It's Christmas!have your say: next year’s rents and charges

Make a cracking Christmas cake!

Family fun in Wecock Farm

kidstalk

tickets to the panto!

Win

houseFOR RESIDENTS AND LEASEHOLDERS

Winter 2011 talk YOUR MAGAZINE FROMfacebook.com/lovehousetalk

House Talk is on Facebook!Come and find us on Facebook. We post photos, news and info here, and it’s a great place to ask questions and chat about housing too.

Scan the QR code on the right on your phone to ‘like’ us or visit: facebook.com/lovehousetalk

talk to us

House Talk is printed on 100% recycled paper using vegetable inks.

Please recycle this magazine when you have finished with it.

3 The digital switchover

4 Festival fun in the sun

5 Family games

6 Booming blooms

7 New homes take shape

10 Mandy enjoys the wild life

11 Christmas cake recipe

12 Budgeting tips for Christmas

14 Competition

15 Out and About

16 Kids Talk

Here’s what’s inside:

Well, here we are again: Christmas already!

Another year has flown by. As usual, the

Christmas House Talk is a cracker, filled with

fantastic festive fun and the usual mix of

puzzles, stories and information.

It’s worth turning to pages eight and nine

– it’s your chance to have a say about next

year’s rents. So take five, and cast your

‘mince pies’ over your ho-ho-House Talk!

See you in spring!

You can get this Portsmouth City Council information in large print, Braille, audio or in another language by calling 023 9283 4479.House Talk is produced by Portsmouth City Council. www.portsmouth.gov.uk

8 All about housing part 6

for Portsmouth

Christmas is here!

Resident participation team: 0800 032 1531participation@portsmouthcc.gov.uk Navigators Resource Centre, Freepost (SCE14360), Portsmouth, PO1 2BR

Leaseholder services (call by postcode)PO1, PO2, PO7 call 9283 4561PO3, PO4, PO5 call 9284 1486PO6, PO9, PO8 call 9283 4845

Area offices: Buckland 9260 6500City South 9260 6300Landport 9260 6400Leigh Park 9230 6900Paulsgrove 9260 6030Portsea 9260 6200Wecock Farm 9260 6100

Out of hours 9282 4244

Find House Talk on Facebook! facebook.com/lovehousetalk

Advertisements: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of advertisements or sponsorship in this publication, Portsmouth City Council cannot accept any liability for errors and omissions. We will not accept any responsibility for claims made by advertisers and their inclusion in House Talk, and this should not be taken as an endorsement by Portsmouth City Council.

Portsmouth pupils need you!

Schools in the city are in need of volunteers to lend a helping hand by becoming governors. You don’t need to be a parent or an education expert, and we will provide training for you.

If you are interested, we want to hear from you. Call today on (023) 9284 1716 or email governoradmin@portsmouthcc.gov.uk to find out how to become a school governor.

2 winter 2011

House Talk is on Facebook!The digital switchover is coming!By the end of March 2012, the local analogue signal for televisions (the four basic channels) will be switched off. The switchover will not affect Sky or Virgin Media customers.

Communal aerials at our blocks are being upgraded to prepare for the changes, but residents will still need to buy a decoder which can be easily bought from high street shops like Argos, Currys, Comet and at supermarkets. You will not need to buy a decoder if your TV can already receive digital TV.

Help is available to pay for the cost of a decoder (from the BBC) if you:

• are aged 75 or over, or

• have lived in a care home for six months or more (this does not include our sheltered schemes), or

• get (or could get):

disability living allowance, or

attendance or constant attendance allowance, or

mobility supplement, or

are registered blind, or partially sighted

For elderly and disabled residents who may have difficulty making the switch, the switchover help scheme (run by the BBC) can provide all you need to change to digital.

Most people will be asked to pay £40 towards the standard option of help, which includes:

• easy to use equipment to convert one set

• an approved installer to supply and install the necessary equipment

• a 12 month aftercare service including a free helpline

This service is also free for people who are eligible, and who receive pension credit income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance or income-related employment and support allowance.

For more information on the switchover help scheme contact 0800 40 85 900 or visit www.helpscheme.co.uk. Textphone users can call 0800 40 85 936.

Other information is available at www.digitaluk.co.uk or by phoning 08456 50 50 50.

Calling all sheltered blocks in Wecock and Leigh Park!Remember, if you want to decorate a room for Christmas, judging will be on Monday, 12 December. Call Annette on (023) 9284 1731 for more info.

