Test Valley Forum - Issue 189 - May 2024

Test Valley Life in your Community

Slow Roasted Tuscan Pork

COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES IN STOCKBRIDGE

A very attractive shop at The Vine, beautifully restored to a very high standard

Direct access on to the busy High Street.

Well fitted unit with WC. Car parking space.

Total Area 438 sq ft (40.69 sq m)

Rent on Application

LET AGREED

A double fronted shop with large display windows

Separate Kitchen, WC and Store.

Total Area 438 sq ft (40.69 sq m)

A delightful shop situated on the northern side of the very popular Stockbridge High Street

This shop has the benefit of a new lease, terms to be agreed.

Ground floor retail space and WC.

Total Area 328 sq ft (30.47 sq m)

Rent on Application

LET AGREED

A double fronted shop with side access to car parking space

Separate Kitchen, WC and Store.

Total Area 438 sq ft (40.69 sq m)

May Events

Citizens Advice Test Valley

All month

From 9am to 12 noon

Various locations (see text)

We offer free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to residents of Test Valley in Hampshire, relating to: Benefits, work, debt and money, consumer - including energy, relationships, housing, law and rights, discrimination, tax, healthcare, education, and more. You can check for advice on our website, 24 hours a day: www.testvalleycab.org.uk You can email us via our website, 24 hours a day: www. testvalleycab.org.uk/email-adviceform. You can call us, for free, 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday: 0808 812 6681 - You can visit us: 9am to 12pm: Monday to Thursday at 1st Floor, Chantry House, Chantry Way, Andover, SP10 1LZ or 9am to 3pm: Monday to Friday at Former Magistrate Court, Church Street, Romsey, SO51 8AQ

Stockbridge Antiques Fair

Saturday 4 May

From 9am to 4.30pm

Stockbridge Town Hall, Stockbridge High Street, SO20 6HE

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 1 June. We offer a wide range of Decorative, Interesting and Unusual items including good quality Furniture, Silver, China and Glass, Jewellery, Militaria and Textiles. We will also buy. Free Admission & Free Parking. Open: 9.00am - 4.30pm. Contacts: Carol - 01264 335769

/ 07870 432805 Steve - 01722 712267 / 07915 663251

Biodiversity Breakfast at the Hawk Conservancy Trust

Saturday 11 May

From 7am to 10am

Hawk Conservancy Trust, Sarson Ln, Andover, SP11 8DY

Join us for a special morning to enjoy and discover the best of British nature. We’ll begin by taking you to Reg’s Wildflower Meadow to hear the enchanting sounds of the morning chorus of birdsong. Dr Matt Stevens (our UK Conservation Biologist) will accompany you to help identify individual bird calls and to share some of his wealth of knowledge of British birds. You’ll also have the opportunity to get hands on as we discover some of the moth species which call Reg’s Wildflower Meadow home. On top of this, we’ll take you to our Woodland Arena where you’ll be able to meet and fly a British owl. Finally, we’ll end the morning with a sumptuous breakfast from Feathers Restaurant! Fundraising Event – Your ticket will support the charitable work of the Hawk Conservancy Trust. For more information visit: https://www.hawk-conservancy. org/events/biodiversity-breakfast

Stockbridge Music - The Craig Ogden Esemble

Friday 17 May

From 7.30pm

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

The Craig Ogden Ensemble A Baroque Journey towards the Goldberg Variations. Tickets £20 (U18s £5). from stockbridgemusic. uk or on the door, if still available NEW!! Gourmet £35 two course Pre-Concert Supper at The Grosvenor Hotel. Book before 10 May direct with The Grosvenor

Hampshire Choral Festival 2024

Saturday 18 May

From 7.30pm

Romsey Abbey, Church Lane, Romsey, SO51 8EP

Botley Choral Society, Compton & Shawford Festival Choir, Itchen Valley Choir, Overton Choir, Sarisbury Choral Society, Twyford Singers, Winchester City Festival Choir, Emily Blackledge (alto) Mark Dancer (organ). Festival Orchestra - Conductor David Burgess - Karl Jenkins, Stabat Mater, Gabriel Fauré Requiem Tickets -£15 unreserved.

Broughton Horticultural Society Plant Stall

Saturday 18 May

From 2pm

Broughton Village Memorial Hall, Broughton, SO20 8AX

Summer bedding, vegetable plants, colourful geraniums, runner bean canes and much more. Please bring cash. Members, BACS payments will be accepted.

Stockbridge Cinema Godland (12A)

Friday 24 May

From 7.30pm

Stockbridge Town Hall, Stockbridge High Street, SO20 6HE

In the late 19th century, Denmark regards Iceland as its territory, which extends beyond matters of geography and governance to the spiritual health of the population. So Lucas, a Lutheran priest, is sent by the Church of Denmark to establish a parish. Ever an optimist, Lucas believes his faith will guide him, even when he is warned of the obstacles, including a people who may be less than welcoming. Godland makes the most of a breathtakingly austere Icelandic landscape in its story of a man on a singular mission. [In Icelandic with subtitles]. [Information below is common to both of the above films] Showing at Stockbridge Town Hall SO20 6HE. 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). Please visit our website for full details of all films.

