Stained
By Me (28th
August 2002)
Stained glass artist William Spencer, of Kingsworthy was inspired
to explore the craft by a visit to Winchester Cathedral.
“I saw the light shining through the bits of glass that we
were lucky to be left by Cromwell. It was quite incredible”
said William and at the age of ten he began his mission to bring
stained glass to the masses.
While his peers were out BMXing and fighting, the young William
was making stained glass pictures in a shed at the side of his house
that he had converted into a studio. “I was a trifle strange,”
he admits and says that his first efforts were “frankly awful.”
As we all know, practice makes perfect, and by the age of eighteen
our hero had been accepted as an apprentice at a prestigious stained
glass studio in Chiswick, West London.
Work all over London followed, including a stint redoing some of
the glass at St Pauls’ Cathedral, and refurbishing Battersea
Town Hall. “What I like about stained glass is that the method
has not changed since the cathedral was made hundreds of years ago.
Probably the only tool I have that is different is my lighter!”
said William.
Always keen to return to his home town, William has hit upon what
he hopes is a winning idea.
“When visitors come to Winchester they invariably look around
the Cathedral, and I should imagine, and hope, that they are impressed
by what they see. I have found a way of putting photographs into
stained glass so that peoples’ memories of their visit can
be immortalised in my favourite medium.”
William makes pictures of people into actual stained glass panels,
framed by further stained glass pieces. “The whole process
would only take about an hour, and comes out looking very nice indeed”
said William.
William is also offering a bespoke service for this form. “If
people want any picture, wedding anniversary, holiday snap or whatever
immortalised in high quality stained glass I will be doing that
as well,” he says.
Sounds like a nice thing for the mantlepiece, but perhaps not if
the grandchildren are coming to visit! William Spencer can be contacted
on 07985 586629 or billspender@hotmail.com.
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In The Cannes
(28th August 2002)
Winchester based film company Trip Films began principal photography
on their new motion picture last weekend.
Starring Amy Tez and Marie-Line Grinder (pictured above), filming
took place at several locations in the area, including the Twyford
tennis courts!
“Everyone has been so helpful”, said executive producer
Giles Gwinnett, “from the people of Twyford to Fred at The
Railway Inn - they’re all such amazing people, we can’t
thank them enough”.
The film, titled ‘Born With A Tail’, has been described
as a modern-day morality play, but apart from that, the producers
are giving nothing away!
“There are so many twists and turns in the story”, said
co-star Amy Tez, “and it’s only natural that we want to
keep all of them a suprise!”
Amy also had a chance over the weekend to sample the fine food and
lodgings of the Westgate Hotel.
“It was wonderful,” she said, “ the next time I get
some time off my busy work schedule I’m going to stay a whole
week... the food was delicious.”
With filming set to continue throughout the Autumn, ‘Born With
A Tail’ is set for release in the Spring.
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Micro Chips Off the Old
Block (28th August 2002)
The residents of General Johnson Court, in Waynefleet Close, Stanmore
were celebrating the success of their computer literacy project
this week.
The Mayor of Winchester Mr. John Steel presented the Court Manager
Dawn Chard with a certificate confirming a lottery grant of £500.
“We’d have liked to have shown the cheque but its already
in the bank!” laughed Dawn. The money will pay for much needed
computer consumables (like inkjet cartridges and paper) and internet
access.
“You are all I.T pioneers” the Mayor told the gathering
of senior citizens. Mr. Steel was referring to the fact that the
computer training scheme at General Johnson Court was the first
of its kind. Peter Symonds College began an ‘Outreach’
scheme at the Court to acquaint the elderly residents with computer
technology. “The tutor arrived with lap-tops and away they
went” said Dawn.
Susan Holmes the New Business Manager for Housing 21 remembered
seeing photographs of the residents getting to grips with the lap-tops
in the early days “you were working in pairs and looked a bit
frightened of touching the mouse!” A few weeks later the irrepressible
pioneers were completely absorbed in their I.T studies.
“Many thanks to Peter Symonds College and the tutor for their
commitment and support” said Susan who explained that this
is the first lottery grant that residents of a Housing 21 home have
achieved.
The atmosphere at General Johnson Court is very convivial, the optimism
and feeling that ‘anything is possible’ is infectious.
