Forest Edge Gazette - July 2020

SCAN ME

CELEBRATING LOCAL LIFE & BUSINESSES

Forest Edge LOCAL DIRECTORY Connect with businesses & service providers in your community COMMUNITY NEWS Winsor United Football Club News Naomi House & Jacksplace launch 12 Red Roses REGULAR FEATURES Hampshire Quirky Facts Recipe - Green Frittata

JULY

What’s inside...

Welcome to the

July edition of your local Forest Edge Gazette community magazine.

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Naomi House & Jacksplace launch 12 Red Roses appeal

We are delighted this month to bring you up to date news from Winsor United Football Club. Despite all the recent challenges they are literally up and running again… and having a ball! Well done to all the dedicated volunteers, parents and players who make this team such a hub of the community. Please follow them in our monthly Forest Edge Gazette, as well as on our facebook pages. Our purpose is to keep you up to date with local, community data as well as bring you great trades and businesses right to your doorstep.

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Winsor United Football Club

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Puzzle Corner

The businesses inside are all raring to go and would love to hear from you. Many have ‘virtual’ lines in place, so you can look online or speak over the phone to get the advice and help you need. Those trades that can come to your house are fully equipped with the Government guidelines and protective gear to keep themselves and you safe. These are trying times all round, so please do keep your local Gazette in mind when looking for good local services to help you. Let’s keep our local community thriving, despite the current circumstances and please do mention us when making those all-important calls.

22 The Adventures of Daichi

If you have any local data that you would like others to know about, then do give us a call. This is free to local clubs and societies. We are here to help.

Wishing you a great month of July.

May the ‘new normality’ settle in soon!

Debbie & Stephen

Debbie, Stephen and all the Team at the Gazettes

Contact us Debbie: 01264 316499, e: debbie@mlggazettes.co.uk Emma: e: emma@mlggazettes.co.uk Website: www.mlggazettes.co.uk Like us on Facebook: @mlggazettesnews Follow us on Twitter: @mlggazettesnews

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10 Quirky Facts on Hampshire 12 Recipe: Green Frittata 14 Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust: Stars in the grass 16 Monthly Walk: Charlton Down 18 Stargazing in Hampshire 24 Gardening: Start them young 28 Short Story: The Rescue To advertise your business call our sales team on 01264 316499.

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COPY DATE FOR NEXT ISSUE 13th July 2020

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Community News

Naomi House & Jacksplace 12 Red Roses Naomi House & Jacksplace has created a new way for supporters to be involved in the payment of their annual rent of 12 red roses, and to help support the vital work of the hospices for seriously ill children and young adults across the south.

It has been a longstanding tradition at Naomi House & Jacksplace that the annual peppercorn rent of 12 red roses should be paid to their landlords, the Cornelius Reid family, on Midsummer’s Day each year. The tradition dates back to the time before Naomi House opened in 1997, when Mary Cornelius-Reid kindly allowed a hospice to be built on her land on the Sutton Manor Estate. This offer came with two conditions; that the hospice be named after her youngest daughter, Naomi, and that each Midsummer’s Day, the hospice pays a peppercorn rent of a dozen red roses. This tradition is faithfully carried out each year and a bouquet of flowers is presented to Naomi. However, this year, the hospice charity is inviting supporters to get involved and ‘chip in’ to the cost of the rent, by buying one of the charity’s new ‘12 Red Roses’ virtual gift cards, at a cost of £20.

Lynda Barrow, Marketing Executive at Naomi House & Jacksplace, said: “The 12 Red Roses virtual gift card is a meaningful and sensitive gift to give to friends and

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family to let them know you’re thinking of them, and will appeal to anyone who wants to make a difference to their local children’s hospice. Our annual 12 red roses tradition is always very popular with our supporters and this year, we are delighted to be able to offer another way for them to chip in and help. It is particularly important in these challenging times, when charities are struggling to fundraise, that people show their support and help us continue to care for seriously ill children, young adults and their families.”

The virtual gift card can be purchased from the charity’s website and then sent to friends and family as a special gift. The beautifully designed card features young Theo, who is a regular visitor to Naomi House and whose family is supported by the hospice, presenting roses to Naomi Cornelius-Reid, after whom the hospice is named. The delightful 12 Red Roses £20 virtual gift card is printed onto high quality card and can be personalised with the customer’s own message to send to the person of their choice.

