Tickets still available for Pippa Greenwood evening

Titchfield Gardeners’ club have a few more tickers available for ‘An Evening with Pippa Greenwood’ at the Community Centre.

Pippa will first talk about her life in horticulture followed by answering questions from the audience.

Pippa is a frequent panellist on BBC’s Gardeners’ World and Gardeners’ Question Time. For eleven years she ran the Royal Horticultural Society's Plant Pathology Department at Wisley.

Tickets, cost just £8, are available the the Titchfield Community Centre reception, the Village Greengrocer in the Square or by calling 01329 843413

The evening takes place on Friday 29th June and starts at 6.45pm.

For more details contact Titchfield Gardeners' Club

Changes to Christmas Eve Services announced

St. Peter’s Parochial Church Council has published the details of this year’s Christmas Eve services.

They explain they have listened carefully to the views of the local community and tried, as far as
possible, to incorporate them into this year’s programme.

They are pleased to announce the following services for Christmas Eve 2018:-

3.30 pm Family Carol Service by Candlelight
This service will be especially suitable for those attending church with young
children.

6pm Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight
This year sees the 100 th anniversary of the beautiful, traditional service of
readings and carols, which was first held in Kings College Cambridge on Christmas
Eve 1918.

11.15pm Midnight Eucharist by Candlelight

It is envisaged that each of these services will be run by a different team.

The first service is at a slightly earlier time than in the past, which will allow sufficient time for
the church to be tidied up and properly prepared for the second service.

This programme has been prepared after much prayer and deliberation, bearing in
mind the needs of all those drawn to worship God in our beautiful church at this most holy time of year.

They go on to say their primary aim, as ever, is to ensure a high quality of worship in all their  services to the glory of God and in celebration of Jesus’ birth.

They look forward to welcoming you to the Christmas Eve services.

For more click this link to St Peter's Titchfield

Straight talking at CAT meeting

Fareham Council leader Cllr. Sean Woodward pulled no punches when he spoke at the Titchfield Community Action Team meeting at the village Community Centre.

Cllr Sean Woodward

Following an introduction by Cllr. Tiffany Harper, Sgt Nick Morgan talked on policing in the village and warned of the various scams in operation at the moment via email, phone or cold calling. And responded to a question from the floor on begging in the town centre.

Hayley Hamlet then explained the role of ‘One Community’ in the borough, how they help by providing support to local groups such as funding advice, governance and by building community resilience, and delivering volunteer and skills support.

Lastly the Council Leader gave a wide ranging  talk on what's going on in the local area.

He outlined projects undertaken in the last year in the borough such as the work on the sea wall at Hill Head, the refurbishment at Westbury Manor, the support for Fareham in Bloom and the cost of cleaning up the rubbish across the area.

He went on to detail the new road schemes already in operation and those still to be completed.

Cllr Woodward then spoke on the controversial subject of the Draft Local Plan and the current provision for housing in Fareham. He explained to the 40 plus audience the problems of meeting central government requirements on the number of homes and how developers will challenge the council if they don’t allow sufficient in the borough.

He also spoke about the plans for the 6,000 homes at Wellborne and also those for the town centre refurbishment which would provide some 900 new houses.

LINKS
Community Action Team
One Community

39 Steps to the Parish Room

Make a note in your diary - Moviola at the Parish Room on Friday June 22nd.

The tickets are going fast for a special Titchfield Moviola showing of the classic 1959 film ‘The 39 Steps’ at the Parish Room.

Richard Hannay (Kenneth More) witnesses a hit-and-run involving a woman pushing a pram.

Looking in the pram he sees a gun instead of a baby. He tracks the woman down and she reveals that she is a secret agent trying to stop foreign spies leaving the country with important military secrets.

Later that night she is murdered in Hannay's flat. Hannay takes it on himself to thwart the enemy agents.

This involves travelling to Scotland and keeping one step ahead of the police who are looking for him in connection with the murder of the woman.’

