Gosport Choice December 2023

CHOICE

MAGAZINE MAGAZINE

CHRISTMAS TREE

FESTIVAL

CAROLS IN THE PARK

THE JOY

OF CHRISTMAS

MINCE PIE TASTE TEST

GOSPORT CALENDAR

FESTIVE RECIPE YOUR LOCAL, FREE MAGAZINE V EGA

N

DECEMBER EDITION

NEWS OFFERS RECIPES GARDENING GUIDE LOCAL EVENTS LOCAL BUSINESSES TIPS

GOSPORT

G G C C nt le So e th on ee L and

COMING SOON

TANNING SALON OPENING JANUARY 2024 144 HIGH STREET, LEE ON THE SOLENT hello@justtanning.co.uk

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www.justtanning.co.uk

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sea dipping. All the details of this free weekly event are inside along with his weekly Thursday class if you like the idea of moving and

HAP PY Gosport Choice cannot be held responsible for any advertiser or advertisers statements or contents in their advert. Or any other details published.

CHRISTMAS

CELEBRATE! The Anglesey, The Alverbank and The Pump House are great, local places to celebrate Christmas time, check out their ads inside!

HELLO!

FESTIVE RECIPE

The advent calendar has started! I always have

recipe for Soft Amaretti Biscuits. Delicious, easy

two! Stu treats me to an extremely fancy one

to make and a lovely edible gift! Vegan too!

and my Mum always treats me to a delicious chocolate one! December mornings are a joy!

Talking of joy, The Joy of Christmas event is in Lee this month, details inside. There’s also details of the Friends of Stanley Park Carols and an update from the Friends. You’ll find the

This month we’ve gone for Meera Sodha’s

Also inside...Richard Martin Gallery annual exhibition details, Rita’s article, sudoku, monthly gardening guide, what’s on listings and more!

Don’t forget to follow us on our socials!

Kick start your business in 2024 with an advert

correct details of the annual Christmas tree

for the January edition, get in touch!

Festival in Alverstoke Village inside too!

Have a lovely Christmas! See you next year!

It would not be December without the results of our annual Mince Pie Taste Test! The Team worked their way through numerous mince pies - some good and some bad. See p.10 for results!

If you’re looking for gifts our lovely advertisers can help! How about a Gosport Calendar? Or

EDITOR | FOLLOW

vouchers for food, afternoon tea, beauty treatments, massages, fitness?

If health and wellbeing is on your mind our

SID IS HOPEFUL

advertisers can help with this too; yoga,

FOR CHRISTMAS

breathwork, pilates, the gym, swimming lessons are all advertised inside.

TREATS!

Are you a cold sea water lover? Sadly, I’m not I’m more of a need to wear a wetsuit in the UK summer person! But I know alot of people who

GET IN TOUCH

are. If you are one of these people you may be

Call: 023 9250 2222

interested in the weekly FREE community event event ‘Sea Air Breathers’ brought to you by Rich McAnulty. A mix of breathwork, meditation and

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breathwork but sea dipping is not your thing!

Read me, keep me or pass me on!

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facebook.com/GosportChoice instagram.com/gosportchoice Website: gosportchoice.com

FREE QUOTATIONS MADE TO MEASURE QUALITY CONTROLLED OVER 35 YEARS EXPERIENCE

Price includes VA AT T,, T installations and a fully comprehensiv ve e 10 year insurance backed war ranty

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TRIPLE GLAZED

Any 14 W indows Any 15 W indows

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SUNDAY ROAST DINNER DELIVERIES Available 12 – 4pm every Sunday Take the hassle and mess out of cooking Sunday lunch and order one of our tasty roast takeaways! Prices starting at £12.50

NEW LOOK RESTAURANT Come dine with us in our new look restaurant

Enjoy a cosy and relaxing evening in our newly refurbished restaurant with some of our delicious new dishes.

BOXING DAY BUFFET Our classic Boxing Day cold meat buffet will be served from 12-4pm £26.00 per person. Tables must be pre-booked.

ALL YOU CAN EAT MEXICAN! Tuesday 30th January 2024 Come and try a variety of tasty Mexican cuisine served buffet style so you can eat all you can!

Starting from 6.30pm. Tables must be pre-booked for this event. £19.50 per person.

24 Crescent Rd, Alverstoke, Gosport, PO12 2DH Tel: 023 9258 2157 angleseyhotel.co.uk

IN THE CRESCENT

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kevin.angleseyhotel@googlemail.com

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Method In a large bowl, whisk the almonds, sugar and salt. In a second bowl, and using an electric whisk, whip the aquafaba for eight to 10 minutes, until it forms semi-stiff peaks.

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 and line two oven trays with baking paper (mine’s reusable). Gently fold the aquafaba, lemon zest and vanilla into the almond mix.

Now set up a biscuit rolling station: shake the icing sugar into a shallow bowl or lipped plate,

SOFT AMARETTI BISCUITS

and put the dough to one side of it and the trays to the other.

