IN THIS ISSUE - Hampshire County Council
Transcription
IN THIS ISSUE - Hampshire County Council
YOUR COUNTY COUNCIL MAGAZINE SPRING 2015 Find out about See pages 20 & 32 Frozen Council Tax remains the same See page 8 Ensuring the best start Supporting children and families See page 18 WIN – One of four family tickets to Paultons Park See page 31 IN THIS ISSUE Making a difference Superfast broadband Change lives through care – see page 10 Sign-up to superfast broadband speeds – see page 14 www.hants.gov.uk www.hants.gov.uk Welcome For another year, the County Council will be keeping its part of Council Tax frozen, maintaining it at the same rate for six years in a row – one of the lowest in the country. We of course recognise a responsibility to those who need our services but freezing the tax is a way to help all residents and hard-working families as well. However, we continue to face financial challenges, and savings are becoming harder to find. From 16 March, we will be consulting on our budget proposals for 2016 From Councillor Roy Perry Leader of Hampshire County Council onwards, and we would like to hear your views on the services that are most important to you, and where you think savings could be made – see page 9. Our work to provide high quality and cost effective local services remains our top priority and often this involves working differently with partner organisations. Featured in this edition of Hampshire Now is our partnership with BT to bring superfast broadband to as many parts of Hampshire as possible. Also featured is our collaborative work with skills centres such as CEMAST near Fareham, providing young people with a range of skills for the present and future needs of employers in Hampshire. Social care in Hampshire is seeing considerable changes. In response to an ageing population, the social care system is modernising and we are working closer with colleagues in the NHS. With growing numbers of older people wanting to live independently, we are backing a campaign to recruit more care workers. We know that care workers have the potential to positively transform people’s lives, as well as the lives of those who are, or become carers – find out more about their important role on pages 10 – 11. To find out more about your County Council visit www.hants.gov.uk or call 0300 555 1375* If this information is difficult to read, we can provide it in another format, for example, in large print, Braille, on audio tape/CD/memory stick or in another language. Please call 0300 555 1375* 2 Hampshire County Council makes no warranties in relation to the content of any advertisements placed in Hampshire Now and shall have no liability for any losses howsoever caused in relation to such. Further, Hampshire County Council makes no endorsements whatsoever with regard to any advertisements placed in Hampshire Now. Contact us Write: The Editor, Hampshire Now, Communications, Hampshire, County Council, Elizabeth II Court South, Winchester, SO23 8UJ. Email: [email protected] Phone: 0300 555 1375* @hantsconnect * Call charges may apply, see page 30 Inside this issue 4 17 8 18 News around Hampshire What’s happening around the county Frozen: Council Tax remains the same 10 http://lifelink.radian.co.uk Making a difference Change lives through care 14 Superfast broadband Sign-up for faster speeds Enjoy the outdoors this spring! Try our Outdoor Activity Centres Ensuring the best start Early Help Hubs and opportunities for young people 20 What’s on Ideas for things to do this spring 25 Supporting Armed Forces communities Support for Hampshire’s Armed Forces personnel and their families 26 Hampshire Walk Visiting Stockbridge 30 Contact us How to get in touch with the County Council Hampshire now www.hants.gov.uk 3 News around Hampshire Recording key life events Each year, our Registration Officers deliver thousands of ceremonies, including marriage, civil partnership, baby namings/welcoming, renewal of vows, commitment and conversion ceremonies (which enable couples to convert their civil partnership to a marriage). Hollywood needs you! Fancy finding George Clooney relaxing in your living room? 4 Wishful thinking for some maybe, but did you know that you could be earning money from your home, land or commercial buildings by offering them up for filming? Some directors will pay as much as £1,000 per day for the right location. The Council’s Film Hampshire is the official film office for the county. It promotes Hampshire as a great film location and provides movie makers with a valuable free location-finding service. It currently has around 400 locations on its books and is on the lookout for more. With its wealth of scenery, historic houses, military space and popular tourist attractions, it’s hardly surprising that Hampshire has attracted the attention of Hollywood royalty. See our Hampshire film map www.hants.gov.uk/filmhampshire Did you know? Highclere Castle (above) may be best known as Downton Abbey, but it also appears in The Secret Garden, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and Bollywood movie Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. Register now! You don’t need to own a grand country house or historic building to attract film crews. Film Hampshire is getting an increasing number of requests for residential, private houses and apartments. It’s also not just Hollywood looking for locations – your property could fit the bill for a number of uses including TV filming, commercials and magazine photoshoots. If you think your property could have a starring role, then register your details with Film Hampshire now. Please note only property owners may register. It’s easy and it’s free. Simply visit www.hants.gov.uk/filmhampshire and fill out the ‘register your property’ form. To show off your location, email a selection of good quality landscape images to [email protected] Your details won’t be published but if we do receive enquiries for your property, you will be contacted to see if you want to be involved. There is no obligation to accept any potential filming and the Council will not apply any charges. We will simply put you in touch with the person submitting the request and leave you to negotiate your fees and terms. We are looking forward to another busy spring and summer and in preparation, we have been investing in our facilities, including moving the Winchester Register Office to Castle Hill. There are 140 licensed ceremony venues in Hampshire which cater for a range of tastes, budgets and ceremony sizes. To find out more see our 2015 Ceremony Brochure available from our offices and libraries, or download it from our website: www.hants.gov.uk/registration Follow us on Twitter @HantsReg Children and Young People’s Plan The Children and Young People’s Plan is the overarching strategy for Hampshire Children’s Trust, which represents all those working for and with children, young people and their families. The Plan sets out the vision for the Trust and how it will improve outcomes for children and young people in Hampshire. It does not seek to describe every service and initiative, instead aiming to set out the Trust’s shared priorities for improving outcomes for children over the next three years. A new Plan will be launched for 2015 and we are seeking your views on the proposed new outcomes and priorities. The consultation runs from March until the end of April. Have your say at www.hants.gov.uk/cyppconsultation Waste matters: changes to waste recycling centre opening hours Opening hours at our Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) are changing from 1 April 2015. The change follows consultation with residents on a number of options to shape the service for the future. These looked at affordable ways to ensure the County Council continues to deliver a modern, value for money service for Hampshire’s residents. The overall response to the survey clearly showed that there was strong support for the service and that it is highly valued by residents. This was reflected in the decision taken to implement changes which would help maintain current levels of service. The results of the consultation indicated that a later start in the morning was the most preferred option in terms of reduced opening hours. Discussion with HWRC staff indicated that the first part of the morning each day is crucial for the effective running of the sites to ensure there is sufficient capacity for the day ahead and ensuring the site is clean, tidy and ready for the public to use. Analysis shows that average peak usage times across all sites are mid morning and early afternoon. Taking all this into account, from 1 April 2015 the opening hours of HWRCs in Hampshire will be: • 1 October – 28 February: 9am – 4pm • 1 March – 31 March: 9am – 5pm • 1 April – 30 September: 9am – 6pm This is with the exception of Efford, near Lymington, which will close at 4:30pm in the summer as it has specific planning conditions governing its opening times. To advertise your business in Hampshire Now please visit www.hants.gov.uk/advertising call 01962 845520 or email [email protected] Our customer phone numbers have changed to 0300 The Council has recently replaced its 0845 contact numbers with 0300 numbers, as part of improvements to the way residents access services. Calls to 0300 numbers are included in call packages. Customers calling the old 0845 numbers will be advised of the change and encouraged to use the 0300 number as a cheaper Celebrating the birth of modern democracy In 2015, Hampshire is marking the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta. The county has strong links to the document which, in 1215, limited the powers of the monarch and protected personal liberties. Shortly before meeting the baronial leaders, who wanted to curtail his powers, King John met the then Bishop of Winchester at Odiham Castle. Once the charter was agreed, the King issued an order from the Castle instructing the Hampshire Sheriff to enforce it. A copy of this order survives in Rouen, France. We have been working with The Odiham Society to organise a number of events celebrating the Magna Carta – see our What’s on section on page 22. Two commemorative plaques designed by Hampshire students will be unveiled, one at the Great Hall, Winchester and one at Odiham Castle. There will also be a Magna Carta exhibition at Hampshire Record