Big Voice in Alverstoke, March 2021 by Big Voice Directories

ALVERSTOKE March 2021 | Issue 184 | £1.50 where sold

Your local community magazine

Voice

Inside... Make yourself a ‘Bug Hotel’

A must read by Rev’d Andrew Norris

Zoom away from screens

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Voice

Smalltalk

Well, it’s finally happening…. I thought I had had a chance of making it, but my Birthday is going to be consumed by lockdown 3.0! Having just escaped it in 2020 it feels surreal to know that a year has passed and so much has happened. What’s more, it’s not just any Birthday! It’s my 40th and it will even be on a Saturday! Am I fine about it? Yes I am. I long to see friends and family but I’ve made a deal with myself that I’ll be able to trade a cold March Birthday for a better date in the summer and do something really fun. I hope the summer will be jammed full of postponed celebrations, not forgotten, but finally allowed to happen and all the better for it! Lockdown 3.0….to be honest this one seems a lot tougher than the last two. The short days and long nights coupled with poor weather make it hard to get out as much. Home-schooling has been a challenge but the support I have received from my little one’s schools has been amazing. I feel I should publicly acknowledge the sheer hard work and dedication the teachers are putting in. Well done Gomer, and thank you teachers everywhere! We’ve now settled into new family routines, one is watching ‘A Perfect Planet’ on a Sunday evening. It’s amazing to see the kids brains whir as they try to comprehend the scale of David Attenborough’s stories and the challenges facing the planet as a whole. Having more time on our hands, we decided to explore those ideas with the kids and they are coming up with their own mini-plans to make a difference. We’ve built a bug hotel, focused on not using single use plastic bottles and interrogated Daddy to find out whether our electricity is renewable, thank goodness it is! It’s amazing how a 94-year-old can connect with and inspire the kids, making them more world aware and instantly start challenging why things can’t be better! Something amazing that I think we’ve all realised during the last year is the immense wisdom and perspective that our older generations can provide us with. From Sir David Attenborough through to Sir Captain Tom (RIP), and even some longer discussions I’ve had with my Grandma, who told me about being a little girl during WWII. I hope when I’m on the beach finally celebrating my 40th, there will be just as many Octogenarians and older safely back out enjoying themselves. Lord knows they deserve it!

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Editor

Gemma Harvey-Guttridge editor@bigvoicedirectories.co.uk

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Distribution

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.

Stay safe, Gemma x 4

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MARCH ISSUE 2021

Recipes, community, charity, properties and more

CONTENTS 8

Get Puzzled

Recipe of the Month

Mum’s the Word

St Mary’s Church

Test yourself with this month’s crossword

A wholesome family classic

Chat with Coralie

Keep On Running

Driving Times

Longing for the better things in life

Another local legend, do you know one?

The luxurious Lexus RX450h

Activities for cold days and rainy ones

The path out of the wilderness

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 Gemma now on 01329 630630, jump on our website or link up with us on Facebook.

Visit our Facebook page @bigvoicedirectories Visit our website www.bigvoicedirectories.co.uk

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Clues Across 1 5 8 9 10 11 12 14 18 20 22 23 24 25

Get Puzzled

Grand house (7) Verifiable truths (5) Dividends, earnings (5) Ghoulish, spooky (7) Evened the score (7) Coach, teach (5) Animosity, hatred (6) Stick, attach (6) Permit (5) Sincere (7) Beasts (7) Belief (5) Ledge (5) Pudding (7)

Clues Down 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 13 15

Important business person (7) Sound (5) Brilliance, astuteness (7) Wanderers, travellers (6) One side of a many-sided object (5) Savoy, Red, or Napa (7) Severe, sombre (5) Depression, sickness (7) Ridicules (7)

16 17 18 19 21

Drain, take out (7) Stopped (6) Collect, compile (5) Dock, levee (5) Bald, Golden or Pygmy (5)

