Tea and togetherness: find companionship each month at Colten Care homes

Combat loneliness and find companionship at each of Colten Care's New Forest homes at a new monthly café open to all

According to a report by Age UK, there are 1.2 million older people who describe themselves as being chronically lonely and the number of ­isolated older people in Great Britain is predicted to rise to two million by 2026, a 49% incdrease in ten years. There are many causes of loneliness, including poor health, bereavement and a lack of contact with family, friends or neighbours.

Research indicates that loneliness can be a crucial factor in developing Alzheimer’s disease - apparently, older people who report that they experience severe loneliness are twice as likely to develop the condition. And loneliness is physically as well as mentally damaging – as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to one study. 

It's a real problem and something that we should all consider as we rush about in our busy lives. 

In a recent article in the Daily Telegraph (that's definitely worth a read), 'The Silver Line is their lifeline', Dame Esther Rantzen explains about the charity she founded in 2013 to bring companionship to older people who are struggling with severe loneliness and chronic ­isolation.

Companionship is vitally important, and not just at the end of a telephone. Reminiscing about days gone by, interacting with other people and passing on snippets of wisdom gained over a lifetime can all help a lonely older person to engage with the world.

Confronting community loneliness

Over the last year, family-owned care home provider Colten Care has been helping to confront community loneliness by welcoming local residents seeking companionship into their Court Lodge residential home in Lymington. The 'Ladies' Afternoon Tea' and 'Gentlemen's Lunch Club' were open to all in the local community, along with 'Come Dine with Us' at Belmore Lodge in Pennington.

In addition a monthly get-together began last summer at Colten's new Bourne View home in Poole. The initiatives have proved extremely popular; more and more members of the local community have been attending to socialise at the homes and Colten residents have appreciated widening their circle of friends.

Regular visitor Margaret Howl said: “It’s fantastic. You are always made so welcome and I am meeting people I haven’t seen for years. It’s a happy, friendly experience each time. I never expected to be coming into a care home and enjoying this level of companionship. I mark it in my diary every month so I can make sure to avoid anything else that might come up. I am definitely planning to come all through 2020.”

Margaret has already struck up a friendship with fellow visitor Sue Turner, who said: “I would encourage anyone living on their own, or who is feeling lonely, to come along. So many elderly people live away from their families and are not speaking much with neighbours. In contrast, these get-togethers are wonderful, just the best thing. They get you out of the house, help keep your brain active and you can even have a dance if you want the exercise. The whole atmosphere is friendly. It’s an occasion full of smiles and lovely people.”

Monthly get-togethers to enjoy company and conversation

In 2020 Colten Care are introducing 'Tea and Togetherness' at 21 homes across the South, including in Lymington, Pennington, Brockenhurst, New Milton and Mudeford. Starting this month, people in the New Forest who may be feeling lonely are invited to join free monthly get-togethers to enjoy gentle company and conversation over a cup of tea (and delicious cake!) 

Mark Aitchison, Colten Care Chief Executive said: “We want to build on our success at Bourne View by introducing similar events for all the communities our homes serve including the New Forest. We’ve been making contact with people in Lymington, Brockenhurst, New Milton and Mudeford through GP surgeries, churches and community facilities to help promote what we’re doing. We have always worked hard to help elderly people who may be at risk of feeling isolated - it’s not something new for us. But, equally, we know there is increasing awareness of the impact of loneliness on health and wellbeing and so we’ve stepped up our efforts to make a difference.”

Tea and Togetherness Café in the New Forest

Tea & Togetherness takes place at:

• Court Lodge, Lymington - Second Friday of every month, starting on Friday 10 January
• Kingfishers, New Milton – Last Saturday of every month, starting on Saturday 25 January
• Woodpeckers, Brockenhurst – Last Thursday of every month, starting on Thursday 30 January
• Belmore Lodge, Pennington – First Tuesday of every month, starting on Tuesday 4 February
• Linden House, Lymington – First Thursday of every month, starting on Thursday 6 February 
• Avon Reach, Mudeford – First Friday of every month, starting on Friday 7 February

For more information, call 01425 460985. All get-togethers start at 2.30pm.

Covid-19: it is not currently possible to visit Colten Care's homes. Please find more details here: https://www.coltencare.co.uk/news-events/coronavirus-update

If you have a friend, family member or neighbour who you think would enjoy finding companionship at Tea and Togetherness, please do pass them information about when and where the café is taking place.