Wardens and ESO project update In our last issue, we explained how the community warden and housing estate services officer (ESO) teams are working more closely together to cover more of the city between them. Although both teams will continue to work on our housing estates, we’ve cut out duplication so issues will be resolved faster across the city. For the time being they will continue to be managed in their own teams and wear their own team’s uniform.

winter 2011 3

Festival fun in the sunDuring the school summer holidays, Portsmouth’s six free adventure playgrounds each held a mini festival where children and their parents and carers enjoyed free activities, music, food and drink, and some playgrounds even celebrated special birthdays.

On 10 August, Landport adventure playground celebrated its 35th birthday with a huge party, attracting 500 people. Crafty children decorated ceramic mugs, and got messy with fun and games like custard pie throwing. They also boogied on down with the DJ and tucked into delicious barbecued food.

The fun continued on 26 August with a Caribbean-themed festival where kids enjoyed healthy fruit cocktails and dancing competitions with more themed games and craft activities.

On a scorching hot day on 2 September, the splash pools proved very popular at Stamshaw adventure playground as they celebrated their festival and 30th birthday.

Don’t forget, adventure playgrounds are open all year round after school and during much of the school holidays and will be decorated for Christmas. For opening times and upcoming events visit www.portsmouth.gov.uk and search for adventure playgrounds.

Noisy student neighbours?Did you know there are approximately 12,000 full-time undergraduate students living in the city?

The majority of students are well behaved, but occasionally, the conduct of some can have an effect on their neighbours. If you experience difficulties with students, the University of Portsmouth can help with a liaison service between students and residents.

If you need the university’s help with student behaviour, contact student housing on (023) 9284 3214 or email student-neighbourliaison @port.ac.uk

Working from home? Working, or running a business, from home is more popular now than ever. Until recently, your tenancy has not allowed you do this as it may have caused a nuisance to your neighbours, but this is all about to change.

We realise the way people live and work has changed, and provided your business is legal, we’re happy for you to make better use of your home, whether it’s an office or an internet/phone-based business.

If you would like to work from home or set up a business, simply contact your local area housing office and tell us what you want to do.

4 winter 2011

FAMILY GAMESDuring September, almost 200 people went to the first-ever Waterlooville family games.

Waterlooville and Crookhorn residents soaked up the community spirit on Mill Hill school field in a healthy-themed fun day, which promoted healthy family lifestyles through sport and dance, and to get people excited about London 2012.

The day, organised by local resident volunteers Chrissie and Fred Monck, with Rosemary Dwight, was opened by Deputy Lord Mayor of Havant, Cllr Gerald Shimbart. The event was supported by resident participation officer, Annette Kemp, FUNDS4U! and local agencies including Portsmouth City Council, Havant Borough Council and Guinness Hermitage.

Visitors tested their swashbuckling skills with safe fencing at the sword fencing road show and took part in active games, with residents running, jumping and throwing for the chance to win first prize.

Local police officer Andy Way threw some skilful judo moves with his team from Cowplain School and got bystanders to join in. The Pompey bus, Indian drumming and healing and raffle added to the afternoon’s entertainment.

Special thanks go to the Mill Hill Children’s Centre and school who provided the field and other resources which enabled the volunteers to raise funds for the Rowans Hospice and McMillan cancer care.

Chrissie said: “The day was a great success and our feedback was 100% positive. We wanted to bring back some of the old community spirit, and it certainly did that. Now we have been asked to do it again next year, so watch out Waterlooville we’ll be back!”

Sarah Robinson’s uplifted!

The works to refurbish the lifts at Sarah Robinson House, Portsea have finished, and residents have been ‘uplifted’ by the results!

Many have commented on how pleased they are with the new lifts and have given top marks for how clean and quiet the contractors were.

Other residents have also cleaned out one of the plant beds, the gleaming results of which are pictured.

Cover story

winter 2011 5

Booming blooms win silverGreen-fingered neighbours Chris Allen and Chrissie Gregory have transformed a dull concrete backyard into an eco-friendly oasis in their corner of West Leigh.

Their horticultural flair and resourcefulness has just scooped the friends a silver award in the back gardens category of Havant Borough Council’s ‘Borough in Bloom’ competition.

What’s special about the yard area is the duo’s use of old items like a kettle, colander, shoes, slippers, a clothes rail, bird cages and even a handbag.

