Latest nominations for the We Can Do It Awards

Best Street sponsored by Colas

THE path has been cleared for a temporary road to be built to take cars out of residential streets in Portsmouth.

Residents in Stamshaw and Tipner have spent years campaigning to get lorries heading to commercial land diverted away from their roads.

Obstacles have been thrown up in the way - such as whether an EU environmental impact study was needed and if the route would only be for the benefit of private landowners.

Now Portsmouth City Council has given permission for the road - which would run parallel to the M275 - to be built and used until the wider Tipner area is regenerated.

That’s because the land may then be needed as part of the plan to build thousands of new homes and create employment space.

Residents say it’s a huge relief the council has listened to their concerns.

Service with a Smile

SHE has been a supportive shoulder to cry on for hundreds of people coping with Parkinson’s Disease in the area.

And now, after 13 years helping to lead Parkinson’s UK Fareham and District Branch, specialist Parkinson’s nurse Linda Shaw is finally calling it a day.

The 62-year-old was given a fitting send-off by dozens of the group’s members during its coffee morning at the Crofton Community Centre, Stubbington Lane, Fareham.

Linda said: ‘It’s been wonderful.

‘I have no regrets at all about my career.

‘I really will miss everyone a great deal – it’s like a big family.

‘Saying goodbye these last couple of weeks has been heart-wrenching.’

Linda played a pivotal role in getting the support group off the ground when she joined it in 2003.

Since then, the network of people she cares for has grown, with some 950 on her books across the county – with 500 of these in Gosport and Fareham alone.

Best Business

STAFF from an energy firm took part in a football match to raise money for the children’s ward at a hospital.

The group of fundraisers from SSE Havant made £335, which they used to buy toys for the paediatric ward at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham.

The charity football match took place at Goals, off the Eastern Road, before Christmas and 28 people from the company took part in front of a crowd of supporters.

After the event, the toys were delivered by Nicholas Gale, Emma Browning, Felix Umolu, Jack Cleverley and Giselle Coker.

Nicholas, a test analyst at SSE, says: ‘We would like to thank everyone at SSE who signed up to support our charity match through playing or donating – and all those who came down on the night to watch.’

Emma, deputy manager test analyst, adds: ‘We were all proud to make a difference to the young patients at Queen Alexandra Hospital at Christmas.’

Best Garden/Public Space

THE first skate park built in Gosport will be getting a revamp to make it a state-of-the-art facility.

Youngsters in the town were invited to make suggestions about what they wanted to see at Bridgemary skate park.

They put down their thoughts and design ideas at last year’s Summer Passport Scheme, which were then considered by the council.

Cllr Graham Burgess, chairman of the community board, said the children put forward great ideas.

‘The young people thought of some wonderful plans for the park,’ he said.

‘The initial plans were brilliant.

‘Bridgemary skate park was the first one built in the town and is well past its sell-by date.

‘We looked at trying to spruce it up a bit and thought we would also ask the young people in the town what they would like to see.

‘That we are now developing it is excellent news for the young people of Bridgemary.’

Best Volunteer

A DIVING volunteer and aficionado at the Diving Museum at Stokes Bay has been nominated for a national tourism award.

Dr John Bevan, chairman of the Historical Diving Society, is up for the Visit England Tourism Superstar awards along with 11 people from attractions around the country.

The 72-year-old was nominated by John Gibbs, tourism officer at Gosport Borough Council, for his outstanding contribution to the museum experience.

Dr Bevan said: ‘I’m absolutely overjoyed to be nominated and surprised. Everything we do is for fun and we really love it.

‘The most enjoyment I get is with the visitors themselves, explaining the kit and the interesting stories behind it.’

Dr Bevan is a volunteer leader and plays an active role in all aspects of running the museum – from sourcing exhibits, welcoming visitors, dealing with the finances through to maintaining the building.

Care of the Environment

MORE than 100 Christmas trees were recycled at a community event in Emsworth.

Despite the wet weather, residents brought their trees to be recycled in St Peter’s Square.

Christmas tree recycling in Emsworth was started three years ago by the Emsworth Business Association, in partnership with Phil Lamb of Brightside Tree Surgery.

Phil who is also a fireman, brought along his colleague Anthony Russell from the Hampshire Fire Service and together they recycled 117 trees over a two-hour period.

They both generously gave their time and equipment free of charge.

People taking their trees were asked if they would donate to The Rosemary Foundation, which was the Emsworth Business Association’s supported charity in 2015.

Alistair Gibson, from the association said: ‘In total £276 was raised which is a wonderful effort and an acknowledgment of this useful initiative.’

Best School sponsored by PHVC

KIND-HEARTED schoolchildren chose to give up buying new equipment for themselves and help an orphaned child instead.

The pupils at Mengham Infants School in Hayling Island were being taught the value of money when teacher Barbara Hemsley asked how they would like to raise money for something they could use in the classroom.

But instead of computer equipment or new games, they chose to help a child ‘without a mummy and daddy’.

Barbara Hemsley said: ‘We were very proud of them for suggesting that. It began as part of our personal and social education, trying to teach our children about the value of money.’

Best Art/Community Project sponsored by New Theatre Royal

A COLOURFUL addition has been unveiled at Queen Alexandra Hospital after a class of adult art students donated an 18-piece collage to brighten up the corridors.

Created by the adults who attend Beverley Daniels’ evening art classes in Whiteley, the painting is based on the Austrian artist Gustav Klimt’s country garden with sunflowers.

The painting is at the end of the main corridor past Costa on A level.

Beverley said: ‘It was really exciting seeing the painting develop week by week. The students were involved in selecting the image and had to employ their colour mixing skills and attention to detail.

‘We are all thrilled that the painting can be enjoyed by patients, visitors and staff at the hospital.’

Spirit of Youth Sponsored by Airbus

A SCHOOLBOY from Fareham completed a sponsored bike ride to raise money for The Rowans Hospice.

Rhys Clifford, 12, collected more than £350 by cycling 35 laps of Blackbrook Park, Fareham on Saturday, despite the bad weather.

The pupil at Henry Cort Community College wanted to raise money for The Rowans Hospice as his great-grandad spent his last weeks there in 2010 after getting stomach cancer.

Rhys’s mother, Lisa Collins, said: ‘The ride went really well, despite the heavy rain and strong winds.

‘He didn’t do any training for the ride either and he only just received his bike at Christmas.

‘So far he’s raised £354 but it looks like it could end up being more than £400, so fingers crossed.’

Personal Achievement

HE’S been a loyal lecturer for the past 50 years – and Dr Graham Elliott is showing no sign of reaching retirement.

The 71-year-old has been teaching maths at the University of Portsmouth since 1965.

He went straight into work after studying at the university for three years – and he is still teaching there now, working 12 hours a week.

Dr Elliott said: ‘I’m a mathematician and mathematicians do like their subject.

‘It’s not like a job where you do it for a living and you give up as soon as you can.

‘We get a great bunch of students. The students seem to like me and I like them.

‘It keeps me young. It’s nice to see them through.’

And Dr Elliott said he likes to make sure he keeps in contact with those he has taught over the years.

‘I am still in contact with a couple of hundred students from the past. It’s nice to see them succeed.’