The Nearly Naked Chef is coming to town

Milford on Sea Food Week has its first new exciting event for 2011. Hardeep Singh Kohli will be performing his ‘The Nearly Naked Chef Show’ for Food Week on Saturday 16 April 2011 in the Community Centre. The Nearly Naked Chef show is a wonderfully laid back evening of entertaining stories and aromatic stir-fries. Just think Ready Steady Cook but with good cooking and great conversation. Who could wish for more from an evening’s entertainment than to arrive with your carrier bag bulging at the seams with carefully selected ingredients and a whole heap of expectations, and to leave with your taste buds bursting with the flavours of fine cooking and your mind abuzz with a mouth watering selection of pitch-perfect anecdotes? Hardeep's show has appeared at the Edinburgh fringe, & is a currently touring production.

Hardeep will be remembered as a regular reporter on the highly successful BBC1 programme The One Show. He is also a regular guest on BBC 1's Question Time, This Week with Andrew Neil and was a former Newsnight Review presenter. He has also written & presented a number of TV shows for Channel 4. His love of food was demonstrated when he was runner-up on the first BBC series of Celebrity MasterChef, which then led to two series for UKTV Food, New British Kitchen and Chefs and the City. His foodie passion is also expressed in his larger than average belly and the publication of his first book Indian Takeaway, which was nominated for an Independent Book Award. He has written about food for The Times, The Sunday Times, Olive, Observer Food Monthly, The Spectator and various other publications and was appointed as a columnist for Waitrose Food Illustrated. Hardeep is also a member of the judging panel for the Soil Association Awards 2009.

Hardeep Singh Kohli website:

www.seabrightproductions.co.uk/hardeep.html

Milford on Sea: UK’s Second Most Expensive Seaside Town

New research by Halifax, Britain’s biggest mortgage lender, finds a strong correlation between waterfront views and buoyant property prices. The study found that Milford on Sea is the UK’s second most expensive seaside town for property.

Despite the trend being downward elsewhere. Estate agents Knight Frank suggest that a waterfront view adds more than 30 per cent to house prices on average. Explanations include demand from boat owners, second home owners and people seeking clean air and a good quality of life.

Nine of the ten most highly priced seaside towns also feature among seaside towns with the highest quality of life. Sandbanks in Dorset is the most expensive seaside town with an average house price of £545,000 followed by Milford on Sea (£335,000) and Lyme Regis in Dorset (£308,000).

Five seaside towns in southern England also provide good value for money with relatively low property prices. These are Dover, Newhaven, Folkestone, Burnham on Sea and Weston Super Mare. Halifax claim that residents of Bexhill-on-Sea in East Sussex have the highest quality of life among Britain’s seaside towns followed by Burnham-on-Crouch in Essex and Christchurch in Dorset. All three towns have higher than average weekly earnings and an above average employment rate. Over nine out of ten adults report themselves as having good health and residents have an average life expectancy of around 80. They also have four more hours of sunshine per week than the average for seaside towns.

Oh, I do love to be beside the seaside!

Public Enquiry relating to Seafront Development

The redevelopment of the Ravenhurst site, adjacent to the White House on the seafront has become subject to a public inquiry relating to a planning appeal. We understand that the developers, Penny Farthing Homes, have applied to build thirteen new houses in place of the now defunct bungalow buildings. The old Ravenhurst buildings in Ravens Way, Milford on Sea currently consist of four unused single story buildings, which were once a NHS residential home for people with severe learning difficulties. The original development plans were refused by the council and a public inquiry relating to a planning appeal by Penny Farthing Homes is now scheduled to take place from 14th to 16th September 2010 in the Council Chamber in Lymington Town Hall. The three day public inquiry has a 10am start on the first day and will probably finish around 5pm with a break at lunch time. The second and third days may start a bit earlier, and the inspector will decide on the first day. Anyone can go for one day if they cannot make the 3 days.

We have been informed that a group of local residents have joined forces to fight the appeal, calling themselves PMH (Protecting Milford’s Heritage) and are led by Martin Pitt. PMH are preparing specific questions to ask, all aimed at preventing the overdevelopment of a site which is in an area of natural beauty, and in a prominent seafront position with important wildlife & next to a listed building. PMH had considered organising a petition, but they have been informed that the more villager’s that turn up to the hearing is a stronger demonstration that people feel strongly about the outcome, the inspector said that a petition would not be given as much credence.

