All Saints' Church finds a saint

Church goers at All Saints’ Church Milford on Sea had a massive surprise when a mystery donor gave a £200,000 gift to help solve its financial issues.

Parishioners had held prayers during which the money worries at All Saints' Church were included. In due course an anonymous benefactor then donated £3,000 and later, to the great surprise of Dominic, our local vicar, another gave a massive £200,000. 

The extremely generous donations will be used to continue the church's work with young people and families in the New Forest.

Our very own, Rev Dominic Furness, was quoted on BBC News as saying it was a "wonderful gift" which had moved some of the 250-strong congregation to tears at the Grade I-listed Norman church.

Whether a believer or not, the generosity of the two anonymous donors is extraordinary, and a great gift to the village and local youngsters. Well done, whoever you are!

www.allsaintsmilford.co.uk

MoS Neighbourhood Plan Website

As part of the Milford on Sea Parish Council  community engagement work in respect of the Neighbourhood Plan a new website has now been launched: www.ourplan.org.uk 

The aim of the new website is to keep everyone in the community up to date with the progress being made and to act as a channel for feedback as the Plan develops.

The website will take you to various pages giving background information on the Neighbourhood Plan, the approach, the progress, and the people involved, as well as copies of the documents most relevant to preparing the Plan.

The Parish Council is building on the very successful Vision 2020 Milford on Sea Action Plan which was prepared a few years ago. The aims, aspirations and actions in this plan have underpinned many of the recent decisions and initiatives of the Parish Council.

For the Neighbourhood Plan to be a success, it must reflect the wishes of the majority of the residents. You will see a ”Have Your Say” link which you can use to make your views known. In particular, they are asking for any new perspectives on Affordable Homes and Formal Public Open Space, as well as giving everyone the opportunity to participate in selecting the most favourable sites for development around the village settlement area.

The Steering Group invites input from all residents so please use the link below to let them have your thoughts and wishes, feedback on events and publications, and any other relevant comments you wish to make.

www.ourplan.org.uk

Training for Community Centre Volunteers

An invitation to VCC Volunteers for Training

In response to the recent survey the VCC carried out using funds from the Lottery they identified a set of training to meet the following objectives:

1. Roles and responsibilities of Trustees

2. Making best use of volunteers

3. Funding and making grant applications

4. Engaging with the community

5. Managing external communications

The Community Centre team have now commissioned Community First New Forest to deliver a package of training in the second week of March. (Full details below)

The Trustees, value the time and commitment of volunteers to the VCC, and warmly invite them to any or all of these sessions. This is not designed to ask volunteers to do more, but to reinforce that they are a key part of the success of the centre and to feel fully engaged with what Community Centre does. The training will not only give  a better idea of the big picture of how the centre runs, but also provide an opportunity to influence how it develops in the future. Volunteers might also feel that they have other skills to offer, they may also have views about how volunteers are managed, and have suggestions about how this can be improved or modified.

Please let John know if you would like to attend any of the sessions as soon as possible. If there are sufficient numbers the training can be reated. So if you cannot make the dates chosen but are interested, please let John know and there might be an alternative possible.

John Whitley-Trustee VCC - John.whitley@virgin.net - 01590 644039

Please see below for details of courses:

Programme of Training for Milford on Sea Community Centre. To be delivered by Community First New Forest in the VCC.

Session 1: Monday 11th March. 9.30am-12.30pm

Roles and Responsibilities of Trustees. To cover the role of Trustees and how the Charity is managed. This is suitable for both existing Trustees, those who might consider becoming a Trustee, and those who are just interested in what Trustees do and how things are run.

Session 2: Wednesday 13th March 9.30am-12.30pm

Volunteer Training session.

This session is about the development of volunteers. It covers how to enable and support volunteers. It deals with how to make volunteering an enjoyable activity and use the skills of volunteers to help run the charity. Will be of interest to all volunteers and Trustees.

Session 3: Thursday 14th March 9.30am-12.30pm

Funding and How to make Applications. To cover sources of Funding and the best way to apply for funding. For all those who might help the VCC directly or have suggestions in looking for funding to support its activities are most welcome..

Session 4: Friday 15th March 9.30am-12.30am-Lunch-1.30pm-3.30pm

Engaging with the community and external communications. This longer session combines the issues of how to engage with the local community effectively and how to manage external communications. All those who want to help the VCC or just give their ideas are most welcome.

www.moscommunitycentre.org.uk

Fitness for Charity

Lindsey Cooper, one of our village hairdressers, is organising a Fun Fitness Marathon. The event is to raise funds for Oakhaven Hospice and she is hoping lots of local people will pick up a sponsorship form and get involved.

 

On Saturday 9 February 2013 from 9am to 9pm, anyone is welcome to join in 12 different 45 minute exercise classes to test your endurance and raise money for charity.

 

Activities will include things such as Zumba, Hoola Hoops, Belly Dancing, Fit Ball and much more!!

 

In the past Lindsey has raised money for charity with events like sitting in a bath of baked beans on the village green during Food Week, and this new event sounds like it will attract lots of people to get 'moving for money!'