Find out more about Colten Care's New Forest homes

Colten Care operates six residential nursing and care homes in the New Forest, including three in Lymington: Belmore Lodge, Court Lodge and dementia specialist Linden House. There are also homes in Brockenhurst (Woodpecker's), New Milton (Kingfisher's) and Mudeford (Avon Reach). Click on the links to find out more about each home...

Covid-19: it is not currently possible to visit Colten Care's homes. Please find more details here: https://www.coltencare.co.uk/news-events/coronavirus-update

Enjoy a fruitful future with investment advice from Station Financial

Station Financial in New Milton considers the value of patience when investing for your long-term goals

The fourth in our financial series from Station Financial, this month's article looks at how patience and sound advice are both necessary when investing for the long term. 

I’ll like this later

"Going to the gym or starting on a diet may not always feel like much fun, especially if you prefer to stay home on a dark, rainy Monday evening after work and tuck into a box of left-over Christmas chocolates! But the truth is, we all like the results that come from looking after ourselves, whether that’s fitting into the dress or suit we’ve had our eye on or having more energy to play with the children / grandchildren. Forming positive habits and having self-discipline may be hard to start with, but in the long term it usually pays off.

Plant the seeds, reap the fruit

"Having the patience to wait for results is not something that necessarily comes easily in today's ‘insta-culture’ of microwavable meals, TV streaming services and smartphones. However, it's important to remember that fruit doesn’t grow overnight. Have you ever enjoyed a ripe, juicy orange picked in season? The seed had to be planted, the tree had to grow in the ground, the orange had to grow on the tree and finally it was ready to be eaten! You may not have enjoyed having to turn over the soil, plant the seed or wait and watch for the tree grow, but you liked what came later: the fruit of your labour.

Patience is a virtue

"At Station Financial we recognise that patience is a valuable characteristic and is beneficial when it comes to the growth of your investments. Not being able to see the benefit of something in the present moment is frustrating, we admit, but having the wisdom to say: ‘I may not like this now, but I’ll like it later’, might just see you enjoying a fruitful future.

Ups and downs

"Shares can rise and fall, just like we do in life, and sometimes it is good to get advice on how best to play the financial market. At Station Financial we keep a close eye on the fluctuating markets and act accordingly, making your money work well for you. So, whether you’re saving for your first home, your children’s education or planning your retirement, we’ll stand with you in the long-term in order to help you save your money and see it grow over time." 

Book your free initial consultation with Station Financial today!

Have a chat with Station Financial about your long-term goals. The friendly and knowledgeable Independent Financial Advisers at Station Financial would love to talk to you about the different savings and investment options available to you, especially as they research the whole of the marketplace for the best options for their clients.

Your first port of call whether you call in or call by phone, will be with Gill Hepburn. After a brief chat Gill will know exactly which of the Station Financial team of Independent Financial Advisers will be most suited to discuss your situation and financial goals. Gill will then book you in for your completely free consultation - which can take place either at the Station Financial offices or at your home or office, as you prefer.

Call Gill today on 01425 611 666 or send an email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Find out more about Station Financial here.

Are you ready? Make time to get your affairs in order!

Life Matters for Lymington from Lester Aldridge: address what will eventually happen to avoid stress and upset for others.

There is one thing that is certain in life and that is that we will all die. It is not an easy fact to digest and for many, death is a taboo subject. However, by failing to discuss and address what will eventually happen, you could be causing stress and upset for those you leave behind.

This month in Life Matters we feature an article from Lester Aldridge Solicitors about the importance of ensuring that your affairs are in order so that your Executors and loved ones are prepared and fully equipped to deal with your estate.

Extra time off over Christmas could for some be a good opportunity to tick some of these boxes on the todo list which are always "important" but never seem quite "urgent" enough!

Are you ready?

Many people will leave getting their affairs in order until they are “old”, unwell or have a need to prepare for the worst. It is much easier to deal with these matters earlier on in life and once everything has been arranged, all you need to do is keep your affairs updated rather than having to start from scratch. 

Top tips for being 'ready'

