Plans to revive a historic English route that medieval pilgrims used to walk to Santiago de Compostela in Spain have taken a step forward with the introduction of pilgrim stamps from pubs along the way – including at The Junction Inn in St Denys and other nearby hostelries.
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Community groups wanting to apply for funds from Southampton City Council’s Community Chest small grant scheme need to do so by midnight on June 24.
By Jamie Shapiro, Local Democracy Reporter
Campaigners have lobbied a city council meeting to get St Mary’s Leisure Centre open again as soon as possible.
Photo: Google Maps
The section of Dimond Road outside Bitterne Park School between Newton and Ash Tree roads is to be closed to vehicles during term time from 2.45pm – 3.15pm Monday – Friday, the school has announced.
Hat Fair, the UK’s longest running festival of Outdoor Arts, is back – and this year it will once again take over the city streets and green spaces of Winchester in July.
Southampton Scrapstore, a 35-year-old arts and crafts resource centre which saves discarded materials from landfill so they can be used for creative projects by schools, community groups and individuals, is on the lookout for more members after quieter times during the pandemic. We took a tour to find out more. Read on, and see our photo gallery and video.
Southampton City Council (SCC) and its partners will be marking national Carers Week (June 6-12) by “coming together to make carers feel visible and valued”.
Southampton’s incoming Labour administration has reportedly said a new park and ride has “not been ruled out” for Bitterne after a scheme was withdrawn by the previous Conservative council. Talks are also expected over Townhill Park housing - and there could be new plans for Bitterne Precinct.
A local folk musician has published a book of tunes inspired by local streets near her Midanbury home.
Popular riverside community festival TriFest is to return in July, it’s been announced.
By Stephen Slominski
Eastleigh’s civic and political leaders have hailed a decision by the High Court to refuse an appeal over the legality of the planning permission that was granted for an extension of Southampton Airport’s runway.
Police are urging family members and friends of vulnerable people to be on their guard to protect loved ones from courier fraudsters after Hampshire and Isle of Wight residents lose thousands to courier fraud.
Cargo bikes seem to be in the Bitterne Park news lately. These two did the Growing Places rounds on Saturday (May 21), collecting and delivering spare plants and seeds around the trail for anyone to take home and plant for free. See our previous piece for background.
The Big Plastic Count is taking place from May 16 – 22, aiming to “help uncover the truth about what happens to our plastic waste and force the government to fix it”.
Locals may have spotted an electrically-assisted cargo bike that’s currently on trial at Bitterne Park Stores at the Triangle, which is saving miles of van journeys a week.
It was a case of wellies on and brollies up at Southampton Vineyard Church’s (SVC) community fun day at Riverside Park on Sunday afternoon, which went ahead despite poor weather.
It looks as if Labour, which won control of the council at the local elections, is likely to reopen St Mary’s Leisure Centre.
Photo: Google Maps
The long running Southampton City Council Community Chest grant scheme is back with applications now open for 2022.
A Saturday story time has been added to the schedule at Bitterne Library, there’s a coffee morning and Jubilee events at Portswood – but unfortunately not a lot to report about the Cobbett Road library.
The police station in Bitterne is to be demolished “to remove the risks the empty building poses to the public”, it’s been reported.
Hampshire police are opening a two-week window for the surrender of firearms and ammunition.
Local food banks report they’re now out of stock on 12 different items, and “urgently” need to top up supplies.
Foster Care Fortnight (May 9-22), the Fostering Network charity’s annual awareness-raising campaign, is stressing the need for more people to foster so children can be cared for locally rather than being placed away from their communities.
By David George, Local Democracy Reporter
Exam anxiety is causing more problems in schools than it was before the pandemic, fear headteachers.
Labour has regained control of Southampton City Council in Thursday’s (May 5) local elections after a year of Conservative control, with local Tony Bunday, pictured, gaining a seat for the party in Bitterne Park, and Lisa Mitchell fending off the Greens to hold her Labour seat in Portwood.
Tony Bunday, who won a council seat for Labour in the local election on Thursday (May 5), said he believes he’ll be the first ever councillor for the party in Bitterne Park ward – certainly since Southampton became a unitary authority in 1997.
Work is due to start on Tuesday (May 10) on a new “continuous crossing” at the junction of Priory Road and Aberdeen Road in St Denys, closing it to traffic for two days.
Photo: Google Maps
A recent Easter market held at a local church raised much-needed cash to keep premises available for local community use.
You can while away some time watching the wildlife on the Itchen near Woodmill, but just a few steps away in the car park the fly-tipping by the recycling banks continues. According to the BBC in 2016, "Fly-tipping costs councils in England and Wales more than £50m annually, and more than 900,000 reports of fly-tipping are received every year." Click through if you like looking at pictures of rubbish!
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