New Milton Advertiser 27th Nov 2020

Friday 27th November 2020

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N EW M ILTON A DVERTISER | advertiserandtimes.co.uk

Food & Drink New fruit and veg store takes root in New Milton Page 24

Reflections The real stories behind the war memorial names Page 23

Sport Sport fans’ joy as government gives go-ahead Pages 19-20

JMC Installations

JMC Installations would like to congratulate all in the NHS & Community Services and wish everyone a safe future during these difficult times.

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School leads way on rapid Covid tests

LT Price Rise 03

Beach mud rescue drama

INSIDE

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Index Obituaries Planning Business 15 New Forest Marque 16-17 Christian Comment 18 Letters 18 From Our Files 21 Puzzle Corner 21 Arts & Culture 22 Reflections 23 Classifieds 30-33 Motoring 34-36 Family Announcements back page 9 771353 223033 9 771353 223033 46 9 771353 223033 47 Forest wheelie bins waste scheme survey slammed as ‘worst ever’ Page 2 Fury over plans to axe 17 protected trees near proposed homes site Page 5 Man died from organ failure after transfusion contained hepatitis E Page 7 Brawl on roundabout followed social media row about beer Page 11 9 771353 223033 9 771353 223033 42 9 771353 223033 43 9 771353 223033 44 45 12 14

perienced a few cases and have had students isolating for a number of different reasons. “We are working hard to en- sure that students at home do not fall behind by live streaming lessons as often as possible.” The trial will see how well the test works within a school set- ting, how easy it is to use and how effectively it can be run across large numbers of people in a short time. Ringwood is among a small selection of schools national- ly to have been chosen for the study – an extension of an ear- lier small-scale one also run in schools. Mrs Symonds told the A&T she had put the school forward after discovering the Public Health England team based in Salisbury was keen to extend the earlier trial. “We were keen to do our bit to help develop testing that can be used on a wider scale, and are conveniently located about 20 minutes away from them,” she said. “In addition to doing our bit, we recognised a further benefit to our students by get- ting involved.” The test involves a soft cotton bud being rubbed in- side the nostril three or four times. It is an approach fa- voured by Public Health En- gland as easier than a throat swab, while still being effective. If the test is positive – either

Continued on page 2 AN event rider may never compete again after her horse was badly injured when a car ploughed into them from be- hind in Sway. Sally-Anne Miller (48), who lives in the village, revealed her shock and trauma, adding she was “very, very lucky” to escape serious injury in the Pitmore Lane incident on the morning of 2nd November. It has caused the passionate horse rider to issue a heartfelt plea to motorists to slow down and take care in the New Forest when they encounter vulner- able road users, such as horse a strong positive or two consec- utive weak positives – a further additional swab sample will be taken for further testing using a ‘gold standard’ PCR test. That will be sent to Public Health England’s laborato- ries while the person and their household isolate in line with government guidance as they await the result. It means that for staff and students identified as a close contact of a positive case, it is now possible to offer an alter- native to self-isolation. As long as the close contacts have tested negative on the same day as the positive case, have no symptoms and agree to be retested at least every two days for a fortnight, they can stay in school. The repeat testing is to ensure they remain negative. A spokesperson for Ring- wood School added: “If it is shown to work successfully, it may become the standard test that all schools use both to identify whether members of a school community are in-

Hopes trial will help stop pupils having to self-isolate at home

Questions over public cash given to Forest business hub A dog walker was airlifted by helicopter after she became stuck waist-deep in mud at a notorious stretch of beach at Barton – full story, page 3

BY JON WALLER

THE head teacher of Ringwood School said it was “very excited” to take part in ground-breaking trials of a Covid-19 rapid testing scheme. Testing began on staff and sixth form volunteers at the Parsonage Barn Lane school yesterday (Thursday) as part of a study into the effectiveness of a new, minimally-invasive screening for Covid-19. It will be extended to more members of the school in the coming weeks. Speaking to the A&T, head Leanne Symonds hailed the potential benefits to school life of the trial, which is being run by NHS Test and Trace and the University of Oxford. She said: “The possibility of allowing students to stay in school and undertake serial testing, which is permitted un- der the pilot programme, rather than self-isolate, is very exciting as it minimises disruption to learning and protects all those wellbeing benefits that stu- dents gain by being in school. “Ringwood has 1,550 stu- dents and just over 200 staff. Like most schools we have ex-

riders and cyclists. “Please, please take care when you are driving,” she urged. Sally-Anne said her nine- year-old 16.1hh Irish sports horse, Girlie, needed emergen- cy surgery, and she was left with bruises and a sprained wrist af- ter the incident. “We were going along Pitmore Lane and were just walking. I was wearing a hi-vis tabard, and it was all nice and peaceful and then all of a sudden, bang!” she told the A&T. The small car hit Girlie on its hindquarters with such force QUESTIONS have been asked by councillors about a New Forest business start-up hub which has failed to create a sin- gle apprenticeship after taking £225,000 of public money. Paul Sherry, the man behind the entrepreneurial project known as 49 at South Efford House in Everton, admitted he had paid himself £34,000 in con- sultancy fees. He also spent £36,000 on re- cruiting Mujeeb Rahman as a “director of innovation”, and £50,000 bringing in advertising company Cloud 10 to market the site.

Sally-Anne was knocked into a Hawthorne bush, and the noise caused neighbours to run out to see what had happened. She claimed the motorist stopped further down the road and told her he had not seen them. Fighting back tears, she told the A&T: “It’s now going to be months and months before I know whether she will be able to compete in competitions again. She’s had to have 12 sta- ples because of the lacerations caused to her hindquarters. “What people don’t see, A further £20,000 went on a business manager – who he did not name – and £10,000 on new “soft furnishings” for the build- ing. Appearing before New For- est District Council’s corporate overview and scrutiny panel, Mr Sherry said progress of the community interest company had been curtailed by the pan- demic. Insisting he was “delighted” with its start and that the site’s potential was “significant”, Mr Sherry highlighted how 49 helped the local response to the health crisis by hosting NHS

midwifery services. However, while telling the panel he was not there to ask for money, he later admitted it would likely need more funding in the next three to five years. Committee chair Cllr Alexis McEvoy said: “There’s certain- ly a lot for the council to chew over. “I appreciate Covid has made it a difficult environment. How- ever, I am just disappointed. You had all of 2019 to deliver something and I am not aware of any apprenticeships created. It’s difficult to see a way for- ward when we are looking at taxpayers’ money.” As reported in the A&T, 49 moved into the South Efford premises – which had been va- cant since 2011 – on a 10-year lease in 2018 with a view to transforming it into a hub to

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Horse rider’s car safety plea

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