Plymouth Chronicle May East 2024

Photo: Scott Grenney One Plymouth

Departing Thu 4 Jul ‘24

Armed with his 60-piece Johann Strauss Orchestra, the King of Waltz is returning to Maastricht in summer 2024 for his now legendary hometown concert! Come and discover what makes the violin maestro’s concerts so magical, live in the picturesque Vrijthof Square.

Your break includes

 Return coach travel & ferry crossings from Plymouth

 3 nights at a selected hotel in Belgium/Germany/the Netherlands (JG3 or JG4 rating) with breakfast

 Ticket to André Rieu concert at Vrijthof Square, Maastricht (cat 4)

 Free time in Maastricht

 Excursion to Amsterdam/Brussels/Cologne (depending on your hotel location)

Upgrade to category 3 ticket for £25pp

4 Days by Coach only

£549

Departing Thu 18 Jul ‘24

Take a tour on the scenic side and explore the natural beauty of Shropshire. We enjoy many exciting excursions including a journey on the Severn Valley Railway, entrance to the Blists Hill Museum, a relaxing cruise along the River Severn, and more!

Your break includes

 Return coach travel from Plymouth & Saltash

 4 nights at the Holiday Inn Birmingham Bromsgrove with dinner & breakfast

 Heritage train journey on the Severn Valley Railway

 Cruise on the River Severn with light refreshments

 Excursions to Ludlow Market & Blists Hill Museum

5 Days by Coach only

Departing Mon 19 Aug ‘24

Enjoy a visit to the unique, Italianate village of Portmeirion and discover the historic railways and meandering tramways of North Wales on this fantastic five-day break, based in Llandudno, the ‘Queen of the Welsh Resorts’.

Your break includes

 Return coach travel from Plymouth & Saltash

 4 nights at the Grand Hotel, Llandudno (JG2+ rating) with dinner & breakfast

 Entertainment some evenings

 Heritage journeys on the Welsh Highland Railway, Great Orme Tramway & Ffestiniog Railway

 Free time in Llandudno

 Free excursions to Caernarfon & Portmeirion

5 Days by Coach only

£449

Midsummer Festival has so much to offer

For centuries, Plympton St Maurice has held a festival on its ancient castle green. This year is no exception, and the threeday midsummer event will be held from Friday June 14 to Sunday June 16.

In Saxon times, Plympton St Maurice was a thriving town and Plymouth was barely a cluster of cottages.

Now the tables have turned, and whilst Plymouth has grown beyond all recognition, Plympton St Maurice has stopped in time. The quaint conservation village is complete with a siege mound and castle and its illustrious history, from a Saxon town to a busy silver assaying centre in the 17th century is still obvious in the higgledy-piggledy houses and glorious gardens.

The small village is able to boast lovely architecture, famous painters, doctors, inventors, vicars and MP’s who have gone on to make a huge mark on the nation.

This summer there’s the chance to enjoy the village, peek behind its ancient façade and go back in time enjoying some real community fun.

The Festival begins on June 14 with a musical evening held at the 16th century Guildhall where the Sir Joshua Reynolds choir will be performing ‘Desert Island

Songs’ (tickets £7 on door and refreshments available). On Saturday June 15 there’s lots of family entertainment held in the shadow of the castle. Each year thousands enjoy the roast lamb, the side shows, music, tug o’war, games and many other activities. Reverend Jack Russell would approve of the dog show. A St Maurice man, he went on to breed and give his name to the famous terrier.

Once the setting for bloody battles, visitors can now enjoy a roast lamb roll while watching Historia Normannis, an historical re-enactment group fight it out on the Castle Green. Other family fun includes fun races for children, performances by the Susan Jane School of Dancing and the Plympton Judo Club, while the Yelverton Bowmen will demonstrate their archery skills, There will be an opportunity to support many charities who will be selling all sorts of goodies. Other stalls include clothes, jewellery, yummy food and more, so there’s plenty to see and do for all ages.

Famous people from times past, too many to list here, contributed to St Maurice’ history. They would have seen ‘Jingling Match Grinning, Bobbing and Diving’ and other merriment at early fayres on the Castle Green.

One early resident was John Sparke. He explored the Spanish Main and was the first

to describe potatoes and tobacco. He’d have been impressed by the gardens in his village – as others are today. Each year the ‘Hidden Gardens’ of St Maurice draw over 1,000 people to see the very heart of the conservation area and the creative and loving works of gardeners whose houses are some of the oldest in the County.

On June 16 from 2 pm, visitors can explore allotments in the castle moat, see original Saxon ‘strip gardens’ admire beautiful and unusual gardens of every shape and size hidden behind ancient cottages or Georgian town houses. Children can enjoy a frog hunt.

During the Midsummer Festival, local artists from the Sir Joshua Reynolds Art group will display their creations at the Guildhall, following the footsteps of bygone worldrenowned artists from the village – not least Sir Joshua Reynolds.

Enjoy a cup of tea, watch the Morris dancers and for just a minute glimpse bygone days and enjoy the richness of one of the county’s finest villages.

Hidden Gardens tickets (children free) on sale £5 from 2pm at Guildhall or corner of George Lane and Longcause. Watch C4 Time Team ‘Plympton St Mauric YouTube SO6EP05. Midsummer Festival details can be found at www.plymptonstmaurice.com

New exercise group for people with Parkinson’s

Final consultation on plans to restart mineral workings at Hemerdon Mine

A final round of public consultation has been launched on plans to restart mineral processing at the Hemerdon Tungsten Mine.

The Environment Agency has opened a third and final round of consultation on a permit application by Drakelands Restoration Limited.

Two consultations on this proposal have already taken place enabling the Environment Agency to consider all of the comments made by organisations and members of the public alongside all of the evidence given by the operator.

The Environment Agency say that they have not been presented with any evidence to indicate that the proposal will result in significant human or environmental harm.

A statement by the Environment Agency said: “We now think we are in a position where we can grant the permit. However, we will not make this final decision until after this final round of consultation, taking into account any new information we may receive.

“So far, the permit application has been technically assessed by experienced specialist officers in our National Permitting Service, as well as noise and other experts in our national and local teams. In doing so, we have also consulted with a wide number of other organisations.

“We have assessed various issues of concern, including measures to manage low frequency noise, something that had been an issue at the Hemerdon site when operated by the previous operator, Wolf Mineral Ltd.

“We have also checked the new operator’s plans to prevent, control and monitor issues such as audible noise, dust and other particulate emissions, so that operations on site will not have any significant impact on people and the environment nearby.”

In this latest consultation, the Environment Agency have published present two key documents, a Draft Decision Document and a Draft Permit. The two documents make it clear what has already been considered and will help the public and other organisations to identify if there are any other important issues that they would like to be considered.

The first group has been going for just over two years and is run by physiotherapists who are trained in Parkinson’s. This takes place every Wednesday in the Colebrook Community

A new exercise group for people with Parkinson’s has opened in Plympton. Parkinson’s is a neurological disease with more than 40 side effects. Unfortunately there is no cure, but it is well known that exercise can slow the progression of Parkinson’s. For this reason, with the backing of the Plymouth branch of the charity Parkinson’s UK physiotherapist Pat Ridgway has organised a second exercise group in Plympton.

Centre in Newnham Road, Plympton.

The second group will be run by Aklak Miah who is a qualified instructor in Tai Chi. This will run every Tuesday at St Peter’s Lutheran Church, Larkham Lane

Anyone interested please call Pat Ridgway on 01752 338986.

The permitting process does not take into account factors such as off-site vehicle movements, operating hours, visual impact and whether this is an appropriate location for this activity. These are dealt with by the local planning authority.

Anyone who would like to provide any new information or make and new comments, should submit them by May 7. Comments can be made at the online Citizen Space web page: https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/psc/ pl7-5bw-drakelands-restoration-limited2/

The Lamb Feast on Castle Green is a popular feature of the Midsummer Festival

Gardens in Plympton St Maurice will be open to the public

Send details of your event to info@ cornerstonevision.com and we will do our best to include them in Out and About. Unfortunately because of space limitations we are unable to publish details of regular meetings of groups and societies or similar organisations.

Car Boot Sale

Sundays

Coypool Park and Ride, Plymouth. Open for sellers from 7am and buyers from 8am. Cars £8, vans £10. Free parking for buyers. Toilets on site and dogs welcome on leads. All entry fees collected go to Colebrook Community Centre, a small local charity.

Southway Spring Table Top Sale

Apr 13

Church of the Holy Spirit from 1pm to 3pm. Free entry. Lots of goodies plus children’s crafts and tombola. To book a table for £5 call Veronica on 07855 256383.

Tin Soldier

Apr 17 to Apr 20

The story of Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane, ex-Small Faces, how their lives and careers went very different ways, leading to two very tragic ends. It’s a play with music (rather than a musical) and it plays the Soapbox theatre in Devonport Park at 7.30pm each night. Tickets from www.wegottickets.com

St George’s Day Afternoon Tea

Apr 20

Ford Park Cemetery at 2pm. Tickets £12 available from the office between 10am and 4pm.

Brunel Quilters Exhibition

Apr 20

An exhibition of quilts and textile works by Brunel Quilters, plus charity quilt raffle, sales table and refreshments at Saltash Wesley Church, Callington Road, Saltash from 10am to 4pm. Entry £2.

Devon Birds Plymouth Branch

Apr 22

Mark Owens, who farms land at Challacombe, will be providing an insight in to the way that the land is managed and the benefits that this has for the amazing bird life of this Dartmoor gem. Meetings, which start at 7.30pm, are held at the Spurgeon Hall of Mutley Baptist Church. They are open to non-members and members of Devon Birds and to cover the costs we would be grateful for a donation of £5 per person. For further information visit www.devonbirds.org/ branch/plymouth/#branch-events

Post Card Display

Apr 27 and 28

Visitor Centre, Ford Park Cemetery from 10.30am to 3.30pm each day. Display including post cards with views of old Plymouth and some rare postcards on many subjects.

