Free Christmas entertainment for all throughout December
Get ready for some free festive fun!
Every Saturday in December before Christmas, the council is putting on free entertainment in the High Street (Lawrence Square) for the whole family.
The first one took place last Saturday (7 December) despite the weather, and this coming Saturday and the next (14 and 21 December), there's free go-karting and activities from the Craft Bus (both 10am-3pm), plus Twinkles face painting from 11am-3pm in Gosport Museum.
On top of that, each Saturday has its own unique line up of activities planned.
Saturday 14 December - meet the friendly Christmas Nutcracker, watch dinosaurs prowl and enjoy carols from Gosport Waterfront Baptist Church Choir.
Saturday 21 December - the popular giant snow globe returns for those great Christmas photos, plus entertainment including the gentle polar bear and snow queen, as well as more Christmas carols.
Come and do some Christmas shopping at the same time and support local businesses!
While we hope to run all of the events, things like bad weather or high wind might mean not all of the planned activities are able to run.
 Building work on 15 new council homes across the borough is well underway.
Over the past few months, construction teams have completed the foundations and brickwork up to the first floor on most properties, with works on the roofs due in the new year.
The homes are due to be finished in summer 2025. Seven new houses will be available at Stoners Close (a mix of four and three-bedroom), three at Glebe Drive (all two-bedroom), and five at Wheeler Close (a mix of two and one-bedroom).
Pictured are Council Leader Cllr Peter Chegwyn and Cllr Sue Ballard, Chair of the Housing Board, visiting the Stoners Close site this week.
And the council has just completed the purchase of a further property in Bury Road, which will provide six more units of accommodation for housing services.
More much-needed affordable housing is progressing under plans to convert the old Blakes Maternity Home building.
The council has agreed to sell the land and building at Ham Lane to Vivid Homes. Vivid plans to convert what are currently empty bedsits into seven new affordable homes, for rental at social rates for local families on the council housing list.
Gosport charities, a scout group and the country's only pop-up military museum are among the latest to benefit from council grants.
The Military Heritage Museum has been awarded £7,500 help it continue to travel around the country displaying military artefacts from as long ago as Ancient Greece, while promoting Gosport and its rich heritage.
The D-Day Fellowship was also awarded £5,000 to create a new D-Day memorial at Stokes Bay, adding to existing war memorials.
At the grants sub-board meeting, the council also awarded Lee on the Solent Scout Group £5,000 to build new toilets in the building it and other groups use.
The council also hands out grants to support popular events, and £5,500 was awarded towards the Gosport Marine Festival, and £3,000 to support Gosport Rotary Club's annual Michaelmas Fair.
Further grants included awards to The Repair Café, Y Services and the Lee Hub Independent Community Library.
Hoarding is going up this month in anticipation of work beginning on demolishing the 52-year old Gosport bus station.
The building, which was no longer fit for purpose, has been replaced by a modern and bright transport interchange by Hampshire County Council.
Demolition of the old building will begin in early 2025 and the site levelled and cleared. The council worked with the previous tenants of the building to help them relocate and find other suitable premises in the borough.
The site will then be redeveloped into a new, high quality 'People's Park' public space featuring food and drink vendors - creating a welcoming gateway for residents and visitors to the town centre.
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We'll collect your Christmas tree for free
We will be collecting and recycling natural Christmas trees free of charge from Monday 13 January to Friday 24 January. Make sure you leave your tree at the front of your property, clearly visible.
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Most households will have the same waste and recycling collection days over the festive period. The only changes are for those whose collection day fall on 25, 26 and 27 December and 1, 2, and 3 January, when collection will take place on the day after your usual date, as below:
Normal bin collection day
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Christmas period collection times
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25/12/2024 (Black bin)
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26/12/2024
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26/12/2024 (Black bin)
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27/12/2024
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27/12/2024 (Black bin)
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28/12/2024
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30/12/2024
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As normal
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31/12/2024
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As normal
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01/01/2025 (Green bin)
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02/01/2025
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02/01/2025 (Green bin)
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03/01/2025
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03/01/2025 (Green bin)
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04/01/2025
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A new competition aims to find "Gosport's Best Independent Business", as voted for by the public.
Celebrate your favourite local independent business over the past year by nominating them as Gosport's Best Independent Business. Whether it's a local coffee shop, hairdressers or market stall, all small businesses are eligible.
The top prize is a business-boosting bundle and a 1-2-1 marketing support package including bespoke video content. The winner and runners-up will also be invited to a celebration event with the Mayor of Gosport at the Town Hall in January.
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