:00:00. > :00:00.Hello, I'm Sally Taylor. the BBC's news teams where you are.
:00:07. > :00:11.Welcome to South Today. In tonight's programme -
:00:12. > :00:14.from wartorn Syria to a warm welcome in Wokingham but other councils
:00:15. > :00:16.are criticised for not doing enough for refugees.
:00:17. > :00:19.How would we feel if there was, like, a fairly affluent
:00:20. > :00:22.town that just wasn't going to take is in for not really any strong
:00:23. > :00:26.A bus for the homeless but it's not ready to help those
:00:27. > :00:28.sleeping rough in Reading this Christmas.
:00:29. > :00:33.It is camera-ed up and it is the warmest car park in Reading.
:00:34. > :00:36.It's "bah, humbug" for cabbies in Adur.
:00:37. > :00:41.They're having to work for less this Christmas.
:00:42. > :00:44.Any worker, if they were to open up their pay packet, Christmas
:00:45. > :00:47.week and find that 25% of the money, their wages, was missing, that's
:00:48. > :00:56.And a heart-warming story of the Christmas card sent to us
:00:57. > :01:09.which led to a musical reunion for John.
:01:10. > :01:15.It's just over a year since David Cameron committed the UK
:01:16. > :01:24.to helping 20,000 Syrian refugees by the end of the decade.
:01:25. > :01:31.In the last 12 months more than 4,000 people have arrived under
:01:32. > :01:32.the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme.
:01:33. > :01:36.councils have helped just 150 according to the latest
:01:37. > :01:43.Sixty per cent of our councils have taken no Syrians at all,
:01:44. > :01:48.That's despite the council issuing several enthusiastic press releases
:01:49. > :01:53."We are really supportive of assisting where we can".
:01:54. > :01:56.So what do people in the borough think about the local response?
:01:57. > :01:59.I think Havant should take at least a couple of hundred.
:02:00. > :02:00.I think every council should, to be honest.
:02:01. > :02:04.We can't even help the homeless around here,
:02:05. > :02:06.or around Portsmouth, let alone refugees and all like that.
:02:07. > :02:09.If they are genuine refugees then more needs to be done
:02:10. > :02:11.but they need to prove that they are genuine refugees.
:02:12. > :02:29.Havant council says priority must be given to local families
:02:30. > :02:33.Others are worried about who pays, although councils do get more
:02:34. > :02:36.than ?8,000 to cover the first year costs
:02:37. > :02:45.Argyll and Bute Council on the western coast of Scotland
:02:46. > :02:47.has a population of under 90,000 -
:02:48. > :02:53.In the South, Wiltshire has led the charge with 47 and Winchester
:02:54. > :03:03.Ben Moore has been to meet one family who've recently arrived
:03:04. > :03:15.and where the community has rallied behind their new neighbours.
:03:16. > :03:19.But Ahmed, his wife, and for children have been in the UK
:03:20. > :03:28.Ahmed was a carpenter in Aleppo but when the war came,
:03:29. > :03:33.We can't reveal exactly where they are living
:03:34. > :03:36.but all they have has come from the people of Wokingham.
:03:37. > :03:38.TRANSLATION: I feel comfortable and safe here and the people
:03:39. > :03:41.of Wokingham are so kind and are accepting.
:03:42. > :03:45.They have given as all our furniture and they support us in every step.
:03:46. > :03:47.They've brought gifts for the children and if they ask
:03:48. > :03:49.them for anything, for any reason, they help.
:03:50. > :03:53.This is all that remains of Ahmed's house after two bombs fell on it.
:03:54. > :03:56.Two of his children were rescued after being trapped in the rubble.
:03:57. > :04:01.Afterwards, the family fled but arrived here with nothing.
:04:02. > :04:03.From a storage container, Wokingham's online women's group has
:04:04. > :04:11.The lovely people of Wokingham have given everything from pillows,
:04:12. > :04:13.to clothes, to furniture, sofas, fridges, everything
:04:14. > :04:23.And then, obviously, we go in and deck out
:04:24. > :04:27.Basically, put everything in that they could ever,
:04:28. > :04:32.There are four other Syrian families in Wokingham.