Please purchase tickets in advance for Moviola Extra  - The 39 Steps (1959) 

Click for more from Titchfield Moviola

Mum hit by van in West Street

A Titchfield mum has called for motorists to be more careful when driving through Titchfield's narrow streets.

On her way to school with her children, Catherine Doust, was struck by the vehicle's wing mirror, even though she was walking on the pavement.

In a post on social media after the incident she reported, "Please can I ask drivers to be road aware on West Street.

"I’ve just been hit whilst walking on the pavement. The van, going at some speed, nearly mounted the kerb with its wing mirrors at children’s head level.

"Lucky I was walking near the side of the road and not my 5 year old.

"The drivers response when approached was, ‘I didn’t see you’ (and the other 3 adults I was with. and other school children)"

There have been a number of accidents reported by residents with pedestrians being struck while walking on our village streets.

Make your voice heard by FBC

Fareham Council’s CAT meeting takes place from 7pm on Monday 11th June in the Malt Room, Titchfield Community Centre.

FBC say that listening to your views is essential to the Council providing better services.  One of the ways they listen to residents is by holding public meetings, known as Community Action Team (CAT) meetings.

The meetings are a great way to keep up to date with what is going on in our area.
Following a presentation by Council Leader, Sean Woodward, there will be an opportunity for residents to ask questions.

At the last CAT meeting held during October and November last year the Borough's Draft Local Plan 2036 was discussed.

The Local Plan looks at housing, employment space, and places where retail and leisure facilities should be provided.  It also earmarks areas to be protected, such as countryside, community and leisure buildings, and open spaces.

At the exhibition and meeting residents have found out about proposals for the local area and had the opportunity to speak directly to planning officers and Councillors.

Make sure your voice is heard by our local councillors, council officials and FBC leader, Cllr Sean Woodward.

For more information on Fareham Council’s CAT meetings Click HERE
 

Thefts over-night in Titchfield

Reports of thefts and suspicious behaviour in the Posbrook Lane/Bellfield area have been posted on Facebook.

One resident says that they were woken at around 4am this morning.

Stock image

They then spotted three males from a grey golf-like car were in a neighbour’s front garden..

They had abandoned their car in the middle of the road next to the junction leaving the doors open, they then went off in different directions.

The group stole the registration plates from a van parked nearby and once disturbed made off.

Hampshire Police advise that If you have information about a crime to call them. In an emergency, always call 999. Call 101 for all enquiries and to report non-urgent crimes.

Summer Fayre updates

Get ready for a bumper fun afternoon at the Titchfield Summer Fayre.

The Fayre, organised by the Titchfield Bonfire Boys is on Sunday 22nd July at Barry’s Meadow from 12-5pm. Entry will be just £1.
 
Sadly no carnival this year but the Bonfire Boys have a whole host of things lined up for the afternoon.

The Happy Fryer have confirmed that they will be at the Summer Fayre.  Finally Titchfield will have a chippy in the village again. Hooray!

Solent Segways will be returning this year with their Segway track experience.

Debbie Pinhorne Bows will be selling her wonderful handmade hair bows.

The Wheatsheaf will be providing liquid refreshments at the Fayre again this year. Last year all profits were donated to the Bonfire Boys.

Isis and Sue from Knit2Together will be attending, selling their handmade toys, finger puppets and story sacks in aid of Hants & IOW Air Ambulance

B'spoke Creations will have a stall, they specialise in handmade and up-cycled crafts which are all very reasonably priced so there will be something for every budget.

Whitecliffe Events will be attending so there will be a bountiful supply of ice cream and lollies...if we're lucky they'll also play their "ice cream jingle" for us.

GlitterSuite will be attending the Fayre so we can all have a sparking facelift for the day. Mum, Dad - this includes ADULTS and Children

Also

• A BBQ
• Live Music from Roy Peplow
• Refreshments and Licensed Bar
• Games for All Ages

So make a date to be there and support Titchfield Bonfire Boys.