Everyone is welcome to go along to the public inquiry to find out about the latest plans, & to listen to the discussions. There is a formal process which limits who from the public can express their own views. We suspect that not many people would object to the buildings being sympathetically replaced, and it is a course a fine balance to redevelop a disused site in keeping with natural surroundings, and not just to maximise the developers profit. Let’s hope the people making these decisions on the future of our seafront get this one right.

Alex Aitken moors up at The Jetty

Living in Milford on Sea we are of course blessed with many fine places to dine in the evening, or we can while away the afternoons with delicious cream teas. Our local eateries provide just about every dining experience you could want, fine restaurants, international cuisine, pubs, cafes & tea shops, plus of course, The Marine will soon be opening to add to our extensive list of quality dining options. For those that regularly eat out, occasional forays to restaurants further afield is also fun. Many will know of Alex Aitken, who is one of the South of England’s most respected Michelin starred chefs. Alex started his career as a trawler man and this ‘raw’ fishing experience proved invaluable to Alex during his subsequent career as a chef. Alex has had twenty five years of cooking experience within the New Forest, including many years running his own highly-acclaimed restaurant, Le Poussin in Brockenhurst, followed by a move to Parkhill, a country house hotel at Lyndhurst. Alex became a partner and director of cuisine when Parkhill was developed into the luxurious Lime Wood.

His latest venture has been created in a breathtaking glass walled environmentally-friendly waterside restaurant, which was formerly home to the Gary Rhodes restaurant, Rhodes South. Alex’s has named his new restaurant, bar & grill ‘The Jetty’, and under his direction, The Jetty will be an informal, unpretentious and relaxing place to eat. The location is right on the very edge of the water within the grounds of the Christchurch Harbour Hotel at Mudeford. The views of Christchurch Harbour, Mudeford Quay & Hengistbury Head cannot be described as anything other than breathtaking.

Anyone who has had the pleasure to taste Alex’s food in the past, will know that he is a ‘home-grown’ chef with a huge amount of food knowledge and experience, which will ensure that his menu never disappoints & that his love of local food will shine through. Alex has won many of the UK’s top food awards and is now serving fresh fish & seafood, caught and landed daily from Mudeford Quay, including local oysters, shrimps and lobster, and tasty local meat grills cooked in The Jetty’s charcoal oven. If you are planning to venture out of Milford on Sea for a dining treat, The Jetty is certainly worth putting at the top of the list.

Alex Aitken at The Jetty Restaurant Bar & Grill:

http://www.thejetty.co.uk/

Volunteers needed for new Village Charity Shop

The new ‘Village Charity Shop’ will be opening soon & they are looking for volunteers to help out. If you have a few hours to spare & would like to spend it in a fun environment, meeting lots of people & helping a good cause at the same time, this could be just the thing for you. The shop will be sited at the old Muffins Bakery in Church Hill, Milford on Sea, next to the Co-Op. Unfortunately, the building requires over £2000 of urgent repairs to the electrics & plumbing before it can be occupied, so if anyone feels generous, any volunteers with professional trade skills, or individuals willing to make any financial donations to help out, would be warmly welcomed. Should anyone have access to any shop fittings, such as tables, display cabinets, clothing rails, mirrors etc, these would also be gratefully received. The shop will be managed by Judit Teuissen-High and run by a team of yet to be found volunteers from the village and Community Centre, with the profits being used to support the Community Centre & other local charities.

The Village Charity Shop is also looking for any donations of good quality ladies and gents clothing, bric a brac, unwanted gifts & anything else saleable. It is all going to good causes, so anything bought into the shop would be very much appreciated. So, if you would like to help out in anyway please contact: Judit on 01590 644073 or judit.th@gmail.com

Milford on Sea Community Centre website:
http://www.moscommunitycentre.org.uk/

Village Party in September

To celebrate the reopening of the new Milford on Sea Community Centre a Village Party has been organised & it is hoped a full house will enjoy the celebrations. The Friday (not Saturday) fun night on the 10th September will include foot tapping music & songs from the New Forest Plonkers, a hog roast by Dave Gates and a bar. Tickets are £10 & available for Gwen’s now. It might be worth booking early as the evening is expected to be a sell out.

