Author Archives: Julie Mottisfont
Forest Family raise glasses for New Forest conservation
Burley based family business New Forest Cider has created a new cider to celebrate their support for our Love the Forest campaign – and is donating a proportion of the selling price from each bottle sold to the campaign.
The new Oak Soaked Cider, is a dry lightly sparkling cider which is soaked in oak chips during the production to give it a distinctive mellow smoky flavour.
For each bottle sold, 20p will be donated to the Love the Forest campaign, which raises funds for New Forest conservation.
Mary Topp from New Forest Cider said: “We are proud to be supporting Love the Forest and the incredible work they are doing – and we know our customers are very aware of the importance of securing the future of this special place”
“Our cider is sold in 5 local branches of Waitrose, at London’s Borough Market as well as at our own shop in Burley, which is open 7 days a week throughout the year and on our website – and we even serve a special Cider Rarebit in our Cider Pantry Tearooms!”
Mary’s father, Barry Topp who established the business in 1988 said: “When we think of the New Forest, we think of Oak and we think of Cider – so it felt entirely natural we should call the new Cider “Oak Soaked”
“As a fourth generation New Forest commoner with stock on the Forest, I encourage everybody to get involved in supporting the work of the New Forest Trust.”
Julie Mottisfont, Director of Love the Forest said: “We couldn’t do our vital work without the support of businesses like New Forest Cider.”
“We are very grateful for the donations that we receive from them and their customers. It is so important that we tackle issues affecting the New Forest, such as the safety of animals and protecting the landscape and the flora and fauna.”
Remembering those who loved the New Forest
As part of our Love the Forest campaign, we’ve launched an online Book of Remembrance.
To enter your loved one in the book: email their name, a maximum of 100 words on what they loved most about the New Forest and who they are remembered by to admin@newforesttrust.org.uk . Once we’ve entered their name we’ll send you a link to share with family, friends and colleagues.
Alison Plummer, whose father Jack Gammage is the first entry in the book said “Dad enjoyed many long walks, taking in the wonderful sights of the Forest, he cherished the peace, tranquility and beauty of this very special place. Whilst we lost him too soon, all our family and friends draw huge comfort from being able to remember him and his love for the New Forest in the Trust’s Book of Remembrance”
Julie Mottisfont, Director of Love the Forest, said “We know many people have special memories of their loved ones love for the Forest, so we are very pleased to have been able to launch this book to provide a central online place where families and friends can share their memories”
New Forest Trust Awards £10,000 to Community Projects to Support Conservation!
We have awarded £10,000 to two community projects that will encourage conservation and increase public understanding of the forest.
The New Forest Ninth Centenary Trust will use the funds to help run a tailored education service that focuses exclusively on the New Forest and its natural and social history. This will enable over 1,700 children to receive 50 days of educational time.
Conservation is the theme for the New Forest Land Advice Service grant, which will be used to help to deliver a programme of habitat improvement and water quality measures along the river Blackwater, where Himalayan Balsam infestation is causing a problem. Both projects received funding to support their work over two years.
Angela Peters, Community Wildlife Plans Project Officer, said “the funding has helped support the Blackwater Conservation Group to carry-out practical conservation work, through delivering a number of volunteer tasks so far this year, with more planned, helping landowners remove Himalayan Balsam from the edges of the river. So far this year around 500m of the rivers edges have been cleared by 14 local wildlife champions who regularly come out on the tasks.”
Love the Forest Director Julie Mottisfont said “We are delighted to be able to support the New Forest Ninth Centenary Trust and the New Forest Land Advice Service in their vital work – but, we fully recognise this is only possible thanks to the generous support we receive from the many businesses – hotels, holiday parks, holiday cottage providers, restaurants, pubs, bed & breakfasts and attractions – and their customers who make donations to our Love the Forest scheme”
If you have a project that supports the our ethos, we are currently accepting grant applications from £500 to £10k. The grant scheme is intended to give local organisations improved access to funding and more capacity to respond to local issues and needs. Visit https://www.newforesttrust.org.uk/contact/apply-for-grant for further information on how to apply.
New Forest Show Prize Draw Winners Announced!
Thank you to everybody who entered our Prize Draw at the New Forest Show last week – the winners are:
Neil Ellen, Barrie Kidd, Elis McShane, Tui Brown & Amanda Moore
If you are named above we will be in touch with you shortly (or you can contact debbie@newforesttrust.org.uk to find out more!)
If you didn’t win this time, be sure to follow us on Twitter @LoveTheNForest and like us on Facebook lovethenforest to be the first to find out about all our promotions!
Trust presents New Forest Diamond Jubilee Award
The Chairman of the New Forest Trust, William Ziegler presented Mr David Redhead with the New Forest Trust Jubilee Award at the New Forest Show on Wednesday 30th July 2014.
This award, first presented in 2012 by Her Majesty the Queen on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee, is given to individuals who, “without expectation of recognition or reward, have given freely their own time and made a significant contribution towards maintaining and improving the environment and rural economy of the New Forest though conservation, education innovation or leadership, especially as relating to the aims and objectives of the New Forest Trust”
Mr Readhead, a Director and past Chairman of the New Forest Livestock Society, is an active and practicing commoner, a committee member of the Commoners’ Defence Association and an elected Verderer.
He has been the driving force behind the upgrade of the Beaulieu Road sale yard and has worked tirelessly to ensure it is fit for purpose now and in the future. This has included finding the funding and dealing with all the parties involved with bringing mains water to the sale yard and for the new roof both of which are major achievements which required huge amounts of time and effort.
Mr Ziegler said “Dave Readhead’s contribution to the New Forest over the years has been enormous, especially his work for the New Forest Livestock society whose development, every day running and maintenance of the sale yard is so important to the commoning community and ultimately the environment of the New Forest itself”.