Test Valley Forum Issue 147 - November 2020

ISSUE 147 NOVEMBER 2020

Forum TEST VALLEY

Life in your Community

Cover Painting - Pink Poppies by Nancy Chambers available to buy from www.nadiawaterfieldfineart.com

SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK

A TEA TIME TALE

ART TO BRIGHTEN AUTUMN

ON YOUR HIGHSTREET

Feel uplifted this Autumn

Written by Lucia Foster-Found

The Autumn Hampshire Art Show

Featuring your local retailers

STYLE ˙ INTERIORS ˙ HEALTH & BEAUTY ˙ INTERVIEWS ˙ FOOD & DRINK ˙ ENTERTAINMENT ˙ EVENTS

LONGSTOCK A charming village home with enormous character situated in the heart of a wonderful Test Valley village

LDC SOSto

Entrance Hall, Kitchen / Breakfast room, Sitting room, Dining room, Utility room, Cloakroom.

Main Bedroom, 3 Further bedrooms, 2 Family bathrooms. Gardens. Car parking.

EPC: E

GUIDE PRICE: £825,000

OVER WALLOP

STOCKBRIDGE

A detached village house standing in good sized gardens with an excellent double garage/office/studio

An attractive end of terrace house situated just off the high street

LDC SOSto

Entrance Hall, Sitting room, Dining area, Study, Kitchen, Utility, Cloakroom.

Main bedroom with en-suite shower room, 3 further double bedrooms, Family bathroom. Outbuilding/ garage with potential for office/ annex. Ample Parking EPC: D

GUIDE PRICE: £675,000

www.myddeltonmajor.co.uk

Porch leading to Entrance Hall, Sitting room, Kitchen/Dining room, 3 Bedrooms, Family bathroom. Garden. Garage.

EPC: D

GUIDE PRICE: £525,000

Tel: 01264 316000

THE TEST VALLEY FORUM NOVEMBER 2020

CONTENTS 04 Property Management

Buying, selling, letting?

Find local estate agents and property management services

29 Professional

10

04 Garden

29 Home

Make your garden dream come true

06 Wellbeing

Looking after your health and yourself!

10 Feature

12

Caring for Hedgehogs this Autumn

14 Leisure & Entertainment

Eat out, stay in: food, drink and dining in

Local services to keep your vehicle running smoothly

26 Feature

What a Waste

By Cathy Swan

Advertising Manager Mandy Head mandyhead@forumpublications.co.uk Design Manager James Curtis james@forumpublications.co.uk Accounts accounts@forumpublications.co.uk

Get in Touch Forum Publications Offices Unit 8A, Shelf House, New Farm Road, Alresford, SO24 9QH Tel: 01962 735137 www.forumpublications.co.uk

20

A Tea Time Tale

By Lucia Foster-Found

24 Motoring

Director of Marketing Rob Harrison rob@forummedianddesign.co.uk

Gill Grant gill@forumpublications.co.uk

18 Retail/On Your Highstreet

Director of Advertising Steve Walker stevewalker@forumpublications.co.uk

Lucia Foster-Found www. luciafosterfound.com

15 Food & Drink

20 Feature

Find local schools and educational experts

Editor Mark Tubb editor@forumpublications.co.uk

Contributors

Discover local events and days out in Hampshire

Our regular retail feature, Unique, Bespoke, Eclectic and Local shopping

Feel uplifted this Autumn and connect with nature

34 Education

The Arts in Hampshire

Trades, services, designers, All you need for your home

30 Feature

12 Culture

From photographers to solicitors - every professional service you need

Contacts

20

30

Test Valley Forum contains facts, views, opinions, statements, recommendations, advertisements and other content and links to external websites not owned or controlled by the magazine. Test Valley Forum takes reasonable efforts to include accurate, current information on its pages, but make no warranties or representations as to the accuracy, safety or value of the published items that are displayed. No liability or responsibility can be taken for errors or omissions in magazine content.

Test Valley Forum magazine content does not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or recommendations of its creators and any reliance upon its content is taken at the user’s sole risk. Adverts designed by Forum Publications remain the magazine's legal ownership. Readership figures calculated on an average national statistic of 2.5 readers per household Š Forum Publications Ltd, 2020

PROPERTY / GARDEN The Country House Company - Why have your property Fully Managed?

Kate Porter, Head of Sales

Kate Morton, Head of Lettings

Marishelle Butler, Head of Property Management

As a landlord, why have your property Fully Managed?

So that you will know that your property is safety compliant, being checked regularly and that there is a point of contact for the tenant.

In the past 5 years there have been over 150 new regulations affecting landlords and in some cases breaches of these regulations carry a criminal record or prison sentence. These regulations change quickly, and particularly during the current crisis.

If your property is Fully Managed your property manager will be updating you and ensuring that all safety checks are complete including electrical, gas, legionella and smoke and carbon monoxide testing.

Money is saved if systems and appliances are regularly serviced. If a property is Fully Managed then we would ensure that boilers and Agas are serviced, chimneys swept, oil tanks filled, septic tanks emptied, alarms serviced, plus more.

A Fully Managed property will be inspected at regular intervals. You will know that the tenant is looking after the property and complying with the terms of the tenancy agreement.

Why use The Country House Company to manage your property for you?

• We have a specialist team, all professionally trained and experienced in property management.

• We have a dedicated out of hours Management phone enabling landlords or tenant to contact a member of the management team at any time.

• We are bespoke with our service, appreciating that every property and tenancy is different.

• We have managed properties in the Test Valley area for many years and have a team of qualified contractors we can access at any time.

• We pass quotes for work straight through to the landlord without adding any additional handling charges.

• We discuss any work needed and always wait for approval on quotes before instructing a contractor.

• We ensure that all winter checks are carried out and are able to access a property in an emergency.

• We can provide a caretaking service so you know your property is being looked after between tenancies.

Most importantly we manage the expectations of the landlord and the tenant.

The landlord knows exactly what to expect and rely on and the tenant has a tenant charter clearly outlining their responsibilities and relationship with us.

There are many other reasons to use us so please call Kate Morton, Head of Lettings, Kate Porter, Head of Sales or Marishelle Butler, Head of Property Management on 02392 632275 to discuss this service further.

The landlord and tenant will be able to contact us at any time to report a fault with the property and repairs will be carried out quickly and efficiently by trusted and qualified contractors.

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For more information

01962 735137 stevewalker@forumpublications.co.uk

Bosque is a trading name of Just Limegrass Ltd. Harko: 07710 502798 Tom: 07855 656984 www.bosque international.co.uk

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PROPERTY / GARDEN

helping to safely

#keepthecountrymoving

Selling, Letting & Managing properties in the Test Valley 02392 632 275

sales@countryhousecompany.co.uk ď‚Ą lettings@countryhousecompany.co.uk management@countryhousecompany.co.uk countryhousecompany.co.uk

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Our services include garden maintenance, hard & soft landscaping, fencing & walls, ponds, lakes and natural swimming pool, planting schemes, hedging and tree planting and lawn and wildflower turfing for gardens of all sizes.

Our services include garden maintenance, hard & soft landscaping, fencing & walls, ponds, lakes and natural

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HEALTH &

WELLBEING If I had just 1 hour with every woman with pelvic health issues...

These would be my top 3 recommendations:

6

1.

Learn how to breathe The diaphragm is critical to pelvic floor (PF) health. Think of your abdomen as a fluid-filled balloon, and visualize the pressure system within. As you inhale the PF gently relaxes and bulges, and as you exhale the PF lifts and contracts. You could even liken the PF to a second diaphragm, also moving as you breathe.

Many of us have altered breathing patterns, either solely breathing in the upper ribs, with the shoulders elevated and belly sucked in, like a ‘soldier’ posture. Or breathing solely with the belly, with the upper back rounded and belly pooched out. Both of these patterns negatively affect the pressure system within the core and put too much pressure down on the PF. We must breathe with our lower ribs, feeling a 360 expansion around the lower ribs and little or no movement in the shoulders or belly. To master this takes time and effort, but practice makes permanent, and its important for your body to accept this as the new norm. Go to my video guide page for a little demo.

2.

Learn what is pelvis neutral The position of your pelvis is highly influential on PF health. How many of us have been repeatedly told to ‘tuck-under’ and ‘suck in your belly’? By constantly tucking our bottoms under, we are pushing our tail-bones forwards and inwards. As the fibres of the PF mostly run front to back, this inward motion of the tail-bone shortens and tightens the PF muscles, creating far too much tension and weakness. Kegel’s simply reinforce this.

Key point: Short and tight muscles are weak, and long and relaxed muscles are strong, just like Andrex! This tucked position is also constantly rein-forced by the way we sit. Generally we sit for far too long and in a slouched position, sitting on our tail-bone, further pushing it under.

