Christmas Tree Lights Go On

Val Plummer and
Bob Bishop, Parish Council Chairman

The Milford on Sea Christmas Tree was turned on this week, resplendent in the new lights donated by village based interior designer, Val Plummer.

Tonight, Friday 2nd December is late night opening for the village shops, and then from 6.30pm one of the most charming evenings of the year takes place on the village green.

Our local choir will be leading the carol singing, with the evening compered by Reverend David Hellsten on behalf of the united village churches.

A little later, after working hard in his Grotto in the village, Father Christmas arrives with treats for the kids.

Bring the family, bring yourself, and have a good time kicking off the Christmas season.

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Carols on the Green Offer for 1 day only!

Sean & Claire at The New Forest Paddle Sport Company are offering 10% on all stock items excluding Shaun Stevens Cards, Hutch SUP Wear and Monika Interior Art.

46 High Street, Milford on Sea, SO41 0QD - 01590 645270

www.thenewforestpaddlesportcompany.co.uk

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Local Artists at Carols on the Green: Shaun Stevens and Tessa van Hasselt are open in the Hurst Castle Shop (next to the co-op from 5pm to 8pm) Greetings cards, paintings, fridge magnets, mats, mugs, tea towels, Hurst bags, miniatures, all sorts of Christmas presents for sale.

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To find out more about At No 19 - please click here.

www.atno19.co.uk 
01590 641804
info@atno19.co.uk

Lisa's Larder launches New Product

After months of planning, testing, tasting and designing, Lisa's Larder is pleased to announce the launch of its very own branded Black Sheep Kitchen range of condiments for meat, preserves and gift items at its shop opening this Friday (2nd Dec) from 9.30am to 3pm and Saturday (3 Dec) from 9.30am to 1pm. 

click image to enlarge

Made for Lisa's Larder in Somerset, the label features an image taken by local photographer Adam Lynk and Lisa is hoping this new range will help to put Keyhaven and her lovely Black Sheep even more on the map.

As well as the launch of the new range of condiments, this weekend we will also see the marquee going back up and Lisa will be tempting customers with tasters from all her range, with several of her favourite suppliers in attendance. This should be a great opportunity to try some new things, while also making some Christmas food purchases.

Lisa's Larder is located at Aubrey Farm in Keyhaven.

www.lisaslarder.com

A fitting tribute to Chris Monk

All Saints Parish Church was packed to standing room only to bid farewell to Chris Monk at the Celebration of and Thanksgiving for his life. 

His widow Pauline led the mourners of all ages from small children with family and friends, joined by so many from all sections of Milford village life – those in trade, clubs, former customers and neighbours and friends. It was such a tribute to someone everyone described as “A lovely man”.

Christine Andress, his colleague for 38 years spoke this eulogy (abbreviated).

“Chris lead a full and varied life, born in Southampton in 1942, moved to Sherfield English near Romsey then in 1956 while on a visit to Milford, his father, (a butcher by trade) spotted a “For Sale” sign outside Jupes Fishmongers shop. He bought it and so Monk and Son began. Chris wanted to be a farmer but Tom had other ideas and so Chris entered the business. In the beginning he was responsible for deliveries on a Lambretta with the fish in a storage box secured over the back wheel. 

One day he stopped to talk to some friends on the Green, but as he left let the clutch out too quickly and kangarooed down the road shedding fish in all directions. During his teenage years he developed a love of motor bikes and spent most week-ends trialling: he became very successful at this. He was Secretary and a very popular member of the Lymington Cycle Club for many years.

Chris met Pauline when she was working in the hairdressers, now Polyanna - they were married in 1967 and lived in Hordle until his father died suddenly in 1969 when they moved over the shop and ran the business with his Mum. Christine joined the business in 1971 just before Ian was born and they worked together. Their first son Ian was born but sadly died of leukaemia at 19 months, then three years later Tony was born to the great joy of everyone.

Chris kept the business going through thick and thin helped by his Mum, Christine, her daughter Jill who did the deliveries, Chris Hatton and our little Saturday girl Mary-Kate Hobby. As well as selling fish, Christmas was the time for pheasants, some of which came from local shoots for us to pluck and prepare for the shop. 

The business continued to thrive resulting in long queues on Fridays and Saturdays. No-one ever complained as there was the latest edition of the long-running weekly poems to keep everyone amused.

