14th May 2026 • The HERALD • Page 11 v SHOP LOCALLY FOR SERVICE & VALUE v UPVC, WOODEN DOOR, WINDOW SPECIALIST LOCK PROBLEMS? We Can Help with ALL types of Locks • Fix or Replace • Gain Entry 24hr Emergency Call Outs • Specialised Non-Destructive Entries • Safe Unlocking Expertise • Broken Key Removals • Insurance Purpose Lock Changes & Repairs • Swift Burglary Repairs, Extra Door & Window Security Upgrades • Police Approved Keysafes – Emergency Boarding • Anti-Burglar Bars/Grilles For Windows & Doors, • Free Security Checks • Crime Prevention Advice Awarded Police Recognition, Donald Bugsy Edwards • All Work Guaranteed • No Call Out Charge • No VAT YOUR LOCAL INDEPENDENT LOCKSMITH BE WISE CALL KEYWISE 07453 327708 or 023 8155 0025 24 HOUR SERVICE NEW FOREST PLUMBING AND MAINTENANCE 24/7 LTD *YOUR LOCAL 24 HOUR EMERGENCY CALL OUT PLUMBER* We provide a wide range of plumbing services, with an established reputation for quality, service and customer satisfaction. www.newforestplumbing.co.uk Contact us on 07912 092557 or 023 8194 0237 newforestplumbing@yahoo.com A Community Rallies: New Forest Together Gathers Thousands Against District Split A young couple from Dibden Purlieu who decided to launch a petition about plans to separate e Waterside and Totton from the rest of the New Forest District have been astonished by the way it has taken o . e move is part of a local government reorganisation that will see e Waterside and Totton included in a new urbanunitary authority with the city of Southampton and parts of Eastleigh. Emily and James Hartley-Binns, from Dibden Purlieu, could not believe that the option opposed by all the local councils in the area had actually been chosen. As it turns out, thousands of others share their view. During the public consultation, 97% of New Forest respondents opposed any option that split the Forest, yet the proposal put forward by Southampton City Council was the one chosen by the Secretary of State. Campaigners say placing the Waterside inside an authority where Southampton and Eastleigh make up 85% of the population risks longterm urban expansion, pressure on backup grazing land, and ecological damage to the wider Forest. What started as a small online petition has now grown into a huge movement with a Facebook group and a website. James and Emily have starred in a number of their own videos online and the campaign has featured on the BBC, ITV and in e Guardian as well as local papers. New Forest District Council has also rmly endorsed the New Forest Together campaign. At a recent meeting of the full council, every single member of NFDC voted, to the cheers of hundreds of supporters, to support it. e couple are urging people to display car stickers and posters as well as signing and sharing the petition to get the total to more than 25,000. ey and their supporters will be out in force at local events over the next few weeks. “New Forest Together isn’t about politics,” said James. “It’s about people and the place we live in and love. We are all part of the New Forest. The roots of our communities go back centuries. It simply isn’t right to split the New Forest District and separate the Forest’s coastal communities from the Forest itself.” Emily commented: “We’ve been completely amazed by the way people have reacted. This plan to split us up has actually brought the community closer together.” James, Emily and the rest of the campaigners are hoping that such a big show of support for New Forest Together may help change the government’s mind, starting rst through the prospect of a judicial review. To support the campaign, you can sign the petition at: https://www.change.org/NewForestTogether, nd the movement on social media by searching “New Forest Together” on Facebook or visit: www. NewForestTogether.co.uk You can email the campaign at: NewForestTogether@gmail.com James and Emily Hartley-Binns New Forest Together Scan the QR code to sign the petition
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