On Winchester Now this week:
- Anna caught up with Janet Sparkes and Tony Biondi from the Winchester Baptist Church to hear more about a special Discussion and Prayer event on ‘Dementia and Faith’ they are holding this Sunday, as part of Dementia Action Week.
- News-in-brief:
- Hampshire Police have been raising awareness, engaging communities, and intensifying efforts to reduce and prevent knife crime as part of a national week of action.
- A new art installation of 1000 origami doves, created by students, staff, local churches, schools and community groups, will be suspended from the ceiling in the Chapel at the University of Winchester.
- Littleton and Harestock is getting its first Repair Café on Saturday afternoon in the Memorial Hall in Littleton.
- The financial climate continues to challenge many small grassroots charities – Blue Apple Theatre has announced this week that it is merging with the Minstead Trust; and Winchester Go LD, has said that it is planning a meeting with parents and supporters on 11th June as it is facing a serious funding shortfall.
- Winchester City Council has opened 2 grant-funding streams for local community and voluntary groups, which can help fund one-off purchases up to £3000.
- Winchester Rotary is holding its sponsored ‘Walk along the Watercress Way’ on Sunday 1st June, raising funds for ‘Winchester Street Reach’ (which is now part of ‘Youth Options’). And the Winchester Ramblers are staging this year’s ‘Winchester Walking Weekend’ from Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd June.
- Ready Steady Walk is an initiative to support families in Winchester with children under the age of 5. Mary Blaxland went along to find out more.
- Bank Holiday community events:
- The Boaz Project, which supports adults with learning disabilities, is holding an Open Day and Plant Sale from 1pm to 4pm on Saturday at Hill Farm in Sutton Scotney. Admission is free.
- On Sunday, from 10am to 4pm, there’s free entry to the Lion’s Picnic at the Winchester Rugby Club. There will be a range of stalls, entertainment and a bouncy castle and giant slide, alongside a BBQ and refreshments. Funds raised will support the care of children and young people at Hampshire Hospitals.
- Winnall’s Community Clothes Pantry has a ‘Prom Goers Fashion Event’ for young people between 5pm and 7pm on Thursday next week at the Unit 12 Community Hub. You have the option to borrow a dress, suit and accessories for end-of-term events, helping to reduce clothing waste.
- Help is at hand for the one-in-four adults who experience mental health problems, with the opening of a new listening service, run by the City Centre Chaplaincy and based at St Lawrence’s Church. Mary Blaxland spoke to City Centre Chaplain Alison Dolphin to find out more.
- Community shout-outs:
- To the 1st Winchester Scouts who visited the Winchester Basics Bank and helped sort through a mountain of donated food.
- To all those who took part in the ‘Big Sleep Out’ in the Cathedral grounds last Friday, raising over £44,000 so far to support the work of ‘Trinity Winchester’.
- To the team from Sparsholt College who have won the college’s 7th silver-gilt medal at the Chelsea Flower Show for its exhibit ‘The Ugly Bug Ball’.
- To Winchester’s Golf driving range which is celebrating its 10th birthday. In that time, visitors have hit over 42 million golf balls!
- To all the sporty souls who took part in the Compton 10K event last weekend, were volunteers along the route, or who supported the village’s Community Fete that day. The combined event has raised over £10,000 for the Compton School Association.
- Volunteers Week is coming up in June, and if you are part of a local grassroots charity or community group, and looking for volunteers, please let us know and we can help share for you, here on Winchester Radio! Email info@winchester.radio. Winchester Radio is also recruiting new volunteers right now too – visit our website to find out more.