Beginners Class

Apr 27

New beginners class for Sequence Dancing at the ELM Community Centre, Leypark Walk, Estover from 6.30pm to 7.30pm. £4 per session. For more information contact Jeannie Clark on 01803 325905.

Britain’s Ocean City Running Festival

Apr 28

Entries now open for the Festival which features distances of half marathon, 10k and 5k from Plymouth Hoe. Sign up at www.runplymouth.co.uk

Plymouth Street Food Festival

May 3 to May 6

Plymouth Street Food Festival is back at Central Park over the May Bank Holiday weekend. Enjoy four days of great food, entertainment and family fun with over 30 top street food traders coming together to serve up a diverse range of delicious dishes. For tickets and information visit www.streetfoodwarehouse.co.uk/ plymouth/

Out and About

Your guide to events in the local community and beyond

Galeon Andalucia pictured sailing into New York recently

Hope for Life Concert

May 4

An evening of inspiring music and testimonies of lives changed by faith at St Andrew’s Church at 7.30pm. Charity event with proceeds going to the Sunflower Women’s Centre.

Coffee Morning

May 4

Crownhill Methodist Church Hall from 10.30am to 12 noon. Various stalls in aid of Shelter - the housing and homelessness charity. All welcome.

Bowls Open Day

May 4 and 5

Calling all bowlers, old and new, all ages and abilities to the Plymouth Hoe Bowling Green between 10am and 4pm on both days. Members will be on hand to welcome visitors onto the green. Families welcome. Refreshments will be provided.

Sing Devon

May 9

Sing Devon is holding a Welcoming New Voices free session at Plymstock School from 7.15pm to 9pm. Anyone who enjoys singing and would like to meet new people will be welcome. The emphasis is on fun, supporting the local community and supporting each other. There are no auditions just go along and experience the joy of singing. Details at www. singdevon.com or call Pete Scott on 07896 276577.

Hear Better ‘Mini’ Exhibition

May 9

Free hearing loss exhibition designed for individuals and hearing professionals to find out more about the latest technology and local support available to assist people with hearing loss in daily life. Taking place at The Copthorne Hotel from 10am to 2pm. There will be an opportunity to learn some sign language at the event. British Sign Language (BSL) Interpreters will be available. For more information contact Sensory Solutions, Improving Lives Plymouth 01752 201899 or text 07496 950013

One for the ladies!

May 18

Ladies bowls morning between 10am and 12 noon at Plymstock Bowling Club, Furzehatt Road, Plymstock. All ladies (and partners if they would like) to come along and try both outdoor lawn bowling and indoor short mat bowling at this friendly club. No experience necessary, just take along a pair of flat soled shoes or

Replica Spanish Galleon set to visit Plymouth

A full-scale replica of a 17th century Spanish galleon is visiting Plymouth in May.

The Galeon Andalucia will be docked at the Barbican Landing Stage from May 15 to 19 from 10am to 8pm. Meanwhile, a second vessel, the schooner Pascual Flores will be docked on a floating pontoon Plymouth Harbour.

Among its creaking timbers the Galeon Andalucia tells the story of the legendary Spanish galleons. The floating museum has an exhibition on five of its decks.

Visitors can also enjoy a three-hour sailing trip along the coast aboard the Pascual Flores.

Go aboard the Galeon Andalucia or sail on the Pascual Flores to discover how real sailors lived.

To book a guided tour or sailing trip visit www. tickets.velacuadra.es

trainers. Refreshments supplied. For more information contact Chris on 07956877688 or email info@ plymstockbowlingclub.co.uk

Spring Fayre

May 18

St Francis Church Hall, Honicknowle from 12 noon to 2pm. Various stalls, including tombola, gifts and grannie’s attic. Tea/coffee and light refreshments.

Pasty and Quiz Night

May 25

Ford Park Cemetery at 7pm. Tickets £10. To book call 01752 665442.

Sleeping with the Sharks

May 25

Join the National Marine Aquarium in an unforgettable sleepover, where guests will get to experience what happens after dark in the underwater world! Explore the aquarium after hours and see whales, stingrays, fishes, jellyfish and more all while getting involved with games, crafts and even some exhibition tours! The night will also include a number of educational opportunities. Then enjoy a movie on the big screen before tucking in and settling down for bed in front of the Eddystone Reef tank which contains fantastic local species such as sharks, crabs, lobsters and eels! Details at www.national-aquarium.co.uk/events/ sleeping-with-sharks-at-the-aquarium

Green Man Weekend

May 25 and 26

Fantastic mix of entertainment provided by local bands circus acts, Morris Dancers, re-enactment groups and much more ay Mount Edgcumbe. Traditional family activities will be running throughout the event along with food and craft stalls, bouncy castles, beer tent and much more. Details at www. mountedgcumbe.gov.uk

Freedom Community Festival Day

May 26

This year’s one-day event from 11am to 6pm will feature a folk/acoustic line up of local music including the Freedom Fields Ceilidh Band, Andy Quick, Dr Thuds Remedy, Matthew North, Modern life, The Spectacles, The Ukeabillies and Mad Rush. This year will also feature a dedicated local history tent hosted by Old Plymouth society. This will be focused on events linked to Freedom Fields Park and the siege of Plymouth during the English Civil War. Plus all the other usual family friendly attractions, craft stalls, catering, inflatables and community information stalls. For details call 07722308462.

Flavour Fest

May 31 to Jun 2

The south west’s largest food and drink festival returns to Plymouth city centre for its 20th anniversary. This year’s event will be even bigger and better, featuring an exciting new entertainment zone where visitors can kick back and relax, soak up the atmosphere of live music and enjoy amazing food. Over 80 stalls of fantastic local produce, tasting sessions and, new for this year, bookable masterclasses, workshops, themed demonstrations and children’s activities, to mark the anniversary. Details at www.flavourfestsw.co.uk/

Charity Murder Mystery Evening

May 31

Candlelight Murder Mystery present the event in aid of the Samaritans Plymouth at Plympton Conservative Club at 7pm. Tickets £35 including a two course meal. Call Vanessa or Suzanne on 07942 740759 or email shooper2021@gmail.com for details and tickets.

Open Day

June 12

At the Royal British Legion Plympton & District Club from 12 noon. Usual stalls, attractions, entertainment, grand draw and barbecue. Free entry all welcome.

Plymouth Model and Railway Show

Jun 30

The show will be held at the John Kitto YMCA Centre from 10am to 4pm. Features include a D-Day 80 display along with local and south west model clubs displaying a large range of static and radio controlled models. These are supported by model railways and traders selling models and accessories. The Centre is disabled friendly and also has a cafe onsite. Admission adults £5, concessions £3 and families £10. Further details from Ken Cork, 01752 258604 or email: ekcork@btinternet.com

Falklands Charity Ride

Aug 4

Raising funds for the SAMA82 charity. £5 per bike. Depart Westwood Inn, Lee Mill at 10am finishing with welcome party on Plymouth Hoe at 12 noon. There will be refreshments and charity stalls along with entertainment for children. To register or for further details contact 07714 561287.

Send details of your event to info@cornerstonevision. com and we will do our best to include them in Out and About. Unfortunately because of space limitations we are unable to publish details of regular meetings of groups and societies or similar organisations.

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Plymstock church to spend £20,000 on energy saving improvements

A Plymstock church is one 16 churches in Devon raising funds to make net zero improvements to their buildings.

The Give 2 Go Green pilot scheme organised nationally by the Church of England has raised £85,000 in Devon towards the £97,000 goal in just four weeks.

Give 2 Go Green is a match-funding project to help parishes raise money to make net zero improvements to their buildings.

The Revd Jennie Appleby, Vicar of St Mary and All Saints Church, in Plymstock, said: “Last year we had an energy audit and it suggested we change our lightbulbs for LED ones but also that we future-proof our heating.

“We’re looking at the possibility of under-pew heaters. We’ve already got a couple installed at the back of the church and we’re getting people to try them out.”

Kerry Gilbert, who is the churchwarden at Plymstock, said: “We wanted to raise £10,000 which will then be match-funded by the Church nationally to give us £20,000 and we have managed to raise the full amount.

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“It will be to get us some new lighting and enable us to look at our heating and to look at our Net Zero action plan more generally. Lots of people have committed to different things themselves like switching off technology for an hour a day and recycling.

“To raise money, people have been doing things like coffee mornings, one person has done a sponsored slim, another is working to improve fitness and wellbeing and mental health.”

Kerry is part of a small group that has started walking the parish boundary, which is over 10 miles, to raise money. One of the other walkers, Tony, told BBC Radio Devon: “I’ve turned 80 and Richard (another walker) is 81. We’re a bit stiff when we start walking and very stiff when we finish.”

Richard said: “Our walking project is called Curate, Codgers and Co! It’s fired the imagination. I’m not sure it’s raised a huge amount but it’s a nice thing to do.”

St Mary and All Saints reached its fundraising target before the deadline of March 16 and now has 12 months to carry out the improvements.

Former Plympton councillor’s death

Former Plympton Erle Councillor John Bird Richards has passed away aged 90. Mr Richards was elected to serve as a Plymouth City Councillor for the Erle ward in 1973 following the Local Government Reforms announced in 1972. He was re-elected in the ward at subsequent elections through until 1991 and stood down at the 1995 local elections.

In 1993/4 he served as the Lord Mayor of Plymouth. Mr Richards passed away peacefully at Derriford Hospital on February 25.

(Story courtesy of the Plympton Podcast)

Candidates announced for local elections

A total of 20 candidates have put themselves forward for the three local council vacancies in Plympton in the May 2 local elections.

Each of the Plympton seats throws up its own intriguing contest this year. As well as the Conservatives and Labour, the Greens, Lib Dems and TUSC are all fielding candidates in each ward and Independents are also standing in Erle and St. Mary.

A wild card this year is the decision by Reform UK to field candidates in all three wards for the first time.

Among six candidates in Chaddlewood, Lauren McLay defends the seat for the Green Party and is challenged again by Ashley Ward of the Conservatives who came second in last year’s by-election in the ward.