To find out more/order your 12 Red Roses virtual gift card, visit: www.naomihouse.org.uk/red-rosesvirtual-gift

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FOOTBALL CLUB BACK TO TRAINING

Winsor United Youth Football Club were established in late 1970 and were formed out of Stanley’s Own Scout Group based in Copythorne. Back in those days we were simply known as ‘Winsor Boys’ and the club joined the New Forest Football League and played Lyndhurst Boys in the very 1st fixture. This fixture will be reenacted later in the summer once it is safe to do so.

Like all other community grassroots football clubs, Winsor United were starved of football during the COVID-19 lockdown and found things really tough going both financially and organisa onally with regards to mo va ng the clubs players and hardworking volunteers. Luckily for us, one of our team managers, who played for the club as a child himself, stepped into the void and set regular football challenges for all of the club players during the lockdown period.

The Richard Dibden challenges were born and there was amazing engagement across all of the club teams and the local community with several videos going viral on social media. All 5 #richarddibdenchallenge ˋs are available on our You Tube channel, as well as our Facebook page and other social media applica ons under the name Winsor United. Since the beginning of June the club has been offering socially distanced football training every weekend at Abbotswood Junior School in To on.

This has been an incredible challenge which has involved all club volunteers pulling together so that as many players as possible were able to return to training if they wished to do so. Because each player had to be 2 metres apart and the ra o of children to adults is reduced to 5 children to 1 adult, this has meant that all club coaches have pulled together and helped deliver many sessions across all teams.

www.winsorunited.co.uk

In addi on, the club has also managed to maintain its excep onally high standards with regards to safeguarding children during this me too especially as the tempta on to relax our club policies, (which are far stronger than Hampshire FA, our governing body and the local Educa on Authority) was temp ng to help with delivery of sessions. No adult is allowed to interact directly with our players as a representa ve of Winsor United unless they have an in date DBS check, first aid cer ficate and have received safeguarding training. These expire every 3 years and our Club Welfare Officers ensure that no manager, assistant or parent helper can interact with players

without these checks being in place. The club are looking forward to ge ng back and playing grassroots football again, once it is safe to do so and will be going into next season with 25 teams ranging from Under 7’s to Under 18’s both male and female. In addi on, we also have a Saturday and a Sunday Men’s team and an over 35’s team too. Therefore, it is perfectly possible to join the club at 4 or 5 years old and con nue playing football with us well into adulthood. We are always looking out for new players to join our friendly club whose core focus is on player development and having fun.

CONTACT US admin@winsorunited.co.uk Paul Luffman, Vice Chairperson 07879 410247

Puzzle Corner 8

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QUIRKY

BY MICA BALE

From its naval history to its stories from the Doomsdays era, Hampshire has always been a county with a rich treasure trove of heritage. As Britain and indeed Hampshire emerges from yet another chapter in its historic past, here is another handful of quirky facts deep from Hampshire’s fascina ng vaults.

There was hardly a village, town or community that was not touched by the English Civil war and certainly many of the great estates were forced into ac on.

One such great manor house was Basing House which was a Cavalier stronghold.

The eventual victory for Thomas Cromwell came a�er a long series of sieges and among those under siege at the me and taking refuge at the Hampshire estate was the renowned Inigo Jones whose very clothes were taken from him upon capture. Basing House, which according to reports was similar in stature and importance to Hampton Court, was ransacked and set alight. Today, the house no longer exists as through the years all remaining stones were removed.

Following the Ba le of Trafalgar, many of the ships that had loyally served under Nelson were either repurposed or even destroyed. Thankfully HMS Victory, Nelson’s own ship did not have such a fate and remains to this day as the oldest warship s ll in commission. However both HMS Victory and the Leviathan, another grand ship that had played its part in the war, took rather humbler posi ons as prison ships moored at Portsmouth throughout the late 1810s.

Prison ships were typically used to house prisoners who were to be transported to Australia and America for their crimes. Although the Leviathan sadly no longer exists, HMS Victory is very much s ll a living part of history and remains to this day in its home at Portsmouth.

Did you know?

