On Winchester Now this week:
- Updated images and plans have been released for the Central Winchester Regeneration Project, showing suggested ideas for the area around the bus station and Kings Walk, with developers saying they hope work will start next year. Mary Blaxland went along to hear opinions at one of the two recent drop-in events for residents to find-out more.
- News-in-brief:
- A new Roads Policing Team has been announced for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, alongside a new approach to tackle careless driving, and £340k worth of investment for road safety projects. The plans were unveiled at a Road Safety Summit held earlier this week hosted by the Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones.
- Surgeons at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, have completed the 100th surgical procedure using a new-generation, robotic-assisted surgical system marking a major milestone less than six months after it became the first NHS trust in the UK to introduce the new technology.
- Hampshire residents will be voting in the Hampshire County Council elections on Thursday the 7th of May this year. All 78 councillor positions across the county will be up for election. If you are not currently on the electoral roll but are eligible to vote, you need to be registered to vote by 20 April.
- Winchester City Council continues to seek the views of residents on waste, recycling and food‑waste collections, and what improvements people would like to see next. The survey on the City Council website is available until midnight this Sunday 8 March.
- Planned works to clean and repair the city’s iconic ‘Buttercross’ on the High Street, got underway this week. After a number of years of discussions with Historic England, and specialist consultants and contractors, the works have now started and are expected to be completed early this summer.
- Peregrine Falcons, William and Mel have been spotted at Winchester Cathedral in the last couple of weeks! Keith Betton, Chair of the Hampshire Ornithological Society, is now regularly posting in the Peregrine Diary which you can read and view alongside the live webstream-cameras for the birds at: winchester-cathedral.org.uk/peregrines.
- Sunday marks the 115th International Women’s Day. The day aims to raise awareness of equality and diversity as well as celebrating women’s achievements. Phoebe Costello went into the city-centre to ask people about the women that inspired them.
- Shout-outs:
- To Rafferty Coope, the sixth-former from Peter Symonds College, whose act, combining two of his greatest loves – magic and music – wowed the judges on TV’s ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ last weekend, earning him a ‘golden buzzer’ from judge and YouTuber KSI, propelling him straight into the semi-finals!
- To 11-year old Reeyong, who has raised a fantastic £681 for the Gurkha Museum here in Winchester by doing a series of sponsored workouts, and asking family and friends to make donations, when he celebrated his 11th birthday. Reeyong’s dad, grandad and great-grandfather all served in the Gurkhas – his grandad in World War II.
- To the caring Anna Chaplains and Anna Friends working tirelessly to support older people in our community, as Winchester Cathedral hosted a special service to honour the work of Anna Chaplains. This chaplaincy to older people began in Hampshire in 2010.
- To the many who schoolchildren dressed-up and shared their love of reading as part of ‘World Book Day’ on 5th March. The theme this year was “go all in” – encouraging young enquiring minds to delve deeper into a love of reading, and read more about their favourite hobbies and pastimes.
- To local independent business P&G Wells, in College Street who have been nominated as a regional finalist for ‘Independent Bookshop of the Year’ as part of the British Book Awards. Winners will be announced at a special awards ceremony in London on the 11th of May.
- To the ‘Winchester Women’s Shed’, based in King’s Worthy, who have just celebrated their 2nd anniversary since their relaunch, post-Covid. The group meets on Tuesday nights at Tubbs Hall in the village, and the women work on a range of projects. New members are always welcome.
- To the Winchester Soroptimists, who are keen to hear from women who would like to join them and help them in their charitable endeavours. This local group of women meet regularly for socials, speakers, and for fundraising to help people in need, including the Winchester Women’s Refuge.
