Volunteers needed for Music Festival

If you would like to support a wonderful annual village event, the Milford Music & Arts Festival would love you to volunteer during the weekend of the festivities. 

There are a range of duties from answering queries on the help desk, serving at the bar to manning barriers and they all need your help!

Why not donate a few hours to having fun whilst you help your local community. 

For more information, please email: Mosfest2018@gmail.com

Or visit the volunteer website to sign up by clicking here.

Chalk Paint Workshops at No64 Biscuit House

Glenn Harrison from No64 Biscuit House in the High Street has been in touch to tell us that Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Workshops are coming to No64 Biscuit House from June.

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Glen said: "On April 25th we held our first Annie Sloan workshop here at No64 HQ, guest-presented by hugely experienced Annie Sloan regional manager Karen, for 6 of our lovely customers who had put them name down for the date/time when it was announced. It was so popular we could have filled the 6 space 3 times over! 

We're now fully accredited Annie Sloan Workshop Providers (see Glenn with Annie herself at Annie Sloan HQ recently) and this month we'll be launching our Workshop program with 'An Introduction to Annie Sloan Chalk Paints & Painting Techniques'. So whether you're a total novice, or a 'newbie' with questions, this workshop will teach you all of the basic techniques, and more, for up-cycling tired or reclaimed furniture, professionally, the Annie Sloan way! 

It's a 3 hour course and includes materials & refreshments, there are 6 places per course and all you need to bring is yourself, and an apron/clothes you don't mind potentially getting a splatter of paint on! 

Details will always be on our website - www.No64.co.uk via the new Annie Sloan tab - which will be regularly updated with courses, dates & times, and where you'll be able to register your interest (or you can email us at enquiries@no64.co.uk). Or, as many of you do, pop in regularly for an update, and to book your place (a course also makes a great gift for a friend or relative), and of course to buy your paints & accessories. 

We're so excited about this announcement, so let's get painting.....the Annie Sloan way!"

Liz takes the The Longest Ride

It was during the dark days of the Second World War that a charity was established to help in cases of hardship among the thousands of volunteers enlisting in the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS). 

With Wrens serving their country with distinction at home and abroad – and in some cases losing their lives to enemy action – it was clear that a charity would be needed to support the women both during wartime and into the future. 

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Typical requests for assistance were from those with homes damaged by fire, billeting fees for evacuated children, medical expenses and unpaid leave to care for sick relatives and younger siblings. Immediately after the War the Trusts main work was to help secure employment for many hundreds of former Wrens. 

In 1942 The Women’s Royal Naval Service Benevolent Trust (WRNS BT) was formed and has been helping former Wrens ever since. 

Milford on Sea resident and Former Wren Liz Brown, joined the WRNS in March 1977 as a Wren TSA(Training Support Assistant), she left the full time service in September 1992 as a Petty Officer Wren ETS (Education and Training Support) and then served in the Royal Naval Reserve until 1994. After careers in both the IT industry and the NHS, Liz retired last year and returned to her hobby of cycling. 

Inspired by the events that took place during 2017 to celebrate the Centenary of the formation of the WRNS (WRNS 100). She has decided that 2018 will be her “Challenge Year” and intends to cycle 150 miles in one day, which is her “Longest Ride” (40 miles longer than her previous best), starting and finishing in Milford-on-Sea with a looped circuit around the New Forest. The ride will take place on the Longest Day, weather permitting. Liz hopes the local community will turn out to encourage her on the day. 

She is raising money for the WRNS BT and would like your support. You can donate by bank transfer to the WRNS BT: Sort Code 560064 83836594. Please quote your name as the reference for the payment. Or you can donate by post to the address below and please indicate if you are able to Gift Aid your donation. 

Over the past 76 years the WRNS BT has helped more that 12,300 former Wrens in the UK and abroad. Last year it helped support more than 250 women, and distributed a total of £300,000 in annual and one off grants. 

“We are here to help former Wrens of all ages,” says Sarah Ayton, the Trust’s General Secretary. “Some of our beneficiaries served during the war, but we also help ladies in their forties and lots in between.” 

