All Change at South Lawn

Tim Wedgwood & Nikki Rowe are delighted to be the new independent owners at South Lawn Hotel, and they come with an excellent pedigree and exciting plans for the hotel and restaurant.

They have already commenced the refurbishment of the restaurant which will be renamed and is due to open in early December. Bedroom and bathrooms refurbishment has also started on a rolling basis and improvements to the public areas are ongoing. The car park is also being stripped and re-graded soon, as Nikki & Tim quite rightly take great pride in the outside areas as much as the inside.

The Cedar Tree, as the new restaurant is to be called, will be hosted by Nikki & Tim and the kitchen will be headed up by Gavin Levens who has worked closely with the new owners at East Close Country House Hotel. 

Gavin has nurtured a brigade over the summer at East Close in preparation for their arrival at South Lawn and he is very proud of the quality of food he produces. The prices are planned to be reasonable, for example the traditional Sunday lunch will cost £16.50 for two courses. The Cedar Tree will be open for Sunday lunch from 12.30pm to 8pm. Throughout the week and on Saturdays they will be open from 7.30am serving Breakfast, Morning Coffee, Lunch, Afternoon Tea and Dinner with last orders at 9pm. the menus will see some classic dishes as well as a grill section that will include speciality burgers and local meats. They will always have fresh fish on the menu and Gavin’s team turn out some amazing and innovative desserts.

Tim was kind enough to provide a fascinating insight into his and Nikki's background before arriving at South Lawns - Tim says: "I am delighted to have acquired South Lawn, I have been trying to buy a hotel in the area for some time and have had several attempts at purchasing South Lawn but timings were never quite right and on two occasions I had my offer rejected as the vendors favoured other parties.

Serendipity eventually, I received a call from the agents in April this year informing me that the purchase had been aborted by the previous purchaser. As luck would have it I had just sold my hotel in the Midlands and was in funds so I without hesitation resubmitted an acceptable offer. It took some 6 months to complete but it was worth persevering. 

I would describe myself as a single hotel hotelier but in recent years it has been my pleasure to have had an addition to my portfolio. In November 2012 I took on the East Close Hotel and Conqueror Inn at Hinton. This gave me a flavour for the area and hence my decision to sell in the Midlands with a view to concentrating my efforts in this lovely part of the country.

My career from the age of 16 when school left me has always been in the hospitality industry, my first job as a kitchen porter put me in good stead to climb the ladder, I have worked in every department of a hotel and my employed career peaked when I spent 5 years at London's prestigious Grosvenor House on Park Lane. Four years as Banqueting manager organising events such as the Bafta Awards, Annual Dinners and Society Weddings. I also spent a year as guest relations manager and I enjoyed working with royalty and government officials in this high profile position.

In 1995 at 26 years of age I bought my first hotel and have since owned and managed six hotels. As an owner operator myself and my partner Nikki are fully committed to putting South Lawn back on the map. Both Nikki and I will be resident at the hotel and are embracing the challenge we have, Nikki and I have worked together in hotels for 18 years and we are a great team.

As a banqueting manager by profession the superb function facilities at South Lawn will be high on the agenda, we look forward to looking after local society events and have already had the pleasure of serving a number of local organisations. Food quality and service in banqueting is so important, we know what to do and we look forward to many years of looking after our guests.

Both Nikki and I sincerely hope we have the pleasure of looking after you."

It is great to see this motivated team taking over at South Lawn and bringing it into the 21st century, - and we hope that their changes will very soon be experienced by all of us. 

The Cedar Tree will be another exciting addition to the Milford on Sea culinary scene - and a further endorsement that Milford on Sea is a Foodie Heaven by the Sea!

South Lawn Hotel & The Cedar Tree Restaurant
Lymington Road, Milford on Sea, SO41 0RF

www.southlawnhotel.co.uk

Funds for Freda the Guide Dog

The Freda Cheyney MBE Memorial Fund has now managed to raise around £1650 towards the £2500 required to sponsor a Guide Dog for the Blind, the plan is to name the puppy 'Freda' - and the fundraisers are hoping for more donations to hit their target . 

Freda Cheney was a major village personality & heart of the community for many years. Freda lived locally for more than 80 years and in 2002 she was awarded the MBE for her renowned work with the Women’s Section of the local Royal British Legion, Milford Guides, charities and community events.

To donate towards Freda the Guide Dog please contact: Sue on 07920 281307 or at: ladypig@btinternet.com

You can find out more about Freda by clicking here.

Wartime Memories in Brave Faces

Former Milford on Sea resident and author, Eve Warton has published a new book entitles Brave Faces (under the pseudonym Mary Arden). Eve will be doing a book signing at Waterstones in Lymington this Saturday (7th November) 11am to 12 noon.

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When one of Eve Warton’s granddaughters asked, “What did you do in the war, Granny?”, little did she know it would lead to a book signing 10 years later at Waterstones in Lymington – on the day before Remembrance Sunday.

Eve, now 91, first came to Lymington in 1959 to start a new life with her three young children following the death of her war hero husband Iain Robertson. She bought a house in Daniell’s Walk and ran a nursery school for the next eight years.

In 1967 Eve moved to Keyhaven where she met and married her second husband Robin Warton. The family joined the Keyhaven yacht club and spent as much time on the Solent as they could, also sailing to France and the Channel Islands. 

In 1985 they moved to Milford on Sea, and during the Falkland’s War Eve offered her nursing experience to St George’s Hospital. When she became a widow for the second time Eve moved to a small village near Salisbury to be closer to one her grandchildren. However, she often returns to the Lymington area to visit her friends.