1. Make sure your Will is up to date (or make a Will if you don’t already have one). However big or small your estate it, having a Will will ensure that you have someone named to deal with your estate after you have passed away. It will also ensure that the people you want to benefit will benefit. (Read more about making a will in our Lester Aldridge Life Matters feature here).
2. Get tax advice. Not everyone will pay Inheritance Tax but are you aware of the exemptions and reliefs available? Inheritance Tax is a complex area and it is worth paying for advice from someone who is suitably qualified. Tax planning is also not something that can be left to the last minute. Careful and effective tax planning needs to start earlier in life so it is important to get the appropriate advice, tailored to your specific circumstances. What works for one family will not necessarily work for the next.
3. Get financial advice. When you lose your spouse or partner, you also lose a source of income. Are you financially prepared to deal with this situation? You should also consider whether your assets are invested in the best way for you or whether there are more tax-efficient investment opportunities.
4. Check that you have appropriate powers of attorney in place. Have you considered what would happen if you lost the capacity to manage your affairs and make decisions regarding your health and welfare? Your “next of kin” has no legal authority and it is, therefore, important to make these decisions and put arrangements in place for the people you trust to act on your behalf. (Read "Lasting Power of Attorney demystified" here).
5. Organise your paperwork. We would recommend that you retain most documents no older than 2 to 3 years unless they are important for some specific reason. They are rarely ever useful beyond 2 or 3 years and only serve to clutter the desk. It makes the job of sifting through the papers and sorting them out more difficult for your executors. 
6. Keep a list of assets or, at least, organisations to contact on your death. In a digital age, there is not always a paper trail to evidence accounts and investments. If your Executors do not know of the existence of an account then the funds cannot be claimed and your loved ones would lose out. (Read "What happens to your digital assets after death" here).
7. Keep your important papers located together where they can be easily found (or tell your Executors where to look). This includes birth certificates and marriage certificate. If you are a widow or widower this may also include the death certificate and grant of probate for your late husband or wife. It will also include your original Will (or a copy of it) along with any deeds to your property. If the original will and deeds are lodged with a firm of Solicitors, make sure your loved ones know who to contact when the time comes. 
8. Consider planning your funeral. Arranging a funeral is never an easy task but you can make arrangements before you die. Many funeral directors will now enable you to plan your funeral so everything is in place and your loved ones are relieved of the burden. Even if you do not go as far as speaking to funeral directors, perhaps prepare a letter containing your wishes or even discuss your wishes with your loved ones.

Preparing for your death is not an easy task but it does make things easier for those you leave behind. Getting everything organised now will also save time and money in the long run!

Free consultation with Parisa Jones 

You need to be sure that the person with whom you're sharing your "life matters" is worthy of your trust and confidence. 

Which is why Paresa Jones, Lester Aldridge specialist in wills, estates, tax and trusts, is happy to offer a totally free and no commitment initial consultation. This meeting can take place in person at your home or the Lester Aldridge offices in Bournemouth, or on the phone as preferred.  You can talk over the specifics of your situation with Parisa, and take things from there.

Parisa qualified as a solicitor in 2012 and specialises in wills, estates, tax and trusts. She joined Lester Aldridge covering the New Forest in July 2019, having previously worked in Lymington so she knows the area well. It is important to ensure that your legal affairs are always up to date and Parisa offers a friendly face to support you during the various stages of life. She has a wealth of experience in dealing with a broad spectrum of clients with different needs and requirements. Parisa deals with matters with sensitivity and empathetically but also offers a proactive approach with practical solutions.

Contact Parisa directly to arrange your free consultation, please mention any specific topic you'd like to cover: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or contact on 01202 786267.

More information about Lester Aldridge Solicitors.

Life Matters for Lymington and the New Forest

For a full list of all the Life Matters articles by Lester Aldrige Solicitors published on Lymington.com so that you can read the ones which interest you, please click this link

About Lester Aldridge

Lester Aldridge Solicitors are based in London and Bournemouth where the office covering the New Forest is situated conveniently close to the main Bournemouth train station. Their specialist teams in the various fields of law will be happy to advise and assist you, starting with a completely free initial consultation during which you can decide whether you feel able to trust them with your confidential information.  For more information please click here.

December 2019

New Forest care home's gift is the 'cat's whiskers'

Animal-loving residents at Colten Care's Court Lodge supporting work of the Lymington Cat & Kitten Rescue

Animal-loving care home residents presented Lymington Cat & Kitten Rescue with 60 knitted blankets and a cash donation to support its invaluable work this winter.

Colten Care’s Court Lodge in Lymington was visited by the charity’s managers Theresa Foot and Jon Hancock, along with two kittens who will be re-homed in time for Christmas.

Residents enjoyed petting the kittens and talking about their own pet cats. Doris Farrow nicknamed one of the kittens ‘Socks’ because of its white paws. She said: “I have had lots of cats in my lifetime. It’s wonderful to sit with a beautifully soft little kitten purring on your lap. I’ve enjoyed this immensely.”

Michael Pemberton lives in one of the cottages in the Court Lodge grounds. He said: “These kittens are certainly adorable. I have a cat which came from Lymington Cat & Kitten Rescue and it is wonderful company for me.”