Stockbridge Cinema Next Goal Wins (12A)

Wednesday 29 May

5pm and 7.30pm

Stockbridge Town Hall, Stockbridge High Street, SO20 6HE

Based on a true story, this heartfelt, underdog comedy follows the American Samoa soccer team, infamous for their brutal 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001. With the World Cup qualifiers fast approaching, the team hires down-on-his-luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender), hoping he will turn the world's worst soccer team into winners. [Information below is common to both of the above films]. See Friday 24th for showing details.

Chilbolton Village Hall Film ‘Battle over Britain’ (15)

Friday 31 May

From 7.30pm

Romsey Abbey, Church Lane, Romsey, SO51 8EP

Featuring Vin Hawke, Callum Burn, Jeffrey Mundell and David Dobson. During the height of the Battle of Britain, a flight of exhausted Spitfire pilots fight to the last man in defence of their country. Doors Open at 6.30pm. Film commences at 7.30pm. Tickets £6.00 in advance from Beryl Lawrence on 01264 860618 E-mail: dlaw@ davidlawrenceassociates.co.uk Or £7.00 on the door (if available). Tea/Coffee and biscuits available - Wine, Beer and Choc Ices on sale.

To feature your event on these pages please email your contribution to editor@ forumpublications.co.uk. Please note we cannot guarantee publication.

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Kitchen makeovers

After Makeover

10%

off all makeover orders taken in May Makeovers up to 50% cheaper than fitting a new kitchen!

Before Makeover

Makeover Options

∙ Change all your drawers, doors, panels and plinths

∙ New worktops can be fitted

∙ Small amendmants to existing cabinetry and layout can be made

∙ Built in ovens can be changed to eye level ovens

Kitchen makeovers

Before Makeover After Makeover

Make your OLD kitchen a NEW kitchen for a fraction of the cost of buying a new kitchen

We manufacture our doors to order to bespoke sizes, so it doesn't matter who made your kitchen we have the sizes to fit.

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.

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

SATURDAY 16TH JUNE DUMMER, BASINGSTOKE

TICKET GIVEAWAY

WIN a family ticket* to Good Festival on Saturday 16th June at Dummer Down Farm, a festival raising funds for the Hampshire Medical Fund.

TO ENTER, SIMPLY:

1. Follow @goodfestival and @hampshiremedicalfund on Instagram

2. Comment ‘GOOD TIMES’ on our ticket giveaway post

Giveaway closes on 16th May. Winner will be contacted via Instagram. Find out more at goodfestival.co.uk.

T&Cs: Person entering must be at least 18 years of age.

*Two adults and up to three children

The Country House Company presents two historic homes in Hampshire FOR SALE, SOBERTON

The Towers was constructed in the late 19th century and has previously served as a private residence, a prep school and a home for Wrens stationed at HMS Mercury in the war. In the late 1970s, it was sympathetically converted into nine homes.

This prestigious property historically the main entrance to the house, retains its elegant façade and the original commemorative plaque laid in recognition of its designer, the late Colonel Bashford.

It is one of the most privately situated properties within the development and the only one to benefit from approximately one acre of grounds.

TO LET, PETERSFIELD

Having been sympathetically restored and refurbished by the current owner, its accommodation is both impressive in its presentation and versatile in its configuration.

Stunning character features have been retained throughout the property to include ornate ceiling cornices, oak panelling, fireplaces, shuttered sash windows and parquet flooring with newly fitted kitchen and bathrooms to ensure comfortable modern living.

Tel: 01264 312832

management@countryhousecompany.co.uk

sales@countryhousecompany.co.uk

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

This elegant property is the converted western wing of what was once the stately home for the Bonham Carter family and is now divided into three private dwellings.

Lady of the Stream

If I asked you to name a chalk stream fish, which one would you choose?

For many, the brown trout or Atlantic salmon will come to mind – the most famous fishy mascots of these rare freshwater habitats. But today we’re looking at another amazing member of the salmonid family: the European grayling. Or, to use its wonderfully romantic nickname, the ‘Lady of the Stream’.

The grayling belongs to the genus Thymallus – so named because its members exude a faint scent of thyme. Although widespread across Europe and native to England, this fish was not originally found in the Test and Itchen. Records suggest that it was introduced to these rivers in the early 19th and 20th centuries respectively, possibly by moving fish from the Hampshire Avon.

