New Leaf Alresford

26/10/2026

22/10/2026

What’s happening with our climate and the natural world, and what does it mean for everyday life in the UK?

You are invited to join a free screening of the People’s Emergency Briefing, a 50-minute UK documentary about the climate and nature crisis. The project stems from a live event held in November 2025 in Westminster, where leading UK scientists and experts briefed Members of Parliament and national leaders on ecological and climate risks, including:

🌧️ Extreme weather
🍞 Food security
🏥 Health
💷 Cost of living

The film combines footage from the original briefing with reaction from various prominent voices including Chris Packham, Deborah Meaden and Jennifer Saunders.

We invite you to stay for a discussion with a panel after the screening, when you will have the opportunity to ask your questions. Details of speakers to follow.

The film is recommended for people aged 16+ years. Bring a friend, neighbour or family member: everyone is welcome!

Capacity is limited so please book your place here: www.tickettailor.com/events/newleafalresford/2455632

Doors 18.30 - Film 19.00 - Discussion 20.00

Refreshments will be available to purchase - including locally produced sparkling w**e from The Grange 🥂

14/10/2026

Some wonderful news from the charity Hampshire Swifts, about their swift boxes in the tower of Wi******er Cathedral.

For the first time, all 20 of the boxes installed in 2020 have been used! You can see that the number of birds bred at this site has increased year on year.

Fantastic news, and congratulations to Hampshire Swifts for their efforts - and to Wi******er Cathedral for prioritising our wonderful swifts.

Find out more: https://tinyurl.com/3umxvdxm

12/10/2026

Did you see our latest article in the Forum?

Following a very thought provoking talk from the charity Mums For Lungs earlier this year, we have been thinking about air quality and what we might be able to do collectively to help improve this locally.

Most of us love a 'real' fire. It can be warming and comforting, invigorating and mesmeric. Unfortunately, however, woodsmoke is full of toxins and particulates, and domestic solid fuel burning contributes to almost 2,500 deaths a year in the UK.

A recent study showed a very high prevalence of wood burners in the Wi******er district - Alresford and Itchen Valley tops the local leader board with an estimated 33.3% of homes burning wood!

We understand the temptation, but perhaps some of the information in this article will help to reduce the frequency of wood burning locally. Please visit this link for the full article: newleafalresford.org/if-you-think-air-quality-isnt-a-problem-for-alresford-youd-be-wrong

Take a look at the November Forum for part two!

06/10/2026

Don't miss our monthly Natter this coming Thursday 8th October, from 7pm in The Snug at The Swan!

We will be nattering about our community allotment plot, upcoming film screening plans, and much more. Your ideas are welcome.

If you are concerned about the natural world, our environment, the climate crisis and our impact on these things, please do come along to meet local like-minded people and find out what we can do together to help 💚

09/09/2026

YOU can help Upper Itchen Restoration and Wessex Rivers Trust create a wetland for chalk stream wildlife at West Lea!

A great deal of clearance and planting has already been undertaken but you can help plant the rest of the 5000 plants recently delivered, on 10th, 11th and 14th September.

Please email [email protected] to sign up 🙏🏻

08/09/2026

After a short summer break New Leaf’s Natters are back!

Join us in The Snug at The Swan this Thursday from 7pm to find out what we have planned. Take the opportunity to bring us your questions and ideas…

See you there 💚

12/08/2026

Get •

People are being urged to take care when entering the River Itchen after foul-smelling wastewater was seen flowing into the water near St Catherine’s Hill.

The discharge has been entering the river from a pipe below the car park for at least two days, prompting concerns for swimmers, paddlers, kayakers and paddleboarders who regularly use the area.

******er

31/07/2026

We’ve had a Temporary Use Ban - or hosepipe ban - here in Alresford for three weeks now and with no end in sight, with drought officially declared this week.

Rivers and aquifers are low and under stress because of the hot weather. We have only received 64% of average rainfall since March.

If you’re worried about your plants, you can help to keep them healthy by capturing any water you are running from the tap that would otherwise go down the drain for indoor plants, using waste greywater for your outdoor plants (eco friendly products will help ensure this is safe), watering early or late in the day to reduce risk of evaporation, and making use of shading and mulch to help retain moisture.

We are pleased to say that amongst the exemptions is the watering of standard trees planted before the ban, in the last three seasons, where this cannot reasonably be done with a watering can.

You can also help by saving and conserving water in your homes. Think about how often you shower and how long for, similarly how often you wash clothes and run the dishwasher, and even how often you flush the loo! Every little helps our precious chalkstreams and their delicate habitats.

Don’t forget that wildlife needs water too. Offer shallow dishes of water (with pebbles in) for birds, insects, and other mammals that might use your garden or outside space 🦔

Find more advice from Southern Water: southern water.co.uk/save-a-little-water/

25/07/2026

Climate change is no longer a distant threat - the recent extreme heatwaves, along with wildfires, and increasingly drought experienced by the UK drive home the fact that it is already here.

Summers are becoming hotter, heatwaves are lasting longer, and urban areas are experiencing temperatures significantly higher than the surrounding countryside.

As the climate continues to warm, one of the simplest, most effective, and most affordable solutions is also one of the oldest: planting more trees.

You can see the difference trees make in this thermal image from Petersfield Heath on Sunday 12th July, where it was 23°C in the shade but 45°C in the sun!

Find out more in Petersfield Climate Action Network volunteer blog post, including how to request a tree for your verge from HCC:
https://petersfieldcan.org/news-blog/2026/07/why-we-must-plant-more-trees-in-our-towns 🙏