Residents say 140 new homes would ruin their village

Campaign group is set up against plans for development on field

RESIDENTS are outraged that their historic village could be threatened by a major new housing development.

Plans have been proposed for 140 new homes on a piece of land in Wickham known as The Glebe, owned by the Church of England.



St. Nicholas' Church Wickham



A campaign called Hands off The Glebe has been st up amid fears the scheme will have a massive impact on traffic congestion, drainage and wildlife.

Campaign spokeswoman Zoe Kroon said: ‘This is a drastic, hastily prepared and thoughtless proposal.

The Church of England will gain about £10m from the sale of the land and this is just a way of filling the coffers of a cash strapped church.’

She said it contradicted plans to protect The Glebe drawn up by Wickham Parish Council in consultation with villagers and which were subsequently adopted by Winchester City Council.

Mrs Kroon said: ‘We feel a very strong sense of betrayal at the hands of the church. The village church of St Nicholas has played a central role as a social and religious focus for the community. The Glebe field is known as the village field and is used for the village fete and other events. The traffic in the village is already a massive problem and the Southwick Road is a blackspot for accidents. Also there’s a huge amount of wildlife in the field including deer and several beautiful old trees.’

At a public meeting villagers and councillors agreed that The Glebe field should be protected. Former councilor  Michael Saddler-Forster said: ‘If any new homes are built the consensus seems to be that they should be to the north of the village and not to the south or east. ‘Certainly residents and the council are in agreement

that The Glebe field should be protected.’

A spokesman for the Portsmouth Diocese of the Church of England said: ‘We understand that residents were consulted and that it was agreed that 140 new houses need to be built. ‘Our land agents made us aware that the council was looking to build houses so we offered the land for consideration.

‘We believe that houses will be of benefit to the local community and to the diocese and the plans that have been drawn up are for a very attractive development which has a good amount of open and recreational land and plenty of room for the village fete and firework displays.’

Dan promises punters an xmas to remember

DAN TULL, bar manager of the Pelham arms pub in North End is promising punters a Christmas to remember

The builder turned bar manager has organised a Twelve Days of Christmas extravaganza for families, regulars and newcomers which he says will prove the Pelham Arms is the leading city centre pub in Portsmouth.

Punters will be treated to seasonal festivities from Monday 20 December until the Saturday 1January. Events include a live  music night with local band Santa’ s Little Helpers who will be dressed as elves for the occasional and a special edition of popular TV quiz  Deal or no Deal in which contestants will buy raffle tickets to try to  win a cash  prize.

Dan, 32, who is known as the face of the Pelham said: “The Pelham Arms is the comfortable family local. We believe that we offer more than the average city centre pub because we have such a friendly staff and welcome families and newcomers as well as regulars.”

The pub which underwent a major refurbishment six months ago has become famous for its welcoming  atmosphere and varied events schedule and is leading the way for city centre pubs at a time when other locals such as the Blue Anchor have bee forced to close.

Residents war against Best One licence

FRATTON  residents have applauded the decision not to allow the Best One shop on Fratton Road to extend its alcohol license to 3am but are incensed by the decision to allow the shop to serve alcohol first thing in the morning.

Shop owner Sebastiampillai Jeevanayagiam  sought  to extend the licensing hours for the premises from  8am to 3am. after losing his 24 hour license in 2008, but on Wednesday Portsmouth City Council Licensing sub-Committee gave permission for the license to run from 8am-12pm

The decision was reached after a formal representation was made by the Chief Officer of Police due to fears that a late license would create a nuisance for residents and would lead to a resumption of the alcohol related crime that plagued the area before the 24 hour license was revoked.

Fratton Residents Association also lodged petitions against the extended license signed by hundreds of residents, insisting that it would lead to the return of disorder and anti-social behaviour that once plagued the streets around the convenience store.

Residents originally formed the association four years ago to campaign against the 24 hour license  held by the shop which then traded under the name of Brothers.

The group became the only residents association in the UK to successfully have a license revoked when the Licensing Committee ruled in their favour in 2008, slashing the store’s license to the hours of 10am-12pm,.