Milford on Sea Community Centre website:
http://www.moscommunitycentre.org.uk/

Community Directory under construction

A village project is underway to create a central directory of ‘who’s who’ in local village events, clubs, classes, charities & community activities. The Milford on Sea Community Directory will also contain a ‘Village Volunteer Register’. This will list people happy to join in events by lending a hand for a few hours, together with people who have particular expertise, knowledge or skills which they are happy to be utilised for practical support or advice to event organisers. The directory will also contain details of ‘Event Loan Equipment’, which is owned by a village organisation and made available for other event organisers to borrow.

To complete the project an Online Village Calendar is also being created where all organisers can centrally inform everyone of their activities & events. It is anticipated that the project will take some months, but once compete, the plan is to make this information available to all online. If you would like to ensure your organisation’s contact details are included, or have equipment you are happy to loan, or would like to become a invaluable ‘village volunteer’, please drop David an e-mail at david@milfordonsea.org

Your new Community Centre is coming!

Its nearly here! The opening date for the new Milford on Sea Village Community Centre has now been announced as the 3rd September 2010. Anyone who has watched the transformation of the site in Sea Road, from the old portacabins (which apparently went to Beverley, no idea what she was going to do with them?), to the new sparkling eco style building cannot help but be impressed. To have such a community facility for just 5000 residents is pretty amazing. The Community Centre officially opens with an ‘Open House’ between 3.30pm to 5.30pm on Friday 3rd September. Everyone is welcome to come and take a look at the new facilities, meet the team, all accompanied by tunes from the New Forest Dixieland Band. New volunteers to help out are also always welcome, so why not join in all that is happening. The new Community Centre is going to have a ‘Community Cafe’, where anyone can visit for a coffee, chat & to use the internet for free. There will also be a ‘Smarter Working Centre’ providing services for local small businesses, plus Tourist Information for visitors. There is also a new ‘Dance Studio’ for the energetic! All of the new facilities are available for hire to anyone who would like to use them. Once the Community Centre is reopened many old favourites will return to entertain us, such as Jazz Swing Nights, Folk Club Nights, Youth Club, Youth Band Nights, In the Green Room, Out of the Hat Play Readings, Milford Movies, First Friday Lunch & the Sunday Lunch Club

There are also a lot of new exciting things happening. To launch the centre a ‘Village Party’ is being held on the 10th September, with the New Forest Plonkers & a Hog Roast provided by David Gates. On the 18th September there is a ‘Celebration Dinner & Opera Concert’. Tickets for both events are now available from Gwens. New regular events include the ‘Fifth Thursday Comedy Club’, which starts on the 30th September with guest comedienne ‘Jo Caulfield’, who is regularly seen on shows such as ‘Mock the Week’ & ‘Have I Got News For You’. The first ‘Just Dance’ evening is on the 17th September, where you can dance the night away ballroom & latin dancing to a live band. There are also some new things for the kids, as the newly formed ‘Seahorses Community Toddler Group’ joins the entre & ‘Cheeky Monkeys’ will provide sessions of inflatables for the kids to enjoy. Add to this a comprehensive list of clubs & classes, and there really is something for everyone. It would be quite a project for a corporate body to create everything that is happening, so when you discover everything is created by a dedicated band of hard working volunteers you can’t help but be impressed. Congratulations to you all.

You can find out more about all that is happening at the Village Community Centre website:

http://www.moscommunitycentre.org.uk/

Panto Stars sought!