Britain has its very own Camembert! No doubt if you are local to Hampshire you did! The Tunworth is a county favourite but has also drawn widespread delight from some of the largest culinary names in Britain. Nigel Slater himself once commented that the “My favourite mel ng cheese is a ripe Tunworth” and Raymond Blanc also echoed similar sen ments when he commented that it is “The best Camembert in the world!”

that’s interesting!

Although Burley is known for its pre y chocolate box appeal, the village may also be able to boast having the only fire sta on in the country to have a ca le grid at the entrance of the sta on. This necessary if not slightly odd addi on is owing to the fact the village s ll upholds the commoning rights of ca le who exercise this right freely!

In 1689, New Alresford suffered near devasta on when a group of sixty-seven Irishmen and six Irishwomen came to the small se lement, claiming they were Protestants who had been cruelly treated and thrust out of their homes. In reality, they had come to a ack the small Hampshire se lement among other sites throughout England. The women carried fireballs which destroyed the market house, council house and church causing severe destruc on.

Do you love our interes ng facts?

Don’t miss the next edi on, with every monthly issue!

Food & Drink 12

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Wildlife News 14

Stars in the grass Exotic and striking in appearance, orchids can be found in a diverse range of habitats – between now and September is the perfect time to see them in full colour.

Early purple orchid As its name suggests, the early purple orchid is one of the first of our native orchids to bloom, strong enough to grow in the light shade of woodland or out in the open grassland of a road verge. Even when not in flower, it is identifiable by its glossy green leaves with dark purple blotches. It remains relatively common but has declined in recent decades due to urban development and modern farming methods. When the flowers first open they have a sweet scent like honey, but once pollinated the flowers smell like the urine of a tomcat! It is thought this may be to warn insects that the flower is no longer worth pollinating.

Green-winged orchid Similar in appearance to the early purple orchid, the green-winged orchid can be distinguished by its narrow, unspotted leaves and the distinctive veined hoods that sit above its flower, which give it its name. Until the advent of modern farming this orchid was one of the most widespread and common grassland species. Intolerant of artificial fertilisers and herbicides, it has disappeared from half of its historical range and is now mostly confined to nature reserves.

Pyramidal orchid The pyramidal orchid is the county flower of the Isle of Wight. This orchid is easy to identify from the bright pink, pyramid-shaped cluster of flowers on top of the stem. Botanists did not appreciate the close relationship between pyramidal and green-winged orchids until scientists unravelled the plants’ DNA. The

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Pyramidal Orchid Photo: Mark Heighes

association is surprising as there is very little in common about the appearance of their flowers. The pyramidal orchid, which flowers between June and August, sports a long spur containing nectar to entice moths to drink.

Bee orchid The bee orchid is a master of mimicry and has evolved to look like its main pollinator – the longhorn bee. Bizarrely, this bee is rarely found in the UK so the bee orchids found here appear to be self-pollinated – the plant’s male pollen sacs drop onto the female stigma allowing self-pollination to take place. Its windborne seeds germinate freely allowing rapid colonisation of small patches of bare ground. This ability means that short-lived populations turn up in unlikely places such as on the edge of car parks. The bee orchid is, however, at its best in parched sunny habitats and can be abundant where the ground has been disturbed.

When admiring orchids, please remember the immature plants that may surround the flowering spike. Avoid trampling future flowers by keeping to the paths and thoroughly checking where you put your feet..

Abi Webber

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A NORTH HAMPSH START

your walk

Charlton

This month’s walk makes fresh t

Start from the Hare and Hounds Pub, Charlton Down, Andover, SP11 0JA about 4 miles North of Andover Town Centre. This pub is not open on Mondays, although the car park is always available.

On leaving the car park we must turn right up the road for 200 metres, regre ably with no footpath, where we meet a marked path on the right just a�er ‘Dartracks’, and taking this we aim down the middle of a wide field. This weaves through a small copse and con nues into the right side of a new field, culmina ng in a downslope walk to the A343 main road on the edge of Enham Alamein.

The tarmac road climbs easily past houses, both old and modern before melding into a Permissive Byeway which sets off another kilometre of gentle climbing. This track was once a Drovers Road, from the distant past, which enabled farmers to move ca le and produce around the area, from village to village. Now returning to the climb, a Memorial Park (dedicated to the memory of the local World War II fatali es) is set out extensively on the le�, shortly followed by a recent housing development, un l emerging onto a local road, but where we con nue straight towards Andover.