After the Southern Evening Echo ran a piece about the Court’s
computer training a generous reader donated a computer to the cause.
The computer
club has gone from strength to strength producing an in-house newsletter
and garnering a ‘Highly Commended’ award in Sheltered
Housing Week. The award was for the Court’s amazing website
which can be seen at www.generaljohnsoncourt.org.
The residents designed pages in ‘Word’ and transferred
them into ‘Front Page’, but as you will see their imagination
was boundless. demanding to learn about animated graphics and flashing
buttons!
The computer that was donated is still being used intensively but
it sadly isn’t up to the internet demands that the ‘silver
surfers’ are putting on it.
Is there an Observer reader that has or knows of a fairly internet
ready, modernish computer that is looking for a good home? The residents
of General Johnson Court would be hugely grateful! Contact us on
01962 859559 and we’ll put you in touch.
In the meantime visit www.generaljohnsoncourt.org It will dispel
any preconceptions you may have about computer technology being
the exclusive province of the young.
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A Fine Boddy of Work
(28th August 2002)
Probation Officer, Pat Boddy, lives in Winchester and works in Alton,
but all her leisure time at the moment is centred around far off
South Africa.
She is going there for the challenge of a lifetime that will raise
money for Mencap, the charity for children and adults with learning
disabilities. Pat and her two daughters, Susie (30) and Sarah (28),
plan to cycle 443 km (276 miles) around the Cape of Good Hope.
Their aim is to raise £5,000 for Mencap. Pat knows all about
cycling for a good cause. Last year she cycled from Lands End to
Broadstairs, Kent, with a colleague raising £2,500 for Victim
Support. Both charities are close to her heart. As a probation officer,
she has to visit victims of violent crime if they want to know more
about the sentence their attacker receives. She is also very aware
of the crucial work Mencap does to defend the equal rights of people
with a learning disability who are often marginalised in society.
Together, mother and daughters have just been limbering up with
a 25 mile ride in the New Forest. "We have rather different
styles," notes Pat: "They travel light and I tend to take
everything but the kitchen sink on my bike, just in case we need
it!" But Susie is officially "mother" on this trip.
She is a campaign officer for Mencap, and will be the charity's
representative on the journey. She works in London, as does Sarah
who is a project manager for a construction company. Pat says both
have only recently bought bikes and are trying to prepare with cycle
rides in the city. The trio fly out in November.
They have already raised over £2,000 by having car boot sales
and parties. Some £500 has come from Pat's friends and colleagues
who entered a lucky number competition. "Mencap itself has
been very supportive, " says Pat. "In fact, Susie's colleagues
were very generous when I was cycling for Victim Support, so I had
no hesitation in doing the same for them." They will join a
group of cyclists in Cedarberg and travel for six days over mountain
ranges and through rain forests to Blouberstrand.
The money they raise will help Mencap to provide life-changing opportunities
in education, employment, housing and leisure for people with learning
disabilities.. You can contact Pat on 0779 6948692 or if you would
like to take part in a Mencap challenge event please call 08459
777779
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Police
and Thieves (21st August 2002)
Winchester Crown Court has been resembling a war zone recently.
Armed guards are patrolling the gates, a helicopter and a spotter
plane fly overhead, and visitors are frisked for weapons.
First to attract all the attention was the trial of William Todd,
of Reading. Eager readers will remember that he was the convicted
murderer who escaped from Winchester prison last Christmas.
In true prisoner of Zenda style, he cut through the bars of his
cell with a hacksaw and then escaped over the fence with the aid
of a rope ladder. It was only the sharp eyes of a nearby security
guard that stopped him making a clean getaway.
As it was, he was caught on his way back to the house of the person
he had originally tried to murder. He chose this rather obvious
course rather than using his skills as a passport forger to escape
the country! Takes all sorts! When sentencing, the judge expressed
the opinion that Todd must have been helped from inside, and told
the people of Winchester to watch out.
The heavy presence of police, even stretching to marksmen on the
roofs, certainly made sure that Todd did not get another crack at
the whip.
