Test Valley Forum - September 2024 - Issue 193 by Mark Tubb

Test Valley

FORUM

Life in your Community

Find out what's going on in the Test Valley

Written

Lucia Foster-Found

HAMPSHIRE & ISLE OF WIGHT TRUST The Boatman's Bubble

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Guide Price £1,200,000

A superbly renovated property in the heart of the popular Test Valley village of Chilbolton.

A highly desirable and contemporary home with an exceptional Kitchen/Dining/Sitting room. Four Bedrooms, two Bathrooms, (one Ensuite). Large garden with outside entertaining space, double garage/workshop and ample parking.

CHILBOLTON THE WALLOPS PALESTINE BROUGHTON

PRELIMINARY AUCTION ANNOUNCEMENT

On a date to be confirmed in October 2024

A detached bungalow in need of renovation standing in gardens of half an acre.

All enquiries to Auctioneers

Myddelton and Major

The Old Police House, Stockbridge stockbridgeresidential@myddeltonmajor.co.uk

T: 01264 810400

Guide Price £925,000

An exceptional property, offering a high standard of specification on the edge of the vibrant village of Nether Wallop.

A luxurious property, designed by award winning architects, A R Design. Three bedrooms all with ensuite bathroom. Sitting Room, Dining Room, Utility. Excellent Kitchen/Breakfast Room with panoramic views over the beautiful garden. Office, Summerhouse, Greenhouse, Bike Store.

COMING SOON! NEW BUILD PROPERTY

Guide Price £1,200,000

A stunning new five bedroom house in a semi-rural location with lovely countryside views.

An individual property thoughtfully designed to provide a light and spacious home. Garden and Grounds of 0.5 acre. Kitchen/Breakfast/ Sitting Room, Drawing Room, Garden Room, Study and Boot Room. Five Bedrooms, Ensuite, Family Bathroom. Gardens, Carport.

Director

Advertising Manager Mandy Head mandyhead@forumpublications.co.uk Accounts accounts@forumpublications.co.uk

Feature

Alresford, SO24 9QE Tel: 01962 735137 www.forumpublications.co.uk

September Events

Romsey Community Carboot

Every Thursday & Sunday

Thur 10 to 1pm, Sun 1 to 4pm

Romsey Town Football Club, Romsey, SO51 8AF

Money raised will be distributed to chosen local charities within our Romsey Community. Single Pitch £5, Doubles £10. Pre-book to avoid dissapointment. Free 4hrs parking located at the rear end of Romsey rapids follow the footpath at the back sign posted to the entrance of the Club Grounds. To book a pitch or for more information please contact organiser Katie on 07453 960891 email:romsetcarboot@gmail.com

Winchester Heritage Open Days

Friday 6 - Sunday 15 September

Various Times

Various locations see website: winchesterheritageopendays.org

International Vulture Awareness Day

Saturday 7 September

From 10am

Hawk Conservancy Trust Bird of Prey Centre, Sarson Lane, Andover, SP11 8DY

At the Hawk Conservancy Trust we love vultures so every day is vulture awareness day! If you would like to celebrate these incredible birds, join us on the first Saturday in September to learn more about vultures and why we need them. Vultures are

ecologically vital and are now the most threatened group of birds in the world; populations of many species are under pressure and some are facing extinction.

Stockbridge Antiques Fair

Saturday 7 September

From 9.30am to 4.30pm

Stockbridge High Street

The Fair is held in Stockbridge Town Hall in the centre of the High Street, usually on the first Saturday of the month - the next fair is on Saturday 5 October. We offer a wide range of Decorative, Interesting and Unusual items including good quality Furniture, Silver, China and Glass, Jewellery Textiles and Militaria. Free Admission & Free Parking. We will also buy. Open: 9.30am4.30pm. Contacts: Carol01264 335769/07870 432805 Steve - 01722 712267/07915 663251

Stockbridge Community Cinema - Perfect Days (PG)

Friday 13 September

From 7.30pm

Stockbridge Town Hall, SO20 6HE

Hirayama seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo. Outside of his very structured everyday routine he enjoys his passion for music and books. He loves trees and the shadows they create and takes photos of them. A series of unexpected encounters gradually reveal more of his past. A deeply moving and poetic reflection on finding beauty in the everyday world around us, from director Wim Wenders. [In English and Japanese with subtitles]. Tickets £6.00 (incl £0.50p booking fee) per adult ticket) on sale via www. stockbridgecinema.org.uk or by telephone from TicketSource 0333 666 3366 (no additional charge). Tickets on sale from 1 August.