Ironically, grayling would later be routinely culled in many southern chalk streams, due to fears of them out-competing brown trout. This practice declined as studies showed key differences in the diet, growth, habitat,

and spawning behaviour of the two species. Today, grayling are particularly popular with anglers, as they can be pursued in the winter when brown trout are prohibited.

The grayling can be recognised by its glittering pewter scales and red-fringed dorsal fin. This ruby colour is much brighter in the males, especially during the breeding season. From March to May each year, they attempt to woo females with a vibrating dance. Fertilised eggs are nestled in the gravelly stream bed and – if all goes well – two to four weeks later, the water is filled with baby grayling!

After hatching, juveniles stick to the slower-flowing stream margins until they get large enough to swim further out. As they grow, their diet expands to include worms, insect larvae, and small crustaceans like freshwater shrimp. Grayling can gain twice the weight that trout and salmon manage in their first year, but end up a little smaller – the largest adults weigh around two kilograms.

Grayling need cool, clean, oxygen-rich water, in addition to areas of silt-free

gravel for spawning. If their homes aren’t healthy, then sadly they can struggle to thrive. To learn how the Watercress and Winterbournes scheme is helping grayling, brown trout, and other chalk stream species, visit hiwwt.org.uk/winterbournes. Our work is made possible by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Free Events

‘The Role of the River Keeper’ Often responsible for habitat management in fisheries, river keepers can play a crucial role in protecting our precious chalk streams. Online on 14th May at 7pm.

‘Tales from the Riverbank Literature Festival’

Join us in Andover, Whitchurch, Overton, and Alresford this June. Hear from amazing nature authors and get creative with writing workshops for children and adults.

Book your tickets at hiwwt.org.uk/ winterbournes.

Tales from the Riverbank Literature Festival

1st June, Alresford

2nd June, Whitchurch

4th June, Alresford

8th June, Andover

9th June , Overton

15th June, Overton

16th June, Whitchurch

19th June, Andover

22nd June, Andover

23rd June, Overton

26th June, Whitchurch

29th June, Alresford

Children’s Poetry Workshop

Nature Writing Workshop

Talk by Tom Moorhouse

Nature Writing Workshop

Children’s Poetry Workshop

Talk by Matt Gaw

Children’s Poetry Workshop

Talk by Lisa Schneidau

Children’s Poetry Workshop

Nature Writing Workshop

Talk by Amy-Jane Beer

Nature Writing Workshop

ivy, boost the numbers and types of butterflies, particularly in urban areas and near farmland

• The research is great news for gardeners and non-gardeners alike, proving the free and easy action of letting an area go wild can make a positive impact for butterflies

Letting parts of your garden grow wild with long grass can increase butterfly numbers by up to 93% and attract a wider range of species, according to new research from leading wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation.

The study, published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, provides the first scientific evidence that having long grass in your garden increases butterfly abundance and diversity. Creating such wild spaces may help to reverse the decline of these beautiful insects.

Undertaken by Butterfly Conservation scientists Dr Lisbeth Hordley and Dr Richard Fox, the research analysed butterfly sightings from more than 600 gardens across the UK, collected by members of the public over six years through the charity's Garden Butterfly Survey. The results show that gardens with long grass had a significantly higher number of butterflies recorded, with a greater variety of species, than those without.

Importantly, the biggest benefits of these wild spaces were found in urban areas and intensively farmed landscapes. In highly

these gardens had a space that was allowed to go a little wild, with grass growing long, it would make a huge difference for butterflies and moths, providing spaces for them to feed, breed and shelter.

While the research specifically studied gardens, the benefits to butterflies of long grass and wild spaces are likely to extend beyond the garden gate. Public green spaces such as parks, school grounds, allotments, and road verges, could also provide vital spaces for wildlife, and enable more people to see more butterflies if allowed to go a little wild.

Dr Richard Fox, Head of Science at Butterfly Conservation and co-author of the study, said: “Nature is in crisis; 80% of butterflies have declined since the 1970s, so we need to take action now to protect them. We wanted to be able to give tried and tested gardening advice that will benefit butterflies as we know lots of people want to help. This study proves, for the first time, that allowing a patch of grass to grow long will attract more butterflies into your garden.”

The study also found that the presence of flowering ivy in gardens increased the number of certain butterfly species, such as the Holly Blue, Red Admiral and Comma, which use ivy as a breeding habitat or nectar source.

wild spaces by allowing a patch of grass to grow long, or a border edge to go wild is free and easy to do, and can significantly boost butterfly numbers, especially in urban and agricultural settings where they are most under pressure. The benefits of each individual wild space are small, but if thousands of people get involved the boost to butterflies could be huge.

“Whether you have a large garden, a small patch of grass, a community or school space, or a balcony or window box, anyone, anywhere can help. We hope that our Wild Spaces programme will inspire people across the UK to take action and help to create a national network of butterfly-friendly habitats.”

