Roundabout Ringwood - January 2023

Dear Residents,

A Very Happy New Year to you! 2023 here we are. We cannot say that the last three years have been uneventful, that is for sure. Here at Modern Magazines with your local Roundabout, we sincerely intend this year to be successful for all of us, despite anything the news may try and tell us. I hope you have made some good New Years’ resolutions and that you feel you can create and have some fun. Our local trades and businesses inside really want you to call them. Please use their services for the help you need in the home, for the car, your business or even for yourself. Do tell them that you have seen them here, as this makes all the difference. I just love to hear you found their details in “Roundabout”. The index at the back is a quick guide to find who you are looking for. There are local groups and societies that also wish to hear from you, so please give them a call too and join in with their activities. There is nothing better than getting together with like-minded people. It is very uplifting and may be the ‘therapy’ we all need to watch less TV. If you know of a club that needs more support, let them know of us. We can help spread the word.

In a number of recent editions we have carried a column that was associated with Martin Lewis. We have since found out that they were in fact not written by Martin Lewis himself. For the most up to date guidance and personal finance information, visit MoneySavingExpert.com.

Stephen, myself (Debbie), Mel, Julie, Steph, Tracey, Pippa, Beth and Jaidan, our new graphic designer, all wish you a fantastic 2023! May you expand in all areas of your life and laugh a lot. Best wishes, Debbie, Stephen

NOW and THEN

Article and photo kindly supplied by Mary Baldwin

Lamb Inn, Ringwood

1827 to Carter’s brewery in West Street. The opening of the railway in 1848 must have brought in much extra custom to the new Lamb; Victorian directories show the pub became named ‘The Lamb Inn and Railway Tavern’ to stress this attraction. However it then had to compete with two new nearby rivals, the Railway Hotel in Hightown Road and the Railway Arms in New Street.

The most notable difference between these two photographs is that in 1909 the entire frontage onto Christchurch Road was occupied by Greenfield & Son’s grocery shop. During most of the 20th century the Lamb Inn could only be reached through its Hightown Road entrance (now blocked off) or from the rear door.

It has often been remarked that the Lamb Inn resembled the Ringwood railway stationhouse which used to stand close by until it was demolished following the closure of the railway in 1967. Exactly when the present tall-storeyed Lamb was built has never been clearly established, but I would suggest it was erected about the same time as the station, circa 1847, possibly designed by the same architect. If so, it replaced an earlier inn of the same name which features in earlier records. This may even possibly have been the lower part of the building seen on the right of the photos.

In the early 19th century the old Lamb Inn was owned by Ringwood brewer Stephen Tunks whose brewery stood on the same site as today’s Ringwood Brewery. Following Tunks’s death the Lamb was sold off in

Following the closure of Carter’s brewery in 1923, the Lamb became owned by Strong’s of Romsey until Whitbread’s took over in1968. By the 1980s the shop facing onto Christchurch Road had become Dormer Press printers. The Lamb only occupied the entire premises when the pub was purchased by landlord Norman Shepherd in the 1990s.

Today the Lamb is privately owned by Austin Greenfield (no relation to the earlier family of grocers). Since September 2022 it is under new management which continues to provide bed & breakfast accommodation. Its front room, which previously housed a pool table, is now a steakhouse with old photographs of the inn and surrounding area decorating the walls.

Copyright © Mary Baldwin

A family run company committed to providing good quality and genuine care for your loved ones.

2 small homes offering warm, comfortable and safe settings with a “home from home” feeling.

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Manager: Janet Sheridan

Pegg in Paradise

Not long ago, Simon Pegg was co-writing low-budget British comedy. Now he’s tasked with preserving the legacy of not one, not two, but three of cinema’s most beloved sci-fi franchises.

It’s a sizeable distance from the suburbs of North London to the final frontier of space, but Simon Pegg has made the journey without breaking sweat.

In 1999, Pegg first made his way into the British public’s consciousness as slacker Tim Bisley in Spaced, the sitcom he both starred in and cowrote. The show not only set a precedent for much of Pegg’s early career, it also helped him catch the eye of Hollywood’s elite movers and shakers. In 2006, just five short years after wrapping up the low-budget British hit, and at a time when the writer feared he may have to pen a third series, Pegg was approached by one of Los Angeles’ leading directors, J.J. Abrams.

With Abrams in the director’s chair, Mission: Impossible III saw Pegg appear alongside cinema royalty in the form of Tom Cruise as the nerdy Benjamin ‘Benji’ Dunn.

“When J.J. Abrams asks you to be in one of his movies, you don’t think, ‘Will this pigeonhole my range’ – you say, ‘When do you need me?’” the 52-yearold laughs.

Pegg and Abrams teamed up again as part of Star Trek, the cinematic re-boot of the much-loved sci-fi story. Add in his cameo as Unkar Plutt in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and this largely unassuming creative comedian has strolled almost effortlessly into the A-list franchise elite.

“Being handed the keys to these universes has been such a privilege and an honour. They are daunting prospects and I’ve always appreciated the importance of doing them justice.

“You have to tread a fine line between the two different types of

people who watch franchise movies – on one hand you have the super fan, and on the other, the newbie who knows nothing about this world,” he explains. “You want to appeal to someone who says, ‘what’s this Mission: Impossible business?’, and then goes back and discovers 20 years’ worth.”

“Yet at the same time you don’t want to alienate old fans and move too far away from the core model,” he continues.

