Stubbington & Hill Head Edition
April 2020 | Issue 63 | ÂŁ1.50 where sold
Photograph taken by Naomi Caddick (instagram: @simandnim)
Yo u
Wedding & Prom Showcase, Page 7 Easter Trails and Events Midweek Supper Treat
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THIS MONTH...
y, arit h c y, unit d more m n om s, c rties a e p i Rec prope
CONTENTS 8
Get Puzzled
20
Crofton Parish
12
Mum’s the Word
22
Recipe of the Month
17
Be Prepared
24
Keep On Running
19
Watering & Wellies
29
Home Focus
Test yourself with this month’s crossword
Easter events and a crafty activity
A non panic guide to a ‘prepping’
Take inspiration from around the world
What is ‘The day of waiting’?
Midweek meals made easy!
Running for a good cause
A guide to your biggest purchase
april issue 2020
Smalltalk
W
hat New Year’s resolution…..!
Peach Publications 01329 630630/07909 627177
So, the running seems to have gone a little downhill. I would like to blame it on the relentless storms that we have been experiencing (for what feels like forever) but if I am being honest, I seem to have lost my motivation over the last 3 weeks.
Editor
Life is as busy as always…running a business, keeping up with school, kids clubs and homework, house chores and general life, the running seems to have fallen to the bottom of the pile AGAIN.
Advertising Sales
Saying that, the first day of Spring is officially here, the evenings are getting lighter and let’s hope that means the milder weather is finally on its way! Could that be enough to inspire me to get out and active again?
Distribution
What are you looking forward to in April? I asked my husband this same question and he said “getting out on my paddle board & joining an open water swimming club….” Surely April is too early for that!!
Gemma Harvey-Guttridge editor@bigvoicedirectories.co.uk
editor@bigvoicedirectories.co.uk
This Big Voice Bigazine is delivered to residents and businesses in Alverstoke. For distribution enquiries please give me (Gemma) a call. Two other editions are also published in Stubbington & Hill Head and Lee on Solent.
Whilst Big Voice Directories aim to provide a quality publication for local reference, it cannot be held responsible for the services, reputation or cost of any of the advertisers, and content of adverts or editorial herein. Readers must make their own enquiries to establish the credentials of each entry. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without prior written permission from the Publishers. The magazines are produced on paper sourced from FSC approved paper mills and printed using vegetable based inks. They love being recycled but please pass to a friend first! Magazine, adverts, design, layout and content ©Copyright Peach Publications Ltd.
One big event for us to look forward to this month is the Easter holidays and the chance to enjoy some precious time with the children. Mums the Word is jam packed with cool stuff to do with the kids over the holidays. Did you manage give anything up for lent? (it would seem I unintentionally gave up running!!) If so, look forward to Easter weekend so you can enjoy endless chocolate and all things sweet! For the green fingered amongst us, the sight of the first blooms of the year are a real treat. If you are eager to get out in the garden and start work ahead of the summer then don’t miss the ‘Watering and Wellies’ article on page 19. Also, in this month’s Big Voice is a great article from “Gos-Vegas running” (I really should read that….!), and a mouth-watering risotto recipe (I’m more likely to read this one though, haha) I hope you enjoy this month’s magazine as much as I loved putting it together and if anyone sees my motivation anywhere, please send it my way!
Gemma x Advertise with us!