:04:33. > :04:37.This man has been here a year and helps those coming after him.
:04:38. > :04:40.It's only to say thank you to everyone who support us.
:04:41. > :04:44.We look for safe, yes, but we are looking to be
:04:45. > :04:51.TRANSLATION: The most important thing is that my children should
:04:52. > :04:53.learn English and should finish their education.
:04:54. > :04:59.But, now, as a family, we are feeling much
:05:00. > :05:08.The Gossip Girls group is continuing its fundraising
:05:09. > :05:10.in the New Year but Christmas already looks wrapped up,
:05:11. > :05:12.thanks to the generosity of the people in working,
:05:13. > :05:14.the Syrian children will be getting a few presents
:05:15. > :05:20.In Ringwood, the town council discussed last year whether it
:05:21. > :05:26.It decided it couldn't take part in what one councillor described
:05:27. > :05:32.But the politicians have been forced to consider the matter again
:05:33. > :05:35.after a petition from sixth formers in the town who say
:05:36. > :05:43.The figures are hard to comprehend, so these Ringwood School pupils
:05:44. > :05:46.used chalk to show where Syrian refugees had found shelter.
:05:47. > :05:58.that Ringwood would welcome a displaced family.
:05:59. > :06:01.What if this was our family, how would we cope, how would we feel if
:06:02. > :06:03.there was a fairly affluent town that just
:06:04. > :06:05.wasn't going to take is in
:06:06. > :06:08.If Ringwood can start taking in some people,
:06:09. > :06:10.then local other towns, like
:06:11. > :06:13.Fordingbridge, other small communities, can see how much of a
:06:14. > :06:16.Last year the town's politicians discussed
:06:17. > :06:20.if they could offer shelter to a refugee family.
:06:21. > :06:25.One councillor said it would be "a gesture of the worst kind"
:06:26. > :06:29.that would pressure on local services.
:06:30. > :06:32.We need to make sure that we are supporting
:06:33. > :06:34.the refugees and giving them what they need,
:06:35. > :06:37.not making a gesture that
:06:38. > :06:39.actually leaves them in a worse state than perhaps they would have
:06:40. > :06:41.been if they'd gone through the proper channels.
:06:42. > :06:47.They should help in getting it all going, shouldn't they?
:06:48. > :06:50.I suppose we all should be trying to help and
:06:51. > :06:53.whether it's Ringwood or anywhere in the country, I suppose, it's
:06:54. > :06:58.I'm not sure if we're ready for that.
:06:59. > :07:01.They probably wouldn't want local council money to
:07:02. > :07:05.be used but if the numbers were sensible then I think it might work.
:07:06. > :07:10.A humanitarian crisis and people should be doing everything they can
:07:11. > :07:14.Councillors are due to meet again next year to look
:07:15. > :07:18.at the practicalities of a Syrian family calling this town home.
:07:19. > :07:23.Matt Treacy, BBC South Today, Ringwood.
:07:24. > :07:27.A police officer who risked his own safety to help save the life
:07:28. > :07:30.of a Portsmouth football fan has been given a bravery award.
:07:31. > :07:34.PC Stuart Dickerson was in France helping to police a Euro 2016 game
:07:35. > :07:36.when Russian hooligans launched a savage attack on dozens
:07:37. > :07:43.He helped medics treat Andrew Bache, who's still struggling
:07:44. > :07:57.In Marseille, the highly organised attack that this policeman found
:07:58. > :08:07.himself in the middle of was savagely violent. It was horrendous.