Wild Spaces can be created by anyone, anywhere – from gardens to shared community spaces, balconies, terraces, or patios. No matter the size or location, every Wild Space can contribute to the recovery of butterfly populations and support biodiversity.

To create your own Wild Space visit www.wild-spaces.co.uk

Help, I’ve tweaked my back!

When your back ‘goes’ it can feel extremely painful and often very scary. It can make you catch your breath with sharp spasms, feel bent forward or lopsided, and can often leave you sleep deprived and anxious.

These symptoms are all cues and signals from the body, telling you how to move, sit or stand to help off-load the affected structures, and to encourage you to change movement and behaviour patterns.

What can I do?

Less than 1 in 100 people with back pain have symptoms that need urgent medical attention, but if you have any of these ‘red flag’ symptoms, get in touch with your GP surgery:

• Onset is linked to serious trauma

• History of cancer, osteoporosis, previous fractures

• Sudden change in bowel or bladder function

• Loss of sensation around the ‘saddle’ region

• Severe pain or numbness down one or both legs

• Loss of power or strength in the legs, feet or ankles

If none of these apply to you, you most likely fall into the 90% of people with ‘non-specific low back pain’.

This is when there is much you can do to help yourself. First of all, try not to panic, take some steady breaths, just the motion of the diaphragm and rib cage can be very soothing for the spine, and also very calming for the nervous system, which will help reduce pain.

First Aid for your back:

1. Find movements that you can do. Any movement, no matter how small or short a period will help and don’t worry if you feel very asymmetrical in your ability. Just mobilise into the ranges that you can do. Try my Spinal Mobility Flow on all 4’s, featured on our YouTube channel.

2. Apply Contrast Bathing to your back. Start with a cold pack for 5 minutes, then apply a warm pack for 5 minutes. Alternate for 20 – 30 minutes, aiming to start and end on cold.

3. Taping your back with sports tape or using a stretchy neoprene corset can feel very comforting in the early days.

STOCKBRIDGE

OSTEOPATHIC PRACTICE

Emma Wightman and Associates

Specialising in women’s health, sports and paediatrics. A gentle hands-on approach for newborns, through to adulthood and in pregnancy Also

Massage Therapy Pilates, 1 to 1 and small group Acupuncture Nutrition

Online Bookings available via the website

01264 810028

www.the-SOP.com reception@the-SOP.com STOCKBRIDGE OSTEOPATHIC PRACTICE - HIGH STREET, STOCKBRIDGE, SO20 6HF

4. Taking painkillers or anti-inflammatories may help initially for a short period. Long term use has been shown to slow or hinder recovery, so use advisedly.

5. At night, if you’re on your side, try a pillow between your knees and feet, along the length of your lower leg. If you’re on your back, place a pillow under your knees. This can help keep your spine relatively neutral and may help it to relax.

6. Avoid complete bed rest, this can slow down recovery.

7. Visit us or your local Osteopath as soon as you can. Taping the spine, gentle mobilising, massage and acupuncture can help, and we can guide you with movement, rehab and future prevention.

Rarely you have to stop moving! Motion is lotion. But please do contact us if you need reassurance and guidance.

As an aside, you may be aware that the SOP business Facebook page has been hacked and fake news, spam and some disturbing images are being posted. Please don’t interact with the page anymore, but do hop over to my new page @stockbridgeosteopathy. I’ve got a very long way to go to rebuild my 20k of followers, so I’d be immensely grateful in your help in building my new page. Look out for the new navy logo and Like, Follow and Share the page with your buddies. There are always lots of interesting articles and exercises posted to keep you all happy, fit and active.

Thank you

Emma Wightman www.the-sop.com

Mylo Art, Stockbridge

MYLO ART was founded by Kate Anniss in 2014 with the aim of bringing beautiful, decorative art to interiors. They have long established connections to an extensive network of artists who work in many different styles and media. Mylo’s HQ is at Meadow, a combined gallery, coffee shop and event space housed in a wonderful, light Georgian townhouse in Stockbridge. Meadow’s ethos is one of collaboration and creativity and they are renowned for hosting imaginative and inspiring events and workshops. Recent highlights include an evening in conversation with Edward Bulmer and a planting design workshop from RHS Chelsea sward-winning garden designer Lottie Delamain. Mylo’s curation of art hangs in the gallery room and throughout the building.

May sees the return of Mylo’s annual Summer Art Show (10 May-14 June). This year the gallery will be showcasing artists they have worked with for the past decade as well as exciting and dynamic new artists. The collection of over 100 paintings, collages, ceramics, original prints and drawings will be hung in the gallery room and throughout their beautiful home at Meadow.

This year, to celebrate their 10 year anniversary, Mylo has collaborated with the Interiors Collective, to bring together art and design in a 3 day pop-up, throughout the top floor of Meadow (15-17 May). The Interiors Collective have curated an inspiring selection of furniture and home accessories from some of the best interior designers and artisan makers. Brands include Kate Guinness Design, Sarah Vanrenen, Tate & Darby Rugs and SARAH.K homewares.

