250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth

The 250th anniversary of Austen’s birth falls on 16 December 2025. Jane Austen’s House, Chawton, will celebrate throughout the year with brand new exhibitionsand a special events programme. Admission tickets for the entire year have beenreleased. The anniversary programme will launch in October 2024 with the opening of a brand-new permanent exhibition, Jane Austen and […]



Photos of Wallop Wheels and Wings 2024

A spectacular display of classic aircraft, super and classic cars, and motorcycles at Middle Wallop, raising funds for the Army Flying Museum.



New artwork on show in The Art of Buckler’s Hard exhibition

More than 20 new artworks have gone on show in The Art of Buckler’s Hard free exhibition after judges selected their shortlist from nearly 200 competition entries. Paintings on a tea bag and leaf, montage of stamps and wood slice engraving were among more unusual submissions by amateur and professional artists. Drawings, paintings, prints, sculptures, […]



Thrilling locomotive debut at The Watercress Line’s spectacular Diesel Gala

Two ground-breaking Class 43 diesel electric locomotives will be thrilling visitors at this year’s Diesel Gala at The Watercress Line, from Friday 12 July to Sunday 14 July. Known as the fastest diesel locomotive in the world, Class 43 locomotives will make a debut appearance, courtesy of RailAdventure UK Ltd, to provide a heritage diesel […]



Beaulieu’s Monorail celebrates its 50th anniversary with a return visit from The Wombles

The Wombles are set to make a return to Beaulieu on Wednesday 31 July for a day of celebrations and special guests to mark the 50th anniversary of the oldest monorail in England. Opened in July 1974, the Monorail has been delighting visitors ever since, so to mark this special milestone, visitors are invited to […]



Chris and Megan's Night of Nature

Photos of Chris and Megan’s Night of Nature at The Hawk Conservancy Trust

On Saturday 29 June Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin joined the Hawk Conservancy Trust’s knowledgeable Bird Team for an evening discovering the magic of nature. There were displays of their stunning birds in flight and a few surprises! The event featured a variety of natural topics and fascinating demonstrations, showing connections between flora and fauna, […]



Furzey Gardens: Reflective Waters of Inclusivity

Furzey Gardens at Hampton Court

A garden built by gardeners with learning disabilities has delighted visitors at RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival. As an RHS Partner Garden, Furzey Gardens in Hampshire (a social enterprise of Minstead Trust) were asked to give a glimpse of what they offer with a pocket sized recreation. The garden called Furzey Gardens: Reflective Waters of […]



Jane Austen and Gothic Tourism: A Talk by Dr. Cheryl Butler

Join Dr. Cheryl Butler for a fascinating talk on literary icon Jane Austen in anticipation of the Jane Austen 250 programme in 2025! This fundraising event for Hampshire History Trust will take place on Friday 19 July at The ARC, Winchester from 7:30 – 8:30pm.  The talk will focus on Austen’s first novel “Northanger Abbey” […]



Climate relay baton to pass through Portsmouth

On 1 July, the Running Out of Time relay baton will enter Portsmouth, an important stop on its extraordinary 2,436km route from Ben Nevis, Scotland to Big Ben, London in the name of climate action. The relay is the country’s only sporting event for climate and this year’s is the biggest yet. Its route comprises […]



Little Owl chicks set to join conservation display team

Two Little Owl chicks have become the latest apprentices set to join the flying display team at the Hampshire-based bird of prey charity, the Hawk Conservancy Trust. Already some of the cutest ambassadors for owl conservation, four-week-old Cheddar and Mozzarella are almost fully grown, weighing just 150 grams each – that’s only about half as […]