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Recipe of the month

Classic Steak and Ale Pie A wholesome family classic

Prep time: 20 mins Cooking time: Filling 3.5-4 hours (plus cooling time) Pie - 45 minutes Serves 4 Ingredients: Pie Filling: Lard or dripping (you can use sunflower oil at a push), 700g boneless beef shin – cut into mouth size chunks, 25g plain flour, seasoned, 200g smoked bacon (diced) or lardons, 225g whole baby onions, 400ml sweet dark brown ale (Theakston’s Old Peculier works well if your ale knowledge is not strong!), 400ml beef stock, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1 tbsp dark muscovado sugar, 1 tsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp cocoa or 1-2 squares of very dark (80%+) chocolate. For the pastry: 400g plain flour, plus extra for rolling, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp mustard powder (optional), ½ tsp salt, 175g suet, Iced water, A little milk or egg, to glaze Method: Preheat the oven to 170C or 150C fan / gas mark 3. Place the seasoned flour into a large plastic bag. Add the beef in small batches and shake thoroughly to coat evenly. Reserve the floured pieces to a plate. Heat a generous chunk of lard or dripping in a large frying pan over a high heat. Brown the beef pieces in small batches, transferring them to an ovenproof casserole dish as you go. Reduce the heat a little and add the chopped bacon or lardons and the onions to the pan. Cook until the bacon fat begins to render, and the onions are brown on all sides, then add into the casserole. Pour a small amount of the beer into the pan and bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom to incorporate all the flavoured meat scraps and flour. Pour this into the casserole too, then pour in the rest of the ale, and add the stock, herbs, sugar, vinegar, and cocoa (or chocolate squares) and bring to a simmer. Cover, and place into the oven for about 2 hours, then uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for another 1½ -2 hours (depends on your oven), until the meat is tender. Set on one side to cool then transfer to a pie dish. To make the pastry place the flour, baking powder and mustard powder in a bowl with ½ tsp salt. Stir in the suet, and then add just enough iced water to bring it together into a dough. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for an hour or so. Preheat the oven to 190C / 170C (fan) / Gas mark 5. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to the thickness of two £1 coins. Place over the filled pie dish, sealing the edges tightly. Cut vent slits to allow the steam to escape. Brush with beaten egg or milk and then bake for 45-50 minutes until golden.

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Mum’s the word

Activities for cold days and rainy ones This lockdown seems a lot harder than the last two. The kids are off school again but this time the days are shorter and the weather is cold. My kids love being outside, but we are fed up with the same walk, scoot or bike routes. We’ve been getting our daily dose of vitamin D and time away from the screens, whilst reconnecting with nature in our garden and it has been great fun. We’ve tried making mud pies and a spot of gardening but one of our favourite activities was creating a ‘bug hotel’ and keeping an eye out for visitors. Bug hotels are not expensive to make, in fact they can be almost entirely free and what better way to help nature while using up the garden waste and you’ll never be too far away from a hot chocolate and snack to warm up. Here’s a few tips so you can have a go…. Collect materials: Spend some time hunting around the garden you can literally use anything. Sticks, leaves, pinecones, bark, pebbles, old bricks, broken plant pots or wooden pallets will help you create different environments and lots of hidey holes. Find a suitable place: Choose somewhere that won’t be disturbed and is sheltered from the weather. Insects like dark cosy places so darker corners or behind a bush are the best places to create the home. Build: Make sure your have a good frame by using bricks or larger bits of wood. Create lots of different size holes and gaps to attract different types of creatures and fill spaces with pebbles, leaves and bark. Top with a roof so your guests can stay dry and you are done. You really can’t go wrong. My children found an old garden ornament and said it was a ‘bug swimming pool’, very fancy! Then just wait for the guests to arrive. Different seasons will attract different visitors so make sure you are doing your house keeping!

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Mum’s the word

DIY Playdough When you are looking for something to do on a rainy lockdown afternoon, why not try this cheap and super easy playdough recipe. Not only will your children love playing with the dough, but they can also help make it too. You only need a few store cupboard ingredients, and it is ready to be played with immediately. Perfect! Makes - 1 ball of dough (make as many different colours as you like) Prep - 10 minutes You will need: • • • • • • •

8 tbsp plain flour (plus extra for dusting) 2 tbsp table salt 60ml warm water food colouring (gel will work best) 1 tbsp vegetable oil 2 mixing bowls Glitter (optional)

Method 1. In one bowl mix the flour and salt and in the other mix together the water, a few drops of food colouring and the oil. 2. Pour the coloured water into the flour mix and stir with a large spoon to bring all the ingredients together. 3. Lightly dust a work surface with a little flour. Knead the dough together for a few minutes and it will start to turn soft and pliable. Check the colour and add a couple more drops of food colouring if you would like a more intense colour. If you want to add a bit of sparkle you can also knead in some glitter! 4. Store in an airtight container in the fridge to keep it fresh.