Labour have opted to field veteran former Moor View councillor Chris Mavin who was Plymouth’s Lord Mayor during the height of the COVID pandemic. He’ll be hoping to improve on his party’s fourth place in last year’s by-election.

The Greens seem to maintain their popularity in the ward, but Reform UK might gain some comfort from knowing that UKIP came within a whisker of victory in the ward in 2014, just 58 votes short of winning.

In Plympton Erle it will be interesting to see if Andrea Loveridge will be able to maintain her support after leaving the Conservative Party to stand as an Independent.

She is strongly supported by Terri Beer who won last year to become the first female Independent councillor elected at the ballot box in Plymouth.

The Lib Dems are however targeting the ward in the form of South Hams Councillor Chris Oram and Labour have chosen a new candidate to fight the ward this time.

Across the Valley in St Mary, Natalie Harrison, who lives in the ward and is very active within the area, hopes to keep her seat and buck the trend of last year’s Conservative losses in Plympton.

She faces an interesting challenge however from Independent candidate Sally Nicholson, wife of long-serving ward councillor Patrick Nicholson who was resoundingly returned as an Independent in last year’s local elections. Labour are fielding a political heavyweight, namely former deputy council leader Pete Smith.

A full list of candidates standing in all wards across Plymouth can be seen at www.plymouth.gov.uk/local-electioninformation

(Election preview provided by the Plympton Podcast)

Kind volunteers prevent rescued kittens going blind

Two tiny underweight kittens have been saved from potential blindness and probable death thanks to a group of catloving volunteers in Plymouth.

Grey-and-white Hope and her brother blackand-white Chance were taken in by volunteers from Cats Protection Plymouth & Rame Branch when their owner realised they needed specialist care.

The seven-week-olds weighed just 295grams and 165grams respectively, whereas healthy kittens their age should weigh around 750g. Severe cat flu caused painful eye ulcers which were preventing them from opening their eyes.

The kittens arrived with their mum, Callie, but she was barely more than a kitten herself at no more than a year old and was unable to care for them both.

As Hope was in a worse condition than Chance, she was moved to a specialist volunteer fosterer to give both kittens and Callie the best opportunity to thrive.

Although Chance was still with Callie, mum was not producing enough good quality milk to help him thrive and both kittens therefore needed round-the-clock care, medication and regular feeds from the branch’s fosterers.

Sarah Medlin, welfare cat team leader for the branch, said: “Hope and Chance were really struggling with low weight and their terrible cat flu symptoms when they arrived. Even their little mouths were ulcerated making it difficult for them to eat – the brilliant team at Woodlands Veterinary Centre in Ivybridge got them started on antibiotics and eye ointment right way and really went above and beyond for the kittens.

“Our initial priority was increasing their weight to give them the best chance of survival and

starting the medication to fight their infections. However, neither of them were out of the woods as one of Hope’s eyes was very swollen and painful and had to be removed as soon as she was big enough to withstand the operation. Chance looks like he may have entropion, a painful condition where the eyelashes irritate the surface of the eyeball, so he may need an operation too. There’s still a long road to recovery for the little pair but they are so determined.”

Emily Wilks, head vet at Woodlands Veterinary Centre, added: “Hope’s painful eye was successfully removed under general anaesthetic.

“As she weighed only 470grams, she required very close monitoring throughout the procedure and was then hospitalised post-operatively for intensive care from our nursing team.

“She is making good progress following the surgery and is steadily gaining weight. These kittens have really captured the hearts of the staff at the practice and we wish them a speedy recovery!”

The costs of the kittens’ veterinary care, medication, surgery, follow-up appointments and after-care are likely to reach over £2500 and the volunteer-run branch has therefore set up a JustGiving appeal for anyone who would like to help cover the cost: www.justgiving.com/page/ plymouth-cp-chanceofhope

To find out more about the newly expanded Plymouth & Rame Branch of Cats Protection which covers postcodes PL1 to 11, PL13 and PL19 to PL21 visit  www.cats.org.uk/plymouth or call 0345 371 2753.

Road closures in Plympton for gas upgrade work

Wales & West Utilities is starting work to upgrade gas pipes in the Mudge Way area of Plympton.

The work, which is due to begins on April 15, involves upgrading over 1,000 metres of gas pipes. Barring any engineering difficulties it will finish during June.

Wales & West Utilities has liaised with Plymouth City Council, and it has been agreed that traffic management will be in place throughout. This currently includes:

• A road closure on Saltram Terrace from April 15 to May 3.

• A rolling closure on Dark Street Lane, between the junctions of Redvers Grove and Ridgeway from May 13 to June 3.

• Two-way traffic lights will be in place on Mudge Way between June 3 and June 14.

• A one-way restriction on Dark Street Lane, from the junction of Mudge Way and Ridgeway between June 3 and June 14.

Wales & West Utilities David Murdoch is managing this gas pipe upgrade work and said:

“While most of the gas network is underground and out of sight, it plays a central role in the daily lives of people across Plymouth. Whether it‚Äôs heating your home, making the family dinner or having a hot bath, we understand how important it is for your gas supply to be safe and reliable and there when you need it.

“We know that working in areas like this is not ideal, but it really is essential to make sure we

keep the gas flowing to homes and businesses in the area, and to make sure the gas network is fit for the future.

“We’ll have a team of gas engineers on site throughout the project to make sure our work is completed as safely and as quickly as possible while keeping disruption to a minimum.

“This work is essential to keep the gas flowing to local homes and businesses today, and to make sure the gas network is ready to transport hydrogen and biomethane, so we can all play our part in a green future.”

Wales & West Utilities Customer Service Team can take calls from residents who have any questions about the work. They can be contacted on freephone 0800 912 2999.

Patrick and Sally Nicholson

New electric cars on route to Plymouth

A new car club to make it easier for people to become less reliant on private cars has just arrived in Plymouth.

Co Wheels have been awarded the contract to run electric cars for hire for the city,  as part of Connect Plymouth, a sustainable transport scheme run by the Council and funded by the Department of Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund (TCF)

Connect Plymouth aims to provide more, affordable and greener travel options for our city and there are currently 510 e-bikes across 104 locations in Plymouth and 32 EV charging bays across 10 locations as part of this initiative.

Co Wheels provides an environmentally friendly, community-based alternative to car ownership, and are one the UK’s largest community interest car club operators. They operate pay-as-you go car clubs, pool car fleet management and franchise operations in over 60 towns and cities across the UK with a 24/7 call centre.

Councillor Tom Briars-Delve, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change said: “We are delighted to welcome Co Wheels to Plymouth. Alongside active travel, electric cars have an important role to play in reducing the city’s emissions and our impact on the environment. Not only are their cars a greener option but driving them occasionally could be cheaper than purchasing and maintaining another combustion powered vehicle.”

With the average car only being used four per cent of the time, a car club for occasional use could be just the job for a business or leisure trip or even the weekly shop.

The new vehicles will be available to hire from the Exchange Street car park on the Barbican by The Stable restaurant, and North Hill car park. The vehicles can be parked in any residential permit zone for free during their hire.

Councillor Mark Coker, Cabinet Member for Transport, added: “The council is making strides in introducing ways for people to get out and about in a more sustainable way that is convenient for them. Co Wheels offers just that for our residents.”

Richard Falconer, head of Locations and Business Development at Co Wheels said, “We are delighted to be working closely with Plymouth City Council to bring car-sharing to the city. Car share clubs such as Co Wheels, reduce the number of vehicles on the road, contribute to lower carbon emissions and greener, safer cities and we are proud to be meeting the needs of the community by offering a convenient and sustainable alternative to traditional car ownership.

“Starting with two electric MG4s, we are excited to see the scheme grow to up to 10 vehicles over the next few years.”

There is a new joiners offer for residents to get a free membership and £20 driving credit when you become a Co Wheels member. This is usually a £25 joining fee and £5 a month.

Driving credit expires three months from account verification. Find out more: Plymouth | Co Wheels (co-wheels.org.uk)

Leader calls for airport protection to be extended

Plymouth should extend the protection it gives to its airport site under the Joint Local Plan as ‘once gone, it would be gone forever’ – that’s the stark message being put to the city’s cabinet as well as key politicians from West Devon and South Hams District Councils.

Council Leader Tudor Evans said: “The simple fact of the matter is this site still needs to be protected as an airport. There are technological advances taking place all the time in this field, we cannot shut the door on Plymouth’s opportunity to become a part of this dynamic new world.”

Over the coming weeks, Plymouth’s Cabinet, West Devon’s Hub Committee and South Hams’ Executive will meet to consider whether the Joint Local Plan – adopted in 2019 – still provides an appropriate framework for development of the area.

This is through a five-year review which considers how the plan fares against its own performance targets, changes to national policy, guidance and legislation, and changed economic, social and environmental circumstances.

Two JLP policies specifically relate to the airport, policies SPT8 and PLY42. These safeguard the opportunity for the potential future use of the site as a general aviation airport until the five-year review of the plan and protect airport infrastructure.

The report states: “It must be emphasised that the mere fact of the plan reaching its five-year review point does not mean that these policies are no longer part of the development plan. They will be so until such time as they are replaced or revoked.”

In arguing to extend the safeguarding period, the report argues that Plymouth airport continues to be one of the city’s most strategic assets, highlighting its importance to the city’s connectivity, arguing that once gone it would be gone forever. It further argues that ‘safeguarding land at Plymouth airport for general aviation purposes is a clear plan objective and not time limited to the five-year review.’

With business and the general aviation sector continuing to recover from the pandemic, it is reasonable to assume the delivery of aviation uses at the former airport site will take longer to achieve than first anticipated, says the report.

National planning policy is also a consideration, with the Government recognising ‘the importance of maintaining a national network of general aviation airfields, and their need to adapt and change over time – taking into account their economic value in serving business, leisure, training and emergency service needs, and the Government’s General Aviation Strategy’.

