PICKETS POST NEWSLETTER APRIL 2018

APRIL RALLIES

Mar 29th – Apr 2nd EASTER. Ballard School, Fernhill Lane, , . BH25 5SU. MR 195/242957. PRAMACARE CHARITY FUNDRAISING. Full programme of events for family. Entertainment in guide hall Friday & Sunday evening. Duo in school hall Saturday evening (American Supper). See stewards board for hall directions & any other events. Raffle prize and tombola donations gratefully received. Also, items from your loft that you do not use to auction for charity. From the A35 Lyndhurst to Christchurch Rd, turn onto the B3058. Site on right 3 miles before entering New Milton, or come through New Milton, cross the railway bridge. Site on left in 2 miles. Look for NFDA signs. Site opens at 10am. Fees £7.70 pun. Stewards Heather & Colin Brown & Ian Fraser. 13th – 15th April. Norden Farm, Norden. BH20 5DS. MR 195/950828. Take the Wareham bypass (A351) heading towards Swanage. 1 mile past the Halfway Inn, the site can be found on the right-hand side. The site has views of the Purbeck Hills and boasts a fishing lake, toilet/shower facilities, garden centre, playpark, shop and a pet’s corner. It even has a dog wash! Easy access to Swanage & Wareham. Walk into Corfe or cross the road to the Swanage Steam railway (5-minute walk). Site opens 10am. £16 pun inc h/up. Stewards Heather & Colin Brown. 20th-24th April. Durdle Door. BOOKED MEET ONLY. From Dorchester follow the by-pass and take the right turn to A352 twds Wool & Wareham. Go through Whitcombe & Broadmayne and follow A352 for 3.5miles. Take right turn just before the Red Lion PH. Through Winfrith Newburgh cont. for 2 miles site entrance on right. MR 194/810806 Site opens 12 noon. £15 pun inc h/up. Stewards Marian & Alan Bown

Continued on next page.

The Editor is Dean Mueller-Davies, 127 Craigmoor Avenue, Bournemouth. BH8 9LT

07754455276 or e-mail [email protected]

Articles for the May issue must be with me by 10am, 21st April.

Next Committee meeting is on 18th April.

New Forest DA website is at Weekend stewards mobile number

www.newforestda.com is now

07514 555790

April rallies continued 27th -29th April. House, Garden Cottage, Upper Street, Breamore. SP6 2DB MR 184/154191. Travel N on A338. Turn left onto un-classified road. Site in village close to church. This is a historic country House in scenic English countryside. Salisbury is the nearest big town with a market on Saturday. Site opens 10am. £7.20 pun Stewards Chris & Lynda Sawkins.

CHAIRMANS WELCOME

Thank you to those who braved the weather and came to the AGM. We managed to elect a committee to fulfil the roles needed. We do still have 3 vacancies, which can be filled by co-option during the year if needed. We had a lovely ploughman’s lunch post AGM prepared by Chris & Lynda Sawkins & Margaret & Dennis Legg. Thank you for preparing it for us to enjoy. The three committee members co-opted for last year stood as committee members. They have been elected now and Dee Tester is our new Secretary, Sue Tye our minutes Secretary and Tony Tester our webmaster. Although we have a committee, our Treasurer Sue Camburn will be stepping down from her role on 31st December. It is imperative that we fill this role at the October committee meeting and notify HQ by 2nd weekend in November. If we have no one, then the region treasurer will have to take over the accounts. If no one at next AGM then there would need to be an EGM. Then if still no one then the DA becomes an inoperative unit. It would mean that the dinner dance could go ahead but no rallies. We have new sites booked for 2019 and new ideas for social functions. So please if you are interested in the role contact Sue Camburn or myself. The job basically entails having a brain and ability to use a laptop (knowledge of excel an advantage). Training can be given and plenty of back up from past treasurers and the Region Treasurer who lives in . It is also useful if we have a second auditor, in case of illness or holiday. In the DA Constitution it does say advisable to have two. If anyone is interested, please contact me. Unfortunately the Easter meet had to be held on hard standing car parks. Next year we have booked the Furzebrook site & the hall nearby. Dates for your diary – SWRSM 13th/15th July at Turnpike Showground – hosted by DA Booking forms available on website and in Pickets Post. We are holding an End of Season/Christmas Carvery event on Saturday 8th December at The Bridge House, Longham. We are holding the 2019 dinner dance at The Lawns Hotel, Saturday 2nd March 2019. Rooms are available at £75 including breakfast. Only 26 rooms available, so get your booking in as soon as you can. New Forest DA AGM 2019 Sunday 10th March 2019 11 am at Parley Memorial Hall. We do not have a social organiser (if anyone interested – you do not need to be a committee member). At the moment I am organising the Christmas event & Janet Setchell the Dinner dance. The decision was made last year to have the joint end of season supper and Christmas party together. If anyone has an objection to this and any ideas for a separate end of season supper, let us know your ideas & the committee will help YOU organise it.

CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME cont’d

At committee we discussed stopping giving plastic plaques to stewards, as many stewards have them sitting in drawers. This year all stewards whether weekend or THS meets (regardless of how many) will be given a voucher per person, to be used against either the Christmas function or dinner dance. We still have few gaps for stewards for rallies this year. If you can help please contact Marian Bown, as we do not want to cancel any. 17th/20th May Gorse Farm, 22nd/24th June Salisbury Rugby Club 29thJune/1st July West Hall Farm, Longburton. 20th/22nd July Longthorns Caravan Park, Wool 28th/30th September Warren Park Farm, Alderholt Don’t forget that the DA website is now www.newforestda.com A thank you to the stewards for March - John & Susan Lawes, Ian Fraser & my other half Colin Brown assisted by me. Enjoy your camping and let us hope the weather improves. Heather Brown Chairman New Forest DA

SECRETARY’S REPORT

Firstly I would like to thank you all for voting me onto the Committee and allowing me to take the position of Hon Secretary. This will be my 10th year camping and caravanning with the NFDA. As a child, I had been involved in camping with my family in a tent or the old VW campervan. The experience of being outdoors enhanced my drive to keep on camping throughout my life and I am glad to have joined the NFDA.

My husband, Tony, and I have seen Youth grow, including our son Rian, experienced different sites to camp and enjoy the people and activities that the DA put on for us. I hope that I can make a difference and look forward to meeting more of you during the coming months. I will be out with the DA at Easter. Please come and chat with me.

Dee Tester

SITES LIST 2018

Date Venue Map Reference Price Stewards TBC Open

February 09--14 Birchw ood TP (half term) 195/897910 £10.75 inc h/up §δ Marian :& Alan Bow n 12 16--18

March

02--04 §δ 16--18 Parley Glade AGM Weekend no camping Hall booked 9am-6pm Sun

23--25 Greenhill Farm, Landford 184/265183 £9.50 pun δ Marian & Alan Bow n

29 - 2 Ballard School, New Milton. Easter 196/242958 £7.70 pun δ Heather & Colin Brow n & Ian Fraser April

06--08 NO RALLY 13--15 Norden Farm, Wareham 195/950829 £16.00 pun inc H/up §δ Heather & Colin Brow n

20 --24 Durdle Door B/M 194/810606 £15.00 PUN INC H/UP Marian & Alan Bow n 27 - 29 Breamore House 184/154191 £7.20 pun δ Chris & Lynda Saw kins

May 03--07 Wick Farm, Dow nton (Cuckoo Fair) 184/174210 £8.00 pun δ Bow n. Brow n & Fraser 12

11--13 Camerton Village Hall, Bath. SWR AGM

17--20 Gorse Farm, Blissford 195/169141 £6.85 pun δ

24--27 Lytchett Minster RC (Big Club Get Together) 195/961928 £10.00 pun

24th May - 11th June THS As Above 195/961928 £10.00 pun June

31--03 Trevethen Field, Stucton rd, 195/155140 £8.40 pun Marian & Alan Bow n 08--13 Carringtons 196/297913 £11.10 pun δ John & Susan Law s 12 13-17 Matley Wood 196/318075 £8.00 pun δ Judy & Geoff Thomas 12 22--24 Salisbury Rugby Club 184/141321 £9.00 pun

29--01 West Hall Farm, Longburton 194/653129 £4.80 pun July

05--08 Furzebrook, Wareham 195/932846 £8.20 pun Judy & Geoff Thomas

12--16 Turnpike Show ground, SWRSM 183/835243 Hosted by NFDA

20--22 Longthorns CP, Wareham 194/846892 £9.00 pun δ

27--29 THS August

03--05 THS 10--12 THS

17--19 THS 24--27 THS B/H

31--02 THS September

07--09 Highbench, Oakford Fitzpaine, Blandford 194/801109 £7.20 pun Jill & Rodger Smith

14--16

21--23 Bagw ell farm w eymouth 194/627817 £14.00 H/UP £11.50 no H/UP §δ Mike & Marilyn Gow er 28--30 Warren Park Farm, Alderholt 195/173130 £8.40 pun

October

04--07 Birchw ood TP (FOL) 195/897910 £11.00 pun inc H/UP §δ Marian & Alan Bow n

12--14 18 -- 23 Riverside Lakes 195/931876 £9.00 H/UP. £5.00. non H/UP §δ Susan & John Law s 12 26--28

November

02--04 16 - 18

December Stew ards Phone 07514 555790 x § Electric Oct - End of Season Supper δ VAT Registere Dec - Christmas Lunch & Party d UPDATED 07/03/2018

EMERGENCY WARD 10 Hello everyone,

Well!!! my snow shovel was finally christened this year … not a lot! … but it did see service!! I hope you all managed to cope with the snow. It was pretty while it lasted but I think the scariest thing was the freezing rain, it completely encased our conservatory in ice and we couldn’t even get the door open. During the night I looked out of our front room window across the lawn and the street light was shining on it and as the rain had frozen on top of the snow, it looked like the moon shining on water. Just when you think “it’s all over” Mother Nature has other ideas! So a lovely Christmassy scene greeted us when we pulled back the curtains to get ready to attend the AGM. Nevertheless we made it, we should have been there at 9.a.m. but we were 10 minutes late!, so “0 out of 10, could do better!!”. Stuart in the meantime was trapped in Glasgow as his flight home to Southampton had been cancelled, so he had to travel home the next day on a coach for 10 hours!!! Oh well, hopefully we are now enroute for warmer sunnier weather …. and I’ve put the snow shovel away … for now!!!!!!

Since our last Pickets Post we have sadly lost 2 of our former D.A. members and we send their families our deepest sympathy at this sad time.

Dick Parkes & Dorothy Maynard

Dick and his wife Pam often stewarded for us along with their lovely greyhound dogs which were often sprawled out on big cushions in front of the van and would give you a wonderful enthusiastic welcome whenever you went near. Dorothy, along with her husband Les, were both former Committee members, Les as Treasurer and Dorothy also doing the card sending for “Emergency Ward 10”.

Also I have sent a card to Graham & Janet Gale who have made the difficult decision to give up camping. They have both been in the D.A. for many years, Graham served on Committee and was Junior Leader at one time, handing the position over to me in 1984. We hope they will have lots of happy memories to look back on and, as with all our “camping retirees”, you are always welcome to join us at Tea Round the Pole if you are able.

If you hear of anyone who is poorly or who is giving up camping, please let me know and I will do the rest!!! Many thanks!!

