FOCUS - April Online Version 2020 - web

FROM YOUR CHAIRMAN
Little did I think a few months back that we all would be
finding ourselves in such a surreal situation and having
to live a totally different lifestyle than we are having to
go through now. Enough of that however until later in
my report to you.
The start of March saw our Annual General Meeting and
an interesting if sometimes frustrating ‘Question Time’
with a panel of Town, District and County Councillors.
Not surprisingly, the topic of potholes, the state of our
roads and pavements, at times dominated the
discussions. Unfortunately, not everyone appreciated
the answers that mostly surrounded the huge number
of repairs needed, the restrictions in resources available
to deal with them, and the very poor weather that we
have had recently.
It is our normal practice to publish the AGM Minutes in
the FOCUS issue immediately prior to the next AGM
which will be in 2021, but in this instance, because of
the large number of issues raised during Question Time,
we are publishing them in this issue on Page 6.
As I found myself continuing in the driving seat of your
Association for another year, I was pleased to find that
we had an influx of new blood to our Committee and I
welcome Annette Hunter, Graham Jackson, Heather
McDermott, John Adams and Roger Moore to our team.
As soon as we get back to normal, I know they will all be
an invaluable asset to the Association.
Their contact details along with all those who remained
on the Committee from last year are printed on Page 3.
My thanks to Angela Jackson, Bob Murrow, Jean
Watson, Julia Stamper, Nigel King and Sue Larking for
continuing to put up with me and for their support over
the last membership year. I know they will all be
invaluable in the coming months.
At our last Committee Meeting before the AGM, we
said farewell to Jill Hennah and thanked her on all our
members’ behalf for the work she had put into the
Association over a period of many years. In bidding her
goodbye, we presented her with a small token of our
gratitude for her energy and enthusiasm.
Turning to the rather difficult times that we are now
facing, we are aware that there are a number of ‘Help
Groups’ being established around the country and also
in New Milton. It just illustrates the ‘community spirit’
that exists everywhere, which often only really becomes
apparent when times are tough. One such local Group
has been formed online, but are also producing flyers
which will be distributed as widely as possible. The New
Milton Covid Support Group, which has the support of
our Town Council, can be found on the Internet at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1308875849312554/.
You can contact them on 01425 542019 or by email to
nmcommunitytogether@gmail.com.
This Covid site also has some very useful postings from
local organisations and businesses which are offering
home deliveries of a variety of goods. These include
restaurants and hotels who will deliver, and also retailers
like The Naked Pantry in Station Road. I haven’t yet
found any posting offering toilet rolls!
Our advice on using these ‘help’ services, is that you
should restrict your use of them if you can, and ensure
that you firstly use wherever possible, your family,
friends and close neighbours as your first port of call for
any help or support.
One of the long established Aims and Objectives of our
Association is ‘to promote a caring community and
awareness of the needs of others in our Community’.
We will also do all in our power to help those of you who
find themselves in particularly difficult situations or who
perhaps just want to talk to a friendly person during
these prolonged periods of self-isolation. We can’t
promise to resolve every issue of shortages etc. and
probably would not be able to find you a supply of toilet
rolls or hand sanitizer. If you are really in a difficult
situation, please email us on coronavirus@nmra.org.uk
or give me a call on 07771 754025. We will try and help,
or find someone who can assist you - but it might take a
bit of time.
As a result of the current coronavirus situation and in
accordance with government guidance about selfisolation
and gatherings of people, we have reluctantly
cancelled our General Meeting which was scheduled for
Tuesday 12 th May and hopefully will be able to
reschedule the talk by Nick Saunders on ‘The Impact of
WWII on our Town’. A decision about the following
General Meeting on Tuesday 7 th July will be made soon.
You can keep up to date with all the cancellations, and
more importantly about news when activities commence
again, by visiting the community website at
www.newmilton.net. If not already subscribed to our
Members’ E-Mail Bulletin, please join now and you will
be amongst the first in getting news of any
developments. Simply send me an email to
chairman@nmra.org.uk and we will add you to the list.
Many of you we know are not into ‘computers and the
world-wide-web’ and we will do our utmost to ensure
you are kept informed through the pages of FOCUS.
ASSOCIATION ACTIVITIES
GENERAL MEETING - PROVISIONAL
Tuesday 7 th July @ 7:00 p.m.
New Milton Community Centre
Topic to be advised.
NMRA TABLE TOP SALES
The Third Saturday from September until March
(except December) 8:00 a.m. - Noon
The New Milton Memorial Centre
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