Marian Stone, chairwoman of the association said; ”we fought tooth and nail for two years to challenge the license because drunks were roaming around the streets all night causing mayhem and criminal damage. There were gangs on the streets the police were called on numerous occasions when cars were vandalised and fights broke out.”

The owners of JW Dance estate agents on Fratton Road said: “It got so bad that on one occasion a drunk male urinated inside the shop.” said Mr Dance.

One unnamed resident complained that the store was serving alcohol to under-age customers and that people would come down from guildhall walk after the clubs closed to carry on partying all night: “Things have been so much quieter the last two years so it would be a disaster if they were granted another late license,” he said.

But Mrs Stone said residents are still worried by the decision to allow the early morning extension of the license: “There is a new nursery opening soon and children will be dropped off there first thing in the morning. The last thing we want is drunks hanging around and putting the children in danger.

“We don’t want the store to go out of business and we respect the fact that the owners have to earn a living,” she said, “but as far as alcohol is concerned the gloves are really off now. We will be watching the store very carefully and will appeal at the first sign of trouble. We have to protect the quality of our lives.”

The shop owner was unavailable for comment but workers at the store who refused to be named said that the shop would not appeal against the decision because it would be too difficult to put the necessary measures in place for late license, such as doormen and CCTV coverage.

Councillor Luke Stubbs defended the committee’s decision saying: “The morning extension was granted in part because of the widespread availability of alcohol after 8am in the Fratton Road area,
whereas the late night extension was refused in part because alcohol is not
generally available there.”

He also said that a CCTV condition was added to the license which the store will now have to abide by.

The news comes at a time when many fear that late night drinking  in the city centre   is getting out of control  because of the controversial  licensing Act of 2003 which allows 24 hour opening and the decision to close down the night strip in Southsea.

Question local residents and shop manager and councillors

Omega Centre helps Stephanie make new start

STEPHANIE Heasman has turned her life around with the help of the Omega Centre in Fratton.

Stephanie, 52 from Surrey, was forced to leave her ten year-old son behind when she sought shelter in a women’s refuge in Portsmouth after separating from her husband.

She suffered from severe depression after her ordeal and did not have the confidence to leave her house, but everything changed when she began to attend arts and crafts sessions at the Omega Centre four times-a-week. The centre hosts classes on a wide range of subjects on behalf of  the Workers’ Educational Association, the UK’s largest voluntary sector provider of adult learning.

“It was a terrible time for me, I knew no-one in Portsmouth and my family were refusing to talk to me,” Stephanie said. 

"But now I’ve met a lot of friends here and I’ve learnt new skills like Mandala art and sign language. The more classes I signed up for, the more reason I had to get up in the morning, she said."

Stephanie’s depression prevented her from working but by attending classes she has found new direction: "I’ve now become reconciled with my son and have begun a relationship with a lovely caring man. It’s been a long road to recovery but I’ve never felt so happy," she said.

Karen Barrett, Tutor Organizer at the centre said: “We pride ourselves on being able to offer a friendly community-based learning environment. Adults of all ages and abilities are given the opportunity to learn, achieve and succeed here.”

More information on the range of classes at the Omega centre can be found at www.omegacentre.org or by calling 02392291346.

Veteran Scottish rockers fly South

Like a vintage highland whisky, legendary Scottish rockers Runrig just keep getting better with age.

Almost unbelievably, the band -founded in 1973 by songwriter siblings Calum and Rory MacDonald-  have enjoyed a career spanning four decades and are arguably Scotland’s biggest Celtic-Rock band ever.

Runrig –a name which derives from a highland style of farming involving ditches (runs) and ridges (rigs) –specialise in highly-charged metallic folk-tinged rock and have wowed  audiences across Europe with their dramatic live performances which are infused with more than a little Scottish folk tradition: Runrig fans -or ‘riggies’ as they are affectionately known- can be found waving Scottish flags and chanting along to their most famous song ‘Alba…..Alba…’ literally translated as ‘Scotland’ Indeed Runrig have done more than anyone to keep the Gaelic language alive with at least two tracks in their native tongue featuring on each of their albums.

