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The first newsletter of the New Year and many things are beginning to show signs of the newness of a new year. Snowdrops are blooming in profusion, daffodils are daring to show their yellow flowers and the birds are definitely feeling that spring is in the air.
It is time for change within the Parish Council as well with a chance for new people to come forward to serve on the Council and take on the task of trying to keep most of the people happy all the time! If you would like to put your name forward please send your name to the Clerk - Mr Charles Beattie, 13 Sheldrake Gardens, Hordle, Lymington, SO41 0FJ - who will in return send you a nomination paper. The numbers of Councillors required are 10 and if there were more nominations than 10 then there would be an Election. If however the seats are uncontested (that is no more than 10 nominations) the results will be known at the beginning of April. If there is to be an election and you wish to take advantage of a postal vote you must again let the Clerk know so that papers can be sent to you in good time. There will also be District Council elections and you will see posters being put up by the various candidates. Polling Day for all the Elections will be May 1st.
The Village Hall Committee has been very busy trying to undertake all the repairs required in the Hall and yet trying not to interfere more than absolutely necessary with the users. No one has complained that the Hall has been cold since Christmas; rather that at times it has been too hot! It is expected that the temperature will finally be regulated by the end of February when the plumbers finish their work.
In the last Newsletter it was said the Committee had advertised for a Warden. The new Warden took up his post at the beginning of January - he regards the hall as a challenge and a number of people have commented favourably on the changes that are already evident. His name is Mr John Walker and he can all too frequently be seen picking up litter around the playing field. There are many more constructive tasks upon which he is waiting to start so please think even more than usual when you are tempted to drop litter.
The new scale of fees was introduced at the beginning of January and has been mainly accepted in the spirit of "no one can expect updated facilities without having to pay for them". The aim is to draw even on Expenditure against Income by the end of June (major expenses excepted).
The Parish Council itself had a pre-Christmas break during December but there was still the demands of everyday business to be conducted. The survey about residents' requirements will now be presented in the Village Hall during the Fun Day on May 5th when it is hoped to include a Youth Survey as well. So far it is showing that the majority of residents are happy living in Bransgore but some specific requests are showing. The possibility of Bingo in the Hall again -are there any professional Callers out there because we'd like to hear from you. Would an auction be supported and is there a professional auctioneer among the residents? Any ideas from you will be considered so the Village becomes an even busier and more diverse place.
Brockenhurst College are holding an enrolment morning on April 28th in the Parish Office, for the summer term and it is hoped if the demand is there that some of the classes will be held in the Village Hall.
On a wider issue but one that may effect any of you who enjoy the facilities
of Gus (or Burton) Common as a place to walk, picnic or just enjoy nature within
walking distance of the centre of the Village. Following a public enquiry The
Inspector has found for the side of a small minority and has recommended that
all the major Byways over the Common become re-designated as B.O.A.T.s, that is
Byways Open to all Traffic. This would mean that the tracks would be open to
4-wheel drive vehicles and motor- bikes and the true nature of the Common would
be lost possibly forever. The residents of Waterditch are joining together to
mount a challenge and the Parish council are also objecting but please anyone
who has ever enjoyed this Common visit the Parish office where someone will tell
you how you can add your voice to the objectors. This may be the last
opportunity so do not allow it to slip away.
The spring and summer therefore promise to be busy and we hope blessed with good
weather. There is the chance of a newly constituted Parish Council and District
Council; the choices are largely yours to take so that both Councils are
representative of the wishes of all the Residents.
Liza Wood 01425 672747
Dates of future meetings - at the Christian Centre, Shackleton Square at 7.30pm.
| Tuesday March 18th 2003 |
| Tuesday April 15th Annual Assembly |
Parish Clerk. Mr Charles Beattie. 01425 618679
Village Hall Committee In the Committee Room of the Village Hall, Tuesday May 20th @ 7:30
Supporting our Village School
Bransgore CE Primary School, Ringwood Road, Bransgore
Well is certainly has been a busy quarter. Firstly we had the Christmas Fair, which was enjoyed by all who came. Many thanks go to Lisa Mitchell who organised the event and all those who helped. As usual the Secret Room was a great success (too good as all the presents were sold within a hour of opening)!! Thanks to Teresa Barton for organising the room. Other notable mentions must go to Santa's Grotto, which was decked out in the true spirit of Christmas.
In January we had the Quiz Night, which was well attended. Thanks to Suzanne Varney and her team who organised the event. Jane Safe, who was the quiz mistress, thankfully did not resemble Anne Robinson.
In February we held our first ever Chinese New Year and Valentine's Dinner Dance. From the feed back from those who came, it was a thoroughly enjoyable night out. The Village Hall never looked so good. The food, catered by Top Wok, was up to its usual high standard and was never ending (literally). The Goat racing was a great laugh and DJ Paul Jones provided inspirational tunes to keep those feet moving into the wee hours. It has been requested that the event be held next year and so I hope that we shall see more of you there (who needs the bright lights of the city, when you have the Village Hall). My thanks to Roberta Kendall and the rest of my team, without whom it would not have been such a wonderful night.
In March we will have the ever popular Race Night. Who needs the Grand National when there is Bransgore!! In the Summer we shall be holding a Games Night (adults only - no not that kind of games) with the thrill of the Casino. We shall also have a Craft Day for the kids and at the same time, the BSA will wash your car (for a small price). Our biggest event will be the Summer Fair in July.
Details of all our events are shown in the diary. Thank you for all your support to date and see you at the next event.
Chairman
GREGORY CHONG
Here is some information from BT about Broadband access to the internet in Bransgore. Broadband access is not only a lot quicker, but it is always online, and it does not use up your ordinary phone line.
BT has decided to take pre-registration from people interested in accessing
the web via broadband. They have set trigger levels for the number of
registrations needed before they will
consider upgrading the local exchanges. At present, there are nearly 100 people
in the village who have registered.
If you are a business or individual who would like to upgrade to broadband
internet access, then it is important that you register. The more people
registering, the more likely it is that BT will upgrade the exchange.
You do not have to use BT as your broadband provider if and when we get it. You
can use any internet service provider who supports broadband.
You can register your interest by going to www.bt.com/broadband. This site also gives you more information about broadband and its benefits.
KEITH STEPHENSON
The indoor season is now over and Bransgore's youth teams have had varying degrees of success. The Under 11 and Under 13 sides performed well in their respective leagues, but did not reach the knock out stages. The Under 14 squad reached the quarter finals and the Under 16's reached the semi finals before both bowed out of their respective competitions. All the sides should be very proud of their achievements.
Indoor nets have already started. The Under 11, Under 13 and Under 15 squads meet fortnightly on Tuesday evenings and the Under 16 and colts' squads will meet weekly on Thursday evenings throughout March and April. The indoor sessions will be supplemented with outdoor sessions on the cricket field in the village when the clocks go forward.
The club AGM will take place on Friday, 21st March at 8.15 p.m. in the back room of 'The Carpenters Arms'. All parents are most welcome to attend - cheese and biscuits will be provided.
Next summer we will be entering teams at Under 11 and Under 13 who will play on Saturday mornings; Under 15 who will play on Monday evenings; and Under 16 who will play on Thursday evenings. All the squads could do with a few extra players and we would welcome any child in the village who wishes to play cricket. Please contact me on the number below and I will provide dates and times of the practice sessions arranged for your age group.
Dave Lay - Bransgore 6732432 or e-mail lay_dj@btopenworld.com
At its AGM, the Hampshire League formally welcomed Bransgore Cricket Club into the Hampshire League, and the both the first XI and the Colts XI will be playing sides in the New Forest area next season. I am pleased to announce that following my plea in the previous newsletter, the first XI now has a qualified umpire for the coming season.
Work on the new pavilion continues apace - much of the plumbing is now in place and painting the inside of the pavilion has started. The facilities should be up and running in time for the start of the season.
The league season officially starts on May 10th, but we hope to play at least two pre-season friendly matches one of which will be between the colts and the First XI on Monday 5th May to complement the May Day festivities.
If there are any budding Bothams out there who are slightly too old to play for one of the youth sides, please contact the colts manager, Richard Jones, on 673880 who will be pleased to welcome you and give details of net sessions. Older players are welcome to contact me, Dave Lay, on 673242 to join the adult side.
The club are, as ever, very grateful to the Parish Council for providing the facilities in the village and our groundsman, Richard Frampton, for providing us with such an excellent playing surface and practice nets. Let's hope that the cricketers do our new facilities justice when they play this summer.
Adult winter nets have already started and are fortnightly throughout February and March and weekly in April. They take place on Wednesday evenings from 9.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m.
Please call Dave Lay on 673242 for details of the sessions if you wish to join us - we'd be very pleased to welcome you.
Firstly I wish to apologise for our Diary of Events not being entered in the last Newsletter because I was late handing it in. I will do my best not to let it happen again.
What a super Christmas Party we had. Our President, Mrs Vera Murray, welcomed 43 members and 11 guests from neighbouring institutes. Mrs Lloyd entertained us with monologues and songs and we all joined in with the singing and dancing. Everyone enjoyed the delicious tea. Mrs Molly Easton made the Christmas cake and Mrs Shirley Bates the meringues. Father Christmas arrived with presents for everyone to round off the afternoon.
