Wednesday, 19 June 2013

Hampshire residents are being invited to show their support for the Armed Forces by joining in the celebrations to mark the start of Armed Forces week.

Hampshire County Council and Winchester City Council will be marking Armed Forces Week with a flag raising ceremony in Winchester on Monday 24 June 2013. This is an annual event that helps raise public awareness of the military and gives the local community the opportunity to show their support for the Armed Forces. The ceremony will include a military band leading a Tri-Service march past through Winchester city centre.

The lunchtime celebrations begin on Monday at 11.45am with a Winchester Garrison Band, comprising musicians from The Band & Bugles of the Rifles and The Adjutant General's Corps, playing a selection of military music at the Buttercross in the centre of Winchester's High Street.

The band will then march down the High Street where it joins a contingent of 45 service personnel drawn from the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force. At 12.35pm the band will then lead them up the full length of the High Street to The Great Hall, Castle Avenue, where the Armed Forces Flag will be raised at 1pm.

HM Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire, Dame Mary Fagan, Leader of Hampshire County Council Councillor Roy Perry, and Mayor of Winchester, Councillor Ernest Jeffs have organised the flag raising ceremony.

The Lord-Lieutenant, who will inspect the Parade, said: "The annual Flag Raising Ceremony demonstrates Hampshire's strong commitment to our Armed Forces and the appreciation we have for all that they do. I am delighted that representatives from all three services will join us for this year's ceremony and I hope that members of the public will show their appreciation by turning out to support the contingent as they march through Winchester, and attending the short ceremony outside The Great Hall."

Councillor Roy Perry said: "Hampshire is home to the largest contingent of Armed Forces personnel in the country and we are immensely proud of our strong connection with the armed forces. Operational units of all three services are based here along with the headquarters of both the British Army and the Royal Navy. As a local authority, we want to show our debt of gratitude for the contributions and sacrifices of the armed forces community and all that they do to protect our country and serve the cause of freedom. I hope that people from around the county will join us in Winchester for these celebrations."

The Mayor of Winchester, the Right Worshipful, Councillor Ernest Jeffs, said: "Last month I signed a Community Covenant in recognition of Winchester's close connections with and support for the Armed Forces. I am looking forward to the flag-raising ceremony as a great opportunity to show that support and as a marvellous spectacle for the city."

Armed Forces week will see celebrations across the country leading up to Armed Forces Day on Saturday 29 June 2013 which is an annual opportunity for the nation to show its support.

• Armed Forces Day - Show your support

Wednesday, 29 May 2013

Following the extreme weather last winter and the promise of summer at last, highways teams across Hampshire are busy trimming spring growth on verges during the annual grass cutting season.

Good visibility is vital for motorists and other road users and so it is important to trim back verges to maintain clear lines of sight. Verge cutting is also timed to manage designated Road Verges of Ecological Importance which have identified rare flower species. These verges are cut either early in the season during April, to reduce invasive plants such as thistles or vigorous grasses that may have taken hold over the winter, or in late September so that rare species have had time to flower and set seed for the next year.

Verge cutting is undertaken in both rural and urban areas. In general rural grass verges are defined as areas with speed limits of 40mph and above and are cut by the county council's highways term contractor Amey who use local sub contractors. Urban grass verges tend to be on roads with a speed limit of 30mph or lower and are cut by the 11 district councils in Hampshire on behalf of the County Council.

Rural grass cutting is carried out twice a year, with the first cut normally taking place in May and June. The second cuts starts in early September and should be completed by the middle of October. Work on most of the rural road verges consists of a one metre wide cut but at junctions, bends and in front of traffic signs the grass is cut back further to ensure good visibility for motorists. In addition, the remaining areas of verge are cut once every three years in rotation, in order to prevent them from becoming overgrown.

Cllr Seán Woodward, Executive Member for Economy, Transport and Environment at Hampshire County Council said:

"Hampshire has almost 6,000 miles of road and over 2,000 miles of them are covered by the rural grass cutting programme and the same if not more in urban areas. Good visibility for all road users is critical and so it is important to make sure that our verges are trimmed. We balance this with the need to ensure that plant and wildlife habitats of special interest are protected and, with sensible timing, managed verge cutting can support wildflowers and rare species."

"This is a very busy time for our grass cutting contractors so please be patient if you get stuck behind a slow moving vehicle. We always try to keep any inconvenience to road users to a minimum but the work to keep our roads and verges in good condition is in everyone's interest."