Please visit our website for full details of all films.

Last Night of the Proms at the Clatford Arms

Saturday 14 September

From 5pm to 11.30pm

The Clatford Arms, Goodworth Clatford, Andover, SP11 7RN

Live Music - The Lowriders, Oliver Davis, Groove Breakers, Mojo and the Royal Restitution. 9pm Live BBC coverage from the Royal Albert Hall. BBQ included. Advance tickets only £24 available at the bar. www.thriveandover. co.uk

World Pheasant Association Music Festival

Saturday 14 September

From 4pm to 11pm

Broughton Water Buffalo, North End Broughton, SO20 8AN

Welcome to the World Pheasant Association Music Festival! Get ready for a day filled with local bands, local food and good vibes. Join us at Broughton Water Buffalo for a one-of-a-kind experience. Come and dance your heart out to raise funds for the vitally important conservation and reintroduction of enangered gamebird species into the wild around the world! Don't miss out on this opportunity to have a blast with friends and family.

Longparish Run

Sunday 15 September

From 4pm to 11pm

Longparish C of E Primary School, Longparish, SP11 6PB

Just one month until the Longparish Run! Choose from a 10m, 5km or 3km route around Longparish. Tickets £5 - £18. For more information and registration www.pta-events.co.uk/longparish

Stockbridge Community Cinema - All of us Strangers (15)

Wednesday 18 September

From 5pm to 7.30pm

Stockbridge Town Hall, SO20 6HE

One night in his near-empty tower block in contemporary London, Adam (Andrew Scott) has a chance encounter with a mysterious neighbour Harry (Paul Mescal), which punctures the rhythm of his everyday life. As a relationship develops between them, Adam is preoccupied with memories of the past and finds himself drawn back to the suburban town where he grew up, and the childhood home where his parents (Claire Foy and Jamie Bell), appear to be living, just as they were on the day they died, 30 years before. For Information common to both films see Friday 13th September.

Women's Wellness Day Retreat at Norman Court

Sunday 22 September

From 9.30am to 5pm

Altus, Norman Court, West Tytherley, SP5 1NH

Join us for a rejuvenating day at the beautiful Norman Court for our Women's Wellness Day Retreat. This retreat is designed to provide a stress-free environment where you can indulge in a variety of wellness therapies and workshops. Yin Yoga, Breathwork, Sauna, Ice Bath, Lunch, Mindset. Grounding, Yoga Nidra. To book visit: https://app.acuityscheduling. com/

Stockbridge Music - The Tippett Quartet

Friday 27 September

From 6.45pm

St.Peters Church, High Street, Stockbridge SO20 6HF

The Tippett Quartet will be playing Mozart, Schubert and Beethoven. Tickets £20 (U18s £5) from stockbridgemusic.uk or on the door if still available.

Any 3 Windows

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Kitchen and bedroom makeovers

Makeover Options

∙ Change all your drawers, doors, panels and plinths

∙ New worktops can be fitted

∙ Amendments to existing cabinetry and layout can be made

∙ Built in ovens can be changed to eye level ovens

∙ No one will know its a makeover, it will look like a brand new kitchen

∙ All doors made to order to any size

Our head fitters are ex-shipwright joiners so you are guaranteed excellent quality installation Ben, Owner Uk Happy Kitchens Ltd

∙ Change as much or as little as you'd like

∙ Free no obligation quotation

∙ Free design service for new projects

Kitchen and bedroom makeovers

Before Makeover After Makeover

One of the best reviewed kitchen & bedroom companies in the UK

We also design and install bespoke new kitchens, bedrooms, boot rooms, media walls, living room storage.

Whether you want to just change your doors, or change everything you can see on the face, we can utilise your existing units, and change all the trims and panels, just like in the photos above, yes that really was a makeover, with a couple of small changes. Call us today for a free of charge home visit.

Happy Kitchens are quite unique as we are able to offer top quality products, available in any size, fitted by the best professionals in the business. Change your kitchen and bedroom with a makeover or design and install a new kitchen and bedroom, whichever suits your needs or price range.