143,000 women served in the WRNS between 1939 and 1993 and there are currently 40,000 former Wrens still alive today. All are members, irrespective of their age or position,” says Mrs Ayton. “We are often able to help supplement a former Wren’s weekly income with a small annuity and are sometimes able to assist their families with care and funeral costs.” 

To find out more about this event please contact: 

Liz Brown: W132756L@gmail.com - Tel; 07703 803914 

Sarah Ayton, WRNS BT: generalsecretary@wrnsbt.org.uk - Tel: 02392 655301 

Address: Castaway House, 311 Twyford Avenue, Portsmouth, PO2 8RN. 

Web: https://wrnsbt.org.uk

Enter the Milford Flower and Produce Show

The Milford Flower and Produce Show is fast approaching and now is time to get your entries in.

This local village show has flower & produce displays with competitions for all to enjoy. 

There are categories for: Vegetables, Fruit, Flowers, Floral Art, Produce, Photography, Handcrafts, Children's classes and Scarecrow. Open to All, so just join in.

A full Schedule is available from: Community Centre, Village News, Milford News or Everton Nurseries, and entries can be made via The Village News at the foot of Milford on Sea village green, or Milford News at the other end of the village.

The Milford Flower and Produce Show takes place from 2.30pm to 4.30pm on Saturday 21st July 2018 at All Saints' Church Hall, Church Hill, Milford on Sea - Admission £1.

The village Charity Shop is looking for volunteers

The village Charity Shop is looking for volunteers to help out on a part time basis.

This is a great way to meet people, enjoy the local community and help raise funds for the Community Centre.

If you are interested, please pop into the Charity Shop in Milford on Sea village centre (next to the Co-Op) for more information.

The Village Veg loves paper bags

A regular reader has dropped us a line to say... 

"I’m hoping you can give a plug in your newsletter about our village vegetable shop. There is so much written about the use of plastic and the harm it is doing to our environment, particularly the marine environment, I think we all need to try and use less.

Whereas in the supermarkets we buy fruit and vegetables wrapped in plastic, in our local vegetable shop there is hardly any plastic to be seen and goods are sold in paper bags. I’d like to encourage more people in Milford to know about this and use it!!"

Well said - paper is best!

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Owner, Nick Munnik has run a successful greengrocers (Village Veg) in Brockenhurst for nine years, and  opened a fully refreshed and well-stocked shop in Milford on Sea village centre in July 2017, also named Village Veg.

The new shop is managed by Kirsty Munnick, and is located in the same premises of Milford's previous greengrocers, Marjorie's.

You can even order fruit and veg boxes online at: www.villagevegltd.co.uk.

(Sadly, they don't sell chocolate, but banana fritters are a treat worth having!) 

Village Veg

Church Hill, Milford on Sea, SO41 0QH‎

www.villagevegltd.co.uk

Beach Hut Owners Vertical Climb

An article appeared in the Daily Mail Online on the 16th May, showing Tracey Mead and her father, Graham Watling who are having to climb a vertical 12ft wall of pebbles to their £20,000 cabins after the council refuses to replenish shingle bank washed away by high tides.

To read the full story please click here.

Picture from Daily Mail - taken by Phil Yeomans BNPS
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Milford on Sea Railway Station

Mark Clayson from the award winning The Bay Trees B&B in the village is involved with the New Forest Model Railway Society Annual Exhibition at the end of this month, and Mark has built his own version of what Milford on Sea station may have looked like if we had actually had one!

You can see this and lots more at the exhibition. Click here for more information.

The future of Milford War Memorial Hospital

A packed community centre listened attentively to the presentation by the director and deputy director of West Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) on the future of Milford War Memorial Hospital. As part of the League of Hospital Friends’ AGM, the guest speakers were the highlight of the afternoon. 

Director Rachel King reviewed the history of the hospital and then spoke of future planning for it and for services in the wider area. 

