O mio babbino caro - oh my dear papa! Kingfishers Music Weekend and Father's Day Weekend coincide next week, proceeds to local charities CODA and Hammersley Homes; Fraud Alert with useful information about avoiding property fraud from Scott Bailey Solicitors, plus lots of upcoming events! Read on...

Gardens Galore: this week's newsletter includes Sway Open Gardens then meet Dylan James Head Chef at Cambium Restaurant with news about Lymington Seafood Festival, it's National Fish and Chip Day, some local history plus the usual up and coming events for your diaries.

This week's newsletter includes Olly's Alps Arc in beloved memory of Bill Porter and fund raising for Melanoma Focus; mole mapping at the Arches, Dogstival this weekend, and the usual up and coming events for your diaries.

Happy Half Term, with a fine weather Bank Holiday Weekend to begin and lots of events and activities for the week ahead including Lymington Open Gardens on Sunday and then the brilliant Solent Music Festival which opens on Monday evening. Plus much more ...

'Manifold May': lots of variety this week including the Spring Autojumble where you may find a manifold, strawberry picking at Goodalls, Science at Durlston, Mental Health and Dementia Action Weeks, plus upcoming events as always.

It's the Magnificent Month of May with spectacular dawn choruses and next Monday the stallions will be released on the forest for the annual breeding season. Scott Bailey's team of 5 completed the Isle of Wight Ultra Challenge and calling budding chefs for the Big Careys Cook Off. Plus usual events update...

Happy May Day! Lots of May happenings including the Gardeners World Spring Fair this weekend, Witch/Craft at St Barbe, taking over the whole of the Montagu Arms Hotel for your wedding, and much more.

Dementia and Awareness - an update on the state of play and a look ahead to Dementia Action Week 18-24 May. A mention for Linden House specialist dementia care home, also for Dogstival and the Great New Forest Marque breakfast at Balmer Lawn Hotel tomorrow. And more as usual!

The Earth, Everywhere and Here - Earth Day is an annual event on 22 April to demonstrate support for our planet and the natural world around us, and that includes of course the unique landscape of the New Forest. Also the upcoming Gardeners World Spring Fair at Beaulieu, and other upcoming events.

Settling In To Spring: with the busy-ness of Easter Weekend over and further catastrophe in the Middle East at least temporarily averted, our heads should be a little less full and our diaries a little less hectic, allowing time to enjoy the simple pleasures of spring.