We did many sponsored walks and bike rides, the proceeds going to local charities. We also had successes on the Milford Carnival float competitions, dressing the window for Carnival Night and at Christmas. Chris served on many Milford Committees. He was also a member of Barton Golf Club and Monday afternoons were sacrosanct, when he played with the Milford Mafia, many of whom are here today.

Chris sold the business in 2007 and worked part-time for Tony at Westover Group delivering car parts, a job he loved. The greatest joy during his retirement was being with his beloved grandchildren, Josh and Zac and a proud moment in September when Tony married Linda, a joyful day for us all.

I feel I must mention at this juncture that holidays were an unnecessary evil for Chris. The skid marks through the village were from his heels as we dragged him to Bournemouth Airport. Chris preferred to be busy and every Christmas he could be seen helping to erect the enormous tree on the Green – and latterly he joined the team at All Saints keeping the church yard neat and tidy.

Chris was a large part of this village of Milford that he loved and we will miss him in very many ways.”

Eds Note: Monk and Son were at 98 High Street, Milford on Sea, SO41 0QE which is now the location of Verveine, a restaurant and still the village fishmongers.

Community Library update

The library continues to run smoothly five days a week due to all the hard work put in by our army of volunteers, for which we thank them. If you are interested in joining our team of volunteers, please contact Jill Neill on 01590 644592 or email moslibrary@gmail.com. The commitment is not onerous with most volunteers working one or two shifts per month.

We also have a regular reading group that meets at 2pm on the 3rd Wednesday of each month (except December). There is one place left so if you would like to join please contact Jill Neill on 01590 644592. The next meeting is 25th January. There is a small charge of £1.50 per person to cover the room hire, refreshments and the annual registration fee.

For nursery age children, we have Rhymetime on the first Friday of each month at 11.15am. Next one is on Friday 2nd December. Just come along.

Recent events have included a Creative Writing Workshop run by Jill Neill. This was so successful that the group want to continue meeting, with Jill as facilitator, to discuss their writing. The next workshop is on 21st January from 10-12noon. There are a couple of places left; please contact Jill on 01590 644592 if interested. £5 to cover room hire and refreshments.

On Armistice Day we held a coffee morning and raised over £130 for the Poppy Appeal. Many people dropped in for refreshments before and after the Remembrance Service on the green. Thanks to Chris Hobby and Liz Everard for loaning us a selection of memorabilia, medals and “souvenirs” from the wars.

If you know anyone who loves reading but can no longer make the journey to the library, volunteers from our Home Library Service can borrow and deliver books, audio books and large-print books to anyone living locally. For more information please contact Tony on 01590 645404 or Jill on 01590 644592.

As you probably know, we have to raise enough money each year to cover the rent and other running costs of the library. We would like to thank the Milford on Sea Music and Arts Festival for the generous donation of £500. 

Our next fundraising event is our Christmas Fair on Saturday 3rd December from 10am to 12.30pm. We will have the usual books for sale as well as delicious cakes, Jane’s lovely bags, handmade crafts, Christmas decorations and knitted gifts. Refreshment and mince pies will be available as well as a tombola, so please come along and support us.

Forthcoming events:

• Friday 2nd December 11.15am Rhymetime
• Saturday 3rd December 10-12.30 Christmas Fair and Open Library
• No Reading group in December
• 26th December – 2nd January Library closed
• Friday 6th January 11.15am Rhymetime
• Saturday 7th January 10-12.30 Open Library
• Saturday 21st January 10-12 Creative Writing Group
• Wednesday 25th January 2-4pm Reading Group

Library opening times:

Monday and Tuesday 2.30—5.00pm

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 10am—12.30pm

First Saturday each month 10am—12.30pm 

Milford on Sea Community Library

The Village Hall, Park Road, Milford on Sea SO41 0QU

Email: mosclibrary@gmail.com

Tel: 07950 941818 (Opening hours only)

www.facebook.com/mosclibrary

Local Interior Designer Funds New Xmas Tree Lights

Milford on Sea based interior designer, Val Plummer, who set up At No 19 Interior Design, is celebrating the company’s tenth anniversary this year by funding new eco friendly, energy efficient lights for the village green Christmas tree.

“I now work throughout Hampshire, Dorset and West Sussex, but I wanted to do something to thank my local clients who helped me when I started, and who have continued to be supportive in helping to develop my business over the past 10 years.

