Pompey Mag June July

Recipes / Quiz & Puzzles / Health / Gardening / Pets / Tech / Sport / Entertainment
At the heart of our community
BACK WITH A BANG -
The reinvention of FIELD GUN Racing
June/July 2021
COPNOR/ BAFFINS
Get your
wardrobe
Summer
Ready
Competition -
WIN A £25
Restaurant
Gift card
£
PRICELESS!

Southsea’s best kept secret
Places available for September 2021
Contact the Admissions Team who will be happy to help
organise your visit, tour and taster session.
call 023 9281 5118 email admissions@stjohnscollege.co.uk
visit www.stjohnscollege.co.uk
#wherestudentsthrive

Editorial
What’s inside....
Time is flying, or so it seems to me. I cannot believe that Pompey
Mag has been going for 6 whole months now! With summer
here and businesses beginning to reopen, there definitely seems
to be a feeling of renewed hope. Time to show those businesses
how much we have missed them and how without them our
community was lacking something vital. It is a reminder that
if we don’t use them, we will surely lose them. Where you can,
please support our local businesses. I read somewhere recently
that 70 pence in every pound spent in local businesses stays
within the community, helping us all.
If you have read this far, then I think it is safe to assume that
you are reading the magazine or at the very least giving it a quick
flick through. I am personally so grateful to you for taking time
out of your busy days to take a squiz! I wonder if I could push
my luck a step further and ask a small favour of you? If you are
ever tempted to use some of the wonderful services advertising
in Pompey Mag, would you mind just mentioning that you
saw them here? It would be a massive help in ensuring the
continuation of the magazine. Many thanks in advance.
So without any further nonsense from me, I would like to invite
you to grab a cuppa, sit down, relax and enjoy this month’s issue.
We hope that you will find plenty of entertainment inside.
Cheers
Debbie.
p.s I love receiving all of your feedback, so don’t be shy! Our
contact details are just below. If you have any thoughts or ideas
on what you would like to see in the Mag drop me a line.
DISCLAIMER. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that data in this publication is accurate,
neither the publisher nor it’s editorial contributors can accept any liability to any party for loss or
damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause. The
Pompey Mag does not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication. No
part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval systems or transmitted in any form
without prior permission of the publisher.
Cover Story -
Field Gun
Racing
relaunch
pg 39
The Young
Doctors
pg 5
The Geriatric
Gardener-
it’s sowing
season
pg 11
Get your
wardrobe
Summer
ready
pg 15
Our popular
Pub Quiz
pg 34
AND MUCH
MORE!
Get in Touch
Tel: 07877 943 787
Email: info@pompeymag.co.uk
Website: www.pompeymag.co.uk
Or follow us on Facebook
NEXT MAG
DEADLINE
14/06/2021
2

COMMUNITY
SEARCH FOR
A HERO
WINNERS FOR JUNE/JULY
This month winners, Kari and Dan (left)
were nominated by Copnor resident
Yvonne (below)
♪ Neighbours, everybody needs good
neighbours... ♪ and I certainly know
that Yvonne, who nominated this
month’s winner would agree with
these lyrics!
Yvonne, from Copnor wrote in to tell us
about her amazing Neighbours Kari, Dan
and family.
‘I would like to nominate my next door
neighbours as heroes. Kari and Dan and
their children, are a busy working family
but they are always on hand to help
neighbours with shopping, in times of
sickness, etc. If they hear any loud bumps
from my house they come in to make sure
I am in one piece. They walk my dog when
they see I am struggling.
Another neighbour’s wife was taken into
a care home at Christmas and he was
looking to spend Christmas day on his own.
Despite the lockdown Kari and Dan made
sure he had a Christmas dinner. I too, have
lost count of the number of times a Sunday
roast is forthcoming from them.
Dan is always on hand and will do jobs
around the house for me. During lockdown
last year a middle portion of the
garden fence was taken down and every
3
Saturday, on either side of the fence,
tables were dressed and we collaborated
each week on the provision of a dinner.
Throughout the whole pandemic, the family
has ensured I am never lonely with lovely
chats over the garden fence.’
Yvonne went on to explain that helping
their neighbours is a family affair and
Kari and Dan’s children are also willing
volunteers to lend a hand by taking
Yvonne’s dog for his evening stroll and
baking delicious cakes.
Just before Christmas, Yvonne took
seriously ill and had to call on Kari and
Dan for help. ‘They stayed with me and
comforted me until the ambulance arrived.
It was a relief knowing that if I had to go
into hospital, my lovely neighbours would
ensure that my dog and my house are both
well cared for.
I am lucky to have such neighbours, which
is a view shared by many of the residents of
our street. I would like to thank them from
the bottom of my heart for all the little,
many and varied things they do to help.’
Get in touch with Pompey Mag if you
too, would like to nominate your local
community heroes.

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ENTERTAINMENT
Over the past few decades the cast, crew and
fans of the classic Australian soap opera, The
Young Doctors, have been campaigning to get
the show released on DVD. That perseverance
has finally paid off and the first 250 episodes
of the serial are being released on DVD on the
16th June.
The Young Doctors followed the lives and loves
of the patients and staff of the Albert Memorial
Hospital where kiosk lady Ada Simmonds
(Gwen Plumb) kept the gossip flowing, and
where romance was the order of the day.
The series became the longest-running
commercial television drama in Australian
television history, a record which is now held
by Neighbours, and it was a ratings winner
for both ITV and Sky One on this side of the
world. The show was particularly popular in
our ITV viewing region and in the days before
the internet The Young Doctors Appreciation
Society was based in Portsmouth boasting
more than 8000 members worldwide.
Louise Howitt played the spoilt nurse Deborah
Kendall in the series and when she visited
5
“I loved Portsmouth and
found the people to be very
friendly and welcoming.”
Portsmouth in 2016 she was delighted to be
able to appear on the local television station,
That’s Solent, to reminisce about her time at
the Albert Memorial Hospital. Speaking to
The Pompey Mag from her home in Australia
Louise said, “I had been wanting to visit
Portsmouth for some time and when the
chance came up I grabbed the opportunity. I
loved Portsmouth and found the people to be
very friendly and welcoming. I relished visiting
HMS Victory and then the Mary Rose, and
spent hours in awe at the Historic Dockyard. It
was such an eye-opener to see so much history
and another highlight was going to the Isle of
Wight to visit Osborne House, where I got to
learn more about Queen Victoria, Prince Albert
and their family life.”
Louise starred with John Inman in an
Australian tour of the comedy Pyjama Tops,
and has appeared in a raft of Australian
television programmes which we’ve enjoyed
in the UK including Young Ramsay, The
Henderson Kids, A Country Practice, E Street,
Skyways, Prime Time and Cop Shop, but
she’ll probably be best known to British
television viewers for her work on The Young
Doctors.
Louise said, “We are all very excited that The
Young Doctors is finally coming to DVD and

cannot wait to view our past efforts. I actually
haven’t seen many episodes that I was in as the
workload at the time was immense. So, this
is an opportunity to see ourselves as young,
vibrant actors enjoying working together.
At the time we were breaking new ground in
Australian television and it was an honour to
be part of such a long-running show.”
Louise continued, “I have such wonderful
memories of working on The Young Doctors
and met and worked with so many friends who
are still in my life. The cast and crew were very
special and we had so
much fun. One of my
favourite memories is
the scene where Sister
Scott was castigating
my character for
being an extremely
irresponsible nurse.
My character was
furious, as she was a
very spoilt, rich girl
and resented mopping
the hospital floors.
I had a super time
picking up the bucket
full of water and
tossing it over Sister
Scott … a scene to
remember. One take
was all we had and we
got it right!”
In this first DVD box set Deborah Kendall
is pushed into becoming a nurse in order to
claim her inheritance, and the fierce Sister
Grace Scott (played by Cornelia Frances of
Lousie Howitt stared as Nurse
Deborah Kendall in the long
running soap The Young Doctors
ENTERTAINMENT
Home & Away fame) is jilted at the alter on her
wedding day. Medical superintendent Dr Brian
Denham (Michael Beecher) is shocked to learn
that his wife Laura (Joanna Moore-Smith)
has been having an affair, and their son Toby
(Rodney Bell) ends up on the critical list after a
hit and run incident.
Several members of the hospital staff find
themselves on the suspect list when a wealthy
patient is murdered, and good time girl Nurse
Jo Jo Adams (Delvene Delaney) starts playing
with fire when she begins
an affair with a much older
married man. Elsewhere
orderly Dennis Jamison
(Chris King) develops a
serious gambling habit, and
there is heartache for the
prickly Dr Graham Steele
(Tim Page) when he falls for
the charms of a terminally ill
nightclub singer.
Familiar faces appearing
in these episodes include
movie star Russell Crowe
and the British born
comedian Ugly Dave Gray
who stars as Bunny Howard,
the proprietor of the local
watering hole Bunny’s Place.
UK based fans of The Young Doctors can order
the first DVD box set of the series directly
from the website of Via Vision Entertainment.
https://viavision.com.au/shop/theyoung-doctors-collection-one/
6