The ‘ring of steel’ remained, and was even tightened,
last week, for another trial of a category A prisoner. All sorts
of exciting rumours abound as to who was being tried, but the criminal
prosecution service and the courts themselves have been remaining
tight lipped about who they have there.
Suffice it to say that, as well as all the armoury, there is a check
on vehicles in the area, leading to traffic congestion up the Romsey
Road, and anyone walking past is well and truly checked out.
I would not be surprised if a pick up pulled up to disgorge Robert
De Niro and Al Pacino, all guns blazing to rescue one of their cronies!
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Cab Fares on the Rise
(21st August 2002)
Taxi fares in Winchester are set to rise at the beginning of next
month. A decision was taken by the licensing and regulation committee
at the end of last month to put the price of the start fare up from
£1.80 to £2.00.
As we all know, this is the amount you have to pay before the taxi
has even moved. A mile will now cost £3.10 and a 10 mile journey
will go up from £14.90 to £15.70.
If, like me, you only ever see a taxi fare through beer tinted spectacles
and then just thrust a crumpled tenner at the driver anyway, this
rise will not mean much to you. However, taxis are often used by
the elderly and others who find it difficult to get around.
Anne Jarvis is 72 and lives in Weeke. "I get a taxi into town
once a week to do my shopping, and then get a taxi back home again,"
said Anne, who does not think that the rise in fares is unreasonable.
"The drivers I always get are very nice and friendly and help
with the bags and stuff, so I do not mind paying them a bit more."
Scott Beatty drives a taxi in the city, and he says "I think
it is totally fair enough. If I wait at the station, say, for a
fare, I will often be in the queue in the rank for 40 minutes or
more. Then, I may get someone who just wants to go up the Romsey
Road for two quid. It can be a thankless task sometimes, and the
rise really is not very much money anyway."
That is something I will certainly remember. If I have just put
thirty quid in the coffers of the Eclipse, I am not going to worry
about an extra few pence to my beleagured chauffeur!
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When I Paint My Masterpiece
(21st August 2002)
Eleanor Kirk’s painting ‘a festival day 2002’ is
being exhibited at the Palace Ruins, Bishop’s Waltham, throughout
August.
On it’s massive canvas the painting depicts the revellers in
the grounds of the palace ruins during the May festival this year
in Bishops Waltham. The painting took around three and a half weeks
from start to completion at the end of June.
“I really enjoyed painting it, it was quite a challenge, the
size it is” Said Eleanor Kirk. The painting is the largest
project Kirk has undertaken to date.
Before it found a temporary home in the palace ruins the painting
was exhibited in Bishop’s Waltham Library. Kirk is exploring
possibilities for where the painting maybe exhibited in September;
places in Alresford and Winchester are being considered. Officials
at Winchester City Council have shown some interest in buying the
portrait.
Anyone interested in purchasing the portrait or one of the exclusive
reproductions can contact Eleanor Kirk on 01489 690673. The reproductions
can be seen and bought directly from the Old Granary Crafts Shop
in Bank Street, Bishop’s Waltham.
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Butterfly Collector (14th August
2002)
A government green farming scheme has helped butterflies to flourish
up on Magdalen Hill in Winchester.
On Tuesday 6th August Countryside Minister Elliott Morley announced
the results of a research study into the effects of the Department
for Environment, Food and Rural Affair’s (DEFRA) ‘Countryside
Stewardship and ‘Environmentally Sensitive Areas’ schemes.
The research shows that the schemes are starting to bring about
the changes needed to benefit butterflies and other wildlife.
DEFRA set up one of their Countryside Stewardship projects on Magdalen
Down in 1997. Under the scheme farmers are compensated for returning
some of their land to its natural state.
The mono-cultural aspect of single crop intensive farming does not
support butterflies. “We are preserving bio-diversity”
said Matthew Larkin a Stewardship Advisor “butterflies are
plant specific.” He explained that different butterflies feed
on different species of plant and their caterpillars are even more
picky.
“You’ve got to get the plants right if you want to get
the butterflies” said Andy Barker National Vice Chairman of
Butterfly Conservation and Bio-Diversity Officer for Hampshire.
There are about seventy sites under the stewardship scheme in the
Wessex region Winchester’s Magdalen Hill is one of the most
successful.
