©Michael Branicki

September 2015 | Issue 118 | £1.50 where bought

See our new wedding feature on pages 12-13

Your special dayLittle green fingersAlverstoke Infant School - P20

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HOUSE AND GARDENS

17 Planning MattersCheck out this months round up of planningapplications in and around Alverstoke.

20 Over the HedgeWe’re peering over the hedge to the awardwinning gardens of Alverstoke Infant School thismonth - an inspiration to us all!

MOTORING

8 Auto BiographiesTim Barnes Clay takes a look at the new FordMustang. I think he’s rather smitten. Are you?

COMMUNITY

6 Life MattersGetting together with the Quilters … This monthspiece from St Mary’s Church covers a very lovely,community-oriented topic.

12 Your special dayCheck out this new feature on Weddings. Whetheryou’re looking to tie the knot yourself, or knowsomeone who is planning their special day thentake a look at our special piece this month onpages 12-13.

september issue 2015

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THIS MONTH..

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SmSmalal ltalkltalk

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“Instead of wondering where your next vacation is, maybeyou should set a life you don’t need to escape from” saidSeth Godin.

I rather like Seth Godin’s musings on life and business as hethoughtfully provokes what you believed to be set in concrete touncover ideas that suddenly ring true like church bells in your head.This quote is one of my favourites and resonates well especially atthis time of the year. I sat watching my facebook feed this morninglooking at several postings from families doing a countdown to theirannual summer holiday. Some were going to Greece, some weregoing much further afield and of course they were all preceded withcries of “yippee, only 4 days to go”.

With 2 businesses to run and 4 children to amuse over the next 6weeks I had an initial pang of envy. The thought of a blissful,uninterrupted vacation, somewhere in the sun (remember that?!)seemed alluring and indulgent.

I allowed my thoughts to continue in this vein until I pulled myselfback to my reality with a rather pleasant pop. After all, who hascreated the life that I’m living? Who is responsible for the actionsthat I take and the choices that I make each day? Well of course theanswer to that lies totally between my ears so if I don’t like what I’mdoing then I jolly well need to change things. And you know what? Irather love what I have. I can choose to start work at 6am so that Ican leap up every now and then to cut up magazines for the girls toturn into a craft project, or hang out the next load of washing thatkeeps magically appearing for me. I can choose to stop lateafternoon to enjoy a cup of tea and colouring with the children.

And best of all we’re workinghard towards a lifestylewhere I very much hope thatinstead of uninterruptedweeks, we’ll have someuninterrupted months off toenjoy the world.

Much love until next monthCoralie and Sean x

Advertise with us!

Reliably delivered by our local teams, reaching over 35000homes each issue, SEVEN editions of Big Voice provideexceptional monthly coverage of our area every single month.Call our friendly team now on 01329 630630, jump on ourwebsite and have a chat or link up with us on Facebook.

ON

For a few years quilters havebeen quietly creating wonderfulimages of different buildings andfeatures the village to be puttogether as The Alverstoke Quilt.

It all went back to the idea by themembers of the AlverstokeQuilters to create a very specialquilt to commemorate the eventsof 2012. Do you recall thatyear? The quilt takes us back tothe Queen's Diamond Jubilee andthe local street parties held incelebration, along with all theexcitement surrounding theLondon 2012 Olympics. The ideaof the quilt was put to a parishcommittee which included TedGoodyer, our former Rector justbefore he retired; needless to saythat they thought the quilt to be avery good idea.

It was decided to depict some ofthe various properties inAlverstoke village (such asStokehurst Old Rectory, theFish & Chip Shop and St.Mary'sChurch etc).

Alverstoke Quilters membersdecided which buildings they'd liketo depict and they startedwork three years ago. Theycontacted the owners of theproperties for permission to goahead, made their designs andstarted quilting. Large quilts don'thappen overnight and this onehas taken three years, althoughmembers had run other projects inparallel in the meantime.

Each member completed theirblock for the quilt and the groupleader, Liz Smithbone, has put itall together making the borders,the seascape, the binding andbacking. The techniques arelargely appliqué, patchwork,embroidery, hand dyed fabricsand beading.

The Alverstoke Quilt is now readyto be unveiled by the Mayor ofGosport and I have the pleasureof dedicating it on Friday 28thAugust in the Parish Centre,Green Road. It will be on displayin the Parish Centre and also it

might be good if we can display itin the church at a suitable timetoo, for all to see.