Court Lodge chose the rescue centre as its charity of the year for 2019 and presented Theresa and Jon with a cheque for £343 which it has raised through raffles, parties and cake sales.

The home’s companionship team also handed over 60 knitted blankets to keep the cats and kittens warm this winter.

The new manager of Court Lodge Tom Holden said: “Our residents adore animals of all kinds and it’s been wonderful to welcome Jon, Theresa and the kittens today. “One of our companionship team members Marilyn Tucker-Sandy is a knitting whizz and produced most of the blankets. It’s great to know we are contributing to the welfare of so many needy animals.”

Marilyn said: “I enjoy knitting and the blankets are a basic stocking stitch so I was able to knit them while watching TV in the evenings. I also had some help from one of our residents, Rose Joyce.”

Lymington Cat & Kitten Rescue was established in 1980 by Janette Frankland, to take in strays, unwanted cats and kittens and to rehome them whenever possible.

Janette sadly died of cancer in July 2017, but the charity continues to house and rehome up to 50 cats at a time, from its base in Highfield Avenue.

Jon Hancock told the residents: “The love, affection and support Court Lodge has shown our charity is wonderful. You always make us feel so welcome and we are grateful to you all from the bottom of our hearts.”

Colten Care's Court Lodge offers a haven of quiet seclusion in a leafy residential area near to Woodside Gardens. The home is a comfortable walk from the bustling heart of Lymington, ideal for those cherishing the spirit of independence. Carefully modernised from a private residence, this luxurious residential and nursing home offers peace and informality with a distinctly welcoming and homely feel, while remaining easily accessible and family friendly.

Find out more about Colten Care's New Forest homes

Colten Care operates six residential nursing and care homes in the local area, including three in Lymington: Belmore Lodge, Court Lodge and dementia specialist Linden House. There are also homes in Brockenhurst (Woodpecker's), New Milton (Kingfisher's) and Mudeford (Avon Reach). Click on the links to find out more about each home...

If you know someone who would benefit from companionship, we'll be sharing more details about 'Tea and Togetherness' with Colten Care in the new year. In the meantime, every Wednesday 'Come Dine with Us' at Belmore Lodge - come and join the residents for a sociable lunch (booking essential!). Ladies, on the first Wednesday of each month join the residents at Court Lodge for Ladies' Afternoon Tea and gentlemen, come along to the Gentlemen's Lunch Club, also at Court Lodge.

Avoid a lonely winter with a short stay at a Colten Care home. During December and January Colten Care have a special offer on short stays - 4 weeks for the price of 3. Find out more about respite care and short stays here.

Lymington care home’s tea party is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!!

Movie magic was brought to life as Hampshire care home residents rekindled fond memories of a much-loved film icon.

Amid songs and smiles all round, Colten Care’s Belmore Lodge in Lymington laid on an afternoon tea party with special guest and everyone’s favourite nanny, ‘Mary Poppins’.

Playing the Disney role made famous by Dame Julie Andrews, and dressed in similar period costume, was Highcliffe-based singer and performer Destine Unwin. 

Residents joined in as Destine sang hits from the 1964 musical including A Spoonful of Sugar and Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

Resident Bob Crudass said: “It was lovely to hear these old favourites sung live in our lounge. What a beautiful voice.”

Belmore Lodge staged the afternoon in response to residents’ requests for a Mary Poppins-theme treat.

Several have been remembering the story of the famous nanny because of media coverage of Julie Andrews’ recent memoir and the release this year of the film sequel Mary Poppins Returns.

Belmore Lodge was also one of several Colten Care homes to participate in the 2017 Lymington Carnival on the theme of Mary Poppins.

Companionship Team Leader May Butcher said: “We do our very best to enable our residents to continue doing and enjoying the activities they love. The chance to join Destine, as a living embodiment of Mary Poppins, and sing along to these enduringly popular tunes, was just fantastic.”

The movie theme was of particular interest to resident Dorothy Haddow, who worked in New York in the 1970s as a personal assistant to the film producer Sam Spiegel. His films include On the Waterfront, The Bridge on the River Kwai and Lawrence of Arabia.

Dorothy, joined by her daughter Joanne Hope at the tea party, recalled meeting many famous visitors at Spiegel’s Manhattan office including actors Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson.

Enjoying Destine’s performance as Mary, Dorothy said: “She looked and sounded lovely.”

Find out more about Colten Care's New Forest homes

Colten Care operates six residential nursing and care homes in the local area, including three in Lymington: Belmore Lodge, Court Lodge and dementia specialist Linden House. There are also homes in Brockenhurst (Woodpecker's), New Milton (Kingfisher's) and Mudeford (Avon Reach). Click on the links to find out more about each home...