With two new Mission: Impossible movies in motion –Dead Reckoning Pts 1&2, for release in 2023 and 2024, the size of the task doesn’t get any smaller.

“I feel like I’ve had a really nice run of smaller films before all this – with Hector, Man Up, Absolutely Anything and others. I’ve had a run of blockbusters, then balanced back into movies such as Lost Translations, Inheritance and others. It’s a nice mix. It’s keeping me away from having to write another series of Spaced!”

The Property Protection Trust Will package is based around how you hold the ownership of your home. All good estate planning nowadays considers the difference between owning your home as joint tenants or as tenants in common.

If you own your home as Joint Tenants; when one of you dies the ownership of the home passes by the Law of Survivorship and not by your Will. Therefore, the surviving partner will automatically own 100% of the property. This sounds right to most people. BUT should the surviving partner need care in the future, the Local Authority can take everything they own (including their home) to pay for the care fees, leaving just £14,250 to be inherited by children and grandchildren.

There is an alternative.

Nowadays many couples choose to own their home as Tenants in Common where each partner will own 50% of the family home. This provides for many benefits. Firstly, it allows you to legally leave your share of the property in your Will to whoever you wish. A properly written Will can ensure that your half of your house will eventually pass to your children even if your widow re-marries.

Unmarried cohabiting couples or relatives living together can also use this means of ownership as a way of minimising their Inheritance Tax exposure.

It can also help with long-term care costs. If one of you is still living in your home the Local Authority can’t include its value in the means test if one of you has to go in to long-term care. This also applies if the husband or wife still living at home dies while the other is in care as their share will go into the trust.

Dorset and Wight are your local experts in Property Protection Trust Wills.

Increasing numbers of homeowners are choosing to hold their properties as tenants in common to reduce inheritance tax and help protect their share from care fees

Eco-Co ee

How to ensure your morning beverage isn’t brewing up an environmental storm.

When, in the mid-Nineties, the likes of Costa Coffee and Starbucks began opening on our high streets, so too did there begin a coffee bean revolution that has transformed our drinking habits.

However, such pleasure has come at a cost. With 95 million cups of coffee slurped down in the UK every single day the resulting waste and environmental impact has also increased significantly. A colossal 2.5 billion coffee cups are dumped every year (with only 0.25% currently recycled), while 30,000 coffee pods end up in landfill every single month. And that’s before you even consider the global resource and human costs of what has become the most traded commodity after crude oil.

Fortunately, there is much you can do to ensure your caffeine kick is not compromising the planet. As with most products, knowing the origin

of what you’re consuming is vital, and many supermarkets are keenly aware of their responsibility to offer ethically sourced coffee. Check for sustainability certifications that ensure things are being done to help make production better for both the environment and the farmers involved. Associations like Fairtrade and the Rainforest Alliance are great examples of this, so look out for beans that feature their logos.

Even fans of pod machines can also lower their coffee carbon footprint. Many appliances are now compatible with foil pods which can be recycled using a very simple and nifty pod recycling device that separates the used coffee grounds from their foil casing. The grounds go on your compost heap, while the accumulated foils

head for the recycling bin. You can also source pods that are compostable in their entirety.

When it comes to drinking ‘on the go’, the obvious solution to limiting waste is to switch to a reusable coffee cup, and many cafes will offer a discount on your beverage when you proffer your own vessel. You can also upgrade to beans that are organic; and if your focus is on the imprint being made on the dairy industry, cow’s milk alternatives such as soy, almond, rice or oat have never felt closer to the real thing.

In other words, you don’t have to let your coffee consumption become a burden on your conscience.

With an abundance of options available in an industry that is positively booming, it’s actually very easy to make the right choices. It means if you still give in to the temptation of the odd instant coffee – and why should you not? – the assault will be only on your tastebuds, not the planet!

Going Green...

So much is being said about the need to protect the planet and use more eco-friendly material, but it is the small steps that each of us can do that will really make the difference.

Take the EcoEgg Laundry Egg... the innovative laundry solution. It replaces laundry detergent and fabric conditioner, reducing both harmful chemicals used and also single-use plastic packaging.

Dermatest has rated it excellent for use on sensitive skin, giving a kinder wash on both your skin and your pocket.

The mineral pellets in the egg, which are refillable (saving even more money!), work together in the water to effectively draw dirt from your clothes and softens them by changing the pH. Therefore leaving your laundry clean and fresh.

EcoEggs are available in Fresh Linen, Spring Blossom and Fragrance Free.

Recently, they have also released the EcoEgg Dryer Egg, which can be used when tumble drying. They reduce the drying time by up to 28%, saving you both time and money.

“I’ve been using mine for over a month now and I absolutely love it. It saves money, there’s no mess from washing powders and liquids. Also easy to use, and is better for the environment. Helps cut down on single use plastic and doesn’t use harmful chemicals.” KD

If you would like to know more about these products and many more, please feel free to visit my website at debbiegoesgreen.uk or email me at hello@debbiegoesgreen.uk as I would love to hear from you. Let’s look after ourselves and our environment!

Debbie Corney

New Year, New Book!

This month, four books that will lead you into 2023.

A Nation of Shopkeepers: The Unstoppable rise of the Petite-Bourgeoisie by Daniel Evans

Lifting the lid on the UK’s modern class structure, Daniel Evans’ forthcoming book, A Nation of Shopkeepers: The Unstoppable Rise of the Petite-Bourgeoisie, focuses on the class of people existing between the working class and the bourgeoisie – those shopkeepers, small-time landlords and self-employed artisans who were expected to be swallowed up by monopoly capitalism, but who’ve actually grown in recent years.

Referring to them as a “mysterious class”, he investigates what their seemingly unstoppable rise might mean for the Left.

Published by Repeater Books on February 14th

You Are

Not Alone

by Cariad Lloyd Cariad Lloyd losing her father at 15 inspired her awardwinning podcast, Griefcast, in which she talks to celebrities about navigating their own experiences of loss.

In You Are Not Alone, the comedian and writer explores society’s reluctance to talk about death and its impact. Amid stories from those she’s interviewed,

including Stephen Mangan, Sara Pascoe, and Adam Buxton, are Lloyd’s own thoughts on therapy and friends as, amongst other things, she debunks ‘the five stages of grief’ in appraising loss and heartache in all its unexpected forms. Published by Bloomsbury on January 19th

8 Rules of Love by Jay Shetty

Jay Shetty, author of the no.1 New York Times bestseller Think Like a Monk, offers a revelatory guide to every stage of romance, drawing on ancient wisdom and new science.

Instead of presenting love as an ethereal concept or a collection of cliches, Shetty lays out specific, actionable steps to help you develop the skills to practise and nurture love better than ever before.

He shares eight rules, each teaching and empowering, detailing how to win or lose together, how to define love, and why you don’t ‘break’ in a breakup, and more. Published by Harper Collins on January 31st

The latest breakneck thriller from powerhouse writer Linwood

Barclay introduces us to Sandra Montrose, who hasn’t been the same since her husband died after he fell asleep at the wheel of his car, leaving her a single mother to Archie and Katie.

When, in an experiment, the cars on Garrett Island are switched for driverless vehicles called Arrivals. Sandra is hesitant. Sure enough, as the day of the big reveal gets underway, a member of the press has gone missing and there are rumours of industrial sabotage.

Shortly afterwards, the sleek driverless cars stop taking orders. In fact, they have rules of their own and start targeting the trusting residents of Garrett Island. Published by Harper Collins on February 3rd

Look Both Ways by Linwood Barclay

MUSIC FOR THE MIND

At St Michaels Church, Church Hill, Verwood BH31 6DZ. 4th Monday of the Month at 11.00am 12.30 excluding August. Singing meeting for people with memory problems. Aim is to give carer & cared for quality time together. FREE. For more info call Gwen on 01202 827800

RINGWOOD GOOD NEIGHBOURS

Helping people in the BH24 postcode area with transport for medical appointments and also has a BEFRIENDING service. Please contact us on 07933 202112. More drivers always welcome, please phone if you can spare a few hours a week.

GREYFRIARS FUN & FRIENDSHIP CLUB

Social club for the older community who meet on 1st and 3rd Thursday afternoons each month, 2pm – 4.15pm, in the Activities Hall, Greyfriars, Ringwood. Contact Sam Davies 01425 472613

COMPUTER CAFE

Meet in St Leonards & St Ives Village Hall every Friday morning from 9 until noon. Currently we operate in a socially distanced way so unfortunately we are unable to serve refreshments at present. But we are here to help you with any IT problems. Call 01425 476558 for info.

FORDINGBRIDGE BOWLING CLUB

Full programme of Leagues’ Bowls for both Ladies & Gents in the New Forest & B’mouth & District Leagues. Stuckton Road, Fordingbridge. Contact: Mr D C Jones 01425 657627

RINGWOOD FLY DRESSERS GUILD

We promote the art of Fly Dressing/Tying. Wednesday evenings at 7pm - 9:30pm at Poulner Junior School, North Poulner Road, Ringwood, BH24 3LA. New members always welcome Secretary Peter Wildash: 07587000223, mayoflycraft@talktalk.net

Visually impaired people meet on the 2nd and 4th Thursday afternoon each month at Greyfriars Activities Centre, Ringwood

Contact Kate Henderson 01425 476568 / Russell Webb 01425 476618

EDMONDSHAM CIRCLE DANCERS

Traditional and contemporary folk dances from around the world. No partners needed. Meeting on 1st, 3rd and 5th Fridays of each month from 7:30 – 9:45 in Edmondsham Village Hall. Pay as you go. Contact Kirsteen McCormick on 01725 517807.

THE RINGWOOD AND BURLEY BAND Practice evening, each Friday at 8pm - 10pm. Ebenezer Hall, Greyfriars, Ringwood. NEW PLAYERS WELCOME! Jane Lashmar: ringwoodandburleyband@mail.com

WESSEX SUGARCRAFTERS

Meet 3rd Monday each month at 7pm at Radnor Hall, Bodenham. New members & visitors very welcome. £5 inc refreshments.

Info: Pat Jones 01258 452510 Doreen Simkins 01425 652085

VERWOOD TRAD JAZZ CLUB

Ringwood Conservative Club, 22 Christchurch Road, Ringwood. BH24 1DN on 3rd Thursday of the month. Good Food & Bar. Music from 7.30- 10pm. (Doors open from 6.30pm). No membership required. Contact Geoff 07798 721405 or 01202 822038

This full symphony orchestra rehearses 7.30 pm Wednesdays at St Peter’s Senior Catholic School, St Catherine’s Rd, Southbourne. Contact conductor Sam Newgarth 01258 473073. sam@newgarth.fsnet.co.uk www.baps -orch.co.uk

THE DORSET WOODTURNE RS ASSOCIATION

Want to try woodturning? Come and join us at St Leonards & St Ives Village Hall Braeside Road St Leonards Ringwood BH24 2PH 1st Wednesday each month 7.15pm -9.30pm. for more details

Contact: Nigel Lloyd Secretary on 07940 348776 or just come along

ROYAL AIR FORCES ASSOCIATION

Fordingbridge & District Branch No. 1321. Meet every 4th Thursday in the Month at Scout Hall, Fordingbridge 7.30pm. Open to all ex RAF & friends.