No one can see the quilt until theunveiling but I'm sure that it willprove to be a very beautiful,special and important piece of artin depicting our local communityfrom the creativity of many localpeople.

Thank you to the Quilters and dotake the opportunity to come andsee this wonderful celebration ofour parish.

Revd Andrew NorrisRector, Alverstoke Parish

Please get in touchat stmarysalverstoke@tiscali.co.ukor 02392 580551Revd Andy Norris

(Rector)

Life Matters at St Mary’s

Celebrating Community - The Alverstoke Quilt

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Important PhoneNumbersCOMMUNITYGosport Community Association 023 9251 0012Bay House Secondary School 023 9258 7931Dog Warden 023 9254 5596Dog Fouling 0800 019 8598 (Freephone)Family & Friends Lesbians & Gays 0845 6520311St Marys Parish Office 023 9258 0551Alverstoke Infant School 023 9258 2403Alverstoke Junior School 023 9258 0450Local Councillor 023 9252 2494Local Council Offices 023 9258 4242Neighbourhood Watch 023 9258 3637Noise Nuisance 023 9254 5506Police 101 or emergency 999RSPCA 01329 667541Rubbish Collection 0800 019 8598 (Freephone)Tourist Information 023 9252 2944Victim Support 0845 3899528

HEALTHAlcoholics Anonymous 023 955 80776Al Anon 023 9243 5047Dental Helpline 0845 0508345Environmental Health 023 9254 5506Food Hygiene and Safety 023 9254 5507Gosport War Memorial Hospital 023 9252 4611Gosport Medical Centre 023 9258 3302NHS Direct 111NHS Smoking Helpline 0800 0224332

TRAVELAbandoned cars 0800 019 8598 (Freephone)Car Parks 0800 019 8598 (Freephone)Coastguard 023 8032 9486Concessionary Travel 0845 045 8355Dial a Ride Gosport 01329 223151National Rail Enquiries 08457 484950Roads and Pavements 0845 603 5633Traffic Lights 0845 603 5633

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PPuuzzzlezle AnsweAnswersrs

Auto biographies

I love this car. Don’t get mewrong; it is always a delightdriving press cars, but this is amotor I’ve yearned for since I wasa kid.

My toy Mustang just doesn’t do itfor me anymore – and with a price-tag of just £28k(ish) upwards, themighty motor is affordable formany people. But, money-aside,the big difference - no, thecolossal difference, is that the2015 Mustang is now obtainablein right hand drive.

The Ford Mustang – on sale inEurope for the first time in its fiftyyear history – is presented with a5.0-litre V8 block, or a fuel-efficient 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine.The 5.0-litre fastback with six-speed manual transmission doesthe zero to 62mph sprint in 4.8sec– quicker than any Ford coupé inEurope since the limited Ford GT

supercar came out tenyears ago. The FordMustang 2.3-litre EcoBoostfastback manual does the 0-62mph time in 5.8sec.You can enhance theMustang’s performance tosuit your frame of mindusing selectable drivemodes. And, away from thepublic highway, you can useTrack Apps to keep an eyeon driving performance.These can be controlled viathe steering wheel andseen in the instrumentpanel. They includeaccelerometer, accelerationtimer and brakeperformance, which assessbraking time and distancefrom a set speed.

But what’s really out of theordinary is the Launch Controlsystem, offered on the 5.0-litremanual model. It keeps the engineat a pre-set value between3,000rpm and 4,500rpm with theaccelerator pressed into thecarpet. When the clutch isreleased, torque delivery to therear wheels is harnessed forgreatest traction and unfailingstanding starts. The V8 Mustang iswicked off the line. Its musclewelds the back of your head toyour headrest, and it’s allcomplemented with a tremendousmusical engine note.

Equally exhilarating, is theelectronic Line Lock system, alsoavailable for the 5.0-litre V8. Itapplies only the front brakes,permitting you to ‘heat up’ therear tyres. In other words, if youwant to burn rubber quickly – thisgadgetry is for you. I tried it on

test in Germany and felt a bit of alout leaving smoke and blackmarks on the beautiful Bavarianbitumen. That said; it was anincredible experience!

