23/12/2011 South Today

Welcome to South Today. Hope for the young homeless.

Had helped me get closer back with my mum.

A pre-Christmas sweetener for hard- pressed commuters. Thousands of

extra seats on some of the busiest train routes.

The great Chris Christmas get away is on in the South.

The teddy bears bringing comfort to absent soldiers children.

Last week I sent over 50 bears around the the world to Germany,

sip Cyprus and Afghanistan and Homeless at Christmas. It's a

desperate prospect and yet homeless charities across the South have

reported a big rise in the number of people they're helping this year.

Many of those needing support have recently lost their jobs. And with

a record number of 16 to 24-year- olds out of work, that's increasing

the pressure on services which help young adults. David Allard's been

to one project in Aldershot that's Homeless and help turn lives around.

It is a world away from the lives they knew. These young people are

here because they are homeless. I just really wasn't getting on

with my family that was because I liked the drugs and that.

I was was getting into fights at school and my mum couldn't handle

it. On my 16th birthday she was like, "On I would like you to find

somewhere else to live." We are trying to get them to move from

difficult situations and aspire to better future.

Step by steps new �3.7 million building is at the heart of that

wrong. That work. Before the Government cuts kicked in, we had

contributions from seven different local authorities, from the homes

and communities agency and fund- raising contributions from the

local local chunet local community. These young people

know they are happy to have the support. Figure from Crisis show

homeless people in England die 30 years younger than the national

average. The Government announced new funding to help single homeless

people. But Step By Step is transforming lives.

It made me appreciate things that people have taken for granted. It

helped me out of issues that I have had and helped me get closer with

my mum. It helped me start a new life.

I'm hoping to join the Army in March. I'm looking forward to it..

They are positive messages, but with youth unemployment at a record

high and a big rise in the number of homeless, people here know the

demand for their services are Three people have been arrested

after a spate of armed robberies in the Southampton area yesterday.

Three shops were targeted in Southampton and one in Bishopstoke

near Eastleigh. Staff were threatened with a gun. A man from

Gosport and two women from Southampton are being questioned by

police. Rail commuters on some of the

busiest routes in the South got what you might call a pre-Christmas

sweetener today. After the pain of seeing average fares rise by nearly

6% earlier this week, there's the prospect of thousands of extra

seats on their crowded journeys. There'll be extra carriages on

South West Train services into London Waterloo from stations like

Southampton, Portsmouth and Alton. And there'll be extra trains from

Reading to Waterloo. Chris Coneybeer is at Southampton Central

Well, the last of the pre-Christmas commuters are on their way home now,

Laura or should be and I should think all the people who travel

between stations like this and London will be delighted to hear

there are going to be extra spaces on the services soon. What is

planned? Well, there will be 60 additional coaches on existing

trains. There will be some additional services too on the

Reading to Waterloo line and the the stations in between and at

Waterloo International will be brought back into use as well.

Those who travelled regularly on the early morning and evening rush

hour trains know just how busy it can get. The Transport Secretary

today described conditions as sardine can like on many peak time

services. All the predictions show the

Government and the train companies need to invest more in more trains

because we want to use the railways. We want to travel around more,

that's great, but it has to be a long-term investment and this is a

step in the right direction. Some trains will be lengthened by

up to another four coaches. There will be two additional trains from

the Reading to Waterloo Bridge and extra services nearer to London

using refurbished former Gatwick Express trains and those new

services will use one of the platforms at the former Waterloo

International terminal which was used by Eurostar services until a

few years ago. The number of services we operate

at the moment are defined by the Department for Transport under our

franchise agreement and we will be exploring ways together with them

for how we can further increase capacity for passengers.

What do the passengers think? Earlier we spoke to some at

Southampton Airport Parkway. It is a good idea. Anything that

gets you homepm I'm going home. It is Christmas and I have had enough.

Generally you are standing up and you can't get a seat. It is a good

idea. I think more train companies should

do it really. Well, those extra carriages should

start arriving by next May and south-west trains say the

additional services should be in place by July 2014 and all that

should bring much needed relieve. - - relief.

Preparations are complete for the demolition of a railway bridge in

Reading. Work on the demolition is scheduled to begin at 5am tomorrow.

It is part of an �850 million regeneration of Reading Station to

increase capacity. Thames Valley Police are selling

off 42 police houses to raise �12 million. The force says the

properties are not required. The Police Federation warned with a

Government review approaching officers pay maybe cut and the need

If you joined the police a house came with the job. Officers were

entitled to free accommodation or a housing allowance. Today, policing

is very different. Forces are no longer required to provide housing

for staff, so Thames Valley Police is selling off much of its housing

stock. The police officers who have been

in those police houses are coming up for retirement. We don't have

the same requirement because police officers are no longer eligible for

the police houses and so over the last few years the police authority

has taken the decision to sell off some of the housing stock and to

use the capital receipts for other things.

