The outcome of the election for the two new New Forest Verderers has been revealed.

Alison Tilbury and Kay Harrison received the most votes, scooping 207 and 182 votes respectively.

Mark Ferrett received 159 votes, while Gilly Jones picked up 65.

Two thirds of those who had registered to vote in Tuesday’s election took part, with 340 ballot papers issued among the electorate of 511.

Alison and Kay replace the outgoing Graham Ferris and Dave Readhead.

New Forest CDA chair Andrew Parry-Norton said: “Congratulations to the two new Verderers, Alison Tilbury and Kay Harrison. We look forward to working with them in their new roles.”

New Forest CDA chair Andrew Parry-Norton has delivered a message of thanks to the two outgoing elected Verderers this month.

The terms of Graham Ferris and Dave Readhead come to an end on Tuesday, 26 November, when the election takes place to replace them both.

Andrew made a presentment at the November session of Verderers’ Court last week to thank Graham and Dave for their work during their time in office.

“This court is the last for Graham Ferris and Dave Readhead; both have contributed hugely to the Forest and commoning,” he said.

“They have played active roles in the CDA committee and represented the commoners’ interests in their role as Verderers.

“Their commitment and knowledge will be greatly missed and a simple thank you seems inadequate.

“The CDA wishes them both well for the future. We owe you both a debt of gratitude and a well-deserved rest, although I have no doubt we will still see you out and about.

“Thank you.”

CDA Presentment

New Forest CDA chair Andrew Parry-Norton has issued his latest video update for November.

He addressed a number of topics, including:

• the Hustings event for new elected Verderers at Bramshaw Village Hall
• BVD vaccines
• Presentments at Verderers’ Court

Watch Andrew’s video in full below.

In case you missed any of his updates from previous months, watch the October video here and the September update is here

New Young Commoners chairperson Daisy Slocombe addressed the Verderers’ Court this week.

The presentment, which was made on behalf of the Young Commoners group, was regarding the state of bridges in the New Forest.

Daisy, who took up her role at the start of the month, explained to the court how important bridges are for checking livestock, gaining access to an area in an emergency, and the welfare of animals.

She called on the Verderers to request a map from Forestry England which outlines which bridges will be remaining in situ and of those, which will have vehicle and equestrian access.

You can read the presentment in full below.

FINAL YC bridges presentment November 2024

Four commoners have put themselves forward to become an elected Verderer at the election later this month.

They are Mark Ferrett, Kay Harrison, Gilly Jones and Alison Tilbury.

All four will be attending a Hustings event, where they will introduce themselves to commoners and outline their manifestos, at the New Forest Commoners Defence Association (CDA) mid-term meeting at Bramshaw Village Hall, at 7.30pm on Thursday night (November 14).

They will be quizzed by CDA chair Andrew Parry-Norton and answer questions from those in attendance.

The election takes place on Tuesday, 26 November, when the terms of office of David Readhead and Graham Ferris come to an end.

Everyone who has registered to vote must bring their poll card to vote. Voting hours are from 10am until 8pm.

The polling stations are:

• Lyndhurst – The Verderers Hall, Kings House, Lyndhurst SO43 7NH
• Fordingbridge – Avonway Community Centre, 36 Shaftesbury St, Fordingbridge, SP6 1JF
• Lymington – Town Hall, Avenue Rd, Lymington SO41 9GJ
• Ringwood – Carvers Clubhouse, 92 Southampton Rd, Ringwood BH24 1JD

The outcome of the election will be announced on Wednesday, 27 November.

The Verderers of the New Forest have confirmed that clerk Sue Westwood will be leaving at the end of the year.

It brings to an end nearly 30 years service from her to the organisation and New Forest as a whole.

Official Verderer Edward Heron made the announcement, saying: “It is with great sadness that I announce that the Verderers of the New Forest will be saying goodbye and thank you to Sue Westwood at the end of this year, following nearly 30 years of dedicated and loyal service to the court.

“The contribution Sue has made to the court, commoning and the Forest is too immense for me to articulate.

“Her knowledge, experience and guidance has been invaluable to me, as I know it has been to my predecessors, and I am personally grateful for the support that she has offered me since my appointment.

“We wish Sue all the very best for the future.”

Sue added how much she had enjoyed her role but due to health reasons, is now stepping away to take more time for herself and other pursuits.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my many years at the Verderers,” she said. “My job has been a huge part of my life and has brought me much personal satisfaction.

“As many people are aware, I was ill with cancer for some time and having reflected on this, I have decided that I would like more time for myself to focus on other interests. No doubt you will find me busy with the ponies and around the Forest.”

A commoner has stressed the need for people to drive carefully across the New Forest, especially amid pannage season.

As well as livestock such as ponies and cattle which are turned out all-year round, pigs are turned out by commoners during the autumn. This is so they can hoover up the acorns on the Forest floor which have fallen from the oak trees.

The acorns can be poisonous to the ponies and cattle if eaten in large amounts so the pigs’ job is a vital one. Accidents involving New Forest livestock unfortunately tends to rise this time of year with clocks going back an hour and the nights drawing in.