Office. For more information visit www.hants.gov.uk/archives and www.odihammagnacarta.com option for contacting Hampshire County Council. You can also contact the Council through our website www.hants.gov.uk where there are self-service facilities to report problems, apply for permits and pay bills, as well as comprehensive information on all the Council’s services. Essential guide for independent living The new edition of our Guide to better care and support is available from the end of April. The free, comprehensive guide lists a range of home care services and provides a wealth of practical information on support for you, your family and other carers. There are sections on support for people living with disabilities, making your home safe, choosing home care services and alternative housing options, including Extra Care assisted living. You can also find information about paying for care and the financial help and advice that is available. To obtain your free copy of the 2015/16 guide call 0300 555 1386 at the end of April. It will also be available online at www.hants.gov.uk/resicarepublications.htm Hampshire now www.hants.gov.uk 5 Private Fostering: stay within the law Do you look after someone else’s child under a private fostering arrangement? If so, do you know that you must let the Council know about it as a requirement under the law? This is so we can ensure the placement is meeting the child’s needs and that you, the carer, have access to any advice and support that you may need. 6 As commemorations of the First World War continue, a ship which played a vital role in one of the Great War’s bloodiest campaigns will open to the public later this year. HMS M.33 is the only surviving Royal Navy vessel from the Gallipoli campaign in 1915 and will provide visitors to Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard with a fascinating glimpse of what it was like to serve onboard her and in the Royal Navy at the beginning of the twentieth century. Due to her shallow hull, HMS M.33 was able to get close to shore to fire at land targets and support troop landings and evacuations. The Gallipoli campaign claimed the lives of 100,000 service personnel from around the world. In 1919, HMS M.33 was involved in the withdrawal from Russia of Allied and White Russian troops. The County Council acquired the ship in 1990 to preserve her for the county and the nation. We have worked in partnership with the National Museum of the Royal Navy to complete her conservation and enable full public access in time for the centenary of the Gallipoli campaign in 2015. Her £2.4 million restoration has been paid for by the Heritage Lottery Fund and a County Council grant to the National Museum of the Royal Navy, together with the transfer of the ship itself to the Museum. HMS M.33 will be open to visitors on 6 August 2015, but prior to that, an exhibition opens in March 2015 which will complement the ship and include artefacts that tell the story of the Gallipoli campaign. The National Museum of the Royal Navy is currently seeking volunteers for the HMS M.33 project. If you would like to get involved or find out more about the opportunities available, please contact Volunteer Coordinator, Alice Roberts on alice.roberts@ nmrn.org.uk or 023 9272 7591. For further information on the opening of HMS M.33 visit www.nmrn.org.uk/m33 or to see videos on the M.33 project go to: www.youtube.com/ NMRNPortsmouth Examples of private fostering arrangements include: looking after a child when their parents are temporarily away with work, on a long holiday or living abroad, or when parents are unable to look after a child due to long-term illness, or family conflict means a child is living elsewhere than with his or her own parents or relatives. The County Council is urging anyone engaged in such an agreement to get in touch to ensure they stay within the law. We are also asking those who work with children, such as teachers, healthcare professionals and youth workers, to be aware of private fostering arrangements and to make instances of it known to us so we can offer the relevant support to children and families. If you are aware of a private fostering arrangement please remind the parent or carer of their responsibility to notify us by calling 0300 555 1384 or by sending an email to [email protected]. You can also notify our Children’s Services about a private fostering arrangement online, alongside further information available from www. hants.gov.uk/private-fostering 7 www.pro-grow.co.uk WWI Gallipoli ship opens to the public Private fostering is when a child under the age of 16 – or under the age of 18 if disabled – is cared for by someone who is not a parent or close relative, for 28 days or more under a private arrangement made between their parent or carer and another person. It is not private fostering if the carer is a direct relative to the child such as grandparents, brothers, sisters, uncles and aunts. Pro-Grow “The natural way to garden” Spring, the perfect time to ensure your soil is in prime condition for the growing season ahead – particularly on the vegetable patch! Soil Association Certified Pro-Grow Peat Free Soil Conditioner is made entirely from recycled green material collected from Hampshire households. Its open structure will break down heavy clay soils and add humus to light sandy soils, providing all the nutrients needed to enrich your soil throughout the growing season, improving the soil’s fertility and moisture retention. Hampshire residents can buy six 60-litre bags of Pro-Grow Peat Free Soil Conditioner for just £30.00 – with FREE HOME DELIVERY throughout the county. Simply call quoting H15. T: 0845 678 9955 Hampshire now www.hants.gov.uk Frozen: Council Tax remains the same Hampshire County Council has frozen its part of the Council Tax again this year – keeping it at the same rate for six years in a row. 8 This means that in spite of the Government further reducing the level of general grant we will receive in 2015/16, by £29 million, Hampshire residents will still be paying the lowest amount for services like social care, highways and libraries compared to any other county in the south east. The County Council has been able to do this because it started early with its savings programme, achieving £140 million since 2008, and is on course to secure around a further £100 million by 2015/16. Investing in the future At the same time, we will be investing £876 million in Hampshire’s infrastructure to support growth taking forward one of the Council’s biggest ever capital programmes, in areas such as school places, transport infrastructure and superfast broadband. The County Council will be maximising the recent £3.1 million grant from Government to develop a digital strategy, using technology to support the demand for better access to information and services online, built around people’s needs to ensure Hampshire’s public services are both convenient and accessible for the people who use them. We will be using our reserves to invest in new facilities that will enable us to deliver better services at lower cost and generate income, like the transformation of our country parks to make them self-financing, or the development of holiday facilities for families to hire at our Outdoor Activity Centres – see page 17. Re-designing services We have been re-shaping and transforming the services we provide, while placing a greater emphasis on preventative work. With an increasing demand for social care services, we are making greater use of technology, such as telecare alarm systems, which help people live more securely and independently at home – particularly older people and those with longterm conditions – offering peace of mind that support is close at hand. We have launched a carers’ recruitment campaign to ensure there are more care workers to provide personal social care as part of the reablement service, and help with activities of daily living and other practical tasks – in order to give people more control over how and where their care is delivered. See pages 10 – 11 for more information. The Council will be working more closely with partners, the voluntary sector and local communities so it can act earlier and help to prevent problems occurring later down the line, which often end up costing more money. The Supporting (Troubled) Families programme is a good example of this. It brings public services together to provide better and earlier support for families – making a real difference to their lives, and at a much lower cost to the taxpayer. As of October 2014, the programme has helped 1,150 families to improve their lives, against a target of 1,590 families by May 2015 in phase one of the programme. Further opportunities will be sought to share services with other public sector organisations. The approach is based on the successful model of Hampshire’s back-office support functions now shared with the Police and Fire Service - delivering combined savings of up to £4 million each year. Managing further grant reductions In Children’s Services, the priority remains the protection and care of vulnerable children and we have added an additional £12.5 million to Children’s Services for this purpose. The creation of Early Help Hubs has enabled us to work with partners to ensure the right help is available to families at the right time, to prevent them needing more acute services at a later stage – see page 18. Early action to respond to reductions in Government funding has placed the County Council in a stronger financial position than many other local authorities. Our general grant from Government has reduced by around 51% since 2010/11. However, it is recognised that managing the next round of grant reductions is going to be much tougher than before, as inevitably, further savings become harder to find. Furthermore, reductions in funding come at a time when demand for services is growing – particularly for social care services, which for adults, costs over £1 million per day to provide in Hampshire. What the budget will be spent on in 2015/16 2015/16 gross expenditure = £1,900.7m To ensure every opportunity is explored, the County Council is undertaking an in-depth review of all spending and activity across services to identify further ways to redesign services around residents’ needs. This will inform the next round of changes and savings, needed by 2017/18 – expected to be in the region of another £100 million. This equates to a reduction of around 14.5% in the Council’s net budget, or £75 less spent per resident – bringing the cumulative savings total for the Council to £340 million, for the period 2008 to 2017. Children’s services (including schools)£1,010.7m Adult social care£428.6m Have your say Between 16 March and 27 April 2015, we will be consulting on our future budget proposals. Please tell us what you think about these early proposals. 