Hoburne Bashley Spring Life Magazine

Hoburne life

Welcome back to Hoburne, and I hope like us, you are looking forward to a fantastic 2023 season.

It certainly feels like it’s been a long, cold, and dark winter, but spring is in the air, and we have been spoilt with glorious sunshine this February half term. This is our first issue of the owner’s magazine for 2023, and there is plenty to update you on what’s been happening on the park over winter and what’s to come later this year.

This winter has been wet and cold, and our grounds team has been working tremendously in all conditions to keep on top of the park, which hasn’t been an easy task.

Despite that, longer days are coming, trees are blossoming, and Easter eggs are already in the supermarkets!

This magazine is very much for our owners, and we want to hear from you. If you have something you wish to share with the magazine, then let us know. Grab a coffee and enjoy reading!

MEDAL Feefo’s Gold Trusted Service Award

We are delighted to have been awarded Feefo’s Gold Trusted Service Award in recognition of online reviews from holidaymakers recognising our excellence in customer service. Feefo established the Awards in 2014 to recognise brands that truly reflect a business's dedication to providing outstanding customer service by analysing feedback from real customers. The Gold Trusted Service Award is an accolade based purely on verified and genuine customer reviews, and therefore a true reflection of our commitment to providing exceptional customer service.

user-circle Owners’ portal

It has been just over a year since we launched our owner’s portal. We hope you have found it easy to use and navigate. If you have not yet signed up to the portal, please speak to the reception team on park.

VECTOR-SQUARE Vinyl Solutions

We are delighted to be partnering with Vinyl Solutions for all our decking services moving forward. This strategic partnership will see Vinyl Solutions become the sole supplier for all decking services. Vinyl Solutions will service, supply, and install its range of premium quality decking products across all our holiday parks. It makes perfect sense for us to be working with Vinyl Solutions, geographically they sit in a good location to service our business efficiently and effectively, they have a proven track record of delivering great products and excellent customer service, but above all their business values align perfectly with ours with professionalism and integrity at the forefront of their operation.

SMILE-BEAM 2023 owner events

We have an exciting programme of exclusive owner events and functions for 2023. The calendar of dates for your diaries is available from the Sales and Ownership Office, pop in and pick up your copy. We look forward to welcoming you all at the first event of the season.

wrench Maintenance price list

We have a new maintenance price list available for 2023. To collect a copy, please pop into the ownership office.

CHECK Hoburne Managed Letting Scheme

Did you know your holiday home could be earning you money when you are not there? Simply letting your holiday home for the times you are not there could give you an income that goes towards your site fees.

A hassle-free service. We have a wealth of experience when it comes to letting holiday homes and our experienced teams are there every step of the way, looking after both your holiday home and your letting income. To take advantage of this service please contact the park and ask for more information.

Shapes New private letting agreement

All owners that privately let their holiday homes will need to sign and return the new agreement, along with copies of all safety documents to reception before any passes can be issued. The new prices for entertainment passes are as follows:

Up to 7 Nights £50 up to 6 guests / £60 7–8 guests

1 Night £25 up to 6 guests / £30 7–8 guests

Serves 4 people

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Moroccan Harira

This is a healthy vegetarian version of the classic Moroccan soup with plenty of cumin, turmeric and cinnamon, each offering different health benefits, plus it’s low in fat and calories too.

Ingredients

Angle-Right 1-2 tbsp rapeseed oil

Angle-Right 2 large onions , finely chopped

Angle-Right 4 garlic cloves , chopped

Angle-Right 2 tsp turmeric

Angle-Right 2 tsp cumin

Angle-Right 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Angle-Right 2 red chillies , deseeded and sliced

Angle-Right 500g tin chopped tomatoes

Method for the Moroccan Harira:

Angle-Right 1.7 litre reduced-salt vegetable bouillon

Angle-Right 175g dried green lentils

Angle-Right 2 carrots , chopped into small pieces

Angle-Right 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced

Angle-Right 5 celery sticks , chopped into small pieces

Angle-Right 2 /3 small pack coriander, few sprigs reserved, the rest chopped

Angle-Right 1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges, to serve

1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over a medium heat.

2. Fry the onions and garlic until starting to soften.

3. Add in the turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, and chillies.

4. Pour in the passata and stock and stir together.

5. Add the lentils, chopped carrots, diced sweet potato and celery, and bring to the boil.

6. Cover the pan and leave to simmer for 30 minutes.

7. Cook uncovered for a further 5-10 minutes until the vegetables and lentils are tender.

8. Stir in the chopped coriander and serve in bowls with lemon wedges for squeezing over, sprinkle over the reserved coriander.

park updates

Fond farewell

After 38 years, Hoburne Bashley’s breakfast chef, Paul Traher, has retired. Paul began working for the park as a chef in March 1984, when he was just 29. At the time, the park had three touring fields and Sammy the Seahorse had yet to launch! He’s seen a lot of change over the years, burnt a lot of loaves but says he wouldn’t change it for the world. Commenting on his retirement, Paul said: “It is with a heavy heart I have decided to retire. Hoburne has looked after me immensely and I have met some great people along the way.” Paul plans to spend his retirement looking after his grandson, playing golf, and relaxing.

road Tarmacking on park

We are pleased to announce the tarmacking of the main drive has been planned. Further updates in connection with this will follow.

USER-PLUS New Team Members

We have recently welcomed Harry Studt to our Sales and Ownership Team. Harry joins us from Hoburne Park with a wealth of experience where he was Sales and Ownership Advisor for six years. Harry is looking forward to meeting our owners and guests, and we know you will join us by giving Harry a very warm welcome. Please pop into the Sales and Ownership office and say hello next time you are here but be kind to him as he’s Liverpool fan!

We have also said goodbye to Kelly from the Sales and Ownership Team. Kelly has recently taken up a new position at Hoburne Park as Sales Manager, and we all wish her well and hope to see her soon when she pops back to visit.

We will also be welcoming Samantha Dewar to the team as Hoburne Bashley’s Customer Experience Manager. Sam will be helping everyone have the best experience while holidaying here at Bashley. Also, she will be looking after the Managed Letting Scheme for owners who wish to let out their lodges and caravans through Hoburne. We are all looking forward to welcoming Sam soon.

sun Solar panels

We are excited to announce solar panels will be installed soon on the roof of our building. We are thankful for this investment and look forward to seeing the impact it will have on our green footprint.

�� Award win

We were delighted to have been awarded Outstanding Contribution to the Visitor Economy at the 2022 Brilliance in Business Awards for our work in the woodland. In the last two years, we have worked tremendously hard to maintain and create a special place for everyone to enjoy. From running handson workshops, bush craft activities, guided walks, plus our popular fairy door trail.

�� Hoburne Company Conference

Hoburne recently held its annual company conference, and the one-day conference finished with a glitzy gala awards dinner at Hoburne Park. We are very proud to announce that Simon Hemsley from our Woodlands and Ashleigh Vincent, our Spa Manager, were finalists for two awards categories. Please make sure when you next see them to congratulate them on being recognised for their hard work and contribution to Hoburne.

Hand-holding-heart Charity

Fundraising news

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported our charity fundraising during 2022. With your help, we have been able to raise £7,717.15 in the year for The Dorset Children’s Foundation, which has been gratefully received. Our chosen charity for 2023 is Oakhaven Hospice. Oakhaven provides specialist palliative care and support to those facing life-limiting illnesses and their loved ones in both a home and hospice setting. Details of our fundraising events in 2023 will be notified throughout the year. We would like to thank you in advance for your continued support.

We are very proud of our unique woodland at Hoburne Bashley, and Simon and Kamron do a fantastic job informing and entertaining our guests so they can truly appreciate our New Forest location.

We are also immensely proud of our apprentice, Kamron for being nominated as a finalist for Young Apprentice of the Year. A true vindication of his hard work and dedication.

�� Dog-friendly holiday park.