Think about our balloon analogy again. If you’re spending too long tucking under and sucking in, the balloon gets squeezed, and that pressure finds the weakest point. Downwards to the PF. We need to un-tuck, but not too far, as over-arching the back can

be just as detrimental to the PF. We need to find neutral. Standing up, place the heels of your hands on the bony crests at the front of your pelvis or ‘hip bones’, and now drop your fingertips inwards and down onto your pubic bone. Look at the position of your hands. They should be in a vertical position. If your fingertips are coming forwards slightly, your pelvis is tucked under. If the heels of your hands are coming forwards your low back is too arched or swayed. Video demo on the website. Practice this pelvis neutral position throughout the day when you are sitting and standing, and now you can integrate it into your Kegel’s.

3.

Learn how to activate your Glutes The glutes are your buttock muscles that wrap around your backside and attach to the tailbone. They are your big powerhouse muscles that propel you forwards, get you up out of your chair and stabilize the pelvis.

The exciting relevance of the glutes to the PF, is that they can actually help balance the shortening and tightening of the PF caused by the tucking under of the tail bone. The glutes are the antagonists to the PF; they do the opposite. They can actually pull the tailbone back outwards and create the good length and strength we are looking for (think Andrex).

As we sit way too much and tuck our bottoms under, the poor tailbone is caught in a tug of war, gen-erally with the PF winning (short and tight). So another part of the answer is to fire up and activate the glutes to hold the tailbone in a neutral position with the muscles on either side long and strong.

So how to activate the glutes? Walking is a great start, and I recommend at least 30 minutes of a really good brisk walk every day. I would also highly recommend learning how to squat.

Squatting is enjoying a complete revival, and I am also a fan. If this scares the daylight out of you, don’t be put off just yet, there are stages to squatting and much squat preparation you can do! A Video demo is available on my web-site www.the-SOP.com

The position of squatting opens and stretches the PF, and the getting down and up activates the glutes, core and thigh muscles.

It is a key movement that we are designed to do. Think of a toddler comfortably playing for hours in a squat position, or people in developing countries squatting to eat, socialize and go to the loo.

We have long lost this movement, due to society dictating the use of chairs.Relaxing and lengthening the PF is just as important as strengthening it (if not more so if all you’ve ever done is just Kegel’s). You can’t strengthen a muscle that is short and tight. Just breathing whilst stand-ing or in the squat position, feeling that lovely bulge in the PF as you inhale, helps to stimulate the blood flow to the area, improving tone and muscle health.

So, once you have figured out this new way to breathe, stand and squat, put it together with your Kegel to create a far more effective exercise.

Emma Wightman www.the-sop.com

WELLBEING

STOCKBRIDGE OSTEOPATHIC PRACTICE

Osteopathy and Cranial Osteopathy Emma Wightman, registered osteopath and antenatal teacher. A gentle, hands on approach for newborns through to adulthood and in pregnancy.

Also Massage Therapy Pilates, 1 to 1 and small group Homeopathy Naturopathy Online Bookings available for Osteopathy and Massage via the website

• McTimoney Chiropractic • Sports Therapy • Allergy Testing • Hypnotherapy • Homeopathy • Counselling • Nutrition Chiros Clinic has close links to Andover Osteopathy, for more information contact Mark on 01264 580280

Tel: 01264 810028 www.the-SOP.com reception@the-SOP.com STOCKBRIDGE OSTEOPATHIC PRACTICE - HIGH STREET, STOCKBRIDGE, SO20 6HF

36 East Street, Andover, SP10 1ES

www.river.dental …………… …………...

call 01264 810818 kingfisher@river.dental

River Dental, 1 Clarendon Terrace, High St, Stockbridge, Hampshire, SO20 6EY

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WELLBEING

Happy 5 Birthday to The Hub th

A

delle Glibbery opened The Hub hair salon at the top of Stockbridge High Street five years ago with the vision of creating a high-quality service, for women and men, that made her customers feel like guests, and made her clientele feel like they had been looked after in surroundings that were at the same time both professional and competent and homely and in tune with the Test Valley’s special character.

Adelle and her team offer not just a haircut! A first visit to The Hub is a fantastic mixture of being well-looked after in both the hosting and the professional sense. Guests will not only receive a technicallyskilled haircut. Before the haircut, a detailed consultation will take place, including the use of cosmeceutical products from La Biosthétique to check scalp and hair condition, and to discuss with clients not only what looks best for them, but also what will be best for them in terms of the ongoing health of their hair and scalp.

Only then will the haircut start, bespoke to individual requirements.

And all of this while, at the same time, being looked after as a guest.

For all of us the last year has been a challenge. Transitioning into a COVID-secure environment has, of course, had the same practical challenges for The Hub as it has for every other business in Stockbridge. But the ethos of The Hub has made it easier for the team to understand and empathise with the new working conditions.

The Hub team have always had, at the very forefront of their working ethos, a desire to look after their guests. Making them safe in these demanding times was therefore at the centre of their thinking during Lockdown and has ensured that, upon re-opening, a safe and secure environment for every guest has been at the forefront of everyone’s minds. The Hub is still delivering an expert service, and is now also doing so in as protected a setting as possible.

It is no surprise that, five years on and despite the extraordinary times in which we now live, The Hub remains a popular and thriving business, with a loyal clientele and a regular flow of new guests.

Advice and help extends to skin care and make-up (and a wide range of La Biosthétique products are available all of which, just as with the hair products, contain natural preservatives rather than chemicals, and a guarantee of no animal testing). The care that one experiences on the first visit is carried through into every subsequent visit, and the friendly, cheerful, restful and professional atmosphere continues to welcome back both old friends and new faces.

Tel: 01264 810139 www.thehubstockbridge.co.uk Follow us on Instagram @thehubstockbridge The Hub, Old London Road, Stockbridge, Hampshire, SO20 6EJ

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THE HUB

THE CREATIVE UNISEX HAIR SALON IN STOCKBRIDGE Our talented and creative stylists will strive to satisfy your exact needs, providing speciality consultations upon request for hair and scalp diagnosis. We also offer speciality treatments to suit problematic scalps and care concepts to prevent hair loss.

Tel: 01264 810139 www.thehubstockbridge.co.uk Follow us on Instagram @thehubstockbridge THE HUB, OLD LONDON ROAD, STOCKBRIDGE, HAMPSHIRE SO20 6EJ

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FEATURE

Caring for Hedgehogs this Autumn

W

hat is an Autumn juvenile?

Autumn juvenile hedgehogs are ones that are old enough to be away from their mothers but too small to hibernate. The autumn juvenile season can start as early as September and is busy through until the end of November. However, some will struggle on and the occasional one can be found from December through until April.

[The season will vary slightly depending whether you live in the south or north and depending on the weather]. The ones found in March and April may have struggled through the winter or they may have hibernated but at the minimum weight for hibernation so they are weak when they emerge.

Young hedgehogs can and will hibernate at 450gms (1lb) or less but are more likely to survive hibernation at 600gms (22oz) and will be in better condition post hibernation.

Hedgehogs that can probably be left in the wild If the hedgehog is a regular visitor to your garden, is only seen at night, appears active and you are prepared to feed it every night then it can be left in the wild. See notes on feeding and feeding stations.

However if the hedgehog goes off its food, wobbles and staggers or starts coming out in the day or you notice it has green slimy poo especially if there is blood in it, then it needs extra help as soon as possible (see basic first aid). Even if you must bring a hedgehog in do keep putting food outside as there may be siblings or other autumn juveniles making the most of your hospitality. If the food does not go you could continue to provide dry cat biscuits – these will not go off as quickly as tinned food so are less wasteful. Make sure there is water available, especially if feeding dry foods. It is helpful if you can weigh your visitor at least once a week if its size is a concern to ensure it is putting on weight and doing well. Any under 250gms in autumn are likely to be genuine orphans and should be rescued immediately.

Hedgehogs that are probably best rescued Hedgehogs are nocturnal so those out in the day are displaying odd behaviour. Even though they appear lively and are rushing around these hedgehogs probably need rescuing in autumn/winter. Once out in the day they can be days away from death. Even when rescued they can seem OK for a day or so and then suddenly collapse and die. So if out in the day whether rushing about or curled up asleep they need rescuing.

Hedgehogs do NOT hibernate in the open. They make a nest of leaves etc and disappear into the depths of the nest and are completely hidden.

Hedgehogs under 450gms (1lb) that appear to be hibernating (cold and in a tight ball) are suffering from hypothermia and are in fact dying.

These must be rescued if they are to stand any chance of survival.

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Towards the end of October or if bad weather is expected those under 350gms (12oz) may best be rescued whether they are out day or night. If in doubt call us on 01584 890 801 to find a carer near you and seek their advice. In October small ones seen away from your garden eg crossing the road at night may also be best rescued as they may not have a ready supply of food as ones regularly visiting your garden.

Feeding They can have hedgehog food, meaty cat or dog food or cat biscuits. They will also need a dish of water, especially if dry biscuits are offered.

Feeding Stations Make a feeding station for the outside hedgehogs. Use either a plastic mushroom box or child’s toy box or similar and cut a 13cm x 13cm (5”x 5”) hole in one of the short sides. Place this over the food, like a tunnel, and the hedgehog can get through the hole to the food but it keeps the cats out. A brick on top should stop the box being pushed aside.

Another brick or large stone placed 13cm (5”) from the entrance should stop a cat lying down and hooking the food out with its paw. Always make sure there is a little food left in the mornings – if not, you are not feeding them enough.

Basic First Aid Line a high-sided box (hedgehogs are good climbers) with newspaper and put it in a warm room. Pick the hedgehog up using a towel and place it in the box; use that towel as some bedding for it. If the hedgehog is lethargic, cold, wobbles and staggers then it needs a hot water bottle or similar. These hedgehogs need more intensive care and are best passed on to a hedgehog rehabilitator as soon as possible. Cover the bottle with some towel and place the hedgehog on this but still with its towel covering it. The water in the bottle will need to be changed every few hours to keep it warm. Alternatives to hot water bottles are soft drink bottles full of hot water, ice cream or margarine tubs full of water with the lid on, wheat bags (UNFRAGRANCED ONLY cover with a small plastic bag to prevent it becoming soiled) a pet snuggle safe or heat pad or a reptile heat mat. Do not use back warming pads for human use, as they are not designed to be urinated on! Provide food and water and then SEEK ADVICE (including the numbers of carers in your area who may be able to help) – telephone us on 01584 890 801. Many autumn juveniles will have lungworms that in turn can cause breathing difficulties. Those already showing problems ie out in the day will be most at risk and are likely to have the highest worm burdens. Symptoms may include lack of appetite, no weight gain even when eating, coughing and rapid breathing. These will need worming and antibiotics so are best passed to a rehabilitator who can arrange veterinary treatment.

British Hedgehog Preservation Society www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk

SOUND ADVICE SAFELY DELIVERED

HEARING PROBLEMS?

Feeling more isolated and anxious during lockdown? Are you having trouble hearing TV or talking on the telephone?

VISIT US AT ALRESFORD HEARING STUDIO

FOR ALL YOUR HEARING NEEDS Visit us for a complete inspection of your ear canal and eardrum.

If your problem is ear wax, we can remove it for you.

Lo c I n de al & pe Fami ndent ly B u s i n Ru n ess

We offer appointment times at short notice to suit you and have a very competitive pricing structure of £80 for both ears or £55 for a single ear.

Alternatively, we specialise in the very latest digital hearing technology and have the best solutions to meet your personal hearing needs.

In addition to an enhanced cleaning regime we are taking additional precautions with regards to Personal Protective Equipment, including contactless hand sanitiser, IIR type masks, gloves and aprons all which have all been approved by our governing bodies.

BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY

01962 790749 VISIT US FOR:

WE OFFER:

• Free Hearing Tests • Latest Technology Demos

• A Bespoke Dedicated Service

• Tinnitus Advice • Custom Hearing Protection

• Independent Advice • Home Visits

CALL US ON 01962 790749

TO BOOK YOUR FREE APPOINTMENT ALRESFORD HE ARING STUDIO

4 2 W E S T S T R E E T • A L R E S F O R D • H A M P S H I R E • S O 24 9 A U CALL US TODAY ON: 01962 790749 • VISIT US AT: alresfordhearingstudio.co.uk 535200672

ALRESF ORD HEARING STUDIO

CULTURAL

Beautiful Art to Brighten up this Autumn gallery – the largest in Hampshire – artwork from a broad pool of artists, both emerging and well established, across a wide variety of subjects, genres and media, can be exhibited side by side so there’s something to suit all tastes and budgets.

A life-affirming landscape reminiscent of happier days, a still life that makes you stop and stare, an exquisite portrait…. What better way to distract from these changing times than with some beautiful art? At the Hampshire Art Autumn Show, which runs from the 6th November - 12th December 11am-4pm at The Old Grain Barn, Goodworth Clatford, there’s plenty to inspire with this stunning new collection of paintings, sculptures and ceramics from over 60 British and European artists.

Nadia Waterfield Fine Art has become synonymous with exhibitions which showcase a vast array of eclectic, well-chosen contemporary art all under one roof. Due to the sheer size of this elegant, impressive

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All of Nadia Waterfield Fine Art shows are kept vibrant, fresh and relevant as Nadia, an artist herself, handpicks each piece from artists around the country. This exciting new Autumn Show is no different with a dazzling choice of over 250 original artworks exhibited in the gallery and online.

However nothing beats seeing art ‘in the flesh’ to properly catch the essence of a piece and fortunately due to the size of the Stockbridge gallery, distancing is made easy. Groups of up to six can happily and safely peruse the wonderful paintings, sculptures and ceramics while enjoying the welcoming atmosphere with cosy fires and coffee to hand. Parking is ample and the surrounding countryside is great for walking. All safety guidelines are diligently adhered to.

If you want to see more of Nadia Waterfield Fine Art and are in the area, pop in to our Bruton gallery which has an exciting new collaboration with well-known vintage brand Cabbages and Roses, alongside running a solo show by talented Norfolk artist and designer Belynda Sharples from 12th November to 5th December. The gallery is open Tuesday Friday 10am-4pm; Saturday 10am-4pm.

If you would like a private tour of the Hampshire Art Autumn Show then please arrange a viewing by appointment.

Nadia Waterfield Fine Art T: 07717 833999 www.nadiawaterfieldfineart.com

W N

NADIA WA T E R F I E L D F I N E

A RT

THE AUTUMN HAMPSHIRE ART SHOW

Stockbridge Hampshire | Bruton Somerset

Bryan Hanlon - Still life of Redcurrants. Oil on Board. 80 x 80cm

Over 300 artworks by British and European artists

6 November - 12 December 2020

Stockbridge Gallery

The Old Grain Store, Nr Stockbridge, Hampshire SP11 7LF.

GALLERY OPEN

AA signs will direct you from all major roads.

The entire exhibition can be viewed online at www.nadiawaterfieldfineart.com

Thursday 6th, Friday 7th & Saturday 8th November 10.00am - 5.00pm by appointment only.

Welcoming visitors thereafter, Wednesday - Saturday 11.00am - 4.00pm until the end of the show.

The safety of our visitors is our utmost priority, all Government guidelines will be in place.

LEISURE / ENTERTAINMENT Stockbridge Music saves harp recital with latest live-streaming technology

Unwrap a Handmade Christmas

Friday 6th November at 7:30pm. Under what can only be described as unusual circumstances, our scheduled concert with harpist Sarah Deere-Jones and guitarist Phil Williams was for some time hanging in the balance.

However, technology has prevailed, and we are thrilled to announce that, as well as performing live for a small, socially distanced audience in the “We’re Good To Go” accredited Stockbridge Town Hall, Sarah and Phil’s concert will be available for you to live-stream directly into the comfort of your own homes.

This means adapted that we now have the exciting of being able to adapted by adapted by Charly byCharly CharlyArmstrong Armstrong adapted byprospect CharlyArmstrong Armstrong open the concert up to unlimited numbers, for a small fee of £5 per device.

Wuthering Wuthering Wuthering Wuthering Heights Heights Heights Heights

This is breaking new ground for SM and we hope you will show your support, either by coming to the live concert or tuning in as the concert happens from home, as we strive to continue to bring top class live music into your lives.

Wuthering Wuthering Wuthering Wuthering Booking information and timings can be found at Heights Heights www.stockbridgemusic.co.uk/buy-tickets.

Heights Heights

ThIs Christmas decorate your home in style and find the perfect present at Fisherton Mill, in the heart of Salisbury’s city-centre.

Housed in an iconic Victorian grain mill over two floors it boasts the largest independent art gallery in the South West, an award-winning cafe and some fascinating artists’ studios. Together with a dazzling array of inspired and original giftware, there’s no better destination for the discerning shopper.

WAS ITWAS YOUIT YOU

“We always strive to provide something individual, fresh and original and this year is no exception,’ owner Deborah Fox says. ‘The

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Tim Lowden - Music Director

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23–28 MAR 2020 @ 7.30PM

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11-21 NOV @ 7.30PM & 15 @ 2.30PM. NO PERF 16 NOV

Plucker Plucker & Friend & Friend

6-11 APRIL 2020 @ 2.30PM & 7.30PM 6-11 APRIL 2020 @ 2.30PM & 7.30PM

9-19 DEC @ 7.30PM & 12,13,19 @ 2.30PM. NO PERF 14 DEC

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23–28 MAR 2020 @ 7.30PM 23–28 MAR 2020 @ 7.30PM

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6-11 APRIL 2020 @ 2.30PM & 7.30PM 6-11 APRIL 2020 @ 2.30PM & 7.30PM

LEISURE / FOOD & DRINK

Among this year’s gift selection is the Noble Isle range of luxury bath and shower products featuring quintessentially British natural extracts, carefully sourced from locally celebrated producers throughout the country. Shunning the ordinary in favour of the original, product lines include the wonderfully named Rhubarb Rhubarb.

Illustration by Sally Firino ©

focus is on premium quality and craftsmanship with the majority of our items featuring design flair married to traditional skills. Our gift offer is deliberately diverse at Christmas and complemented by an imaginative range of home decorations,’ explains Deborah.