The new Milford on Sea Village Community Centre is looking to use its impressive new facilities to stage a Village Family Pantomime in January 2011. Oh no they're not, oh yes they are! They are now looking for volunteers of any age as amateur actors, stage hands, lighting bods, or general helpers. The plan is to hold an initial meeting of everyone that would like to be involved or help, & then the project can be developed from there. The meeting will be held at 7pm at the Community Centre on the 23rd September. The actual pantomime to be performed has not yet been decided but I am putting my name down to be Snow White or perhaps a dwarf! So, If you would like to be involved on stage or behind the scenes, please drop Marguerite Willcox an e-mail at: margueritewillcox@googlemail.com

Village Community Centre website:
http://www.moscommunitycentre.org.uk/

Village Artists Art Exhibition

Starting next Saturday the Keyhaven Sea Scout Hut (Opposite The Gun Inn) will be hosting an exhibition by local artists. The artist's exhibiting will be: Tony Clegg, Tessa van Hasselt, Shaun Stevens and Kate Danby. The exhibition will have free entry & be open every day from 10am to 5pm from 14th August to 30th August 2010. Tea and coffee are available for a donation to the Sea Scouts.

Two new Village Charity Shops

Next Monday a new charity shop will be opening in Milford on Sea village, which is being run by the ‘Lymington Cat and Kitten Rescue Charity’. The charity has run a shelter for unwanted & sick felines in Lymington for the past thirty years, and in these difficult economic times are in urgent need of further funds. Like most charities they are looking to put to good use all the funds they can raise. The new shop will be at 59 High Street, Milford on Sea, (formerly Curtleas Fashions) and the hours of business 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday. The shop would welcome any donation during opening hours & of course, there is a warm welcome for all visitors!

In the next few weeks ‘The Village Charity Shop’ will also be opening. They will be sited at the old Muffins Bakery in Church Hill, next to the Co-Op. This shop will be run by volunteers from the village and Community Centre with the profits being used to support the Community Centre & other local charities. Both shops are looking for any donations of good quality ladies and gents clothing, bric a brac, unwanted gifts & anything else saleable. It is all going to good causes, so anything bought into the shops would be very much appreciated.

Lymington Cat and Kitten Rescue website:

http://www.lymicat.org/

New Seahorses Community Toddler Group

A new group for the under 5s, their parents, grandparents and carers will be starting on Fridays 10am to 12 noon at the new Community Centre on Sea Road, Milford on Sea. The first session is on Friday 10th September 2010. It’s a place to play, have fun and meet new friends for the grown-ups as well as the children! The idea is to include everybody, so; if you have a new baby on the way, come & chat and compare notes with other ‘ladies-in-waiting’. New to the area, come along & meet the parents you will be seeing at the school gates in a few short years time… Dads, don’t feel left out, you are welcome too. To complete the generations, grandparents providing childcare are especially welcome. The new group hopes that everyone who is able, will take a turn helping out, but if you can’t, don’t worry - you’ll be just as welcome. The Seahorses Community Toddler Group will provide play equipment and toys, a craft activity, drinks and a snack, all for just £1.00 per child. The group would also like to provide occasional opportunities to learn new skills, perhaps an infant/toddler first aid course or a nutrition workshop? The new group are also asking for donations of toys and equipment. So, if you have anything to donate, or have any ideas on what activities you would like the group to include, or simply wish to join the group, please let Jan know by e-mailing her at: seahorses@btinternet.com

Hospital Annual Summer Fair raises £1500

The recent Annual Summer Fair run by the ‘League of Milford on Sea Hospital, Medical Centre and Community Health Care Friends’ held on July 24th in the grounds of Milford on Sea Hospital raised the fantastic sum of £1,525.71. The event was blessed with glorious sunny weather and the crowds turned out in force to enjoy the stalls, games and excellent cream teas, eaten to the relaxing melodies of the Midas Touch Duo. The Cairo Cats Belly Dancers and the Waterside Lions Dancers were also great crowd pleasers. All in all, a wonderful day with a wonderful result for a good cause. The money will buy a much needed phlebotomy couch which will make life a lot easier for the people in the village when they have to have blood tests.

Milford on Sea Hospital League of Friends website:

http://www.friendsofmilfordhospital.org.uk/

New Art Classes

Shaun Stevens will be running a new Art Class: ‘Watercolour for beginners’ when the new Milford on Sea Community Centre opens. You can enjoy how to successfully paint a wide range of subjects in Watercolour. The lessons include practical demonstrations & written guidance on how to achieve successful results. The new classes form a 10 week course from Wednesday 15th September until 24th November, & cost £80. If you would like to join in please call Shaun on 01590 673515

A jump of a lifetime

Local Milford on Sea girl, Emma Golledge, completed a sky dive for the ‘Dreams Come True Charity’ on Sunday. If that was not enough of a challenge, for some obscure reason she also chose to jump from 13,000 feet, rather than the normal 10,000 feet! There is even a film of her 45 second freefall, including backward and forward somersaults, on the weblink below. Dreams Come True is a national charity which fulfills the dreams of terminally and seriously ill children aged 2-21 years of age. Emma is a keen supporter & fundraiser, having overcome a serious illness herself in her earlier life.

