Gosport.info - Update May 2007

1) There is a new book by Philip Eley called 'Gosport and The Tram: The Horse-Drawn Years' at £1.80 available from the Local Studies Centre of The Gosport Discovery Centre, Walpole Road, Gosport and Elson Library, 136 Chantry Road, Elson, Gosport.

2) This July the Hampshire and Wight Trust for Maritime Archaeology and the Nautical Archaeology Society will be continuing their Local Heritage Initiative funded project at Forton Lake, Gosport. The main aim of the project is to allow the local inhabitants of Gosport to research, record, and display their maritime heritage. At the same time the intention is that more information will be gathered about the potential archaeological remains at Forton Lake, which is limited to brief knowledge of the hulks in the area. Sunday 15th July 11am to 3pm will be the main open day for the project with an action packed family fun day being held at the Mill Lane side of St Vincent’s College. There will be something for everyone; from face painting and badge making for the children to guided tours of the fascinating archaeology. Visitors will be encouraged to come in marine themed fancy dress and the costumes will be judged at 2pm. We would like to invite as many local groups with an interest in archaeology, local history, the sea or even the local wildlife to come along and bring a display or even hands on activities. Alison.hamer@hwtma.org.uk

3) I expect this will be the last update update before the 2007 Gosporteers Carnival on the 16th June in Walpole Park. It opens at 11am by the Mayor of Gosport, with the parade at 2pm. In aid of the Mayor of Gosport's charities. I will have a stand as I did last year, so if you want to pass on information to add to Gosport.info or just have a chat about the site come and see me, or even just pick up your free pen or badge. I hope to see you there.

4) If you now have a website which I have not shown with the details of your business or organisation on Gosport.info, please let me have the address so that I can link to it. Also if you have a personal web site let me have the details, if you would be happy for me to link to it. If you are involved in a Gosport business or organisation that I do not have on the site, please send me the details. Ian

Fishermas Mission and BBC Series

15th June - The Big Fish Supper -.when everyone who deals in fish as well as others are invited to raise funds on this day for the families of fishermen lost or injured at sea. It coincides with a new "Trawler" series on BBC1 each night at 7pm on Monday June 11th to Friday June 15th inclusive. We hope our day, together with this series, will draw attention to the courage and dedication of fishermen and their families who risk their lives to supply us with fish that we all take for granted. Those wishing to donate can do so on line on our website or telephone me for a fund-raising pack with fun ideas including "Do it in your wellies" John Field Fundraising Manager.

Forton Lake Heritage Event 15th July 2007

This July the Hampshire and Wight Trust for Maritime Archaeology and the Nautical Archaeology Society will be continuing their Local Heritage Initiative funded project at Forton Lake, Gosport. The main aim of the project is to allow the local inhabitants of Gosport to research, record, and display their maritime heritage. At the same time the intention is that more information will be gathered about the potential archaeological remains at Forton Lake, which is limited to brief knowledge of the hulks in the area.

Sunday 15th July 11am to 3pm will be the main open day for the project with an action packed family fun day being held at the Mill Lane side of St Vincent’s College. There will be something for everyone; from face painting and badge making for the children to guided tours of the fascinating archaeology. Visitors will be encouraged to come in marine themed fancy dress and the costumes will be judged at 2pm.

We would like to invite as many local groups with an interest in archaeology, local history, the sea or even the local wildlife to come along and bring a display or even hands on activities. If you want more information or to book a space contact Alison.hamer@hwtma.org.uk or Tel: 023 8023 7300.

I will be there with the Gosport.info display pick-up your free pen or badge while stocks last. Ian

Gosport.info - Update April 2007

Sorry I am late putting this on, I thought I had already put it on.

1) I have been advised that the search box on the left-hand side of each page of Gosport.info has not been working, I had not noticed as I have been using the one on the 'Home Page' about half way down the page. I have copied the code from the working one and it will be updated with this weeks update, if it still does not work, I will remove it from there and add to certain pages, starting with the pages where there is a button in the navigation bar. I have also been advised that the site is now slow for dial-up users, if you find this, please let me know and I will experiment to increase the loading speed and perhaps if you do not mind you could let me know how it goes. With the search box change I have removed the Google Adsense buttons to the left as they had little income and being graphic rather than text hope that it will make a difference. If you find a particular page slow, please let me know. I have found some of the Gallery pages that should just have a thumbnail photo have some larger ones, so will also look at that. As the site is now over 1,200 and it seems odd pages that were OK do daft things, if you find something and you have time please drop me a short email with the bad page address and I will sort it out. Thank you

2) Following the successful ‘Design a Garden’ Challenge days at Brune Park Community College, we are hoping to get started on the re-build of the garden very soon but the school has a shortfall of funds and was wondering if anyone/ society, etc. would like to sponsor this project? Lyn Wakeford E-mail: LWakeford@PortsmouthEBP.co.uk

3) Do you ever have items that you feel you want to get rid of, are not worried about getting anything for them, but would like to know that they are going to someone who is going to make use of them. Try Freecycle http://uk.freecycle.org/ . Under ' Groups Worldwide' click United Kindom, in that list Hampshire, then the Join after Gosport. You join an e-mail list where you will receive e-mails or a daily digest (as you wish) of items available or wanted.

4) You may see the odd item such as below on this e-mail, I do not make any charge, so if you have a Gosport business or organisation, which is new or you feel would be of interest to Gosport people, please let me know. I may not be able to add due to space or other reason.

5) All Gosport, Fareham and Portsmouth residents can save up to £491 per year on their household utility bills. Guaranteed savings on home phone charges compared to BT. Guaranteed savings on your electricity compared with Southern Electricity. Guaranteed savings on your gas compared with British Gas. The best broadband package in the UK. The UK's lowest mobile line rental and only 8p per minute to UK land line and mobile numbers, billed by the second. Your own 0800 number for just £2 per month. No minimum contracts. The only company in the UK that puts everything on one monthly bill. Superb savings on all business services. www.millrig.co.uk Jey Muir

Salvation Army Table Top Sale

I would like to thank the organisers of the table top sale, I rented a table from them, just £5 and met a good number of people. They now know about the web site Gosport.info gave away some pen and badges, some of the children were even wearing the badges, so hopefully a few more people will know about the web site. I am hoping it will mean more people contacting me with information to add. Quite a few of the leaflets and posters were taken, including the the ones for the Gosporteers Carnival and Vehicle Rally.

If you do similar events and would be happy for me to rent a table or space please email me at ian@gosport.info. I will of course include it in the What's on etc. Ian

Easter Rubbish Collection

I understand that there was a complaint about the collection of rubbish a day earlier before Easter, with people saying they were not told.

I received a calender through the door at the end of last year called, 'Recycling & Refuse Collections 2006/07 - Gosport Borough Council'. With the days in 'Green (for recycling bin) and Black (for normal rubbish)' it also around the Bank Holidays days are circled in Red, where the collection will be a day later or Orange where the collection will be a day earlier. Unless these were not delivered to all addresses, I would have to say the council did advise people.

I seem to remember that at normal Bank Holidays the collections are a day later the following week, except Christmas/ New Year and Easter where the week before the collections are a day earlier. My sister had 3 collections over one or two days that week.

I may look at including the information on the Gosport.info web site. Ian