Page 34 • The HERALD • 23rd April 2026 v SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES v * Digital Aerial & Satellite Installation, Re-sited & Serviced * Freesat HD / Freeview HD * TV Distribution Points * TV Wall Mounting & Installations * SMATV / IRS / Communal work * DAB / FM Aerial Installed * Wi-Fi Signal Problems Humphries Digital Aerials Keith Humphries & Son All Areas Covered • Tel: 023 8066 7362 Email: humphriesaerials@btconnect.com Website: www.humphriesdigitalaerials.co.uk A Family Firm Est 1971 CAI Company of the Year 2014 WILLIS DECORATING & JOINERY SERVICES Est Since 1986 Interior & Exterior Painting & Decorating Wallpaper Hanging Hand-painted Kitchens & Spray Finishes Wardrobes, Bookcases, Radiator Covers Call David on 023 8084 9800 or 07946 048261 E: david.willis24@btinternet.com A.M.H. Handyman Services Internal & External Painting All aspects of DIY Work • Flat Pack Assembly Power Washing: Driveways, Patios, Paths & Decking, Gutters, Fascia Boards Call or email Andy for a free estimate Tel: 07961 443623 handyandyharding@gmail.com Local and Reliable HANDY HANDS HANDYMAN SERVICES Your Local Handyman For ALL Your Small Jobs • Gutter Clearance & Clearing • PVCu Fascias, Gutters, Soffits & Conservatory Cleaning • Pressure Cleaning of Paths & Patios • Window Cleaning • Interior & Exterior Painting • Grass Cutting, Strimming • Hedge Trimming • Shed Re-treated/ Roofs Re-felted • Flat Pack Assembly Fully Insured Free Estimates Work Guaranteed References on Request T: 023 8084 0096 M: 07840 860202 THE LONG-FORGOTTEN ELMS by Robin Somes, Fawley and Blackfield Memories e lanes around Fawley and Calshot were once well known for being lined by tall, majestic elm trees – the most stately of British trees. John Wise, in his 1862 book “The New Forest: its History and its Scenery”, wrote of the journey from Hythe to Calshot: “The walk, even though it is not over wild moors and commons, is still very beautiful. True English lanes will lead us by quiet dells, with glimpses here and there through hedgerow elms of the blue Southampton Water, down to the shores of the Solent”. at picture is rather di erent today. I remember well the mighty elms that lined Badminston Drove tree was well adapted), but the fungus it carries, which causes the tree to block its own tissues to prevent the fungus spreading. is blocking of the tissues that transport water and nutrients up the trunk to the branches and leaves causes rst the leaves to die o , then the branches, eventually killing the tree’s roots. e last elm remained in Badminston Drove as a hollowed trunk in the summer of 1976; we begged Cadland estate to spare it, because there was a barn owls’ nest in it. I was allowed to stay up late, and watch the nest through a telescope from my bedroom window at dusk on the summer evenings, and thrilled as the owlets grew, emerged, and eventually went through the painful process of learning to y. at autumn, the nest empty, the old trunk was cut down and burnt. Almost the only reminder of the elms now is in the name of Elm eld Lane, by the garage at Calshot. I say almost the only reminder – but in fact the trees still remain, or rather the suckers that sprang up from them. Instead of the magni cent towering trees, they’re now a hedgerow, almost just shrubs. ey’re still the original trees, for they still carry the infection; if one tries to grow too tall, it will eventually turn brown and die. But for now, they’re still there, those trees of my childhood. Nothing truly dies, it’s just reborn in a di erent form. If you want a miracle, amid these rather dark days, there’s one, right there. and Calshot Road, but all those of my youth are long gone, culled by Dutch elm disease in the mid-70s. e disease was so-called because of its discovery by Dutch scientists in 1921; originating in Asia, it was accidentally introduced into Europe, the Americas and New Zealand, and devastated numerous species of elms and their close relatives. Dutch elm disease is a most insidious a iction; what kills the tree is not the elm bark beetle (to which the Elms in Badminston Drove, 1968 FAWLEY PARISH COUNCIL 2027 CALENDAR PHOTO COMPETITION Fawley Parish Council is launching a yearlong photo competition to create a 2027 parish calendar, and residents are encouraged to get involved. The aim is straightforward: to capture Fawley Parish through the seasons and build a collection of images that re ect local life, landscapes and community. It’s open to everyone in the parish, regardless of age or experience. Whether you use a camera or a mobile phone, all entries are welcome. Photographs should focus on the parish and surrounding area. is could include local views, village scenes, seasonal changes, wildlife, or community activities (with permission where needed). All images must be taken during the 12-month competition period, in landscape format, and be of a quality suitable for printing. Light editing is allowed, but heavily altered or AI-generated images are not. Each person may submit up to ve entries. Photos must be sent digitally by email to: helen.bradley@ fawley-pc.gov.uk along with the photographer’s name, the location of the image, and the month or season it was taken. A small panel will shortlist and select the nal images, looking at quality, composition, and how well the photos represent the parish across the seasons. e selected photographs will be featured in the o cial Fawley Parish calendar. Photographers whose work is chosen will receive a complimentary copy of the nished calendar, and all selected images will be credited. e competition closes on 28th November 2026. It’s a simple way to take part in something local, while helping to create a lasting record of the parish over the coming year.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTIyNzI=