Join the Lip Reading Class

Beginners Courses for Lip Reading in Milford on Sea have been running since Spring 2018 and have proved lively occasions with the motto. "No-one can fail a Lip Reading Course".

Lip reading Beginners classes Friday mornings and afternoons starting 31st January.

The Lip Reading Course is designed to help the 1 in 6 who suffer from hearing loss. Joining a class is a significant step towards enhancing life with hearing loss and is very entertaining.

With the guidance of a lively tutor whose motto is "No-one can fail a Lip Reading Course". People who attended last time were by the end more confident in asking people to speak more slowly or look at them and help them to hear in other ways (in this way reducing their sense of isolation). They also learned not to apologise for their hearing loss and most importantly, to develop skills in interpreting/understanding what people might be saying.

This course is highly recommended for those living with hearing loss, and it is also helpful for couples to learn together.

For more details contact Christine Luxon at 01590 719286

or alecluxon@hotmail.com

Milford on Sea Surveyors celebrate four years in Milford

Milford on Sea Surveyors are celebrating their 4th year in the village after moving from Highcliffe.

The owner Jeremy Carpenter holds the specialist designation of Chartered Building Surveyor and is also an RICS Valuer. 

For any property related issues please telephone Jeremy on 07979 472264 or email jmc@inbox.com for a free informal consultation. 

Milford on Sea Surveyors

Jeremy Carpenter MRICS

Chartered Building Surveyor 

07979 472264
www.jcarpentersurveyors.co.uk

jmc@inbox.com

Local Sea Defences Revealed

We have spotted an article written in 2015 entitled 'Erosion reveals England’s World War Two coastal defences' featured in the War History Online website.

We felt is was worth a read, so here it is:

"Erosion caused by weathering on England’s south coast is revealing some vital coastal defences from World War Two.

A three mile stretch of the British coastline in the New Forest region, from the town of Barton on Sea to Milford on Sea has been exposed.

click image to enlarge

The exposure comes as natural erosion occurs and it has revealed the vast expanse of World War Two defence lines put in place by the British military in anticipation of a possible land invasion by the Germans.

The defences include a large field of metal poles and concrete posts intertwined with rolls of barbed wire, alongside pill boxes, all emerging from the bottom of the seabed.

After the war the defences were abandoned and left to rot and become covered on the deep shoreline of the English Channel. Now that the defences are becoming evident war enthusiasts, researchers and archaeologists are visiting the site to document and review the scene so that they can discover more about Britain’s land defence strategy.

click image to enlarge

The coastal erosion is caused by sea storms lashing the coastline as well as the strength of the tides over the years. The defences had been erected by the British Army’s Wiltshire Regiment in 1940 when the threat of a German land invasion was at its highest and the Blitz was taking place across the UK, The Telegraph reports.

Because the defences are so near to the shoreline, local authorities are warning swimmers and bathers to not venture into the sea at certain points on the beaches. The danger is at high tide when the defences can’t be seen by the naked eye since they are hidden underneath the sea. To provide even more warning, buoys have been anchored to some of the metal poles so that the area is clearly marked whether it is low or high tide.

The local authorities have decided to remove much of the defenses during the next set of lowest tides, which will probably be at the end of August, and they will have access only for a short period of two hours at a time. Engineers at the site said that the poles had been installed in a lattice formation along the shoreline and the pill boxes were starting to collapse. They expect these kinds of defenses to continue being unearthed as erosion of the coastline is ongoing.

A lot of the defenses were removed at the end of the war, but a lot was left to submerge under the waves. Five tonnes of materials have already been moved by authorities this year alone."

January Red Cross Sale at Charity Shop

The Village Charity Shop is holding a January Red Cross Sale.

Why not pop in to browse the selection of picture frames, some very large, which can be enjoyed with their existing pictures or the frames reused.

Looking for something unusual?, they may have it. Also, New stock coming in in every day.

click image to enlarge

The Village Charity Shop is supporting our Community Centre, so all proceeds go toward helping the community.

Love is in the air in Milford

Duncan Broomfield is a well known face around Milford on Sea, most recently running The Wash House and prior to that, some years ago he worked at Sullivan Mitchell estate agents.

Well, he is in this week's Mail Online with a romantic story.

Add caption

The article starts: "Childhood sweethearts who shared their first kiss aged five rekindle their romance 36 years later after bumping into each other in Tesco. Emma Louise Keyworth first met her now fiancée Duncan Broomfield in 1982. The contact centre manager lost links with Duncan when he joined the RAF at 19. But 36 years and five children later - the pair 'bumped' into one another and..... click here to read full story.

Duncan & Emma are also one of ten finalists in the Balmer Lawn Winter Wedding Competition, where they hope to win a wedding.

