Jasmine Kelly

Year 11 students at Bishop Challoner Catholic School in Basingstoke celebrated strong GCSE results, with 40% of grades falling between 7 and 9 and an average grade of 6. Headteacher John Wright attributed the performance to students, teachers and supportive parents. Anastasia Clarke, Ansteena Alias and Maia Booth achieved particularly high grades, while several students planned to continue their studies at Peter Symonds College in subjects including mathematics, sciences, languages and humanities.

A first-person review of the final day of Boomtown Festival follows a backstage tour of the green hydrogen-powered Hydro XL stage, a performance by Nimino, the festival newspaper and an interactive post office activity. The reviewer reflects on Boomtown’s elaborate storytelling, quests and hidden spaces before seeing Scissor Sisters, Zack Polanski and Skrillex. Skrillex’s set was paused for about 15 minutes over crowd-crushing concerns, prompting the reviewer to leave and watch the end of Faithless instead. The festival concluded with a special-effects ceremony, followed by the early-morning tradition of attendees making drum-and-bass sounds in the Hidden Woods.

Jasmine Kelly details what she ate and drank during a typical day at Boomtown Festival at the Matterley Estate. Her purchases included a £4.50 iced Americano, a £7.50 smoothie and nectarine, £9 pomodoro pasta, a £13.50 chicken shawarma wrap and a £6.75 pint, bringing her total food and drink spending to £42.25. She notes that Boomtown’s wristband-based QR payment system can make spending harder to track, while bringing in permitted cans of beer offers a way to reduce costs.

Boomtown Festival organisers began clearing the Matterley Estate after thousands of attendees left following the five-day event. Although most litter near the main stages had been removed early on August 17, overflowing bins, cans and packaging remained across parts of the site. The festival’s leave-no-trace policy, £20 eco-bond recycling scheme and reported 89 per cent tent take-home rate are intended to reduce waste, alongside sustainability initiatives such as the hydrogen-powered Hydro XL stage.

Boomtown Festival’s Chapter Five: Radical Redesign concluded at the Matterley Estate near Winchester with a coordinated closing ceremony on the Lion’s Den and Hydro XL stages. The event featured video, pyrotechnics, flames, music and dancers, following headline performances including Faithless. Organisers also announced the theme for next year, Chapter Six: Wild Style, while the ceremony marked the return of the Lion’s Den stage after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski made an unannounced appearance at Boomtown Festival in Winchester alongside Crystal before the Scissor Sisters’ performance. He praised festivalgoers for creating a temporary city of culture and promoted the Take the Jump campaign, which encourages six lifestyle changes to protect nature and combat climate change. Polanski also called for rent control, higher taxes on the wealthy, an end to war and a free Palestine, urging attendees to carry Boomtown’s community spirit into their everyday lives.

Boomtown Festival’s 20,000-capacity Hydro XL stage is being powered entirely by GeoPura hydrogen fuel-cell generators and self-charging Hydrogen Power Unit batteries, replacing diesel generators. The system produces water as its only by-product and follows a smaller trial at the festival’s Hydro stage the previous year. GeoPura describes the deployment as a flagship project and has also supplied power for television productions and other major events.

A first-person review of the fourth day of Boomtown Festival describes the event as welcoming, inclusive and highly creative, highlighting dedicated LGBTQIA+ spaces and a judgment-free atmosphere. The writer praises Shaggy’s energetic performance at the Lion’s Den, especially “It Wasn’t Me,” and enjoys Scooter’s techno set, which featured dancers, pyrotechnics and colorful lights. The day also included exploring festival areas, food and drinks, late-night raves, and the festival’s theatrical surroundings.

Boomtown organisers warned festival-goers that dry conditions at the Matterley Estate near Winchester were creating heavy dust clouds around roads, walkways and busy areas. Attendees were advised to bring face coverings, wear sunglasses, carry necessary medication and keep inhalers readily available. Organisers said teams were working to manage the conditions as the music and arts festival continued.