“Hampshire has benefited from Hampshire County Council’s
progressive outlook” said Matthew “and they have schemes
of their own, the Wessex Coppicing Group for instance.” “Hampshire
is one of the most wooded counties anyway” said Phil Budd Site
Manager at Magdalen Down for Hampshire Butterfly Conservation “look
in the National Photo Atlas and you’ll see that England is
a patchwork of fields.”
The butterfly experts explained that DEFRA’s survey has involved
‘Transect’ monitoring on the sites. This is a method of
recording butterflies involving researchers walking a fixed route
across the site between April and September on sunny days.
“The silver spotted skipper has done well” said Andy “it
was struggling, but it has come back and even expanded into new
sites!”
The stewarded areas must be ‘grazed’ by cattle. The way
cows and sheep disrupt and propagate the plants as they eat. Mowing
fields devastates the environment and destroys ant hills.
“The range of prescriptions and options for stewardship is
very large” said Matthew. Farmers are asked to do as much as
they feel able to and advisors like Matthew are on hand to suggest
environmentally sound solutions.
Along the perimeter of the down Peacock and Gatekeeper butterflies
sipped nectar and basked while bright yellow Brimstones flew around.
“Winchester & Mid Hampshire Observer readers will see these
butterflies on their own buddleia bushes” said Andy. The public
are welcome to enjoy the stewarded area on Magdalen Down but dogs
must be kept on leads. The site is accessed from a track running
alongside the cemetry on Alresford road.
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MP demands pensions justice
for Women (14th August 2002)
Winchester MP Mark Oaten is backing a nationwide campaign to urgently
address women’s pension poverty. He invites constituents to
log onto his website to register their support.
The Liberal Democrat ‘Pensions Justice for Women’ campaign
highlights the plight of the many women who face retirement without
the prospect of a decent pension. Among today’s pensioners,
poverty rates are highest among women: almost three quarters of
pensioners on Income Support are women, and elderly widows are especially
poor.
Among women in their 40s and 50s, many are set to receive poor state
pensions because they paid National Insurance at the special rate
for married women; and some have been promised pensions as low as
7p per week.
The campaign also highlights concern that women in their 20s and
30s could face similar patterns of poverty in old age as their mothers
and grandmothers. Government plans to increase the role of private
provision and cut back on universal state pensions could leave many
women vulnerable, since only one woman in three currently has any
form of private pension provision.
In response, the Lib Dem ‘Pensions Justice for Women’
campaign calls for:
1. A substantial increase in the basic state pension, particularly
for older pensioners, as the only way to guarantee real change.
Many of the poorest pensioners do not claim the Government's complex
means-tested benefits.
2. The Government to write to all women in their 40s and 50s who
paid the married woman’s ‘stamp’ warning them that
their pension rights may be in jeopardy.
3. A major Government inquiry to be launched into the future pension
prospects of today’s working women, with a promise of action
to guarantee that the next generation of women pensioners do not
miss out.
Mark Oaten MP said: “The pattern for too many women is poorly
paid work followed by poorly paid
retirement. Pensioners are still being treated by this Government
as second-class citizens. I’m sure they have not forgotten
the 75p insult. But many pensioners who happen to be women are treated
differently - as third-class citizens.
“It’s a scandal that women who acted on Government advice
now find themselves with as little as seven pence a week pension.
Everyone has the right to dignity and security in old age. Our three
point plan would help to relieve poverty among today’s pensioners
and secure future generations from the fate of an impoverished retirement.”
The petition can be found at www.markoaten.com
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Rumpus in the Valleys
(14th August 2002)
Society is a funny thing. Whereas a few year ago I would find myself
in Mustique, San Tropez or Monaco, carousing on the beach with Jerry
and Mick or Princess Stephanie, nowadays it is all about getting
back to basics.
That is why the bright young things of Winchester and Sussex were
to be found in that most exotic and truly exclusive of locations.
Wales. Showing true dedication to the cause of society reportage
I braved the Severn Bridge and headed for Pembrokeshire. Fat Boy
eat your heart out, this was Seans’ party on the beach, a rousing
crescendo to ten years of putting on outdoor soirees.