The Government’s strategy identifies the difficulty in finding suitable sites as one of the main reasons for the lack of new general aviation accessible airfields nationally – not an issue for Plymouth given that the site has been safeguarded for this purpose.

The report highlights that there had been private sector interest in a general aviation airport at the site and some business planning work had taken place.

The council has engaged with airport and investor groups and committed to more action to help overcome land ownership constraints for future aviation use of the site. It is continuing to negotiate with the leaseholder about buying the lease back and is exploring all options to regain control of the site.

Green light for over 220 new homes at Saltram Meadow

Planning permission has been granted for the next two stages of the Saltram Meadow development with construction set to start soon on over 220 new high-quality homes.

Plymouth City Council gave approval to Persimmon Homes Cornwall & West Devon for phases seven and eight of the development, which lies on the edge of the National Trust’s nearby Saltram Estate and will comprise of up to 1,684 homes once completed.

All of the properties will be equipped with air-source heat pumps and all those with parking will have electric vehicle charging points, while they will have storage for over 300 bikes between them, which can be used on the on-site segregated cycling lanes.

The phases – and future ones – will be accessible via the new junction created off Encombe Street and include 39 homes to be transferred to a local housing association partner. There is also a provision for public art.

The vision is accompanied by the creation of a strong new green infrastructure framework, creating new public open spaces in addition to well-connected movement routes, including a pedestrian connection between the northern and southern areas of open space.

Commenting on the approval, Persimmon Homes Cornwall & West Devon managing director Andy Hill, said: “We are really pleased with the progress we have made at Saltram Meadow so far and are delighted to have secured approval for the next stage of our plans.

“Persimmon is delivering hundreds of new homes for local people in Plymouth, helping to meet housing need in the area, while also putting

in community assets such as the Main Square which will tie the up the development nicely, creating a real sense of place.

“This approval is a mark of confidence in our business and the scheme as we have built it so far – we look forward to delivering this sustainable community and leaving a positive and lasting legacy in Plymstock.”

The phases will be the first built to the east of the already-constructed on-site primary school and the soon-to-be-delivered Main Square, which is currently going through the planning process and planned to unfold in three distinct phases.

In the initial phase, the focus will be on constructing the parking facilities designated

for commercial and residential units. Following this, the second phase will centre around the arrangement of the open space and play elements.

Subsequently, the third phase will involve the construction of the Main Square building components, encompassing health facilities, retail spaces, and the associated parking infrastructure.

Within the heart of the open space, a significant grassy area is proposed to cater to recreational activities. This space will feature a 1000 square metre play area and a specially designed pavilion positioned to face the main lawn and amphitheatre. This pavilion is envisioned as a versatile venue for community events and a gathering space.

courtesy of

Architect’s impression of the layout of the two new phases at Saltram Meadow

Stannator Andy Cooper (seated) pictured with Oliver Chard and the Lord Mayor in the Council Chamber

Stannator Andy Cooper congratulates his successor Dave Partridge

We understand that there are many options available to you or a family member who is star ting to experience some mobility issues or no longer feel safe getting in and out of your current bath or shower Ever yone’s needs are

Chaddlewood to get five new benches after funding boost

A project aimed at getting five new benches installed around Chaddlewood has taken a step closer after funding was secured from a local accountancy business, Green Party councillors, donations from members of the public and a £3,100 grant from Plymouth City Council’s City Change Fund.

At the end of 2022 a number of like minded people, all with an interest or involvement  with the Chaddlewood area, began meeting to talk about the formulation of a community group and to have ideas about what the purpose and aims of the group should be.

In April 2023 Chaddlewood Friends and Neighbours Society (FANS) was formed, a committee voted in and the group’s constitution agreed. Their next aim was to increase membership and also to find out what projects people would like to see taking place in the Chaddlewood community.

The inspiration for the five new benches came after the group held four consultations and community mapping sessions, designed to ensure the community had the opportunity to air their views and make suggestions about improvements to the area.

Many asked for benches as, other than in parks, there are presently only two over Chaddlewood’s hilly terrain and spread out area. The locations for the new benches were suggested by those who gave input to the FANS consultation and the sites have now been agreed by the council.

Chaddlewood Field, Steer Park Road and land by the Totnes Close play area will be getting eco rest benches, Redwood Heights Park will be getting a Stanford bench and a simple eco rest bench (with no back or arms) will be installed in the green area in front of Bee subway.

Funding for the benches was kick started by a donation from Chaddlewood-based Marslands Accountants, run by Michele Marsland who has lived in Chaddlewood for over 30 years.

Michele said: “It’s good to give back to my local community which I have always been very involved in. I’m glad Chaddlewood FANS are addressing this issue for future residents.”

Green Party Councillors Ian Poyser and Lauren McLay also pledged some of their community funds towards the project.

A Crowdfunder was also launched to try and bring the project to fruition and after local people got behind it the crowdfunder achieved its target last month.

£3,100 of match funding also came from Plymouth City Council once the number of public donors reached 25 and donations reached a quarter of the overall cost.

FANS also have other projects in the pipeline, details of which will be announced in due course.

(Story

Council gives massive boost to skills and training in the city

Three city organisations have been awarded funding for projects designed to help people get the right training and skills to get work.

City College Plymouth, Plymouth City Council in Partnership with the YMCA Plymouth and Real Ideas Organisation have this week learnt they have been successful in the UK Shared Prosperity Fund bids.

Between them they have been awarded almost £900,000 of funding following an open call organised by the council looking for organisations that could deliver skills support, retraining and a focussing on increasing skills and awareness on sustainable and net zero skills/education.

Council Leader Tudor Evans said: “When it comes to encouraging people to get skilled up, we mean business. We have just announced incredibly exciting plans for a skills campus in the Civic Centre.

“We have set out our intention to supercharge the skill sets of our residents –whatever their age or their situation – to help them gain confidence and skills so that they can make the most of the thousands of job opportunities that are on the horizon.

“This is another example of practising what

we preach to make sure our residents can play a part in Plymouth’s economic success story and help their families thrive and prosper.”

The organisations are:

• Plymouth Skills Builder by City College Plymouth

Working with partners including Plymouth Argyle Community Trust, Plymouth Active Leisure and Livewell Southwest, this project helps address confidence and resilience, essential digital skills and offers clear routes from training into employment in key sectors. The programme also offers rehabilitative health programmes to support continued employment.

•  Skilling Up Plymouth by Plymouth City Council in partnership with YMCA Plymouth

This will give people the confidence and skills to access the city’s growing employment opportunities. It will work with socially excluded and those looking for new careers and it will link people with employers and education/training providers to improve employability and progress into employment in our key sectors. It will help reduce the city’s skills shortages and critical job vacancies.

At the heart of this project is a new team

of three skills and workforce coordinators employed by the council working with a mentoring programme coordinator employed by YMCA Plymouth.

•  Devonport Futures by Real Ideas Organisation CIC

A tailored made skills programme linked to the 200th anniversary of the founding of Devonport. By linking the key strands of Devonport 200 – a programme of community activities commemorating the histories, achievements, communities, opportunities and challenges that shape Devonport –participants will be inspired and enabled to develop new skills, work experience, volunteering and connections to employers. It will focus on two areas – immersive/ technical and blue/green (marine and environmental) – and support people who are economically inactive, unemployed or employed, looking to retrain and develop skills. Partners include Plymouth Community Homes, Devon and Plymouth Chamber of Commerce and The National Trust.

Under the conditions of the funding, all activity has to be delivered in the next financial year 2024/25, which starts next month.

Arts University Plymouth shortlisted for top award

Arts University Plymouth has been shortlisted for University of the Year and in three other categories of the Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCAs) 2024.

The nominees and winners of these unique awards are based on reviews submitted by students from across the UK, and winners are judged by a panel made up of prospective and current university students.

In 2022 Arts University Plymouth won Best Small or Specialist Institution of the Year in the WUSCAs and in 2023 the leading arts university won second place in the same category. In 2024 Arts University Plymouth is the UK’s only specialist arts university to make the shortlist for any of the main categories of the WUSCAs.

Arts University Plymouth has also been shortlisted in the categories of best Lecturers & Teaching Quality, Best Student Support, and Best Facilities. Arts University Plymouth has won a place on more shortlists in the WUSCAs this year than

any other university in Devon and Cornwall.

The Whatuni Student Choice Awards are the only annual awards for UK universities based entirely on student opinion, with over 35,000 reviews submitted by students each year.

Professor Paul Fieldsend-Danks, vice-chancellor and chief executive of Arts University Plymouth, said: “To be shortlisted for University of the Year based on students’ reviews, less than two years

since Arts University Plymouth was first awarded university status, is a very special moment for our whole community.

“Students are at the heart of every decision we make and I know that my talented colleagues from across Arts University Plymouth join me in thanking every student who used Whatuni to recognise the high quality of our creative arts provision and the work that we do to prioritise student experience and success.”

The shortlisting for University of the Year 2024 follows other recent successes, with students voting Arts University Plymouth the top UK arts university for overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey (NSS) 2022, and rating the university above the national benchmark in all categories and the highest scoring arts university in the UK in five of the seven categories of the NSS 2023.

The winners of the Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2024 will be announced on April 24.

courtesy of the Plympton Podcast)

Green light for new community diagnostic centre in West End

Planning permission has been granted for the new Plymouth Community Diagnostic Centre (PCDC) to be built in the city’s West End.

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP) submitted plans last year following a public consultation in November. It is hoped the new facility will reduce health inequities for those living in areas of greater deprivation in Plymouth and improve overall health outcomes.

Plymouth City Council has now approved the plans for the new centre which will offer over 91,600 imaging tests in its location at Colin Campbell Court.

Stuart Windsor, Future Hospitals director at University Hospitals Plymouth said: “We are pleased to have received planning permission for the new diagnostic centre. Groundworks are due to commence in April and we are working on the detailed designs to bring a full suite of diagnostic testing to the West End of the city. This will give people living in or near the city centre access to these tests closer to their homes”.