• Maintenance of road verges

Tuesday, 28 May 2013

Cllr Roy Perry, Leader of Hampshire County Council, was one of the founding co-chairmen of Hampshire's Interfaith Network.

He said: "I know from my many good contacts with Muslims in Hampshire formed since we created the Interfaith Network, that they are just as appalled as people of all other faiths at the terrible murder of the young serviceman in Woolwich.

"Sadly all religions including Christianity have people who distort their faith and do unacceptable things supposedly in the name of their religion as we saw in Northern Ireland for instance.

"I am confident the good and peaceful inter community relations we have in Hampshire and which we have worked collectively to achieve, means this appalling incident will not detract from the peace and harmony we enjoy in our county. I thank our local Imams for their leadership and their clear statements of condemnation of the perpetrators of this act."

• Hampshire Interfaith Network

Tuesday, 21 May 2013

"A good foster carer is like a safety net. I knew that if I messed up someone would be there to catch me. Good carers don't judge you and you can tell them anything."

Powerful words from a young person who knows the very real and positive difference a foster carer can make to a vulnerable young person's life.

Nikki is 18 now and living independently in supported lodgings but to mark Fostercare Fortnight , 13- 27 May, she is helping Hampshire County Council to raise awareness of Fostering in a bid to recruit more carers.

Nikki, who is one of Hampshire's Care Ambassadors supporting other young people in care, spent around ten years in foster care. She still has contact with the family she lived with prior to living independently. "Penny was everything I could have wanted in a foster carer," said Nikki. "She made me feel at home in her family, she understood the difficult things I was dealing with. When I made mistakes she was there to help me but she never judged me. A good foster placement helps you feel safe and secure and for me it enabled me to be a child again."

Security and stability are very important for vulnerable children coming into foster care. Emma, 19, who is studying Philosophy at university with the aim of becoming a teacher has lived with foster carers for the past five years. She said the ability to give and take is key to the success of a placement. "Sometimes carers need to stick with it," she said. "When you come into care you may have a range of feelings, there may be upset, stress and some conflict. It's really important for carers to be willing to work through the hiccups. My carers are lovely people, supportive, consistent, and reflective. I can talk things through with them and they don't let problems escalate."

Like Nikki and Emma, children and young people are looked after by the local authority in foster placements when their own family, for whatever reason, is unable to care for them. It is often a time of turmoil and the one thing they need is someone who will be there for them, listen to them and support them with whatever challenges they are facing.

Nicky from Waterlooville is one of Hampshire's dedicated team of foster carers. She and her husband Steve have looked after around 25 children in the five years they have been fostering. They currently have four boys living with them and their own teenage son. "It certainly makes for a full house," said Nicky, "but I can't remember it being any different. It's the little things which make it so rewarding. I had one little boy and no-one had ever sat and read a book with him. He was so happy to do that and his enjoyment was great to see."

Nicky mainly fosters older boys now and it is not without its challenges: "It's not always easy," she said "but when you see a young person who may have come to you troubled or quiet and withdrawn, gain in confidence, smile and succeed at things they didn't think they could do, it is worth it."

It is not just the child who benefits. Nicky is in touch with one mum of two boys she cared for. "Mum really turned her life round so she could have her boys back. She and the boys are doing well. That's when fostering really works and it is a pleasure to see."

The County Council is always on the lookout for more people, like Nicky, who can rise to the challenge and make a real difference to a vulnerable young person's life by being a foster carer. Right now the County Council is especially keen to hear from people who can offer a stable and caring home environment to a teenager, sibling groups, or children with complex needs. Opportunities exist which range from long-term caring roles to respite and short break care. Carers are also needed to support parents and babies.

Anyone can be a foster carer as long as they have what it takes to care for children. To help foster carers Hampshire County Council has a range of training courses and comprehensive support recognised by Ofsted who judged the Fostering Service to be good with outstanding features. The Council also offers a competitive package of fees and allowances according to skills and experience.

John Coughlan, Hampshire County Council's Director of Children's Services said: "Foster carers like Nicky are vital to us - without them our job of ensuring good outcomes for vulnerable children would be much harder. It can be challenging at times as all parenting can be, but carers tell us it is a very rewarding role and as we can see from the testimony of Nikki and Emma being a foster carer is a chance to make a real difference to children's lives."

To find out more about how you can make a difference, call the Foster Care team on 0845 603 5620 or log on to the website.

• Foster with Hampshire County Council

Monday, 20 May 2013

A campaign designed to remind Hampshire residents and visitors to be 'tick aware' this summer includes new leaflets on how to prevent tick bites and reduce the risk of contracting Lyme disease.