GERMAN CONVERSATION GROUPS

Pub nights, Parent/toddler group, German church. Contact: Cass 01425 479101 email: cassscholz1@yahoo.co.uk www.krautsalat.org

RINGWOOD & FORDINGBRIDGE TALKING NEWS

Supplies audio transcripts of local newspapers and non -political and non-sectarian magazines free to sight impaired people. Welcomes donations & help to read & edit.

Contact: Peter Ansell 01425 475886

Join us to maintain footpaths and enjoy organised walks, social activities and winter evening meetings.

Membership Secretary: 01425 647499 www.rffs.org.uk

BRAESIDE BOWLING CLUB

Braeside Road St Leonards. A bowling club for ALL - participating in the Leagues, Friendlies & Internal competitions. Club sessions Mon & Fri afternoons. Beginners and established players welcome Secretary Brian Morrell 01202 828614

RINGWOOD COMMUNITY CHOIR, “SING FOR JOY”

Mixed choir, singing harmony songs from around the world -African, gospel, Taize, folk etc. No auditions, beginners as well as experienced singers age 10 upwards. Meet at Greyfriars Wednesdays, 7:30 – 9:30. Pay as you go. Contact Kirsteen McCormick 01725 517807

FORDINGBRIDGE CAMERA CLUB

Meet at Avonway Community Centre at 7.30 pm alternate Wednesdays for a mixture of talks by top photographers and members’ shows constructively judged by experienced professionals. 01725 518448 www.fordingbridgecameraclub.org.uk

NEW FOREST JAZZ WORKSHOPS

At Godshill Village Hall, final Wednesday of every month at 7.30pm for musicians, any ability, who want to learn jazz. £4 per session, inc tea & biscuits. Derek Ayling, 01425 650770 or Hippotrain@btinternet.com

HEATHERLANDS SHORT MAT BOWLS CLUB

We bowl from 7.30pm to 10 pm every Wed & Sun at St. Leonards & St. Ives Village Hall, Braeside Road. A gentle sport suitable for ladies as well as men. Ring George on 07831224945

FORDINGBRIDGE & DISTRICT U3A

Every 3rd Wednesday 2-4pm ‘Avonway’ in Fordingbridge. Members also join activity groups according to interest. Info at u3asites.org.uk/ fordingbridge, Info packs in Fordingbridge library, or come to a meeting (£2 guest) Peter Woollett (memb. Sec) 01425 655490

RINGWOOD UNITARIANS

New group exploring and celebrating matters of spirituality, faith and conscience, asking you not telling you your faith. http://ringwoodunitarians.blogspot.co.uk or 07899 730181

GREYFRIARS PLAYREADING GROUP

Every Wednesday 2- 4pm in Greyfriars, Ringwood. The repertoire spans 19th and 20th century drama and we put ‘feeling’ into our parts just like BBC Radio productions. We are short of male readers and would like to see some new faces! Contact Russell Webb 01425 476618

CROWE HILL W.I.

Meet Monthly 2nd Thurs 2pm at Crowe Hill W.I. Hall, Crow Lane. Visitors welcome. Contact: christine.williams0@icloud.com

RINGWOOD MUSICAL & DRAMATIC SOCIETY & CHOIR. A friendly theatre group of all ages staging Musicals, Plays & Choir concerts. If you’d like to join us either on stage, behind the scenes or singing in the Choir, email our secretary jane.howell059@gmail.com. For our Choir contact Pamela Berry on 01425 402366.

RINGWOOD NWR

Small friendly women’s group looking for new members. Main meeting monthly weekdays at 7.30pm. Book group meet monthly on Mon after- noons. See nwr.org.uk or contact Josephine 01425 476052

RINGWOOD ART SOCIETY

Meets every 3 rd Monday of the month at 7 pm to 9.30 pm at Greyfriars Community Centre, Ringwood. Monthly demonstrations by professional artists, also workshops and pottery afternoons. New Members welcome. Contact David Lowe 01425 482602 or www.ringwoodartsociety.org

FORDINGBRIDGE EMBROIDERY CLUB

Meet on the 1st Tuesday of each month at The Methodist Hall, West Street, Fordingbridge. 2-4 pm. Novices & experts welcome. Valerie 01425 656052 or Mary 01425 471362

RINGWOOD & POULNER TREFOIL GUILD

Guiding for the 18 to 80+. Come and join our lively group who enjoy fun, food and fellowship. W e meet at the Trinity Centre, Ringwood 7-9pm 1st Thursday of the month for speak ers activities and fun. Transport available. Contact June Bentham 01425 474035

RINGWOOD & HANGERSLEY WI

Meet on the third Thursday of each month at Crow WI hall Crow 7 pm for 7 30 start. Visitors are always welcome for m ore information contact cecileyrt@tiscali.co.uk.