∙ Change as much or as little as you'd like

∙ Free no obligation quotation

∙ Free design service for new projects

8 year winner of the Best of Houzz award and one of the highest reviewed kitchen companies on Houzz in the UK

All roads lead to Hampshire

Funny how thirty eight years ago I couldn’t get away fast enough and yet now… Escaping to London and later Hertfordshire, I formed a rock band, CAT. We travelled the UK and Europe, performing our album, a mesmerising, awakening experience.

The bright lights and constant pulse of a multifaceted life were far removed from the dark, silent village I’d left behind. When I had my daughter, I decided to focus on another dream, of becoming an author. My over active imagination finally found its voice. Life became exciting. I had three books published and several others written, waiting for editing.

Book signings and events were in place when lockdown hit. Like many others, my whole life turned upside down. I did not fair well in lockdown, anxiety stifled my creativity. It seemed no sooner were we out of lockdown when my father died, suddenly drawing me back to Hampshire.

As I negotiated my way through this new reality, I kept trying to figure out where I fitted in. After all I’d been gone so long. I was grieving, I was missing Hertfordshire, my home, my friends and daughter. I was lost and craved solace. Half written songs, unfinished novels and the show I’d written, now seemed to taunt me. Each creation fighting for it’s time to shine.

Then something remarkable happened. I’ve never really believed in fate and yet people gathered me up. Introductions were made and then unexpectedly, I found my mojo in the last place I’d thought I’d find it. Old friends and family welcomed me with open arms,. New friends and acquaintances were made, suddenly the dark, silent village was set ablaze by the love, light and laughter that these people put in my heart. Opportunities arose. I met some incredible musicians and a producer who I’ve been writing new songs with. We had our debut gig recently and are about to release our first single.

My father's friend introduced me to a talented composer who I shall be working with to get the show completed next year. Much like me, Hampshire has changed a lot! Stockbridge has become a fascinating little town with a collection of unique pubs and shops, one could quite easily lose themselves for days exploring. As for our village, Houghton. The fabulous eclectic people who live here often share my love of it’s Anchor, our fabulous local Pub which has doubled up as my second office when needed.

I am currently writing a romantic novel set in Stockbridge and a journal of my life getting reacquainted with Hampshire. So yes, all roads have led me back to Hampshire and when I do have to venture beyond, I can’t wait to get back.Please do come along to one of our gigs or my book signings, all details to be found on my website.

You can also purchase my books directly from my website and I shall personally sign them for you.

catherinelawless.com

How much is your property worth?

A property is worth what a purchaser or tenant is prepared to pay. The value of property within a similar location can differ hugely and is influenced by the popularity of a specific area or neighbourhood, accessibility to schools, transport links, countryside or coast and of course timing in terms of supply and economy.

Portal valuations, whilst popular, do not consider these influencing factors nor any works or money spent on improvements. They are simply based on average percentage calculations and can be wildly inaccurate.

An experienced local property professional is tuned in to all influencing factors, is aware of the expectations of vendors and landlords and will be able to provide you with a realistic valuation. For a FREE market appraisal call Kate or Claudia on 01264 312832

Kate Porter Sales

katep@countryhousecompany.co.uk

Claudia Hunt Lettings

claudia@countryhousecompany.co.uk

Kate Morton Management

kate@countryhousecompany.co.uk

Tel: 01264 312832

info@countryhousecompany.co.uk

sales@countryhousecompany.co.uk

lettings@countryhousecompany.co.uk countryhousecompany.co.uk

Chicken, Bacon & Mushroom Pie

INGREDIENTS

1 packet of ready rolled puff pastry or short crust if you prefer.

1/2* cooked chicken (or turkey)

1 * leek, chopped (or onion)

1/2 * packet of smoked streaky bacon cut into little pieces

25g* sliced mushrooms

1 vegetable stock cube dissolved in 1 cup of water

1/2 cup milk

28g* plain flour

15g butter and a little oil (vegetable or olive)

*available from Hampshire Farmers’ Markets

METHOD

Strip carcass of chicken, cutting meat into large pieces. If you prefer you can buy uncooked boneless chicken but you would need to pre cook it at this stage.

Saute leek (or onion), bacon and mushrooms in the butter and oil. When soft, add the flour. Next, add stock, stirring continuously then add the milk so that the sauce is rich and creamy. If the sauce is a little thick, add more liquid.

