John Crawley believes that the Hampshire Hawks should set their sights higher than consolidation when the county begin their first season in division one of the totesport League, formerly known as the National League. The Hawks have been made 12-1 for
Eastleigh new boy James Stokoe fired his side back into sixth place in Dr Martens Eastern Division at the Sparshatts Stadium last night. The 18-year-old striker, recently released by AFC Bournemouth, claimed both goals in the 2-0 defeat of Clive Walker's
IT was a night for winners as individuals and groups who have made their mark in the Basingstoke area were honoured at the first-ever A Place to be Proud of Awards. The inaugural event - which was launched six months ago - culminated on Tuesday, March
BASINGSTOKE'S first-ever A Place to be Proud of Awards event was a resounding success as it celebrated some of the remarkable achievements by individuals and organisations who have really made a difference in the town and borough. The awards ceremony
LOCAL hero George Potten received a standing ovation after being presented with the winner's award in the Good Citizen category. Mr Potten, of Popley, has worked tirelessly to improve the area after getting fed-up with disparaging comments and with people
A POLICEMAN who "truly reflects all that is best in a modern community beat officer" was recognised with the top honour in the Safe Community category. Pc Andy Reid has been serving the communities of Kingsclere, Headley and Ashford Hill for almost two
CONSULTANT urologist Christopher Eden was rewarded in the Healthy Community category for his pioneering work for the North Hampshire NHS trust. Mr Eden has revolutionised the way prostate cancer is treated in the UK after he visited a fellow consultant
JACKY Josey has dedicated her life to Basingstoke fashion - and it has now resulted in a top award. Ms Josey joined Basingstoke College of Technology in 1967 and has been instrumental in building up the reputation of its art courses and art department
THE Haymarket's French season received acclaim from far and wide - and this week it enabled the theatre to pick up a winner's award in the A Place to be Proud of Creativity category. The ambitious season came about after the Haymarket aspired to gain
BASINGSTOKE'S Queen Mary's College picked up one of the top Learning category awards at Tuesday night's ceremony. The college was recognised for its major contribution to improving the educational standards of Basingstoke and raising the reputation of
WITH exhibitions covering more than 200 years of Basingstoke history, The Willis Museum offers visitors a real glimpse into the town's past. It was a popular, and undoubtedly worthy, winner of one of the top awards in the Sense of Place category. The
MERIDIAN TV and Southampton Institute have entered into a creative partnership to found Britain's first ITV Centre of Excellence. The institute aims to create a training and research facility to mirror Meridian's intended new digital production centre
UNION chiefs in Hampshire have welcomed news that heavy engineering giant Alstom is to focus on train repair activities in the UK. The troubled French company, which also built Southampton's £550m Queen Mary 2 liner, owns two key train-care depots in
Totton Running Club have bagged themselves a sponsor for this Sunday's Totton 10K Road Race. Local company Inside Outside, based at Cadnam Nurseries, have given their backing to the event, which starts at 2.30pm from Testwood School. Race director Sean
One of the toughest decisions facing Malcolm Eastwood before he retires from the fire service is whether to spend more money on a controversial legal case involving four sacked staff. The Eastleigh-based fire chief, due to leave Hampshire Fire and Rescue
A young robber who struck in Winchester was jailed for six years yesterday. Danny Doyle, aged 19, protested his innocence and, as he was led away, he turned and said: "Can I give my mum a cuddle, please?" The doors at the back of the court to the cells
Veteran walker, Jim Blake, looked in at Marwell Zoo to check the progress of the latest development for ocelots. While there, Jim (72), from Bagshot, Surrey, also did a test lap in preparation for prowl in the park, a fund-raising sponsored walk to be
A Winchester teacher is facing jail after admitting three sexual offences involving a 15-year-old girl. Peter Brown (35) pleaded guilty at Winchester Crown Court on Monday to two charges of indecent assault. He also admitted one count of abusing a position
Mayor of Winchester, Jean Hammerton, was at Perin's School, Alresford, to open its new bike shed. The newly-installed cycle storage shelter was high on the list of priorities the school's "Travel Plan", which was created by the pupils to achieve safer
A decision on whether a motocross venue can open at Three Maids Hill, two miles north of Winchester has been delayed while planners visit the site. Tony Child and Simon Browne want to open two tracks in a field east of the A34. They had plans for a similar
Planners have welcomed proposals for a multi-million pound facelift for King Alfred's College. The Winchester college wants to refurbish the John Stripe Theatre at its campus in Sparkford Road. It also has fledgling plans for a new student centre to replace
Bill Carter, transport manager for Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, was in for a few surprises when he retired on Wednesday. He left his base at Eastleigh, thinking he was being driven to his home in Winnall, Winchester - but he ended up at the city's
A POSTMASTER has been suspended following an armed robbery at one of his branches. Two Southampton post offices are closed while police investigate the knifepoint raid at Bursledon Road Post Office. Officers are staying tight-lipped on the details of
CRUELTY allegations against the owners of a Southampton rest home have been discontinued. Dharamjit and Jaswinder Rai had been charged with 12 allegations against elderly residents at the Everest retirement home in Welbeck Avenue, Highfield. The couple
PARENTS were treated to a special Bug Ball spring concert at Balksbury Infants School. The display took place over three days and all 250 pupils had a part to play. Mrs Liz Broadbent, acting deputy head teacher, said: "We have all had a wonderful time
INSPIRATIONAL business consultant Chris Moon MBE - who lost his right arm and leg clearing mines for the UN - is planning to walk the length of Britain for charity. Chris, who is the new non-executive director of Andover-based Armchair Answercall, aims
Tichborne Park Cricket Club held its annual dinner and dance last week at the Arlebury Park Sports and Social Club, Alresford, with 70 members and guests in attendance. After the meal, Hampshire all-rounder Shaun Udal held an interesting 'question and
YOUNG people are being offered the chance to try out hip-hop dance sessions for free at Andover's Phoenix Centre, between River Way and Pilgrims Way on Monday. Youngsters aged 11 or over can book a place on the two-hour structured sessions from 10am or
STAFF from Winton School will be scaling the dizzy heights of Britain's tallest mountains this weekend to raise money for the Andover school's vision of a new school for Ghana. They are set to climb Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Mount Snowdon in 36 hours
EASTLEIGH Council is facing fresh uproar over its plans to plant hundreds of homes on the town's allotment sites. Allotment holders will be able to stay on their existing plots until the end of September, but only if they sign a new tenancy agreement.