Reliably delivered by our local teams, reaching over 15000 homes each issue. THREE editions of Big Voice provide exceptional monthly coverage of our area every single month. Call our friendly team now on 01329 630630, jump on our website and have a chat or link up with us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @BVDirectories
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Wedding & Prom Saturday 4th April | 11am - 2pm Bay House School, Gomer Lane, Gosport, PO12 2QP
Free entry | Local suppliers Hosted by Stephanie events 7
Get Puzzled 13 15 18 20 23 24 25 26
Clues Across 1 Disguise, conceal (4) 3 Bewilder, stupefy (8) 8 Article of clothing (7) 9 Impression (5) 10 Board game (5) 11 Document, log (6)
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Direction of this clue! (6) Overpass (6) Type of reptile (6) Thick, impenetrable (5) Nimble, lithe (5) Scrutinise (7) Won back (8) Certificate, lease (4)
Clues Down 1 Prestidigitator (8) 2 Tennis term (5) 4 Sixth planet from the sun (6) 5 Neglect, disregard (7) 6 Take to heart (4) 7 Population tally (6) 9 Membranous pouch (3) 12 Thwarted (8) 14 Pouring (7) 16 Peppery salad vegetable (6) 17 Laud, revere (6) 19 Imitate, caricature (3) 21 Sibling’s daughter (5) 22 Bazaar, carnival (4)
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Mum’s the Word Easter Activities, Clubs and Egg Hunts Saturday 28th March Easter Egg Hunt Elson Infant School, Elson Lane, Gosport 11am – 2pm, £2 per child (includes map and chocolate prize) Starting and finishing at the school hall, you can choose from either a long or short trail around the local area. Look for decorated eggs and posters, made by local community groups, preschools and businesses. Everyone welcome! Tickets can be purchased on the day, but numbers are limited so contact the school and book in advance to avoid disappointment. Saturday 4th April Easter Family Fun Day Christ Church, Stoke Road, Gosport 12pm – 4pm, FREE Entry, Easter Egg Hunt £3 Easter Egg Hunt includes: Hunt with egg prize, Easter craft activities, Story, squash Tickets are available on the day but may be limited so please book in advance. If you would like to join in with story time or craft activities but DO NOT want to join the hunt then please register for a FREE entry ticket and you will be asked for a small donation at each of these activities on the day. There will also be many stalls including face painting, sweet cones, lucky dip and much more… Wednesday 8th April EGG-cellent Easter Craft Club The Cabin, Alverstoke Infant School, Ashburton Road, Alverstoke 9.30am – 12.30pm, £15 per child (10% sibling discount) This Easter make some EGG-cellent Easter Crafts with Mrs Blossom Makes. Create a Cheeky Chick, an Easter Bunny Planter and a fun personalised Easter Card. Suitable for all ages 5-11 Friday 10th – Monday 13th April The Great Easter Seashell Hunt No 2 Battery, Stokes Bay Road, Gosport 11am – 4pm, £10 An Easter egg hunt with a difference. Find the seashells hidden in the museum to win a shell with some little chocolate ‘pearls’ in it. A great little treasure hunt for little ones (and their grown-ups). Arrive any time between 11am and 3.30pm to join in the fun. Tuesday 7th, Thursday 9th, Tuesday 14th and Thursday 16th April Stubbington Springboards Gymnastics Holiday Club - Half day £10 / Full day £18 Full day is 9.15am-3.30pm and a half day is 9.15am-12.15pm or 12.30pm-3.30pm. Suitable for girls and boys from Year R to Year 12. Sessions include use of the double-mini, vault, floor, beam, bars, trampoline and lots of fun games. All coaches are DBS checked. Places are limited and must be booked and paid for in advance by calling Nathalie on 07817 391860. Last date for booking is Friday 28th March. 12
MARBLED EASTER EGGS There’s something so satisfying about crafting at home. Whether you’re making cards for loved ones, gifts for friends or just something delicious for yourself. Get the children involved in making these pretty Easter decorations, they can be a little messy so supervision will be necessary!
WHAT YOU NEED:
Plastic / polystyrene eggs Wooden skewers Nail varnish Bowl of water Nail varnish remover, in case you get some on your hands
• Stick one of the eggs onto the end of a skewer and put to one side. • Gently drop nail varnish onto the top of the water in a bowl. • Using a wooden skewer you can tease a marbled pattern into the nail varnish. • Dip the egg into the nail varnish just enough to scoop it up onto the outside of the egg - twist the skewer to cover it all. • You can let the eggs dry by standing them up in a tall glass. Make sure they don’t touch until fully dry.