More events to look forward to include a pop-up from clothing brand Day Dress (5-8 June) led by Gabby Deeming. The collection is focused on the art of block printing on the softest cotton, is stitched in original patterns and hand block printed in Jaipur by a team of skilled artisans. Molly Mahon will be hosting a block printing workshop (6 June) and Gabby will join her to give a talk on Inspired Design followed by a gallery supper by Meadow on the evening of 6 June.

meadowstockbridge.com myloart.co.uk

Winchester Beer & Cider Festival

Welcome to Winchester Beer and Cider Festival 2024 . This year the festival will showcase up to 75 cask ales, featuring a range of high quality traditional ales, new and exciting craft ales, brewery collaborations, and one-off specials. This vast range of beers will also be matched by a range of real ciders and perry, a craft beer bar and a selection of bottled/canned beers - something to inspire and appeal to all tastes.

This year's festival will consist of four sessions:

Friday 7th June 11:30-16:00

Friday 7th June 18:00-22:30

Saturday 8th June 11:30-16:00

Saturday 8th June 18:00-22:30

To find out more about the festival, please follow us on facebook (https://www. facebook.com/WinchesterBeerFestival). Winchester Beer and Cider Festival is run by volunteers from Southern Hampshire CAMRA.

Tickets are now on-sale online from our website: winchesterbeerfestival.camra.org.uk/2024/tickets/ All ticket prices include the festival programme and the festival’s commemorative glass. CAMRA members can claim £3 of free beer tokens (on presentation of a valid membership card).

Unlike other festivals organised by Southern Hampshire CAMRA, the venue prohibits food and drink being brought into the festival. The venue will be selling a range of food and soft drinks for consumption at the festival. www. winchesterbeerfestival.camra.org.uk

Heavenly Voices – concert at Romsey Abbey on Saturday 8 June

Singers from Southampton

Philharmonic Choir and Southampton University

Philharmonic

Choir (SU Phil) are looking forward to their début concert at Romsey Abbey, on Saturday 8 June.

The Abbey offers the perfect setting for a different repertoire

from their usual fare of large-scale works with orchestra; an opportunity for a slightly smaller ensemble from the combined choirs to explore some of the most beautiful, smaller-scale choral pieces – both sacred and secular – of the past three centuries. Stirring anthems by Handel and Parry contrast with the drama of a Cornish folk song by Holst and the serene harmonies of Mozart, Elgar and Whitacre.

Taking the evening’s music-making into another dimension are the legendary Crispian Steele-Perkins, whose trumpet will soar alongside the choir's voices, Ian Le Grice at the organ and piano, and the crystalline voice of soprano soloist, Alex Kidgell, who is also a member of the celebrated choral ensemble, The Sixteen. David Gibson conducts.

HEAVENLY VOICES

Choral classics from the Baroque to the 21st century

ROMSEY ABBEY

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/musicinromsey

SATURDAY 8 JUNE 2024 7.30 p.m.

SOUTHAMPTON PHILHARMONIC CHOIR

southamptonphil.org registered charity 1050107 with Southampton University Philharmonic Choir David Gibson (conductor)

Programme highlights include:

∙ I was glad – Parry’s vibrant coronation anthem.

∙ Laudate Dominum – Mozart’s sublime expression of divine praise.

∙ Lux Aeterna – a moving adaptation of Elgar’s Nimrod, arranged for choir by John Cameron.

∙ The Blue Bird – Stanford’s exquisite and serene setting of Mary Elizabeth Coleridge’s poem.

∙ Let the bright Seraphim – the famous soprano aria from Handel’s oratorio, Samson.

∙ Trumpet Voluntary – John Stanley’s rousing and celebratory voluntary for organ, later arranged for organ and trumpet …and works by Bach, Handel, Haydn, Bruckner, Fauré, Holst, Barber, Gjeilo, Stopford, Whitacre and others.

The singers have already been thoroughly enjoying rehearsing this varied programme, which includes personal favourites for many of the choir. ‘I must have sung Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring hundreds of times as a boy chorister,’ says Alan (now a bass), ‘but it still brings a lump to my throat because it’s so beautiful.’ For Claire, an alto who first joined as a member of the SU Phil, and “graduated” to the SPC after university, Holst’s I love my love has become a new favourite: ‘I’m particularly enjoying the Holst, which is new to me – I love a good folk song.’ It all adds up to a concert not to be missed!

Tickets are available online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/musicinromsey or from Romsey Visitor Information Centre (tel 01794 512987).