GREYFRIARS BRIDGE CLUB

Meet at Greyfriars Wednesday pm for Rubber Bri dge (1.30pm) and Fri day eves for Duplicate Bridge (6.45pm). New members & visitors welcome. Phil 01202 379297

AVON VALLEY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Meet at The Ann Rose Hall, Greyfri ars, Ringwood 1st Wednes day each month at 7.30pm,Septem ber to May. www.avas.org.uk Cont act Mark Vincent 01425 473677

RINGWOOD CAMERA CLUB

A very friendly club that meet on the 2nd & 4th Tuesday of the month at Ringwood Conservative Club. We welcome visitors and have a beginner's section www.ringwoodcameraclub.co.uk or 01425 4826 636

THE BRACKEN CO. OF ARCHERS.

We are found on the grounds of Cranborne Middle School in E Dorset. We shoot on Sunday am, Tues day & Thursday eve’s in the summer. In the winter, we also shoot indoors. www. dor setarchery.co.uk

BRAESIDE BRIDGE CLUB

Duplicate Bridge played on Tuesday evenings 6.45 to 10pm at All Saints Church Hall, St Leonards. New members and visitors welcome. Mrs Marion Paris 01425 478241 or Jill Rix 01425 482747

FORDINGBRIDGE CHORAL SOCIETY

Rehearsals are held on Wednesday evenings in term time from 7.30pm9pm in the URC, Salisbury Street. New singers welcome. Cont act our Secretary on: 01425 654372

ROTARY CLUB OF FORDINGBRIDGE

We m eet at 6.30pm/7pm on Tues days every week at Avonway We like to make a differ ence to the lives of others. For information on joining us call: Colin Ritchie on 01425 655877

BISTERNE VILLAGE HALL FOR HIRE charity no. 301747

Refurbished and available for hire for private parties, Clubs, Meetings, Organised functions. Entertainment Licence for 100 people. Hire c har ges are from £7 per hour. Call: 01425 476703

RINGWOOD CHESS CLUB

Meets Monday evenings at Original White Hart, High St., Ri ngwood ,BH24 1AW. Teams in B our nemouth & Southampton Leagues Cont act : malcolmd@m4me.co.uk 01425 838009

RINGWOOD ANTIQUES CLUB

Greyfri ars Comm unity Centre, 4th Wednes day of the month at 7.00pm for 7.30pm. New mem bers & visitors welcome Membership and programme details 01425 471348

RINGWOOD & FORDINGBRIDGE LIONS CLUB

Meet on the 2nd Thursday each month at 7.45 for 8pm at The Elm Tree pub, Hightown Road, Ringwood. Contact Lion Martin Riseam at: martin.riseam@mac.com –01425 472181 www.ringwoodandfordingbridgelions.org.uk

AVON W I

Meet on the 2nd Monday of each month at 7pm at United Reformed Church Hall, Salisbury Street. (No m eeti ngs in August) Monthly speaker/activities/discussions. Cont act Anne on 01425 655192

RINGWOOD AND DISTRICT

EX-TABLERS CLUB.

An active and friendly group of ex-Round Tablers (41-Clubbers).We have a busy and varied Social Programme with a monthly dinner meeting on the third Tuesday. For m ore info call Ian Stockdale on 07930 340624 or visit www.ringwood- extablers.org

ASHLEY HEATH WI

Meet monthly 2nd Tuesday at Braeside Village Hall at 2.30pm-4pm. Contact: Elizabeth Layet President 01425 478884 or Geraldine Bowles Secretary 01202 871251

TRADITIONAL AIKIDO CLUB

Hyde,Fordingbridge

Thurs day 8 - 10.30pm, Sat 9-1pm Also Salisbury Tues eve - Sun am. Physicalandspiritualdevel opment. Selfdefenceandweapons training. 20yrsexp.4thdanQualified instructor.All ages. ContactJohn01425655194 www.takemusu.co.uk

FREEDOM YOUTH CLUB

Friday's

FRIENDS OF FORDINGBRIDGE HOSPITAL

Understanding Investments: Business Owner’s Retirement Planning

As a business owner (self-employed or limited company) you have a greater degree of flexibility over how you are remunerated but also greater responsibilities for your staff, customers and the future success of the business. What can often be missed is the responsibility to focus on your own retirement planning.

The big picture: The first stage is to quantify what level of income you will need in retirement, and what other capital events you need to account for during your retirement (eg dream holidays, house renovations, financial support for children for house deposits & weddings etc). Once established, it’s possible to work backwards and identify how much you need to have saved to meet your retirement aspirations. We utilize marketleading cash-flow software to quantify this, taking into account inflation assumptions and projected investment returns.

It’s possible to model different scenarios; for example we can run one scenario to include a business sale, and another to assume the business continues under management to continue to generate revenue for the owner.

The role of pensions: Whilst we would all hope that the business thrives and provides the capital needed to retire, sadly this isn’t always the case. Like all things in life, it’s sensible to diversify your options and saving into a pension can be a very effective way to provide further flexible capital for retirement with many advantages.

1. Tax Efficient: Pension contributions are treated as a business expense so save corporation tax for limited companies. They are a very effective way to draw excess profits from the business without the need to pay corporation tax on those profits or income tax/dividend tax if drawn personally. The self-employed qualify for tax-relief so in effect pay no tax on contributions. There are annual allowances of £40,000 to consider but it’s possible to go back up to 3 years if full contributions haven’t been made and use “carryforward” to make higher contributions in the

current tax year.