But Runrig have a sound which appeals further than their native Scotland; They have produced some landmark Albums over the years including the 1986’s Cutter and the Clan, which included standout songs such as ‘Protect and Survive,’ and ‘Rocket to the Moon, still concert favourites today. 1991’s The Big Wheel saw them achieve their greatest commercial success, selling out concert halls outside of Scotland for the first time and playing a huge outdoor concert at Loch Lomand.  However there were those who felt that the band were beginning to their traditional folk roots.

Things came to a head in 1997when trademark vocalist Donnie Munro decided to quit the band to pursue a solo career. After a long period of reflection and regeneration however , Runrig made an inspired move, re-discovering their celtic roots, and  recruiting Canadian singer song-writer Bruce Guthro as their new frontman.

Guthro brought a new melodic richness to the band’s sound and his Canadian background spawned a fusion of cultures between Scotland and Nova Scotia –Guthro’s birthplace and the destination for so many Scottish exiles who were forced to leave their homelands and emigrate overseas – subject of many of Runrig’s most famous songs.

With a new sound and new purpose, the band have rejuvenated themselves over the past ten years with four stunning studio albums. Their last effort, 2007’s Everything You See sported a set of tuneful  folk-rock songs driven by the metallic grind of Malcolm Jones’s guitar and the warm richness of Guthro’s vocal. There have also been two live albums: Live at Celtic Connections which captured the bands post-Munro sound, and 2004’s Day of Days which was a spirited recording of the bands momentous 3oth anniversary concert at Sterling castle

The ‘riggies’ are an older bunch these days, but they’ll still be there in fine voice clapping along to the pounding tribal beat of Ian Bayne’s drums. And amongst the grey hairs there are increasing numbers of young runrig converts-often the sons or grandsons of the original fans-who want to taste some of the old vintage for themselves.

Runrig play Southampton guildhall on 10/12/2010

Immigration Cap Feature

IT’S a cold blustery November day and shoppers hurry briskly through the Bridge Shopping Centre in Fratton, lugging Asda bags brimming full of ready meals and roll-back offers.

Just another day in the life of a busy city. But something is different on the shopping streets of Portsmouth these days compared to ten or 20 years ago: The jumble of faces that rush pas today, wrapped up in hoods and scarves, are more multi-coloured and multi-national and belong to peoples of a wider variety of ethic groups than they ever used to be.

These people provide the city with one of its hardest working sources of labour. They work in the hospitals and the opticians, lecture and study at the university, wait in the restaurants and work in the convenience stores which we would be lost without.

If the current government has its way though,, a new immigration cap will drastically reduce the numbers of workers who can enter the UK from outside Europe and could deprive the city of this crucial pool of labour, not to mention damaging its new-found cosmopolitan character.

And on the streets of Portsmouth today, it’s abundantly clear that residents have strongly contrasting views about the scheme.

Sue Pickford, a mum in her 50s rushing home after a hard day at work, looks concerned about the impact of the cap:  “We have an ageing population and often British people are unwilling to do the more mundane jobs,” she says.  “The health service would probably collapse as well if it wasn’t for migrant workers.”

A stocky Portsmouth born man in his forties who doesn’t wish to be named looks intimidating staring incredulously as if the question was too obvious to answer: “We’re in an economic crisis as it is, the last thing we need is these foreigners coming over and taking our jobs,” he says with a broad Pompey twang.

Interestingly views are equally divided amongst those whose origins lie outside of the EEU. Randy Wei, 21, a bespectacled Chinese student at Portsmouth University stops to answer questions with a characteristically  keen and polite manner. He is unsurprisingly hopeful that Chinese immigrants will continue to be allowed to come to the UK: “China is doing well economically so Chinese people bring valuable investment.” he says. Interestingly he is studying for a degree in Business and International trade but says he plans top return to China to work when he graduates as the job prospects are better there.

Sitting casually at a promotional stand for the Solutions for Health campaign, are Ashrat Ali and Abdul Kalil. Both have lived in the UK all their lives but both their families originate from Bangladesh. Ashrat tells me proudly that they see themselves as British citizens  and have always been treated fairly by the British government. The two of them are happy working for the Solutions for Health programme, helping their fellow Pompey residents to quit smoking.