Add the pre cooked chicken, and stir carefully until meat is completed coated and empty contents into a large pie dish. Again if you prefer to make this like a more traditional pie you can line the pie dish with the rolled out short crust pastry before putting in the filling.

Cover with pastry, making a vent in the pie top, and brush with milk. Bake in oven on a high temperature (200C/400F/gas 6) for around 25mins or until golden.

Tip: With the stockcube and bacon, there is no need for extra seasoning however, you could substitute some of the stock with a little leftover white wine.

SEPTEMBER HAMPSHIRE FARMERS MARKETS

Petersfield - Sun 1st, Romsey - Sun 1st, Hamble - Sat 7th, Alresford - Sat 7th, Winchester - Sun 8th, Alton - Sat 14th, Southsea - Sun 15th, Emsworth - Sat 21st, Ringwood - Sat 28th, Winchester - Sun 29th For more information visit: www.hampshirefarmersmarkets.co.uk

SOUND ADVICE

And breathe… September health plan kick start

I have always found the Autumn is a much better time to kickstart a new health plan than January. As the light changes and temperatures lower, and we return to school or work, a change in tempo feels genuinely appealing too.

During the summer holidays it can feel welcome to drop the routines, the regular exercise or add in a few more treats, drinks or late nights, but the start of Autumn feels like the perfect time to reset and boost our bodies in preparation for Winter.

I have loved the long days, late evenings and having all my kids, their friends, and friends of friends… buzzing around, and it has been a very happy chaotic summer, but I am now in need of catching my breath and refocussing.

I am sitting writing this in our new-old caravan now parked on the drive, still feeling the wonderful holiday vibes it has brought us.

There is a sense of calm and relaxation in this space, and it prompts me to think about how to best start that process of resetting, and I realise I have already written the words.

I need to catch my breath.

“How well we breathe can determine the quality of our life” says author and presenter Dr Rangan Chatterjee.

Author of ‘Breath’, James Nestor writes “No matter what you eat, how much you exercise, how skinny, young or wise you are, none of it matters if you’re not breathing correctly”

These are wise words and a great starting point to improve our health simply by breathing well.

I always come back to movement as the source of healing and health, but when it comes to breathing it is often a form of movement that is overlooked. Breathing is far more than gaseous exchange!

Correct breathing has the power to:

1. Reduce your stress: - try 3 minutes of slow breathing to flip your nervous system out of fight/flight and into its flow state

2. Reduce indigestion, bloating, wind and IBS symptoms: - deepen your breath into your lower ribs and diaphragm for an internal gut massage effect (see my Instagram account for an incredible moving MRI clip beautifully demonstrating this)

3. Improve cardio-vascular fitness: - try nasal breathing the next time you’re out for a walk or run

4. Improve pelvic floor symptoms like leaking and prolapse:connect your breath with your pelvic floor exercises

5. Improve your sleep: - focus on the sound and feeling of the breath through the nose and chest to help calm your thoughts

6. Strengthen your core: - link your breath to your movements, yoga or Pilates style

7. Reduce neck and shoulder tension: - avoid breathing into your upper chest and focus the breath to your lower chest and diaphragm

8. Reduce swelling, inflammation and oedema by improving circulation and drainage. Your diaphragm acts like a pump and siphon: - combine breath work with lying with your legs up the wall

Incredible really what we can change with breathing well. Which aspect of your health needs a boost and a reset? Pick one area and try the corresponding breathing technique to feel the benefits.

If you need some breathing technique help and a practise to follow along, visit the video guides page on the website. As the breath is absolutely integral to women and their pelvic health I dedicate a whole class on my Womo course to this very topic. If you want to learn more, the next course begins in January and all the details and booking is on the Womo page of the website.

Emma Wightman - www.the-sop.com Instagram @stockbridgeosteopathy

Passing on your wealth through pensions

The abolition of the lifetime allowance could make pensions an even more attractive way of passing on wealth to the next generation.

Pensions can usually be passed on to your loved ones free from inheritance tax (IHT). Now that there is effectively no limit on the amount of money you can tax-efficiently build up in pensions over your lifetime, considering your estate plan could allow you to make a bigger difference to your family’s financial future.