:08:08. > :08:09.150-200 Russian hooligans swarmed through the square randomly
:08:10. > :08:14.attacking any England find they could find. There were serious
:08:15. > :08:20.injuries everywhere. Myself and colleague were attacked. We were in
:08:21. > :08:25.plain clothes. We decided to withdraw. At that time, we saw
:08:26. > :08:32.French colleagues working on an injured mail. The injured man was
:08:33. > :08:37.this man who had been repeatedly punched, kicked and hit on the head
:08:38. > :08:43.with a metal bar. He wasn't breathing by himself. We assisted
:08:44. > :08:48.with CPR. Because disorder was going on around us, bottles and chairs,
:08:49. > :08:59.fans being attacked, we put the French riot police around so they
:09:00. > :09:08.could attend to him. Friends have been helping with Andrew's
:09:09. > :09:11.rehabilitation. I've only got admiration for those police officers
:09:12. > :09:18.and the French policemen who gave Andrew CPR. We might have been
:09:19. > :09:27.looking at a different outcome. He's working really hard on physiotherapy
:09:28. > :09:29.and he's getting there slowly. PC Dickerson is proud of his
:09:30. > :09:35.commendation but he says he never wants to see violence on the scale
:09:36. > :09:38.of that again. A fundraising page set up
:09:39. > :09:41.for a young father of two from Southampton who's been
:09:42. > :09:50.diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer has exceeded its target
:09:51. > :09:53.of ?100m000 in four days. Greg Gilbert is best
:09:54. > :09:55.known as the lead singer Doctors say all they can offer him
:09:56. > :09:59.is a course of chemotherapy. But, his family is determined
:10:00. > :10:02.to raise enough money to get him treatment which isn't available
:10:03. > :10:03.on the NHS. Christmas is a time
:10:04. > :10:06.for heart-warming stories where, after battling tough times,
:10:07. > :10:09.everything comes good in the end. Sadly, real life isn't
:10:10. > :10:11.always like that. So a group including former rough
:10:12. > :10:13.sleepers and ex-cons who'd hoped to provide a place
:10:14. > :10:16.of safety for those on the streets are today facing the grim truth
:10:17. > :10:18.that their project Joe Campbell has been to meet
:10:19. > :10:22.them and some of those This is no place to spend Christmas
:10:23. > :10:28.but these young people would be Some are here after spending most
:10:29. > :10:42.of their lives in care, their only home now,
:10:43. > :10:44.this corner of the former We're not all going
:10:45. > :10:48.to fit a doorway. That's what we're trying
:10:49. > :10:52.to tell to the council. It is camera-ed up and it is
:10:53. > :10:57.the warmest car park in Reading. I turned 18, the 13th of December,
:10:58. > :11:01.last Tuesday, so I was out Birthday was quite hard
:11:02. > :11:06.because it was my first time A Christian group had hoped to help,
:11:07. > :11:13.like others on the Isle of White, There's going to be
:11:14. > :11:19.two beds in each pod. But it's not going to be ready in
:11:20. > :11:23.time for Christmas, as they'd hoped. I'd love to go and get the guys now
:11:24. > :11:27.to get them on it but there's The amount of campaigns
:11:28. > :11:31.we've put out there. We expected loads of people to come
:11:32. > :11:35.forward, to be honest with you. I thought they would have been
:11:36. > :11:39.like a Changing Rooms experience. A team of carpenters
:11:40. > :11:41.would have showed up, a local business would have said,
:11:42. > :11:44.come on, guys, let's take a morning off, six guys on here,
:11:45. > :11:47.we could have smashed it out So, all the group and those it helps
:11:48. > :11:51.can do now is pray 2017 Joe Campbell,
:11:52. > :12:08.BBC South Today, Reading. Dog walkers in Gosport could be
:12:09. > :12:21.fined for not picking up their mess. Later an unseasonal
:12:22. > :12:23.forecast for Christmas. Your festive forecast is looking
:12:24. > :12:30.a little on the mild side. but things do ease down
:12:31. > :12:34.into next week. I'll have the details
:12:35. > :12:36.later in the programme. Would you expect to pay more
:12:37. > :12:39.for a taxi if you wanted Many cabs will levy extra charges
:12:40. > :12:49.but drivers in the Shoreham and Lancing area will be working
:12:50. > :12:52.for less this year. An administrative error by Adur
:12:53. > :12:54.council means they are not allowed The council is having
:12:55. > :13:00.to offer compensation. Sean Killick is at the taxi rank
:13:01. > :13:02.outside Lancing railway station. Sean, not a happy Christmas
:13:03. > :13:19.for local cabbies? No. The cabbies here are as
:13:20. > :13:25.miserable as the weather. They are concerned about Christmas Day. They
:13:26. > :13:32.fear they could use ?5 on an average fare. Usually, they can charge
:13:33. > :13:35.double from 9pm on Christmas Eve due to Boxing Day but due to a
:13:36. > :13:40.counsellor they can only charge 1.5 times.