Pinch off a walnut-sized, 25-30g piece of the biscuit mixture, gently roll it into a ball, then put

This recipe is by one of my favourites - Meera

in the icing sugar and repeat until you have

Sodha. These biscuits are extremely easy to

about six in the bowl. Keeping the bowl on the

make, taste delicious and would make a lovely

countertop, gently shuffle it around in a circular

edible gift for a lucky someone!

motion so the amaretti roll around and get

Makes about 22. Will keep for 1 week+

covered in a thick coat of icing sugar. Carefully

You’ll need:

place them 10cm apart on one baking tray, and repeat until you’ve used up all the dough.

For the cupcakes; • 300g ground almonds

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the amaretti are

• 175g caster sugar

golden on top, then remove and set aside to

• ¼ tsp fine sea salt

cool.

• 120ml aquafaba, from 1 x 400g tin chickpeas

The biscuits will keep for at least a week in an

• Zest of 1 lemon • 1 tsp vanilla paste • 50g icing sugar, for rolling

airtight container. To wrap, put them in a gift box of your choice and tie with ribbon.

Check out our website for other festive recipes!

Find everything Meera Sodha here: meerasodha.com

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G C

DARREN HARRIS

07504 980212

Darren Harris is a skilled, reliable and professional carpenter and joiner based in Gosport offering a wide range of carpentry services for your home or business. The options are pretty endless but to give you an idea of the most popular services a list is below: ■

door hanging

■

skirting

■

bannisters

■

door frames

■

bespoke fitted wardrobes

■

internal and external doors

■

picture rails

■

painting and decorating

■

bespoke furniture

■

flooring

■

bespoke fitted cupboards

■

windows

gosportcarpenter.co.uk

darren@gosportcarpenter.co.uk

1-1 sessions Small classes Beginners to advance Pilates for the Menopause Gift vouchers available For more details contact

Tracy 07814 965817 email: info@gosportpilates.co.uk Tracy Slade Certified APPI Pilates instructor

@gosportpilates

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Marks’s are your safe bet for looks and taste.

You really can’t go wrong!

Waitrose pies were really not good! Very dry pastry, horrid taste, undercooked, not enough filling and so on.

Tesco didn’t have enough filling! A lot of the team found them tasteless!

MINCE PIE TASTE TEST

Fortnum’s came out top overall. They had a

Armed with festive fizz, tea, coffee and top taste

a very nice citrus taste!

buds our dedicated Taste Test Team munched

We hope this helps! As always, any mince pie

lovely traditional look, were well filled with glossy fruit and encased in crumbly pastry. And

their way through 156 mince pies to bring you the results of the best looking and tasting mince pie for 2023! We went fancy this year and put Fortnum & Mason mince pies to the test! How

warmed up and with lashings of cream will taste good!

Until the next Taste Test.

did they stand against the usual contenders?

Results are in! Read on to find out....

For most of the testers, Asda’s looked good!

The traditional taste of the fruit was very favourable for some.

Lidl’s had a good crumble topping but weren’t very full at all. The team were spilt evenly on the taste. Lovely for some, others described them as tasteless!!

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Rank

Total %

Look

Taste

Brand

Quantity

Price

1st

78%

69%

87%

Fortnum & Mason Mince Pies

6 per pack

£12.95

2nd

70.5%

71%

70%

M & S Collection Mince Pies

6 per pack

£3.50

3rd

70%

74%

66%

Asda Extra Special Luxury Mince Pies

6 per pack

£2.35

4th

58%

64%

52%

Lidl deluxe Crumble Top Mince Pies

6 per pack

£2.99

5th

52%

58%

46%

Tesco Finest Crumble ToppedMince Pies 6 per pack

£3.00

6th

46%

53%

39%

Waitrose Duchy All Butter Mince Pies

£3.25

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4 per pack

Breathwork

Physical Practice

Meditation

Every Thursday 7.00pm - 8.30pm • £10 Christ Church Hall, Stoke Road, Gosport PO12 1JQ (behind the Church, path at side of Avenue Road)

Enquiries/Booking Email rich.breth@outlook.com

• Improving risk factors for cardiovascular disease • Improving general well being • Increase brown fat cells (Lose Weight) • Immune boosting • Cardio Training • Approx 20mins of a Breathwork Technique • Dip in the sea(max 2mins) • Digestive Training (igniting fire into the belly)

Every Sunday morning 8am start Stokes Bay opposite car park near to GAFIRS PO12 2TR By participating in this event you are personally responsible for your physical and mental well being and understand that the opganiser of the event accepts no liability for any damages arising from participating.

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AS

Come along and try out the facilities for FREE Plenty of parking available

Get started now

Gosport

www.fitness24gym.co.uk

01329 281963

Gosport www.fitness24gym.co.uk

01329 281963

Unit 5-8, Oakland Office Park, Aerodrome Road, Gosport, PO13 0GY

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.

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1 3

any berries, it is almost certainly a male bush.

