ALAN MAK: Great to see my promotion-winning team team back in action

Last weekend, I opened the Bedhampton summer show and visited the St Alban's School fete at Leigh Park. Both were excellent, well-attended events.

Hopefully the sunny weather is set to continue into the next few weekends with the Havant Fun Day in Havant Park and the Havant & District Horticultural Society Summer Gardening Event both happening this Saturday.

The sun was also out for the annual Havant & Waterlooville FC pre-season curtain raiser with Pompey which the Hawks narrowly lost 2-1. I'm a season ticket holder at the club and it was great to see the team in action for the first time since winning back-to-back promotions.

The game was also a brilliant appetiser to the England World Cup quarter-final against Sweden. While I write this column, before the Croatia semi-final, no matter the result, the whole nation can be proud of the achievements of the side in Russia.

That's why I'm calling on everyone to proudly fly the England flag until the end of the World Cup. I have been getting a number of queries from residents asking whether they need the council's permission before flying the flag.

However, subject to basic common sense requirements, such as having the landowner's permission and ensuring the flag is physically safe, no prior permission is required to fly the England flag according to guidance from the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Don't forget my third Community Groups and Older Persons Information Fair is taking place on Friday, August 3, from 10am to 2pm at the Meridian Centre.

As in previous years there will still be a focus on providing advice for senior citizens. Older people, carers, family, neighbours and friends will be able to speak to a range of specialist organisations, businesses, government agencies and community groups that serve or help older people.

Hopefully, the fair will be fantastically supported as it has been in the past two years, and I hope to meet many residents again on the day.