New this year for the home are Scandinavian Heim Design’s concrete tea lights which would make a delightful, individual gift.

These lights come in three colours back, natural and white and are typical of the original lighting ideas available at Fisherton Mill.

Food is taken seriously at Fisherton Mill and there are always some mouth-watering treats on offer. Indulge yourself or share with someone else some exquisite Holdsworth handmade chocolates.

Resist the temptation to try them straight away and instead, after a stimulating and satisfying shop, relax and enjoy the delights of the Gallery Cafe. Recently refurbished and with a new barista coffee bar there is a scrumptious selection of homemade cakes baked daily and a mouth-watering contemporary lunch menu all made on the premises.

Only a few minutes walk from the City centre and open Monday to Saturday Fisherton Mill is Salisbury’s destination shop ideal for Christmas.

JESSIE KEANE QUEEN OF THE UNDERWORLD A MILLION BOOKS SOLD

ART CRAFT GIFTS CERAMICS JEWELLERY HOMEWARES GARDEN ART LIGHTING AWARD-WINNING CAFE & MORE

THE MANOR

ON SALE 31ST DECEMBER

AT ASDA, TESCO AND ALL GOOD BOOKSHOPS OR ORDER DIRECT FROM JESSIE’S WEBSITE WWW.JESSIE-KEANE.CO.UK OR PRE-ORDER NOW FROM AMAZON

1 0 8 F i s h e r t o n S t r e e t , S a l i s b u r y, S P 2 7 QY

Mon-Sat 10-5

W W W. F I S H E R T O N M I L L . C O . U K

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Quob Park Estate

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RETAIL

Change Of A Dress A Brand New Independent Boutique Dress Agency in Romsey

W

e are very pleased and excited to be opening Romsey’s only independent, boutique clothes agency in the heart of the fashion district of Romsey in Bell Street.

In these Covid times when many stores are sadly closing, we are delighted to be able to offer the discerning shopper of Romsey the opportunity to buy ethically and sustainably with our huge range of nearly new clothing and also to sell unwanted items of clothing and accessories on a 50/50 basis.

Ali Galvin, formerly of The Clothes Line Dress Agency in Winchester, has joined Simon Wills to create this new buying and selling experience. She has 27 years of experience in this line of business and together they have created a stylish, elegant store. Recycling and sustainability is at the heart of the ethics of a clothes agency and this is certainly what Change of A Dress is all about.

In addition to the Dress Agency, The Frock Shop which operates within Change of A Dress, specialises in renting exquisite evening wear and prom dresses.

The opening was very well supported by many local people including the future Lady Mayor of Romsey Karen Dunleavey and the very famous local Lawrie McMenemy - we are grateful to them all.

Ali and The Team look forward to welcoming you. www.changeofadress.co.uk 23 Bell Street, Romsey, SO51 8GY

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Dress CHAN GE OF A

An Independent Boutique Dress Agency in the heart of Romsey’s fashion district, Bell Street

Recycle, regenerate and buy sustainably in store and online (in the near future) Change of a dress is dedicated to making fashion more inclusive, diverse and less wasteful through the sale of second hand and pre-loved ladies clothing, bags, shoes and accessories.

We take upper high street brands upwards and currently have in store:

• Max Mara • Jigsaw • DVF • Chanel • Mulberry • Kate Spade • Ralph lauren • Russell & Bromley • Joseph • Hobbs To name but a few!

All items are sold on a 50/50 basis and no appointment is necessary

Opening Hours Monday - Saturday: 10:00 - 16:30 Sunday: 11:00 - 15:00 Out of Hours Number: 07719 530990 If you have any queries, please contact Ali by email: ali@changeofadress.co.uk

www.changeofadress.co.uk

23 Bell Street, Romsey, SO51 8GY

FEATURE

A Tea Time Tale © LUCIA FOSTER-FOUND 2020 WWW.LUCIAFOSTERFOUND.COM

T

hey turned the corner and the Georgian former vicarage came into view, just as dusk was gathering late on a November afternoon.

“Your great aunt’s house is lovely “ he observed.

“Yes – isn’t it” she agreed. The gardens were in their last autumn gasp of glory; Michaelmas daisies gave a splash of colour and the love-in-a-mist seed heads added decorative texture. The gardener leaned on his rake and puffed on his pipe. He touched the brim of his hat as they passed. A quintessential English scene.

Auntie was a good host. Egg and cress sandwiches, sausage rolls, home-made scones with clotted cream and jam - and a cup of tea from the bone china service. Replete, they sat back and chatted about the weather; balmy for the time of year and the frosts were late in coming. Finally, she broached the subject of ‘the story’.

“So Auntie – please will you tell it to him.”

“Tell what to him?” Auntie feigned puzzlement.

“Oh Auntie – you know, the family ghost story. You’ve got the biggest sceptic here to convert.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m afraid so. I just think that ghosts are the product of credulous people of a certain fanciful disposition. But I love a good yarn, so please continue.”

Auntie showed a certain reluctance, but sighed and started to speak.

“Our family hasn’t always been well off. I grew up in a keeper’s cottage in the woods. One afternoon we had a visit from some relatives of my mother that I had never met. We had tea. Not the scones and cream type, more fruit cake and bread and dripping, as I recall.

Anyway, their daughter, who was about five years old, kept looking at the window. Probably about this time of year or maybe December, because it was dark outside already and only five o’clock or so – but she kept going up to the glass pane and looking out.

“There’s someone outside” she said.

“Well, we lived in the middle of the estate, so there shouldn’t have been anyone about. My father was instantly alert. Poachers, you see.

He immediately went outside and looked around but couldn’t see anyone.

When he came back in, the little girl pointed to the window again and said “But he’s just there – it’s a little boy. “ My mother went deathly pale, but my dad, he went out, this time with a lamp and we saw him appear at the window.

“There’s no-one there Mum.” He reassured my mother when he returned.

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But the girl, she persisted “The little boy, I think he wants to come in.”

My mother said “What does he look like?” and the child replied “he’s got white hair.”

My parents looked at each other and my mother put her hand over her mouth and left the room. When she came back in, she had a photograph which she showed to the young child.

“Yes, him. But he’s gone away now.” I remember the little girl sounded sad.

My parents ushered the other adults out into the kitchen where they had a whispered conversation, before they took their daughter and left. I badly wanted to see that picture, but it took a few days of pestering before my parents sat me down and explained. I’d had an older brother that I never knew about, that my parents never talked about. He’d died of diphtheria when I was just a baby - and the black and white photograph was of him. He had blonde hair.”

Auntie finished her story.

“But of course, it was all such a long time ago and your memory may be playing tricks. I’m afraid I still don’t believe in ghosts. It is, forgive me for saying, complete and utter nonsense. A good story ‘though and you do tell it well, Auntie. I expect you’ve had a lot of practice..” He was complimentary and patronising all at once. “Thank you for the wonderful tea and extra entertainment, but we’d better get going – miss the traffic.”

She and her great Aunt exchanged knowing smiles and shrugged their shoulders. They kissed goodbye with promises not to leave it so long next time. As he bent to kiss her wrinkled cheek the old lady said to him “Oh, did you happen to see Morris, my gardener, on your way in?”

He nodded. “Old boy raking the leaves. Hat and pipe?”

“That’s him. He does like to materialise for visitors.”

He frowned slightly “materialise – as in he only does any work when he’s got an audience? Perhaps you should get yourself a new gardener.”

“Yes, well of course I had to.” Auntie winked at her great niece who smiled back.

His frown had deepened “Had to?”

Both women were laughing now, but he still didn’t get the joke.

Auntie laid a gentle hand on his arm as she said quietly “Yes. You see, Morris has been dead these thirty years.”

Footnote: One of these ghost stories is true.

RETAIL Change of a Dress Kate spade showerproof coat M/L - £90 Scarf fine wool - £28 23 Bell Street, Romsey, SO51 8GY www.changeofadress.co.uk

Fisherton Mill Gallery & Gifts Vecelli red wrap - £140 108 Fisherton Street, Salisbury SP2 7QY www.fishertonmill.co.uk

Andrew Smith & Son Auctioneers Monthly General Sale Antiques & Interiors Sat 7th and 21st Nov - Itchen Stoke, Alresford SO24 0QT Tel:01962 735988 | www.andrewsmithandson.com

on your highstreet UNIQUE - BESPOKE - ECLECTIC - LOCAL

W. Carter & Son Fine jewellery since 1817 3 & 5 Minster Street, Salisbury, SP1 1TB Tel: 01722 324 340 | wcarterandson.co.uk

Change of a Dress Y.A.s brand new - £120 23 Bell Street, Romsey, SO51 8GY www.changeofadress.co.uk

Fisherton Mill Gallery & Gifts Hand-poured Soy Wax Candles from £12.50 108 Fisherton Street, Salisbury SP2 7QY www.fishertonmill.co.uk

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YOUR

COMMUNITY Clatfords Village Store and Post Office Welcome to Christmas Shopping in the Clatfords. On the weekends of the 7th & 8th and 14th & 15th November from 8.00 am – 5.00pm

Worried about single use plastic?

