It may only be November but all things Christmas are happening! There’s the Stubbington Ark Christmas Fair, the Village Lights Switch on & Carol Service, the Yuletide Fayre at Holyrood and more! All the details of these events and what else is on locally can be found inside.
It may well be November but there are strawberry plants in fruit! Find out all about the strawberry plant growing in Crescent Garden right now in Rita Rundle’s article on page 14.
If you fancy a giggle this month the Lee Players latest production at the Crofton Hall Theatre in Crofton Commmunity Centre could be what you’re after! Four elderly ladies are sharing their lives in a rented house until one dies. Her housemates omit to inform the authorities of her demise and, even worse, her granddaughter arrives from Australia in search of her relative.
Details of their ingenious black comedy are inside!
I’ve found another soup recipe for November.
It’s for good old Leek & Potato Soup. It is so simple but delicious and comforting too. Just what you need for warming you up in November! The recipe is on page 8.
Inside you’ll also find the gardening guide, sudoku, plus lovely advertisers, news and more! Did you know we also produce Gosport Choice. Find out what’s on in Lee on the Solent & Gosport. Youcan read it online at gosportchoice.com Follow us on our socials too!
NEED MORE CUSTOMERS?
Why not try an advert in the December edition?
Get your business in front of thousands of lovely local residents! Get in touch! Details below or scan the QR code.
I hope you enjoy this months edition. I also hope you have a lovely November!
See you next month!
Read me, keep me or pass me on!
Sometimes you need a warming, simple but delicious soup. This is it!
Ingredients to serve 4
• 1 or 2 large baking or 375g floury potatoes
• 2 large tbsp butter
• 450g trimmed leeks (about 3 medium)
• 1 litre stock, or water
• 4 tbsp sour cream, to serve (optional)
• 4 tbsp chopped chives, to serve (optional)
Method
Heat oven to 200C (400F) fan. Prick the potato several times with a skewer, then bake for about an hour and a quarter until cooked through. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over a gentle heat. Rinse the leeks, then roughly chop. Fry with a pinch of salt until soft and silky, scoop out a couple of spoonfuls and set aside. Cut the potato into cubes, skin and all. Add to the pan and saute for another couple of minutes, then add the stock or water. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then puree. Season to taste, then stir in the reserved leeks. Divide between bowls and top with a spoonful of sour cream and a sprinkle of chives. Enjoy.
Snuggly Slippers & Cosy Socks
Pebbles Cleaning Company
Call us on: 07896 773559 Email: pebblescleaning@myyahoo.com
Fixed rate £16.50 per hour
• Weekly/Fortnightly Cleans
• We provide the cleaning materials
• Deep Cleans
• Ironing Services
• End of Tenancy Cleans, along with minor maintenance services. Price on enquiry.
ON THE GREEN Sunday, 10 November 10:45am11:15am Everyone is welcome to this Act of Remembrance in the village. A significant event in the life of our community.
TABLE TENNIS STUBBINGTON
Fridays 10am in Stubbington Time for fun and friendly indoor activities. Players wanted to join in Doubles Table Tennis games in Stubbington Fridays 10am. Call Tom 01329 665267.
NEW! GARDENING HUB
14th & 28th November 12.30 -2.30pm
Front Lounge Bar, Crofton Club, Titchfield Rd. Share gardening ideas, tips and tricks, swap plants and more. Just sign in on arrival. If you wish to become a member one of the staff can provide Membership Forms. Large Parking area. Anyone who is interested in all aspects of gardening are most welcome. For more info 07854932230 or secretary@thecroftonclub.co.uk
STUBBINGTON BELLES W.I.
Monday 11th November 1.30-3.30pm at The Crofton Club, Titchfield Road, PO14 2JH
This month’s speaker Jean Cripps will be giving a Woodcarving Demonstration. Varied programme of speakers or demonstrations, monthly coffee morning and Lunch Club. Visitors welcome to try us. More info contact stubbingtonbellessec@hampshirewi.org.uk
LEE CHORAL SOCIETY Autumn Term
Concert ...with a hint of Christmas!
Saturday 30th November 7pm
St Faith’s Church, Victoria Square, Lee on Solent Sarah Quartel ‘A Winter Day’, Charpentier Te Deum’ and festive music with fabulous soloists and guest musicians. Tickets £12.50 from choir members or 07815 002620 or on the door.
FOCOC (FRIENDS OF CROFTON OLD CHURCH) YULETIDE FAYRE
at Holy Rood Church on Saturday 23rd November, 10am-12noon. This is a great opportunity to start your Christmas shopping. There will be Christmas gifts, jig saws, books, toys, cakes, bric-a-brac and a raffle. Refreshments are available. Admission is 30p.
