SouthseaScene

Black History Month/National Libraries Week Reading Group discussion Lemn Sissay's My name is why is a powerful memoir that details Lemn's childhood in care and how he found out the identity of his birth mother. Featuring Lemn's captivating poetry, we invite everyone to participate in this Black History Month and National Libraries Week reading group special discussion. The discussion will be led by a member of the library team on Tuesday 6 October, 6:30pm. To register for the event, email askalibrarian@portsmouthcc.gov.uk to obtain your Zoom access link. Everyone welcome. Free event. Suitable for ages 16+.  The book is available to download free in eBook or eAudiobook format from our Borrowbox service with your library card.

A new illustrated children's book - 'Gustav the Brave' is swooping into land at The D-Day Story in time for BookFest 2020. There are a limited number of pre-bookable spaces - free with a valid entry ticket for The D-Day Story - for the launch of the new Gustav the Brave book on 21 February at 2pm at The D-Day Story. Book via: www.portsmouthbookfest.co.uk for a full programme of events. 'Gustav the Brave' is the story of a local, feathered D-Day hero - who won a Dickin Medal for his achievements.  He was the homing pigeon who bought back news of the D-Day landings in June 1944. Gustav's story has been brought to life by poet Steve Tasane along with a group of young Portsmouth writers. The launch will include a display of 'pigeons in war' memorabilia, craft activities for children and displays featuring items relating to Gustav and the Portsmouth man who owned him. There'll also be the first public reading of the story by writer and perform...

Portsmouth's annual fireworks display at King George V playing fields will take place on Wednesday 6 November. The children's funfair opens at 4pm and the bonfire will be lit at 7pm. The fireworks display will start at 7:30pm following the countdown from Deputy Lord Mayor of Portsmouth. This year's display has been supplied by Pains Fireworks and there's also stalls selling hot food & refreshments. Cllr Steve Pitt, Portsmouth City Council's Cabinet Member for Culture and City Development said: "The fireworks display is always popular and attracts lots of people from across the city so get there early to enjoy the spectacular display." Visitors are asked not to bring their own fireworks or sparklers to the display for health and safety reasons. Travel: Car parking will be available at Lakeside for £2 which will be donated to the Rotary Clubs of Southsea Castle, Portsmouth and Southsea and Rotaract. Please avoid crossing Western Road which is a h...

The Guildhall is hosting a free event to celebrate the cultural and creative industries in the city on Thursday 31 January from 8:30am-1pm at Guildhall Studio, Portsmouth Guildhall. At the event, Cllr Steve Pitt,Cabinet Member for Culture Leisure and Sport at Portsmouth City Council, will talk about the importance of cultural and creative industries for the region's economic growth while Professor Trevor Keeble from the Faculty of Culture and Creative Industries at the University of Portsmouth will talk about employment and enterprise in the UK Creative Industries and in Portsmouth. There will also be key note speakers from successful international creative film, design and music industries who will be sharing their experiences, discussing future challenges and how we shape future growth in the city. Cllr Steve Pitt said: "There's a huge amount of creativity in the city and many cultural and creative industries to celebrate including literature, film and music, art, ...

LCT 7074 to be focal point of The National Museum of the Royal Navy’s affiliate Portsmouth’s D-Day Museum thanks to £4.7m from The National Lottery For the first time ever an original Landing Craft Tank (LCT) will be on display at the D-Day Museum in Portsmouth. This has been made possible thanks to an investment of nearly £5m from The National Lottery and has been planned to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the landings in two years’ time. The D-Day Museum is an affiliate of The National Museum of the Royal Navy which is managing the project. Due to reopen in 2018 following a complete refurbishment, the D-Day Museum offers a much more in-depth narrative on the events that took place in ‘Operation Overlord’ on 6 June 1944 and looks specifically at the Royal Navy and how its crews coped on that day. Over 800 LCTs with the capacity to carry 10 tanks or equivalent armoured vehicles were involved in ‘Operation Neptune’, the naval element of ‘Overlord’. The largest amphi...

I was in the Thai food shop on Albert Road one day when this lady asked the shopkeeper whether she has any packet spice for nasi goreng. The shopkeeper and her mother broke out into a conference in Thai, the upshot being that they had no idea what nasi goreng was. Nasi goreng is not a Thai dish and that was partly why the shopkeeper had no idea. It is an Indonesian dish and it is so easy to make that I wanted to teach the lady there and then how to cook it. A few weeks have passed by and I'm still thinking about this poor woman looking for the nasi goreng. Here's the recipe and if you heard of anyone mentioning this recipe, point her or him to this blog! Nasi Goreng (Indonesian for fried rice) A bowl of cooked rice 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup 1 tablespoon soy sauce a handful of peas, fresh, frozen or tinned some diced carrots some sliced shallots 1 clove of garlic, chopped an egg 2 tablespoons vegetable oil If you have a wok, it's great, if not a wide ...