Irish rap group Kneecap used its headline performance at Boomtown Festival in Winchester to lead chants of “Freedom” and “Free Palestine.” Frontman Mo Chara reaffirmed the group’s support for Palestinians, criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the British government, and referred to legal actions against the band that he said Kneecap had defeated. The performance also featured political messages accusing the British government of arming genocide and criticizing Kemi Badenoch. Kneecap urged the crowd not to escalate the protest, while the article notes the group’s earlier pro-Palestinian statements at Glastonbury and the BBC’s decision not to broadcast that performance live.

Two vehicles caught fire in the Eastrop Park car park on Eastrop Way, Basingstoke. Fire crews extinguished the blaze using hose reel jets, with one car completely destroyed and the other approximately 50% damaged. Police cordoned off the area, and the scene was later left with the vehicle owners and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has received applications covering a major mixed-use development of up to 2,160 homes at Murrell Green, a farm equipment building in Dummer, home extensions and loft conversions, tree and boundary works, and the conversion of a former public convenience in Basingstoke into a café. The article lists the locations and reference numbers for the latest applications.

The gates outside the 24th Basingstoke West Scouts hut on Margaret Road were stolen during an early-morning incident on July 31. The group has provided CCTV footage to police and is asking residents to share relevant camera or dashcam footage without making public accusations. Hampshire Constabulary is seeking information under crime reference number 44260368223.

Planning permission has been granted to convert a two-bedroom house at 34 Wiltshire Crescent in Worting, Basingstoke, into a children’s care home for one child aged eight to 16. The child would receive full-time support from care staff and may have emotional or behavioural difficulties, learning disabilities, or social, emotional and mental health needs. One room will serve as a staff office and overnight sleep-in space, while the rest of the property will operate like a normal family home. Planners concluded that the use would remain residential, would resemble a family household, and would not harm the area’s character or visual amenity.

Basingstoke and Deane councillors voted 35–4, with five abstentions, to investigate raising the Biodiversity Net Gain requirement for some new developments from the national 10% minimum to as much as 20%. The motion does not immediately change policy; council officers must first prepare ecological, viability and planning evidence for the emerging Local Plan. Supporters said the proposal would advance the council’s climate and ecological commitments, while councillors raised concerns about housing pressures, future national planning rules, water supply and river health. The council will also lobby the government to preserve local authorities’ ability to set higher biodiversity targets.

The Fox & Goose, a popular 16th-century village pub in Greywell near Odiham, will close after serving its final pint on Wednesday, July 28. Owners Chris and Phil said the pub had been both their home and a major part of their lives, thanked staff and customers for their support, and suggested they may open another pub in the future. Hart District Council designated the pub a community asset in September 2014.

Pam Holton, who served as a Basingstoke town chaplain for more than 12 years, has died after an illness. She was remembered for supporting shop workers, people in the streets and those attending the magistrates’ court, where her compassion and conversations helped people facing difficult circumstances. Tributes highlighted her lasting impact, including one woman who credited Pam’s kindness with helping her move away from drug use, volunteer and seek employment.

Basingstoke dancer Gabriela Jakubowska and her partner, Reigate’s Austin Street, won the UK Junior 10 Dance Championship at the 50th Bournemouth Summer Dance Festival. The pair, coached by Sarka and Neil Brock at Strictly School Dancing Ltd, competed across 10 ballroom and Latin dances, with their success attributed to their talent, dedication and the support of their coaches and families.

Hannah Sinclair, 28, is running a half-marathon on October 11 to raise money for Alzheimer’s Research UK after her mother was diagnosed at 55 with frontotemporal dementia. Her mother experienced worsening communication, memory and independence, and now receives 24-hour live-in care at home. Sinclair is sharing her family’s experience publicly to help others recognize early symptoms and is seeking donations through her fundraising page.