SPECIAL
Have you heard of GoodGym?
We are a community of runners, walkers
and cyclists who get fit by doing good. We
will use our runs, walks and cycles to get us
to community projects and organisations
where we will help out with practical tasks.
GoodGym was originally set up in London
in 2009 and arrived in Portsmouth in early
May 2018. We have now completed over
4000 good deeds as a group! These have
included many litter picks in parks and
on our beaches; planting trees; painting
walls and picnic tables; clearing school
playgrounds; digging over planting areas
and allotments; sorting food parcels and
even helping out at the vaccination clinics.
the red t-shirt but you don’t have to be a
member to take part.
Would you like our help?
If you are reading this and you work for a
charity, school, voluntary or not for profit
organisation or group, then please let us
know if you would like our help!
You can request us via the
website: www.goodgym.org/
areas/portsmouth/request-a-task
or email Katie who looks after
the Portsmouth area: katie.cr@
goodgym.org
Come and join us!
If you are interested in getting involved,
you don’t need to be a super fit athlete
(although athletes are welcome too!), you
just need to be willing to get involved. As
restrictions ease, we plan to go back to
doing good deeds in bigger groups so there
will be plenty of lovely people to meet and
chat to while you volunteer. You must
sign up on our website to attend any of the
sessions. www.goodgym.org We would
love you to become a member and wear
7
NB. Images taken pre-covid restrictions

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HEALTH
Claire Butcher
explores some
of the reasons
which may be
holding you
back.
DOES HYPNOTHERAPY WORK?
The simple answer is yes.
So why isn’t everybody booking a session of
hypnotherapy? Well, this answer is not so
simple. You see, there are many reasons why
people don’t book a hypnotherapy session.
Some of them are:
• They don’t understand hypnotherapy
• They don’t believe it will work
• They’re not ready to change
• They benefit from their situation
I want to go through each of these reasons
with you as I want you to know how much
hypnotherapy can help you.
Understanding hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy uses your subconscious
mind’s power to create changes you want by
either letting go of a bad habit or behaviour
or boosting your confidence and mental
strength.
An example of this is quitting smoking.
Hypnotherapy works with your desire to
stop smoking. Positive reinforcement and
confidence building aimed directly at your
subconscious helps you solidify your belief in
becoming a permanent non-smoker.
Changing your beliefs
You may begin a hypnotherapy session with
little belief it will work. I have seen many
clients who believed hypnotherapy wouldn’t
work for them. Experiencing hypnosis
consistently changes their mind.
Hypnotherapy is a positive and relaxing
experience. A good hypnotherapist works
with you to help you see all the benefits of
wanting to change something in your life.
Being ready to change
You may feel now is not the time to make
lasting changes in your life. We’ve all
experienced that indecision. What if you
could be in a position where you were
confident you could cope with any change or
situation life throws at you? Would You make
those changes?
This is where hypnotherapy is such a
valuable tool for your life. Letting go of a
bad habit you’ve had for years can seem
impossible. However, if you 100% knew you
had the mental fortitude to do it, would you
still hesitate? I don’t think so.
Benefiting from your situation
There is a term used in the therapy world
called secondary gains. It basically means
you get a lot out
of your situation.
I once had a client
who wanted to lose
weight. During the
first session, they
admitted they had
a phobia of crisps. I
told them I could get
rid of their phobia.
‘Absolutely not’ they
exclaimed and then
9

clarified they loved the attention they received
because of their phobia. This is an example of
secondary gains.
It’s vital to examine whether the secondary
gains are more important than living a happy
and balanced life. I have never known a client
regret letting go of their secondary gains.
And, yes, eventually, the client did come back
to get rid of their crisp phobia.
A final word
Hypnotherapy is one of the best ways to let go
of a bad habit or behaviour and replace it with
confidence, vitality, and inner strength. You
may not believe me right now, but all of this is
already inside you. I simply use the language
of the mind to reach out to your subconscious
and help it find those amazing qualities inside
you.
I hope this article has given you more insight
into hypnotherapy and how useful it can be,
and maybe, if you need me, you will feel more
confident to reach out and have a chat with
me.
10

By B.E. Norman
Ramblings
of a Geriatric
Gardener
The forsythia is a picture at the moment,
the result of ruthless pruning two years
ago. Prune when the last flower has
faded. Forsythia blooms on two year old
growth so be ruthless and cut out all old wood
that has flowered this year, ideally as near the
base of the shrub as possible, above a dormant
bud. This will promote new long growths
from the base. You will be left with the long
shoots resulting from pruning last year. These
shoots will branch this year and be a mass of
flowers next year. Doing this annually you will
restrict the size of the shrub and ensure a shrub
smothered in flowers each year.
Do you buy pea and bean seeds each
year?
If you do, to grow a reasonable quantity will
cost you a small fortune. Provided you are not
growing F1 varieties (and they are few and far
between and not really necessary) your peas
and beans need not cost you a penny!! It is easy
peasy (ha! ha!). With beans all you need to do is
select a plant or two giving you the best quality
beans (be that the number of pods or the length
of pods) mark in some way ( I stick a stake in
the ground alongside) and don’t pick anything
from that plant so that the beans mature and
ripen naturally. When the pods are dried, take
them off and finish the drying off indoors.
When the pods are brittle, extract the beans
into a container. As I open a pod I note the
number of beans it contains and put them in a
container with a slip of paper with the number
of beans per pod on it. The next year I use those
beans that came from the most prolific pods
11
first – do this each year and you will improve
your stock. Make sure you save enough beans
to allow you to choose the best of the best. This
year I sowed 80 broad beans in February. I now
have 80 broad bean plants happily growing
away – yes, 100% germination, and all from
pods that contained at least 6 beans.
Peas are dealt with slightly differently. Peas
mainly come as pairs of pods on a stalk.
Generally, the pod at the end of the stalk is
the smaller of the two and contains at least
one less pea. Rather than selecting plants (as
with beans) select individual pods (usually the
longest containing the most peas) and mark
them by cutting off the pod at the end of the
stalk (for the kitchen), as close to the pod as
possible, leaving a stub of stalk sticking out.
When you pick subsequently, you leave any
pods with the stub sticking out to mature and
ripen. When these pods are dry, proceed as for
beans. The variety I grow generally contains
8 to 11 peas but occasionally has 12! When
selecting pods for seed, reject any that have
a dip in the outline, this indicates missed
germination or a visitor (pea moth grub). A
good tip here (borrowed from exhibitors) is to
put a strong light behind the pod and you can
then count the number of peas in the pod and
also see any visitors. The strongest light I know
is free – the sun! How many pods should you
leave? It’s easy – I plant peas in triple rows in
a trench, the centre row staggered between the
outer rows. Spaced 3” apart along the row, each
one foot of trench requires 12 peas. So a 10ft
row of peas needs 120 seeds. Based on 10 seeds