Patients will be able to visit the PCDC for tests such as MRI, CT, X-ray, lung cancer screening, ultrasound, audiology, ECG, point of care testing, and blood tests.  It will also offer physiological measurement testing such as echocardiograms, ECG and ambulatory monitoring, pacemaker checks, a full array of lung function tests, sleep studies, EEG and vascular ultrasound. More services could be added to this list in the future. Whilst building works take place, there will continue

to be a mobile scanning unit on the Colin Campbell site to enable people access these tests.

Councillor Mark Lowry, Cabinet Member for Finance said: “This is brilliant news and it’s a moment to reflect on how far we have come and what’s had to happen to get here. We acquired properties around Colin Campbell Court as part of our long term regeneration plans and have been working hard with colleagues in the NHS to bring a health facility to a city centre location, particularly for our residents who need more support with their health and wellbeing.

“We’ve demolished buildings, prepped

the land and only recently completed the work required to transfer the land. Our legal, property and planning teams have all helped make this happen. Today is a good day at the office!”

City Centre manager Steve Hughes added: “Great news for the hospital, great news for residents and great news for the city centre. We are all too aware that regeneration takes time but this is a major moment for the West End and I look forward to seeing work start.”

A construction partner will be appointed shortly and it is hoped that works will commence in 2024 and patients will benefit from this new facility in 2025.

LAND DEAL PAVED WAY FOR NEW CENTRE

Council-owned land at Colin Campbell Court will be sold for a nominal sum to the University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust to enable a new diagnostic centre to be built in the city centre.

Cabinet Member for Finance Councillor Mark Lowry said: “We could have sold the site at market value – that would always help our finances – but we want this project to go ahead and at pace.

“Selling the land to our partner for a nominal sum shows the level of commitment we have for this project. A key priority of

our Corporate Plan is to work with the NHS to provide better access to health, care and dentistry and this a shining example of that ambition. This project is also an important first step in the long-awaited regeneration of Colin Campbell Court.”

A decision has been signed authorising the sale of the land, valued at £270,000, to the trust to enable the Community Diagnostic Centre to be built – subject to planning permission which has now been granted. It also gives the green light to the business case to carry out to enabling works, including

relocating a sewer, to support the project.

The hospital trust with council support, submitted a bid to the government for funding for a new centre to help people to get tested through CT scans and x-rays to help detect disease or injury earlier or quicker, improving the health of Plymouth’s residents.

In June 2023 the Government confirmed funding would be available for the scheme and last October, a temporary scanning facility was opened on Colin Campbell Court to provide these important services in the area as an interim solution.

Artist’s impression of the new community diagnostic centre viewed from Western Approach

Soroptimists cook up great gifts!

Plymouth Soroptimists have donated a big batch of slow cookers to the Sunflower Women’s Centre in Plymouth.

Twenty women who access the Sunflower services will have a slow cooker demonstration, after which they will each be given a slow cooker to take away, together with a slow cooker recipe book.  Another cooker and recipe books will be for the demonstrator to use.

Soroptimist Terry West put the proposal to club members who readily agreed to fund this out of a legacy from two much missed members.

Terry said: “The aim is to encourage women to cook nutritious and inexpensive meals for their families. We hope having a demonstration in a setting they are familiar with will boost their confidence to cook healthy meals from scratch and may even will encourage the next generation to enjoy making homemade food.”

Sunflower Women’s Centre manager Paula Carnell said: “This is a wonderful opportunity and generous donation. To be able to run workshops to share with our women good healthy food options, cooked economically in the slow cookers which they will then be able to have and use for themselves and their families is truly amazing.

“The Soroptimists have always been very helpful and supported us to be able to give our women that use the centre opportunities to enrich their lives and empower them to feel confident to look after themselves and families.”

Free counselling sessions for veterans thanks to AgeUK

With the support of a grant from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, Age UK Plymouth have been able to deliver a series of one-to-one counselling sessions designed to support veterans who might be looking to build and maintain good mental health.

A flexible six to 10 week programme is available free of charge to veterans over 50 years or with disabilities and has been utilised by those living with a range of challenges to their mental wellbeing including PTSD, low level depression and social isolation.

The funding has seen a qualified, independent therapeutic counsellor appointed and the programme is going from strength to strength with the service now diversifying into group therapy sessions. With previous courses of group counselling sessions focusing on themes such as ‘Coping with Anxiety and Depression.’ these group sessions offer a space for clients to share with others who feel the same and can look to finding a way forward together.

Georgina Edwards of Counterpoint Therapy has been running both the individual and group sessions. She said: “All of our counselling opportunities start with a one-to-one consultation with myself, it’s important to establish if the counselling process is suitable for their needs and set their expectations so that they can get the greatest possible benefit from the service.

“It takes a lot of courage to recognised that you could benefit from additional support. By engaging with the service, I hope people will have the opportunity to explore what they bring in a held and supported environment, where they can find a new way of viewing and approaching their concerns, and a different way to relate to those around them.”

Sarah Allen, Age UK Plymouth’s head of Wellbeing, Information and Advice highlighted the importance of making the service easily available to the city’s veterans. She said: “Counselling can offer an important opportunity for anyone to improve their wellbeing. As a charity working with people over 50 we’re supporting a generation for whom mental health just wasn’t part of the conversation. In a time when accessing mental health support can be a lengthy and arduous process, it is of the upmost importance that we are able to bring an easily accessible service to our clients.”

Individual counselling sessions take place at Age UK Plymouth’s William and Patricia Venton Centre in Mount Gould with virtual, online sessions available by request. Group sessions take place at Four Greens Community Trust in Whitleigh. Each six week course is limited to eight participants with future subjects including ‘Reconnecting with Civilian Life after leaving the Forces,’ ‘Recognising the impact of PTSD on Everyday Life’ and ‘Ways of Reconnecting Positively with your Family, Friends and Community.’ For more information about taking part or referring someone into the Regi-Mental Wellbeing Service, please email Georgina.edwards@ ageukplymouth.org.uk or call 07300 334033.

Commissioner claims little support for front desk access at Police Station

Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez says she has not reopened the front desk of Plympton Police Station as there has been little support for such a move.

There are now three stations in Plymouth with public facing front desks, these being Charles Cross, Crownhill and the recently reopened desk at Devonport Police Station. Kingsbridge’s station’s front desk has also recently reopened.

However, in answer the a question from the Plympton Podcast as to why the front desk of the Plympton station has not re-opened, the Commissioner said: “Because I’ve done multiple surveys over the years and it’s never reached any level of public support and I’ve never been asked by anyone until recently.”

In subsequent discussion about the subject on social media a number of residents said they did not know about the surveys and have said they feel the front desk should re-open to the public.

One said: “I’ve never seen a survey about this. We should have the front desk in Plympton open. Half the time crime doesn’t get reported in Plympton because it takes too long on the phone to get through to speak to anyone. If it’s reported online you don’t get a response so yes we definitely need the front desk open.”

Another typical comment was: “Never seen a survey or been asked if I think it’s a good idea. We need it more now with the population expanding.”

One of Ms Hernandez’s surveys took place in November 2022. Two residents who did know about and took part in that survey said: “Plympton has expanded hugely in recent years and has a thriving local community. Plympton needs a Police station and another bank” and “should never have closed in the first place”.

When announcing her survey in 2022 Ms Hernandez said: “Early feedback from communities where police enquiry offices have reopened have been extremely positive. Crimes have been reported, a vulnerable missing person given shelter and assistance and crime prevention information handed out.”

(Story courtesy of the Plympton Podcast)

Civic Society’s Heritage Open Day

Harewood House will be the place to be on Saturday April 20 for those with a keen interest in Plympton’s history.

Plympton Civic Society is staging a Heritage Open Day in the main hall from 11am to 3pm where people can come along to meet friends old and new and take in some of Plympton’s amazing history at the same time. Organisers would also be interested to see any old artefacts, documents or photos visitors would like to bring along and talk about.

Refreshments will be available and entry to the event will be free.

(Story courtesy of the Plympton Podcast)

Councillor pledges:

‘I won’t let school toilet issue be swept under carpet’

A leading Plympton Councillor has called for school policies on toileting in Plymouth to be discussed in detail at a future meeting of the City Council’s Children’s Scrutiny Panel or Health and Wellbeing Panel.

Speaking at the recent meeting of the Education and Children’s Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Cllr Terri Beer (Ind, Erle) said children being prevented from answering the call of nature when it arises during lesson time is “having a knock on effect on young people’s mental health and it’s also a health issue.”

She added: “I’m not having this brushed under the carpet. Too many young people are being affected by not being able to toilet in school time and it’s causing a lot of issues. I could be very graphic about some of the examples I’ve been given and it would mortify you, so I’d like to see that on a work programme (for a future meeting).”

This type of issue was previously featured in the television programme Waterloo Road, a fictional drama set in a comprehensive school. In one episode a child with an undiagnosed urological medical problem wet himself in front of his peers after being refused a request to go to the toilet. This was later discovered to be an underlying reason for his persistent truancy from the school.

At the same meeting as Cllr Beer raised the issue about the experience of families in her ward, the committee was also looking at ways of improving school attendance records.

Cllr Beer’s raising of this issue has met with a chorus of support from local residents. One praising Cllr Beer’s stance said: “This has caused untold damage to my granddaughter. She has even been refused to go to the toilet even after being given a toilet pass. This has been a longtime problem for her and many of her female classmates.”

Another said: “About time someone did something to tackle this.” A further parent remarked: “Thank you for fighting this on behalf of our children. My youngest will soon be going to secondary. She’s a lovely girl (most of the time), with a great group of friends and thriving in primary. But I’ve seen so many like her broken by secondary in this current climate and I’m absolutely dreading it.”

Another parent added: “How schools feel they can take basic human rights away from kids is beyond me. This has been a problem for my kids in the past and I told them they would never ever have any kind of punishment from anyone if they needed to go to the toilet, as I would never accept it.”

Another resident commented: “Basic health and wellbeing requirements being undermined and poor management from the school if there are other issues the school are afraid of tackling.

