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Mottisfont & Dunbridge
ACORNThe Village Newsletter August & September 2020
VILLAGE HALL UPDATE
We are delighted to announce that the Village Hall has nowreopened for small meetings, group events and private hire,in line with current government guidance.
As mentioned in last month’s Acorn, we have been extremelybusy over the last few weeks. The floor in the main hall hasbeen sanded and sealed, work on refurbishing the old toiletsis almost complete, and a new wheelchair ramp is due to beinstalled in the near future.
The Committee has also carried out a full COVID19 RiskAssessment and has made a number of changes whichmean that we can safely welcome you back to the hall.These include the introduction of a oneway systemthroughout the building (clearly marked and signposted), theprovision of hand sanitiser at all entrances, and reducedcapacity for inside events.
Unfortunately, there are still a few events that we cannotaccommodate at the moment, but we will keep the situationunder regular review as the government guidance is updated.
If you would like to hire the hall or have any queries about thechanges we have made, please contact Diane Roberts – hercontact details can be found on the Village Hall website:www.mottisfontvillagehall.co.uk.
MOTTISFONTSCHOOL
This photo was takenwhen Mrs. Sillenceretired as Dinner Ladyat Mottisfont School. Ithink the photo wastaken in the Spring orSummer of 1977judging by the age ofthe children.
Who can you recognisein the photo?
Pat Francis
MEMORY WALKIN AID OF
THE ALZHEIMER’S SOCIETY
Since the lockdown began in March, wehave spent many hours walking aroundthe parish and further afield, exploringdozens of footpaths and trying to get a bitfitter.
During August and September, we will bewalking 100 km to raise money for theAlzheimer’s Society, which is the only UKcharity that campaigns for change, fundsresearch to find a cure and supportspeople living with dementia today.
Our target is to raise £200 (£100 each) so,if you would like to donate to this excellentcause, please visit our JustGiving pagewww.justgiving.com/team/eamwalkietalkiesor, alternatively , we are happy to acceptcheques made payable to the Alzheimer’sSociety.
Thank you.Margaret Astur, Lynn Young
NO ACORN IN SEPTEMBER. THE NEXT ONE WILL BE FOR OCTOBER.
Well, a big hello to everyone!! I’mwriting this on day 5 of my new role asGeneral Manager of the Mottisfont andSouth West Hampshire portfolio, soforgive me if this is fairly short andsweet! I’m very excited to finally behere, and busy meeting people,discovering the estate, and finding outwhat everyone does.
I would firstly like to pay tribute to Louise Govier, whohas been a driving force here at Mottisfont, a familiarand well known face for many of you, and leaves afantastic team in place as she heads on to her veryexciting and well deserved new role as ChiefExecutive of Artswork, and I wish her every successin her new role.
I have had a really warm and friendly welcome fromeveryone I have met so far, and have been reallyimpressed with what I have seen: huge amounts ofenthusiasm and positivity despite the strange times.I have learnt that Mottisfont has the NationalCollection of Plane Trees as well as old roses(amazing!), had the huge privilege of exploring someof the watermeadows and worldfamous fishingbeats, finding out what it takes to keep our rosegarden in shape, and learning about the famousfigures connected to Mottisfont including MaudRussell, Rex Whistler and Derek Hill.
I am looking forward to continuing on my voyage ofdiscovery over the next few months, including all ofthe very important things that go on behind thescenes at Mottisfont from retail to objects andbuildings conservation to catering.
I’m also looking forward to meeting many of you,whether through Parish meetings, out and about inthe villages, or you would be very welcome to comeand say hello next time you come in for a visit.
I can’t deny these are very strange times to bestarting a new job, with the safety of both visitors andstaff from Covid 19 our key priority. Many of our staffremain on furlough, and the slimline teams areworking hard to manage essential tasks around thehouse, gardens and surrounding countryside. Thebooking system for visitors continues to work wellthough. Whilst the house remains closed for now,visitors are still very definitely enjoying having a tripout to Mottisfont, enjoying the beautiful countrysideand gardens, and of course visiting our popular caféand shop.
Just a quick reminder that any Parish Pass holdersstill need to use our booking system, so if you wouldlike to use your Pass please [email protected] or ring344001 to book a slot. Please note that masks willnow need to be worn in our shop and café area inline with government guidance.
As Louise indicated in her last article, the NationalTrust is also about to launch plans to save significantcosts, which is necessary as the charity has lost somuch income because of Covid19. This may involveredundancies of staff, so again please do bear that inmind as I know many National Trust staff both liveand work within the local area.
