Village Community Committee make final donations

It is an end of an era, and the Milford-on-Sea Village Community Committee is about to make generous donations to 12 charities as its final act before disbanding.

On Monday 16th March at 7.30pm in the Guide Hut the Village Community Committee Trustee’s founder Member Sally Reed, treasurer Bob Burney and committee member Joy Ayling, will be making Donations of £500 to the following local charities:

• Milford-on-Sea Girl Guides 
• Keyhaven Scouts
• Milford Community Bus
• Milford Football Club
• Milford Cricket Club
• Milford Christmas Lights
• Wessex Heartbeat Appeal
• New Forest Parkinson U.K. 
• Honeypot House
• Scarf
• The Minstead Trust
• and the Rose Road Association 

The Milford-on-Sea Village Community Committee was formed in 1978, following the successful Queen’s Silver Jubilee Party.

May Fayre 2010
click image to enlarge

Three major events were then organised; The May Fayre, Milford on Sea Carnival and Christmas Celebrations.

The Carnival became a huge success with villagers, shops and holidaymakers participating.

The Silver Carnival Queen’s Trophy was given by Olive Troke, the first lady mayor of Lymington Borough. The trophy was the centre piece many times in the window displays at ‘Gwen's Ladies Fashions’ in the high street.

Milford on Sea Carnival 2010

click image to enlarge

The Final Carnival took place in 2010 due to lack of volunteers and escalating insurance costs.

The Christmas event is now organised by the Three Milford Church’s, and The May Fayre in 2019 was organised by the Keyhaven Scouts. 

The Milford-on-Sea Village Community Committee were also involved in organising many other events for the village over the years.

The first special event organised was the Queens Silver Jubilee Street Party held in the High Street on June 8th 1977. At which 450 children were presented with a badge commemorating the Queens Silver Jubilee, and a commemorative seat was erected on the Village Green. 

V.E. Day Celebrations were held on May 5th 1995 where Millennium china mugs with the Milford on Sea Crest and minted coins were sold. 

At the Queen’s Golden Jubilee on June 3rd 2002, Royal Mint Commemorative Medals bearing the Milford-on-Sea Village Community Committee logo were given to 600 children living in the Parish of Milford and Everton. A medallion was also given to St Barbe Museum in Lymington and to the late Brian Down who had the designed the logo. The logo was also worn by committee members on t.shirts and jumpers. 

Monies raised were always donated to local organisations and worthy causes.

Recently, donations were given to Leukaemia Busters, British Heart Foundation and Oakhaven Hospice Trust in Memory of past and long standing committee members. 

Sally and Bob wish to thank everyone who has supported and helped Milford-on-Sea Village Community Committee in anyway over the years.  

To preserve the memory of all the good work carried out by the Village Community Committee, Sally Reed has handed the Milford-on-Sea Historical Records Society all of the documents and photo albums relating to all these village events.