For more information about this concert or about joining the choir next season, visit the SPC’s website at https://www.southamptonphil. org/web/

sunday 16 june

Dummer Down Farm hampshire

10:00AM - 4:00PM | Free Parking available

Tickets on sale at goodfestival. co.uk

PROUDLY SUPPORTING

HELP A GOOD CAUSE

Good Festival supports The Hampshire Medical Fund Charity to purchase cutting-edge medical equipment for our local NHS hospitals.

To donate now, please text HMFGF10 (£10) or HMFGF20 (£20)

“Casting around for a stylish stay? Look no further”

Mr

& Mrs Smith

We’ve been welcoming guests to The Grosvenor since 1822. Our hotel sits in the middle of Stockbridge High Street, and we’re at the heart of the community in every sense. With over two centuries of warm welcomes behind us we provide a buzzy atmosphere for coffee, cocktails or celebratory dinners. There are plenty of quiet corners to have a private meeting or check your emails. And if you want to explore the chalk streams and other sporting opportunities our corner of Hampshire is famous for, you couldn’t find a more comfortable pitstop.

An exciting recent arrival is Head Chef Oli Abbott. Formerly of The PIG in Brockenhurst Oli is a keen forager and brings with him a commitment to celebrate all that’s seasonal and local. One of his favourite new dishes is Mackerel with Yoghurt, Beetroot and Apple: “Such an underrated fish, and I love how the simple flavours marry together”. Other hotplate favourites include the couldn’t-be-more-local ChalkStream Trout with Romsey Watercress, the range of Butcher’s Block steaks cooked to perfection, and the Venison Haunch with celeriac and braised red cabbage. Sweet treats include a Lime Meringue

Tart with White Chocolate Crumb, and a Rhubarb & Custard that’s a far cry from the nursery staple.

Many of our guests use as their home from home, for celebrations with friends or meetings with business associates. We serve a sensational Afternoon Tea, all the more enticing when accompanied by a glass of local Hampshire fizz, or pop in any time to sample one of our finest infusions. Afternoon Tea is available daily from 2.30-5.30pm, and you’ll be treated to Cornish Tregothnan

tea, four different wraps and sandwiches and a selection of delectable cakes. Will the Flower Pot with Chocolate Mousse or Peach and Lavender Pannacotta be your favourite? There will also – of course! – be homemade scones served with clotted cream and strawberry jam. In warmer months our suntrap of a Terrace is a beautiful place to dine alfresco or enjoy a drink with friends. It’s so quiet you won’t believe you’re moments from the High Street, and you can indulge with flatbreads cooked to order in our wood-fired oven and a range of larger platters including our Mussels in White Wine with Wild Garlic.

Our overnight guests are a convivial mix of fishing folk, weekenders, newlyweds and culture seekers keen to explore Stockbridge, Winchester and our other local attractions. Plenty of locals check in for a night or two away to relax without the hassle of a long drive. Enticing breaks include the Lazy Sunday:

a guaranteed late check-out on Monday morning following a hearty Hampshire breakfast, with Broughton sausage and Laverstoke black pudding produced only a few miles away (unless you’d prefer the Roast Tomato and Goats Cheese on Toast, or Trout with Scrambled Eggs on Sourdough?). Please bring your dogs to stay too – we are very keen on canines, and a jar of bone-shaped treats takes pride of place on our reception desk.

We regularly organise weddings and other large special events, intimate lunches and meetings in our antique book-lined Library. Keep an eye on the Events page on our website. With live jazz, tapas & rosé evenings, regular bridge suppers and fine dining events there is always a lot going on. The Grosvenor team would love to welcome you soon.

Grosvenor Hotel High Street Stockbridge SO20 6EU 01264 810606 info@thegrosvenorstockbridge.com www.thegrosvenorstockbridge.com

Understanding your pension annual allowance

Making the most of your pension annual allowance is a great way to boost your retirement savings tax-efficiently. But complex rules around calculating individual allowances mean many people risk exceeding limits and facing surprise tax bills.

Figures from HMRC show the number of people who reported pension contributions exceeding their annual allowance soared from just 5,450 in 2015/161 to 53,330 in 2021/221. Meanwhile, the total value of contributions exceeding the allowance rocketed from £143m to £1.2bn2

Understanding your pension annual allowance and managing it effectively is essential to avoid unexpected tax charges. A financial adviser can offer advice on your individual circumstances but here are some of the key considerations.

What is the pension annual allowance?

The pension annual allowance is the maximum amount you can save into your pensions in any one tax year without having to pay a tax charge.

For most people, the standard annual allowance is £60,000, though you can only receive tax relief on up to 100% of your UK relevant earnings.

What happens if I exceed it?

If you exceed the annual allowance, you’ll pay a charge, which essentially claws back any excess tax relief received. The rate of charge you’ll pay will depend on the tax band(s) that your income plus the excess contribution fall into.

For example, a higher-rate taxpayer who exceeds their annual allowance by £10,000 would pay a charge of £4,000 (£10,000 x 40%).