Want to do something positive about it?

Late Night Christmas Shopping Mondays 9th and 16th November until 7.30 pm. Lovely Christmas stock & new gifts to buy for family and friends. Order your local Turkeys, Sausage meat, Chipolatas, Christmas Cakes,Puddings, Mince Pies and individual Hampers.

Village Street, Goodworth Clatford, Near Andover SP11 7RE Telephone: 01264 337 497 Visit us on Facebook & Instagram storeclatfordvillage@gmail.com

Council cracks on with climate plan Test Valley Borough Council has slashed its paper consumption, is driving down its energy use and is continuing to increase its fleet of electric vehicles in a bid to become carbon-neutral. The authority declared a climate emergency in September 2019 and since then it has been pushing forward plans to dramatically cut its carbon emissions.

Members of various political parties came together to help produce a Climate Emergency Action Plan, which was approved by the council in June 2020. The authority’s overview and scrutiny committee (OSCOM) will receive an update on progress every six months.

Figures included in an OSCOM update in September 2020 showed that between October 2019 and July 2020 the council reduced the number of pages printed by around 100,000, halving the number of trees consumed and hammering down costs by more than half a million pounds. The authority has also ordered three refuse collection vehicles with electrically operated bin lifts, which are each expected to save around 2,000kg of carbon dioxide per year. In addition, it is reviewing the potential for renewable and low carbon energy sources in the borough to help inform future planning policies. The council has also now switched to an electricity tariff that uses renewable energy, meaning that it will use electricity generated from non-fossil fuel sources. The update also considered the impact of Covid restrictions on the council’s progress against the action plan, observing that the pandemic has meant that quicker progress has been made on certain aspects, including the use of video conferencing and live streaming council meetings to the public.

The lockdown also highlighted the importance of providing good quality open spaces to support people’s physical and mental wellbeing.

The council is continuing to work on improving the biodiversity across the borough and has also recently launched a Green Spaces Strategy consultation to hear from residents on how best the environment can be protected and enhanced between now and 2030. Residents and businesses continue to play their part, with an ever-increasing number of council tax bills and business rate bills now issued electronically.

The council continues to encourage residents to sign up to its e-billing service to help reduce the amount of paper that is used.

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Nestled in the back of Broughton Community Shop – proudly sits our Refill Station – bring in your own containers to refill ( or top up ) with a large range of liquids and dry goods : hand soap, washing up liquid, bio and non- bio washing, hand sanitiser… oats, rice, nuts, muesli, granola, as well as some treats... Bombay mix , chocolate honeycomb and our current best seller Belgium chocolate brazils. We even sell bird food.

Buying in this way not only saves single use plastic from landfill but in most cases works out as better value too – saving pennies as well as the planet.

Simply bring in your old container - the whole process of weighing and filling is simple – with someone on hand if you need any help.

Once you’re done simply take to the till with the rest of your shopping and pay.

With the car park next to the shop, you can feel confident doing a big refill all in one go - easy!

New in this week is a hand -made range of eco- friendly products – face masks, dishcloths, cotton face wipes, beeswax wraps, scented soap bars as well as some Christmas themed goodies – so come take a look before they all disappear!

The refill zone is proving so popular we are currently expanding our range of products. If you have any suggestions on what we should stock then email eco@broughton.shop. We’d love to hear from you.

Tel: 01794 502495 Facebook: @BroughtonVillageShop www.broughton.shop Broughton Community Shop, Village Hall, High Street, Broughton, SO20 8AX

RETAIL

One of ITV's Most Popular Antiques Experts Happy to arrange home calls by appointment karendalmeny@gmail.com

BEST CASH PRICES Karen Dalmeny PAID FOR:

Gold & Silver Jewellery & Antiques

Including: Watches, medals, bronzes, oriental ceramics, quality antiques, house clearance/insurance valuations

For enquiries please call:

07712 545 700 Karen Dalmeny

Serving Broughton and the surrounding Test Valley

• Locally Sourced Food & Drink • Large Car Park With Plenty Of Spaces • Lots of Delicious Treats • Post Office • Deli • Coffee

ECO-PRODUCTS Dry Goods Refills

Bring in a container and fill with nuts, rice, pasta, oats, cereals or seeds.

Liquid Household Refills Bring a bottle and fill with soap, washing up liquid, laundry liquid, cleaners, shampoo, conditioner or hand sanitiser We also have The Magnificent Seed extra virgin rapeseed oil on tap for refills

SHOP OPENING HOURS

Weekdays: 9am - 1pm & 2pm - 4pm Saturday: 9am - 12:30pm Sunday: 9:30am - 12:30pm

POST OFFICE OPENING HOURS

THE HOLIDAY SEASON IS HERE! The Bookmark looks forward to welcoming you with a great selection of old treasures and new titles for everyone on your 2020 gift list.

Starting on December 1 we will be open from 10am to 5pm Tuesdays-Saturdays.

And watch for special surprises as we help support Small Business Saturday in Stockbridge on December 5.

Don’t forget you can email us your orders and we can fill them quickly!

Weekdays: 9am - 1pm Saturday: 9am - 12pm Sunday: Closed

Tel: 01794 502495 Facebook: @BroughtonVillageShop www.broughton.shop Broughton Community Shop, Village Hall, High Street, Broughton, SO20 8AX

High Street, Stockbridge, SO20 6EX Tel: 01264 811529 thebookmark.stockbridge@gmail.com www.thebookmarkstockbridge.co.uk

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Welcome to Ideal Commercials Ideal Commercials is a family run business that specialises in quality vans, trucks, pickups and other commercial vehicles. Ideal Commercials is based in Petersfield, Hampshire and our dealership is open from 8.30am to 5.30pm from Monday to Friday, and from 9am to 4pm on Saturdays. Established since the year 2000, we offer the best in new, used and nearly new vehicles all of which are available to customers in Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex and the wider UK. We’re proud to offer our customers a top quality service that is reliable, caring and customer orientated. Our dedicated, friendly and hard working team are always on hand to assist our customers every step of the way. Not only do we sell vehicles locally, but we can also deliver to customers throughout the UK. Nothing is too much trouble.

Quality Commercial Vehicles Here at Ideal Commercials we supply a variety of vehicles including Small vans, medium vans, large vans, vans, 4x4 vans, pickups, tippers, dropsides, Lutons and Lorries. We stock everything from Mercedes Benz trucks to VW Transporters, reliable Ford Transit Vans and much much more.

Our wide range of stock means that we have vehicles to suit all needs, and if we don’t have the one you’re after, our Managing Director Andy Lane is dedicated to finding that vehicle for you. Whether you’re a man with a van, or a big business after a fleet of commercial vehicles, we are here to help.

High Standards We always ensure that the commercial vehicles we sell are of a very high standard. Whether you’re purchasing brand new, used or nearly new vehicles, you can rest assured knowing that each of our vehicles are of the highest quality.

We are so confident in the quality of our vehicles, that we offer a free 3 month warranty with every vehicle purchased. Every one of our customers can also make the most of our various finance packages when purchasing a vehicle from us. We work tirelessly with each and every one of our customers to ensure that we find the right finance package to suit their needs.

Tel: 01730 606315 www.idealcommercials.co.uk

CLICK & COLLECT Reserve Online For £250, Collect In Person Find our more at: www.idealcommercials.co.uk/click-collect

Ideal Commercials, Warnford Road, West Meon, Petersfield, GU32 1JN

FEATURE

What a Waste Back to Normal?

Normal life ground to a halt in March this year and the world we unlock may never be quite the same again. Amidst all the misery of the pandemic, one of few benefits has been the improvement in air quality and seeing nature in the ascendant in places where it has always been pushed to the sidelines. While the Earth has had a bit of a respite from our frenetic activities, it is has been suggested that we would need to keep making the same reduction in carbon emissions year on year to avoid the dire predictions for the end of the century.

Lock down has given us all pause for thought and many have wondered aloud whether we can reinvent ourselves in a better way. On the question of rubbish (see March Forum) it may seem like one step forward, two back. There are good reasons for the proliferation of plastic at the moment, aside from PPE; food outlets are trying to keep going through takeaways (more plastic) and packaging is a secondary consideration when you are grateful for any goods you can get.

An Opportunity This is a good time to look at our own household waste, not least because the cost of collecting, processing / recycling it costs Hampshire County Council £100,000,000 a year (excluding the cities of Southampton and Portsmouth).

Money that will not be easy to find as the economy struggles to recover.

Food, most of which was edible when thrown away, comprises 35% of household waste. Apart from the 22 million tonnes of carbon tied up in the food we throw out each year, it costs average households between £60 -£70 a year. For inspiration on how not to waste food see www.lovefoodhatewaste.com or hants.gov. uk/smartliving

Recycling at its best Composting vegetable waste from the

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kitchen has to be the best form of recycling, removing large amounts from the waste stream while producing a valuable resource for the garden. For all the facts see www. recyclenow.com/

Compost If composting isn’t for you, it doesn’t mean that you can’t still aim to remove your household’s vegetable refuse from the waste stream. A wormery might fit the bill, producing more modest amounts of compost but with less work and space required. Do you have a near neighbour with a compost bin who would be glad to recycle your vegetable scraps? If you are a keen composter, perhaps you are missing some nearby sources of raw material.