“As a way of saying thank you to them, and after discussions with the Parish Council, I offered to buy 2000 of the very latest LED technology tree lights. I hope they will provide a magnificent display for everyone to enjoy when the lights are switched on, on 2nd December,” said Val.

Val is passionate about all things to do with interior design and thrives on and enjoys any project that she takes on no matter how big or small. Her business, At No 19, has developed over the last 10 years to become a local success story. A testament to her success is that 80 per cent of clients are referrals and 55 per cent is repeat business.

The majority of her clients are individual home and business owners, property developers and estate agents, but other challenges she has worked on include a hotel, nursing home, Masonic function room, retail property and a retirement village of 58 houses in Devon!

Val Plummer

When it comes to private homes she is happy to assist with everything from a pair of curtains, a single room or re-designing an entire property.

According to Val: “People are sometimes overwhelmed when they move into a home and discover what needs doing. I am happy to offer a free of charge consultation within a 20 mile radius of Lymington so that I can get to know new clients and have an opportunity to talk about the project and their budget.

“I get a real buzz helping people and providing them with innovative ideas that they might not have thought about, which do not necessarily have to cost a lot of money".

“Understandably, if they haven’t used the services of an interior designer before they are cautious, but I work closely with them and include any preferences or styles they like. I can incorporate existing furniture or provide a complete re-design tailored to their specific requirements.”

An increasing area of business for At No 19 is assisting clients who have purchased a property ‘off plan’ achieve the look they want. Val’s extensive experience in space planning and insight into the construction process of new builds, which is where her career began, has proved to be invaluable

Many people also choose this area to have a holiday home and this is an area Val has worked in extensively. Living remotely they find having an interior designer on the ground with a full team of trusted trades-people, who work to her own exacting standards, hugely valuable. Many testimonials on her website are testament to this.

According to Val: “Looking back over the past 10-years, there’s never been a dull moment and I’ve had some fun assignments. You just don’t know what the next telephone call will bring. I’ve done everything from transforming a very run down pet shop in Boscombe into a stylish contemporary travel agency to giving two static caravans on Carrington Park a facelift!"

“The most rewarding, however, was designing the interior for The Coates Centre, a new facility built in the grounds of Oakhaven Hospice to provide information and support to those whose lives have been impacted by illness.”

Whether building, buying, selling or updating a home or business Val offers her At No 19 clients a blend of creativity, close attention to detail, combined with personal friendly service.

At No 19 has been a positive success story for Val, who always looks forward to the next phone call or email bringing her the next new project. 

 To find out more about At No 19 and see examples of completed projects visit: www.atno19.co.uk or telephone 01590 641804 or email info@atno19.co.uk.

Lymington Gin wins the Hampshire Life Best Drinks

Lymington Gin won the Hampshire Life 'Best Drinks Product of the Year 'at their recent Awards ceremony.

Richard Baker, distilled the award winning local gin at the Dancing Cow Distillery in Lymington, which is a few miles from his home in Milford on Sea.

If you fancy trying some, it is now available in The Cave.

Dancing Cows Ltd

Richard Baker

07952 639465

www.dancingcows.co.uk

Recognition for La Perle at Food Awards

Sam Hughes, patron/chef of the outstanding La Perle restaurant in Milford on Sea village, was delighted when La Perle were announced as a runner up in the Restaurant of the Year Award at the Hampshire Life Food & Drink Awards 2016 this week.

La Perle

60 High Street, Milford on Sea, SO41 0QD

01590 643557

www.laperle.co.uk

Fundraising Lunch for Community Responders

On Friday 18th November, the Milford on Sea Methodist Church hosted a lunch to raise funds for the Milford on Sea Community Responders. There were over 40 people who attended and enjoyed a two-course lunch prepared by Margaret Boyce and her team, who run the twice monthly Lunch Club at the church.

Two of the volunteer Community Responders, Conrad Curtis and Terri Newton came along and explained a little about their role and displayed the equipment that they need to carry out their duties. Their current equipment is on loan from Ringwood and the plan is for each of the Community Responders based in Milford to have their own equipment so that it does not have to be passed around depending upon who is on call.

The event proved to be enjoyable, informative and successful as the amount raised was £413.35 and the Milford on Sea Methodist Church agreed to match the amount raised increasing the amount being paid over to £826.70 which will pay for about two thirds of the cost of the equipment required for one Community Responder.