It appears Emma thoroughly enjoyed her experience, and raised some money for a great cause, which is more than I achieved when I did my sky dive. There were four people in our airplane: the president, the smartest man in the world, a young girl & me. Unfortunately the plane caught on fire and there were only three parachutes. The president grabbed one and jumped, shouting; “My country needs me!” The smartest man in the world then grabs one and says; “Well, the world needs me, since I’m so smart”, and jumps. One parachute left, so I said to the young girl; “You take it, I’ve have had a good life.’ The little girl said; “It’s OK we can both jump. The smartest man in the world took my backpack.””

If anyone would like to give a donation to Emma’s charity you can do so at: www.virginmoneygiving.com, entering Emma Golledge in the ‘Find A Friend’ box. Alternatively you can contact Emma on her e-mail at: foxyemma_19@hotmail.com

Watch Emma’s skydive here:
http://www.watchmyskydive.com/show.php?name=emma+golledge

Fancy having a Hedgehog?

Lesley, at Sullivan Mitchell in Milford on Sea, is not content with just providing houses for newcomers to the village, she is now on mission to re-house injured hedgehogs! She is looking to help out the ‘CRASH Hedgehog Hospital’ in Poole by re-homing some hedgehogs by the sea. When injuries leave a hedgehog disabled to the extent it could not easily survive in the wild, the Hedgehog Hospital releases them to ‘foster homes’ with secure gardens, where they can enjoy the rest of their lives in peace being pampered a little. Apparently, they are not suitable as pets, as for obvious reasons they are not easy to stroke & training one to sit, or fetch, is almost impossible. However, by releasing one in your garden you will be rewarded by having all those nasty garden pests like slugs and snails, eaten by your little guest. I am reliably informed that all they need is a nightly feed of dog food and provision of suitable hibernation facilities through the winter. There is also no need to buy a collar or lead for walks, as they much prefer to just wander around on their own.

If you would like to re-house an injured hedgehog in your garden, or have any old towels or even old pet carriers you no longer require they would be gratefully received. If you would like to find out more please contact Lesley on: Tel: 01590 644747

E-Mail: lesley@sullivanmitchell.net

CRASH Hedgehog Hospital website:
http://www.hedgehogs.org.uk/

Tuck In with the Where to Stay & Eat Guide

As you have travelled around the village I guess that you have spotted the ‘Milford on Sea Where to Stay & Eat Guide’ in various shops & dining places. The guide was produced to promote our local businesses, & contains a plethora of vouchers & discounts from all of our local cafe’s & restaurants. We are very pleased to hear that many local people & holiday makers have been taking advantage of the special deals, which is of course good news for everyone. If you haven’t used your vouchers yet, or would like some more, please pick up another copy when you are next in the village. Our local restaurateurs & cafe owners would be more than pleased to see you, & to provide you with a treat.

Sea and Outward Bound Skills for Young People

A local mum is looking to find like minded mum’s who have young people (probably over 10 years and can swim) who may be interested in attending Keyhaven based courses run by Brokenhurst College instructors during the summer holidays, if there is sufficient interest. The courses would run along similar lines to those currently being offered by Brokenhurst College at the Hengisbury Head Outdoor Education Centre, Christchurch ( www.brock.ac.uk

Tel: 01202 425173).

Laura has two lads of 10 & 13 years, who both attended courses at Christchurch during the last half term (June 2010) and says both had a great time & found the instructors provided high quality tuition.

Please contact Laura Law: Tel.07956 652977 (laura@amskills.com) if your young people are interested in attending Keyhaven courses. This will just be taken as an expression of interest and will not be taken as a commitment at this stage. Laura will pass on the possible level of interest to the Hengistbury Head Outdoor Education Centre and hopefully something can be arranged if there are sufficient young people interested in this initiative.

