First golden ticket found in New Forest bin rollout

The first golden ticket hidden by a council as it brings in wheelie bins and food waste caddies has been found.

New Forest District Council started its first phase to rollout the bins in April to residents of Brockenhurst, New Milton, Lymington and the surrounding areas.

The ticket, one of five, was found tucked inside a new food waste caddy by New Milton residents John and Lorraine, and their son Archie.

The council said they chose a family ticket to the New Forest and Hampshire County Show as their prize.

Other prizes on offer in the first phase of the council's golden ticket giveaway include an annual garden waste subscription, a compost bin or water butt, one bulky waste collection, or a £50 donation to the chairman's charity.

The council said the giveaway was part of a wider campaign to highlight its preparations the new waste collection service.

Five golden waste tickets will be placed in caddies when they are delivered to a further two phase areas.

Phase 2 between 23 August - 13 October 2025 covers the West and Northwest New Forest and phase 3 the East and Northeast New Forest from 19 January - 9 March.

If ticket prizes are not claimed a £50 donation will be made to the chairman's charity, the authority said.

Ahead of the new waste collection service starting those in the phase 1 area in June residents are getting a black-lidded 180 litre wheelie bin for rubbish, a green-lidded 240 litre recycling bin, and an outdoor and an indoor caddy for food waste recycling.

New Forest District Council is among the last local authorities not to use wheelie bins - it distributes 10m single-use black and clear plastic bags for residents' domestic waste and recyclables.

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