The annual Carol Service for the Group was held in the Methodist Church, Chapel Lane this year. Members filled the Chapel. The organist ended the Service by playing 'Jerusalem' and we all joined in. We then adjourned to the hall for tea, mince pies and socialising.
New Year - new things to do. We have started a Movement for Fun Class each Tuesday 10.30 - 11.30 am for our members in the Resource Centre. All ages and capabilities are catered for. If interested contact Mrs Doreen West on 01425 672692. The Lunches at the Carpenters Arms on the 2nd Tuesday of each month are very popular - the food and conversation are excellent.
Several members will be attending the Hampshire Weekend at Denman College in May. More bursaries for Denman College will be allocated soon.
The Quiz Evening in January was very well attended and all had a lively and educational evening. The next one will be on March 12th at 7.30 pm.
Mrs Emery's talk at the January meeting 'Not Just Another Roll of Wallpaper' was about Victorian Designer William Morris and how he influenced the fashion style and interior decoration at that time. It was amazing how many difference crafts he excelled at.
In February Mrs G Henderson took us all back to the 1960 era with her talk 'Today's Collectables - Tomorrow's Antiques', which was very enjoyable and informative. She brought along her collection of novelties such as Robinsons' Gollies, Bakelite Ashtrays and McDougalls' Flour Sifters, etc., that we have all had and disposed of long ago. When she told us what they are worth today, we wished we still had them!
We are planning our craft and produce entries for the New Forest Show next July and all members were encouraged to enter the individual classes too. The Spring Group Meeting on 11th April will be a lunch and speaker to be held at the Social Club in Bransgore. Rehearsals are well under way for the Choral Speaking Competition in Romsey on the 5th April. We are arranging an outing - details of which will be announced later, so you can see we are as busy as ever.
30TH NEW FOREST PRIDE WEEK 4 - 13 APRIL 2003
New Forest District Council and the Forestry Commission are looking for dedicated volunteers to help clean up their local community to taking part in New Forest Pride Week.
This award winning, annual litter initiative is to be held between the 4 - 13 April 2003.
If you have a little spare time from now until April, lots of enthusiasm and would like to work with the local community, this is for you.
Please contact Emma Cookson, New Forest District Council on (023) 8028 5938 or Alexis Reeve, Forestry Commission on (023) 8028 3141.
Scallywags is a Parent/Carer and Toddler Group which meets at the Christian Centre, Shackleton Square on Thursday mornings in term time between 10.00 am - 11.30 am. We have various toys and activities for the children to enjoy and an informal atmosphere for young Mums (and Grandmas!) to get to know each other.
On September 19th we will be having our annual visit from the photographer so if you'd like to join us to have your child's photo taken, you'd be welcome. In fact, you'd be welcome to join us any Thursday.
We make a nominal charge of 50p. per family.
For more information telephone Daphne on 672681.
Shackleton Square
Times of Services
| Sunday | 10.30am | Morning Service and Sunday School |
| Tuesday | 8.00pm | Small Groups |
| Wednesday | 3.00pm | Home Group |
| " | 6.00pm-7.15pm | Skids (7-11 year olds) |
| " | 7.30pm -9.00pm | Crusaders (11-14 year olds) |
| Thursday | 10.00am- 11.30am | Scallywags (Mother, baby & toddler group). |
COLIN CLARK
Pastor (Telephone 01425 672681)
Firstly
I would like to thank everyone in the village for supporting Naomi House by
buying Christmas Cards and Gifts from our Stall at both the School and at the
Church Fairs. I would also like to say a belated, but very heartfelt "Thank
You" to the Horticultural Society for their splendid donation of £1,150
from their Open Gardens Weekend, and of course, to everyone who participated -
visitors and garden owners alike.
We are holding one of our Musical Dinners at the David Lloyd Leisure Centre
in Ringwood. This is taking place on FRIDAY 28 MARCH at 7 for 7.30 pm when the
entertainment will be by Singers from the Bournemouth Gilbert & Sullivan
Operatic Society.
There will be a 2-course Dinner and the tickets are £15.50 obtainable from me
on 673078.
I can promise you a very good evening so I hope you can come.
SHIRLEY TOBIAS
Outside, a cold, damp, depressing and miserable winter evening. Inside, bright colourful dahlias, a keen grower's enthusiasm and the reassurance that spring is just around the corner. Our speaker, Mr Madders, provided just what was needed to shake off the winter blues. With some excellent colour slides we were led through the dahlia's growing cycle from tuber or seeds to propagation, maturity and lifting for winter storage. There can be few plants with such diversity of form, surely there's a dahlia for every situation. They can be propagated by division, by cuttings of early shoots from the tuber or from seed. They will even survive a mild winter in the ground (but don't bank on it).