2. Secure: Pension schemes are protected to varying degrees, with some insured schemes offering 100% protection in the event of provider default. In addition, money held in a pension is secure and separate from your business. In the event of the failure of your business, pension savings are secure.

Howard Goodship

3. Lower Charges: Since workplace pensions were introduced, competition has increased and charges have reduced. This is great for the consumer but sadly many existing pension schemes still charge the same as they always did. It is possible to consolidate and switch pension providers to save money after full analysis to ensure valuable benefits aren’t being lost.

4. Inheritance Tax exempt: Under current legislation, pension savings are not included in the value of your estate for IHT purposes. The pension fund can also be passed down to nominated beneficiaries on death in a tax efficient manner (tax-free pre age 75 and taxable at the nominated beneficiaries own income tax rate post age 75).

To summarise, with sensible planning it’s possible to pay less tax and keep more of your hard earned money to fund your financial future. Hopefully this means you may either retire sooner, or enjoy an improved lifestyle during retirement. If you’d like to learn more or discuss your personal situation, we would be delighted to meet for a free, no obligation initial chat.

Howard Goodship is an Independent Financial Adviser with Lonsdale Wealth Management, 5 Fridays Court, Ringwood. Tel: 01425 208490 www.lonsdaleservices.co.uk

The value of an investment and the income from it could go down as well as up. The return at the end of the investment period is not guaranteed and you may get back less than you originally invested. The contents of this article are for information purposes only and do not constitute individual advice.

Happy New Ears!

As we say goodbye to 2022, which was another challenging year for many, we welcome in 2023. It’s a great time to take stock and make plans for the year ahead.

Often at this time of year we are contacted by those who found that the family meetings, that they had been so looking forward to over Christmas, were spoiled by not being able to hear clearly. Communication is such an important part of our lives and it is very frustrating not being able to be fully involved in what is going on.

Fortunately, in the vast majority of cases, hearing loss can be resolved with the help of an audiologist who understands your dif culties and who can recommend the right hearing

assistance to suit your needs.

At 2County Hearing we helped very many people last year to improve their hearing and often our clients comment that they should have taken action years ago.

So many scienti c and medical studies now express the importance of hearing well as being a key factor in our long term wellbeing. It is so important to remain ‘connected’ to the world and the people around us.

Why not make your New Year’s Resolution to seek help with your hearing loss? We are happy to assess your hearing free of charge and can even offer a ‘Try Before You Buy’ option in many cases.

Take the rst step to clearer hearing today and call us on 01202 985500.

A Design for Life… e Kevin McCloud Column

Designer, writer and television presenter, Kevin McCloud leapt into our consciousness with his vastly successful Grand Designs show on Channel 4. This month, the affable architectural business owner returns to the subject of sustainability, both in terms of what we make our homes with, and what we place inside them.

To me, the relationship between making things and sustainability is essential, and I fear, as Western society, we’ve lost touch with the value of made things… with the value of raw materials, of the energy required. I don’t just mean fossil fuel energy, but also the human energy that goes into the process.

I’m very struck by seeing people producing lighting out of bits of recycled industrial stuff, or those who can put together and sell furniture they’ve handcrafted in small workshops all over the country.

A fabulous trend in the past couple of decades has been the

encouraging of home production creation –

everything from picture frames to jewellery – and how the internet has given these people a platform that is truly global.

When you meet someone who has made something in their workshop, you get the opportunity to sample their passion, influences, their own inspiration for doing what they do.

People talk a lot about sustainability using words like carbon and energy consumption – all that technical stuff – yet sustainability also comes in the form of the value of the objects we place inside our homes too.

After all, we are five times less likely to

throw away something we have made compared to something we have bought.

It’s also true that the longer we have something the less likely we are to bin itthere are records from the Seventies that I’ve still got; there’s a belt I’ve had all my life. We’ve all got stuff we love that we don’t want to let go of!

Sure enough, when we see our friends we talk about these things, we share the stories. I can bore people into infinity talking about my belt, or my old leather chair, and that’s the exciting thing: stuff as it gets older, gets better; it attracts more stories.

What I’m saying is we need to continue to keep creating homes that are rich in their fabric, but that are filed with things of value as well, so that we can share those stories with people, make friends, and embed ourselves into a community. That to me is actually a big part of what sustainability is about.

The Benefits of Being an All Through School

Talbot Heath is an independent day and boarding school which offers a dynamic and holistic education to girls aged 3-18. Community, continuity, and a coherent curriculum are just some of the huge benefits that being a through school gives to every one of its students at Talbot Heath.

Staff get to know each and every pupil as they progress from Kindergarten right through to Sixth Form, forging long-term relationships with students; our broad and innovative curriculum provides cogent consistency and progression across the year groups and key stages, and our dedicated staff build strong, supportive, nurturing relationships, having guided girls through all aspects of their development. The younger members of our school benefit greatly from the support and role modelling that the older girls provide, and equally, the older pupils can develop their empathy, mentoring and leadership skills whilst working alongside younger pupils.

Indeed, the latest initiative for students is ‘The Bridge’ – a volunteer mentoring programme where sixth formers support younger Talbot Heathens in mathematics and through the Forest School. Whole school events such as the Harvest Festival celebrations and School Birthday cement that sense of community through annual shared traditions. Parents

have regularly acknowledged how their daughters have developed a strong sense of security throughout their education as a result of being surrounded by familiar people and places. Indeed, it is this sense of security that enables our pupils to look outwards and take on their future with confidence and conviction.