If you know someone who would benefit from companionship, we'll be sharing more details about 'Tea and Togetherness' with Colten Care in the new year. In the meantime, every Wednesday 'Come Dine with Us' at Belmore Lodge - come and join the residents for a sociable lunch (booking essential!). Ladies, on the first Wednesday of each month join the residents at Court Lodge for Ladies' Afternoon Tea and gentlemen, come along to the Gentlemen's Lunch Club, also at Court Lodge.

Avoid a lonely winter with a short stay at a Colten Care home. During December and January Colten Care have a special offer on short stays - 4 weeks for the price of 3. Find out more about respite care and short stays here.

Old and young in Lymington bond over love of sweets

Colten Care home residents spent an afternoon with Lymington Infant School children sharing their love of sweets and chocolate.

Colten Care's dedicated dementia home  in Lymington, Linden House, hosted a Chocolate Festival for children from Lymington Infants School. 

Sweet lovers aged 8 to 98 learned about popular confectionary available today such as Haribo and Maltesers and also the big sellers of the past, such as pineapple cubes and gobstoppers.They also practised weighing out their candies on ‘old fashioned’ scales before popping them into candy striped bags.

Linden House resident Margaret Sutton is a former teacher. She said: “It’s been a lovely afternoon spent with the children.

“We talked about the sweets we like and I told them how I like Maltesers and that as a child I loved Polo mints.

“I also explained that during the war we were actually encouraged to eat chocolate, with specific rations of chocolate each week.

“They have found that very strange as they are encouraged to limit the sweet things they eat to protect their teeth.”

Pupil Ava agreed: “I have really enjoyed weighing out the sweets with Margaret and learning about the different types of chocolate and where it comes from.

“I liked the milk chocolate and caramel chocolate best. I don’t really like dark chocolate.

“My mummy only lets me have sweets as a special treat. Today has been really fun.”

Fiona Pritchard, Colten Care’s Music & Arts Partner said: “Reminiscing is an invaluable process for older people, especially those with a dementia diagnosis and talking about and tasting sweets and chocolate evokes find memories and feelings in us all, whatever our age.

“The chance to enjoy these goodies with bright, cheery, inquisitive children has been a huge added bonus for our residents and one I think they will talk about for a long time.”

Lymington Infants School teacher Jackie Stoneham agreed: “I have found today’s visit to Linden House extremely emotional.

“Seeing the children sitting, chatting and laughing and the sheer joy on the residents’ faces actually moved me to tears.We will leave here today full of fondness for the people who live here, full of admiration for the companionship team who care for them - and with full bags of wonderful chocolates the children have been gifted to share with their school friends!”

Both the school children and Linden House residents thoroughly enjoyed the 'Chocolate Festival' experience, the children learned lots about confectionary of the past, whilst the Linden House residents had a chance to reminisce about the sweets they enjoyed in their earlier years. 

Benefits for all involved when local organisations work together 

There can be many benefits when local organisations are able to work together in this way. These children have obtained a very natural experience of being amongst people with dementia whilst many of the residents are visibly animated, clearly enjoying the stimulus of being amongst the very young.

And indeed the 'Chocolate Festival' at Linden House, Colten Care's dementia specialist residential care home in Lymington can be repeated! So if other schools or groups are interested do contact Ben Benson Breen, who coordinates activities for the "New Forest Cluster" of Colten Care's homes (more information about the homes below). You can contact Ben by email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..   

Find out more about Lymington Infant School

 Find out more about Colten Care's New Forest homes

Colten Care operates six residential nursing and care homes in the local area, including three in Lymington: Belmore Lodge, Court Lodge and dementia specialist Linden House. There are also homes in Brockenhurst (Woodpecker's), New Milton (Kingfisher's) and Mudeford (Avon Reach). Click on the links to find out more about each home...

Every Wednesday 'Come Dine with Us' at Belmore Lodge - come and join the residents for a sociable lunch (booking essential!). Ladies, on the first Wednesday of each month join the residents at Court Lodge for Ladies' Afternoon Tea and gentlemen, come along to the Gentlemen's Lunch Club, also at Court Lodge.

Avoid a lonely winter with a short stay at a Colten Care home. During November, December and January Colten Care have a special offer on short stays - 4 weeks for the price of 3. Find out more about respite care and short stays here.

May your days be merry and bright, and your Christmases...well invested

Station Financial in New Milton considers 

The third in our new financial series from Station Financial, this month's article looks at how a long term investment could be the best gift you can give at Christmas. 