Aquifolium Bacciflava

DECEMBER IN CRESCENT GARDEN December is very much the time when we think about holly as it has been associated with Christmas for centuries and we still like to bring it indoors to decorate our homes or make it into wreathes to hang on our doors The dark green glossy leaves with spiky edges contrasted with the red berries are said to symbolise Jesus’ blood on the crown of thorns, though that image we would associate more with Easter than Christmas. For the plant the spiky leaves are a protection against grazing animals and higher up each bush where no animal could reach them the leaves are more likely to be a smooth oval in outline. The familiar red berries stay on the bushes in winter and, although slightly toxic to humans are an excellent food source for birds and other animals. Mistle thrushes, particularly, are known to guard bushes full of berries and noisily chase away potential thieves. The seeds inside the red fleshy part pass out of the birds in droppings and this forms an excellent means of seed dispersal.

The bushes have rather inconspicuous white flowers during spring and summer, male and female on separate bushes. If you have a holly bush in your garden that has never produced

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Wild holly, Ilex aquifolium, has a wide distribution in the northern hemisphere and like other familiar native plants myths have developed around it over the centuries. In medieval times holly in the house was thought to protect against ‘malevolent faeries’ and in pre Victorian times ‘Christmas trees’ meant holly rather than the conifers introduced by Prince Albert. Holly has long been felt to have protective properties and there were taboos against cutting down whole trees, but taking off boughs was allowed for decoration; and coppicing was common for various purposes.

The hard white wood was used for marquetry, chess pieces and tool handles. Folk law suggested that holly wood had an affinity for control, especially of horses, so most whips for ploughmen and horse drawn carriages were made from coppiced holly. Holly trees were traditionally planted near houses to protect them from lightning. It is now known that the spines on holly leaves can act as miniature lightning conductors, thus protecting the bush, so there might be some scientific evidence for this superstition.

You will find a number of holly bushes in Crescent Garden, several of them other varieties, not just the native Ilex aquifolium.

There are, however, two of the native bushes, both tree size, one at the far western end of the garden and the other at the eastern end. Both are best seen from the pavement outside the garden and are covered in berries - a wonderful sight.

Just inside the western-most gate is I. aquifolium Argentia Marginata, sometimes called Silver Holly as its leaves are mainly green, but with white margins which glow looking silvery in sunlight. This bush is male, so doesn’t bear any berries. Another male bush, despite its name, is I. aquifolium Golden Queen, which again has green leaves but with a creamy golden edge. This bush is under the large cedar

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tree, beside the path near the fountain. It replaces one that was originally planted to commemorate Queen Victoria’s coronation.

Overlooking the lawn near the eastern end of the garden is I. aquifolium Silver Milkmaid. This holly has green edges to its leaves with a big splodge of creamy colour in the middle of each leaf. This bush is very definitely female as it is well covered with berries. If you walk back along terrace walk, you will soon come across a holly tree with bright yellow berries on it. This is I. aquifolium Bacciflava. The leaves of this variety are much less spiny than most other types and some leaves may even be plain oval. If you continue to walk along terrace walk until you are nearly behind the fountain you will see two small holly bushes with no berries, but creamy white edges to the leaves and a lot of spines, some coming from the middle of the leaf, rather than around the edge. This is called Hedgehog Holly (I. aquifolium Ferox Argentia) for obvious reasons.

Golden Queen

Crescent Garden has just a few of the many varieties of holly and there are many others, so look into the holly family and find out what suits your garden. And see what you can find to decorate your home. Happy Christmas.

Rita Rundle Crescent Garden, Crescent Road, Alverstoke

alverstokecrescentgarden.co.uk

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Tool and plant hire • Repairs and sales From mini diggers to a cordless drill, we will be able to assist.

023 9298 1757 07776 031716 gosporttoolhire.co.uk 1 6

TOOLS STOCKIST

Open to public and trade UNIT 37, BASEPOINT BUSINESS CENTRE AERODROME RD, GOSPORT

ADVERTISE! CALL 023 9250 2222

Proud members of

Where reputation matters

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great time to have your tennis 1 YEAR GUARANTEE If your property suffers from any of these problems call Mark Young to book an appointment. NO call out fee.

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EVERYTHING

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Ingrowing toe nails GOSPORT • LEE ON THE SOLENT • STUBBINGTON Fungal nails & athletes foot Corn & Callus treatment Fully insured, DBS Checked & Registered.Cash & card payments accepted.

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tired feet solutions

We stock Kite Clothing, Pigeon Organics, Ducky Zebra, My Little Pie, Little Green Radicals and Blade and Rose.

Organic clothing from birth to 4yrs, wooden toys, gifts, cards and wrap.

Come and see what we have to offer!

Pop into our cute shop Tuesday‐Saturday 10am‐4pm 187 High St, Lee on the Solent • www.myfirststeps.co.uk • info@myfirststeps.co.uk • Tel: 023 9378 0158

!

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Richard Mar tin Galler y

Martin S Sn naappe ((1 1852-19300)) - Rossyy Dawn Over Portsmouth H Ha arbourr..