Create a system that works for you and get networking!

Zero Waste?

If you follow all the advice for not wasting food and compost your vegetable waste, what about the rest of your rubbish? You may find that your household waste and recycling bins are still surprisingly full and mostly with packaging. Zero waste is nearly impossible to achieve for most of us, but a good objective to work towards.

The 3 Rs

There are a lot of useful R words to help you look more critically at everything you purchase. Reduce, reuse and recycle are good for starters, then you could add repair and refuse. Recycling may be better than throwing away, but still costs money and energy, so maybe ‘reduce’ applies here. Glass, tins, paper and plastic bottles can be recycled in Hampshire but not other kinds of plastic, even if they are technically recyclable. You could ask your local retailers (butchers, fishmongers, greengrocers, bakers), who deserve to be supported after the sterling job they have done during lock down, if you can take your own reusable containers to help reduce single use plastics and packaging.

Some packaging actually helps to reduce food waste, as in the case of shrink wrap cucumbers, but a lot is expendable and if we keep demanding, retailers will undoubtedly respond to the request for less unnecessary plastic. There are now plenty of more sustainable packaging alternatives for many toiletries and cleaning products.

The plastic free journey is not totally straightforward however and the alternatives need to be carefully thought through. Glass containers are heavier to transport than plastic, so in some cases, perhaps the ‘reduce’ or ‘refuse’ words apply. Soap can replace shower gel in plastic bottles but you may wish to avoid unsustainable palm oil (which comes under many names), so labels will need to be studied.

Before throwing away items which cannot be recycled, consider if they could be repaired or reused. This will keep them out of the waste stream for a bit longer, but where will they end up eventually? Something to bear in mind when indulging in retail therapy. Perhaps we could all just do with a bit less ‘stuff’ or at least make sure that what we buy is sustainable.  Written by Cathy Swan

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YOUR

COMMUNITY Horatio’s Garden Christmas Fair comes to Stockbridge

range of gifts unique to Horatio’s Garden.

This year’s Fair is being held at Stockbridge Town Hall on Saturday 21st November, 10am - 5pm.

Visitors to the Fair will be giving valuable support to the vital work of the charity, which creates beautiful, accessible gardens at NHS spinal treatment centres for patients with life-changing injuries.

Handmade crafts are always a highlight of the event, from stylish tote bags and cosy woollens to festive wreaths, beeswax candles, inspired stocking fillers and, not least, spring bulbs and winter-flowering plants grown at Horatio’s Garden.

What better way to get into the spirit of Christmas than a visit to the Horatio’s Garden South West Christmas Fair? It offers the perfect opportunity to discover a dazzling

Titchfield Festival Theatre: COVID secure and continuing to entertain the South Coast The award of significant funding to Titchfield Festival Theatre (TFT) as part of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund (CRF) is a huge step forward, according to Kevin Fraser, Artistic Director and Chair of the Trustees. The money, which will fund stage and other equipment, enables TFT to continue to provide the community with an eclectic range of shows, from the popular, through experimental to brand new plays written by aspiring playwrights; indoors or outdoors, no matter what happens in future.

In September, TFT reopened to the public as a COVID secure venue, one of the first in the region to be certified under the See it Safely banner administered by The Theatres Trust and Society of London Theatres.

Extensive measures have been put into place, to protect patrons, cast members, stage crew and volunteers Since then, TFT has performed several shows including Sweeney Todd and 84 Charing Cross Road, with

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Don’t miss the charity’s own distinctive products – gardeners’ handwash, bespoke Emma Bridgewater mugs, alpaca socks and more – which offer something for everyone.

The charity is named after Horatio Chapple, a young volunteer at Salisbury’s spinal treatment centre whose vision it was to

create a garden attached to the centre, offering patients and their families a tranquil natural environment away from the wards.

The first Horatio’s Garden, at Salisbury District Hospital, opened in 2012.

Find out more about Horatio’s Garden at www.horatiosgarden.org.uk

Up Pompeii based on the Frankie Howard TV farce in November and an all singing, dancing Christmas Panto Sleeping Beauty in December.

three metres distancing from the stage to the audience when musicals are on. This is on top of the increased cleaning and sanitising regime we have put in place. Patrons do have to wear face coverings whilst in the building and we do have an in-house app to order drinks and have them delivered direct to patrons seats.

“Furthermore, we have invested in over £60,000 worth of camera, sound and vision mixing equipment to stream our shows live and are currently FREE to view. This is a major step forward and allows us to give broadcast HD TV quality streaming yearround.”

Kevin Fraser said: “We are truly delighted with the news that we have been successful in applying for the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund and I would like to thank the Arts Council for their support, too.

“TFT is a safe and secure place for all our visitors, be they patrons, staff, cast members or volunteers. We are the only theatre in the UK to have an ozone sanitiser, which sanitises all auditoria, public spaces and stage areas, killing 'all known germs' bugs and viruses including Covid19. It is applied after every show once audiences and cast have left the building and ensures that the building is completely sanitised and safe. We also have a smaller ozone sanitiser for use with our wardrobe department, enabling us to reopen this service for hires.

“All our venues have thermal imaging on entry to the venue and hand sanitising stations, together with social distancing measures. For example, we operate with

Despite the continuing epidemic TFT have invested in a new brochure with productions for 2021 which will soon be released, with a huge amount of new shows, comedies, dramas and musicals, something for everyone. Look out for it coming through your letterbox.

For more information on Titchfield Festival Theatre including booking tickets for forthcoming productions, please go to http:// titchfieldfestivaltheatre.com/or contact our Box Office on 0333 666 3366.

PROFESSIONAL / HOME

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Phone: 01264 748738 Mobile: 07966 787185

Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year

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email: info@eco-builders.org.uk

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Specialising in New Builds & Low Energy Housing We undertake new-builds, low energy housing, passive solar houses, extensions, and interior and exterior renovations. We are also specialists in the use of lime-work, lime mortars and lime- based repairs.

Experts in stone, flint, limestone and brick work with more than 35 years of experience. We also have joinery workshops and can supply custom joinery to order.

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Feel uplifted this autumn and connect with nature

FEATURE

Kate Drake soaking up the amazing views at Truleigh Hill

T

ranquil, enchanting, inspiring and a place to replenish the soul The South Downs has always had these special qualities, but the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to amplify the value of having a National Park on our doorstep. Whether you were walking in the forest, running along one of the many rights of way, or riding your horse through quiet country lanes, it was hard not to pinch yourself during these past few difficult months and remind yourself that we’re very lucky to live in this wondrously beautiful, sun-kissed corner of England. The importance of the South Downs National Park as a breathing space and part of a network of “natural health service” providers has been increasing in recent years.

and affects more than one in four of the population at any time. It’s a stark statistic that is being taken really seriously by National Parks and is driving us to develop new health and wellbeing strategies that complement our wonderful NHS. “The key thing is we know it does work. Being outside and active with natural sunlight releases serotonin and helps us to feel less stressed.

Research shows that just being in nature can have a positive impact on mental and physical health and can enhance one’s mood.”

Tanquil, enchanting, inspiring and a place to replenish the soul

And, with mental health and wellness coming into sharper focus during the pandemic, the National Park Authority is working with a variety of partners to develop opportunities for people to benefit from connecting with the natural world.

One of the priorities is to develop more “green prescribing” – working with health and social care providers to encourage people to make the most of the National Park. It could be as simple as a weekly walk in the National Park, or taking part in an arts class inspired by the picturesque landscape.

A COVID-19 Recovery Fund was also launched earlier this year and a raft of community projects are set to be benefit from funding that will help connect communities to the National Park.

“I think many people across all walks of life have found 2020 a difficult and stressful year as they’ve been balancing work, childcare and the effects of lockdown,” says Kate Drake, Health and Wellbeing Officer for the National Park, who was given the newly-created role last year.

Kate Drake soaking up the amazing views at Truleigh Hill “We’ve certainly seen a renewed wave of interest in connecting with nature and getting out and just enjoying fresh air and a beautiful view.

It’s been a real ‘pick-me-up’ for so many people and we’ve certainly seen that from the feedback we’ve had.

“Mental illness accounts for 23 per cent of all ill-health in England

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As part of the lottery-funded Heathlands Reunited project, the National Park recently helped to launch an educational sculpture trail, with seven stone carvings that tell the stories of the heritage and wildlife of the heaths. There’s a field cricket, sand lizard and even an uplifting quote from the poet Tennyson! Families and walkers are being encouraged to download the walk leaflet this autumn and explore the trail.

