New tab added

You may have noticed a new tab (Forum boundaries and common venues)  has appeared at the top of the page.  

This page shows a small map of the city outlining the forum boundaries and the main venues used by the forums for public meetings.

• Clicking within the boundaries gives you the name of the forum.

• Clicking on a pin gives the name of that venue.

Some of the areas are shaded to signify dormant forums, or those that have been proposed, that we are hoping to relaunch this year.

By clicking on the link below the map, a full screen map is opened that you can examine at your leisure.

If you have any suggestion for more information to include on the map please let us know.

Healthwatch is now live!

Healthwatch is now up and running, you can get involved in strengthening the user voice in health and social care.

Our next interim board meeting is on the 3rd July at 1pm at Friendship House, all are welcome to attend.

More information at www.healthwatchportsmouth.co.uk

If you would like to find out more about Healthwatch or sign up to our network of people involved in helping service users speak up about local services please call us on 023 9397 7079.

Portsmouth Neighbourhood Watch Association newsletter

The latest Neighbourhood Watch newsletter can be read by clicking on this link, after an introduction from Paul Barker the Portsmouth Neighbourhood Watch Association Chairman, it includes:-

USEFUL CRIME INFORMATION on

- Bogus Callers

- Reasonable Force

- Good News

TRADING STANDARDS INFORMATION on

- Cold Calling

- No Cold Calling Door Stickers and Zones

- Stop Loan Sharks

- Volunteer with Trading Standards

and

THE COMMUNITY WARDENS INFORMATION on

- Tomb stoning

Proposed Osborne Road improvements

In 2012, Portsmouth City Council were successful in a bid for funding to promote local sustainable transport within the Southsea area.  The project is focused on improving the shopping areas in Southsea by providing higher priority to walking, cycling and public transport. 

By working with local businesses, the council have developed the plans available to download here (Southsea town centre improvements - online survey ) - but now they would like your thoughts on the proposed improvements. 

They are also keen to gather feedback and comments on the proposals to extend the existing pedestrian zone of Palmerston Road. 

Please tell them what you like, dislike and any ideas you have for further improvements by using the link above and completing the online survey before Wednesday 31 July 2013.

It is hoped that work can commence in January 2014. 

For more information on the proposals there are various events for residents, businesses and visitors to attend: 

 • 24 June - 31 July

Information and plans of proposals to be displayed within Southsea Library located in Palmerston Road precinct 

 • Monday 1 July 

A drop-in session to be held at St Jude’s Church, Southsea from 2pm – 8pm with officers and Councillors in attendance to answer any questions

 • Saturday 13 July 

A mobile exhibition and consultation trailer will be positioned on Palmerston Road precinct with information on the proposals

Paulsgrove Carnival

Saturday June 22nd

at

Hempsted Green, Allaway Avenue

from

10am - 4pm

The carnival procession forms up at King Richard School and leaves at 10.30am to process around the estate ending up on Hempsted Green.

From 10am on the green there are table top sales and community information stands. A stage area where local bands will be playing, refreshments and a small fun fair will also be on site.

The community engagement team will be there to promote:

Rant or Rave in Paulsgrove

What do you love about your local area?

What really winds you up about the area you live in?

We want to hear your views.

Our new Rant or Rave campaign is aimed at finding out all about what Paulsgrove residents feel about the area they live in, whether it's raving about how wonderful the area is, or ranting about a problem in the area, we want to hear it. 

Find out what people said in past campaigns at:

http://portsmouthrantorrave.blogspot.co.uk/

Mary Rose Children's Activity

Portsmouth History Fair 

at

Central Library

on 

Saturday 20th July 2013

from

11am - 12noon

Come along and make your own Mary Rose 

For more information contact Linda Collins 023 9268 8144 linda.collins@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

Don't bin it, bring it!

Have you got a loft full of old kettles, mobile phones and toasters that you no longer use or need? Don't bin it, bring it.  Take them along to a collection point near you.

As well as being Bike Week, 17 to the 23 June is also National Recycling Week. Residents will be able to bring any small, unwanted or faulty electrical items for recycling at many drop-off points around the city:
•all city libraries
•Southsea Community Centre in King Street, Southsea.
•Paulsgrove Community Centre in Marsden Road, Paulsgrove.
•John Pounds Centre in Queen Street, Portsea.