Country Park Easter Activities Royal Victoria Country Park, Southampton Whose Egg is it? Trail During the Easter School Holidays: 10am - 3.30pm A map for this self guided trail can be picked up from the shop and follow it around the park. Find the clues and collect your prize. Cost: £2 per trail. Call for further details: 023 8045 5157 Queen Elizabeth Country Park Easter Egg Roll Monday 13th April: 11am Join the annual ‘Butser Easter Egg Roll’! Decorate your own egg and climb up to Butser to see how far your egg will roll! Cost: £2 per egg ‘Little Adventurers’ activities will also be held during the Easter School Holidays. Please check the website for details and to book online. For further information please call 02392 595040 Itchen Valley Country Park Easter Babies Trail Saturday 4th April to Sunday 19th April: 10am - 4pm Learn all about nature’s babies that start appearing at this time of year as you walk around our Forest Trail. Cost includes Trail Pack, pencil and prize Cost: £2 per trail. Call 023 8068 3790 for further information 13
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At Bluebird Care Gosport we believe that providing an outstanding quality of care is extremely important for our customers. We believe that encouraging individuals to stay in the comfort of their own home when they are in need of care is crucial for their independence because our customers are still making their own choices at home. If you or your loved one are thinking of receiving care then we will happily help, support and guide you through your journey. We specialise in creating a care package that is suitable for the individual’s needs, whether it is half an hour a week or several hours a day. Our friendly care team are not only compassionate but they are understanding of our customers’ needs. Here at Bluebird Care we are exceptional at communicating with friends and family, allowing them to have peace of mind about their loved ones and with permission, we will always communicate any concerns. We hold social events at the office which we encourage our customers to attend. We want to prevent them from feeling lonely or isolated and so we offer social support calls which our customers really enjoy, whether it is going shopping, walking along the beach or even sitting in a coffee shop and having a chat. We would like to encourage our customers to have a fulfilling life and our office and care teams will help support them all the way. How do I arrange home care for myself or my family? Firstly, it is as simple as picking up the phone and discussing what you would like support with, our office team are friendly and will help you. Our coordinator will see if we can achieve your desired time, so your call is consistent. After your discussion on the phone, if you are happy, we will organise
a free assessment that is carried out at home to create a care package that suits your needs. We will organise your first visit with one of our care assistants and the supervisor will be with you to make sure you are happy and help support you along the way. What service we provide and why they can benefit you? We can support you or your loved one with personal care, such as assisting you to get ready for the day. We can help with prompting medication, social support, such as going out to get some food shopping, attending hospital appointments, or even going for a stroll. It is very important for us as a care company to encourage our customers to leave their homes and be part of the community. We also offer live in care or sleep ins. Some individuals may believe moving into a care home is not the right decision for them, so why not have a care assistant in your home to help support you. If you or your loved one needs a little assistancet with housekeeping, we are happy to help. Does Bluebird Care Gosport provide care in your area? Yes, if you live in these selected areas, then we can. We cover all of Gosport, Lee-on-the-Solent, Alverstoke, Stubbington, Locks heath, Sarisbury Green, Park Gate and Warsash. Will I see different care assistants every day? No, we believe continuity is very important. Our coordinator will work very hard to make sure you will have the same small number of care assistants on each visit.
To find out more about Bluebird Care’s services, please visit www.bluebirdcare.co.uk/gosport or Call 02393 233922 | email gosport@bluebirdcare.co.uk |
@Bluebirdcaregosport
Bluebird Care, Communications House, 1 Quay Lane, Hardway, Gosport. PO12 4LJ
Be Prepared.. .
