A sparkly clean beach!

The Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust would like to thank everyone who joined in the Beach Clean and Litter Survey at Cut Bridge, Hurst Spit on Tuesday evening (28th June).  They had about 30 volunteers helping (including some very willing Milford on Sea Brownies and Cubs!), and they collected 13.5kg of rubbish in 1.5 hours along a 120 metre stretch of beach. The vast majority of litter collected was plastic, with small plastic pieces, nylon rope and drinks bottle caps accounting for most of it.

The Beach Clean and Litter Survey is run four times a year as part of the Marine Conservation Society’s ‘Adopt-A-Beach’ project. It’s important to keep our beaches clean to reduce the risk to our marine wildlife that can become entangled in waste and litter along our shores. Hundreds of species of marine wildlife accidently eat or become tangled up in litter each year, often fatally. As well as being harmful to wildlife, beach litter is also unsightly and is hazardous to people too. Information gathered from surveys adds to the data collected on other adopted beaches around the UK, and allows the MCS to build up a better picture of the state of our shores by telling us what types of litter wash up and when.

For more information please see the Wildlife Trust’s website:

www.hwt.org.uk

Sweet Pea Champ in Village

News has reached us that Milford on Sea has its very own ‘Sweet Pea Champion’. We have heard that Mr R. Newland recently won a 3rd award at The National Sweet Pea Society Show.  The show took place on Tuesday & Wednesday 21^st/22nd June 2011 at Stewart’s Garden Lands in Christchurch.

Mr Newland, is as you may expect, locally known as a keen gardener and an obvious enthusiastic for sweet peas. Congratulations on your award!

Verveine up for prestigious awards

Something many in the village have already discovered is now being recognised across the County.  Our very own Verveine Fishmarket Restaurant in Milford on Sea has been shortlisted for 2 awards in this year’s Hampshire Food & Drink Awards. The restaurant serves spectacular fish based cuisine together with a level of service and experience of the highest standard.  Indeed dining at Verveine contains many surprises and an element of theatre.

Having only opened in February 2010 Verveine is excellent by any standards, and it is great to see them putting themselves, and the village, on the map far afield.  Verveine had been nominated, and then won through to a final shortlist of three in two categories.  Firstly the are up for the ‘Best Restaurant’ Award against Chessel Rectory in Winchester and Pebble Beach in Barton on Sea.  David Wykes has also personally made the final shortlist for the ‘Best Chef’ Award, competing against the head chefs from The Aviator in Farnborough and the Chessel Rectory in Winchester.

Verveine, and its competitors for the awards, will face their final judging in the coming weeks, with them all attending to hear the results at a black tie gala awards evening organised by Hampshire Life magazine.  The awards ceremony takes place on August 25th at the elegant Four Season’s Hotel in the Georgian manor, Dogmersfield House, near Hook.

The whole Verveine team are rightfully proud of their recognition and Stacey’s excitement I am sure could be heard from miles around.  Many fingers in the village are crossed that they bring home a trophy, or hopefully two!

www.verveine.co.uk | Hampshire Food & Drinks Awards

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The Verveine team may also have a surprise on the night, as a big bloke in the village has been bemused to discover he has made the shortlist for the ‘Hampshire Life Recognition Award’. This is apparently an award to celebrate the individual who has made the most impact on a local food community.

I suspect there can only really be three reasons for this particular nomination.  One, the award recognises someone who eats the most in restaurants across the county.  Two, they have got him confused with someone else.  Three, someone thinks it will be funny to see a big bloke being choked by a bow tie at a sweltering awards evening in August!

HSBC disappears from village

Friday was last day of our HSBC Bank Branch in Milford on Sea. A jolly HSBC senior executive in a delightful grey suit, was outside the branch handing out flowers and boxes of chocolates to thank all of the branches loyal customers. (Whoops, sorry, I made that bit up).

As the doors closed at 3pm a military operation immediately kicked into place, and a little before 4pm the HSBC facia signs has been removed and the final illuminated sign was being dismantled to join a nationwide stockpile of old HSBC village branch signs. The ATM cash machine was also attractively boarded up (with notices attached indicating that it would be working again on Sunday). Doors firmly locked, and all evidence of ever being in the village removed, HSBC were gone.

If you would like to get your hand on your money, HSBC will happily give it to you if you make the effort to get to them.  HSBC may have gone, but deserting us will not be forgotten.

Snails for lunch

Since opening its doors a few weeks ago, the new La Perle restaurant in Milford on Sea village High Street has proved a real hit.  Getting a table takes a bit of planning, and I had heard that the ‘Daily French Specials’ were well worth a try.  So, having no ability to plan, I decided to pop in at lunchtime.

