Do you have a camera and enjoy taking pictures?

Do you often take pictures of Odiham, the people, the places, the events?

You may have noticed the flickr badge at the top of the page showing pictures of Odiham - would you like to add your photographs to it and have them seen on the Community Website?

If you're enthusiastic about taking photographs no matter what camera you have or what level of skill you're at flickr is an addictive way of sharing your photographs with the world.

If you want to join the Odiham flickr group...

1. Sign up for a flickr account (it's all free for a basic account, no one tries to sell you anything and you only have to upgrade if you really want to)

2. Join the Odiham Group

3. Show us your pictures of Odiham.

If enough people join there's lots of scope for getting together and taking photographs as a group, sharing techniques and tips and creating a social group for photography enthusiasts in the village.

If you have any questions about flickr or the use of your pictures on the Odiham Community Website please feel free to drop me an email at cathy@postalgifts.com

I was walking through Odiham a couple of days ago when I walked past the house of a family who were having a bit of a clear out. There was a skip in the driveway full of rubbish and a whole collection of bits and bobs on the floor. It reminded me of the skips that were outside what used to be Number 81 and The Grapevine Delicatessen a while ago and all the perfectly good stuff that was being thrown out and going to waste.

So I thought I'd post some information about freecycle. If you haven't already heard of it freecycle is a very simple and brilliant idea.

This is how their website describes it...

The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,586 groups with 5,705,699 members across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns and thus keeping good stuff out of landfills.

Membership is free, and everything posted must be FREE, legal and appropriate for all ages. To view the items being given away or sought in the Basingstoke area, you must be a member of the local group. To view the local group posts, visit the local Yahoo Group where they are located by clicking on the link below.

Visit the Basingstoke area Freecycle Group page

My version - if it's something that you think might be useful to someone else (and you'll be amazed at some of the things other people think are useful!) then before you throw it in the bin or take it down the dump post it on freecycle. You save on landfill, recycle something that would have been thrown away and save yourself the time and petrol it takes to get it to the tip.

The other side to freecycle is that you get the chance to ask for things. Whenever someone posts an item that they don't want, if it's something you need then just drop them an email and ask for it. You don't always get it of course, there are a lot of people out there who might be after it but you might be lucky and all you have to do is go and collect it. I've got some fantastic stuff from freecycle that would have gone to the dump otherwise. A pine coffee table, bookshelves, an exercise bike (re freecycled when I joined the gym) books, a tent, kilner jars (put to good use making apple vodka) a computer desk and chair to name but a few.

It's such a great idea everyone should join. Help save the planet and keep things out of landfill.

This August Bank Holiday saw the welcome return of the Hampshire Farmers Market to Odiham and although the sunshine wasn’t at it’s brightest the rain stayed away and the High Street was buzzing.

The day started a little earlier for me than perhaps it would normally have done on a day off as I donned the bright yellow jacket of an Odiham Marshall. I spent a couple of hours directing the traffic around the High Street and safely away from the crowds. As usual there were the odd one or two that were unhappy about the minor detour but all in all the time flew past aided, I have to say, by the sound of the Caribbean All Stars Steel Band which almost had me dancing in the street (I resisted in the end – it’s not a pretty sight!).

After my stint at traffic control I had a wander around the market and ended up spending far more money than I’d intended but had some lovely food to show for it. The bottle of Elderflower wine from Fonthill Glebe went down particularly well!

These events bring welcome footfall into the village and speaking as an ex retailer we always used to welcome the extra business we gained by opening up for the few hours that events like the Farmers Markets and The Christmas Extravaganza were on for. However it’s getting harder and harder for the Odiham Town Manager Group, in particular Peter Fountain the Town Manager, to organise days like this due to a desperate shortage of volunteers to Marshall.

