Party on New Year’s Eve

We have heard that ‘The Raft’ is holding ‘The Shipwrecked After Party’ on New Year’s Eve. The newly opened bistro and bar will have a ‘shipwrecked theme’ and will be serving canapés. Doors open at 10pm and it is £10 to get in and party past midnight.

The Marine and Westover Hall both have celebration dinners with entertainment, La Perle has a six course French menu, Zaika & Britannia Thai are providing an Asian option to see the new year in, and of course all of our local pubs have events happening. So, if you haven’t made your plans for your New Year’s Eve yet, there are still plenty of options to party the night away in Milford on Sea village.

Doctors Advice

I watched a doctor on television this evening who said that, we all could use more calm in our lives; and in order to achieve inner peace, we should always try to finish the things we start.

So, I looked around my house to find the things I’d started and hadn’t finished. I finished off a bottle of Chassagne Montrachet 2004, a bottle of Chateau Pape-Clement 2008, a bodle of Jin, a butle of wum, tha mainder of Valiuminun scriptins, an a boks a chocletz.

Yu haf no idr how fablus I feel rite now.

Sned this to all who need inner piss. An telum u luvum!

Are You a Village Newcomer?

Each February a ‘Newcomers Supper’ is held at All Saints Church Hall in Milford on Sea. This year the supper will be held on Saturday 25th February 2012.

Anyone that is new to the village since February 2011 is able to apply for an invitation and the event is entirely free.

The evening consists of two parts. In the first hour or so, there is a ‘mini exhibition’, where you can wander around and informally meet representatives from the many clubs, associations & organisations in the village. They can tell you anything you want to know, and if you fancy getting involved you can. This is then followed by a sit down supper with the chance to meet new people & have a bit of fun.

Most years the event has over a hundred people attending, and it is a great way to meet new people, and to get a warm welcome to your new home. The village is full of friendly people and the ‘Newcomers Supper’ is a fast-track way of getting to know all about our village life.

The ‘Newcomers Supper’ is funded & hosted by all of the churches in the village & tirelessly organised by Ruth Bufton. The event is by invitation only, so if you are new to the village this year & would like to come along please contact: Ruth Bufton on:
ruth.bufton@btinternet.com or 01590 641875

Love our shops

We have had an interesting letter from Christopher Beeton, a long standing local resident.

He comments; “When I first visited Milford in 1948/49 there were about the same number of high street shops as we have now but, of course, Milford was then only a small village.  By 1984, when I moved here on retirement, there was a very wide range of shops with at least two of each of the essential ones but, by then, we had become a small town. Even Keyhaven had its Post Office & shop.

In the 1990s when I was a NFDC councillor, considerable concerns were expressed about the plans for the (then) new Tesco in Caird Avenue and, in particular, how it would affect high street shops in nearby villages.  Our own shops were already dwindling and, in a letter to the Lymington Times, I suggested to those Milford residents who used our shops only in emergency, that they make a point of buying at least something in the village every week. With some 6000 residents even if only half did this, most of our shops should remain viable.  With the increase of ladies' hairdressers and commercial businesses, the loss of a baker or greengrocer is not, at first, so noticeable.  But we cannot afford to lose many more if we are to retain any character at all.”

Who can argue with that.  Christopher goes on to suggest; “Since the demise of Milford's Traders Association there does not appear to be much co-ordination and this is likely to increase pressure on some of our smaller, but very useful, shops.  How about a series of short articles on each of our shops (in addition to eating places of course!).”

Writing an article on each shop would be a bit of a ‘Forth Road’ job, however we would love any of our shops to write a comment about what they offer for all to see.  Alternatively, if you have anything to say about any of the great things you can get in the village, why not post a comment below to give them a plug?

PS: That reminds me, if you want a plug, (or anything DIY for that matter), Milford Hardware is your place to go!

Carnival Parade Back!

Many of you are aware and saddened that the carnival procession did not take place in 2011. However, we are delighted to announce that a sub-committee of volunteers has been formed to assist the Milford on Sea Village Community Committee to organise and run the procession in 2012.

The new team are in the process of organising and fundraising for the 2012 procession and are getting great support from the local community which is very encouraging.

The first fundraising event is the January First Friday Charity Lunch held at Milford Community Centre. Some of you may know all about the First Friday Lunches, which are organised by dedicated team of volunteers and raise money to support many charities.

Everyone is invited to come along on Friday 6th January 2012 at 1pm where you can feast on a main course and dessert for only £4.50 per person. You would be made very welcome and no booking is necessary, - just show up, have a tasty meal and support a local community event.

If you would like further details about the First Friday Lunch Club or helping to support the carnival procession please do not hesitate in contacting Sean Reeves of Hugh Whitlock Solicitors at: sean@hwsolicitors.com

Boxing Day Left-overs

Zaika have come up with a novel way to enjoy your left-overs on Boxing Day.  Fortunately this does not interfere with the traditional ‘bubble & squeak’.  On Boxing Day, if you have any left-over drinks, Kalam has said everyone can feel free to take them with you to enjoy a curry.

Zaika is open for lunch and for dinner from 6pm on Boxing Day, - and your drink is as welcome as you!

Zaika Indian Restaurant
01590 643084
www.zaikanewforest.co.uk

Onward and upward for Total Voice!