Keep up to date with the latest from the Bonfire Boys by clicking HERE

Village in Bloom judging dates

Now's the time to hang out those hanging baskets and planters.

The Bugle Hotel, last year

On July 9th the Royal Horticultural Society judges will be touring the village looking for how residents and businesses have decorated their properties for the Britain in Bloom competition.

Gloria Hunt from the Village in Bloom team wants to encourage everyone to make a special effort and build on the success of last year when we won the Community Garden award.

The Village in Bloom team have been busy planting bulbs, re-doing community pots and supporting the wild flower meadow.

Meon House Open Garden

Come and enjoy the beautiful garden and surroundings at Meon House.

And treat yourself to delicious tea and cakes !

Please join us, The Friend's of St Peter's, and be part of something special, helping to maintain
the fabric of our beautiful Church.

The garden party is on Sunday 10th June 2018 - 2pm to 5pm at Meon House, Triangle Lane.

The house has a large, and beautifully landscaped, garden is adjacent to woodland.

It boasts herbaceous borders, specimen trees, orchard, large pond and a kitchen garden. Enjoy a stroll around and some tea and cake.

The garden is accessible to wheelchair users. Well behaved dogs (and their owners!) on leads are welcome. Entry is by ticket only.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at £5 each from Daisy B’s, Hadlow’s the Butcher and St Peter’s Church office

Strawberry time is here

Steve Harris Farms are to open their Pick Your Own strawberry fields on Tuesday 5th June.

The summer is finally here when its PYO time.

With the recent good weather its going to be a bumper year for this classic summer-time fruit.

If you don't have the time to pick a punnet yourself, there are loads of ready picked fruit right now on the stall, just along from the farm.

The Pick Your Own fields can be found in Posbrook Lane, just south of Titchfield on the way to the beach.

Steve Harris PYO is open every day (weather permitting) from 9.30am till 5pm.

Don't forget to get a tub of cream as you pass through the village - you won't need sugar the strawberries are so plump and sweet.

LINK:-

www.steveharrispyo.co.uk

The Great Gatsby at The Festival Theatre

A little party never killed nobody…. enjoy the roaring 20s with The Great Gatsby

Nick Carraway arrives in 1922 New York in search of the American dream. Nick, a would-be writer, moves in next door to millionaire Jay Gatsby and across the bay from his cousin Daisy and her philandering husband, Tom. As a consequence, Nick becomes drawn into the captivating world of the wealthy and as he bears witness to their illusions and deceits, pens a tale of impossible love, dreams, and tragedy.

This is a new adaptation of the romantic and jazzy 1920’s thriller The Great Gatsby, which brings F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic story to life. With hot jazz, cold cocktails, fast cars and even faster women, the thrilling tragedy of Jay Gatsby and Daisy will be told by Nick Carraway just for our patrons.

This is the first time that Titchfield Festival Theatre has performed The Great Gatsby and it will also be a directorial debut for Adam Feeley. Adam says, “We are delighted to bring The Great Gatsby to Titchfield. It will perhaps be a little different to what our audiences are used to; there will be dancing, musical numbers and a real 1920s vibe to capture this exciting period.

We are only a couple of years from coming back into the 20s again and it is noticeable how people are rediscovering the look and feel of the roaring twenties, in fashion and all things vintage. We have a superb young cast and it promises to be a very classy and suave production which we are confident our patrons will love.”

The Great Gatsby was written by Fitzgerald back in 1925, but even today the themes which run through this classic novel remain current, touching upon the differing class structures and race in society. Jay Gatsby however held parties for everyone, regardless of their background. He was simply a good guy, who was seeking the girl that he loved.   

Come along to experience the spirit of the 20s with Titchfield Festival Theatre’s presentation of The Great Gatsby - complete with a modern twist.