Picture from:
www.salisburyjournal.co.uk
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It was after that question about her war experience that Eve first began writing down her war memories – now published as ‘Brave Faces’ under the pen name Mary Arden.

In the book, Eve explains that when the Second World War broke out her parents were determined their daughter’s privileged upbringing should continue, and life should carry on as much as normal. She was sent to finishing school and became a debutante attending ‘coming out’ balls in London, despite nightly bombing raids.

Eve, however, wanted to do her bit for the war effort, initially volunteering as a Red Cross nurse before joining the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) and embarking on a very different life –not as an officer, but as ‘other rank’.

As a junior Wren, Eve had to learn to live a very different kind of life to the one she had been brought up to expect. She was used to being chaperoned, only talking to men she had been ‘introduced’ to, so finding a suitable category for such a naïve girl was an almost impossible task for her senior officer.

Eve said: “I joined the WRNS in 1942 when I was 17, but unfortunately was not accepted as my initial choice, boats crew, as I was not considered strong enough. I was then tested as a driver but as I was only five foot two my legs wouldn’t reach the pedals. 

“Luckily the First Officer Wren at HMS Vernon in Portsmouth, where I did my training, had just been contacted by the surgeon commander in charge of the special eye unit at HMS Daedalus in Lee-on-Solent to find a suitable girl to be trained as a night vision tester.”

She explained: “This role was perfect for me because the only qualifications required were a clear speaking voice and the ability to fend off amorous pilots when I was locked in the dark test room with eight of them at a time. Having been brought up with two noisy brothers and their rowdy friends I thought, ‘This will be easy’. It wasn’t!”

After initial training at HMS Daedalus, Eve was posted to six different naval air stations around England, Scotland and Northern Ireland as a leading Wren night vision tester. 

The many stories in Eve’s book include such accounts as the day a low-flying aircraft went past while she was cycling along a deserted road towards Lee-on-Solent and HMS Daedalus.

She wrote: “It was flying very low and the downdraft was so violent it made the leaves fall from the trees…It was almost as if the road had become the runway and it was now heading straight towards me.

“Wobbling all over the road and shaking with fear, I yelled angrily at the pilot, ‘I’ll report you to your commanding officer!’

“I then saw two aircraft following each other across the sea…Both aircraft were flying very fast and low, as if they were chasing one another. Low flying was forbidden in a built-up area and I thought you silly boys, you will get into real trouble.

“Both aircraft then swung towards the hill near my billet on the seafront and disappeared from view. I sighed with relief and was just regaining my composure, when I heard a loud engine roar…when I looked up I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. On the wings of the plane flying in my direction were black crosses. It was a German Messerschmitt.

“I then heard the sound of gunfire followed by a different sound, the roar of another plane. It was one of ours.

“My goodness, a dogfight is going on right above my head, I now realised, as more gun-fire sent me into a cold sweat. Suddenly a hail of bullets hit the road not very far from where I was, and that’s when instinct took over. I dropped my bicycle in the middle of the road and quickly ran for cover. I saw a high garden wall and decided that the sooner I got behind it the better. It was a life-saving decision. I only just made it over the wall, as more bullets hit the road right at the spot where I had been standing only seconds before.”

In the book Eve recalls screaming up at the sky that she was too young to die, adding: “The reality came as quite a shock. My parents would have been devastated if I had died. I was still only 18, the war having started when I was just 15, when passing my school exams had been my priority. Remembering the summer of ‘39 that I’d spent without a care in the world, I now thought how utterly and unbelievably different my life was now to how it was back then.”

Talking to the ‘Advertiser & Times’ about ‘Brave Faces’, Eve said: “I am hoping my book will bring memories back for those who still remember the war years, and that the younger generation might benefit from understanding what it was like having to put on a brave face every day and just getting on with it despite the war.”

‘Brave Faces’ is available via Troubador, Amazon, Waterstones and The Book Depository - plus of course Eve will be signing copies at Waterstones, Lymington, between 11am and midday on Saturday.

Time for Remembrance

At this time of year many of us wish to show our gratitude to those who have, and still do, risk their lives to keep us safe.

If that applies to you, then you may wish to join your fellow villagers at the events below:

Remembrance Sunday: 8th November Services

• 10.50am: St Mary's Church Everton,
• 2pm: Keyhaven War Memorial followed by a Royal British Legion & local Scout Group Parade to All Saints' Church, Milford-on-Sea
• 3pm: All Saint's Church Remembrance Day Service.

Armistice Day: Wednesday 11th November

• 11am: Act of Remembrance at Everton Recreational ground
• 11am Act of Remembrance on Milford-on-Sea Village Green followed by wreath laying at the Village War Memorial Hospital.

Everyone is most welcome to attend any of the events as we remember in particular the past sacrifices made by inhabitants of the Parish of Milford.

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A family Story for Poppy Day

I am sure that at this time of year many families recall stories of the war years & the part their own families played in the eventual victory.  Our family never really had any ‘war stories’, well we didn’t until my brother Peter, did some genealogical research during 2009.  Like most families I guess, the war was not discussed when we were children, & the only thing I remember was that my dad’s older brother had been a WW2 prisoner of war in an horrific Japanese camp, but he never spoke about it to anyone, ever.