Can I avoid charges using carry forward?

You may be able to ‘carry forward’ unused annual allowances from the previous three tax years.

Carry forward can be a really useful way of reducing or avoiding tax charges, as well as making use of unused annual allowances. However, the rules are complex, so please seek advice.

Why might my annual allowance be lower?

Although £60,000 is typical, your allowance could be lower due to the annual allowance taper if your ‘adjusted income’ exceeds

£260,000 a year and ‘threshold income’ exceeds £200,000 a year. Your allowance then reduces £1 for every £2 of excess adjusted income, down to a minimum of £10,000.

Your allowance might also fall to £10,000 if you have flexibly accessed your direct contribution (DC) pension, triggering the money purchase annual allowance (MPAA), which limits the amount of contributions you can make to DC pensions while still receiving tax relief.

Is it ever worth exceeding the annual allowance?

In some cases, it can make sense to exceed your allowance and pay the charge, especially if receiving generous employer contributions that would cease if you stopped paying into your pension.

The rules are complex, so speaking to a financial adviser can help you evaluate your options and maximise unused tax allowances. By getting some advice, you’ll feel confident you’ve made the right decisions.

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

Alice Proctor

Investment Manager

Assistant Director

E: alice.proctor@brewin.co.uk

Kirsty Simpson

Financial Planner Divisional Director

E: kirsty.simpson@brewin.co.uk

46 Jewry Street, Winchester SO23 8RY

T: 01962 798000

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

1 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5d8a45c3e5274a0849b8d7bc/Table_7_Personal_Pensions_Annual_Allowance_Statistics.pdf

2 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-and-stakeholder-pensions-statistics

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. Information contained in this document is believed to be reliable and accurate, but without further investigation cannot be warranted as to accuracy or completeness.

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

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Wrinkles

© Lucia Foster-Found 2024 www.luciafosterfound.com

Her dressing table and mirror now resided near the bedroom window, affording her a pleasing view of the pear tree. This was, however, a fringe benefit and not why she’d dragged her furniture noisily across the floor.

No, no, no.. She was there for the light; the glorious, celebrated, natural daylight.

But, as she contemplated her reflection in the mirror, now bathed in daylight (it transpired) that was actually not glorious at all, but unforgiving and harsh, she came literally face-to-face with the roadmap of her life. Every laugh, every frown, each unhappy episode and hilarious occasion was there; forever etched.

Turning away from the mirror-mirror-not-on-the-wall (not mentioning anyone fairest at all), she saw there’d been an overnight frost and the blades of grass were grey-dusted, white-edged and crisp.

‘A frost in May’ - she recalled the phrase from some cobwebby recess of her memory. Wasn’t that an idiom for something showing promise, yet struck down before it’d reached its full potential? Or had she dreamed that one up, along with ‘no peace for the wicket’ which she used to think was to do with poor batting?

Good job the pear blossom had arrived early this year and was over and done. And seemed she’d been right not to plant out her rather titchy geranium plugs just yet. Himself appeared as if by magic, much like the shopkeeper in Mr Ben. “I heard a noise - what are you doing?”

“Looking at my wrinkles. They’re even more many-and-various than I had realised. I think I might move my dressing table back into the shadows.”

“Not that I’ve noticed any wrinkles,” he said with a wink, “but perhaps you should celebrate you’ve lived long enough to earn some.”

Himself was wise. She loved that about him. Mostly. There was that time she’d insisted on buying the absolutely beautiful, hugely expensive, unbelievably uncomfortable settee. Himself had sat on it. He’d laid on it. He’d walked around it. And then he’d stood back and wisely pronounced it a ‘looking-at sofa’. And he’d been annoyingly right; when she eventually sold it on, it’d hardly been used..

But mostly, such as now, his wisdom made her adjust her perspective. He was as right as he’d been about the blasted sofas. Absolutely. She could have been struck down like a frost in May – or anytime from her January to her

September (where she felt she currently resided). She was indeed lucky to have wrinkles.

But there were other wrinkles. Good wrinkles. Helpful wrinkles. Picked up along the way like the ones on her face, were the little wrinkles of life.. The shortcuts, the side benefits, the handy tips - like cooking a chopped potato in food you’d over-salted, or rubbing a walnut into the scratch on a wooden table and watching it vanish. Although Instagram et al referred to them as ‘hacks’, she’d always called them ‘wrinkles’.