The NHS owns the hospital and site though not the medical centre. While recognising the hospital is valued by the community, it is assessed as not fit for modern purpose, and does not comply with current legislation on access, corridors and other matters. A recent survey concluded £700,000 would be needed just to bring it up to an acceptable standard. The hospital is 10% utilised, meaning that the NHS/taxpayers fund the non-productive 90% . 

The CCG was impressed by the community’s strong response to their recent survey and open meetings. Currently, Milford at 31% has nearly twice the national average (17%) of residents aged over 65. The CCG strategy is for local services near home, though Lymington Hospital was a valuable resource, despite difficulties accessing it by public transport. Another problem is the difficulty people experience in affording to live in the district, and this impacts on availability of care support professionals. 

The hospital offers a clinic for leg ulcer care, some optical services, exercise classes, and accommodation for a dialysis service. It could provide short term “step up / step down” facilities - beds for 6 weeks, to relieve the problem of delayed transfer out of acute hospitals. End-of-life-care was another possibility. The pharmacy was much valued, and the return of a phlebotomy service would be welcomed, and also local podiatry. 

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The director envisaged the next steps would be to investigate needs; Hampshire County Council (HCC) was very interested in exploring with the CCG, and maybe Oakhaven, a care home facility on the site. 

There were other options, based on population needs, which would have to be processed in stages, and formal planning processes observed. Schemes would have to be tested for affordability. It was difficult to give a timescale but the CCG undertook to continue working with the community and League of Hospital Friends. 

Deputy director Catherine Bowell then reviewed current initiatives, including “Get Hampshire Walking”; “Time of Our Life” campaign, preparing for a heathy future; the new clinical pharmacist reviewing over 6,000 patients’ medication; the Frailty Support Team, and Dementia care. 

Questions from the floor were then invited. 

There was concern that the hospital building would continue to deteriorate before the 2021 start date for structural work, and there was a sense of disappointment that since 2005 nothing had really happened. It was hoped that there could be a plan of action for the near future, say the next 2-3 years. 

The director confirmed that there was no intention to withdraw present services; the building was being maintained and kept safe, although there would be no major expenditure on it. Keeping the actual fabric of the building would be dependent on the next steps. 

Strong feelings were expressed that there had been a lot of talk about processes but not much hope held out of a “date for first delivery”. The director said that there were several options to consider including working with HCC to develop a care home unit to address local needs. 

There being no other questions, chairman Mrs Julie Badham thanked the CCG for their presentation, and the meeting concluded with light refreshments.

Calling All Local Voluntary Organisations

The Milford on Sea Charitable Trust and Community Panel are inviting representatives of all Voluntary Organisations serving Milford, Everton and Keyhaven to join them for a coffee morning on Saturday 16th June between 10am and 12noon in the Community Centre, Sea Road, Milford on Sea. 

MoS Community Panel is a networking group attended by representatives of many local voluntary organisations. They meet once every two months to discuss the needs of residents, particularly those who may be vulnerable, and develop projects to meet those needs. Milford Befrienders is a good example of one of our initiatives. Another is the Seahorses parent and toddler group. 

Members of the Panel recently established a charity to support existing groups, and new projects which benefit people living in the parish of Milford on Sea. 

Active members of voluntary organisations often meet up at the Newcomers’ Supper, which over the years has given an opportunity for us to network. However, we feel we need a more targeted approach for those organisations who depend on volunteers, to get together to discuss how we recruit them, perhaps at a special event. The Panel are planning to launch “Community Information Points” and we would like your input on how best to do this. We do hope you will come along to discuss areas of mutual interest and how we can work together to better fulfil the varied needs of our community.

Please RSVP to Ruth Bufton: ruth.bufton@btinternet.com 01590 641875 

The Milford on Sea Charitable Trust is a registered charity no 1172750

Phone Box & Family Fun from the Dementia Action Group

Have you been in the old phone box on the village green lately? - It no longer has a phone!

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During May, the Parish Council took over responsibility for the phone box to protect it for the village, and now they have allowed the Milford on Sea Dementia Action Group to fill it with information, as part of the national dementia awareness campaign.