Pupils attending our Junior School will automatically be offered a place in our Senior School in Year 7 if they have a positive attitude to learning across the curriculum, alongside standardised and teacher-based evidence of progress being made in English, Maths and Science; this immediately eliminates the anxiety and stress of entrance examinations. Pupils will benefit from the comprehensive and consistent approach to learning and the values and ethos of the school’s motto, ‘Honour before Honours’ embodied by each individual. These values include: kindness to others, good behaviour, industry, contribution to school life and being a positive role model.

Book your place now on our Kindergarten, Pre-Prep and Junior School Open Morning, Fri 3rd March

www.talbotheath.org/openday

TV presenter Megan

McCubbin welcomed as new President of HIWWT

The Springwatch presenter assumes the role alongside co-presenter Chris Packham who becomes a Vice President for the Trust.

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust has welcomed wildlife television presenter and conservationist Megan McCubbin as its new President.

The 27-year-old Springwatch star was confirmed as the Trust’s President at the charity’s recent annual general meeting on 5 November. McCubbin, who grew up in Hampshire, takes over from predecessor John Collman, who is retiring from the role after six years of service.

Naturalist and Springwatch co-presenter, Chris Packham, was also appointed as a Vice President for the Trust.

Rising television star McCubbin said: “I am over the moon to be the next President for the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. “I have so much admiration for the fundamental work that the charity carries out - from the reintroduction of key species to their community conservation projects.

“At this critical time, we need all hands on deck to help protect wildlife and their habitats. I cannot wait to get stuck into my new role helping to protect the environment across the two counties.”

As well as presenting on the BBC’s Springwatch and Autumnwatch programmes, McCubbin

has recently co-authored her first book - Back to Nature: How to Love Life - and Save It – and is also a keen nature photographer. McCubbin’s popularity and enthusiasm for wildlife will help the Trust reach new audiences and inspire more people from a wider range of ages and backgrounds to get on nature’s side. The Trust is currently working towards its goals of inspiring at least one in four people to take action for nature, and to push for at least 30% of land and sea to be protected and restored for nature by 2030.

Debbie Tann, chief executive of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Megan on board as our new President.

“We’re currently facing immense pressures from the climate and nature crises, and Megan’s significant conservation and science communications experience will be crucial in helping us tip the balance in favour of nature’s recovery.”

New Forest-based Packham, who is McCubbin’s stepfather, added: “I am delighted to join the superb Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust as a Vice President.

“In our current climate and ecological emergency, organisations such as the Wildlife Trusts are essential, and I am delighted to be part of it.”

To find out more about the vital conservation work that Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is involved in, visit www.hiwwt.org.uk.

Photos: Top right, Hazel McCubbin Bottom left, Chris Packham

The Adventures of Daichi

The Modern Magazines Camper Van

London! Daichi has never been to London. Many years ago I was at university there, so this was a real adventure for me. A trip down memory lane. The easiest and cheapest way to get there was to park Daichi in the car park at Richmond. A mere £8.50 for the day. The Richmond train station is just a ten minutes’ walk away and we were on our way into the Capital! It was 25th November and Hayden’s 19th Birthday so what a great excuse to book a show for the evening and wander around our wonderful city for the day. Hayden has never seen Buckingham Palace so that was a must. St James’s Park is one I remember well. Having spent three years at Goldsmiths College and regularly taking the train to Charing Cross then walking from there, it was a place I recall with fondness. We stopped in the park for a coffee and sandwich, looking at the ducks on the water and enjoying the sunshine – Yes, in November! The palace was surrounded by people taking photos. I heard one European sounding accent say, “Oh that is where he comes out on the balcony!” I smiled. Isn’t it incredible how well our late Queen passed over her duties so smoothly, after all that time on the throne, and how well we are recognised for the good work we do as a nation.

I really enjoyed being there. The King was there too – the flag was up! I would have gone in to say ‘Hello’… but we were a little short on time.

Next was a trip to Camden Market. You see, owning a Waffle place, it is good to get ideas and we set off there all determined to see what we could do, to lift “Wafflicious” in Weymouth even further. Lindsey, a friend, came with us as she is a chef and is full of great ideas of her own. Camden Market is not a place I frequented much at all when I was living there. It is an amazing place. We immediately saw lots of street food vendors and lo and behold there were two very colourful and popular I have to say, waffle sellers! Wow. They looked amazing. Of course, we all had to try one. They tasted as good as they looked. So… if you are ever in Weymouth this coming spring or summer you can come and see our own version of the delights that we relished. Let’s see how we do! After dessert, we had lunch (obviously) outside, under the canopy, of a bar overlooking the Lock. Fabulous! Smoked salmon salad this time, so healthier, but not nearly as much fun. A barge even floated by for us to watch.

Hayden has joined a ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ group recently. This is a fantasy tabletop

First stop... Buckingham Palace!

role-playing game where you create your own character and can enact it while you play. How exciting! We found a wonderful leather book at a bargain price, with a dragon on the front. All ready for him to take notes and plan his manoeuvres. This world famous and iconic market really does live up to its reputation. We spent a few well–spent hours there, looking at clothes, games, toiletries, food stalls galore, paintings, decorations, in fact anything you could think of to buy. Daichi would have loved it, if he wasn’t too expensive to drive into London itself!