Thanks for the generosity of all of those who attended and a big thank you to those who organised the event.

About the Milford on Sea Community Responders

Milford on Sea now has a newly established Community First Responders group.

The Community First Responders work for the South Central Ambulance Service and get deployed to appropriate emergency calls in the village. All are volunteers who donate their time and expertise for free. The group has been founded by Ross Woolgar, Terri Newton and Conrad Curtis.

The advantage of Community First Responders is that in many cases they can get there before the paramedics and commence life saving emergency treatment at the earliest opportunity, which significantly improves patients chances of survival.

The volunteer Community First Responders have been trained by the South Central Ambulance Service in basic lifesaving skills and operation of emergency equipment. They are not paramedics. People should just call 999 in an emergency as they normally would and the control room will make the decision whether to deploy our Community Responders and, if so, page or call they.

The lifesaving kit they carry is rather expensive and because of this can't be funded by South Central Ambulance Service so, currently, the three medics are sharing one set of kit which has kindly been lent to them by the Ringwood Community First Responder team. The objective is of course, for each first responder to have their own kit.

The Milford on Sea teams first priority therefore, is to raise enough cash, somewhere between £5k to £10k initially, to fund their own kit to make sure they are able to help everyone in the village if ever needed.

Milford on Sea Community Responders will be planning fund raising events to do this but they are going to need some help from the community for what we hope everyone would agree is a very worthwhile cause. 

Better still would be if anyone is generous enough to make a donation, the sooner the money is raised, the sooner a full service will be available. To donate please click here.

To kick things off, Food Week have donated £500, and hopefully the target will be hit soon - Personally I also hope I never see Ross, Terri or Conrad coming round my house with their shiny new kit!

Footnote:

We can already report an operational success story. Not long ago a Community First Responder was called to an incident at Keyhaven Yacht Club where a gentleman had collapsed with breathing difficulties. The CFR was able to start early treatment ahead of the arrival of an ambulance crew. The result was a good outcome for the gentleman involved and demonstrates the worth of having community based First Responders.

Every little you could contribute would help - To donate please click here.

Milford Arts and Music Festival 2017 – End of the road?

This year the village had a particularly successful Milford on Sea Arts & Music Festival in terms of numbers attending and levels of enjoyment. From Dolly on the Thursday, through to Coldplay on Saturday and to the orchestra and chorus finale on Sunday - the event was ultimately a memorable occasion on many levels. 

As the weekend was fortunate weather wise the organising committee able to make a surplus financially and in turn, have been able to help local groups in the village. The Green Club, which helps elderly village residents, and the village library both received £500 donations and £4000 will go towards the fund to establish a village minibus which will benefit many village groups.

However, the organising committee now find themselves in a difficult position. Several members have announced their intention to stand down after the 2017 Festival. 

Particularly key are the roles of bar manager and booking the acts for Friday and Saturday. The team may also be losing at least 2 other members. Therefore, they need to recruit new members as soon as possible so that they can work alongside the existing team and gain a full understanding of what the role involves before taking over for 2018. 

Sadly as these roles are crucial if replacements cannot be found then everyone has to face the possibility that 2017 may be the last festival. As we have already lost the village carnival it would be a great loss to be unable to continue this wonderful event.

If you, or anyone you know may be able to help please contact the festival team on: committee@milfordfestival.org.uk and Save The Festival!

Sean wins National Courage Award

Owner of Hurst Castle Services, Sean Crane has been presented with a prestigious national award; the Adult Courage Award (65+) The award was made at The Stroke Association’s Life After Stroke Awards at the Dorchester Hotel in  London on the night of Wednesday 16th November 2016.

The award was in recognition of Sean’s passion and commitment in helping other stroke survivors in Milford on Sea following his own stroke in 2014.

As part of his recovery, Sean attended the Stroke Association communication support workshop at Milford on Sea War Memorial Hospital. He went on to set up a group for other stroke survivors in Milford on Sea’s Community Centre, where they meet fortnightly and provide support for a number of people who struggle to find their words after a stroke.

He also organised a major fundraiser for the Stroke Association in May 2015, in which the Hurst Lighthouse was light up purple to mark the Stroke Association’s annual stroke awareness month.

