Hurst Castle Xmas Card Launched

Local artist Shaun Stevens has once again donated a bright and cheery design for this year’s Hurst Castle Christmas Card. She calls the picture ‘Scows Help Hurst Castle Deliver Christmas’. 

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The card depicts eleven scows with brightly coloured sails and one of the little Hurst Castle Ferries packed full of festive gifts. Every boat is skippered by a little Santa and even the Castle dogs, Honey and Poppy, are on hand as crew. Shaun assures me that every sail number really exists and represents an actual member of the Keyhaven fleet.

At £3.50 for a pack of ten, they could make a nice personal Christmas card and help out Hurst Castle at the same time.

All proceeds are going towards restoring the old WW2 NAAFI canteen in the east wing of the Castle. This room, originally converted from two adjacent gun emplacements, is where the 161 troops stationed at Hurst during the War some 75 years ago would have taken their meals. 

click image to enlarge

The canteen is currently in a sorry state of repair with water penetrating the brick-vaulted roof, but it is possible to repair the roof and dry everything out so that it may once again play an active role.

One suggestion is for the canteen to be made available as a classroom and exhibition space where visiting school children may learn about the origins of Hurst Spit and the Castle’s history.

Substantial donations have already been received from the New Forest National Park Authority and ExxonMobil’s Fawley Refinery, whilst users of the Castle’s Audio Guide have also contributed.

It is hoped that work can begin soon to repair the roof before a lengthy period of drying out begins next year.

The cards are on sale at the new Hurst Castle shop priced at £3.50 for a pack of ten.

Hurst Castle Shop

Open from 9.30 – 1.30 every morning

47 High Street, Milford on Sea, SO41 0QG | 01590 642500

hurstferry@aol.com

www.hurstcastle.co.uk