A financial adviser can create an estate plan that suits your needs and maximises money. In the meantime, here are some points to consider.

How are pensions taxed on death?

Pensions are tax-efficient for passing wealth to beneficiaries.

If you die before age 75, benefits can usually be paid taxfree from a defined contribution pension. If you die after age 75, they will be taxed at the beneficiaries’ marginal rate of income tax. As long as the funds stay in drawdown, they will also remain IHT free.

6 April 2024 saw the introduction of the Lump Sum and Death Benefit Allowance (LSDBA) which limits the amount of tax-free lump sum that can be paid in your lifetime and on death. For this tax year, this is £1,073,100, but could be higher if you have a form of Lifetime Allowance protection. If the limit is breached, the excess lump sum is taxable at the beneficiary’s marginal income tax rate.

How could the LTA abolition affect estate planning?

In March 2023, the government announced that the lifetime allowance (LTA) was being scrapped. This was a cap on the amount of money you could save in pensions over your lifetime without triggering a tax charge. The LTA was abolished on 6 April 2024.

Any other limits to be aware of?

The pension annual allowance is £60,000 (2024/25 tax year), or 100% of UK relevant earnings for most people, whichever is lower. If you exceed the annual allowance, you’ll have to pay a tax charge.

It’s really important to understand what your annual allowance is and whether you’re at risk of breaching it.

For this tax year, the maximum tax-free lump sum (known as the Lump Sum Allowance) that you can draw from pensions is capped at £268,275 (unless you have lifetime allowance protection).

What else do I need to consider?

Maxing out your annual allowance may not be right for you.

You can’t access money in DC pensions until age 55 (57 from April 2028). If you need money before then, ISAs or other savings may be a better option. ISAs can also be a useful way of building tax-efficient income in retirement. Other investment options could be worth considering, such as venture capital trusts (VCTs) or Enterprise Investment Schemes (EISs). For some, lifetime gifting could be preferable to see loved ones benefit during your lifetime.

Next steps

Inheritance planning is complex - and that’s where getting some guidance comes in to provide confidence that you’ve laid the firmest foundations for your family’s future.

We live and work local to you. We would be delighted to help you and your family achieve financial clarity and stability.

Kirsty Simpson

Financial Planner

Divisional Director

E: kirsty.simpson@brewin.co.uk

Kirsty Simpson Financial Planner Divisional Director E: kirsty.simpson@brewin.co.uk

Alice Proctor

Investment Manager

Assistant Director

E: alice.proctor@brewin.co.uk

Assistant Director E: alice.proctor@brewin.co.uk

46 Jewry Street, Winchester SO23 8RY T: 01962 798000 W: www.brewin.co.uk/ our-offices/winchester

www.brewin.co.uk/ our-offices/winchester

The value of investments, and any income from them, can fall and you may get back less than you invested. This does not constitute tax or legal advice. Tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in the future. Information is provided only as an example and is not a recommendation to pursue a particular strategy.

WARNER AND RICHARDSON LLP ARE INDEPENDENT SOLICITORS LOCATED IN THE HISTORIC CITY OF WINCHESTER.

WE HAVE A STRONG, LONG STANDING REPUTATION FOR PERSONAL SERVICE AND HIGH QUALITY LEGAL ADVICE.

FOR INFORMATION ON HOW WE CAN HELP YOU WITH ANY OF THESE MATTERS:-

• WILLS, PROBATE AND ESTATES

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• COMMERCIAL, AGRICULTURAL AND BUSINESS CONVEYANCING

PLEASE CONTACT US ON Visit our website:-

• Financial planning

• Investment: discretionary & advisory management

• Pension consolidation

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Supply and planting large specimen trees and shrubs

Espalier, pleached and instant impact hedges

All trees and shrubs carefully selected

Design, landscaping and ongoing maintenance

Free site visit and consultation

Bosque is a trading name of Just Limegrass Ltd.

Harko: 07710

IThe Boatman's Bubble

n the margins and meanders of our chalk streams, where there is a slower flow, amazing insects swim across the surface. Lesser water boatmen may be small – up to 1.5cm long – but their unique characteristics make them a memorable sighting. There are actually several species in their family (Corixidae), and while they are hard to tell apart with the naked eye, their common features can help you to spot them.