:13:41. > :13:42.It's actually an equivalent of a 25% loss.
:13:43. > :13:45.So, imagine any worker, if they were to open their pay packet
:13:46. > :13:47.at Christmas, and find that 25% of the money,
:13:48. > :13:49.their wages was missing, that's fairly unreasonable, isn't
:13:50. > :13:53.We've yet to see how that would be done.
:13:54. > :13:58.I think it will be a minefield, but we shall see.
:13:59. > :14:02.Well, Adur District Council says the drivers won't lose out.
:14:03. > :14:07.The council said the error arose when it was approving an increase
:14:08. > :14:09.in tariffs which had been asked for by the taxi trade.
:14:10. > :14:42.Drivers say this is the latest financial pressure. They say that
:14:43. > :14:47.many customers have less money in their pockets and are using taxes
:14:48. > :14:48.less. Some of the people we spoke to today had mixed feelings about
:14:49. > :14:51.paying double over Christmas. I don't think they
:14:52. > :14:54.should charge double. They should just charge
:14:55. > :14:56.normal rate, really. They're coming out,
:14:57. > :14:58.they're getting away from their children
:14:59. > :14:59.and they should be having double-time because
:15:00. > :15:03.they get away from it, yes, I do I think it's fair it's
:15:04. > :15:05.double-time, yes. To get someone to work
:15:06. > :15:08.on Christmas Day is I think they're just trying
:15:09. > :15:13.to cheat the public. Even on Christmas Day,
:15:14. > :15:15.they shouldn't be allowed to charge It's their choice to work
:15:16. > :15:29.Christmas Day, isn't it? Despite all this, the cabbies are
:15:30. > :15:35.much busier than normal. Still non-on the rank behind me. It seems
:15:36. > :15:37.the big Christmas getaway is getting underway. From me, Merry Christmas
:15:38. > :15:48.and back to the studio. Tony is here the sport. With the end
:15:49. > :15:53.of 2016 fast approaching, we will look ahead to some of the big
:15:54. > :15:59.stories for next year. A year ago, I sat here and we looked at what we
:16:00. > :16:03.thought would be a big story. We spoke to Alex Danson who went on to
:16:04. > :16:07.win gold in Rio. We are hoping we will get the prediction is right for
:16:08. > :16:08.next year. Next year the Portsmouth based
:16:09. > :16:11.Ben Ainslie Racing team will attempt to win sport's
:16:12. > :16:13.oldest international trophy. The America's Cup began
:16:14. > :16:16.in the Solent in 1851, In his first television interview
:16:17. > :16:22.since the team relocated to Bermuda, Sir Ben has brought South Today
:16:23. > :16:28.up to date on preparations. It's a trophy which has eluded
:16:29. > :16:32.Britain so far for 165 years. In 2017, our greatest sailor
:16:33. > :16:37.could bring it home. Around half of the Land Rover BAR
:16:38. > :16:41.team, led by Sir Ben Ainslie have left their home in Portsmouth
:16:42. > :16:45.and will spend the winter in Bermuda ahead of racing
:16:46. > :16:48.for the America's Cup We're almost set up with our base
:16:49. > :16:58.here now but we're operational in terms of getting boats out
:16:59. > :17:00.on the water and that's So, a really exciting
:17:01. > :17:03.period for the team. Feels so much more real now that
:17:04. > :17:20.we're out here in the reader -- Bermuda and moving into
:17:21. > :17:21.the New Year. You can see everyone's
:17:22. > :17:23.focusing incredibly hard The sailing team is now training day
:17:24. > :17:28.by day in the waters which will hold the 35th America's Cup,
:17:29. > :17:30.a gruelling series of qualifiers will decide which of five teams take
:17:31. > :17:34.on the holders Oracle team USA, From next June, many in the sporting