But when asked about the immigration cap, their answer surprises me: “We believe that whoever is in the United Kingdom should be able to stay,” Ashrat says, gesturing animatedly, “but the government should say ‘no more.’ The British economy needs stability and too many migrant workers are coming and taking the jobs when British people can’t find them.”

This clearly matters to Ashrat and he is intent on making his point. “It’s also not fair that students from other countries are allowed in to British universities,” he says, “whilst British people cannot find places themselves.” Their answers show just how complex the immigration issue really and how difficult it will be for the coalition to solve.

The recently unveiled cap will reduce the number of skilled migrants from outside the EEU entering the UK each year to 21,700 and many feel that the policy, which will take effect from April 2011 will have a negative impact on the economy, in particular the health professions of which 30% of the workforce were born overseas, and there are concerns that the policy could soon be extended to reduce the numbers of overseas students placing greater financial burden on UK undergraduates.

If this sample of views is anything to go by, the Cameron-Clegg team may not find that the immigration cap has the positive effect on the opinion polls that they had hoped for. On this evidence it could be the biggest challenge facing the coalition yet.

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Community Groups to be left with nowhere to go.

Fratton residents have expressed outrage at the imminent closure of the Methodist-run Wesley centre on Fratton Road.

The centre which provides accommodation for a host of community groups looks set to close its doors in December after a sale was recently agreed with the Chinese Church organisation.

Centre attendant Barry Liverton, 51, believes that the closure will be a huge loss for many local residents. He commented, “Our diary is a absolutely full until Christmas. We have a whole host of groups dealing with community issues such as Narcotics Anonymous, the Stroke Club and Slimming World. This will be a disaster for people in the area.”

Liverton who has worked at the centre for 15 years, and who will face redundancy when the centre closes , expressed anger at the way that the Methodist organisation has handled the sale.

He said “The Chinese group has made no promises to continue with the community role of the centre and come December the building will only open for Chinese services twice-a-week.”

“There were rival bidders on the table such as the AFM church who would have had more of a community focus, “ he said. “The Methodist organisation should have gone back to them and asked them if they could match the Chinese bid.”

Reverend Jackie Case defended the sale however, insisting that the Methodist church acted correctly: “We agreed the deal because it complied with all of the regulations for the sale of charity assets,“ she said. ”All of the Community groups were give plenty of notice at two AGM’s, the first of which was as early as 2008.

“The church was set to close in August 2009 but we have kept it open since then for the benefit of the groups. Much of the money we generate from the sale will go towards mission groups which will be of benefit to the wider community, “  she said.

She also called on the people of Portsmouth to show ore support for their churches:  “The church can only provide these sorts of services if the community gets involved,” she said. “We are trying our best to reach out to people but the reality is that older congregations do not have the energy to do so much”

Portsmouth City Council were approached by the Methodists church to see if they could save the centre but they  declined to act because of the proximity of Fratton Community Centre.

Portsmouth Counselling Service will still continue to let the second floor of the building from the Chinese Church. A spokesman for the organisation said: “As far as we are concerned we let the offices  from the Wesley Centre Association and this arrangement will simply be transferred to the new owners of the building.”

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Man cleared of Facebook frenzy

A MAN was cleared of breaking down a door to protect his girlfriends reputation at Portsmouth Magistrates court today.

Thane, 38, was accused of kicking open a door at Petersfield House, Landport, to confront tenant Jodie Fawkes who had allegedly spread rumours about Mr Thane’s partner on Facebook.

The prosecution claimed Thane had kicked open the door at 11:30pm after drinking in a nearby pub. Police photographs of footprints on the door were cited as evidence of Thane’s actions. Miss Fawkes, the tenant of the property asserted that Mr Thane had caused damage to the door frame and had entered the property without her permission.

The defence contested this stating that Thane had in fact gone to the property on the invitation Robert Lee Derreck , Miss Fawke’s partner in order to collect money that he was owed, and had entered the property after hearing Miss Fawkes  ask him to  ‘come in.’

Thane stated that he had to ‘give the door a good kick,’  in order to open it because it was swollen shut. The defence said there was no conclusive evidence to show that the door or the door frame had been damaged in any way.

Presiding magistrate Mr Chittendon pronounced Thane not guilty on the charges of causing criminal damage and using violence to secure entry saying: “you entered the property in an accepted way and none of the evidence given holds up the charges against you.”  

