Cllr Paul Woods has taken some photos of the recent New Milton Christmas Festival. We hope you enjoyed the festivities!

View the photo gallery

This winter New Forest District Council are offering free parking for Small Business Saturday on December 7th and also this coming Saturday 30th November there will be free afternoon car parking in New Milton to support the New Milton Christmas Festival.

Parking clocks are also available for purchase for the 2014 season. Parking clocks are available to purchase online at newforest.gov.uk/parkingclock. The price of parking clocks and meter charges will remain unchanged for the third year in a row.

This really exciting structure has just appeared on the Rec, and getting it here is an amazing achievement for New Milton Town Council and we are very proud of it. Without doubt, it will become a real talking point in the town, and the important thing is to celebrate the fact that the pavilion has arrived.

“Here it is – isn’t it amazing. Credit to all those who made it happen. The main launch event will be held at the start of the summer season in 2014…further details to follow”

- Cllr Neil Tungate

Read our press release

With thanks to Kate Maddison (Chrysalis Arts) and Michael Angus for their photos.

Credit also to the following involved with the construction:

• Pavilion Designer: Chrysalis Arts
• Pavilion Fabricator: Chris Brammall Ltd
• Landscape Design and Project Management: New Forest District Council
• Landscape Contractor: The Landscape Group
• Electrical Contractor: Faradays Electrical Ltd

Additional Fire Service strike action has been announced for this Wednesday (10:00am-14:00pm). We urge residents to take extra care and only dial 999 in a genuine emergency.

Ninety-five years ago at the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month in 1918, the First World War ended.

In New Milton, we remember especially the 160 local servicemen who lost their lives in action, 65 from WW1 and 95 from WWII whose names appear on this Memorial, together with 26 local residents who died in the bombings of New Milton during World War II.

In addition, a further 63 local servicemen died in service, and these additional names (18 from WWI and 45 from WWII) will be formally recognized and recorded on the War Memorial as part of the 100^th Anniversary of the start of WWI on 4 August 2014.

Altogether, 223 local servicemen lost their lives in the two world wars, 83 in WWI and 140 in WWII, together with 26 local residents previously mentioned. In total, 249 local people lost their lives.

On Sunday, November 10th many New Milton residents gathered at the War Memorial on the Recreation Ground to observe the 2 minute silence in respect of those who lost their lives. Below are some of the photos taken by Michael Angus of the gathering at the War Memorial.

Video footage of the Remembrance Parade

This coming Sunday we remember the fallen as part of the The New Milton Annual Service of Remembrance. The Remembrance takes place on the recreation ground where residents of the Town come together along with many community organisations for the wreath laying ceremony and two-minute silence at the War Memorial on the Recreation Ground.

The Remembrance will be led by Parade Marshal – Councillor Goff Beck and takes place at 10.50am with the two minute silence at 11.00am. Afterwards further remembrance will be taking place at the New Milton Memorial Centre. Whitefield Road.

Following on from last years excellent 2012 festival, New Milton Town Partnership and New Milton Town Council in conjunction with a number of local organisations are pleased to announce that the Christmas Festival weekend will be returning on 30th November and 1st December.

Once again there will be a vast number of stalls and street / stage entertainment including the The Live Finals of Forest Talent 2013 which showcases local talent from all ages.

To find out more about the festival you can visit the official New Milton Christmas Festival 2013 website.

2012 Christmas Festival

The Environment Agency is seeking views from the local communities and partner organisations on a proposed project that will breathe new life into an environmentally damaged Hampshire stream.

Hampshire’s Becton Bunny stream runs for just over 2km from its source in New Milton through Barton on Sea before discharging to Christchurch Harbour. In the past, the stream was heavily modified with reinforced banks and an artificially straightened channel. As a result of these historical changes, there is an increased flood risk to the area and the waterway does not have wildlife living in and around it as it should have.

The proposed project, in partnership with New Forest National Park Authority and New Milton Town Council, will restore sections of the stream back to its natural course. This work will improve the stream for wildlife and the local community whilst reducing flood risk.  The first sections to be tackled will be Long Meadow, Mitchell Close and Willow Walk.

Members of the public and interested groups are invited to hear more about the proposed project at a public exhibition this month. The Environment Agency project team will be on hand at the event to share information and answer any questions on the plans.

The event will take place at the Scout Hut, Long Meadow, Barton on Sea on Saturday 24 August from 10am to 5pm.

Rebecca Long, Environment Agency Project Officer, said: “We are working with our partners to make a real difference to the Becton Bunny stream to achieve the best possible outcomes for the river, wildlife and the local community.

“That’s why we need input from local residents and interested groups to help us shape our proposals and we hope to receive as many comments as possible. We encourage people to come along to the sessions to talk with us about the proposals and share their views.”

The proposed improvements, subject to funding being secured for construction, will also help the stream to achieve its European water quality targets under the Water Framework Directive.

More information can be found on the Environment Agency website at:

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/planning/149162.aspx