Adrian Poole, a startup and scaleup director from Hook, is approaching the final stage of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race after nearly a year at sea. The 950-nautical-mile closing leg runs from Oban down the UK’s west coast to Portsmouth, where the 40,000-nautical-mile race will conclude. Poole described the experience as challenging and rewarding, while crews have endured extreme heat, cold, winds, calms and enormous waves. Eleven people from Hampshire took part in this edition, and applications are open for the next race, scheduled to begin from the UK in summer 2027.

A partially renovated two-bedroom terraced cottage at 3 Portland Place in North Waltham sold for £240,000 through an online auction conducted by Clive Emson Auctioneers. The auction included 168 land and property lots across England. A one-bedroom flat at 32 Wella House in Basingstoke remains available for £80,000, while Clive Emson’s next auction is scheduled to conclude on September 24.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council is offering a free August Adventures programme for children aged three to 13 and their families as part of the Love Basingstoke event. Activities include DJ and drumming workshops, mini-golf, disc golf, fencing, skateboarding, crafts, LEGO challenges, games and a live show by Junk Jodie. Events will run from 11am to 3pm at five parks and public spaces in Basingstoke, Penwood and Tadley, with no booking required; children can collect stickers for an adventure passport.

Basingstoke’s Exit 6 Film Festival has received accreditation from BAFTA, recognising its status as a leading short-film festival. The event, held at Vue Cinema in September, will screen 41 films and include filmmaker Q&As, networking and an awards party, while a separate Industry Day will support people pursuing film careers. Festival director Mark Brennan and council leader Paul Harvey welcomed the achievement, which adds to Exit 6’s existing BIFA accreditation and its contribution to Basingstoke’s arts and culture sector.

Dashwood Manor Care Home in Basingstoke hosted a garden party for local veterans in partnership with the Basingstoke Veterans Hub and The Not Forgotten Association. Guests enjoyed afternoon tea and entertainment, with Chelsea Pensioners attending through their outreach project. Speakers emphasized the importance of belonging and social connection after military service. The care home aims to make the gathering the first of a series and is working toward the Veteran Friendly Framework, while the veterans hub is opening a drop-in service offering employment support, welfare signposting and advice.

Basingstoke councillors backed a motion intended to reassure Buckskin and South Ham residents concerned about losing their homes through regeneration. Supported by 38 councillors, with six abstentions and 10 not voting, the motion calls for residents to receive financially and emotionally equivalent housing, for compulsory purchase orders to be used only as an absolute last resort, and for the UK Government to strengthen legal protections. Councillors emphasized that regeneration should be carried out with residents rather than imposed on them, while noting that the council must clarify the limits of its legal powers.

The Care Quality Commission rated Basingstoke Dialysis Unit at the Ringway Centre good overall after a June 10, 2026 inspection, with good ratings for safety, effectiveness, caring and responsiveness. However, its well-led rating requires improvement because risks were not consistently mitigated, medicines and records were sometimes stored unsafely, and governance systems did not reliably embed learning or sustain improvements in treatment times and attendance. Patients generally praised staff as kind and respectful, and 91% reported being satisfied or very satisfied with their care.

A new four‑way junction on Roman Road has opened, marking a key milestone in the Manydown development in Basingstoke. The junction improves access and safety with traffic lights and a shared pedestrian and cycle crossing. Speed limits on Roman Road and Roman Way have been reduced to 30mph, responding to local concerns. Work now shifts to landscaping and green space creation as the first phase aims to deliver about 1,200 homes, a primary school and extensive public open space. Some footpaths have been temporarily rerouted for safety while construction continues, and the project is being delivered in partnership with local councils.

Driver Dean Grimes and co-driver Martin Corbett prepare to compete in the Tour of Epynt rally in Wales, returning after Grimes’ recovery from spinal surgery. Seeded 28th among 102 crews, they aim for a clean run and improved result in their Ford Fiesta Rally2 while acknowledging strong competition and thanking their sponsors.