per pod you will need 12 pods. Best to allow a
few extra to give you a choice when you sow,
some peas will be larger than others!
I store my broad beans in seed trays, my peas
in any convenient open container and
my runner and green bean seeds in
ordinary unsealed envelopes. The
whole lot spends the winter on top
of my wardrobe in the bedroom.
It is essential that the containers
are not sealed. Two years ago I lost
one lot of peas because I put them
in a sealed container before they
were perfectly dry.
As I write this, I am looking out of
my conservatory and am confronted by a
couple of dozen large pots on the terrace. They
are ablaze with colour, daffodils (narcissi) and
tulips, a true kaleidoscope of colour. It puts me
in mind of a trip some years ago to Holland at
this time of year. We (‘er indoors and myself)
went by car and stayed in Delft (the paintings
of Vermeer being the main reason to go there).
Wanting to see the bulb fields we toured
around the area, but from the car you could not
see a great deal behind the hedges, and we were
most disappointed. However, we went by train
to Amsterdam, on one of those double-decker
trains the Dutch have. We were “upstairs” and
as the train went through the bulb fields we
had a magnificent view of the bulbs for
miles around – it was a veritable sea of
colour. We also took the opportunity
to visit the bulb growers’ exhibition
gardens at Keukenhof. If you
ever get the opportunity to visit,
I do encourage you to go, it is
magnificent. Both outdoor and
extensive indoor areas were ablaze
with blocks of colour. To see a
curved bed of something like 1,000
hyacinths of the same variety (clearly
labelled, visible from the pathways) is
jaw dropping!
Thinking of Amsterdam reminds me of the
sight that greeted us as we exited the station,
it too was jaw dropping. Most stations in UK
have large car parks – in Amsterdam they
have a large bicycle park!! There were literally
thousands of bicycles stood up cheek by jowl
covering possibly a couple of acres. Amazing!
12

TECH
BY R.S.
How the revolution in battery technology
is changing our lives.
The humble battery has been with us for
220 years since Allesandro Volta first
invented his “voltaic pile”, but battery
technology didn’t advance significantly
until Sony commercialised the lithium-ion
(Li-ion) battery in 1991 and just 6 years later
lithium polymer batteries (Li-po) were released
which are now found in most smartphones.
Li-ion and Li-po batteries have been key to
the development of smartphones and electric
cars, as well as wireless power and garden
tools, drones, and robotic home devices such as
lawnmowers and vacuum cleaners.
Climate Change concerns have now
turbocharged the focus on resolving the
limitations of existing Li-ion batteries, and in
the UK, with the ban on the sale of petrol and
diesel cars in just 9 years, it is looking like we
are on the cusp of radical societal change.
As technology advances in Solar Panels and
they reduce in price, the long pay back times to
make them a good investment are beginning to
shorten. “Powerwalls” (basically big batteries)
are now being installed to take advantage of
Solar and off peak cheap grid electricity by
storing either daytime sunshine for evening use
or night time cheap rate electricity to use the
following day.
Imagine a world of batteries which lasted ages,
and charged at lightning speed, where laptops
13
and smartphones would be back to 100% in
less than a minute! No more hunting for the
charging lead in a panic when you are on 2%.
Let’s take a look at the near future:
Drones – Amazon and Takeaway deliveries
can now arrive much more quickly as they
travel “as the crow flies”. Search and Rescue
missions are now locating people in remote
locations, using multiple drones which can
scour the area for long periods using onboard
cameras and deliver supplies.
Transport – electric cars can be refuelled as
quickly as a petrol vehicle, and can get you to
Scotland on a single charge, resulting in full
adoption by drivers. Noise and fumes have
reduced, and pollution related illnesses are
rapidly in decline. Property prices of houses
and flats located on main roads go up. Drone
taxis become viable, and electric short haul
flights will be widespread and enable fast
transport to more local areas as noise pollution
disappears – every town has a short runway.
Outside Events – your visit to a Camping
site, a Music Festival or a Country Fair now
has site batteries providing refrigeration, TV’s
(via a projector) cooking and heating - noisy,
heavy, diesel powered generators have gone.
Battery packs linked to portable solar panels
have become smaller, lighter and much more
powerful enabling home comforts on the go.
Living “off grid” – no longer the domain
of the slightly bonkers tree-hugging brigade,
who shunned modern day conveniences. You

can now live in more remote locations, with
water pumped, purified and heated by electric
battery – post-Covid this is now very attractive
to people looking for a more rural life. 5G/6G
is enabling remote working anywhere.
Exo-skeletons – people can now lift big
weights that they could not previously, without
the risk of injury. Wheelchair users can “walk”
for long periods, entering old buildings and
exploring the wilderness.
Robots –Boston Dynamics human and dog
sized robots have become commonplace,
which mimic the movements of both. They are
set to mundane tasks carrying out duties which
are now less popular for people, are dangerous
or are uneconomic, such as fruit and vegetable
picking.
Meanwhile for the environment, longer
lasting batteries mean far less recycling, and
if Lithium is replaced, less mining of this rare
mineral. As we become more reliant on electric
power, the drive for solar, wind and wave
TECH
energy will be given further impetus.
So is this years away? Perhaps not. By pushing
existing battery technology, Tesla, VW,
Renault, Kia and Vauxhall cars already have
ranges of 250-350 miles, electric commercial
flights have started and exo-skeletons are used
now. Intensive Research and Development
in battery tech is yielding some exciting
results. The Israeli company StoreDot has
demonstrated a “5 minute charge” car battery
known as XFC, and shown smartphones fully
charging in just 30 seconds. Companies are
working on Graphene Aluminium-ion batteries
to replace Lithium, with one Australian firm
(GMG) claiming that their battery cells show
promise of 60 times quicker charging, that
are safer and last 3 times longer than Li-ion
equivalents.
I wonder what Senor Volta would have made
of all this? I’m certain that our wonderful
Pompey Mag distributors are looking forward
to receiving their battery powered trolleys some
day!
WE BUY AND SELL:
Thursday & Friday 10.30am-5.30pm,
Saturday 10.00am-5.00pm
Appointments: 07802 188147
Email: holdaway4321@btinternet.com
Find us at
337a Copnor Road, Portsmouth. PO3 5EQ
14

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feeeeeeeeeellliiiinnng ssstttrreeeeesssssseeeeed aannnd oooveeeeerrwhhhheeeeelllmmeeeeed tttooo beeeeeiiiinnng pprreeeeeppaarreeeeed aannnd ccooonnnfiiiideeeeennnttt ttthhhhaattt eeeeeveeeeerryttthhhhiiiinnng iiiinnn
yooouuurr waarrdrrooobeeeee iiiisss goooiiiinnng tttooo ssseeeeerrveeeee yooouuu...
1. Spot the gaps - take just one hour to
look at your wardrobe. What do you
have that you are going to wear over
the next three to six months? What are
you missing? Take out anything you
cannot wear in the summer months
and put them away, whether that’s in
the loft or in another storage area in
your home.
2. Build a shopping list - write down
every item of clothing that you need.
Consider what plans you’ve made for
the summer, i.e. friend’s bbq or a
summer holiday. Once the list is down
on paper (or in your phone) you’ll
have a plan in place of what you need
to get when you go shopping, which
will help ensure you only buy what’s
needed. Treat it like you would a food
shopping list!
15

yooooou’’vvvveeeee ffooooollllllooooowwweeeeed theeeeesseeeee ffiivvvveeeee ssteeeeepss tooooo
Affteeeeer
yooooour wwwardrooooobeeeee reeeeeady ffooooor theeeee ssummeeeeer
geeeeet
lllooooovvvveeeee tooooo knnooooowww hooooowww yooooou gooooot ooooonn„eeeeennd meeeee
I’’d
eeeeemaiilll vvvviia iinnffooooo@jeeeeennnniiffeeeeerjooooonneeeeesstyllliinng.cooooom
ann
yooooou’’d llliikeeeee my heeeeelllp tooooo reeeeevvvvamp yooooour sstyllleeeee thiiss ssummeeeeer pllleeeeeasseeeee geeeeet iinn tooooouch vvvviia my
Iff
at wwwwwwwww.jeeeeennnniiffeeeeerjooooonneeeeesssstyllliinng.cooooom.
wwweeeeebssiiteeeee
3. Go shopping - now you’re fully
prepared, take the plunge and book a
day out in your diary to take some real
me time and get everything that you
need. Of course you can do this online
but it’s likely that it will take you
longer as trust me, you’ll get
distracted. Just planning in the time
to get your wardrobe ready can make
all the difference. And don’t forget to
stick to your list (as much as
possible!)
4. Only buy what works - this is a little
bit more tricky to do but try to stay
focused with your list and be picky.
Only buy what makes you feel
amazing. If something isn’t right for
you - it’s not the best colour for your
skin tone or the right silhouette for
your body shape, walk on by. Trust
me, this way of shopping will change
your life!
5. Double check everything - so
you’ve picked up the best colours for
your skin tone, the styles that make
you feel good and they’re the right
items from your list. But do they
work with the rest of your current
wardrobe and other purchases? For
every item, ask yourself the
question... does this go with two or
more things I’ve already bought or
plan to buy? If the answer is no,
question whether you need it.