0 200 Culture, communities & other services £151.6m Highways, transport, planning & waste disposal £139.5m Future inflation, contingencies & reserves £74.8m Capital borrowing costs £61.1m Capital costs paid from revenue £34.4m How 400the budget 600 is funded 800 1000 From 16 March, an information booklet and an online questionnaire can be found at: www.hants. gov.uk/budgetsurvey. You can request a paper copy of the documents by emailing corporate. [email protected] or by calling 0300 555 1375. This article is about the Hampshire County Council element of Council Tax. Your Council Tax bill also includes amounts for the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority, your local district council and, in many areas, a parish or town council. For more details about the County Council’s budget please visit our website: www.hants.gov.uk/budget Please contact your district council if you have any queries about your Council Tax bill or Council Tax Support. 9 Funded by: Council Tax£504.9m Income£257.4m Reserves£44.3m Specific Government grants £855.5m General Government grants £182.4m Business rates£44.8m Surplus on collection funds £11.4m Hampshire County Council’s Band D Council Tax remains at £1,037.88 Please note that Hampshire Now went to print before Hampshire County Council set the budget, so there may have been some changes. The final figures are available on our website: www.hants.gov.uk/budget Hampshire now www.hants.gov.uk Making a difference: change lives through care “Someone comes in every morning and helps get me ready for the day, helping me get showered and dressed and preparing breakfast. It has been a wonderful service. Right from the word go they have treated me with kindness, compassion and dignity. They have all become friends and I cannot praise them enough.” independence and continue to live at home. The carers who help Mary are among an army of dedicated people making a difference to people’s lives around the county. They are not only supporting people like Mary after a spell in hospital, but also those with more complex and continuing These words from Mary in Winchester illustrate the difference that support from care workers has made to her life as she recovers from a shoulder fracture following a fall at her home. She is being supported by carers, who provide the Council’s reablement services in Winchester. 10 Reablement care is intensive support provided in the home to people who, for example, may be leaving hospital, helping them regain their Social care is changing Important changes are coming into effect as a result of the Care Act which is aimed at modernising social care law. There will be a number of important new responsibilities for the County Council, some of which come into effect this year, while the rest will come into force in 2016. The driving forces behind the new legislation are to provide people with greater choice and control over their care, keeping adults safe, and promoting wellbeing by ensuring advice, information and support is readily accessible. Our Adult Services department is already well ahead with this work. We have well-established safeguarding protocols and services which enable people to live independently for longer in their own homes. But there are some new responsibilities for the care needs who want to stay at home. Each year, our Adult Services help more than 6,000 people to do this. With people living longer, that number is likely to rise significantly, so we are fully behind a campaign to recruit more carers. If you think you have what it takes to help people like Mary and others who may have more long-term care needs, visit our care recruitment web pages www.hants.gov.uk/changelives to find out more. As well as helping change the lives of others, it may just change your own! See opposite why one carer made the switch from retail to care. Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ changelivesstartwithyours Council which will result in additional support for Hampshire residents, including: • Supporting Carers: Carers will be entitled to receive support in their own right to help them with their caring role, if they meet new eligibility criteria. to care and support from this April. The Council has been seeking views on charging for brokerage (a set fee for arranging care at home for those who are able to fully meet the cost of care or support themselves), and on proposals relating to charges for deferred payments for care. • Advocacy: The Council must find an independent advocate to help individuals who – without advocacy support – will be unable to participate in, or understand, the care and support system. • Cap on care costs: There will be a limit to the amount people will have to pay for care in their lifetime (this will not come into force until April 2016). In addition to the above changes, the Care Act also allows local authorities to make additional charges relating From retail to care Cindi Bronger’s career switch from retail to care is not only improving the lives of the people she cares for but it has changed her life for the better too! Previously Cindi worked in customer services for a large retail chain. Just over a year ago she became a carer delivering care to people in their own homes and she has not looked back. “I got a buzz helping people in my customer service job but nothing like I do now. I love my job. I look forward to each day at work. It’s so rewarding enabling people to stay living in their own homes, helping them retain their independence. It’s a nice feeling to know you are part of that.” She remembers the day she started – so nervous! Thanks to the induction training she had, and spending the first few weeks shadowing experienced carers, she soon settled into it. “I’m not there to impose things on people. I find out what they can do for themselves and what they can’t, and support them with the things they can’t. And I find out how they like me to do the things they can’t. I think it’s important they feel they have control over their care and it’s important to give people dignity. “Helping people with their personal care is a very personal aspect of their lives. You have to think how upsetting it may be for them not to be able to do this for themselves. You need to make people feel comfortable.” For more information about the Care Act and what it means for services in Hampshire visit: www.hants.gov.uk/ care-act Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market: www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk/christmas Cindi enjoys the flexible nature of the work – she works hours which fit around caring for two young children. Would she recommend care work to others? “Yes. Give it a try! It’s a great job!” Telecare: helping people live safely People using the telecare service have told us it increases their feeling of safety and security, contributing The use of innovative ‘telecare’ to their overall wellbeing. In the case technology in Hampshire is helping of one younger person with multiple more than 2,000 older people and disabilities, it has meant she is able to young people with disabilities to lead safe, independent lives, while providing attend university. It is also giving family carers the reassurance and freedom vital reassurance and peace of mind to they may not have had for some time. family carers. Carers report having the confidence to All service users assessed as having ‘critical’ leave their loved ones alone for short or ‘substantial’ care needs are eligible for periods of time in the knowledge that telecare, and it is preventing some from they can summon help instantly if they needing more acute care services or from need to. going into residential care. The increased use of telecare services The service is now being made available is not only enabling people to live to people wishing to pay privately for it, in line with their wishes, it also has from as little as 62p per day. the potential to save the Council The equipment installed by Argenti, the over £800,000. Council’s telecare provider, includes: Future uses of telecare could include · Lifeline pendants and fall detectors, supporting children and young people which connect people to a 24-hour with learning disabilities, where the monitoring service. greater independence it can enable could deliver benefits that last a lifetime. · Automatic medication dispensers for people who may forget to take vital medicines. · Door sensors, which alert relatives if someone leaves the house and does not return within a pre-programmed time. For more information about how telecare could support you or your relative visit: www.hants.gov.uk/ telecare or telephone 0345 265 8003 for an informal, confidential chat with an Argenti telecare adviser. · GPS tracking aids, which connect people to a monitoring centre while they are out and about. Hampshire now www.hants.gov.uk 11 the easy way into Portsmouth by car 12 Regular buses take you direct to Gunwharf and the city centre 13 Located at junction 1 M275 Find out more parkandride.portsmouth.gov.uk Hampshire now www.hants.gov.uk Making the most of superfast broadband To support rapid growth of digital services, we are encouraging people to sign-up to superfast broadband. Britain is already ahead of the top five European economies for broadband coverage. Greater access to superfast broadband will transform the UK by helping businesses to grow and create jobs, as well as giving more people access to education, health, services and entertainment. 