Rail Chaos hits Fratton commuters

CHAOS  hit train services t from Fratton station tonight as the transport problems which have plagued the south coast over the past few days mounted up.

Passengers reported massive delays on the line between Havant and Fratton with the twenty minute journey taking around two hours.

Disgruntled passenger Nik Codling left a twitter message at 7pm saying: “Stuck on a train from Havant to Fratton since 5pm, I could have cycled to the  harbour by now.”

Fellow traveller Joel Groney said: “I left Fratton, London bound at 5.20, it’s now 7:50 and I’m stuck outside of Gatwick.”

At the same time the National Rail Enquiries help-line reported  that most  services had returned to normal except in parts of Scotland and the North of England, and stated that in particular Southern, South West Trains and South Eastern  had all returned to a normal service.

A\message on the Southern Rail website also stated: ‘Train services between Chichester and Cosham are being disrupted due to signaling problems in the Hilsea area.
Short notice alterations, cancellations and delays of up to 60 minutes can be expected.’
A spokesman for Southern Rail announced that they plan to run a normal service on Tuesday December 7, but that the damaging effect of the recent weather conditions on the train fleet means that some train carriages will not be available for use.

Shakespeare Actors shine at the Groundlings

WE WERE transported back in time to the great age of amateur dramatics at the Groundlings Theatre last night with a major new production of Romeo and Juliet performed by the Southsea Shakespeare Actors.

Founded in 1947 they are the only theatre company in the UK to have performed every play in the Shakespeare Canon, and the current play certainly doesn’t disappoint.

In Act One Romeo played by  Adam Brown,24, delivers his lines with the playful sensitivity of a love-struck young teenager.

As Juliet, Lara Hardwick, 15, acts with a maturity that belies her age and is totally convincing as the young maiden, one minute playing hard to get, the next falling for Romeo’s impassioned wooing.

The kissing scenes are electric and show evidence of a real chemistry between the two actors.

Andy Thomas commands the stage as the bombastic, fearless Mercutio and Danny Carter captivates the audience as Tybalt, leading the Capulets in their rivalry with the Montagues with a nonchalant swagger.

In Act Two, the playacting and jesting is replaced by sombre displays of sorrow and lament, which the cast handle just as adeptly.

Acoustic guitars, piano and violins are used with soft eerie lighting to add atmosphere to the moving tragic scenes.

The venue is also fitting, with renaissance-style vaulted ceilings and arched Georgian windows evoking the faded classicism of the great age of amateur dramatics in the pre and post-war eras..

Romeo and Juliet can be seen at the Groundlings Theatre, The Old Benny, Curzon Howe Road, Portsea, until Sunday 21^st November. For tickets call: 02392737370

Willetts cancels Pompey visit

MP David Willetts was forced to cancel a visit to Gunwharf Quays on Friday after fears that he would be harassed by student protestors.

Mr Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science, was due to attend a conference at the Aspex Gallery, Gunwharf, organised by the South East Coastal Communities Project which was set up to address the regeneration needs of socially deprived areas.

Local residents and representatives of the university and the private sector were due to meet to discuss the findings of the project but the conference was cancelled at the last minute after fears that student protestors would hijack it to demonstrate against university fees.

A spokesperson for Conference organisers South Coast Moneyline said: “Representatives from the University of Portsmouth, Aspex gallery, the police and Gunwharf Quays security met with us this morning to review the arrangements for the event. In the light of information received concerning a planned protest, and concerns about the security, safety and welfare of all persons, it was agreed to postpone the event.”

The conference was to celebrate the outstanding work carried out  by university students on the South East Coastal Communities Project over the last three years, and a chance for local charities and social enterprises to showcase their work to a government minister.

A spokesman for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills denied that the government held any responsibility for cancelling the visit: “David was extremely keen to attend the conference this morning, but we were told it was cancelled by the police and the university,” she said.

AakashNaik, President of Portsmouth University Students Union said: “We wanted to go to the Aspex gallery to have a peaceful protest about fees. We wanted to approach Mr Willetts to discuss the issue as we have emailed him to ask him to come to the university on several occasions but he has failed to reply.