You have until midnight on Friday 24th January 2020 to vote, with the winner announced week commencing 27th January 2020.

So, if you would like Duncan & Emma to win, please click here to vote!

PS: My vote has been done and I hope they win!

Local Beer, Pizzetta & Tapas Tasting at Ray's Italian Kitchen

Village School seeks Governors

The Milford on Sea Primary School are looking for new Governors with different and varied interests and areas of expertise. There is no need for previous experience but enthusiasm and commitment to the education of our children are useful!

We have two sub committees (Curriculum and Finance) who each meet either side of half term and you would be invited to join one or both of these depending on your experience and skills. The full Governing Body meets once a term. We also have occasional extraordinary meetings and other hands on activities and excursions that Governors are invited to attend.

If you would be interested to learn more please call in at the school or click here - or contact Clive Bryant, Chair of Governors, click here or call 01590 642945, in the first instance.

click image to enlarge

Milford on Sea Primary School

www.mosps.hants.sch.uk

MoSHRS Launch Programme for 2020

Milford on Sea Historical Record Society have launched their Programme for 2020.

click image to enlarge

If you would like to find our more about the society, or would like to join please click here.


Milford on Sea Historical Record Society
www.milfordhistory.org.uk

First Friday Lunch in Aid of the School

The First Friday Lunch on 7th February 2020 will be in aid of Milford on Sea Primary School. 

The meal will be a delicious 2 course meal for just £6 prepared by Amanda, Paula and Kerry of Milford on Sea Primary School's PFA Team. 

The menu includes Jacket Potato with Tuna Mayo, Sweetcorn and Cheese served with Salad followed by homemade Apple Crumble and Cream. (Veggie \ Vegan filling available) 

The team are currently fundraising for new dining and storage solutions for the newly renovated school hall. The current dining furniture has been there now for many many years. The new furniture would be easier to store and more comfortable for the children. The school would also be able to store away all of the sports equipment, making the hall a lot more user friendly. 

Diners can just turn up to The First Friday Lunch at the Community Centre on the day and pay £6 on the door or they can reserve a table by emailing Kerry at: willskerry@yahoo.co.uk. 

What a great opportunity for a catch up with friends while enjoying a delicious, homemade lunch supporting a local cause. 

Entry is from 12.30pm where you can be entertained with musical performances from Year 5 & 6 children from the school and lunch will be served at 1pm. 

There will be a raffle with some amazing prizes such as Lunch for Two at La Perle, Beauty Treatments at Tu Sei Bella, a Ceramic Cheese Baking Set, endless bottles of alcohol, plus much much more! Tickets will be for sale on entry at £ a strip or 6 strips for £5. The raffle will be drawn once dessert is served.

Make a note for your diary so you don't miss it!

RNLI Milford Branch Folds

Sadly the Milford on Sea Branch will no longer exist in its current form. The current Committee has been in place for many years and early last year, several key Committee members, notably Secretary, Chair and Vice Chair declared they would not be standing for re-election in 2020. Despite extensive advertising/canvassing among the local sailing fraternity, branch membership and the village generally, there was not one offer of help and without these key roles being filled, the Branch cannot function. 

RNLI HQ at Poole confirmed maintenance of our coin collection boxes in pubs, shops, and local clubs can continue; donations, and Flag Day collections can also continue as long as there is a “Treasurer” to accept, bank, and account for monies received on behalf of the RNLI. Treasurer, John Pruden, who has been in post for many years, is prepared to continue with the management of these income streams, so RNLI Milford on Sea will continue to exist but in a less obvious form, but with the option of redeveloping a more proactive fund-raising role if an appropriate Committee were to be established in the future. 

RNLI Milford on Sea Branch has existed for more than 50 years, and has made a significant financial contribution to the RNLI and its invaluable work of saving lives at sea, on beaches, on rivers and flooded areas. Hopefully staunch members will continue their support via the Lymington and/or Highcliffe Branches and their events.

If you would like to run the branch please drop me an email and I will pass your details on. click here.

Home Care Services in Milford on Sea

Serendip Home Care offers a range of home care services in the village.

Serendip is part of Milford on Sea's Hillyfield Rest Home a family owned and run care provider.

Formed in April 2018 Serendip Home Care if there to help in the local community. Their aim is to provide high standards of person-centred care across the south of England and specialises in hourly home care visits and 24 hour live-in-care.

To find out more please click here.

click to enlarge

Serendip Home Care

Hillyfield Rest Home

Barnes Lane Milford on Sea, SO41 0RP

www.serendiphomecare.co.uk

Milford Christmas Decorations Storage

Making Milford More Magical has ended and I think we would all agree that the decorations and trees around the village centre made Milford more 'Christmassy' than ever this year.