The fashion now is for ‘back to basics,’ a pint down the
pub rather than a cocktail in the Met Bar, and the White Sands beach
party could certainly be said to be following the zeitgeist. Waves
lap on the beach, and not a cocktail in sight. When in Rome, I said
to myself, throwing caution to the wind and tucking into a warm
can of beer and a Welsh cake.
A stunning line-up awaited the very cream of Pembrokeshire society,
and the anticipation was palpable as ‘The Forgotten Boys’
took to the rustically hewn stage. Glasses clinked and the gentle
hum of conversation was gradually drowned out by the dulcet tones
of Dai as he sang his ‘nu metal’ to us.
It truly was an international affair, with Olly Steinen coming from
Bavaria and Stuart the Kiwi entertaining us with his ‘down
home’ wit. You know the crazy fun is going to begin once those
‘stubbies’ start popping. Then it was the turn of Anton
to regale us with some acoustic tunes, and your correspondent was
virtually piping his eye to the dulcet tones of Bob Dylan and the
cheery words of Leonard ‘don’t worry be happy’ Cohen.
The crowd could barely contain themselves as it approached the witching
hour, and the turn of DJ Adie to keep things going. The crowd seemed
to get bigger, and I spotted Stuart Dyke, purveyor of organic vegetables
to the stars, hob nobbing with Lucian Ball and his latest muse,
the beautiful Lotty.
After a hard nights partying with our Westerly cousins, I must admit
that I was rather happy to come back over to Englands’ green
and pleasant land again, and have been frantically washing and tucking
into decent champagne and truffles ever since. Hurrah.
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Dome
Base (1st August 2002)
The new Intech science and technology visitor centre on Morn Hill
opened to the public on Thursday (1/8/02).
Supported by a grant of over £5 million from the Millennium
Commission Intech will demonstrate scientific principals to students
of all ages.
John Craen Chairman of the Hampshire Technology Centre Trust thanked
the Hampshire County Architects Department for designing the futuristic
building which is “an exhibit in itself”.
The educational exhibits within the building are fun to use and
are designed to support the national curriculum. “Teachers
tell us what they want us to do” said John.
Intech also offers a lending library of science equipment to enable
schools to teach more effectively.
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St
Swithun’s Robot
(1st
August 2002)
St Swithun’s School Robot ‘Retiari’ has won second
place in Rex’s Robot Challenge 2002 which was held recently
at Adastral Park, Ipswich.
The solder-tastic Winchester kids were competing in the junior
division (ages 9 to 13) of the competition against five other
teams.
The challenge was devised by, and named after, Rex Garrod, formerly
of BBC TV’s ‘Robot Wars’. The trophies were made
by Rex, who also attended the event. The challenge, was set up
by ‘Young Engineers’ to provide schools and club members
with the opportunity to design and build fun and inexpensive robots,
as well as encourage ingenuity and innovation.
In order to qualify for the final, the finalists had to compete
against more than 170 competitors in regional heats held nationwide.
The robots were tested under four categories: design, innovation,
engineering quality control (via an obstacle course) and battle
(where robots faced each other in a ‘knockout’ competition).
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Big
Screen Treatment (1st August 2002)
This coming weekend, a local movie production company will start
filming their brand new feature right here on the streets of Winchester.
The company, Trip Films, have already filmed some of the scenes
for their upcoming black comedy ‘Born With A Tail’ in
places as diverse as Bournemouth and Las Vegas, but the real filming
begins this Friday.
“I’m very glad that we’ve been able to use Winchester
as a backdrop to the story”, said a Trip Films spokesperson,
“all of the company are based here so it makes perfect sense
all round”.
The film tells the story of two people who attempt to rip-off
their bosses - but with terrible consequences.
Starring 6’ 2” former French tennis star Marie Grinder,
the film premieres in the UK this coming Autumn, with a worldwide
release due in 2003.
“It’s a very ambitious project”, noted co-star
Amy Tez, a veteran of the London stage. “I’ve come straight
off the back of a David Mamet play in the West End and I can assure
you, this is going to be every bit as challenging.”
The films director, Harvey Peters, said that ‘Born With A
Tail’ was the most interesting and dynamic movie he’s
been involved with. “The story has so many twists it’s
going to make Hitchcock look like The Teletubbies.”
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