ADVERTISING FEATURE
INVESTING FOR
CHANGE
How the investment
community can help
advance the
environmental gains that
have come out of COVID-19
The consequences of the coronavirus
pandemic will clearly be profound,
wide-ranging and long-lasting.
So, it’s no surprise that any sources of
optimism to be found as the crisis unfolds
are quickly seized upon. Perhaps the most
significant so far has come in the form of
the immediate effects on the environment.
Greenhouse gas emissions have fallen, while
data from NASA suggests that air quality has
improved dramatically as countries around
the world have taken steps to restrict activity
and travel.
Indeed, this could be an opportunity for
organisations to rethink how they do
business
Our
Financial
Planning
Expert,
Andrew
Leppard
is here to
help with
any
questions.
17
– and question whether they need to return
to a form of normality in which, for example,
employees are flown to meetings that could
otherwise be held using video conferencing
facilities.
A more realistic rate of change
Unfortunately, however, the environmental
positives are likely to be temporary.
Indeed, there is now a risk of efforts to
address climate change becoming a lesser
priority as governments focus on dealing with
the economic implications of the crisis.
This is why the investment industry has an
important role to play in maintaining the
momentum that has gathered in recent weeks
and months.
The biggest crisis now is clearly COVID-19,
but the biggest crisis of the 2020’s is still
climate change, and we need to ensure
that once we’re on the other side of the
coronavirus pandemic that governments
keep focusing on that.
The environmental gains from the pandemic
have clearly been made alongside painful
social, economic and health consequences.
In other words, the current rate of
improvement is unsustainable.
If we’re taking climate change seriously, we
would rather see a smooth transition at a
rate less dramatic than we’re seeing at the

moment. We don’t want to be in a position
of having to bring a halt to everything, as we
are now, in order to have that environmental
impact.
ADVERTISING FEATURE
The importance of environmental, social
and corporate governance (ESG) factors in
investment decisions has only become clearer
as the crisis has unfolded.
We can invest for change
Responsible investing isn’t just about the
environment, of course. The crisis has also
shone the spotlight on corporate behaviours
– both good and bad – and helped illustrate
why businesses cannot simply be about
making profits.
If they are going to be successful, they need
to think about their wider stakeholders.
Companies that have put measures in place
for employees, for example, will come out of
this with higher employee satisfaction and
community spirit – and that contributes to
their long-term success.
Investors increasingly seek information about
sustainability and responsible investing, with
growing awareness of the broader long-term
aspects of successful and effective investing.
Anyone who wants to explore their
responsible investing options should speak
with a financial adviser.
The value of an investment with St
Jame’s Place will be directly linked to the
performance of the funds you select and the
value can therefore go down as well as up.
You may get back less than you invested.
A financial adviser can help with your own financial planning.
To receive a complimentary guide covering wealth management, retirement
planning or Inheritance Tax planning, contact Portsdown Wealth Management
on 01227 206 213 or email andrew.leppard@sjpp.co.uk.
18

PUZZLE
CROSSWORD
ACROSS
1 Exhibit hall, studio (7)
5 An aqualung (5)
9 Uproariously funny (5-8)
10 Sweaters and cardigans (8)
11 Conform, comply (4)
12 Advertising (9)
16 Butt, remnant (4)
17 Crashed (8)
19 A pirate might bury one! (8,5)
21 Brownish green (5)
22 Pursuing (7)
DOWN
2 In pain, hurting (6)
3 Source of illumination (5,4)
4 Cider With _____, novel by
Laurie Lee (5)
6 Casual hat (3)
7 Slang for sausage (6)
8 Cloth, textile (6)
11 Large flightless birds (9)
13 Imprison (4,2)
14 Complex carbohydrate (6)
15 English naval hero (6)
18 Blood-sucking worm (5)
20 Biblical ship built by Noah (3)
SOLUTION ON PAGE 41
19

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PUZZLE
SOLUTION ON PAGE 41
22

HOBBIES
I think if you want to achieve
immortality, you can if you write a
book. Books never really disappear.
Especially today with digital versions.
But how do you do it? Where do you start?
How do you publish? The task seems just
massive
although, judging by many adverts on social
media the answers and help is available…if
you’re prepared to part with a fair amount of
cash for an answer that you still have to create
and offers no guarantee.
I just want to say that I am no expert in writing
or book publishing but I have written and selfpublished
two novels which have received a
reasonable number of sales and am working
on my third. So what I am going to say here is
purely from my personal experience. It is what
worked for me and I don’t think there is any
reason why it shouldn’t work for you.
I had been interested in writing a novel
for quite a while. It was never a lifetime
ambition and, to be honest, I am not what
some might call a book or reading addict. It
is just something I felt inspired to do. Many
publications and experts etc. would suggest
having a daily writing plan and special writing
room and all the rest. I didn’t and don’t. Quite
simply my approach was I had an idea. It was a
character I liked the idea of and wanted to
explore him. He was a rough, almost down
and out looking ex-military man of middle age
who I thought was the type of
person that everyone ignores
and would make an excellent
person for security surveillance.
23
Local Author, Michael
Birchmore, has some
tips to get you started.
He could sit on a bench in a shopping centre
and watch people and nobody would notice. In
actuality this turns out to be a technique used
by professionals. But what setting could I put
him in? What story line could I develop?
One thing that often put me off writing was
not knowing how the story would end. The
author Stephen King said that his secret to
successful writing was “read a lot, write a lot”.
Like I said, I’m not the world’s biggest reader
but I do think I’m observant. At the time I
was pondering this there was a recruiting
drive for the Royal Marines and a particular
scene where a bunch of Marines had covertly
crept up on an individual at night and capture
him. That inspired my ending. It also gave
me a background for Dogger in Marsh Water
Murders.
Some fictional private investigators have
ex-military backgrounds. Strike by Robert
Galbraith for example. One thing I have read a
lot of is books by ex-servicemen about their in
service lives. This, and watching documentaries
and online research helped me create what I
hope is an authentic character. But what of the
storyline? It needed to be a crime. A murder.
To catch the reader’s attention I devised a
scenario that was quite extreme. A body hung
in a church. I have to say that after this I didn’t
know how the story was going to progress
until the end that I had planned. So I thought
I would just start and see where it took me.
That is the basis of my whole
writing technique.
Writing to me is very much
like painting a picture. You

