About Friends of the New Forest Airfields
The charity, Friends of the New Forest Airfields (FONFA) was established in 1997 by a group of aviation enthusiasts, veterans, authors, and historians who lived in the New Forest area. Their primary objective at that time was to provide a memorial, completed in 1997, to the twelve airfields of the New Forest and nearby area.
The Twelve Airfields were Beaulieu, Bisterne, Calshot, Christchurch, East Boldre, Holmsley South, Hurn, Ibsley, Lymington, Needs Oar Point, Stoney Cross, and Winkton. Some like Winkton and Needs Oar Point only existed for a short period of time 1943-1944 as support for the D-Day landings. Others existed for much longer Christchurch 1926-1966 and one Hurn is now Bournemouth International airport.
The memorial was also intended to provide a remembrance to all those, civilian as well as military, that served on these airfields. We also support a Heritage/Education Centre, opened in 2016, to provide information on these airfields and those who served on them.
Volunteer opportunities with Friends of the New Forest Airfields
Role:
- Upkeep of memorial grounds. FONFA is responsible for maintaining the New Forest Airfields Memorial in Bransgore – please see our website https://fonfa.co.uk/ to see the Memorial . This includes the area that surrounds the memorial.
Responsibilities:
- The volunteer in this role will be responsible for maintaining the area to keep it clear of weeds and overgrown hedges. In the future, there may be the opportunity to create some planting which would then also require maintenance. The volunteer may also be required in help maintain the surrounding wooden fencing.
Skills and experience:
- This role lends itself to someone who enjoys this element of gardening and is keen to maintain the area out of respect to those it commemorates.
Commitment:
- This is an ongoing commitment throughout the year, but you can self-manage your time in doing this. If more than one person volunteers, then the role can be shared and you will be responsible for agreeing a roster with the other volunteer(s).