Then it was time to make our way to the well anticipated West End Show! We had tickets to see the renowned musical, “Back to the Future”. Seats in the upper circle, second row from the front, and we were ready. It is such a long time since I have taken in the full atmosphere of a truly professional setting like this. It was glorious. The whole show was spectacular. The special effects of lighting and scenery were remarkable. The singing and dancing were outstanding. Ben Joyce who played Marty McFly was brilliant and he only graduated in summer 2021. His list of

Night lights of London across the Thames

already acclaimed credits was much shorter than Cory English who played ‘Doc Brown’. What a fantastic start to his career. All of the performers were perfectly cast, and I have to say that Oliver Nicholas who played the father, George Mc Fly, as his debut West End performance, was excellent. To be able to dance ‘wrongly and awkwardly’ deliberately is a skill in itself! Bravo I say. The finale was totally unexpected and incredible to watch. Having a seat in the circle I do believe was a bonus as we had all the full effects of the lighting, sound and visuals. I will not spoil it for you as you must see it for yourself! All in all, a day trip to London was a real hit. We walked to the Thames before leaving. I looked at the Charing Cross Bridge I used to cross all those years ago and remembered times when I was much younger. Fortunately, I was not sad. I feel I have been leading a full life and those days set me on my path. The lights of all the towering buildings that night seemed particularly bright and were shimmering Thames water. Then there were the opulent boats carrying well dressed passengers for a luxury 4 course meal. Not quite the street food we had been drooling over earlier. London of course is full of diversity and that is why we love it… or maybe you don’t. I love to visit but am happy where we live. I think a day trip to London will be on the cards again soon. It was a great success and Daichi was as happy as Larry to take us home and Hayden was all smiles after his Birthday treat. Where will Daichi take us next I wonder…

By Debbie Corney

Green ngers… the Alan Titchmarsh column

He’s a brilliant presenter, accomplished gardener, talented novelist, and allround horticultural inspiration. This month, Alan Titchmarsh discusses his move to incorporate horticulture into the National Curriculum, and a sidestep into novels.

I’ve written three autobiographies and people have expressed surprise that I do sometimes, even now, lack confidence in my work. I always wonder if it stems from my childhood and my parents who were very much realists. I wouldn’t swap them for the world, but in their very blunt Yorkshire way they would say ‘he’s not that bright,’ and I wasn’t then. I suppose it has been a bit of a curse and given my success I probably should have more confidence, but then

again it has made me who I am. When you’re not that good when you’re young, there is the fear that you won’t get better, and it came as a kind of revelation when I did.

Even in the 11 novels I’ve penned, I’ve never had faith in my prose; in secondary school I remember doing ‘when composition becomes essays’. I don’t think my English teacher was particularly convinced about my capabilities; I’ve still got my essay book and it’s got some very harsh comments at the bottom in red ink.

Yet my English teacher, bless her, I was in touch with her a few years ago and she said she felt she hadn’t been a particularly good teacher,

and I wrote back saying ‘well whatever it is you did, I’ve ended up doing the job I do now, writing pretty much for a living, so you can’t have got it all wrong’. I thought it was terribly generously spirited of her to admit that she was wrong.

I think my point here is that I was no more a gardener at school than I was a novelist, and I became both; but I did that through exposure and opportunity, and this is what we need to give our children.

And in my mind, there is no greater exposure to the world than you will find in the garden on a frosty Sunday morning, so get your kids and grandkids out there, and let’s really inspire the next generation!

Nurturing a garden can give you a real sense of achievement, and connection to the earth; I always say it is an escape to reality, or a different reality… and for our young people, that’s where real inspiration can emerge.

Lorraine Pascale’s Soda Bread

Bread, on its own, is always enough! There is a warmth and simplicity that no other type of food can rival.

Sure, add some butter, some oil, and maybe a dusting of salt, and jam of course; but bread, no matter how you dress it up, comes equipped with such perfection that I don’t feel it will ever let me down!

This recipe is probably the easiest route for baking bread. It’s also quick – and the bread won’t keep for long, so you get the pleasure of scoffing it all on day one!

Ingredients

(serves 4)

• 370g/13oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting

• 130g/4½oz wholemeal flour

• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 40g/1½oz butter, melted

• 1 tbsp black treacle

• 300–340ml/11–12fl oz buttermilk (or alternatively use warm milk plus 1 tbsp lemon juice)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6 and ensure the top shelf in the oven is in position. Now place the flours, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl and stir together. Make a large hole in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the melted butter and treacle, plus enough of the buttermilk to make a loose sticky dough.

2. Tip the dough onto a lightly dusted work surface. The dough will be quite sticky. Knead the dough for one minute, then shape it into a large ball with a taut, smooth top. Place the dough on a baking tray and flatten it a bitI find the easiest way to do this is with a rolling pin.

3. Take a wooden spoon, put some flour over the whole handle, then hold it horizontally over the bread. Put the wooden spoon handle on top of the bread then push it down until you feel the baking tray at the bottom. This mark is the first half of the trademark soda bread cross. Repeat with a line at right angles to this.

4. Dust with some flour then bake in the oven for 30–40 minutes, or until the bread is brown, has risen nicely and the dough inside where the cross was made is not damp.

5. Serve fresh from the oven with butter and jam. Enjoy!

Top Tips

- This recipe calls for buttermilk, which is available from bigger supermarkets. However a homemade version can be made by putting lemon juice in regular milk and letting it sit for a few minutes.

- Also, the best way to remove treacle from the tin is to run a tablespoon under a really hot tap for 10 seconds before dipping it into the treacle. This ensures the treacle runs easily off the spoon.

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