The first thing to look for is a brown, boat-shaped body, although a close look at most lesser water boatmen will reveal golden yellow stripes. Another clue is a pair of long legs; their oar shape and ‘fringe’ of hairs are handy for both swimming and floating on the surface. Then there are the large, reddish-brown eyes, which have a compound structure that combines many tiny lenses to create a wide view.

Despite living in ponds, lakes, and rivers, lesser water boatmen don’t have gills. Instead, they employ a clever trick for taking longer dives: their undersides are covered in water-repelling hairs, which

trap a bubble of air against their bodies. This bubble acts like the tank of a scuba diver, feeding the insects oxygen through small holes – or ‘spiracles’ – in their exoskeletons. This comes in handy when foraging for food, which for most species will be algae and dead organic material.

You may be wondering… are there greater water boatmen? Indeed there are, although they are actually a different group of insects (Notonecta) and are usually referred to as ‘backswimmers’. As the name suggests, these species swim upside down, so their air bubbles are more visible from above. This can make them appear silver in colour, but they are actually light brown with reddish eyes. Unlike most of their ‘lesser’ relatives, backswimmers eat small insects, fish, and crustaceans.

There is also the lesser or pygmy backswimmer (Plea minutissima) and several pygmy water boatmen (Micronecta). Despite being just 2-3mm long, one of the latter is famously noisy. The males of many water boatmen species ‘sing’ by stridulating, which means rubbing their legs along ridges on their bodies. Micronecta scholtzi has been recorded at

99.2 decibels – that’s as loud as a car horn! Thankfully, water absorbs most of the sound, but you may still hear it if you listen carefully.

Insects like water boatmen are a key part of our chalk stream ecosystems. As food for fish, bats, birds, and amphibians, these small creatures are crucial to the health of many other animals. If you’d like to help protect their chalk stream homes, check out the Watercress and Winterbournes scheme at hiwwt.org.uk/winterbournes Our work is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Free Online Talk

The Plight of Hampshire’s Chalk Stream Salmon

26th September at 7pm, Online Atlantic salmon are some of our most iconic chalk stream fish. As their numbers decline, we explore the fragile future of this amazing species.

Book your ticket at hiwwt.org.uk/ winterbournes

Photograph - Lesser Water Boatman ©Paul Colley

National Garden Scheme - Hampshire

This month I thought that I would feature one of our lesser known charities, but nevertheless the funds we donate are vital to them.

Carers Trust has been supported by The National Garden Scheme since 1996 - close to thirty years. in that time the NGS has donated almost £6 million to help the charity raise the profile of carers’ issues and enable them to further their reach and support even more unpaid carers. In 2023 we donated £350,000 to Carers Trust.

There are around seven million unpaid carers in the UK - this a staggering figure. Through the NGS donations The Carers Trust are able to provide support, advice, respite and grants, but unpaid carers themselves love visiting the scheme’s gardens. The opportunity to enjoy beautiful surroundings, to relax and share

Setting sail on a unique learning adventure

Embley students had an unforgettable experience at the Round the Island Race this Summer. With extreme weather conditions predicted, its two smaller boats withdrew before the race, leaving Embley’s Stewart 37 (‘Embley’) to brave the race alone. Undeterred, the team adapted to the challenge. Out of 939 boats that entered the race, ‘Embley’ was one of 287 to cross the start line. It was a fantastic day on the water, filled with excitement and camaraderie.

But with the weather showing no signs of abating, a tough decision was made the evening before race day for Embley to start the race but retire into Lymington. Despite knowing they couldn’t cross the finish line, the team woke at 04:15 with enthusiasm, nerves, grit and determination, showing immense courage, resilience, positivity and adaptability.

Embley’s sailing programme is more than mastering knots and tacking and students learn so much more about themselves when things aren’t plain sailing! It’s a hands-on experience that fosters determination and perseverance, where leadership and teamwork skills can be honed, and students learn essential communication and interpersonal skills.

stories with other carers is invaluable and provides them with a much needed break from the stresses of day to day life. So you see - your visits, support and donations really make a difference.

A group of young carers enjoying a fantastic day out at Arundel Wetlands Centre. Yes it rained, but were they bothered… of course not - they're kids!! They enjoyed a boat safari and were spotting the ducks and geese. Then the sun came out and they were able to walk around the Wetlands - fascinated by the Willow Structures, and laughing at the diving ducks and bowled over by the pelicans.