As a dog-friendly holiday park, we will be extending our pet-accessible areas during 2023. The whole café and bar area will be dog-friendly in the future, so owners with dogs are not restricted to just the front tables. As always, we ask dog owners to not allow their pets on the furniture. The restaurant, lounge bar, and venue will remain pet free areas.

WIFI Wi-Fi update on Sycamore

We are pleased to let you know our team has completed the installation of the groundworks for the fibre cable upgrade on Sycamore. Despite the freezing weather and the continuous rain throughout December, we have been able to plough on. The ground damage has been very minimal, and the team aims to have everything back to normal as quickly as possible. The next step will be installing the electrical connections and owners will be contacted individually before the wireless access points are installed in your holiday homes.

GOLF-BALL-TEE Hoburne Park’s charity golf day

Owing to the forthcoming Coronation, the Charity Golf Day in aid of Abbey’s Heroes, organised by Hoburne Park owner, Mel Ford, has been rearranged at Crane Valley Golf Club for Saturday 13th May. All players are welcome, please call Mel on 07973627721 for more information.

�� 2023 entertainment team

We’re excited to welcome our entertainment team for 2023 - Chloe returns to Bashley for 2023 as Entertainment Manager and, also returning are Kerry and Lauren, who both had successful seasons at Bashley in 2022. Bashley will also be welcoming back Gwyn to complete the team, who has worked for Hoburne over the past few years. We’re sure you’ll all give them a warm Hoburne Welcome.

A message from…

Sandra Administration Manager

I look forward to seeing you all again as we start another year at Bashley. This year I will be part of the Owners Events Committee and will be aiming to book the best treats for our fabulous owners to enjoy throughout the year. I hope the Owners Portal is helping communications between the park and owners. Please let me know if you encounter any problems, and I will do my best to help. My next mission will be to acquire up-to-date proofs of owner’s private addresses so I will be in touch soon.

Sharron Housekeeping Manager

I am looking forward to a busy 2023 and very much look forward to meeting you all on park and at the Owners’ exclusive functions. My team and I enjoy looking after the holiday homes of the owners who join our Managed Letting Scheme and hope to be able to chat with you personally this year.

John Sales Manager

Just a short note from us, we have two new team members. Firstly, we have Lee-Ann Carter in Aftersales and Harry Studt, our new sales advisor. They would love to put a face to a name, so please pop into the owner’s office and say hi. Remember, our owner’s events calendar for the year can be collected from our office. And if you are looking to upgrade your holiday home or have any queries relating to buying or selling, pop in and we will help.

Jo Head Receptionist

As we head into 2023, the reception team here at Bashley would like to offer a warm welcome back to all our owners. For any enquiries please either pop in and see us or contact us by phone (01425 612340) or email (bashley@hoburne.com) and we will be happy to assist.

Zoe Activities Manager

Hello from the Activities Den, we’ve missed you! Our activities offering continues to grow at Bashley, keep your eyes peeled for some new activities coming over the next few months and some exciting improvements to the woodlands. Pop in and see me for some relaxing pottery painting and a catch-up. See you soon.

Adrian Hospitality Manager

Hello! The Hospitality Team is all looking forward to welcoming you back in 2023. We have been busy planning the owners’ events for the year, along with some excursions offsite to enjoy what the local area has to offer. The chefs are busy putting together an exciting new menu with significant changes to our offering and presentation. Our Entertainment Team has been training at Hoburne Devon Bay, learning all the Party Dances and shows for the new season, plus their own Spotlight shows. It is shaping up to be an exciting season with plenty to look forward to, we can’t wait to help make those memories.

Becca Leisure Manager

We look forward to welcoming you for a swim at Hoburne Bashley this year, whether it’s a solo, family, fun, or lesson swim. Don’t forget we have a range of activities all year round, to suit all ages and abilities. We are also excited about updating the fitness suite in 2023, bringing a fresh new feel for when you work out.