But the Ford isn’t just rapid in astraight line; the ride and handlingare a revelation. A decent chassisand advanced technology helpoptimise driving dynamics todeliver the kind of sporty eventyou’d expect to have behind thewheel of a Mustang.

The new Ford Mustang is availablein fastback and convertiblebodystyles with six-speed manualand automatic transmissions, andfeatures classic design elementsincluding three-dimensional, tri-bar taillamps, signaturetrapezoidal grille and shark-bitefront fascia.

Ford will start right-hand driveproduction of the first Europeanspecification Ford Mustangs inMichigan, U.S., in 10 exteriorcolours and equipped as standardwith 19-inch wheels, automaticxenon headlamps, dual-zoneclimate control, LED tail lamps,and a rear diffuser.

The first 2015 Ford Mustangs areset to reach dealerships in Britainfrom October. I’m already startingto save up and tidy my garage. Ineed one – and it has to be theFastback 5.0 litre V8.

FAST FACTS

Max speed: 155mph

0-62 mph: 4.8 secs

Combined mpg: 20.9

Engine: 4951cc 8 cylinder 32valve turbo diesel

Max. power (bhp): 416

Max. torque (Nm): 391

CO2: 299 g/km

Price: £32,995

PROS ‘N’ CONSLooks √

Power √Fun √Cost √

Some cut-price interiorplastics X

Ford Mustang 2015

By Tim Barnes-Clay www.carwriteups.co.uk @carwriteups

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The saying ‘It’s not what you knowbut who you know’ rings in my earsas I have been brought up with itand I can usually find a ‘who’ formost enquiries that come in to ourbusinesses. We have been discussingthe fine line between whether theability to plan your wedding budgetdown to the last penny with acontingency to boot, or theadrenalin rush / anxiety associatedwith scrabbling for the last fewpounds to pay the balance off foryour venue in the last few weeks isthe best course of action when

planning your big day yourself. Weboth agreed that knowing well inadvance what you needed to spendyour money on, what you couldhave bespoke or off the shelf andthe associated costs of both areessential to not letting your‘bridezilla’ side get way out ofcontrol.

We could never cover a full list hereof every item you would need to addto your wedding plan as we are allvastly different and want to followdiffering traditions, or in our cases

eccentricities, but good planningand organisation is definitely key.Come for a consultation, hear whatwe have to say, but have yourbudget and timeframe firmly inmind when you do; that way if youlove a service or product you can atleast work out what you will need tospend less on, like cutting out knivesand forks!

Charlie suggests:Using a dream board to collate yourideal wedding day in pictures, whatcolours, theme or feelings do you

Planning the big day yourself

wish to invoke?

Sit down and realistically work outyour budget. Is it a grand figure or doyou need to work out what you canafford per month for the next year ortwo?

Look at venues that can be suited toyour theme. Our venue decor servicecan turn the look of most venues,using props, drapes and lighting so dokeep an open mind when viewing, butbe realistic - do you want somewhereto dance for example, or is it all aboutthe food?

Look for an event coordinator (like us!)or separate suppliers (also like us!) toorganise your venue decor,entertainment, catering, finishingtouches, bridal wear, transport etc.

Please remember that a good price isnot always the cheapest option; askpotential suppliers forrecommendations, pictures of theirwork (portfolio) and ensure they arehappy to supply their insurance detailsif you enter into a contract with them.It can be costly to have to sourceanother supplier at the last minute, ormortifying to not get the service youexpected.

If you have your heart set onthat something special,handmade or bespoke, factorthis in when looking attheming your centrepieces andother decor options, toenhance and not work againstyour beautiful item.

Lastly, if you are unable to payfor your services in a lump sumconsider making a paymentarrangement with yoursuppliers ensuring that all of

your little details are paid for well inadvance of the run up to your big day(when you are supposed to be glowingwith anticipation and not wiping sweatfrom your brow!) Having regularcontact with your suppliers keeps youlinked in to them, they can advise onyour planning and the inevitable listswell in advance, everyone gets to theweek before and wonders what theyhave forgotten a good coordinator orgroup of trusted suppliers will havealready checked your list twice!

Janet Mist has some great ideas:DIY weddings are massive, broughtabout by Pinterest gorgeousphotographs, Bridal Blogs, weddingmagazines and Bridal Boot Fairspopping up all over the country.