I also knew that my Grandad’s lungs were badly damaged during the first world war, but did not know how. I remember him as a warm & kindly man who lived with us when we were children. In fact our three bedroom home in Kingsbury, North London, housed Grandad, my Nan, Mum & Dad, plus us three kids. He fondly told me great children’s stories as I sat on his knee, with his oxygen cylinder & mask sitting ominously next to him in the living room. He even caught me doing something I shouldn’t have, but kept it a secret from anyone forever. My other Grandfather, Albert Long, I remember as a stern archetypal Victorian man, in a woollen suit with waistcoat & fob watch. His house was a standard semi-detached in Hendon, North London with an allotment at the bottom of the garden where he spent many hours. He was certainly of a mind that ‘children should be seen & not heard’ & the front parlour was a special treat to visit only on special Sundays. This all seems so far from the days we now live in. Having been born in the mid 1950's, I grew up with the war as being something 'old people' talked about, & in my teens & twenties I was much more interested in girls & pubs!

Sadly, when I eventually became interested in what happened during the two World Wars it was too late to ask many of those I had known that had been there. It was not until I was in my early forties that I took a trip to Ypres & the Belgian World War One Battlefields & Trenches, and the experience was unexpectedly emotional & a disturbing realisation of the scale of the slaughter. In subsequent years my interest in the war years grew, as I tried to understand & make sense of what had happened. It just felt important to know. A visit to the World War Two D-Day Beaches of France soon followed. If these are trips you have never made, I thoroughly recommend a visit. I cannot say it will be fun, I also cannot guarantee you will not have an involuntary tear or two, but I can guarantee that the sights will put everything into perspective & steel your resolve for such a thing to never happen again. In my view, it should be on the curriculum of every school in the country to visit the battlefields & cemeteries to ensure our children never forget what happened to their own forefathers.

Back to Peter, (my Brother), a few years ago he gave me a surprise present of two photograph frames with the most amazing contents following his research: each had a sepia photograph, name & rank panel, miniature medals & script on the back. The photographs were pictures of each of my Grandfathers in their military uniforms during WW1. The stories on the back revealed amazing things about two ordinary men during wartime.

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My Grandad, Staff Sergeant Horace W Hunt had been in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps during WW1 as a Mine Sweeper, unfortunately he was involved in an explosion which necessitated his return to Hendon Cottage Hospital, England for treatment for temporary blindness & respiratory problems. During World War Two he served as a corporal in the Southgate Home Guard. Being an engineer he invented an improved loading device for 97 round Lewis Light Machine Gun which improved the loading efficiency by forty percent, which he donated to the war effort.  Our family now has a letter from a Major M. A Moir, congratulating him on his ingenuity.

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My other Grandfather, Rifleman Albert Long, of the Rifle Brigade was one of the few to return from the atrocious battlefields of Passchendaele, Belgium. During his time in the trenches we were proud to discover that he had been awarded the Military Medal for an individual act of bravery. His Military Medal was awarded on the 18th October 1917. Unfortunately, all records of the exact event were destroyed during the bombing of the Army Records Office in London during World War 2. However, from family memory Peter discovered that he had saved a comrade from ‘no man’s land’ during battle. His medals were bequeathed by the family to his Regimental museum, the Royal Green Jackets Museum in Winchester, when he died in 1965 & can still be seen there today.

This personal story may not be read by many, but for those that do read this, I hope it conjures up memories from your own families.  Most importantly, now that I have written this story online my grandads will never be forgotten, and like so many other fathers & grandfathers who sacrificed so much, they never should.

Skatepark for the Kids

Milford on Sea Parish Council are considering how best to improve the outdoor play facilities for young people in the village.

The village has been allocated funds by New Forest District Council from “Developers’ Contributions” which must be spent on open air sports facilities.

In earlier consultations over 70% of young people surveyed indicated they would like a skate park and more space for sports pitches.

The village's principal play area is Carrington Lane Playpark where there have been modest improvements in recent years, but the facilities now need significant updating and improvement. The Parish Council is therefore seeking views on a proposal to create a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA), a small skate park facility and improvements to the toddler play area.

Please let the Parish Council know your views by completing the quick (9 question) survey - please click here.

The Big Learner Relay is Back

Local driving instructor Louise Walsh (Daughter of Sue Whitlock) had ‘a bit of an idea’ whilst watching the Children in Need appeal in 2013, she thought perhaps driving instructors could get together to raise money, and this small spark turned into a raging fire!

Amazingly, Louise's 'bit of an idea' raised £65,500 and culminated with Louise’s guest appearance on the Queen Vic set during BBC TV Children in Need programme in 2014.

Louise in
BBC Children in Need Studio
with Shane Richie

This years 2,800 mile relay starts in Northern Ireland on Monday 26th October 2015 and finishes in Swindon on the 13th November: Children in Need Appeal Day 2015. The relay will cover England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales with 180 lead driving lessons and many hundreds of instructors and pupils joining the convoy. The English leg starts in Lymington on 30th October 2015.

Louise will not miss a thing, as she will be travelling the whole of the UK in the back of participation driving instructor cars.

To support the cause the First Friday Charity Lunch on the 6th November at 1pm will be supporting the Big Learner Relay, everyone is invited to enjoy lunch for £5 on a first come first served basis. There is no need to book. just go along. There will also be a special raffle, including a bicycle generously donated by Halfords, and a vist from Pudsey bear. 

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Look out for spotty cars - the Big Learner Relay intends to get bigger and bigger.

Big Learner Relay 

www.biglearnerrelay.webs.com

Donation Page: Please click here

New Website for All Saints' Church

Our friends at All Saints' Church have send us their latest exciting news:

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All Saints Church, Milford with St Mary's, Everton has a new website, developed with a colourful sea view backdrop and an easy-to-find menu of pages to show visitors and locals alike that we are here for the whole community with our long-term aim 'to know Jesus better and to make Jesus better known'. 