have a rough idea of how you want it to look
but as you go along you add bits here and take
some bits away. You shape it as you go and
that is what I did. Again to add authenticity I
did include several events and scenarios
that I had experienced in real life. What those
were is my secret.
Eventually the writing became a habit. I’d
wake up in the morning with an idea for a
new chapter and be eager to get it written
before I forgot it. A good minimum word limit
is about 80,000 words which is a lot. But
persistence, enthusiasm and a regular writing
habit got me there. Yes, there were days when
I wasn’t inspired or able to write but I didn’t
beat myself up over that. I just watched and
waited.
Eventually I came to a scenario that led me
perfectly to the end and wow, what an ending
it was. But what next? What do I do with it?
Did I want to spend goodness knows how
long trying to attract a publisher and deal
with rejections? No. I was not concerned with
selling masses. My sole intent was to write
and publish a book. A novel. Fortunately I
have two good friends of whom one was able
to proof read and edit the book and another
could design the cover, format it and get
copies printed. Their fees were pretty much all
I spent on it and their work was invaluable.
Then with more research I found out how to
publish my book as a paperback and Kindle
version on Amazon. With just a few minor
hiccups I eventually achieved my goal. “The
Marsh Water Murders” was published.
Still feeling the buzz of writing I quickly
formulated an idea for a sequel which I
started on pretty much immediately. That
one, the “Red Fox”, was soon to follow. I had
written and self-published two novels in one
year! Both available in paperback and Kindle
versions on Amazon. No, they’re not literary
greats. But I still love reading them as much
as I liked writing them and they look great
on my bookshelf next to works by McNab,
Galbraith, Doyle and more.
Do I have a secret to successful writing? No,
you just have to write. Give it a try.
CHARITY
We started the
charity because
of my story.
Eight years
ago I had
emergency
brain
surgery
which
meant I went
from working
full time to not
being able to go
back to my job. By Becki Simmons
During my
recovery, I had a good network of help but
some people don’t have that. We want to be
that network.
Before I started the charity I worked in the
travel industry as a company secretary. I loved
every moment. I was also a business mentor for
a charity going into schools to inspire children
to start their own business. After surgery, my
life changed completely as I couldn’t go back
to work and the normal life I once had. But
eight years on I’m learning that it’s okay to be
different and to be happy with the new person I
am. Although I still get frustrated, it’s still okay.
I just have to concentrate on things I can do
and not the cards I have been dealt.
At present, we are funding for our first-ever
space in Portsmouth. We ran as a pilot scheme
for nearly a year and it was a great success
helping people who are lonely, those that have
PTSD, mental health issues, or depression.
We want to create a place for people to come
and find community, a piece of cake and a
chat. It’s amazing how many lonely people or
socially-isolated people feel disconnected from
the world. Spark is a place where people, at
their own pace, can come and find the help and
support they need. Spark support group have
found a temporary home, meeting at Sherlocks
Bar in Southsea. If you feel left out, left behind,
lonely or just need a chat, pop down and find
community. We meet every Tuesday and
Wedsnesday between 11am and 2pm. For more
information go to -
www.sparkcommunityspace.co.uk
24

BREEDING &
BOWLEY
SERVICES
FERTILITY
Litter Whelping & Initial Raising.
Insemination.
Continued Support.
Breeding.
BRINGING HOME BABY
PETS
Following on from
her last article,
our very own dog
expert,
Kellie-Ann of
Bowley Breeding
with advice about
introducing your
new puppy to
your home.
Now you have picked ‘Percy’ the Pug
or ‘Delilah’ the Daschund it is time
to bring your 8-12 week old new
addition home, a time filled with
excitement and trepidation.
If you have other pets there is a very
specific way to introduce them, thankfully
us humans shake hands, or more recently
elbow to elbow since March 2020 (still
preferable to the puppy intro though).
Repeating this process many times I find
the best way to do it is to sit on the floor
holding puppy securely in your arms
facing inwards so allowing your other furchildren
access to sniff the area of interest,
yes indeed, your puppies butt....this is how
they roll so be thankful for your elbow
greetings people!!!.
should be able to put them down, initially
never leave them alone or better still put
them in their pen or crate so their interest
is limited to noses through the bars
helping puppy to feel happy and safe.
A really good way of settling a puppy in is
to feed them, ideally in the crate they will
be sleeping in, again reinforcing a place
of safety, their very own space. Puppies
are similar to babies in the respect they
eat, sleep, play, repeat and if you adopt
this pattern throughout the day hopefully
Percy or Delilah will settle into their new
family as though they’d always been there.
Kellie-Ann Bowley
INTERESTING FACT: Your dog possesses
up to 300 million ‘Olfactory Receptors’ in
his or her nose, making the part of their
brains devoted to computing information
roughly 40 times superior to ours.
Your other pets will usually accept the new
puppy once they have had a good ‘ole snifffest.
After this greeting has taken place you
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26

ENTERTAINMENT
Welcome to my latest “encounters of
the televisual kind”. I am writing during
this strange “emerging from lockdown”
phase where we are all hoping to be able
to do many things that we haven’t done
for months, such as putting on a shirt, or
making conversation with strangers.
I had my first proper pint in months with
a friend outdoors and I’ve got to say it was
amazing – bottled or canned beer is not the
same. Being deprived of something for so long
that you took for granted, just makes it so
special!
I wonder if telly watching will be like that. Of
course you are rarely completely deprived of
access to a TV, even in a hotel you have one,
and these days you can watch on your portable
devices and phones, provided you’ve got
decent wireless or 4/5G signal. Maybe, with a
bit less telly watching as we start eating and
drinking out, playing football and doing more
recreational shopping, we might appreciate it
a bit more. We shall see. Sometimes there are
great telly events which transcend the normal,
such as the recently ended Line of Duty – what
did you make of that ending? Much like Game
of Thrones, there was a mixed reaction, but you
know what, it is impossible to please everyone
where a long running series has a big cult
following. Let me know your thoughts on the
“big reveal” of H (see Page 2 for details).
I’m waffling again - let’s take a look at some of
the better watches of the last few weeks.
27
Carry on Glamping (Channel 4, 2021, 4
episodes, 47 mins each)
What with things being a bit gloomy for
the last few months, I was really pleased to
discover this mini-series, as it did my mood
no end of good. I am one of those people who
don’t tend to seek out “feel good” movies or
series, but what I have occasionally done is
bumped into them (as was the case here)
having seen trailers which peaked my interest,
since I am one of those people that dreams of
owning a Motorhome or Campervan.
This is the amazing story of how the comedian
Johnny Vegas decided (pre-Covid) that he
wanted to create a unique glamping site made
up of unusual and vintage vehicles. It starts
with the incredulity of his entourage, who it
seems are used to hearing from Johnny about
his mad-cap ideas, which never happen. In the
group is his long suffering PA, Bev, who is to
become a key player in the dramas to come.
The first vehicle acquired proves to be by some
distance the most troublesome – a Maltese
bus, bought online, then needing shipping to
the UK. You simply could not make up the
journey that the bus took - Johnny ends up
naming the bus after his mum, Patricia, which
adds considerably to the story.
There are several other really interesting and
varied vehicles (the fire engine being one of
my personal favourites), most of which need
restoring at great expense of time and money,
and the episodes relate the love/hate