:17:35. > :17:43.world will be fixing their focus on this tiny North Atlantic island,
:17:44. > :17:52.3500 miles from the UK. We are a new team so there's
:17:53. > :17:56.a certain element of catching up we have to do with some
:17:57. > :17:58.of the existing teams. But our goal is to still try
:17:59. > :18:01.and bring that cup home. We really appreciate all of
:18:02. > :18:04.the support from everyone back home. I guarantee you, it's going to be
:18:05. > :18:06.an incredible America's Cup. The boat used in the main racing
:18:07. > :18:10.is due to go in the water Over the next six months,
:18:11. > :18:13.one of Britain's great Staying with sailing and big news
:18:14. > :18:17.from the Olympic world today. The British sailing team manager
:18:18. > :18:19.Stephen Park is leaving his post Stephen Park has presided over
:18:20. > :18:23.the winning of 23 Olympic and Paralympic medals in his 15
:18:24. > :18:26.years as team manager. The Weymouth and Portland based team
:18:27. > :18:29.finished as the leading nation The 48-year-old is joining British
:18:30. > :18:32.cycling as Performance Director What fate awaits our football clubs
:18:33. > :18:37.in 2017, Southampton have the EFL Cup semi finals,
:18:38. > :18:40.and promotion to the Premier League is very much on the radar
:18:41. > :18:44.of Brighton and Reading. Heading into Christmas, the Royals,
:18:45. > :18:46.with first year boss Jaap Stam are third in the table,
:18:47. > :18:49.but Brighton are the only club The Albion return to action
:18:50. > :18:54.against QPR on Tuesday the 27th, and their opponents would have been
:18:55. > :18:58.considered a promotion rival. They've had to move a few players
:18:59. > :19:01.out and, of course, with recruitment, sometimes that takes
:19:02. > :19:04.a bit longer than you will want. Certainly, in Ian Holloway, they got
:19:05. > :19:10.somebody that knows the club very well and he'll be trying his very
:19:11. > :19:17.best to try and turn that around. Southampton have a boxing day off
:19:18. > :19:20.before they host Spurs on the 28th Bournemouth will tackle
:19:21. > :19:23.table toppers Chelsea, minus Diego Costa and Ngolo Kante
:19:24. > :19:28.at Stamford Bridge. In the championship Reading
:19:29. > :19:40.are home to Norwich Oxford and MK Dons will hope
:19:41. > :19:43.for bumper Boxing Day crowds at hme while Swindon travel
:19:44. > :19:45.to the East end. Portsmouth are at bottom
:19:46. > :19:47.of the league Newport in league two. Across the festive season, remember,
:19:48. > :19:50.you can catch every game Earlier this week, I received this
:19:51. > :20:06.Christmas card from a gentleman called John asking for our
:20:07. > :20:08.help to trace a certain young lady playing a piano
:20:09. > :20:10.in West Quay in Southampton. They had shared a special musical
:20:11. > :20:13.moment and some seasonal goodwill. John was worried he wouldn't
:20:14. > :20:15.find out who she was. Christmas is a time for people
:20:16. > :20:26.to come together and for one man, a chance encounter with a young lady
:20:27. > :20:31.at a piano in this shopping centre And she was so receptive to me
:20:32. > :20:41.and we just sang along together and I thought this is the real
:20:42. > :20:44.essence of Christmas. It just stayed in my mind
:20:45. > :20:47.and I thought, well, You asked us an South today
:20:48. > :20:58.if we could find this girl. It would just be a nice
:20:59. > :21:03.gesture if I can thank her. So, I thought, immediately,
:21:04. > :21:09.let's write to you and So, we put it all out on Facebook
:21:10. > :21:24.and then, through Facebook, she got in touch with others
:21:25. > :21:27.and we're going to go around Hello.