The variety of services and other activities taking place each week at both churches, together with specific meeting points for families and youth are all clearly listed and there are specific links to the Church Facebook page and to the weekly blog run for the 'All-Saintly Youth' by Youth Minister Craig McNinch. 

In addition, most sermons in All Saints' Church at the 10 am service are recorded and these can be downloaded from the Sermons subpage, where they are listed by date, topic and preacher. 

Among other resources available as audio talks or downloadable documents are helpful discussions on the Real Meaning of Christmas or the Evidence for the Resurrection. 

Alongside our notices for the week, you will find an ongoing events calendar as well as details for those considering a wedding or family baptism. Links to other major websites and churches in the community, a daily verse from the Bible Gateway website and a wide range of photos of recent events help to make this a most useful guide to all who live in or visit this beautiful spot between the Forest and the Sea.

To find out more go to: www.allsaintsmilford.co.uk.

Win a Car for the Poppy Appeal

Milford on Sea Club have launched a spectacular year long raffle to Win a Car.

This exciting fundraising activity is to raise funds for the Royal British Legion in conjunction with the Milford on Sea Branch Poppy Appeal.

Everton Hyundai have generously donated a great deal to provide the prize car.

Last year on 15th November 2014, Milford on Sea Club held a very successful 'Every Man Remembered Day'. So successful in fact, that they raised £2900 for the Royal British Legion.

They are now looking to smash that donation amount in 2016 - and with the known generosity of people in Milford on Sea this is quite likely to be achieved.

The event organisers, and Milford on Sea Club committee members, Mark Ketchen and Richard Millbery have military ties. Mark served 18 years in the Grenadier Guards, and helping our ex-servicemen is close to both of their hearts.

Tickets will soon be on sale around the village, and for just £5 you might win yourself a new Hyundai i10 car!  If you do, can you give me a lift home when I have been into the village for a drink!

To donate to 3 Veterans & a Car please click here.

Milford on Sea Club

High Street, Milford on Sea

www.mosclub.org

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Royal British Legion Facts

• More than 9 million people in the UK are eligible to call on us for help. 
• The Royal British Legion's mission is to reach out to the 500,000 in the greatest need - the financially vulnerable, those who are socially or emotionally isolated, and those in poor health or living with a long-term illness. 
• The Legion are there for them at life's critical events - injury, bereavement, at times of financial hardship and when they need care in old age. 
• The Legion spent over £114 million on its work in 2010. We spend nearly £1.4 million a week delivering health and welfare support to Service people young and old, and their families. 
• Our Benefits and Money Advice service helped to write off £18.3 million in debt for beneficiaries struggling to copy financially during 2010 and to claim £9.1 million in additional income for those not receiving their full benefit entitlement. 
• We provided immediate assistance to 11,230 beneficiaries in a temporary crisis to the value of £6.1 million in 2010. 
• Our campaigning helped change the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme under the review led by Admiral Lord Boyce - with total estimated increases in compensation in excess of £40 million for those injured or ill as a result of their Service. 
• The Legion was founded in 1921. 
• The Legion is one of the UK's largest membership organisations, with around 350,000 members (including the Women's Section). Anyone can be a member, ex-Service or not. 
• You don't have to be a Legion member to receive assistance - but you must be an ex-Service person or a dependent. Anyone who has been in the British Armed Forces for seven days or more (and their dependants) is eligible for help. 
• People as young as 17.5 years can be sent on active service, so veterans are often much younger than people realise. Nearly a quarter of those we help now are below the age of 44. 
• Since 2003 we have provided financial help to over 10,000 veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan operations - and we are investing £50 million in Personnel Recovery Centres and our Battle Back Centre to care for the wounded of current conflicts. 
• There has only been one year (1968) since the Second World War when a British Service person hasn't been killed on active service. 
• Each year the Legion answers thousands of calls for help via Legionline our information helpline. 
• Our help covers a huge range of issues, including counselling, job retraining, skills assessment, getting the right pensions and benefits, money and career advice, welfare grants, pilgrimages to war graves, convalescent and nursing care, and home and hospital visits. 
• The Legion has close links to many other charities, organisations and trusts, enabling it to draw on the best resources and expertise, and to refer people to those best equipped to help them. 
• The Legion will be needed for as long as people continue to be affected by conflict. It doesn't advocate war but is simply there to support those who have been prepared to make a personal sacrifice through serving in the British Armed Forces. 
• In 2010, we raised £115.2 million - including a record £35 million for the Poppy Appeal. Apart from donations, funds come from legacies, sponsorship, corporate support and fundraising events. 
• 300,000 staff and volunteers organise the Poppy Appeal each year. 
• More than 40 million Remembrance poppies, 500,000 poppies of other types, 5 million remembrance petals, 100,000 wreaths and sprays, 750,000 Remembrance Crosses and other Remembrance items are made at the Poppy Factory in Richmond, Surrey, each year 
• More than 70% of the workers at the Poppy Factory are disabled or suffer from chronic illness. The Factory was designed to offer jobs to such people and its remit remains the same today.

www.britishlegion.org.uk

Help Out at the Glitz & Glam Sale

The Village Charity Shop is looking for volunteers to help to sort out the Christmas boxes for their 'Glitz & Glam' Christmas Sale. Help is needed on Friday 20th November, - and at the sale on Saturday 21st November at the Community Centre.

Any new or previous helpers will be warmly welcomed, and they will get first choice of goods at a discounted price!