There are about ten of us that regularly offer to help out at village events but with holidays, sickness and other commitments we can’t all be available all of the time. It’s not a hard job, and the only real skills required are a little bit of patience, diplomacy and tact and the ability to stand for an hour or so. The more people we have the less time each person has to do so you might even get away with less than an hour, in exchange for a couple of drinks on the OTMG tab in the George later. It’s not a bad way to spend your time and it’s a great help to the organisation of these events and ultimately to Odiham, both residents and retailers alike.

'Iraq n Roll' will be appearing in concert for one night only to present a 'Gig 4 Heroes' at The Princes Hall Aldershot on 5th July 2008. Iraq n Roll were formed in 2004 out in Iraq to bring a little light entertainment to the troops on Op Telic's 4 & 5. Put together from a background of serving, TA and civilian employees, Iraq n Roll 'Toured' Shibah Logistics Base and the RAF detachment at Bashra International Airport.

They performed a mix of rock and roll, blues and rock music to serving troops, UK civilians and other NATO forces in theatre on over 25 occasions. The band split up in the April of 2005 as many returned back to UK after tours lasting between 6 -10 months. LCpl Baz Wall, the spirit behind the band has asked 8 of the 20 who lined up under the band name in a 12 month period to join him on stage to play for one last time. The 8 band members who are available are returning from all over the UK including one from Kenya and another from Jersey, just for this one night.

The Aim of the night is to raise money for the Help 4 Heroes campaign, have the support of Pete Hutton & The Beyounders, a local Rock n Roll Band, as well as many celebrities who have pledged their support by donating raffle and auction prizes, (for more detail go to www.myspace/iraqnroll).

Tickets cost either £11 or £16.50, with £10 & £15 respectively going straight to the charity. The event is planned to be an informal evening giving people a real life show of what the serving forces (including those from RAF Odiham, where one of the band members and local lad is currently working), would have got on the night out in the dessert. Tickets are available directly from the Princes Hall booking hotline on (01252) 329155

With the growing numbers of wounded personnel repatriated to the UK and with continued growth in medically discharged personnel since the Falklands war to current conflicts and operations, our service men & women and veterans of previous operational service are owed the best medical care possible. The existing facilities are falling short and the NHS are not meeting the needs of veterans who still need treatment for their service related conditions. A dedicated Military & Veterans Hospital will greatly help resolve this National scandal since the complete closure of our military hospitals that has proved to be total folly.

(taken from the details on the petition site)

We need a dedicated military hospital and we want it NOW! Sign the petition
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Wounded/

Large Black and White Cat, answering to the name of Smodge, ex resident of number 81 and much loved pet.

He was last seen on Saturday 16th June now living on King Street.

If anyone knows where he is please contact Cathy on 07784 488494 or Matt on 07917 680514.

Thank You.

UPDATE

After four days awol he has now come home, apparently none the worse for wear and demanding food! Thank you to everyone who helped us look for him.

Over the Easter weekend (Friday – Monday 10am – 4pm) Wine Rack and Number 81 will be joining forces again to give you the chance to taste wine and chocolate together.

It may not be a combination that immediately springs to your mind but they work really well together (and the staff of both Wine Rack and Number 81 have been doing some very extensive research into this subject!) and if you’re still not convinced then why not pop along to either Wine Rack or Number 81 over the Easter weekend and give it a try, you might be pleasantly surprised.

With chocolate ranging from a decadent dark chocolate bar with 86% cocoa to a selection of handmade luxury Belgian Chocolates including champagne and strawberry truffles and the ever popular violet creams your taste buds won’t know where to start.

Wine Rack will be selecting wines and champagnes all designed to enhance the chocolate experience, and what’s more all wines and champagnes* are still on special offer – buy two bottles and get the third free, and if you buy 6 bottles or more there’s an extra 40% off – a perfect way for the ‘grown ups’ to celebrate Easter.

Come and Join us for Chocolate and Wine at Easter.

Wine Rack – 01256 702547
Number 81 – 01256 702548.

(Chocolate and Wine Tasting in Number 81 and Wine Rack 14th, 15th and 17th April and in Wine Rack only on Sunday 16th April)

* Some Champagnes are excluded from this offer – please see in store for details.