“If the kids are smoking or vaping or bunking off, deal with that, not persecute the children who need a basic human function.”

(Story courtesy of the Plympton Podcast)

Soroptimists Terry West (left) and Sylvia Bedbrook (right) with the slow cookers

Armed Forces Day 2024 returns with a bang!

Plymouth’s spectacular Armed Forces Day returns to Plymouth Hoe this summer with an epic programme of displays, interaction demonstrations and entertainment.

The exciting line-up for the Day was revealed at a launch event marking 100 days until Armed Forces Day 2024 which will be celebrated on Saturday June 29.

The launch was hosted by the Royal Navy at HMS Drake. Captain David Preece Royal Navy, Deputy Naval Base Commander & Captain of the Base, presented the Lord Mayor of Plymouth, Councillor Mark Shayer, with the Armed Forces flag.

Members from Babcock, Plymouth City Council and representatives from each military service, veterans, cadets and Military

Kids Club also attended.

The launch event saw the firing of a gun round to mark the 100 days countdown to Armed Forces Day. Additional photos were taken at the waterside.

Plymouth Armed Forces Day is a celebration and a chance to show your support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces community. It is expected that over 45,000 people will flock to Plymouth Hoe, to enjoy the family-fun event.

This year’s line-up will see audiences wowed by the all-day arena and stage programme, interactive displays and challenges, military vehicles and equipment, thrilling demonstrations and parades.

“I’m delighted that we can launch this year’s Plymouth Armed Forces Day here at

“It is an important date in our calendar which allows people, communities, and organisations across the city to show their support for the many service people who live and work in Plymouth.”

Lord Mayor of Plymouth, Councillor Mark Shayer, said: “Plymouth’s Armed Forces Day is one of the biggest in the country – outside of the National event, and we are extremely proud to have this opportunity to show our support to the military, serving to reservists, veterans, cadets and their families, and to thank them for the great work they do.

ANDREW WARD is managing director and sales director of Ability Bathe, a family-run independent bathroom installation company which was founded by Andrew and his wife in 2012.

Andrew has owned and run a complete bathroom supply and installation company for 25 years, fitting all types of bathrooms and wet rooms in the North of England. Since expanding into the South West, Andrew – together with a small team of employees – has specialised in installing and fitting not just bathrooms, but also walk-in showers and wet rooms.

Let Ability Bathe make your life easier. It is small enough to be very personal and approachable, and large enough to have the experience to complete a wide range of bathroom installations quickly and successfully to a very high standard.

Andrew personally goes out to the initial consultation, paying great attention to detail and customer requirements. On commencement, he again attends and personally sets up the installation, running through all points raised with his employees, who will do the hands-on installation.

Then he spends the final finishing hours at the customer’s home to make sure the customer is happy with the installation quality and service. Ability Bathe’s motto is: “A bath to shower in 48 hours”

Andrew says: “We make the promise that we don’t come to you until our previous job is complete and we will not leave you until yours is complete”.

Ability Bathe offers home appointments up to 8pm; for a free, no-obligation quotation call 07711 184309.

“Following today’s launch event, I am really looking forward to this year’s Armed Forces Day, it’s looking to be a brilliant day with lots of activities to watch and take part in.”

“We have been proud sponsors of Plymouth Armed Forces Day for many years, and it is fantastic to support it once again in 2023,” said Dave Tytherleigh from Babcock’s Leadership Team at Devonport.

“This is one of the biggest events in the city’s calendar and provides an excellent opportunity for the community to thank our Armed Forces and recognise the critical role they play in keeping our country safe – something Babcock is hugely proud to support on a day-to-day basis.”

HMS Drake in HMNB Devonport,” said HMNB Devonport’s Captain of the Base, Captain David Preece.

Lord Mayor of Plymouth Councillor Mark Shayer and Captain David Preece at the Armed Forces Day launch event

Firing the gun at HMS Drake to mark launch of Armed Forces Day 2024

Award winners at the Celebrating Excellence in Care event

Photo: UpArt Photography

Best care workers celebrated at awards

More than 40 of Plymouth’s most dedicated and enthusiastic adult social care workers and teams were celebrated at a recent awards ceremony.

The Celebrating Excellence in Care Awards, organised by Plymouth City Council, were held for the first time since 2019. The event aims to honour and recognise brilliant care workers including those working in care homes, supported living provision, day centres and domiciliary care (supporting people to remain living in their own homes).

People across Plymouth were invited to nominate a member or staff or team in categories such as Care Worker of the Year, Excellence in Dementia Care and Care Home Activity Coordinator of the Year. More than 300 nominations were received and reviewed by an independent panel of judges who chose the winners.

Gary Walbridge, Interim Strategic Director for People, said: “Care matters - our adult social care workers are invaluable, supporting

people to live independently for as long as possible and caring for adults who need extra support with dignity and respect.

“The Awards are a brilliant opportunity for the whole city to thank these amazing staff. Huge congratulations to our highly deserving winners and well done to everyone who was nominated. We were blown away by the sheer volume of nominations which just goes to show how much brilliant work is going on every single day across Plymouth.”

The awards support the work of Caring Plymouth, a new city-wide health and social care partnership, which is working to tackle staff recruitment and retention in adult social care. The partnership not only wants to encourage more people to work in the sector, but support and celebrate those already doing so.

Anyone interested in working in adult social care, can find out more at www.plymouth.gov.uk/workincare.

Plymouth Jazz Club’s 40 year milestone

Plymouth Jazz Club is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024 and continues to attract a vibrant following thanks to the many people who have given their time and effort over the last four decades.

Special events will take place during the year to mark the impressive milestone the club has reached.

The club was founded by Tony Harris and the success that followed was due to the efforts of Tony, his colleagues and his sons Dennis and Paul.

The very first gig was held on April 29 1984 at the Pacers Club on Union Street and the band playing that night was Don Rendall with the Tony Harris Quartet.

The club has enjoyed other notable venues across the city such as the Quay Club, Mayflower Sailing Club, Oscars, Astor Hotel, the Saltram Club and the Mermaid, Eggbuckland plus 20 other venues.

The club now has its regular gigs at the Royal British Legion in Crownhill and there will also be a number of special events take place at other locations and occasionally jazz boat trips from the Barbican.

Plymouth Jazz Club features many different genres and attracts a dedicated following.

After the Covid weary years the club has managed to re-establish its close relationship with Tavistock Town Hall and they will be holding an event there on Friday June 7 featuring Pete Allen’s Jazz Band and on Friday September 6 the Dart Valley Stompers will perform at the Boringdon Park Golf Club.

Plymouth Jazz Club holds its gigs at The Royal British Legion in Crownhill

The Christmas Party gig will feature an all female band called Hotsy Totsy who will also be performing on June 21 at the Royal British Legion in Crownhill.

The club looks forward to meeting and welcoming new guests and new members

BUMPER BOOST TO TACKLE PLYMOUTH’S POTHOLES

Work to repair potholes, replace broken street lights and fix out-of-order traffic lights has been given a major financial boost after Council Leader Tudor Evans released over £8m to the highways capital budget.

The administration committed to investing in repairing more of the city’s roads quickly and the £8.2m funding allocation means that more money is being released over the next year to tackle potholes using innovative and costeffective techniques. It will also be used to replace or repair broken street lights and traffic lights.

Funding also includes £372,000 to reinforce the Laira Rail Bridge walking and cycling link, which has been out of action the past few weeks. Repairs include new decking and installation of lighting across the whole bridge.

Council Leader Tudor Evans said: “I know that the state of our roads and pavements is a huge concern for people in Plymouth. We have promised to do all we can to carry out repairs and keep our city moving and this budget supports our commitment.

“Despite our significant financial challenges, including huge increases in the cost of delivering road repairs, we have fixed more potholes than ever. We are being smart about how we spend our money, making sure we focus on those areas that are in the most need of repair, whilst using innovative tools to carry out the work.

“We are committed to doing all we can to improve our roads. We know there are problems and we will do all we can to fix them.”

The council has been trialling the ‘Velocity’ machine, which can carry out permanent, durable repairs at a fraction of the cost and, because there’s no excavation, no waste and no heat involved, it creates a significantly lower carbon footprint.

The two machines in the trial have achieved over 8,000 repairs at the same cost as using 1,200 traditional repair techniques.

and helping preserve live music in the city.

Near neighbours Kingsbridge Jazz Club will be celebrating their 30 years in 2025.

To keep up to date with their regular club gigs and special events visit www.plymouthjazz-club.org.uk

Councillor Rebecca Smith’s editorial column and the Dunstone Diary with Councillor John Stephens and Councillor Stefan Krizanac will resume as normal next month after the May local elections.

Councillor Mark Coker, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, said: “These machines have revolutionised how we fix our roads. There’s no excavation, no waste, often no need for road closures and repairs are ready to drive on in minutes. The repairs cost a third of the price of traditional techniques, and because there’s no heat involved, it’s also exceptionally low on carbon emissions.

“Our use of this technology has attracted attention from other highway authorities across the country, who are keen to learn from our approach. Over the next year I will continue to look at what further innovation can be identified in the fight against potholes.”

WHAT WAS I MADE FOR?

Experience

In the last edition of the Plymouth Chronicle you will have read Chris Cole’s article about some significant recent health challenges he has been going through.

If you would like to listen or watch a more in-depth interview Chris recorded about this you can listen to it on the Cross Rhythms Plymouth website at www.crplymouth.co.uk/ podcast/chris-cole-art-of-living/ or watch it on the Cross Rhythms Plymouth YouTube channel.

Simply visit www.youtube.com/@ CRPlymouth or search for Cross Rhythms Plymouth on YouTube and you’ll find the video there called “Hope in a health crisis. Chris Cole Art of Living FULL interview”. The content of that article will have been very close to home for many of you. At one time or another we all face periods of ill health with varying degrees of severity. Those times always come unannounced and unplanned. When you’re in the middle of it you realise just how valuable your health and life really is. Also quite how fragile and vulnerable we are. Not something we like to dwell on.