Margaret Miller – 01202 241605 – [email protected] MANY THANKS TO THE KNATTY KNITTERS AND HELLO FROM MARION & DAVE EVANS

TWO EX NEW FOREST D.A. MEMBERS OF 38 YEARS FROM WHOOP WHOOP LAND (Australia)– 11,000 MILES AWAY

In the earlier years when we went to “Tea round the Pole” there were many ladies who would bring their knitting to do whilst the Chairman spoke about anything and everything that was happening, or had happened, since last weeks ‘Tea round the Pole”. Being one of those knitters, I thought, why not start a KNITTING GROUP. We called ourselves the “Knutty Knitters” and here they are , years later, as the ”Knatty Knitters”, still producing the most amazing articles which are still being taken by Margaret and Ray (Miller) to the same Church that I took them to all those years ago. Myself and David were fortunate enough to meet many Missionaries who were working abroad in many of the poorest countries you could ever imagine and who had brought us a film of the children wearing some of the articles that us ladies from the D.A. had made.

My very dear friend, Margaret, keeps David and I up to date with almost everything relating to the D.A. since we left our home to live in this world which I call Whoop Whoop land because it reminds me of the OOMPA LOOMPAS in the film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. David and I were members of the New Forest D.A. for around 38 years during which time David served on Committee many times and I served as your Secretary and

Pickets Post Editor also for many years. Our lives were very much involved with the D.A. and we have such wonderful memories of all those years, which have not ceased since we moved over here to Western Australia.

Dear Margaret keeps us up to date on a weekly basis, we know where you are camping and we know who is serving on the Committee and she also sends us photographs of folks who attended the Dinner Dances and the End of Season Suppers plus the attendances at the D.A. Feast of Lanterns and the National Feast of Lanterns. Speaking of the D.A. Feast of Lanterns, I remember so well, many years ago, a very young family who had just joined the D.A. their names were Heather and Colin Brown along with children David and Lisa. The name will sound very familiar to you all now and their very young son David had made an entry for the D.A. Feast of Lanterns. David was knee high to a grasshopper then but he must be a very handsome young man now probably with a family of his own.

David and I would like to say a huge “Thank you” to Margaret for keeping us up to date with the weekly happenings in the D.A. which we look forward to so very much, her stories are so graphic it is almost as if we are still camping with you.

Marion & David Evans

THANK YOU FROM BETTY & DERRICK HANGER

Many thanks for your “retiring from camping” card of last week. Things are improving, Betty had her first cataract done last week and is now waiting for the next one. Who knows, we may get back to camping next year even if it’s only a tent as we have still got the kit upstairs in the loft, even though it is many years old. Just been told that next year I will get an extra 25p a week on my Pension, I am wondering what I will spend it all on!! Many thanks again!

Just a thought …… “Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow …..” SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!!!! Marg x

FOR SALE

12 Buxus Sempervirens evergreen hedging plants. Ideal for borders or containers. Height 20/30 cm by 15/20 cm wide.

Price £25 for 12 or will split into 2 lots of 6 @ £12.50

Donation from sale will go to Pramacare Charity.

Contact Heather 01202 382778 or email [email protected]

Booking form for Durdle Door

Site Durdle Door

Oor 20 – 24th April 2018

Name

Membership No.

Address

Email Address

Tel No.

Number of Adults

Number of Children

Number of Nights

Deposit Required Full Fee upon booking £15.00 each unit night. There are limited pitches available.

Cheques payable to (the Camping and Caravanning club new forest DA) Please post to: Mrs Marian Bown, 13 Vicarage Rd, Oakdale, Poole, Dorset . BH15 3AU Tel 01202 678149.

Please enclose SAE for receipt of payment-

Last date for bookings 9th April 2018

Please send your completed form to: -

Mrs Marian Bown, 13 Vicarage Road, Oakdale, Poole Dorset, BH15 3AU.

Tel. 01202678149. Mob 07909911245

Please enclose SAE for receipt of Payment