Winchester News Online
More than a game: The inclusive spirit of the Hamsphire Harriers
The Hampshire Harriers are more than just a game.
Wheelchair basketball alongside the Hampshire Harriers offers an honest commentary that sport at its best is about more than its level of competitiveness.
Players are on the move all the time pushing, turning, defending and shooting, all whilst manoeuvring a chair at high speed. For lots of athletes that challenge is precisely what makes the sport so captivating.
Chatting with members of the Harriers tells you how rigorous the game is. Keeping up with the acceleration puts up great pressure on upper-body endurance, and accuracy comes into play when every action must be generated from the seat.
But more than that physicality, players always emphasize something significantly more significant: the spirit of inclusivity that is what the team represents.
Lucy Stansby summed it all up when she told me about how special the club is.
“It’s so good because it demonstrates what we’re about,” she added. “It has demonstrated that we’re inclusive of all disabilities and some able-bodied people also. We’ve got a diversity of ages, try it out.”
That sentiment is very much at the heart of Hampshire Harriers.
The team isn’t just a place to compete, it’s a home to people who have differing disabilities — and even the ones without — who train, learn and grow.
Whatever a player’s background or ability, they’re encouraged to give the sport a go, take on its challenges and become part of a group where hard work counts just as much as success.
It can be tough, grueling and unforgiving but for the Harriers, wheelchair basketball is also empowering.
It is a sport — and all sport should be welcomed — in which all players play a safe, comfortable and valued space, a place where the game becomes a channel or a conduit of confidence and resilience and connection.
A man threw a chair and threatened bystanders in the centre of Gosport on Friday.
Police say the man, who was behaving aggressively, threw the chair on the ground and shouted threats at nearby shoppers before running away. No one was injured.
It happened just before noon, outside a Greggs Bakery on the High Street.
Hampshire Police say the man was white, bald and in his late 40s. He was wearing a baseball cap and a grey hoodie.
Officers are asking anyone who saw the incident to contact them.
Twelve people were arrested after 350 anti-migrant protestors clashed with police overnight in Gosport following reports of a small boat landing in the area.
A small number of officers needed medical treatment following the protests near Walpole car park.
Assistant Chief Constable Simon Dodds said: “Violence and criminal damage have no part in peaceful protest, our position on this has been clear that we will investigate thoroughly and take robust action against anyone responsible.
“Our officers did not deserve to be assaulted as they worked incredibly diligently on Sunday to ensure the safety of everyone in the area.”
Police had banned face coverings and had issued a dispersal order ahead of the protests across Gosport.
Those arrested were held on suspicion of assaulting officers or being drunk and disorderly.
The protest marks an increase in tensions within the UK after protests at Portsmouth, Taunton, Basingstoke and Glasgow in recent months.
Gosport Reform UK councilor Paul Carter told GB News: “If you think about this last night, no one really knew what was happening… I think a lot of people are really worried.”
People in Romsey are being warned that the town’s recycling centre will be closing for a month for repairs.
The closure of Casbrook recycling centre will take place from 12 October to 12 November.
The council says that repairs are essential to keep the site safe, after heavy vehicles damaged the tarmac beneath waste containers.
Councillor Kirsty North, Hampshire County Council’s deputy leader, said: “We are investing in essential improvements to preserve the surface of Casbrook HWRC (Bunny Lane) and ensure the facility continues to serve residents safely and effectively for many years to come.
“I thank residents for their patience during these works and confirm that capacity is available at nearby HWRCs to ensure residents that usually use Bunny Lane, can still dispose of their waste during this time.”
Locals have been advised to use alternative centres in Winchester and Eastleigh while the repairs take place.
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