The Milford on Sea Dementia Action Group is run by volunteers and does much valuable work across the village, and they would like to welcome the whole community to their Family Fun Afternoon on Sunday 13th May on the Village Green from 12noon to 4pm. 

Come along for afternoon tea with wonderful homemade cakes, raffle and tombola, arts, craft and plant stalls. For children there will be a toddlers’ play area, pottery, face painting, and baby chicks! 

Highlights of the afternoon will be an open air music class led by Professor Andrew Knights, a performance by the U3A Singing for Fun Group, a Zumba demonstration and a harmonica group. 

The MoS Dementia Action Group work to ensure that Milford is a Dementia Friendly Community. They offer awareness sessions for organisations, businesses, and small groups. However we recognise that people and their families also need support, so the group fundraise to help provide specialist activities, alongside other groups. 

Milford has four village groups: art, music, reminiscence and a monthly activity group, all held in the Community Centre. The Action Group provide the funding for the Reminiscence and Activity Groups, and will eventually take over the Music Group too. All four groups are highly successful. Enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteers support each group. 

The Milford on Sea Dementia Action Group are supported by the Parish Council and the Community Centre, and we can all support them by visiting their Family Fun Afternoon on Sunday.

Discover Milford on a Guided Walk

Lymington Town Tours operate a number of interesting walking tours of Lymington and the surrounding area, this includes Milford on Sea and the tours below may be of interest:

Walk The Story of Milford

The old hamlet of Milford was mentioned in the Domesday Book: a few houses around a green and a watermill, having about 50 inhabitants. Nothing changed very much for centuries until the late Victorian age, when it decided to change its image.....

Stroll through the village of Milford-on-Sea and its lovely wooded Pleasure Grounds while your guide relates how the sleepy hamlet of Milford tried to live down its smuggling days and changed its name to try to rival genteel Eastbourne. Hear the story of the string of pearls seven yards long....

NOTE: This walk takes about 1¾ hours and includes some footpaths. The footpath by the Mill Pond and woods would be unsuitable for wheelchairs.

This walk starts on the Village Green and finishes on the cliff top at the Beach House.

7pm: 23rd May 2018 | Other dates available, please click here.

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Walk Milford - Voices from The Grave

So many interesting people are buried in Milford churchyard – far too many to include in our Story of Milford walk! So this walk gives us more time to tell you all about them.

Hear the stories of the Torpedo Man, the Battling Bishop, the Royal Scandal, the Murderous Pearl-Maker, and many more.

We will also look at the memorials inside the church if it is open.

Walk starts at the Lych-gate, All Saints Church, Milford-on-Sea, and explores the church and churchyard.

7pm: 30th May 2018 | Other dates available, please click here.

Please Note: All our guides are volunteers and Lymington Town Tours have no official financial backing, so they do welcome a realistic donation at the end of the walk to cover their running costs.

Lymington Town Tours

www.lymington-town-tours.co.uk

Successful Lonely Bouquet Day

The Milford Floral Art Club had a very successful day on Friday 4th May for the Lonely Bouquet Day. 

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In all the group made over 50 small posies, which were firstly arranged into the letters MFAC (Milford Floral Art Club) on the village green before distributing them around the village for people to pick up, take away and enjoy.

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Will raises funds for Oakhaven Hospice Trust

Over this May Bank Holiday weekend Will Ayling, (Son of Joy Ayling, former owner of Milford Models & Hobbies) completed the Isle of Wight Ultra Challenge 2018

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Over 1,600 adventurers walked, jogged and ran around the Island's stunning 106km coastal path.  

Will was fundraising for Oakhaven Hospice Trust in memory of his father Miles, and he has raised over an impressive £2,500 after originally setting himself a target of £1000.

Now in it's 5th year - the Isle of Wight Challenge raised over £500,000 for the fantastic Charities.

If you would like to increase Will's total you can do so by clicking here.

Milford on Sea is bombed... by the WI

The glorious May Day Bank Holiday weekend saw the creative ladies from Milford on Sea Women's Institute 'Yarn Bomb' the village centre.

The WI are celebrating their 100th Birthday, and at 7am Saturday morning several members crept into the village to create colourful displays to put a smile on everyone's face.