The gift that keeps on giving

"With Christmas just around the corner, you may be wondering what to gift your loved ones with. Articles such as the Guardian’s ‘Elf Help Guide’ are being published in an effort to inspire as you hit the high street this December. But at Station Financial we have an alternative idea, offering your children a gift that will keep on giving through the years. 

Now, an investment fund that’s not to be touched until you are 18 years old may not have them squealing with excitement like that latest toy or game might, but they may be jumping for joy when they reach adulthood. 

From Small Beginnings

By starting with a small pot and, if possible, investing small amounts every month, over 18 years you will reap the rewards of a secure financial future for your children.

Assistant editor of This is Money, Lee Boyce, did just this for his daughter and worked it out that by starting with a £1,000 pot and adding £75 a month to it, a 5% annual return could create a pot worth £54,000 over 18 years. That’s what I call a good Christmas present!

Benefits of Investing

Long-term investment means that you can ride out fluctuations in the market and the instability of stocks and shares, to see good returns. Here at Station Financial, we help our clients navigate through the volatile world to meet financial objectives and reap the rewards whilst maintaining a stable Portfolio.

Perhaps you are not yet convinced, however talks about the benefits of investing over cash savings come after analysis from Moneyfacts showing that cash savings rates on children’s accounts have barely benefited from two rises in the Bank of England base rate.

There also hangs in the air, concerns about whether cuts to children’s savings accounts could follow cuts to adult savings accounts and fixed rate bonds.

So, looking into investment companies who can offer longer-term security and who have a strong performance rate could help build a nice nest egg for your little treasures.

These companies spread the risk across different sectors and offer a diverse range of styles, meaning that by saving just a small amount each month, starting this Christmas, you could be looking at impressive returns 18 years down the road."

Chat to Station Financial this Christmas!

Book your free initial consultation with Station Financial today!

If you are interested in gifting your child with some financial security this Christmas, then feel free to get in touch. 

The friendly and knowledgeable Independent Financial Advisers at Station Financial would love to talk to you about the different options, especially as they research the whole of the marketplace for the best options for their clients.

Why not make this, and every Christmas, merry and bright by investing slowly but surely in your child’s future.

Your first port of call whether you call in or call by phone, will be with Gill Hepburn.  After a brief chat Gill will know exactly which of the Station Financial team of Independent Financial Advisers will be most suited to discuss your situation and financial goals. Gill will then book you in for your completely free consultation - which can take place either at the Station Financial offices or at your home or office, as you prefer.

Call Gill today on 01425 611 666 or send an email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Find out more about Station Financial here.

Dealing with Digital Assets after Death

Life Matters for Lymington from Lester Aldridge: What will happen to smartphones, tablets, computers and your 'digital footprint'?

Because of the numbers of people who have access to smartphones, tablets or computers, many people have some form of ‘digital footprint’ and own digital assets. Digital assets are often overlooked as being a part of someone’s estate and this can cause problems for executors or relatives. Anyone making a will should, therefore, consider whether they have any digital assets and, if so, what will happen to these after their death?

This month in Life Matters we feature an article by Victoria Jones in the Lester Aldridge Disputed Tax, Trust Wills and Probate team. As always, please share this article with anyone you know who might find it useful.

What Are Digital Assets?

Digital assets are assets which have some value and are held in a digital form. This may include:

• multimedia content e.g. online music/film/book/game libraries
• social media accounts e.g. a Twitter, Instagram or Facebook account
• email accounts
• online financial accounts e.g. an online bank account or cryptocurrency wallet
• other digitally stored documents and content

Why Should I Deal with My Digital Assets?

Failing to consider your digital assets when making a will can create the following problems:

• executors may not be aware of the existence of online accounts
• executors may not be being able to access online accounts or assets after your death, because they do not have the account password
• some social media websites allow deceased member’s pages to be ‘memorialized’ or for information to be accessed by a nominated third party after death. Relatives may, therefore, face either seeing information or images that the deceased did not want to share with them, or that they would not want to be shared with others after loved one’s death
• ownership of some online assets and data sometimes is not always transferrable to someone else after death
• some online accounts send automatic ‘reminders’ and emails to account holders, which relatives may find upsetting to receive, for example, an email wishing the person who has died a ‘Happy Birthday’ 
• numerous online account providers may need to be notified about a death and this can be an added burden for relatives or executors

Do your digital assets belong to you?

Online companies have terms and conditions which will dictate what will happen to your account after your die and these can vary greatly. This means that when you purchase films, music, games and books from online providers, you will often not own them. Instead, you are purchasing a right to access this content and, this may not transferable to your beneficiaries after your death.