elationship which the restoration team have
with the vehicles and Johnny, who has never
done anything like this before and so has totally
unrealistic expectations!
There were some sad and poignant moments in
the story, and it was interesting how desperate
Johnny was to achieve something that was not
related to his comedy career – of course there
are lots of funny moments and one-liners too
in his dry Northern manner. It is rare to find
a series which has humour, drama, human
interest and nostalgia, all very successfully
rolled into one. The final episode is astonishing
when “Patricia” finally arrives at the site, I’ll
just leave it there, you need to see this!
*****
Dark Waters, (2019, Prime, 126 mins)
Possibly the antidote to Carry on Glamping,
but nonetheless worthy of recommendation. I
often find gems from dramatised “true” stories
- very belatedly I finally got round to watching
Bohemian Rhapsody the other week and
wasn’t surprised at all just how brilliantly the
story of Freddie Mercury was told. Dark Waters
is a “legal thriller” about a lawyers fight against
a big US corporation (DuPont) on behalf of a
community who are allegedly suffering serious
medical conditions including birth defects and
cancer, as a result of large scale dumping of
toxic chemicals.
Robert Bilott (played by Mark Ruffalo) is the
lawyer who is sought out by a farming family
(the Tennants) who are convinced that
something is seriously amiss with their animals
as a result of contamination of the nearby land,
resulting in 190 deaths of his cows, many with
strange symptoms. As might be expected, the
idea that a single family and their lawyer could
fight a huge corporation with their financial
and legal might, give us an overriding feeling
throughout that they can never win. If the
outcome were as might be expected (and
probably usually happens), you’d get a very
short film, but at just over 2 hours, there are
plenty of twists and turns in this case. Often,
when individuals sue large local employers,
the very many residents who rely on it for their
jobs will turn against that neighbour, creating a
huge moral dilemma for all involved.
ENTERTAINMENT
The terrible human tragedy of the Tennants,
and of many other residents of the West
Virginia town of Parkersburg, is told in a
fitting manner, and the portrayal of Bilott
is powerfully done, showing the great cost
to himself and his own family of pursuing
the case. Downright scary at times, and a
real lesson (if one were needed) in why big
corporations need regulating.
****
The Terror (2018, aired in 2021, BBC
iPlayer, 10 episodes, 45 mins each)
granted, this was a marathon watch (I did it 2
episodes at a time), but I was always left at the
closing credits wanting to see more and find
out what was going to happen next. Things
are pretty tense much of the time. I hadn’t
actually realised that it was 10 episodes straight
away, but by the time I did, I was hooked and
delighted to see how long it was - perhaps I
might have been a bit wary of the time
commitment if I’d known from the outset?
What clinched it for me was seeing Ridley
Scott’s name attached as Executive Producer
(he of Alien fame).
If you like period dramas, disaster movies or a
bit of horror, this should suit you just fine.
Based on the book of the same name by Dan
Simmons, the said Terror is actually one of two
ships on an expedition looking for the North
West Passage in the 19 th Century, but it is a
fine play on words for what then happens to the
crew...(cue spooky music). The episodes cover
human conflicts and friendships, naval
discipline, ambition and redemption, survival,
superstition, and (very) dangerous wildlife.
The story is based upon real events when 2
ships, The Terror and The Erebus, advanced
vessels for their time, went missing with 120
crew in 1845. Amazingly, these 2 ships were
recently found, in 2014 and 2016.
One minor criticism is that using period
language makes it sometimes hard to follow
some of the dialogue, but this didn’t spoil it or
stop me understanding what was happening.
Rotten Tomatoes critics gave it 94% and
viewers 87%, and I’d say they got it right.
****
28

MAGNETIC MARIAN OF
BY
CHANGING ENERGIES
LIFE
SPECIAL
A whole new meaning to the phrase
“You’re grounded”
Grounding is both a timeless practice and
modern discovery… It simply means living in
contact with the earth’s natural surface charge
– being grounded.
We all live and
function electrically
on an electrical planet.
We are each of us a
collection of dynamic
electrical circuits
in which trillions
of cells constantly
transmit and receive
energy in the course
of their programmed
biochemical reactions.
Your heart, brain,
nervous system,
muscles and
immune system are
prime examples of
electrical subsystems
operating within your
bioelectrical body.
The fact is, all of your
movements, behaviours
and actions are
energized by electricity.
Most people are
totally unaware of
their bioelectrical
nature or the energetic
connection between
29
It's not all doom and gloom. Here are my
top tips to keep you grounded
their bodies and the earth’s surface. Many of
us don’t even realize that we’re disconnected
from Mother Nature. Our feet and the rest of
our bodies rarely touch real ground. We keep
insulated with layers of clothing, rubber/
plastic soles, mattresses, any assortment of
chairs and accessories. We spend 23 hours
indoors when we exercise outside for an hour a
day. We probably touch
1. Get outside in the morning light to stop the
production of melatonin and wake yourself up.
Take your coffee with you and stand barefoot on
the grass where possible.
2. Set a routine for screen curfew before bedtime,
melatonin levels start rising around 8pm and
leave your phone downstairs where possible. If
you do use it as an alarm, put it on flight mode.
The less electromagnetic frequencies around you,
the more your body will feel rested.
3. Spend as much time outdoors dressed
appropriately for the weather and encourage
your children to do so too. Barefoot where safe to
do so.
4. Invest in a grounding mat or sheet to sleep on
and use when sitting at your laptop indoors all
day.
5. Sit near a window to get as much light as possible
during your working day.
6. The most effective way to ground yourself is to
feel the soles of your feet connecting to the earth
by standing barefoot on soil, sand, grass or even
the sea bed.
our mobile phone more
often than we touch a
leaf, a tree or the earth
with our bare feet.
Science informs us that
the Earth’s electrons
contain a natural,
negative charge.
Maintaining contact
with the ground allows
our bodies to naturally
receive and become
charged with these
electrons. When we
are “grounded,” we
absorb these beneficial
electrons that “reduce
electrical imbalances
in the body.” Since our
bodies are composed
of mostly water and
minerals – just like
the Earth – we are
mutually electrically
conductive.
When you are
electrically grounded,

you can feel more centered, strong, balanced,
less tense and less stressed. This is one of the
reasons why it feels so luxurious to kick off our
shoes and feel the grass or sand beneath our
feet.
Grounding or earthing reduces cortisol levels
(cortisol is a stress related hormone). It also
improves sleep (think sleeping on the forest
floor as in ancient times). It stabilizes blood
sugar levels, reduces pain, and can help reduce
and neutralize unwanted positive charges and
help shield against Electromagnetic fields
(EMFs), which we build up in our daily lives –
restoring a healthful natural balance.
Modern living in our well insulated homes and
offices (remember those days), surrounded
by a sea of electrical gadgets disconnects us
further. Strong fluorescent indoor lights and
blue light from screens all suppress melatonin
levels (the sleep hormone) so no wonder so
many of us struggle with sleep and mood.
If you want to know more, please contact me:
marian@lifechanging energies.com
GROUNDING MAT
£109.20 Including delivery
Sleep better, feel better, live better with
Magnetic Marian
www.lifechangingenergies.com
Marian@lifechangingenergies.com
07872 626457
Ros Thompson
Bach Flower Practitioner
These amazing natural remedies
can help with
Anxiety Grief
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RECIPE

BUSINESS
Has the pandemic left your business
feeling isolated during lockdown?
The Covid 19 pandemic has taken it’s toll on
the small local business community and in turn
the local economy. This is the case across the
whole of the UK and the continued lockdown
is continuing to threaten the High Street, as we
know it, with a number of well-known stores
closing their doors for good. Fortunately the
light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter
with the restrictions easing and the roadmap to
recovery becoming clearer.
At The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)
we have been busy supporting and protecting
businesses during this challenging time
ensuring the voice of the small business owner
is heard loud and clear. FSB is a ‘not for profit’
organisation that is led by our members, for
our members. Our mission is to help smaller
businesses achieve their ambitions. We are
proud to be the leading voice of 5.8 million
small businesses and self-employed people
across the UK, working to promote and protect
your interests.
FSB is here to help.
We offer our members a wide range of vital
business services including advice, financial
expertise, support and a powerful voice heard
in local, UK-wide and devolved governments
across the country.
FSB membership gives you more than
Local FSB
Business
Advisor Emma
Weatherstone
just market-leading benefits. Part of your
membership fee contributes to making real
change happen for your business and the wider
business community. Together, we make a
difference making sure the voice of the small
business is heard.
You’re never alone with FSB.
We run a huge number of virtual events,
including networking and business surgeries
designed to help you find advice, support and
guidance for your small business. Events are
free and open to all small businesses and the
self-employed across the UK.
Membership is available to all small businesses
from sole traders to up to 200 employees
starting from as little at £147 per year.
For more information to find out how FSB
membership can support your business,
please contact your local Business Advisor
in Portsmouth, Emma Weatherstone. Quote
“POMPEY MAG” when you make contact.
Emma Weatherstone
Email :
emma.weatherstone@fsb.org.uk
Mobile : 07764432490
Web : www.joinfsb.biz
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SUMMER
QUIZ
1. Name the comedy TV programme that follows the lives of 3 Priests living on
Craggy Island?
2. Wrestler Shirley Crabtree Jr. was better known by his nickname. What was it?
3. The Queen celebrates her official birthday in June, but what is the name of the
military pageant which has marked the Sovereign’s official birthday for over
260 years?
4. Gordon Sumner is the real name of what famous British musician?
5. What’s longer, a nautical mile or a land mile?
6. What element is denoted by the chemical symbol Sn in the periodic table?
7. Who is awarded the Venus Rosewater Dish at Wimbledon each year?
8. What is the real name of the Governess in ITV’s popular quiz The Chase?
9. What is the collective noun for a group of cats?
10. Where is the British Grand Prix F1 race held?
11. What is the official name of the tower Big Ben is housed in?
12. In which area of Birmingham is the hit show Peaky Blinders set?
13. August sees the Portsmouth kite festival, which country first invented the Kite?
14. Who invented the world wide web?
15. What is the art of cutting shrubs into ornamental shapes called?
16. Which TV duo would you associate with the song ‘Bring Me Sunshine’?
17. Which football club plays its home games at Loftus Road?
18. Actress, Ursula Andress famously walked out of the sea wearing a white bikini
in the James Bond flick Dr No. What was the name of her character?
19. What is the Chinese New Year animal for 2021?
20. How many balls are bowled in a normal cricket over?
21. Which Saints day falls on July 15 every year?
22. Which two colours on a flag mean that lifeguards are on patrol and you should
only swim in the area between the flags?
23. Bondi Beach is a popular beach in a suburb of which Australian city?
24. Which uk resort is known for its surf beaches and seafront Tate gallery?
25. It’s in Paris, and it grows by six inches during the summer. What?
26. What is used as the filling of a summer pudding?
27. Which island group includes Ibiza, Menorca and Majorca?
28. Food and Drink. What does IPA stand for?
29. What’s a baby rabbit called?
30. Whose advertising was based around the catchphrase It Does Exactly What it
Says on the Tin?
ANSWERS ON PAGE 41