Chris moved into her flat 14 years ago and soon began work on her neglected front garden. She said: “I started on the back yard area which contained just a washing line. I began with vegetables and it just took off from there.”

When neighbour Chrissie moved in next door she was impressed by Chris’ hard work. She said: “Gardening can be expensive so Chris and I started swapping cuttings. Chris had already started to recycle objects as containers, so I joined her. Now family and friends bring us items or we source them from car boot sales, the dump, anywhere we can find something suitable.”

Chris continued: “We were gobsmacked to win the award, especially after we had only really worked on the garden together for one season. We’ve already got lots of great ideas for next season’s planting scheme.”

Veggies and sunflowers soar in WECOCKChildren at the Links family centre were amazed at how their sunflower seeds grew over the summer. Sunflowers over eight feet high towered over their vegetable plot and produced giant flower heads.

Suzanne Henderson from the centre said: “We are really proud of our massive sunflowers and the children are going to packet the seeds to re-sell for next year. The vegetables the children grew were also really successful. Thank you FUNDS4U! for supporting us with this scheme for the children and their families.”

Adult winner Karen Elliott won a gift voucher in the sunflower competition with a massive 10 feet tall flower.

6 winter 2011

New homes take shape

Pompey football stars and the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth joined residents at the naming of the first houses in the transformation of Somerstown.

Blues heroes Ricardo Rocha, Joel Ward and Jason Pearce unveiled a plaque with Cllr Cheryl Buggy at an official ceremony at the brand new Henrietta Place.

Jason Pearce said: “This is fantastic for the people of Somerstown. It’s a great thing that the council are doing to build houses as good as these for people who deserve them in an area that needs them.”

The name Henrietta Place was chosen in memory of Henrietta Street, the road which ran through the site until it was cleared in 1961 during redevelopment of the area.

Pupils from Charles Dickens Junior School, Buckland, voted and helped to pick the name of the new block of flats at Watts Road.

Their votes were combined with the choices of residents who live near the new homes, and ‘Rope Walk House’ came top of the vote. The properties were named after the rope factory and walk which was once situated where the homes are being built.

All of the homes are due to be completed during the spring.

our housing

our housing

our housing

our housing

our housing

our housing

Pupils and residents vote!

Feel safer at home… with TelecareTelecare can bring reassurance and peace of mind, 24 hours a day, and help you feel safer at home.

It’s easy to use. Telecare links your home phone to sensors that operate in an emergency and connect you to a skilled operator.

The operator will know who you are and can organise help from a

relative, neighbour, the council or the emergency services. The sensors will operate if you can’t raise the alarm yourself.

More info:

• freephone 0800 731 2228

• telecare@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

• www.portsmouth.gov.uk and search ‘telecare’

Shonagh, Southsea

Great news – exciting plans for the

Somerstown community hub have been

approved. Work will start next summer

and will be completed by December 2013.

winter 2011 7

All about housingIt’s now the time of year when we look in detail at what the rents and service charges will be for next year (from April).

Our residents’ forum (called the Residents’ Consortium) believes you should know what’s included in your overall rent – and wants to get your views on this.

General service charges

These pay for services which are available to all residents, such as:

• Anti-social behaviour unit

• Resident participation (including the costs of House Talk)

• Tenancy support

and for services which only apply to residents of flats and maisonettes, such as:

• Heating and lighting of communal hallways

• Gardening and cleaning of communal areas

The charges made for these services do not currently cover the costs incurred in running them. This shortfall in 2011/12 of £1,108,209 is shared between all 15,000 residents.

Heating charges

Most residents pay for their heating directly to their gas or electricity supplier. About 1,300 residents out of a total of just over 15,000 have a communal heating system supplied and charged for by us.

Unlike most residents, those on communal heating systems are not able to choose energy suppliers and take advantage of the deals they offer.

Instead the price they pay depends on what we (the council) must pay for energy at commercial rates. In some years this has seen a jump of 60% in prices.

We have ‘cushioned’ the impact of this by limiting the price we re-charge to residents – for example heating charges were limited to a maximum increase of 15% for this year.

The effect of limiting the increase in heating charges is that some of the cost is now shared between all 15,000 residents.

The charges made for heating does not currently cover the costs incurred in running them. This shortfall in 2011/12 of £149,129 is shared between all 15,000 residents.