14 The Hampshire Superfast Broadband Programme has already seen more than 505,000 properties connected to superfast services (as of January 2015). This has provided many rural communities with the opportunity to access faster internet. Hampshire’s programme is helping to fill the gap in rural and hard to reach areas where commercial provision has not been made – see the diagram opposite. Our commitment to widening access to superfast broadband across the county has been reinforced by signing a second contract with BT to make superfast broadband available to an extra 34,500 properties. This means that once work is completed in 2018, superfast broadband should be available to 96 per cent of premises in Hampshire, and that at least 96,000 additional premises will be able to access superfast services at a speed of at least 24Mbps. In Hampshire, the County Council and its partners will be investing around £30 million in total. Reliable broadband services are vital for the county’s economy but also for residents who wish to keep in touch with family and friends, apply for services or buy goods online, work from home or want to be able to use computers, tablets, smartphones and televisions all at the same time. In addition, if the take-up of superfast services in areas covered by Hampshire’s programme reaches above 20 per cent, then additional funds will be made available through the ‘clawback’ mechanism in the contract with BT. This money will be reinvested into extending superfast broadband coverage even further. So the quicker people take up the service, the faster that money comes back. 1) Find the best place for your router Move the router away from sources of electrical and radio interference. Make sure it’s at least five feet away from TVs, monitors, dimmer switches, PC speakers, halogen desk lamps, and so on. Wireless works best when there’s clear space between the router and the computer. That means no thick walls, ceilings, radiators, and anything else that could get in the way of the signal. 2) Use micro-filters Make sure that you have a micro-filter on all equipment plugged into the broadband line. If you’re plugging any item into a socket on your broadband line – phone, router, modem, fax, alarm or a TV – you must always plug it into a micro-filter before plugging it into the line socket. To check if superfast broadband is available in your area, visit www.hants.gov.uk/broadband The Council is now working with district and borough councils and suppliers of broadband to make it possible for more new homes (especially on large scale developments) to be able to access superfast broadband from the outset with our new Getting Connected Programme. Getting the best from your connection Are you struggling to make the most of your broadband? Here are a few tips on how to improve your current speed: 3) Use the main telephone socket For best results plug your router into your main telephone socket rather than an extension. 4) Problems with your device? If you’re having problems accessing the network using one device, try a different computer on the same connection. It also can also be helpful to empty the cache on your device. Do not forget to scan for viruses – they can also affect your speeds at home. 5) Network security Check the security of your network to ensure that no one else is enjoying your network for free and change your Wi-Fi password regularly. Still not getting anywhere? There might be a physical fault with your network. Please get in touch with your broadband provider for additional support. Homes and businesses connected to superfast broadband 100% Total: 594,000 96% Total: 570,000 90% For regular updates and more information on future phases, please register your interest at www.hants.gov.uk/ broadband Total: 536,000 80% Total: 473,000 Premises already Wave 1 £10m covered by comercial roll-out 62,000 new premises Wave 2 £18.4m 34,500 new premises Future phases under evaluation 23,000 premises remaining Follow us on Twitter: @superfasthants 15 Apptelic – making the most of online collaboration “Superfast broadband is crucial for the future of our business and others. Thanks to the improved connection we can now work on global projects without constant flights and instantly exchange ideas at anytime and from anywhere.” That’s the verdict of Philip Hopkins who, along with his wife Sharon, started Apptelic, an innovative video app and software company based in picturesque Lymington. Since his local broadband cabinet in Hordle was recently enabled with superfast broadband, he has noticed a game-changing improvement. Superfast broadband is vital for Apptelic’s approach to online collaboration, with team members exchanging ideas through Skype, managing projects and sharing documents online from locations across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Philip believes that you can still have a close-knit team working from different locations: “We usually meet once a week to discuss projects and the rest of the time everyone works from home. The team members often choose their own hours and it has worked really well. We are all available to contact each other within specific times but as long as the projects are delivered on schedule, it doesn’t mean that they have to be at their laptops from 9 to 5.” As the company often serves global projects, flexibility also works both ways: “Recently we’ve worked on a streaming feed for the National Basketball Association in America with games starting at 11pm at night (in the UK) and as we all are open to mixing up our hours, being available at that time wasn’t a problem. More importantly, we were able to immediately address the client’s queries, which wouldn’t be possible if we worked standard office hours.” Flexible working also stimulates creativity: “Some of our programmers might get a great idea in the middle of the night, which will then have a significant and positive impact on the project. They are more likely to pursue it if they know that they won’t have to be up at 6am to commute to work.” Hampshire now www.hants.gov.uk Where a University Degree in Business is not beyond your reach Our part-time Business and Management Degree is designed for busy working people and is available one evening a week from Chichester College, Isle of Wight College and South Downs College in Waterlooville. It is open to those who may not have formal qualifications but whose work experience will have prepared them to succeed. To find out more about the flexible part-time courses we offer, come along to our next open evening, details of which can be found at www.port.ac.uk/ pbsevents. For further information visit: www.port.ac.uk 16 T: +44 (0)23 9284 8200 E: [email protected] W: www.port.ac.uk/ busandman Don’t flap about in traffic. Join the pledge. Sign ge to nosave Pledup w andtime, win! save money and burn calories Pledge now and win! www.pledgemyjourney.com Enjoy the outdoors this spring! Try it, learn it, love it! With lighter, longer days on the way and the Easter holidays on the horizon, if you are looking for exciting outside activities, try our outdoor activity centres. archery and orienteering. As well as cycling in the velodrome, you can also book onto bike maintenance courses to keep your bike in tip-top condition. Whether you are an individual or a group and whether it is water sports, climbing, cycling or archery that you’re interested in, there’s something for everyone – with all ages and abilities catered for. Calshot Activities Centre has the largest indoor climbing facility on the south coast as well as the only indoor banked velodrome in the south of England. Added to this, it is the Solent’s premier water sports centre with dinghy sailing, power boating, windsurfing and canoeing. If land-based activities are your thing, then there’s a range of other activities including climbing, snow sports, Run Hampshire! Physical activity has proven health and wellbeing benefits, as does being out and about in the fresh air, so why not combine the two and join a running group? The County Council supports the Run England initiative aimed at getting the whole country running as a recreational activity – not competitively, though if you want to do that, there are plenty of local running clubs to join. Regardless of your age, fitness level, background or location, you can be part of the running community. Run England groups are especially aimed at those who may be new to running as a regular, recreational activity. It provides a chance to meet new people and run in a friendly, If you are looking for Easter holiday activities for your children then Tile Barn Outdoor Centre in Brockenhurst may have the answer. The centre hosts adventure days for youngsters aged between 8 and 14, offering a range of outdoor challenges and activities. Adults don’t have to miss out on the fun – the centre offers pre-booked team building ‘away days’ for groups with a chance to try out activities including the high ropes, orienteering, mountain biking, kayaking, shelter building and problem-solving. There are also camping courses for teachers, youth workers and those leading residential trips. At Runway’s End in Aldershot, abseiling, air rifle shooting, bush craft and rafting are among the range of activities on offer to groups. Customers can also have a go at caving in the centre’s new artificial caving system. Areas of the system can be accessed by people with limited mobility and it provides an excellent introduction to caving. Whatever you are looking for, Hampshire’s Outdoor Centres offer a rewarding and memorable experience. Find out more at: www.hants.gov. uk/outdoor-centres and contact the individual centres for course information. supportive and non-competitive environment. You may even get to know your area better, as part of the group leader’s role is to plan runs in your local community. With around 100 groups dotted around Hampshire there should be one near you. And if not, why not think of starting one as a Running Leader? There’s Leadership in Running Fitness (LiRF) training available from England Athletics. Once you start your group, there is on-going support from Sport Hampshire & IOW’s Running Activator, funded by the Council. There are four running leadership courses held in Hampshire each year, and the training gives you the skills and insurance needed to deliver fun and safe sessions to groups of runners with different abilities, including new runners and those who already run but want to progress. England Athletics charges for the Running Leader course but support from Sport Hampshire and IOW is free once you have qualified, and includes one-to-one mentoring sessions, handouts and information covering a range of topics