Some providers offer alternatives, e.g. Apple offers their users the chance to share their online purchases with friends and family during their lifetime. It is therefore important to identify what assets may not pass to your estate after you die.

What action can you take?

It is vital to mention your digital assets to your solicitor when you prepare your will so that they can confirm how you wish for them to be dealt with them after your death. Solicitors are obliged to keep client information confidential, they are regulated and insured. Your solicitor can also notify online account providers about your death and this might lessen the burden involved in dealing with digital assets for your loved ones.

We are often told not to write down or share account passwords during our lifetime and rightly so. However, you should consider leaving details of your digital assets with someone you trust. For example, with your solicitor when you make your will, together with details of how your securely stored passwords can be located.

People may store incredibly sensitive information online (especially in social media accounts) believing that only they will be able to view this. It is therefore important to also consider who may be granted access to this data in the event of your death. For example, Facebook offers relatives the option to appoint a ‘legacy contact’.

However, some people may not appreciate that the legacy contact can download an archive of certain information which you have shared, including any photographs and videos which you have uploaded and also a list of your friends. If you want others to be able to access this information, that is fine, but what if that is not the case?

Given the above, when making or updating your will, it is important to consider your digital assets as part of your future estate and also to deal with these as part of the will and estate planning process.

Free consultation 

Lester Aldridge Solicitors offer a free initial consultation; by clicking this link to the Lester Aldridge Family Law team you can contact them and also can view details of all the Lester Aldridge Partners in the Family Law team.

Or simply call 01202 786161 and ask for a member of the Family Law team.

Life Matters for Lymington and the New Forest 

For a full list of all the Life Matters articles by Lester Aldrige Solicitors published on Lymington.com so that you can read the ones which interest you, please click this link

About Lester Aldridge

Lester Aldridge Solicitors are based in London and Bournemouth where the office covering the New Forest is situated conveniently close to the main Bournemouth train station. Their specialist teams in the various fields of law will be happy to advise and assist you, starting with a completely free initial consultation during which you can decide whether you feel able to trust them with your confidential information.  For more information please click here.

November 2019

Colten Care home chefs do battle for title of star baker

 The exceptional home chefs are a huge part of Colten Care’s success, as illustrated by exceptional bakes in fun competition!

Eighteen Chefs from Colten Care's homes, including Lymington and Sherborne, Chichester and Ferndown, were amongst those who accepted the challenge of creating an original and spectacular cake. The resulting confections - ranging from a Pumpkin and Pecan cake, to a Liverpool FC-themed sponge and even a chocolate and bacon cake, were exhibited and judged at Colten Care’s newest home, Bourne View in Poole.

Fergus Davitt, Colten hotel services manager said: “Everyone knows we have some exceptionally talented chefs, but to see all their amazing cakes taking centre stage filled us all with wonder and pride.”

He added: “Hours of thought, planning and preparation went into these cakes, and it certainly showed.”

The panel of judges for the competition was headed by Allan Davison-Collier, Head of Curriculum for Hospitality and Visitor Economy at Brockenhurst College.

Allan said: “What a great display of skills and talent from the chefs at Colten Care! The colours, textures and mix of flavours was to rival Bake Off – great showstoppers all of them. It was great to be involved in such an innovative competition where the residents also played such an important part.”

Colten Care’s co-founder and director John Colwell and its Executive chairman Ian Hudson were also judges, along with four Colten Care residents Joyce, Liz, Myrtle and Patricia.

Joyce said: “All the cakes looked lovely and all the chefs worked very hard.”

Liz agreed: “The cakes were wonderfully decorated. I especially liked the Bacon and Chocolate cake because it had a totally different flavour and was so unusual.”

Myrtle said: “It was really good fun to be part of the judging panel. But awfully difficult to choose from such a fabulous selection of cakes.”

Patricia added: “It was a wonderful event, so many cakes to choose from – and I particularly enjoyed the delicious Chocolate and Ginger Cake!”

After a great deal of tasting and much deliberation, the winner was announced as Hannah Clark, Chef at Colten Care’s Court Lodge in Lymington. Hannah created an autumn-inspired Pumpkin and Pecan cake decorated with handcrafted pumpkins, mushrooms, leaves and animals.

She said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be named winner amongst so many fabulous cakes from so many talented chefs.”

Judge John Colwell said: “Our home chefs are a huge part of Colten Care’s success and we certainly weren’t disappointed by the cakes they produced. Some were unusual - such as the unique chocolate and bacon cake from Lorna Parsons here at Bourne View – but all were simply delicious and we congratulate every chef who took part.”