The Village that Rocks

The 2010 Milford on Sea Arts & Music Festival was blessed with glorious weather & provided a fantastic weekend of entertainment. The festival achieved a unique balance between professional presentation & the quaint charm of a village event. Thursday evening saw a lively start to the festival with the Folk Night & children’s ceilidh. This was followed on Friday by Young People’s Band Night where local youth talent performed to an audience of all ages. Cool Saturday was a full day event with plenty to keep the children entertained & included a special performance from the local primary school. The village green was alive with food stalls, beer tent, children’s entertainment & craft stalls. First on the main stage were the village’s own ‘The Four Winds’, a saxophone quartet who soon got feet tapping. Our very own ‘Total Voice’ village choir gave a powerful performance in the afternoon, followed by ‘Keya Bobo’ playing tribal African music. To maintain the international theme, we were then treated to traditional Thai dancers. The village ‘Windmill Band’ strutted their stuff before were entertainment by other local bands ‘The Travelling Johnnies’ & ‘Dog Ruff’. The glorious summer’s evening saw the village rocking on the packed green & it was certainly a case of standing room only, as hoards of local people & holidaymakers enjoyed the live music. As the night commenced our winning youth band gave a further performance followed by ‘The Alex Hall Band’ taking us back in time with some timeless pop classics. ‘Drew Flanigan & the Black Bombers’ were then on stage with a high octane rock & roll show. To close the evening the headline act, ‘Freddie & the Freeloaders’ rocked the enthusiastic crowd with soul, motown, jazz & modern classics.

Smooth Sunday morning maintained the glorious sunny sky, & spirits were again high. The day opened with a charming combined service by the four local churches on the village green. Soon after the music was underway with a classical extravaganza. A stirring performance of a Rossini opera was presented by professional local opera singers & Lymington Choral Society. The Hyde Band then blew any remaining cobwebs away with some rousing tunes. The afternoon then turned to dance as Georgian & Regency dances were performed by The Hampshire Regency Dancers, followed by Zapp School of Dance giving us a contemporary dance show. Milford Musicale then treated us to a set including arias & musical theatre numbers as the afternoon gently passed by. Next we had the New Forest Community Orchestra, some live poetry & a surprising Nautical Percussion performance.

The grand finale was certainly worth waiting for, as The Three Tenors took to the stage. Colin Judson, a professional opera singer from the village, was joined by Wynne Evans ( the tenor from the ‘Go Compare’ TV advertisement) & Nick Ransley to provide us with some classic opera performances. In minutes the guys had everyone eating out of their hands, and the mix of incredible music & sharp humour was intoxicating. There was not an inch to spare on the green, with children & adults, young & old, recognising many of the numbers & being enthralled by renditions they may not have heard before. The concert played for well over an hour & the entire audience was spellbound. Unsurprisingly, the closing drama of ‘Nessun Dorma’ thrilled the enthusiastic audience and this was rewarded with rapturous applause and a well deserved standing ovation. It was clear to see why each singer has such a strong reputation on the international opera scene & we were very lucky to have experienced their individual talents at this festival.

Once again the village had enjoyed a great weekend & spectacular festival. The annual event is run by the Milford on Sea Arts & Music Festival Committee, & this small group of dedicated village volunteers once again created a major event in the village calendar. Their efforts are greatly appreciated & certainly enhance the character of this special seaside village. Well done to all.

Milford on Sea Arts & Music Festival website:
http://www.milfordfestival.org.uk/

The Three Tenors:
http://www.colinjudson.co.uk/
http://www.wynneevans.co.uk/
http://www.nicholasransley.com/

Naughty night at Bon Appetit

Christina is again running a ‘Sweet & Savoury Crepe Evening’ at Bon Appetit Creperie, our very own taste of France, in the High Street, Milford on Sea. 22nd July 6-9pm which proved so popular during Food Week Why not treat yourself to a continental crepe with a wide selection of sweet or savoury fillings. Great as a different kind of evening meal, or a 'naughty but nice' treat after dinner! Please feel free to bring your own drinks & make a complete night of it!