to help you and your group get the most from your running. To find out more about this and other sports opportunities in Hampshire visit: www.hants.gov.uk/athletics For Run England course information, and to find out where your local group meets, visit www.runengland.org Hampshire now www.hants.gov.uk 17 Ensuring the best start Here, we take a look at some of our work to support children and their families, and to create opportunities for young people. Early Help Hubs Re-designed support services for children and families are making a real difference to families across the county. The Early Help Hubs operate on a multi-agency, ‘team around the family’ model, ensuring families can get the most effective help at the right time. 18 They bring together a range of professionals who can offer children and families practical support and advice and refer them on to other agencies for help. The help covers a range of issues including: parenting, health, substance misuse, housing, education, employment, and domestic abuse. Providing early support in this way is preventing children and families from needing more acute, and more costly support at a later stage – enabling them to make sustainable changes to improve their lives. The Hubs, covering each district council area, are currently supporting around 1,400 children and young people and their families. As well as supporting families directly, they also provide advice and guidance to professionals who are supporting families. In addition to family support workers and adult social care workers, partners involved in the Hubs include: children’s centres, schools, health visitors, school nurses, child and adolescent mental health services, housing providers, youth support services, the Police, the Department of Work and Pensions, carers support organisations and domestic abuse services. Organisations can refer families for support or families can request help direct. If you are worried about your child’s health or need some parenting support, call 0300 555 1384. Changing lives “People need to know there’s help out there – you don’t have to go through things alone.” Jane, a single parent to four children, says she feels like she has a new household after support from her local Early Help Hub. She was becoming increasingly worried about her 12-year-old son Cameron. He had very low selfesteem and had been bullied in the past. Cameron had moved to a different school and good support was in place for him, but he was still very low emotionally. He had a history of self-harming. Jane was worried about how best to deal with his changeable behaviour. Within a week of being referred to the Early Help Hub a support worker, Colin, from one of the Council’s partners Sovereign Housing Association, was assigned to help Cameron. With support from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Colin was able to make a positive difference. Jane said the change in her son has been amazing: “Colin got Cameron to open up to him. He helped Cameron learn how to deal with his emotions and problems from the past and not let them affect his present and future. He helped Cameron set goals and targets for himself which boosted his confidence. He did such an amazing job. Cameron now smiles like I haven’t seen him smile in a long time. It’s like a weight has been lifted. It’s like we have a new household.” Future Skills: exciting opportunities for young people We are investing in a network of ‘Future Skills Centres’ as part of our Hampshire Futures programme to ensure young people gain skills that meet the needs of local employers, both today and into the future. One such centre is Fareham College’s new Centre of Excellence in Engineering, Manufacturing and Advanced Skills Training (CEMAST). We contributed £3 million to this state-of-the-art training centre to provide high-quality education and training in engineering and manufacturing technologies, including marine, automotive and aerospace. CEMAST is part of a new breed of skills centres offering education and training in cutting edge technologies, giving students the knowledge and practical experience needed to enter their chosen field and prepare them for direct entry into work or higher study. It has a curriculum that has been created in partnership with the local industry, and together with its purpose-built workshops, ensures that students gain up-to-date industry knowledge and hands-on practical experience. The college is a central part of the Solent Enterprise Zone at Daedalus in Lee-on-the-Solent, near Fareham. With more than 900 full and part time students, it is the main learning centre for students in apprenticeship programmes with companies such as BAE Systems, GE Aviation, Virgin Atlantic, Coopervision, Burgess Marine, the MoD and Jensen Motorsport, among others. For more information about Hampshire Futures and opportunities for young people visit www.hants.gov.uk/ hampshirefutures. For information about what’s on offer at CEMAST visit www.fareham.ac.uk/cemast Two students among the first to train at CEMAST share their experiences… Putting theories to the test: Rosie, 22 Rosie loves her job and her continued studies in mechanical engineering. She’s on a two-year HNC course as part of her three-year apprenticeship with the Ministry of Defence at the Defence Munitions depot in Gosport. She wanted to put her physics degree from the University of Southampton to good practical use, and says the combination of work-based training with the MoD and the weekly day-release at CEMAST is perfect for her. “The first year was workshop-based at college and the next two years are work-based with college once a week. I love it! I am maintaining weapons systems for the combined forces. It’s interesting and varied work. I loved the practical and applied side of my physics degree but the theory didn’t feel real enough. This is enabling me to put the theory to real practical use and to build up my engineering knowledge and skills.” Flying high: Gaurang, 17 Gaurang has his sights set on a highflying career. He didn’t get the grades he was hoping for at sixth form college but CEMAST has given him another way into the career he most wants to pursue – piloting commercial airlines. “I looked at what CEMAST had to offer and it seemed a perfect fit. The facilities are great. In the workshop we get to work on two different types of aircraft, a Wasp helicopter and a Jet Provost, which is a real joy! It’s so different to school. Although we learn lots of theory and there is classroom work, we are treated exactly as we would be in the workplace. “The BTEC Aerospace Engineering course I’m doing really ties in the practical and the theory so well. After this, I want to go to university to study Aerospace Engineering and qualify for my private pilot’s licence.” Gaurang was also attracted to CEMAST because of its links with industry. “That’s really important – it shows you the choices and opportunities available after college. This has turned out to be the best route for me to take.” Rosie appreciates the brand-new facilities at CEMAST. “They are fantastic,” she said. “The workshop is incredible. We have equipment here which I don’t have access to at work so I make the most of my opportunities here.” Rosie has no hesitations about encouraging other women to enter what has traditionally been the male-dominated world of mechanical engineering. “Yes! If you enjoy it, don’t think of it as a big thing, just go for it. There’s nothing stopping you!” Hampshire now www.hants.gov.uk 19 What’s on in Hampshire March Opening 20 March Critter Creek Paultons Park, Ower, nr Romsey, SO51 6AL For opening times and to book tickets please visit www.paultonspark.co.uk FP New at Paultons Park is an exciting new mini-land, CRITTER CREEK. It’s a fully themed world of strange, mixed-up, creatures known as the ‘Curious Critters’! Come say hello to the Horned Swamp Donkey, take a ride on the Cat-o-pillar rollercoaster and visit Beastie Burrow, the real life bug emporium complete with fascinating and unusual insects, fish and lizards! 023 8081 4442 www.paultonspark.co.uk 20 Until 26 April Tues to Fri, 10am – 4.45pm, weekends 11am – 4.45pm. Closed on Mondays Bricks in Motion Milestones Museum, Churchill Way West, Basingstoke RG22 6PG Adult £8.95, concs £7.95, child (5 –15 yrs) £5.25, under 5s free, family £26.75 FP Explore the history of transport in LEGO® bricks from pre-history through to the future. 01256 477766 www.milestones-museum.com Until 24 May Hiroshige’s Japan: 53 Stations of the Tōkaidō Road The Gallery at Winchester Discovery Centre, SO23 8SB FREE P F Utagawa Hiroshige is considered the last great master of Ukiyo-e woodblock printmaking. This, his most famous series, captured the journey between Edo and Kyoto. A touring exhibition from the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. 01962 873603 www.hants.gov.uk/wdc Until 29 March Cloud by Susie MacMurray The Great Hall, Winchester SO23 8PJ FREE (suggested donation £3) F P See artist Susie MacMurray’s response to WW1. Reflecting the ominous presence of conflict which hung over Europe during 1914-18, artwork is dramatically suspended from the Hall’s roof, hovering over a drift of tags representing fallen soldiers. 01962 846476 www.hants.gov.uk/greathall P Parking FP Free parking 28 March, 7.30pm The Poozies Ashcroft Arts Centre, Osborn Road, Fareham, PO16 7DX £16, £15 concessions FP Sally Barker, a recent a finalist on BBC1’s The Voice, joins Mary Macmaster, Eilidh Shaw and Mairearad Green to grace the stage with melodic mastery. 01329 223100 www.ashcroft.org.uk F Free event Disabled access Catering Dogs welcome April 2 April, 10am – noon Pond dipping for adults Lepe Country Park, Lepe, Exbury, Southampton SO45 1UZ FREE (chargeable pre-ordered lunch available) P F A rare chance for the grown–ups to see what can be found in the Lepe Point pond. 023 8089 9108 www.hants.gov.uk/lepe 3 to 19 April, 10am – 4pm Easter Trail Royal Victoria Country Park, Netley, SO31 5GA £2 per trail P Follow the clues to complete a quiz – a prize (available from the shop) if you get the answer right! 023 8045 5157 www.hants.gov.uk/rvcp 3 to 19 April, 10.30 – 3.30pm Step into Spring Staunton Country Park, Middle Park Way, Havant PO9 5HB Small charge for activities FP Meet the newborns down on the farm. Take our Spring Trail and get creative with seasonal crafts. 