Founded in 1965, this is a Civic Society, and is for people interested in their local environment.  The Society exists to:

• Encourage high standards of planning and design in the Alresfords, and quality of life.
• Help in preserving and enhancing the beauty of the town and village and their surroundings.
• Encourage public interest in achieving the above.

Residents need a means by which they may influence developers and planners, protect their local environment, conserve all that is best in their surroundings and promote improvements.  The Alresford Society provides such a means and joining it helps achieve these aims.

The society recognises that vigilance is necessary to maintain and improve the quality of the local environment.  Its committee meets regularly, checks all planning applications and, where necessary, comments on them to the District, Town and Parish Councils. Its views are valued by the authorities and their professional advisors.

To help raise standards The Society awards its Rose Bowl for the most outstanding recent structural improvement and its Salver for excellence in services in the area. For example, the Rose Bowl has been awarded in the recent past to the restoration of the handsome medieval Pinglestone Barn and the Salver to the Town Trust mini-bus drivers who provide a lifeline to local elderly people.

It also instigates or carries out work itself to improve the local scene, such as the Eel House and improvements to West Street.  And the Society has been involved with the strategic Local Plan for Alresford, joining various groups to write reports on housing needs, infrastructure, open spaces and employment and the local economy.

We also have a handful of social events every year – a Broad Street Gardens Open Day with local residents that raised over £7000, mainly for charity; a joint visit to Old Alresford House with the Alresford Historical & Literary Society, a series of walks in and around The Alresfords for the Queen's 2012 jubilee and trips to see Shakespeare at The Globe and in Stratford – are all recent examples.

Our work can only be achieved if we have a healthy, active and strong Society membership, so would you please join or re-join us now by emailing the Membership Secretary, Sue Cox at suealex13@gmail.com or 01962 732043.