NATURE
WASPS
FRIEND OR
FOE?
By LWB
Wasps, our perennial summer foe.
Best known for ruining alfresco dining,
taking a bath in your cider and mugging
children for a lick of their ice cream!
But are they really the angry, aggressive,
stripy hooligans just out to spoil our
summer fun? Perhaps it is time for a rethink,
could it be that wasps are actually
our friends?
Wasps have been around for some 240 million
years and are the ancestors of all the bees and
ants we know today. Ants could be thought of
as wasps who have lost their wings and bees
as wasps who went vegan! There are over
150,000 known species world-wide. About
7,000 species call the UK their home. Wasps
can be divided into 2 main categories. There
are the solitary parasitoidal wasps, who lay
their eggs in live insects and are responsible for
a huge amount of pest control. The other group
are the Social wasps, who form large colonies.
It is from this group that a select few species
have become our summertime nemesis, such
as the ‘yellow jackets’ (made up of the Common
wasp - Vespula vulgaris and the German wasp -
Vespula germanica) and Hornets.
Both sub-groups of wasps do an incredible
amount of good for our environment. They
help to clear rotten wood, control pests such as
Aphids and Caterpillars (sorry Colin) and are
also excellent pollinators. Over the summer
months it is estimated that in the UK, wasps
capture around 14 million kilos of insects. A
single wasp colony is thought to remove around
35
a quarter of a million Aphids each season. In
some countries, experiments are underway,
moving colonies of wasps into crop fields, to act
as pest control agents and reduce the reliance
on insecticides.
Adult wasps feed entirely on sugar, which they
can obtain from the flower pollen. Unlike bees,
wasps are not fussy as to which flowers they
visit and this makes them vital, if accidental,
pollinators. Wasps are truly the gardener’s
friend.
I know what you are thinking, that whilst
wasps might make great garden buddies they
are a complete menace to picnickers! And I
can’t argue with that. With their sometimes
lary attitudes, their nasty stings and their lax
approach to social distancing, I have to admit
to being one of the first people around a table
who will jump up shrieking when pestered by a
little yellow thug.
For me, like many, the fear of being stung is
almost worse than the sting itself. For the
vast majority of us wasps are a harmless,
if sometimes painful, annoyance. For an
unlucky few, though, the stings can be deadly.
On average, each year 10 people are killed in
Britain due to a severe allergic reaction to wasp
or bee stings. So why is it that wasps are so
keen to get upfront and personal with us? To
understand why, we need to dig a little deeper
into the lifestyle choices of the social wasps.
Just like bees, at the heart of each colony is

a Queen wasp, however, unlike their cute,
honey making cousins, only the newly fertile
Queens survive the winter, sheltering in
animal burrows or hiding in your Christmas
decorations.
In early spring these Queens emerge to build
a colony. Most of the eggs she lays grow up to
be worker wasps and it is these, yellow perils
that we know so well. The worker wasps are
responsible for hunting insect prey which they
take back to the larvae to feed on. It is only in
the larvae stage that wasps feed on protein. In
return the larvae produce a sugary substance
which helps fuel the workers.
During the later Spring and early Summer
as the colony grows, worker wasps are busy
feeding their infants and have a ready supply
of sugary snacks obtained from their larvae
and flower pollen. At this time of year, wasps
hardly bother with us at all. When they do,
they are often just circling around you. This
is because wasps use tall objects like trees to
navigate by. So if a wasp does fly rings around
you - don’t worry, he is just lost and asking for
directions!
It is later towards the end of Summer and
early Autumn, when the Queen is winding
down her supply of eggs and there are fewer
and fewer larvae, that the workers turn their
eyes towards our sweet delights. No longer
able to feed from the carb-packed substance
produced by their larvae the workers become
jobless, homeless and hungry. Add feeding off
of fallen fermented fruits into the mix and it
isn’t any wonder that they revert to such loutish
behaviour.
So maybe in late Summer, when the wasps are
desperate and dying we should remember the
good services they have carried out for us and
forgive them for their last hurrah.
Wasps, friend or foe? You decide!
Many thanks to the Natural History Museum
and to the BBC’s podcast ‘The Curious Cases
of Rutherford and Fry’ for much of the
information used in writing this piece.
"Paul has done a fantastic job helping to promote my business.
He of course, produced for me some incredible and engaging
videos, but the real magic was in how he has managed to get
them on to the first page of both Google and You Tube."
Debbie Payne
Editor of Pompey Mag

SPACES
SANCTUARY
MENTAL HEALTH
F
A new initiative called the Spaces of Sanctuary
is offering people a safe space to retreat to
when needed. The project is the brain child of
Portsmouth City of Sanctuary and builds
O
on
the City’s proud history of offering shelter to
anyone fleeing violence and persecution, or
who is isolated and seeking safety.
Spaces of Sanctuary works so that anyone
feeling vulnerable at any time can reach out
and ask for shelter from any of the locations
taking part in the project and who are
displaying the SoS symbol.
Portsmouth City of Sanctuary is part of the
national City of Sanctuary movement, and is
partnering with two other local organisations
to deliver the Spaces of Sanctuary initiative:
Pompey Safe Spaces Scheme and Portsmouth
Dignity Network.
Malcolm Little, Chair of Portsmouth City
of Sanctuary said, ‘The idea is a simple one
that seizes on the widely felt appreciation
that Portsmouth is unique in its sense of
community. It aims to offer anyone, whether
they are being verbally or physically abused
or intimated, whether they feel suddenly
frightened or panicky, for whatever reason
at all, a place where they will find a welcome
and a friendly face with no judgement or
repercussion.’
Businesses, faith groups, educational
establishments and others are being offered
37
training so that they can support people in
the simplest way -to offer them a place to be
where they can take as long as it takes to catch
their breath and feel calm again. If needed the
volunteers can access a network of support
agencies that they can contact in agreement
with the person that has come to them for
refuge, but this may not always be necessary.
Spaces of Sanctuary looks to consolidate the
tangible goodwill in the City by engaging with
both the private and public sectors in support
of the City’s most vulnerable people. Initial
surveys carried out in 2020 by Portsmouth City
of Sanctuary identified that whilst the majority
of people are willing and wanting to offer
support to fellow residents, they are conscious
that they might end up making a bad situation
worse by doing the wrong thing. The SoS
initiative will address that by training people
and empowering them to take right steps.
Harriet Evens, the force behind Pompey
Safe Spaces Scheme said: ‘The Pompey Safe
Space Scheme works to establish a network
of city-wide safe spaces for victims of sexual
assault, sexual violence and domestic abuse,
and so a collaboration with Spaces of Sanctuary
makes so much sense. We want to ensure that
whoever you are, if you find yourself vulnerable
and in need of a safe space, one is available for
you. It’s about helping all residents to feel safer
in this City and about guiding people towards
the best support available.’

