Motoring

Meon Valley in the national spotlight as an alternative to the Cotswolds

A country farm shop at the heart of the community is in the national spotlight after being named as one of the reasons why the Meon Valley in Hampshire is a great alternative to the Cotswolds.

Westlands Farm Shop, near Wickham, was listed as one of the key features of the Meon Valley and a reason why the area has become a great alternative place to live

Droxford Junior School – new promotional video

After a very long term; week and day we have finally managed to get our latest school promotional film in the 'can'. Ben Clowes, a London based film maker, recently spent a wet and windy Friday with us dodging rain showers and avoiding all the scaffolding from the buildings' external redecorations; filming children, teachers, and the school environment and conducting interviews. He spent a few days editing and sending me versions and we decided on this final, fantastic version using some existing drone footage we already had. This short video is designed to showcase our lovely school to parents present and future. It celebrates all that we do and have done, to ensure our children get the best education we can provide. It is important the parents at our linked Infant Schools: Meonstoke Infants and Newtown Soberton Infant Schools can see what their child's future Junior School is like.

It is also crucial to promote our school as an exciting proposition for anyone interested when compared with the “oversubscribed and overvalued” Cotswolds.

The Sunday Times this week picked out Westlands Farm Shop and its Meon Valley Milk vending machine in the store for particular mention. The article also highlighted The Bakers Arms in Droxford which won the Good Food Award in the 2021 Good Pub Guide.

Hugh Graham, in the Sunday Times article Cotswolds RIP, described the Meon Valley as an idyllic patch of countryside roughy between Petersfield, Winchester, Alton and Portsmouth.

“With clear chalk streams, rolling open countryside, thatched cottages, country pubs, ancient churches, lavender farms, vineyards and wineries, not to mention Hambledon, ‘the cradle of cricket’, this is vintage English countryside,” he wrote.

Graham Collett, who owns and runs Westlands Farm Shop, said: “Those of us who have lived and worked here in the Meon Valley for very many years have always known about its natural beauty and charm. “But to have our farm shop listed with just one other business - the fabulous Bakers Arms at Droxford - in an article about reasons why the Meon Valley is a great place to live is a fantastic accolade.

“We refurbished and relaunched the farm shop during this pandemic and were only able to properly reopen in October of last year, so to have had this sort of impact in such a short space of time is remarkable.

“We know our customers love what we do - they are especially keen on the fresh milk vending machine from Meon Valley Milk and the Fill eco-laundry and household cleaning products that we provide too - but we are always thinking of how else we can develop what we offer for the whole of the community.

“As a farm shop we will always be wellknown for the quality of the meat that we sell and the range of fresh vegetables we have available, but we are now pushing the boundaries further to provide what our customers want and need from their community farm shop.”

in applying to our school. We know we don't always have the 'footfall' of visitors to our school due the nature of where are sited; tucked away in the lovely village of Droxford.

We feel this short video really highlights the breadth and depth of our curriculum and what wonderful outcomes the children of the school have contributed towards. We are very proud of what you can see. It is authentic and genuinely promotes our core purpose: to educate, inspire and motivate in a safe, happy and nurturing environment. Scan this QR code to watch the short video. If you have any questions about our school, including school places and wish to have a friendly conversation, please don't hesitate to contact me via the school office adminoffice@droxford.hants.sch.uk

With best wishes Matthew Dampier - Headteacher www.droxfordjunior.co.uk