Times of challenge and suffering can also leave us wondering what is life really all about?

I recently watched the film Barbie and in it there is a song by Billie Eilish entitled ‘What Was I made for?’ It won best original song at the 2024 Oscars and it is remarkably moving.

Whatever you think about the film itself, this song stands out as giving a voice to a question that is universally relevant. It has the following lyrics: “I used to float, now I just fall down I used to know but I’m not sure now

What I was made for What was I made for?”

By Dave Simpson, Station Manager Cross Rhythms Plymouth

It is a question that philosophers, academics and the average person on the street have been considering throughout

human history. Let’s be honest it is one we often ignore or push to the back of our minds for most of our lives.

But is there an answer? Were we made for something?

Without revisiting last month’s article, it is certainly Chris’ lived experience that there is an answer.

Not only Chris but millions of people around the world.

Closer to home, the guests I’ve interviewed on the radio programme

Life Stories on Cross Rhythms Plymouth all share their perspectives on finding meaning in life and an answer to this most profound question.

It is in the person of Jesus that this question has found its answer for all these

people. We were made to be known and loved by the one who made us. To have a relationship with our creator.

There is much more depth to that statement than can possibly be fully expanded on in this short article. The search for meaning in our lives is one we have to take ourselves.

I, like Chris, believe there are answers to be found to life’s big questions.

If you are in the stage of wanting to explore this all further then you can watch any of our recent Life Stories interviews with a variety of guests from all walks of life at the Cross Rhythms Plymouth YouTube channel.

Visit www.youtube.com/@CRPlymouth and click on the Life Stories section. Individuals sharing the answers and hope that they have found to perhaps help you on your own life journey.

Listen to Cross Rhythms Plymouth on 96.3FM or online at the new Cross Rhythms Plymouth website at www. crossrhythms.co.uk/plymouth

Wheelchair rugby club ‘rolling again’ thanks to Morrisons

Team Endeavour Wheelchair Rugby Club in Plymouth has received a donation of £5,700 from the Morrisons Foundation. The funding from the charitable arm of the supermarket group has enabled the club to buy specialist equipment for their players’ wheelchairs, ensuring they can continue to offer training and match opportunities for veterans and people with disabilities many years to come.

Richard Rochester of Team Endeavour said: “As the new chairman of the club we were fearful that the team would grind to a halt due to not being able to afford replacement wheels. Morrison Foundation has helped us to purchase ten new wheels in our rolling thunder project. Ten wheels might not seem a lot but to have five wheelchairs rolling again so our local ability impaired players can keep rolling is priceless thanks to the Morrisons Foundation.”

David Scott, Morrisons Foundation trustee said: ”It’s great to see that Endeavour Wheelchair Rugby Club can continue to provide rugby activities to local veterans and people with mobility impairment from across our region following the support from the Morrisons Foundation, I’m very proud that we’ve been able to help such a worthy cause.”

The Morrisons Foundation was set up by Morrisons supermarket in 2015 and awards grants for charity projects which help improve people’s lives.  Since launching, over £40 million has been donated to hundreds of charities across England, Scotland and Wales.

Members of the Team Endeavour Wheelchair Rugby Club celebrating the Morrisons donation

Dave Simpson

MIKE QUICK BUILDING

GOOD SHOW FROM PLYMPTON GARDENERS

Gardeners in Plympton defied the adverse weather to pull off benches full of floral and vegetable exhibits at the Plympton Gardeners Association Spring Show in Harewood House in March.

Show secretary Paul Hutchings said the show had gone ‘surprisingly very well’ given the adverse weather conditions in the weeks leading up to it. He added:  “I didn’t think we’d be having a show because of the weather but I was pleasantly surprised.”

He described how some exhibitors had brought their flowers indoors or into greenhouses to save them from the worst of the weather which included heavy rain and hail. Incredibly, three exhibitors between them managed to put in 127 entries into the show, mostly of daffodils and other flowers, with many others putting in smaller numbers of entries.

In the vegetable classes one entry caused a lot of discussion as even experienced gardeners pondered over exactly what it was. The item which was the size of a small football and looked like a cross between a turnip and a beetroot was later identified by its exhibitor as a black radish.

Domestic science entries were down in number,

which again Paul attributed to the weather, explaining it’s not been the weather for making sponges, but rather stews and dumplings and warm comfort foods. To illustrate the point he said there were 16 sponges entered in last year’s summer show but only four in this year’s spring show.

One class which has been growing year on year is in the photography section. This has gone from four or five entries when it was first introduced to

over 40 this year.

In the children’s classes, two youngsters in particular stood out. Noah swept the board in a number of classes, including with an impressive decorated hard boiled egg while four year old Summer gained praise for her winning painting of a vase of flowers.

To encourage more children to take part the PGA plan to put together a simple junior schedule for next year’s spring show and seek at least one local

junior school to encourage its pupils to take part. There will also be a class for ‘something I made this year at school’ which it is hoped will also attract a number of entries.

Class winners in this year’s show were presented with certificates rather than cups as in recent years many people have not taken the cups as they have nowhere to display them – the certificates have the added advantage that they can be kept as a permanent record of achievement, whereas the cups had to be returned in time for the following year’s show.

This year’s certificates were presented by Cllr Terri Beer who has recently become the PGA’s President.

The PGA meets on the first Thursday of each month at 7.30pm at Harewood House where there is usually a talk as part of the meeting.

Anyone interested in joining can just turn up. The next meeting is on 2 May when Brian Carlson will be giving a talk called ‘All About Hanging Baskets.’

There is an audio interview with Paul Hutchings available at www.facebook.com/PlymptonPodcast/ videos

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LOCAL CHARITIES RECEIVE DONATIONS FROM INNER WHEEL CLUB OF ROBOROUGH

Four local charities have received a cash boost - thanks to the Inner Wheel Club of Roborough.

Members of the club joined forces with Plymouth Roborough Rotary Club at Christmas to for charity at local supermarkets Tesco Roborough, Asda and Morrisons Outland Road and raised £1200 for Inner Wheel charities.

At a recent monthly club meeting at Woolwell cheques for £300 were presented to four local charities. Two representatives from each charity gave a brief talk with a fascinating insight into the work they do.

President Bridget Hayman presented each of the chequesto

Plymouth MAC (Musical Activities Club), Hearts Together, 59 Seaton Scout Group and Plymouth Foodbank.

Inner Wheel is an International women’s organisation celebrating its 100th birthday this year. It was founded in 1924 in Manchester, where this year’s International Convention will be held in May. The objects of Inner Wheel are to promote true friendship, encourage the ideals of personal service and to foster International understanding.

To find out more about the group please email IWRoborough@gmail. com or visit Inner Wheel Roborough on Facebook.

The group meets at the Woolwell Centre at 7pm on the fourth Wednesday of the month and new members are welcome.

Inner Wheel Club of Roborough President Bridget Hayman (fourth from right) with representatives from the four charities

THOUSANDS OF JOBS TO BE CREATED AS £20M FUNDING

SECURED FOR WATERFRONT REGENERATION

Thousands of jobs are set to be created thanks to almost £20 million of funding to regenerate Plymouth’swaterfront. A decision has been signed to formally accept up to £19,946,417 for the project ‘Plymouth and South Devon Freeport (Freeport) – Accelerating Plymouth’s Waterfront Regeneration.’ The funding comes from the Department of Levelling Up, Homes and Community’s third round of the Levelling Up Fund.

Council leader Tudor Evans said: “We are saying yes to this funding offer, we are saying yes to opportunity, to Plymouth realising its full potential as a major port city and we are saying yes to projects that will help our communities get the skills they need.”

The grant will unlock essential capital works to key assets, which will benefit the city’s residents as well as establish Plymouth as a Net Zero port city with a superb waterfront.

Three sites will receive investment and are all central to the delivery of the Freeport. Each will deliver innovation, infrastructure and skills, many in our most deprived neighbourhoods:

• Freeport Innovation Centre – £2 million for a new building in Oceansgate. Oceansgate 3.1 will see ‘innovation barns’ built within the Freeport South Yard tax site. This is a high growth high value cluster at South Yard with ongoing investment and support by Princess Yachts, Babcock International and the Ministry of Defence. This will create opportunities to grow the sector by providing essential warehouse space for business in the Freeport.

• Modernisation of port infrastructure at Millbay – £5.5 million working with Associated British Ports, this funding will improve freight turnaround and meet the Freeport’s export and Net Zero ambitions. Improvements are expected to increase the port’s capacity, enabling it to thrive, create new jobs and secure new export opportunities. This will mainly be achieved through better traffic management (more efficient disembarking and reduced processing times for freight), more check-in booths, and better passenger access. Additional investment has also been secured with ABP committing to shore power to move the port towards Net Zero.

• Freeport skills and regeneration of the waterfront – £12.446 million will fund the regeneration of waterfront assets and the refurbishment of the Civic Centre.

These investments will generate over £28.6 million of match funding, support new skills and career paths and create over 3,500 jobs.

The Freeport aims to create a cluster of high value, high growth businesses and realise the city’s inward investment strategy, which was recently commended by the Department for International Trade. The projects are working to a tight timetable with all funding to be spent by March 2026.

Melissa’s magnificent magazine story

A Plymouth University graduate has launched a successful platform for women to tell their unfiltered, unedited stories.

Inspired by her own experiences of misogyny, Melissa Hawkins, who studied English with Publishing, launched Disgraceful magazine as a way of empowering women to share their narratives, and act as a first foray into the world of writing.

The free platform, which started out life as a print publication before moving online due to the volume of content, contains everything from light-hearted film reviews to personal accounts of trauma.

With its name chosen to reflect the label often given to outspoken women, Disgraceful sees people submit article ideas, which Melissa and her team respond to, check for grammer and publish verbatim. Women of all ages, locations and career stages have submitted articles so far. Leaving an abusive relationship just before starting university in 2019, while also facing sexism in her parttime job, the idea was seeded after

Melissa shared social media posts about her experiences and was struck by how much they resonated with so many people.