Ashleigh Spa Manager

Happy New Year from the team at Beauty h! We can’t wait to catch up with all of you again. As the new season begins, we’d like to express our gratitude to all our clients for their continued support. We are looking forward to having a super successful 2023 with a full team, new treatment upgrades launching and our updated price list - keep your eyes peeled! If you haven’t already, sign up for our marketing emails to receive a monthly e-newsletter containing offers, competitions, and updates on all things Beauty h!

Click here: hoburne.com/beauty-h-day-spa/

Simon Woodland Supervisor

Since November, myself, and Kamron have been working on more woodland management, concentrating on the pond in the large woodlands and clearing some lower canopy trees to allow for light and warmth. We discovered Pipistrelle bats have come into the pond area as a hunting ground and hope this will increase our bat population. We will be offering more bat walks through the spring and summer as an activity.

Everything we cut in the lower canopy regenerates and regrows, but we must be mindful of the damage the deer do by nibbling the new shoots, so we stack the brash to protect them and create more habitat.

We are creating a flower map this spring and summer to see if the flowers are spreading further afield and where different species are over the next three years.

The fairy door and elf trail will be upgraded this year, and new aspects will be added to the trail for more fun and adventure, plus new seating areas.

I look forward to seeing you in there. Don’t forget your camera and a packed lunch and let nature take its course.

2023 Dates for the Diary

Please be aware all dates/acts are subject to change and subject to roadmap dates being confirmed by government review.

Saturday 11th February Live Act

Scott McGowan

A full-time professional musician and vocalist with international credit including being the guitarist for Les McEwens Bay City Rollers. As well as being a first-class soloist, Scott is also frontman for the excellent function band Mainstreet. Expect great vocals, great musicianship, and a ton of experience.

Saturday 18th February Live Act

Sami Jane

Sami Jane is a popular vocalist who has appeared on Britain’s Got Talent! Sami has also regularly appeared at the Babbacombe theatre in Devon.

Saturday 25th February Live Act

Carla Holley

Carla is an experienced vocalist, having previously worked at holiday parks across the UK. Covering songs from the 50’s through to the present day with a powerful voice and sparkling personality.

Saturday 11th March Hoburne Live

Boulevadier

Talented Jazz duo who will be performing a sophisticated cocktail of Cole Porter, George Gershwin and Irving Berlin, incorporating jazz, swing, Latin and blues.

Saturday 18th March Live Act

Jen Merchant

Jen is an experienced vocalist with something for everyone.

Tuesday 25th March Hoburne Live

Simon Hawkins

Simon is a singer/songwriter from Devon with over 20 years’ experience in the world of entertainment.

Saturday 1st April Live Act

Meghan Rae

Megan is a local talented vocalist and is looking forward to entertaining you this evening.

Tuesday 4th April

Crazy Creatures Experience at

Hoburne Bashley

Come and see living reptiles, bugs, and lots more crazy creatures with this 45-minute session at 9.30am / 11am / 12.30pm. £5.00 per child (under 16 years). 20 places available per session.

Saturday 8th April Live Act

Straight Circles

Straight Circles are a 4-piece vocal/ instrumental group with a fun and highly entertaining stage show, featuring popular music from the 50s to present day.

Tuesday 11th April

Crazy Creatures Experience at Hoburne

Bashley

Come and see living reptiles, bugs, and lots more crazy creatures with this 45-minute session at 9.30am / 11am / 12.30pm. £5.00 per child (under 16 years). 20 places available per session.

Saturday 15th April Live Act

April Taylor

April will be performing for her first time at Hoburne Bashley and can’t wait to sing for you.

Monday 17th April Hoburne Live

Wendy Sax

Join talented saxophonist, Wendy, for some lounge music. Wendy will be performing from 8.00 pm this evening.

Thursday 20th April Hoburne Live

Kev Jackson

Kev is an experienced vocalist and guitarist who regularly performs all over the UK.

Saturday 22nd April Hoburne Live

Gemma Stone

Gemma is popular vocalist and will be performing for you this evening.

Saturday 29th April Hoburne Live

Lois Lonsdale

Lois is an accomplished vocalist with something for everyone.