Be prepared...but don’t panic Zombie apocalypse movies are perennially popular. Human beings love to imagine how we might survive after a global disaster. Recent flooding and the coronavirus have prompted an interest in ‘prepping’, as in ‘prepping for disaster’. Preppers have historically been cast alongside conspiracy theorists, and American survivalists, who build bunkers, live ‘off-grid’ and are scarier than any imaginary zombie. As flooding and extreme weather become ‘normal’ events in the UK, and every year seems to bring a new pandemic threat it’s easy to see why people feel helpless, and why ‘prepping’ becomes seductive. Should we prepare for imminent disaster? The answer isn’t a straightforward yes or no. In this country we are fortunate that food is plentiful. However, food is supplied on a ‘just-in-time’ basis, using predictions based on the public’s past shopping habits. If everyone shops normally, supply and demand remain balanced, but if large numbers of people suddenly panic-buy more than usual to stockpile food, shelves are stripped bare pretty quickly. It makes sense to be aware of this and to think about how we might manage if there was a temporary hiccup in our own food supply chain, perhaps because poor weather or flooding prevents us from accessing shops, or because we’re confined to our home through illness or quarantine. It does no harm to plan how we might be more selfreliant for a week or so, and to make sure that we have a basic emergency store cupboard. I would advise against specialist emergency food packs you see advertised. They are expensive, and freeze-dried food
tastes like garden mulch. A few extra tins in your weekly shop is easy for most people to achieve. Remember, in most instances you will already have food in, which can be used up first. Useful items for an emergency store cupboard: tinned meats, tinned vegetables, tinned beans, pulses and chickpeas, tinned soups and packet soups, tinned fruit, a large bag of rice, a large bag of porridge oats, cooking oil, salt, honey, long-life milk, long-life orange juice, packs of cereal, cereal and protein bars, dried fruit. If you live in an area where flooding and therefore water contamination is likely allow 2 litres of bottled water per person per day for drinking and cooking. A simple emergency store cupboard can be built up over a couple of months quite easily by adding a few extras into your weekly shop. A can opener is essential. Torches, batteries, and a camping stove insure against loss of electricity, and loo roll, bleach, hand sanitiser, paracetamol, ibuprofen, plasters and disinfectant are useful health and medical items. If you live in a flood zone, make sure your supplies are stored high up. Use a vermin-proof storage box in the coolest place possible, and every so often move items out into your regular cupboards, and replace them, to make sure that nothing goes beyond its sell-by date. One last thing. We all have important documents filed away such as birth certificates, passports, insurance documents and house deeds. Ideally these should be stored in a fire and waterproof deed box to protect them. A little thought and preparation goes a long way. No bunker required! By Clare Becker 17
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Watering & Wellies
GLOBAL GARDENING Places to take inspiration from around the world The Cactus Gardens, Singapore Airport
It’s easy to get into the habit of doing your garden in a ‘traditional’ way, especially if your neighbours plot is visible (why reinvent the wheel?!) After all, it can be costly to hire the help of a professional designer and yet sometimes it can be costly not to. So many of us arrange a few pots, pay for some grass to be laid and wonder why it doesn’t look like Charlie Dimmock has been round and sprinkled her magic. But there are other ways of creating a beautiful outdoor space without relying on pinching ideas from over the fence or creating a plain plot with a patio and a garden shed. If you are an avid traveller, like me, you can glean inspiration from a variety of unusual places. For example, Singapore airport has a selection of stunning gardens, notably one on a rooftop displaying an incredible selection of cacti. Admittedly you may not be in a position to grow these exact plants depending on your soil and location, but the idea behind it can be copied. The layout has been carefully considered, the hard landscaping works beautifully - simply wander round with a video camera and if you’re lucky enough to be able to hire someone to do the hard work on your return you can have a stunning space created, that mirrors a place you have visited. (of course if you aren’t able to get to these places then searching for the images on google would be another option). The gardens at the Palace of Versailles in France may inspire you to create hard landscaping in a more structured style with an immaculate lawn and symmetrical beds. If you like order and neatness, this could be a perfect style for you.