Portsmouth Dignity Network provides
‘Protecting Dignity Training’, and they will be
working with Portsmouth City of Sanctuary
this summer to provide free training to any
businesses or organisations wishing to take
part in the SoS initiative.
Anna Flynn, Managing Director and founder
of Portsmouth Dignity Network with over
20 years experience of working with the
community, said: ‘I truly believe that
delivering services that put people at the
centre is essential to effectively achieve the
outcomes of all involved. Identifying agencies
with aligned values who seek to serve the same
needs of the community, is vital for meaningful
impact and creating change.
I am so pleased to have found this perspective
within the fold of Portsmouth City of
Sanctuary, and very much look forward to
contributing to the joint vision, for setting a
standard of excellence, and ultimately to
support Portsmouth to be an even kinder
community.’
In addition to developing the Spaces of
Sanctuary initiative, Portsmouth City of
Sanctuary is working to bring key stakeholders
together from across Portsmouth, including
the Lord Mayor. Acting on the shared values of
inclusion, respect, dignity and participation, it
is working with doctors’ surgeries to establish
safe spaces, developing refugee care-leaver
projects and sourcing social work/ law student
placements. Portsmouth City of Sanctuary
volunteers run the ‘Welcome Box’ initiative
that greets asylum seekers dispersed to the
City, conversation clubs, English language
learning facilities and various other support
that helps people engage with their new
surroundings.
Building on the idea that integration is
key, Portsmouth Cith of Sanctuary has
developed with partners a local resident and
refugee gardening initiative. One of the key
achievements of 2021 is the setting up of a
women-only, drop-in service that will, for the
moment, only cater to women at high risk, but
over time plans to extend the service to provide
a much-needed space for all women.
Portsmouth City of Sanctuary has been
instrumental in bringing the City together
around its compassionate values, and the
Spaces of Sanctuary project is an extension
of that, reaching out to local businesses,
public offices and the entire community of
Portsmouth as a whole, casting the support
network city-wide.
Can you and your colleagues offer kind
words, a glass of water and friendly face?
If you own a local business or organisation
and think that you might be able to operate
as a venue offering a safe space for someone
in need, please get in touch. Email Shaun at
portsmouthcityofsanctuary@gmail.com
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SPORT
Field Gun Sports, one of the oldest new
Sports, born in Pompey.
Pompey Mag recently met up with Alex
Howard to hear about his plans to reinvent
an old tradition into an exciting new
international sport.
Many of you will be at least vaguely familiar
with Field Gun racing, some of you more so
if you are ex-Navy or have Naval family. If
nothing else, readers over 40 will recall the
annual Royal Tournament where Command
Field Gun, the more rigorous and spectacular
form where a chasm and wall needs to be
negotiated, prior to firing the gun, provided
an exciting spectacle on TV. Alas, this
tradition ended in 1999.
Now, after a long hiatus, a Sandhurst Officer
Graduate based in Pompey is planning
to not only revive Command Field Gun
(Command) as a Civilian sport, but also to
take it International, and Pompey Mag will be
following his progress with keen interest. Alex
has served as a Sapper in the Army for 30
years, and saw tours of duty in the Balkans,
Iraq (twice) and Afghanistan, and he knows
a great deal about Command. Amongst Alex’s
many goals is for Portsmouth to win back the
world record time which they previously held,
and was narrowly snatched by Devonport
39
back in 1999.
The history of Command is almost a separate
article in itself (so maybe we’ll save that for
another time) but in essence it dates back to
an incident in the Second Boer War in 1899
during the Siege of Ladysmith, when the
Navy hauled guns ashore, moved them over
difficult terrain and brought them into action
to support the army.
If you’ve not seen Command before, do
check it out on YouTube, it is fast paced,
exciting and with a hint of danger (drop a
field gun barrel on your foot and you are
in big trouble!). Races typically last under
3 minutes, and comprise 3 stages, the Run
Out, the Run Back and the Run Home – it is
exhausting just to watch, so you can imagine
how demanding it must be for the teams. It
has been known as the toughest team sport
in the world and lately the sport for which
high intensity interval training (HIIT) was
invented.
His concept is to create new teams, complete
with interesting team names and branded
teamwear, comprising professional athletes
who will need to train hard and full-time
for the particular rigours of a sport which
requires strength, explosive power and
technique to enable lifting, carrying and

hauling the heavy weights involved, always
with split second perfect team action.
It could perhaps be visualised as a cross
between the teamwork of a Formula One pit
crew, the fitness and impact of pro rugby
with the commitment of a world title boxing
contender.
Alex sees this as an inclusive sport, with
women’s teams, who will compete in a similar
format but with necessary safety adaptations.
Junior teams already exist carrying plywood
replica guns!
The historic format is likely to be preserved as
much as is possible, since this is a sport with
a long tradition, but where variations would
make for even greater excitement or interest
in the future, then these might be added. For
example, a “best of 3 legs” format, and longer
or changed courses, provided always that the
safety and physical demands on athletes are
sensibly managed. Much like athletics, there
could be sprints, middle-distance or marathon
runs? We shall see, but the shorter nature of
the current format is likely to be retained, as
the trend in modern sport (as with cricket) is
increasingly more bite-sized content.
As a potential spectator sport, it has all the
ingredients needed to engage the fans, whether
for live events or on TV. Multiple camera
angles and drone footage will provide detail on
technique and maybe capture the occasional
mistake, or brilliant manoeuvre. A penalty
system will be in force, as with all sports, for
rule infringements which no doubt will spark
debate, and pundits will discuss performances,
personal and team form and errors made,
before, during and after fixtures. Tactics will be
discussed, and team strengths and weaknesses
shown. A points and league system will
structure the season, whilst creating rivalry and
excitement for the fixtures, as with most pro
sports.
I am hooked already, and the crews have not
started training yet! My Pompey Command
replica shirt is on advance order. So as the
crews would say once the starting firecracker
was alight….Burning, 2,3,4,5…..Standby.
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WIN
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Gift Voucher
Free to enter, one prize to be won.
With all the rain recently, the Pompey
Mag garden is covered in weeds. They
are now growing in our adverts! Can
you find them?
TO ENTER
Simply jot down the 6 names of the
adverts that contain those pesky weeds
and email your answers to us for a
chance of winning. Send your entry to
info@pompeymag.co.uk.
All correct answers will be placed into
a draw and one lucky reader will be
randomly picked out to win the prize.
Closing date 30th July 2021.

SOLUTIONS
QUIZ ANSWERS
1. Father Ted.
2. Big Daddy.
3. Trooping the Colour.
4. Sting.
5. A nautical mile (1.15 land miles).
6. Tin.
7. Ladies Singles Champion.
8. Ann Hegerty.
9. A Clowder of cats.
10. Silverstone.
11. The Elizabeth Tower.
12. Small Heath.
13. China.
14. Tim Berners-Lee.
15. Topiary.
16. Morecambe and Wise.
17. Queens Park Rangers.
18. Honey Ryder.
19. Ox.
20. 6.
21. St Swithuns.
22. Red and Yellow.
23. Sydney.
24. St Ives.
25. Eiffel Tower.
26. Red berries - Soft fruits.
27. The Balearics.
28. India Pale Ale.
29. Kit or Kitten.
30. Ronseal.
41

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