Wa Watercolour r,, signed and dated 1909 A particularllyy atmossppheric work, looking ffrrom the Gosspport ffo oreshore, towards HM MS SV Viictorryy afloat in Portsmouth Harbour

A s t h e g a l l e r y a p pr o a c h e s it s 4 4 t h y e a r i n b u s i n e s s R i c h a rd & E l a i n e M a r t i n a n d s o n s w o u l d l i k e t o t h a n k t h e i r m a ny cl ient s , ne a r a nd ffaa r, ffoor t hei r conti nued suppor t a nd to w i sh t hem a happy Ch r i stma s a nd a pea cefu f u l Ne w Ye Yea r.

Details of the gallery’’ss upcoming annual exhib bition are shown opposite

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Eric Ravilious (1903-1942) - Commander looking through the Periscope (detail) Submarine Operations, HMS Dolphin, 1940

An Exhibition of about 100 FINE ORIGINAL 18TH - 21ST CENTURY

WATERCOLOURS , OILS , ETCHINGS , MAPS AND PRINTS by

M. Snape, W. Snape, W.L. Wyllie, A. Briscoe, R. Langmaid, R. Joicey, K. Yockney, T. Hale-Sanders etc.

Saturday 2nd December 2023 until Saturday 9th December 2023 (inclusive) 10.30am – 5.00pm (Closed Sunday 3rd) The gallery is happy to offer its expertise, free of charge and without obligation, to appraise paintings, etchings and antiquarian books brought in for framing, restoration, valuation or possible purchase.

All exhibits for sale

Richard Martin Gallery WAT E RC O L O U R S & ETC H I N G S R E S TO R E D A N D C L E A N E D

Est. 1980

B E S P O K E C O NS E RVAT I O N MO U N T I N G & FR A M I N G

19-23 Stoke Road, Gosport, Hampshire PO12 1LS 5FM r XXX SJDIBSENBSUJOHBMMFSZ DP VL

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GREENHOUSE • Pinch out the tips of autumn-sown sweet peas to encourage bushier growth • Pick faded leaves and dead flowers regularly from plants overwintering in the greenhouse

VEG PLOT • Sow broad beans • Plant out onion sets • Plant out garlic • Ensure kale, winter cabbages and brassicas

IN THE GARDEN • Winter-prune Wisteria

are covered by netting • Sow winter lettuce • Order your veg seeds, onion sets, asparagus

• Store terracotta pots so they don’t crack

and potatoes and plan for next year!

• Hang bird feeders near roses to attract

• Finish digging over empty beds and pile

hungry birds that will also pick off any

manure on top if using

overwintering pests

• Prune grape vines once leaves fall

• Prune climbing roses

• Plant any fruit or ornamental trees

• Move potted tender plants under cover

• Turn compost heaps, empty the compost

• Fork over borders once remains of summer perennials & autumn leaves are cleared

bin, mix the contents, then refill • Plant out new rhubarb crowns

• Cut down grasses that are past their best!

• Place straw around the base of parsnips to

• Treat posts, fences & trellis with preservative

prevent the soil freezing, which can make

• Clear leaves near hedges & walls • Place mulch around plants to give roots extra insulation from the cold • Collect up hoses and reels, store in a shed

harvesting difficult • Remove yellowing leaves from your winter brassicas • Cut down dead asparagus foliage

over winter to prevent them being damaged by frost • Place a floating heater or a ball in ponds to stop ice completely covering the surface • Leave the faded flower heads on your hydrangeas until spring for protection • Check climbers and climbing shrubs are securely attached to their supports with ties • If it's mild, continue to cut the lawn if it's growing, but raise the height of mower blades.

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ADVERTISE! CALL 023 9250 2222

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HIDDEN TREASURES 51-53 HIGH STREET LEE ON THE SOLENT

We urgently require your broken and unwanted gold, jewellery and antiques.

Any amount, any condition- top CASH prices paid!

JEWELLERY REPAIRS UNDERTAKEN WANTED gold - silver - jewellery of all kinds medals (any militaria) - cuff links - studs - tie pins pocket watches - wrist watches antiques - moorcroft - clarice cliff - old postcards

WANTED - rolex, breitling, omega etc Please call in to see us. Monday - Saturday 10am-6pm.

Alternatively, call to arrange a home appointment

TELEPHONE: 023 9255 3428 MOBILE: 07767 304495

Is your conservatory too hot and bright?

Speak to us about solar film!

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NEWS

GOSPORT TOURIST

INFORMATION CENTRE Did you know the Gosport Tourist Information Centre is open? It is both a Tourist Information Office and a Naval Book Shop headed by Mike Critchley and his team.

I’ve had a sneak peak at the 2024 calendar they have produced, it includes some interesting winter photos including Portsmouth Harbour Frozen over in 1963. It could be a great little gift for someone or yourself?!

The TIC is currently open Monday-Saturday 9.15am-1.15pm.

• Wood burning stoves • Marble & stone fireplaces • Gas & electric fires • Complete fitting service The showroom has been made safe with 2m distancing and hygiene implemented.

Come and see the new ranges at Cole House, Lower Quay Road, Fareham The biggest showroom on the South Coast

CALL US 01329 823120 www.firesandfireplaces.co.uk Family run business. Established 1976

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GIFT VOUCHERS AVAILABLE

Available to take away.