Many of you will have heard our very own community choir, Total Voice, performing in an around Milford over the last couple of years.  The choir’s leader, Christine Mulgrew, and one of its founder members, Victoria Hopkins, are now joining forces to take Total Voice to new heights with a programme of workshops and events to complement its choral performances. 

Christine and Victoria have many years of singing and performing experience between them and are passionate about spreading the joys and benefits of singing for everyone.

The first event Total Voice has planned for the new year is “January Tune-up”, a Saturday afternoon workshop to banish the post-Christmas blues with some rousing group singing.  Participants will learn techniques to build their confidence and improve their voices. 

Please visit the Total Voice website at www.totalvoice.co.uk for more information.

Fancy Running an Event at Food Week?

Our calendar for Food Week is now filling up fast, but it is not too late if you want to join in.  We love to see Clubs, Charities & Community Organisations and individuals getting involved.  Almost anything can fit in, as long as it is related to food in some way.

If you have any ideas on anything that you would like organise or be involved in for Food Week, please just drop me an e-mail at:

david@milfordonsea.org

Food Week runs from 9th April to 15th April 2012 and we love for as many of the community to get involved as they can.

www.milfordonseafoodweek.org

Concert raises over £3000

Milford’s very own Total Voice Contemporary Choir are delighted to have raised £3.390.03 for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Princess Anne Hospital, Southampton following their ‘All You Need Is Love’ concert and appeal.  The choir put on a concert featuring songs about love and friendship in October at the Milford Community Centre and also organised many other events themselves including coffee mornings, an after show party and a vintage cream tea!

Christine Mulgrew and Victoria Hopkins of Total Voice along with choir members presented the cheque last week to Suzie Simmons Fundraising Officer for Southampton Hospital Charity.  The group also visited the unit where their money will go towards a new suite of parental accommodation for those with babies being treated there.  This will make a real difference for parents in what is a very difficult time.

The hospital provides specialist care to around 600 sick term and pre term (premature) new born babies a year from Southampton, Bournemouth, Poole, Chichester, Dorchester, Basingstoke, Isle of Wight, Salisbury, Winchester and the Channel Islands - with such a wide-spread 'catchment' many parents do not have the option to go home.

The target funding needed for the parental suites is £100,000 and staff at the hospital climbed Kilimanjaro last year for the cause.  With our contribution they have now raised nearly £90,000 of that target.



The fundraising was very personal to Choir leader Christine Mulgrew and her husband Jonathan as their baby son Archie was looked after on the unit when he was born earlier this year.  Christine said; “the care which Archie received and which we received as a family from the Neonatal staff was amazing and I have heard many similar stories from choir members and local people during the course of our fundraising.   It has been fantastic to get the support of the choir and local community to raise such an amazing amount as a thank you.”

We would like to thank everyone who supported us by coming along to our concert and to all the local businesses who donated such wonderful raffle prizes.

www.totalvoice.co.uk

New Workshops at the Library

The recently saved Milford on Sea Library in Park Road is busy planning a number of future events for the new year, these will include Art Workshops, Jewellery Workshop and The Very Hungry Caterpillar is coming to entertain the kids during Food Week.   These will be in addition to the regular Toddlertime and Library Club.   

The team at the library have asked that if there is anything you would like to see happening in your Library please pop in and tell them, and say a big thank you for all the support they have had throughout the year.

Milford on Sea Library | Opening times: 

Monday 2.30 - 5.30 pm;  Tuesday 2.30 - 4.30pm
Wednesday 10.00 - 12.30pm;  Friday 10.00 - 12.30pm

Comedy & Cake with Jo Caulfield

click image to enlarge

Jo Caulfield, star of Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, Mock the Week and Have I Got News For You, is the Sunday headline act at Milford on Sea Food Week.

Jo brings her all new ‘Cruel to be Kind’ touring show to the Milford on Sea Community Centre on the evening of Sunday 15th April 2012. She was nominated as “Funniest Woman 2010” in the LAFTA Awards, and “Best Female Stand-Up” in the Chortle Awards. Described by The Observer newspaper as “Wonderfully sharp and bitchy. One of the finest female comedians at work.” A night not to be missed!

A slice of cake on the night, baked by Nicola of Yum, is included in every ticket purchased. We expect this event to sell out early, so why not book now to make sure you are not disappointed!

Comedy & Cake with Jo Caulfield: Sunday 15th April 2012

Tickets £17.50 | Now on sale at:
http://www.milfordonseafoodweek.ticketsource.co.uk/

(*An Evening with Tom Kerridge: Tickets also now on sale in online ticket office.)

http://www.jocaulfield.com/ | http://www.loveyum.com/

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Milford on Sea Food Week
Monday 9th April until Sunday 15th April 2012
http://www.milfordonseafoodweek.org/

Food Week Christmas Pressy

Are you looking for a great gift idea or nice stocking filler for loved ones, family or friends? Well, how about treating them to tickets to either (or both!) of our headline shows at Milford on Sea Food Week.

Tickets are just £17.50 and we expect them to sell out quickly when the official box office opens in the early new year. But as a special friend of mine, I can let you have tickets for the show below now!

An Evening with Tom Kerridge: Saturday 14th April 2012 | Ticket £17.50.

Comedy & Cake with Jo Caulfield: Sunday 15th April 2012 | Ticket £17.50

To buy your tickets please just just go to:

http://www.milfordonseafoodweek.ticketsource.co.uk/

Go on, treat them and support Food Week at the same time!

click image to enlarge

http://www.milfordonseafoodweek.org/