If you are able to help out, please contact: Penny at: pennysteel@talktalk.net

The Village Charity Shop Glitz & Glam Pop Up Sale will feature Party Clothes & Shoes, Jewellery & Accessories and lots of Christmas Decorations! 

During the sale on Saturday 21st November between 10am and 4pm the Community Centre Café will open for all to enjoy, and all proceeds from the sale go towards supporting the village community.

Memories of Flying Concorde

Most of us have, or have had jobs and careers, but few of us had the good fortune to be part of an iconic part of British history.

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Well, Milford on Sea resident Sally Armstrong certainly fell into the second category when she worked on Concorde for seven years as a stewardess. During her time she experienced the Royal flights, exclusive charters, round the world trips, displays at air shows and flying with the Red Arrows - and now she has written a book recounting the life she led.

Sally's book is entitled; Vintage Champagne on the Edge of Space.

Concorde flight crew have written technical books on this supersonic aircraft that became one of, if not the greatest engineering feats of the 20th century. However no one before has written about the life of the cabin crew.

For all those who loved to see Concorde, those who may have been lucky enough to have travelled on her or those who mourned the loss of her departure from the skies, this sounds the book for them.

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Sally recalls; "Concorde was like an exclusive club as Sir David Frost once described it. The flights to New York and Washington regularly included movie stars, rock stars and leading politicians. Names like Paul McCartney, Elizabeth Taylor, Robert de Niro, Tom Cruise, Sir Richard Attenborough, Pavarotti ,Sir Yehudi Menhuin were just a few of the many famous people I met. It was a very special working life, flying as we were on the edge of space at 58,000 feet and at twice the speed of sound."

On Thursday, Sally was on BBC South Today being interviewed about her book, although they thought she was from New Milton rather than Milford on Sea!

To buy a copy of: Vintage Champagne on the Edge of Space: The Supersonic World of a Concorde Stewardess - please click here.

Book Signing for "Vintage Champagne on the edge of space"
at Moss on the green on Saturday 21st November, 10:30 till 12:30.

Moss on the Green
1 Church Hill, Milford on Sea, SO41 0QH
www.mossonthegreen.com
Tel: 01590 643867

End of Life Planning

Thinking about what will happen after we are gone is never a great pastime, and thankfully there is nearly always something more fun to do.

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However, it is not a great idea to leave a pile of problems for the people you care about. 

Milford on Sea Community Panel have organised a practical and informative day at the Community Centre in Sea Road, where 'Hampshire Carers Together' are running a workshop to provide information, advice and support for anyone interested in planning for a good end of life. 

The End of Life Planning day runs from 10am to 3pm on Tuesday 17th November with the day's agenda covering: Lasting Power of Attorney – Health and Welfare, Lasting Power of Attorney – Finance and Property, Advanced Directives (Living Wills), How do you start difficult conversations? and Creating a personal profile of your preferences and arrangements.

This event is for anyone at any stage of life who wishes to take a realistic approach to what needs to be in place for either themselves or a family member or friend. 

Refreshments will be available including a simple lunch. The event is free but we will asked to make a small donation towards the costs.

End of Life Planning Tickets are available from the Community Centre Box Office.

Prosecco on the Horizon

Blue Horizon restaurant on Milford on Sea seafront are offering a free glass of Prosecco to any lunchtime diners who are readers of this News Bulletin. 

To claim, simply book, or go along, any lunchtime between Wednesday to Saturday and enjoy a 2 course lunch for £15 (starter & main or main & sweet) with items chosen from the 'a la carte menu'.

If you mention that you are a Milford on Sea News Bulletin reader you will be given a complementary glass of Prosecco or fruit punch.

Blue Horizon

Marine House, Hurst Road, Milford on Sea, SO41 0PY

01590 642003 | info@bluehorizonrestaurant.co.uk

www.bluehorizonrestaurant.co.uk

Opening Times | Wednesday to Saturday

Lunch: 12pm to 3pm

Afternoon Tea: 3pm to 5pm (Bookings Essential)

Dinner: 6pm to 9pm

Sunday Lunch: 12.00pm - 5pm

Meadow Donated to Village

An eagle eyed reader has spotted that a section of Old Milford Meadow, which has been untouched for centuries and abuts All Saints' Church in Milford on Sea village, has been gifted to the Parish.

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The offer of meadow land left by the late Miss Diana Gillespie will be discussed at Milford on Sea Parish Council meeting to be held on Monday 19th October 2015 in the Village Hall at 6.30pm. 

Previous planning applications for a section of the land was rejected by the Parish Council on 20th October 2014.

Diana Gillespie passed away peacefully on 4th June 2015. Tapper Funeral Service published this memory: Youngest daughter of the late Ronald and Kathleen Gillespie of The Old House, Milford-on-Sea; sister to Heather and the late John (killed in action 1944), niece of the late Douglas and Thomas, who died for their country in 1914/15. Artist, gardener, servant of All Saints Church, Milford on Sea and St Marks Church, Pennington and long term carer to her late parents. 

The offer to donate the meadow land to the village is a generous gesture by this long term resident, who clearly understood the uniqueness of Milford village and the need to keep this green land close to the village centre and Norman church for the benefit of the residents now and in the future. 

The Parish Council now need to decide whether to accept the legacy, as of course it come with the responsibility of maintenance costs. Hopefully they will see that this land is a benefit to the community as a whole.

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Note: The outcome bequest of will be published in the Meeting Minutes on the Parish Council website, please click here.

Another Note!: We have just heard that the Parish Council have agreed to accept the bequest.

Raffle Prizes for School Fair

The School is looking for some raffle prizes for their Christmas Fair.