Not to worry though. As the gate on the right is our next des na on and starts a new climb away from town.

Beneath us on the right is the church and Manor Farm buildings. We now work uphill on the right hand of a vast field for some 800 metres un l mee ng the first of a number of direc on footpath signs. This one aims us le� as we follow the edge of the field round and up to the next sign and turn le� again, sending us down into a valley, where there is yet another footpath choice - ours takes us right at a diagonal across this new expanse, with panoramic views all around.

HIRE WALK FROM

n Down

tracks to the north of the region!

The en re walk is fairly exposed being on top of the Downs, which can mean that windy days are bracing on this challenging and varied ou ng of around 5 miles.

Regular walkers will complete this in around 100 minutes, but distrac ons along the way can easily extend that.

At this point we turn right and commence a gentle traverse through the village, first passing the buildings and offices for the Enham Trust, which provides vital work opportuni es for disabled people, who would otherwise be le� unemployed. Shortly a�erwards going down the High Street we next pass the General Store (and Post Office) on the right, then we take the le� hand road up Anton Lane leading away from the A343.

Going down this new narrower trail, we meet a tarmac path where we turn right and follow the blue signs that target ‘Nature Reserve’, a le� turn then swivel down to the main road again. Taking great care in crossing the road we aim straight ahead and leave behind the sign for Andover and the Nature Reserve as we target a visit to St. Michaels and All Angels Church (which involves a right turn up a gravel road). Records of this church can be traced back to 1241 and, notably the tower is unusual in that the cladding is using mber shingles. Once this visit is complete we need to return to the road again and turn right, keeping firm right once again along the footpath that only takes us 100 metres then halts.

This halts abruptly at a line of trees with a Byeway Sign (a popular theme around Andover) where we turn right and con nue for just 300 metres up to a farm track that cuts across our passage. With a le� turn here we are finally commencing the ‘home run’, about 400 metres up to the road with some well worn tractor grooves to nego ate. Once up roadside, the Hare and Hounds is on the right directly beside the footpath.

FINISH

STAR GAZING Welcome to the monthly Stargazing Page! Each month I’ll be describing astronomical events that are happening overhead in our beau�ful night skies. The majority of them are viewable just by stepping out at the appropriate �me and looking up, but some may require a par�cular vantage point (e.g. a clear view to the west). A cloudless sky is (usually) required! Some viewings will benefit from using binoculars or a small telescope if you have one, but most observa�ons can be enjoyed without either. For your safety, please remember to wait un�l the sun has set before observing the night sky.

Interna onal Space Sta on The Interna�onal Space Sta�on (ISS) is usually visible at some point during the night, but o�en at unsociable hours. Unfortunately, all flyovers in July occur at 10pm or later, but if you can manage to stay up that late, and the skies are partly clear, you will be rewarded with some high, bright glimpses of the Space Sta�on.

Excellent sigh�ngs are predicted for July 18th, 20th, 22nd, 24th and 26th. These occur around 10.15pm, rising from a roughly westerly direc�on, passing overhead in some instances (July 20th), and se ng towards the east. (Please note these �mings and direc�ons are correct at �me of going to press and are subject to change. For up-to-date informa�on on visible ISS overhead passes please visit www.heavens-above.com.

Mercury In late July, Mercury will be visible for those willing to rise around 4.30am. It will be extremely low on the horizon towards the ENE, and hard to spot in the dawn light.

Venus Now shining as the Morning Star (known to the ancient Greeks and Egyp�ans as ‘Phosphorus’, meaning ‘Dawn bringer’ or ‘Bringer of light’), early risers will no�ce Venus shining brightly in the east. If you are able to surface early from your slumber around 4am on July 17th and have a clear view of the horizon to the east, you will be compensated with a deligh�ul view of Venus, the Moon and the Vshaped Hyades star cluster, which represents the head of the Bull in the constella�on of Taurus.

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Mars The red planet is visible a�er 1am towards the ESE. The red planet will be placed for easier evening viewing later in the year.