Tips: Dry out well before storage
Make sure you cut a piece of the centre stem out with the tuber when dividing
the plant Pinch out the lead shoot to increase the number of flowering shoots
I would take bets that 95% of Bransgore's gardens have daffodils in them, so why not be bold this year and give them an opportunity to win a prize in our Spring Show. There are thirteen daffodil classes so there's bound to be one you can enter. If daffs are not your thing, there are plenty of other classes across the whole range of spring flowers plus handicrafts, cooking, photography and art. There is also a junior section. It's definitely worth a visit even if you don't exhibit (that rhymes), so why not pop in and have a cup of tea with us and enjoy the Show. It opens to the public at 2 pm, Saturday 22nd March at the Village Hall. We hope to see you there.
PLANT SALE - Friday,
May 9th/Saturday, May 10th Village HallYou would be very fortunate to get better plants cheaper than those on sale at our Plant Sale on Friday, 9th May (6.30 pm - 8 pm) and Saturday, 10th May (9 am - 10.30 am) at the Village Hall. We will have a wide range of bedding plants plus shrubs from Andrew Boulton, herbaceous plants from MacPennys and a miscellaneous plant stall. So put these dates in your diary to ensure your garden gets a good start to the year at bargain prices.
March 22nd Spring Show, Village
Hall 2 pm
May9th/10th Plant Sale, Village Hall. Friday
6.30 - 8 pm, and Saturday 9 - 10.30 am
June
5th
Lecture - Clematis, The Queen of Climbers. Resource Centre 7.30 pm
June 13th/15th Three day trip to The Eden Project
JIM DUDLEY
Publicity Officer 673202
You don't know where to turn, turn to your local CAB
WE'RE HERE TO HELP
TWIN OAKS SURGERY, BRANSGORE
1st MONDAY in the month 2 pm - 3.30 pm
Call in or phone for an appointment Tel: 01425 672741
Apil 13th PALM SUNDAY - The bishop of Southampton (Bishop Jonathan) will be
visiting for the 10am service at St. Mary's. There will not be a service at ALL
Saints, people are invited to join the congregation at St. Mary's.
Please look for posters giving times of Easter services.
Sunday Services:
| 8 am Holy Communion (BCP) |
| 10 am Parish Eucharist (CW1) |
| 7 pm Evening Worship (various forms of quiet, reflective worship) |
Wednesdays:
| 10 am Holy Communion (CW1) |
Pastoral care: contact initially
The Revd Canon Patrick Elkins, VICAR 01425 672327 or
The Revd Helen Griffiss, CURATE 01425 672519
St Mary's also has a team of lay pastors willing to visit, bring Home Communion,
etc.
(BCP = Book of Common Prayer, CW1 = Common Worship Order 1, modern language)
The Christmas luncheon is always a pleasant one as we are are to entertain our ladies. Under the sure hand of our President, David Hargreaves, the whole day went with a swing. The meal was the traditional Christmas feast but this year it seemed to me that the chef excelled himself. Our speaker was Eric Watson, all 6'8" of him, who, back in 2001, told us about the Bournemouth Fire Brigade. This time he told us about wildflowers and the Dorset Wild Life Trust. It was a most interesting talk beautifully illustrated with colour slides of the highest technical quality. The problem with wild flowers is that they are usually below eye level, so that as we walk along we tend to miss them or run the risk of walking into trees. But make time - after all :-
"What is this life if, full of care
We have no time to stand and stare."
The usual raffle was run by Mr Raffles himself for the benefit of the hotel staff.
We are very lucky to have in Christchurch a most beautiful church which
dominates the historical town. There has been a church on this site since 800
AD, but the present building was started in 1094 by Ranulf Flambard. Flambard
not only built the Priory but also found time to build Durham Cathedral, surely
the finest Norman cathedral in the land. The Priory, like all such buildings, is
full of delightful surprises. It is only when someone like Dennis Brook comes
along with his camera that the true hidden beauty of the church is revealed.
This lecture was a visual feast.
Most of us believe that our policemen are truly wonderful. This was proved at
our February meeting when John Robinson took us through his 32 year career in
the Metropolitan Police. It was a varied career taking him through all aspects
of police work. Possibly the most interesting was his time in charge of the
Royal Security Unit after the antics of Michael Fagin. We were all certain at
the end of his talk that the police are doing a good job.
PROBITY II
So far, this season has been a great one for Junior Football in Bransgore. Mini soccer in particular has benefited from the new facilities on the New Rec. The young ones in particular do not have the problem of playing on a pitch where they could find themselves diving into doggie do's or worse, glass. Unfortunately, this remains a problem for the older teams.
