Local Produce and the New Forest Marque - an introduction 

This report has been written for lymington.com by Jane Overall who is Chairman of the New Forest Marque.

With so much being reported about “nasties” appearing in our food, now has never been a better time to question the provenance and traceability of our food, and for us to source our food locally, supporting local independents and ditching the mass retailers.

So many of us are conditioned because of lack of time and/or money to do a one stop shop at the big supermarkets with mass produced food that sometimes has travelled almost around the world before reaching the shelves, being lured in with the BOGOF offers which we do not really want or need, and being sometimes misguided with their fancy marketing and confusing price comparisons into thinking that what we are buying with them is cheaper!... but we do have an alternative right on our doorsteps, and even if each of us only can manage a small change in our approach to shopping and eating it will go a long way to benefit not only ourselves, but to those around us trying to earn a living.

We are so lucky to have a wealth of fantastic farmers and producers right on our doorstep in the New Forest, and many of them hold the New Forest Marque.

So what is the New Forest Marque?

The New Forest Marque is a registered trademark which is only awarded to businesses which confirm to strict criteria relating to local provenance and good animal husbandry.   Eligible businesses can apply for membership, and in doing so, help customers to identify local businesses using genuinely local products.

From free range eggs, poultry and meat to home-made jams, chutneys and artisan cheeses, one can buy virtually anything on one’s doorstep be it from a Farmers’ Market or local farm shop, and you know that where you see the Marque logo, that you have a guaranteed New Forest product, which has been grown, reared and produced in the Forest.

As the late Luciano Pavarotti was quoted as saying “one of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating” and what better way to do this than to source and enjoy eating local food.

Whatever time of day you want to eat, there is a wide variety of places where you can enjoy the food.

My favourite start to a leisurely Sunday morning, is catching up with the local newspapers whilst enjoying a gorgeous locally produced breakfast – if I am feeling really lazy I’ll indulge this guilty pleasure and visit one of the many local cafes or hotels who provide a “New Forest Marque” breakfast including sausages, bacon, eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms all from New Forest Marque producers, followed by toast and some award winning local home-made preserves, or if I feel like cooking at home, I’ll source all the ingredients from my local Farm Shop or Farmers’ Market safe in the knowledge that not only am I helping the local economy and getting more in touch with the local community, but also cutting down on those food miles that we hear so much about these days.

Another weekend treat (although for me, not after a big breakfast, I might add!), is a visit to one of our lovely country pubs, where a simple traditional ploughman’s lunch is elevated by the use of some cheese from Lyburn or Loosehanger.  

Having been fortunate enough to watch  Loosehanger’s cheesemaking in progress, makes me appreciate even more the time, love and effort that goes into these beautiful handcrafted cheeses, so far removed from the “plastic” generic and flavourless offering so often to be found on some menus masquerading as cheese.

The Marque however, is not only about food, you can source all manner of local products from hand-made soaps, wooden charcuterie boards, aromatic lip balms and candles, mohair yarns, alpaca products and wine to name but a few, so you do not need to go far to find that unique hand-made gift.  Even man’s friend is not left out, as one of our newest members makes treats for dogs!

To find out more about the New Forest Marque, its producers and where you can buy and eat local products, visit www.newforestproduce.co.uk or follow on Twitter @newforestmarque or Like  NewForestMarque on Facebook  

Aromatics of the New Forest

New Forest Aromatics

For aromatic products produced in the heart of the New Forest, made with natural and sustainable ingredients there is only one company, New Forest Aromatics! 

Debbie Mulkern established the company in 2011, bringing together her passion and talent for creating beautiful essential oil products with the joy she feels for the wonderful flower and plant aromas of her home in the forest. Debbie has been a qualified aromatherapist for over 20 years, and has always worked with natural fragrances, so for her it has been a labour of love to use her skills to create this range of beautiful-smelling, natural, aromatic products.

The New Forest Aromatics range includes candles, room fragrances, body lotions, shower gel, lip balms, hand care, wardrobe sachets, bath salts and reed diffusers all infused with uniquely-blended essential oils to enhance your mood through enticing scents such as ‘Forest Essence’, ‘English Flowers’, ‘Herb Garden’ and ‘Hampshire Lavender’.

Debbie has put together a unique combination of aromas of the English countryside and products that can soothe, relax, pamper or please you for home and personal use.

Locally sourced natural ingredients

All of the products are handmade at the company’s office and production room at Setley Ridge, just outside Brockenhurst, and Debbie uses only natural ingredients, including lots of organically grown plants. As much as possible, she uses locally sourced ingredients, which is why she is able to proudly display the New Forest Marque on most of the New Forest Aromatics products.