:21:28. > :21:34.Just a little gesture. I used to sing with
:21:35. > :21:41.my Nan all the time. We'd just perform everything
:21:42. > :21:48.for her and she just sing along. It's quite nice because I don't have
:21:49. > :21:51.grandparents any more, sadly and so, to be able to sing things like this
:21:52. > :21:59.and be able to also go to the Sunrise elderly home
:22:00. > :22:01.and perform there. I thought it was such a lovely
:22:02. > :22:11.gesture at Christmas time. To accept somebody like me who is
:22:12. > :22:21.completely at it was really a super moment.
:22:22. > :22:33.# I'm dreaming of a White Christmas # Just like the ones I used to know
:22:34. > :22:39.# Where the tree tops glisten and children listen... #.
:22:40. > :22:48.He just loves singing and he loves getting... His voices is not as good
:22:49. > :22:52.as it used to be and he feels nobody would want him so for somebody to
:22:53. > :23:05.get up with him like that has just made his day. Made his Christmas.
:23:06. > :23:29.A heart-warming Christmas story. Enjoy your Christmas, John. Onto the
:23:30. > :23:34.weather. Sarah Farmer is here. A mild one. Storm Barbra is not
:23:35. > :23:37.hanging around for too much longer. Giles Marsh sent in this wonderful
:23:38. > :23:40.shot of the sun rising A grey but glorious
:23:41. > :23:43.view across the grounds of Blenheim Palace, in Woodstock -
:23:44. > :23:46.That one was taken by in Weymouth Harbour this afternoon,
:23:47. > :23:59.captured by Raymond Slack We continue to have outbreaks of
:24:00. > :24:05.rain through the coming hours and that should clear throughout and we
:24:06. > :24:15.will see spells of clear whether developing through the night. Clear
:24:16. > :24:21.skies mean that temperatures will take a bit of a knock. Down to
:24:22. > :24:25.around four or 5 degrees. Sheltered spots may see a touch of Frost but
:24:26. > :24:31.there should be enough of a breeze to keep that at bay for most of
:24:32. > :24:35.ours. Into Christmas Eve, a bright and cheery start. Still breezy
:24:36. > :24:40.through the cause of the day. We could see one or two showers
:24:41. > :24:50.floating in from the West. For the most part, a pleasant and bright
:24:51. > :24:59.day. Temperatures, highs of ten or 11. Cloud will continue to build and
:25:00. > :25:05.thicken. The odd shower is possible. Through the overnight period, it
:25:06. > :25:14.will be breezy. Into Christmas Day, it's a mild one. Temperatures around
:25:15. > :25:27.12-14 . The record is currently 15.60 Greece. It'll be quite cloudy.
:25:28. > :25:33.-- 15 .6 degrees. Wet weather moves in through the overnight period on
:25:34. > :25:39.Sunday into Monday. We do eventually see that clear through. Through
:25:40. > :25:44.Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, it looks like we will stay pretty mild.
:25:45. > :25:51.But pressure conditions as we arrive into Boxing Day. Things to settle
:25:52. > :26:00.down and the wind is of a touch, as well. That's it. From all others
:26:01. > :26:02.here, we wish you a Merry Christmas. We would like to leave
:26:03. > :26:05.you with a carol. The Downton Chamber Voices singing
:26:06. > :26:36.Comes The Light by Sarah Collins, # Sing out for the mother and the
:26:37. > :26:46.child she bore # Sing out for the mother and the
:26:47. > :26:56.child she bore. # Sing out for the Earth and
:26:57. > :27:04.heavenly renewal... # Comes a light, sing out and be
:27:05. > :27:11.heard # Sing out for the mother and the
:27:12. > :27:14.child she bore # Sing out for the mother and the
:27:15. > :27:19.child she bore. # Sing out for those with faith and
:27:20. > :27:22.without # For those who hope and those who
:27:23. > :27:36.doubt # All those who work throughout the
:27:37. > :27:39.night # Sing out for the mother and the
:27:40. > :27:59.child she bore. #. Christmas is about family.
:28:00. > :28:07.I'll have that. Let's get this Christmas party
:28:08. > :28:24.started!