This year Milford on Sea C.E Primary School  are holding this fun annual event in conjunction with the Pre-School on Saturday 5th December 2015.

If you can help out with any raffle prizes at all, please drop your prizes into the Pre-School (next to the main village school) addressed to Sarah Rix. Ta!

Hurst Castle Christmas Cards

Local Milford on Sea artist Shaun Stevens has just brought out her colourful and fun Christmas Cards for this year.

Only about 70 days to go!

"Christmas Regatta at Hurst" cards are available from the Hurst Castle shop in the village, in packs of 10 cards for £3.50.

All proceeds will be going to help fund the installation of disabled facilities at Hurst Castle.

From Holocaust to Living Hope

Sylvia and Ralph Barnes have lived in Milford on Sea for almost six years, and having run a Creative Arts Christian Ministry for the last 19 years they are now arranging a very usual way to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day in 2016.

There is a real risk in putting on such a thought provoking event, which is believed to be a first for Milford and the New Forest area.

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From Holocaust to Living Hope is an afternoon presentation in song, dance, music, drama and the spoken word in commemoration of the Holocaust and other victims of terror.

The afternoon will comprise of a series of creative cameos designed to thoughtfully re-kindle awareness of the Holocaust and the plight of other victims of violence, and persecution happening in the world today. The event is not intended to be full of gloom and negativity but rather to draw together a number of creative strands that produce a timely heart statement that is not just reflective of the past but of the times we live in.

From Holocaust to Living Hope takes place on Saturday 30th January 2016 from 2:30pm to 4:30pm at Milford on Sea Community Centre.

Xalt has been an itinerant Ministry who have organised workshops, worship events and conferences locally and nationally. They have had the privilege of supporting local churches, worked with Ministers and Pastors from many denominations and hosted speakers from around the world.

Six years ago Brian Nicol an artist from London brought Sylvia and Ralph's attention examples of his very moving charcoal drawings of the Holocaust. This has led them organise an event where these could be seen and have the desired impact.

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The Creative Team include Artists, Musicians, Poets, Drama Actors, Dancers, and International Speaker Barry Barnett who lives in London near Golders Green. He has worked with Youth With a Mission, ministering to needy children and is now on the staff of Jews for Jesus. He also enjoys acting and directing plays.

Carl Woodward is a freelance Theatre practitioner, an Associate Lecturer at the University of Chichester and Vice Chair of the Bournemouth and Poole HMD Committee, he will be directing a short drama entitled “Don’t Stand By”

There will be no charge for the event an offering will be taken to help with costs. Additional revenue will be donated to Springs of Hope a charity supporting victims of terror.

Places are limited. Tickets can be obtained (from 5th January 2016): 

at The Village News 74 High Street Milford SO41 0QD

or: by email info@xalt.org - or Tel (from 1st December 2015): 07934 163155 - Please let us know your name and number of tickets required, you can then pick them up on the door. 

(Note: Under 12’s at parent’s discretion as images from the concentration camps will be shown.)

For further information please contact:

Sylvia and Ralph Barnes

Tel: 07934 163155

info@xalt.org

Website: www.xalt.org

Hope for The White Horse

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As The White Horse in Milford on Sea stands looking unloved and forlorn - South Hants CAMRA, the local branch of the Campaign for Real Ale, are currently submitting an ACV application.

An AVC is an 'Asset of Community Value' and provides a vehicle to block pubs from from being converted to retail or other uses without the submission of a planning application. The Localism Act 2011's Community Right to Bid allows community groups to nominate land and buildings as ACVs to allow them more control over their future use.

The White Horse application is not so easy to deal with as the pub has already closed, but a show of support from the 'locals' will go a long way to help. 

To assist in the application for The White Horse, South Hants CAMRA need support for the ACV application by obtaining at least 21 local signatures and addresses. It would also be particularly useful for any 'groups' that used the pub to also complete a form. No other commitment is involved other than signature.

Forms can be collected from Mark at The Village News. (Opposite the bottom of the village green.) Please take the time to support the effort to save an important part of the village heritage.

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This process has already been utilised by  South Hants CAMRA to request listing of The Red Lion in Milford on Sea and an ACV application is currently being considered by NFDC.

To read previous article relating to The White Horse, please click here.

The White Horse
16 Keyhaven Road, Milford on Sea, SO41 0QY
www.whitehorsemilfordonsea.co.uk - which no longer works.

Colm Splattered at Tory Conference

It was a peaceful Sunday morning as local Milford on Sea resident, Colm Lock dressed himself smartly to attend the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, at the same time hundreds of anti-austerity protesters were gathering outside of the conference centre to vent their fury at the Conservative Party.

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As Colm and his mates approached the steps into the conference hall a TV crew and large baying crowd gathered around them. It is not known if Colm is long-sighted, but to me the crowd was far too close for comfort!

Anyway, there he stood stoically gazing at the crowd as they became more and more agitated and at times aggressive. It was unclear whether has was amused or simply bemused, but he was certainly smiling.

Sadly there was no political debate, with the crowd preferring to hurl insults and a constant chant of 'Tory scum'.

Still he did not budge. As he smiled away, he looked every part the professional in his grey pinstripe suit, blue shirt, immaculate tie and a Union Jack handkerchief in his top pocket. In his hand was a copy of the Sunday Telegraph which was running a feature on Margaret Thatcher, and when folded Maggie's face was staring out. The crowd did not take it too well when Colm appeared to wave the newspaper in their direction.

He had obviously missed the official party advice for delegates to keep a low profile!