New awards for managers could have brought Paul Sturrock to prominence. And one of my tasks as vice president of the League Managers' Association is to help co-ordinate them. The awards, sponsored by watch makers Tissot, are different to all the others
ONE of Basingstoke's biggest fans has thrown his support behind The Gazette's Basingstoke - A Place To Be Proud Of campaign. Joe Tozer, of Chequers Road, Basingstoke, set up his website - Basingstoke not Boringstoke - in 1997, because he was fed-up with
THE Sports Centre has provided first-class fitness facilities for the people of Basingstoke and Deane for 34 years - and now its service to the people has been rewarded with a top honour. The centre was one of the first multi-purpose sports centres to
A JUDGES' Special Award was handed out to officers from Basingstoke CID for their huge fundraising efforts after a colleague was diagnosed with cancer. A team of 10 officers formed a fundraising committee after Detective Constable Ian Jones announced
TOP honours in the Learning category went to the headteacher of a north Hampshire school. Hilary Jackson is now in her fourth year as head of Testbourne Community School in Whitchurch. In this time, said her nominator Cllr Alison Wall, Mrs Jackson has
MEMBERS of the Basingstoke Heritage Society have been handed a top honour in the Sense of Place category for their work in the town. The society was set up in 1989 as more and more of the town centre was earmarked for redevelopment. The founding members
DELIGHTED staff from Tadley Swimming Pool were rewarded with the winners' award for their customer service skills. The team were given the top honour for their work to give swimmers the best treatment possible, and for making sure customers get the service
SEVERAL organisations and individuals were highly commended in the A Place to be Proud of Awards. Basingstoke firefighters Jerry Leonard and Paul Murray were both highly commended in the Safe Community section for their brave work, both in Basingstoke
Today's Principal Arrivals: Aurora, cruise, 0500, 106; CFF Seine, ro/ro, 0530, 25; Aida, vehicle, 0530, 40/41; Autofreighter, ro/ro, 0730, 201; Liberty, vehicle, 0830, 34/35; CMA CGM Verlaine, container, 2300, 207. Today's Principal Sailings: Cherbourg
NOT many inventors have Lynyrd Skynyrd rock music blasting out of their speakers for "research". But Allan Hendry is not a conventional inventor. While most 12-year-old boys are playing with Meccano sets, at that age he was building complex hi-fi speakers
Eastleigh new boy James Stokoe fired his side back into sixth place in Dr Martens Eastern Division at the Sparshatts Stadium last night. The 18-year-old striker, recently released by AFC Bournemouth, claimed both goals in the 2-0 defeat of Clive Walker's
Rick Kajko won the second round of the Nigel Turner/Thomsons Wealth Management series fished on Hordle taking a weight of 130lb 11oz to the scales. Kajko (Cormorants) ran out the clear winner to qualify for the final in September. Dave Pool (Poingdestres
ONE of Hampshire's most traditional crops is to shed its green image in a bid to become the toast of salad bowls this summer. Watercress, which has been grown along the county's tranquil chalk streams for hundreds of years, is adopting a new bronzed look
BOTTOMS UP to a new environmental campaign in the New Forest. The district council has joined the battle to persuade mums to abandon disposable nappies in favour of the re-useable alternatives - for the sake of the Earth's resources. Matthew Gouldbourne
Financial chiefs in Winchester are being made to swallow a bitter pill over Orange's controversial plans for a phone mast on Byron Avenue. Winchester City Council have revealed their legal bill for appealing against the Government's decision to uphold
Hampshire ambulance chiefs admit the service may get another zero-star rating this summer - despite recent improvements. A year ago, inspectors gave Hampshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust was one of only five trusts across the country to get the lowest
A SOUTHAMPTON resident who claims his community is being terrorised by young firestarters is calling on the authorities to take action before someone is seriously injured or killed. Joseph Paglia, of Arnheim Close, Lordswood, says it is only a matter
CELEBRITIES will be flocking into Southampton tonight - desperate to be part of the launch of the city's new late night bar. Among the big names expected to turn out for the opening of Bambuu Bar, the latest addition to the Leisure World Complex, are
SOUTHAMPTON has been left reeling today after it was revealed that the city's historic Bargate could be shipped stone by stone to Norway - and its site turned into a public toilet. Heritage chiefs had believed that the Bargate - the symbol of Southampton
A HAMPSHIRE restaurant was home to a nostalgic afternoon of school memories as dozens of old boys caught up in a reunion nearly 60 years on. Old Tauntonians from Southampton's now-closed Taunton's School who were evacuated to Dorset during the Second