 

Personally, I am not sure that the words 'fun' and 'fitness marathon' should go together, and whilst all of you healthy people are Zumba'ing and generally running about, I think I will just go and sit quietly in a bath of baked beans in my front room.

 

The Fun Fitness Marathon will be taking place at New Milton Memorial Centre, Whitefield Road, New Milton. BH25 6DE.

 

To get involved & get fit, please ring 07896 469769 for further details and a sponsor form, or speak to Henry at Physic-All, 105 Stopples Lane, SO41 0JA.

 

Stalls Needed for Fete

Hurst View Caravan Park are organising a Charity Fete in aid of the British Heart Foundation for the 6th July 2013 at 12 noon to 5pm.

They are currently organising for bands to be playing, plus other entertainment on the day.

They would also like some local product and craft stalls to come along. 

If you would like to have a stall, please contact Denise Farmer for details on 01590 671648.

www.hurstviewleisure.co.uk


 

Love a Label

One of Milford on Sea's High Street shops is expanding.

Jane & Ian Watkins of JW Hair and Beauty Salon have recently launched 'JW Preloved Labels', which sells high quality used fashion clothing.

I expect this will prove a very popular addition to the village.

I am not sure they will do clothing for me, but I will pop in to see what they have in 50 inch jackets and Size 12 shoes.  My suspicion is that you will have better luck than me!

We hope it goes well for them, as having a vibrant High Street is great for us all. Why not pop in and take a look?

JW Preloved Labels
The Old Bank House, 5 High Street, Milford on Sea, SO41 0QF
01590 642057

Help the Heroes at Zaika

Our village Indian restaurant is running a fundraising event in aid of Help For Heroes on Tuesday 19th February.from 6.30pm to 10.30pm. It will be a buffet of 15 dishes for £16.95 per person and money raised will be donated to help the heroes.

Why not go along and have a curry for a good cause!

To book please call: 01590 643084

Zaika pride themselves on presenting a superior, A La Carte menu that represents choice, variety and of course quality. All dishes are prepared with fresh ingredients each day. Unlike the majority of Indian restaurants Zaika's dishes truly reflect the diversity of cooking styles, and ingredients from the length and breadth of the wonderful and vibrant Indian Subcontinent.

Find out more about Zaika at: www.zaikanewforest.co.uk | www.helpforheroes.org.uk

New Website for The Granary Kitchen

The Granary Kitchen Cookery School in Newlands Manor Farm has launched a brand new website.

 

The site feature the numerous Cookery Classes available, as well as the Private Dining Service.

 

The Granary Kitchen is the first solo business venture for local award winning chef, Christian Rivron. Christian is now bringing his skills from the kitchen to the classroom by offering a programme of courses, including subjects such as: Deserts & Pastries, Meat, Fish & Shellfish, Bread Baking, Vegetarian Meals and Soup, Bread & Dressings. (All can be viewed and booked on The Granary website.)

 

Christian has designed The Granary Kitchen Cookery School to mimic the relaxed feeling of cooking in your own home. Christian aims to use the incredible range of fresh local & seasonal produce available throughout the New Forest, Hampshire and Dorset to their full potential. The Granary Kitchen has also become a member of the New Forest Marque.

 

All standards of cooks are welcome, from the novice gaining confidence in cooking, to an experienced cook looking to broaden their knowledge of different produce and techniques. All ‘students’ help out and get a ‘hands on’ experience using easy to follow & understandable instructions. The day is relaxed and informal as you learn new skills, techniques & tips from the professional world of cooking. The cookery school aims to increase your interest in cooking & food, and to encourage people to try something different as they broaden their knowledge and experience for cooking at home. At the end of the course there are take away recipe card for all dishes made on the day.

You can check out the new website here: www.thegranarykitchen.co.uk
 

Girls' Only Evening at Youth Club

Our local Milford on Sea Youth Club is looking for new members, and a special session has been arranged for Monday 21st January for a Girls’ Only Evening, where the team hope to meet new yougsters who would like to see what the club is all about.

The Milford on Sea Youth Club meets every Monday and Tuesday between 5.45 and 7.45 in the Youth Room at the Village Community Centre.

 

The Club is led by an experienced and fully qualified youth leader and her team. The young people have their own room which is equipped for table tennis ,Wii and pool. Other activities include art and cookery. The membership age generally ranges from 11 to 13 years.

 

New members are always welcome.

 

For more information please call the Youth Leader on 07740 481378, or of course just come along to the Girls’ Only Evening on Monday 21st January.

 

 

MiCO are back with new Lottery Funding



Click image to enlarge

Milford Community Organisation (now labelled MiCO by its young members), is back with a Lottery Heritage Fund project, thanks to new Lottery funding.

‘All our Stories’ is a community youth-led project which uses all sorts of activities including drama, film, art and cookery to help young people learn more about the rich historical and cultural heritage of our tremendous village. 

MiCO already have several groups who have started exploring Milford’s history but there is always room for more! This project is open to anyone aged 9 and above, and this Sunday (13th of Jan) there is a tour with Chris Hobby of the Historical Society, guiding the young people through the village and unlocking some of the secrets of places we walk past every day!