Local ingredients used include beeswax and honey from New Forest Hives, used in lip balms and hand care products, home-grown lavender and rosemary in sachets, plus Hampshire-grown mint, dill, lavender, parsley and rapeseed oils and New Forest Spring Water in many of products. If not locally sourced, then great care is taken to make sure that all other ingredients are grown ethically or from sustainable sources.

Developing fragrances and products

In developing the fragrances for her products, Debbie explains: "The Forest Essence home fragrance products were inspired by my walks in the woods – the smell of the resins from the pine cones, with hints of cedar, cypress and firs, so green and woody – such an uplifting aroma. I have an English Flowers range with scents of lavender, rose and geranium, and Festive Spice which brings to mind mulled wine - cinnamon, cardamom and orange."

She also describes the creative process that goes in to her art: "Creating the right mix of essential oils is like the creative process an artist might go through – getting a picture in their mind of how it will look. I get the smell in my head and begin blending ingredients to create that smell."

The company’s best sellers are the Organic Hand Wash scented with lime, lemongrass and Hampshire mint and Gardener’s Hand Balm, which Debbie describes as "such a great product for dry or cracked hands, I know lots of people that use it on their feet too!" The Hand Balm is made with New Forest sourced beeswax and lavender and mint oils from Summerdown Farm. The lip balms and Forest Essence and Hampshire lavender candles are always popular.

What’s more, the cheery smelling ‘Sunny Day’ products are always big sellers to lift the gloom, while in the Winter Debbie really can’t make enough of her ‘Festive Spice’ products which smell just like Christmas!

Debbie has also designed other brands like Senspa at Careys Manor in Brockenhurst, Urban Oasis Spa in Manchester, a natural wardrobe care range for Total Wardrobe Care in London and is currently developing a signature range for a luxury eco spa in Nepal.

Find out more about New Forest Aromatics here.

Russell New Zealand – for lovers of the Lymington of old!

They say everyone has a double somewhere!

A quaint and charming seaside township with cafés, restaurants and shops. A boating Mecca for visitors from all over the world. Forests, golfing and fine dining. I could quite easily be speaking of Lymington, my home town, but I am not. I am talking about my new home town Russell, in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand.

Actually, I grew up in Milford-on-Sea and spent my childhood at the beach, swimming, windsurfing and sailing at Keyhaven. A wonderful childhood, where I would be gone from morning to night with other local children from the village. Hours spent swimming at the beach, socializing at the Buttery in Lymington and later on at the Chequers or Fisherman's Pubs. I wonder if the children, 30 years on, still enjoy the same freedom? It is a long time ago and when I go home to visit family and friends, I am amazed at how things have changed. The traffic, the busy pace of life and the seemingly endless development of the countryside is all so foreign to me now. I am sad to say I feel like a foreigner in my own country.

Home like it used to be, in Russell New Zealand!

Home for me now is much like the Lymington of my childhood, except the weather is 'so' much better. Our children have the freedom to roam and it is still safe to be gone all day. My son swims, sails and instead of crabbing he fishes, but he can also go to school barefoot, play rugby and he performs the Maori Kapa Haka with pride.

Russell is rich in history and Maori tradition. It is nestled up in the north of the North Island of New Zealand. It takes some getting used to but in New Zealand, 'north' means warmth and 'south' means cold, because everything is back to front in the southern hemisphere. When its Summer in England, it is Winter in New Zealand. This difference of the seasons has brought about the ever growing migrational populus of Russell. We call these visitors 'swallows' and they migrate with the weather. These swallows (British residents, many of them from Lymington) own a property in the UK and also a home in Russell. They migrate with the seasons enjoying summer in the UK and then summer in The Bay of Islands -missing that 'oh so wet and dreary' British winter. Life can't get much better than that! In Northland we enjoy a sub-tropical climate which means that most of the year is spent outdoors. Good, clean, healthy living. With hundreds of miles of unspoilt sandy beaches, the Bay of Islands is made up of over 140 Islands with crystal clear water of the Pacific Ocean. Similar to the Caribbean but without all the people. Most of us own a boat of some sort and enjoy fabulous fishing and picnics on the island's secluded, sandy beaches. Lymington has Bournemouth and Southampton close by. We have Kerikeri and Whangarei. Lymington is about 2 1/2 hours from London and Russell is about 3 hours from Auckland. Both towns are on the coast and close to the forest. The similarities are many.

The Russell Community is a special one. We open our hearts and welcome newcomers. It is a very cosmopolitan community with people from all over the world and all walks of life. The thing I value most about the Kiwi way of life is how Kiwis have their feet well and truly on the ground. It does not matter who you are, what you have or where you come from. Kiwis are not impressed by wealth or status. I am lucky enough now to be a part of this wonderful community.