CROFTON BOWLS CLUB WINTER
COFFEE MORNING & TABLE TOP SALE 10am-12noon Saturday 9th November 2024 (behind Stubbington Tennis Club)
A warm welcome awaits everyone when you join us for our Winter Coffee Mornings. Entry: £1.50 members £2.50 non-members. Drink & cake included.
STUBBINGTON AND HILL HEAD HISTORY SOCIETY
Roman Catholic Church Hall, Bells Lane, Stubbington, PO14 2PL at 7.30 p.m. Monday 11th November 2024 Early History of the Manor of Wickham Part 1. Geoff Philpott. Enquiries to merrieldixonhistory@gmail.com shhhs.co.uk
CROFTON PROBUS CLUB
Meet for Lunch The Last Wednesday of the Month Lee-on-the-Solent Golf Club at 12:00. For retired and Semi-retired professional/businessmen. If you miss the camaraderie and social connection of the workplace come along to a trial meeting before joining? New members welcome. 07508711299 or email: morton.wouter@gmail.com
ST EDMUNDS (CROFTON OLD CHURCH)
Services 9.30am every Sunday. 1st & 3rd Sunday of the month is Holy Communion (BCP). 2nd and 4th Sunday is Morning Service. Coffee is served after.
The Church will also be open on 18th November 10am-12pm noon for visitors or for private prayer.
FIND MORE ‘WHAT’S ON’ INSIDE!
Swimming Lessons With a Difference
Fancy learning to swim but don’t fancy busy public pools? Beautiful pool based in Stubbington
Here at The Swim People we only teach from our beautiful private pool in Stubbington. All lessons are private and with no spectators, leaving you free to focus on learning and relaxing in the lovely warm water. We have over 25 years of experience in teaching adults of all ages and abilities.
As we forge ahead into the new year, lots of people have a new focus on increasing their health in 2024! There is no better way than swimming, as it has so many health benefits:
• Helps you live a longer, fitter life
• Boosts heart health
• Keeps you lean and helps with weight loss
• Strengthens lungs
• Boost brain function
• Improves mood
• Helps regulate sleep patterns
• Helps to manage chronic pain and long term conditions
• A great way to improve bone and joint health
No matter what your fitness level, you will start feeling the difference during your first session.
We teach water phobic, beginners, improvers right through to competitive and technique refinement. Our adult specialist teachers are ready to get you started on your swimming journey.
For more information about what we offer call or email today for a chat 01329 802208
Email info@theswimpeople.co.uk
Website www.theswimpeople.co.uk
Visit shorelinechristianchurch.com for more information or phone Kevin Stares on 07462 066104 or Julie Stares on 07531 856465
Waves meet every Sunday in Crofton Youth Project 10.45‐11.45am (adjoined to Crofton Community Centre) Waves plus are aged 13 to 19 meet every fortnight on Thursdays 6.30‐8.30pm from Thursday 7th November.
NOVEMBER IN CRESCENT GARDEN
If you stroll along terrace walk in Crescent Garden, towards the eastern end of that path you will come to a large spreading tree with an architectural framework of branching tan coloured trunks through which to peer at the rest of the garden. This is the strawberry tree, Arbutus unedo. If you look upwards into its dense crown of dark green shiny leaves you will see bunches of small white flowers. Examine these closely and it will give you an idea of its relationships to other plants. They are very similar in shape to the flowers of heather plants. The strawberry tree is closely related to them being in the family Ericaceae. Like most of the rest of that family Arbutus unedo grows best in dry rather acid soil and likes plenty of sunshine, but does well in Crescent Garden where the soil, although often dry as it is very free draining, is not acid. The name, strawberry tree, comes from the appearance of the fruits, which look rather like strawberries. They start forming after the pollination of the flowers and take a year to reach maturity, so that usually there are flowers and fruits on the tree at the same time.
Unfortunately last year was a very bad year for our tree and there are very few fruits to be seen. Across the road in one of the gardens there is a small strawberry tree red with the berries.
The tree is native to the Mediterranean area, from Portugal to Greece, Turkey and Syria; from southern France to Morocco and Algeria. There is also a wild population in SW Ireland, believe to have been brought there in the late Neolithic era, possibly by the beaker people, as the beakers which give these people their name are the same shape as the flowers of the strawberry tree. It is thought that these people were there at the first known copper mine in N.W. Europe.
It is an important tree in some Mediterranean countries. It became a national symbol of Italy during unification in the 19th century and it is still the national tree of Italy because its green leaves, white flowers and red berries are the colours on the Italian flag. In Spain the tree makes up part of the coat of arms of the city of Madrid with a bear eating it’s fruit. In the centre of the city there is a statue of a bear eating fruits from a strawberry tree. The fruit is edible, but not particularly tasty and doesn’t keep well, so has never become a commercially sold product. In some Mediterranean countries, however, where it grows plentifully in the wild it is sold in markets. The berries have a high sugar content, pectin and plenty of vitamin C, reputedly three times the amount of an orange. It is used in cakes, jams, jellies and yoghurt. In several Mediterranean countries it is used to make an alcoholic drink like a liqueur. The flower produces copious amounts of nectar and the honey formed from it is popular in many places, but by some is thought to be rather bitter.