Bob Mortimer visited The Village Butchers in Kingsclere to film season 10 of Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, interacting warmly with owners Alex and Becky Fenton and local shoppers during the shoot. The BBC crew was described as polite and friendly, and the visit was well received by the community.

Festival Place will host a free family event on July 25 featuring author Amelia Tait discussing her children’s book, a cooking demonstration by Holly Dorman, and a Toy Swap Shop offering sustainable toy exchanges. Activities include talks, giveaways, book signings, and a raffle for a £100 gift card, with early arrival recommended for popular sessions.

Recent death notices list the passing of David Beazley, Margaret Evelyn Saltmarsh, and Donald Anthony Priest, with brief details provided and links to full notices, along with information on how readers can view or place additional notices.

A wildfire on Bidden Road in North Warnborough damaged roughly 1.5 hectares of crops before firefighters from several stations extinguished the blaze shortly before 2pm.

Students at Eggar’s School celebrated their Year 11 prom with an evening of dancing, photos and festivities at Audleys Wood Hotel. The school praised the Class of 2026 for their achievements and shared messages of pride and encouragement ahead of Results Day. Photographs from the event will appear in a special supplement of the Basingstoke Gazette.

Apex Training Centre in Basingstoke marked its first year, having trained nearly 100 people for careers in solar installation and green energy. Local MP Luke Murphy praised the centre’s role in developing skills for the clean economy, while graduates highlighted improved career prospects. Operated by The Verdancy Group under Fedcap, the centre has expanded its offerings and opened a second site in Scotland. Partnerships with employers and the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce support job placement and skills development. The centre continues to offer multiple accredited courses in solar PV, EV charging, and energy storage systems.

Students from Robert May’s School celebrated the end of their GCSEs with a prom at the De Vere Wokefield Estate, arriving in a variety of vehicles and spending the evening dancing and taking photos. The school highlighted students’ hard work and wished the Class of 2026 well as they move on to further education or employment. Photographs from the event will appear in a special supplement in the Basingstoke Gazette.

Year 11 students from Cranbourne School celebrated their prom at Sherfield Oaks with a buffet, photo booth and dancing despite hot weather. Staff joined in the festivities, and the school shared well‑wishes ahead of Results Day. Photographers documented the event, with top photos to be featured in an upcoming Basingstoke Gazette supplement.

A person was airlifted to University Hospital Southampton after a crash near Mortimer Common, where a critical care team treated the patient on scene. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance and police responded to the incident near the junction of Church Road and Chapel Road/West End Road.

Emergency services responded late at night to concerns for a man's welfare in Basingstoke. Police engaged with him and ensured he was taken to the hospital, while firefighters assisted with gaining access to the property before leaving the scene to police oversight.

Fire crews from several Hampshire stations extinguished a one‑hectare gorse wildfire on Eversley Common after being called early in the morning. Firefighters returned to stations late morning and scheduled reinspections to ensure no remaining embers. The fire service urged the public to help prevent future wildfires by disposing of cigarettes properly and avoiding littering or using disposable barbecues.

Basingstoke World Party 2026 brought multicultural performances, food, parades and family activities to Eastrop Park. Organised by the Basingstoke Multicultural Forum, the event featured more than 20 performers and stalls offering international cuisine. Local MP Luke Murphy and Cllr Arun Mummalaneni praised the celebration for promoting community cohesion and cultural diversity.

Police arrested a 31-year-old man in Farnborough after he fled from officers responding to suspicious activity and allegedly assaulted an officer. A search uncovered suspected Class A drugs and cash both at the scene and later in custody. All items were seized, and the man remains in custody on suspicion of drug supply offences and assaulting an emergency worker.

Students from The Hurst School celebrated the end of exams with a prom at Ufton Court, arriving in a range of vehicles including a tractor, motorbikes, a horse‑drawn carriage and a yellow supercar. Families and friends gathered to watch the arrivals, and a selection of photos will be featured in a forthcoming Basingstoke Gazette supplement.