So to one of our final open gardens for 2024.

Bramdean House, Bramdean, Alresford, SO24

0JU - Opening: Sunday 8th September 1pm to 3.30pm. Admission: £6.50 children free. Cashless Payments available. Refreshments: Homemade teas. https://findagarden.ngs.org.

uk/garden/3145/bramdean-house

Beautiful 5 acre garden best known for its mirror image herbaceous borders and its 1 acre walled garden. There is a large and unusual collection of plants and shrubs giving yearround interest including a large collection of old fashioned sweet peas and an expansive collection of nerines.

This will be my last article for 2024, but I will be back to do it all again in 2025! Best Wishes to all and Thank You for your support of the National Garden Scheme in 2024.

Pat Beagley (Head of Publicity) National Garden Scheme - Hampshire

The programme is led by the school’s Head of Sailing, Sophie Bubb, a lifelong sailor who worked her way up through the Royal Yachting Association’s (RYA) youth racing squads before working with the Volvo Ocean Race and Vestas SailRocket team.

In Year 5 and 6, Embley’s Prep pupils gain their RYA 1 dinghy sailing skills. In Senior School, over 120 children are on the water each month from Easter to October on the school’s fleet

of keelboats which are moored at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club and students enter the British Schools Dinghy Racing Championships, with some having one on to represent GB at the Youth World Championships. The school’s resident marine biologist also takes children out on the boats as part of their Science lessons and learning learn more about life on and below the water and how climate change is affecting our seas.

A Coat of Many Colours

© Lucia Foster-Found 2024 www.luciafosterfound.com

“Another one?” Himself stood looking over her shoulder at the wall. She daubed on a little more paint and stepped back to admire her handiwork.

The wall bore the marks of many attempts to find a perfect shade of cream.

“Yes, another one.” She tried and failed to keep the testy tone from her voice as she elaborated, “That,” she flicked a finger dismissively at an innocuous-looking sample, “reminds me of our first home. Magnolia. Magnolia everywhere. And that unmistakable stench of something that died in the walls whilst we were in the Isle of Wight on a mini-break. I couldn’t get the smell of magnolia paint and the odour of death out of my nostrils for weeks.”

“Not that one then..” Himself too was having nasal flashbacks.

“No.” She said firmly. “And that,” she pointed again, “is too blue. That one’s too white and that’s too pink.” She was jabbing her finger at the patches that bedecked the conservatory. “I feel like Goldilocks; I need one that’s just right.”

“Probably best you leave them all to dry and come back to it with fresh eyes tomorrow. In the meantime, and same-same-butdifferent, what coats did you anticipate taking on holiday?” he asked with some trepidation.

Himself cast his mind back to the same time the year before; she’d emerged from the house at the last moment with armfuls of coats for which he’d had to make room in the car. He’d decided to find out early to plan his packing - this year they were taking the dogs and space in the vehicle would be at a premium.

“No idea,” she said breezily, putting down her brush. “But actually, I’ve just had a thought…” She disappeared back into the house and emerged with a new-ish acquisition. A cross between a bathrobe and a waterproof coat, it belonged to a genre that had been both the darling of lockdown and the object of some ridicule. It had inspired hashtags of the slightly offensive variety and (apparently) in places some signage of the ‘people wearing these types of coats need not tarry here’ kind.

When she’d expressed an interest in buying one for dog-walking purposes, Himself had been mildly amused and read to her the mocking articles from the internet. As a consequence, she’d promised most solemnly never to wear it in Chelsea, Kensington –anywhere in London in fact, or to Waitrose. As she frequented none of the above, this was not a hardship.

“This is exactly the cream I’m looking for!” She announced triumphantly, holding up her robe coat to the backdrop of the patchy wall.

With that, she twirled it like a matador and threw it over her

shoulders. Himself watched her march away with a sigh – and returned to his time-sensitive list of jobs on the countdown to France. The dogs had already received their rabies jabs and it now remained for them to get their Animal Health Certificates. She’d had to remind Himself to renew his own ‘pet passport’ too and he was anxiously awaiting its return as he crossed off the squares on his calendar.

It almost made him long for the good old days when they’d all jumped in the car on a whim and driven to a B&B in Paignton with nylon sheets and a Goblin Teasmade.