Vicky FletcherGeneral ManagerMottisfont & South West HampshireEmail: [email protected]
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LOCAL AREA TRAFFIC
A bright spot on the otherwise bleak coronavirushorizon has been the reduction of traffic travellingthrough our parish on the B3084. Unfortunately,those living near this road – which is a sizeableproportion of Mottisfont and Dunbridge residents –will have noticed that traffic has increased markedlyin the last couple of weeks and is returning toprevious levels.
Some good news: the new gateway, designed andpaid for by your Parish Council, will shortly beinstalled on Barley Hill, Dunbridge, to signal entry tothe builtup area. We are waiting now for HCC toinstall it. Some residents asked for the 30 mphspeed limit to be extended towards Kimbridge andwe took up their case with HCC, but unfortunatelythe response was “There aren’t any current plans toreview the speed limits on the B3084. Speed limitsare only reviewed in line with our policy and criteria,which is focussed on a road casualty reduction asthe highest priority. In determining whether a speedlimit review is necessary we consider if there is asignificant and recurring speed related road casualtyhistory and if a speed limit reduction would assist inreducing casualties. On this basis the B3084 is alow priority for review I’m afraid”.
Also very welcome is the National Trust’s ticketingscheme which has certainly reduced traffic flows inMottisfont village, making it safer for walkers andcyclists in that area, and leading to a markedimprovement in the quality of the environment. Ourmessage to the Trust is please continue with theticketing scheme.
The Parish Council
Support line and WhatsApp Group
The Parish Council's telephone support line on236987 is still available for anyone in the parishneeding assistance or a chat. The line is providedfree of charge by TTNC, and is manned by a rota oflocal volunteers.
The PC's WhatsApp group is proving popular. Tojoin, email your mobile number to jeffmottisfontatbtinternetdotcom (change at to @, etc.).
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CRICKET IS BACK!
Mottisfont Cricket Club's 2020 season in theHampshire League and Border League was called offbecause of Covid19. However, recreational cricketwas allowed to be played again from 11th July, so wewill play the outstanding matches as friendlies, asfollows:
All starting at 1pm.
Tony Stemp
1st August9th August
15th August22nd August29th August
5th September12th September19th September
RingwoodF.Y.E.O.C.C.
Michelmersh & TimsburyEllinghamSway 2nds
TrojansBroughton
Farley
HomeHomeHomeAwayHomeTBATBA
Home
THE MILL ARMS
It was lovely to see so many of youover the past 10 days following thereopening on Tuesday 21st July.
We are getting used to the new way ofoperating: a one way system in and out of the pub,no standing at the bar (or vertical drinking as theGovernment defines it!) and limiting table sizes, aswell as all waiting staff wearing face coverings whenserving customers at their tables. This is new for allof us and we fully expect to tweak the process as theweeks pass and we all learn the best way to operate,both from a staff safety perspective and a customerexperience.
Initially we are operating to slightly reduced hours,which we will continue to review:
Bar: Monday to Thursday 12 noon to 10pmFriday and Saturday 12 noon to 10.30pmSunday 12 noon to 9pm
Food: Monday to Friday 12 noon to 2.30pm &5.30 to 8.30pm
Saturday 12 noon to 8.30pmSunday 12 noon to 6pm
We are also operating a takeaway service and ourmenus can be found on the website:www.millarmsdunbridge.co.uk or on our Facebookpage. Orders can be phoned in on 340355 up to 45minutes before food service finishes.
With the weather looking set to improve in August,we also have plenty of garden space and tables ifyou wish to join us to drink or dine outside (tablesare on a first come first served basis outside).
Our bedrooms will be fully operational from Monday3rd August, and we are pleased to have a steadyflow of bookings across August, so if you have familyor friends looking to come to the area for a few daysvisit then give us a call if they need a room.
We will also be participating in theChancellor’s ‘Eat Out to Help Out’scheme which will run fromMonday to Wednesday throughoutAugust, starting on Monday 3August.
This programme will entitle you toa 50% discount on food and nonalcoholic drinks upto a maximum of £10 discount per diner per meal,and can be used as many times during August asyou like. We will also be running it at our sister pub,The Hunters Inn, if you wanted to sample a differentmenu.
We have been receiving enquiries about bookings inthe function room, and while gatherings of more than30 are still not permitted, and only in limitedcircumstances (e.g. weddings), we are happy tomake provisional bookings from October onwardsand discuss with you as guidelines are updated.
We are truly happy to be back in business and lookforward to saying hello and serving you again in thecoming weeks.
Gina, Lorna and the team
The Thomas Dowse’s CharityWhat do we do? Can we help?