It’s important to dispose of electrical items properly because some of the substances could be hazardous to the environment. Electrical items often contain valuable resources, so recycling and reusing them also stops materials such as plastics and metals going to waste.

Clear out your house whilst helping the environment.

All small electrical household items (with a plug or batteries) that can be carried by one person are welcome. Unfortunately we cannot accept large items such as washing machines or televisions. Please continue to take these to your local household waste recycling centre. For locations please visit the rubbish and recycling webpage.

So have a hunt around and take in anything small and electrical, including your old curling tongs, hairdryer or cameras.

H.A.L.O. Awards Programme

Nomination categories are:

Customer Service

Public Service

Young Carer

Carer

Community Involvement

Oasis Award

Service to Charity

Picnic on the Green

A reminder that tomorrow, June 8th, the 'Picnic on the Green' organised by Milton neighbourhood forum will be taking place at St. James Field, Locksway Road from 2pm - 5pm 

Free Admission

Gardeners Question Time with Brian Kidd, Punch & Judy show, Dog show, Tombola, Face Painting, Marching Band, Bouncy Castle, Fun races and football competitions, Kevin Reilly fencing roadshow, Local community stalls, Refreshments & Ice creams, bring a picnic and enjoy the family fun.

All Fora meeting

The next All Fora meeting will be taking place on Monday July 8th and will be held in Meeting Room 3 on the Ground Floor of Portsmouth Civic Offices from 6:30pm-8:30pm. 

The meetings are open to all committee members, if you would like to attend please contact your neighbourhood forum chairman or email us at neighbourhood.forums@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.  

If you would like to have an issue put on to the agenda please let us know by Friday June 21st.

Volunteering in Portsmouth

The latest Portsmouth City Council volunteering bulletin is available on the council's website at 
http://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/yourcouncil/21250.html  

There are almost 50 different groups or departments offering volunteering opportunities in:-

• Conservation Projects & the Environment…
• Work with Children & Young People…
• Work with Adults including People with Disabilities & the Elderly…
• Helping your community…
and

• Arts, Music, Museums & Libraries…

Fairy Tales with National Bookstart Week 2013

Let the magic begin...

On Thursday 27th June 2013 

from 10 - 11am 

at 

Central Library 

or

On Friday 28th June 2013 

from 10 - 11am 

at 

Alderman Lacey Library 

Come and join in the fun

For more information contact Linda Collins.
Tel:    023 9268 8144
Email: linda.collins@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

For further information about National Bookstart Week 2013 please go to www.bookstart.org.uk/duckling

Portsmouth Voluntary & Community Power Hour

The Portsmouth Voluntary & Community Power Hour brings together the wide variety of community groups and organisations working in Portsmouth to share, network and find out what’s going on in the city. If you haven’t yet been to one of our monthly Power Hour sessions, then here are a few dates for your diary… 

Tuesday, 11 June - 1.15pm 

Baffins Community Centre, Westover Road, Copnor, PO3 6NS 

Monday, 15 July - 11.00am 

The Drayton Centre, 238 Havant Road, Drayton, PO6 1PA 

Wednesday, 14 August - 6.15pm 

Milton Village Hall, 182 Milton Road, Southsea, PO4 8PR 

There is NO need to book, just turn up on the day… but be prepared to talk about your group’s work for a maximum of 3 minutes. 

If you have any questions please contact Jacky Charman:

E: jacky.charman@actionhants.org.uk 

T: 023 9282 2795 

M: 07801 379 669

Southern Water - Water resources plan

Southern Water has published their Draft Water Resources Management Plan for 2015-2040 and now want to hear your views on their plans to secure your water.

The plans and the feedback form are available on the website at - http://swhaveyoursay.co.uk/wrmp/

Workshops for stakeholders and interested parties will be taking place as follows:

• Tuesday 4 June, Hilton Hotel, Maidstone, Kent
• Thursday 6 June, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Crawley, West Sussex
• Tuesday 11 June, De Vere Grand Harbour, Southampton 
• Thursday 13 June, The Royal Hotel, Ventnor, Isle of Wight

If you wish to attend one of the workshops please register by emailing - southernwater@springboard-marketing.co.uk

Volunteering Opportunities newsletter updated

Volunteering in Portsmouth 

Volunteering opportunities encompass a huge variety of options. From helping an elderly neighbour with their shopping to providing legal advice for a local charity, volunteers make a vital contribution to all aspects of community life. 