A ONE-legged grandfather plans to go walking in the air to raise awareness of a Hampshire charity dedicated to disabled people. George Milne will feel the wind rushing into his face at 100mph as he walks the wings of a 1940s biplane hundreds of feet in
MEET HAMPSHIRE's very own Mr Monopoly. Wacky accountant Josef Kollar has been appointed chairman of the board by games bosses producing a Southampton edition of the property trading game. The 58-year-old is a self-confessed Monopoholic, having won numerous
PUPILS from two Andover secondary schools planned to fight each other with knives in a park showdown designed to settle an unfinished score. But police were tipped off about the fight - between teenagers from John Hanson Community School and Winton School
TIDWORTH Leisure Centre's 'Activate' programme run for young people in Kennet is back for the Easter holidays with a huge range of organised fun on offer. Operating in conjunction with various club partnerships, the Activate programme runs from 5 April
LACK of financial support means an Andover charity, providing relief for young carers, may be forced to close by the summer. A thank you gathering to celebrate the refurbishment of an Admirals Way bungalow for the group to use was marred by the fact that
AN oilfield which has been in operation for more than a decade has been given a glowing report in a periodic review of the sites by Hampshire County Council. When plans for commercial exploitation of the Stockbridge oilfield won permission in 1988 there
MEMBERS of a former Andover sports and social club have donated a £75,000 cheque to Andover War Memorial Hospital. The hospital was picked as the first choice by the New River Club, which wanted to donate the money it had raised from selling off its assets
FLOOD threatened parts of the Test Valley could gain some relief from a number of significant highway drainage sche-mes announced by the county council. Shipton Bellinger hit the national headlines during the last flooding event in 2003 when boats were
A story in the Andover Advertiser has inspired the Alexandra Trust charity to give cerebral palsy sufferer Kerry-Rose Sheppard a brand-new bicycle. After reading Kerry-Rose's story, Jo Plumber, who is chair of the Andover charity, chose to offer some
Every young rugby player yearns to play at Twickenham - but for two local youngsters the dream will come true tomorrow (Saturday). Teenagers Jack Jenkins and George MacKintosh, who both live near Romsey, are in the Sherborne XV to play against John Cleveland
Not very friendly ahead of a vital game for Winchester Winchester 5, Bournemouth 10 WINCHESTER tuned up for their crucial home game tomorrow against Gosport & Fareham with this friendly at Nuns Road last Saturday. An experimental Winchester XV lost
HOMELESS and vulnerable people took to the streets of Andover in protest against the Two Saints drop-in centre closing. Up until Monday the centre in Union House in Union Street, had provided essential help to the homeless and victims of abuse for over
Higgins hat-tricks move Common up the table Alresford Town 0, Colden Common 5 COLDEN Common moved up to second in the league with Dean Higgins hat-tricks the cornerstone of convincing victories at Alresford last Saturday and at home to Laverstock three
Green cleared to play in Vase final GARY GREEN will, after all, be available to play for Winchester City in the final of the FA Vase on May 16th. The veteran midfielder has been handed a 35-day suspension for using foul and abusive language towards the
STAFF uncertainty, low morale and still no answers. The chief executive of the Office for National Statistics has been left in no doubt about the effects of fears that the government will close Titchfield's biggest employer. Len Cook came face-to-face
HEALTH bosses are today celebrating after planners finally gave the go-ahead for building work to start on the Queen Alexandra superhospital. Yesterday Portsmouth city councillors granted detailed planning permission for the ambitious £1.1 billion scheme
On a visit to Stamford Bridge many years ago I was shown up to the boardroom. I was surprised to find I was the only one in there apart from the new chairman Ken Bates, who had just taken over. He had paid the princely sum of one pound to do so, but had
Some things never change. Having been in the game and around it for so long, managers are going to get the sack, referees are going to make the wrong decisions and not get much credit when they do well and certain club supporters will hit the headlines
I was sad to hear this week of the passing of Mike Neasom, who reported on Saints in my early days at The Dell for the Portsmouth News. He was very fair and good company - a knowledgeable man and an excellent writer. He ensured that his Portsmouth paper
The draw for the FA Cup semi-finals on Monday reminded me very much of 1976 when Manchester United and Derby were the big teams left in hoping to draw either Crystal Palace or ourselves. When it didn't happen United manager Tommy Docherty said the real
