
Midtest Benefice
Rev'd Joe Sweetnam was inducted as Midtest Benefice Rector on Wednesday 6th November.
All church services will run as normal.
For any other information including baptisms, marriages and funerals contact the Administrator, Lois Opperman at midtestbenefice@gmail.com or your local Church Warden.
Palestinians on cars and carts begin returning to northern Gaza - often to scenes of utter destruction.
The deputy PM says she's "determined" to hit Labour's house-building target by the next election.
The family of Kevin Holding fear they may never find out why a pop-up urinal dropped on him.
The couple watched from the stands, cheering and clapping for the UK's team.
Teddy has collected the plastic confectionery tubs because he wants to help save the planet.
Stuart Machin says the sector is facing a wave of tax rises and the government needs to "lighten the burden".
Australian teacher Hannah Grundy was left to track down the man posting deepfake pornography of her.
Geraint John says some dates have made a sharp exit when he's told them he's been recently widowed.
A rising number of adults are buying toys - we hear from so-called "kidults" who are splashing out thousands.
A look at the conservative leader who broke a German taboo by accepting support from the AfD.
An analysis of those awarded the "higher" honours reveals a significant social and regional divide.
Following Storm Éowyn, householders who live off-grid share their tips for self-sufficiency.
Will Kendrick Lamar use his half-time show to beef with Drake and will Taylor Swift also get a ring?
Gwynne apologises for the "badly misjudged" messages and is suspended as a Labour party member.
The families also said the sentencing of the man who killed them should not have been televised as they wanted the girls to be remembered for their personalities.
The Drax facility, which burns wood pellets, is required to report where it sources its wood from.
Auctioneer Daniel Pearce found the book on a pile of items ready to be thrown away.
Conservative MP Alex Burghart tells the BBC that Reform UK "wants to destroy" his party.
Irish super-featherweight boxer John Cooney dies after suffering a brain injury in last Saturday's defeat by Welshman Nathan Howells in Belfast.
After being struck down by winter illness, the BBC's James Gallagher goes in search of ways to boost his immune system.
The project aims to boost numbers of threatened tracajás turtles in Amazonas state.
Images from our readers on the theme of "winter walks".
The outage is yet to be fully fixed meaning hospitals and other buildings are having to use generators.
The Japanese prime minister gets much needed reassurances that his country is still America's top ally.
The Microsoft co-founder says he enjoys giving away his fortune and it won't leave his kids poor.
Concerns were raised over the condition of freed Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners after the latest exchange.
Some people didn't expect it to last a year. Here's how the popular life simulator has stayed alive.
Top stories, breaking news, live reporting, and follow news topics that match your interests
Reports suggest a proposed US peace plan could be unveiled this week.
Musk says "it's now or never" for his revolution
Teddy has collected the plastic confectionery tubs because he wants to help save the planet.
Meat grown in factory vats from chicken cells goes on sale at a London pet store.
A story about Gemma Collins telling followers not to "stroke or feed" animals in the New Forest was among our most read this week.
The best images sent to us from Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Stubbington Study Centre opened in 1935 and more than 4,000 pupils visit each year.
Student recalls being onboard a research ship as it was hit by the largest waves ever recorded.
Oliver Moazzezi went into an anxiety attack when he first experienced ringing in his ears.
Test your knowledge of the week's news with our quiz from Hampshire, Berkshire, Dorset, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
Jack Wonfor spotted a sliver of the fossil poking out from a rock on the island's southerly tip.
BBC Radio Solent's Soapbox Appeal ran throughout January in Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Arlo, 17, was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour in October after suffering from migraines.
Staff at Penbridge Junior School say the knife was immediately confiscated by staff.
The campaign aims to highlight the impact of knife crime and teach the public emergency first aid.
Students explain their hopes for the UK's first Space Systems Degree Apprenticeship.
The best images sent to us from Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
A story about Gemma Collins telling followers not to "stroke or feed" animals in the New Forest was among our most read this week.
Test your knowledge of the week's news with our quiz from Hampshire, Berkshire, Dorset, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
BBC Radio Solent's Soapbox Appeal ran throughout January in Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Jack Wonfor spotted a sliver of the fossil poking out from a rock on the island's southerly tip.
Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has described both Giorgio Visioli and Taylor Bevan as "world class prospects".
Nottinghamshire sign Pakistan seam bowler Mohammad Abbas for part of the 2025 county season.
Marcus Edwards scores on his debut for Championship side Burnley to beat Premier League side Southampton in the FA Cup at St. Mary's Stadium.
BBC Sport takes a closer look at the loan market and how recalls can often trigger a chain reaction.
BBC Radio Solent's Andrew Moon on the positives and underlying questions that remain from Portsmouth's 2-1 defeat at Sheffield United.
Portsmouth manager John Mousinho tells BBC Radio Solent he was 'gutted' with the result but pleased with the performance away to Sheffield United.
Sunderland and Sheffield United have the chance to put pressure on the Championship leaders this weekend.
Eating disorder charity BEAT warns fitness tracking features can lead to obsessive tendencies.
The county where the author was born and died is gearing up for a year of celebrations and events.
A 1949 Ford Anglia is reunited with the family that first sold it 75 years ago.
