1 minute read
New Forest support for businesses and the community
from Viewpoint May 2020
by Dorset View
The New Forest National Park Authority is helping businesses to survive and local people to self isolate during the Covid-19 pandemic.
All 160 members of the New Forest Marque scheme have been affected by the recent lockdown, although more than half have adapted their services and are still trading in some way.
Advertisement
Many local retailers, caterers, butchers, bakers, farmers and growers are working at full capacity to serve their local towns and villages.
Marque members are offering online ordering and deliveries, while others are making up boxes of goods grown or produced in the New Forest, such as vegetables, fruit, meats and cheeses.
Restaurants, temporarily closed to the public, have adapted to deliver meals or baked goodies, or provide takeaways.
Claire Lee, New Forest Marque operations manager, said, “So many people are working hard to support each other as well as local businesses and the community.
“The New Forest National Park Authority supports the New Forest Marque yearround, including annual funding of £25,000, office space and admin.
“Recently its rangers came forward offering further support and are now in their ranger vans delivering locally – helping people who can’t get out to shop for themselves.”
Elsewhere in the Forest, mills are working all hours producing much-needed flour which the rangers are delivering to farm shops. Gin suppliers are switching their production to antibacterial hand gel (much of which has been donated to care providers) and have been working with Marque skincare producers to add new properties and fragrances.
While hotels and guest houses have had to shut their doors to the public, some are offering accommodation to NHS staff. And now that asparagus season is here, pick-your-own farms have introduced pop-up kiosks so people can still enjoy fresh local seasonal produce.
Claire Lee added, “We mustn’t forget all the Marque wholesalers which normally supply the hotels and restaurants. They are now adapting to food delivery schemes, or people can collect from the warehouses, where boxes will be placed straight into the boot of your car.
“I’m amazed at the interesting ways people are adapting their businesses, supporting the community and helping people stay at home.”
Details of all the Marque producers and suppliers can be found on www. newforestmarque.co.uk.