42 properties are being sold off by Thames Valley Police, eleven in

Berkshire. The force is hoping to raise about �12 million from the

sales and it says some of the money will go towards updating its older

police stations or refurbishing custody suites.

But the Police Federation has warned that if officers pay is cut

as a result of the Government's upcoming Windsor Review, the need

for police housing could increase. The future of the police officers

and their pay and conditions, they could suffer quite a pay cut in the

years to come and they need to retain housing stock as a bolt hole

for police officers who get into financial difficulties.

The force intends to continue selling off its properties, but

says if in future police pay cuts make it harder to retain staff it

may bring back a scheme to help officers buy their own homes.

A man has been charged with arson after a fire was started at a

church in Carisbrooke on the Isle of Wight. The altar was set on fire

and two crucifixes were stolen from St Mary the Virgin Church. It was

the third attack there in the last few months. 23-year-old Kevin Lee

Williams will appear in court in January. Two other people have been

released on police bail. Still to come in this evening's

South Today: Find out how these home-made bears

are making a world of difference. With the big Christmas break almost

upon us, the race was on for thousands across the region today

either to reach their holiday destination, or to finish that last

minute Christmas shopping. Today was Gatwick Airport's busiest day

of the year and shopping centres across the South are reporting

record numbers through their doors. Sarah Holmes joined the last minute

rush. More and more people are choosing to spend the holidays

abroad. With 100,000 people passing through Gatwick Airport today on

the busiest day of the year, but the queues failed to dampen most

people's Christmas spirit. The atmosphere has been great. One

of the things I noticed while queuing all the children were good

and excited and not noisy or bother Somme. Everybody seemed contented.

Even though it is busy, it is moving and moving fast.

We were lucky in the fact that we got electronic passports so we got

through quickly. However our two friends queued for 20 minutes just

to get into the country which was annoying.

Despite the economic gloom, people people can't stay away from the

shops. Shopping centres, managers are reporting an increase in foot

fall compared to last year. West quay in Southampton is up by 8.5%.

Cascade shopping centre has seen an increase of 4%pm. -- 4%.

I have got to get another couple of things

The only only snag is that it is not snowing. I don't want a repeat

of last year's winter. It is my little girl's first

Christmas so I'm really excited. The wait for Santa in cap cas

said's -- Cas said's was around an hour today.

REPORTER: Are you looking forward to see Santa? Yes. Do you think you

have been a good girl this year? little bit.

The last minute Christmas rush is almost over, but there is no time

to rest as shopping centres get ready for the start of the sales on

Now earlier in the week we told you about Libby Pardoe, a Hampshire

teenager who's swimming 340 miles in her local pool to raise money

for a military charity and there are two pieces of good news to give

you about her. Libby is raising money for the Princess of Wales's

Royal Regiment, swimming a mile a day at Lymington Leisure Centre.

The good news is that New Forest District Council has now waived her

swimming fees for the duration of her challenge and she's already

exceeded her original target of �1,000.

Great news there. It's always a tough time for the

families of servicemen and women when their loved ones are away -

especially at Christmas. And for children it can be a particularly

worrying time. So one mum from Tidworth in Wiltshire, came up with

an ingenious idea to comfort her little ones. And now it has really

Find out more. Bedtimes are always hard for George and nat talia when

dad Simon is in Afghanistan, but a bear made out of his old combat

trousers seemed to do the trick. A little piece of him to cuddle at

night. Little did mum know that she hit on an idea that would catch on.

Are you surprised that this has caught on? Really, really surprised.

It is the most simple idea. I am surprised that people hadn't

thought of it before. It was crazy. Last week I sent over 50 bears

around the world, Germany, Cyprus, Afghanistan, and within the UK.

I thought it was a really good idea. REPORTER: Did it help you? Yeah,

when Simon went away, mum made a bear and she sprayed his aftershave

so we could remember remember. The requests came pouring in, so

much so that her much, Sara had to help out.

She was overrun with the demand and she had so many orders at Christmas

and I felt I would help her because we didn't want to let people down.

Families are so proud of their loved ones overseas that we didn't

want to let any families down at all.

Dad Simon is at the home at the moment, he arrived back in time for

the birth of baby Florrie. She told me she got a few offers to

make the bears and I was like I will ask the blokes and 15

straightaway. They wanted them to go to their children and keep for

themselves. In the New Year, he will have to

say goodbye once again, but wherever he is, the family have

their bears to cuddle and to help What a brilliant idea.