And as spring is hopefully on the way by now it would be amiss not to mention the world famous Keukenhof in Lisse, Netherlands. From late March to late May you can visit the stunning displays of tulips, crocuses, daffodils and hyacinths. If this doesn’t give you inspiration for your spring planting then nothing will! Of course Kew Gardens, located in South London has to also get a mention—you could treat it as a giant plant catalogue from which you can peruse the living examples and choose your purchases ready for the next season. You may also wish to pop into the world’s largest Victorian glasshouse whilst you’re there as it’s certainly worth spending some time admiring the structure. Why not pop along to a local National Trust property? Well known for their established and well-maintained gardens, there is bound to be some ideas that you can draw on for your own outdoor space. Plus it makes for a lovely day out and is a great excuse to take some fabulous photographs. Less further afield of course is your local park. This may also give you some unique ideas - many of them now have special areas which have been designed and manicured for us all to enjoy with sculptures and seating areas that you could just as easily incorporate into a home-grown design. Wherever you get your ideas, or however you choose to incorporate them, the most important thing is to enjoy the process as you go. Nature will always surprise us and patience is key - and if you get your building blocks right from the outset you should have a space that continues to delight from season to season. Annie Gardner 19
Crofton Parish
The Wait
The Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday isn’t usually mentioned much. It is sometimes called ‘Holy Saturday’ but really it would be better to call it ‘Day of Waiting.’
What are you like at waiting? I love looking forward to parties or special occasions, when I can get excited about making preparations and buy gifts, but I’m terrible at waiting in queues or at the doctors’. I’ve got too much to do to be sat or stood in a line. They are different kinds of waiting. The first is an active waiting involving excited anticipation of a fun and happy event. The second is a passive waiting, forced to stop by external circumstances outside of my control. I believe there is also a third kind of waiting in between these two examples: waiting in hope that a better day will come, neither completely passive and yet not busily active, but thinking, hoping, remembering and expecting. In the Easter story, Jesus had been sentenced to death by the Romans, and he died a painful death hanging on a cross on Friday. In Jewish tradition, Friday is a day of preparation, where you get ready to have a day of rest on Saturday, the Sabbath, and remember together how God had freed his people from slavery in Egypt hundreds of years earlier. You can’t work on that day; it’s a kind of enforced rest that is neither passive nor active. It’s a day for thinking, remembering, hoping and expecting God to be at work in the world, and to one day send his rescuer. After Jesus’ death on the Friday, the day before the Sabbath, his Jewish friends and family took his body, prepared it for burial, and laid it in a tomb, all before sunset when the Sabbath, the holy day of rest, would begin. They returned to their homes and celebrated the Sabbath as usual, but in grief and shock, instead 20
of the customary hopefulness and expectancy, all the while wondering what was going on. But it was about to become the best Sabbath ever… After the Sabbath, at sunrise the next day, Sunday, some of Jesus’ followers went to his tomb to continue the proper burial of his body. The women were shocked to find the tomb open and his body gone. They later discovered Jesus had risen from the dead. Easter Saturday is suspended between two worlds: the utter hopelessness of Friday and the joy-filled hope of Sunday. Each year we have a choice: we can approach the middle day with frenzied activity, as we make plans for a family roast on Sunday, or we can sit passively and wait for something to come our way. Alternatively, we could remember the Easter story, and choose a third option, waiting in hope that a better day will come, neither completely passive and yet not busily active, but thinking, hoping, remembering and expecting. With Jesus a better day has come. It is amazing what can happen when we begin to follow Jesus, and hope in him. If you would like to know more about how following Jesus can change your life, then do get in touch either by email or visit the church office. Alternatively, come to one of our services over Easter period and speak to one of the staff team. We would be delighted to talk and pray with you.
Jude Greenfield Curate, Crofton Parish jude@croftonparish.org.uk
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Recipe of the month
Bacon and Mushroom Risotto A tasty and simple supper Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 30 mins Serves: 4 Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion 8 rashers streaky bacon, chopped 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced 300g risotto rice 1 litre hot chicken stock Grated parmesan to serve Method Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and fry the onion and bacon gently for 5 mins to soften. Add the mushrooms and cook gently for a further 5 minutes until they start to release their juices. Stir in the rice and cook until the rice begins to look translucent. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring well and waiting for most of the stock to be absorbed before adding the next ladleful – it will take about 20 minutes for all the stock to be absorbed. Once the rice is cooked, season and serve with grated Parmesan.
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Keep on Running
Keep on Running Well that was a stormy one! Personally, I’m glad that month is over, I’m not a great fan of the wind but I’m sure there are a few grateful landscapers and fencers who have had a bumper month!
We enjoy supporting these local good causes as it’s important for us to be able to see the contributions making a difference to local families and the community.