Part of a national programme by Public Health England (PHE), the campaign aims to raise awareness of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses among health professionals and the public. Ticks are small, spider-like creatures most common in late spring, summer and autumn. a tick is the size of a poppy seed and once detected, it is important to remove the tick with tweezers as soon as possible to reduce the risk of getting bitten and becoming ill. Most ticks do not carry the infection but any area where ticks are present could be a potential risk for Lyme disease.

Dr Ruth Milton, Hampshire's Director of Public Health said: "We want people to go out and enjoy the countryside this summer but it's important to be aware of ticks which can bite and lead to unpleasant illnesses such as Lyme disease. The new leaflets help explain the risks and how to avoid and treat tick bites.

"As there is currently no effective vaccine against Lyme disease, the most important ways to protect yourself and your family are by being 'tick aware', avoiding tick infested areas, wearing the right clothing where ticks are more common and quickly removing any attached ticks.

"Not all tick bites result in disease, but some can transmit bacteria that cause diseases such as Lyme disease, which can lead to very serious conditions if left untreated. Symptoms of Lyme disease can include a circular rash, tiredness and muscle and joint pain.

"Lyme disease can be contracted in parks, gardens and rural areas across most of the country, and is common in areas such as the New Forest and South Downs. Therefore it is important to raise awareness of this disease amongst our residents and those who visit the area."

Since June 2012 1,928 samples from Hampshire have been tested for Lyme Disease by Public Health England's Rare and Imported Pathogens Department at Porton Down. Of these, 190 were found to be positive for Lyme Disease - approximately 10%. Most cases occurred between June and August, however not all samples necessarily belong to Hampshire residents as the data reflects samples sent from hospital laboratories within Hampshire rather than residents. The positive rate of around 10% is consistent across the UK.

Cases are often the result of outdoor activities including camping, walking, hiking and mountain-biking, where tick exposure is more likely.

• A factsheet providing important health advice and some basic precautions is available from PHE

Thursday, 16 May 2013

Hampshire County Council is encouraging parents to swap their car for a ticket to stride on the school run instead, with their children, during Walk to School Week (20- 24 May).

Over ninety thousand Hampshire-based school children have signed up to take part in Walk to School Week 2013, encouraging parents and children to take the opportunity to try walking to school and putting into practice good pedestrian road safety behaviour. All children taking part in Walk to School Week will receive a log book, certificate and stickers.

Walk to School Week is the initiative of national charity 'Living Streets'. According to the charity, by walking to school, parents say they find the journey to school less stressful, their petrol bill goes down, their children perform better at school and both they and their children feel healthier and fitter.

The aim of the initiative is to encourage as many school children and their families across the county to give walking a go during Walk to School Week. It is a more active way to start the day and can help improve concentration in the classroom. It can also be beneficial in helping children develop life long road safety skills and their sense of independence, as well as being fun.

Number of children participating by district.

East Hants 7,860
Basingstoke 13,170
Eastleigh 9,060
Fareham 8,435
Gosport 5,995
Hart 6,860
Havant 7,705
New Forest 9,980
Rushmoor 6,835
Test Valley 8,265
Winchester 6,455

Total 90,620

• Walk to School Week

Tuesday, 14 May 2013

To mark Dementia Awareness Week (19 - 25 May), Hampshire County Council is holding a number of events to promote greater understanding of the condition, which mainly affects older people.

Dementia Awareness Week is the Alzheimer's Society's annual flagship awareness-raising campaign and this year's theme is 'talking'.

The events are being co-ordinated by Andover Mind, who are commissioned by Hampshire County Council to deliver the new Hampshire-wide Dementia Friendly Communities project, as well as provide services for people with dementia and their carers.

Around one quarter of the population of Hampshire is likely to be over the age of 60 by 2026 with the largest growth being in the number of people aged 85 and over. One in six people over the age of 80 have dementia but currently only a third to a half of older people with dementia receive a diagnosis. People can, and do, live well with dementia and early diagnosis can improve a person's quality of life and help them to maintain independence for longer.