One of the best things to have come out of the last few months is the closer alliance between the Junior and Senior Teams and of course the Cricket Club. This has been helped by better communication between the respective Secretaries of the clubs. It also helps that some of the seniors now have their own children in the mini soccer teams. It is hoped that the alliance will continue to grow and with the added support of Councillor Richard Frampton then I can see no reason why it shouldn't. We also have a new Secretary at the Club, Lynn Wheeler, who has taken on the roll and who is doing a great job. Lynn also represents the Club at any Parish Council Meetings. As for the new Pavilion, if any of you would like to help paint and tile the interior then I am sure that your help would be very much appreciated by Richard, who with very limited help is doing a grand job.
We seem to have come across some opposition to football in general in the village, but trust that it is now a thing of the past. Like the Cricket Club, we believe that we are providing a valuable service to he village and hope that you think so too. Please continue to give your support to the sporting activities of the village.
Now talking of support! As I am sure you will know, we all give our time voluntarily to the Club, whether in training, preparing pitches, refereeing matches etc. We are always looking for help, and no time more so than during our 5-a-side competition. Last year this took place on the weekend of the World Cup Finals and was a fantastic success. This year the tournament will be run over the weekend of the 28th and 29th June. If you can spare anytime over that weekend to prepare pitches, make and serve tea and sandwiches, cook burgers, anything, then please telephone Lynn on 01425 674462. We always have too many jobs and not enough hands. Perhaps, the Thorney Hill and Bransgore WI, or the volunteers of Coffee Beans, maybe able to help. Anyone, please! We are also looking for sponsors for the Match Day Programme. If you or you shop or company are interested in placing an ad then please contact me on 01425 613434.
Other important dates for your diary are the Club's AGM which will be held at the Carpenters Arms on the evening of the 27th March 2003. Please come and support, especially if you are or have a player at the Club.
Then at the end of the season we will have our Presentation Evening at Bashley Caravan Park. This is to be held on the evening of the 17th May 2003. This is always a fantastic night and one not to miss. We will be having an auction again this year where you can bid for items and signatures of the rich and famous.
The final plea is for players! As usual, we are always looking for new players to join. So if you are resident in Bransgore or know someone outside the village who would like to join, then please contact Lynn if you are Under 11 to Under 18 or, Mike Welch (01425 673773) if you are Under 7 to Under 10. We already have a coach in place to run the Under 7's next season and training sessions are already being held for those Girls and Boys who are currently Under 6.
We are also looking for a new Mini Secretary to take over from Mike next season, as he is moving up to Junior Soccer. If you would like know more about what this entails then please call Mike.
Finally, thanks to all those who give their time and energy to the Youth Teams of Bransgore, to obviously include the Cricket Club and any other activities supported in the village. We think that it's a great investment in the future.
Alf Scaife
Avon Tyrrell Activity Centre had a busy 2002 season with thousands of young people visiting from all over the UK and we're just getting into full swing again for 2003. The visiting groups are mainly from schools and youth clubs and can stay residentially for a weekend or week, or if local just come in for the day. When here, they can take part in a wide variety of outdoor activities such as climbing, abseiling, canoeing, archery, ropes courses, environmental studies and team-building courses.
Our 'Friends' group raised some much needed funds for the Centre from last summer's Concert in the Park concert and from the Christmas carol event. This year they will be putting on a fundraising art exhibition for us called 'Art for Youth'- it will be held at Brockenhurst College on the 15th & 16th April. We are also planning on holding our Open Day on Saturday August 9th where you can come and have a look around the House and grounds and have a go at some of the activities on offer. We're going to have a band playing and disco in the evening too but ask that you provide your own torches to avoid the ditches and lake on the way home…
On the subject of the 2 acre lake, it started leaking in mid-November and by Boxing Day a section of the dam collapsed draining most of the water. We're now faced with a massive repair bill but we hope to have this sorted very soon so it can be used again. Our main Grade 1 listed house is now half way through the lottery funded restoration - it will be completed early summer and we will be doing guided tours at the Open Day. A detailed 'Conservation Plan' has been put together for the listed buildings, which includes much about the sites past history. Please do get in contact if you want to have a look at it.
If you want to catch up with other news, events, jobs available and generally what else we're up to, check out our website at www.avontyrrell.org.uk , e-mail : centremanager@avontyrrell.org.uk or give us a ring on 672347 if you would like a brochure or want to have a look around the site. Remember to contact us if you want to be put on the mailing list for school holiday fundays.
