advances. It is rumoured that on his Parisian death bed he said “My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death – one of us has got to go”.

In contrast Jim Morrison’s small grave is hard to find and is hidden among other bigger tombs. He was buried here in 1971 following his mysterious and controversial death in Paris at the young age of 27. You will see that his fans have left gifts for their idol as well as graffiti and even poetry. A fence has since been put up but has done little to dissuade his devotees. Interestingly his grave was originally unmarked before a shield was placed on it followed by a bust of the singer which were both stolen over the years. In the 1990s Morrison’s father George placed a flat stone on the grave in Latin which loosely translates as “True to his own spirit”.

The cemetery is easy to find and is close to three Metro stops which are Philippe Auguste, Gambetta and of course Père-Lachaise. While you are searching for its famous residents do not forget to admire the many decorative and detailed grave stones and monuments to its other occupants. There is also a rather pretty 19th century chapel and crematorium.

Another place of note is the row of holocaust memorials which are made up of skeletal figures with small footprints and quotes. It certainly makes any visitor reflect on the many horrors of World War II. The Communards Wall is where 147 combatants of the Paris Commune were shot and thrown into an open grave in 1871. It has become a symbol for the left in France of the struggle for liberty and ideals. Some

of the country’s communist leaders, including those who fought in the French resistance, are buried nearby.

Montmartre Cemetery is a short distance away from the Sacré-Cœur and the Moulin Rouge in northern Paris and is the third largest graveyard in the French capital after Père-Lachaise and Montparnasse. It is located below a very busy section of Paris road with cars and mopeds flying by but once you enter the peaceful and tranquil cemetery you could be a million miles away with the heavy traffic fading into insignificance. The cemetery was opened in an old quarry in 1825 but during the French revolution it was used as a burial ground for executed royal guards. Despite its sad history it is a very picturesque place and it is not hard to admire its 750 trees which include maple, chestnut, lime and thuja among the 20,000 graves. The cemetery contains arguably some of the most beautiful tombs and sculptures in Paris.

It is sometimes described as the Artists Cemetery because of the number of painters and sculptors who worked in the Montmartre such as Edgar Degas, Charles Gumery and Jean-Baptiste Greuze who are buried here but it is also home to many other people from all walks of life including film-maker François Truffaut, the creator of the saxophone Adolphe Sax and even a revolutionary soldier from Ireland called Myles Byrne who led Napoleon’s Irish Brigade as a Brigadier General. Unsurprisingly, his grave is marked by a Celtic cross. Writer Émile Zola was originally buried here though his remains were transferred to the Pantheon in Paris in 1908. His family’s tomb can still be seen in the cemetery.

Paris - with a differenceWinchester Today's Deputy Editor William Brougham spends a little time with some of the former residents of Paris...

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

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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

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Two of the most colourful people to be buried there are both women. Louise Weber is better known by her name La Goulue (the glutton) and is sometimes referred to as the Queen of the Montmartre. She danced at the renowned Moulin Rouge and has become synonymous with the can-can. Despite her earlier brush with fame and popularity she ended up as an alcoholic, severely overweight and destitute selling cigarettes, matches and peanuts on a street corner near the Moulin Rouge where she had made her name. She died in 1928.

The most visited grave in Montmartre Cemetery belongs to one of France’s most popular singers whose life ended in tragic circumstances. Dalida was born in Egypt to an Italian Egyptian family but spent most of her adult life in France. She has become

a cult figure and in a 1988 poll she was voted the person to have had the second greatest impact on French society behind the former president Charles de Gaulle.

In her 30 year career she recorded songs in ten languages including a version of the Lambeth Walk in French. Her personal life was often as colourful as her career. She had many relationships and there were even rumours in the press that Dalida was having an affair with her close friend President Francois Mitterand. Three of her lovers and a close friend even took their own lives. In 1987 the same sad fate befell Dalida who took an overdose of barbituates. She left behind a note which translated into English reads “Life has become unbearable for me... Forgive me”.

Montparnasse Cemetery in the south of Paris was opened in 1824 on a site that used to be occupied by farmland owned by the Hôtel-Dieu hospital and the religious order Les Frères de la Charité. A windmill can still be seen In the cemetery that was owned by the religious order.

The land was confiscated during the French revolution and was used as a burial ground for people who died in hospital and whose remains were not claimed. In the 19th century the cemetery was used to bury residents of the left-bank. It is estimated that at least 300,000 people are buried there and that there are at around 35,000 tombs.

Some of the famous people buried there include American writer and political activist Susan Sontag, Alfred Dreyfus of the infamous Dreyfus Affair, industrialist Andre Citroen, writer Guy de Maupassant, playwright Samuel Beckett, Hollywood actress Jean Seberg, singer Serge Gainsbourg and the sculptor responsible for the Statue of Liberty Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi. The authors Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir are buried next to each other. They never married but had a long term open relationship and had different lovers who they would sometimes even share.

