Weekly What's On Friday 28 Aug 2026
Inspiration Incoming
This weekend is the final 'Bank Holiday' long weekend before Christmas, which over the coming weeks will increasingly and inevitably start to take centre stage. And there's plenty to entertain you all this weekend, see more below!
But early September is still practically summer, and next weekend Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September at St Barbe Museum & Art Gallery there's a Free Family Weekend of Music, Crafts and Storytelling, with different events and activities on each of the two days. That's two full days of live music, crafts, theatre and creativity for everyone to enjoy.
The museum on New Street, Lymington will be open from 10am to 4pm on both days:
- Live acoustic music can be enjoyed as you relax on the terrace with coffee and home baked cake. This year’s local musicians include Carley Varley, John Burke, Paul Kinvig and Ellie Evans, who will entertain you with popular favourites and chilled-out classics.
- Families with children can get stuck into hands-on crafts, follow storytelling sessions with the team from Lung and a Half Full and crack the code on a treasure hunt to discover what's locked inside Paddington's suitcase. A stilt walker and plenty of bubbles add to the fun.
- On Saturday, New Forest Transition leads an apple-themed craft day all about avoiding food waste, with edible apple faces and pipecleaner caterpillars to make. There will also be a circus skills workshop to enjoy.
- Sunday includes more craft opportunities as volunteers help children make Elmer the Patchwork Elephant finger-knitted elephants, friendship bracelets and milk-jug Elmers to take home. You can also help us try to make our own very big, very hungry caterpillar in our community art project.
- At the heart of the weekend is the art gallery, where a curated display of original artwork by David McKee is on show. McKee created Elmer and Mr Benn and illustrated some of the much-loved Paddington Bear books. Grown-ups who grew up with these characters can see the real artwork up close and new for 2026 the Sketch@StBarbe activity invites visitors to pick up a pencil and copy the work as a calm, mindful way to look more closely and enjoy the art on display. The museum is open too, telling the story of Lymington's smuggling and shipbuilding past.
"We know some people think museums and art galleries aren't for them and Inspire Weekend is our chance to change that. Whether you're a regular visitor or stepping through our doors for the very first time, we want everyone to feel welcome and inspired. With a different programme of activities on each day, we'd encourage families to come along to both and enjoy everything on offer" - Penny Curry, Marketing St Barbe Museum.
The Inspire Weekend is one of the highlights of St Barbe's year because it's all about bringing people together to discover something new. Best of all, it's completely free, with activities and experiences for everyone – from toddlers and teenagers to parents and grandparents.
INSPIRE WEEKEND AT ST BARBE 5-6 SEPTEMBER
It's Time to Talk About - Wills
Let's get straight to it: if we die without a will, our estates will be distributed according to strict government rules, which may not align with our actual wishes. The process can also take a long time. Yet over half of UK adults have no will, including 53% aged 50-64 and 22% aged 65 and over.
And then, things change! Especially when it comes to marriage and children. In the case of divorce and re-marriage, things can get a lot more complicated. So your will may also need updating, to ensure that your own wishes are met after your death.
In your will you can not only look after loved ones but also support the causes about which you care most. And leaving a gift in your will can be a highly tax-efficient way of giving to charity and supporting your community.
September is Write a Will Month. Oakhaven Hospice has teamed up with local solicitors and will writers who have generously agreed to donate their time and expertise for free to help you make or update your will, encouraging donations to Oakhaven. Why not take this brilliant win win opportunity!
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AN UP TO DATE WILL! CLICK HERE!
We Are Invited
We are all invited to...
- become 'Forest Guardians' and help protect the New Forest from litter. I'm sure most of us do the simple things like taking litter home, leaving no trace, recycling, etc. There's some useful background information and the opportunity to get more involved: click here for details.
- help the Hampshire House Martin Project, by reporting sightings of active nests of one of Britain’s most endangered birds, especially under the eaves of buildings. Photo above to help with identification! Click here for details.
Upcoming Events
First a big send off from Brockenhurst today in fact right now, to award-winning wildlife photographer and conservation campaigner Paul Goldstein, who is walking across Britain carrying a nine-foot tiger on his back! He is undertaking the extraordinary '2 Legs for 4' challenge: walking 1,000 miles while carrying a tiger weighing around 13kg, to
raise £50,000 for frontline tiger conservation projects in India and Bhutan. These striped felines are 'still being poached, farmed and butchered. 'Questionable' at best census figures gloss over their parlous and indeed endangered status'. This has always enraged Paul and rather than crocodile tears, hand wringing and keyboard pious polemics, he's doing something about it. If you're intrigued to know more and even lend your support, click here!A mention for September's Living Well Hub at the Coates Centre: it happens every 2 months and is a really useful way for people to find guidance from lots of local organisations.
And now a reminder for this weekend's spectacular music festival in the beautiful setting of Exbury Gardens: this evening Queen by Moonlight and tomorrow Motown by Moonlight. There's also live music at the Turfcutters Arms, this evening with China Wolf, and Sunday and Monday afternoons with respectively The Transitions and Derek Clapton Unplugged. And this weekend at Monkey Brewhouse there's live music tonight, tomorrow and Sunday.
And so here's wishing you all a brilliant Bank Holiday weekend whatever the weather (seems funny to be saying that again!)
Best wishes Jane
Read the rest of this week's newsletter here
And check out What's On in the Diary of Upcoming Events!
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