Sean’s son Jason Crane said: “Dad’s stroke was a massive shock to all the family. From being such an active man to driving ferries and climbing lighthouses, Dad couldn’t move or speak.

“We were told by the consultant that the best we could hope for was moving him from bed to chair. But Sean being Sean, his resilience and passion we all know and love has given him the strength and courage to live with what has happened, but also given him the determination to help others and do things the consultant never thought possible.”

Two years on from his stroke, Sean can now drive himself around Milford on Sea village in an electric wheelchair, walk with the aid of a frame and has plans to be back on the ferries again next year, this time as a passenger.

The Stroke Associations Life After Strokes Awards (LASA) recognise the achievements of everyone affected by stroke and celebrate stroke survivors for showing spirit and determination.

Dancing Cows Distillery and Brewhouse Tours

The Dancing Cows Distillery and Brewhouse are now running a schedule of tours in the run up to Christmas. The tours will be on most Wednesdays and Fridays from 6.30pm until 8.00pm.

On the tour, you will discover how we make our spirits and beers and there will be lots of sampling as Richard takes you on a humorous journey through the history of alcohol from 6000BC to the present day.

For Tour details and bookings please click here.

Psst: Rumour has it that The Cave will soon be stocking The Dancing Cows Distillery Lymington Gin.

Dancing Cows
Richard Baker
Sadlers Farm, Lower Pennington Lane, Lymington, SO41 8AL

01590 676071|07952 639465

hello@dancingcows.co.uk

www.dancingcows.co.uk

Hurst arrives on the Hill

Hurst Castle keeper, Jason Crane is celebrating the castle’s history and its connection with his own family for 60 years by opening a new café venture,'Hurst On The Hill', in the heart of Milford on Sea village.

L to R: Hurst Castle chefs,
Jesse Wells and Alex Cummings
with owner Jason Crane 

The café will honour the castle’s history and the Crane family’s links with the castle and Hurst Spit by featuring items of the castle’s heritage. These links include Jason’s grandfather, William Crane, who was castle keeper from 1956 and his uncle, Peter Hobby, the last castle lighthouse keeper at Hurst from 1952-1989.

The café will be run by the current Hurst Castle chefs – Jesse Wells, formerly of La Perlé and Verveine in Milford on Sea and Alex Cumming of Stanwell House. It will offer modern, fresh, seasonal food from a selection of meze style salads, sandwiches, bagels, soups and daily specials, offering customers the best of what is in season.

Owner of Hurst On The Hill, Jason Crane said: “I’m passionate about Hurst, food and our local community so when the opportunity came up to open a café in the heart of the village, I decided to go for it. Our food will all be about the flavour at realistic prices for everyone to enjoy.”

There are also future plans to open the café as a private dining experience for small parties, offering seasonal tasting menus.

The café will be open to the public from Wednesday 16th November from 9am and will open seven-days-a week from 9am to 4.30pm.

Pop in for a leisurely light meal or to grab something quick if you’re on the go. You can enjoy café style coffee, pastries or Alex’s renowned cakes, or at breakfast or lunchtime find a range of sandwiches, bagels, soups and meze style salads to choose from, topped with fish, cheese or meat. Why not even try to make time one day to devour one of Jesse’s legendary Club Sandwiches!

Hurst on the Hill

4 Church Hill, Milford on Sea, SO41 0QH

01590 643837 

eat@hurstonthehill.co.uk

www.hurstonthehill.co.uk
Also on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@hurstonthehill).

Collins & Butler Transform Huts for School

Over the summer holidays a transformation was seen at Milford on Sea Primary School.

In the reception childrens playground the slightly tired looking sheds were given a makeover courtesy of the local independent estate agents, Collins & Butler.

Collins & Butler are proud of the affiliation that they have with the primary school and on this occasion four sheds were transformed in to lovely pastel coloured beach huts.

Collins and Butler

57 High Street, Milford on Sea, SO41 0QG
01590 643033
www.collinsandbutler.co.uk


PS: A date for your diary:



click image to enlarge

Fancy Playing Whist?

A Whist Drive Club is held every Thursday Afternoon in the Village Hall, Park Road, Milford on Sea.

 

This friendly club always has a warm welcome for new members, so why not pop along.

 

The games start at 2pm. Entry fee £2 per person. Cash prizes for highest scores plus a booby prize!

 

For more information please contact:

 

Milford on Sea Whist Drive Club

Tony Tillett
01590 642012
autb43@dsl.pipex.com

 

Do you Like Model Railways?