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As the baying protesters became more agitated, an egg was hurled and hit him square in the forehead. It has to be said, it was a 'cracking' shot.

Standing next to Colm at the time was a women wearing a pig mask, making the weirdest picture of bacon and eggs!

As the yoke dripped down his face and jacket he was still smiling before the security team hustled him away.

Colm was not quoted as saying: "The whole eggperience was quite eggordinary and eggciting. Thankfully it did not boil over, and luckily I have a thick shell and was not frytened.

I eggcept that political views are six of one and a half dozen of the other, some just appear more scrambed than others. I always like to look on the bright side and keep things sunny side up.

I hatched the idea to attend the conference a while ago. The mood inside of the hall was eggsellent and eggstremely eggsemplory, which is eggsactly what I had eggspected. The speeches became eggs-ponentially better as things went on and I was able to eggstrapolate plenty of the new ideas as they were eggsplained. I even managed to poach some good yolks that cracked me up! As they say, every suit has a golden egg lining."

On Monday Colm had become the talk of the national press and was all over social media.

Colm turns 20 years of age next month, and amongst other things, he has provided his time to support the community behind the scenes at events like Food Week. He is polite, considerate and bright - and whatever side of the political divide you sit his dignity in handling the situation has to be admired.

When Colm got up on Sunday morning I don't expect for one minute that he realised that he was about to become the face of the Conservative Party Conference, but had he realised, he may have preferred that his face was not covered in egg!

I hope the cost of his dry-cleaning was not over egged!

To see Colm splattered with an egg, please click here.

Jon in New York Times

Some things in life are very random.

For example, there I was sitting at my computer when up popped a notification that Milford on Sea had appeared in the New York Times.

As you will have heard, the USA has exposed Volkswagen for fixing their emission test results. The whole debacle is full of irony, - the European Green lobby set emission levels to save the planet, the UK government set tax thresholds based on those emission levels, and then someone at Volkswagen thought it would be a good idea to fix the results so that they can continue to sell their cars.

The net result is that the planet has not been saved, and now Germany (who has around one on seven workers dependant on the car industry) faces a potential economic meltdown. A great example of 'The Law of Unexpected Consequences'!

Furthermore, the Germanic engineering of the Volkswagen family of cars is actually still as good as ever, but, thanks to one bright spark, the company will now be spending several years dishing out vast wheelbarrows of dosh to cover fines, prosecutions and no doubt individual claims for the 'emotional distress' suffered by individuals who can't live with themselves knowing that their emissions have been higher than they thought. 

As a result, the money that Volkswagen may have been investing on scientific research to genuinely reduce emissions will evaporate into the ether along with their understated diesel fumes. The whole disaster might even be slightly amusing, if it wasn't so tragic.

Anyway, back to the New York Time article, which you may have guessed was about Volkswagen. 

It was ironic to read about London planning to penalise, or even ban, older diesels by 2020. These are the same diesel cars that the government encouraged us all to buy only a few years ago with tax breaks, cheaper fuel and miles per gallon to delight!

In the United States however, with much lower 'gasoline' prices, there is no point buying a diesel, and the article explains why the Europeans’ embrace of diesels made perfect sense. “Essentially, growth came because consumers are economically rational individuals.” 

So, it is likely that American car makers are revelling in Volkswagen's current self inflicted pain.

As I approached the end of the article, Jon (of Harvest House B&B) was featured, quite how the Volkswagen crisis made it way to Milford on Sea I am not sure, however, this is how Jon was quoted:

"Jon Devereux, who drives a diesel-engine Volkswagen Touareg, manages a hotel in Milford on Sea, in southern England. Each winter, he takes the four-wheel-drive vehicle to his winter home in the French Alps. The Touareg, he said, has “been brilliant for 10 years.”

But when it comes time to replace it, his next diesel will not be a Volkswagen. The emissions scandal has soured Mr. Devereux on the carmaker. “Would you buy a VW car or any car in the VW group?’’ he asked."

I wonder if they know that Jon also has a magnificent collection of historic classic cars - all of which run quite happily on good old fashion petrol!

To read the full New York Time article, please click here.

Harvest House B&B

www.harvesthouse-newforest.co.uk

Join in Highcliffe Christmas Carnival

Our friends and neighbours in Highcliffe have invited the folks of Milford on Sea to join in with the Highcliffe Christmas Carnival & Fayre which takes place on Saturday 12th December.

The Carnival has been going for over a decade now and features an all-day Festive Gift Fayre, followed by the early evening Carnival Procession.

The organising team would like everyone to go along to enjoy the fun – but they would also like to encourage any groups or organisations in Milford on Sea to get involved by entering a float or a walking entry into the procession. To enter a float, please download the entry form from: www.highcliffecarnival.org.uk

The events starts at 11am with the Craft Fayre, which is mostly held in the courtyard of Hoburne Holiday Homes in Lymington Road, and there are other stalls, food and drink vendors along the main road as well. There is also entertainment during the day, and during the evening - with the Carnival Procession travels along the main road through Highcliffe at 6pm.

The Highcliffe Carnival currently supports local charities & worthy causes by asking visitors to come and show their support on Carnival Day and to throw all loose change into the charity buckets! 

Last year, this event had many people visiting the Craft Fair and enjoying the entertainment in Highcliffe during the day, and a crowd of over 5,000 watched the early evening procession.

Highcliffe Christmas Carnival & Fayre 

www.highcliffecarnival.org.uk

Holly Gardens Raise Over £810

Nev & Jean Wood, together with the 15 other families in Holly Gardens, supported the recent Macmillan World's Biggest Coffee Morning by opening their lovely communal garden on Friday 25th September 2015  This was a true community effort to make a special morning.

