Retail

Ragamuffin

Time for Tea! Organic Cotton Playsuit by Pigeon Organics from birth to 18 months - £26.95 2 Bakehouse Yard, Alresford, SO24 9AU Tel: 01962 734488 | www.ragamuffin-uk.com D.Barker & Son

Silver ‘Rimini’ bracelet by Sif Jakobs - £99 40A West Street, Alresford, SO24 9AU Tel: 01962 732200 | www.dbarkerandson.co.uk

on your highstreet

#shoplocal #supportsmallbusinesses

Enticing and eclectic items now available on your highstreet this autumn. Stay local and support your diverse retailers!

Andrew Smith & Son Auctioneers

Saturday Antiques & Interiors Sale 9th April - Viewing 10am - 7pm Fri 8th and 8.30am on day of sale Tel: 01962 735988 | www.andrewsmithandson.com Interior Style

Large Zebra Plate - £35.00 29 West Street, Alresford, SO24 9AB Tel: 01962 736311 | www.interiorstyle.biz Billy Goat

Crocs (infant size 4 to adult 11) Lots of colours available! From £25 Billy Goat, 11 East Street, Alresford, SO24 9EQ Tel: 01962 733926 | www.billygoatshoes.co.uk

Alresford Beauty

New Spring/Summer range of hair accessories from £3.95 24A West Street, Alresford Tel: 01962 735553 | www.alresfordbeauty.co.uk

House of Gallet

Bring us your designer wear for store credit. Just give us a call or pop in to find out how it works. Open Tues - Sat (10-4:30pm) Tel: 01962 735362 | www.houseofgallet.co.uk

The Alresford Gift Shop

Gisela Graham Spring Flowers and twig wreath - £38.00 10 West Street, Alresford, SO24 9AT Tel: 01962 732192 | alresfordgiftshop.co.uk

Sole Butchers

A Happy Easter to our customers - Now taking orders for Easter. Fresh spring lamb and free range oven ready poultry Tel: 01962 735221 | solebutchersofalresford.co.uk

Delilah Boutique

Best selling Ilse Jacobsen Tulip shoes available in Navy and Army - £57 34 West Street, Alresford, SO24 9AU Tel: 01962 738470 | www.delilahboutique.co.uk

Alresford Beauty

Spring/Summer bamboo socks from £7.95 24A West Street, Alresford Tel: 01962 735553 | www.alresfordbeauty.co.uk

now Saturday Evening! Open Every

Fowler & Smith

Now open from 3pm until late on Saturday evenings. Booking advisable to avoid disappointment 30 Broad Street, Alresford, SO24 9AQ www.32broadstreet.co.uk | info@32broadstreet.co.uk

on your highstreet

#shoplocal #supportsmallbusinesses

Enticing and eclectic items now available on your highstreet this autumn. Stay local and support your diverse retailers!

The Alresford Gift Shop

5 pack of Easter cards - £4.20 10 West Street, Alresford, SO24 9AT Tel: 01962 732192 | alresfordgiftshop.co.uk

Wessex Sculptors Workshop

Clay sculpture and Raku firing. A 2-day course with Jan Hite on the 23rd April from 10am – 4pm at The Barn, Brockwood followed by Raku firing on 14th May 10am – 4pm at Haslemere. For anybody who has not yet been to a raku firing you are in for a treat. We have managed to secure the services of Jan Hite an experienced sculptor and ceramicist, who on the first day will guide us in producing up to three small sculptures in clay. There will then be a hiatus of three weeks to allow the clay to dry and a bisque firing to be made: followed by a day at Jan’s studio in Haslemere for glazing and the raku firing. Raku is a Japanese style of pottery dating back to the 1580s; the practice is characterised by the removal of a clay object from the kiln at the height of the firing, putting it into a reducing atmosphere and causing it to cool very rapidly and the glaze to shrink: this can result in dramatic and often unexpected effects. Originally created for the tea ceremony, Raku ware is most commonly found in the form of tea bowls, but equally well, it can be used to enhance the surface of sculptures with exciting effects.

What you learn Production of up to 3 sculptural objects in clay on the first day, followed by the Raku firing. Cost: Members £80 to include materials for the 2-day course. Nonmembers £100. Light refreshments are provided, bring your own lunch. Payment: We require full payment in advance to secure a place. Cheque made out to Wessex Sculptors (your surname and “WS015” on the back) and send to Anne Lain 1 Bramble Hill, Alresford, SO24 9JY Direct bank transfer: Account name: Wessex sculptors. Sort code: 309317 A/c No 44485768 Ref: Your surname (WS015). Only 10 places are available for this 2 day workshop. This is an exciting opportunity, and we expect the workshop to fill up quickly. so please check availability by email or phone 07785 715985 before payment. Payment confirms your place. Reimbursement on cancellation less than a week before the workshop will only be made if we can fill your place.

For further information and to check availability contact: Anne Lain 07785 715985 anne.lain627@gmail.com

Giles Summerhays Wessexworkshops@summerhays.co.uk

Alresford Rugby Football Club News

Although April sees the end of senior sides’ league fixtures, we have a visit from Honiton RFC for a friendly, tour fixture on 16th April (note 1.00 pm kick-off), which coincides with Easter 7s at Winchester RFC, and our own end-of-season tour to Exmouth on the weekend of 29th April. The minis will continue to meet on Sunday mornings until their last session of the season on 24th April.

In mid-March, Alresford’s 1st XV is midtable in the Hampshire Premier league with 9 wins from 19 fixtures so far, our best season ever! The second XV has had mixed success notwithstanding bags of enthusiasm and support for the 1sts. With the usual injury toll and non-availability, this season has also seen disruption due to positive Covid tests. This has undoubtedly impacted team cohesion and selection, but I’m incredibly proud of how our senior players have repeatedly stepped up and fulfilled fixtures whenever possible. The only blot on this season has been the number of disciplinary actions taken by rugby referees against ARFC players and spectators. ARFC, in common with all rugby institutions, will not tolerate this sort of behaviour as our game is underpinned by respect for officials at all levels of the game, from minis to international fixtures.

On the non-playing front, ARFC will be hosting a lunch at The Arlebury on 2nd April and an Awards Dinner at the same venue on 23rd April. We also intend to have a Black-Tie Dinner during the summer to celebrate ARFC’s 30th season; more information to follow on this once a venue and date is finalised. ARFC will have a stand at the Watercress Festival in May and are happy to marshal car parking if required by the organising committee. We’ll also have a stand at the Alresford Show in September and will assist the Pigs in parking vehicles. We have also offered to help the NATC in car parking at the “Picnic in the Park” event to celebrate Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee on Saturday 4th June. ARFC hope to see many of our valued sponsors, spectators and players at these events.

During the Spring and Summer, ARFC is planning and will fund, several enhancements to its pitches and associated pathways and storage facilities, all of which require approval from our landlord, NATC. Finally, on a very sad note, we have just had the news that one of ARFC’s founding groups, Robin Howard passed away in early March. Robin’s caustic wit, enthusiasm for the game and generosity was always a delight at the pitch-side or as the landlord of the Horse and Groom, ARFC’s first social home.

John Weston Chairman ARFC