The Thomas Dowse’s Charity is able to providegrants to individuals, up to the age of 25, living inBroughton, Bossington, Mottisfont and Dunbridge,for educational purposes towards the cost of suchthings as uniform, school trips, music tuition,overseas educational trips, swimming lessons,transport to educational establishments, laptopsand books. Applications are treated in strictconfidence. Applicants must demonstrate need,but there is no means testing.
In the current circumstances the Trustees are notable to meet, but are still able to consider anyapplications for grants. Please email the secretaryfor an application form or collect one fromBroughton Primary School, St. Mary’s Church(Broughton) or Mottisfont Church (if they are open).
Applications received will be circulated to Trusteesfor consideration and applicants will be notified assoon as possible.Email address: tinastuart1atgmaildotcom.(remove the dashes, and change "at" to "@" and"dot" to ".").
August traditionally heralds a bit of a break: time offschool for the children, a couple of weeks in the sun,or just some leave from work and friends, and familyround for a barbeque. But this year is different.August marks our attempts to get back to doing ourdaytoday activities that have not been possible fora long time. Usually the start of the school holidaysis a daunting time as parents wonder how they will fillthe time, but after the experience of trying to educatechildren during lockdown, entertaining them for 6weeks seems like a trivial task.
Church life has also been very tentatively trying toget back to some sort of normal. At the time ofwriting communion services have been held in someof the churches, and by the time you read this willhave taken place in most of the churches in theMidtest benefice. We are discovering that restoringworship in church within the guidelines to protectpublic health yields a quieter, more reflective style,and has led to a slightly reformed churchgoingculture. In particular the need for greater care andprecision in preparing and planning means that itmay be difficult to return to the full service patternthat we had prior to the lock down.
There have been other joys though – in particularseveral weddings arranged at short notice, andconducted without fuss or ceremony. Governmentguidance restricts all weddings to 30 attendees, butsome of our churches have a lower limit that can be
safely accommodated. However, couples have beenmotivated by a wholesome desire to be married in achurch and have not been concerned about guestsand trimmings.
Several parishes have also been seeking the supportof their communities, explaining plainly the financialchallenges that they are facing, and have been metwith a generous response from many, for which I amhugely grateful.
This is a challenging time in Church life, as weexplore how we can best be available to thecommunities we serve. There are joys mixed in withthe difficulties. At times it can seem overwhelming,but with open eyes, minds and hearts, we hope tosee God’s guidance and purpose through this time ofchange and transformation.
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Mottisfont & Dunbridge Acorn is edited and published by Peter & Julia Barnett, Dunelm House, Barley Hill, Dunbridge, Romsey, SO51 0LF, telephone: 01794 340793,[email protected], with assistance from the National Trust, the Mill Arms and the Mottisfont Social Club. Opinions expressed in The Acorn are not necessarilythose of the editorial team. We do our best to ensure the accuracy of items in The Acorn, but we will not be responsible for the consequences of errors or omissions. You
should check with organisers of events in case there are last minute changes. © Mottisfont & Dunbridge Acorn, 2020.
St. Andrew’s Church To Reopen!
Our first public service since the beginning of theCovid 19 lockdown will be on
Sunday 2nd August at 6pm
A ‘said’ Communion service led by our Rector,The Rev. Philip Bowden
All recommended precautions to minimise risk ofCovid transmission are in place, including plannedspacing of seating. Everybody is welcome, andonly in the very unlikely event of numbersexceeding safe capacity would people be asked torefrain from entering. In this instance yourforbearance and understanding would beappreciated.
Opening times for private prayer will continue beposted on the church door until further notice, andare largely dictated by the need for adequateperiods of quarantine. The next such opening willbe on Thursday 6th August 9am to 11 am.
We look forward with hopefulness to the time whenwe can return to regular services, and a church withan open door everyday for anybody who seeks itsbeauty and spiritual haven.
Trish Armstrong, Churchwarden
The Acorn
The Acorn is half its normal size again this month, but there are signs that various activities are gettingunder way again. At last! So, if you are planning an event from October onwards, and you would like topublicise it across the parish, get in touch with us at [email protected].
Mottisfont Social Club
The Social Club reopened on 4th July with Covid19rules in place. You MUST sign in and sanitise yourhands on arrival, and there are plenty of handsanitisers around the club to use. Please ask if youcannot find one.
Opening times are as before: 7pm to 11pm and noonto 2pm, and 7pm to 10.30pm on Sunday.
Bingo will be starting again on Thursday 30th July at8.30pm.
Find the Joker will not be starting until 15th Octoberat the earliest.
Hope to see you all soon.
From the Rector