“30% of our students are from the local area and as Mr Willetts is MP for Havant he ought to have their interests at heart. It’s absolutely wrong for us not to have the chance to express our views.”

On the same day, Mr Willetts did pay a visit to Highbury College in Cosham to view the recently built college campus, which passed off without incident.

College Principal Stella Mbubaegbu said: “This visit was a great opportunity for MrWilletts to see our new campus buildings and was in the diary long before the new government took office. There was never any suggestion that the visit would involve discussions about student funding.”

A number of ministerial visits have been cancelled recently due to fears of student unrest across the UK.

Clare is all Heart

HOSPITAL manager Clare Oatridge, 30, competed in the Great South Run on Sunday watched by her father, just a year after his life was threatened by a serious cardiac condition.

Clare, operations manager for Spire Hospital in Southampton, was inspired to take part in the event after her father, John Oatridge, 75,  made a remarkable recovery from a complex heart condition known as multi-vessel disease.

“Dad had been very ill and we were all very grateful for the care he had received,” Clare said. “I had just turned 30 and decided that the time was right to give something back.”

Clare, who admitted she is not known for her sporting prowess, trained for the run with hospital marketing executive Sarah Evans, 31, who had previously competed in the Great South West Run.

 “When I started running in June I couldn’t even do 200 metres without being exhausted,” Clare said, “but Sarah really helped me through and by July we were able to do five kilometres followed by eight miles before the big event.”

But despite finishing the race in just over two hours Clare suffered from an injury which almost prevented her from finishing: “After six kilometres I was forced to stop every mile to spray deep-heat on my knee,” she said.

Wessex HeartBeat provide local support for families affected by heart disease and is the 2010 nominated charity for Clare’s employer Spire Hospital in Southampton which treats cardiac patients.

 “Dad was so proud of me just because he’d never see me run before and he’s naturally got a lot of sympathy for heart-related matters so was really glad that we ran for the charity,” Clare said.

“We’ve raised about £350 in total and the director of the hospital has offered to double the amount. We’ll definitely be running again next year.”

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Fratton Commuity Centre Live at Home charity

 Old folks get crafty at Fratton Community Centre

ELDERLY residents area showing off their creative talents at a weekly Arts  and Crafts Session at Fratton Community Centre.

The sessions are run by the Live at Home charity which was set up by Diane Brown, 56, of Fratton, w to help elderly people feel more comfortable living in their own homes into old age.

Participants are provided with a range of art materials and can share their creative skills and talents whilst getting the chance to meet and chat. Projects have included making Christmas cards, decoupage and tea-bag folding.

Ms Brown who previously worked for Age Concern, believes that the sessions are helping people feel better about living alone: “For those that live at home, we provide a chance to chat and to share which they might not get for the rest of the week,” she said.

One recently bereaved group member said:  “These sessions really are a godsend. You can come here and share something without having to always cry. It really has been a life saver.”

The charity which is funded jointly by Portsmouth City Council and the Methodist Housing Association, originally met in members’ sitting rooms but now runs sessions three times a week . Other activities include intergenerational games, theatre visits and lectures .

Volunteers at the centre have been amazed at how some group members have regained their self confidence after long periods spent living alone. Ms Brown commented: “more than anything else we have a great laugh. You can really see people coming out of themselves.”

However there are concerns that government cuts will mean the charity has to radically reduce its service in the near future. Ms Brown said:  ”We’ve bee asked to show the council how we could operate with 25, 15 and 100% less funding. The simple answer is that we just couldn’t continue to work in anything like the way we do now.”

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Lost Loved Gardens Feature

Printed in etc magazine, Nov 2010

A Lost Loved Garden

Ralph and Linda Nichols are fast developing a reputation for their award-winning organic gardens.
Martin Elvery discovers the secret of their success

NHS workers Ralph and Linda Nichols have always had a passion for gardening, but in 2008 they began
designing gardens of their own, working with The Royal Horticultural Society and local sponsors to create a series of imaginative set-piece gardens.

This began a journey that has seen them win two RHS bronze  medals, appear live on Gardeners’ World and take their garden to the Hampton Court Flower Show in 2010.