Amazing coffee, homemade cakes, jacket potatoes, sandwiches and more!

Homemade & freshly baked Afternoon Tea. Open Tues-Saturday 9.30am-3pm Indoor seating - Covered outdoor seating - 4hrs free parking

Cooperage Green, Royal Clarence Yard, Weevil Lane, Gosport PO12 1AX Call 07849 681601 Email nick@thepumphousegosport.com

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Telephone: 023 9252 2880 Email: enquiries@unitrimplastics.co.uk Unit 16 Brockhurst Industrial Estate, Wingate Road, Gosport, PO12 4DP (behind The Range).

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MOBILE CARPET & VINYL SPECIALISTS Fitted Carpets & Vinyls at DIRECT prices 3,500 Quality carpets & vinyls to choose from in the comfort of your own home

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WHAT’S ON

.-,+*)('&%'$#"*!+ ' "- ' "-&!(' # ' + + +-' %-& ' ' ' +' ! +- "* '

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AN UPDATE FROM

car/leisure batteries, copper piping, and

FRIENDS OF STANLEY PARK

litter pick on the first Sunday of the month,

Thanks to all the visitors to the park, and very importantly the volunteers who regularly turn out in all weathers to litter-pick, we now are very proud to hold a Gold award from the South & South East IN BLOOM in the category of

“Large

Park”

this

is

a

tremendous

achievement. As Chair of the Friends, I personally would like to thank the 1,500+ Facebook members and the Gosport Parks department, (who we work closely with), and all the visitors to Stanley Park for keeping it

electric cables to recycle. We hold a monthly meeting 10am in the Alverbank Hotel car park and it would be so good to see some of our Facebook members come along and take part.

In partnership with the Alverbank Hotel we are holding a Christmas event - see above and on our facebook page for further details.

I would also like to thank those who have named us as their chosen group to support when purchasing their Gosport Lottery tickets, this is a great source of income for us to be able to replace benches, tools and purchase litter

looking so good.

picking equipment, etc.

This year we held the "Park Life" event in

If anyone would like to share any ideas,

September and what a great day we all had lots of craft/charity stalls, tree climbing, the Rocks and Groyne sea shanty singers and lots more. Thank you to all the hundreds of people who attended, you made it the success it was.

We are always fundraising, collecting any old

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concerns, or would like to volunteer to support us we are always glad to have new members on our committee or project groups, please contact

us

via

our

email

-

gosportstanleypark@gmail.com we really would like to hear from you!

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W L

S Christine Davies Solicitor

Do you have important legal documents in place to protect your interests and make life easier for you and your family, whatever the future brings?

If you have received a diagnosis of dementia, or are concerned about becoming ill and unable to cope with paying your bills, wouldn’t it be helpful for a family member to be able to step in and deal with your finances? If your family member needed to make decisions for you, instead of just acting on your instructions, they would need your formal written authority to do this.

Formal authority can be given by creating a Lasting Power of Attorney.

This document will allow your family member to take over managing your money, either temporarily or long term.

You can also create a Lasting Power of Attorney which allows your family member to make decisions for you about medical treatment, if you are unable for any reason to make your own decisions. This is not the same as an Advance Decision, which is a document which sets out your decision to refuse medical treatment in the future, under specific conditions.

If you are caring for an elderly relative, or are likely to be doing so in the future, a Lasting Power of Attorney will mean that you can provide the support your relative needs and access services on their behalf, without the difficulties, stress and resistance you would otherwise encounter.

Having a Will gives you peace of mind that your money, property and personal possessions will be going to the people you have chosen to benefit. An out of date Will can cause problems within the family or mean that a chosen beneficiary receives nothing.

If you have any unanswered questions about Wills or Lasting Powers of Attorney, Christine will be pleased to help, so do please get in touch for a free, no obligation, chat.

Call Christine Davies Solicitor

on 07860 772274

or email: christine@winterbornelegal.co.uk Christine is a Fully Accredited Member of Solicitors for the Elderly and a Dementia Friend. Christine will visit you in your own home and aims to provide a warm personal touch to every meeting.

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2 9

sometimes challenge your motivation to get out and pound the streets, however, one of the advantages of belonging to a running club is that for motivation, safety and social contact, on every club night you can run with a group.

During the darker evenings a small group of us wrap up, wear our head torches and head off through the Alver Valley for a 3-4 mile run/walk.

It’s a completely different experience to a club evening and fascinating listening to the wildlife at night.

In January we have a special evening at the Gosport and Fareham Rugby Club to celebrate our fortieth anniversary as a running club.

Night run - Daedalus in Flight Statue

OUT & ABOUT WITH GOSPORT ROAD RUNNERS Another busy month for everyone, from Marathons, Half Marathons, our countryside runs and Park runs - Gosport Road Runners have been out there doing what we do best. We

Although many changes and challenges have occurred since our inception, the ethos of running, leading a healthy lifestyle and mixing with like-minded people has always remained the same. Our aim is to encourage running and the

ensuing

benefit

of

well-being

and

camaraderie. Most important of all is the opportunity to meet other people, make friends and become fitter and stronger, which in turn leads to improved mental well-being.

support each other - whether it be running with people while they train for their first ever run or their first Marathon, run/walking with people coming back from injury or illness, or simply supporting each other during training and club runs, we really do look out for each other.