Saturn & Jupiter Both gas giants are now visible in our evening skies, rising in the SE a�er 11pm. A stunning vista is visible a�er 11.30pm on July 5th, when the two planets form a triangle with the Full Moon, making them easy to iden fy (see diagram). Jupiter and Saturn both benefit from being viewed through binoculars or a telescope, where you may spot the larger moons of both planets, the rings of Saturn, Jupiter’s cloud belts and its Great Red Spot (the largest an cyclonic storm in the solar system, which has been raging for over a hundred years). These two planets will not rise high in the sky so a clear view to the south is required. A stroll along our beau ful cliff top on a late summer evening is the ideal place to spot these planets. (If viewing through binoculars or a telescope, observe later at night as heat haze or sea mist frequently disrupt seeing condi ons).

Moon This month’s full moon on July 5th is tradi onally known as the Buck Moon to Na ve American tribes, as it coincides with the me of year when male deer start to regrow their velvet antlers. July’s full moon also goes by the names Thunder Moon, Hay Moon, and the Wart Moon.

SATURN

MOON

VENUS

HYADES STAR CLUSTER

View E on 17 July 2020 at 04:00am BST

JUPITER

FULL MOON

View SE on 05 July 2020 at 11:30pm BST

Don’t miss our next star-gazing feature!

WRITTEN BY KATE EARL

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Have you written a will yet?

With the onset of this dreadful virus and the continuous news reports it is no wonder that many are wanting to put their affairs in order just in case.

Good thinking. But writing a will can be far from straight forward with many of us having been in more than one relationship with children from previous relationships to consider. Some of us own our home in joint names and incorrectly think that we own half the house and can leave it to who we like.

Many of us are also rightly concerned about the potential loss of mental capacity through illness or age and worry about who will help us when we can’t make decisions about our finances, about our care? Without Lasting Powers of Attorney it will be the Office of the Public Guardian. And then there is the

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worry about care costs and the prospect of losing our home to pay for such!

If our estate’s components and their value, ie. Home, bank accounts, valuables etc is degraded by later life costs our wishes may not be able to be carried out and the last straw is the ever increasing cost of funerals the average of which according to last years ‘Cost of Dying’ report was £4417 for the funeral alone.

Assured & Legal provide ‘the all in one solution’ where along with a funeral plan to freeze costs at today’s prices, we provide protective property trusts within your will(s) to protect your share of your home and Lasting Powers of Attorney. For details and comparisons or to schedule a call visit: www.assured-legal.co.uk/fptg

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21

Adventures of Daichi

The Adventures of Daichi Oh, my goodness what incredible times we are living in! Daichi the Dashing Dude, our fun-loving campervan was driving us mad, instead of driving us off to exciting places to visit, for the last few months.

I am sure you can only imagine how he felt when Boris said it was ok for him to go out on the road again! Wild horses wouldn’t stop him. In fact, that is where he took us… to see the wild ponies, horses and cattle in the New Forest. This area is so beautiful… the space, the greenery, the wildlife. Gorgeous.

We packed Daichi with a healthy picnic and off we set. All smiles, including the Dashing Dude with his ‘bright white teeth’ all shining. It was a lovely day with the sun ablaze. I think the

Mare and foal in the New Forest 22

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Daichi is all smiles at the seaside

horses were quite astounded at the amount of people walking around and disturbing the land that had become their own, and theirs alone, recently. I am sure a few looked at us in resentment as if to say, “Could you leave us to it please?” There were many foals too, all looking rather healthy, staying close to the safety of their mothers. Such a delight to watch. The expanding space of our very special New Forest is such an inspiration.

The rolling countryside has a calming effect. Everything seems in control, tranquil and suddenly the stress of the news and the negativity falls away.

Things do not seem so bad after all. Daichi highly recommends a therapeutic trip to the countryside to blow away any pessimistic doom and gloom.

Switching off the news on the TV is also a good idea. @mlggazettesnews

Dancing our way through the winding New Forest lanes we arrived at out destination, Lepe Beach. Now a different view of the wide expanse of sea and the Isle of Wight which seems so close. There was even an ice cream van! After weeks of being ‘locked up’ it is amazing what we can suddenly get very excited about. I have not felt like that since I was six and wanted an ice cream! It is the small things in life that make a difference and how we appreciate these even more now. Oh yes, and the toilets were open too! We were safe. How funny is that!

A picnic in Daichi was a must.

His little fridge comes in really handy and though we had prepared a flask of coffee this time, his whistling kettle will come in useful again very soon.

So, there we were, the three of us, with a stunning sea view and good food. The campervan-life

Quality family time!

Relaxing on the beach...

really has its perks. We love it.

Of course, we had to get out and sit on the sand and watch the rolling waves gently cruising towards us. There actually was a cruise ship moving out to sea, having been moored in Southampton harbour. I wonder where it was going? That is something else we miss… you can’t beat a good cruise. One day we will be back to some semblance of normality. I do not know when that will be, but in the meantime we have our wonderful Daichi The Dashing Dude who is delighted to ‘sail’ us away to wherever we want to go, or wherever he decides to take us. If you have any ideas where to visit, then we would love to hear from you. Family fun is what Daichi is all about. We do hope you are able to get out and about too. It is so good to do!

Where will Daichi take us next?

See in our next issue…

By Debbie Corney

To advertise, please call 01264 316499 or email enquiries@mlggazettes.co.uk

23

Gardening Tips

“

I was an incredibly picky eater as a child. I remember wan ng to like tomatoes because they were such a lovely bright colour but s ll I wouldn’t eat them! It was only a�er my mother started growing them at home that I finally plucked one straight from the plant and popped it, warm from the sun, into my mouth - delicious!

”

Would you like to see your youngsters spending more me outdoors and get them ea ng healthy foods too? What be er idea than to involve the kids in growing their own?

While we’d all love a string of willing, young, helpers on the vegetable plot you do have to be realis c. Children can have short a en on spans, will only want to do the jobs that appeal to them, and usually expect quick results. Us adults on the other hand tend to be stuck in our ways, place great importance in doing things slowly and methodically and don’t usually take well to sudden changes of plan! So how can you encourage your li le ones, without boring them out of the garden, or having them dig up your row of prize leeks?

If it is at all possible give children a space that is completely their own on the plot. Get hold of some good quality child size tools and encourage their a empts even if it isn’t quite what you’d have done - if digging holes and making mud pies is more in their line than neat rows of seedlings perhaps they could create a wildlife area? A shallow dish sunk into the ground can be used by birds, frogs, toads and hedgehogs, and a log pile will be home to all sorts of insects plus providing a possible hedgehog home. Giant sunflowers are great fun, especially if you have a growing compe on, and wild flower seeds can just be sca ered and will, in me, encourage useful insects and birds - natural pest control!

Keen young growers can browse seed packets or catalogues to see what takes their fancy.

Quick growing crops are a good sugges on radishes and salad leaves pop up in no me at all and should give them almost instant sa sfac on! Sweet young carrots are likely to

24

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tempt even picky eaters, as are those lovely li le cherry tomatoes. Fruit, such as strawberries and raspberries is usually popular, and if you haven’t got any of your own planted yet you can always get them enthusias c by having an a�ernoon out at the pick your own farm. Ready grown plug plants can be good for helping them to set up an ‘instant’ plot - take a trip out to the garden centre to see what is on offer. If you already have seedlings started, then they could have the choice of some for their own plot. Finally, don’t forget ‘indoor’ growing ac vi es too clean out the bo om half of a boiled egg and draw a face on it. Fill it with co on wool soaked in water and sprinkle on some cress seeds - in just a few days the egg man will be growing hair and not only can they cut his hair but they can eat it too!

Get growing! @mlggazettesnews

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To advertise, please call 01264 316499 or email enquiries@mlggazettes.co.uk

25

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27

Short Story: THE RESCUE...

Golden sand whipped the walls of my watch tower as I stood like a sentry watching over the dark, blue, menacing sea. Binoculars to my eyes, I searched for anything that shouldn’t be there - at least not in this storm. Waves at least ten feet tall stood proud before toppling over and emitting an enormous sound as the water slammed into either more water or sand. White foam covered the first 10 metres out from the water’s edge where all the waves deposited their immense amount of energy. All of a sudden, a peachy white hand shot out from under the water then sank again (I almost missed it, it happened so fast).

Tiny pricks stabbed at my exposed face as I ran to the water’s edge; the wind howled at me not go out, waves presenting their terrible force as they crashed in front of me. Dark clouds rumbled in the distance waiting to unleash their own fury. I was watching like a hawk, my eyes scanning the sea for any signs of that person. Suddenly, the same hand, however this time two, appeared for another split second and disappeared as a wave, the size of my watch tower, engulfed them. I had to rescue them. They needed me. But what if I couldn’t do it? What if I made the situation worse? Could I take that risk? Yes. I grabbed the almost 11-foot, luminous yellow board and sprinted into the ferocious beast…

The icy water stole my breath as my chest seized up and my legs started to freeze. The board slammed the surface of my enemy and I leaped out of the heat sapping liquid onto it; my hands went numb as I paddled, ploughing them into the water trying to power through and get to my target as quick as I could.

My body ached, my arms burned, I couldn’t take it much longer. But they needed me.

CRASH! A wave smacked my board, it almost entirely threw me off, as white foam surrounded me: I saw another coming, but it hadn’t broken yet. The rounded tip pierced and glided through the up rise of water like nothing. Immediately, I saw what was behind that puny wave… the king wave of the set I had just driven through swelled up and began racing towards me like a miniature tsunami. Moments later and I could see the dangerous white foam starting to spread across the crest. Either it had to break before it reached me, or I had to reach it before it started to plunge down on top of me.

The race was on.

My arms screamed in pain, my chest struggled to keep the supply of oxygen I needed, and I could no longer feel my hands. Numbness was slowly creeping over my body, its tendrils reaching out to every part dispersing any feeling I had there. I hope I can make it, I thought, as the king wave and I flew towards each other.

It had not broken. Yet. However, I could see the crest creating a lip (it was starting to pitch over itself). It was about to break. Every part of my body wanted to give up and let the monstrous wall of water take me down with it, but I couldn’t let that happen. As I approached the wave my board started to rise, and I could see the water rushing towards me. I grasped my board and elevated my body as my board and I almost started to go vertical. I closed my eyes; I could do no more but hope…

A thunderous discharge of energy pounded my ears. Did I survive?

I opened my eyes to see my fluorescent board and I still together: my body still in the rigid position I had assumed. I peered behind me and saw huge amounts of white foam where the gigantic wave had plummeted into the water. Better luck next time, Poseidon , I thought, as I chuckled to myself and started to paddle again. My board gently rose and fell as swells of anticipated waves flowed past me.

My perceptions snapped into action as I searched for the person I had come all this way for. A quick glance and I saw them: floating and unmoving. They needed me. I rapidly paddled over and in a flash was in the water flipping over my board; I grabbed their arms and placed them over my now upside-down

rescue craft. Balancing my adrenaline filled muscles and trying to be as careful as I could, I heaved the board back over as I held the person’s arms so that they followed its motion.

Eventually, they lay perpendicular on my own lifeline. I twisted their body so that they were parallel and I could get on – it’s imperative for me to be on the board too. I swam round and faced my own saviour (the board) towards the golden sands where waves, still deathly aggressive, slammed into the beach. With a mighty pull on the handles, I slid onto the rear of the craft before engaging in the foreboding journey back.

As I madly paddled towards safety with an unconscious body in front of me, I could feel the swells getting larger. This was it. I had done the first segment, but could I do the same again? Numbness had already conquered any feeling I had left, except the ones I didn’t want. All I could feel was the torture I was putting myself through: burning arms, burning chest, burning blood vessels as they fought to supply any energy they could scrape for me. My wetsuit tugged at my weakening arms and my hands began to splash the saltwater onto my face. I couldn’t do it. I could see that ten metre stretch of deadly white spray as the board cut through my enemy.

While paddling, I felt the back of my board start to rise – a wave. I shifted my body backwards so that we didn’t nosedive into the glacial like water. It was enough, at least for now. The person I had rescued and I rode the wave towards the shore like a soaring seagull, as we raced with the wave. The wave grew bigger, stronger and more powerful the further we rode it towards safety. It was getting too large though, I couldn’t put enough of my weight rearwards. The nose of my board began to sink, water and salt flew into my eyes. It stung. It was as if wasps were sending their stingers straight into my eyes.

It happened too quickly.

The board dug its nose into the water and the corpse-like body and I tumbled off.

My arms were too weak, they felt like lead, I couldn’t grasp anything - the board nor the person. The salt blinded me and my body sank beneath the waves. Was this it? Was this the end? I couldn’t do it. But I had come all this way… no. They needed me. Whoever I had tried to save hadn’t been saved just yet. I can’t give up, not after all of this. Strength surged into my muscles, adrenaline fuelled my heart and my own lifeless body began to twitch as I fought the reapers wrath and began to swim to the surface. My head burst out the water, instantly looking around wildly for my board or the person.

Something was floating (it was too dark to be my board). I swam as if I had suddenly become an Olympic swimmer. Although my muscles were on fire and my eyes felt like they were melting, I carried on. I wrapped my arm around that other body and frantically kicked my legs and swung my arm under the water. I was so close; another eight metres and I was there – the final length. All alarms were ringing in my body, reverberating around my skull, telling me to stop what I was doing and give up. That wasn’t an option. Waves piled on top of us making my back sear in pain. I couldn’t let go. Not now. As if by a miracle, my foot kicked something underneath me, it was sand! I charged out of the water like a bull, still carrying the person I had rescued. I had done it. Dripping wet and icy cold I dragged the person toward my watch tower. I could now truly look at them without the danger of a wave engulfing us.

I placed her on a chair and, with a shaking hand, dialled 999. Without hesitation, the lady at the other end had sent us an ambulance and told me we were going to be alright.

The emergency services were on their way. I had done my duty.

I sat down next to the lady I had rescued, my entire body shivering as I did, and I gently took hold of her hand and closed my eyes. Within seconds, I blacked out next to her still with her hand in mine.

by Hayden Corney - age 15

Index of advertisers

Your quick guide to everyone and everything in your Directory...

Bathrooms Ocean Bathrooms................................. 13

Jewellers Christopher Stephens............................ 9

Builders A & M Contractors................................ 25

Painters & Decorators Trevor Jerams....................................... 25

Cameras Rocky Rock Cameras............................. 28

Plumbers G.E. Harding......................................... 21

Community News Have you written a will yet?................. 20 Naomi House & Jacksplace launch 12 Red Roses appeal.......................... 4 Winsor United Football Club News....... 6

Puzzles Puzzle Corner........................................ 8

Driveways County Block Paving............................. 5 Features At Home in the Garden......................... 29 Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust: Stars in the grass..................... 14 Monthly Walk: Charlton Down............. 16 On Your Plot: Start them young............ 24 Quirky Facts about Hampshire............. 6 Recipe: Green Frittata........................... 12 Short Story: The Rescue........................ 28 Stargazing in Hampshire...................... 18 The Adventures of Daichi...................... 22 Garage Doors Garolla.................................................. 21 Skandoor............................................... 9 30

www.mlggazettes.co.uk

Solicitors Bells...................................................... 13 CGM Solicitors...................................... 5 The Waring Partnership........................ 32 Stonemasons Allstone Memorials............................... 9 Lockerley Stone & Masonry.................. 21 Peter Thomas........................................ 25 Will Writing & Funeral Plan Services Assured Legal....................................... 20 Windows, Doors & Conservatories Britannia Windows............................... 31 Cloudy2Clear Windows......................... 15 Entire Group Home............................... 27 GS Windows......................................... 3 Outlook Windows................................. 25 @mlggazettesnews

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To advertise, please call 01264 316499 or email enquiries@mlggazettes.co.uk

31

M OV I N G F O RWA R D WI T H T H E WA R I N G PA RT N E R S H I P

It’s been a very unusual few months for the UK and, as the country begins to find its feet once more, The Waring Partnership is here to support you.

We want to ensure that when you talk to us you can do so in the manner that suits your circumstances. You can still phone or email us, as always, but we’re also happy to consult with you over Skype or Zoom.

If you need to come into the office we have taken practical steps to keep you safe.

Regardless of the method of communication, you can expect a professional, warm and friendly service from our dedicated and experienced staff. Whether you’re moving house, need help with family issues, or require assistance with a will or probate, you can rely on The Waring Partnership.

Celebrating 10 years

32

C o n v e y a n c i n g

•

F a m i l y

L a w

•

W i l l s

8 Marsh Parade, Hythe Tel: 023 8084 9381

info@the-waring-partnership.com www.the-waring-partnership.com

&

P r o b a t e

15 Water Lane, Totton Tel: 023 8066 0010

@mlggazettesnews The www.mlggazettes.co.uk Forest Edge Gazette • www.mlggazettes.co.uk