On the 3rd of Feb the group are off to Hurst Castle for a tour and a winter picnic. Participants of the project will also be interviewing long-standing residents of the village, building their own website to record their progress and present their work, as well as running regular sessions every Wednesday from the 6th of February.

Throughout May and June the young people will be putting on exhibitions and events to pass on what they have discovered. Check them out on Facebook and of course if anyone is interested please get in touch !

You can contact MiCO at hellomico@yahoo.co.uk | 07557 658495 or 01590 644961

 

 

 

Join in the U3A

Do you fancy meeting new people and broadening your mind?

 

Well, the U3A has now arrived at Milford on Sea. U3A stands for the University of the Third Age, which is a self-help organisation for people no longer in full time employment, providing educational, creative, and leisure opportunities in a friendly environment.

 

Despite the new branch only been established in November, they now have a membership of well over one hundred, with nearly twenty-five interest groups. These groups range from Art Appreciation to Social History.

 

A monthly meeting with a speaker is usually held on the first Tuesday of the month 2pm, at the Community Centre in Sea Road.

 

The membership fee until the end of March is £10. Non- members are very welcome for an initial visit at a charge of £2.

 

To find out more about this active, lively, and friendly Milford on Sea U3A Group, please contact them on: 01590 644039 or 01425 638836.

40 B4 40-The Hand & Flowers - again!

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No. 28: The Hand & Flowers, Marlow

After finding an excuse to book a return visit to the excellent Hand & Flowers, my business meeting was cancelled at the last minute.

Having booked the restaurant over a month before, I had no intention of letting the table slip, so it was my wife's lucky day!

This is our second visit to Hand and Flowers in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. The restaurant is the first and only pub dining rooms to be awarded the coveted Two Michelin Stars, they are also the current AA Restaurant of the Year 2011-12.

The restaurants head chef and owner is Tom Kerridge, a former winner and judge on BBC’s ‘Great British Menu', and of course, our headline act from Milford on Sea Food Week 2012.

On arrival we were greeted with a complimentary glass of champagne from Tom, nice touch!

The menu was extraordinary, and choosing tricky.  Fortunately, having eaten here before, we knew whatever we chose was going to be an experience.

Before we had even chosen what we were going to eat, we were served with a cone of Whitebait, home made bread and pots of salt and pepper to season the home-made butter. Everything was off to a great start.

For starters I went for the Blow-torched Scottish Scallop with Warm Roast Chicken Bouillon, Morels, Nasturtium and Apple. My wife went for, Salmon Tartare with Poppy Seed Crackers.

Naturally, each had to be shared, but thankfully my share was greater.  The crispy apple with the scallops & nutty mushrooms was masterful.

Our main courses of slow Cooked Duck Breast with Savoy Cabbage, Duck Fat Chips and Gravy, and the other house speciality of Hand & Flowers Fish & Chips, kept the juices flowing. As I savoured the duck fat chips and amazing fish in batter, I was almost overwhelmed by the accompanying Pea Puree, which was certainly one of the best sides I have ever eaten.  Meanwhile my wife was going though a mix of emotions.  The duck was succulent, with a crispy glazed skin and jus that had her in heaven.  Worries appeared as she became full, yet she battled on, and on, fighting her expanding food baby, until she had completed her meal.  Afterwards she sat almost in complete silence, with a silly grin, just saying 'that was the best, ...ever'.

My dining companion was now just a quiet Michelin Man as I ordered sweet.  A hard one, yet I resisted the Tonka Bean Panna Cotta.  I know it is delicious, but I was up for something new, so it was the Banana Soufflé with Gingerbread Custard and Yoghurt Ice Cream. Wow!

Over coffee and a Bailey's I enquired if they had a fork lift to get my wife to the car, but I had to settle for throwing her over my shoulder.

Tom says that he just 'cooks great food, simply'.  I think he is wrong, he 'cooks great food, in amazing combinations'. This is definitely a place to really experience great food, cooked by a master with true passion.

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RAC Club, Pall Mall, London - Great Gallery Restaurant

Sadly, a couple of weeks ago I made a 'wifeless' visit to the RAC Club, which meant that it did not qualify for our 40 B4 40 Challenge. Invited by a customer, who was also a member, and accompanied by Alistair, we had the pleasure of dining in the Great Gallery Restaurant.

The restaurant had reportedly had a recent £1m makeover, and it was spectacular. The food was also excellent, but taking pictures of the plates was not really the order of the day.

A later tour of the club's facilities was similarly impressive. We particularly enjoyed the Long Bar, but for probably longer than we should have!

Having started the day with coffee in The Ritz, followed by our leisurely RAC lunch, we then moved on for a tour of numerous London bars. Arriving home from lunch at around 11.30pm, it is suffice to say, we had enjoyed our day!

www.royalautomobileclub.co.uk

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The Hand and Flowers
126 West Street, Marlow, SL7 2BP
www.thehandandflowers.co.uk

If you are wondering what the 40 B4 40 Dining Challenge is all about, please click here and all will be explained.