023 9245 3405 www.hants.gov.uk/staunton Stuck for something to do? Showcase is our monthly e-newsletter packed with ideas for things to do. www.hants.gov.uk/showcase Baby changing facilities 5 to 6 April, 11am – 5pm Sealed Knot – Civil War Action Basing House, Bartons Lane, Old Basing, Basingstoke RG24 8AE Adult £5.10, concs £4.60, child (5-15 yrs) £4.10, under 5s free, family £14.30 FP Experience the drama of the English Civil War with this charity re-enactment. 01256 463965 www.basinghouse.org.uk 6 April, 10am – 3.30pm The Great Butser Easter Egg Roll Queen Elizabeth Country Park, Gravel Hill, Horndean PO8 0QE £1.50 per egg P Roll your decorated egg down Butser Hill as part of this traditional family event. No need to book – just turn up and take part! 023 9259 5040 www.hants.gov.uk/qecp 11 April to 31 May, Tuesday to Saturday 10am – 4pm Trench Coat: From Fields to Fashion Willis Museum, Market Square Basingstoke RG21 7QD FREE F The exhibition charts key moments, illustrated by original garments, to tell the ever-evolving story of a coat which has survived its utilitarian roots. 01256 465902 www.hants.go.uk/willis-museum 17 April, 8pm Mme Butterfly: The One Man Opera The Spring Arts and Heritage Centre, 56 East St, Havant PO9 1BS £12.50, concs £11.25 FP 16 April, 7.30pm An Evening with Tony Hawks Winchester Discovery Centre, Jewry Street, SO23 8SB £14 P Tony combines storytelling, stand up, musical comedy and film clips to create two hours of fun. 01962 873603 www.hants.gov.uk/wdc 23 April, 2pm The Writer’s Garden – with author Jackie Bennett Basingstoke Discovery Centre, Festival Place, RG21 7LS £5 P Author Jackie Bennett explores how Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, Roald Dahl and others used the gardens they knew to inspire their work. 01256 478670 www.hants.gov.uk/bsdc 25 April, 1.30pm Doctor Who: A Voyage Through Time And Space Forest Arts, Old Milton Road, New Milton, BH25 6DS £10, or £35 for a group of four FP Author Daniel Blythe takes us on a trip through time, discussing the enduring appeal of Doctor Who and his involvement with the book series. 01425 612393 www.forest-arts.co.uk 25 April to 30 May, Tuesday – Saturday 10am– 4pm Horizon 20:20 Andover Museum, 6 Church Close, Andover SP10 1DP FREE FP F This sequel to Mme Butterfly imagines what happens after Puccini’s opera, including live singing to recorded music. Hampshire pupils exhibit a collection of original artwork, including print, sculpture, textiles and willow work. 023 9247 2700 www.thespring.co.uk 01264 366283 www.hants.gov.uk/andover-museum 25 to 26 April, 10.30am – 12pm & 2pm – 3.30pm, London Camera Exchange: all day Hide with a Guide and London Camera Exchange (LCE) Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve, Cliff Road, Hillhead, Fareham PO14 3JT Hide with Guide: adults £3.90, concs £3.50, LCE: Free FP Join an experienced birdwatcher in one of our hides and find out about the Haven’s birds at this time of year. 01329 662145 www.hants.gov.uk/titchfieldhaven 30 April, 7.30pm Jack the Ripper Gosport Discovery Centre, High Street, Gosport PO12 1BT £4 P Author Rupert Matthews tells the lurid tales that horrified Victorian London. 023 9252 3463 www.hants.gov.uk/gdc May 2 May to 27 June Dinofest Red House Museum and Gardens, Quay Road, Christchurch BH23 1BU FREE P There are dinosaurs hiding in the Gardens. Follow their tracks, find their eggs and avoid the scariest of dinosaurs – the Tyrannosaurus Rex! 01202 482860 www.hants.gov.uk/redhouse The boxed listings are paid for by advertisers. To advertise your event in Hampshire Now, call 01962 845520 or email [email protected] Hampshire now www.hants.gov.uk 21 7 May, 9.30am – 3.30pm Garden and Gift Fair in aid of Wellbeing of Women The Dummer Cricket Centre Dummer, Basingstoke, RG25 2AR Adult £5, concession £4, child free FP The Wellbeing of Women Garden and Gift Fair is being held for a second year at its hugely successful new venue, The Dummer Cricket Centre, with a wide range of specialist plant stalls plus ideas for the home and garden, and the opportunity to visit the walled garden of Dummer Down House. As well as gifts for all ages. Lunch and light refreshments available for a complete day out. For more information: www.wellbeingofwomen.org.uk 22 9 May, 9.30am – 4pm Sew your own… Home Minstead Study Centre, School Lane, Minstead SO43 7GJ £55 FP An acoustic set with The Jam bass player Bruce Foxton, followed by Q&As. 01252 408040 www.hants.gov.uk/westendcentre 9 May, 11am – 4pm VE Day 70th Anniversary Commemorations Aldershot Military Museum, Evelyn Woods Rd, GU11 2LG Normal admission charge FP Investigate some real WW2 artefacts and try our Street Party Challenge. 01252 314598 www.hants.gov.uk/aldershot-museum In partnership with Home of Thomas & FriendsTM toys P FP Join us for a fun sewing day making easy cushion covers, hand-rolled lampshades and a fabric storage basket. 023 8081 3437 www.hants.gov.uk/msc 15 May, 7 – 9pm Handbags and Gladrags – Museums at Night SEARCH Hands-on Centre, Gosport , PO12 1BU £5 including refreshments Experience wartime life with re-enactment groups and period vehicles. 01489 787055 www.hants.gov.uk/manorfarm 20 to 21 June, 10.30am – 5.15pm Unusual Plant Fair Gilbert White & The Oates Collections, Selborne, nr Alton GU34 3JH Adult £7, child free P ‘Great night out’ vintage-themed collections on display, plus music and refreshments. Booking essential. 023 9252 3463 www.hants.gov.uk/museum-search 6 June, 7.45pm Celebrate the Summer – Evening Concert Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Ampfield, Romsey SO51 0QA Adult £15.95, child £8. Early bird (book before May): adult £13, child £6, group 10+: adult £12 and child £5. Set in the idyllic location of Gilbert White’s garden with an array of stall holders selling rare and unusual plants, the Unusual Plant Fair is a great day out for keen gardeners and families alike. With a gardeners’ question time, competitions and a chance to enjoy our beautiful 25 acres of heritage garden, this is the perfect Father’s Day weekend. [email protected] www.gilbertwhiteshouse.org.uk Join the City of Southampton Orchestra for music and fireworks. Picnic hampers available. Booking essential. 01794 369318 www.hants.gov.uk/hillergardens 10 June, 6.30pm The Dudley Keep Memorial Lecture on 800 years of the Magna Carta Great Hall, Winchester FREE F A lecture by the University of Southampton’s Dr Nicholas Karn on English Law in the central middle ages. 01962 847272 www.hants.gov.uk/greathall A F E S T I VA L O F F LOW E R S 24 – 28 J U N E 2 0 1 5 MID HANTS RAILWAY ‘WATERCRESS LINE’ PREVIEW EVENING 23 JUNE Alresford, Hampshire SO24 9JG 3RD - 12TH 2015 Artistic Director H A N S H AV E R K A M P www.dayoutwiththomas.co.uk In partnership with T H E W E S S E X A N D J E R S E Y A R E A O F N A FA S Day Out With ThomasTM Thomas the Tank EngineTM. Based on The Railway Series by The Reverend W. Awdry. © 2015 Gullane (Thomas) Limited. Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, Thomas & Friends and Day Out With Thomas are trademarks of Gullane (Thomas) Limited. © 2015 HIT Entertainment Limited. HCT_WingsofAfrica_ad_180x133_AW:Layout 1 14/1/15 14:58 Further details and ticket information W I N C H E S T E R - C AT H E D R A L .O R G . U K | 0 1 962 85 7 2 75 Page 1 The Hawk Conservancy Trust, where the sky’s the limit. • World-class flying demonstrations • Every visitor can hold a bird of prey • Over 150 birds of prey on view • Keeper talks and feeding sessions • Adventure play area • Ferret racing, duck racing and tractor rides during school holidays • 22 acres of woodland and wildflower meadow • National Bird of Prey hospital • Feathers Restaurant and Trust shop FP P Join Thomas & FriendsTM at a heritage Railway near you. Experience a ride on a real steam engine and take part in Thomas-themed activities. P June 6 May, 8pm From The Jam acoustic show West End Centre, 48 Queens Rd, Aldershot GU11 3JD £22.50, concs £20 13 to 14 June, 10am – 5pm Home Front at Manor Farm Manor Farm & Country Park, Pylands Lane, Bursledon SO31 1BH Normal admission charge 28 June, 4pm Hampshire County Youth Orchestra and Hampshire Youth County Band The Anvil, Churchill Way, Basingstoke RG21 7QR £12, concessions £8 P Including: Bernstein’s Candide Overture, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, Barber’s Adagio for Strings, and The Look of Love. 01256 844244 www.anvilarts.org.uk ALL-NEW D I S P L AY See African bird life in Andover. Watch Sacred Ibis fly elegantly alongside Vultures and Kites, and experience the Savannah with the dramatic impact of a bushfire and African rainstorm. CONSERVATION EDUCATION RESEARCH REHABILITATION Visitor Centre, Sarson Lane, Weyhill, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 8DY WE ARE LOCATED JUST OFF THE A303 01264 773 850 www.hawkconservancy.org www.facebook.com/hawkconservancy @HawkConservancy CHARITY NO: 1092349 Hampshire now www.hants.gov.uk 23 “ I want to be a picnic bench when I’m recycled ” Supporting Armed Forces communities in Hampshire As commemorations continue to mark the First World War, Hampshire Now takes a look at some of the support the Council gives to one of the largest Armed Forces communities in the country. In Hampshire, there are more than 130,000 people – equivalent in population to a district council area – who are either serving personnel, their dependants and families, veterans or reservists. We have a long history of partnership work with the Armed Forces, formalised by the signing of the Hampshire Armed Forces Community Covenant in 2011, which aims to ensure serving personnel and veterans are not disadvantaged as a result of their service. 