All of the decorations are now in the process of being removed & packed, and the team behind the decorations desperately need dry storage - a garage, shed, loft space or similar, to store the decorations until next year. 

The decorations include 15 Garlands, 20 bicycle wheels, small wire garland rings, 3 reindeer and a couple of boxes. 

Ideally we would like to keep everything together, however, if any one can offer just a small space that would be brilliant. 

Please contact either: 

Tracy at - tracyhaupt@btinternet.com

or Diana at - dianabrushwood@gmail.com

Milford Wins Plastics Free Award

Community beach cleans, strategies to reduce single-use plastics and education for young people has led Milford to be awarded Plastic Free Communities status by environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage (SAS).

The accolade, which includes a wooden plaque to be displayed in the parish office, recognises the work undertaken locally by charities, businesses and community groups to tackle the impact of throwaway plastics.

Plastic-free Milford co-ordinator and assistant parish clerk Sarah Pitt first registered with the SAS Plastic Free Communities movement last year.

Since then the parish council has worked with village organisations and businesses to launch a community-led steering group.

It has also instigated an SAS Plastic Free Schools education programme and seek pledges from local businesses, organisations and community groups to minimise the amount of disposable plastics they use and spread the word about the project.

Click here to read full article in Advertiser and Times.

Was Milford more Magical for you at Xmas?

Diana Brushwood and Tracy Haupt are keen to receive your feedback on the festive decorations provided in the village, as planning for Xmas 2020 must start now. 

Please answer the survey questions by 22nd February. Please click here to go to survey.

The questions are: 

• What did you like about this year’s Xmas decorations? 
• What did you dislike about this year’s Xmas decorations? 
• What would you like to see on the village green and around the village centre for Xmas 2020? 

Should you wish to message the ladies directly, with any further information, you can contact them below:

Diana Brushwood (dianabrushwood@gmail.com)
or Tracy Haupt (tracyhaupt01@aol.com)

Milford Minibus coming soon... Can you help?

As everyone is welcoming in the New Year, Milford On Sea Charitable Trust are getting ready to welcome a new and exciting community asset to our village. After significant sponsorship and support from South Lawn Hotel together with some very generous donations received from local events and most recently, our wonderful Parish Council, we are now able to purchase a minibus which will be used to support community projects, groups and individuals throughout Milford On Sea and our surrounding areas. 

click image to enlarge

We are hoping that our minibus which will be supplied and maintained by the Hyundai Garage in Everton, will be ready to roll within the next few weeks. We will then be contacting relevant groups operating in and around Milford On Sea to introduce the project and offer them transport services. We will also be concentrating our efforts on trying to support individual people within our community who may feel lonely or isolated or, simply unable to attend events in local villages because they are finding it difficult to access suitable transport. 

In addition to the plethora of events already planned for 2020 in Milford On Sea, Everton, Lymore, Downton and Keyhaven, we are also hoping to provide opportunities for people to visit our villages for shopping, sightseeing, fresh air and coffee or ice-cream in one of our delightful cafes, all in the knowledge that they will be driven door to door, by one of our volunteer drivers. 

The minibus will be an 8-seater and individuals will need to be able to access the vehicle with minimal support. Charges have not yet been finalised but rest assured that we will safeguard that any costs to our users will be the minimum required to cover the upkeep of the vehicle in order that the service can be maintained for the future. 

This is a perfect opportunity for us to bring more people into our villages to enjoy the shops, pubs, cafes and other amenities. All our villages have wonderful treasures to explore and having available and accessible transport will provide an opportunity for local people to tell us what matters to them and which amenities they would like to visit and when. 

The service will require a lot of volunteers to make it work, so, if you are interested in getting involved please do not hesitate to let us know. We are particularly in need of someone who has driving tuition experience who may be able to support our drivers on their first session driving the Milford On Sea minibus and, we are also in great need of finding a place to park this wonderful community asset when not in use. If you have a spare garage or barn and would like to help us, please do get in touch. 

As well as needing volunteers we also welcome any ideas or thoughts that you may have about the best way that we can utilise this asset for the good of our community. 

Contact Lisa via email: milfordminibus@gmail.com

Dining Deals at Ray's Italian

click image to enlarge

Faros Restaurant closes

Disappointed to see this sign in the window of Faros Restaurant situated in The Marine building on Milford on Sea seafront.

It was a nice place to dine whilst it was open.

click image to enlarge

Only Fools & Horses at South Lawn

click image to enlarge

Free Festive Lunch offered by RoyalLife

RoyaleLife, a family-owned bungalow development business with a heritage dating back to 1945 are offering a free festive lunch for older people on Friday 27th December at South Lawn Hotel from 12noon to 3.30pm.