As well as being a very active St John Ambulance Officer, I am also fortunate enough to help people relocate to this beautiful and very special part of the world. Never being one to miss on a good opportunity, please do not hesitate to contact me if you are interested in finding about more about Russell and what there is to offer in this beautiful country - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

It is a Maori tradition that in the end you should always return home. There are times when I am torn and miss the beauty of the New Forest and dare I say it, Marks and Spencers, but if one is to go by the adage 'home is where the heart is' I will always have a special place for Lymington in my heart, but Russell, New Zealand is home. From Russell to Lymington, I wish you all well!

By Louisa Barton, Russell, New Zealand

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell,_New_Zealand

If you’d like to know more about Russell you can contact Louisa directly:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

“Locally Lymington” – a bit of a soap box from Jane!

I used not to like Mary Portas at all, but I’ve been converted to admirer status by her ongoing determination and tenacity to support “The High Street”, in some places against apparently insurmountable odds. 

Actually, I think we’re pretty lucky in Lymington, we’ve got a great community spirit, a hard working Council, and new entities like Town Team and Totally Locally, all working together on behalf of local business and enterprise and to make Lymington an ever better place to live, work, do business and have fun.

Which goes some way to answering Sir Terry Leahy former CEO of Tesco, who also writes about the “High Street” subject (is he poacher turned gamekeeper?!) when he challenges our local shops to make our shopping a pleasurable, social experience.  I really believe that most of our Lymington, Milford, Brockenhurst, Beaulieu shops are already doing it!

Mary says:

“The Internet can never truly replace the sociability and reward you get from doing business with real people”

And that’s the nub of it to me, proven time and again in fact whenever I nip into the High Street.  While online shopping has its place, who really wants to do all, or even most, of their shopping in an online vacuum where there’s no chance for human interaction?  No opportunity to pass the time of day, make the  British comment on the weather, enquire after somebody’s own health or their mother’s, commiserate or congratulate, but generally cheer each other’s day!

“You save so much money online”,  people say.  I don’t believe it actually – in the end you always get what you pay for, and local businesses reward their loyal customers in lots of ways which may not translate directly into pounds - although they often do.  But more importantly the sum of the parts if you count quality personal service and a friendly greeting, often adds up to a much greater whole in terms of our wellbeing.

 “I don’t have time to go shopping/ my time is too valuable”,  say others. 

Well, it’s their choice and we can all choose.  And  I suppose I can see how/why so many people find it so much more convenient as well as cheaper, to buy books and CD’s online. 

Some of us are prepared to go that extra mile for “local”, others won’t be.  And again, that’s our choice.

Mary again:

“We have a social responsibility to find ways to reinvigorate our local hubs”

In this article Mary was taking to task the large out of town supermarkets, and making the point that if we lose the purpose of the high street, a community loses its heartbeat. 

When it launched last year, Totally Locally Lymington told us that if every adult in the Lymington area spent just £5 per week in their local independent shops instead of online or at the big supermarkets, it would be worth an extra £1.4 million per year going into our local economy.

There was apparently  a national move in the right direction over the 2013 Christmas period,  thanks surely to all the “Locally” campaigning which has been going on throughout the country.  It was reported that  local independents did benefit from a pre Christmas shopping sales boost.  I’m not sure all our Lymington shops feel they individually benefitted though.

In the end, more people will only do more business locally if it’s worth their while:

It’s got to be a win win!

 “Locally” will work because we not only want local shops and facilities to be here to serve us but also, we all want enough to actually use them. 

To sum up, not only must we want the high street to be there, we’ve also got to want to use it – and, do so!

And that’s the purpose of this section of Lymington Life – it’s not just about the High Street of course, but a showcase for all things “locally”.

Reviews and views about local business

Once we’ve got the new lymington.com business directory up and running and working with all the new functionality offered by the new listings, we’re going to introduce a “Reviews” facility too.  You’ll be invited to make your constructive comments about local restaurants, shops and businesses, on lymington.com.  A kind of very local Trip Advisor!  All criticism to be constructive – our policy is positivity!

Meanwhile, if you’ve got something to say about all this please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. – we’ll publish interesting, constructive, comments with great pleasure starting now,  in this section of Lymington Life!