With more than 30 years’ experience, Colten Care is an award-winning family-owned care home company. It has 21 quality care homes covering Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire and Sussex and offers a range of services spanning residential, nursing and dementia care. Colten Care is determined to set the highest standards in all aspects of care of the older person. Colten Care is also committed to raising money for charitable causes. In the past year, Colten Care residents and team members have raised more than £30,000 for charity. 

Find out more about Colten Care's New Forest homes

Colten Care operates six residential nursing and care homes in the local area, including three in Lymington: Belmore Lodge, Court Lodge and dementia specialist Linden House. There are also homes in Brockenhurst (Woodpecker's), New Milton (Kingfisher's) and Mudeford (Avon Reach). Click on the links to find out more about each home...

Every Wednesday 'Come Dine with Us' at Belmore Lodge - come and join the residents for a sociable lunch (booking essential!). Ladies, on the first Wednesday of each month join the residents at Court Lodge for Ladies' Afternoon Tea and gentlemen, come along to the Gentlemen's Lunch Club, also at Court Lodge.

Are you a risk-taker?

Station Financial in New Milton considers appetites for and attitudes to risk

The second in our new financial series from Station Financial, this month's article begins with risk taking taken to the extreme as a backdrop to assessing our own attitudes to risk: one of the key factors determining our decisions about how to make our money work for us. 

According to Bear Grylls, “If you risk nothing you gain nothing” - but know thyself!

"Whether you’re a fan or not, you will no doubt agree that Bear Grylls is a risk-taker!

He loves adventure and always seems to be caught in some wilderness somewhere in the world using his well-honed survival techniques to get by. He has even started taking people with him on these little adventures. Barak Obama was brave enough to join him in Alaska!

Word on the street is that Bear has struck a deal to form a new adventure TV production firm so that we can enjoy more of these survivalist shows, which have become so popular. 

It’s always enthralling isn’t it, to watch other people take risks and undertake daring feats of human endurance to overcome obstacles? However, when it comes to our own attitude to risk, we may sit on a different place on the scale to the likes of Bear Grylls!

Life is a risky business 

Most spheres of life include an element of risk.

It feels risky to climb Mount Everest or explore the jungle. It also feels risky to fall in love, to chase your goal or to put all your ‘metaphorical’ eggs in one basket.

Some people dare to win, others shy away – what seems risky to one may feel like child’s play to another, we are all different after all. It is good to consider our own attitude to risk, so that we make decisions that are right for us and cause the least level of stress and anxiety.

Money is a massive part of life and can actually be one of the things that causes the highest level of stress and anxiety. It’s one of the most talked about topics in the Bible, people will do many things to acquire it, some people have lots while others have very little, you can be reckless, stingy or generous with it. We need to talk about it in an authentic and real way!

We’d love to talk

As you probably guessed this all relates to our own attitudes to risk!

At Station Financial we are experts in talking about and taking care of your money - making it work for you, whatever your appetite for risk.

Attitude to risk is subjective and can be influenced by many factors – personality, recent experiences, current events – one person may feel comfortable with market risk, another may really not.

So one of the first things we do is assess your attitude by asking you to fill out a short questionnaire.

Saving and investing can feel like a big decision. There is inflation risk (your money may not keep up), volatility risk (share prices rise and fall), interest-rate risk (your money may have earned better returns elsewhere) and lastly, default risk (the institution in which you hold your money may fall).

The best way to manage risk if your appetite for it is low is to spread your money across a range of different investment types. As mentioned earlier, having all your eggs in one basket is for the high risk-takers!

Choosing the right products

We’ll discuss with you both your short-term and long-term goals to see where your money would be best placed. For short-term goals, such as buying a house, we would likely recommend cash products whereas for a longer-term goal you may want to consider stocks and shares which, while riskier, offer the opportunity of higher returns down the line.

If you would like some help to figure things out, then we would love to chat with you and outline the best strategy for you and your money, whether you need to play safe at the moment or have the scope to take a risk!"

Book your free initial consultation with Station Financial today!

As well as being experts in all things money related, the people at Station Financial are exceptionally friendly and helpful.

Your first port of call whether you call in or call by phone, will be with Gill Hepburn.  After a brief chat Gill will know exactly which of the Station Financial team of Independent Financial Advisers will be most suited to discuss your situation and financial goals. Gill will then book you in for your completely free consultation - which can take place either at the Station Financial offices or at your home or office, as you prefer.

Call Gill today on 01425 611 666 or send an email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Find out more about Station Financial here.