The Southern region committee
New Southern Region Facebook Page
Look out for our new Southern Region Facebook page, aimed more for the younger TARS (or the young at heart!). Sophie, who apart from being current President, is also a SR member has “liked” it. Get in touch!
New Committee members
After the IAGM in May Southern Region will need a new committee, as your Chairman has moved to SW Region. Do speak to your friends and see if you, or a group of you, can organise 5 or 6 events a year for 2020 and welcome new members as they join. You will have plenty of support whilst you get to grips with it. If you can offer a few hours of your time please contact Paul Crisp p.crisp048@btinternet.com
SPRING SAILING CAMP AT WARNFORD First May Bank Holiday 2019
If Cobnor camp is our Secret Water, this is our Swallows and Amazons. It’s a lovely long weekend of camping and sailing in shared boats on a beautiful private lake at Warnford, in the lovely Meon Valley in Hampshire. The lake is a great size for learning to sail, not so big that you could get lost, and is on private land. Having the whole place truly to ourselves gives a feeling of freedom not often encountered and allows us a real Swallows and Amazons environment. The area is a naturalist’s paradise, with plenty of wildlife to go into Dick Callum’s notebook – sightings have included otters, water voles, eels, egrets, herons, and a wonderful view of a barn owl hunting along the river banks in the twilight.
T here is plenty of room and the more the merrier. We charge £5 per head for the whole weekend; you have to provide your own food and camping equipment. Bringing a boat with you earns extra Brownie points and guarantees hangers-on, but there are always plenty of craft to go around. There is a loo and running water
To get there, the postcode is SO32 3LB. South of the village of Warnford is Peake New Road, which is signposted to “Pony Club”! Do not be deterred by the fact that there’s a boat trailer, not a horse box on the back of your car, and drive down here, taking the second gate on the left. Continue along the track and you’ll see the lake on your left and the camping ground ahead.
Do let us know if you are interested in coming by contacting Helena Nelson-Smith via Iain Khan-Gilchrist (iaingk@gmail.com)
SUMMER SAILING CAMP AT COBNOR: Friday 16th to Sunday 18th August 2018
This is our longstanding summer sailing camp, held over three days every August, camping and sailing in shared boats at Cobnor on the gorgeous Chichester Harbour. This was a favourite sailing haunt of Arthur Ransome, and the whole harbour looks and smells like Secret Water! There are resident seals too. The harbour contains several creeks and lots of space without having to go past the Beach End buoy, as it were. This gives plenty of scope for longer voyages, exploring and boat picnicking, for experienced sailors, and also safe paddling and sailing in sheltered waters for the less ambitious. A favourite short voyage is from Cobnor point – where we launch – up the reach to Bosham, for an ice-cream and a look around this most beautiful of little villages. There’s a Saxon church to visit, and back before the Norman Conquest, the Godwinessons kept their fleet here, so we’re in good company.
This is always a popular event, with adults of all ages and plenty of children, but there’s lots of room; there’s a small charge for camping (the campsite is private and very lovely!), and day visitors are welcome. There’s always a campfire. Do let us know if you are interested in coming by contacting Iain Khan-Gilchrist (iaingk@gmail.com)
Activities & Discussion on AR’s love of fairy stories plus Happy Birthday AR (bring a packed lunch or use local food outlets) then Birmingham Rep for Peter Pan (2.15) 