R. L. Bonney, Centre Manager, AvonTyrrell Bransgore BH23 8EE
ART FOR YOUTH is now firmly on the horizon and promises to be a great experience for the New Forest. Ninety artists - yes, 90! - are planning to exhibit their work which will be on sale. |Many of the artists are locally based, some in Bransgore, and others come from further afield in the Home Counties. The Exhibition opens officially at 6.00 pm on Tuesday, 15th April, when the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, Mrs Mary Fagan, will be our guest. At 7.00 pm on that evening there will be an Auction of a painting, conducted by Mr Terry House of House and Son of Bournemouth.
On both 15th
and 16th April the doors will be open from 5.00 pm to 8.00 pm. Tickets will be
on sale in advance at £5.00 for either session and can be obtained from Gwen
Rickus (01425 673208 or gwen.rickus@btinternet.com).
Visitors paying at the door will be charged £7.00. Children under 16 will be
admitted without charge if accompanied by an adult.
On the morning of 16th April the doors will open at 11.00 am for free admission until 3.00 pm - a great opportunity for a family visit in the Easter holidays.
Money raised from ticket sales and a share of the money from the sale of paintings will go to support Avon Tyrrell and its parent body, UK Youth.
The Friendship Club of Bransgore completed their activities of 2002 by raising £112 at their BRING and BUY SALE in November and holding their Christmas Lunch at Hoborne Naish with 72 members attending. The final meeting in December was with entertainment by the Ringwood Church Handbell Team playing a selection of carols and songs on a range of 12 bells. Vivienne Finch, their lead player, also gave the history of the team and their re-formation in recent months. To wish everyone a Happy New Year we had our old friends The Pee Witts back with us in January and Christchurch Variety Club. At the start of February we all ventured forth on an early coach outing to Kingston Lacy House near Wimborne on one of the estate open days to see the snowdrops. This was followed by a prolonged lunch stop at Haskins Garden Centre at Longham. The meetings for February included a Quiz and Bingo afternoon with "Our Vi" acting as caller, and Alan Wilson from The East Dorset Heritage Trust with slides and a talk entitled "Dorset Landmarks". One of the highlights of the Spring programme in recent years has been our Winter Lunch, which is being held at The East Close Country Hotel, Hinton, this year. As there are only 50 places for this special event, booking is advised to be on the first come first served basis. Sadly we have had to cancel our March Cream Tea which was to be held at Saturday, 8th March as a fund raising event, as with the increased hall rents it is no longer viable. We have to be aware of our financial commitment with regard to the running of the Club, as increased annual outlay has in recent months made us more cautious with our subsidies for outings as we do not receive any outside funding of any sort. We will also be seeking a new Treasurer in the Autumn as our faithful Brenda White has given a year's notice terminating at the AGM. Brenda has given years of service to this Club and will be a hard act to follow. We would welcome a volunteer to assist her now, and to eventually take over as and when the time comes. We are a strong and thriving Club, with an average of 80 members. We cater for the 50 plus age group, and welcome visitors at £1.00 per afternoon. We meet in Bransgore Village Hall on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month commencing at 2.15 pm. Full details of our forthcoming meetings are in the Diary of Events. Membership is £11.00 per year paid six-monthly. Tea, biscuits and friendship are FREE. JANET HENSON Secretary 674954
To start the new year programme in January, we had a demonstration entitled "Green and Pleasant Land", an apt title for demonstrator Eileen Witt, who is a farmer's wife. Eileen took us with flowers through her day. Starting with the sun rising (sunflowers) and the cockerel crowing, a beautiful accessory. This was followed by milking time using an authentic milk churn. Next came an all green arrangement, then onto sunset and ending with harvest moon. Not only did she delight us with her flower arrangements, but also entertained us with her tales of being a farmer's wife and of their pet cow Millie. This month (February) we have a workshop with Deana Davies, who is going to show us how to make a decorative plait. Hopefully we will have an interesting plait to hang in our kitchens by the end of the afternoon.
March 27th AGM time once again, followed by Pat Clark, an area speaker and also our Club President giving a talk entitled "The Magic of Trees and Wood" April 24th "Don't Panic", the title of Jane Conway's demonstration - sounds intriguing. May 22nd Coach outing to Exbury Gardens, when hopefully we will see the gardens at their best June 26th Garden Party, weather permitting New members and guest are most welcome. We meet on the fourth Thursday in the month at 2.00 pm at the Resource Centre, Ringwood Road. March 27th AGM followed by speaker, Pat Clark
MARGO CROUCH Programme Secretary 672612
LAST A.G.M. Our Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 29th April at 7.30 pm at The Carpenters Arms ( please note the venue) will be the last we shall be holding for the Guild in its present form. The caretaker committee has been actively exploring the possibility of an amalgamation with the New Milton branch of the RNLI, and consideration of this proposal will be the main business of the evening. It is hoped that as many members as possible will attend this important meeting. Non-members will be equally welcome.