A Lost Loved Garden



There is far more to Ralph and Linda’s gardens than winning the support of the judges. They have an organic ethos which means growing all the plants in their own nursery.“We use wild plants which mature, grow and evolve bythemselves,” Ralph explains. “This means pruning should only be
required to strengthen the plant. Our organic ethos means that no insecticides or pesticides are used which may be damaging.”

This summer they took their ‘Lost-loved garden’ design to the Hampton Court Flower Show.
“The inspiration came from photographs of neglected gardens,” says Ralph who lives with wife Linda in Waterlooville. “The purpose of the garden was to demonstrate the importance of the conservation and preservation of buildings and gardens for future generations. The plan was that the derelict house would act
as a backdrop for a garden which until recently was still cared for by – perhaps an elderly neighbour,” says Ralph.


“The garden is losing its former glory as nature begins to creep in.”The bronze medal-winning garden achieves this, dramatically evoking the nostalgia of a hidden corner of granny’s garden. “We used the kinds of plants that would be found in a derelict garden: hops, brambles, white hydrangeas, hollyhox, scabious and even nettles,” says Ralph.


“We aimed to enhance the various greens of the foliage with the pastel shades of the pink, white and blue flowers,” says Ralph. “It’s a bit like painting with plants.”


It’s obvious that Ralph and Linda have been overwhelmed by the response to their design.  “There were over 180,000 people at the show,” says Ralph excitedly. “It was amazing just spending all day talking to people about the garden.We were especially pleased when one passer-by compared our garden to the TV show Cider with Rosie.”


Their design was also singled out as one of 10 must-see gardens at theflower show by former Chelsea award-winner Andy Sturgeon.


Yet this isn’t the only highly original design that Ralph and Linda have
created. In 2009 the couple appeared live on Gardeners’ World with their ‘Something in the Air’ garden.
This was another trip down memory lane with the centrepiece of the garden – a wrought iron 1960s table and chair – surrounded by the evocative scents of lavender and thyme. Structure and height was provided by rambling roses and willow, all planted on a raised bed.

The Something in the Air Garden from the 2006 Gardener's World TV show

As part of their conservation drive the couple use only reclaimed materials in their garden designs. They are sponsored by Tiger Enterprises, a Brighton-based reclamation company which salvages building materials such as bricks, windows and floorboards and re-sells them for renovation work. “The ethos of Tiger Enterprises is similar to the environmental considerations and organic nature of our gardens,” says Ralph.
Ralph and Linda are also working with Growing Southwark, a London-based charity which aims to create gardens in deprived and built-up areas.

The husband and wife team have exciting times ahead of them as they continue to establish themselves as eminent designers. “For next year’s Hampton Court Show we are planning a church garden
based on The Beatle’s song Eleanor Rigby,” says Ralph.

They are also hoping to use reclaimed railway sleepers to create a design called ‘Beach Station,’ which evokes an end-of-the line 1950s railway station with its faded seaside charm.

Because Ralph and Linda’s gardens make use of buildings as a central feature, they have drawn an unexpected response. “We’ve been told that our gardens have provoked a lot of debate in the
RHS about what a garden actually is,” says Ralph.


But what role does Ralph think his wild nostalgic gardens can play in the modern, neat urbanised world of the south coast? “Our hopes are that more people will want to renovate their gardens in a natural way,” explains Ralph. “I would like to see local nurseries take on
garden designers so they can advise people on organic gardening.”


And maybe we could all benefit from a little untamed organic wilderness in
our busy consumer-led lives.
For more details visit http://www.lindaandralphgardening.co.uk/

Old folks bridge the generation gap

FRATTO Community centre is breaking down the generation gap with a new games project.  Elderly people from the Fratton area are teaming up with groups of youngsters including pupils from City Girls School, to play a range of modern and traditional games.

Centre co-ordinator Mary Breeze, 56 has been amazed by how willing both groups are to learn from each other: “Many of the young people have never played board games before but the oldies are having great fun on the Wii,” she said.

A firm favourite with both generations has been New-Age Curling, an indoor form of the sport which involves rolling pucks with wheels across the floor of the sports hall:  ”Its perfect for older folk as it can be played by those in wheelchairs or with very limited mobility,” said Mrs Breeze who has worked at the centre for 30 years,

The sessions which are partly funded by Portsmouth City Council, are linked to the Live-at-Home project  which aims to make it easier for elderly people to continue living in their own  properties. 