A lot of themes are inspired by allthings mix and match vintage and astand-up to the modern throwawaysociety: to save money and recycle.

Here are my tips to pull off a DIYwedding:

Decide on a colour or theme to pull itall together, like starting from a focalpiece on an interior design scheme.

Put a Pinterest page together, orscrapbook with pictures with ideas tobase it from. Do your homework andbe realistic, do you really want thehandmade look? Are you able tocreate, afford and make the bits youneed? Is it really going to save youmoney? If the answer is no then doyour homework and seek bits neededwithin your budget, or adjustaccordingly.

Set a budget for everything and don’twaste money on impulse spends onebay and car boots if you’re not goingto use them - you will regret it later.Make lists for each category anddecide what is the most important andspend accordingly.

Remember, a good wedding plannercan actually save you money so it’salways good to seek advice first beforeyou waste lots of money thinking youcan do it all yourself; trust me...youcant.At the end of the day it’s all abouthaving the best day with your newhusband and not stressing over thelittle details. Just be honest and setrealistic goals.

And enjoy every single minute x

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P lanning MattersGOSPORT BOROUGH COUNCIL

REF LOCATION PROPOSAL STATUS

15/00372/FULL Bay House SchoolGomer Lane GosportHampshire PO12 2QP

Retention of and further works for theerection of 4m high fencing to all-weatherpitch

PendingConsideration

15/00352/FULL 33 Monckton RoadGosport HampshirePO12 2BG

Erection of two storey rear extension PendingConsideration

15/00375/FULL 26 Haselworth DriveGosport HampshirePO12 2UH

Erection of single storey front/side and rear/side extensions

PendingConsideration

15/00379/FULL Land Adjacent To 35Long Water DriveGosport Hampshire

Retention of and further works for theerection of 1 no. Detached dwelling,detached garage and associated landscapingand car parking

PendingConsideration

15/00363/FULL 1 Mill Road GosportHampshire PO12 3AA

Erection of single storey rear extension PendingConsideration

15/00389/FULL 30 Grove RoadGosport HampshirePO12 4JH

Erection of rear conservatory PendingConsideration

A monthly round up of planning applications submitted since 1 July 2015

For more details visit http://www.gosport.gov.uk/welcome/

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Over the Hedge

Well done to Alverstoke Infant School who have developed a self- sufficiency approach by linking up with the cookery club. Successes haveincluded Rhubarb and orange jam and samosas. They picked their produce from the garden, cooked and shared their success with the ecoclub. This year’s Gosport in Bloom 2015 was another success with awards in “Best Sensory Garden/Quiet area”, “Best wildlife area”, “Best

decorative feature”, “Best edible garden” and “Best container garden”.

For the second year running we celebrated winning the “Best school” award.

Send in your garden pictures toeditor@bigvoicedirectories.co.uk andyou could be featured next month!

171 - 173 High StreetLee-on-the-Solent

PO13 9BX

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HHOOLLIIDDAAYY AACCTTIIVVIITTIIEESS FFOORR KKIIDDSS

Krafty Kids – Minions! - Thursday 3rdSeptember 3:30 - 4:30pm

Elson Library, 136 Chantry Road, Elson, Gosport. PO12 4NGThe Film came out in the Summer Holidays. Now make yourown Minions! Krafty Kids meets every 1st and 3rd Thursday ofeach month. 50p per child. Suitable for ages 5 – 10years. Parents/carers must remain in the library during thisactivity. No need to book, but places are limited. For moreinformation call 023 9252 4608

Pirates for Beginners -Wednesday 2ndSeptember 2:00 - 2:45pm

Gosport Gallery @ Gosport Discovery Centre, Walpole Road,Gosport PO12 1NS. Workshop in Gosport Gallery’s Pirates!exhibition for under-5s with parents or carers, including astory, hands-on activities and a make and take. FREE, no needto book, but places are limited. Tickets: £1 for the make andtake.

Alien Antics Story Time Special—Saturday26th September 11:00 - 12:00pm

Gosport Discovery Centre, High Street, Gosport. PO12 1BTWhen aliens fly down to Earth, They don’t come to meetYOU… They simply want your underpants, I’ll bet you neverknew! Join us for a hilarious, out-of-this-world story andmake your own spaceship! Suitable for children aged 3 – 10,must be accompanied by an adult. FREE, No need to book butplaces are limited.

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