Bike Recycling in Portsmouth

The PCC Healthy Towns team needs help with the bicycle recycling project as they have recently been overwhelmed with redundant bicycles. They are currently seeking volunteers to help rescue bikes that are serviceable and dismantle the rest for spare parts.

If you can help, please contact Jerome Kilty on 023 9283 4684 or Jayne Rodgers on 023 9283 4590.

The sessions will take place at Southsea Fire Station, Somers Road, Southsea on Thursday 26 November, Friday 27 November, Thursday 3 December and Friday 4 December.

Tristan photo

Analogue Soul Steal

Gorm Ashurst is photographer from London who was a long time resident of Southsea and still comes back to visit all the time with his camera. Gorm just published a book of his film photography called Analogue Soul Steal featuring photos from loads of his travels including some from Southsea. You can see some example pages from the book and buy it online here and be sure to check Gorm’s Flickr too.

The Plans

The Plans are a pretty new, local band from Portsmouth/Southsea and have just finished recording their first EP, Day By Day. The band have a new MySpace with a couple of songs from the EP, be sure to have a listen over at www.myspace.com/wearetheplans.

The band will be offering the recordings with a limited edition poster of the artwork to the first 200 people that make it along to their next few gigs, which are detailed on their MySpace page.

Eugene Noble

Eugene recently sent me his flickr link. Love this shot of his friend in 2004 dropping in on the University House Banks on Winston Churchill Avenue. It has a real late 80s, early 90s feel about it. Long sleeve under a tee, fingerless skate gloves, rolling in the Autumn, and despite being shot in digital it has a real 35mm film feel to it. I have a feeling they are digital photos of prints. Still, looks pretty cool.

Created Local – Carl Partridge

Portsmouth’s Carl Partridge is a local artist and photographer currently studying MA Communication Design up in that there London at Central St Martins. As well as all the awesome artwork on his website we particularly liked his Lomo Diana photos from round Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. Be sure to look through the good work over at www.carlpartridge.co.uk.

The Flaming Lips at The Guildhall

By the sounds of it The Flaming Lips lifted the Guildhall clean off its foundations the other day. Local music website mINtSouth has a review of the show and some photos too. mINtSouth is full of reviews and photos from loads of bands and shows from all over the south coast, have a good flick through.

The photo below is by Rob Ball, check Rob’s collection of photos from the Flaming Lips show (plus loads of other bands) over on his Flickr.

Hearts of Oak – Pet Sounds – Circle Square Triangle

No mirrors and smoke with Hearts of Oak. Get yourself down to EQ for LIVE music by the awesome Hearts of Oak and support from Hall of Mirrors and The Scandal and a special experimental Hip Hop set from The Weir all surround by the usual Pet Sounds mob. Lovely stuff. TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW

Once the bands have finished, downstairs will open, offering you the filthiest dance music/electro/indie your ears will be able to manage. Involved? Of course you are…

Creative Design Space for Rent

Daniel from Creative Design Space has office space available to share with 2 creatives. Situated opposite the Student Union Dan’s space can provide a desk, chair and lamp, coffee machine, with coffee, internet access and a seating area. Everything you could need to get out of the house and have somewhere to call work. All for £65 a week. Looks like a pretty sweet setup too.

Interested? Email Daniel at daniel@creativedesignspace.co.uk or drop him a line on 07765 684552.

Inside the Memorial

Due to possible damage due to the storm and the high winds it was possible to access the inside of the war memorial down on Southsea seafront the other day. I always though it was a solid structure but it turns out it is hollow with sunken foundations and access to the top. From the plaque inside, it looks like the ladder is for maintenance if there is a lightning strike (the top of the memorial has a huge copper globe).

No disrespect was meant by taking a very brief look inside, just architectural curiosity and finding out something not commonly known about a Southsea landmark.

Local Photographer – Paul Gordon

Local photographer Paul Gordon has spent a lot of time hanging out and photographing the local skaters over the summer, both in the skatepark and out and about. The photos from the summer are now up in galleries on Paul’s website www.questx.eu. As well as the skating photos there are also loads of other galleries too including sport, portraiture, landscape, etc. Have a flick through.

The 2nd Strong Island Ale – Dry Dock No. 1

As you may know each year we run a home brew competition in February where the winning brew has the opportunity to be brewed by Irving & Co Brewing Co. and sold around the city in the summer. Last year’s brew, the Strong Island Hopper Ale, was hugely successful being one of Inving’s best selling ales and selling out so quickly it went through a second brew run. This year’s winning ale is Dry Dock No. 1, originally brewed by Lee Immins, went on sale in some of Portsmouth and Southsea’s pubs over the weekend.

We spoke to The Hole in The Wall in Southsea who said the new ale went down a storm with it being their best seller on Sunday and with almost two barrels empty by the end of the Bank Holiday weekend. Those guys at the Hole in The Wall and their regular ale drinkers know their stuff so for us this was amazing early news with the ale.

To officially launch Dry Dock No. 1 we are having a launch party with the lovely souls at The Belle Isle on Thursday evening. The ale will be on full flow, come down and try a pint or two. As well as being on sale all around the city the ale will also be available in Chichester’s Belle Isle too, so you can drink it away from home for the first time too.

The Isle Of Wight Randonnee 2012 – Team Strong Island

Just over a year ago, a group of Strong Islanders were sat on the Isle of Wight ferry on our way to the yearly Randonnee cycling event; 60 miles around the island spread across 5 checkpoints. Whilst on the crossing we couldn’t help but admire various enthusiasts and their custom team jerseys. Fast forward a year and it is my great pleasure to unveil the Strong Island cycling jersey. Made as a one off for the event, the jersey is our way of representing this city and all the values that come with it. Thanks to the combined designing efforts of Chris Ballingall and Tristan Savage, we were able to produce this clean, retro looking jersey that 11 of Southsea’s finest could wear to conquer the island’s endless hills. Well done chaps.