As last year, Jean Wood & Diana Barker-Benfield did all the organising & the men just lifted heavy weights & ate the cakes! 

The event was blessed with fine weather, and great support from everyone who came to enjoy the tasty coffee and delicious cakes, as well as the fun things that were laid on for the kids.

As a result they raised an impressive £810 to donate to this worthwhile charity. Nice work guys!

Beach Hut Design Moves Forward

The plans for the replacement Milford on Sea Beach Huts has taken as further step forward, and the recommended designs below will be considered by New Forest District Council’s cabinet on 7th October 2015.

The new contemporary designs and repositioning will no doubt please many, and disturb others. 

A little bird has suggested that some beach hut owners may be unhappy if their modest sized huts are made narrower in order to squeeze 119 huts into a smaller area. (Due to the removal of the block in front of the Needles Eye Cafe). On the other hand, the fabulous sea views in front of the Needles Eye Cafe will become unobstructed.

There will also be only two access points between the beach huts to the lower promenade, however, the news ones are not far apart, so it is debatable whether that is an issue.  

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You can read the full NFDC press release below.

Council’s cabinet to consider Milford seafront designs

The outline design and layout of 119 replacement beach huts at Milford-on-Sea will be considered by New Forest District Council’s cabinet on 7 October. Recommendations have been made to cabinet by the Beach Hut Project Board, which is made up of council officers, representatives of Milford Parish Council and the New Forest Beach Hut Owners Association, and chaired by the council’s portfolio holder for the environment, Councillor Sophie Beeton. 

The proposals being put forward would see the rebuilt huts being set back into the upper promenade, enabling the lower promenade to be widened and reducing their exposure to the elements. The upper promenade would be extended out over the hut roofs, widening it and improving the views. This would also remove the hazardous gap which previously existed between the rear of the huts and the upper promenade. The privacy of the beach huts would be maintained by positioning a balustrade some way back from the edge of the extended upper promenade and the roofs of the beach huts would be thoroughly sound-proofed. A stainless steel wire balustrade is proposed to ensure views from local houses are preserved. 

The recommendations would see the beach huts clustered in three terraces, allowing all huts to be removed from the eastern, most exposed end of the lower promenade and increasing the uninterrupted sea views from the upper promenade around the Needles Eye café. They would be built in concrete with coloured wooden doors. A new curved access ramp would be developed for the western end of the site to improve access to the lower prom. Portfolio holder for the environment, Councillor Sophie Beeton said “I am pleased to recommend to cabinet what I believe to be an innovative design that will enhance Milford seafront. We have worked very hard with the design team to come up with a viable solution which takes account of the challenging coastal environment and the preferences of local residents and the beach hut license holders.” She continued, “I would like to take the opportunity to thank all those who attended the public event on the design options and who gave us their views via the questionnaire.” 

Around 600 people attended a public event in Milford on 14 August where a number of design options were displayed. The public could also view the designs online and complete a questionnaire indicating their preferences. The council received 355 responses, of which 114 were beach hut license holders and almost 70% lived in Milford. The majority of respondents selected the inhabited roof design (with the beach huts set back into the upper promenade) as their favourite option for the form of the roofs. 

When asked about construction materials, most people favoured concrete with coloured doors. Respondents were asked to consider the design of a new access ramp at the western end of the promenade. The majority chose a curved ramp design around the existing pill box structure. All of these preferences are being recommended to cabinet. Most respondents preferred a layout in which the beach huts were arranged in four terraces starting at the eastern end of the promenade below the Needles Eye café, with larger gaps between the terraces. The beach hut board will not be recommending this option because beach huts located at the eastern end of the promenade would be at much greater risk of wave impact damage. Analysis of the Valentine’s Day storm of 2014, during which many of the old huts were severely damaged, confirmed that the wave forces hitting the beach huts at the eastern end were almost four times those hitting the huts at the western end. Cabinet will be asked to agree to the board’s recommendation to cluster the beach huts into three terraces further to the west. Priorities which emerged from respondents’ comments included a wish to see improved disabled access along the lower promenade, the need for safety measures on the upper promenade and soundproofing of the huts if the inhabited roofs option were developed. The design team will be working to address all these issues. 

If cabinet agree to the proposals on 7 October consultant engineers Ramboll UK Ltd and Snug Architects will develop detailed designs to be submitted as a planning application by the end of the year. There will be a formal consultation process as part of the planning application.

Milford Behaving Badly on TV

It will come as no surprise to hear that Milford on Sea contains many characters, and on Tuesday 6th October at 10pm you can meet some of them in a new BBC4 TV programme entitled 'Close to the Edge'.

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The new series is a scripted reality show, similar to existing hits like; Made in Chelsea and The Only Way is Essex. Close to the Edge is set in Bournemouth and follows the lives and loves of a group of real-life friends (rather than actors) in their 60s, 70s and 80s.

The cast includes "a business entrepreneur, a comedian dating again for the first time in 40 years, and a political activist".  A little bird has told us that the show will also include Milford on Sea residents; Dee Major and Ann Bovingdon. 

The pre-show publicity says that: 'Later-life romance will pay a part in the drama, but the show will also examine issues such as loneliness, and how to rejuvenate a career. Impending death will also be a theme. According to the BBC, the show will look at how its cast feel about approaching "the end that will eventually greet us all". The cast are complex, funny and outspoken – and like most things in life, get better with age.”

Sounds like compulsive viewing to us!