19th February 2026 • The HERALD • Page 77 v INDEPENDENT, LOCAL AND PROUD v Poets Corner Out With The Old! by Dorothy Lockyer© THE FERRY by Heather Cheese Williams© When rst I saw you, standing tall and straight, So and warm on the inside, no mistake! Tough and sturdy, yet pliable in my hand, I could tell you were a special brand. Together we’d seek out those secret places No need to put on any airs and graces! You bore my weight over ve bar gates And kept me safe from marauding snakes; To walk in the woods where nobody goes At one with the wildlife, shy Stags and Does. But alas, a er just two years together Your cracks have shown, nothing lasts forever! Now the time has come for us to part, I guess you take a small part of my heart. So, it’s out with the old, in with the new Because, with old Wellie Boots, that’s what you do! When will our ferry return, When will we hear the clickety clack! Of the little train, on the railway track, When will we ever learn. In the future we will yearn. For that little train on the track Making that sound, clickety clack! As I board the bus, long journey to town, I reminisce of what I miss, The sway of the ferry, the sound of the sea, Do others feel the same Or is it just me? DAD by Heather Cheese Williams© If you come back for just a day, I’d say “I love you” in every way, We’d walk along the coastal path, Just sit and talk, have a laugh, Your jokes were always so bad. But just for a day, we can’t feel sad, If you came back for just a day, I’d hold you close and make you smile If you come back, for just a while. OUTSIDERS by Pete Wood© e airless sobriety of a Victorian Sunday a ernoon sitting in silence and pressed clean clothes nothing but the wooden ticking sitting room clock as the ordered pendulum swings obediently with bored resigned duty, enthusiasm void curbing the wayward opportunity for excitement, the cinder’s curling wisp of smoke swi choked before the pleasure nding ame of life ignites. Out in the woods beyond the fence birds sing and go about their busy ways as the sun gleams shining down from above. e fox scouts about, relishing undisturbed chance like the furtive poacher, hoping, pocket ready; both listen for the distant galloping riders’ gait. A wayward scru y ru an plays in the dirt shooting pen-knifed arrows from a makeshi bow. Keep Your Hat On Are you over 55 and want to make the most of life once you’re no longer in full time work by exploring and sharing new ideas, skills and interests with your local U3A? Across the UK, U3A members are learning, staying active and having fun in later life. It’s local, social, friendly, low-cost and open to all. Totton U3A is open to new members so why not join them. ey meet every second Thursday of each month at 1.45pm in the Palm Room at Totton & Eling Community Centre. On Thursday 12th March Alan Jones will give a talk: ‘Keep Your Hat On’. Various interest groups meet throughout the month to participate in learning and leisure activities and perhaps you can bring a new skill to share with others. Contact Christine Farleigh on 023 8086 2882 or email: cefarleigh@gmail.com for further information or just go along to their monthly meetings. Give it a try; you can be sure of a warm welcome! Art in Lymington Lymington Arts Group hold meetings in the McLellan Hall at Lymington Community Centre, New Street, Lymington SO41 9BQ, on the second Friday afternoon of each month (except February and August). Meetings start at 2.30pm and normally last two hours. eir next meeting will be Friday 13th March for Lyndsey Cole - Movement and speed with mixed media, followed on Friday 10th April for Harriet Riddell Art Critique. Visitors are very welcome and pay £3.50. MUSIC IN ROMSEY e next concert in Romsey Abbey will be Lymington Choral Society and Nova Foresta Philharmonic: e Armed Man on Saturday 14th March at 7.30pm. is ‘Mass for Peace’ transported Karl Jenkins to international fame. It is to this day one of the most loved of all 20th Century choral works. Tickets available from ticketsource.co.uk/musicinromsey or from Oasis, Church Street (01794 512194). Bramshott Hill Golf Club Becomes Junior Golf Hub Bramshott Hill Golf Club (BHGC) Junior Section run by Nathan Cook (Professional coach) and Linda Compton, has become a ‘Junior Golf Hub’ awarded by England Golf and the Golf Foundation. is recognises the success of the Junior section, the hard work of both Nathan and Linda and the support of parents and young golfers alike. Achieving Junior Golf Hub status is no small achievement and a rst in Hampshire! BHGC o er juniors aged ve to eighteen a pathway from beginner to club player. If your child is interested in ‘having a go’ at golf then you need look no further than Dibden Golf Centre run by MyTime Active where BHGC is based. BHGC alongside MyTimeActive and the Procoaches, particularly Nathan Cook, can o er your child a route through junior golf from beginner to county level and beyond. But most importantly they o er opportunities to enjoy learning all about golf and having fun playing amongst like-minded young people. During 2026, the junior opportunities for youngsters up to 18 years old will continue and include: • Beginner camps in school holidays - starting in February half term, Friday 20th February 9am to 12noon for under 12s and 1pm to 4pm for over 12s, £25 per day. • Saturday coaching groups (weekly) from 1pm to 2pm on the 9-hole course one week and group coaching the next. • Saturday Junior Club (weekly) starting at 12noon for those who are able to play on the 18-hole course. • Wednesday Junior Club - March to end of September 5pm on the 9-hole course for fun games and 4.30pm tee times on the 18-hole course. • New for 2026 Sunday roll-up coaching from 9.30am for 5-8 year olds, 9-11 year olds and 12 years plus. • Also new for 2026 is Faldo Futures, a national event, played locally with winners progressing to a regional nal in the Hampshire County League. Opportunities don’t stop there with help for juniors to gain a handicap, play other junior teams in the county in friendly matches and be selected to play for the BHGC Junior Team in the county league, a county knockout and a national knockout. If you are interested in becoming part of the BHGC growing junior community then please contact the Junior Organiser as they would love to hear from you. Also look out for Facebook adverts. bhgcjuniorgolforganiser@gmail.co.uk Romsey Lions hold their regular book stalls in e Cornmarket, Romsey. eir next book sales will be on Saturday 14th March and Saturday 11th April from 9am to 2pm. ey welcome donations of good quality paperbacks for the stall and also gi s for their bric-a-brac section. Donations can be taken along to the stall on the day of the sales or alternatively you can call: 0344 963 2463 to arrange for a collection to be made. Lions are both men and women, and there are no age restrictions to membership other than you must be over 18. ey are approachable people from many walks of life, and they enjoy an active social life. A few hours a month are all it takes to help others less fortunate in the community. If you would like to learn more about being a Lion and make new friends then get in touch with them on: secretary@romseylions.co.uk or contact them on their direct club telephone number: 0344 963 2463. e Lions have a motto ‘Ordinary People Doing Amazing ings’. And they do year a er year. LIONS BOOKSTALL Veterans Breakfast Club Hythe Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Club takes place on the second Saturday of every month at Hythe & District Social Club, Pylewell Road, Hythe. Go along on Saturday 14th March to enjoy the social interaction and banter with fellow veterans which will help improve your mental health and is good for PTSD. For more details text Graham on 07526 507053 or nd them on Facebook (Hythe Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Club).
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