Residents say it is a welcome response to  a spate of muggings in the Fratton area which have left  elderly  residents  feeling vulnerable recently.

Injured Jockeys Fund Feature

FONTWELL racecourse on a dark, blustery November day.  The low buzz of excitement as windswept punters gather around the kiosks to place their bets for the next race, the usual mixture of the  suited-and-booted and  hard nosed regulars staking more than they might like to admit on the next horse. I’m here for an afternoon race meet in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital. It’s great to see so many people attending an event  in aid of such a worthy cause and nice to see punters dropping their change into the purple buckets carried by smiley-faced volunteers.

Colin and Astrid Wilson

But amidst all the fast food vans, sponsor’s stalls and betting booths  I come across an insignificant –looking tent just off the main concourse. On closer inspection it turns out to be more important than all of the grandstands and sponsorship hoardings put together.  It’s  the home of the Injured Jockeys Fund,  the organisation that is really responsible for allowing us to enjoy horse racing.

Approaching the stand I come across, two surprisingly sprightly retired volunteers, Colin and Astrid Wilson who are selling a range of goods embossed with the fund’s logo such as calendars, bags and Christmas cards. They are enjoying themselves enthusing about the good work of the IJF to an audience of regular race-goers who wait in the rain to buy their favourite gifts..

Injured Jockey''s Fund stand

Colin’s support  for the organisation is infectious:  “We’ve been doing this for fifteen years now,” he says, “It all started when we retired. We both love going to the races and we decided we’d like to put something back in to the sport.

“People come back time and again to buy the goods because they know they are supporting such a good cause. They especially love the diaries,” he smiles.

And its clear that this is no small concern: “The fund does about £1 million turnover around the Christmas period,“ says Colin, “ it’s very well supported but what’s great about it is that its well organised so that a very high percentage of donations are actually used for good work unlike some charities which I could mention,” he grins.

Wayne Kavannagh

Mrs Wilson, 74 who looks twenty years younger, is equally enthusiastic about the work : “Its absolutely vital for the younger jockeys in particular,” she says. “We met one young man who had fallen and broken his neck during training. The fund looked after him and helped him to pass his driving test so that he could start a new life.”

Peter Toole

And it may have been a dark November day which was hard going for the jockeys but many of them took the time to sing the praises of the IJF. Wayne Kavannagh, 2006 winner of the United House Gold Cup at Ascot  said: “I had a fall last year and spent six months in a wheelchair, and went through rehabilitation at Oaksey House. I really don’t know what I’d have done without the organisation.”

And up and coming jockey Peter Toole, 22 said: ”The thing is as a jockey you need to be riding four or five races each day if you want to make a decent living from it. It’s  not as easy as many people think. If you’re injured and can’t race you’re left with no income at all. The majority of lads who are here today will have been injured and have received help from the IJF. You’ve got to remember that if you’re injured you’re easily forgotten.”

The fund was originally set up 1964 by current president John Oaksey, following the devastating accidents to Tim Brookshaw, and Paddy Farrell in the 1964 Grand National. Both were left with severe paralysis and had virtually no compensation available to them so Oaksey set up the Brookshaw-Farrell fund to provide assistance.

The IJF has since spent over £16m in helping over 1000 jockeys whose injuries have forced some of them to give up riding. Its stated aim is to provide medical, financial and pastoral care to jockeys and their spouses or dependents who have suffered through injury.

The organisation has done much work to heighten awareness of the risks of race riding resulting in the  implementation of many safety initiatives for the protection of Jockeys.

It has also created a specialist facility at Oaksey House in Lambourn, Berkshire which has accommodation for disabled jockeys as well as physiotherapy, gym facilities and specialist medical care. Plans are currently afoot to build a new facility in the north of England.

So it’s clear that despite the pomp and circumstance of racing it’s the unobtrusive presence of the IJF that really makes the sport possible, and the likes of Colin and Astrid Wilson who support it in all weathers, that the jockeys, sponsors, bookies and spectators alike owe a real debt of gratitude to.