Part 6

We want to hear from you!

If you have a view on any of these charges, or you would like to be involved and contribute to how we set the rent levels for 2012/13, please contact the resident participation team:

• phone 0800 032 1531 (free from a landline)

• visit the Navigators Resource Centre, Isambard Brunel Road, Portsmouth PO1 2DP

• email participation@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or

• write to (no stamp needed), Navigators Resource Centre, Freepost (SCE14360), Portsmouth, PO1 2BR

your rent, your say!your rent, your say!

Rent

Wonders of nature

at the City Museum

Footie stars are shining brightON THE HEAD!

Win a family ticket to the Victorian Festival of Christmas!

Walk down memory laneTweed Court residents get crafty

kidstalk

Birds, beasts and bugs

housefor residents and leaseholders

Autumn 2011 talk YOUR MAGAZINE FROMfacebook.com/lovehousetalk

Your rent is what you pay to live in your home. But there are a number of charges included within the total amount you pay. These are:

8 winter 2011

Adventure playgrounds

Cuts in government funding have led to us looking at ways in which we can maintain services in different ways.

One of these has been that we have taken the adventure play service over. There are several reasons why this makes sense:

• Most of the adventure playgrounds are in council areas or near to our homes

• The service fits in well with neighbourhood management and resident participation, providing opportunities for joint working and shared costs

• It fits in well with our approach to anti-social behaviour, providing excellent diversionary opportunities

The total cost of running the service this year is expected to be around £680,000, but a large part of this is still met by the council tax payer.

Sheltered housing charges

We have 13 sheltered housing schemes where we offer support to help elderly residents live independently. The level of support (and staffing to provide this) offered in each scheme is at different levels, and the cost of providing this also differs.

A few years ago all the cost of providing this support was met by a government grant. In the last few years, this grant has been cut, and currently it falls short of the amount needed to cover the costs by just over £500,000 per year.

We believe that it is important to maintain the level of services for people living in these housing schemes, so the £500,000 shortfall is currently shared between all 15,000 residents.

For many years, the government has been taking a slice of your rent money. This year this is over £6 million, or £400 from every tenant.

After many years of campaigning, Portsmouth residents have helped bring about the end of this unfair ‘tax’, which should end on 31 March 2012.

However, there is a catch – Portsmouth will have to ‘buy itself out’ of the current system. The cost is £90.4m which we will have to borrow and repay.

The alternative – sticking with the current system – is far worse for Portsmouth, as we would be paying back £12 million per year in four years’ time.

have your sayThe final decision on rents and charges for next year will be made by the Executive Member for Housing, Councillor Steven Wylie on 31 January 2012.

He will take the views of the Residents’ Consortium into account when making this decision, so if you want to make your views known to the consortium on the options for the new rents and charges from April 2012, you can:

• Come along to the meetings at 4pm on 13 January 2012 and at 6pm on 26 January 2012 at the Navigators Resource Centre

• From mid January 2012, you can look at the options on our special web page: www.portsmouth.gov.uk/yourcouncil/20009.html

• Visit us on Facebook (facebook.com/lovehousetalk)

• Ask us to send you the information, or phone or talk to you personally – contact details as opposite

• If you know anyone who has difficulty reading, is visually impaired, or may want information in a different way – please let us know as other arrangements can be made: 0800 032 1531

www.portsmouth.gov.uk

Portsmouth's adventure playgroundsSwing, run and jump into a free world of adventure!

winter 2011 9

Mandy enjoys the wild life

If you’re interested in wildlife conservation, you might have seen the programme ‘Wildlife SOS’ on Animal Planet, featuring the work of charity Wildlife Aid Foundation.

Dedicated to caring for and rehabilitating sick, injured and orphaned wild animals, it features the foundation’s veterinary hospital in Leatherhead, which is open 24 hours a day and deals with over 20,000 emergencies every year.

Mandy Jack, Leigh Park estate services officer (ESO) was so inspired by the programme that she decided to volunteer for the foundation. Over the past four months she’s helped out on reception every other Saturday, where she admits sick, injured and orphaned birds and animals, and also sometimes helps to feed them.

Mandy said: “It’s quite a long drive but it’s worth it, and my husband volunteers too,

helping with building work like constructing fox pens and the orphans shed.”

