If your New Year resolutions are history by now or are falling off the end ...as they say, then maybe they were not the right ones for you.

A much better idea may be to consider giving some of your time as a volunteer working with the NHS ambulance service. We still welcome applications to join our team of volunteers in the role of Community First Responder in the Bransgore & Burley areas.

Of course, you need to live in or very close to Bransgore, Burley and Sopley. If you live in the Winkton, Burton or Walkford areas I am afraid you are in Dorset and the area of South Western Ambulance Service and need to apply to them.

We are looking forward to the spring and are already receiving invitations to attend fetes and events and to showcase how we work and what we do.

But Omicron and its variations have not gone away just yet and although restrictions are no longer the law, they remain in place as sound and wise guidance to everyone. Please don’t become a statistic or pass it to others to become one. No one wants to be a number on the hospital cases graph or even worse, the number of daily deaths.

Our team are still attending calls across the New Forest, and we would remind you that the emergency services and hospitals remain stretched.

For medical emergencies, such as Chest pain, Severe breathing difficulty, Severe blood loss, Choking or blacking out Dial 999 immediately.

For other illnesses and injuries Call 111 for advice or contact your GP or out-of-hours GP service or seek advice from your pharmacist for self-care, Make your own way to your local A&E, minor injuries unit or walk-in centre for minor injuries.

Mike & the team