The Great Gatsby opens on Wednesday 13th June until Saturday 23rd June at 7.30pm in the Oak Theatre, St Margarets Lane, Titchfield PO14 4BG. The Sunday matinee performance is on 17th June at 2.30pm.

For more information, please go to http://titchfieldfestivaltheatre.com/or contact our Box Office on 01329 556156.      

Set for dizzy heights

Five year old Ava Jade Hands will be ‘up in the air’ when she joins with members of the Jessie Leigh Dance & Cheer Academy at a major cheerleader and dance event in Brighton.

Ava Jade, from Titchfield, has only been with the group for just a year and is the ‘flyer’ of the team.

The Jessie Leigh Dance & Cheer Academy have over 360 cheerleaders in 2 locations within the Gosport and Portsmouth region, they are also the largest After School Club Program in the area.

Young High Flyer Ava Jade

Ava Jade trains at Bay House school in Gosport.

They focus on developing our youth through the medium of cheerleading and dance.

The ‘Into the Future’ competition will take place on the 9th and 10th of June at The Brighton Centre in Sussex.

Well done Ava Jade and have a great day.

The Royal Wedding

See how they celebrated the Royal Wedding in West Street.

Click HERE to view a gallery of images

It’s Strawberry Season Again

The ready picked strawberry season is here at last.

The fields in and around Titchfield have long been recognised as the ideal location for growing strawberries.

Is it the soil, the sunshine, the rain, the nurturing or a combination of all four. Whatever the reason Titchfield strawberries rightly regarded as some of the tastiest fruit in the country.

The  early ready picked strawberries are grown under glass or more likely in ‘polly tunnels’ and are just as juicy.

Mark Harris from Steve Harris Farms said, "We have just opened our Ready Picked Strawberry stall for 2018 along Posbrook lane."

So support our local growers and stop at one of the roadside stalls and pick up a punnet. You’ll find strawberries for sale along the Warsash Road, Stubbington Road and Posbrook Lane.

The Pick Your Own fields usually open mid-late June.It all depends on the weather...

Link
Steve Harris Farms

Name Titchfield's new park

Residents in Fareham are being asked for their help to name a new park in Titchfield which will open in Summer 2019.

The new park will run along the A27 on Southampton Hill and will be the size of 15 football pitches.

Plans include a play area, orchard, wildflower meadows as well as educational wildlife areas and beehives. Visitors will also be able to enjoy footpaths, interpretation panels with details of the park's surroundings, seating, dog bins and a small car park.

Now residents are being asked to cast their votes for one of three choices or suggest a new name for the park during a consultation period from Saturday 12 May to Friday 22 June.

People can choose from the following options:

• Tannery Meadows – Tanneries were an important industry in the village from the Middle Ages.
• Abbey Meadows – The new park is next to Titchfield Abbey.
• Meon Meadows – The Meon River runs to the east of the site and flows through Titchfield.

Executive Member for Streetscene, Councillor Simon Martin said: "The new park will be for the whole community to enjoy and I would encourage everyone to help us name this great new facility." 

To help decide the name of the park, you can vote online at www.fareham.gov.uk/consultations visit Titchfield Community Centre or drop a token into our voting box in the foyer of the Fareham Borough Council offices.

Children at Titchfield Primary School, Ranvilles Infant and Junior School and St Anthony's C of E have also been invited to take part and vote.

Residents will also be able to vote at Community Action Team (CAT) meetings taking place at across Fareham during May and June.

Luxury retirement development takes step closer to completion with announcement of prices

Older people worried by the prospect of downsizing can be reassured their equity will be protected for the future, thanks to the properties on sale in Titchfield’s newest retirement village, Friary Meadow.

An artists impression

The Hampshire development, named in reference to the nearby Abbey and the likely historic use of the fields around it, has taken another major step towards completion as developers release the much-anticipated prices for its luxury accommodation.

Friary Meadow will offer a selection of 86 luxury homes, comprising of apartments that start from £375,000, bungalows from £485,000 and townhouses from £595,000. Car parking spaces are available for just £250 per year and residents won’t be charged ground rent.