You can spend a good couple of hours here exploring the tombs and admiring many of the sculptures. Two of my favourites are the Kiss by sculptor Constantin Brancusi and the cenotaph to poet Charles Baudelaire. It is a very peaceful cemetery and attracts less tourists than Père-Lachaise for instance though the grave

of Serge Gainsbourg still garners a lot of attention judging by the momentos that his many admirers leave.

If you look up you are instantly reminded that you are within a major city as the place is dominated by the very tall and modern Montparnasse Tower. None of this takes away from the beauty or the history of this cemetery with its tree-lined avenues.

Escape- To Paris

Père Lachaise Cemetery: http://www.pariscemeteries.com/pages/perelachaise.html

Montmartre Cemetery: http://www.pariscemeteries.com/pages/montmartre.html

Montparnasse Cemetery: http://www.pariscemeteries.com/pages/montparnasse.html Catacombs: http://www.catacombes.paris.fr/en/homepage-catacombs-official-website Travel:Eurostar: From £69 return http://www.eurostar.com/Paris Metro: http://www.parismetro.com/ Accommodation:Pavillon Villiers Etoile: From £126 for two nights http://villiersetoile.parishotels.it/

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EXCLUSIVE: Winchester Today can reveal that a gospel choir from Norway will be leaving behind a huge legacy when they visit Winchester in the Autumn.

In this newspaper's biggest project undertaken so

far, the Drammen International Gospel Choir will be touring Winchester and Salisbury as our guests. But that's not all. We have put it to the choir about

producing a CD which will be on sale to generate funds for our nominated charity. The twist is though that the CD will have been recorded in the city just 24 hours earlier! On top of that, the choir will be giving a master class of their art to a group of students here. The choir's leader, Sven-Jøran Michelsen, spoke

exclusively to Winchester Today about the project while he was on a visit to Winchester in the first week of March: "It's a pleasure to be here in Winchester. I think the

people here will love our music. For a conductor to be on stage and to see an audience smiling... those emotions are very touching for us, especially in a foreign country. It's a blessing for us. "You can't put words into the feeling that we

experience. It's the X Factor feeling - the spiritual thing." I reminded Sven-Jøram about our idea of creating

the CD: "I think it's a crazy idea, but it's a genius idea. Normally it takes months; when you talk about being in a recording studio you have to mix everything and all that, but this will be a warts-and-all project. It's very exciting! "This music is beautiful, but it's another issue as

well. It's about love, and that's what we hope will happen. Feel the joy, and be uplifted." Pictured: the vicar of Christ Church, David Williams,

meets up with Sven-Jøran Michelsen from the DIGC. The choir will be visiting the church as part of the tour. Make a pledge: details of the project will be on

Kickstarter very soon. Please help us out with whatever you can to make the trip a reality. Check it out on kickstarter.com and make a pledge!

Our news training programme for young students - Project:Alfie150 - has previously welcomed more than a few students from Peter Symonds College. In this issue, Winchester Today is proud to present some of their sport writing and photography.

'Sport at Peter Symonds College is ever present and on-going. On Wednesday afternoons, the main day for matches, the college teams are seen preparing to travel to away games or warming up on the colleges own pitches and courts for their home fixtures.

For the hockey teams, a home fixture usually means a trip to Southampton Sports Centre. However, since the construction of a multi sport all weather astro on-site at least one team can stay and train at the College - unless it is booked for a netball match! The women's hockey team pictured above at home in training for their up coming BCS Quarter Final Cup qualifier.

The College offers a wide range of competitive sports including rugby, netball, badminton, volleyball, basketball, flag football, cricket, tennis,

football, athletics and cross-country, swimming, squash and lacrosse. The vast majority of these run teams for both sexes and mixed matches or training sessions will frequently take place if they have no visiting opponents.

Well established links exist with local sports facilities and regularly both the tennis and squash teams can be seen practising on the courts at the Racquets and Squash Club in Bereweeke Road. This year a team of students have taken up the challenge to record the teams' progress with reports and photographs - and most of these photos were supplied by them.

Symonds students achieve well in their sport, played alongside their academic studies, and they often beat sides from sports academies. This year more than twenty students, from 8 sports, have qualified at a high level to represent either PSC, or the South East, at 2014 British College Sports National Finals. The group will travel to Bath University for the competition which takes place over the first weekend of the Easter break. Amongst those competing

are the men’s hockey team (defending a long running claim to the title) women's rugby players, swimmers, cross country runners, tennis (singles, doubles and mixed doubles), table tennis (mixed) and badminton (men's doubles).

As wel l as support ing individual top achieving sports men and women as part of their Talented Sports Performers Scheme, the College also offers a wide variety of more unusual sports as part of its diverse activities programme - judo, archery, fencing and snowboarding being just a few of those available. These open up the possibilities for those students who would like to learn the basics of a new sport but do not wish to play competitively and many enjoy it so much they continue to participate with their non-competitive sport activity once they move on to university!'


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Register for a place now on our next training start date (Sunday 25 January 2015) on [email protected]

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Winchester Today - March 2014