The strawberry tree is now cultivated as an ornamental plant in many countries and is an asset to any garden. The flowers are a great
source of nectar and pollen for bees and the fruits feed birds. It is salt tolerant with an extensive root system, which can help in soil stabilisation. These features together with its being a densely leaved evergreen, make it a good wind barrier near the sea. The dense foliage also offers shelter for insects, birds and other small animals in winter. It is fire resistant; that is, it re grows readily after fire and is used extensively for reforestation in various Mediterranean countries. The wood is hard, but not used structurally as it doesn’t grow straight. Small carved objects are made from it, however.
Strawberry trees were written about extensively by Greek and Roman authors. It was also mentioned as having been sent to Sir Francis Walsingham and Lord Leicester in 1586 and in 1649 it was described as “a very fayre tree” in a Wimbledon Garden. In 1753 Linnaeus described it in his Species Plantarum.
So, an interesting plant to have in your own garden, but be aware that it can grow very large 60m by 60m. It can be kept small by judicious pruning from a young age, so how about giving it a go?
• Cut chrysanthemums to soil level after flowering
• Lift and store dahlia tubers or cover with mulch once leaves are blackened by frost
• Prune rambling roses after flowering
GREENHOUSE
• Clear out old tomato and cucumber cordons
• Move potted bulbs into the greenhouse
• Bring potted herbs under cover
• Ventilate the greenhouse on warm days
• Propagate perennials from root cuttings
• Sow sweet peas in pots
• Clean and tidy
• Try growing peas through the winter
• Sow hardy salad leaves and winter lettuce varieties
VEG PLOT
• Plant garlic, overwintering onions, soft fruit bushes and cane fruit
• Lift and store maincrop beetroot
• Clear away climbing beans
• Sow broad beans and endive
• Dig up and compost old summer crops
• Cover broad beans and peas with cloches
• Cut tall ferny stems of asparagus down to ground level when they have turned yellow and are starting to collapse
• Plant out autumn onion sets and garlic
• Lift and divide large clumps of rhubarb
• Pile earth up around the stems of Brussels
• Pick and store apples
• Sow hardy peas under fleece
• Cut down fruited canes on blackberries
• Finish pruning summer raspberries
HOUSEPLANTS
• Reduce watering and feeding of houseplants as the days shorten
• Cacti and succulents need a period of relative dormancy over the winter: keep them barely moist, and do not feed. Resume normal care next spring to bring them back into active growth and flowering
• Ensure plants don’t sit in damp sogginess as they become prone to rot
Grinding
Shrubs:
HIDDEN TREASURES HIDDEN TREASURES
We urgently require your broken and unwanted gold, jewellery and antiques.
Any amount, any condition- top CASH prices paid!
PRE 1947 COINS (SILVER) WANTED 51-53 HIGH STREET LEE ON THE SOLENT
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
STUBBINGTON
& HILL HEAD WI
Wednesday, 27th November 2pm, Baptist Church, Jay Close, Cuckoo Lane, Stubbington
Our speaker will be Ben Cross on the "British Alstroemeria and the UK Cut Flower Industry". With opportunity to buy Alstroemeria's. We are a friendly group, visitors are always welcomed, so if you have just retired and wish to make new friends, come along and try us out! Visitors can join us for two meetings before joining.
CROFTON GARDENING CLUB
18th November 7.30-9pm Roman Catholic Church Hall, Bells Lane, Stubbington. AGM membership renewals are due.
SEAFARERS SAILING CLUB
ANNUAL GRAND JUMBLE SALE
Saturday 9th November 2024 from 10am Catholic Church Hall, Bells Lane, Stubbington
Good quality items available. Clothes, curtains, shoes, bags, china, books, bric-a-brac. Entry 50p with tea and coffee available.
STUBBINGTON BAPTIST CHURCH
Jay Close PO14 3TA
Sunday 10am Morning Service. Sunday School.
Tuesday 1.15pm. Baby & Toddler Group term time 7pm Evening Life Group Weekly
Wednesday 13th November 13th at 2pm at The Baptist Church, Stubbington
A talk given by an Advanced Driving Instructor/Examiner. We would love to see guests who will always be warmly welcomed.
STUBBINGTON VILLAGE W.I.
Meet 7.30pm second Thursday of the month. Methodist Church Hall, Mays Lane. We are a friendly group who welcome new comers who want to know what we get up to. We have several sub groups who meet up throughout the month, such as Luncheon Club, Book Club, Games Morning, Craft Group, Natter Knit and Stitch group and Darts, among others. Why not come along and find out what we are all about. It’s fun and very social. For info call Chris 07970 826044.