1. How to develop a strategy. Developing a strategy is a process that involves thoughtful planning, analysis, and a clear path forward. Whether you're crafting a strategy for a business, launching a new product, or working toward personal goals, the core idea is the same: how do you achieve what you set out to do in the most effective and efficient way possible? READ MORE 2. Reasons to be cheerful in 2025. It’s good to remind ourselves now and again that, for all of today’s problems, many trends are still going right. Take infant mortality. For most of history, about half of all children died before the age of five. But in 2024, according to the UN, the global rate hit 3.6%, the smallest percentage since the dawn of humanity. The figures on extreme poverty - defined as having less than $2.15 per day, adjusted for inflation - are equally heartening. The share of the world’s people living in such a state has been plummeting and hit a new low in 2024 of about 8.5%. Then there’s literacy rates. Until the mid-1960s, most of the human race was illiterate. Now, we’re approaching 90% literacy worldwide. Yes, the world is a mess, but despite all our challenges, there has still been no better time to be alive. Editor 3. Population to hit 72.5m by 2032. Net migration is expected to add almost 5 million more people to the population over the course of a decade, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The projection suggests that almost 10 million people will arrive in the UK between 2022 and 2032, while about five million will leave, bringing net migration to 4.9 million. The natural change, which is the difference between births and deaths, is forecast to be close to zero. Last year deaths exceeded births for the first time in decades due to declining birth rates. The ONS predicts that in the years ahead this trend will accelerate significantly. BBC 4. Shoplifting reaches new record. There were 20m incidents of shoplifting reported in the UK last year, responsible for a record £2.2bn in losses. Attacks on retail workers tripled in four years to 2,000 a day, while organised crime has driven the rise in theft with criminals reportedly stealing high-value goods to order. Businesses spent £1.8bn on security measures in 2024, including CCTV, body cameras, trolley-stopping tech and security tags on items like butter and steak. To tackle the problem, policymakers have pledged to scrap the £200 low-level theft threshold and impose tougher penalties for retail crimes. British Retail Consortium 5. Record number of families fined over term-time holidays. Parents must ensure their children are in school or face the consequences, the education secretary has warned after record numbers of families in England were hit by fines for unauthorised holidays. In the last school year more than 443,000 fines were issued to parents taking their children out of school during term time to go on holiday, a 53% increase since before the Covid pandemic, when parents seemed to become more relaxed about attendance. In 2018-19 - the last full year before the pandemic closed schools to most children - just 288,000 penalty notices were issued by local authorities. What do you think about the increase in fines for term-time holidays? Please share your thoughts in our latest poll: VOTE HERE |
6. Royal Mail should cut second-class delivery days. Royal Mail is set to be allowed to deliver second-class letters on alternate weekdays and to stop Saturday deliveries under proposals to shake up postal service rules announced by the industry regulator. Ofcom said cutting the deliveries to every other weekday with a price cap on second-class stamps, while maintaining first-class letters six days a week, would still meet the public’s needs. Its provisional recommendations also included cutting delivery targets for first-class mail from 93% to 90% arriving the next day, and for second-class mail from 98.5% to 95% within three days. Ofcom’s consultation on the proposed changes will run until 10 April, and it expects to publish its decision in the summer. London Evening Standard 7. Exercise may reduce risk of dementia. A study suggests that staying active can help prevent dementia by preserving brain volume in areas linked to thinking and memory. It found that lifelong exercise reduced cognitive decline, even in those with early Alzheimer’s markers like amyloid build-up. Researchers analysed data from 468 people in their 70s from the Insight 46 study, which tracked individuals born in 1946. They looked at physical activity levels - walking, swimming, and sports - over three decades, and found that those who exercised regularly had better cognitive function at 70. The effects were particularly strong in women. The Times 8. Surge in gender dysphoria diagnosis. The number of under-18s with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria has risen 50-fold in England over ten years, a study of GP records has found. Based on data from 20% of GP practices, researchers at the University of York estimate the prevalence of such diagnoses increased from one in 60,000 in 2011 (equating to 192 people nationwide) to about one in 1,200 in 2021 (10,291). Among 17-to 18-year-olds, it was one in 238 by 2021. From 2015, there was a sharp rise in the number of children registered female being diagnosed with the condition; by 2021, they outnumbered those recorded male by about two to one. The Telegraph 9. Heat-related deaths could rise 50%. Temperature-related deaths in Europe could increase by 50% by 2100 because of changing temperatures, research has found. Between 8,000 and 80,000 more people could die a year, depending on how much temperatures change. The biggest increase will be in southern Europe because of heat waves, followed by central Europe. A slight drop in deaths was projected for northern Europe. The number of people who will die in Europe because of high temperatures is projected to outnumber those saved from milder cold weather. The Guardian 10. The bottom line. 58% of British millennials support the return of the death penalty; 27% are against, according to a More in Common poll taken after the sentencing of the Southport killer. Among all British adults, 55% support capital punishment, up from 50% in the autumn. In a separate poll by Craft, 52% of UK Gen-Zers (aged 13 to 27) agreed that the country would be a better place if a strong leader was in charge who does not have to bother with Parliament and elections. Daily Mail |