Visitors to St Catherine’s Hill Nature Reserve in Winchester can now enjoy a safer climb following the installation of new steps.

The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust led the project after the old steps, installed almost 30 years ago, had become worn and hard to maintain.

Poor conditions made walking difficult and caused some people to leave the main path, damaging the chalk grassland and increasing erosion around the historic site.

The new steps are made from durable timber with an anti-slip surface.

They are expected to last at least another 30 years and will help people enjoy views and wildlife safely, while protecting the habitat.

By encouraging people to stay on the path, the Trust hopes to reduce disturbance to wildlife and prevent further damage to the hillside.  

Andy Reeves, reserves officer at the Trust, said: “We’ve used different materials this time, which are stronger, larger, and should help through the winter months.

“Our hope now that we have these steps in place is for people to stick to the footpath where they can, to avoid further scars in the hill.

“For people to come out of the city centre and enjoy a space like St Catherines Hill is incredibly important.” 

During construction, all materials were carried by hand to avoid vehicle damage.

A small area of the meadow beside the hill was used temporarily for storage.  

The project was supported by Winchester College, Natural England, Historic England and the South Downs National Park Authority.

A new survey by WINOL finds that female students and those who identify as women tend to spend a lot more compared to men.

The Pink Tax is not a new concept, and neither are the extra costs associated with period care and appearance upkeep.

But what exactly do those costs look like?

Forty seven students across England, Scotland and Wales were asked about their spending habits.
On average, those that identified as women spend £31 per month on beauty products and services – such as makeup, hair care, and razors – while men spend just £18.
Just under two-fifths of these women reported spending over £40 per month.

Additionally, there was an obvious gap when it came to period products including pads, tampons, and painkillers.
Although not every female student spends money on period products – be it due to contraception use, one-time reusable products, or medical conditions – just over 20% of them said they spend over £20 per month in this section.
Despite the “tampon tax”, which classified menstrual products as luxury goods, being abolished in 2021, menstrual products are still not free.
While this could be seen as a small expenditure, especially compared to rent or grocery shopping for students, it can “add up quickly” according to many students.
Winchester students in particular appeared to be high spenders – almost a third of female students claimed to spend over £20 on period products.

When asking students about their feelings on the matter, some replied that they often look through men’s products to save money.
They also brought up the pressure on women to present themselves a certain way compared to men: “If I went out without makeup, people would go ‘are you ill?’”

Another said,:“I think a man can show up in jogging bottoms, a T-shirt and greasy hair and nobody would think any different. But if a woman were to do that, I think she’d definitely get a lot more looks.”

If a student is struggling with finances, aside from looking at men’s products, there are a variety of schemes in place to help.

For example, the Winchester Student Union has a Freebie Bin which offers “free period products to students who need it”.
Since 2021, Scotland has also rolled out legislation ensuring that anyone who needs it has access to free menstrual products – the first country in the world to do so.

Winchester Rugby clubhouse swapped scrums for sequins on Wednesday evening as it hosted a sold-out crowd for a glamorous fashion fundraiser, raising more than £2,000 in aid of Breast Cancer Now.

The event was organised by local style and colour consultant Kate Moss-Jones, who drew on her own experience of breast cancer to bring together her passion for fashion and fundraising.

Guests were welcomed with prosecco and live music before browsing boutique stalls from across Winchester, including Mint Tea Boutique, SeagrassBay, Re:dress, Ellie & Bea, and H&B Style, who also contributed items to be worn on the catwalk.

Kate shared her personal story with the audience, recalling her diagnosis 18 years ago.

“It was very aggressive and had spread. My daughters were just four and five at the time, and I thought they would grow up without their mummy, just as my cousins had when my aunt died in her 30s,” she said.

She explained that the charity, then known as Breast Cancer Care, guided her through treatment and inspired her later fundraising efforts.

“I even went on to organise their annual fashion show in London for five years and worked with patients in Basingstoke Hospital to help them through chemo,” she told the crowd.

The evening’s catwalk show was the highlight, as first-time models (many of them Kate’s friends and clients) walked the runway to cheers.

Sequinned jackets shimmered under the lights, silk bras brought a touch of romance, and tailored trouser suits offered sharp sophistication.

Kate introduced each outfit, explaining the seasonal colour palettes of spring, summer, autumn and winter, which underpin her work with House of Colour.

Fashion, she told guests, had also played a role in her own journey: “When I was going through treatment, I wore wigs, my best colours and my best styles every day.

“Nobody knew unless I told them. It felt like a little victory over everything else that was happening.”

The atmosphere was friendly and celebratory, with the audience clapping, cheering, and even laughing when one model playfully pretended to stumble before flashing a grin.

Between the catwalk and boutique shopping, every ticket and purchase contributed to breast cancer research and patient care.

Kate added: “I love seeing local women supporting each other, all in the name of a great cause.”