Volunteering can improve your life in countless ways - helping you make new friends, boosting your confidence and improving your CV - not to mention making a real difference to your community. 

Download the city council's 'Volunteering Opportunities Bulletin' in PDF format to find out about opportunities to volunteer for Portsmouth City Council, other public bodies and Voluntary Sector organisations. 

Becoming a volunteer 

Before apply for a volunteering opportunity, think about when you are available to volunteer and how much time you want to commit. What are you good at and what new skills would you like to learn? 

The document below lists opportunities under the following categories: 

• Conservation projects and the environment
• volunteering to work with children
• working with adults including people with disabilities & the elderly 
• the arts, music, museums and libraries
• helping your community

Volunteering Opportunities - May 2013 (0.74 MB)

If you have any problems please contact the Voluntary Sector Team on 023 9284 1451 or email voluntary.sector@portsmouthcc.gov.uk. 

Alternatively, if you are interested in a work placement with the council, visit the work placements page.  

Also the University of Portsmouth's Careers & Recruitment service, Purple Door, provides volunteering opportunities and a programme of career-related events for students and graduates. 

Visit the Purple Door Careers and Recruitment website

Forthcoming Community Events

There are several local community events that have come to our notice, some are well established and some are new, if you have a community event that you would like people to know about please send us details. 

June 8th 'Picnic on the Green' @ St. James Field, Locksway Road 2pm - 5pmGardeners Question Time with Brian Kidd, Punch & Judy show, Dog show, Tombola, Face Painting, Marching Band, Bouncy Castle, Fun races and football competitions, Kevin Reilly fencing roadshow, Local community stalls, Refreshments & Ice creams, bring a picnic and enjoy the family fun.

June 22nd Paulsgrove Carnival @ Hempsted Green, Allaway Avenue 10am - 4pm
The carnival procession forms up at King Richard School and leaves at 10.30am to process around the estate ending up on Hempsted Green. From 10am on the green there are table top sales and community information stands. A stage area where local bands will be playing, refreshments and a small fun fair will also be on site. 

July 26th Communities Day @ Commercial Road 10am - 4pm 
A one stop shop for advice and information on areas of Healthy Body, Healthy Mind and Healthy Community and to promote services and raise awareness within the community and the city. The Healthy Mind and Community sections will additionally have sectors within them promoting community involvement, partnerships, volunteers' services and the general ethos of building stronger, more open and approachable communities and encouraging people to get involved. 

August 2nd Communities Day @ Cosham High Street 10am - 4pm 
A one stop shop for advice and information on areas of Healthy Body, Healthy Mind and Healthy Community and to promote services and raise awareness within the community and the city. The Healthy Mind and Community sections will additionally have sectors within them promoting community involvement, partnerships, volunteers' services and the general ethos of building stronger, more open and approachable communities and encouraging people to get involved.

Events to Mark Adult Learners Week in Portsmouth Libraries

Book a free place at any of the following events at any Portsmouth City Library.

Saturday 18 May

1pm to 2pm or 2pm to 3pm Central Library.  Beginner's ceramics:  Join Kelly Loves for an introduction to basic pottery making techniques. Your crafted items will be fired for later collection. Please bring £5 to cover the cost of materials.

Monday 20 May

10am to 12 noon Paulsgrove Library.  Learn to crochet:  Learn to crochet in these informal drop-ins. For further information, please call 023 9237 7818 or email paulsgrove.library@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

11am to 12.30pm Central Library. Let's talk about Sex - Macmillan:  If you're recovering from the treatment of cancer join this free workshop on body image and sexuality. For further information, please call Suzanne Phillips 023 9268 8259 or email macmillan@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

Tuesday 21 May

9.30am to 10.30am Beddow Library. The art of book binding:  Learn how to bind beautiful books in the free taster.