The ladies busily displayed months of extraordinary colourful and often wacky knitting all around the village green. Camilla, Duchess or Cornwall sat with her own plate of cup cakes to watch proceedings from the WI's sponsored bench at the entrance to Sea Road Car Park. Even a tree full of scary spiders did not upset the royal equilibrium!

When the display is dismantled, all items will be washed and reassembled into blankets and gifts for the homeless/women's refuge/other charities - nothing will be wasted.

Nice work ladies, and thanks for bringing even more sunshine to the weekend.

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Milford Community Care Group AGM and Open Day

Chairman Valerie Newell welcomed all to the Community Centre for the 37th Milford Community Care Group AGM on 27th April and delivered her 9th and final report.

Chairman Valerie Newell

She described the Group going from strength to strength and she was happy to be handing over to Veronica Silander. Over the year 27,000 miles had been driven, amounting to over 1,200 trips. Particular mention was due to Brian Clark and Nigel Thomas for drives taking clients to their intensive medical treatments. Three drivers were retiring: Thelma Lusher, Dave Chewins and Tony Harrison. Also Pat Day, Everton representative. All were given gift tokens in appreciation. The Chairman concluded by saying she had really enjoyed her years with the Group, and handed over to the new chairman with all good wishes. 

Treasurer Alan Chapple reported that the finances were in good shape.

Mike Newell, Secretary

Mike Newell, Secretary, made his report. He thanked everyone for their good wishes on his retirement as secretary, a post he had held since 2006. The Group had started with two co-ordinators working from their homes, on call 24-hours, one week on / one week off. Now in 2018 there were 25 co-ordinators and 50 drivers, and the Group has its own office space in the Community Centre for which the Group was most grateful. 

All the committee offered themselves for re-election except chairman and secretary; their replacements being Veronica Silander and Neil Flux respectively. 

Nigel Thomas made a speech thanking Valerie and Mike. He expressed appreciation on behalf of all. In particular, Valerie’s dealing with the occasional difficult situation which she handled with consummate skill and diplomacy, drawing on her years of experience as a senior officer in social services. Mike was a hard-working secretary, whose duties were extensive. He had a fund of expertise, steering the Group through its responsibilities: MCCG was an example of good practice in the county. On behalf of everyone, Nigel offered both Valerie and Mike every good wish, and presented them with certificates of recognition, and gifts of a rose bush and garden vouchers. 

The meeting closed with applause for the retirees, and Valerie then introduced Jill Daniels, who gave an interesting presentation on “The curiosities of Hampshire”.

 

This started with Hanns Way Eastleigh, home of Benny Hill, and moved on to Wellington’s equestrian statue, now at Aldershot, but originally designed for Wellington Arch, London. Continuing with the military theme, we saw the intricate tapestry of D-Day, housed in Southsea, made with actual fabrics from service uniforms. Moving into the Forest, Minstead churchyard had interesting headstones, including Arthur Conan Doyle’s . 

In Portsmouth they saw shoemaker John Pounds original “Ragged School”, where he took in “waifs and strays” and is credited with founding this valuable movement, set up after he was seriously injured and disabled in a dockyard accident. Staying with things maritime, they were shown Rostron Close, West End, commemorating Captain Rostron of RMS Carpathia, who saved 706 of the Titanic’s passengers. After a detailed tour round the rest of the county, ended with trains – the famous Watercress Line of Alresford, and at Ampfield, birthplace of the Rev Awdry, author of Thomas the Tank Engine books. 

Jill was warmly thanked for her presentation, and the afternoon ended with light refreshments. 

To request transport to medical appointments, or to join Milford Community Care Group  as a volunteer, please phone 01590 641700.

20th Anniversary for Milford Gardeners' Club

Milford Gardeners' Club celebrated its 20th anniversary last year and now in its 3rd decade is as active as it has ever been. 

Sue Crabb, a long established member and since 2006 committee member, took over from Jen Spenser as Chair at the February AGM. 

