Page 74 • The HERALD • 8th January 2026 v WE’VE BEEN YOUR LOCAL SINCE 1994 v AUTOPAT A Family Business Established since 1982 PROMPT & EFFICIENT v Servicing v Mechanical Repairs v MOT’s - Petrol & Diesel v Air Conditioning Service Unit 3, Hardley Ind. Est., Hythe 023 8084 0163 FAWLEY GARAGE MOTs/Repairs/Tyres Diagnostics/Servicing Call Now for your Free No Obligation Quote 023 80891057/023 8089 0552 Email: accounts.fg@btconnect.com Here in the New Forest, we meet young people every day who are preparing to leave care at just 18. Many will step into adulthood without the family network, nancial safety nets, or emotional support that most of us rely on. Yet despite this, care leavers under 25 receive a lower rate of Universal Credit than older adults. It is a gap that makes an already di cult transition even harder. At Step by Step, your local youth homelessness charity, we believe that care leavers deserve fair nancial support from the moment they begin living independently. Last year we worked with young people and researchers at the University of Southampton to explore what would truly help care leavers thrive. Together, we identi ed four essentials: fairer nancial support, better access to housing, consistent emotional and practical guidance, and clear information early enough for young people to prepare. ese ndings have helped shape our campaigning work, which is now gaining attention nationally. A Private Member’s Bill to introduce Universal Credit parity for care leavers has already passed through the House of Lords and now awaits debate in the House of Commons. To bring these issues to life, we recently released 18 Isn’t Cheaper, a short lm sharing the voices of local care leavers, Supported Lodgings hosts, and a local MP. In the lm, two of our Supported Lodgings hosts share their own experiences, including the impact they see when young people are pushed into independence before they’re ready due to the lack of nancial parity. eir voices o er an honest picture of why stable Stand with Care Leavers in The New Forest from Step by Step homes and steady guidance matter so much. e lm highlights the real pressures young people face when they must navigate adulthood alone. As we push for national change, we’re also reaching out to our own community here in e New Forest. You can o er something no policy ever could: stability, belief, and a safe place for a young person to grow. Many young people simply need a safe home and a trusted adult who believes in them. at is exactly what our Supported Lodgings hosts provide. If you have a spare room and a few hours a week to o er guidance, you could make an extraordinary di erence to a young person who is working hard to build a stable future. We provide full training, ongoing support, and a weekly allowance. You provide the welcome, encouragement, and belief that helps a young person grow in con dence and independence. If you have ever wondered whether you could help someone take their next step forward, now is a meaningful time to explore it. Find out more about becoming a Supported Lodgings host: www.stepbystep.org.uk/spare-room Watch the lm: www.stepbystep.org.uk/sbs-in-action/ driving-change/18-isnt-cheaper How To Recycle Your Real Christmas Tree You can take your Christmas tree to one of the following drop-o sites until 14th January and New Forest District Council (NFDC) will recycle it: • Black eld – Gang Warily Community Centre car park, SO45 1GA • Brockenhurst – Brookley Road car park, SO42 7RA • Burley – Burley coach park (next to car park), BH24 4DJ • Fordingbridge – A338 slip road car park, SP6 1AW • Hythe – New Road car park, SO45 6BP • Lymington – Bath Road car park, SO41 3SE • Lyndhurst – Village Centre car park, SO43 7BF • Milford-on-Sea – Hurst Road East over ow car park (by Sturt Pond), SO41 0PY • New Milton – Crossmead Avenue car park, BH25 6NF • Ringwood – e Furlong long stay car park (follow signs to the designated area), BH24 1AT • Totton – Rumbridge Street car park, SO40 9EA NFDC recycle your tree by chipping it to create mulch. e mulch will be used locally to help keep moisture around plant roots, and to prevent weeds from growing. Please only drop o real Christmas trees and remove any decorations rst. Other wood and rubbish should not be le at the sites. Trees must be le in the signposted area only. If you’re a garden waste customer, Christmas trees can be chopped up and put in your brown-lidded garden waste bin, but your bin lid must fully close. FAMILY HISTORY GROUP A small group of passionate Family historians, who love helping those who are interested in tracing their family history meet on the first Tuesday of each month at 7.30pm in the back room at Soul Café, North Road, Dibden Purlieu, SO45 4PG. ey are a mixture of those who have been researching for years and those who are new to the fascinating world of family history. ere is so much more information now to be obtained online, not all of it being subscription based. If you are interested, please go along to one of their meetings. You will be made most welcome. If you would like more information email: colinjanhayter@ gmail.com e next meeting will be on Tuesday 3rd February. The Ampfield Market (Est. 2000) e Market is always held on the first Saturday of the month excluding January and August which are holiday months. It takes place in Amp eld Village Hall (SO51 9BJ), between 10am and 12noon. Parking and admission are free. e Market has become a very popular meeting place, o ering the best value, most delicious refreshments in Hampshire! Every e ort is made to keep the sales tables lively and interesting. ere are top quality, locally sourced items for sale including cakes, biscuits, savoury foods, honey, fresh bread, eggs, plants, fruit and veg, cra s, books, cards, wrapping paper, jewellery and collectables. ey order their fruit and veg from Hansards a very reputable local supplier and they endeavour to sell a good variety of fresh, seasonal produce every month. ey are delighted that Matt’s Bakery in Chandlers Ford is now supplying their bread each month. e Market generates almost £3,000 a year towards Village Hall funds. e Market team generously volunteer their time and baking skills to provide a delicious seasonal selection of cakes every month, which are served with co ee and tea throughout the morning. e next Amp eld Market will take place on Saturday 7th February between 10am and 12noon. Here are some more 2026 Market dates for your diary: 7th March, 4th April and 2nd May. If you would like to rent a table in the future or would just like more general information, then please contact Julie Trotter via; julie@amp eld.org.uk
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