Kate adds: “We know people have enjoyed the benefits of the outdoors and we’re keen that they continue to reap the benefits during the autumn and winter. As the days shorten, it can be very easy to become inactive. With more people working from home, it’s become even more important to take breaks away from the screen or even take a 30-minute walk at lunchtime.

“I would encourage people to start small. Perhaps go for an hour long gentle walk on a Saturday afternoon. Take notice of the beauty around you, look at the trees, listen to the birds and look up at the sky and soak up the views on the horizon. These are all simple, free things that nature has to offer us and you’ll be surprised by how uplifted you feel!”

Kate says she’s really proud to be working for the National Park as it marks its 10th birthday this year. She adds: “We live in one of the busiest parts of the UK. So what makes the South Downs National Park so special for me is its ability to provide an outlet for escape, adventure, enjoyment, inspiration and reflection. And those stunning views never get boring!” www.southdowns.gov.uk

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Christmas Fair Trade Fayre - Lockerley

Council top dog for seventh year running

For the last 25 years we have held very successful annual fundraising Christmas coffee mornings, and this year it’s going to be a little bit different. Not a coffee ‘morning’, but a coffee ‘week’ you might say! Please join us for our Christmas Fair Trade Fayre at Cyclops Cottage, Lockerley Green, SO51 0JN. From Monday 9th through to Friday 13th daily from 10 – 6pm and Saturday 14th November 9.30 – 12.30.

The RSPCA has awarded the council its highest award for the continued dedication to animal welfare. For the seventh year running, Test Valley has been awarded a Gold PawPrints award, which celebrates the authority’s work in ensuring the highest quality of animal welfare around the borough. This includes our work with kennels, licensing, breeders and other animals who call Test Valley their home. This is the seventh consecutive year that TVBC has received the award. Last year, the council was also given a special Platinum Stray Dogs Footprint to celebrate the awards’ tenth anniversary. The council won the prize alongside other local authorities and organisations, such as housing providers.

You can browse and choose some Christmas cards, decorations, wrapping paper, Advent calendars and candles, gifts, stocking fillers, scarves, bamboo socks, unusual gifts, chocolates, home-made jams, jellies, chutneys and mincemeat and much more without having to brave the crowds.

We will ensure all current Covid safety and hygiene guidelines are in place, and no more than 5 guests attend at a time. Please book your hour slot in advance by phoning 01794 340993, and include friends who would like to attend with you. We will need to record names and details for track and trace.

Entrance £2 includes a draw ticket (there will be a daily draw prize) Coffee and individually wrapped homemade cookies available.

All proceeds will be shared between Lockerley church and Traidcraft exchange, and the event also supports Oasis, Romsey who kindly supply us with goods.

Steam Illuminations A unique, world first digital LED train!

Animal welfare officer at Test Valley Borough Council, Rod Mason, said: “This has been a very difficult year, but work to ensure the animals in Test Valley have the highest quality care and welfare has not stopped.

We all have a duty to ensure we give our animals the best quality of life and I’m very pleased that the RSPCA has again recognised our efforts.

“New challenges have presented themselves during the pandemic as many people look for a new companion. We’ll continue to work hard in managing this and would of course encourage people to do their research and contact us if they’re in any doubt!”

Housing and environmental portfolio holder, councillor Phil Bundy, said: “It’s really important for us to keep up our efforts in ensuring quality welfare for the animals of Test Valley. It’s wonderful to know that the RSPCA has taken note of how much work goes into looking after the welfare of our animals, and I know that Rod is doing a fantastic job. I’m sure next year, we’ll be doing all we can to make sure we’re celebrating another year.”

Everyone is given an LED wristband (included in the price of your ticket) to wear on the train and take home after the event. Popular and traditional music will play along with the lights to enhance your experience. Trains depart from either Alresford or Alton and complete a round trip, back to the starting station. This is a wonderful experience for the whole family and is sure to be an event to remember!

CAUTION: This event consists of many flashing lights so may be unsuitable for people suffering from epilepsy.

14th, 28th-29th November 2020 - 4th-6th, 11th-23rd, 27th-31st December 2020 - 1st-3rd January 2021

Steam Illuminations is a unique, world first, pixel mappable digital LED train! It's an incredible light show on and in a steam train, consisting of 13,174 fully controllable colour mixing LED lights and LED wristbands.

This makes the train look magical both inside and out!

Marvel at the wonderful light show with different colours and flashing patterns, whilst sitting back and relaxing on one of our steam trains as it travels up and down our 10 mile line. You will have a chance to see the outside of the train at the start, middle and end of your journey to capture it by camera.

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Tickets: Entry is by travel ticket only. Site/platform tickets and discount vouchers are NOT VALID for this event. Parents, grandparents or other responsible adults bringing children can take advantage of our family discount. Regrettably we cannot provide any other discounts for this event. Regrettably dogs are not allowed at this event, unless they are assistance dogs.

Please note children under 2 will not receive a seat allocation so will not need a ticket. There will be wheelchair provision at this event but passengers will need to start their journey at Alresford. As per government guidelines for England, we will not accept bookings for groups of more than six people, including under 2s. Anyone arriving on the day with symptoms of Covid-19 will be refused entry and not be eligible for a refund. Anyone developing symptoms prior to the event and notifying the railway will receive a full refund.

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EDUCATION

It’s who we are Please forgive my lack of modesty, but I think there are many great things about teachers. One of the most fantastic is the way we demonstrate the values we want children to have through our own day to day conduct setting the right example.

“The most important thing is to be kind,” we say, and it’s certainly true that all good teachers endeavour to be understanding and empathetic in everything that they do. “Work hard, play hard and love life,” we stress andyou’ve guessed it- enter any school worth its salt and you’ll see adults and children striving hard to be the best that they can be, enjoying their social times together and appreciating the school environment both inside and outside.

And yet, there’s one particular area of a school’s existence that has always puzzled me. When teachers ask pupils to do anything creative- be it fine art, music composition, photography, dramatic performance or imaginative writing- we quite correctly point out the joint importance of originality and purpose. “Make sure you answer the question,” we say, “but do it in a way that makes your work different to everyone else’s.

Make sure your work stands out from the rest of the pack.” But there’s one very important document- a key publication written by teachers- that is often as far away from

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specially produced to appeal to young people who are about to embark upon their school careers.

original and purposeful as it is possible to get.

I’m talking about the school prospectus.

Every school has one, but they are all surprisingly uniform and similar, sure to contain myriad depictions of shining, smiling pupils in immaculate uniform and games kit. There will probably be a photo of a recent musical production, a different picture of a child chewing a pencil as they grapple with their maths, and- oh yes- there will almost certainly be a candid image of elation as someone runs over a finishing line somewhere, arms outstretched as they take the tape. These are ubiquitous visions of ubiquitous children in ubiquitous settings.

Similar form; nigh-on-identical substance.

So when I recently took on the headship of St Swithun’s Prep School in Winchester, I wanted to do something that was both different and purposeful; as appealing and useful as possible for the widest possible audience. It struck me that our raison d’être is essentially not to do with parents, but is everything to do with children and I wanted our new prospectus to reflect that. So that is how Alice and Sophia go to St Swithun’s Prep has been created. It’s our new picture book,

Perfectly sized for little hands, it tells the story of two siblings- one in Reception, one in Year Five- and a typical day in their lives at St Swithun’s: the reader follows them round as they go to assembly, enjoy their lessons, have lunch and break, go swimming and enjoy their clubs and music. It’s a bright and lively introduction to school life, written to be useful for all preschoolers (and their parents) whichever school they are going to join. Of course, it has greatest relevance for those children who will eventually attend St Swithun’s: they’ll be able to recognise their teachers, and anticipate their class’s daily routines, from the text and illustrations in the book. Fundamentally, it’s who we are.

I very much hope the book can be read and enjoyed by as many children as possible; copies are available free of charge on request to storybook@stswithuns.com. There’s also an audio version (complete with page turn signals provided by the instrumental teachers in our music department) waiting to be accessed from the school website; instructions are in the book. Please request a copy, read it with your child and keep it at home. If it helps them to make the transition to school when the time comes, I will have done what I set out to do. I hope you enjoy reading it!

Jonathan Brough is the head of Prep School at St Swithun’s, Alresford Road, Winchester.

Our new picture storybook, all about starting school, is written especially for children.

Request your free copy from storybook@stswithuns.com A leading independent school providing outstanding education for girls aged 4-11 with a co-ed nursery.

www.stswithuns.com

EDUCATION The Battle of Hastings: Stroud School 2020

To commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Hastings, Year 7 pupils from Stroud School in Romsey, re-enacted the battle as a cross-curricular activity between the Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) and History departments.

The Battle of Hastings was fought on 14 October 1066 between the Norman-French army of William, the Duke of Normandy, and an English army under the Anglo-Saxon King Harold Godwinson, beginning the Norman conquest of England.

Mr Stewart, Deputy Head - Pastoral and History Teacher, who ran the event, says: “It was fantastic that the children could

To commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Hastings, Year 7 pupils re-enact the battle - a cross-curricular activity between the Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) and History departments.

experience, discuss and debate the key moments of the battle field. This active learning gave us a great foundation upon which to build subject skills and develop our understanding and analysis of this event.”