Along with a number of other tasty ‘French’ choices I spotted ‘escargot’ on the special blackboard.  Being almost fluent in French, I immediately knew an opportunity had again arisen to try snails.  Just as I was planning to order them, I had the traumatic experience of watching as a waiter approached the blackboard and wrote ‘sold out’ across my chosen dish.  As he passed our table I asked if he had ‘frogs legs’, but he insisted he always walks like that. He did however tell me he had ‘bouillabaisse’.  I suggested a trip to the doctors might sort that out, but with immense patience he explained that he was referring to a traditional Provencal fish stew originating from the port city of Marseille.  As I felt my wife’s eye’s burning holes in my face, I decided that would suit me fine… and it did.  I wonder what other French delights are going to appear next!

www.laperlemilford.co.uk

New Youth Theatre launches in village

Milford Youth Group is now running The Milford Community Youth Theatre and Film project. Over the next 3 months the project will run weekly workshops in the Community Centre for 8 to 13 year olds. The sessions will be fun and informal gatherings where young people will be learning dramatic and technical skills and devising a performance and film screening to be shown in the autumn. There are places on the course now and anyone interested in coming along is most welcome, spaces are limited so hurry!

There are 2 sessions on every Thursday – 8 to 11 year old (Milford Primary age) 3:45pm until 5:15pm and 11 to 13 years (Priestland’s age) 5:30pm to 7pm. It costs only £1 per week!

To join in please contact Joey Owen at the Youth Club, or call 07557 658495 / 01590 644961

joeyruthowen@yahoo.co.uk

Oasis boys go Thai in Milford

It was a normal Friday night when a booking for nine arrived at the Britannia Thai restaurant in Milford on Sea. Many would have immediately recognised Liam Gallagher, formally lead singer for international super-group Oasis.

I discovered this when Nigel & Wendy got in touch to let me know. They had popped in to collect a takeaway and were told that the large table were guys from a famous rock band. Being a Milford on Sea resident Nigel of course had no idea who the band was, and was none the wiser when told ‘that’s the bloke from Oasis’.  What I found particularly impressive was that Wendy has accompanied Nigel to collect the takeaway.  In fifteen years with my wife has yet to accompany me on any takeaway collection. 

I decided to check with Suhel at Britannia Thai, and he confirmed his rock star encrusted evening, adding “They said the food was excellent and that they would be back in the future.”  He let me know that there were 9 people altogether, and that “They left a generous tip as well.” 

It crossed my mind that they may have been staying at Westover Hall, but on checking with David he advised they hadn’t stayed there, and that all of his rooms and TV’s were still intact.  I considered doing some more research on where they might have stayed, but decided I couldn’t be bothered. 

My mind did however curiously wander to why they were in the village. My first thought was they were booked to play a gig (‘show’ to our older readers) at the Community Centre, but when I asked Sue she simply turned the question by asking whether I had been drinking.  Intrepidly I made a quick visit to The White Horse, Red Lion, Smugglers Inn, The Marine & Gun Inn, which confirmed they were not booked to play there, and that each serves a good pint. I then decided to call a friend on the Milford on Sea Arts & Music Festival committee to see if they were in the village for auditions, he simply said “We already have Take That, Shirley Bassey and Engelbert Humperdinck booked, so no room I’m afraid”.  I suspect he did not take my question seriously. 

It transpires that the former Oasis frontman was with his new band ‘Beady Eye’, which is made up of several former Oasis members, and they were due to play at the Isle of Wight Festival on the Sunday Night. Liam Gallagher, was once married to Patsy Kensit, (an actress is Emmerdale apparently), and he is well known for his spikey character and still unresolved public fallout with brother Noel. 

After the festival the band moved onto Denmark where The Daily Mirror reported that Liam Gallagher and his Beady Eye band mates stayed in a spooky ex-psychiatric hospital. “The hotel we were in was a former mental home and it was haunted,” Liam told Absolute Radio at the Isle of Wight Festival. There was a lot of prank phone calls going on – but that was us.” Liam, 38, added: “They all checked out and we checked in all the movies, man.” Nope, I have no idea what they means either.

www.thairestaurantnewforest.co.uk | www.beadyeyemusic.com

Fabulous Friends of the Festival

We have been asked to send out a big thank you to all of the ‘Friends of the Music Festival’. The Festival Friends are wonderful people who donate £50 to support the Festival. Each year the number of Friends who are happy to show their appreciation of this amazing village event has grown and this 10th anniversary year has seen the best ever support.  Being totally self-funding, the Milford on Sea Arts & Music Festival is dependent on the generosity of its sponsors and ‘Friends’, many of whom have now been supporting the event for several years. 