Like Mandy’s job as an ESO, there is lots of variety and she comes in contact with many different people. Mandy continued “It’s so touching that people care enough to bring these distressed animals in for help. We see all sorts admitted, like baby mice, squirrels, hedgehogs and foxes. They are all cared for at the hospital until they are well enough to be returned to the wild.

“Anyone can become members or donate, and every Father’s Day, the hospital opens its doors to the public so they can come and see what wonderful work is being done.”

If you would like to find out more about Wildlife Aid Foundation, contribute or help out, you can visit www.wildlifeaid.org.uk or call 01372 377332.

Residents visit the sights of Wight

Residents with special needs from St John’s Court and Copperfield House enjoyed a great day out in the Isle of Wight thanks to volunteer driver Les Hook.

The group enjoyed a trip around the island stopping off at the Needles and Arreton for several hours to enjoy the attractions and have a pub lunch.

Ray wins top gardening prizeWell done to Ray Blackmore from Tipton House whose gardening prowess scooped him a special award for his outstanding contribution to gardening in the Portsmouth in Bloom competition.

Ray received the award after transforming the

dreary community garden at Tipton House into a floral paradise in just eight months.

10 winter 2011

If you find yourself too busy to make a Christmas cake why not have a go at this simple version using a jar of mincemeat.

Easy, last-minute Christmas cake

Ingredients500g/1lb jar good quality mincemeat

170g/6oz mixed dried fruit of your choice (such as raisins, sultanas, mixed peel and cherries)

60g/2oz chopped nuts

230g/8oz plain flour

3 level teaspoons baking powder

150g/5oz light brown sugar

150g/5oz soft margarine or butter

3 eggs, beaten

Grated zest of a small lemon or orange

2 teaspoons mixed spice

80g/2-3oz blanched almonds or cherries (if you don’t intend to ice the cake)

• Preheat the oven to 170C or gas mark 3

• Grease and line an eight inch/20cm ovenproof tin with greaseproof paper

• Simply mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, except for the almonds and cherries

• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and if you are not icing the cake, decorate with the almonds or cherries in a circle on the top of the mixture

• Cook for 1 hour 20 minutes. Allow to cool in the tin for 20 minutes and then turn out on to a wire rack. This cake can then be iced or is lovely left as it is, ready to eat for Christmas!

It’s been a scream working at St Clare’s CourtScheme manager, Jo Brown, had a really scary send-off when she retired from St Clare’s Court in October.

Jo, who has been manager at the Leigh Park sheltered scheme for nearly five years, spent the afternoon celebrating her retirement in spooktacular style at a fangtastic party with residents and staff.

Everyone chuckled at Jo’s leaving poem where she spoke of her privilege and enjoyment of working with all of them, and shared her

humorous plans for retirement. Jo, who has also worked in social care for almost thirty years, said: “It’s been fabulous, an absolute joy, we’ve had hilarious times. We have celebrated any event that comes up – any excuse for a party! Today’s celebrations have been really touching and I’m really going to miss everyone.”

Resident Freda Bradshaw, who has lived at St Clare’s Court for three years, said: “I’m broken hearted, Jo will be missed by everybody here. Her entertainment is beyond compare. We’re losing an angel.”

Jo (left) enjoys the party

winter 2011 11

10 top tips for budgeting this Christmas

Tanya Chitekeshe, age 11, year 6

Plan early for Christmas

Work out how much you are going to spend on each person

– and stick to it. The worst way to do Christmas shopping is at the last minute, with a handful of

credit and store cards.

Don’t forget the every day bills

Remember that rent, the mortgage, utility bills, food

bills and other existing debts still have to be paid.

Don’t bank on an overdraft

If you do need more money, don’t just run up an overdraft without talking to your bank first – it will work out much

more expensive.

Keep things simpleTry shopping with cash only – that way you can’t spend more

than your budget. Don’t be persuaded to take out extended credit agreements unless they

really do work out cheaper.

Secret SantaWith some close friends and adults in the family you could agree not to buy unnecessary presents. Or agree to a Secret

Santa with everyone just buying one present.

Buy safe to be safeWhatever the deal, whatever the

temptation, don’t buy from unauthorised traders and don’t

borrow from unauthorised lenders. The initial savings may prove to be more expensive in

the long run.

Shop around for creditIf you are going to use credit, shop

around and compare terms. Some cards charge high interest rates, but provide

interest free periods or discounts. Budget for all these costs and put the payment dates in your diary. Check the

small print for hidden extras. Avoid store cards – they charge whopping

interest rates of around 30%!