But then he pictured the oyster sheds, the seafood restaurants, the market stalls groaning with sun-ripened produce and artisanal bread. And himself on a sandy beach, cold beer in hand, watching the dogs swimming around his wife in a sewage-free sea. A sea from which she would emerge and don her robe coat before a saunter through the sand dunes back to their cabin for a long, lazy repas of fromage, charcuterie, pain et vin.

Aaah, c’est si bon!

Presently, she returned with paint that perfectly matched the colour of aforementioned robe coat. Himself looked at the unfamiliar label and asked the price – he being of a mindset that paint shouldn’t cost more than a tenner a tin. With due concern for his dicky heart, she mumbled something incoherently, before passing comment that it would be so great to get the conservatory freshened up before they went away. Himself’s dicky heart sank as he added it to ‘the list’.

Having streamlined the packing so she would be able to bring all of her coats of many colours and genres on holiday if she so desired (and she might), no one was more surprised than he when he found time in his busy and ever-demanding schedule to both start the painting - and finish it.

Much to her delight and praise. “That’s fantastic darling. I was only joking when I said it’d be nice to get it done before the holiday…”

‘Now she tells me’, he thought. But Himself was magnanimous and modest. “Of course, good quality paint will justify its cost and pay for itself, I say!” She looked at his happy face and thought, on balance, it was still just as well he didn’t know the eye-watering price, as he went on to announce, “It only took the one coat.”

She smiled to herself and said, “I was just about to say something similar. You know my robe’s so versatile – it’s waterproof and it’s warm if it gets chilly – and it goes with so many colours…” She paused. Then, with a slightly incredulous shake of her head, she uttered a sentence that both she and Himself would never have believed would pass her lips.

“For this holiday, I too am only taking the one coat...”

We are an independent deli filled with a mix of great quality ingredients as well as the everyday essentials located in Stockbridge High Street. Join us for Fish & Chips night, every Friday 5.30pm -7.45pm | Call to book a table or to order take away Due to popular demand – Supper Club is back! Contact the Deli for more information Next date for your diary – 29th of August

Thyme & Tides Stockbridge

The High Street, Stockbridge, SO20 6HE T: 01264 810101 info@thymeandtidesdeli.co.uk

9am – 4.30pm

Clive & Tanith Cummings Beauworth Hampshire SO24 0PB

Residents urged not to bin batteries following string of vehicle fires

Test Valley Borough Council is urging residents to dispose of old batteries safely and NOT to put them in their household bins, due to the risk of them catching fire. This follows multiple bin lorry fires, including two in one day earlier this year.

When the waste is compressed in the back of the lorry, the crushing pressure causes the battery to spark. And as well as causing damage to collection vehicles, they can also cause fires at the waste and recycling processing sites.

You can safely recycle your batteries at your local household waste recycling centre, supermarket or other battery recycling point. Vapes containing hidden batteries are common culprits, but electrical items including laptops and mobile phones along with any loose batteries are also a major risk. Many vape retailers will collect your used vapes.

Portfolio holder for Recycling and Environmental Services, Cllr David Drew, said: “Most people won’t appreciate the dangers from placing items such as vapes in their black or brown bins. But they have caused multiple fires in Test Valley alone. It is simply good luck that nobody has been injured so far. In addition, each bin lorry costs around £220k to purchase, so the costs to repair them can be significant. But, critically, throwing a battery in your black bin could cost someone’s life.”

You can find out more at www.testvalley.gov.uk/binfires.

Alresford Brocante

Antiques | Vintage | Flea Market

Alresford Brocante

Antiques | Vintage | Flea Market

Alresford Brocante

YEAR7th

Sunday 26th September 2021

October 7th, 8th & 9th 2024 9am - 5pm www.jennifergayalpaca.com w

Sunday 26th September 2021

Bank Holiday Monday 6th May & Sunday 15th September

Sunday 22nd September 2024

Bank Holiday Monday 6th May & Sunday 15th September

Broad Street, Alresford SO24 9AQ | 9.30 - 3.30pm

Bank Holiday Monday 6th May & Sunday 15th September

Also Bishop's Waltham High Street on the 10th October

Bank Holiday Monday 6th May & Sunday 15th September

Broad Street, Alresford SO24 9AQ | 9.30 - 3.30pm