Natalie, part of the PR team for RoyaleLife says; "RoyaleLife is hosting a free Christmas lunch. It has been put together at very short notice but we would love a large group of people to attend who would be keen to get together, make new friends and have a lovely Christmas lunch out. We currently have space for 50 and we need to let the hotel know by tomorrow. (Friday 20th January)"

There will be no presentations but a team member of RoyaleLife will be there to host the meal. It is simply a three course festive meal paid for by RoyaleLife.

For details please contact: Natalie on 023 8038 19320 or at: natalie@leepeckmedia.com

Festive Lunch Menu: Pre-order required by Monday 23rd December:

Sweet Potato, Carrot & Coriander Soup,

Croutons & Herb Oil

Trio of Cured Fish, Fennel & Cucumber Salad,

Citrus Crème Fraiche

Ham Hock & Smoked Duck Terrine,

Cranberry & Red Onion Chutney

*****

Roast British Turkey,

Traditional Accompaniments

Braised Hampshire Beef Steak,

Pancetta & Tarragon Jus, Horseradish Mash

Fillet of Bass,

Fondant Potato, Mussel & Bacon Chowder

Mushroom, Leek & Goats Cheese Strudel,

Chive Beurre Blanc

All served with Seasonal Vegetables & Potatoes

*****

Spiced Fruit Cheesecake,

Christmas Pudding Ice Cream

Glazed Lemon Tart,

Passion Fruit Curd

Chocolate Honeycomb Profiteroles,

Cointreau Cream

*****

Coffee & Mince Pies

About: RoyaleLife is a family-owned business with a heritage dating back to 1945. We pride ourselves on delivering the highest quality bungalow developments in some of the UKs most beautiful regions. Our customers are at the heart of what we do, our focus is on delivering the highest levels of service from the first phone call to supplying the keys to your brand new luxury bungalow and beyond.

We ensure that our developments are built to the highest specification, retaining the natural beauty of the area and include a variety of on-site facilities for our residents’ enjoyment. There is a strong sense of community on each of our developments, your neighbours soon become friends and there’s always something to get involved in.

RoyaleLife is the largest bungalow provider in the UK, with developments in the finest locations throughout the country and more coming soon.

Tesco grant for MoS Primary School

Lucky schoolchildren will have their eyes opened to the wonders of the coastline and forest, thanks to a grant of nearly £4,000 from Tesco. 

Milford-on-Sea Primary School Academy Trust will use the £3,750 to provide a real-life beach experience for their Y5/6 pupils and a Forest School environment for their younger pupils. 

Amanda Tanner, the school’s governor, said it is essential that young people get to experience the coastline and forest and enjoy its wildlife for themselves. 

She applied for the funding from Tesco’s Bags of Help scheme, which has been running for four years in collaboration with the charity Groundwork. 

Amanda added: “We’re very grateful to Tesco for this grant. The importance of outdoor learning for children in our community cannot be underestimated. The benefits have a positive effect on their health and wellbeing. 

“We believe it is vital that they learn to respect and enjoy the forest and beaches that surround them, so we aim to provide opportunities for all our children to explore their environment and learn how to keep safe. 

“At the end of every beach school session, a beach clean is conducted and many of the materials collected are used for arts-and-crafts projects. We welcome volunteers to take part and share the experiences, which is deeply rewarding for pupils and adults alike.” 

Milford-on-Sea (C of E) Primary School Academy Trust is one of three local community organisations and charities to benefit from the Bags of Help coastal funding. Forest Arts Centre in New Milton received £2,000, while New Forest Transition in Lymington was given £1,000. 

Bags of Help sees funding awarded to thousands of local community projects every year. In 42 seaside towns during May and June, customers voted for coastal projects nominated by groups working around the coasts of Britain to receive funding. 

David Page, Tesco’s Head of Community, said: “We are very proud of the impact Bags of Help has had in communities across Britain. The funding scheme responds to the needs of local communities, which is why in Hampshire we listened to colleagues and customers and decided to dedicate a round to groups and charities improving and preserving our wonderful coastlines.” 

Bags of Help has provided more than £80million to more than 27,000 community projects across the UK. 

Customers cast their Bags of Help votes for various good causes by using blue tokens handed out at checkout points in their local store. 

Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s National Chief Executive, said: “Bags of Help continues to enable local communities up and down Britain to improve their local spaces and the places that matter to them. We’re pleased to be able to be a part of the journey and provide support and encouragement to groups enjoying, protecting and improving Britain’s coastlines.” 

Further information is available at www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp