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Test Valley LOCAL DIRECTORY Easily nd local businesses & services COMMUNITY NEWS

Successful Court Outcome Over Village Water Tower My Dog is My Best Friend!

REGULAR FEATURES

Councillor’s Column Quirky Facts about Hampshire

JAN

2021

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IN THIS ISSUE...

January

Edition of your local Test Valley Gazette Community Magazine! Here at Modern Magazines we sincerely hope you had a good Christmas and were able to meet with some family and friends. We will certainly remember these times and really appreciate it when we have less restrictions and are able to go out and about more freely again. Inside your local community magazine Daichi, the Dashing Dude family Campervan, looks back at 2020 with some fond memories, despite all the setbacks. We made the most of the times we did have and are now looking forward to some new and exciting places to visit in 2021! Do you have any plans? You cannot go wrong with a good old British ‘staycation’ - no matter the weather. Whilst it is still a bit chilly, why not sit by the fire and have a read of these from cover to cover? There are things to do such as a wordsearch, a sudoku, a pub quiz and even a New Year’s Resolution’s page for you to fill in! There are also of course our wonderful local businesses and trades people. They really appreciate your calls. 2020 was a challenge let’s fact it, so let’s make 2021 the year we help our local shops, trades and businesses thrive like never before! Here at Modern Magazines with your local Directory, we intend to do everything we can to help them. I know you are with me on this. I really appreciate all that you do to help keep our neighbourhood businesses alive. We wish you a great 2021. May we move forward from this past year with new enthusiasm and a spirit of helping one another. Very Best Wishes,

Debbie, Stephen and Tracey Debbie’s email: debbie@mlggazettes.co.uk Tracey’s mobile: 07500 592584 and email: tracey@mlggazettes.co.uk Emma’s email: emma@mlggazettes.co.uk

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6 Successful Court Outcome Over Village Water Tower 8 My Dog is My Best Friend! 9 Real Life Law 10 Pub Quiz 12 Andover children plant ‘Tree Walk’ in community woodland 14 Councillor’s Column 16 Sudoku 18 Winter Wordsearch 22 Raffle raises nearly £1000 for Hampshire countryside 24 The Adventures of Daichi 28 Quirky Facts about Hampshire 30 Puzzle Answers 34 Pets: Winter Care 34 Monthly Walk: Crowdhill & Fair Oak

Advertise with us Take your business to new heights with our aﬀordable advertising packages! Supply your own artwork or use our inhouse design and brand expert. To chat to Debbie or the sales team, give us a call on the number below...

01264 316499 Our magazines are printed in a factory that is FSC ® & ISO 14001 certiﬁed. Sustainable and environmentally friendly printing is part of our ethos. Using vegetable-based inks and recycling nearly 100% of our paper waste means you can be conﬁdent that this publication is not harming the planet. MLG Magazines Ltd reserves the right to accept or reject any article or material supplied for publication or to edit material prior to publication. The opinions expressed or advice given in this publication are the views of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the publisher. Every care is taken when compiling this magazine, however we cannot accept liability for misprints or mistakes. Dates and information quoted are believed correct at the time of going to press, but are subject to change and no responsibility can be taken for loss, damage or omission of material due to error. It is the client’s responsibility to ensure they have permission to use any artwork which they supply to us or request for us to reproduce. Unless prior consent of the publisher is given, no part of this publication is to be reproduced.

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Successful Court Outcome Over Village Water Tower Test Valley Borough Council has won a legal battle to protect part of the countryside in Goodworth Clatford after enforcing a planning decision. In 2018, a tarmac scalping hardstanding was laid around the water tower in the village. Although the tower isn’t a listed building, it is considered to be an important landmark feature of Goodworth Clatford, having been erected in 1936 and sits among attractive countryside. Upon discovering that this had been done without permissions, the council advised the applicant to remove the tarmacked ground, and that this was likely to be rejected by the council if a retrospective planning application was submitted. Despite this advice, the applicant chose to submit an application having already carried out the work, but this was then refused, and a planning enforcement notice given.

matters to come to this, but there were plenty of opportunities for this to have been put right earlier in the process. “What this is about, is protecting our countryside. This water tower is in miles of beautiful fields and countryside, and works such as this causes considerable harm if it is not done right. I’m grateful for the work of our planning officers, enforcement team and legal service to see this through.” For more information, Please contact Aaron Shaw Communications Officer

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ashaw@testvalley.gov.uk

This refusal of planning permission and the issuing of an enforcement notice was then appealed, but the Planning Inspectorate found in the council’s favour earlier this year as it breached planning policies in the council’s Local Plan. Having been given three months to remove the tarmac and restore the land, the defendants failed to fully comply, and the council began a prosecution process, which resulted in a successful day in court last month. The defendants, D C Li (Builders Ltd) were ﬁned £400 and made to pay £750 in costs, and a £40 victim surcharge as well as being ordered to remove the unauthorised materials. Planning portfolio holder, and deputy leader, councillor Nick Adams-King, said: “Of course we are pleased with the result, but this matter isn’t necessarily about a successful prosecution. We don’t want for

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The water tower, Goodworth Clatford, as of inspection in March 2018

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My dog is my best friend! A new dog walking and boarding business for Andover and the surrounding area has been awarded a Test Valley Borough Council Business Incentive Grant of £750. Danielle Marshall started My Best Friend, which is one of 11 dog walking and boarding franchises in the UK, because she loves the great outdoors and noticed her desk job had made life too sedentary. For Danielle, who also happens to love dogs, with two of her own, it was the perfect business venture. My Best Friend is licensed for up to 6 dogs (including Danielle’s 2 dogs). Danielle said: “I love being outdoors and my career in finance was very much a desk job. ‘My Best Friend’ franchise gives me the opportunity to be outdoors more and help out dog owners with boarding and walks. I was told about the Business Incentive Grant by the council’s Animal Welfare Officer and councillor Flood and I am so pleased to be offered the financial support for my new business”.

wish her every success in her new business venture and I am sure it will be popular with dog owners in the area.” The council’s £750 Business Incentive Grants are available to anyone looking to set up their own full-time business in Test Valley. Anyone who successfully applies for the grant will receive £750 if their business is still going strong 6 months later. These funds have become available to the community as a consequence of the council’s prudent investments, ﬁnancial management and the use of the New Homes Bonus.

Anna ward councillor Coole said: “The grant schemes are a fantastic opportunity for those wishing to set up new business initiatives in Test Valley and enables us to oﬀer a wider range of services for our local community. I am delighted that Danielle has been successful in her grant application and 8

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Thank youallforyour all your questions moreOur information, please call to Thank you for legal legal questions over the lastFor month. friendly team of experts randomly over the last month. Our friendly team arrange a free 20 minute appointment chose to answer the following question: of experts randomly chose to answer the with Samantha Borek by calling following question: by emailing us at “I have been with my partner for 25 years and we 01264 recently333336 bought aorproperty kappleton@middletonssolicitors.co.uk together. At the time of the purchase, we could not obtain a joint mortgage, “I am a named Executor in the Will so the property is in my partner’s sole name. I did“Ithowever pay part ofwe thewill be getting looks as though of a relative who recently died. I’m deposit and I help with the mortgage repayments.divorced I now worry what would but my Husband says that I not really sure what I need to do and happen if my partner and I split up or if he dies before me.” won’t be able to get my hands on our whether or not I need to instruct a house or evenpreparing a share aof it because solicitor. Arenot youalready able to giveso,me any Firstly, if you have done you may wish to consider it is owned by the Company that he guidance?” Declaration of Trust to reflect your financial contributions towards the runs. Can this be right?” property in terms of have the deposit and the mortgage repayments. This As anboth Executor, you no legal duty may or may not be. The case of document will confirm the but true ifownership of theItproperty notwithstanding to appoint a solicitor you choose Prest v Petrodel where the Supreme that to your thework sole together, owner of the property on the Land Registry’s do partner so, youiscan records. allowing your solicitor to take some of Court ruled that properties owned by a Company were in fact acquired the burden at this diffi It will be up to you and your cult time. partner to decide howand you held set out the deposit, byyour the contributions, Company oni.e. Trust yourAn respective shares in the house,for and how much for eachthe of you pays towards the mortgage etc., but Executor is responsible Husband – in other words the the Declaration of Trust will help to protect your financial interest if the property needs administering an estate inyou accordance Husband was in reality the benefi cial to be sold.with the Will. After a death, Executors owner. need to gather all information relating However, is important to point Secondly, if you and your partner have not prepared Wills, we itwould recommend that you do so as to the estate (such as values held c to soon as possible. If anything should happen to youout that each case is very specifi or your partner and you do not have valid Wills in bank accounts, shares, and any itsbe own facts and is unlikely in place, as an unmarried couple, your Estates would distributed in this accordance with to rules which liabilities etc.); report to HMRC; pay “across the board” and it may apply if you have died without a Will (referred to asapply “intestacy rules”). These intestacy rules do not any inheritance tax that may be cult, in some cases, to list unmarried as potential beneficiaries soremain very diffi if you do not have valid Wills in place, you may due; and partners ensure that the estate is “pierce the corporate veil” even if that get nothing. distributed correctly after a grant of appears unfair on a Wife or Husband probate beeninobtained where If you plan onhas marrying the future, this will put you a much stronger thaninyou are in andinchildren. It wouldposition be crucial thecertain estatetax is likely to be as well. Whether married or not, it is still worth nowappropriate. and it comes If with advantages such cases to take legal advice. For complex or if you foresee diffi culties considering preparing Wills so that you can decide more who should oversee distributing information, please callyour to Estate and or complications, it may be advisable how your Estate should be distributed. arrange a free 30 minute appointment to appoint a professional. with Dennis McNamara by calling For more information, please call our Andover office on 01264 333336 or email We are always happy to have a brief 01264 333336 or by emailing us at sborek@middletonssolicitors.co.uk. telephone conversation to discuss kappleton@middletonssolicitors.co.uk your circumstances, following which DO YOU HAVE SEND US YOUR LEGAL QUESTIONS you can decide whether or not to A LEGAL meet to progress matters further. sborek@middletonssolicitors.co.uk E-mail:

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THEN ASK OUR

1. Which famous English poet and novelist used the pen name Ellis Bell?

2. Over 99% of the world’s what comes from Hevea brasiliensis?

7. Before emptying into the Dead Sea, which sea does the River Jordan ﬂow through?

8. How many types of chocolates would you ﬁnd a box of Quality Street?

3. Which musical features the song ‘Memory’? 9. What is a mochachino? 10. Edward Teach is believed to be the real name of which famous pirate? 11. Can you name 2 American states consisting of only 4 letters in their name? 4. A work shift known as a ‘dog watch’ is related to which industry? 5. What does the German word ‘Meister’ mean? 6. Which famous Italian painted ‘The Last Supper’?

12. Which male artist performed ‘Somebody To Love’ at the Freddie Mercury Tribute concert at Wembley Stadium in 1992? 13. Who invented blue jeans alongside Jacob Davis? 14. In which ocean was the Mary Celeste discovered?

15. Which Jessie J song begins ‘It seems like everybody’s got a price, I wonder how they sleep at night?'

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Andover children plant commemorative ‘Tree Walk’ in community woodland for 9th annual Tree Planting Fortnight Between November 16-27th Andover Trees United held their 9th annual Tree Planting Fortnight in Harmony Woods; two weeks of tree planting that has been established in the Andover school calendar since 2012. During the fortnight, 21 British native ‘standard-sized’ (about 10ft tall) trees and 250 small hedgerow trees were planted by 10 school groups plus volunteers from the community. Three schools brought along and planted around 20 trees they had nurtured in their school nursery beds since last year. Andover Trees United were able to buy 26 standard-sized trees thanks to a grant from The Tree Council. These trees have been planted to create a British native tree walk, or arboretum.

On Saturday, December 5th, in National Tree Week, a Whitebeam will be added to the arboretum in dedication to the whole community, and will be planted by the ATU youth team, supported by the Mayor, Cllr Hatley. The remaining 4 school trees will be planted by families and friends on behalf of their schools on this day, too completing the planting of the arboretum. Some schools have dedicated their arboretum tree to someone special - and the arboretum itself is dedicated to all the lives aﬀected by the 2020 pandemic. “The planting of the community Whitebeam on the 5th symbolises a time to reﬂect on the year, the generosity and kindnesses of community, and the lives lost and lives changed over the past year.” said ATU founder, Wendy Davis.

Ten schools made their way to Harmony Woods over the planting fortnight. Another 16 schools will join the ATU team in the new year to help add more whips (young trees) to the hedge (supplied by The Woodland Trust) and to hang their own special labels on their arboretum trees, taking the total number of trees planted up to the yearly total of 1000. In spring 2021, the arboretum will grow even further with the creation of a wildﬂower meadow and chalk scrape (scraping back the top layer of soil to reveal the bare chalk earth beneath, encouraging a diversity of chalkloving plants). Chalk wildﬂowers will be sowed in the centre of the looped walk, and the pond will be extended. “Now that the new arboretum is taking shape we can’t wait to see how it will look in spring! We hope the local community will keep coming up to enjoy and look after it, too. A huge THANK YOU goes out to all the lovely volunteers who planted the special trees for the schools that couldn’t join us over the two weeks and whose hard work has ensured that the fortnight was a great success.”

“We still have around 750 trees to get in the ground, including several hundred meters of a new hedgerow. We have school groups booked in to plant trees in the woods early next year, and we are always looking for volunteers to lend a hand.” said Wendy Davis, Andover Trees United. If you're interested in helping out, please get in touch via volunteers@andovertrees.org.uk No prior experience of tree planting is needed, all will be explained and participation is FREE.

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COUNCILLORS COLUMN

Happy New Year. I hope that with the ongoing rollout of the coronavirus vaccine, 2021 will bring much more normality to our lives. At the time of writing, we’ve just concluded discussions with our local Clinical Commissioning Groups to offer The Lights Theatre in Andover and the Crosfield Hall in Romsey as vaccination centres. These sizeable venues are needed, especially in the short term, as the early vaccines will need to be stored in fridges and administered to large numbers of people on a daily basis. To help with the process, we’re supporting our community services partner Unity to recruit and manage a network of volunteers to act as stewards at the centres. This support includes a grant of £10,000 to support the volunteer effort. We’ve also agreed to provide free parking in both the West Street (Andover) and Crosfield Hall (Romsey) car parks for people receiving the vaccine and will provide free parking permits for those volunteering. It's astonishing that just 10 months after the first patient was infected in the UK, that a comprehensive vaccine programme is now rolling out to protect us from this ghastly disease. A huge thanks to all the scientists that developed the vaccine and to everyone who is now contributing to the rollout programme. As we look ahead to 2021, Covid assistance aside, the regeneration of Andover and Romsey town centres remains our top priority. In Andover, the first phase of the masterplan will be complete with the creation of a new park at Town Mills. We’ve

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reduced the service charges in the Chantry Centre for the second year in row since purchasing it and have encouraged more pop-up shops. We’re also working alongside the BID to put on a whole series of extra events in the town centre next year, boosting footfall. In Romsey, we will continue to progress the masterplan focussing on the South of the Town Centre and the recommendations of the Citizens Assembly. The outcome of the quick wins vote as to which of the improvements Romsey Future stakeholders wish to see carried out first was the improvement to Fishlake Stream. They’ll also be an opportunity this year for residents to have their say on the detail of a new multipurpose public hall to replace the Crosfield Hall. Finally, in December I ‘Walked Home for Christmas’ with a small team from Test Valley Borough Council, including the Chief Executive and our Armed Forces Champion, Cllr Nick Matthews - to raise money for Walking with the Wounded. Our 12-mile trek took us from Inkpen through the Bourne Valley to Enham Alamein, the village of remembrance. Covid has created a new battlefield and mental health issues that particularly impact ex-soldiers and their families. I was honoured to walk alongside a veteran, who told me what the charity is doing to provide support and I’m pleased to report that our team raised over £2,000 for this most worthy of causes.

Cllr. Phil North Leader of the Test Valley Borough Council Member for Bourne Valley www.philnorth.org

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Property Protection Trusts PPTs are by far one of the most common types of trusts included in wills. The PPT is designed to take the deceased’s share in the home and give someone else (usually your spouse) a life interest in the property which will give them the protection of living in the property for the remainder of their lifetime or earlier if the trust specifi es i.e. until remarriage. It also ensures that if the survivor requires long term care, at least half the property is preserved for the benefi t of their benefi ciaries who are normally the deceased’s children. These types of trusts are generally used for married couples or civil partners to ensure the share of the home will ultimately pass to your children at the end of the trust period whilst still ensuring the interests of the surviving spouse are protected. For example, a married couple, who have not been married before want to leave their share of their house to their children. They currently own the house as joint tenants. Dorset and Wight would sever the tenancy on the property registering them each as 50% owners. They then have their wills written to represent that if one died, their half of the property

would be held on Trust for the benefi t of their children but allowing the survivor to live in their share of the property for life or a specifi ed period of time. So, what is the point of a PPT? The main reason for a PPT is the protection it provides for the benefi ciaries i.e. your children, to ensure they are protected and ultimately receive a share of the home. If the share of the home is simply gifted to your partner directly, this could cause a number of issues – the main one being that the whole value of the house could be assessed towards payment of care fees. Another is sideways disinheritance i.e. the surviving partner remarries and the house passes to their new spouse under the Will. A PPT will enable the partner to stay in the home and will avoid the risk of the partner potentially disinheriting your children. Dorset and Wight are your local trusted provider of aﬀ ordable Lasting Power of Attorneys and professionally drafted Wills. You have undoubtedly heard of us Now is the time: to call us. Telephone 01264 252900 or 01983 623900 or visit: www.dorsetandwight.co.uk

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Winter Word Search Can you ﬁnd all 20 words? Hint: Horizontal, vertical, diagonal and backwards words makeup this winter word search.

C O L D A H E B D S N M X I C S S B U L L E W G

G A H M R K N S R T E K N A L B Z N G A X H A B

M R N M H C E H V A E G U N E R A O U A O R I B G T S C O G X P N C H N O C E W K V R I A I Y B

A H A G Z T D I B Y X G G A E Z E E R F M V F T

N D D R X T E F W O Q Z W R V O O N A F V A J Z

Y K A Y Y B B R O N E E X F R L I I Z O V N N L

I I N L I K V B N Q P T B O C C T I C I C L E V

Z K C B R S M O S R W S N O W F L A K E E C G E

E S S E A C H I B E R N A T E Y U K E T E A O A

F B C E I R J Q Y C M V U T D J B E F Y A G V N

V R A M V S G W H T F N U K O B J I G L M B C M E D T X E E Z L I Q I C K E J U S W K Z A N P L

L T R Y N U P L U H R Z P X Y I K A N W E Y L B

A A Y V R J N I Y D L H F E L D H Z N N A N B J

A R D C J K Q Z S R M A O K Q I A K K L T N P C

M H C L X G P Z S E V O L G N Z A W Z R E N I U

K P B T I B D A K S A L E T U M K O R W R S G O

L P I N I Y U R D R L S V N A B H X Y T I U F J

Y S N T N C G D H Z W E O I R O Q R B L D V D B

H V M E S I Z M M X M Q H N Z S C Z V Z G K S B

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Resolutions for the New Year 2021 More of this...

Less of this...

Things I will achieve...

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“

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its ﬁrst chapter is New Year’s Day. - EDITH PIERCE

Raffle raises almost £1000 for Hampshire countryside A raffle organised by volunteers at CPRE Hampshire, the countryside charity has raised almost £1,000 to help the local countryside to thrive. Robert Jamieson from the charity’s South Downs & Central District Group and co-organiser of the quiz nights usually held in Itchen Abbas and East Meon, says: 'We sadly had to cancel our two quiz nights this year due to coronavirus restrictions, however, not to be outdone we came up with the idea of holding a raffle in its place. The prize of a case of six Hampshire sparkling wines and the draw took place in November by our Chair, Dee Haas. As it was a raffle, we asked for a donation to enter. We're delighted to say that we sold 70 tickets and the raffle raised almost £1,000 to support our work helping the Hampshire countryside to thrive.’

Peter Lindon. The countryside charity depends entirely on public support and is currently running an appeal. There has been a surge of appreciation for the countryside and local green spaces during lockdown but with no events, this cannot be converted into much needed funds to support its work. Please visit: www.cprehampshire.org.uk/getinvolved/appeal-2020 to ﬁnd out more about how you can help to protect the Hampshire countryside now and for generations to come.

The winning ticket belonged to CPRE Hampshire members, Hugh and Sue Sandars of Micheldever. Robert Jamieson adds: 'We intend to hold the quiz evenings again next year when we sincerely hope that all the current troubles will be behind us. It is always a great evening and enjoyed by everybody. We need to raise funds for CPRE Hampshire as it keeps the charity doing its job, protecting our countryside at these diﬃcult times.' CPRE Hampshire is very grateful to the quiz nights organising team - Robert Jamieson, Christopher Napier and

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Dee Haas with Robert Jamieson drawing the raﬄe on a public bridleway in Ellisﬁeld because of the current Covid rules

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Don’t leave it too late to put your aﬀairs in order People often talk about putting their aﬀ airs in order, but then sit on their hands until it is too late. The serious consequences of delay in seeking legal advice were underlined by a case in which a woman waited until she was a resident in a hospice, terminally ill with cancer, before instructing a solicitor to prepare her will. The woman signed her will 10 days before her death. Her main asset was a house she jointly owned with hew mother, who survived her by about four years. An issue of great signifi cance, however, later arose as to whether they owned the property as joint tenants or as tenants in common. If they held the property as joint tenants, the principle of survivorship applied, and on the woman’s death, her half share passed automatically to her mother. In that event, the property formed part of the mother’s estate when she died and the entirety of the proceeds of its sale - more than £400,000 - fell to be distributed in accordance with her will. If, on the other hand, they held the property as tenants in common, the woman’s share of the property fell into her own estate. On the same day that the woman made her will, she signed a notice which purported to sever her and her mother’s

joint tenancy, thereby converting it into a tenancy in common. A letter containing the notice was sent to her mother by registered post. A few days after the woman died, however, the letter was returned undelivered. Against the background of those unfortunate events, the executor of the mother’s estate launched proceedings. Half the proceeds of the property’s sale were held in a solicitors’ account pending a judicial resolution of the matter. The High Court noted that the non-delivery of the letter meant that the mother had not been served with the notice. That defi cit had not been cured by a letter sent to the mother by the Land Registry four days before her daughter died. The joint tenancy had therefore not been validly severed and the Court ruled that the entirety of the proceeds of sale formed part of the mother’s estate. This is intended for general guidance only. In all cases specifi c advice should be sought. Bells are a specialist Wills, Probate, Residential and Commercial Conveyancing Practice. The oﬃ ce is open fi ve days a week: Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm (prearranged appointments only). Our professional service is right on your doorstep. Call us on 01794 513328.

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The Adventures of Daichi The Modern Magazines Camper Van Daichi the Dashing Dude, our wonderful, playful campervan has been looking back at 2020 and where he managed to take us, despite all the restrictions, lockdowns and worries of this last, unprecedented year. Yes, it certainly was a year of uncertainties. Daichi did not take us out every month, as the Government said, “No, there is a pandemic, protect the NHS, stay at home, save lives.” So, we all did. We sat at home, we did a lot of gardening, Netﬂ ix has never been so popular, Disney Plus made a fortune, Zoom calls to friends, family and business associates became the new ‘normal’ and Amazon, one of the biggest companies on the planet got bigger. Small, local shops closed. What a year. Well, Daichi is not to be beaten. Nine out of the twelve months of the year he took us to new and exciting places. We started at ‘Slop Bog’ in Ferndown, Dorset. It was a cool, damp day, but the walk was very relaxing. White cows, a curious calf, trees, shrubs, birds and time to chill out and have a chat while taking in our wonderful British countryside. Totally free. Daichi likes to see how many diﬀ erent types of places he can visit. England has such a wealth of historical sites, it would be amiss

Daichi basks in the sun at Lepe Beach

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Daichi on the ferry to the Isle of Wight to not see a British Castle! The old medieval Wardour Castle in Wiltshire was a great day out, all the way back in February 2020. Castles are inspiring places to visit and I am sure we will fi nd another this bright New Year to show Daichi some of our memorable British history. A fi rm favourite of mine is the Isle of Wight. This time the weather was cold, wet and very windy so the wooden house on the cliﬀ top was both a delight and a ‘haunt’. Waking up in the middle of the night to pitch black, then sudden outside lights appearing, was daunting, but the trip itself was pure family fun and crazy golf. Amazing views with such changing skies. We could have been abroad, but no, we were on a wonderful British ‘staycation’. There is so much to see that is right on our doorstep, or at least not that far away. Osborne House and Queen Victoria’s beach were truly uplifting. The New Forest and Lepe Beach was our fi rst drive out after the fi rst Lockdown. Boy, wild horses were not going to stop Daichi from getting out of that driveway! He was raring to go and beamed from wheel to wheel at all the ponies, horses, foals and cattle along the way. He was in his element. Lepe Beach and the ice cream van after months of not getting out were

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a sight for sore eyes and we all beamed from ear to ear at this! Delicious. It was a simple trip with coﬀ ee and a picnic but most enjoyable. We were free again and that was intoxicating! A Treasure Trail was our next adventure. You can buy these online or at Information Centres and some local shops. The one we chose took us all around the Isle of Purbeck where there are Ball Clay Mines. These trails give clues and directions to fi nd out ‘who dun it?’ and where? The stories are fi ctional, but the clues take you from one location to another around the area you have chosen. This one was a drive and walk trail so Daichi literally took part as he drove us over hills and winding roads, through beautiful Purbeck villages and even passed the house where the family lived that inspired the James Bond movies. Fantastic, long ranging views of greenery and perfect countryside, whilst educating us along the way. Daichi highly recommends Treasure Trails. Beacon Hill on the A34 may not seem like an exciting day out, but the views from this very steep hill and 360 degrees of pure space are breath-taking. The sheer exhilaration of climbing the 261 metre incline and then seeing the sheer expanse of hills, trees and the beautiful Highclere Castle, otherwise known as Downton Abbey, in the distance were worth every eﬀ ort. Again, learning about our history and the ‘Mummy’s Curse’ when the 5th Earl of Carnarvon was bitten by a fatal mosquito after funding the expedition which fi nally discovered

Daichi admires the sea at Bovisand

Daichi looks over the Isle of Purbeck Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922. This story has evoked many a movie since! The Earl’s tomb can be seen at the top of the hill. Taking my Mum and Dad to Docklow Pools was a real treat. Poor Dad, who is 85 now and Mum’s carer had managed on his own during the lockdown, so fi shing at his favourite retreat was a delight for us all. A holiday to remember… and we are hoping to make it again this year! Finally, our year ended with two fantastic trips, one to Devon and one to Cornwall. Bovisand in Devon with spectacular sea views over Plymouth Sound and the following month a trip to Kingsand and Cawsand literally opposite, across the large expanse of water. We loved this whole area and Daichi skipped his way around the winding lanes with gorgeous beaches, watching crashing waves on the shores. It may have been a year of ‘can’t do’ and many inhibitions but in between these trying times of being careful and protecting ourselves, Daichi still found time to take us out, when it was allowed, and have some family fun. His philosophy is very much what can be done, keep a positive view, get some space, get out and about and the world suddenly seems a better place. We hope you have plans to get out and about this year. We certainly have! Where will Daichi take us in 2021? By Debbie Corney

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Wild Winter Larders, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust The sight of your fridge or cupboards full after a trip to the shops can be very satisfying, but did you know humans aren’t the only ones who like to keep a wellstocked larder over the winter months? All sorts of animals have been seen hiding food away, ready to eat in the depths of winter when other food sources get scarce.

Under the ground: Perhaps more unexpectedly, some British subterranean species also keep food stores in winter. Moles keep stores of earthworms at this time of year, in preparation for the ground freezing and becoming too hard for them to feed. A mole’s storage method is rather gruesome; they bite the heads of worms, immobilising them and then keep their meal in chambers oﬀ their tunnels. In areas where ﬂooding is likely the moles might also store their prey in a ‘fortress’ above ground. Some worms have a lucky escape, if they haven’t been eaten by the time the weather warms up, they can heal their heads and tunnel their way out. Helping wildlife stock up for winter can be really simple. Putting out food for birds and letting your garden grow wild, with log and rock piles provides food and places for wildlife to wait out the cold.

PHOTO BY DAVID WILLIAMS

In the woods: Some of the first animals that we might think of when we hear the words ‘winter larder’ are squirrels. These furry mammals hide high-fat food in a scattered fashion, either burying their hoard or stuffing it into hollows in trees. Their stash often includes nutritious meals like acorns and hazelnuts, but red squirrels have also been seen keeping fungi in dry spots between branches to eat later. Squirrels hide so much food in preparation for winter that they inadvertently help woodlands to grow, with many of the forgotten seeds germinating in spring. Looking to our feathered friends, acorns are also a firm favourite with jays. They cache their food in a similar way to squirrels, scattering it throughout the forest and often

forgetting some of the piles. If not buried or hidden well, their stores may be eaten by mice before the jays ever get the chance.

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QUIRKY

BY MICA BALE

As the new year gets underway. Hampshire begins another chapter in a great line of historical moments and events. From the marriage location of Henry VIII himself to a castle whose prisoners staged theatre shows, here are ﬁve more interesting facts from around the county. It does not take a historian to appreciate Hampshire’s impressive history, in fact throughout the county are many hidden gems that provide snapshots into this treasure trove of heritage. The Fox Pub in Bramdean is one such gem. Dating back more than four hundred years, the pub has witnessed arguably one of the most signiﬁcant battles of the Civil War and amazingly, the Prince of Wales, later to be George IV, once visited this Hampshire inn for refreshments for himself and his companions. Even more remarkably, the future king even allowed the pub to display his coat of arms, which remains proudly on display in the inn today.

TWO

Have you visited the Bursledon Brickworks Industrial Museum? Believed to be the only Victorian steam-driven brickworks left in the UK, the brickworks date back to 1897 when the Ashby family saw the potential for a lucrative brick trade due to the rich supply of clay in Bursledon. Amazingly, just a few years later, in the early 20th century, more than twenty million bricks were being produced by this Hampshire enterprise! Through the years however, the brickworks saw less and less demand until 2015 when this slice of Hampshire’s industrial heritage was given a new lease of life as a museum open to the public.

Have you tried any of Hampshire’s own Gorilla Spirits? As well as producing a wide range of different spirits including gin, vodka, spiced rum and coffee liqueur, Gorilla Spirits, based in Upton Grey, also donates £1 from every bottle to the Gorilla Organisation which works to preserve endangered gorilla species for future generations. Founder Andy Daniel commented, “My vision for Gorilla Spirits Co. is to move with the market by creating a range of the highest quality spirits and liqueurs that people love to drink. Our commitment to donate £1 to the Gorilla Organization for every bottle that we sell lies at the heart of what we do but we look beyond this to find many other ways of making a positive contribution too”. That’s the ape-eal of Gorilla Spirits!

FOUR

Marwell Zoo is home to more than one thousand animals, from zebras and giraﬀes to snow leopards and pygmy hippos.

Interestingly, as well as helping with vital conservation work, the site of the zoo is itself an historic area. Rumour has it that the Marwell Estate which dates back to the 14th century, was the actual site where King Henry VIII married Jane Seymour whose family then owned Marwell Hall.

As one of the county’s greatest strongholds, Portchester Castle has been a beacon of fortitude since the times of the Romans and has played an important role in many fascinating eras of history. A large section of Portchester’s story includes acting as a gaol for various prisoners of war, most notably in the Napoleonic skirmishes, often holding thousands of foreign prisoners at a time. Amazingly, in 1810, Portchester was transformed into a theatre when French prisoners decided to amuse themselves by redecorating one of the castle’s many rooms and staging shows for fellow inmates and locals who would pay to see these shows!

Answers Page PUB QUIZ 1. Emily Bronte 2. Rubber 3. Cats 4. Maritime 5. Master 6. Leonardo da Vinci 7. The Sea of Galilee 8. 13 9. A drink made with coďŹ€ee and chocolate 10. Blackbeard 11. Ohio, Utah, Iowa 12. George Michael 13. Levi Strauss 14. The Atlantic Ocean 15. Price Tag

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Be sure to check out the next issue for more game pages! 30

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WINTER CARE FOR YOUR PETS!

By John Chitty BVetMed CertZoo Med MRCVS - Anton Vets

As New year starts, icy and snowy conditions are possible over the next couple of months. We all know how to look after ourselves and keep warm, but what do we need to consider for our dogs and cats to be happy and healthy during the winter season?

would be putting yourself at risk if trying to rescue a stuck dog. • You may need to reduce your dogs’ food if they are getting less exercise during the cold weather in order to avoid unnecessary weight gain.

Cats

Dogs

• Consider investing in a warm, waterproof and reflective coat for your dog, especially if they are short coated such as whippets and greyhounds, which are very susceptible to the cold and damp. Reflective details are particularly handy if you walk in the dark. • Reflective collars or lights which can be attached to a collar are also a good idea when walking down dark roads in the evening. • Rinse your dogs’ feet after walking especially if the roads have been gritted, as the salt can cause local irritation to the skin, but also potentially can be toxic if licked off the feet in large quantities. • Ice burn can occur on soft footpads, so consider protective boots if doing lots of walking on icy ground. • Dogs love to play in the snow, but be aware that snow can form large clumps of ice in the fur of long coated dogs, especially between the toes and on the underside of the dog. As well as being heavy and uncomfortable prolonged contact with the skin can cause ice burn.

• Antifreeze is extremely tasty to cats but sadly also highly toxic, so be careful using it and clean up any spills immediately, and make sure it is stored securely. • If your cat normally wears a collar, try a reﬂective one to make them more visible in the darker evenings. • Provide a litter tray in case they don’t want to go outside in the snow. It is recommended in households with multiple cats that you provide at least one clean tray per cat (plus an extra one for luck!) in diﬀerent locations. • If they do want to go outside make sure they have a warm area to shelter in if they can’t get back inside. • Many cats like to drink from natural water sources outside, however if these are frozen over they will need fresh water daily to be provided at home.

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A fresh walk from

Crowdhill & Fair Oak Start here This months walk heads out Eastwards of the Test Valley and treads brand new ground around the area of Fair Oak. The recommended parking and start point is from The Fox and Hounds, 3 Winchester Road, Crowdhill, SO50 7GD.

This is a walk of around 5 miles with complete variety of terrain and surroundings, but it is worth recording that the early sections are likely to be muddy, so that a time to complete the outing of roughly 1 hour 40 minutes could be acceptable. Thus, starting out from the car park we take the footpath immediately to the left of the pub, aiming down the gentle slope for about 300 metres; up to a T junction where we must turn right along a nice, wide gravel path, but only for 200 metres as far as the sharp left turn, where we go straight ahead into the woods (Upper Barn Copse).

Instead of aiming down the main bridleway we should veer slightly right here, at 45 degrees, up into the woods for just a short distance to join the perimeter path that runs on the edge of the woods, always keeping the wide open ﬁelds in view on the right. This path twists and turns regularly but continues on for some 800 metres before swinging right (still maintaining ﬁelds over to the right) and joining a switchback of a trail that includes crossing a truly rustic footbridge before climbing up and out onto a farm gravel track where we turn right. Once away along the farm track we are weaving a path towards Stoke Park Farm, a thriving dairy farm, and we thread between a food silo and barns,

ﬁrst turning left, then once beyond the barns, turning right (the blue footpath arrows on the telegraph poles conﬁrm the correct route) and ultimately pitching up along a fully metalled tarmac road going right away from the farm. We are now

aiming towards a new housing estate some 600 metres away, but not before we pass the Carp Fishery Hatchery on the right, then climb a rise and through the houses that are spread lightly around. Once past the far side of this housing we pass Bishopstoke Cemetery on the left then shortly after we take the left turn through a metal gate that leads back into Stoke Park.

always following the central trail. This feature track, drops down hill, does a shimmy, then returns uphill again until reaching another boundary metal gate (the North Eastern Entrance). We exit the park and aim directly up the unmade road for a further 200 metres, join the road and in about 150 metres turn left opposite the Truck and Trailer Factory.

Just after the wooden marker post we need to turn right at 45 degrees to arc round for 300 metres as far as the main entrance to the Park in Stoke Park Road.

Stoke Park is an area of 512 acres that was purchased by the Forestry Commission in 1948, but can trace it’s history back to 1205 when King John used it for deer hunting. There are still deer living around the woods but they are now safe from hunting. We are now on the main through trail that deﬁnes the entire park, by turning left we are joining the regular walkers going uphill, past a large stack of stored logs, and onwards

We are now commencing the ﬁnale of the walk, with a gentle 600 metre stroll beside new house on the left and woods on the right, passing a Children’s Nursery, crossing a local road and passing the entrance into Crowdhill Copse on the left, before arriving at our very ﬁrst turning (now on the right) in 50 metres. The last 300 metres back to the car is the reverse of the start of our walk some time earlier; with the car park appearing above on the right. A welcome rest and refreshment will always be available at The Fox and Hounds after another well earned outing.

Wrien by Malcolm Price

Finish here

POETRY PAGE

The Road Not Taken BY ROBERT FROST

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the ﬁrst for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the diﬀerence. Source: poetryfoundation.org

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Advertisers Index

Your quick guide to everyone and everything in your Directory... Appliance Repairs T.A. Spacagna.................................................... 27 Bathrooms Liberty Kitchens & Bathrooms........................... 25 Builders & Carpenters GNS Metalworks................................................ 15 JS Building Services............................................ 15 Paul Jones & Co................................................. 37 Tucker Joinery.................................................... 19 Willmont Building Services................................ 31

Health & Wellbeing The Dove Clinic.................................................. 15 Hearing Services Winchester Hearing Centre............................... 11 Kitchens Silverbrow Kitchens........................................... 7

Building & Landscaping Supplies Andover Patio Centre......................................... 33

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Carpentry & Joinery Input Joinery...................................................... 2

Pet Services Anton Vets......................................................... 33

Chimney Sweeps Toast.................................................................. 31

Plumbing & Heating D.J. Harris.......................................................... 31 Humphrey & Crockett........................................ 40

Computer Services Widenet............................................................. 13 Electricians Peak Electrics..................................................... 37 RG Electrix......................................................... 31 Romsey Electrical Services................................. 33 Funeral Directors A.H. Cheater...................................................... 19 Garage Doors Fix My Garage Door.......................................... 37 Garolla............................................................... 27 Skandoor............................................................ 5 Garage Services Premier Car Care............................................... 31 Scratched Cars................................................... 19 Garden Services Barker & Geary.................................................. 5

Hampshire Rural Management......................... 37 Handyman & Gardening Co............................... 37 Romsey Stump Grinding & Landscaping............ 19

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 We provide a full service including all building works, floor tiling, electrics and planning when necessary

 Full 10 year insurancebacked guarantee

Unit 5/6/7, Baddesley Park Industrial Estate, Botley Road, North Baddesley, Southampton, SO52 9NW Email: enquiries@outlookwindows.co.uk OPENING HOURS: Mon - Fri • 9am - 5pm / Sat - by appointment / Sun - closed

Reg No 16450

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

HUMPHREYANDCROCKETT.CO.UK

SAVE £200! *on selected models

Wood burning stoves

Renewable energy

VISIT OUR SHOWROOM

Plumbing & Heating

Chimney sweeping

(By Appointment Only)

01264 310493

Unit 11 & 12, Focus 303 Business Centre Andover, Hampshire, SP10 5NY

enquiries@humphreyandcrockett.co.uk

@mlggazettesnews Thewww.mlggazettes.co.uk Test Valley Gazette • www.mlggazettes.co.uk