Monday 20 May 2013

• Alresford Library 10.00am -1.00pm: leaflets display/information session
• Information session at St Thomas' Care Home, Basingstoke

Tuesday 21 May

• Bishop Waltham Library poster/leaflets 2.30- 3.30 pm and Dementia Friends session
• The Wellbeing Centre, Vyne Rd Basingstoke - information session
• Fareham Library - find out more about dementia and dementia-friendly communities

Wednesday 22 May

• Fareham Shopping Centre - taking over a shop in the shopping centre with a display and several awareness raising information session
• Information session at Randell House, Blackwater

Thursday 23 May

• New Milton Mind Charity Shop, 118 Station Rd New Milton - raising awareness of dementia including a stand and posters

Friday 24 May

• Hart Shopping Centre in Fleet - find out more about dementia and how the community can help 9.30 -1.00pm in conjunction with Hart DC, Alzheimer's Society, Hart Voluntary Action and Minding the Garden

Saturday 25 May

• Hart Shopping Centre in Fleet - find out more about dementia and how the community can help 9.30 - 1.00pm in conjunction with Hart DC, Alzheimer's Society, Hart Voluntary Action and Minding the Garden

Monday 20 May - Friday 25 May

• Andover Library - display and information available at 'help point' in the library. Stand will be manned every morning during the week by Dementia Advice and DementiaFriendly Communities staff and volunteers.

Hampshire County Council, NHS Hampshire, Andover Mind and The Alzheimer's Society have teamed up to provide a Dementia Advice service across Hampshire to support the delivery of the Joint Hampshire Commissioning strategy for Older Peoples Mental Health.

The strategy identifies the need to develop further information and signposting services for older people with mental health needs and their carers. The Dementia Advice Service helps people access appropriate care, support and advice.

The new Dementia Friendly Communities project, commissioned by Hampshire County Council and delivered by Andover Mind aims to create an engaged community, enthusiastic about and supportive of people with dementia. The project will involve and empower people with dementia and their carers, giving them a role in developing communities which enable them to 'live well' with dementia.

Other ways the County Council supports work to help people with dementia and their carers is through grants to voluntary organisations.

• Dementia Awareness Week

Wednesday, 08 May 2013

Businesses across south Hampshire are being invited to compete in the 'My Journey' Commuter Challenge by completing their daily commute using alternative ways to travel other than the private car.

The challenge is part of Hampshire County and Portsmouth and Southampton City Councils' 'My Journey' campaign and is being organised by Sustrans, a leading national charity which encourages and enables sustainable travel for residents in the UK.

Participants will be encouraged to try cycling, walking, using public transport or car-sharing to get to and from their place of work, in a bid to reduce congestion in Hampshire and encourage a more active lifestyle. Businesses and their employees will be invited to compete in group and personal challenges throughout May.

By recording online how they travelled to work, those who take part in the challenge have the opportunity to win one of a number of weekly awards such as passes for free bus, rail, hover and ferry travel, theatre tickets, and entry to a wide range of Hampshire attractions.

Eligible journeys for the Commuter Challenge start at one mile in length, the equivalent of just 20 minutes walking or 10 minutes by bicycle.

The 'My Journey' campaign has been developed by Hampshire County Council, Southampton City Council and Portsmouth City Council and is funded by a successful bid to the Department for Transport for Local Sustainable Transport Fund monies. The objectives of the Government's fund are to reduce congestion at peak times, and to reduce carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. These objectives will be met at a local level, through 'My Journey' initiatives to encourage less use of the private car and a more active lifestyle by encouraging walking, cycling, use of public transport or car sharing to travel around, particularly for local journeys.

• Businesses, groups or individuals can sign up to take part in the Commuter Challenge

Thursday, 04 April 2013

Why not take a tip from the 2013 'Defence of the Realm' pocket guide and visit one of Hampshire's many military heritage sites this year.

Packed with over 80 great events and 30 sites including castles, historic ships, museums, special displays and exhibitions, the pocket guide is available free from Tourist Information Centres, by calling 01271 336136 or ordering on-line from the Defence of the Realm website. It also includes discount vouchers so visitors can make savings of up to 20% on normal admission fees.

Sites included in the guide range from Buckler's Hard in Beaulieu whose updated Maritime Museum is celebrating its 50th anniversary and the Royal Military Police Museum near Fareham, to the Royal Armouries Fort Nelson in Fareham and Basing House Ruins in Basingstoke. The guide also includes a comprehensive list of events for the whole year, including children's activities during school holidays, a Model Warship Weekend at Explosion! in Gosport, and a Fun For All Day at the Royal Green Jackets Museum in Winchester.

Tourism contributes almost £3 billion to Hampshire's economy every year and employs more than 60,000 people. Visitors to Hampshire's military heritage sites, more than one million people every year, make a substantial contribution to this total.