Carla Holley

Jen Merchant

Crazy Creatures

Five questions

Team member

Zoe Rodaway, Activities Manager

1. How long have you worked for Hoburne?

a. Coming up for 12 months.

2. What has been your biggest achievement since working at Hoburne?

a. Overseeing the opening of the Activities Den and the Mini Sky Ropes.

3. Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.

a. I was once on a BBC documentary called ‘When Teenage Meets Old Age’. It was a social experiment over three episodes.

4. When you’re not working, what do you like to do in your spare time?

a. I love to walk the dog, spend time with my children and go wild sea swimming.

5. Who is your favourite Sammy Squad character?

a. Tommy Turtle – he’s cute but mischievous.

questions with… Homeowner

Alison Norris, Rowan 6

1. How long have you been a Hoburne holiday homeowner?

a. Eight years.

2. Why did you pick Hoburne Bashley?

a. On our first visit coming up the drive way we just really liked it; it had a nice friendly feel, and we thought it would be perfect for us and our grandsons.

3. What’s your favourite thing to do whilst staying at your holiday home?

a. We like to walk along the coast and take the boys to the beach.

4. What do you love most about being a holiday homeowner?

a. The freedom, being out and about and meeting nice people.

5. What top tip would you give to a new Hoburne holiday homeowner?

a. Relax and enjoy it!

Larry Lobster Larry’s Laughs

Larry found some great jokes in the Xmas crackers this year. Here are his favourite ones… what was your best cracker joke?

Q1. Why did the teddy bear skip out on dessert when she was on a date?

Q2. What do you call a noodle that is fake?

Q3. What’s an alligator in a vest called?

Q4. What is cheese that doesn’t belong to you called?

Q5. What’s a pirate’s favourite class to take in school?

A5. Arrrrrt

A4. Nacho cheese!

A3. An investi-gator.

A2. An im-pasta

A1. She was stuffed!

Answers

Tommy Turtle Tommy’s Teasers

Tommy has been given a book on teasers by Sammy for Christmas and he is trying to work out the answers. Can you solve the teaser and get all the answers correct?

Q1. What has a face and two hands but no arms or legs?

Q2. What five-letter word gets shorter when you add two letters to it?

Q3. I am always hungry and will die if not fed, but if you water me, I'll die. What am I?

Q4. What type of cheese is made backward?

Q5. What’s left when you take an ant out of a plantain?

A5. Something plain

A4. Edam

A3. A fire

A2. Short

A1. A clock

Answers

Repeat Repeat Quiz

One for the grownups a quiz to test the old grey matter! Each one word answer has the same letter sequence repeated twice, for a two word answer the same word is repeated

Q1. Which famous prison is located approximately 30 miles north of New York City on the banks of the Hudson River?

Q2. With an upbeat rhythm, which type of (Latin) dance is said to be a combination of the Mambo and the American Swing?

Q3. What breed of dog, originally from Northern China, is known there by a name which means ‘puffy-lion dog’ (Songshi Quan)?

Q4. What name was given to the rebellion that took place during the 1950’s in Kenya against British rule?

Q5. In the children’s TV series ‘Hector’s House’, which animal puppet shares its name with a chart topping singer?

Q6. Which insect is responsible for spreading sleeping sickness?

Q7. Which song title gave ‘The Mamas & The Papas’ their first UK top ten hit in 1966?

Q8. Which British cricketer had three children, each of whom went on to represent England in their chosen sport at the age of 19?

Q9. As played by Robin Williams, what words did Mork from Ork use as a greeting?

Q10. British singer, songwriter, actress and TV personality, born Marie Macdonald Mclaughlin Lawrie, is better known by which name?

Phil football, Tracy Netball) Neville Neville

Each quarter we ask our owners to share their favourite photos with us. We'll pick our favourites to include in the next issue.

Good luck!

Our family

Our family

We know our four-legged friends are very popular among our owners and this page is dedicated to them. As a pet-friendly park, we want to see more photos of your pooches. Email us your photos and we will pick the best ones to feature in our next issue.

Ember enjoying the horse and wagon ride

Photo taken by Robin Knight