Hi Viz Jackets and torches are now the order of the day! Dark nights and poor weather do

The Hayling 10-mile Team – 5th November

If you would like to know more about our club and all our activities, please read our newsletters which are available on the website https://gosportroadrunners.org.uk

3 0

adverts@gosportchoice.com | T: 023 9250 2222

Are you thinking of

remortgaging?

Call: 02392 581185

EXPE RT ADV ICE

or email: enquiries@amacmortgages.co.uk

A helping hand in: 2nd Charges (Secured Loans) Debt Consolidation Mortgages Life Cover Family Protection Mortgage Protection Buildings & Contents

www.amacmortgages.co.uk Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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3 1

REVERSE PARK MODERN TECHNOLOGY - OLD FASHIONED SERVICE

PARKING SENSORS WITH AUDIBLE WARNING FITTED Rear set colour coded: from £160 Front set colour coded: from £190 Both Front & Rear Sensors: from £290

CRUISE CONTROL FOR MOST VEHICLES £425 FITTED PRICE Metatrack insurance approved vehicle trackers fitted from £330 Rear view cameras for Cars £190 Vans from £225 & Motorhomes from £245

Dash cameras starting at £145 fully fitted or FRONT & REAR cameras for just £275 We fit the amazing iroad Fx series dashcams, probably the best value dash cam for sale google it and be amazed iroaduk.com

Mobile Service - We Come To You!

Tel: 01489 449020 Mobile: 07979 353696 www.reversepark.co.uk 3 2

adverts@gosportchoice.com | T: 023 9250 2222

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3 3

SOLENT AIRPORT MOTS Illustrious, Daedalus Drive, Lee on the Solent • Welding & Body Repairs • MOT Testing Station • Brakes • Clutches • Exhausts • General Repairs

• Servicing • Tyres • Diagnostics testing • Auto Electrics • Air Conditioning

Mon - Fri: 8.30 - 5.30 Sat: 8.30 - 12.30

FREE COLLECTION & DELIVERY SERVICE

TRANSPORTERS ALWAYS IN STOCK FOR SALE!

0333 3585 999 3 4

hvrgarages.com

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GARAGES

ARE PROUD TO ADD

SOLENT AIRPORT MOTS Illustrious, Daedalus Drive, Lee on the Solent PO13 9YA

TO OUR EXISTING GARAGES:

99b Mays Lane, Stubbington PO14 2ED

212 Hunts Pond Road, Locks Heath PO14 4PG

NEW LOCATION

STUBBINGTON MOTORS IS NOW AT SOLENT AIRPORT MOTS

Illustrious, Daedalus Drive, Lee on the Solent PO13 9YA

HVR Customs offer a range of services, including full or part van conversions, pop top roofs and Kombi’s!

We specialise in VW Transporters inside and out, including paint repairs and Revo remapping carried out on site.

Follow Us!

Proud members of

Where reputation matters

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3 5

WHAT’S ON THORNGATE MEMBERS BAR QUIZ every 1st & 3rd Saturdays of month.

£1 to sign in £1 to play. Teams up to 6 followed by card bingo. See website for entertainment. www.gosportcommunityassociation.com Thorngate Halls, Bury Road, Gosport PO12 3PX

CROFTON PROBUS CLUB Lunch Meeting last Wednesday of the month.

The retired and semi-retired professional/businessmen members of Crofton Probus Club meet socially for lunch at Lee-on-the-Solent Golf Club. Membership is drawn from an arc stretching from Lee on-the-Solent towards Gosport and Hillhead/Stubbington, and northwards towards Fareham. Lunch is followed by a talk from a guest speaker with a presentation of interest. In November the members “other halves” and widows were invited to lunch and, throughout the year; “days-out” may be organised across our region. If you miss the camaraderie of the workplace the Club may be the outlet for you. New members are always welcome. Why not come along to a trial meeting before joining? For further information contact the club secretary on 02392 359365 or email timaus29@gmail.com

ALVERSTOKE FLORAL DECORATION SOCIETY 2nd Tuesday of each month 1.45pm (not August) St Mary’s Parish Centre, Green Road, Alverstoke, PO12 2ET Come along, relax and enjoy watching inspiring demonstrations. Refreshments served after demonstration. First visit is free. Contact - Sue 07841 873871 cravenfortescue@gmail.com or Elaine 023 9258 6961 erobere54@gmail.com

LEE CHORAL SOCIETY

Christmas Concert. Saturday 2nd December 7pm. St Faith’s Church, Lee on the Solent.

Tickets £12.50 available from choir memebers, the Parish Office or 07815 002620.

GOSPORT METHODIST CHURCH 9th December 10am-12.30pm

A coffee morning to admire our Knitted Christmas Angels and sing carols. For the last 10 years we have been distributing these angels around the town and care homes as a reminder of the true story of Christmas. Come and see our display and enjoy some lively company.