Speaking to the children it was clear that a great depth of learning, questioning and understanding of events took place - alongside the fun of being outside and acting out a key event in British History. The Norman solders even spoke French during this battle! Madame Lopes, Head of MFL,

transition from Nursery to Reception and then through Prep School. Building character as well as rich knowledge is an integral part of a well-rounded and successful early years education.

How many questions does a two year old ask in one day?

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An ability to develop key skills and the way children approach problems must be at the core of all we do in early years education.

It is certainly an area which I believe in and is an integral part of an Embley education.

Character traits which are developed are many and varied. Some core examples are:

For busy parents sometimes it can seem like hundreds! Curious children ask, on average, a staggering 73 questions every day.

• Resilience

It is important, therefore, to build on and cultivate this innate curiosity as children

• Compassion

• Courage • Honesty • Self awareness

was pleased with the accents and speeches incorporated into the battle, ensuring that “Par le splendeur de Dieu - William took the day once more.”

Stroud School, a co-educational preparatory day school in Romsey, has individual tours by appointment in place of its usual open days. There is also a virtual tour for prospective parents on its site.

For more information call 01794 513231, www.stroud-kes.org.uk.

So in practice what does this look like?

Implicitly assemblies have purposeful messages and points for discussion based around positive character traits. Character is built through daily interactions with peers and teachers; teachers model expectation and good practice and interactions with friends are discussed and reflected upon to build self-awareness, honesty and compassion.

We have a lot to learn from our young people. I am a great advocate of being a bit braver and bolder and taking risks: putting ‘both feet in’ and giving things a go. Also having a growth mindset and thinking I can’t do it...yet, rather than I can’t do it!

So next time you say you can’t, be a bit braver, and think like a two year old; be curious and give it a go; try and embrace life with the innate awe and wonder which we see in abundance in our young people. After all, we need to model this for our children in order for them to be future ready.

Sheina Wright, Head of Prep School, Embley For more information please call Tel: 01794 512206 or email admissions@embley.org.uk

EDUCATION

Stroud School, Romsey King Edward VI Preparatory School

Forever Undaunted A traditional prep school with a wild heart

www.stroud-kes.org.uk

Embracing Ambition

I N D E P E N D E N T D AY & B O A R D I N G S C H O O L FO R B OYS & G I R L S AG E D 2 - 1 8 ON THE EDGE OF THE NEW FOREST

Individual tours of the school arranged by appointment Virtual ‘Meet the Head’ series throughout the Autumn term

Discover our ‘class-leading’ digital strategy...

Embley Park, Romsey, Hampshire, SO51 6ZE www.embley.org.uk

To find out more please contact our Admissions Team on 01794 512206 or email admissions@embley.org.uk 37

EDUCATION

other common mental health issues.

Dr Rogers brings a wealth of experience consulting with elite athletes in the UK.

•

Lorraine Lee, professional parenting & child development specialist who is passionate about giving young people the best chances possible.

• Alicia Drummond from Teen Tips whose tips have been hugely beneficial to our school communities during lockdown.

Godolphin GO Parent Conference 2020, Talking Mental Health and Wellbeing On Friday 6 November 2020, Godolphin will host our highly acclaimed GO Parent conference and we are delighted to extend this invitation to you. As with most things in 2020, this year’s conference will take a slightly different format and we will be presenting a virtual event. The focus will be on mental health and wellbeing in uncertain times and how as parents and teachers, we can best support our young people.

Our speakers are inspirational and I am sure they will offer some no-nonsense much needed guidance. As with last year’s conference, the knowledge and expertise of our speakers is both diverse and relevant and this year’s line-up is not to be missed.

•

Dr Sara Kayat, is a practising GP, she is also well known for her appearances on Channel 5's GPs Behind Closed Doors, ITV's This Morning, resident GP, ITV News. Dr Sara is an advocate of maintaining good health and will advise us on the five steps to wellbeing.

• Poorna Bell, award-winning journalist and author who specialises in women’s issues, BAME, fitness and mental health.

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•

Dick Moore who has spoken at over 350 schools, universities, businesses and conferences both in the UK and overseas. Dick’s talk is entitled ‘Coping with your Adolescent'.

•

Lucinda Miller will be talking about the role nutrition and the gut microbiome plays in mental health, and how to help your teens make better nutrition choices to nourish brain and mood.

•

Polly Williamson, author of the acclaimed book, ‘Where did I go? Rediscovering My Identity, Lost After a Traumatic Brain Injury' which was published in 2017 will describe her incredible journey.

• Satveer Nijjar, whose talk entitled ‘Attention Seeking or something more? What is self-harm really about?’ is not to be missed. Satveer’s honesty and straightforward approach was particularly well received last year and it is vital that we understand why young people self-harm.

• Amy Forbes-Robertson from It Happens will return again this year to discuss the much-needed age-appropriate messages about Relationships, Sex & Health Education.

•

Dr Tim Rogers, elite sport psychiatrist, and Clinical Director from Togetherall, an online service providing access to millions with anxiety, depression and

•

Dr Dominique Thompson, an awardwinning GP, young people's mental health expert, TEDx speaker, author and educator, with over 20 years of clinical experience caring for students. She is author of The Student Wellbeing Series and co-author of 'How to Grow a Grown Up'.

•

Deana Puccio Ferraro former sex crimes prosecutor from New York City and cofounder of The Rap Project will be talking to us on how 24/7 access to social media, advertising & the Internet affect young women’s self-esteem and body image.

Deputy Head Pastoral, Jenny Price comments that ‘this is set to be a fantastic day and in a year like no other, I am sure it will be more pertinent than ever in order that we can support each other to better understand our young people. We would be most grateful if you could help us to share this link amongst your friends and family.’

To purchase a ticket, visit www.godolphin. org or scan the QR code below.

For more information, contact Godolphin on events@godolphin.org or telephone 01722 430571.

Common-sense lending for a smooth homebuying experience Our finances are becoming more complicated.

From the rise in the number of people who are selfemployed to the popularity of having a multiplicity of income sources, the financial habits of consumers are changing. And change brings with it lots of challenges.

In 1952, there were just 1.65 million borrowers. Now, there are nearly 11 million mortgages held by owneroccupiers. Before the financial crash in 2008, lenders approved loans which did not require verification to confirm the borrower’s affordability. Now, proof of regular income and assets to repay a loan must be evidenced.

As the mortgage market adjusted to the new world post-financial crisis, the wants and needs of consumers diversified rapidly. What once may have been considered as an ‘unusual’ or ‘risky’ mortgage application – main source of income paid in as Euros, for example – started to become commonplace, and many lenders started to fall behind.

There are lenders who automatically assess an applicant’s affordability based on income and expenditure via a computer algorithm. By doing so, viable and responsible customers are unfairly labelled as ‘risky’, and therefore, rejected. This is not so at Newbury Building Society.

We don’t believe computers should have the final say when it comes to lending. For us, it’s the personal touch. Call us old-fashioned, but we like to talk to our customers! We think it’s important to understand their unique circumstances to try and help them fulfil their homeownership ambitions. This attitude has helped us support lots of different mortgage cases.

From an applicant wanting her pension value to assist

affordability, a professional receiving payment from an organisation whilst in training to many applicants who are self-employed or contracting.

We understand a ‘one-size-fits-all’ lending approach is no longer relevant. We believe those with ‘nontraditional’ income streams should no longer be overlooked when looking for a mortgage and buying a home.

Our qualified underwriters manually each application holistically based on the customer’s needs. Our lending decisions are made by people, not computers; every application is considered on its own merit.

So, our approach to mortgage lending is simple: we use common sense.

If you’d like to talk to a qualified mortgage adviser about your options, contact us today.

Due to Covid-19 safeguarding precautions, mortgage appointments can only be undertaken by telephone.

Visit our Andover branch: 35 High Street, Andover, SP10 1LJ Call: 01264 361455 or email: andover@newbury.co.uk

Andover Senior Branch Manager, Cliff Osborne YOUR MORTGAGE IS SECURED ON YOUR HOME. THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE SECURING OTHER DEBTS AGAINST YOUR HOME. YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE.

Newbury Building Society is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Financial Services Register number 206077). English Law applies and we will communicate with you in English. We are participants of the Financial Ombudsman Service. We have a complaints procedure which we will provide on request. Most complaints that we cannot resolve can be referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service. 7832

Newbury Building Society

Newbury

Building Society

TALKING MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING An invitation to our online GO Parent series 2020 Friday 6 November 2020 With keynote speakers

Dr Sara Kayat

Poorna Bell

ITV’s This Morning TV doctor

Award-winning journalist, author and mental health activist

Scan for information and tickets

“This is set to be a fantastic day and in a year like no other, I am sure it will be more pertinent than ever in order that we can support each other to better understand our young people.”

Jenny Price, Deputy Head Pastoral FRANC

HA LEAL

ETO GE

www.godolphin.org