The membership of the New Forest's premier Model Railway Club includes people all ages, interests and skills. They are always looking for new enthusiastic members, and meet weekly on Tuesday Evenings in Brockenhurst Village and Membership costs less than £1 per week.

Activities on club nights includes construction of new layouts and repairing, maintaining and updating existing ones. They also have a good chat and have been known to watch railway videos and DVDs.

If you are interested in joining, or just want to see what we do, then please go along and pay them a visit - they are very friendly, informal and welcoming. 

It doesn't matter whether or not you have any particular modelling or engineering skills, the only requirement is that you are interested in model railways. If you cannot come to the Open Day visit the website www.nfmrs.org or e mail them at nfmrs@yahoo.com.

The club are also holding an Open Day and invite everyone to come along to Brockenhurst Village Hall, Highwood Road, SO42 7RY on Sunday 27th November, 10.00 am to 4.30 pm

There will be 12 layouts on show of all sizes and gauges. Some are owned by the club and some by individual members. A similar number of Trade Stands are also attending. 

The large car park adjacent to the village hall is free of charge and an excellent selection of refreshments and hot meals will be available.
 

Christmas Hampers from Gina

Food eBox
Christmas Hampers

Local resident, Gina Maziere has another new business venture promoting Food eBox, the Farm Shop Food Delivered to Your Door

Gina has some Christmas Hampers from  the range and other tasty treats for the festive season, to find out more please take a look at the menu to the right, visit: www.food-ebox.com, or or contact Gina directly.

Foodibox Limited
Food eBox Hampers
Gina Maziere
ginamaziere@live.co.uk - 07748 845889

Help the RNLI to Save Lives at Sea

Milford on Sea has a thriving RNLI Committee who organise a programme of varied events throughout the year, each has the aim to entertain, help people understand a bit more about the RNLI, raise much needed funds and encourage people to come on board as members.

Local RNLI events are listed in the Village Voice magazine and the Milford Village Calendar (www.milfordonseacalendar.org). Members also receive a printed programme of fundraising events.

The RNLI Committee would welcome some support for their activities. Anyone interested in the sea and ships will know that the lifeboat men and lifeguards are always ready at short notice to save lives at sea. The team raise money from the events which contributes to the total funding that enables the Royal National Lifeboat Institution to provide this exceptional service.

To find out how you can get involved or to join the RNLI as a member, please contact the Milford-on-Sea Committee on milfordrnli@aol.co.uk or call Ian Ramus (Chairman) on 01590 644378 or Margaret Pruden (Secretary) on 01590 645969.

Coffee Companions are coming!

We have heard from Ruth Bufton, who is part of the panel of folk who meet in the Community Centre to coordinate help and events going on in Milford. One of the items brought to their notice at a recent Panel meeting was the ’Coffee Companions’. 

Quite rightly, Ruth thinks that this is a great idea to meet people, and having talked to the lady who invented the concept she would like to make Milford on Sea a ‘Coffee Companions village’. 

Click image to enlarge

Here’s how Coffee Companions works. 

The are coasters or ‘Coffee mats’ are to be (will be) found on the coffee shop tables. 

1. One side is red and the other side is green. 
2. If you are wanting to chat to anyone who is also sitting on their own you have the mat green side up which says ‘say hello’. 
3. If you would rather sit alone you show the red side which says ‘not today’. 

As a starter, Ruth would like to give mats and a poster to every participating coffee shop. The concept has been introduced into various cities and towns like Glasgow, Taunton, Canterbury - and Milford on Sea soon! 

Ruth said; "I intend to drink myself full of tea and coffee whilst introducing this to the coffee shops in and around Milford and perhaps the larger establishments like Waitrose and Otters!"

Look out for the Chat Mats on the coffee shop tables or get your own to take from Ruth on 01590 641875.

Coffee Companions - Coming to a café near you soon!

www.coffeecompanions.co.uk

A Time for Remembrance

Remembrance Appeal: Begins officially Saturday 29th October 2017.