Jerry Springall, a commoner originally from Australia but who now lives in Gorley, is urging drivers to be extra vigilant of pigs rummaging for acorns close to the roadside.

“Drive carefully and be aware of them,” he says. “They will get in front of your cars and they will be hard to see, and there will always be that little straggly pig or the one that is tailing behind that will run out at the last minute and may cause an accident.

“All we ask as commoners and people around the Forest who have got livestock out is that if you are involved in an accident, you stop, phone the authorities and allow the animals to be looked after and get the help they need.”

This year, the pannage season started on Monday, 16 September and runs until Friday, 22 November.

The season can sometimes be extended by the Verderers if there is a glut of acorns to be consumed, as happened last year.

“Pannage is turning pigs onto the Forest to eat the acorns,” explains Jerry of the centuries-old tradition. “The cattle and the ponies can’t digest the acorns as they are poisonous to them so the pigs go round hoovering them up.

“It changes the meat quality – people seem to really love the meat as it makes it darker and nuttier, and it gives a richness to it which seems to sell well around the Forest and beyond.”

The pannage season is just one of many annual events in the New Forest calendar for commoners and forms a crucial part of their way of life.

Keeping and turning out livestock brings many different challenges, while the majority of commoners have a full-time job to attend to as well.

It means their free time is taken up by their commoning duties and ensuring the tradition prospers and thrives into the future.

“Commoning is very, very, very important to the New Forest,” says Jerry. “Turning animals out on the Forest makes it what it is.

“It develops the Forest and gives it its uniqueness. The way the Forest looks every day is made by the animals and what they eat and where they stomp, and that makes it into the Forest we see and love today.”

Jerry, who works on Folds Farm in Fordingbridge which also runs civil engineering and construction company Earlcoate, has been in the UK for more than two decades and says he has no regrets about swapping Down Under for his lifestyle here in the New Forest.

“I love living in the Forest,” he says. “I have got an Australian background and I’ve been here for more than 20 years but this is a lifestyle and the closest I can get to living in Australia and having that freedom to enjoy my farming background.

“Commoning definitely comes with its challenges like the weather but we all overcome them. We’ve got a good little local community that we can call on to help out if needed.”

The New Forest CDA’s stance on the proposed new cycle network across the Forest, the BVD vaccine for cattle, and land encroachments were among the issues addressed by chair Andrew Parry-Norton in his latest video update for October.

In the video, Andrew talks about the October Verderers’ Court session, which was heavily dominated with presentments (including one by the CDA) regarding the proposed cycle network, plus:

• the latest on the BVD vaccine
• the upcoming mid-term meeting and hustings event ahead of the Verderers election in November
• a warning to New Forest drivers as the clocks change
• Plus plenty more

Watch the video on the CDA’s Facebook page here

The NFCDA made a presentment regarding the new proposed cycle network at the October 2024 Verderers Court.

The presentment was made by chair Andrew Parry-Norton on Wednesday, 16 October.

In it, he explained the CDA’s stance towards the proposal, indicating some of the complex issues surrounding it, while urging Verderers to delay their response to the plans before making a decision.

You can read the presentment in full: CDA October Presentment

Book review: The Nature of the New Forest by Clive Chatters

Clive Chatters in The Nature of the New Forest brings to life the Forest, from its long history, the geology of its soils, to the birds that make it their winter home. Clive covers each subject in great detail in a language that makes the book readable, interesting and appealing to all.

In part, he focuses on the commoning system and grazing by large herbivores, explaining the benefits of this ancient system of farming and its environmental benefits, with each part working in balance to create a unique ecosystem.

The book is liberally furnished with glossy detailed pictures of Forest landscapes, its geological formations, fauna and flora. Each illustration is explained and referenced, including a picture of a large herd of cattle, referring them to the ‘natural successors to the herds of Auroch.’

Clive does not shy away from controversial topics such as overgrazing; he eloquently explains them in a reasoned and rational way.  The reader will gain a detailed insight into why the New Forest is here, how it existed for a thousand years and how generations of careful human management has sculpted this unique landscape.

I would like to have seen something on how we might address the impact of the close proximity to several large surrounding cities, the subsequent increase in visitor numbers and added pollution that will have long-term effects on the Forest. This certainly does not detract from the incredible breadth of subjects this book covers, and perhaps the author will turn to those subjects in a subsequent volume.

The Nature of the New Forest deserves a permanent place on the bookshelf, it treads the pathway between a book that can dipped in and out of when requiring knowledge on a specific topic, to a good read, sat by the fire on a cold winter’s evening.

I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to develop an understanding of the New Forest as well as those that wish to increase their existing knowledge of this remarkable place. Well done Clive Chatters.

Andrew Parry-Norton

Chair

New Forest Commoners’ Defence Association

The Nature of the New Forest is available on Amazon from the end of October. 

Save £10 on the published price (£38.50 + £4.50 p&p) by ordering on the publishers’ website by Thursday, 31 October.