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St Mary’s Church

In the wilderness! I was reflecting recently how it’s amazing how interlinked the Seasons of the year can be with our own human emotions and life journeys. Annual events such as summer holidays, harvests/Michaelmas fayres, remembrance, Christmas celebrations, new year fitness resolutions etc. all show how entwined our calendar and our emotions (and actions) are! So, March for me at least, always finds itself in Lent. In the past I’ve written here of the benefit of a season of 40 days, both for spiritual and mental wellbeing. Lent helps us find an avenue to break those unhelpful habits through our self-denial, whilst perhaps taking up something creative and new. The Bible is full of seasons of 40 in people’s lives which were always times of transformation, freedom and empowerment. This year we’ve had enough of being in the ‘wilderness’. We don’t want any more 40 days of lockdown as it has been a year since our first lockdown. I remember it well as a weekend we were due to go to Birmingham for a goddaughter’s wedding which was coupled with my wife’s birthday. How we looked forward to getting away, until the wedding was cancelled with 2 days’ notice! My own son’s wedding went on to be cancelled in June and the postponement to this year looks doubtful! It has been hard on couples and their families and we know how that is only a part of the much bigger picture, of emotional, psychological, well-being, economic, health, debt, sacrificial costs of the pandemic. Those who’ve been able have tried their best at new hobbies, exercise, interests which seasons of 40 encourage. Even so, parents didn’t expect to be teachers and so home learning for children has just capped it all. Then there’s the depth of pain and sorrow through such great grief and loss for far too many people. We’re simply exhausted with it now, so it’s little wonder we don’t want any more time in the wilderness. We’re also indebted to those who keep on giving and giving in sacrificial service as front-line

workers. We’re grateful for each one of them and for signs of hope for the future. 40 days is understood to be a length of time which can be used to effect change for good in our outlook on life. For Jesus in the wilderness, it was the prelude to his three years of work, message and sacrifice which are so life changing. In those 40 days he came to understand himself. What made him tick, what motivated him and how to take control of his desires. How to free himself from the opinion of others, how to give, love and only be motivated to serve with compassion and mercy. I expect that many front-line workers have been through such a range of emotions and self-awareness in the depths of despair and exhaustion. And yet, they keep giving and serving. Hence, although we’ve had enough it’s in respect of them that we also persevere with our own personal lockdown; that we too sacrifice what we want in favour of compassion and mercy that we may get through this together. Sadly, for some in the Bible the season was not just 40 days. For the likes of Moses was one of 40 years in the wilderness of Sinai after which he went back to Egypt to free his people! This pandemic has gone on and there have been so many tragic losses, but the path out of the wilderness has now been found. This Lent is the time for us to walk that path together for the last push that will see us able to gather and flourish again in community as I’m sure God created us to be. Until then may you know the strength, peace and hope from God which Jesus discovered in the wilderness and which ultimately led him to the victory of Easter. With peace for Lent and hope for Easter. Yours sincerely, Revd Andrew Norris Rector for Alverstoke Parish www.stmarysalverstoke.org.uk

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CHAT WITH CORALIE

Z oom away from screens

Like many of us, I have been enjoying more than my usual time on Netflix and YouTube, whilst I, probably wrongly, use these tools to switch off to what’s going on around us. I have found myself drawn to a few things in particular which I wanted to share with you all this month, just in terms of giving another perspective on the way we live. You may know that we have a busy household - 4 of our 5 children still live at home and my paraplegic mum and her partner live in the annexe. We have 2 elderly dogs and of course like many of us we are homeschooling. Firstly I am grateful for everything we have. But I find myself getting increasingly frustrated by society and the invisible ropes which seem to be drawing us in. On the face of it we live in a lovely part of the country. We have the seaside on our doorstep, countryside a small drive away and some reasonably good schools who are doing their best to support our kids during the pandemic. And yet.... so much seems so wrong. Reliance on screens has now become a permanent fixture at home making me worry about the addictive affects of social media as well as the possibility of sleep deprivation, eye strain, and other negative outcomes such as depression and mood changes. At least at school the screen time was generally restricted to ‘between lessons’ and there was some break. Now the lessons are all on zoom and it feels like a constant battle to remove our kids from a device and get them doing other things. I have found myself immersed in YouTube channels (oh the irony!) that showcase families having simpler