Becoming a Friend costs just £50: every new friend is always warmly welcomed being invited to the Festival launch drinks party, again to be held at the Westover Hall Hotel; also receiving a complimentary programme and this year being entered into the Festival Prize Draw. Just small tokens of appreciation from the Festival Team for the very special vote of confidence in the Festival that Friends demonstrate.

Thanks to the ‘Friends of the Music Festival’ and a small group of dedicated volunteers the 10th Anniversary of the Milford on Sea Arts & Music Festival will take place from Thursday 7th July until Sunday 10th July 2011. 

If anyone reading this feels that they too would like to become a Friend of the Festival please e-mail Sue Whitlock at susan@hwsolicitors.com 

Tel: 01590 643404. 

www.milfordfestival.org.uk

Sarah at Buckingham Palace

Sarah Walton is more used to providing houses from her Milford on Sea High Street estate agents, than spending time at a royal palace. However, on Wednesday 1^st June Sarah attended a reception for The Special Boat Service Association hosted by the Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace. No, she hasn’t left Ashtons Real Estate and signed up, but her fiancée, David, is a serving member of HM Armed Forces. 

The invitation gave clear guidance as to the etiquette for the day, including when to perform a shallow curtsy & the code of dress, so with a bit of luck she behaved herself whilst wearing her best frock. 

It would be good if my wife turns out to be connected to something noteworthy, as I fancy a visit to the palace and I am quite good at curtsying.

Milford Movies Volunteer Open Meeting

There is to a Milford Movies Volunteer Open Meeting next Thursday 23^rd June starting at 7.30pm.  Everyone is invited to come along to hear and discuss the plans for the 'Milford Movies' cinema that is being created in the Milford on Sea Village Community Centre.

Thanks to the success of the Village Charity Shop, the Community Centre now has cinema quality projection equipment and wish to discuss the re-launch of Milford Movies in October.  At the moment the idea is to run Milford Movies for two Thursdays a month from the beginning of October, perhaps with a matinee in addition to an evening performance.  This, and other aspects of running the films will be discussed at the meeting.

Also, James Flintoff is also now looking for a team of enthusiasts eager to help make this happen, volunteers would be welcomed to be involved with programming, marketing, front of house and the presentation and projection of the films.

So if you are interested in becoming involved (or perhaps just curious) please come along to the meeting. Everyone is invited and all voices will be listened to and welcomed.

www.milfordonseacalendar,org | www.moscommunitycentre.org.uk

Help For Heroes Charity Lunch

A charity Lunch for the Help for Heroes Charity is being held at the Milford on Sea Village Community Centre at 12.30pm on Friday 1^st July 2011. 

Everyone is welcome to come along with tickets being available on the door for just £4.50.

The event is being organised by local residents Nikki, Margaret & Ann. She has been raising funds for Help the Heroes for the past two years which now totals over £31,000. In January Nikki held a Clothes Swap Evening which also raised £1300 and she is constantly looking at other ideas to raise funds for her chosen good cause.  Margaret is donating much of the menu and Ann & herself will also be putting their catering skills to good use in the kitchen on the day.

The menu for the lunch looks particular tasty with a Fish Ensemble with Salmon & Prawns, Salad and New Potatoes and Strawberries & Cream with a Shortbread or Walnut biscuit. There will also be a small H4H stand, plus a cake stand....so if any of you lovely mummy's fancy baking some goodies to sell in aid of Help for Heroes on the day you would be very warmly welcomed indeed!

As is the case with so many local events, our local traders and businesses have been very generous in donating raffle prizes.  Nikki has already had prizes donated by Westover Hall Hotel, Verveine, Hugh Whitlock Solicitors, Belle Epoque, Murray & Hayward, The village Co-op, Boots, Jabulani Gallery, New Seasons, The Old Smithy and Otters Nursery, Bradbeer and Morrisions.

Finally, Nikki asked if you would bring your singing voice, - as there will be singing between courses!

www.milfordonseacalendar.org | www.moscommunitycentre.org.uk

New life at bank

We have spotted some activity at The Old Bank House in Milford on Sea High Street (near Britannia Thai).  It appears that the building which has been empty for several years, and which once housed Lloyds Bank and then Moore Blatch Solicitors, has been undergoing redecoration.  Rumour has it that a will be opening soon as some form of ‘Beauty Centre’. 

We haven’t yet been able to meet the new owners, but once we know the full story we will let you know.