Remember your loyalty cards

Save your points throughout the year and

use them to buy Christmas food and presents.

Start planning and saving for next Christmas

Once Christmas is over, look at what you did well and what you didn’t. Learn from your mistakes and start planning how you will do things

differently next year.

Consumer Credit Counselling ServiceTel: 0800 138 1111

www.cccs.co.uk

PayplanTel: 0800 716 239 www.payplan.com

Problems? Get help!Citizens Advice Bureauwww.adviceguide.org.uk

National DebtlineTel: 0808 808 4000

www.nationaldebtline.co.uk

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Get ready for Christmas 2012!

To make Christmas 2012 less stressful, why not open a Christmas account with United Savings & Loans? They’ll lock your savings away until 1 November each year, and your money is guaranteed by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, meaning your money is always safe.

Put away £5 a week for 50 weeks gives you £250, £10 a week for 50 weeks gives you £500.

If you want to borrow from the credit union this year, don’t forget that the last application date for submitting a loan before Christmas will be 14 December 2011.

www.usal.org.uk (023) 9282 7980

Talk to your housing or leaseholder officer if you’re struggling to pay rent or charges.

12 winter 2011

Changes to bin collections in Leigh Park, Crookhorn and Wecock FarmAs of 1 October 2011, Havant Borough Council will no longer empty communal refuse bins if they are unable to move the bin or if there’s something in the way. This includes any bags which are stacked high, and could fall.

Please can you:

• Make sure Havant council can move the bin, and that there are no obstructions – this includes big bulky items like sofas and fridges

• Recycle as much as you can

• Report to us/Havant council any fly tipping you see (details of vehicle, registration and dates and times are needed)

• Place your bin bags inside bins – please don’t put bulky items in your bin

WARNING!You have to make sure your rubbish and recycling is disposed of legally and responsibly – they must have a carrier’s license. This means that if you give your DIY rubbish or the contents of your old shed to a ‘man with a van,’ and he fly tips, you’re responsible. You could be taken to court, and currently, be fined up to £5,000.

We will prosecute!In Buckland, we have recently had a successful conviction for fly tipping. The vehicle owner pleaded guilty, which resulted in a £300 fine and £150 in costs.

Useful contacts:HBC ranger team(023) 9244 6010

Leigh Park area office(023) 9230 6900

Wecock Farm area office(023) 9260 6100

Pupils at Arundel Court Junior School have been taking part in an unusual after school activity.

The ribbon craft club, which meets weekly, has attracted 15 pupils between eight and 11 years old and is run by Yin Leung. Chinese-born Yin wanted to share something from her culture by teaching her skills to children.

Pupils are really enjoying making the unusual pieces and have bonded with other children in the club. To fund the cost of supplies, teachers applied for money from Funds4U! to help the children make the colourful decorations.

After school Ribbon Club at

Arundel Court Junior School

Tanya Chitekeshe, age 11, year 6

Bulk refuseFrom 1 January 2012, we (housing service) will remove bulk rubbish. You can report bulk refuse items, left on our estates, to the local area office (during office hours) or to the out of hours team on (023) 9282 4244.

winter 2011 13

Win 1 of 2 family tickets to Cinderella

Book online at www.aquacars.co.uk or call

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Oh no it’s not, oh yes it is! Win a ticket for four people (including at least one child) to the fantastic Cinderella at the Kings Theatre on Wednesday 28 December at 7pm.

Advertisement feature

To win, just tell us what Cinderella’s carriage is magically transformed from:

a) an appleb) a pumpkinc) an ugly sisterClosing date for entries is Monday, 19 December. This fabulous prize is brought to you by Aqua Cars and the Kings Theatre who are sponsors of this competition.

Please send your answer along with your name, address and phone number to:

• Navigators Resource Centre, Freepost (SCE 14360), Portsmouth PO1 2BR

• or participation@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

And congratulations to last issue’s Victorian Festival of Christmas ticket winner: Graham Kelsey of West Leigh

14 winter 2011

out&aboutDECEMBER ★ JANUARY ★ FEBRUARY

Open 11am – 4.15pm

December 2011

M T W T F S S

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DECEMBER Christmas Storytimes

At Portsmouth libraries. Contact your nearest branch for dates and times.