Jane Porter,  March 2014

With references from:

Telegraph Saturday/Weekend – Sat 20 April 2013 and Sat 23 November 2013

Telegraph Saturday/Magazine – Sat 9 March 2013 and Sat 16 March 2013

About Lymington

Lymington is a pretty Georgian market town in the south of the New Forest, Hampshire. It is surrounded on three sides by the New Forest National Park, offering a delightful combination of wooded forest and open heathland. The town sits on the western bank of the beautiful Lymington River, leading onto the Solent, with idyllic views of the unspoilt coastline and the Isle of Wight. To the west of Lymington is a coastal nature reserve to Keyhaven and Hurst Castle, recognised as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Lymington has a population of 15,407 (urban area, 2011 census). With the nearby parish of Boldre, including Walhampton, the population is 17,410. 

Georgian Market Town

Lymington’s town centre was predominantly built in Georgian times and has a number of very fine and attractive Georgian buildings, which lend an air of history and elegance, in particular along the High Street, with its hotels, inns, shops and other businesses. There are a number of excellent boutique shops and independent cafés, with a good choice of well-known retail outlets.

The large and busy Charter Market has origins back to the 13th century and fills both sides of the High Street from Church Street to Quay Street all day every Saturday, come rain or shine. The cobbled Quay Street leads down to the Old Town Quay, still used as a base by local fishing boats.

Lymington boasts a variety of restaurants for all tastes, and many excellent pubs, both in the town centre and on the outskirts, as well as further afield in many of the nearby New Forest villages.

Major Yachting Centre

A major yachting centre with three marinas; Lymington is the heart of the UK’s acknowledged Sailing Mecca and famous for its connections with Sir Ben Ainslie and other sailing legends. 

The open-air Sea Water Baths date from 1833 and has recently been restored, making a popular activity for locals and visitors throughout the summer months. The town also boasts a successful coastal rowing club and a host of other watersports including kayaking, powerboating and paddle-boarding.

Lymington has a vibrant marine industry, from chandlers, yacht sales and race crew management to yacht service, marine engineering and components. 

Between Forest and Sea: a wonderful place to live - or visit!

With all this in mind, it’s not surprising that Lymington is one of the “Best UK Coastal Towns in Which to Live”. Combined with accessible road and rail links north to London, west to Bournemouth and east to Southampton and beyond, as well as the car ferry service to Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, the town combines practicality with pleasure; the perfect work-life balance. There are many excellent schools and a wealth of local sports, clubs and leisure activities.

The town has a large tourist industry, based on proximity to the New Forest and its harbour. There is holiday accommodation to suit all budgets and tastes; excellent hotels, pubs with rooms, bed and breakfasts, self catering holiday cottages, holiday parks, campsites - you can even stay in one of the marinas on a luxury yacht!

What to do if you find an injured New Forest animal

Keep to the Rules of the New Forest

If you see an animal which looks ill, is injured, or in distress you should report it as soon as possible, giving a clear description of the animal and what you think may be wrong with it as well as where you saw it and at what time. Bear in mind that in the springtime there will be newly born animals, especially foals, that might be lying down even though absolutely fine.

If you witness - or are involved in - a road traffic accident involving a New Forest animal, you must report the incident, even if the animal runs off. The animal may be in distress, have serious injuries that require immediate veterinary attention or have fatal injuries that would necessitate the animal being put to sleep. Some animals run away in fear and panic, even on broken limbs which can make you believe that it is unhurt. As a result, the animal can suffer unnecessarily.

Who to contact

The Verderers state that if a collision with a Forest animal occurs (for whatever reason) drivers are required to report it to the authorities as soon as practicably possible, and certainly within 24 hours. Drivers must not leave the scene of an accident (unless it is to call for help), particularly if the animal is still on the highway as it may cause a further accident.

Road traffic accidents involving Forest animals should be reported immediately to the Police by dialling 999 (emergency) or 101 (non-emergency).

Forest animals have no road sense and they have right of way. Drive slowly, especially at night, and give animals a wide berth. If you find a sick, injured or distressed pony, cow, donkey, pig or sheep, contact the Verderers’ Office on 023 8028 2052 (Monday-Friday 9am-5pm), or the Forestry Commission on 0300 067 4600 (24 hours). If you find a sick, injured or distressed deer, contact the Forestry Commission on 0300 067 4600 (24 hours).

Download these numbers on a handy credit card to keep in your purse or wallet.

The Rules of the New Forest

Follow the New Forest code

Please don't feed or touch the ponies

The ponies are semi-wild although some may not appear so.  It is important that you do not feed them either by hand or by throwing food on the ground.  The ponies do not need it and some things may make them ill.  Unfortunately, hand feeding also makes some ponies aggressive and every year people are attacked because people feed the ponies and they become greedy and demand more.  A pony which causes injury to a person is usually removed from the Forest permanently. That is unfair to the pony whose home is the Forest and it is unfair on its owner.  Remember the ponies belong to someone else. Find out more about New Forest ponies.