OPEN MIC NIGHT Every second and fourth Thursday of the month. Members Bar Thorngate Hall, Bury

Road. From 7:30pm. Free parkingofrom 7pm.

Come along and join in or just come along and enjoy the evening.

FRIENDS OF STANLEY PARK Monthly litter pick first Sunday of the month 10-11am Meet in The Alverbank House Hotel car park. We provide pickers, bags, gloves and

HAP PY CHRISTMAS

smiles!

3 6

adverts@gosportchoice.com | T: 023 9250 2222

Do you need to learn to swim?

Could you do with some help to improve your stroke?

If the answer is yes but you don’t fancy the local public pool, then our adult only swim school could be just what you need.

During your lesson, just you and your specialist teacher are in the pool and with no spectators, you have complete peace and privacy to learn.

With over 35 years of experience and conveniently located in Stubbington, we have a warm, purpose built, completely private pool that we offer weekly 1:1 lessons or intensive swimming courses from.

Whether you need to practice for a holiday, improve for fitness or increase speed for a triathlon, we have a lesson that will suit your needs.

Our highly qualified teachers will get you feeling confident and increase your ability in the water in a short space of time!

10% off your first lesson when you quote CHOICE23

Call our main office today on

01329 202 208 Email info@theswimpeople.co.uk Website www.theswimpeople.co.uk

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3 7

Building Contractor With over 35 years experience in the building trade, we offer a full range of services to both domestic and commercial clients throughout Gosport, Fareham and

the surrounding areas, from erecting small gardens walls to full extensions and refurbishments.

We offer the full range of interior & exterior building services and property maintenance including: extensions loft conversions kitchens bathrooms conservatories general garden maintenance patios decking swimming pools

Office: 02392 528851 Mobile: 07899 686342 Fax: 02392 528923 Evenings/Weekends: Tel: 01329 516232 Fax: 01329 519882 Mundens Yard, The Square, Off Priory Road, Gosport, PO12 4LH 215 Titchfield Road, Stubbington, Fareham, PO14 3EW

www.kwlawrencebuilders.co.uk enquiries@kwlawrencebuilders.co.uk

3 8

adverts@gosportchoice.com | T: 023 9250 2222

Fully insured All work to British Standard 3998 All staff NPTC Qualified Woodchip and seasoned barnstored firewood available

All aspects of arboriculture and horticulture services, including: Crown reductions, thinning and lifting Hedge cutting Stump grinding/removal Dead wood removal

Complete tree removal Tree planting Pollarding Tree inspections Site and garden clearance

Dangerous tree removal Tree felling Specialist pruning (flowering & fruiting) TPO applications undertaken

…and all other aspects of tree, hedge and garden work.

PLEASE CALL FOR A FREE, NO OBLIGATION QUOTE 01329 315647 Jack Newcombe NCHA (Arb) NPTC MOBILE 07738388726 EMAIL info@jntreecare.co.uk

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3 9

WHAT’S ON

4 0

adverts@gosportchoice.com | T: 023 9250 2222

Christmas Opening Hours

Thursday 21st

8am - 6pm

Friday 22nd

7.30am - 6pm

Saturday 23rd

7.30am - 6pm

Christmas Eve

9am - 4pm

Christmas Day

Closed

Boxing Day

Closed

Wednesday 27th

9am - 3pm

Thursday 28th

8am - 6pm

Friday 29th

8am - 6pm

Saturday 30th

8am - 6pm

New Year’s Eve

9am - 4pm

New Year’s Day

Closed

Tuesday 2nd Jan

8am - 6pm

Wishing all our customers a very Happy Christmas!

10 Stubbington Green, Fareham PO14 2JG

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4 1

WHAT’S ON

4 2

adverts@gosportchoice.com | T: 023 9250 2222

2

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Please mention Gosport Choice when replying to adverts | gosportchoice.com

4 3

LEE ON THE SOLENT HIGH STREET GETS A BRAND NEW RAW PET FOOD PANTRY & GROOMERS STORE

frozen

raw

food

brands;

the

introduction of new products for small pets and birds; and a much larger, state-of-the-art grooming salon with space for up to four groomers!

Aimee Cross, Company Director, explains: “This is such an exciting time for us. This new,

In order to better serve its growing customer

larger store enables us to stock a greater

base, Raw Pet Food Pantry & Groomers is

selection the products we know our customers

opening a brand new and improved store on

want and need helping them to shop locally.

Lee on Solent High Street on Friday 24th

We wholeheartedly support the need to keep

November. The family-run raw pet food

our high streets alive and investing in this new

specialist, run by local couple, Wayne Collins

location for our business is testament to our

and Aimee Cross, has outgrown its current

commitment to the Lee community. Our new

store and grooming salon taking on a new

grooming salon is a fantastic space for our

larger premises just a few doors up the high

experienced groomers to provide the best in

street.

service and quality of grooms to our clients,

The new retail space is no less than 925 sqft allowing for larger ranges across the store for dogs & cats; a much bigger freezer capacity for its already impressive selection of over 9

4 4

different

too! And my beloved Stella, my 3 year old cocker spaniel, is larger than life on the shop front, meaning shoppers really won’t be able to pass us by without noticing us!”

adverts@gosportchoice.com | T: 023 9250 2222

The store's opening coincides with the wellknown 'Christmas in Lee' event, when the high street closes and is decorated with festive stalls and entertainment enabling Raw Pet Food Pantry to bring Santa Paws to their pawsome grotto to celebrate this incredible milestone!