Please be aware that many of the usual roads whose residents have in past years had a visit from a door to door collector will not do so this year. So instead, please get your Poppies from the many shops and businesses selling them in the village, or from street collectors who will be out and about at various times.

~~~~~

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: 13th 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 on Milford-on-Sea Village Green followed by wreath laying at the Village War Memorial Hospital.
• 10am to 12.30pm: Poppy Coffee Morning in the Village Library - Everyone welcome.
• 11am: Act of Remembrance at Everton Recreational ground

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.

New Business of the Year Finalist

Sean and Claire would just like to say a massive thank you to all their local paddlers and the residents of Milford On Sea who have enjoyed coming out on the water with them this year.

They are are also delighted that local people have nominated The New Forest Paddle Sport Company, which is based in Milford on Sea High Street, for New Business of the Year in the New Forest Business Awards 2016/17.

Better still, their new business has been selected as finalists, and they will find out if they have won on the 30th of November, - so fingers crossed! 

Sean and Claire said that they could not have done this without the support of the local community and they thank you for making them feel at home and part of this great community which is Milford on Sea!

Sean said; "We have now been open a year and hope we have given plenty of you a great time on the water! We are still open all year round and are offering wetsuit hire as well now so while its still not to cold to be on the water why not drop in and give it a try with our £10 for an hour tasters! We will also be selling stocking fillers for those of you with surfers and paddle boarders in your lives as well as gift vouchers for those of you thinking of Christmas already!"

Sean also said that the local paddling club is going from strength to strength and he expects to see many more paddleboards over the winter making the most of our fantastic seaside location!

Sean and Claire once again thank you all for you support and kindness over the year and roll on summer 2017 - after success in the awards of course!

THE NEW FOREST PADDLE SPORT COMPANY LTD

46 High Street, Milford On Sea, SO41 0QD

01590 645270

info@thenewforestpaddlesportcompany.co.uk

www.thenewforestpaddlesportcompany.co.uk

Discover Touring India in Milford on Sea

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Christina of Milford Travel in the High Street has just returned from India after touring the country with a very knowledgeable tour operator.

She will be sharing her experiences at the Community Centre on Thursday afternoon 3rd November from 1pm to 3pm. Free nibbles and Bubbly. Please pop into the shop to pick up a free ticket.

Milford Travel (in what was formerly Clifford's hairdressers) offers a full range of travel services including; bespoke holidays, cruises, exotic trips, flights, and even coach trips.

Obviously a lot of holidays are now booked on the web, but to do this takes a fair bit of research, and ultimately nothing beats a nice dose of personal service - and supporting a village business!

Milford Travel

christinapegler83@gmail.com

78 High Street, Milford on Sea, SO41 0QD

Facebook: click here

Two Finalists in Hampshire Life Food & Drink Awards

La Perle restaurant in Milford on Sea, are down to the final three in the Restaurant of the Year category in the 2016 Hampshire Life Food and Drink Awards.

Joining them is Milford on Sea resident and master brewer, Richard Baker, whose Dancing Cows Gin is a finalist for the Drinks Product of the Year Award.

The winners will be announced at the soon to be held at Hampshire Life Food and Drink Awards Night at The Elvetham Hotel in Hartley Wintney.

Let's hope we are celebrating two village winners soon!

Sue raises £1435 in the saddle

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On Sunday 4th September local Milford on Sea resident, Sue Forward cycled from London (Richmond Green) to Windsor, a total if 32 miles which she completed in just over 3 hours.

Sue sends her thanks to all who supported her in any way. 

She said she has just received a letter of thanks from Jill, the Community Fundraiser, at Oakhaven Hospice, Lymington thanking her for the total amount of £1435.00 she raised.

Lymington's Oakhaven Hospice offers loving support to so many, and Sue was raising money in the memory of Robin Murray-Walker a wise and supportive true gentleman.

Dancing Cows Distillery Tours

Dancing Cows Distillery in at Sadlers Farm on Lower Pennington Lane near Lymington will be running Distillery Tours during the New Forest Food Festival.

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Run by Milford on Sea resident and master brewer, Richard Baker, the range of evening and weekend tours will explain how the production of alcohol has played a major part in our cultural development through the ages and our journey takes in some light-hearted historical insights as well as some deep and meaningful science!

There will be tastings of their products and a chance to sample some of the raw ingredients that go into our gins, beers and other spirits.

The tours will run on Tuesday 1st, Friday 4th and Saturday 5th November and places are limited to 15 per tour. Click here to book. You will have to be quick to get a place!