On to sport and Tony is here for a look at the sport as we head into

Christmas, but for our sports team this is a busy time of year, isn't

it? Yes. It provides the entertainment for a lot of people

over the festive period. It will be busy. Lots of training

for our teams and all the football clubs will play three times. All

our clubs will play three times over the festive period. And a look

at the championship table shows that 2012 could be a big year for

Reading, Brighton and the leaders Southampton. Reading and Brighton

meet at the Madejski Stadium on Boxing Day. Portsmouth are at

Millwall - they're 17th heading into Christmas. In League Two,

Crawley are chasing promotion for the second year running They go

into Christmas with a four point lead and host Gillingham on boxing

Aldershot are 16th. In League One, a boost for Bournemouth heading

into 2012, they've agreed to sign midfielder Scott Malone on a

permanent deal from Premier League Wolves. Malone has been at the

Cherries since August on loan, and has impressed with his performances

including three goals. He'll sign a three and a half year contract on

1st January in a deal thought to be worth around �150,000. Away from

football this Christmas, Boxing Day is, of course, a big day in the

racing calendar. Berkshire based trainer, Nicky Henderson sends Gold

Cup winner Long Run into the King George VI Chase. The horse is going

for consecutive wins in the race at Kempton but faces competition from

four time winner Kauto Star. So let's get an assessment from one

well- known horse racing expert Fontwell Park is expecting its

Decade at the annual boxing day meeting Last year temperatures of -

9 led to the meeting being postponed despite the track

bringing in frost covers. Kauto Star, it will be the fifth time he

At Kempton. Fontwell Park is expecting its biggest crowd. Last

year temperatures of minus 9 Celsius led to the track closure.

They are showing the King Gorge from Kempton.

Here are a few of those abiding shots of sport in the region during

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 99 seconds

To go up the way we did, absolutely We will be seeing those images and

some great images of what we have seen this year.

It will be a really memorable year, 2012.

Exciting stuff and just around the corner.

This is the last full programme before 2012 and to get us into the

festive spirit we thought we would share some of the moments with you

that didn't go to plan! This will bring back memories for

Oops, I knocked the water over then. The water park has been opened 57

years, make that 54. The boat show provides an

opportunity... For goodness sake. # It started with a kiss #

You may have noticed we weren't able to hear from Dorset Fire and

Rescue Service, we now can. I am afraid we can't.

SCREAMING Hello and welcome to South Today. The main lorries...

Time for a look at the weather now, here is Emily Wood. We hope to

bring you Emily Emily Wood. What I can tell you, it will be sunshine

and showersment here she is, no she is not. That went well, didn't it?

I do feel slightly on my own. Are you sure there won't be a ten tonne

truck that comes down here and flattens me?

They need opportunities to volunteer if of course, they can

afford the... This website is even called... Start again.

Let's Get on with the weather. It is such a sunny day we may have

melted the wires on Alexis's microphone. There was a Christmas

tree price crash. That meant a lot of suppliers didn't bother

replanting their stock so this year there is a shortage.

A good thing that... That meant that a lot of suppliers didn't

bother replanting so this year there is a shortage.

Ah. This year there is a shortage, lucky I've reserved mine.

Oh, that really hurt my hand. You are seeing the reality. It is

not fair on us, giving those tricks and secrets away. I lex is, you

must -- Alexis you must be pleased to be in a nice, warm studio.

It has been really mild. We have a lovely weather picture. Two men and

a lady in a boat captured by Christopher Lock from Southampton.

Christopher Lock from Southampton. So very mild conditions today.

It turns chilly tonight. Let's look ahead to the Christmas weekend. A

chilly start. Maybe a touch of frost, but it will turn milder and

there will be some gusty winds coming in from the south-west. So

clearing skies tonight. Any showers or rain that we saw today will

clear off towards the south and east and under the clear skies,

temperatures will take a plunge into single figures. These are

values in our towns and cities and in the countryside lower than that

and there is a breeze so it should keep the frost at bay, but we could

have a few frost pockets in sheltered spots. A cold, crisp,

sunny start tomorrow, but increasing cloud cloud cover from

the West during the afternoon and there is the chance we could have a

shower for western areas, Dorset and Wiltshire. Temperatures up to 7

or 8 Celsius. Struggling to rise, but the breeze continues to

increase through the early hours of Christmas Eve and into Christmas

morning. A cloudy night to come Christmas Eve. Temperatures will

dip down to 7 or 8 Celsius. Similar to tomorrow's day time temperatures.

Turning mild with the breeze. High pressure is not far away on

Christmas Day, but it will be cloudy. There is the risk we could

have a shower particularly for western areas, but most places will

stay dry. We hold on to the cloud cover for Boxing Day. It could be

thicker than on Christmas Day. The outside chance of a shower, but

most places will stay dry. Despite the area of low pressure pushing in

towards us on Tuesday, the isobars will widen, the winds will die down

a bit and there will be a lot of cloud around. So generally over the

Christmas period, it is a cloudy theme. There will be rain here and

there, but most places will stay dry. Breezy with the mild south-

westerly breeze coming in. Enjoy the sunshine tomorrow morning, but

it will be a chilly start to the day.

What a difference a year makes! That's nearly all from us. Just to

let you know, we're back tomorrow. We are not here on Christmas Day,

but from Boxing Day onwards we have bulletins throughout the festive

period and our first South Today will be on Tuesday, 3rd January. In

the meantime, to really get you in the festive mood we're going to

leave you with some very special music.