On Winchester Now this week:
- It’s the last weekend of the Heritage Open Days festival, and the Winchester Military Museums Big Open Day takes place tomorrow.
- This weekend sees the start of Winchester Green Week which kicks off on Saturday with the Green Fair at Winchester Cathedral. Across next week, local businesses, churches, schools and other organisations will also host events to raise awareness of climate change and encourage people to think about how they can make a positive difference. Mary Blaxland spoke to Sarah Davis, Business Improvement District Manager for Winchester BID.
- News-in-Brief:
- As students return to the University of Winchester, police have embarked on a campaign to raise awareness of drink spiking. Last year Hampshire police received 169 reports of spiking.
- South Western Railway is expanding the use of body-worn video cameras, to help tackle a rise in assaults and abuse. Cameras will be worn by frontline staff, such as train guards and those manning the gates. The number of reported incidents has doubled in the last 4 years.
- The air-quality in Winchester has improved in the last 20 years. In 2003, DEFRA said that the city needed to be monitored because of concerns about air pollution, and it enforced an air-quality management area. That has now been lifted after required standards for levels of nitrogen dioxide were met. The city council says it will continue to work to get cleaner air in the city.
- Protestors occupied the roof of Winchester Cathedral at the weekend, to make a stand against climate change, hanging a banner from the building, with the words ‘don’t crucify creation’. They stayed put for 4 hours before agreeing to come down.
- Winnall Moors Nature Reserve has reopened following essential improvement works to the boardwalk, which now offers a more accessible route through the wetlands and helps protect the sensitive habitats.
- Work is progressing well on new visitor steps at St Catherine’s Hill. The old steps were installed nearly 30 years ago, and had deteriorated. The work is expected to finish by November. The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust has thanked visitors for their patience during the project.
- The Hospital of St Cross Michaelmas Fair takes place on Saturday 27th September. This annual event celebrates the turning of the seasons with activities for the whole family, including stalls, live music, traditional games, and medieval re-enactments. Mary Blaxland spoke to the event’s co-ordinator, Louise Wood, to find out about the history of the fair.
- Shout-outs:
- To 9 year-old Miles, who kindly gave his time over the school holidays to raise money for local charity the Winchester Beacon. Miles spent 6 hours each day for a week, setting up a stall outside his house and selling some of his toys to neighbours and passers-by, raising £121.
- To the 2025 cohort of students at Peter Symonds College, who were celebrated last week for their academic and personal achievements at the college’s annual Awards evening, recognising academic excellence, participation in college life, overcoming personal obstacles, and for positive contributions made to the community.
- To all the bakers and volunteers who put on the recent “Tea at Two” event at Twyford Parish Hall, where many villagers, and supporters from further afield too, gathered for a lovely afternoon of good company, a cuppa and some cake, and raised an impressive £996 for the Winchester Hospice.
- To those involved in organising the 10th Worthys Music Festival, which attracted hundreds of people to Eversley Park to see a wide variety of local musicians perform on stage, and visit a variety of stalls, including food stalls such as the BBQ organised by the Scouts.
- Home-start Winchester and Districts, a charity that has helped hundreds of families, has celebrated its 20th birthday at Somers Close Recreation ground. Mary Blaxland was there.