COLLECTING BOX THEFT It is sad to have to report that on the 5th February, the RNLI Lifeboat collecting box, stationed at Bransgore Post Office, was wrenched from its moorings and made away with - in spite of being firmly screwed down! It is hardly necessary to put into words one's feelings about this kind of action. One can only feel pity for the individual, or individuals, concerned. But now the Good News! Three different customers, having read the notice displayed by our postmaster, Phil Stenner, immediately donated the sum of £5 each, to help make up the loss. We ask them to please accept the Guild's sincere thanks for a thoughtful and generous gesture. A new box has already put in place, and even more firmly secured!
CHRISTMAS SALES Once again we must thank Jackie and Trevor Andrews of Bransgore Wines, for carrying our stock of RNLI Christmas cards, 2003 diaries and calendars. Total sales amounted to £360. Thank you for your continuing support. GRAND CAR DRAW 2002 Unfortunately the 2002 Grand Car Draw did not produce any local winners this year. The Land Rover Freelander was won by a Mrs Golding in Lancashire. Your support for the draw is much appreciated. We are pleased to report that this year over £18,614 was raised.
DAVID LYTTLE Hon. Secretary (( 01425 673581)
The Committee Room, Village Hall, 116 Burley Road, Bransgore, Christchurch, Dorset. BH23 8AY
NEW OPENING HOURS
Sessions
are run from Bransgore on the first and third Friday of the month, 10.00 -
11.00am in the Committee room at the side of Bransgore Village Hall. We have a
wide variety and selection of toys including Special Needs and are in the
process of expanding by buying Game boy, Playstation games. Membership is £4.00
per year and you may rent the toys for a month at a time - rental prices vary
from 30p - £5 depending on the cost of the toy. You may also come for a coffee
and a chat while the children play and you need not feel obliged to take out a
toy at every visit. We are open to everyone - Mums, Dads, Carers, Grandparents,
Childminders and Playgroups etc. We are a registered Charity and are members of
the National Association of Toy and Leisure Libraries.
For more information contact Julie Clark 01425 674520
Now is the time we start preparing for the show, and for anyone interested in participating in the activities in any way, now is the time to let us know. Applications packs are being put together for trade stands, exhibitors and competitors and local businesses are offering sponsorship for the myriad of events across the whole spectrum of activities of attractions of this unique Show. This year we are thrilled to be able to announce that The Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery will be coming to the Show. It is their gun carriages that used at all Royal and State ceremonies we go to London to see. The Kings Troop are THE attraction that cannot be beaten for speed and daring. At The New Forrest Show they will be seen, in all their magnificence, in the exciting Musical Drive in the main ring twice a day on all three days. The New Forest Show features all the attractions that have made it so popular for the best part of a century, bringing traditional country pursuits, new exhibitions and demonstrations to this unique show. Anyone can become a member of the Show and this is one in which local people can offer support not only for the Show itself but also for our aims to promote countryside activities and help educate people in the ways they can help preserve our rural heritage.
For more information please contact the show office on 01590 622400 or Jackie Neylon on 02380 292887 or jackie@neylon.co.uk
Elections will take place for District and Parish councillors in the New Forest District Council area on Thursday 1st May 2003.
Polling stations will be open from 8am to 9pm.
A total of 60 District Councillors, representing 34 District Council Wards, well over 300 Parish Councillors, representing all of the area's 37 Parish and Town Councils will be chosen at the next elections.
Since the last local Council elections in 1999, the Local Government Commission for England has changed the boundaries of all but 3 District Council wards. This was done to ensure the number of constituents each District Councillor represents is as equal as possible. The closing date for nominations for anyone wishing to stand for election is noon on 1st April. If you are interested in standing for District Council and would like information please contact Electoral \Services at Appletree Court, Lyndhurst, 023 8028 5445. If you would like information about standing for Parish Council please contact Charles Beattie 01425 618679.
A list of both District and Parish Council candidates for our area will be posted on Parish notice boards after 3rdApril. A full list of candidates will also be shown on the District Council's website www.nfdc.gov.uk
If you are unable to get to a polling station on 1st may or would find it more convenient to vote by post, you can apply for a postal vote. Proxy voting (someone else voting on your behalf) is also available but the process is more restrictive. You may get an application form for a postal or proxy vote from your local District Council Information Office at Appletree Court or Electoral Services 023 8028 5445 or you may print the form on the website.
The District Council must receive completed applications for postal or proxy votes by 23rd April at the latest, but please apply as soon as possible.
The next Council elections will not be until 2007, so do not miss the opportunity to stand for election or to vote for your local representative.