Whether they have been naughty or nice, all dogs are warmly invited to come and see Santa and receive a generous gift - a fabulous opportunity to capture the cutest festive photo!

Aimee continues: “We ran our Santa Paws Grotto at Christmas in Lee last year and it went down a storm! With over 100 dogs passing through the grotto receiving a treat pack and toy, we proved that Santa visits are not just for children! This year we have invited Mother Christmas to join us to sing and entertain the

Find Raw Pet Food Pantry at High Street, Lee

children while their pups wait patiently to see

on the Solent and rawpetfoodpantry.co.uk

the Big Man himself! It is so much fun and a

Follow them on:

perfect way to celebrate the growth and success

Facebook: @rawpetfoodpantry

of our business, and the opening of our new

Instagram: @rawfoodpantry

shop.”

ADVERTISE IN THE NEXT EDITION

GET YOUR BUSINESS IN FRONT OF 1000’S OF PEOPLE! WHY WAIT? CALL 023 9250 2222 or email adverts@gosportchoice.com or visit gosportchoice.com HAVE YOU READ THE STUBBINGTON CHOICE?

READ ONLINE NOW STUBBINGTONCHOICE.COM Please mention Gosport Choice when replying to adverts | gosportchoice.com

G S 4 5

WHAT’S ON

WHO’S GOING TO COME AND SING SOME CAROLS?

Come and see our 8m igloo that’s being used as our Santa’s Grotto for all to come and see Father Christmas over the event weekend.

Opening times to be released soon, so keep any

out

on

Facebook

and

websites

events.co.uk

and

The ‘Joy of Christmas’ is coming to Lee on the

www.Montserrat

Solent over the 8th, 9th & 10th December,

www.leeonthesolent.uk. Tickets are £5.00 per

which is being held in and around the grounds

child, take pictures to capture the moment and

of St Faith's Church, who are organising and

there’s with small gift on exit per paid child. No

delivering this event with Montserrat Events; it’s

booking required, just come and follow the

a free to attend for all of the community to

grotto trail.

come and enjoy with paid items such as the market, grotto and food & beverages.

To be part of our market, prices are as follows: £45.00/ day 3mx3m and £30/ day 6ft Table. For

For this 3 day event there’s a long term vision

stall

booking

please

go

to

of creating a ‘Winchester Christmas’ style event

https://www.montserratevents.co.uk/shop

where there will be a Food & Craft Fayre . Music & Carols . Nativity . Drink . Christmas Tree

All proceeds from the event afters costs are

Festival . Lights and a Father Christmas Grotto

shared 50/50 to both St Faith’s Church for their

for all to come and enjoy.

fundraising and Montserrat to support other free events they organise & deliver.

ADVERTISE IN THE NEXT EDITION Call 023 9250 2222 or visit gosportchoice.com 4 6

adverts@gosportchoice.com | T: 023 9250 2222

G C

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4 7

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

Alverstoke

Alverstoke

Gosport

Gosport

£785,000 D(57)

£247,000 EPC TBC

£275,000 D(68)

£175,000 D(66)

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

Gosport

Alverstoke

Gosport

Gosport

£335,000 B(81)

Guide Price £1,000,000 D(57)

£369,995 D(68)

£425,000 C(70))

Call for your free valuation 023 92 529889

Fairhalls

NEWS OFFERS COMPETITION RECIPES GARDENING GUIDE LOCAL EVENTS LOCAL BUSINESSES

50 Stoke Rd, Gosport fenwicks-estates.co.uk

ALVERSTOKE

ALVERSTOKE

ALVERSTOKE

£1,500,000

£430,000

£300,000

5 BED WITH 3 EN-SUITES AND 1 BED, 1 EN-SUITE BUNGALOW. RECENTLY REFURBISHED. EPC D

SPACIOUS 3 BED SEMI. 80’ REAR GARDEN. DRIVE, GARAGE/WORKSHOP. EPC D

3/4 BED TOWNHOUSE. GARAGE. CONSERVATORY. CLOSE TO SEAFRONT & VILLAGE. NO CHAIN. EPC D

ALVERSTOKE

GOSPORT

ALVERSTOKE

£289,950

£277,000

£220,000

3 BED SEMI. SPACIOUS LIVING ROOM. CONSERVATORTY. REAR VIEWS OVER LAKE. NO CHAIN. EPC D

4 BED TOWNHOUSE. CONSERVATORY. GF WC. NO CHAIN. GARAGE & DRIVE. EPC E

SPACIOUS 3 BED. UPDATING REQUIRED GARAGE. NO CHAIN. EPC D

023 9258 0246 19 High Street Gosport fairhalls.co.uk

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