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Dancing Cows

Richard Baker

Sadlers Farm, Lower Pennington Lane, Lymington, SO41 8AL 
01590 676071|07952 639465

hello@dancingcows.co.uk

www.dancingcows.co.uk

Sprout Tossing in Milford on Sea

Local Milford on Sea resident, Fredrick Webb has launched a new website (click here), the site announces The All England Brussel Sprout Tossing Contest and more. 

At its inaugural trial - 'The All England Brussel Sprout Tossing Contest - Charity Classic' the game did exactly what he hoped for as: kids, teenagers, parents and pensioners all joined in the fun and laughter. 

Fredrick has his own inimitable style in writing, saying; "English men of limp stalk, that stayed in bed will think themselves accursed they did not rise up to toss their sprouts on St Brussels Day."

Lord Gritt

A creditable £152.50 was raised for the Honeypot Children's Charity, and Fredrick reported that: "Lord Grit was so pleased, he wagged his tail."

The website also has 'Charity Sprout Kits' on sale, together with a range of books that Fredrick has written mainly for children.

There is no doubt Fredrick has had a colourful life, as his own words describe: "I was born in the tiny Suffolk hamlet of Thurlow Green and after five years at the village school, I went to Grammar School in the historic silk weaving town of Sudbury in Suffolk about an hour or so north of London. 

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After a brief couple of years in the RAF I settled down for 17 years in the field of Banking the last twelve years being in the Middle East. It ended when the boss said, "I don't know what to do with you Webb!", but he paid me off well. 

I married in Benghazi, Libya and subsequently got divorced in the capital city of Iran, Teheran. In fact my ex-wife is the inspiration for 'Moody Rooby', the teenage witch who lives just outside the mythical Lantern County! 

Determined to never again be the subject of a 'boss', I struggled through 40 odd years in or on the fringes of the Toy Industry but it was writing that drew out my passions... so I began to write. However I very quickly found that both Toy shops and Publishers want "something similar to what is on the market" - heaven's forbid something original! This was totally contrary to my inner desires and contradicts my purpose in life - which is to provide something different.

The works I have written (available on my website!) are reflections of human life, the funny creatures we can be and how delightful we think we are. The views here are based on the belief that we can all be just a bit better. 

If this can get a few of you to see life through these characters, and let one or two of them take you by the hand into fresh and new joys of life on this planet, then this site and this man, will fulfil their purpose."

Fredrick Webb

www.frederickwebb.co.uk

Live Saving Service for Milford on Sea

Milford on Sea now has a newly established Community First Responders group.

The Community First Responders work for the South Central Ambulance Service and get deployed to appropriate emergency calls in the village. All are volunteers who donate their time and expertise for free. The group has been founded by Ross Woolgar, Terri Newton and Conrad Curtis.

The advantage of Community First Responders is that in many cases they can get there before the paramedics and commence life saving emergency treatment at the earliest opportunity, which significantly improves patients chances of survival.

The volunteer Community First Responders have been trained by the South Central Ambulance Service in basic lifesaving skills and operation of emergency equipment. They are not paramedics. People should just call 999 in an emergency as they normally would and the control room will make the decision whether to deploy our Community Responders and, if so, page or call they.

The lifesaving kit they carry is rather expensive and because of this can't be funded by South Central Ambulance Service so, currently, the three medics are sharing one set of kit which has kindly been lent to them by the Ringwood Community First Responder team. The objective is of course, for each first responder to have their own kit.

The Milford on Sea teams first priority therefore, is to raise enough cash, somewhere between £5k to £10k initially, to fund their own kit to make sure they are able to help everyone in the village if ever needed.

Milford on Sea Community Responders will be planning fund raising events to do this but they are going to need some help from the community for what we hope everyone would agree is a very worthwhile cause. 

Better still would be if anyone is generous enough to make a donation, the sooner the money is raised, the sooner a full service will be available. To donate please click here.

To kick things off, Food Week have just donated £500, and hopefully the target will be hit soon - Personally I also hope I never see Ross, Terri or Conrad coming round my house with their shiny new kit!

Footnote:

We can already report an operational success story. A Community First Responder was recently called to an incident at Keyhaven Yacht Club where a gentleman had collapsed with breathing difficulties. The CFR was able to start early treatment ahead of the arrival of an ambulance crew. The result was a good outcome for the gentleman involved and demonstrates the worth of having community based First Responders.

Every little you could contribute would help - To donate please click here.