Contributions for the June 2003 issue of this Newsletter to Jane Safe, Greenacres, West Road (672640) by Wednesday, 21st May please. Entries can be hand-written, typed, on a disk or sent by e-mail to Greenacres@freezone.co.uk. In the case of a disk, please use Word, Times New Roman typeface and 12 font, enclosing a printed copy just in case the original cannot be read.
It makes such a difference to collating the information if you do not wait until the last day to send us your information.
Entries for the Diary of Events should NOT include dates in the first two weeks of June, but should include those for the beginning of June 2003. This is because there is quite a delay between production, printing and delivery. Sometimes this delay exceeds two weeks. The Diary of Events will be passed as soon as possible to the Parish Council to be included on its web site.
We would like to thank everyone who supported our Christmas Concert. It was a lovely evening and we were pleased that so many of you stayed for coffee and mince pies afterwards Thank you also for your generosity - after expenses our profit on the evening was just over £100. The Candlelight Singers were excellent and our thanks go to Mrs Stella Jackson Smith and her choir.
At our January meeting Mr Judge gave us a very interesting talk on Hurst Castle.
Forthcoming Speakers March 24th AGM Followed by a coffee and cake. April 28th Watercress Growing Mr Watts
At our AGM we will present a representative from each of our Doctors surgeries with items we have purchased with money raised during our last year. We have raised £250 for each surgery and we hope that the items we give will prove useful to the people of our village.
We meet on the fourth Monday of each month at the Resource Centre 8pm. Visitors and new members are always welcome
PAM SHIPPERLEY Chairman
Minister - Rev. R. Clarke. Telephone: 673304
By the time you read this, there will, we hope, have been a peaceful solution to the problem of Iraq. God created the universe with its beauty, with all its potential, but Man has so often used his God-given talents and powers for his own selfish benefits, ignoring the needs and suffering of his fellow beings throughout the world. As we enter Lent, in preparation for the great celebration of the death and resurrection of Our Lord, let us continue to pray most earnestly for peace in this world, for love and care for our fellow brothers and sisters, wherever they may be.
We all at Bransgore Methodist, wish you a Happy Easter. Look out for times of our services, and come along to join us!
Work on the Pavilion moves on a pace, electrics, plastering, tiles, plumbing, all the things that have to be done once the 'shell' is up. We hope to have it finished by the start of the cricket season. When the pavilion is finished I'm sure it will prove to be a very useful asset to the village.
At this time of year everything else is fairly quiet, but I'm sure we will see a little more activity when the weather improves. We are planning new fencing for the children's play area and a meeting point for the older ones.
We meet on the first Tuesday in the month at Shackleton Square. 7.30pm Sue Hughes
Bransgore Village Hall, Burley Road, Bransgore
Phone 01425 673903. Charity No.102885
We would just like to thank everyone for supporting us with our Christmas Events, and remind you that we only have one or two spaces left until Autumn Term.
We are registered as full day care for two days a week and also to run a lunch club. These are our hours :
| Morning | Lunch Club | Afternoon | |
| MONDAY | 9.30 am - 12 noon | 12 noon - 1.00 pm | ----- |
| TUESDAY | 9.30 am - 12 noon |
----- |
----- |
| WEDNESDAY | 9.00 am - 11.30 am | 11.30 am - 12.30 pm | 12.30 pm - 3.00 pm |
| THURSDAY | 9.00 am - 11.30 am | 11.30 am - 12.30 pm | 12.30 pm - 3.00 pm |
| FRIDAY | 9.30 am - 12 noon | 12 noon - 1.00 pm |
----- |
We are Ofsted inspected and registered and receive funding for our three and four-year-olds; this will include three-year-old funding from September for the children starting School September 2003.
Jack and Jill is a community based Committee run group and a registered Charity, catering for all children from 2.9 years to school entry and are members of the Pre-School Learning Alliance.
Your child can be offered a safe, secure and stimulating environment, with a full curriculum leading to the early learning goals. There are also computers where your children can practice their keyboard skills ready for school. We have a high adult to child ratio including parental involvement. We have a parent's rota where you may help at a session but this is optional.
In the summer the children have an enclosed outdoor area where they can play.
Jack and Jill regularly liase with Bransgore Primary School so that your child may get to know the School before they start.
There are only a few spaces left on our Register for next term so if you would like to reserve a space you are welcome to visit us any morning, or contact our Registration Secretary Elaine Waters, on 672719 for a prospectus.
We will also be having our educational trips to Blashford Lakes etc.
Special Disclaimer : The information contained on this page has been compiled directly from the contributions entered for the printed version of the Parish Newsletter. The Parish Council can not be held responsible for the accuracy of data or views expressed by officers of organisations or members of the general public expressed here.
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All correspondence to council@bransgore-parish.gov.uk