Learn to recognise when a pony is feeling grumpy.

Ears laid back means “go away and leave me alone” or it may mean “give me your sandwich”!  In such situations, it is wise to retreat as quickly as possible!  A bite or kick from a pony hurts and the latter could break your leg. A child could be killed.

Don't drop litter.

Apart from being unsightly (and illegal), dropping litter in the Forest is harmful to the animals. Take your litter with you and dispose of it properly.

Leave your bin bags inside your gate.

If you live or stay in a property with forest animals just outside the gate, leave your bin bag inside the gate and out of reach of inquisitive animals.  The animals make a horrible mess when they tear open a bag of rubbish and of course, they may injure themselves on a sharp tin or become ill if they eat the wrong things.

Don't dump grass cuttings or hedge clippings on the forest.

Strange though it may seem, as lawn mowings are after all “grass”, they are LETHAL to ponies and donkeys. Lawn mowings left in a heap heat up and start to ferment. If they are eaten by ponies and donkeys gas is released into the animal’s stomach and intestine. Their stomach or intestine may then rupture and the animal dies in agony. Clippings from yew, laburnum, rhododendron, some conifers, azaleas and many other garden plants are poisonous to animals and for these reasons, all garden waste must be disposed of properly and not dumped on the Forest.

Keep the gate shut!

Whether a gate goes into an inclosure, a field or a garden, it is there to keep the animals out. Animals have come to serious harm by getting into places where they shouldn’t be. Occupiers of property within the Forest have a duty to fence against the legally depastured stock. That means if your fence is rotten or your gate is left open and a pony gets in and tramples your beautiful lawn or eats your shrubs you cannot claim compensation from the animal’s owner. Indeed, if the animal is injured or is poisoned in your garden the owner may claim compensation from you! There have been cases of animals falling into swimming pools (especially if they are covered with plastic sheets) and apart from the poor animal drowning, the owner of the property has been successfully sued. 

Do keep your dogs under control.

Every year Forest animals, particularly young ones, are injured by dogs. Some are even killed or die later from infected bites. We all love to let our dogs run on the Forest and provided they are reliable around animals that is fine.  If in doubt, however, keep your dog on a lead. Remember also that at certain times of year some quite rare birds nest on the ground and a nest which has been destroyed is a sorry sight. In spring the deer have their young and a fawn left whilst mum goes to feed is very vulnerable.

Do enjoy the forest and its animals.

Watch from a safe distance and enjoy the animals and the unique beauty of the Forest. Remember that the Forest is the animals’ home and it is only fair to respect it and let them live in peace.

If you would like further information visit the Verderers’ website - NEW FOREST VERDERERS - or telephone the Clerk to the Verderers on 023 8028 2052.

Thank you for reading this and we hope you enjoy the New Forest.

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Lymington Town Band - update October 2014

“We are proud to be performing music for the people of Lymington” says the Musical Director Clive Burroughs “and we are constantly looking at ways to keep the band up to date. Creating a website for Lymington Town Band demonstrates our commitment to taking the band forward so take a look at www.lymingtontownband.org.uk

Over the last two or three years we have added many new pieces of music to the band’s repertoire. Currently, we are featuring pieces as diverse as Poker Face by Lady Gaga and Set Fire to the Rain by Adele Adkins as well as film music compilations and classical music.”

“If anyone would like to come and join the band, we welcome all brass, woodwind and percussion players, and we would particularly like to recruit more trumpet, cornet, horn, bass, trombone and flute players” adds Clive. “You can find a list of the types of music we play on our website.”

For further information contact:

Frank Weller, Honorary Secretary

Phone: 023 80846702

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Lymington Town Band is a wind band under the baton of Clive Burroughs. The band has a wide ranging repertoire of music including popular melodies and jazz, as well as marches, hymns and classical works.

Lymington Town Band is a registered Charity, and has been in existence since 1883.

The band meets for rehearsals on Monday evenings from 7.30pm to 9.30pm at Lymington British Legion, Haig House, High Street, Lymington, Hampshire SO41 9AD.

The band also runs a training band for learners and returners which meets from 6.45pm – 7.15pm on Monday evenings.

The training band is run free of charge to encourage players within the community to come along.

Anyone interested in either/both of these sessions is asked to contact Frank Weller, Honorary Secretary beforehand to ensure music is available for them.

Attract more customers to your business using Google Business View. John Carratt is our local Google Trusted Photographer and will bring Google Street View into your business in a revolutionary new way! If you're interested in a virtual tour like the ones below, displayed on Google and embedded in your web site and right here on Lymington.com please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.