STUBBINGTON KNIT & STITCH GROUP
Meet 2-4pm every Friday in the Foster Room, (next to Holyrood Church). We meet to socialise, and make super garments, and craft items which make lovely gifts for all ages. We sell these items to raise funds for local Hampshire Charities. Our last sale of this year, Stubbington Library, November 16th, 9.30am-12pm. A lovely display of Christmas gifts, treats, decorations, as well as some lovely bags which make ideal gift bags and are reusable. Please come and support us and find yourself some great bargains. If you have a donation for us, Stubbington Library will accept them for us or pop along to see us on Friday afternoon. For info phone Chris on 07970 826044.
LEE PLAYERS BLACK COMEDY
‘Caramba’s Revenge’ Crofton Hall Theatre, Crofton Community Centre, Stubbington, Friday 22nd & Saturday 23rd November. Doors 7:30pm, curtain 8pm. Tickets, £10, from 01329 662128 or Crofton Community Centre or on the door.
INTERNATIONAL FOLK / CIRCLE DANCING
5th & 19th November 10am-12noon
RC Church Hall, Bells Lane, Stubbington £6.50 Dances to beautiful music from around the World. No Partner or experience is required & all dances are taught. New members welcome. Contact Bob & Mary 01329 609589 Mobile: 07748009838 neal.bob61@gmail.com
W L S
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.
Christine Davies Solicitor
‘Where Water meets Land’
Stubbington based pond creation and landscaping business, fully insured and specialising in wildlife friendly gardens including:
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Pollinator Friendly flower bed with Oak Sleeper retainers
With 3 sites in the local area, all of our Garages are high ranking members of ‘The Good Garage Scheme’ and ‘Checkatrade’. Our Garages provide onsite MOT testing. Mon - Fri: 8.30 - 5.30 Sat: 8.30 - 12.30
3585 999
Solent Airport MOTs, Unit il1-3, Illustrious Daedalus Park, Daedalus Drive, Lee on the Solent PO13 9FX (Stubbington Motors is now at Solent Airport MOTS) Elkins Motors, 99b Mays Lane, Stubbington PO14 2ED Locks Heath Garage, 212 Hunts Pond Road, Locks Heath PO14 4PG
HVR CUSTOMS
Specialists in VW’s, we also cover many other makes and models in the full or part conversion of camper vans, kombi vans and caddy’s. We manufacture and design custom built camper interiors for Volkswagens and other makes.
Full & Part Conversions
VW Transporters, Campers, Kombi’s and Caddy’s
0333 3585 999 (Option 3)
HVR Customs, Unit il3-4, Illustrious Daedalus Park, Daedalus Drive, Lee on the Solent PO13 9FX
CARS AND VANS ALWAYS IN STOCK FOR SALE!
Specialising in transporters and small low mileage cars. (The cars are ideal for first time drivers.)
‘O COME, EMMANUEL’ – A COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS
How are your Christmas preparations going? Are you an ‘early-prepper’, with the lights up and presents already bought? Or do you leave it all to a whirlwind of activity in the last few days before Christmas?
This year, our Christmas theme in Crofton Parish is ‘O Come, Emmanuel’. We’ll be thinking about some of the titles given to Jesus in this familiar Christmas reading: ‘To us a child is born, to us a son is given… and he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’
(Isaiah 9.6)
What’s amazing about these words is that they were written over five hundred years before Jesus was born. Talk about an ‘early-prepper’! The first Christmas was being prepared for centuries before Jesus’ birth. Today, it’s easy to think of Christmas as a
celebration of something that happened in the past, a long time ago. But the birth of Jesus occurred among people who wanted God to do something now, in human history. They didn’t just want to read about the promises of a ‘Mighty God’ or a ‘Everlasting Father’, they wanted to experience that in their own lives. This Christmas, you can probably think of many points in your life – or in our world – where you would appreciate a ‘Wonderful Counsellor’ or a ‘Prince of Peace’ getting involved. We see conflict and poverty around the world and an increasing mental health crisis in our own country, for example.
When we sing ‘O Come, Emmanuel’ - or hear the words Isaiah used to describe Jesus: ‘Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God’ – we are invited to think and pray about our own lives and our own time, asking God to do something now just like people longing for the birth of a Messiah.
Happily, the Christmas story doesn’t end at Christmas. The same God who sent Jesus into the world is still caring and working, in us and, especially, through us. As we gather to remember this Christmas, we won’t just look backwards. We’ll also look upwards and outwards to our lives and our world today as we pray ‘O Come, Emmanuel’.
Why not join us this year?
Rev Canon Richard England Vicar, Crofton Parish Area Dean, Fareham croftonparish.org.uk Office: 01329 661154