lives in smaller homes, being off grid and more sustainable in their choices and spending more time in the necessary activities of their lives rather than superfluous ‘surfing’. I yearn to be able to buy some land (albeit somewhere warmer!) where Sean and I can build our own house, heat it with sustainable fuels, grow enough fruit and vegetables for us all and rely a lot less on stores for our day to day necessities. I want our kids to be less concerned about their profiles, the brands of their clothes and whether they have the right filter on their pictures. I want them to do daft things like building tree houses, learn how to cook properly and garden without the draw of Fortnite or Fifa being the main focus in their worlds. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a knock on my kids. But I know I’m not alone in saying that it’s much, much harder to extract them from what has become totally normal in todays society into something that I believe to be healthier and give them more happiness. We can be as strict as we like but it doesn’t stop them feeling as though we have somehow treated them differently to their friends. We are generally at our happiest when we are travelling with our caravan behind our car. The first few days can be tough whilst we try and extract them from their ‘home life’ with phones and screens at every turn. But I yearn for the day when we can get back on the road and let them splash in the pools in France, goof about at Disney and have outdoor cooked food together in the awning where we play cards and chat instead of looking at the back of each other’s iPhones. Until next month

Coralie x

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Keep on running

Jackie Tombs The last few articles have been an opportunity to shine the spotlight on local people who have inspired others by their sporting journey. This month’s article is no different. Allow me to introduce Jackie Tombs who some may remember from her many years as one half of a very successful local opticians. As with the others whose talents we have showcased, Jackie is as humble as they come. In fact, I’m not convinced that she truly recognises the significance of her achievements. I asked Jackie to describe how she came to enjoy running and summarise her journey. These are her words... ‘Why did I join Gosport Road Runners (GRR’s) and the 545 RunClub? I had recently retired and had just lost my lovely, amazing Mum who I cared for daily, so I had some free time for the first time since forever. I had run and jogged casually on my own for about 10 years. I had thought about joining a running club but was shy about just turning up, not knowing anyone, being the oldest and the slowest... Then in January 2018, I decided to run the Stubbington 10K for charity with my son. I was amazed by how much support GRR’s gave not only to their own runners but to every runner. They were noisy, smiley and just seemed to love everything about running. I went home and emailed the ‘yellows’, was told to turn up any Tuesday or Thursday and the rest is history! I love being a GRR! The club is friendly, well run and caters for runners of all abilities. There is always someone ready to give you a lift, advice or just a smile when things don’t go as planned. After joining the GRR’s I went from being a casual jogger to representing England and running my first Marathon in not much over a year. I learnt how to reduce my

injury risks, how to add strength and conditioning and enjoyed Pilates to increase longevity. I also made some great friends. Through Nick Carter (GRR Men’s Club Captain at that time) I also got introduced to the 545 RunClub and The Breakfast Club. They meet at 5.45pm on Wednesdays, followed by a beer if you fancy one, or on a Sunday morning with breakfast after running. This is running for fun, really relaxing and for those who run just for the pure joy of it. We run, chat, put the world right and go home feeling so much better. Covid-19 has been difficult for everyone. Being a runner has helped beyond all expectations to keep me sane. It’s been great to just get out there at quiet times and run off some of that excess energy, to share runs on social media with others and take part in some ingenious games thought up by the GRR committee to keep us all in touch and supporting each other as much as possible. Whilst Jackie has undoubtably taken her running to a whole new level since joining a running club, she has enhanced the experience for those around her with her style, humour and determination. These local legends are amongst us. Who is your hero or role model? Reminder: Most runners are responsible and respectful of other runners and pedestrians. However, as a running community we need to remember that there are those for whom COVID presents considerable issues, physical and psychological. We can all share our roads, footpaths and open spaces safely if we’re mindful of the needs of others. Written by: Nick Carter (Absolute GosVegas Run Groups)

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LOMAX DESIGNS LOCAL ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN CONSULTANCY