Until 31 Christmas Market Commercial Road precinct 9am – 5pm www.portsmouthcitycentre.co.uk

Until 6 Jan Birds, Beasts and Bugs City Museum. How do people tag a seal and why? How is otter poo important? Why are bugs beautiful and not really creepy? An insight into how our understanding of natural history has changed.

5 Annual Schools’ Christmas Carol Concert Guildhall Square. Christmas Tree Lighting by the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth and Father Christmas. 6.30pm.

7–1 Jan 2012 CinderellaCinderella is this year’s pantomime at the Kings Theatre, Southsea. Starring Coronation Street’s Tracy Shaw, Hollyoaks’ Marcus Patrick and Last of the Summer Wine’s Tom Owen. Tickets from £12.50.

10 Port Solent Christmas Festival Christmas market from 11am – 5pm, followed by the annual carol concert for Rowans Hospice from 5-6pm.

10–11 Gunwharf Quays Christmas Food Fayre

10–1 Jan 2012 Peter PanAt the Groundlings Theatre, Kent Street.

11 Portsmouth RNLI Santa Fun RunsSouthsea seafront 10.50am start. 5k or 10k runs. Dress in a Santa suit and raise money for the RNLI. 07780 675747. Entry fee includes a free Santa suit.

14&21 Late Night Shopping Gunwharf Quays. All stores open til 9pm with festive entertainment.

17 Craft Market Palmerston Road precinct. 10am – 4pm. www.southsea.co.uk

17&18 Christmas craft activity City Museum. Family fun as you create your own Christmas-themed crafts in the galleries of the museum. Make a robin finger puppet to take away. 11am – 4pm.

18 Hampshire Farmer’s Market Palmerston Road, Southsea

18 Christmas concertPortsmouth Light Orchestra. 2.30pm, Buckland Community Centre, Malins Road.

18–23 The Christmas Farm Central Square, Gunwharf Quays. 11am – 4pm. Special nativity scene including donkeys, sheep and other farm animals.

21 Christmas Carol: The Movie The Big Screen. 12-2pm. Animation based on Dickens’ classic novel.

JANUARY 15 Hampshire Farmer’s Market

Palmerston Road, Southsea 10am – 2pm

27–29 The Snow QueenSt Peter’s Theatre. Pantomime presented by the Phoenix Players. Fri 7.30pm, Sat 2.30pm and 7.30pm, Sun 2.30pm. Tickets £4 before 31 Dec at www.phoenixstage.co.uk or £4-£7 via box office 0845 293 9350.

28 A Tale of One City City Museum. To mark the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Dickens in Portsmouth this interactive exhibition offers an insight into the world of everyday people who lived in Portsmouth during the period when Charles Dickens was alive.

28 Charles Dickens’ BirthplaceTo mark the bicentenary of Charles Dickens the Birthplace Museum will open today onwards and have a specially extended season this year.

29 Holocaust Memorial Day Free admission to the D-Day Museum to mark the day. Service starts at 12pm. Film and displays about the Holocaust and related talks.

FEBRUARY3–5 The Snow Queen

St Peter’s Theatre. Pantomime presented by the Phoenix Players. Fri 7.30pm, Sat 2.30pm and 7.30pm, Sun 2.30pm. Tickets £4 before 31 Dec at www.phoenixstage.co.uk or £4-£7 via box office 0845 293 9350.

5&7 Charles Dickens’ Birthplace The Birthplace Museum will have an additional free admission day on Sunday as well as the usual free day for his birthday on Tues 7 Feb. Range of activities plus celebrations including street performers, musicians, food, craft activities, readings. Free admission to the Birthplace for timed slots during the day.

Santa’s GrottoCome and visit Santa in his Grotto at 48 Greywell, Leigh Park

Admission £1.50

All events highlighted in orange are FREE

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winter 2011 15

Yuletide chucklesWhat do you get when you cross a bell with a skunk? Jingle smells!

What does a snowman eat for breakfast? Snowflakes

Festive facts

Christmas craftColour in the picture to make your own Christmas tree decoration. Stick on to card then make a hole at the top to put some string through. Hang your finished decoration on your tree.

The world’s tallest artificial Christmas tree was made in Aracaju, Brazil and measured a whopping height of 127.99m.

The first Christmas card in the UK wasn’t sent until 1843. Now we send over 670 million per year.

Gift gameFollow the lines to help the children find their presents.

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Merry Christmas and a happy new year from the housing service

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Answers on page 15

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