Jenny who began the Club in 1997 with Jan England and had led the Club for 17 of these years is now intending a move to Hordle and to have some free time to garden and travel. 

Sue who lives in the village, will be a new and welcome face to take the Club forward. 

There is an interesting programme for year, meeting at 7pm on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. In May there is a demo and talk about the perfume of plants and their essential oils, given by John Baker (of Hosta fame) & his scientist wife. In June we will be hearing about the Roses of Mottisfont Abbey Gardens. 

The first event for the Club though is the annual Plant Fair on Saturday 19 May held on the Village Green. It starts at 8.30am to 1.30pm and should mostly be over before the Royal Wedding! Refreshments will be served by the Girl Guides and the proceeds of the day will go to local charities - Oakhaven Hospice and Milford Conservation Volunteers.

Milford Gardeners' Club

www.milfordgardenersclub.co.uk

Free Tea for readers at Apple Court Gardens

Apple Court Gardens in nearby Hordle are re-opening a whole month earlier on Monday 2nd May 2018, and they will be open 5 days a week instead of 4. (Wednesday to Sunday - 10am to 4pm).

They also have two open days with the NGS this year and are once again part of the Gardeners World 2 for 1 scheme. The nursery area will be larger this year, stocking more unusual varieties of plants at competitive prices.

Apple Court Gardens are offering all enjoy MoS News Bulletin readers a free tea or coffee if you mention you read these pages when visiting!  

The nationally acclaimed Hampshire garden reopened in 2017 after 4 year closure and has gained fantastic feedback from locals and holidaymakers alike. 

It is great that we now have another lovely place to visit right on our doorstep.

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Featured in various international magazines, and Alan Titmarsh’s “Love Your Garden” on ITV, the garden is packed with unusual flowers, shrubs and trees from around the world. Visitors can enjoy an authentic Japanese Garden, a circular White Garden, sub tropical planting and famous collections of hostas and daylilies. 

Originally designed by renowned horticulturists, Emma and Gavin are gradually improving each area and planting new species.

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Tea, coffee and cakes are available to take to the lovely summer house or terrace.

Open 5 days a week, Wednesday to Sunday - 10am to 4pm. 

Visitors can also buy plants, many of which feature in the garden. Free entry to the nursery, £5 to the garden itself. 

If you have never visited I can vouch that it is a tranquil place and joy to see. Why not take a trip along to see for yourself.

Apple Court Garden

Hordle Lane, Lymington SO41 0HU

www.applecourtgarden.co.uk

www.facebook.com/AppleCourtGarden

Instagram: @applecourtgarden

Contact Emma Taylor 07971 882317

Successful Spring Fair for Hospital Friends

Milford’s community helped put a spring in the step of the League of Friends on Saturday last, when over 100 people came to the Community Centre in Sea Road to support the spring fair.

The fair was in aid of the War Memorial Hospital which is facing exciting times with the upcoming annual general meeting (15th May) where special guest speakers will be talking about the new future for the hospital. 

The spring fair raised over £700, which will go towards items needed in the hospital, medical centre, and by the community nurses; for example, a home blood pressure kit, and bariatric Doppler. 

As usual, the brilliant cake stall drew the most support, closely followed by the raffle. The beautiful plants, so generously donated by Double H Nursery, attracted many buyers, and really helped boost the overall money raised. The league is so fortunate to have such strong support in the community, and is especially grateful to local traders who kindly display the publicity posters, and also donate items for the raffle. 

Tombola, gifts, and books also contributed to the overall success; even Name The Bear played its own small part! 

The league is indebted to support from volunteers and from the wider community, and looks forward to welcoming everyone to the community centre at 3pm on Tuesday 15th May for the exciting annual meeting, including presentations by officials from West Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group, bringing us up to date on the future of our cherished hospital.

Trip to Lunch at The Walhampton Arms

On the 24th April 2018 a group of older residents from the Everton and Milford on Sea area went on a lunch excursion to The Walhampton Arms. 

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Everyone involved with the trip thoroughly enjoyed the outing and look forward very much to repeating the experience. 

The group wishes to thank Hillyfields Care Home for making their minibus available.