INTERIOR • Alterations • Renovations • Maintenance • Kitchens • Bathrooms

EXTERIOR • Decking • Soffits • Fascias • Guttering • Decorating

Call Paul for a free estimate 07766 522892 Gosport

to adverstise call Gemma 01329 630630 / 07909 627177

DRIVING TIMES

The Luxurious Lexus RX450h large SUV Tackles Tarmac and Trails Terrifically. The Lexus RX450h (Hybrid) large SUV really is luxurious. Its interior envelops you, providing a comfortable, safe environment for your journey. Quality materials are used throughout, along with plenty of driving aids and passenger provisions. Although this is a large SUV with a V6 engine, you will notice the difference between this hybrid and a conventionally powered vehicle in a couple of ways. Firstly, an improvement in fuel economy through higher mpg figures. The RX450 spec sheet lists an mpg of 51.4 mpg but I managed 41.9mpg on a 70-mile journey. The V6 engine combined with the electric motor powers the RX to 124 mph with a 0-62mph of 7.7 secs. It is quick enough and then you can cruise along in total comfort.

Playing music through the superb Mark Levinson sound system is a beautiful experience.

It has USB charging points as well as wireless charging, meaning phones, tablets etc can be kept powered for the whole family. Phones can be connected via Bluetooth and whatever you are listening to will sound brilliant through the fabulous speakers distributed around the entire car. It is equipped with the ‘Lexus Safety System +’, a collection of features that aid driving. ‘Lane Departure Alert’ notifies the driver of any straying from direction without indicating and a ‘pre-crash’ safety system continually monitors the road and analyses the likely hood of a collision. Audible warnings sound if it believes an impact is approaching and if the driver fails to respond by slowing or braking, the brakes are applied, and seatbelts tightened. The RX also has blind spot monitors in the door mirrors which notify the driver of vehicles behind the car that are in a blind spot. The RX450h comes with a colour HUD (heads up display), which projects important information on the windscreen in the driver’s eye line. The automatic box is smooth, so you don’t detect the changes unless you drive the car hard. If you want to do this, you can engage ‘sport’ mode. In sport the acceleration increases, the suspension tightens, and the car is more responsive. In Normal mode, the car is more economical, and it provides a softer ride. In ECO the car adapts to give the best

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DRIVING TIMES fuel economy. You can also choose to enter EV mode at speeds under 30 mph. This is the full electric mode and is ideal in confined areas like car parks. The RX is AWD which gives excellent handling to the SUV, both on and off-road. A large boot space easily accommodates shopping, luggage, bikes or sports kit and seats can also fold flat to increase carrying capacity. I loved the luxury feel of the RX450h, it felt impressive driving it. If you drive one, you will buy one.

to adverstise call Gemma 01329 630630 / 07909 627177

All Aspects of Professional Painting and Decorating

Interior & Exterior | Plastering Professional & reliable Clean, tidy & efficient Free estimates

Call Scott: 07979 003122 or Joe: 07803 805988 Email: allenandhainesltd@outlook.com Company No:12931407

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PROPERTIES WANTED

Competitive selling fees Ring for a quote • Advert on the Rightmove website

• Advert on OnTheMarket website

• Advert on GosportProperty website

• For sale board if required

• Large purchaser database

• Advert on Facebook marketplace

• Brochure with floorplan

• Free property video if required

• Free sale tracking app with www.mio.co.uk

• Agent accompanied viewings

• Established office location for over 50 years

A Family run Estate Agency Hardworking, Caring and Professional

ALVERSTOKE £510,000 4B, 3 Receps, Cloaks, DG, DCH, Dbl Garage EPC C

ELSON £360,000 3B, Large Gdn, Dbl Gge, Viewing Recommended EPC D

BRIDGEMARY £285,000 3B, Open Plan, DG, GCH, Pk’ing, No Chain, Lrg Plot EPC C

GOSPORT £272,500 2B, Spac Lnge, Pk’ing, Sep Diner, Study, GCH EPC D

BRIDGEMARY £230,000 2 Bed Semi, No Chain Redecorated & Improved EPC D

LEE ON THE SOLENT £220,000 Mod 2B, Lnge, FF Bath, Parking, No Chain EPC C

023 9258 5588 | office@dimon-estate-agents.co.uk

Big Voice in Alverstoke, March 2021

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