March Is That the Weather Will Be and Even Box-Watching Interests Are All Varied
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2 WELCOME to the Valley News The one thing we can be sure about in Walking, reading, cooking, gardening March is that the weather will be and even box-watching interests are all varied. It was ever thus, and is even catered for. If you would like to more so in these climate changing contribute your suggestions, please do times. I hope you will notice a climate email us. The ‘Readers Recommend’ change theme running through the feature is your opportunity to share magazine this month, Covid may be something that has given you pleasure - distracting many people from the much no literary skills required. While on the bigger elephant in the room, but from subject of readers’ contributions, note the article by Steve Percy on page 10 the continuance of Limericks - send us to the limerick on page 38, with much yours to fill the gaps left by a small in between, CO2 is in the picture. As shortfall in advertising our City Councillors point out (page There is not much in ‘What’s On’ but 13), solutions are not simple and perhaps more hope now that the Save competing priorities make decision- the Dates on page 14 may be able to making difficult. See page 19 for how to happen - worth pencilling into your have your say on some aspects of this, diary perhaps. Next month’s editor is and page 21 for how you can make a Verity Coleman. difference in - or rather on - your own Happy reading and keep safe. home (if you haven’t already done it - Charlotte see page 31 for the experience of one reader who has). Itchen Valley News I hope that my fellow editors of the Chief Editor Vernon Tottle Editors Charlotte Appleby, Verity month will ensure that readers are Coleman, Fiona McIntosh, Lucy continually reminded of the climate Wolfe issue, but we all have our own Advertising Jenny Sloan perspectives - do you notice the Distribution Lyn Jones IA&A 07899 922221 monthly variation? Gilly Greenwood E&MW 779540 Treasurer Henry Labram There is an opportunity to put your For editorial enquiries, articles, letters or own stamp on the Valley News, see the comments, please email: advertisement on page 40 for a new [email protected]. person to join the rotating editorial For advertising enquiries, please email: team - is this for you? Do think about [email protected] Postal address: Itchen Valley News, Hazeldene, it, it is a great team, our monthly Northington Road, Itchen Abbas, SO21 1BE editorial meetings are good fun, even Please send all contributions for April 2021 by Monday without the coffee and biscuits. 15 March. All material is published in good faith and Another feature of this month’s the Valley News cannot be held responsible for any information given or views expressed; neither can it be magazine is the amazing photographs. liable for any loss arising from the use of any ‘For the love of wildlife photography’ information or advertisements contained herein. The has, naturally, some stunning Editorial Team reserves the right to refuse or amend illustrations but other readers were articles or advertisements submitted for publication. Printed by Greenhouse Graphics of Basingstoke. inspired by the photogenic snowy Cover photo by Corinne Kozok and other photos weather, plants and animals. from various contributors. 3 What’s On Valley Happenings Upper Itchen Valley Society Update National Trust Winchester Association – Wednesday 10 March Recently, members enjoyed a 2.30pm. delightfully informal virtual tour of the Houses of Parliament given by Steve Presentation via Zoom by Jeremy Brine. The House was sitting in the Prescott - ‘Iconic Memorials for the main chamber so Steve took us behind Fallen’ covering the relatively recent the scenes including the library, and the evolution of war memorials and the voting lobbies. We also saw the remembrance of the fallen in the cloakroom where we were amused to aftermath of WW1. Free to members see his peg which includes a loop hook of NTWA, for Zoom link or for his sword. Unfortunately, he didn’t membership information please email have his sword with him! He then took [email protected]. us underground, beneath Big Ben, to National Open Gardens Scheme his office, where we had a question and Visit their website answer session. ngs.org.uk to find on-line I’d like to thank Steve for this talks (£10) on 2, 16 and 30 fascinating insight into his life as an MP. March or to see garden Invitations to this event were sent out tours any time (free, at short notice by email from our new donation please). email address 2021 Census - Sunday 21 March [email protected]. This will be our main method of On Census day this year, rather more communication going forward so if you of us will be in our own homes than in didn’t get the email, (it might be in your some years. How this will affect the junk folder or you may have changed results will be an interesting study for your email address), please send an research for many years, as will the email to this address and I will reply so fact that it is being conducted online we have your confirmed address. for the first time. For those members who may not have CAMEO – Come And Meet Each access to email, we will always Other endeavour to announce future events In March we will be delaying our in the Valley News. CAMEO day until the fifth Tuesday of If you would like to join the Society, or the month in order to make it our would like further information, do Easter celebration. We hope to deliver email us. a little something on Tuesday 30 I hope we can all meet up in person March, Easter Sunday being 4 April. If later this year! you are over 65 and would like to ‘join Elaine Labram, Chairman, UIVS the club’ and indeed in due course Mob: 07702 173001 come and meet with us when our Easton WI lunches can restart, please give me a ring. Our monthly Zoom Charlotte Appleby 779 778 meetings are keeping us in touch with WI news, as 4 well as catching up with everyone’s Buying local for all your activities. Members have been joining the many varied Denman courses via photography needs Zoom, from Women Astronomers and walks around European cities, to Having come across a lovely digital beginners’ Calligraphy classes. At our photo in my lockdown rummaging, I next meeting in March, Bill Lawson, a was looking for a framed print. I retired pharmacist, will be giving his wandered through ever more remote talk on wildlife photography – bits of the internet looking for a Antarctica from both South America company who would print the photo and New Zealand. and frame it so that it could stand on Sallie Peake the metaphorical piano. Then I made a cup of tea and thought about it, and From the archives - a Valley remembered that we had had a very tiny old print from the 1930s Happening ten years ago reproduced, enlarged and framed by Winchester Photographic in St Ten years ago the Hampshire George’s Street. Chronicle published a series of articles Two days later I had exactly what I about village life. This photo was taken wanted, put together by Magali, who in January 2011 for its spotlight on now runs the shop with her long term Itchen Abbas and Avington. Some of employee Tom. It was a reminder that the people pictured are no longer with it is always worth thinking about who us, and everyone else will now be ten can help locally, and I was so pleased to years older. be able to give them some business. Were you there? Verity Coleman Vernon Tottle 5 In Memoriam - Jean Dunn For The Love of Wildlife Jan, Geoff and Liz, children of Gerald Photography and Jean Dunn, would like to express My name is Will Hall and I have grown their sincere thanks for the very kind up and lived around the Itchen valley words in cards, letters and in person my whole life. I went to school in after the recent death of Jean on 4 Winchester and then continued my January 2021. studies of animal biology at Oxford The Dunn family moved to Itchen Brookes. I spent far too much time Abbas from the Midlands in 1969 doing sport before eventually returning where they were welcomed by to Easton. I now work full time as a wonderful neighbours, the church and rowing coach but I have also recently the village community and where we rediscovered my passion for wildlife photography and filmmaking. For years I had taken photos on my smartphone. It’s so easy nowadays to snap away happily and everyone has a camera in their pockets. However, I decided I would take the plunge and I bought myself a mirrorless DSLR at the beginning of 2020. Shortly after, Covid meant that I was furloughed and left with rather a lot of time on my hands! I decided I would “learn” photography and so I watched many YouTube tutorials and spoke to every photographer I knew. I took my prescribed “hour of daily exercise” to explore my local area in search of truly believe they found their natural wildlife. home, being happier here than they had ever been anywhere. In March last year I got published in a couple of national newspapers for We would like to thank the many some people who have been Mum and Dad’s photos of a great friends over many years and roebuck those who cared for Mum in her 90s.