24 Pledge to recycle your bottle and give it the chance to be reborn Make your pledge to recycle at least one more plastic bottle a week using or by visiting pledge4plastics.co.uk/hants Maddhat Shamuha: working for the community in North Hampshire Maddhat Shamuha means ‘help group’ in Nepali. The community group was formed more than six years ago by a group of former Gurkha soldiers, with support from the Council. With more Gurkha families choosing to settle in the Farnborough and Aldershot areas of Hampshire, it became clear that a self-help group would enable the families to obtain important information regarding education, housing and health services, as well as helping community integration. Maddhat Shamuha works with a range of other public sector organisations, voluntary sector groups and charities to provide information to the Nepali Community. In turn, the group has also taken part in a range of community events such as volunteer gardening, stewarding at local fireworks events and cultural events where Nepalese traditions are shared. In 2012, the group was awarded a Queen’s award for their volunteer work. Supporting service families and their children Childhood is often seen as a carefree time of life but imagine having the worry of parents serving overseas, especially in areas of conflict. As a result of this, many Hampshire schools offer a range of support to service families and their children, in recognition of the particular issues which affect them. This sensitive support ensures that the children of service families achieve well in Hampshire schools and attain the same standard as other children. One of these schools is Crofton Hammond Infant School, near Fareham, which has a high proportion of pupils who have parents in the Armed Forces. The school has weekly service family drop-in sessions where children can talk about things that may Strengthening ties with the Armed Forces More than £1.6 million has been awarded to 43 projects in Hampshire as part of the Ministry of Defence Armed Forces Community Covenant Grant scheme, supporting projects which strengthen the ties between the Armed Forces and the wider community. Projects benefitting have ranged from support in schools and community settings for service personnel and their families, to a Military and Civilian be worrying them, or they can sit and write ‘blueys’ (airmail letters) to send to their parents overseas. There are also ‘keeping in touch’ afternoons for parents with younger children to meet, and a Family Liaison officer is also available to support families. Meanwhile, at Peel Common Infant School in Gosport, they have ‘meerkats on deployment’ (see above) – toys which go with parents who then send back pictures and letters telling of their adventures. To find out more about Hampshire’s support for Armed Forces families, visit www.hants.gov.uk/adultservices/armed-forces, and for specific information around supporting service children go to www.hants.gov.uk/hpdw broadcast project, and Hampshire’s Festival of Paralympic Sport. One exciting project which received funding under the grant scheme is the creation of two camping ‘pods’ at the Council’s Tile Barn Centre in Brockenhurst. The sustainable wooden pods will be available free for service personnel, veterans and their families to enjoy holidays and short breaks at the Outdoor Centre. Schools and community groups will also be able to book these pods. Visit www.hants.gov. uk/tilebarn for more information. Hampshire now www.hants.gov.uk 25 Th eT es tW ay Visiting Stockbridge Longstock 26 Transport: Bus services are available to and from Winchester and Andover, run by Wheelers. Contact Traveline for up-to-date route, fare and timetable information on 0871 200 2233 (calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras) or visit www.traveline.info made bigger so as to be wide enough for a market that was held between the houses. The town was given the right to hold a market before 1190, then extended to an annual three day fair by Henry III. More information: About the parish, visit www.stockbridge-hampshire. com; about Stockbridge Down, see www.nationaltrust.org.uk; and about the Test Way, visit www.hants.gov.uk/testway. Please note there are no toilet or refreshment facilities available en route but public conveniences and local pubs and restaurants are available in the town centre. In the nineteenth century, Stockbridge was well known for the Stockbridge Races, becoming a major feature in the racing calendar from about 1831. The most famous race-goer was the Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, accompanied by his mistress Lillie Langtry. In the late 1800’s, part of the racecourse was passed to a lady who did not approve of any form of gambling and the racing stopped. About Stockbridge Stockbridge lies in the heart of the Test Valley. This picturesque Hampshire market town is still as busy today as it was in the eighteenth century. It is thought that Stockbridge was once an Iron Age crossing point with the settlements of Danebury, Woolbury and Meon Hill all close by. The centre of the town started as a track which developed into a chalk causeway with a log bridge over the main river channel. The causeway was Features along the walk This walk begins in the east of the town, near the remains of the Old Church of St Peter’s. Now a grade II listed building, this twelfth century church was demolished in the 1870s with only the chancel remaining today. For a short while, this walk takes you along the Test Way, a long-distance path starting at Inkpen, mostly following the course of the River Test, to Eling. Throughout the walk, you can follow rights of way which are maintained by our Countryside Service – look out for the yellow footpath arrows along the route. The Test Way, Trafalgar Way Image Matt Dobrowolski Fair View Farm oad A Old Lon don R Stockbridge High S treet Woolbury P Win ton H ill ( B 304 9 Manor Farm House Common Marsh Woolbury Ring There are 13 tumuli (burial mounds) on the Down, dating back to the Bronze Age some 4,000 years ago. Situated on the highest point of the Down is Woolbury Ring, an Iron Age hill fort. The hand-dug ramparts are thought to be over 3,000 years old. The Ring was used in the Second World War as a lookout post for enemy aircraft. On the southern ramparts is a 27ft tall hill figure of a horse (the only example in Hampshire), constructed crudely of rough flints painted white. The earliest documentation of the horse was in 1846, and local legend suggests it commemorates a highwayman’s horse. (A30) ! Stockbridge Down ) µ Steepleton P ! st W ay Cows D rove Hill Image: Joe Low D The Te Suggested parking: Stockbridge Down, Stockbridge town centre or nearby Lion’s Den car park. Sandy Down Cottage d Path condition: Mainly tracks and footpaths which can be muddy, with several stiles and gates. High visibility clothing is recommended for parts of the walk on the A and B roads. National Trust ad on Ro Lond oa OS map grid references: Stockbridge: SU 359-351; Lion’s Den car park: SU 356-347; Stockbridge Down car park: SU 373-346. Ho ug hto nR This walk passes through rich arable land, some of which once belonged to the Manor of Stockbridge. The land was bequeathed to the National Trust by Rosalind Hill in 1947, to whom there is a memorial bench at the top of Stockbridge Down where you can take in spectacular views out over Hampshire and into Wiltshire. Classed as a Site of Specific Scientific Interest, the Down is a large area of open grass and scrub land, which attracts butterflies and birds. Due to the decline of juniper trees in southern England the juniper population on the Down is of particular importance, with 260 individual trees logged and mapped by volunteers. C P The Plantation Penny L an ! P e Time: 3 hours at a leisurely pace. B Penny Lane Farm 57 A30 Stockbridge Down Golf Course Leckford Lane (A3 057 ) An anti-clockwise walk to Stockbridge Down Distance: 6 miles. Marble White Butterfly Image: Catherine Hadler The Old Parsonage Colt House You can Park at Stockbrid or any where in Stockbrid Windovers North Park Farm Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2012 Point C Turn left along the Down for threequarters of a mile. Turn right onto a footpath skirting the bottom of the Down, downhill along the tree and fence line. At the foot of the hill, bear left to follow the tall hedges along the bridleway to Fair View Farm. Stockbridge Down Image: Mike Finchen ROUTE DESCRIPTION Point A Please note this walk is anti-clockwise. Starting in Stockbridge with the High Street behind you and Old St Peter’s Church straight ahead, turn right onto Trafalgar Way following the Test Way. Continue to Manor Farm House, turning left to reach Lion’s Den car park in Marsh Court Road. Here, turn left along Cows Drove Hill road. On your right you will soon find a marked footpath which climbs through woodland to the Stockbridge Road (A3057) by Steepleton. Turn right onto the A3057 for half a mile, taking care as there can be fast moving traffic on this winding road. Point B Turn left at a wide entrance with several lanes, following the footpath sign along the track known as ‘Penny Lane’. Continue past Penny Lane Farm until you reach a small road. Turn right at Colt House, then left at North Park Farm along a footpath that follows the field line and over a stile. Cross Winton Hill Road (B3049) and onto Stockbridge Down through a gate marked with the National Trust logo. Point D Here you have a choice to continue the walk on a longer route or to head back to Stockbridge. To return, turn left onto London Road (A30) for half a mile, taking care if there is traffic and using the grass verges where possible. Just before the roundabout, turn left onto the Old London Road, which will take you back to the start of the walk. To continue the walk, turn right onto London Road (A30) for about a third of a mile, turning left before Sandy Down Cottage. Follow the byway track running past Leckford Golf Course, until you reach Leckford Lane (A3057). Re-join the Test Way to return back to Stockbridge. Hampshire now www.hants.gov.uk 27 Making healthy choices Joining forces to quit smoking With No Smoking day this month (March), now is as good a time as any to quit. If you want help to stop then Quit4Life provides an NHS stop smoking service across Hampshire. The free service is friendly, nonjudgemental and informal. Provided by professionals who are committed to helping smokers, Quit4Life advisers understand the difficulties as well as the support required to be successful. Smokers can choose from a number of support options, including informal drop-in sessions at times and locations all over Hampshire, and the successful telephone quit programme. In addition, many pharmacies offer one-to-one appointments – and your GP surgery may offer appointments with a member of their team who is a trained stop smoking adviser. A couple who already know the benefits of quitting smoking are Scott and Christine from Marchwood. They had both been smoking since they were teenagers and had attempted to quit before but had no luck. When Scott, 47 was diagnosed with emphysema he decided he had to stop smoking and sought help from Quit4Life. To provide Scott with extra support, Christine decided to quit with him. With weekly help and support from the Quit4Life service and their stop smoking adviser, Norma-Jane, they stopped and have not looked back. Christine said: “We have both been a lot happier and healthier since we quit and I can’t understand why we ever started smoking in the first place now!” Scott added: “Quitting smoking is one of the best things and the support from both N-J and Christine has made this possible. I would completely recommend the service to anyone who would like support to quit.” For more information visit: www.quit4life.nhs.uk, call 0845 602 4663 or text QUIT to 60123. 