On this week’s Winchester Now:
- This month marks a successful 10-year collaboration between 2 local businesses: Home Instead Central Hampshire, and the Everyman cinema on Southgate Street, helping the community by providing free monthly dementia-friendly film screenings to support people living with dementia, and their carers. Anna O’Brien & Jane Gill went along to speak to people on their way in.
- News-in-brief:
- Hospitals across the region continue to have services impacted and to face additional pressure, as a result of the fire which occurred in Southampton General Hospital in the early hours of 1st February. Hampshire Hospitals has urged people to attend the Emergency Department at the RHCH only if you have a ‘life or limb’ emergency.
- Bloor Homes has a survey open, seeking the public’s views on its planned development of the South Winchester golf course into ‘Manor Parks Winchester’. The plan includes 1,200 houses, alongside a new school, local centre, community hub and open spaces. Local councillors are urging people to have their say.
- The ‘Back our Buses’ campaign is fighting for better bus services between Winchester and Eastleigh. The ‘Back Our Buses’ campaign, led by bus-users, is seeking the re-instatement of the Stagecoach #61 and the reversion of the ‘69 to route into/out of Winchester via St. Cross Rd.
- University of Winchester Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sarah Greer CBE, will be retiring at the end of the academic year, after 4 years at the University, and a total of nearly 30 years working in higher-education.
- As part of ‘Green and Thrifty Fortnight’, libraries across Hampshire will be hosting a range of free and eco-friendly activities during the half-term break, designed to help people save money while making sustainable choices.
- The Winchester City Flyers football team will play at home to AFC Bournemouth in the quarter-finals of the Hampshire Women’s Senior Cup. The match takes place at the Community Stadium, on Hillier Way, this Sunday 15th February, kicking off at 2pm.
- The Independent Monitoring Board for HMP Winchester is currently seeking more volunteers to visit prisoners and assess their living conditions. Isobel Jones spoke with Cathy Roberts, who serves on the Board, to discuss the role.
- The centenary launch event at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, ‘Light of the World’, lit up the city-centre on 3 nights last week. Rays of light shone brightly across the night sky with coloured beams lighting up the inside of the church too, and providing welcoming spaces for people to sit, reflect, or listen to the live music each night, including Gregorian chants, and choirs. Anna O’Brien spoke to some of those attending.
- Shout-outs:
- To the ‘Chat-Tea Cafe’ at Badger Farm Community Centre, which is turning seven this month. The cafe is a chance to enjoy a friendly chat over a cup of tea and a slice of cake. To mark the occasion, the meet-up on Monday, 23rd February will be a special birthday celebration for guests and volunteers alike, running from 2 until 4pm at Badger Farm Community Centre.
- To Peter Symonds College in Winchester, which is celebrating an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted rating for its Boarding provision for students following a thorough inspection. The college achieved the highest possible grade in every area assessed.
- To everyone currently taking part in an apprenticeship in this year’s National Apprenticeship Week, earning while they learn and building skills for their chosen career. And a cheer too, for all the employers who put time and energy into running strong apprenticeship programmes.
- To the Children of Winchester Festival 2026, which took place across Winchester the weekend of 7th/8th February. This family-friendly event was packed with free creative, playful and inclusive activities for children of all ages, from music and crafting sessions to comedy and inclusive sports.
- And finally, to our volunteer team here at Winchester Radio! The Top Ten shortlist for the annual National Hospital Radio Awards has been revealed, and we’re delighted to say our charity has made the cut in all three audio categories we entered! We’re nominated for Best Special Event, Best Speech Package, and Moment of the Year. The winners will be announced towards the end of March.