It is based on the ‘extra-care’ living model, as recommended by the Department of Health, which aims to giving older people the opportunity to retain their independence for longer, including their financial independence by enabling residents to own their own properties, thereby protecting their equity.

Dr. Stephen Ladyman, founder of Oak Retirement and a former Minister of Health responsible for Social Care, said: “I’m delighted to announce the prices for accommodation at Friary Meadow and believe they really reflect the high-quality living on offer.

“This is a really exciting time as we move one step further to finishing this luxury development and open its doors to residents, who will be able to enjoy the many benefits of an independent, worry-free retirement.”

The £35m development is a joint project between independent retirement living specialist, Oak Retirement, and real estate fund manager, Frogmore.

Construction was launched in June last year, during an official ground-breaking ceremony attended by Mayor of Fareham, Councillor Geoff Fazackarley and the Mayoress Mrs Tina Fazackarley.

Friary Meadow is due to be completed in November 2018.

For more information about Friary Meadow, visit www.friarymeadow.co.uk. To enquire about a property, please email info@oakretirement.co.uk

For more information about Oak Retirement, visit www.oakretirement.co.uk.

Village turns out for the Church Fete

Despite the threat of showers hundreds of Titchfield residents enjoyed a fun packed  afternoon at St Peter’s Church Fete.

See a whole gallery of images from the day by clicking HERE

Helpers from right across the community were busy from first thing preparing for the event.

The plant stalls were stocked, the second hand books stacked high, the gazebos erected and the BBQ lit.

The gate was officially opened at 1pm and the visitors streamed in.

Music was provided by Paul McKenna’s Swingworld Band in the front garden and by the St Peter’s Puppets, Titchfield Primary School Pans Ablaze and the West Hill Park Community Choir in the back garden.

The scouts did sterling work selling burgers and hot dogs.

Refreshments were also provided in the church with the opportunity to listen to the church organ and to speak to the Organist.

In the beautiful Old  Vicarage garden, were the usual range of stalls with a variety of community organisations greeting visitors on the front lawn.

Activities and games include ‘Jolly Jars’, the ‘Coconut Shy’ and ‘Splat the Rat’ as well as the Super Chance and Chocolate Tombolas.

A great day for all and thankfully the rain held off for most of the afternoon.

See a whole gallery of images from the day by clicking HERE

Get planting for Titchfield in Bloom

Judging last year

Last year, for the first time ever, Titchfield entered Britain in Bloom as part of South and South East England.

The organisers were amazed at the number of people who decorated their front of houses, in the whole area of Titchfield, with flowers and flags.  This is more than just the centre of the village.   

Everywhere looked wonderful and the village of Titchfield won Silver Gilt ( just below Gold) which shocked the organisers as we were a first time entry.

Gloria Hunt from the ‘Titchfield in Bloom’ group said, “This year we are going for Gold .

“We have to show conservation, recycling, care of environment and lots more as well as loads of flowers, so quite a job.

“You will see us through the next few weeks, in green tops planting, sweeping , litter picking and weeding.”

Following on from last year the committee are convinced that this year, and with everyone’s help , the village will look amazing.

They recommend geraniums, lavender, begonias or any plants that need less watering .

Titchfield IS the hottest

Phew wot a scorcher!

It’s official, Titchfield is the hottest place in the country.

The BBC have just announced that the hottest place in the country is Gosport with 24.2C while our picture shows Titchfield is baking at 24.5C and it’s only 11am.

The Met Office also confirmed that today is the hottest May Bank holiday since the long weekend was introduced in 1978. The previous national highest May Bank holiday was 23.6C on May 3rd 1999.

So, get out there and enjoy the sunshine but, remember to use sun cream to lower your risk of sunburn and skin cancer.

Take heed of Baz Luhrmann’s advice from his 1997 hit, ‘Everybody’d Free to Wear Sunscreen’.