28 29 Making healthy changes “Each day is different,” says Kirsty Evans, one of four Health Trainers working to support families make important changes to their lives. The support is available to families identified by the Council’s Supporting (Troubled) Families Programme which has already helped 1,150 families turn their lives around. Kirsty can be working with as many as 12 different families at any one time – all with their own specific goals for changes they want to make to help them lead healthier lives. This year, the programme widened the criteria under which families will be invited to join. The programme now includes families where violence in the home exists, where health problems (mental and physical) persist, and more generally, families where children are in need of help and support. Health trainers like Kirsty will play an increasing role in supporting families to make changes to their lifestyles which could improve their health and wellbeing as well as prevent them from being at risk of social exclusion. “Because it’s sometimes hard to make a change yourself, we are here to help people set health goals and support them to achieve them,” said Kirsty. “It’s not about telling people what to do but helping them to look at what they want to achieve for themselves and enabling them to come up with the solutions which are right for them.” Families have different goals but common problems they want to change include quitting smoking, eating healthier food, managing alcohol, becoming more active, reducing stress and improving confidence and self-esteem. The Hampshire Health Record Your information If you are looking to make a lifestyle change to improve your health and wellbeing visit the NHS Choices Live Well pages for healthy living tips for everyone www.nhs.uk/Livewell And if you are aged between 40 and 74 why not take up the offer of a free health check with your GP surgery. The checks involve some simple questions and tests which will help your health practitioner talk to you about what you can do to be healthy and continue to enjoy your life. To find out more visit www.hants.gov.uk /healthcheck The Hampshire Health Record is an electronic summary record for people living in Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton. The record stores information from GP surgeries, hospitals, social and community care teams in one place so that – with your consent – professionals can view it to deliver better care to you. Your choice If you are happy for your information to be stored on the Hampshire Health Record then you do not need to do anything. Please contact us if you would like a free copy of the information held about you on the Hampshire Health Record or prefer your information not to be stored on the Hampshire Health Record. Further information % 8 Phone: 0300 123 1519 Email: [email protected] : Web: www.hantshealthrecord.nhs.uk * Write to: Hampshire Health Record HQ Omega House 112 Southampton Road Eastleigh SO50 5PB Hampshire now www.hants.gov.uk Opening Hours Contact us Adult/Children’s/Occupational Therapy/School Admissions Monday – Thursday 8.30am – 5pm. Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm. All other services listed below Monday – Friday 8am – 8pm, Saturday 9.30am – 4pm. Hampshire County Council information and switchboard Queries relating to services provided by Hampshire County Council. 0300 555 1375 www.hants.gov.uk County Councillors Information about your local County Councillor, including how to contact them. www.hants.gov.uk/yourcountycouncillor Education, training and publicity. Information and services to support independent living and wellbeing • assessment of need and eligibility • reporting concerns about vulnerable adults • deaf and sensory information and services • carers information and services • information about providers of care and support services. Call 01243 377200 for all your upholstery requirements Bus services • community transport (including CANGO) • school transport • concessionary travel. Occupational Therapy 0300 555 1378 www.hants.gov.uk/ot Concessionary Travel 0300 555 1376 www.hants.gov.uk/concessionary-travel 0300 555 1376 www.hants.gov.uk/bluebadge 0300 555 1384 www.hants.gov.uk/childrens-services Information about domestic recycling centres • advice on commercial waste and recycling • recycling centre vehicle permits for trailers and vans. Information about applying to attend Hampshire schools. 0300 555 1377 www.hants.gov.uk/admissions Libraries Renewals • reservations • booking a computer session • information about library services. Paultons Family Theme Park has over 60 rides and attractions including big and small rides, play areas, entertainments, and exotic birds and animals all set within 140 acres of the beautiful New Forest National Park. It is also home to Peppa Pig World, with seven amazing Peppa-themed rides! New for Easter 2015 is an exciting new mini-land, CRITTER CREEK – a fully themed world of strange, mixed-up, creatures known as the ‘Curious Critters’! See page 20 for details. Discounted tickets and official packaged short breaks are only available at www.paultonspark.co.uk Can you guess the name of the critter above? a) Bee-ver b) Flyger c) Horned Swamp Donkey Send your answer to: [email protected] putting ‘Paultons Park’ in the subject box, or on a postcard with your name and address to Hampshire Now, Paultons Park Competition, PO Box 511, Winchester, SO23 3DS. The closing date is 31 May 2015. Qualification criteria and applications • renewals. Reporting concerns about child welfare • general education enquiries • finding childcare • sources of help and support • fostering • adoption • children with special needs • general children related enquiries. School Admissions WIN one of four family tickets to Paultons Park We are giving away four family tickets to Paultons Park! To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer this question: Disabled Parking (Blue Badge) Children’s Services COMPETITION Transport 0300 555 1388 www.hants.gov.uk/transport Recycling and Waste 0300 555 1389 www.hants.gov.uk/waste-recycling Planning Information regarding planning applications involving Hampshire County Council for landfill and mineral extraction sites, recycling centres, schools, libraries and country parks. Unit 10, Palmers Road Industrial Estate, Emsworth, Hants PO10 7DH www.re-upholster.co.uk Terms and conditions apply: Four winners will each claim one ‘family of four’ ticket (2 x adults and 2 x children under 12). Tickets are valid for one visit before 2 November 2015. The tickets are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash. This competition is only open to residents who live in Hampshire, excluding those areas covered by Southampton or Portsmouth City Councils. Your details will only be used to contact you if you are a winner and for no other purpose. 0300 555 1389 www.hants.gov.uk/planning 0300 555 1387 www.hants.gov.uk/library Public Notices All public notices including planning applications, public meetings, tenders, licensing. Births, Deaths and Marriages Book appointments and order copies of birth, death and marriage certificates. 0300 555 1392 www.hants.gov.uk/registration www.hants.gov.uk/publicnotices Countryside Access Report faults on Rights of Way • obstructions and misuse of a Rights of Way • information about rights and responsibilities • walking and cycling routes • maps. Textphone/Minicom 0300 555 1390 0300 555 1391 www.hants.gov.uk/countryside Other useful contact numbers Council Tax We provide a free measuring and quotation service and you can find us on Checkatrade.com 0300 555 1388 www.hants.gov.uk/roadsafety 0300 555 1386 www.hants.gov.uk/adult-services Community Centres 01962 847937 www.hants.gov.uk/ community-support-service Professional upholstery. Contract & domestic - any size of work undertaken 0300 555 1388 www.hants.gov.uk/roads Road Safety Adult Services 30 Roads Reporting a pothole, road defect or street lighting fault • information regarding roadworks, road closures, traffic speeds, road signs • road maintenance • information about flooding • other highways related matters. S.Roberts Upholsterers Governor Services County Office 01962 845706 Western Hampshire 01962 876332 Eastern Hampshire 023 9244 1481 www.hants.gov.uk/governors Please contact your district or borough council if you have any queries about your Council Tax bill. For queries about the County Council’s budget: Arts and Museums (Hampshire Cultural Trust) 01962 847519 www.hants.gov.uk/budget 01962 826700 www.hampshireculturaltrust.org.uk Business Support and Economy 01962 846381 [email protected] www.hants.gov.uk/business Hampshire Archives and Local Studies 01962 846154 www.hants.gov.uk/archives Opening times • events • visits • conservation advice. Jobs www.newjob.org.uk Childcare experience Spare room Commitment Sport Hampshire and IOW 01962 845178 www.hants.gov.uk/shiow Apprenticeships 01962 845296 www.hants.gov.uk/apprenticeships Trading Standards For consumers: 0345 404 0506 www.hants.gov.uk/ tradingstandards-consumer.htm Speak to us about adoption and fostering For businesses: 01962 833620 www.hants.gov.uk/ tradingstandards-business.htm For approved traders: www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk Calls to 0300 numbers are included in call packages, or charged at the same rate as 01 and 02 numbers. Costs may vary depending on your telecoms provider and whether you are calling from a landline or mobile. Further information about call charges can be found at www.ofcom.org.uk Hampshire now www.hants.gov.uk 31