Then the idea of a magazine came to her while in a supermarket queue, and Disgraceful has now grown into a community interest company with thousands of followers and contributors.

She said: “I was literally in a queue for Tesco’s, and I thought, I’m going to make a magazine.

“And I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but it’ll be for any woman who

has a story to tell. Then I started it, and it’s completely has exploded from there. And I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but it’ll be for any woman who has a story to tell. Then I started it, and it’s completely has exploded from there.

“The concept is to give women a voice on whatever topic they choose, and act as great experience for writing and publishing – an industry that can be difficult to crack, without having demonstrable experience. Women are less likely to come forward and share their stories via traditionally available

outlets, so this provides a unique, unfiltered and unapologetic platform for them to do so.

“We have such a different approach to journalism from the one that exists in the wider world, where everything’s about click through rates and page views. I don’t look at the analysis – if 10 people read our stuff and really, really resonate with it, that’s success for me.

“We’ve had some amazing people on the covers, from big directors to Olympians and reality TV stars, and it’s been very exciting. I’ve been able to go to movie premieres and walk red carpets and do crazy things that I never thought I would do.

“When I started university, having just left a difficult time in my life, I was terrified to go into my seminars and speak to people and make friends, as I felt like the least confident person in the world. But working with these women and doing what I do has completely transformed me as a person. Being able to help other people do that too is really, really special.”

Retired Marine Baz leads marathon speed march

In a gruelling world-record attempt, legendary polar explorer and retired Royal Marines Commando RSM, Barry ‘Baz’ Gray from Yelverton, is to lead a group of 12 retired Royal Marines, all over the age of 45, on a 26-mile marathon speed march around London in July, in full military kit and carrying 40lb back-packs.

Having already completed three training sessions with the group, Baz used the prestigious launch of the Royal Marines 360th Anniversary year at The Tower of London to announce details of the Royal Marines Veterans Speed March which aims to raise awareness and increase the understanding of the mental health challenges facing many of those within the veteran community, and the resultant impact on their families.

Baz said: “Put quite simply, physical and mental health issues within the entire Veteran community is as bad today as it has ever been.

This is a result of many years in conflict zones on a global scale, most notably in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“The knock-on effect of this goes far beyond the individual. It has huge impact on friends and family, especially children.

“It is particularly tough in these modern times where the NHS is hugely overburdened, waiting lists are high and funding is at a premium.

Many veterans are slipping through the net and, more often than not, this results in suicide.

“Having a project to focus on and a purpose in life can transform it from one of utter boredom and depression to one of excitement and fulfilment.

“This initiative is already changing lives and inspiring many veterans to get up, get active and find a bit of their old selves. We want to grow it,

share it and transform as many more lives as we can.”

Joined by those who are supporting the cause but will be running without the added weight, the RM Veterans Speed March is more than just about speed-marching around the streets of London on one single day in July.

It is also about what the group will be doing between now and then to promote, share, and raise awareness of Veterans Mental Health Issues throughout the year.

This will include organising a series of smaller challenges all over the country, open to anybody of any age who wants to take part and have a go at running a shorter, 400-metre course with a 40lb pack as quickly as possible.

The RM Veterans Speed March has to date already raised close to £50,000 for the Royal Marines Charity, contributing much-needed funds so the Corps’ own charity can continue to push forward the work it does in this vitally important area, including its Lifting the Lid campaign.

50 miles in May fundraiser for AgeUK Plymouth

A brand new event has been added to the Step Out for Age UK Plymouth collection, a range of accessible, fundraising events to get involved in.

To celebrate National Walking Month fundraisers will be walking, jogging and running their way around Plymouth. Designed to be flexible and adaptable, 50 Miles in May is the perfect challenge to get people on their feet, feeling the benefits of walking for physical health and mental well-being, and raising money for the community.

Fundraisers are invited to raise £50 to support over 50s by covering 50 miles throughout May and the charity has plenty of suggestions to get you on your way. Head of fundraising Tara Dale said: “It’s really important for us to design inclusive fundraising challenges that can be accessible for anyone to join in.

Head of Fundraising. “The beauty of this month long event is the opportunity for each fundraiser to tailor their own challenge. It might look like a back to back marathon weekend or you could sponsor the kids to walk the dog 1.6 miles a day. It’s about doing it your way.”

All funds raised are used to provide vital services to the community and

supporting over 50s, those living with dementia and their carers. Anyone interested in getting involved can read up more about the challenge at www.ageuk.org.uk/plymouth or call the charity on 01752 256020.

Melissa Hawkins and Disgraceful magazine

Barry ‘Baz’ Gray (right) leads a training run in Wales for the Royal Marines Veterans Speed March Photo: Matt Elliott

We understand that this weather hasn’t been the perfect Spring gardening weather. However, your garden spaces will thank you come summertime if you undertake these gardening jobs this month!

• Sow hardy annuals, herbs and wildflower seeds outside

• Get the kids involved and start planting sunflowers, strawberries and blueberries

• Keep deadheading spring bulbs and bedding

• Start growing your tomatoes and chillies

• Start feeding house plants once a week with a liquid fertiliser and water more regularly as the weather warms

• Now is the time to start thinking about laying turf or sowing grass seed

• Collecting rainwater in a water butt is a great way to deal with a warm, dry summer

A taste of the Mediterranean

Want to add a bit of dimension and something exotic to your garden space?

Italy has an amazing selection of topiary, architectural plants, and specimen plants that will instantly enhance any space, no matter how big or small they will give your garden the wow factor.

A great choice for any garden is lollipop-

shaped topiaries, with a variety of species including Olive, Photinia, Ligustrum, Bay, Viburnum and Callistemon. These are excellent for giving height and structure to smaller spaces, as well as for growing in pots and framing your front door. They take up minimal room yet add real style and are low maintenance.

Just give them a clip in the Spring to maintain their shape and feed and water regularly through the spring and summer. It’s a simple yet effective method of giving the garden or patio an established feel, and they will last for years, and look good year-round. Alternatively many of these specimens can be grown as shrubs and trees and are very effective when used for screening.

There are a variety of column-shaped conifers that are commonly cultivated throughout the Mediterranean region, for people who want to bring the holiday feel to their own garden. Totem is a type of Italian Cypress that is quite thin and good for narrow areas. It can reach a height of 4 metres (15 feet) and a width of no more than 0.5 metres (18 feet) in ten years. Blue Arizona Cypress, Rocky Mountain juniper and Golden Monterey Cypress are great as stand-alone specimens or in rows for a formal stylish theme.

The Windmill Palm is another plant that has an exotic appearance. With a single hairylooking stem, this palm tree is incredibly resilient. It will bring you years of enjoyment if you give it a sunny spot in the garden or a large container. Another choice is the Mediterranean Fan Palm - This resilient multistemmed palm adds a striking touch and effortlessly creates a tropical atmosphere in your garden.

Happy Gardening!

Fiona and the Plymouth Garden Centre Team

the mascot of

plants, Olives, with their gnarled twisted trunks in older

pale green slender oval leaves and of course, producing fruits that we either love or despise! Despite being Mediterranean, they are hardy in the UK. Great in large pots and drought tolerant to survive our unpredictable and increasingly warmer and drier weather, they make an ideal specimen for any sunny spot. They can be clipped into a ball for a formal look or left untamed for a more natural feel.

The popular Plymouth Pirates Weekend, returns to Britain’s Ocean City on Saturday May 18 and Sunday May 19.

This year’s event, hosted by Plymouth Waterfront Partnership for the 13th year running, promises to be the biggest and best yet, with a swashbuckling programme of a huge range of free, and paid for, family-friendly activities stretching across the entire waterfront, from the historic Barbican to the Royal William Yard.

New for this year, is the UK’s first-ever pirate fun run being held as part of the weekend on Sunday 19 May. In partnership with Taurus Events participants can enjoy a 3km walk, jog or run around the Barbican and take in the spectacular waterfront views dressed as a pirate!

Jon Walton, chief executive of Plymouth Waterfront Partnership: “Plymouth Pirates Weekend has got to be one of the city’s most fun events in the calendar! Tens of thousands of visitors to the waterfront all getting in the pirate spirit either by dressing up or simply by being part of the wonderful, friendly atmosphere across the weekend and enjoying our local businesses whether to shop, eat or drink. “This year we’re delighted to be able to add, what we believe to be the UK’s first-ever Pirate Fun Run, raising much needed funds for local charity, Jeremiah’s Journey.”

As always, Plymouth Pirates Weekend will be brimming with entertainment, from talented performers and roaming pirates to lively music and captivating shows and for our pawesome pals Gables will be holding a pirate fun dog show on

Saturday May 18 in West Hoe Park too.

Over fifteen different sea shanty bands will be performing at a range of locations across the waterfront during each day; and for those that want to continue the fun into the evening, local venues will also be welcoming bands to keep those toes tapping.

Returning to Plymouth this year is the Galeón Andalucía – this impressive full-size replica of a 17th Century Spanish galleon is a floating museum, and will be open each day for visitors to explore (booking in advance or on the day available).

She will be alongside on the Barbican Landing Stage. Accompanying Galeón Andalucía is the Pascual Flores, an original example of a ‘pailebote’ – Spanish for pilot’s boat – which was dedicated to

the export of fruit, salt and general cargo, both in Mediterranean ports and anchorages and on the North and West coasts of Africa. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore this original vessel.

The entire Plymouth waterfront, from the historic Barbican to the vibrant Royal William Yard, will be transformed into a pirate’s paradise with plenty of free and paid for activities for all ages, from face painting and storytelling to piratethemed crafts and games.

For more information, visit www.visitplymouth. co.uk/whats-on/major-events/plymouth-piratesweekend

To sign up for the UK’s first pirate fun run please visit  https://race-nation.co.uk/register/plymouthwaterfront-partnership/pirates-fun-run

Shanty Bands will be performing at the Pirates Weekend

Photo: Scott Grenney One Plymouth