‘Hacks’, to her, brought visions of world-weary journalists. ‘Hacks’ chased down headline stories and employed dubious and underhand methods to get them. ‘Hacks’ stood in darkened doorways on rain-slick city streets, lighting up cigarettes, turning up the collars of their raincoats and pulling down the brims of their trilbys. ‘Hacks’ waited in the shadows to catch the suspect/witness/victim unawares and elicit an unguarded quote or a noholds-barred exposé…

Coming out of her reverie and reflecting that she’d been watching far too many old black-and-whites on Talking Pictures, she decided that more contemporary viewing might be in order. She’d take Himself out on a date –she’d heard that dating your husband was considered a ‘life hack’ too. Well, in any event, it was a good idea. She’d use her online video subscription; two cinema tickets for a tenner. Also, her supermarket vouchers; worth double their value in certain restaurants. Wrinkles..

Later that day, she moved her dressing table a little further from the cruel and uncompromising light from the window. She got ready for her date, adopting a ‘what the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve about’ approach to applying her make-up and felt more youthful already.

In town they watched a newly-released blockbuster. It was in colour, set in the 21st century. Not a trilby in sight. And nobody, but nobody, smoked.

Emerging from the dark of the cinema and walking towards the welcoming lights of the pizzeria, Himself took her hand as they crossed the road. As they ordered their food, he observed, “This is nice.”

It was nice. And, courtesy of the wrinkles, nice and cheap, she mused.

And as for those other wrinkles: the earned wrinkles, the weather wrinkles, the laughter-and-tears wrinkles, the inevitable evidence of a life lived wrinkles.. what of them?

As Himself held her hand again across the table, in the soft, forgiving candlelight, she gave no thought to those wrinkles at all…

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Slow Roasted Tuscan Pork

INGREDIENTS

(SERVES 6-8)

FOR THE PORK:

2.5kg pork leg joint

3 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic cut into slivers

2 tbsp fennel seeds

2 tsp dried chilli flakes

2 tbsp dried oregano

2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

FOR THE MINT CAPER SAUCE:

2 tbsp tiny capers

2 shallots

20g fresh mint, stems removed

1 clove garlic

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

METHOD

Prepare the Pork - Preheat the oven to 140˚C. Take a sharp knife and cut small slits into the meat. Insert the slivers of garlic all over the meat. Mix together the herbs and chilli. Rub the pork roast with 1 tbsp of olive oil and salt and pepper. In a very large frying pan, sear the meat on all sides until browned. Rub the remaining oil over the pork and then roll in the herbs. Arrange on a roasting rack over a roasting tin. Place in the hot oven and cook for about 4-5 hours.

The meat will be tender and fall apart when the string is removed. Slice the pork and place on a platter with rosemary sprigs and other fresh herbs. Serve with sauce and some roasted or mashed potatoes.

PREPARE THE SAUCE

Finely chop the capers, shallots, garlic and mint and place in a small bowl. Add the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper and a large pinch of sugar. Mix well and pour into a serving jug.

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Banks versus building societies…what’s the difference?

Banks and building societies both offer financial services like savings and mortgages, so they must be the same, albeit with different names…right? Wrong! Despite offering similar products, banks and building societies differ in a few key ways.

The basics

Banks are owned by shareholders, whereas building societies are owned by their customers, who they call members.

Building societies have been around for a long time. Ketley’s Building Society is widely agreed to be the first, opening in 1775 to provide the working class with a way to buy a home.

Like all businesses, building societies still aim to generate profit, but what makes them different is the way they utilise that profit, often setting a portion aside to reinvest in the local community, their people, and the good of their members.

Members have a voice

Building societies want their members to have a say, striving to nurture long-term relationships with their customers over many years, and improvements for their members.

Each year, building societies hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM). AGMs are a brilliant opportunity for members to vote on key decisions like the re-appointment of senior leaders. There are also opportunities to provide feedback and learn about new plans and projects.

We’re also committed to serving customers ways that work for them. While many banks continue to close branches locally, we’re committed to updating our branches and our digital offerings, so customers are able to access our services how they want to, whether that’s over the phone, online, or in person.

In addition to the AGM, we run a Member Forum, where customers are invited test and provide feedback on a range of topics and developments, such as system upgrades and communications. We also recently launched Member Talk, inviting members to branch to meet employees, learn about topics such as online scams, and as always, provide feedback.

Building societies give back

A key part of being a mutual organisation is supporting local people. These roots can be traced back to the original building societies, which were community-led organisations that often met in the social hubs of the time.

At the Society, our community activities are wide-ranging and always evolving. We donate to and volunteer at local charities, provide funding to grassroots sports clubs, sponsor community events, run financial education schemes in nearby schools, and much more. Being able to reinvest some of our profit like this is one of the benefits of not having shareholders!

The feeling is mutual Whilst technology, the economy, and customer expectations have moved on significantly, modern building socities like Newbury still strive to uphold the key principles and aims that inspired the first ever society, way back in the 1700s.

Like what you’ve read? Learn more about the benefits of being part of a mutual and how you can become a member of Newbury Building Society on our website: www.newbury.co.uk

Email: andover@newbury.co.uk

Cliff Osborne, Andover Senior Branch Manager