Last issue I waxed lyrical about our forthcoming races which I hope inspired some of you to give them a go. Separate to those organised, official races we also organise an annual fundraising race and our runners vote for the charity that they would like to see benefit from the proceeds. The ‘run’ takes place during the late May bank holiday on Monday 25th and is a 10K manually timed event that starts and finishes at Bayside Cabin on Stokes Bay Road, Gosport.
The Aqua Academy who teach at the pool offer a superb adult class on Sundays and have been helping me with my confidence and technique.
This year, local gin specialists ‘33 Green Bottles’ (who are based in North Cross Street, Gosport) are supporting our run by offering special spot prizes and our Golden Mile race organisers ‘Nice Work’ have once again donated 100 numbers completely free of charge. We thank them both for all their support. The run is limited to 100 spaces, costs only £5 to enter and every penny will be going into our charity bucket. At the time of writing there are only 35 spaces left, so if you fancy a no pressure, high fun factor 10K, get in touch ASAP. Our chosen charity this year is Leesland School swimming pool where our kids and grandkids learn to be safe around water. The ageing building is in need of regular maintenance and any monies raised are always well received and put to good use. 24
You don’t need to be a great runner to take part but you must be fit enough to complete the 10K
distance inside 90 minutes and recognise that entry is at your own risk, although we will have friendly and supportive marshals along the route to keep a watchful eye on runners. On a slightly different subject but one close to our hearts, we are really excited to have been informed that Gosport Borough Council will be installing outdoor gym equipment along the Gosport Golden Mile sometime before the summer this year! The equipment will be user friendly and enable anyone to use it while taking advantage of our wonderful seafront. An idea of what is coming can be found on the link https://youtu.be/77JEBYbpfwA Keep your eyes peeled for work commencing sometime in the coming months. To enter our charity 10K please register your interest by emailing me on: cartscartergosvegas@gmail.com Nick
Keep on Running
Absolute GosVegas 545 RunClub The Breakfast Club
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Home Focus
Your Biggest Purchase Lets take some time, this month, to consider what is likely to be the biggest purchase you will ever make. Your home.
Or that the flow of the rooms felt on edge once you tried to install your furniture - removing walls or creating new rooms can be costly and another upheaval.
And yet it’s one that many of us just get wrong because we are swept away either by pressure, emotion or cost. Don’t forget that once you’ve signed on the dotted line and the removals are booked this is one purchase that you can’t change your mind on and return in 30 days. Buying a house can be tricky. Many of us can narrow down to location and oftentimes this is dictated by schools or work and we generally know which roads and towns we’d be happy to live in. There are always the situations where you discover you have neighbours who are less than desirable but those things are somewhat out of your control.
When you are viewing a property try to see it without the props or furniture that is already installed. Particularly with newbuilds, consider where your bigger items will live such as the vacuum or floor mops - oftentimes they are beautifully styled but with a little pinch on space you don’t always notice that there isn’t a cupboard for all the stuff you currently store.
But once you have the vicinity pinpointed, there are many other factors to take into account before you get swept away by the thrill of the buy. Consider your budget first of all. Do you want to stretch yourself or do you want to purchase sensibly, leaving money in the pot to do any renovations or unexpected repairs that can come up during your first few months? Being worried about money when you have just moved will only add to what has already been quite a stressful time.
Have a think about the redecoration. Admittedly this isn’t as expensive as major renovation but the costs will still add up, particularly if you need to include new flooring. If you cannot stand the carpet in the house make sure you get a quote before you purchase so that you know what you need to buy. Of course, don’t make a decision to walk away from the house of your dreams just based on the flooring, but equally if it’s a deal breaker because of funds you may need to renegotiate. Lastly, think about how long you may wish to settle for. Not all houses are forever!
Then look at the actual bricks and mortar. Whilst you’ll have an expert ensure that these are safe for habitation by purchasing a survey, what you won’t get is someone telling you that you may want a whole new set of windows because you actually didn’t really notice that the dark wood ones didn’t match your aesthetic. 29
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