A Basingstoke family is advocating for more research into Alpers’ syndrome after losing their daughter Keira to the rare and fatal mitochondrial disease at age five. New research funded by Action Medical Research at Newcastle University is examining safer seizure medications and compounds that could slow disease progression. Researchers aim to identify treatments that improve safety and effectiveness using patient-derived cell models. The family continues supporting research efforts in hopes of enabling earlier diagnosis and better treatments for affected children.

A man in his 30s died unexpectedly at a Beggarwood address, prompting a major response from ambulances, a critical care team and police. Authorities said the death is being treated as unexpected and a file will be prepared for the coroner, with next of kin notified.

Recent death notices share announcements of the passing of several local residents from Basingstoke, offering brief tributes and directing readers to full notices for more information. The notices highlight the lives and loved ones of Eric Charles Steves, Peter Charles Hibberd, Marilyn Nicholls, David Payne, and Ann White, with condolences invited through their individual tribute pages.

Police responding to reports of two men threatening each other at an address in Western Way found a blank‑firing pistol, an air rifle and ammunition. A 53‑year‑old man was arrested on suspicion of possessing an imitation firearm and ammunition without a certificate and later released on bail as the investigation continues.

A visit to Farnborough’s Aviator Hotel highlights its aviation-inspired design, friendly service and creative summer tasting menu. Dishes prepared by head chef Dan Greene receive strong praise, particularly the sole and the blackcurrant soufflé. The atmosphere, runway views and overall dining experience are described enthusiastically, with the hotel recommended for both meals and evening drinks.

The Food Standards Agency inspected the Basingstoke Marketplace McDonald's after a mother reported finding hairs in two chicken nuggets purchased for her son. Management initially denied the possibility, but the customer later observed a worker without proper head covering. Environmental health officers found staff compliant with hairnet policies during a subsequent visit and will continue monitoring. McDonald's apologized and emphasized its hygiene standards while reminding staff of correct procedures.

A Kingsclere‑based charity, Living Paintings, will be featured on the BBC Radio 4 Appeal, where David Hall will describe how the organisation’s audio‑tactile books have helped his visually impaired son. Chief executive Camilla Oldland emphasises the importance of accessible storytelling for all children. Donations from the appeal will support the charity’s free postal library service, development of new titles and expanded outreach to families across the UK.

A nine-year-old boy from Hook, Luca Di Mambro, set a new Kids World Records mark with a 2.10‑metre standing long jump in the boys’ 7–9 category. His mother, Lucinda, who coaches him, highlighted his dedication and growth in athletics. Luca has also achieved success in other events and hopes to inspire other children through his progress.

A planning application has been submitted to install an 11‑metre outdoor swimming pool and a small plant room at Lance Levy Farm, a property within the curtilage of a listed barn near Sherfield‑on‑Loddon. The proposal outlines a prefabricated pool set into the garden with freestanding equipment and no alterations to existing listed structures. Supporting documents argue that the pool would have minimal impact on the historic setting and that listed building consent is unnecessary, though planning permission is required due to the site designation. Readers can access further details through application reference 26/00908/HSE on the Basingstoke and Deane Planning Portal.

Marks & Spencer will close its Fleet Simply Food store in August and is working to redeploy 22 affected staff to nearby branches, though final numbers are not confirmed. Regional manager Andy Frith said the decision was driven by poor store performance and the branch’s limited size, while the company continues to seek a larger site in Fleet. MP Alex Brewer criticised the closure as prioritising profit over community impact. The company framed the move as part of a nationwide store rotation strategy aimed at optimising locations and space.

A Tadley resident is contesting national standards that require removal of his decades‑old fire‑treated decking attached to his mobile home. After initially being told it could remain under a grandfather clause, the council instructed its removal due to required separation distances between mobile homes and nearby woodland. The council cites fire‑safety regulations, while the resident argues the structure is safe and previously permitted.