9.30am to 12.30pm Southsea Library. Facebook for beginners:  This free taster will introduce you to Facebook.

10am to 11am North End Library. The new Mary Rose Museum:  Join Trevor Sapey for an entertaining free talk about the new Mary Rose Museum which opens this spring. He will also be bringing along some artifacts from the museum.

2.30pm to 3.30pm Portsmouth History Centre, Central Library. Tracing your family history:  Michael Gunton, Senior Archivist for the Museum Service, will walk you through the basics of researching your family tree in this free talk.

Wednesday 22 May

9.30am to 12.30pm Central Library.  Introduction to word processing:  This free taster is suitable for beginners.

2pm to 3pm Central Library.  Beginner's Chinese:  A free introduction to some key phrases plus the chance to try Chinese calligraphy.

2pm to 3.30pm Central Library.  Visually impaired computer drop-in:  Are you visually impaired and struggle to use a computer? Pop along to our drop-in to get some advice. For further information call Julie on 023 9282 9923 or email libraries@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

Thursday 23 May

10am to 12 noon Paulsgrove Library.  Learn to crochet:  Learn to crochet in these informal drop-ins. For further information, please call 023 9237 7818 or email paulsgrove.library@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

1pm to 4pm Beddow Library.  Understanding your digital camera:  Learn how to get the most out of your digital camera in this free workshop. Bring your camera and manual with you.

2pm to 3pm Southsea Library. Portsmouth - home of great writing:  Portsmouth has always been a city of great stories and great characters. Sherlock Holmes was conceived here, Charles Dickens was born here and everyday some of the best tales are told here. 'Portsmouth: Home of Great Writing' will introduce you to some of these stories and characters. This talk will be led by Laura Weston.

2.30pm to 3.30pm Portsmouth History Centre, Central Library. Tracing the history of your house:  John Stedman, Archivist for the Museum Service, will show you how you can track the history of your property.

Friday 24 May

9.30am to 12.30pm Central Library.  Organising your photos online:  A free taster on how and where to store and organise your photos online. A must for anyone who owns a digital camera!

10am to 11am Cosham Library.  The new Mary Rose Museum:  Join Trevor Sapey for an entertaining free talk about the new Mary Rose Museum which opens this spring. He will also be bringing along some artifacts from the museum.

10am to 11am Portsmouth History Centre, Central Library:  Tour of the Portsmouth History Centre. A fascinating free tour of the Portsmouth History Centre; home to Portsmouth’s local studies archives plus the Arthur Conan Doyle and Charles Dickens collections.

10am to 12 noon Paulsgrove Library.  Learn to crochet:  Learn to crochet in these informal drop-ins. For further information, please call 023 9237 7818 or email paulsgrove.library@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

2pm to 3pm at Southsea Library.  Kings Theatre talk:  Join Ron Hasker, Chairman of the Kings Theatre Trust, for a talk on the early history, restoration and future of this marvellous theatre.

Upcoming Free Event: The South Coast Business Show!

Well-being and Physical Health Open Day

Friday 17th May 2013

from

12:00 - 4:00pm

at

Friendship Centre, Elm Grove, Portsmouth, PO5  1JT

Pop in and see how you can maintain your Mental Health Wellbeing and Physical Health. 

Lots of free stalls and information as well as entertainment. Indian Dancing, Tai Chi, and others..

Free weight, BMI & Blood pressure checks. Take the stress test.

Buy refreshments. 

Find out about local activities and support available … and much more!

Organised by Community Development Workers team - contact 023 9275 5485 for more details

Healthwatch Portsmouth is looking for organisational board members - come along to our first interim board meeting.

Healthwatch Portsmouth is a new local body being created to help people get the best out of their local health and social care services. Whether it’s improving them today or helping shape them for tomorrow, Healthwatch is intended to act as the local watchdog; enabling a  community voice, influencing the design and delivery of local services where appropriate, providing challenge and enabling choice. It forms part of a number of changes introduced under last year's Health & Social Care Act and will take over some of the previous responsibilities of the Portsmouth Local Involvement Network (LINk).

We are currently recruiting the Healthwatch Portsmouth Interim Board and are seeking expressions of interest from relevant organisations who could serve as co-opted board members.