• Defence of the Realm

Tuesday, 26 March 2013

More than 150 young people from across Hampshire showcased their achievements in a celebration of young peoples' participation, community provision and volunteering.

The Youth Fair held in the Great Hall, Winchester was hosted by Hampshire County Council to highlight examples of youth participation and adult volunteering and to encourage others to follow suit.

More than 25 groups representing a wide range of activities from Young Firefighters, to the Girl Guides and Hampshire Wildlife Trust promoted their achievements and showed other young people the value of their participation in a huge variety of opportunities in Hampshire.

They also heard an inspiring presentation about reaching potential from British Paralympic Gold Medallist Peter Hull, MBE.

Drummed in by the Royal Marines Volunteer Cadet Corps, the event on 22 March was opened by Councillor Ken Thornber, the Leader of Hampshire County Council. Councillor Thornber, who has introduced an initiative for the Council to employ up to 1,000 young apprenticeship posts over the next five years, described the event as "a real celebration of the fantastic work of both the third sector voluntary groups and young people and the enormous range of positive activities available to them."

"They all make a huge contribution and I hope this event has helped facilitate even closer relationships and collaboration between the voluntary sector, the County Council and the schools and colleges here today for the benefit of Hampshire's young people," he said.

Councillor Thornber also presented National Citizen Service Awards. "I'm really pleased to be making awards to a number of armed forces cadets who have taken part in the National Citizen Service programme, a scheme that allows young people to learn new things, develop their skills, help their community and create and bring to life a project that they really care about. These young people are outstanding ambassadors of youth and they thoroughly deserve this award," he added.

The army cadets who received awards from CouncillorThornber were: Jacob Brown from Portsmouth, Emma Topley from Southampton, Nicki Parker from Southampton, Jack Bowden from Aldershot, Stuart Gainsford from Aldershot, Elsbeth Brand from Cosham, Catherine Lovett from Southampton, Rebecca Williams from Andover, Alexander Brown from Totton, James Herring from Waterlooville.

The voluntary sector plays an important part in delivering both recreational and support services for youth and the County Council is building on this strong partnership to develop new ways of delivering services for young people in tough economic times. Cllr Roy Perry, the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services, who closed the event, said: "I'm pleased that through the grants we give, the County Council is maintaining high levels of support to the voluntary sector to help develop what are very good activities for young people. Working in new ways with the voluntary sector, together we can help ensure the provision of responsive, flexible services that are not only good value for money, but tailor made to meet the needs of local communities."

The Youth Fair also saw the presentation of the 'Hampshire Making a Difference Awards'. Presented by the Chairman of Hampshire County Council, Councillor Andrew Joy, they reward young people aged between five and 18 from across Hampshire who, by being active, good citizens, have done something exceptional to help others.

The event was organised by Hampshire County Council in partnership with the Hampshire Children's Alliance and with the armed forces cadets associations.

• National Citizen Service

Monday, 25 March 2013

A number of outstanding young Hampshire citizens have been recognised at a ceremony to mark their exceptional efforts in helping to make a positive difference in their local community.

The 'Hampshire Making a Difference Award' was presented by the Chairman of Hampshire County Council, Councillor Andrew Joy, rewarding young people aged between five and 18 from across Hampshire who, by being active, good citizens, have done something exceptional to help others.

A special presentation was held on 22 March and a total of 51 young people from Romsey, Chandler's Ford, Southampton, Winchester, Gosport and Farnborough (13 individuals and 38 young people from four groups) were commended for their work and awarded a certificate and letter of congratulations from the County Council Chairman.

These award-winning efforts to make a positive difference in their community have included; providing care, help and support to disabled family members, volunteering at a project to support young people with disabilities and special needs, volunteering at a local Beavers group, and providing volunteer coaching to local gymnastics clubs. Other examples are fundraising for various charities and for those with special needs, refurbishing a local community centre in North West Fareham, developing and safeguarding youth provision for the local community, representing the voice of young people in the New Forest and changing the perception of young people in the community in Fareham and Gosport.

Councillor Joy said: "We received dozens of nominations for these Awards which goes to show the immense amount of good work being done in Hampshire by some wonderful young people, who are making a really positive difference in their local communities.

"This work can so often go unnoticed and certainly unrecorded, so these Awards are a real opportunity to recognise their contributions and say thank you for their acts of exceptional active citizenship. Congratulations to all the young winners and I would like to thank them on behalf of Hampshire County Council for setting such a fine example and for helping to make our county an even better place to live."